Audiobook Review: White Raven by J.L. Weil!

• Written by: J.L. Weil
• Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
• Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins 
• • Series: Raven (Weil), Book 1
• Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:07-21-15
Publisher: J.L. Weil
It only took one heartbeat to change my life - one chilling phone call in the middle of the night.
And then, as if my life didn't already suck, my dad sends my brother and me to some idyllic island for the summer to live with a grandma we never met. WTH. Naturally, I rebel. In the end, I find myself shipped off to Raven Hallow... and bored to tears.
Until I get an eyeful of the mind-bendingly gorgeous Zane Hunter. The dark-haired cutie makes my pulse go bonkers, and I think, maybe this might not be so bad after all. Six feet of swoon-inducing looks, with a hint of Celtic charm in his voice, he was the type of guy that left a string of broken hearts in his wake. And I had all the heartbreak I could handle.
Yet, there is something uncanny, almost supernatural about Zane, and it's not just his devastating smirk. No matter how much distance I put between us, Raven Hallow isn't big enough, and the sparking tension between is undeniable. Of course, the one person I want to avoid becomes my salvation.
My past comes back to terrorize me. Someone wants me dead, and the closer I get to the truth, the more I realize my whole life is a lie. I am no longer sure what is more frightening - the attempts on my life or the guy whose heart and soul are synchronized with mine.
My Thoughts:
When Piper and her brother get the call to say that their mother was murdered, they are all absolutely devastated. Piper's dad decides to send them to their Grandmother, who they don't know, in Ravens Hollow. This is the Grandmother they've never meet, the one who their own mother left so she could be with their father, the one who's rich! From the minute they arrive on the island, Piper and her brothers life changes totally! Can Piper find out the secrets of her mothers life? Why does she keep seeing the same tattoo on peoples hands? Just what is going on in this small community and why does she feel drawn to the standoffish Zane?
This took me a little while to get totally into but once I did, I really enjoyed it. It started like so many other young adult books and I was initially rolling my eyes a lot and thinking, here we go again! But then it gets interesting, and I found myself eagerly reading the next page. It's not perfect, but still worth the read. 
I liked all the characters, mostly, and by mostly I mean Piper annoyed me at times. I can't pinpoint why exactly but I think it was because she was so whiny at the start. I think if a character doesn't grab you from the beginning, then it's hard to totally like them the whole way through. 
The romance was.... hmmm, not sure what to call it really other than similar to thousands of other books! Girl sees hot boy, hot boy is standoffish and doesn't want anything to do with her, yet is somehow drawn to her, girl keeps thinking of him and both end up together, yawn!! I wanted something more from it but sadly, it was just OK. 
The plot was what saved the book for me. I loved the history and mythology behind the book. I loved finding out about the White Ravens and can't wait to find out about the Reaper war. It was fast paced enough and mostly held my attention throughout. I will definitely read the next one to see what happens, though I do hope a lot of the cliche is gone!!!
Caitlin Kelly was really good. It's my first book narrated by her and I enjoyed it. She had the right tones for the right times and gave each character their own. I will have to see if there is anything else by her that I'd like to listen to!
*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.*