Raven Woman’s Tavern by Laura Koerber – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

raven-woman-s-tavern” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”>Raven Woman’s Tavern by Laura Koerber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Raven Woman’s Tavern is set in the near future in an abandoned mining town that is occupied by a small group of survivalists eking out a meagre existence. Many, but not all, of the community’s citizens are law abiding folks so when a small group of militia members converge upon the town it sets some of the community members on edge.

The story is centered on Raven Woman, a shapeshifter, and her tavern. When the militia members enter Raven’s tavern it sets off a chain of events that forever changes the life of one of its members, Baylor. After a night of heavy drinking and obnoxious behaviour the militia leave the tavern and head for home. The four members end up lost which baffles them because they have travelled that very same stretch of road on numerous occasions in the past. Somehow though, the road looks different, and time seems to be standing still. The four young militia are left to battle with each other as well as the harsh elements. Baylor is banished from the group, and he must venture through the woods and try to survive on his own. As he wanders through the forest, Baylor spots a raven in nearby treetop and swears that it is talking to him and leading the way for him. He quickly brushes this off as from fatigue and malnourishment and plods on, hoping that he can find shelter before he is too weak to continue.

Raven Woman’s Tavern is the first book that I have read by Laura Koerber, but it will not be the last. The author did a marvelous job of describing the characters, their lives, and the world they were struggling to survive in. The book gave a glimpse into how lives would be if we were suddenly stripped of all the modern conveniences, we have grown accustomed to having and often take for granted. This is something that I have though of often and found myself wanting a simpler life. Learning to fend for myself and be more self sustainable started with growing and canning my own food. These are skills that seem to have become lost through the years and I am hoping to pass these skills onto the next generation. Kudos to Laura Koerber, I look forward to reading more of your books!

View all my reviews @ Tara Johnson Barnes