Morgan L. Busse

"Instead of dwelling on who you are not, we must discover who you are."

What a thrilling journey into a long ago world and culture where mortal beings with supernatural power live alongside humans, guided by the Word. I loved the fusion of history and fantasy, the stark contrast of never-changing sin of humanity vs. never-changing love and presence of the Creator, and the juxtaposition of war, death, hope, and light. There were several points of view in the book - Brighid, Gurmund, Armand, show more and Kaeden - which added depth and layer to the story. The backstory of the mysterious beings Eldarans and Shadonae unfolded slowly but once the unseen fight of good against evil came to light, the story moved relatively quickly. There is plenty of physical and spiritual battle as the northern nation invades the southern and great metaphors of faith.
I appreciated Brighid's courage, strength, and loyalty. I loved Kaeden's steadfast heart, wisdom, and love for justice. They both had traumatic pasts and doubts about their identity, belonging, and purpose but the book ends with them starting a new journey of purpose and identity. It also ends on a suspenseful note so I can't wait to read the second book in the series to cheer on Brighid and Kaeden's fight against evil.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Enclave Publishing via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own. show less

“Only people who craved power saw the world that way and couldn’t imagine that sometimes leading was best done by serving.”

This is a series that really needs to be read in order. This second installment picks up right where the first book left off. I needed to re-read the last few chapters of the first book to re-orient myself in this fantastic world of mythical beings, faith, war and self-discovery. I loved watching Kaeden and Brighid grow emotionally and spiritually. I really enjoyed show more getting to know Gurmund better and understood halfway into the story why his presence was so important to the plot. Armand did not have as strong of a voice in this book and Viessa added an interesting twist to the ending of the story. This book only had two memorable battles - one at the beginning and one at the end. Most of the book took place during a terribly cold and snowy winter with both armies resting and training. Even without the action, there were plot twists galore to keep the plot moving. I felt like this book - possibly the second in a trilogy - served to answer burning questions for the readers and to allow Brighid and Kaeden to discover themselves and each other. Self-sacrifice, noble grace, and perseverance marked these unforgettable main characters.

If you enjoy epic fantasy, you will love this book and series. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Enclave Publishing and Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own. show less

I have been waiting for this book because the first book in this series left me with some unanswered questions. I loved the steampunk theme with gliding flying machines and the Mist that was mysterious and powerful. Cass is back in this story with a big adventure as we see if her and Theo can survive the danger that lingers near by.

Cass is still a fighter and I admired her strength to continue her mission at any cost. She finds herself at Theo’s family home so she can recover from her show more illness. His sister is quite nice but very curious as to what her brother has been up to. I was stunned at the lie Cass discovers about Theo. Will this change her decision to work with him? Can she trust him or does he have an agenda she doesn’t know about?

Once again we see that power is very important in this story and as long as the Mist is in control people are not free. Theo faces off against people he thought could be trusted but soon discovers he is in danger, I loved the tension in the story and how the author keeps us guessing as to if the Mist can be stopped. The action draws us into the story as we follow Cass and Theo on a mission that is riddled with suspense and an enemy that will try to keep from losing their control.

As the battle to save the people from the Mist continues, Cass says “Here I am. Use me.” That made me think of when we call out to God and tell Him, “I’m ready Lord. I want to be used by You.” Cass is prepared to do whatever she can to save people. The ending builds up to an epic battle. Will Theo and Cass be able to save everyone and defeat the Mist? Get ready for a test of faith, trust and making the right decisions in this masterfully written story.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. show less

She heard a whisper inside her mind. Soft, yet powerful...
A dreamer has been born.
Then it was done.

As heir to the House of Ravenwood, Lady Selene receives the power to dreamwalk: to enter and alter a person's dreams while they sleep. But Selene soon learns of the dark, even murderous, family agenda that comes along with dreamwalking. She must find out the true reason behind her gift—or her curse?—in Mark of the Raven by author Morgan L. Busse.

First off, while I do enjoy high fantasy from show more time to time, I'm no fantasy buff. And given that I'm not the fastest reader around, I scheduled to have this novel finished in three to four days.

I finished it in less than a day.

The novel's themes just got to me. The idea of a heroine who, for the sake of her younger siblings, accepts a role she hates, and she has to shut off her emotions to do it. The idea of controlling others through manipulation, by playing on their fears. The idea that in order for Selene to protect and provide for her people, she has to...oppress them?

Light, Maker of Worlds, help us all.

Now, sometimes Selene's inner questions are redundant or a bit simplistic, and the narration sometimes states the obvious or repeats explanations or details the reader already knows. But I like that the story doesn't unfold with nothing but unexplained alternate-world-riddles for half the book or anything like that. It wasn't long before I got a good grip on what was going on.

An amazing read about leadership, courage, conscience, compassion, and sacrifice. The only downside is that I have to wait a while for the next book in The Ravenwood Saga.

Light, Maker of Worlds, grant me patience...
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Bethany House provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. show less