Book Review: Grave Mercy { His Fair Assassin Trilogy } by Robin LaFevers

Title:  Grave Mercy
Series: His Fair Assassin book 1
Author: Robin LaFevers
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books 
Date of Publication: April 3, 2012
Source: bought, Kindle, 576 pages
Links to Buy: Amazon   | Barnes & Noble |

Book Synopsis:

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf? 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?

-from Amazon page

My Thoughts:

This was such a killer of a book (sorry for the pun- couldn't help myself) and I absolutely loved every minute of it!  

Everyone that knows me, knows I am a huge fan of historical fiction.  I just love the old rustic medieval feel of a good story.  I love the outfits, I love the feel that comes with the sensation when I read about the Queen and her advisors, or those that mean to overthrow her.  Sorry, I just get excited when I think about historical fiction.  

So Ismae is probably one of my favorite characters of this year.  First, this lady is tough!  Oh my goodness I get chills thinking about how good she is at her calling.  She is like the James Bond of France in this book.  She even has some neat little tools she uses to get her "job" done.  I am telling you: Ismae is one tough female; almost like a Rambo in her day and age.  

But besides all the brawn, Ismae is no fool.  That is what I loved about her as well.  Sure she has been through a lot of anguish and yet she still uses her brain, instead of her hatred for men.  Even though I know there were times she wanted to go with that too.  

When I think of this book I think of the this quote:

Oh what a tangled web we weave;
When we first practise to deceive
- Sir Walter Scott

Grave Mercy is filled with so many plot twists, so many " oh my god" moments that I was just swept up into the rush of the story.  Everywhere you turn there is someone trying to stab someone else in the back; trying to up their political and court status at the expense of others.  Isn't it beautiful??? Sorry.

But then the author made this book even more tantalizing by adding an element of supernatural goodness to it.  Because not only are these La Femme Fatales a type of assassin they are a special type.  These are the daughters of Death himself.  Oh wholly goodness! Then she went and personified Death!  I love you,  Robin LaFevers! And it is an interesting mix of fear and understanding of Death throughout the story that I totally grips me and won't let go!

I fell in love with this story so deeply  I am having a very hard time waiting until I can buy the next book in the series, Dark Triumph.    I have to give this novel five hearts and I wish I could give it more like maybe a crazy looking out of this world heart for those that mean so much more to me than just five hearts!

ARC Review: The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter

       Title: The Goddess Legacy

Author: Aimee Carter

                       Publisher: Harlequin Teen, 395 pages

              Publication Date: July 24, 2012

                                             Format: ebook received from publisher on Net Galley

Goodreads Summary:

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aime e Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.

Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness....

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal....

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another....

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before....

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope....

Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages

My Feelings:

This collection of short stories offer us insight into the why the gods and goddesses act the way they do now.  For some, I still kept my opinion of them but for others this little bit of background information pushed me toward more understanding of them.

I love how Carter included other lesser gods/goddesses in some of the stories so we realize it isn't just about the big ones.  I would really like to see another book about some of the interactions of the other gods/goddesses, especially Iris.  I really like Iris.  

The first short story is about Hera.  Carter takes the original mythology of the gods and she twists it and spins it to create a something very new.  Everyone knows Zeus became the "king of the gods" but in this story we learn Hera truly wanted to be the queen of the gods, mainly without Zeus.  

I wanted to like Hera because of what she has to go through; but in the end I just couldn't.  She came off as a proud snotty goddess who believed she was better than all of them.  

I didn't agree with the way she handled  things, especially blaming the children for Zeus' ways.  

The second story is about Aphrodite.  From all the ancient mythologies we assume that she is conceited, petty, and vain.  And for the most part...she is.  But we also see what a great mother Aphrodite became and how she discovered the love she has inside of herself.  She, of course, is the Goddess of Love.   Through this short story I got to see the other side of Aphrodite; a caring person who risked her privacy to save someone.    

The next story is about Persephone and the misery she and Hades has to go through.  This short story was probably the most important of them all so we can finally see what Hades went through to become the lost and empty husk of a man Kate falls in love with.  

I tried to like Persephone, I really did!  I promise!  And there was parts where I finally understood why she thought the way she did.  But in the end, I still found Persephone to be spoiled and plain bratty.  

I thought Kate felt sorry for herself a lot in the first book, but Kate has nothing on Persephone at all!  Which makes no sense because Persephone had it all... except what she believed was true love.  

But I don't look at Persephone as the "whore" that everyone else seemed to think she was.  She was feeling trapped and just didn't understand her part to play.  I think if her mother and father would have given her the chance to actually have a say so in her life then she very well might have chose Hades... but I doubt it.  

She was too into what Persephone wanted to care about Hades.  Though she does to seem genuinely upset that she is hurting him it is almost like she doesn't care enough.  

I did enjoy the fact that she was willing to give up everything, including her immortality, for a human.  I think that showed us that she could redeem herself.  

Then we have a story about Hermes.  By far this is my most favorite of all the short stories which pretty much shocked me!  I think this story shows us what he loses and gains to become who he is today.  

I enjoyed reading from his perspective  and it gave me more respect of him.  He realizes the mistake he made with Persephone but he doesn't want the coldness that he gets from his family.  

We also get introduced to another goddess, Iris, in this story and I have to say I LOVE Iris.  I would be very happy to see more of her in upcoming releases of Aimee Carter.  In fact I think we might see more of her and maybe something will creep up between her and Hermes???  I am keeping my fingers crossed...

Hermes takes it upon himself to go and find out why the older god and goddess, Helios and Selene, can't be found anywhere.  This adventure takes him onto the surface and he meets a few mortals that make him realize what love and family really is.  

From the sacrifices that Hermes makes, he inadvertently saves them all.   

And the last story is ...can you guess?  It is about Hades.  

Growing up reading about the Greek myths, I always liked Hades.  I know that was weird, huh?  But it was just cool to think he ruled over the dead, in another world almost.  

I actually like that these stories show us Hades as a gentler softer person and much less petty than the other gods and goddesses.  

I mean think about it: he doesn't have to live with the others vying for power and affection because he has all the power in the Underworld.   Why wouldn't he be more mature and more serious, as well as more faithful?

Hades' story is the only one that isn't written in first person point of view but it still feels like it.  I guess in this way, Carter allows us to see Hades and the others' emotions objectively.  

I did, however, feel like Hades seemed to be a little naive when it came to Hera's feelings for him.  And for some reason, I just cannot look at Hades as naive.  So that didn't go for me there.  

Again, I think Hermes is so much more than what he seems and he deserves much more respect than the other gods give him.  He plays a special part in Hades story as well as Kate's story too.  

I find it very romantic that his favorite memory of Kate is also her favorite memory with her mother.  That definitely makes things much more interesting!  

All in all, I really enjoyed these collection of stories about the gods and goddesses and the background information we get on them.  I cannot wait for the third book in the series, but I think this novella was a perfect companion to the Goddess Test books.  

I had to give it four hearts!

 

Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

      Title: Goddess Interrupted

                (Book 2-Goddess Test)

Author: Aimee Carter

   Publisher: Harlequin Teen

                 Publication Date: March 27, 2012

                      Format I have: paperback, 296 pages

 Source: won in Giveaway

Goodreads Summary:

KATE WINTERS HAS WON IMMORTALITY.

BUT IF SHE WANTS A LIFE WITH HENRY IN THE UNDERWORLD, SHE'LL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. 

Henry's first wife, Persephone.

My Feelings:

I was super excited when Mindy at Magical Urban Fantasy Reads told me I had won her giveaway for this.  But then I realized I can't start reading a series in the middle so to speak, so I went and grabbed the first book.  You can check out my review of the first book here.

I feel like Kate has grown a lot since the first book, The Goddess Test, and is trying to cope with realizing everyone isn't what they seem.  At first, I didn't really like Kate because she was so whiny(yes I know she was going through some tough stuff) and wanted to blame herself for everything.  So I obviously drifted more toward Henry, the dark brooding handsome god that just didn't want to be lonely anymore.  

But in this book, I am totally on Kate's side!  I feel like she is  really put through hell proving her love to Henry, as well as risking her life to save those she cares for in her "family".  She still has those moments where she feels sorry for herself, but Kate has grown much more as a woman and I am so proud of the things she accomplishes in this book. Kate exhibits many qualities that shows us she is suited for the task she undertakes.  She is fiercely loyal, no matter what the outcome.  

Henry, ahh Henry!  Why do you make me so mad that I want to throw you in the river?  I love Henry, I really do.  He is my favorite of all the greek gods and goddesses, but in this book he just really ticks me off!

I felt like he was just a jerk in this book, even though he probably wasn't wanting to be, and not thinking about Kate's feelings at all.  He was so nice and sweet in the first book and in this one, I am like "Whoa!" Is this the same guy?  

And then we get to meet the dreaded Persephone.

Yeah, I am still reeling from her attitude towards Kate.  If I were Kate, I would just poked her in the eyes.  That would have made me feel much better.  Yeah that might be childish, so what?  

I cried many times in this story, partially due to this little love triangle between Henry, Kate and Persephone but the plot was phenomenon!

Prepare yourself; there is a huge cliffhanger at the end and I am impatiently waiting for the next book.  *drums my fingers on the desk*

I just had to give this five hearts!

Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Title: The Goddess Test

Author: Aimee Carter

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Published: April 19, 2011

Format: paperback, 293 pages

ISBN:0373210264

Source: bought

Goodreads Summary:

EVERY GIRL WHO HAS TAKEN THE TEST HAS DIED.

NOW IT'S KATE'S TURN. 

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she suceeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.

IF SHE FAILS...

My Feelings:

I was super excited to read this novel.  I have always been a fan of mythology, especially Greek mythology, and this book is steeped in it, but with a modern twist.

Just looking at the cover, I fell in love with it.  I know judging a book by its cover is wrong but come on.. you know you do it too.  And there is something about swirly lines that just gets me so happy. (I know I have problems) 

I like Kate, the main heroine in the book, even though she has her "feel sorry for me" moments.  Yes, she has a lot going on with her life that is terrible but you can only blame yourself so much and wallow in self pity and then it tends to get old.  I started to feel bad for Henry when he had to repeat to her over and over again that the impossible can happen.  

There were also parts of the story that I could guess (and was right) what was going happen because it was a little too obvious.  

But with all that being said, I still really liked this book! It is funny, which is important to me in a story just as much as romance, and also has that tempting heart pounding sexy man in it.  And if a book can really make me stop reading because I need to get a tissue from crying, then it is a pretty good story indeed! 

Probably one of my most favorite parts is how Henry describes to Kate how the Underworld and the Greek gods/goddesses can still exist even among the other mainstream religions.  I loved that explanation!

Also, Kate does grow as a person and learns to accept that not everything can be her fault.  

This story is full of regret, forgiveness, love, learning to let go, and most importantly, hope.  

I give this story 4 hearts!

*If you would like to grab a copy for yourself click below and it will take you to Amazon:

ARC Review: Obsidian and Blood: The Collected Acatl Novels by Aliette de Bodard

Title: Obsidian and Blood: The Collected       Acatl Novels
Author: Aliette De Bodard
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publishing Date: June 26, 2012
Format: print, ebook
Source: received from Netgalley for my honest review

ISBN:  9780857662378

Summary:
This is an omnibus that holds the Obsidian and Blood trilogy, as well as 3 short stories available on the E book version.  These are the titles included in the trilogy as well as their summaries from Net Galley:

Servant of the Underworld
 Year One-Knife, Tenochtitlan – the capital of the Aztecs. The end of the world is kept at bay only by the magic of human sacrifice. A priestess disappears from an empty room drenched in blood. Acatl, high priest, must find her, or break the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead.


Harbinger of the Storm
The year is Two House and the Mexica Empire teeters on the brink of destruction, lying vulnerable to the flesh-eating star-demons – and to the return of their creator, a malevolent goddess only held in check by the Protector God’s power. The council is convening to choose a new emperor, but when a councilman is found dead, only Acatl, High Priest of the Dead, can solve the mystery.


Master of the House of Darts
 The year is Three Rabbit, and the storm is coming… The coronation war for the new Emperor has just ended in a failure, the armies retreating with a mere forty prisoners of war – not near enough sacrifices to ensure the favor of the gods. When one of those prisoners of war dies of a magical illness, Acatl, High Priest for the Dead, is summoned to investigate.




My Feelings:

Bodard creates a beautifully crafted world within the Aztec Empire.  We are transported back in time to a time that is already mystical to us.  But with the creativity that Bodard weaves within the history of the Aztecs, we are the lucky few to walk among gods, goddesses, magical entities, and our narrator, Acatl, as we delve deeper into this rich civilization.

I was immensely drawn to this book just by the cover alone.  It is amazingly dark, eerie, and mystical.  Acatl, standing in the moonlight, shadowed like a savior in the night.  

But then when I read the summary of the stories, I was floored.  I haven't read many stories that go into the Aztec Empire so deeply and then combining  the magic of the priests, the gods and goddesses they worshiped as well as intertwining the beasts of our imaginations into the story; this was brilliant! 

Our narrator and protagonist, Acatl, High Priest for the Dead, is a very complex character.  He is honest, simple, and enjoys being in the shadows, instead of at the forefront of the politics involved around him.  He is also the one that tends to have the option of solving the crimes associated with death.  

There were times, though, I thought Acatl acted more naive than a High Priest should be.  I wanted to shout at him: "Man it is right in front of you!!"  But I understood his confusion added to the story to tie everything in together.  

There are other characters that we are introduced to that come to hinder Acatl and others that are there merely to help him, whether he realizes it or not.  

Besides Acatl, I had two other favorites suprisingly.

Mihmatini, Acatl's sister, plays a huge part in these stories and she is gutsy, fiery, and a woman definitely ahead of her time.  She is a strong female character that could teach many of these men a thing or two about saving the world.

Nezahual-tzin, the Revered Speaker of Texcoco, similar to a king of an neighboring town, and also an agent of the God of the Feathered Serpent.  He is proud, powerful, and smarter than anyone thinks.  I know he is in it for his own means, but he proves to be more of an ally.  Also, he is a ladies man and I think I fell for his charms as well.

These stories are dark and mixed with plenty of sacrifices.  There is blood and gore in some areas, but only added to the stories showing the reader how these people worshiped and lived in a place that was heavily shaded with magic.  

Surprisingly, many of the problems that Acatl and the others have to deal with  can still be found in our systems today.  Murder, betrayal, love, and even political upstarts run common in both worlds.  

I enjoyed these stories very much and I noticed as I read the momentum of doom would build as my heartbeat would race in time with our characters trying to save the world from evil.  

I have to give this omnibus 5 hearts!