I am thrilled to pieces to be a stop on the
Mortal Heart Blog Tour today! I've loved this series from the very beginning, reading and re-reading each book in anticipation of the next. I just can't get enough of those assassins -- those daughters of Mortain -- and their various exploits!
Mortal Heart just released into the world yesterday and to celebrate, I've got my spoiler-free review for you below, as well as a tour-wide giveaway for a copy of the book plus other awesome goodies!
MORTAL HEART
By Robin LaFevers
In stores now!!!
Order Mortal Heart:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Here's the blurb:
Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.
She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has...
I went into this final book with some trepidation. I liked what I knew of Annith from the previous books, but I didn't
know her yet, and if I'm being honest, I was afraid she was going to be be a little boring. I mean, they call her Saint Annith because she is so consumed with going above and beyond the convent's expectations of her. But I also didn't care much for what little I knew of Sybella's character in
Grave Mercy, and her character arc really surprised me in the second installment, so I should have been prepared for a similar experience with Annith.
I wasn't, though. As much as I feared that neither of the other girls could compare to how much I loved Ismae in
Grave Mercy, Annith gave Ismae a run for her money. She may be reserved, a vision of the perfect novitiate, but underneath that perfect visage, she is burning for an assignment, a chance to prove herself worthy. Annith is lethal -- touted as the best at everything among the novices at the convent -- and yet she has never been sent on assignment, passed up time and again. She is tired of being the obedient girl, the one who can always be counted to do what is expected of her. Because Annith is much more sneaky and cunning than anyone could have guessed, she finds her way off the island and away from the convent that has been her prison since she was but a babe. I have to admit, I
really liked this side of Annith and I wished I'd seen it sooner so I wouldn't have been so reluctant to count her among my favorite assassin nuns. Because even though we've seen the fire that burns within Annith, she is still the same gentle soul she was when we first met her character.
Of the three daughters of Mortain that we've come to know so intimately, Annith is the one who is most balanced, and I think it was even more evident when we saw the three of them in the same confines. Ismae's temper can still be a fiery inferno and Sybella's ferocity knows no bounds, but Annith's inherent balance of passion and calm make her the most level-headed of the three. Though the three assassins have changed so much in their time apart, it was absolutely lovely to see that their friendship had survived all the trials that they'd been through, that they'd come through their missions thicker than ever. It was nice to see some old friends and faces, and not just in passing. These girls all very much have a part in each other's stories, as do their loves.
The man who steals into Annith's life like a thief in the night carries no less baggage than the other girls' love interests, but his role is much larger than any of the others. Like the assassins, Balthazaar serves the god of death, but in a different capacity. While the daughters of Mortain delight in meting out his justice, Balthazaar seems to harbor a deep sadness for his task. And yet Annith is drawn to him and Balthazaar to her. They don't try to deny their attraction for very long, which is one of the things I love best about the romances in this series: Robin LaFevers creates these romantic leads that know exactly who and what they want and aren't about to give them up. The romances are mature in all the ways that matter and are so artfully written as to make each pairing perfectly suited for each other.
Not only were the couples suited for each other but also for what they have yet to face in the battle for Anne to keep her duchy and avoid war with France. Political intrigue abounds in this final installment, not only as tensions mount with France, but also as secrets about Annith's past and the convent come to light. I love the liberties the author has taken with the history of Brittany and France during the time period but also how much of it she has left intact. With the continued presence of the patron saints and their mythology, this world felt new and unique while also comfortable for its familiarity with the basis in real historical events.
I knew I'd love this book once I finally cracked it open. I just didn't know how much. And I also didn't expect to run the full gamut of emotions while I read it. I'm not often shocked by a story, but
Mortal Heart caught me by surprise on more than one occasion. I may have predicted some of the bigger reveals, but it was the smaller obstacles that caught me off-guard. I was expecting big things from this book, and I got more than I bargained for, that's for sure. And now I'm left reeling from the loss of it. I'm afraid to really dive into another book for fear that it won't be able to compare to the beautiful story I just read.
Mortal Heart was a brilliant and utterly stunning conclusion to one of my very favorite historical fiction series, and I'm going to miss those assassin nuns something fierce.
GIF it to me straight:
About the author:
Robin LaFevers was raised on a steady diet of fairy tales, Bulfinch’s mythology, and 19th century poetry. It is not surprising she grew up to be a hopeless romantic.
Though she has never trained as an assassin or joined a convent, she did attend Catholic school for three years, which instilled in her a deep fascination with sacred rituals and the concept of the Divine. She has been on a search for answers to life’s mysteries ever since.
While many of those answers still elude her, she was lucky enough to find her one true love, and is living happily ever after with him in the foothills of southern California.
In addition to writing about teen assassin nuns in medieval Brittany, she writes books for middle grade readers, including the Theodosia books and the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series. You can learn more about those books at www.rllafevers.com.
Find Robin:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumblr
(1) One winner will receive a rustic arrow necklace, a leather bound notebook and a hardcover of MORTAL HEART! US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Eeek! That is a
fabulous giveaway...especially knowing how each piece plays into this final installment in the
His Fair Assassins series!
Be sure to check out the rest of the blog tour for more awesome posts!
Week One:
Week Two:
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
{Blog Tour} Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers: Review & Giveaway
I am thrilled to pieces to be a stop on the Mortal Heart Blog Tour today! I've loved this series from the very beginning, reading and re-reading each book in anticipation of the next. I just can't get enough of those assassins -- those daughters of Mortain -- and their various exploits!
Mortal Heart just released into the world yesterday and to celebrate, I've got my spoiler-free review for you below, as well as a tour-wide giveaway for a copy of the book plus other awesome goodies!
Here's the blurb:
I went into this final book with some trepidation. I liked what I knew of Annith from the previous books, but I didn't know her yet, and if I'm being honest, I was afraid she was going to be be a little boring. I mean, they call her Saint Annith because she is so consumed with going above and beyond the convent's expectations of her. But I also didn't care much for what little I knew of Sybella's character in Grave Mercy, and her character arc really surprised me in the second installment, so I should have been prepared for a similar experience with Annith.
I wasn't, though. As much as I feared that neither of the other girls could compare to how much I loved Ismae in Grave Mercy, Annith gave Ismae a run for her money. She may be reserved, a vision of the perfect novitiate, but underneath that perfect visage, she is burning for an assignment, a chance to prove herself worthy. Annith is lethal -- touted as the best at everything among the novices at the convent -- and yet she has never been sent on assignment, passed up time and again. She is tired of being the obedient girl, the one who can always be counted to do what is expected of her. Because Annith is much more sneaky and cunning than anyone could have guessed, she finds her way off the island and away from the convent that has been her prison since she was but a babe. I have to admit, I really liked this side of Annith and I wished I'd seen it sooner so I wouldn't have been so reluctant to count her among my favorite assassin nuns. Because even though we've seen the fire that burns within Annith, she is still the same gentle soul she was when we first met her character.
Of the three daughters of Mortain that we've come to know so intimately, Annith is the one who is most balanced, and I think it was even more evident when we saw the three of them in the same confines. Ismae's temper can still be a fiery inferno and Sybella's ferocity knows no bounds, but Annith's inherent balance of passion and calm make her the most level-headed of the three. Though the three assassins have changed so much in their time apart, it was absolutely lovely to see that their friendship had survived all the trials that they'd been through, that they'd come through their missions thicker than ever. It was nice to see some old friends and faces, and not just in passing. These girls all very much have a part in each other's stories, as do their loves.
The man who steals into Annith's life like a thief in the night carries no less baggage than the other girls' love interests, but his role is much larger than any of the others. Like the assassins, Balthazaar serves the god of death, but in a different capacity. While the daughters of Mortain delight in meting out his justice, Balthazaar seems to harbor a deep sadness for his task. And yet Annith is drawn to him and Balthazaar to her. They don't try to deny their attraction for very long, which is one of the things I love best about the romances in this series: Robin LaFevers creates these romantic leads that know exactly who and what they want and aren't about to give them up. The romances are mature in all the ways that matter and are so artfully written as to make each pairing perfectly suited for each other.
Not only were the couples suited for each other but also for what they have yet to face in the battle for Anne to keep her duchy and avoid war with France. Political intrigue abounds in this final installment, not only as tensions mount with France, but also as secrets about Annith's past and the convent come to light. I love the liberties the author has taken with the history of Brittany and France during the time period but also how much of it she has left intact. With the continued presence of the patron saints and their mythology, this world felt new and unique while also comfortable for its familiarity with the basis in real historical events.
I knew I'd love this book once I finally cracked it open. I just didn't know how much. And I also didn't expect to run the full gamut of emotions while I read it. I'm not often shocked by a story, but Mortal Heart caught me by surprise on more than one occasion. I may have predicted some of the bigger reveals, but it was the smaller obstacles that caught me off-guard. I was expecting big things from this book, and I got more than I bargained for, that's for sure. And now I'm left reeling from the loss of it. I'm afraid to really dive into another book for fear that it won't be able to compare to the beautiful story I just read. Mortal Heart was a brilliant and utterly stunning conclusion to one of my very favorite historical fiction series, and I'm going to miss those assassin nuns something fierce.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Eeek! That is a fabulous giveaway...especially knowing how each piece plays into this final installment in the His Fair Assassins series!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
SYNC Summer 2013: Week 8 #syncya
SYNC recently announced the list of audiobook pairings up for grabs this summer, and the program has officially kicked off. Last week's offerings were The Peculiar and Oliver Twist. And here's what you can grab through Wednesday of next week...for free!
This week's YA title is Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, performed by Erin Moon for Recorded Books.
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
Hamlet is the story of the Prince of Denmark who learns of the death of his father at the hands of his uncle, Claudius. Claudius murders Hamlet's father, his own brother, to take the throne of Denmark and to marry Hamlet's widowed mother. Hamlet is sunk into a state of great despair as a result of discovering the murder of his father and the infidelity of his mother. Hamlet is torn between his great sadness and his desire for the revenge of his father's murder.
I loved Grave Mercy when I read it last year, and I loved the sequel even more. So, if you haven't picked this one up yet, there's never been a better time! I love Shakespeare, but surprisingly enough, I've never read Hamlet. And this version is read by a Full Cast! It's sure to be memorable.
Will you be checking out either of these titles? Remember, they're only available through Wednesday, and new titles will be put up on Thursday for download. Other things to note:
To download this week's titles, just click on the image below to be taken directly to the SYNC download page:
I hope you take advantage of this program. I've been doing it for the last couple of years, and I've had the chance to listen to a ton of great audio for free. If you've never tried audiobooks before, it's a great opportunity to do so without the obligation of buying one that you might not enjoy. And if you love audiobooks, well, it's a great time to stock up on some titles you may have missed. Win/win. =)
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Review: Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
Author: Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin, book #2
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Source: from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?
This heart-pounding sequel to Grave Mercy serves betrayal, treachery, and danger in equal measure, bringing readers back to fifteenth century Brittany and will keep them on the edge of their seats.
I loved Grave Mercy when I read it last year. In fact, it's right up there with my favorites of 2012. So, to say that I was worried Dark Triumph would fall short as a sequel is an understatement...especially since this book is a companion novel, not a true sequel. I wanted to follow Ismae and Duval on their exploits, but alas, I was consigned to learn more about the mysterious Sybella, another of Death's handmaidens. I was intrigued by her character in Grave Mercy but not enough to desire a whole book from her point-of-view.
Or so I thought. If Ismae's past was bleak, then it's sufficient to say that Sybella's was insufferable. The things this young woman has survived...and yet she manages to walk tall in the face of all those who have wronged her. You don't know everything Sybella's endured right from the beginning, but it's obvious she's every bit as strong and deadly as Ismae, maybe even more so. It almost felt like a betrayal to Ismae to like Sybella's character as much as I did, but they are best friends, and so I think Ismae might approve.
Dark Triumph picks up right where Grave Mercy left off, only from Sybella's perspective. It is not, I repeat, NOT the events of Grave Mercy retold from Sybella's point-of-view, as I've seen some report. Instead, Sybella finds herself back in her father's household as a spy for the Reverend Mother. The vileness this poor girl must withstand, it's enough to turn your stomach and pity Sybella. But she would not want your pity. No, Sybella merely wants vengeance. Fitting for the handmaiden of Death, right?
What isn't appropriate to Sybella is the attachment, the allegiance she feels to a certain soldier responsible for keeping the Duchess safe. He ends up being her salvation. She has only ever sought to exact her revenge since leaving the monastery, but now with the aide of this man, she has more to live for, to fight for. And the relationship that develops between these two lethal beings is just so pure and beautiful...I was rooting for it from the very beginning. It's nice that for two who have suffered so much, they may finally have a chance at some semblance of happiness.
Fret not, fans of Grave Mercy. Many of your favorite characters from the first book do make an appearance in this companion novel, some with a more substantial presence than others. Sybella's story hurt my heart, but it was promising to see how many have her welfare in mind. Just seeing how the author was able to seamlessly continue this story, but through another's eyes, gives me hope that the least known assassin's tale will be tremendously exciting. I now know I can go into Annith's story in Mortal Heart with zero trepidation.
If you loved Grave Mercy, I pretty much guarantee that you'll love Dark Triumph as much, if not more. It's that good. More poison. More weapons. More action. More everything! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect follow-up to Grave Mercy. There is no question that this will be among the leaders of the pack for my favorite novel of 2013.
Rating:
And this trailer is perfection, too!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Teaser Tuesday #47: Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
This week's teaser(s) comes from the following book(s):
Author: Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin, book #2
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Source: from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?
This heart-pounding sequel to Grave Mercy serves betrayal, treachery, and danger in equal measure, bringing readers back to fifteenth century Brittany and will keep them on the edge of their seats.
My teaser:
I am having so much fun with this book! I was so afraid that it wouldn't live up to Grave Mercy's awesomeness, but it is every bit as good. I kinda sorta wish I hadn't agreed to read along with Em because I want to devour this thing. :P
What are you teasing this week? Share it in the comments or leave a link so I can visit!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
"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...
But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?
This heart-pounding sequel to Grave Mercy serves betrayal, treachery, and danger in equal measure, bringing readers back to fifteenth century Brittany and will keep them on the edge of their seats.
Why I'm waiting: This is the sequel to Grave Mercy, which I loved. Actually, it's more of a companion novel than a sequel, as this is Sybella's story, not the continuation of Ismae's. I really enjoyed seeing Ismae's fate as an assassin come to fruition in the first book, but something about Sybella always intrigued me. I can't wait to read more of her story!
What are you guys waiting on this week?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Review: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers
Author: R.L. LaFevers/Robin LaFevers
Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
I loved this book soooooo much, and I almost thought I wasn’t going to get to read it until it was released. (I have a bit of an impatient streak, and so I might have cried myself to sleep, had that been the case.) I think I requested a copy every way possible, and being a somewhat green-behind-the-ears blogger, I assumed I WOULD have to wait. But lo and behold, I actually ended up with my very own ARC, thanks to @HMHKids, and I could have kissed their feet for their generosity.
You see, this is EXACTLY the kind of book I fall in love with. The kind that stays with me for days, weeks, even months later, begging to be re-read and discussed, shelved and re-shelved. It is YA historical fiction. It is romance. It is action-packed. It is everything I had hoped it would be and more.
Monday, March 12, 2012
In My Mailbox #22
In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a weekly meme where we all get to brag about the books and swag we got in the mail, for review, won in contests, etc.
Won:
Purchased:
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (rec'd by Andrea & April)
The Dark Devine by Bree Despain ($1.31 at B&N)
Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep ($4.25 at B&N)
Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep ($4.99 at B&N)
First Frost by Jennifer Estep ($.89 at B&N)
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starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
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