I've been going through it with my anxiety and reading Woods of the Raven was like a warm hug by a cozy gravity blanket. It was so heartwarming and fluffy--even with its sad moments--and I loved every bit of it.

The writing was so easy to get into and the way Mary Calmes introduced and developed the magic element where was absolutely wonderful. The small town vibes and witchery combined very well to give us a story that was as sweet as it was mysterious.

Xander as a main character and narrator was so great. I loved how himself he was and how much the community supported him. The element here of the important of friendship and building ties where you live so everyone can thrive was lovely and I was so happy with how prominent that was in the book.

The romance was also very sweet, if a tiny bit rushed? I still loved every moment of Xander and Lorne annoying each other and slowly figuring out why lol The clear communication between them throughout and how they made sure to check in with each other made me really want them to be together and happy foreveeer.

I also very much enjoyed how Calmes sprinkled bits of mythology here and there, especially in relation to the more mysterious bits. It gave me lowkey Soulbound series by Hailey Turner vibes and I personally loved that for me. 

My one complaint is that this wasn't 500 pages and the first installment in a 10-book series so I could live in this cozy world forever.