Today, I’m doing a mini review for The Princess and the Pawn (The Raven and the Dove #0.5) by Kaitlyn Davis. This is a prequel novella for The Raven and the Dove, which if you haven’t read, you absolutely need to! I will link my review here for that book. You can definitely read the prequel before reading the first book, as it’s intended, although it’s not necessary to read the first book.

The Princess and the Pawn by Kaitlyn Davis
Published: January 1st, 2020
Publisher: N/A
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 51 pages
Goodreads

A princess longing to be free.

Don’t miss this prequel novella to The Raven and the Dove, an avian-inspired fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

Taking place the day before book one of the series begins, The Princess and the Pawn follows two of the four main characters—Lyana, the dove princess, and Rafe, the bastard born raven—as they prepare for the upcoming courtship trials, in which the royal heirs of all the avian houses compete for mates.

I love this series and this world, so getting a glimpse at what was happening the day before the events begin was so amazing. It only took me about 30 minutes to read, so it’s a great novella to see if you’ll like the overall story! While I ended up loving The Raven and the Dove, if I was unsure about the book, I would definitely recommending reading the prequel first. It gives you a good idea of what the series holds and the characters in general.

Plus, I’m pretty sure it’s free, or at least was free, for kindle.

I really loved getting a sneak peak at what the characters were thinking before the mate selection day. What Lyana was feeling and thinking when she snuck out. What Rafe was feeling when he was approached and asked to pose as the crown prince, Xander, for the competition. And the last chapter of the prequel? Excellent! It definitely would have pushed me to start reading the series as soon as possible.

Not only does it set up the introduction for the first book really well, but it brings in the cast for the series without going into too much depth. Our main characters, Lyana, Cassi, Rafe, Xander, and the King – who are also our main points of view for the series – get a chance to show their face. While the prequel only focuses on Lyana and Rafe’s point of view, it still highlights and introduces the other three characters and gets us prepared for the exciting ride this series holds!

If you’re looking for a new series to read, be sure to pick up The Princess and the Pawn! It’s obviously a // 5 stars for me, at least for a novella.

If you’re unsure of the reading order for this series, I’ve listed it below:

1. The Princess and the Pawn #0.5
2. The Raven and the Dove #1
3. The Hunter and the Mage #2
4. The Dragon and the Queen (publishing June 21st, 2021) #3
5. Untitled #4