King of Ravens (Upon a Broken Throne #1)by Clare Sager
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Synopsis:
He’ll do anything to keep her. She’d do anything to escape.
Rhiannon is dying—of what, she doesn’t know. Protected by her family in their remote seaside cottage, she spends her days searching for a cure. Her world is torn apart, however, when a fae King of the Dead invades her home.
Cold and cruel, Drystan offers her a choice: descend to the underworld as his bride or watch her family die. Trapped in a twisted bargain, Rhiannon is thrust into a world of withered gods, scheming courtiers, and ancient magic, but she refuses to be a pawn in a game she never agreed to play. She attempts over and over to run away, until Drystan offers her a new bargain: escape his deadly labyrinth, and he will set her free. Fail, and become his bride.
But in a court where every promise has teeth, Annon must make an impossible choice: return to the home she's always loved or claim her place in a world where she might finally belong.
Review:
King of Ravens was a slow burn, grumpy sunshine romantasy that completely enraptured my heart. This book easily became a favorite with a morally grey fae who stole a human bride from her life. With mystery and secrets swirling, it was impossible to put down this book!
Remember, an echo of Drystan’s voice sounds in my head, weakness is death.
Rhiannon was dying and death visited her in her dreams. Until one day, he appeared. He was the King of the Dead from the fae realm, and Drystan gave her a choice, be his bride or watch her family die. Taken to the underworld, Rhiannon was forced into a life where she could trust no one around her. I was terrified yet fascinated at the same time. As we slowly got to learn this new world, I was hooked. And mesmerized with how many clues there were. I just didn’t know how to put them all together, yet.
For a moment in my room, he’d almost seemed human. Silly me.
Drystan was a mystery. He could be subtly funny….. if you looked hard enough. But at the same time, he could kill someone in a blink of an eye. I did come to appreciate that as the story unfolded lol. So, while there were many different sides to Drystan, I loved trying to figure out exactly where he stood. As I searched for his heart in moments like the cat and snowball, I had hope for Rhiannon that her imprisonment wasn’t as horrific as she first imagined.
I thought the danger lay in his looks or his whispering spies.
But I missed his true power.
It isn’t seen or heard.
It’s felt. Just barely.
Like the sea inching against the cliffs, slow and patient— only noticed once it’s already too late.
And by then, you’ve already given him exactly what he wants.
As bargains were made, the trails Rhiannon went through were unfathomable. I loved seeing the tenacity she had and watching her gain confidence. Especially since monsters surrounded their world, and many of the fae could be just as horrific as those monsters. So while I wasn’t always sure who to trust, one of my favorites was Min. I kept my fingers crossed that she was one of the good ones.
“How readily you respond to a simple touch, even though all that lies between us is hate.” His voice weaves between us, low and rough.
The tension between Rhiannon and Drystan was thick and sensual! I loved feeling the electricity between them and when they did cross the line to more, it was so steamy! Yet the world they were in was a terrifying place. And as the story came to a close, that cliffhanger was brutal! I usually don’t think a lot of books have true cliffhangers, but oh goodness this one definitely was. It was fabulous and left me on the edge of my seat begging for more! So, if you love romantasy that’ll keep you on your toes, is steamy, and has characters that you can connect with deeply, I can’t recommend King of Ravens enough. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this world!
Other Favorite Quotes:
I should hate him. I should be disgusted. I should remember the moment with terror, be haunted by it in nightmares.
And yet…
All I can picture is the way Drystan looked at me after. The shade of desperation on his face. The fading fury that left him so raw.
I lift my chin and Min brings out a tiara of black metal studded with shimmering moonstones, I feel less like a clumsy scarecrow and more like a future queen.
This was only meant to be physical. Temporary. Something to enjoy before I go home.
But the King of Death has worked under my skin. A thorn I can’t push out.
And perhaps I’ve got under his too.
“I am the god of death, Avellan. And I wouldn’t let you die alone. Not ever.”
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
