Celtic Ghosts Possess Halloween Town | Ravenfall Review

Welcome to my book review for Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson.

“Anna holds her drink out to Elaine. ‘To the long and recently dead,’ she says gently.
‘May they stay that way for the days to come.'”
-Kalyn Josephson, Ravenfall

Synopsis:

When Anna Ballinkay touches another person, she can see any death that they’ve witnessed. In a family of psychics, though, this power has few uses, and Anna feels like a dead weight around Ravenfall, her family’s inn. But when Colin Pierce arrives at Ravenfall after his parents are murdered and his brother goes missing, Anna sees an opportunity to prove her worth. Neither of them is prepared for just how deep Colin’s family secrets run, and they have to set everything straight before an army of Celtic spirits is released on Samhain night.

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Review:

To kick off October, I wanted a book with cozy Halloween vibes, and Ravenfall felt like the perfect match. I’ve always been a sucker for ghosts, Celtic mythology, or a lovable animal companion, and this book has them all!

I was immediately smitten with the atmosphere of Ravenfall. This is one of the most “October” books I have ever read. The Halloween season plays a hefty role in the vibes of the novel, with pumpkin spice everything and decorations galore. Add ghosts on top of that, and you have a perfect Halloween feeling throughout.

I fully understand why people call this book “cozy.” In addition to the fall atmosphere, the majority of the book takes place around Ravenfall Inn, where we see Anna and her family carry out the daily chores of caring for an inn. We get to know the town of Wick and all its magical (and non-magical) inhabitants. From a magical greenhouse visit to an enchanted tea shop, the cozy vibes run deep.

As much as I loved spending time in the world of Ravenfall, I do feel that the story is a little too heavy on building up the coziness. Roughly the first one-third of the book consists of very few plot points, opting instead for a meandering path focused on setting the mood. While I don’t always mind this style of storytelling, it made the pacing feel unbalanced, especially since the action picks up rapidly toward the end.

One thing that Josephson does incredibly well in Ravenfall is including positive representation of diverse characters. We see many side characters of different races and sexualities, and they all make Wick feel more full of life.

Because I talk a lot about queer representation on this blog, I want to highlight this in particular. Ravenfall includes many members of Anna’s extended family as they gather at the inn for Samhain. This gives us the opportunity to see Anna’s sister Rose and uncle Roy in w/w and m/m relationships, respectively. Additionally, my favorite detail of queer representation comes from this one single sentence toward the start of the novel, from Anna’s perspective:

“He’s the kind of cute Kara would have teased me about before I finally told her that I have no interest in romance and dating, and never will.”
-Kalyn Josephson, Ravenfall

It’s incredibly rare to see aromanticism and/or asexuality represented in media, so seeing it in one of the protagonists and in a middle-grade novel is a huge win in my opinion. I look forward to seeing how this representation might expand throughout the series. (Happy Ace Week, by the way!)

Despite the excellent queer representation, though, many of Ravenfall‘s characters are otherwise hit-or-miss. Starting with our two main characters, Anna and Colin: they fall a bit flat. Neither one makes many large decisions throughout the book, resulting in a story that unfolds on its own accord without the protagonists driving it forward. The lack of cause-and-effect removes any satisfaction that you hope for as a reader, as any wins that the characters experience don’t feel earned.

Furthermore, both protagonists have so much potential for depth that is not explored in Ravenfall. Anna in particular grapples with a Youngest Child Inferiority Complex that could lead to some deeply moving character growth. However, this opportunity is entirely left on the table. I would love to see more about how this issue affects her relationships and self-image, and I can only hope this occurs throughout the rest of the series.

As for characters I absolutely adored, I cannot talk about this book without mentioning the house of Ravenfall Inn itself. Built from the wood of paranormal trees, Ravenfall Inn is sentient. It plays favorites, helping Anna with her chores while passive-aggressively slamming doors in other people’s faces, among other antics. The house was my favorite character in Ravenfall, and I particularly loved its friendship with Max, the jabberwocky who takes the form of a black cat to keep the inn’s residents safe.

“‘Anna smirks. ‘Don’t worry. He’s just messing with you.’
‘Messing with me?’ I repeat. ‘He’s a cat.’
‘And a darn convincing one too.'”
-Kalyn Josephson, Ravenfall

Recommendation & Rating:

Overall, Ravenfall is an incredibly fun read, but I cannot overlook its admittedly forgettable nature. The lack of agency that the protagonists display makes it difficult to root for them in any meaningful way. That being said, the revelations in the last few chapters leave a lot of potential for the series to pop off, so I am keeping my hopes up.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light-hearted Halloween feel. It’s an easy read with an incredible atmosphere and lovable moments, making it an excellent choice for cozying up on a crisp autumn day.

My Rating: ★★★✬☆ 3.5 stars

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Thank you for reading my Ravenfall review. To read more of my book reviews, check out my Book Reviews page.

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