Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2019

I had forgotten how fantastic this one is! It’s full of history, mystery, romance, and ferocity, with a big twist. I’m sitting here wondering how I could go about getting my own hellequin. There just has to be a way. . .

Now, I can’t wait to dive in and read COURTING DARKNESS, out February 5, 2019.

Book 27 read in 2019

Pages: 444

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
Love this series! Different and refreshing.

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2019

Sybella's story is so difficult, but I love her character so much. Pair her with Beast, and it is a magnificent combo of strong, stubborn characters.

I love how the information we know about Death slowly unfolds across the series. I forgot how upset the nuns made me in this story. I'm really glad I revisited this one before moving on to COURTING DARKNESS (out Feb 5, 2019).

Book 22 read in 2018

Pages:

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
I liked this one even better than the first one.

Beast.

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, #1)

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2019

I'm revisiting this magnificent trilogy before picking up COURTING DARKNESS, which releases on February 5, 2019. I already have it on my Kindle through Netgalley, but I decided it would be a big shame if I didn't reread this trilogy first, since I haven't been wanting to revisit it since last year.

It's still fantastic. I love the historical feel, the strange mythology of being handmaidens of death, and the world building and intrigue are top notch. I'm so happy I reread this one. I only wish I had reviewed it in 2015, so I could see how my thoughts and emotions changed since then.

Also, I love Beast, so I'm stoked that his story is next. *insert all the heart eyes*

Book 20 read in 2019

Pages: 549

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Holy. Wyverns. Let's do that again!

Book 3 is where I stopped enjoying this world and started to become absolutely, completely, hopelessly, and irrevocably obsessed with it.

Sarah J. Maas really digs hard into the magical world and structure in this one, and it's like someone breaking out 30 ice cream sundae toppings, when you expected four.

Three of my favorite characters/creatures arrive in this series (Rowan, Abraxos, and Manon), which makes it so compelling I almost want to read it again right now, only I can't, as I'm now desperate to reread book 4. Because, holy wyverns, that ending. I now remember the suffering of waiting a whole year for book four and am so glad I don't have to repeat that part again.

It should be noted that all the Audible books for this series are fantastic, and Elizabeth Evans is an excellent narrator. She brings expression to the story, without getting in the way of the beautiful language and statements. It's subtle and perfect. I could listen to her read all day.

Book 367 read in 2018

Pages: 565

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Sarah J. Maas is a literary beast, and I adore her. She claws these magical worlds out of chaos and serves them up still dripping in blood and angst. She holds nothing back and always progresses the story, with every scene and new character or creature.

I loved revisiting Chaol in this story, as so much happens after this point with his character, both good and bad. I was initially worried about reading TOWER OF DAWN (book 6), but I ended up absolutely loving it, which makes me extremely happy to be revisiting these novels again and remembering the early days of Chaol.

I still stand behind my original assessment that every book in this series is better than the one that came before, so make sure you have book 3 on hand by the time you finish book 2.

Pages: 418

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

These are well-written, captivating novellas, and I'm a big fan of reading them prior to starting THRONE OF GLASS, though I know I'm in the minority here. The majority of readers recommend you read book one and/or two before you visit these novellas, but I like reading this series best in chronological order, which starts with 0.1.

Now, that being said, if you are wanting to try out this series and aren't quite sure, or aren't a huge fantasy reader, please follow everyone else's suggestion and start with book one (THRONE OF GLASS), as I don't want to turn you off to the world before you even get to the first full book. I don't think that will happen, but since some people prefer full length novels, this is definitely a non-traditional approach to entering the world.

These 5 novellas are all captivating in their own ways. They introduce characters and locations that you don't have the opportunity to see right away if you start with book one. Also, each novella has a purpose, with a clear beginning, middle, and end, so it's not like some novellas you read where nothing really happens other than following around a favorite character. Each has its own purpose and story, but they combine nicely into one novel, which sets you up for what you're going to read when you crack open THRONE OF GLASS. In fact, some of Celaena's backstory is so key to who she is at the start of book one, that it really helps me to understand her and her choices. She's all wrath and hard edges, and while I enjoy that, I especially appreciate understanding why.

If you are a fan of this series and haven't yet tried the novellas (gasp!), then you are really missing out.

Book 364 read in 2018

Pages: 448

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a solid, interesting YA fantasy novel about a murderer who is given a second chance at life as the commissioner's taster, ensuring the man doesn't get poisoned. Yelena has to consume poisons, initially, to learn how they taste, smell, and react, which is not even remotely fun (for her).

Beneath that part of the storyline flows a small thread of magic, which is attention-getting, though I think that's why I can't give this book 5 stars. The normal world building is decent, but the magical world building definitely leaves a lot to be desired. Also, I wish, for the length of the book, that just a bit more had actually happened in it.

I believe I'll give book 2 a try, but I considered not continuing on, as I still feel disconnected from this story and world. It's like I either can't or just don't want to emotionally invest in it, which is why I didn't give it 4 stars. I followed along, but this book never really grabbed me by the throat and squeezed. As a result, I took a bit of interest in it but was never fully engaged. So after considering that last statement, I actually don't think I'll move on to book 2 after all.

Book 260 read in 2018

Pages: 409

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This just wasn't for me, despite how promising it sounded. The telling in the beginning put me off. I felt detached from the characters and their issues, and the world building was far too weak for me. The story is frequently unclear and leaves a lot to be assumed, but I had trouble drawing assumptions that I had any faith in, which is rare for me while reading. Honestly, in the first half of the book, I had no idea what was going on about 30% of the time.

Everything is a mystery, but not in a fun, exciting, intentional sort of way... more in an author being so close to their work that they failed to thoroughly tell the story to those who don't live inside the author's head. I found it tiring and confusing, and I almost DNF'd a hundred times. But we have a work blog, and I wanted credit for finishing, thus I powered onward, paying less attention each chapter, which did not help with my perpetual confusion.

In addition, I don't like most of the characters, which is not a mark against the book. Some of my favorite characters in literature are the ones I hate the most. I'm more than happy to read about unlikeable characters, but the problem was that I couldn't find the energy to take a serious interest in anyone. I guess it wasn't that they were unlikeable, so much as that I was completely uninterested in them (okay, they were also unlikeable but not in a deliciously wicked sort of way, unfortunately).

Also, I confess I'm typically a fan of a love triangle, as a girl needs to have options, but this was one love triangle that made me roll my eyes. I couldn't care if she ended up with either, because none of them belong together. It was just drawn out and annoying, with none of that delicious will-they-or-won't-they tension.

Last, but not least, the story feels painfully long, though I've read much longer books much faster. My score is actually a 2.5 that I will round up, to be fair, as the concept had the potential to be good. Plus, the writing was occasionally good, just not consistent. Also, it's always possible when listening to an audiobook that my poor listening may have contributed to my dislike of a certain story. I hope that happened here, at least a little bit, because I really hate disliking a book that I wanted to enjoy.

Pages: 448

"In the Kill" by K. Sterling

Book 1 in the Lavender series is about a hit man and the artist whom he is sent to kill.  However, once he meets Sage Bradley, "Mr. Lavender" is sure that he's about to assassinate the wrong man.  Surely someone so talented who devotes his spare time to helping homeless teenagers and knitting hats for the elderly is not deserving of death.  Lavender must figure out who hired him to kill an innocent man and why before another assassin is sent to finish the job and him with it.  Although not a full length novel, it was packed with exciting scenes and kept me guessing how things would turn out.  109 pages (Kindle edition).

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Summary: "In the fifteenth-century kingdom of Brittany, seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where she learns that the god of Death has blessed her with dangerous gifts--and a violent destiny."

This book just blew all the other books I've read this year out of the water. I believe that it was first popular a few years ago, and the term people used was "assassin nuns." :D Can't get much cooler than that! It's not for the faint of heart, as it deals with some dark and nasty stuff. But the story of a "handmaiden of Death" is actually lighter and more inspiring than you might think! 

It reminded me a bit of Poison Study, and Duval (main male character) is quite like Valek, which is a very good thing!!

I enjoyed this story so, so, so much, and I can't quite explain why. Grave Mercy is over 500 pages, but it felt like 100. I read through it super fast, and it still didn't leave me satisfied. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one! 

549 pages

Resisting Ruby Rose by Jessie Humphries

Resisting Ruby Rose by Jessie Humphries
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a solid sequel in a YA series I can't quite figure out how to describe. It's one part murder mystery, one part espionage thriller, and one part assassins and vigilantes. I think I prefer the first book (Killing Ruby Rose), but this had a few interesting surprises. Also, it introduced a new character that I really enjoyed, but to avoid spoilers, I won't say which one or why.

Pages: 280

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is brilliant. My brain almost exploded while reading.

I am totally in love with this dangerous fantasy world, and I want nothing more than to live inside it with all the incredible, unique, and deadly characters. Every book is better than the last. I actually hope this series never ends. It’s not possible that I will ever get enough of it.

This is book four, so make sure you start with book one: Throne of Glass. Also, the novellas are fantastic and can be read as a complete set before you start book one, if you want. I recommend that, because they provide excellent background information.

Pages: 648

Wanted Woman by Eric Jerome Dickey

(Posted for Paul Mathews)

She was trained by her father to be a professional hit person.  They say she messed up so they left her out there.  They treated her poorly . . . not a good thing to do.

Audio:  14 hrs. 28 min.
Print:  480 pages

I am the Mission by Allen Zadoff

Summary: "Teen assassin Boy Nobody is sent on a mission to assassinate the head of a domestic terrorism cell, but his mission turns up more questions about his job than answers."

I am the Mission is the second book in the Unknown Assassin series, after I am the Weapon. Boy Nobody takes on the name of Daniel in this book, and also experiences a change of setting to New Hampshire. Daniel's thoughts and realizations throughout this book are great. It also has a lot of suspense, action....and death.

I enjoyed this follow-up installment even more than the first one. "Daniel" faces bigger challenges than ever, from the Program, his memories and his new "mission." The ending will definitely leave you "hanging," and I can't wait to see what happens next! 

421 pages

I am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff

Summary: "Sixteen-year-old Boy Nobody, an assassin controlled by a shadowy government organization, The Program, considers sabotaging his latest mission because his target reminds him of the normal life he craves."

I actually found this book on another library's book blog, and it was quite different than I expected. It's a very quick read, as the chapters are very short and the story moves along at a rapid pace. It's a bit darker and more intense than I anticipated; it is not a children's/young teen book at all. It also isn't as predictable as many YA books , so it was fun to be surprised by the plot developments. The ending will certainly leave you hanging, so make sure you have the next book, I am the Mission, ready and waiting! 

(Note: I am the Weapon is the first book in the Unknown Assassin series. It was first published as Boy Nobody, but later republished as I am the Weapon once the book turned into a series.)

337 pages