Raven Crawford knows better than to venture into the seductive world of the dark fae or agree to any of their salacious promises. She plans to pay off her debts so she can get on with her life and stay far away from the denizens of the Underworld.Unfortunately, her numbskull twin steals from the most tempting and lethal fae of them all. Now, Raven must help the Lord of Shadows get back what her … what her idiot brother stole. Her only weapons? Just a little ingenuity and a whole lot of snark. It’s suicide for sure, but she’ll do anything to protect her twin.
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Raven Crawford plans to pay off her debts so she can get on with her life and stay far away from the denizens of the Underworld. Unfortunately, her numbskull twin steals from the most tempting and lethal fae of the all and now, Raven must help the Lord of Shadows get back what her idiot bother stole.
A compelling and refreshingly different paranormal read that combines a creative twists of elements to form a unique world with strong, bold characters that easily grab readers’ attention and holds them hostage. The heroine, Raven Crawford, is strong, that readers can easily connect to and enjoy getting to know as she uses her wits and a whole of snark to navigate the deadly peril she finds herself in, thanks to her brother. Lots of emotions flow from the pages so that readers can get a proper feel for the characters and the events taking place.
The plot of this urban dystopian fantasy is fast paced and full of edge of your seat suspense, heart pounding excitement and a whole host of characters that all seem to have a different reason for wanting to get their hands on Raven’s brother and whatever he stole. This leads to lots of surprising twists and turns that ensures readers are never quite sure what will happen next. There’s never a dull moment to be found during this fascinating story and while this part of the story ends, readers are left with an eager anticipation of the next release in this exhilarating trilogy.
I found book two on Netgalley and it sounded like something I enjoy, and when I got approved I went ahead and bought book one on kindle.
I was a bit in a reading slump and this book pulled me out of it. It was just what I needed. A light, funny, paranormal romance. In a world of shifters and fae and humans.
I really enjoyed the writing, it is fast paced story and super easy and fast to read and follow. I also was a big fan of Raven, I liked that she had her real -life struggles as well as her paranormal struggles. It just made her so much more relatable. She was super down to earth and funny as all get out. I actually enjoyed her entire family and wish we would have gotten more of them and dinners. I actually was hoping that one thing for sure will be brought up and see how that went, but maybe that will be in future book(s). Her brother Mike was also one of my favorites.
Cole I also enjoyed very much, but I think we should get to know him better, we know some if him and of course that he is smoking hot but not much as far as what makes him tick. Im looking forward to hopefully learn more about him.
The only thing I was at odds about was the whole Insta lust thing and that she lusted after him sometime in the oddest situations, which she herself even acknowledges. But that is just my personal opinion and I’m sure many people don’t even mind
Overall it was a funny, steamy, fast paced paranormal romance with plenty of shocking plot twists. I’m super happy I picked it up and looking very much forward to book two.
I rate it 4
J.C. McKenzie’s naughty sense of humor and wit dance the tango through this steamy urban fantasy, which sent shivers up my spine one moment, made me laugh the next, and finally, sigh. In other words, she delivers the full meal deal of fantasy.
Raven Crawford is a strong badass heroine whose loyalty to those she loves, and terrible bad luck had me rooting for her from page one. Cole, the dark fae Lord who pursuits her, is both deadly and delicious. Hence the sigh. The other characters are unique and well-drawn.
Finally, the world-building is brilliantly detailed, so that it comes to light (and dark:) in the imagination.
If you like Urban Fantasy, you’ll love this story.
Raven is part shifter–an especially unique shifter part. When she shifts, it’s in to a conspiracy of several ravens. Some would call it a flock, but that’s not the correct terminology. She’s trying to become her own woman away from her family & she works 2 jobs to try to do it. One evening at work, a TDD (tall, dark & dangerous or deadly, take your pick) man walks in to the diner. Something about him has her on edge & when he asks about her twin brother that’s all she needs to tell him to leave. Mr. TDD turns out to be Cole–Lord of Shadows, Master of Darkness, Patron Fae of Assassins. Her world just keeps getting more intense as more demons & fae come after her & her family to get to her brother & what he has apparently stolen from Cole as everyone wants to own it.
I’ve loved everything that J.C. has written since I came across the Carus series. Once again, this series is filled with great characters & world-building. Raven is strong in her own way, but she’s not a kick ass heroine. She gets it handed to her a few times throughout the story. Cole is everything I’ve come to expect from J.C. He’s HAF, strong, & is a definite panty dropper man. As the story does have to do some building, there are times when it gets a little slow, but it by no means detracts from the story. When you finally meet her twin, Bear, you’ve wondered up until that point if you are going to like him or not, but in the end you can’t help but not. The involvement of Norse characters just adds to the story. Most of the way thru the story Raven has no idea who her biological father is & when you find out, it’s the shock of her life & not who you would have ever pictured. I can’t wait for book 2 & more of Raven, Cole & all the rest of the characters.
An amazing story this is.
If you enjoy lords, dark, light, queens and much more you will love this book.
Raven has no idea what her abilities are, she is usually carefree and cares less. However, when her twin brother goes missing she has to grow up even more.
Cole steps in and spins her world upside down and inside out, but he isn’t the only sexy man who steps into her life.
I loved this story and I hope book two comes quick.
*I received this book as an ARC for a fair and impartial review*.
I’ve read a few of J.C. McKenzie’s books. She always offers well-developed characters and vivid descriptions. You can almost picture yourself walking across the room and entering the conversation. However, the dangerous situations her characters find themselves in would keep you in your chair to safely eavesdrop. They live in a world much different than our own. Their world consists of different realms and magical, mystical creatures.
Raven, the main female character, is a capable private investigator, but this case is close to home as it involves her twin brother. Also, recent setbacks in her life have made her lose confidence. She’ll regain her stride with the assistance of a drop-dead-gorgeous Lord of Shadows, Cole, who comes in to find what her brother has stolen.
My favorite thing about this book: the romance bubbling up between Raven and Cole.
How it could have been better: A more consistent pace.
Promising beginning of a new series. I love the twists on the supernatural and fae in this world building. Raven is a funny character as she knows so little about fae while being part of them. Cole is funny as well and powerful of course.
Raven is tasked to find the ” Claíomh Solais” her brother stole but what it is, what power it has and whom it belong to she has no idea and she doesn’t care all she wants is to protect her twin for that she is ready to make deal with powerful entities like the Lord of Shadows ^^ to avoid other like Lord of War…..busy girl for sure as she is working to paid off a debt her ex left her – he deserves to be punished for sure-.
I really loved the story it has humour, suspense, tension , the rhythm is fast as we are so immersed we read this easily in one sitting.
I do recommend this series with pleasure
Fae, Fighting and … Fun! This PNR left me wanting more
This is the first book in the Raven Crawford series. It’s a Paranormal Romance with plenty of action, a touch of adventure and a fair amount of steam. Definitely not a slow burn romance.
Our heroine is feisty, down to earth and only just discovering her powers. The characters are interesting, develop well over the course of the book and I found myself invested in their journeys.
This book was a pleasure to read. I’ll be diving into book two immediately.
I loved this whole series!
Great series! Will start the next soon.
This was a really fun book to read. Unpredictable with a great ending.
This is my 3rd read from JC McKenzie. It’s a new PNR series that includes fae and shifters so far. Raven is a no-nonsense kind of gal who gets caught in a tangled web of schemes, betrayal, and deceit because of her brother. Through, this she meets Cole, who is a dark fae lord and super hot. They go up against a big bad. Some lines are blurred. Identities are shattered. A lot happens. We wrap up nicely with this installment but are definitely left wanting the second book to come out soon!
*** I’m volunteering to review this arc ***
Raven must find her twin brother Bear and the Claiomh Solais, before the other dark Lord Fae’s find him and the Claiomh Solais. She decides to work with one of the Dark Lord Fae Cole in order for him to keep her family and herself safe. Now she must fight her sexually attraction that she has with Cole, stay alive, find her brother and this Claiomh Solais before it’s too late. Will Raven find her brother and the Claiomh Solais? Will she be able to fight her attraction to Cole? Will she stay alive?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
“Conspiracy of Raven” by L.C. McKenzie, the first installment in the “Raven Crawford” Series, follows the eponymous MC in her quest to save her own brother from himself aka the mistake of relying on stealing from the Fae to solve his problems. Raven herself is working to solve the problems the betrayal by her ex threw on her. And thus, as two dark Fae stand at the door asking for her sibling, and demanding their stolen property back, Raven already knows trouble does not even begin to describe the situation: if thanking the Fae is the equivalent of a livelong debt, stealing from them is just capital offense.
Raven embarks in the hunt for the stolen item to be able to bargain with the Fae in behalf of her brother. Fighting against time, her own captivity and the seduction of the Fae lord, the quest turns into an obstacle race to find the artifact and go on with her “normal” life before the Fae realm shallows her up. A girl can dream, fortunately Raven’s snarky personality brings her a long way towards finding a solution without relying too much in “dreams coming true.
Raven is a credible heroine with realistic everyday struggles, including the more supernatural ones, with a non-nonsense personality, light and funny even when facing some very dark, dark fae . With a wonderful crafted world and a cast on instant recognizable secondary characters, this is a funny and light, paranormal romance, fast paced story, an easy to read page-turner, that put a twist into Fae lore, incorporating the more known myths and interwoven them with an interesting combination of shifter and Nordic myths.
Good book.
I really liked this first book in a series. It mixed mystery, suspense, and the paranormal all together to give a story that was very addicting and that I had to read in one sitting. The inner monologue of Raven was a hoot. A few spots made me laugh and groan. I liked the writing and the plot that just drew me in. I liked the mix of the realms and the basic world that was introduced here. Could not wait to see what happens next especially after learning what was really going on and what was at stake. The ending was great.
I loved this story so much. Raven is an excellent character. She’s funny, witty and has the best named car ever! Her fierce protectiveness of her family and her quick thinking make her an awesome UF MC! I’m so excited for more of her and her family’s story!
CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS is the first book in the Raven Crawford series, and we meet Raven who is half-Fae and half-shifter. She is living on a knife’s edge financially due to her ex-boyfriend and is too proud to ask for help. Instead, she gives up on her dreams and works at a dead-end job.
Her life changes when her twin disappears and two dark Fae Lords enter her life. Her mother has always warned her away from the Underworld, although she doesn’t really know why. This means she has a woeful lack of knowledge where this is concerned, which doesn’t help when she figures out her brother’s disappearance and the appearance of those two are linked.
This was a great fantasy book with plenty of detail given. I will admit to finding the first half of the book a bit slower than the second half. Some parts of it seem to be repeated, but so long as you don’t mind that, it’s all good. The attraction between Cole and Raven is intense and instantaneous, but Raven doesn’t trust it. This book concludes nicely for this part, but also leaves it wide open for the next book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more. Most definitely recommended by me.
Great start to a new series. While a little slow to start, the story picks up speed and Raven is caught between the Lord of Shadows and the Lord of War, both of whom are looking for her missing twin brother.
If it wasn’t for bad luck, Raven wouldn’t have any luck at all and being tossed into the middle of fighting Fae isn’t a good place to be. Fortunately she’s not alone in her fight and her developing feelings for a dark Fae lord may make things even more complicated.
The author has set a scene where witches and shifters are common, but the barrier has come down and everyone is more or less at the mercy of the Fae.
There are lots of twists and turns as the story progresses and I’m looking forward to more stories in the series. In the beginning Raven seems so outmatched but as time goes on, you’ll find there’s more to her, and story than it first appears. (I voluntarily reviewed an ARC).
This was a great first book into a new series. I really enjoyed the interaction and building romance between Raven and Cole. There is action, mystery and some suspense wrapped into an urban fantasy romance book. I recommend this book and look forward to the next.
Conspiracy of Ravens is the first book in the Raven Crawford series.
I voluntarily received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Final Rating: 5 Stars