Review: Queen of Corvids

Queen of Corvids by J.C. McKenzie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having enjoyed the first two books in the series I was eager to get my hands on an ARC of the third book. I have to say, at first I was a bit disappointed. It was slow and seemed to have degenerated into some NA parody of how hot is my supernatural boyfriend. I even stopped reading for weeks/ months past the release date, but because I feel the need to finish a book, or at least give it a fair shot before I DNF it, I picked it up again last night for one last try. And blow me, I loved it. Take it as you will, was it a slow start? Or was I just not in the right reading mind?

Brief recap, Raven Crawford and her twin brother Bear are actually the product of their mother's (a fox shifter) love affair with Odin's creation, Huginn Muninn. Raven defeated the former Queen of Corvids, Lloth, with the help of Bane, Lord of War, and won her throne by default. However, as someone with little knowledge of the Others or her powers there is a long line of Corvid Others lining up to kill her and seize the throne. Oh, and she is also a Private Eye with her sleazy ex-boyfriend's medical school bills a millstone around her neck and a soul-destroying job as a waitress in a grubby diner.

It all starts when Pepe, Raven Crawford’s father’s revenge goat, goes missing. Then there’s the obligation to Bane, Raven’s friendship with Meghan to resolve, the Closers to investigate, and being blackmailed by the hyenas! And lest we forget, her budding romance with Cole, Lord of Shadows.

I don't know if this is the end of the series, it certainly feels like it as the plot builds to a crescendo and Raven totally owns her powers. Go, girl power! Raven draws on all her powers/strengths to solve the mysteries and confound her enemies.

Once I got over the slow start (for me), this was fast paced and Raven bounces from resolving one problem to another, we hobnob with the gods of myth, militant human groups, shifters and sleazy bosses.

A triumphant climax to the trilogy, with enough loose ends to suggest that this is not the last we've heard of Raven Crawford, so HFN not HFE.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review, even if it is months late.

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