I originally had put Master of Crows on my TBR pile a few years ago, and it’s taken me that long to finally get a copy from the library to read it. I am a sucker for good, believable world-building, and Draven certainly has an eye for detail in the world she’s created. This is the strongest aspect of the book for me. Draven has cleverly constructed her fantasy world, which shows evidence of careful and thoughtful world-building throughout. Master of Crows is a romance first and foremost, set in a fantasy world of mages and gods. However, she faces impossible decisions when she finds herself slowly falling in love with him. While she’s working with the Master of Crows, she’s looking for evidence to charge him with treason.

Loaned to Silhara for a season by her master, Martise must work to translate a series of ancient texts in order to find a ritual used to defeat the god Corruption that torments Silhara. Silhara needs a translator of ancient texts Martise, hiding her identity as a slave, is an apprentice with specialised training in reading ancient languages. Thus, setting her on an unexpected course that causes her to question the price she’d pay to be free. As she settles into his household, she begins to see the enigmatic Master of Crows differently. Determined to win her own freedom, she enters the house of Silhara searching for the evidence she needs to bring the mage down. When Martise of Asher is given the opportunity to free herself from slavery in exchange for spying on the Master of Crows, Silhara of Neith, she leaps at the opportunity. “A man with clear sight into his own soul will always make a wise decision.”

Master of crows by grace draven