Book Review: The Ravens

The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige

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Ever wondered what would happen if a sorority had magic and a mystery to solve?- this is your book.

The Ravens follows the narratives of two witches, Scarlett Winter and Vivi Devereaux, as they attempt to save their coven, the Ravens, from a mysterious past secret knocking at their door. Scarlett Winter is a powerful witch in her own right, despite always having to prove herself to her family, with a boyfriend, Mason, who after a summer of freedom does not want the same suburban life Scarlett has set out for them. Scarlett is set to become the president of the Ravens just as her sister and mother had been, but a dark secret threatens to take everything away from her. Vivi Devereaux on the other hand, has moved around her entire life with her kooky mother and has never had enough time to make friends or any sense of community for that matter. Vivi has no idea that she is a witch, but when she arrives on campus at Westerly College, she will discover her community and what she will do to protect it. 

I had an absolutely thrilling time with this story. I loved Scarlett and Vivi in all of their many flaws- what can I say, I love an enemies to friends storyline. The sorority initiation games were so much fun to read, though not so much for the characters, because it felt like I was watching the games from Monsters University- remember that move? The side characters were all well rounded with distinct voices and personalities. I especially loved when the story arrived at the magic system which is semi-based on tarot cards (which I purchased after reading this book in my own hopes of becoming a witch because my letter from Hogwarts never came) and the collective power of the witches performing magic together. There were several different plotlines happening at once which I enjoyed because it is realistic to real life in that sense that people are living their own lives, trying to figure things out, and then come together in the end with all of the information. The only thing that was not my favorite was the chapters ending on a cliffhanger but then switching narratives, so by the time the book got back to the plotline you had just been reading you’ve just ended on another cliffhanger and you’re not as interested as you were about what was happening before. Or the cliffhanger would just be resolved quickly with too perfect a bow. The ending though was also just [insert chef’s kiss here]; absolutely perfect for all of the characters.

-Review by Teen Advisory Board Member, 6/2/21