11 Books Like The Golden Raven

Dark Heir is the second book in the Dark Rise trilogy. I didn't know that going into this series, I believed it was only two books. So imagine my surprise (and anguish) as I neared the end of Dark Heir and realized nothing was going to be wrapped up.

I never expected to love Will Kempen as much as I did. He is fully aware of his past life in the second book, and reading about him fighting against his better nature and the will of his past life is heartbreaking and thrilling. I've never encountered a character like him before. We can't truly know, or trust, his actions. Cunning, deceptive and alone in his struggles. He wants to do what is right, despite everything working against him. But hiding his true identity from his friends, and more importantly, James St. Clair, became impossible.

The end of this book had… show more.

This book took me by surprise. I didn't have any expectations going into it, but a friend of mine read it and loved it. I knew it involved ghosts and mystery, but not much beyond that.

I was immediately wrapped up in William's world, desperate to know all his secrets. I've always been a sucker for scary old houses and manors, and the one William suddenly found himself owning is full of mystery. Not to mention Edward Jones, a man claiming to be the gardener for the estate. Together William and Edward set out to pick apart the manors past, stumbling into something dark that had been hidden for centuries.

This book deals with mourning, guilt and pain on so many different levels. William and Edward are left with the tattered remains of survivors guilt and the manor seems to feed off the secrets they keep and the lies they… show more.

Neil Josten is a runaway. A survivor. Determined to stay hidden from his murderous father, the last thing he needs is a national spotlight. But that’s exactly what he risks by signing for the Palmetto State Foxes. Thrown into a team of outcasts, last chancers, and no-hopers, The Foxhole Court is the story of one broken, battered boy and his fight to find something worth living for, and someone who deserves his truth. Neil transcends the page, blossoming slowly and resentfully as his teammates chip away at the icy walls barricading his heart. In a genre full of hopeless adults, I found it refreshing and heartwarming to have Coach Wymack as the gruff yet dedicated foster father to all these damaged kids. A violent, vicious, yet heartfelt comfort read.

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so pleased that it was. I couldn't put it down. The fact this book is all set in one day is so interesting and to journey with the characters through their different emotions is certainly what keeps the reader on the rollercoaster too. It's impossible not to fall in love with Mateo and Rufus. The author has crafted a superb read here, and the story will stay with you for a long time

I loved that this book’s inciting incident is the toppling of a many-tiered wedding cake of a British royal couple. The cause? The immature tussling of a prince and the U.S. president’s son? (Adults, mind you. They’re adults) And because of that, they have to pretend to be friends, pals, buddies.

And as with most fake-relationship-themed books, the fake friendship soon turns into real love. Even though both Alex and Henry are outrageously advantaged individuals, I saw them as people—people in love—and not as a representation of their class.

Perhaps the thing I love most about McQuiston’s writing is the idealism and hopefulness she brings to the story. The obstacles Alex and Henry must overcome are literally international and yet, she can boil their love down to the simplest of gestures—and make it seem realistic.

Although heists and team-driven stories are difficult to mess up, I rarely find a gem with fun, snarky, and interesting characters like those delivered by Bardugo.

Clever banter effortlessly drives the storyline from beginning to end. When you start to feel the characters are proving to be one-dimensional and predictable, they begin to change and evolve (albeit a bit slowly for my tastes), which made for a surprisingly satisfying read (I’m including book two in this observation).

Worldbuilding is intelligent enough to keep you trusting the author when you grow concerned that the ending will be unrealistically implausible. Okay, maybe that last observation is my personal pet peeve with modern authors, but Six of Crows pulled off the credibility factor reasonably well.

It made me glad to be human.

This was the first book by Alexis Hall I’ve read, and I fell in love with his writing. It’s witty and charming and perhaps a bit ridiculous at times. But that’s what makes it charming. Luc’s job is in danger unless he begins to get his life together. What job? He works for a nonprofit charity whose goal is to save the dung beetle—Coleoptera Research or Protection Project, or CRAPP. The solution? A fake boyfriend.

I love the large supporting cast this book has, each quirky enough to get their own story one day. Hall is a master of comedic writing, but more than that, I love that he can also write poignant moments. This book is one of my all-time favorites.

Determined to escape the clutches of his sinister mafia boss, ruthless Ash Lynx stumbles across a dying man bearing a strange drug and the codename ‘Banana Fish’. As bloodshed looms over New York City, Ash meets Eiji, a gentle Japanese photographer. Together, they attempt to uncover the mystery behind Banana Fish, as danger stalks ever closer to their fledgling friendship. Dark and brutal, Banana Fish is centered on the trauma of Ash’s past as a child forced into prostitution. Handled with respect and care, the author offers Ash a chance to heal through the compassionate nature of a true friend, warding off the demons plaguing Ash’s memories. Survivors are rarely given the opportunity to be as complex and conflicted, so Ash is a character who remains of deep personal importance.

Caged and shackled, Nathan endures endless torments at the hands of his captor. His crime? Being born a ‘Half Code’ – half White witch, half Black witch – and son of their hidden world’s most infamous villain. Adapted on Netflix as The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself, Half Bad thrives on the intense, gritty voice of its protagonist. Captured by Nathan’s plight, his pain and rage seared my heart as, chapter by chapter, I longed for his escape and for him to find the peace and freedom he so deserved. Be warned, this is a book that will get under your skin. Just thinking about Nathan’s struggle for survival is enough to make my stomach churn, which I think speaks volumes about the power of this brutal story.