Review of Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier

Title/Author: Raven Flight (Shadowfell #2) by Juliet Marillier
Publisher/Date published: Knopf Books For Young Readers, July 9th 2013
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: Neryn has finally found the rebel group at Shadowfell, and now her task is to seek out the elusive Guardians, vital to her training as a Caller. These four powerful beings have been increasingly at odds with human kind, and Neryn must prove her worth to them. She desperately needs their help to use her gift without compromising herself or the cause of overthrowing the evil King Keldec.

Neryn must journey with the tough and steadfast Tali, who looks on Neryn's love for the double agent Flint as a needless vulnerability. And perhaps it is. What Flint learns from the king will change the battlefield entirely — but in whose favor, no one knows.

***WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES***

So I REALLY enjoyed Shadowfell, this is my kind of fantasy and I cannot believe that this is still the only series/book by Juliet Marillier I've read so far! I mean, seriously, I'm loving this, I should really start reading more of her books!

So in Shadowfell we left Neryn at Shadowfell with the rebels and Flint going and risking his life by going back to the evil king and returning to his spying. Just as this achingly sweet romance was developing between them and I had started loving Flint myself and GAH, he's just such a good character!!
So I was kinda sad that we don't really get to see all that much of him in Raven Flight.

But we do see a LOT more of Neryn! She is really growing as a person and a Caller and it is amazing to watch! She's toughening up, manning up, gearing herself up for this enormous task that's been placed on her shoulders. She's standing up to Tali, forging connections with the folk who live below Shadowfell, building bridges and generally being awesome. I mean, sure, the pining for Flint got a little bit annoying at times, but hey, I'd probably have been doing the same thing. It was just a bit boring to read about sometimes.

I love all the different beings we come across, both the new ones and the ones we were already introduced to in Shadowfell. I really liked that while they may not be really be all that excited to join the humans in their war, they are slowly coming around and willing to make changes from how things have been done for centuries. Though they're not easily swayed, they're not unreasonable.

One thing I really appreciate: Neryn is really thinking about what it will do to all these beings if she Calls them for the battle. Or for anything else really. She's not willing to just throw their lives away or mess with them because it might come in handy for her. She actually realises that with this power she has a responsibility as well and I like that. She's not just using her gift left and right to make her own life easier and I respect that.
Also, I loved that while Neryn is a pretty fast learner, it's not insta-power, you know? She has to work hard for it and her teachers do not let her take the easy road.

And guys, can I just say how much I love Tali? Seriously, that girl got on my nerves at first, but over the course of this book, I've really grown to love her. She's not the warm and fuzzy type, but she's fiercely loyal and OMG, this one scene towards the end made me REALLY respect her. I don't want to give anything away, but she totally fooled me.

There were heartbreaking moments (one that made me go AAAH!!! THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN) and beautiful moments and romantic moments and I really loved it! Sometimes I wish there would actually be a magic battle, we did have some minor ones, but I guess I'm just straining for the epic battle that is sure to come in the next book!
There's one major revelation at the end that left me gasping and seriously, just GIVE ME CALLER AND NOBODY GETS HURT! I really need to know how it all ends!!

My rating: 4,5 stars

Made me crave: goat cheese salad