Review by PennyMindingMom -- Raven's Peak by Lincoln Cole

[PennyMindingMom]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Raven's Peak" by Lincoln Cole.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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A raven is a symbol of death and the underworld. A powerful creature that will consume the bodies of other creatures simply because it can. When I saw the cover of “Raven’s Peak” I knew immediately that it was a story that I wanted to read. Yes, I judged a book by it’s cover and discovered an amazing story that has me wanting more.

Abigail Dressler, is a demon hunter trained by a secret council to protect the world from powers unseen. When she rescues Haatim Arison from a fate worse than death she discovers that he has ties to the supernatural that he knows nothing about.

When Abigail is called upon to discover what is causing the people of Raven’s Peak to go crazy she uncovers a demonic threat more powerful than any evil she has ever faced. Will the unlikely duo be able to save the townsfolk of Raven’s Peak, or will the evil be unleashed?

I loved how the author introduced each character. He starts with the story of The Reverend, a man who is trying to atone for past mistakes. I was pulled into his life and his battle with not only his internal demons but the external ones he was fighting as well. Then the story shifts taking you into the life of Haatim, an ordinary college student that is having a crisis of faith. As the story progressed I found myself drawn further and further into the lives of each character.

The author found a way to totally immerse me into a world that I could picture in my imagination. I found that my pace of reading would ebb and flow with the action. I didn’t realize how engrossed I was into the story until a pinecone fell onto the roof of the camper and startled me.

Abigail is my favourite character. I’m not sure if the author has intended it this way but I can see similarities between Abigail and the raven on the cover. A raven often symbolizes the connection between the dead and the underworld. Abigail has seen things that most humans deny exist. She fights the evil that threatens to consume us, she is our connection to the underworld and to things unseen.

Just as a raven will consume the remains of other creatures and helps cleanse the world of rot, Abigail destroys the evil around us helping to cleanse the world. When a raven comes cawing at your door, you stand up and take notice. When Abigail comes knocking at the door of evil, it knows to be on guard.

There is an underlying story of faith that many people can relate to. When Haatim’s sister dies at a young age, he is devastated and loses his faith in God like so many people do. The story makes me question how strong my faith is…If a sickness took my child, would I have faith strong enough to carry me through? Would I turn to God or turn my back on him? Early in the prologue Frieda asks a question that gives the reader pause for thought…”What is my faith worth?” What is our faith worth when the odds are stacked against us?

It is also a story of trust. Trust is something that must be earned, and when someone loses the ability to trust it is often difficult regain. Abigail has lived a hard life and trusts no one, save the one person who rescued her. Does she learn to trust again?

“Raven’s Peak” is the first of a set of three books and can be read as a stand alone book. The author finishes the story of the town of Raven’s Peak, but finishes with a cliff hanger that left me wanting to read the next book. While some people dislike stories that end with a cliff hanger, I personally enjoy it. It builds anticipation for the next book in the series.

There are a few mistakes in the book, but none of them take away from the flow of the story for me. The story has me wanting to give the book a full score, but because of the typos I have to give Raven’s Peak a rating of 3 out of 4 stars.

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Raven's Peak
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