Review: THE RAVENS by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige
The Ravens by Kass Morgan, Danielle Paige 
Series: The Ravens #1
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on November 3, 2020
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal
Pages: 400
Source: Netgalley
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Page is the exciting first installment in their YA fantasy series of the same name. I’m always drawn to books that are set in schools, so this one being set on a college campus really appealed to me. The Ravens does not disappoint either. It’s a dark and atmospheric, fast-paced read that is perfect for spooky season, but at the same time, it’s a wonderful story about sisterhood and sacrifice. I really enjoyed it.
Kappa Rho Nu sorority is the envy of all at Westerly College. Filled with glamorous and powerful women, it is easily the most elite and exclusive sorority on campus, issuing the fewest invitations to join during the sorority rush week. Vivi Deveraux, a new student at Westerly, is shocked but thrilled when she receives an invitation to join. She is even more shocked when she learns why – Kappa Rho Nu is not just a sorority; it’s also a coven of witches. Only witches are allowed to join, which comes as a huge surprise to Vivi, as she had no idea she even was a witch. Scarlett Winters, next in line to be President of the Kappas, is the first sister Vivi meets during rush week and they unfortunately get off on the wrong foot. Things get even more awkward for Vivi when Scarlett gets assigned to be her mentor and help her learn how to harness her magic. When a dark secret from the Kappa’s past rears its ugly head and threatens not just their reputation on campus, but also their actual lives, can Vivi and Scarlett put aside their differences and neutralize the threat?
Vivi was probably my favorite character, mainly because she has that underdog vibe from the moment she gets on Scarlett’s bad side. I always have a soft spot for those underdogs. I also found her to be a very sympathetic character in that she has come to Westerly looking for a fresh start. She and her mom have spent most of Vivi’s life moving from place to place around the country, never putting down roots anywhere long enough for Vivi to make any friends. As soon as I heard her backstory I was really rooting for Vivi to find her squad. I also found Vivi to be an interesting character in that her mother is completely opposed to her attending Westerly, swearing that it’s too dangerous for her there. That, coupled with the fact that Vivi’s mom obviously never told her she’s a witch, made Vivi an all the more compelling character. There’s a mystery there and I really wanted to get to the bottom of it.
I do have to confess that I didn’t like Scarlett quite as much as I liked Vivi, probably just because she was so cold to Vivi when she first arrived at Kappa. She grew on me though as I learned more about her. She’s a legacy and is trying to live up to the reputation of both her older sister and her mother, both of whom were Kappa presidents. She’s under a lot of pressure because of that and she’s also trying to live down something that happened in her past, which makes her an interesting character to keep an eye on.
Filled with twists and turns as the Kappa sisters confront the danger that threatens to destroy them, The Ravens is a riveting read that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.
About Danielle Paige
Danielle Paige is the New York Times bestselling author of the Dorothy Must Die series and Stealing Snow, as well as an upcoming Fairy Godmother origin story series, and the graphic novel Mera: Tidebreaker for DC. In addition to writing young adult books, she works in the television industry, where she received a Writers Guild of America Award and was nominated for several Daytime Emmys. She is a graduate of Columbia University. Danielle lives in New York City.
About Kass Morgan
Kass Morgan is the New York Times bestselling author of The 100, which was the inspiration for the hit CW show of the same name, and Light Years. An editor of middle grade and young adult fiction at a larger publisher, Kass received a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a master’s degree from Oxford University. She lives in New York City.
Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Non-Bookish Interests I Have
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is actually not about books at all. It’s more of a get to know the blogger post in that we’re sharing non-bookish interests that we have. I don’t know that there are any big surprises here for anyone who has followed my blog for a while, but it’s a pretty accurate picture of what fills my time when I’m not reading, blogging or working.
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10 Non-Bookish Interests I Have
- Theater. I have such a passion for the theater, Broadway musicals in particular, so it has killed me this year to not be able to catch any shows because of COVID. Favorite shows and plays I’ve seen: Hamilton, Wicked, Springsteen on Broadway, Les Miserables, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Lion King.
- Disney. And I mean all things Disney – the films, the characters, the theme parks, collecting stuffed animals, mugs, and enamel pins, just to name a few. I also have a major soft spot for Eeyore that goes back to when I was a small child.
- Travel. This is a relatively new (i.e. in the last 10 years) passion for me. I used to never go anywhere, but once I caught the travel bug, I now want to go EVERYWHERE. This is another passion that has taken a hit because of the pandemic.
- Hiking/Walking. I used to do this a lot more often before I had a kid, but now that he’s older, I’d like to get back to it. There’s nothing like a hike on a scenic trail. So peaceful and such great exercise.
- Politics. I will freely admit that I’m completely burned out on this topic right now, but in normal times, when it doesn’t feel like the soul of our nation is on the line, I tend to be quite the political junkie. 2016-2020 may have killed this interest for the rest of my life, but we’ll see, lol.
- Puzzles. I put a jigsaw puzzle in my graphic but honestly I love all puzzles. Jigsaw, crossword, logic puzzles, Sudoku, Rubik’s Cubes, etc.
- Video Games. And honestly, this should really just say video game, singular, because it’s Mario Kart Tour on my iPhone that I’ve been completely obsessed with the past few months. It takes me back to the games I played when I was a kid and I’m really loving the sense of nostalgia right now.
- Baking. I can’t really say that I like to cook much overall, but man, I do love to bake a good dessert. I’m all about the cookies, pies, and cakes. 🙂
- Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus & Chill. I’ve found myself less and less willing to turn on the TV in recent months. There’s nothing but bad news and political ads everywhere I turn, so I’ve been regularly turning to my entertainment apps and watching anything and everything that will let me escape reality for a few hours. The past weekend I fell down a Schitts Creek rabbit hole and devoured 4 seasons of the show. If you haven’t seen it, it is hilarious!
- Animals. Whether it’s watching cute animal vids that put a smile on my face or watching my own furry family members engage in their silly antics, most animals are a constant source of joy for me. Dogs, cats, and all sorts of domesticated animals of course, but then I also love giraffes, elephants, bears, and all of the big cats. I will pass on the insects and reptiles though.
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Well, that’s it for me. Do we share any non-bookish interests?
Review: KINGDOM OF THE WICKED by Kerri Maniscalco
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco Also by this author: Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper, #1), Hunting Prince Dracula
Series: Kingdom of the Wicked #1
Published by Jimmy Patterson on October 27, 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal
Pages: 448
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Goodreads
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I was a big fan of Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of her latest novel, Kingdom of the Wicked, especially once I heard it was about witches and demons. I started reading it last week and let me tell you, it’s the perfect dark and twisted read for spooky season.
Kingdom of the Wicked follows Emilia a young witch who lives with her family, including her twin sister Vittoria, in Sicily. The witches in Sicily live in secret to avoid persecution, so it is quite shocking when witches start turning up dead, brutally murdered. Who’s responsible? Is it the new witch hunting group that has suddenly cropped up or is something supernatural afoot? When Emilia’s twin becomes a victim, Emilia, who was normally the more cautious of the two, throws all caution to the wind and vows revenge.
At its heart, I’d say Kingdom of the Wicked is a story of revenge. Emilia is willing to do absolutely anything to bring her sister’s killers to justice and is tunnel visioned on that quest, even when it quite literally takes her to Hell, or to the Princes of Hell, I should say. And it is when she magically binds herself to Wrath, one of the Princes of Hell, that everything changes…
The chemistry between Emilia and Wrath is off the charts. They both really knew how to push each other’s buttons and I couldn’t get enough of their banter and bickering. Wrath is dark, dangerous, and sexy, and it becomes clear as the story progresses that he develops feelings for Emilia that go beyond just the magic of the bond. He has a soft spot for her, whether he likes it or not. Emilia finds herself experiencing similar feelings. Neither should trust the other but can they fight the intoxicating lure of their attraction? I was a huge fan of Charmed way back when and these two seriously gave me Phoebe and Cole vibes!
Aside from the amazing chemistry between Emilia and Wrath, and the compelling mystery as to who has been killing witches, I also fell in love with the worldbuilding, especially 19th century Sicily. I’m a sucker for a story set in Italy, particularly if there’s food involved, and Emilia’s family owns a restaurant. Emilia loves to cook so the story is filled with vivid descriptions of delicious Italian recipes. I also loved how atmospheric the story was. It’s dark and eerie every time someone goes out because of the tension of knowing there’s a killer among them. I also thought Maniscalco did a brilliant job with the witchy folklore. I absolutely loved the details of Emilia’s family history and how they ultimately became tied to the devil himself. And speak of the devil, her descriptions of the Princes of Hell are truly brilliant. This is one of those books where, as I was reading, I could easily imagine it as a film.
I don’t want to give anything away regarding Emilia’s quest for revenge and how her entanglement with Wrath factors in, but I will say some unexpected twists and turns at the end have me very eager to get my hands on the next book.
If dark and twisty reads filled with witches and demons are your things, you’ll want to visit the Kingdom of the Wicked. You won’t be disappointed!
About Kerri Maniscalco
Kerri Maniscalco grew up in a semi-haunted house outside NYC where her fascination with gothic settings began. In her spare time she reads everything she can get her hands on, cooks all kinds of food with her family and friends, and drinks entirely too much tea while discussing life’s finer points with her cats.
Her first novel in this series, Stalking Jack the Ripper, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It incorporates her love of forensic science and unsolved history.