Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin, Book I

Written by Robin LaFevers

Narrated by Erin Moon

Robin LaFevers has enchanted young readers with her Nathaniel Fludd: Beastologist and Theodosia series, which earned starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. In Grave Mercy, LaFevers crafts a fantastical tale sure to win her a new fan base among young adults. Escaping an arranged marriage, 17-year-old Ismae finds sanctuary in the St. Mortain convent, where the sisters worship the gods of old. There Ismae learns that the God of Death has special plans for her-a destiny that will one day compel her to betray the man she loves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 3, 2012
• ISBN: 9781464036224

Robin LaFevers

Robin LaFevers, author of the New York Times best-selling His Fair Assassin books, was raised on fairy tales, Bulfinch’s mythology, and nineteenth-century poetry. It is not surprising that she grew up to be a hopeless romantic. She was lucky enough to find her one true love, and is living happily ever after with him in California. Visit her online at robinlafevers.com and on Twitter @RLLaFevers. 

Reviews for Grave Mercy

[readerspeak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I began listening to this as an audio book and enjoyed it immensely. However, I was eager to read it more quickly, so I picked up the print copy. In just a few days, I had finished. I enjoyed the setting, all the characters, and the unusual way Ismae would learn of her tasks as an assassin working for St. Mortain. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable tale.

[wealhtheowwylfing · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After surviving her mother's attempted abortion and her father's abuse, Ismae is married off to an abusive lout. But to her great surprise, at last she has a protector, and rather than dying at her husband's hand she is instead spirited off to the convent of St.Mortain. There she pledges her fealty to the saint/god of death, Mortain, and the sisters teach her all she might ever want to know about infiltration and assassination. Her training is only summarized, which is too bad because I love that sort of thing. Still, we get to watch her growing friendships with her fellow initiates, and I loved these relationships (so much so that I'm sorry that one of them didn't turn out to be her love interest). Her training nearly complete, Ismae is sent into court household to protect and guide the young would-be duchess of Brittany. There she tries to defend against assassinations, spies, and shifting political loyalties--but can't protect her own heart from falling in love with a potential traitor.

I liked Ismae and loved the political maneuverings, not least because this is set in a time and place that little historical fiction bothers with. It's a refreshing change, and the grounding in history gives the narrative limits and built-in twists. It's too bad that I already knew that Anne's hoped for marriages would fail, that she would be forced into marriage to not one but two French kings, removed from Brittany, and eventually fail to keep Brittany independent of France. So too is her sickly sister Isabeau doomed to die young. History is merciless to Ismae and Duval's hopes and dreams. But despite this, there are enough unknowns of that period that LaFevers has room to work, creating personalities for little-known figures and embroidering the thoughts of others. The only aspect of this that I did not like in the least was the romance, which felt forced and unnatural. When the Designated Love Interest was in peril, I secretly hoped for his death, thus freeing Ismae to pursue more interesting romances and plots.

[tripsis_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After hearing all the rave reviews, I actually thought I would love this book more than I did. I still really enjoyed the book (hence the four stars), I just wasn’t “Z0MG CRAZY” about it.I suppose my biggest gripe is that the beginning of the book didn’t completely pull me in. I found the first 150-200 pages or so to be pretty mediocre. I felt like not much was happening, and as a result, I wasn’t glued to my book. There was a lot of traveling, talking, and eavesdropping. It wasn’t bad — it just wasn’t that exciting.Things did pick up a bit later on when there were more interesting events, scandals, and when love started brewing!I’ll admit I’m a little disappointed that there wasn’t more of an epic twist at the ending. I kind of felt like I saw it coming from early on and then Ismae figured it out but kept quiet for a longer. So there wasn’t that much… intensity leading up to calling out the traitor.But it was definitely an enjoyable read. I love the overarching plot with Ismae struggling between her dedication to her convent and following her own heart. Although this book is obviously about Ismae’s worship of the god of Death, you can draw a lot of similarities between the themes in this book and many different kinds of religions/worships. It really comes down to a struggle between duty and your own desires. They’re interesting concepts to think about!I’m looking forward to the second book! It sounds like it will answer some lingering questions from Grave Mercy.

[mskeens_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting and fun read for me. Ismae Rienne was born thinking she was unwanted by her mother because her mother was given poison to try and get rid of her in the womb. She ended up with a Turnip farmer to grow up and was given away to a terrible man to marry when she was of age, he was so afraid of her when she undressed due to the scar that was on her body from when she was born. The Woman who poisoned her mother ended up helping her to get away from her cruel husband and sent her to the Church to learn of the god Mortian (The God of Death). Due to her upbringing Ismae hated men and was glad to start her work in learning how to kill men. Ismae learns quickly in the arts of killing men who are marked by Mortian to die. Afer 3 years at the abby learning how to use her womanly woes to seduce men, fight, and poison men she goes out on her first adventure which does not go exactly as planned, then onto another. All the while the abbess has something specific in mind for Ismae. Ismae ends up with Gavriel Duval in Brittany trying to help him save his country and his dutchess from having to marry the awful D'Albret. In her journey she finds that all men are not so evil and although what she has been taught by the church is helpful, she also learns that Mortians will is not exactly how it has been betrayed to her and she wonders if she should take her vows and return to the Abby once her assignment is over. With many adventurous battles physical and moral, Ismae finds herself and her true love of her god and maybe just maybe the man in her life. This book was very interesting and a fun read for me, I enjoyed the charaters and the descriptions of them made me feel like I was right in the book looking at them. Fun Fun read.

[Rama Mohamed · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I hesitated to start this book as there were a lot of 3 and 4 star reviews which didn't bode well as I tend to be somewhat picky.
However, this book really is worth your while. If nothing else the narration is absolutely excellent, and makes the story come alive. Also, the characters held my unwavering interest all throughout the book, which isn't often the case. Trust me, just read it!

[a.happy.booker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Assassin nuns, death's handmaidens, and a historical setting sounds like it would be a complete win for me. Unfortunately, I ended up feeling a bit "meh" about it. I mean, Ismae, the MC, is definitely one bad-ass heroine who is quick to stick a knife in someone (or crossbow bolt, or poison, or anything else really). But the political intrigue in this story was tedious and I found myself bored a few times and contemplating moving on to a different book. Ultimately I liked Grave Mercy, it held my interest enough to finish it and while the background characters were a bit thin and the plot tedious, I definitely enjoyed the main character and the slow building romance.

[kdf_333_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

i actually did not like Ismae very much. she annoyed me greatly. i did however like the whole idea of a convent who trains young girls into assassins skilled in all the ways of killing a man. i did like the political intrigue, although since the country they are trying to save is Brittany it's kinda sad. i really liked the other characters- the abbess,Syballea, Annith, Duval, and all the rest. i hope the other 2 books in the trilogy will be form the point of view of the other girls and not Ismae.


i also was a lil annoyed by the trend i am starting to see in the YA books i like... the strong young heroine who can kick butt falls in love but decides she doesn't want to get married even though in the society she lives in unmarried girls who have lovers are considered harlots. i mean really the feminists authors are being quite fantastical in this respect.

[sunflower38_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved....Loved....Loved this book! I didn't want it to end. It was fast paced, enthralling, suspenseful, and captivating. It had action, deceit, poisons, messaging crows, spies and daughters of death. What more could you want? I fell in love with many of the characters; Ishmae, Gavriel, Beast, Anne, Annith, Sybella, Francois, De Lornay, Madame Hivern and Captain Dunois. Ofcourse there are the EVIL Villians but I can only mention one, as to not give too much away and he is d'Albret, the worst of villains.

If you love and/or enjoy historical fiction or romance, just plain romance or a good read, I highly recommend Grave Mercy. I can't say enough or give it enough praise. It has a light, sweet and enduring romance with a fierce young woman/assassin/friend and a loyal and honorable young man/brother/son as the protagonist. I will say again, don't let this one pass you by. This book will be placed amongst my favorites and I think I'll burst in knowing that Sybella's story, His Fair Assassin, Dark Triumph is slated for release in Spring 2013....WHAT!!! That's tooooo far away.....

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Houton Mifflin Harcourt for giving me the opportunity to read this AWESOME book for review, very pleased.

[forsakenfates · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5/5 Stars

So Assassin Nuns! What more could you ask for! This book piqued my interest purely because of said nuns. And yes they are nuns devout to Death, but it is a convent nonetheless that trains young girls to be assassins.

There is obvious female power and strength in this book with the convent being full of strong female characters. At the beginning of the book, we learn that Ismae has been treated horribly by both her parents and her husband. However, this does not stop her from escaping with the help of a priest who then takes her to Saint Mortain.

One issue I have with the book is Ismae’s immediate acceptance of her fate. She automatically trusts the nuns and believes in their cause after she survives the poisoning. She even convinces another girl to stay on her first night. Another is that after chapter 5 you jump three years ahead. While I understand that this was done to move the book along, it would have been nice to see aspects of her training.

The main chunk of this story is Ismae on her final test before taking her vows to Mortain. This test involves time with Duval. Duval is an interesting character who is clearly hiding things throughout the story but he still treats Ismae with respect and knows what she is capable of.

The interactions between Ismae and Duval throughout the book are fantastic. They are both respect each other and each other’s opinions on important matters. I love their various interactions and plotting. Together they are able to solve the mystery and find the traitor.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The world of Assassin Nuns is enticing and magical. Cannot wait to read more in the series.

[muzmuz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story has me wanting more... the more i listened to the more i was racing to find out what happens next... am glad the story focused on Ismae's growth, her ability to think for herself and to start questioning everything around her , to only believe what is in front of her... and that the love plot was only secondary.... i truly enjoyed listening to it and can't wait to listen to the other books in the trilogy ^^

[fireweaver_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars.

every bit as ridiculously fun as the cover blurb promises, 'grave mercy' is the tale of a young woman convent-educated to be a skilled assassin for the crown of Brittany. our heroine is young and na?ve, told nly what she needs to know, but smart enough to figure some things out on her own. most characters get to be nuanced instead of b&w stock, rare for a YA novel. it's plenty silly (especially when the heroine gets bored of dresses and impatient with politics, and longingly wishes for someone to need stabbing), but delightfully so, and imminently readable.

[goorgoahead · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

See the full review at Short & Sweet Reviews

The concept of this book was fascinating to me. I'm a huge fan of strong female characters, and so the idea of Ismae and her cohort of Assassin Nuns seemed like it was calling my name. Unfortunately, I wound up not loving the book as much as I'd hoped. It got off to a promising start, but dragged in the middle, so much that I wound up putting it aside for a while until I could push myself to continue reading. The book picks up a lot more in the last third as all of the courtly intrigue and conspiracies quickly wrap up. While reading the last chapters on the train to work one morning, I found myself so engrossed in the plot that I actually missed my stop.

There's a somewhat large cast of supporting characters to keep straight, especially once Ismae arrives at court, and it's easy to forget exactly who is suspecting of betraying this person or that. I think I would have had an easier time keeping track of details had I not gotten so distracted at the middle of the book. Ismae is a character with some depth, and she's not instantly good at everything she tries her hand at. Owing to both her own past and her training at the convent, she is distrustful of many people and mostly unaware of matters of the heart. She's easily frustrated and sometimes makes rash decisions without thinking them through, which rings true for a seventeen-year old thrust into a situation so deadly before she's really ready.

[Jim Hensley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My daughter recommended this book, has a good medieval time storyline.

[elizabeth1929-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Like may of the books I've been reading as of late, this has been on my TBR list for quite some time, before I finally decide to smack myself and read it already! I seem to remember hearing great things about this book, but it could have been another book that looked similar...no! I believe it was the third book that caught my attention, so I decided to read the first one so that I could read the third one...hmmm...no matter, I have finally read this, and now I will review it....

This book was chunky, and this could either be a good thing or a bad thing, in this case, it was a bad thing. When I think back to what I've read, I don't remember much of what happened in the first 350 or so pages. It was only at the 400 mark that things started to happen and I started to get excited.

Ismae's relationship with her saint/god was commendable. I really enjoyed reading a book where the main character was as devoted as Ismae was with her God. Granted, it did become a bit of a nuisance at times, but it was quite enjoyable as a whole.

I feel as if the side characters didn't get much of an appearance. Yes, I realise that this is normal since they are side characters, but I really would have liked to have seen and learned more about Beast and de Lornay. They were immensely interesting and I'm quite disappointed with how they met with their fate.

When I finally flipped to the final page of the book, I expected there to be a sequel, but apparently, there is not. There is a companion novel of sort, I suppose, but it is mainly about Sybella, a girl from Ismae's convent. I'm not too sure if I will pursue this series since I'm not looking forward to yet another (probably) chunky book, but I'd hate to leave any series unfinished, and according to the reviews I've read for the next two books, it seems to get better. That's good news...

[catfantastic_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The backdrop is the "Mad War" of 1488, when the feudal lords of Brittany (the home of many Celts) were trying to maintain independence from the rest of France. The main character, Ismae, is a young peasant girl. We first see her, at thirteen, being sold to a brutish, abusive husband for three silver coins. Ismae has a scar that marks her as a daughter of the death-God Mortain, and she is rescued from her sad fate and placed in a secret convent of nun-assassins who serve Mortain under his Christianized incarnation as a "saint." In addition to being trained as assassins, these girls have magic powers. Ismae is resistant to poisons and she sees a death mark, known as a "marque," on her targets, indicating how they are supposed to die. The story jumps to a few years later, with a teenage Ismae taking on her first assignment for the convent. She ends up forced to work with Gavriel Duval, the bastard brother of Duchess Anne. The two are forced to work together to try and uncover the traitors at Anne's court. While they don't trust or even like each other at first, Ismae gradually warms to Duval's kindness - a quality she has not encountered in the men of her past.Grave Mercy definitely gets points for originality. There is not a lot of historically-based young adult fiction being written. That being said, the fantasy elements wind up seeming incongruous and a little cheesy in the historical setting. Magical-assassin-nuns on secret missions? It's a cool idea, but the writing is bland and fails to deliver the detail or the atmosphere the concept deserves. Assassin daughters of Death himself . . . you would think the writing would have a darkly gothic flare, especially given the medieval setting, but the atmosphere just isn't there. There were parts and certainly concepts that I enjoyed, but I doubt I will pick up the sequel.

[guavalove · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Originally posted on my blog, From A to Z.On a purely surface level, Grave Mercy hits sooooo many of my buttons (my good buttons, not my bad buttons. And not in a dirty way. Oh, you know what I mean.). Let’s review, shall we?THINGS I LOVE:A map at the beginning of the book. Traveling primarily on horseback, with stops at inns and taverns along the way (serving wenches!). A convent of assassin nuns. Swords. Poison. Bows and arrows. Castles. Secret tunnels in the walls of castles. Battles on horseback. Horns as communication in battle (I had SUCH a Lord of the Rings moment at one point *swoon*). ASSASSIN NUNS. Going undercover as a mistress. Court intrigue. Bracelet weapons. Poisoned pearls as decoration in hair. Chess. Did I mention the assassin nuns?Are you swooning yet?Happily, all of these superficially awesome things combine to make a deeply awesome story. In case you can’t tell (haha, yeah right), I loooooove historical fantasy, and it’s been a long while since I’ve read one that I enjoyed as much as Grave Mercy. The overall feel of it reminded me a bit of Graceling, which was so wonderful.One of the things I love about historical fantasy is its ability to completely take a reader back in time and suck them into the world, and Robin LaFevers has done this flawlessly. I felt like I was there with Ismae, and definitely wished I could be there in real life. I swear, I was born in the wrong century.And Ismae herself is BRILLIANT. She went through a lot (understatement!) before ending up at the convent, but she grows into this sassy, resourceful, funny, smart, totally KICKASS creature who can kill a man about a million different ways. Navigating the murky waters of the court of Brittany with her – never sure who should be trusted and who should be of victim of her poisoned hairdo – is SUCH fun. I loved every second of it.My one teensy weensy thing (I don’t even want to call it a problem) was the romance. And don’t get me wrong, I didn’t dislike the romance. It was very sweet and lovely and I definitely enjoyed it, it just seemed a little tame and predictable. For a book about assassin nuns, with two characters as fantastic as Ismae and Duval, I just wanted a little more spice! More suspense, more potential heartbreak, more sex, more intensity, more whatever. But you know, that’s okay. The book was so awesome otherwise, I can pretty much overlook this.I really can’t recommend Grave Mercy highly enough. If you like historical fantasy, if you like adventure, if you like court intrigue, if you like action of the archery and swords variety, if you like the idea of a convent of female assassins, if you like getting completely sucked into a world... READ THIS BOOK. Or even if you don’t like any of those things, you should still read it. Because it is awesome. I’m SO excited for the rest of this series.*On a random note, I’ve seen some speculation about how old Duval is (most people seem to think he’s around 30?), but even though it never specifically says, based on my calculations from information we’re given in the book, I think he’s about 24. And Ismae is 17. So there’s not that big of a gap between them. That is all. :)

[pmlyayakkers · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ismae is sworn to serve her father, the god of death, one of the 7 ancient gods worshipped by the people of Brittany. Now her country is under threat, and her convent and her god are asking her to protect the young duchess.

[jennybeast · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Original story set in medieval Brittany, with a twist. Ismae is one of the scarred daughters of the god/saint of Death, Mortain. She is rescued from a forced marriage by Mortain’s convent and trained in the art of assassination, but then must make her way in the treacherous surroundings of the fragile court of the Duchess of Brittany. I like the world, and the ideas behind the story, but Ismae is alternatively too wise and too naïve to be super believeable. Also, I find the sudden rescue in the ending to be a little too pat – if I think of it as a Romance novel, then it is well and excellently done. As a YA paranormal-ish book, it leaves something to be desired.

[jwitt33 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I really loved this book, but mostly because I really loved Ismae! The story takes place in 15th century Brittany and follows Ismae from a forced marriage when she is 14, which she escapes with the help of her village's herbwitch, to the convent of St. Mortain, where she is taught to serve the God of Death by becoming his assassin. Because she was treated horribly by everyone she knew growing up, she was all for it. She never wanted to feel weak or at the mercy of another ever again. By the age of 17, she is ready for her first assignment, which leads to her posing as the mistress of Gavriel Duval, the bastard brother of the young Duchess of Brittany. She is thrown into an unfamiliar world full of deceit and backstabbing in the court of the Duchess, and she doesn't know who to trust when everybody seems to have ulterior motives. I was enthralled right from the start. The change in Ismae from weak and powerless to strong and capable was fun to watch. The characters were well written and the back story, most of which was taken from the pages of history itself, was well written. The world building was phenomenal! The book was a bit long, but it didn't seem bogged down with unnecessary information, and I found it to be an easy read because it was so well written.In summary, I enjoyed reading this book very much and highly recommend it to those who love a good book that combines fantasy and historical fiction.,5/5 stars.I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

[et.carole · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a really excellent book. The characters were engaging and likable, as well as realistic- they all had excellent motives. As for the setting, it was very historically plausible from what little I know of Britain's early history. As for plot it was speedy and gripping. The only thing I would contest is the YA genre- it felt much more adult to me.

[quondame · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

At half the length this start of series may have rated an extra star, but the handling of the romance element and the dawdling pace made it not worth the time I spent reading it. With a near historical setting and present deities it seems to stagger in the steps of Bujold's Five God books without the humor or humanity which separate those works far from the common.

[reader1009-863136 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

teen fiction; historical romance involving a convent of assassins. File this one under "guilty pleasure." Satisfactory romance involving 16-17y.o. in medieval Brittany (at some point during its long conflict with France). Best not to examine the details of the plot too closely, but makes for an enjoyable, light read--probably PG-13 (tons of violence, not too graphic, some kissing, and a couple scenes where the couple "lay together").

[bookbrig-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this, but didn't love it. It's a wonderful premise, and I love that it seems each book of the series will be a complete story, but it just didn't grab me as much as I'd hoped it might.

Also, somewhat spoilery reaction to one tiny scene pertaining to the romance aspect of the book: I am SO SICK of books with a romance where the male love interest does something aggressive that makes the girl uncomfortable and then she second guesses herself afterward all: well, I probably was enjoying myself. In this case, the main character actually has the thought process that the guy could have raped her and she's "not even sure she would have fought very hard" because of the "spell he cast" over her.

...

BLARGH. Of course, people can react in any number of ways to sexual assault, but I hate the subtle implication that if a man is aggressive with you or takes you beyond your comfort zone, then it's just boys will be boys. You're discomfort or fear is silly, and you were probably aroused anyway. The main guy character is revealed to be a very good person, but at this point in the book Ismae is distrustful of him, unsure of his motives, and very, very uncomfortable around men in general. It just made me feel so icky to read the whole exchange, even though I imagine it's not something most readers would have a problem with since it's a tiny scene in a giant book.

I did like the story overall and the characters, but even after I'd finished I kept thinking of this scene. I'd definitely have less of an issue if this weren't marketed as YA, I think. So many adult romances use this trope, and it doesn't bother me as much when it's a grown woman having the same thought process in fiction. Possibly because I know that so many teen girls deal with stupid pressures like this all the time, and the general media message is pretty firmly in line with the one presented in this book. I want YA that challenges this idea, that points out that it's okay to feel uncomfortable and SAY you feel uncomfortable, that it's okay to get angry or frustrated when someone crosses your boundaries. It's okay to HAVE boundaries and you don't have to know what they are until you reach them, but it should be ok to point out if they're being crossed. I don't think teen girls get to hear that often enough.

[allison_s-802575 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed this! Was worried about it straying from the main assassin-nun plot and getting ridiculous, but it ended up as a decent work of YA historical fiction. Could be biased because I love Breton history, but overall it was immensely entertaining. Can't wait to read the second book.

[pascale1812 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have such conflicting feelings about this book.

First off, I'll say I loved the time period and setting. The entire background of the political conflicts, the different saints, and the hidden motives of characters was so intricate and well done. It felt real.

Second, Ismae is an engaging, passionate, and endearing protagonist. Unlike in some assassin books, she actually seems decent at doing assassin-like things. It's hard to tell if her essential character grew or evolved over the course of the book, but at the very least she learned new things and became her own person.

In general, the intrigue of the book feels like it would have come off better in a perspective other than first-person present-tense, however the immediacy of this tone did add a lot to the more adrenaline filled scenes.

The thing that left me scratching my head throughout the book was consistency. Low-born Ismae uses the most formal diction out of all the characters. Formerly renowned knight Duval is described as paper-work loving by all yet spends more time sneaking out at night than the assassin. Finally, in the beginning of the story, Ismae is motivated to join the convent and become an assassin when she hears she will be able to take a stand against men. Her thoughts come through crystal clear (thanks, perspective): all men are horrible, abusive, and not worth a thing. However, asides from one or two run-ins, she spends the rest of the book pretty content to trust in quite a few male characters upon limited introductions. She trusts this "instinct" that they're good. Where did this feeling come from??? Certainly not from 3 years spent training in a convent. Especially a convent which takes in girls and claims to despise men yet equips these same girls sacrifice honor, personal pride, and dignity in the face of duty. I'm sorry, but what even.

(Ok, and Ismae said sooo many times, "womanly charms" when referring to physical features. I can't even. That phrasing is just so awkward.)

So, yes, other than that, it was a nice read. Ismae's interactions with the saints and her powers was cool.

[melrailey-412132 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It took me a while to get into LaFevers' writing but by about 1/3 of the way into the book, I couldn't put it down. I loved the story, Ismae and, most especially Duval. I thought this was a very original story. After all, how often is our heroine a daughter of Death? I found the idea of an entire convent devoted to killing people novel. By the end of the story, I was proud of Ismae and in love with Duval.

[linyarai · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this for the "an adventure/espionage novel" part of my 2018 reading challenge. Interesting concept, but it was a little bit predictable and it didn't quite suck me in.

[linnnnie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nun Assassins! Freaking brilliant

[a1stitcher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I borrowed this from a friend and I am quite pleased I did. I really enjoyed this book. A bit different from my usual reading. I was hooked from the beginning, and finished the story of Ismae in 6 nights. I love the authors' portrayal of Death-we call him the Grim Reaper. Here he is named Mortain, one of the ancient gods.
And I will tell you no more about this book! You'll have to read it for yourself. It will be worth it.

[velmeran · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was given a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.This book gives an interesting fantastical twist to historical events. I enjoyed the research that went into setting the scene and the idea of strong female characters set in contrast to the repressiveness of the time period. The character was not as robust as I would have preferred, but I am a huge fan of characterization. That being said, she was a very relatable protagonist.