Shocking, Appalling, and Everything Else I Look for in a Good Book: NEVERNIGHT by Jay Kristoff

Title: Nevernight
Author: Jay Kristoff
Narrator(s): Holter Graham
Series: The Nevernight Chronicle, book #1
Length: 20 hrs 11 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: August 9, 2016
Source: galley received from publisher, purchased audiobook
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

The first in a new fantasy series from the New York Times bestselling author.

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

Before I get started extolling the merits of this bloody, brutal, beautiful little book, I need to let you know that although Jay writes amazing young adult novels, this one right here is of the 18 and up persuasion. There's cursing and violence and sex and all manner of things that I, personally, look for in a good book, but it's maybe not for the younger crowd. I mean, I totally would have loved this novel even back then, but I don't know if my parents would have appreciated it if they'd known what was inside this seemingly harmless book. Of course, they never even caught on that I was reading my mom's Harlequin romance novels at the ripe old age of 11.

Having said that, I know a lot of people took issue with the extravagant details and extensive footnotes included in the text. It's part of why I shied from reading the advance copy I was provided by the publisher. I've loved everything I've read of Jay's to date, and I didn't want this to be the book that changed that. The Lotus War series was fantastic, and it was also highly detailed, so I didn't really see that being a problem for me. But the remarks about the footnotes reminded me of reading a history textbook and I am not all about that.

So, I waited until the audiobook was released. Jay's novels are impressive in the audio version, and Nevernight was no different. In fact, aside from Illuminae - because let's face it, that book was awesome in any edition - this might be my favorite of his stories. The narrator was phenomenal, just phenomenal. And the way the footnotes were handled was rather like an aside. Instead of trudging down to the bottom of the page or back of a chapter to get the details on a specific event or person, it felt inclusive and part of the story rather than an extra. It was remarkably well done and made me glad I waited for the audio. Something tells me I would not have enjoyed the footnotes so much if I'd actually read the text.

If you enjoyed And I Darken by Kiersten White or The Young Elites by Marie Lu, you'll likely enjoy this one just as much, if not more...and vice versa. Books like these kind of go hand-in-hand...you have to have a deep-seated love of anti-heroes to get them because a happily ever after is going to be very hard to come by. I feel like books like this seek to shock and appall, and I am beyond certain that this book in particular succeeded in the highest fashion. Hell, the first chapter alone did that.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Jay Kristoff is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of THE LOTUS WAR, THE ILLUMINAE FILES and THE NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLE. He is the winner of two Aurealis Awards, an ABIA, nominee for the David Gemmell Morningstar and Legend awards, named multiple times in the Kirkus and Amazon Best Teen Books list and published in over twenty-five countries, most of which he has never visited. He is as surprised about all of this as you are. He is 6’7 and has approximately 13030 days to live. He abides in Melbourne with his secret agent kung-fu assassin wife, and the world’s laziest Jack Russell.

He does not believe in happy endings.

Find Jay:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook

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Labels: adult, assassins, audiobooks, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, jay kristoff, macmillan, reviews, the nevernight chronicles

{WOW} NEVERNIGHT by Jay Kristoff

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...








's Pick:



Title: Nevernight
Author: Jay Kristoff
Series: The Nevernight Chronicles, book #1
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Publication Date: August 9, 2016

The first in a new fantasy series.

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father's failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she wanders a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and its thugs. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the hearth of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. Treachery and trials await her with the Church’s halls, and to fail is to die. But if she survives to initiation, Mia will be inducted among the chosen of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the only thing she desires.

Revenge.

I've never met a Jay Kristoff book I didn't love. Or one of his covers that I didn't immediately covet. But there is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be my new favorite of his solo projects. All I needed to read was assassins, and I was sold. And, of course, there's revenge because, duh, those two tend to go hand-in-hand. I'm hoping for one awesome fight scene after another. I just know it's going to be epic. And if you think about it, August isn't all that far away. ;0)

What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: assassins, fantasy, favorite authors, grabby hands, jay kristoff, macmillan, revenge, the nevernight chronicles, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Mini Reviews} ASSASSIN'S HEART and THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE

Title: Assassin's Heart
Author(s): Sarah Ahiers
Narrator(s): Khristine Hvam
Series: Assassin's Heart, book #1
Length: 10 hrs 41 mins
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher, audiobook from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.

Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay.

I like a good revenge story. I like a good story featuring assassins. And I liked this story a lot more than I expected to, based on early reviews. Maybe those same reviews tempered my excitement for such a novel and thus I was able to enjoy it on its own merits? I mean, it wasn't a perfect story, but I appreciated the spirit of it just the same.

So maybe there wasn't all that much assassinating going on past the annihilation of Lea's family, but the revenge scheme carried the book for me. Or, more accurately, Les and his involvement in the half-baked revenge plot did. Lea was alright...a little too preoccupied with her former lover and each of their roles in her family's fall, but she realized the error of her ways and was more tolerable for it.

My biggest complaint would be how religious and fanatical the whole story is. I mean, for families who commit murder for hire, it seemed...odd...to be so beholden to a specific deity, but it's not as if I haven't seen something like this before. I did find it intriguing how the religious aspects came into play later in the story, though, so I guess since it was central and necessary to the overall plot, I'll allow it. :P

It probably also helped this story that Khristine Hvam is the narrator. She's an absolute favorite of mine, and I rarely pass up an opportunity to listen to one of her audiobook performances if I can help it.

About the author: 

YA fantasy writer, dog lover, all around cool nerd? Repped by Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary + Media. Author of ASSASSIN'S HEART Winter 2016 from HarperTeen.

Find Sarah:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Title: The Girl from Everywhere
Author(s): Heidi Heilig
Narrator(s): Kim Mai Guest
Series: The Girl from Everywhere, book #1
Length: 10 hrs 9 mins
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publication Date: February 16, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher, audiobook from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Nix has spent her entire life aboard her father’s ship, sailing across the centuries, across the world, across myth and imagination.

As long as her father has a map for it, he can sail to any time, any place, real or imagined: nineteenth-century China, the land from One Thousand and One Nights, a mythic version of Africa. Along the way they have found crewmates and friends, and even a disarming thief who could come to mean much more to Nix.

But the end to it all looms closer every day.

Her father is obsessed with obtaining the one map, 1868 Honolulu, that could take him back to his lost love, Nix’s mother. Even though getting it—and going there—could erase Nix’s very existence.

For the first time, Nix is entering unknown waters.

She could find herself, find her family, find her own fantastical ability, her own epic love.

Or she could disappear.

I remember reading a review that basically said if you'd read Passenger, you could probably skip this one because it was very similar. And it is. And it isn't. I don't want to get into the specifics, comparing and contrasting the two stories because then we could be here all day. I will say that I probably would have enjoyed this book a smidge more if I'd read it prior to Passenger. But the same is true for having already read Passenger: if I'd read this book first, I probably would have enjoyed Passenger a smidge less than I did. And it does boil down to those similarities.

I think what I enjoyed most about this story was the magical aspect, that these pirates could sail to any land, real or imagined, as long as they had a map for their destination. There were magical creatures and artifacts and a fortune teller and it all culminated into this fantastical story of time travel and treasure seeking.

Also: this is actually more of a pirate book than Passenger turned out to be, considering that the ship is the vessel that takes its crew from one destination and time to the next, rather than fissures in time and space that have to be located in order to travel on, as in Passenger. I'm a big fan of pirates stories -- and roguish pirates, to be more specific -- and making a pirate ship the time travel apparatus was a stroke of brilliance. Almost as awesome as a blue police box. ;0)

Kim Mai Guest is always a phenomenal narrator, but I love when she's picked to voice characters of Asian descent. She beautifully captures Nix's struggle to come to terms with what might have been and what her future holds and whether or not any of it matters when she could just as easily disappear, never to have existed at all.

I don't know if I'll continue this series. I enjoyed the story overall, but it definitely didn't have the cliffhanger that Passenger did...that draw to return and find out more. Honestly, I know there's much more story ahead for Nix and company, but this book had a solid conclusion and could have been a stand-alone novel. I'm not saying I prefer cliffhangers, but they do make it harder to say no to the sequel. o_O

About the author:

Heidi grew up in Hawaii where she rode horses and raised peacocks, and then she moved to New York City and grew up even more, as one tends to do. Her favorite thing, outside of writing, is travel, and she has haggled for rugs in Morocco, hiked the trails of the Ko'olau Valley, and huddled in a tent in Africa while lions roared in the dark.

She holds an MFA from New York University in Musical Theatre Writing, of all things, and she's written books and lyrics for shows including The Time Travelers Convention, Under Construction, and The Hole. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their pet snake, whose wings will likely grow in any day now.

Find Heidi:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram

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Labels: assassin's heart, assassins, audiobooks, fantasy, harper-collins, heidi heilig, mini reviews, pirates, reviews, sarah ahiers, the girl from everywhere, time travel

Queen of Shadows Release Day Blitz

I am so excited that QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway! If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful series by Sarah J. Maas, be sure to check out all the details below. This blitz also includes a giveaway for a set of the first 3 books in the series (in paperback format). US only. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About the book:

Title: Queen of Shadows
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass, book #4
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Audible

Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series reaches new heights in this sweeping fourth volume.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

Read Chapters 1-5 of QUEEN OF SHADOWS HERE!

About the author:

Sarah J. Maas lives in Southern California, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much coffee, and watches absolutely rubbish TV shows. When she's not busy writing YA fantasy novels, she can be found exploring the California coastline.

Find Sarah:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive the first 3 books (in paperback) in the THRONE OF GLASS Series. US Only. Ends on September 11th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you started reading Queen of Shadows yet?!?

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Labels: assassins, beautiful covers, bloomsbury, book blitz, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, giveaways, promotions, sarah j. maas, throne of glass

Waiting on Wednesday: The Iron Warrior & Queen of Shadows

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selections are...








's Pick:

Title: The Iron Warrior
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #3
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 27th, 2015

The Iron Prince—my nephew—betrayed us all.

He killed me.

Then, I woke up.

Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned to learn that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was temporarily torn away. Although humankind's glimpse of the world of Faery lasted just a brief moment, the human world has been cast into chaos, and the emotion and glamour produced by fear and wonder has renewed the tremendous power of the Forgotten Queen. Now, she is at the forefront of an uprising against the courts of Summer and Winter—a reckoning that will have cataclysmic effects on the Nevernever.

Leading the Lady's Forgotten Army is Keirran himself: Ethan's nephew, and the traitor son of the Iron Queen, Meghan Chase.To stop Keirran, Ethan must disobey his sister once again as he and his girlfriend, Kenzie, search for answers long forgotten. In the face of unprecedented evil and unfathomable power, Ethan's enemies must become his allies, and the world of the fey will be changed forevermore.

I feel like I've been waiting forever for this book. Cannot freaking wait! :)





's Pick:



Title: Queen of Shadows
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass, book #4
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: September 1, 2015

Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series reaches new heights in this sweeping fourth volume.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

I heart this series SO MUCH. If you know me at all, you know that I prefer fantasy over pretty much anything else, and this series tops my list of favorites. Big things are coming and Celaena's finally on track to greet the destiny she was meant for. I see no mention of her love or a certain captain of the guard in the summary above, but I'm sure hoping they'll at least be reunited as some point in this installment. *bites nails*


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: assassins, beautiful covers, bloomsbury, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, julie kagawa, sarah j. maas, the iron fey series, The iron Warrior, throne of glass, waiting on wednesday (wow)

Review: Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

Title: Midnight Thief
Author: Livia Blackburne
Series: Midnight Thief, book #1
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: July 8, 2014
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.

But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

Midnight Thief was full of surprises. It would have been a great novel to use for my "Review in a GIFfy" feature, if only to use a lot of GIFs with shocked faces. I read the novella last fall after the author graciously sent me a copy, and I think she did so to throw me for a loop once I got to Midnight Thief. Poison Dance is a prequel to this novel and provides the backstory for a very significant character in Midnight Thief, one that seems very much changed...or maybe affected is a better word choice. If you decide to read that story prior to this full-length novel, I recommend keeping in mind that the author wrote the prequel because she had lingering questions about one of her characters.

The characters in Midnight Thief were nothing like I was expecting, especially after reading the prequel story. They were so much more, and I'm actually pretty satisfied with the direction the author took with each of their stories, even if it did take a bit of deliberation to get to that point. I won't make any justifications for any of the characters, but I feel like their actions -- and what led them to them -- were fitting. Kyra is a very talented thief, one with cat-like grace who can circumvent palace guards and deadly assassins alike. But she isn't a skilled fighter. Her successes have all come from her need to survive and look out for the few people who depend on her. Tristam is a privileged knight, dead-set on avenging his friend's death at the hands of the Demon Riders. The story is told from both of their perspectives through alternating chapters, and when I got to nearly half-way through the novel, I started to wonder if the two main characters would ever meet. But meet they did, and what an encounter that was!

I really enjoyed the writing in this story. It's not high fantasy with crazy names for people and places, or one where I needed a map at the start of the book to get some sense of the land, but there is a seriously fantastical element having to do with the Demon Riders that I wasn't expecting at the onset of the novel, and that more than made up for the slightly slower pacing in the first quarter or so and kept the story from feeling generic. I did find that it was fairly easy to guess the nature of the "startling secret" mentioned in the summary, but it didn't detract from the story. In fact, I think knowing that made it easier for my brain to take a break and ignore clues to other goings on that might have made parts of the ending less astonishing. What I mean to say is, though some aspects of this novel may seem slightly predictable, the novel as a whole lends itself to an air of unpredictability, much to my delight. I'm horrible about trying to guess every secret a story holds, and I love a book all the more if it can keep me guessing, as Midnight Thief did.

I've found lately that a lot of summaries for fantasy novels like to mention assassins in the story and then not a whole lot of assassinating actually happens. Kyra is NOT an assassin, nor does she wish to become one. Honestly, there isn't much in the way of assassinations in this novel, but there is plenty of intrigue, death and betrayal, and I don't think that's too far off. Also, I appreciate that this summary makes little to no mention of a romance because this was most certainly not a swooning, fall into his arms kind of story. There are a few moments, and they were spectacularly handled -- both by the characters and the author -- but romance is definitely not where the author's focus lies in this first book. I loved where the author left things, with questions and uncertainties for both of the characters but no one's life is left hanging in the balance. Though there are definitely some major changes coming for some of the characters.

Midnight Thief is an excellent fantasy story that is sure to keep you on your toes. This novel will surely appeal to readers looking for a fast-paced story, full of danger and intrigue and just a hint of romance. It was riveting and damn-near unputdownable, and I hate that I now have to wait another year for more of this story. If you're contemplating reading this story or still unsure, I highly suggest picking up the novella, which is free for Kindle and Nook right now.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

I was a neuroscience graduate student at MIT, conducting research on the neural correlates of reading, where I took the analytical approach I used for my experiments and applied it towards the process of writing and publishing. After earning my doctorate, I've switched to full time writing. My debut YA fantasy novel MIDNIGHT THIEF will be coming out with Disney-Hyperion in 2014. The goal of this blog remains the same though: study pieces of writing, break it down into component pieces, and try to see what makes it work.

Find Livia:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: assassins, disney hyperion, fantasy, favorites, livia blackburne, midnight thief, reviews

{Audiobook} Review: Death Sworn by Leah Cypess

Title: Death Sworn
Author: Leah Cypess
Narrator(s): Cris Dukehart
Series: Death Sworn, book #1
Length: 7 hrs 40 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Source: from publisher for review via Edelweiss/audio from library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

When Ileni lost her magic, she lost everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two tutors had died under mysterious circumstances.

But beneath the assassins’ caves, Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world.

I love fantasy. I mean, that's primarily all I reviewed in the beginning. So, when I saw that gorgeous cover and read the word assassin in the synopsis, I knew I was meant to read this story. I've had Mistwood by this same author on my shelf for ages, thanks to a Borders going-out-of-business sale, but aside from that, I have no prior experience with Leah Cypess' writing. That said, I think it's safe to say that I went into this story with some pretty high expectations, especially since several of my fantasy-loving friends had enjoyed the book.

What Went Wrong

1. The story starts off so slowly that had I not requested this book for review, I surely would have DNF'd it. I probably should have anyway. I actually ended up borrowing the audiobook from my library because I often find fantasy books are that much better when you're hearing them, but not so in this case. I've never listened to a book narrated by Cris Dukehart before, but her narration added little to the story.

2. I didn't connect with the characters at all. Including Ileni and Sorin, the girl who's lost her magic and the assassin who's sworn to protect her. They all seemed so shallow and one-dimensional, unable to move past their initial purpose and see things on a grander scale. Even the villain(s) seemed haphazardly drawn.

3. There was little to no world-building. I think something like 95% of the story occurred in a dank, dark cave system where the assassins trained, but a little more explanation as to what was going on in the outside world would have gone a long way. I get that a war is brewing and that it has a lot to do with magic and power plays, but I didn't take much else away from this book.

4. The romance was so unbelievably meh. Sorin wants Ileni but his duty to his Master and fellow assassins comes first...always. Eleni doesn't trust any of the assassins, including Sorin, but falls for him anyway. They can't be together because of who they are and what they're supposed to do. Despite their feelings, or whatever, I never saw them together. Just as I never felt an emotional connection to these characters, I never felt that they had made a connection either.

5. I listened to this just last week, but I can't tell you what happened at the end. That's how very unmemorable this story was for me. Pretty fantasy-lite in my opinion with little to entice me to read the second book in the duet. I mean, usually when I don't like most of the book, at least the ending is explosive enough to make me want to carry on with the series, but I just don't know if that's going to happen this time

What Went Right

1. Proper assassins. Don't you hate when you read that there are assassins in a story and they never do any real assassinating? Yeah, me, too. But Ileni's deadly students go out on missions, kill their targets, and plunder what they can, all in the name of the Master.

2. The setup for an epic battle between the Master and those wielding magic is fairly decent. Especially since it seems that Ileni will be at the center of it all.

I think those who are usually wary of high fantasy will find plenty to enjoy in this novel, but it just didn't live up to my expectations. I just don't think this author's work is for me, especially after perusing my copy of Mistwood and seeing some of the dialogue. I'll probably end up giving that book away to someone who will enjoy it more than me, unfortunately.

GIF it to me straight:

Since so many others enjoyed this, I have to think that it's just me...

About the author:

I wrote my first story in first grade. The narrator was an ice-cream cone in the process of being eaten. In fourth grade, I wrote my first book, about a girl who gets shipwrecked on a desert island with her faithful and heroic dog (a rip-off of both The Black Stallion and all the Lassie movies, very impressive).

However, I took a few detours along the way to becoming a full-time writer. After selling my first story (Temple of Stone) while in high school, I gave in to my mother's importuning to be practical and majored in biology at Brooklyn College. I then went to Columbia Law School and practiced law for almost two years at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, a large law firm in New York City. I kept writing and submitting in my spare time, and finally, a mere 15 years after my first short story acceptance, I am going to be a published novelist. I am very excited about this!

I live in Brookline, Massachusetts (right outside of Boston) with my husband Aaron, a researcher and doctor at the Joslin Diabetes Center, and our two daughters.

Find Leah:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: assassins, audiobooks, beautiful covers, death sworn, disappointments, fantasy, harper-collins, leah cypess, reviews