Thursday, February 1, 2018

Audio Book Review: Raven

Raven

By:  Stacey Rourke

Publish Date:  November 8, 2016, Audiobook Release March 2, 2016

Format:  Audiobook - 8 hrs 19 mins
Narrated By:  Karen Krause

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  2nd in Legends Saga series; 1st Book ~ Crane

Impression:  Introduction of a new cursed person.

Synopsis:
An infamous love, destined nevermore,
For death could not claim, the enchanting Lenore.

Cursed by the malevolent spirit of the Headless Horseman, Ireland Crane ventures to Manhattan in search of a way to break her soul crushing bond. Instead, she discovers the lines between fact and fiction are blurring once more. Croaking ravens. Telltale hearts. Could the works of Poe be coming to pass with handsome Wall Street Midas Ridley Peolte as their unwilling target?

She walks the Earth, a plague on mankind,
searching for he, her rotted heart doth pine.

Together, the two unknowingly release a dark force death itself could not tame. Surrounded by the unrelenting violence and mayhem they’ve unleashed, Ireland feels her control over the Horseman slipping. Before the beast within consumes her, she and her crew must follow the clues of the dead to right a centuries’ old wrong. Will it be enough to sate the Horseman’s appetite?

Hell hath no fury like a ghoul scorned.

First Sentence:
Humming a merry little tune, the old woman sliced the flapping bird from throat to belly.

Purchase At:
AmazonBarnes & NobleBook Depository

Audible 


My Thoughts and Summary:
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Karen catches my attention from the beginning as she voices a crone. She fits the part perfectly. At times Karen's voice feels stiff, but I wonder if it's suppose to feel that way with the characters. I found I enjoyed having Karen back to voice this book as she did the first one. The audio was clean in listening and went by quickly.

In The Legends Saga of books 1, 2, and 3 we miss the first chapter of Raven (between Prologue and Chapter 2). I know this because I usually follow along in the ebook version for the first pages/chapters supplied in the free view. And chapter one is not mentioned in the audio.

I found there were times where I was taken with the manner of description used. It fits for an Edgar Allen Poe era feel.

Ireland is on a search to learn more about her cursed tattoo. She never expected to find another cursed as she is. Ridley Peolte, who had painted the tattoo, is cursed to live with Edgar Allen Poe's curse. Ridley comes into his curse while Ireland is here. Is there a connection? I'm not sure, I have a theory though.

The story portrays Edgar as living a life where he's touched with death. He can see the dead, and he could bring them back. This has a terrible impact on Edgar. But he does find one person that brings life to his days, pushing the death away.

I enjoy the writing style in how we get the story from two different times. Ireland's search is blended with Ripley's story. We see Ripley take on his own curse and learn about it through him and Ireland. We also get a story from long ago through Edgar's eyes. The two different timelines told in Ripley's and then Edgar's times, based on how's at the top of the chapter. Then the two timelines cross and we get the details we were hoping for, now it's time to solve the problem that's risen.

Ireland has Noah, her boyfriend, and Rip Van Winkle with her. Rip, who woke in the last book, makes me smile from time to time with his comments. He's got a warped sense of humor with the time he grew up in and now. Noah is a great boyfriend. He's got a sense of humor that is perfect with Ireland's humor.

I was with Ireland throughout the book in hoping to learn more about her tie to the horseman along with her tattoo. However, we are left with more questions than answers on that front. I'm even curious about how Ridley came to have his tie as well. Why Ridley? These small things itched at the edge of my mind as I enjoyed the story told. This makes the story harder to rate. We don't get Ireland's answers, not even close, and stumble into a new situation that's as dire as Ireland's was in Crane.

We solve a problem that Ridley releases on the world, but the book felt like it didn't have to happen. I don't quite understand why Ridley was told to release this...problem... on the world. Other than to show what he shouldn't do with his new ability, or more like curse. I'm hoping this will be answered more clearly in the next book. There has to be a thread to this predicament, Ridley, and Ireland. The epilogue leaves me feeling to a possibility.



****If my thoughts helped you, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

4 comments:

  1. I've wondered about this series for awhile now but still haven't tried it!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh that is a big unanswered thread. This does sound interesting though and I hope you get those answers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. eee! that cover is cool, but a little creepy.

    ReplyDelete

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