An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

She has an agreement with the fae folk.  She will paint them portraits and trade them for favors.  Things like hens laying eggs daily, fire wood always cut, piled, and ready to burn, things like that.  But when she hears the Prince of the Faeries is coming to get one done, she's fearful.  Faeries can't lie but they can shadow the truth.  They're also very devious and can figure out how to turn requests for favors into something awful.  She'll have to be very careful around him...

Margaret K. McElderry Books and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published September 26th.

This was very much my kind of tale.  I enjoyed reading it so much I've already preordered a copy for my own library.

She went to town to pick up more paint for his portrait and almost doesn't make it home.  A faerie monster has breached the wall between her world and the faeries.  Luckily, the Prince was on his trail and he kills it before it can kill her.  It's just a bit embarrassing to meet in such a way.  He asks her name and she gives him a false one.  After all, they can use your real name to get control over you.  She thanks him and goes home to wait for his visit.  

She paints his portrait, learns he can shapeshift and often becomes a raven, his nickname is Rook, and he learns how quirky and unusual she is.  She can see something in his eyes and she works to reflect that in his portrait.  She doesn't understand the power of what she's doing until he returns, very angry.  There are rumors he's losing his power and strength and others may challenge him as a prince.  This portrait reflected the sorrow she saw in his eyes and the fae think that's a sign of weakness.  He grabs her and heads back to the faerie ring.

It's not an easy trip.  The Wild Hunt is after them, they run into a monster in a burrow, and something is wrong in the land of Faerie.  They even end up facing the Alder King who is worse than any monster they'd seen so far.  As they fight for survival together, they also manage to fall in love.  And that's forbidden.  It seems like they were fated to die.  But they don't give up.

I found the ending satisfying, if a bit unsettling.  I'd be interested in seeing another book about this world and these characters.  They were fascinating and I enjoyed the romance.  They were willing to die for each other.  What more could you want?