Exodus: The Ravenhood Series

October 9th, 2023

Review #3

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😭😭😭😭😭

 

"I let my sickness, my love, both rule and ruin me. I played my part, eyes wide open, tempting fate until it delivered. There was never going to be an escape. All of us are to blame for what happened."

-Kate Stewart, Exodus (Ravenhood #2)

In Flock we were introduced to 19-year-old Cecilia Horner, who had moved to Tripple Falls, to work in her father's plant to earn her inheritance. During orientation, she put an open target on her back, by telling her fellow co-workers who she was and who her father was. Sublety is not Cecilia's finer quality. She was introduced to a man named, Alfred Sean Roberts, who in turn introduced her to his best friend, Jean Dominic King, who let's say had a very, very, unwelcoming attitude towards her, and has not been friendly since.

We were given a glimpse into the chemistry and relationship of Cecilia and Sean. But also, her growing attraction, to the moody and insufferable, Dominic. It is revealed that yes indeed she has feelings for Dominic, but does Dominic share the same feelings?

In the world of literature now, it is not uncommon for writers to strike a nerve with their audiences by writing about "forbidden topics". Kate Stewart has graced us with one, so unnerving you wonder how she could possibly make it work. 

Now, Cecilia is in a relationship with Sean and Dominic. How is this dynamic working for them? Sean and Dominic are no strangers to sharing women in the bedroom, but this is the first time that they have shared a woman in a relationship, and Cecilia is in charge of the whole thing. Promising her days of Sunshine to Sean, and her Rainy Days to Dominic, she embarks on an incredible relationship, with two men who couldn't be more opposite. 

Sean is open and forth coming about most things. But Dominic is closed off and hardly says a word. It is obvious to Cecilia however, that between the two men in her life, they are sharing secrets between the both of them, and the people closest to them, but leaving her entirely in the dark and it is pissing her off. 

In an effort to induct her into their world, Sean and Dominic take Cecilia to a bon fire party. Where she is introduced to more people who all have one thing in common, that raven wing tattoo. But everyone Cecilia talks to at the party, will not tell her, what the raven wing means, or what they all are gathered for. Getting the feeling that she is unwelcome in more ways than one, and that this is more than just a party, she gets to see a side of Dominic that she has never seen. Fresh from a race, Dominic exits his Charger and goes to the driver that pulled in behind him and proceeds to beat the ever-loving shit out of him. The only reason why Dominic stops is because Cecilia intervenes. Scared of the glimpse of this Dominic, she and Sean abruptly leave the gathering, with the cops hot on their trail.

Now fully aware of the danger, she has constantly in, Cecilia wants answers. Exactly what do Sean and Dominic do? What does the raven wing tattoo mean? Are they criminals? Is what they do illegal? Dominic and Sean want to bring her all in, the only problem is, Cecilia won't consent to being all in, she has no idea what it means, to be all in. All she knows is that there is constant danger surrounding them, and maybe this isn't her scene.

Tiptoeing around the edge, without diving all in, is a dangerous place to be. But what Cecilia doesn't understand is that Sean and Dominic are keeping one hell of a secret, and it has everything to do with her, and what it is they do. 

You would think that with the complexity of this story, that you would start receiving answers. If you have been paying attention since Flock, then you would know that you already have some of the answers, if not all of them. What I love about Exodus, is that Kate takes it to a whole other level with the characters and the stakes are high in this book. 

We are also introduced to a few more characters. Tobias King: the older half-brother of Dominic, who stays mainly in France while, Dominic and Sean and the birds state side handle most of the operation. Think of the Ravenhood series as a modern age retelling of Robin Hood. They Steal from the Rich to give to the poor, and to take care of themselves. 

I'll be a 1000% honest though, I was not a fan of Tobias's introduction. I thought of him as a predator in way. In a way, I would be absolutely correct. And I was not a fan of the Cecilia-Tobias-Sean-Dominic love square at first, because that shit got messy FAST!! But I will get more into the Cecilia-Tobias entanglement in my next review!