Where do I even begin?
What a unique, phenomenally thought out fantasy.
I was hooked from start to finish. The depth in the characters was just incredible and I found myself rooting for them all. There are a LOT of characters, so it can get a little confusing BUT fear not there’s a very helpful family tree in the front of the book!
This had such amazing LGBTQ+ representation.
This will forever be one of my favourite fantasy books. I will definitely be reading this again! Absolutely fantastic!

Where to begin?
I honestly am speechless after that book. In the Ravenous Dark was honestly a breath of fresh air and I didn’t know I needed this book until I read it. I’m going to keep this spoiler free as much as possible! I’ve been telling a lot of people to preorder this while I was reading simply because of how beautiful the story was. I loved the world with the bloodmages and royalty and magic and darkness, at times I was a little confused at some parts but it’s honestly just because I was devouring the book and accidentally skipped some information which I went back and reread. The characters were so well developed, I was in love with them. And obviously in particular; Rovan, Lydea and Ivrilos - I thought each of them was simply delightful and it was so refreshing seeing Rovan’s relationship with them both flourish so magically. To conclude, I loved this book so much, I loved the representation within it and I thought Japha was an absolute angel, I loved them so much. The ending was so well written. I recommend this book to everyone honestly!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eArc for reviewing purposes.

I can’t put into words how much I ended up loving this book. It made me gasp and laugh out loud multiple times. I was a big fan of Rovan as the main character and her dynamic with all her friends and Ivrilos was absolutely brilliant. Japha and Ledya were fantastic friends and the way the found family trope came into place was brilliant. Ivrilos was just everything you’d what you want in a broody character (so edgy).

I must admit I was confused at first by the large amount of characters and how they all related to each other but I managed to grasp it towards the middle of the novel. I would have appreciated a character guide for sure!

I believe this is a stanadlone but I just need more from this world and characters.

I definitely recommend this book for any fans of dark stories with dark humour and great characters. Please do look up trigger warnings before reading as there are quite a few..

Rating: 3.5–3.75*
Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In The Ravenous Dark is a dark, bloody, action-packed upper YA standalone fantasy with a wild ride of a plot that’s very entertaining. The premise lured me in, and the prologue (written in third person) was enticing, intense and set the mood for the book. It then took me a little while to get use to the switch to first person, but once the main story got into its stride, I was invested to find out how the plot would unfold. The lore and twists surrounding the world, the political intrigue and the magic went in a direction I was not expecting, but I was gripped and it added to the intricacies of the worldbuilding and magic system, which I really enjoyed.

The setting was atmospheric, and the worldbuilding was fascinating and inventive. I would have liked to explore the magic, the bloodlines and the wider world in more detail, but there was enough included to ground and intrigue me in the story.

Japha was by far my favourite character. They had one of my favourite lines that resonated with me. Japha is full of wit and charm, and even in the midst of battle, they can be snarky as heck and I adored them. The friendships and found family trope between Lydea, Japha and Rovan and how they protected one another were enjoyable, fresh, charming and one of the strengths of the book.

After reading the blurb, I was excited for the romance and thought it would be one the things I’d love. However, maybe it’s because I favour slower-burn romances, but the romance didn’t hit the mark. The declarations of love occurred relatively quickly and felt overused without any real development of the relationships between characters that it reduced the impact of these declarations. The consensual polyamory, the LGBTQIA+ representation and the sex positivity were fantastic.

Overall, there were portions of the book where the potential and payoff didn’t quite meet expectation; however, there was a lot I enjoyed, and the sections I enjoyed were thrilling and kept me hooked and turning the page.

TL;DR recommendation:
Heavily liked/verging on love. The story was wonderful but my attention wandered from time to time. Definitely edging on the old side of YA.

Oh. My. Gosh. This is queer AF and I am HERE for it.

✨ Blood magic literally taking over bodies in a weirdly beautiful way
✨ A very shit system where people get thrown to the underworld as a tribute
✨ A royal family where women can never, ever, ever succeed
✨ A pansexual main with a lesbian princess and a non-binary bestie ready to take down the damn system

If that ain’t got you excited, then stop reading because this ain’t the book for you. If it’s got you intrigued, then we shall get along splendidly.

Let me introduce you to our new friend, Rovan. Rovan has had a bit of a shite life; her dad was killed in front of her for the same thing that she had charging through her veins. Blood magic. She did well to hid it until she used it in a very, very public place thus resulting in the world as she knew, crumbling around her.

Normally you’d be tossed into a dungeon etc. to rot your life away but she was whisked into the world of royalty, tethered to a dead shade and actively encouraged to use the magic she spent years concealing. Rovan’s shade lad of a guardian (otherwise known as Ivrilos) has one command he must follow – keep his ward in line. Instead of following the rules, the two form a bond between the living and the dead and go charging in with their new royal friends/lovers to take down the monarchy.

And I can’t not talk about the relationships throughout this. In the Ravenous Dark is set in a world where love is a free thing. Not bound by the dumb laws of the past, homosexual relationships are the norm and polyamorous lovers can freely live their lives. None of this feels forced in any way and I didn’t notice any incorrect misgendering throughout.

This is a wild ride. A standalone novel where a shit tone happens and it can feel a tad overwhelming at times. That being said, it’s written in a style that makes you laugh at situations where you probs shouldn’t be and when the action gets going, it a very easy read.

In the Ravenous Dark comes out on 18th May and you should hug this book with your entire heart.

P.s They mention Polis a lot in this. Whilst it’s a city in their world, it means the police in mine and the confusion was real.

Captivating, beautiful and breathtakingly thrilling!

This book has me at a loss for words. I love it so deeply and I'm so thankful for being given an arc of it.

Before I get started on the plot, I want to note how incredible the characters are. Not only is there a gender nonconforming character as one of the main, and favourites, but there is also TONS of queer representation. Our main character, Rovan, makes it more than obvious that she's attracted to the person and not the gender, whereas her princess counterpart Lydea prefers only women. It's so wholesome to see this addresses so effortlessly and casually, showing that there really is nothing wrong with being who you are.

The plot was, as expected, absolutely phenomenal. It was so entertaining and filled with drama and blood magic and death (everyone good story has some!) and was just outstanding. The author's voice is unique and she creates such an enticing and captivating story as she delves straight into the crazy world of Thanopolis.

I sincerely can't recommend this book enough. And I hope that we get to see these characters again in the future.

Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton and A.M. Strickland for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rovan, a pansexual bloodmage accidentally reveals her powers she has hidden all her life. She is brought to the palace and forced to be bound with a spirit, that guards but can also control her. There is something rotten in the city of Thanopolis, so Rovan makes it her personal quest to find the truth, save those she loves and change everything.

The protagonist is brazen, prone to sarcastic remarks, hiding with her behavior the hurt of losing her father at a tender age and being forced to hide what she is her entire life. I did enjoy her sharp wit. I also loved the turmoil of her being attracted to not one, but 2 people she should probably hate, her guardian spirit Ivrilos and the princess Lydea. A double whammy potential of enemies to lovers and all kinds of forbidden and impossible. I truly enjoyed her interactions with both.

Exceptional worldbuilding with details of distinct brushstrokes, that paint this world effortlessly to life. A fascinating magic system that I have never read anything like it before. Lyrical, bloody (pun intended), dark & vividly moving narrative with tickling doses of humor. The plot is so much more expansive and wonderfully intricate than expected, with mesmerizing intensity. Wildling interesting and intense characters, especially the main trio and Japha who is an absolute delight. The ones you are supposed to hate make it so easy with their behavior.

Gasp-worthy reveals, surprising twists and aha! moments as the intrigue unfolds. With crazy intricate action that I sometimes had to reread to get the full scope of what was going on? I think the 2nd half of the book needed more pages to breathe a little better.

The blight is an allegory for the lust and misuse of power and humanity's tendency for destruction. This story's civilization has a history of women not being appreciated and being used, emphasizing the 'Women taking their power back" theme which is inspiring. It also deals with the right to be yourself and to choose your own path. Family is loyalty, not necessarily blood, the one we choose and chooses us.

Gorgeous powerful writing, with machinations that would make Machiavelli blush, this is dark magical fantasy that refreshingly creates its own lane.

Blurb:
A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead in this dark upper YA Fantasy stand-alone.

My Thoughts:
The combination of bloodmages, spirit guards, royal intrigue, and a heavy dose of romance made for a dark and intense read. I can definitely see myself rereading this in the autumn to get into the spirit of spooky season!

I found Rovan difficult to like at first because she was brash and impulsive and this behaviour not only got herself in trouble but was also directed at someone I thought deserved more empathy. I do think she matured and acknowledged her mistakes more as the book continued which meant I started really wanting her to succeed.

In spite of struggling to have patience with her at first I did find it refreshing to see these qualities in a female character for a change. She wasn’t a typical YA heroine (nothing wrong with those) and I liked that she didn’t need anyone’s permission to be bold and unapologetically herself. Rather than starting out meek and mild Rovan started out a wild mess but grew into herself over the course of the book.

A non binary character also features prominently in this book. Their struggles are discussed but the character is in a place where they are happy and confident with who they are. I hope we see more characters like this in fantasy books!

There were a whole host of plot twists! Most had me gripped but I thought a couple needed a little more build up for me to actually be worried about the outcome. I can’t say more without spoiling things.

Read for:
• unique magic system ✨
• romance ❤️
• pansexual, lesbian, and non binary characters 🌈
• royals 👑

I really enjoyed In the Ravenous Dark and gave it 4.5/5🌟 Out on the 18th May! I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #InTheRavenousDark #NetGalley

I think me and YA fantasy might be breaking up for a while. It’s not you, it’s me. The sort of issues much YA fantasy focuses on now are a little unnuanced, offering a comfortable them/ us perspective. The older I get, the more convinced I am that nothing is this simple. So this playing into stock tropes like oppressed mage, evil ruler, radical take down without the nuance that actual revolution requires didn’t do it for me. Which suggests that it probably wasn’t written with me in mind. And that’s fine. The queer rep is very good. And if you want a light, not to challenging fantasy with a queer MC and many other queer characters, you’ll probably love this. I guess I’m holding out for the nuance of The Hunger Games series but with more LGBTQ+ rep. It’s ridiculous to blame a book for not being the book you wan it to be when it never billed itself as such, however. The writing is good. The pace is engaging. There’s a lot to like. The problem ultimately is me.

Have you ever found yourself reading a book and thinking to yourself, Wow, I sure wish I were reading about a disaster pansexual bloodmage whose love interests are a lesbian princess and an undead spirit man, the kind of book where polyamory and non-binary rep are to be found, all of this within an Ancient Greek-inspired world which is extremely casually queer? Oh, friends, me too. If any of that sounds at all like it might be up your street, then please allow In the Ravenous Dark to gift you such a fantasy world. Full of mystery and found family (truly the cherry on top), A.M. Strickland has created a fantasy standalone that delivers everything promised from the synopsis, and crafted a book that hopefully many fantasy readers will be able to see themselves represented in.

In the Ravenous Dark somehow managed to be exactly what I was expecting but even better. The rage, the love, the magic—all of it pulled me in from the very first few pages, starting, of course, with our main character, Rovan. She’s selfish but brave, and she worked really well as our main character, knowing just enough about the world but still needing to uncover some of its secrets. Her refusal to give in and her determination to fight against a life she didn’t want made her compelling, and her relationship with the other characters within the book were also intriguing. My favourite character was Ivrilos, Rovan’s magically-bound shadowy guardian, who holds his secrets close to his chest and provides lots of witty banter with her, helping to keep the tone quite light even when dealing with lots of blood and violence.

I also loved Lydea, Rovan’s other love interest, a princess with absolutely no interest in men at all. Her character is revealed to us in bits and pieces as the story unfolds, and I really warmed up to her by the time I got to the final page. There is also non-binary representation with Japha, who offers friendship and advice to Rovan, taking her under their wing (yes, they use they/them pronouns, and yes, it made my heart warm). The dynamic between Rovan and her friends was uplifting, and it was great to read about such an affectionate friend group in the midst of so much death and darker themes.

The pace of the book worked quite well as it never felt like I was being given too much information too quickly, and the plot never felt like it was dragging for the most part. At times the romance felt like it was paced a little oddly, not quite insta-love but definitely moving along quickly, but I think was a consequence of the length and the fact it is a standalone novel. Saying this, the book peaked for me about two-thirds of the way in, and it definitely felt like around this section was a natural stopping point for the book to end. Because of this, the last one-third felt like it wasn’t quite as developed as the previous sections and I could definitely see the advantages of this having been a duology as opposed to a standalone. There were a lot of twists that made the plot quite intricate at points but still easy to follow, and at the end of the day, I do always appreciate a fantasy standalone.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it, especially if you are looking for fantasy books with the representation this book offers. Sometimes you just need a story that’s a little bonkers, casually queer, and a good time—In the Ravenous Dark offers you all three, and I very much enjoyed it.

This was a dark, bloodthirsty and thoroughly enjoyable standalone fantasy. I really liked the magic system used and how we slowly learnt more about it, including the more mysterious aspects of its history. The plot had a strong mystery vibe throughout that had me hooked, wanting to know what happened next and find the truth. Strickland's writing was descriptive and immersive, with flowery touches that were gorgeous but never felt over the top. A brutal, bloody and riveting story.

In the Ravenous Dark is a bloody yet utterly entertaining upper YA fantasy, with ancient-Greece-inspired world-building, court intrigue & devious kings, as well as magic & ghosts, and an excellent execution of the (queer!) found family trope. It was truly so much fun to read, despite some decidedly darker turns, and I'm curious to see what A. M. Strickland has planned next!

One of my favourite things about In the Ravenous Dark were the characters! From Rovan, our protagonist, who's prone to rash decisions, but would to anything for the people she cares about; to Ivrilos, the shade Rovan was bound to against her will, who has some plans of his own; to Lydea, a rebellious princess, who wants to choose her own future; and Japha, who's always up for a bit of mischief. Almost all of these characters (as well as many side characters) were queer, which was another thing I loved about this book. Rovan herself is pansexual, there's a lesbian side character & a side character who is nonbinary and aspec. Additionally, there’s a polyamorous relationship between Rovan and two other characters. The found family trope was executed so well in this book, the way the four main characters grew closer and the dynamics between them shifted into something more than just friendship or romance—they became a family.

I also enjoyed the ancient-Greece inspired world-building, especially because it reminded me of the game Hades, which I’ve been obsessed with a few months ago. The addition of ghosts, as well as the idea of magic—blood magic and death magic—was also interesting, although I would’ve liked to explore both the world and its magic a bit deeper.

The story itself, of a kingdom on the edge of ruination, a slowly crumbling world, and dark, unknown forces, also made for a captivating reading experience. So did the fact of these two kingdoms, these two worlds, existing alongside each other: the world of the living, and the underworld. Ghosts, secrets, and a dark palace connected to the city of Thanopolis, which holds quite a few mysteries of its own.

I truly did enjoy In the Ravenous Dark a lot: it was entertaining from start to finish, it was violent and bloody, but it also very clearly focused on the importance of family—both biological and found—and the bonds that keep us rooted in humanity, even when forced to do monstrous things. That said, I just wanted more: I wanted to explore this world more deeply; wanted to know more about the magic system, the bloodlines, the death magic; and even though I adored Rovan and her relationships (both romantic and platonic), everything happened somewhat instantaneously.

Overall, In the Ravenous Dark is a story that fascinates with it’s charming yet bloody world-building: all the Greek influences, the beautiful, opulent kingdom on the one hand and the dark, twisted underworld built on its palace of lost souls on the other. I especially have a lot of love & appreciation for the queer representation in this book, as well as the beautiful execution of the found family trope. And yet, I would’ve liked to see all of it explored more deeply, see more of the world and get a deeper understanding as to why, exactly, all these characters fell into each other so quickly—especially in the cases of romantic attraction. Still, In the Ravenous Dark was very much an action-packed, entertaining story and one I would recommend especially to fans of Greek myths and the game Hades.

what i liked
—queer rep is perfect. i hope pansexuals will feel seen and represented. books with diverse gender rep and sexuality always have my heart and i will recommend people this book for the same
—Japha. a hundred times. i loved their character so much. they added fun to the story
—the pacing of the book in the beginning. it was perfect, getting to know Rovan's backstory and the circumstances that lead her to getting exposed

what i didn't like
—i felt like the book tried to combine a lot of cool magic and tropes that the result came out mixed up. the reveals were predictable and i wasn't as invested in the story as i should've been
—the worldbuilding felt confusing, all over the place to be honest
—insta love. the characters fell for each other too quick without any understanding of each other

"Shadowed by death. Bound to darkness."
Wow. This book was incredible and honestly such a standout for the genre, I am so pleased I discovered this title and this author's work because the innovation alongside the fantastic representation is just brilliant. I can see myself reccomending this title A LOT and it has inspired me to check out the authors other works.
These characters are going to mean so much to so many people and they are really so varied in terms of their personalities and how they react to certain situations. Their interactions really speak volumes on how important friendship is and how much it can mean. Not to mention the romance, like can we make all love triangles poly at this point, its gives off a maturity that so many young adult books lack and honestly it was so refreshing to read about.
Whilst we could have got more worldbuilding and information on the magic system, this is a relatively small standalone, therefor I feel as if the background that we got was a great foundation and helped me to understand the novel as a whole. To do so without seeming info-dumpy is honestl y a skill, and I do believe I had a firm grasp on the intricasies of this world and its nuances. It was in no way simplistic either. Such balance is hard to find.
The intrigue and plot was spot on in my opinion, I was engaged throughout and there was definitely some twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Similarly, the pacing and the structure of the book worked really well and I am surprised how much of an engaging story the author was able to fit into a mere 400 pages, especially considering the development we got.
I wouldn't be surprised if this made it onto my favourite books of the year list, highly reccomend!

Thank you to Hodder and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars

In The Ravenous Dark is a YA/NA standalone novel where it is about Rovan who was an alcoholic and queer. She has becoming an alcoholic due to try to get over her father's murder by King. As she was safe hidden by her mother, she has a power called Bloodmage. After her identity has been revealed, she was brought to live in the palace so that she can preserved the bloodline. From there, troubles start to look after her. By overcoming this troubles, she found love, self-accepted and a family she never had before.

First of all, what a stunning cover. Applaud to the cover designer. It totally representing the mood of this book which were dark and gothic.Not suitable for young readers. A lot of TW were included such as alcohol consumption, swearing, murders, f/f &f/m sex and more. Talking into the world building, it did have the attraction but not so memorable. The plot served a fast pace and packed with actions especially when we reached the climax of the story. Love how the characters been in relationship together.

Things I favoured less were the dialogue kinda modern-ish. Setting was inspired from Graco-Roman but not truly reflecting that era. For me, if the dialogue reflected the era, it would certainly be more interesting for me.Overall, it's readable to me.

****Will be reviewing in Goodreads separately due to technical error****

This is an odd kind of book. The writing itself was good and it had a really strong start, but then it went right off the rails by going at 100 miles per hour and speeding through story that would have been better had it been given some more time.

Character relationships developed too fast, love happened at a ridiculous rate, and I'll be honest, I got a little frustrated.

I like things to feel organically developed and this didn't. Which is a shame.

I’ve been hyped for this book ever since I first heard about it. The second I saw that it was up for request on NetGalley? I was over there and requesting it. My request was granted pretty quickly, but it’s taken me until now to finally get to it for various reasons. The moment I started this book, I hoped to be dragged into a fascinating world with characters I would die for.

And I kind of got that.

In the Ravenous Dark is centred around Rovan, a young woman who has grown up trying to hide her magic after seeing her father taken away by guards. Those with magic like theirs, blood magic, are taken to the castle to join their ranks. And then are given a ghost guardian to keep an eye on them. Rovan never wanted that, but after saving a girl in view of everyone, she is taken to the castle to join her father and take on his bloodline.

I won’t lie, writing that excited me all over again. This book sounded so damn good, and it still does. It’s a dark fantasy with a diverse cast, a pan protagonist and a poly ship. There are so many aspects that sound so good. And for me, the first 75% or so was. But then it kind of lost me.

We’ll start with what I thought was really good, and that was the worldbuilding. Though stuck in one country, you do get the hints of another. You’re curious about it, and you want to see it. But like the protagonist, you know the time to isn’t right now. That was a good way to handle it. The magic system that’s used in these two countries is so interesting. Essentially, you have two types of magic: Blood magic and death magic. Blood magic is used by the living, and death magic those close to death or those who are dead. Or that’s how it usually works. Blood magic is hereditary, with only one of the children usually being adept to use it themselves. The bloodline is passed on through marks, and that’s all I can say without spoilers.

I loved learning about this world and how the magic worked. There were a few shocks and twists that I didn’t expect. And I’m really glad that I got to experience the rollercoaster.

As I said earlier, this book is also pretty diverse. Aside from the royalty, different genders and sexualities are usually accepted with no problem. I don’t remember any comments on skin colours or things either. So the world did feel honestly open. And that was a pleasure to see. You do get a poly ship in this book with the protagonist. You can tell who it’s going to be pretty early on. But you don’t get to see two members of the ship interacting very much. Admittedly, there would be no romance there as one of them is a lesbian. Not exactly going to be into a dude. But I would have liked to see some more interaction. To see them all working out how this was going to work. But that would have had to have happened earlier in the book to work.

And that’s kind of where my problem begins.

The first 70% or so is a lot of build-up. The story was enjoyable, and I was curious; then a twist happened. And, okay, that was fine. It added something different with the magic and allowed the plot to go a different way. But then suddenly, it started to feel like everything was happening too fast. It shouldn’t have. This was the last 30% so, obviously, things needed to be happening. But so much was happening in such a short space of time that I was like…why?

Especially as this was when the romance really kicked off too. Things had felt a little instaromancey anyway, but then everything is just a mess, and there’s I love you’s. And I don’t know. Even the final battle and the action following just felt a little anticlimactic. We had all this build-up, and maybe this book should have been a series rather than a standalone. As that last 25%/30% left me so unsatisfied. I went from really enjoying the book to wanting to put it down as I just didn’t care anymore.

And that’s not good.

That being said, I did still mostly enjoy and appreciate this book. My favourite characters were probably Japha – the non-binary sassy character? What a surprise! Or not… – and Ivrilos. I was interested in their backstories, and I loved their interactions with Rovan. I liked Rovan well enough, she was a good protagonist. But how selfish she could be was sometimes very frustrating.

Overall a mixed read. But one I would recommend to those looking for dark YA fantasy.

In the Ravenous Dark was a ensnaring read filled with dark magic and a lot of representation. Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for allowing me to have an advanced eARC in exchange for an honest review

Plot summary:
In Thanopolis magic is very rare and controlled by the royal family. Rovan has kept her magic a secret since her fathers death but accidently exposed herself saving her friend.

As her freedom disappears, she is brought to the palace and surrounded with intrigue and many people who will do anything to get ahead. As she is drawn to Princess Lydea and her ghostly guardian Ivrilos, she uncovers there’s more to this place and her powers than she ever thought.

Review:
Plot and World Building - It took me a while to truly get into this story, purely because the initial world building was so dense it was a challenge and it took me a few reads to get my head around the magic aspects and the kingdom and it’s history. Once this had been completed, the world and story became much easier to read but the initial few chapters may take a few reads for people to understand initially. The general plot was well developed, thought-out and kept me as a reader engaged and guessing as to what could happen next.

The final 30% of this book left me reeling- all the initial depth when writing this paid off as I was unable to drag myself away from the last part- absolutely fantastic and satisfying ending.

Overall pacing of the story was very good and It personally
worked for me.
Character wise- Rovan is a great protagonist and is developed very well throughout the story. Her interactions with all characters is well executed and her sarcastic nature is very much getting two thumbs up from me.

Lydea and Ivrilos as supporting characters both have their moment to shine and their backgrounds and development were well thought out.

In general all the characters introduced during the story had a clear purpose and background and that is what I really enjoy in a fantasy story.

Representation- The cast of representative characters in this book from an LGBTQIA+ perspective is absolutely fantastic. The truly great part is that they are not just there for the sake of it- everyone’s personal queer identity is given time to truly shine and it’s such a beautiful thing to read in a fantasy story and I genuinely wish it happened more.

Final Thoughts:
An fantastic representative book that has all the right ingredients to be a stunning series and I can’t wait to read more in the future.

Of course, is this only my personal opinion on the book and just because I give this rating to the book doesn’t mean, that everyone will have that opinion.

This book sounded right up my alley. Dark fantasy with LGBTQ+ representation? Hit me up!!

Fair disclaimer at the beginning: please check the trigger/content warnings for the books. I will put them after my conclusion because they are a little bit spoilery but this book is a Dark Fantasy book. I personally would not say that this is a young adult book. I would put it in the adult section.

To be honest I had a little bit of a hard time getting into the story. Maybe it’s because English is not my native language or maybe it’s because I read it in the evening. I don´t know the reason why I did not understand anything at the beginning but after the first five chapters or so I had a better overview of the world and the magic system, which is by the way very cool and interesting.
I liked the plot and characters. They were just so beautifully written and I adored every page.

The book had me hooked and I forgot about all my responsibilities while reading it. There was one amazon plot twist after the other and I couldn´t put the book down. I loved the concept of the world and magic system the author used and even tho this book is a standalone, I would not mind reading more about this world and also some characters.
I was a little bit anxious about the possible love triangle which is teased in the synopsis but there is nothing to worry about. Everything flows beautifully into each other. I can’t say more because it will spoil something but I think you already can hear, that I enjoyed this book.
Rovan is definitely a very badass female protagonist and most of the plot is in a morally grey zone which I love.

Also I loved the fact that they were so many queer characters! We have a pansexual maincharacter, an import character which is lesbian, a non binary and a sexual important character and also different types of relationships.

Conclusion
A really good dark fantasy standalone

I give 4,5 from 5 Stars

TW / CW:

-Death
-Suicide
-Violence
-Blood
-Gore
-substance addiction (alcohol)
-Enforced gender roles
-Forced marriage and pregnancy
-Threat of rape/abuse of the main character

I enjoyed Strickland's Beyond the Black Door a lot. It was unique and imaginative and I loved the idea of exploring souls as houses. In the Ravenous Dark felt far more like a generic fantasy set in a society mirroring Ancient Greece with a poorly developed system of magic. I did enjoy the aspect of the dead guardians at first but wasn't entirely pleased with the direction that took either.