Dawn Unearthed

Ravenwood Coven, Book 1

By: Carrie Ann Ryan

Narrated by: Aiden Snow, Victoria Mei

Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's Summary

NYT best-selling Author Carrie Ann Ryan begins a new witchy paranormal series where a magical town keeps its secrets, but those in it must find a way to keep themselves safe. 

The moment Sage Reed makes her way to Ravenwood, she knows the small town lives up to its mystical lore - even if she doesn’t believe that she’s a witch. After losing her husband, she’s ready for change, and her aunt’s bookstore affords the perfect opportunity. 

Rome Baker has secrets of his own - even some that he’s kept from the town he calls home. But when a striking and intriguing stranger saves his life the moment she steps into his path, his inner bear knows that she’s the one for him. However, with the town under fire, he worries he might run out of time before he can show her what they can have together. 

A new enemy is on the horizon, one who hides in the shadows, whose history is steeped in lies. And if Sage and Rome aren’t careful, Sage’s new powers won’t be the only thing that spirals into flame.

©2021 Carrie Ann Ryan (P)2021 Carrie Ann Ryan

Great start to a new series

Witches, shape shifters. dark magic, fae, mating bonds and much more in this first book of this new series making me say oh my!

In what starts as a mystery type feel, secrets are revealed for Sage who discovers that she is a witch when she moves to a new town to restart her life after loosing her husband. She finds a mate upon arrival in Rome when she meets him and she wasn't even looking for such a bond. Together with others in the coven, they fight against the dark magic that is threatening the town of Ravenwood.

Where I am generally not a paranormal reader, this was a good read. It was well written and captivating, keeping my attention throughout this story and hooking me to the events that took place. The characters were well written and make for an incredible couple.

The narration by Aiden Snow and Victoria Mei was performed well. This pair did a great job bringing this story to life making it an enjoyable listening experience.

Overall, this was a good read that I would recommend to others that are interested in this type of read.

A Bear an Witch Fated Mates

I was super thrilled when Carrie announced she writing a new Paranormal Romance after taking a break in this sub genere.
This book 1 of Her new series RAVENWOOD COVEN. We have Rome A Bear Shifter and Sage a Witch that didn't know she was one.
world building was excellent and the side characters I have enjoy getting to know them. Can't wait for more from this characters and world. Like always Carrie did throw us some curve balls and gave a bit of a tease of what next.
I devoured every word I read it and listened to it. Aiden Snow wow I can't say this enough his voice is awesome. Victoria the emotion she brings out are perfect giving these characters life.

Great start for new series and loved Sage and Rome

This was a great read and a little different from ones I have read before. Sage doesn’t know anything about magic or shifters and has no clue that she is a witch herself. All this changes when she moves to Ravenwood. She is moving to start over with a bakery in her aunts town. She lost her husband a while back but never felt any support from his family so decided it was time for a change. Rome is the leader of the bear shifters in Ravenwood and when the two meet and she saves his life he feels the pull towards her as his mate. Since she is a witch though his people may not accept her. The two have some great chemistry and I loved all the character interactions. My reason for 4 stars was I felt that Sage just kept repeating herself and her doubts a little too much. I know finding all this out is hard and would take time to wrap your head around but I just felt even when in the same conversation she was repetitive. Overall though loved it and am looking forward to more in this series.

Leaves you wanting more

Wow, what an ending. Now I can't wait to listen to the next book to find out what happens. How could you do that to us Ms Ryan?

This is an interesting start to a new series in Ms Ryan's paranormal worlds. Although there is no crossover between her previous paranormal series and this one, it still feels like you are coming home. It has been years since we have had a new paranormal book from her, and she knock it out of the park with this one.

Aiden Snow is such a perfect narrator for a growly bear shifter. I love the gruff and growliness of his voice. It will always be my favorite. Victoria Mei is a new narrator for me and I found her voice mesmerizing.

Dawn Unearthed

Sage is a witch that never knew what she was. Rome is a bear shifter, and the alpha of his pack. I have so many questions. Like Laurel. And Ash. I need to say I loved this book, and I absolutely need the next one NOW. The wait will kill me. It also needs to be noted that I cried. It has been a while since a book made me cry…. But this one? I was stunned and speechless. I even had to put it down for a minute just to let it sink in that Carrie Ann Ryan really did that to us! I still have no words about that part. None. Buy this book but be ready for a wild ride full of magic, bears, witches, and secrets.

Aiden Snow and Victoria Mei really brought the characters to life. I had read the ebook before I listened to the audible, and let me tell you, the narrators added something more. The emotions they put into the narration brought it to a whole new level. I really hope this team is the narrators for the rest of this series.

great narration and really good story to be cont..

If you enjoy CAR's previous shifter series or her From Breath and ruin series then you will enjoy this book. The ending is a cliff hanger so you'll want more at the end.

too damn viscious

The good parts: The voices!!! The narrators are stunningly fine. The book has excellent characters, well drawn, and well voiced by the narrators. A town where all the residents are magical or connected to magic.

The bad parts: Did you hate it when Rowling killed off Dumbledore? Yeah, exactly, this author doesn't mind killing off the nice people, the people you spent seven hours learning to admire and enjoy and appreciate their supportive roles in the overall story, killing off the little loving kindhearted old lady aunt, and the helpful, supportive, brother. Really, I was in love with this book up until the author started ugly killing the nice townfolks, threw in buckets of angst, and wrote viscious storylines that had a woman burning and left it a cliffhanger with the bad sorcerer still alive and planning more evil to inflict on the town. So, just as I stopped reading the Potter series after she killed off Dumbledore, I'm stopping reading this series at this book. I won't listen to this book again, and I do not recommend it.

What a way to start a whole new paranormal world

Sage and Rome

Dawn unearthed is starting a whole new series. There are witches, bear shifters and many other paranormal beings. It takes me back to the talon pack or the redwood pack. Sage moves to Ravenwood to help her Aunt in her bookstore and open a bakery. She finds out she is a witch and must learn to use her magic to keep everyone safe. There are some major twists and turns at the end that I did not see coming.r

Great start to new series!

I loved this story! It was great meeting the new town and the characters. Sage is in for a whole new world, one where not only does magic exist but that she has a large amount of magic that she now has to learn how to control along with opening up her new business, being drawn to a man that is her fated mate and dealing with the bad guys that seem to keep popping up and attacking her. She has a lot to deal with and process in a short amount of time and I loved how Rome handled her coming in and being his mate. He was definitely dealing with some things as well but I loved how he wasn't going to push Sage. He courts her and gives her time to process and grasp all the changes around her. I truly loved the way that these two built their relationship as they deal with everything being thrown at them and all the changes. There was plenty of action and intrigue as well with this story. I have lots of questions that will get answered in future stories as we figure out the characters and what is going on with them and what happened in the past. I loved the way that this was done as it was set up that "it's not my story to tell" which was true and felt very real for these characters and what was going on. I can't wait for the next book and to see what is coming next.
I listened to the audio book for the second read through of this book and it was very well done. The narrators were great and did a great job showcasing the emotion from the story and bringing the characters to life. I really enjoyed it!

I will not finish the series

The intro to this book was really good. Then everything went downhill. The writing was repetitive, “she’s my mate” “I’m his mate” over and over. The sex scenes over sexed, “it’s so big, will it fit”? Do yourself a favor and save the credit.

"Believe in your heart that you're meant to live"

"a life full of passion, purpose, magic and miracles". ~Roy T. Bennett~♡
I really enjoyed this book. I wouldn't say it was angsty, more like lots of suspense with twists and turns that keep your attention and interest throughout the story.
The narration was phenomenal! I absolutely love Aiden Snow, his voice is pure chocolate! Just smooth and delicious♡. He could read anything and make it sound magical!! I also very much loved Victoria Mei, her voice for Sage was beautiful and fit her well. She also did a fantastic job by switching between characters. Between the two narrators I was never pulled from the story or felt like it was two different people talking. I was invested the whole time and it really flowed.
There were a couple of things that threw me off and why I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5. The first issue was with Sage and the fact that it was such a repetitive storyline for the first few chapters. An example would be people keeping things from her and then that would repeat constantly. It just felt frustrating after a while. The next was the names used; Rome was the main male bear shifter MC and then there was Rowan who was a side character but almost felt like a main character because of how huge her role was in the story. However, when the two characters were together in a situation it was really hard to tell them apart because their names sound so familiar. I felt like the narrators tried really hard to make sure to differentiate the names but it was still confusing at times.
Other then those minor peeves the overall story was really good. I was pretty sad by the end of the audio though. There was a lot going on and some of the confrontations were heartbreaking. I needed a fluffy story after this. Not because there were any real triggers but just because I was sad for some of the characters.

A wonderful new series!

Witches and shifters. Sage is a witch that just came into her powers. Starting up in a new town like Ravenwood where hr aunts lives seem like the right thing to do after losing her husband. Little does she know that her decision would open up a can of worms. It’s a great series starter, lots of mysteries and magic, shifters and their politics, a growling alpha beat and a town in danger from unknown forces. I enjoyed the sweet cubs, the romance, shedding a tear or two and was shocked at the end. Definitely, will eagerly wait for book two. The voices from one of my favorite narrators and Ms Mei gave life to an exciting book listen.

Fantastic new series

Book 1 in new series by Carrie Ann Ryan narrated by Aiden Snow, Victoria Mei.
This is a new series with a witch/shifter storyline. I did think it would be similar to redwood/talon pack with mixture of shifter/witch elements but this is fresh new story with great storyline and new characters.
Sage has experienced huge lost of her husband and her auntie talks into come back to Ravenwood but get a huge surprise when she meets a wolf in a storm.
Rome is a Ravenwood alpha and not expecting to meet his mate but after a run in wolf form turns complicated he finds her but she doesn’t know about shifters/witches.
Absolutely love this new fresh series and CAN NOT WAIT for next book. Huge surprises and twist that I did not see coming. Love that even after all the book Carrie Ann Ryan has release she can still keep me hooked.

Wow wow wow

Ive been a big Carrie Ann Ryan fan for a long time now and finding out she was going back to PNR lets just leave it as embarrassing happy dancing may have occurred. This was way better than I hoped. Sage was so interesting there was so much depth to her but she was also real, she wasn’t perfect. Rome well he was just awesome I may have fallen a little in love with his character. The narration for me flowed really well the characters voices were distinct so I knew who was talking etc, fantastic casting.

The way the story played out was just so enjoyable and I just can not wait {although I will patiently) for the next book in the series. This is a perfect weekend read/listen with a couple of biscuits and a nice drink. I loved it and will definitely be listening to it time and time again.

immersed myself in wonderful world of Ravenwood

I loved listening to this story. the story unfolds like liquid chocolate and tbh both the narrator's voices are like warm whiskey, I totally lost myself in the story and happily whiled away the time.
I cried and I shouted and I ...no I didn't cheer, this story doesn't really have cheering moments but still the fight is strong and the fight goes on.
I was gripped from start to well I would say finish but I'm still engrossed and have some questions, I trust you Carrie Ann Ryan and I know you will tell us what we need to know, when we need to know it......I am just full of questions but I can wait.
loved it, thank you