Rundown waitress, part-time private investigator, and half-fae shifter, Raven Crawford, always gets the opposite of what she wants most. She works two jobs but can’t pay the bills. Her confrontation with Queen Lloth has unexpected and unfortunate consequences, and her love life is a hot mess.With failure and disappointment honed to painful perfection, Raven’s life is riddled with complications, … complications, including her troublesome attraction to the lethal Lord of Shadows. When her latest case leads to a group hell-bent on destruction, she must decide who to trust. Will she choose wisely, or will she fail once again and become the next casualty in a war between the Mortal Realm and the Underworld?
more
I think, I read this book even faster than the last and I think I even liked it better than the last as well. Of course it could have been because we got passed the insta lust at this point to.
We get a lot more into the events of the underworld and the consequences of the events in last book. Raven unknowingly bit of more than she can swallow (lol for those who read the book).
Raven grows a lot and starting to become a lot more confident in her situation but she is also still learning and leery which makes her even more likeable in my eyes. I still love her snark and humor, but also her love for her family and friends. She just wants to do the right thing but is willing to take out a threat if needed no problem.
Cole I liked a bit better as well but, we still don’t get much about him. The most we get is when he is having a brooding standoff with Bane. I also don’t care for the fact that he keeps stuff from her, no matter the reason.
Their relationship is one thing I’m so-so about , while all it is fine and good I can’t connect to it, that just seems always the case when a relationship starts with a case of insta lust. I’s hard to see how it forms into healthy trusting relationship if all we ever see is the lusty moments and never or hardly any tender moments. For me anyway… most of the time. I like them together but I also could care less about it. But I’m all for their banter.
Speaking of Bane, I wish we get more of him and I bet he is not all that bad. Maybe we get some books about him someday.
Mike, was still my favorite and I can’t get enough of him. Her twin is back but yet not much in the book and the times he was there it felt off , we should see how that goes.
There were still a few unresolved topics I’m waiting for to be bought up and handled as a family, like their father. I hope that comes up sometime and being discussed. Speaking of her family, I love the whole family and their Sundays dinners are the best.
Overall I loved this book, it was another super-fast but very funny and enjoyable read that brought many shocking surprises to the table, I can’t wait for the next book to release after that cliffhanger we got. Though I should have seen in coming.
I rate this book 4.5
I loved the first book in this trilogy, Conspiracy of Ravens, and the second did not disappoint. J.C. McKenzie’s rich prose pulled me into an evocative world of shadows and light, where shifter Raven Crawford struggles to survive. The author’s trademark wit made me laugh, and the love story made me sigh. I highly recommend it for readers who like their fantasy dark. It’s a kick-ass urban fantasy.
She’s a rundown waitress, part-time investigator and half-fae shifter who always gets the opposite of what she wants. Raven Crawford is working two jobs but can’t pay the bills, her confrontation with Queen Lloth has some unexpected and unfortunate consequences and her latest case is leading to a group of hell-bent on destruction and could make her another casualty in a war between the Mortal Realm and the Underworld.
Readers are hooked from the very first page of this highly suspenseful and exciting read. The second book in the ‘Raven Crawford’ trilogy has Raven’s life taking some stunning turns that push her more into the Underworld than she wants and her troublesome attraction to the lethal Lord of Shadows is getting harder to fight. This story starts off with some unsettling news, two new cases for the investigation business and just keeps building more and more suspense with every twists and turn of every exciting page. The plot has a steady to fast pace and is filled with lots of excitement to be found throughout as well as all the emotional turmoil that Raven faces as her life is turned upside down and maybe even inside out.
Readers can’t help but become enthralled by Raven’s life as they follow the case and bite their nails in anticipation of what will come next for Raven, especially regarding the outrageous consequences of her confrontation with Queen Lloth. This trilogy is so very fascinating and full of wonderfully unique and surprising elements and a snarky heroine that really reaches out and grabs readers by their imaginations.
We get book two in this fantastic new series and oh whole lotta action is going on.
Raven is still learning exactly what It meant to kill the Corvid Queen. And on top of that bag of worms, she has two PI cases to handle. One she knows is likely more heartache it involves Robert… The only thing that is constant in her life is her family. Cole is back in her life and she is keeping him? Well, find out by grabbing your copy.
Another fantastic story with Ravin. So much is happening as Raven continues to work as a waitress and being a PI. Raven also has to learn how to be the Corvids Queen of the Others. Cole is helping her and things get steamy between the two. Lots of action and mystery. Secondary characters are great and well developed as this story continues. Again I am left waiting for the next book impatiently as there are more mysteries and problems arising. Loved it and look forward to the next book!!!
I’ve really enjoyed this series so far. If you like paranormal romance/urban fantasy, it as shifters and far and other realms. Raven is a cool lady. She isn’t a damsel in distress nor is she too stubborn that she makes bad decisions. She just wants to be “normal” but that isn’t really working out for her.
We see a lot more of her family’s PI business and see them working cases. It’s when those cases start overlapping that things get interesting. I was sad to see the last scene though. I wonder how things will work out. 🙁
Can we talk about Cole?
He is dark and broody and I love it. He can be a little overprotective, but he’s trying to be better. Man is he in deep?
My advice: read the series in order. They are not stand-alone books. If you don’t read the first one, you will miss out on important information.
Patiently waiting for the next one…
I had the opportunity to read an early copy for review.
*** I’m volunteering to review this arc ***
Raven has to learn how to use her powers since she learned that she is now the new Covid Queen. She is to rule the shadow realm. She gets two cases that she has to solve. One is a workmen’s comp case and the other is to see if her ex Robert is cheating on his fiancé. But she learns that they are connected. She also learns that the people she know will be her enemy. She also must help the Fae Lord of War with his problem with the a organization that wants to get rid of the Others. Will she be able to solve both cases? Who will be her enemy? Will she learn her powers before it’s to late? Will she be able to help the Lord of War?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Great book.
After how book 1 ended Raven seems to be in denial but then she has help. This one had the mystery, suspense, and paranormal but could skip some of the world building and focus on the story and how Raven’s life has changed somewhat. But it is not all cupcakes but instead there is something going on and she somehow ends up in the middle. The same characters both good and bad are back and made me laugh and groan like the first book. And the ending was stellar and makes me need the next one to see how she solves that pesky issue or two she has.
The story line was good, the character work was great, and the book had a smooth flow to it. This was a good addition to the series. I found this book much better than the first book in the series. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I’m really enjoying Raven and her family. Watching her come into new powers and dealing with problems of her past have made this a fun read. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
I love Raven & everything she’s gone thru. She’s trying to come to terms with her having killed the Queen of Corvids & her relationship with the Lord of Shadows. He’s giving her space, but by doing so he’s not telling her something extremely important that will affect the Others. She’s a strong, independent woman trying to handle her life & everything that is thrown at her. She’s snarky & has no problem directing her snarkiness at anyone who deserves it. The Lord of Shadows is super sexy & somewhat mysterious. I’m loving every bit of this series & can’t wait to read book 3.
NEVERMORE is the second book in the Raven Crawford series and we return to Raven as she is still adjusting to what happened at the end of book 1 and the death of the Corvid Queen.
I say that some of the instances in this book are not a surprise, but then I don’t think they were intended to be. What you do get is the continuation of the story, with sass and snark in handfuls, steam that melts your Kindle, and a story that just keeps getting better.
I loved how Raven is still at her dead-end job with Mike, not because it’s a dead-end job but because she’s still got her ‘normal’ life. She’s still trying to pay off Robert’s debts and has moved back home. This isn’t anyone who has let things go to her head and even more so in this one! We get more of her family in this one, plus some more of the ‘bad guys’ which, to be honest, just leaves me wanting more.
The writing is on form as always, with the pacing being perfect for the story. The characters just keep on getting better and the story will have you turning the pages, unwilling to stop reading.
For a top-notch Urban Fantasy, I have no hesitation in recommending both this book and the series.
A very good urban fantasy story , it could perhaps be read even if you haven’t gotten book 1 first but i really recommend you to read in order to see how the characters evolve and to get a better immersion in this universe which get a little darker with each book.
It’s a great mix of shifters, fae, mythology figures etc but of course also some humans not all of them with good intentions. This time Raven discover slowly the consequences of what she did in book 1 while the god of war gives her more tasks to achieve….Poor Raven has several missions colliding and she must learn her new powers faster than she could imagine.
The action is fast, there are some humour but also a lot of tension, we discover more about what is happening in the human realms and we get a cliffhanger that keep us on edge for book 3
If you want a great urban fantasy series a little dark with lot of supernatural creatures some very original, this is the perfect series for you but to read in order.
I am seriously enjoying how unconventional this series is. It is ignoring most of the tried and true tropes in favor of forging its own unique path in the genre and it succeeds wonderfully. As in the first book, Raven continues to be a strong, snarky, somewhat self-deprecating character. She doesn’t have it all together and she doesn’t try to hide it. I love that about her, it makes her feel real, human, and relatable. Cole is just beyond sexy. Their slow burn romance is killing me! I cannot wait for the next book!