Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers

Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2)
by Robin LaFevers
Pages: 385
Source: Bought
Format: Hardback
Release Date: April 2, 2013

Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Sybella arrived at the doorstep of St Mortain half mad with grief and despair the convent were only too happy to offer her refuge - but at a price. The sisters of this convent serve Death, and with Sybella naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, she could become one of their most dangerous weapons.

But her assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to the life that nearly drove her mad. Her father's rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother's love is equally monstrous. But when Sybella discovers an unexpected ally she discovers that a daughter of Death may find something other than vengeance to live for...

My Review:

     I was looking forward to Dark Triumph for quite some time after the awesomeness that was its predecessor, Grave Mercy. As with all sequels, I was hesitant. Could it really live up to the previous book? Well, it's hard to compare them because, while they are in the same world, they are more companion novels rather than sequels and are vastly different from each other. 

    Grave Mercy was a book filled with tough characters, political intrigue and secrets. On the other hand, Dark Triumph is a heart-wrenching, raw personal story. While I admit that I was looking forward to a kick-butt character and more politics, I was not disappointed with this story in the slightest.

    The small glimpse we get of Sybella in Grave Mercy intrigued me. She was mysterious and feral. I expected this book to be about lots of death dealt by her. Instead, this is her journey of growth. Although her phsyical strength doesn't take precedence in this book, her emotional resilience does, making her just as tough in a different sense.

    Sybella has been through hell and back. Simple as that. And, while different from my expectation, I was honored to learn about her story. And believe me when I say it's a hard one to read. She has been through so much that it is no wonder she was that way. All the pain, abuse and heartbreak was bound to make her somewhat insane. But I loved to see how she overcame. Most would give in, become complacent, or go all out insane. Sybella was not without damage and was emotionally crippled, but she did overcome. She's a fighter through and through. While she may not show much physical toughness in this book, she's most definitely tenacious in her own right. 

   But she wouldn't be where she was without Beast. Personally, I adored him. Not only was he a bit of a lighthearted, comic relief, it was refreshing to see a love interest who wasn't considered handsome. For Sybella, it's hard to love. She has been through far too much for that. But I loved seeing how they truly got to know each other and that, although the men in her life thus far had proven cruel and messed up, not all men were like that. It also showed that everyone needs help. You can't always do things on your own. You need someone, whether a friend, family or love interest, beside you to help you get through the tough times and that is precisely what Beast did. 

Overall

    This book is raw and unflinching. Whereas in Grave Mercy the political intrigue and plot took center stage, Dark Triumph stands out through its phenomenal character growth and emotional roller-coaster ride. I can't say that all those who enjoyed Grave Mercy will love Dark Triumph, but I will say give it a try. The plot-line is still moving forward and the world LaFevers created is as vivid as ever. 

If you've read Grave Mercy, are you looking forward to Dark Triumph? If you've already read it, did you like it? Let me know in the comments below!

All the best ♥

Mackenzie 

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The Silver Sea by Julia Golding

The Silver Sea 
by Julia Golding
Release Date: October 1, 2010
Pages: 334
Format: Hardback
Source: Library 
★★★★



Goodreads Synopsis: 
A raid on a Viking village leaves 16-year-old Freydis seriously injured and her older brother Toki taken prisoner by the attacking pirates. When their father returns to what is left of the village, he gives Freydis an African slave, who is called Blue Man for his blue-black skin. Freydis and Blue Man are left with a neighboring tribe while her father pursues the pirates. Toki manages to escape, but he, Freydis, and Blue Man are set on a collision course with the pirate king. This engaging historical tale features plenty of rousing adventure and some hard truths about love—both familial and romantic. There are also passages that encourage readers to be tolerant of cultures other than their own. Golding includes a brief author’s note that describes the historical facts at the root of the story and a short glossary that helps with the characters’ references to Norse mythology. This addition to the growing number of Norse and Viking tales will be enjoyed by fans of Judson Roberts’ Strongbow Saga or Tim Severin’s Odinn’s Child


My Review: 

After Freydis’ village is attacked while her father is away, she is injured and her brother is taken captive. Upon her father’s return Freydis and her newly bought slave Enno embark on a journey to save Toki. On this journey they learn about friendship, family, love and overcoming their differences.

   Freydis may seem fragile but she has a quiet strength, something I came to love. She was resourceful, admirable and had spirit, especially when it came to her father. Her father didn’t care about her at all. In fact, he was disgusted by her because he thought she wasn’t really his daughter and it didn't help that during this time period women were worthless. He only cared about his son. There were many times that I wanted to jump into the book and defend her myself! But she took it in stride and knew that there were others that cared about her.

Toki was defiant and stubborn but good-natured with an insatiable sense of curiosity. He loved his sister dearly and stuck up for her when her father wasn’t kind to her. The love between him and Freydis was incredibly touching. They would do anything for each other, including crossing the frigid seas and fighting pirates to save each other.

However, although I care about Freydis and Toki, I loved Enno! His personality and actions definitely made this book for me. Stubborn, bold, intelligent, yet kind and philosophical. A slave who doesn’t act like a slave. And his love for Freydis? Incredibly sweet. No one can control him yet he has a soft spot for Freydis. He knows what its like to be treated badly and so he feels for her when her father treats her that way. This is a level that they  connect on and this makes their love for each other blossom.

  Their journey is a hard one but one they get through together. There is action and adventure and pirates (something that always makes a book better)! While nothing incredibly new, I liked the journey. I liked going on this adventure with them, if not for the adventure itself, then for watching the characters devotion for each other.

  I also liked that this story is realistic. That ending?! I almost cried….I don’t cry during books. However, I loved the ending. Of course I want a happy ending, but I also love realistic endings. They make the book more, well….real. There was something beautiful about the book, especially the characters attitudes toward it. Yes it was heartbreaking, but beautiful.

  The Silver Sea is a beautiful story about friendship, heartbreak and family. Their journey isn’t easy, but not impossible so long as they work together. This is a great piece of historical fiction with characters that you can’t help but admire. 


P.S. Happy Valentines Day!! ♥

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Slayers by C. J. Hill

Slayers
By: C. J. Hill (pseudonym)
Release Date: September 27, 2011
Pages: 373
Format: Hardback
Source: Gift

★★★★

4/5 


Goodreads Synopsis:


Dragons exist. They’re ferocious. And they’re smart: Before they were killed off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant, so their offspring would survive. Only a handful of people know about this, let alone believe it – these “Slayers” are descended from the original knights, and are now a diverse group of teens that includes Tori, a smart but spoiled senator’s daughter who didn’t sign up to save the world.

The dragon eggs have fallen into the wrong hands. The Slayers must work together to stop the eggs from hatching. They will fight; they will fall in love. But will they survive?


My Review:

“The Dragons are here.”

 That line is just chilling! That is the blurb on the back of the book and it only took those 4 words to drag me into this. Dragons, guns, bow and arrows, Kevlar, superpowers?….yeah, all the makings for a great read.

   Tori, a spoiled rich girl, has always had an inner geek. She secretly loves dragons and because of this she decides to attend Dragon camp. Little does she know that she’s about to get the surprise of her life!

  I actually ended up liking Tori. While I can’t say I could relate to the ritzy part of her life, I could definitely understand her feelings toward finding out who she was. She goes from having all the shoes and clothes she could ever want, to learning how to use guns and her powers to kill dragons. Talk about a 180! She wasn’t all “omg that’s soooooo cool!” but more along the lines of “what?!?!? Um…no!”. She was terrified! Just as she should be. However, I both liked and disliked that. While that attitude was more realistic, I don’t like my MC’s to be wussy! I want them to be able to kick butt!!! I can be wussy, but the MC must not! But she grew on me because I could understand why and she redeems herself. She learns to have strength and courage and learns about sacrifice. In the end, I found her growth to my liking.

   I did enjoy the secondary characters, but I didn’t love them. Dr. B was pretty darn awesome though! He was such a kind fatherly figure and so wise and really cared about them but also taught em how to fight. He definitely had to be my favorite of the secondary characters. Though I do have an honorable mention for my fellow southerner Kody! As for the love interests….I’m not quite sure. I didn’t fall in love with either of them. Yeah, they were alright but nothing exceptional. However, I think this is due to the fact that this story focuses more heavily on Tori’s growth and because it is in 3rd person.

 But you want to know what was fan-freaking-tastic! The story! DRAGONS!!!! Honestly, need I say more? It’s like Percy Jackson, but for dragon slayers! Woot! Pretty cool huh? I looooved the dragon mythology! It was so fun and interesting! This was by far the best part of the story. And who is Ryker! I looooved that mystery part of the book! And the last chapter? It definitely makes me want the next book now!

However, the first half of the story definitely could have been shorted. I will say that I was disappointed that the dragon doesn’t even come in till the very end. This was the part that I didn’t like. From the blurb, I thought it would be dragons galore! Sadly no. This first book is more of a set-up. Tori has to learn who she is and how to work with her newfound abilities so I understand its pacing, but that doesn't mean I like it. However, some of it definitely could have been taken out. I mean, the whole book takes place over 3 days! 3 days!! That’s it!

However, I do love the action scenes!! Camp would be pretty freakin awesome! If your not shooting guns, your horse-back riding, driving motorcycles or fighting a mechanical dragon! Yeah, totally my kind of camp!

Overall, I really liked this book! While it definitely could have been shorter and I didn’t fall in love with the characters, the action, mystery, and dragon mythology more than make up for it. I suggest this for those going through a bit of Percy Jackson withdrawal (your not alone!). 

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The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1)
By Rae Carson
Available Now
Pages: 424
Format: Hardcover
Source: B&N



★★★★


Goodreads Synopsis: 
Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.


My Review:
*I’m writing this review quite a few months after I read it so I hope I cover everything :D 

Characters: 

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is a beautiful coming of age story with a main character that goes from self-pitying to being determined and resilient, trying to find her place in this captivating world. 

I read the Girl of Fire and Thorns because it came highly recommended. However, after reading just a bit, I almost didn’t finish it because I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. You see, Elisa is the self-pitying, no confidence type of girl. Constantly bashing her body (she’s overweight) yet doing nothing about it. Actually what really bothered me was the fact that she was fat because that was how she dealt with her problems. Something I can’t relate too. For me, instead of complaining about it, do something about it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had those days where I starts bashing on myself, but I’m a naturally happy person and I’m alright with how I look. Instead of complaining about it, I’ll work hard to change it and make myself feel better. Now, that’s just me. However, I can see how many girls would relate to Elisa, but for me, it was a bit hard at first. 

She also didn’t see how important she was. You see, she is the carrier of the Godstone, a stone that is in her naval (creepy, I know) placed there by God which is pretty important by most other people's standards. However, she herself thinks it is pointless and that she is not the right person to carry it. Start the constant complaints. Again, not my cup of tea, but I wanted to see where it went. 

However, don’t let what I said earlier stop you, because I came to love her! Although she may think she isn’t important as the carrier of the Godstone, there are many that realize her importance. Heck, one man even kidnaps her because he thinks she’ll be his people’s saviour. And on this journey (that she eventually willingly goes on) she learns about herself and how important she is. 

After this point, I grew to love Elisa. On her journey she became a strong woman that learned that if something bugged her, she had to change it instead of complaining about it. However, what made her relatable and understandable was the fact that this change wasn’t instantaneous. Many things over the course of her journey started to slowly change her and give her confidence. She will never be as skinny as some of the other women, but she can get to a weight that she’ll be happy with. She is also incredibly intelligent and strategic, something that was ignored in her home because she was the second daughter. However, she comes to learn to use her intelligence which helps her a great deal throughout the story (You go girl!!). 

Each person in the story changed Elisa in some way. There were many good people in this story that loved Elisa even when she didn’t love herself. Her first love interest helped her so much. Although I wasn’t in love with him, I grew to care for him. He was amazingly sweet and loved Elisa for who she was which in turn helped her realize just how important she was. 

However, I want Hector. He may not be in the book that much, but there’s just something about him. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for him ;)

Plot and Pacing and Worldbuilding: 

Although this book starts out slow, it comes to a steady pace after a while. Not to fast, not to slow. Just perfect so that I felt like I was on this journey with her. The plot, while not constantly exciting with a ton of battles and fighting (which is normally how I like my books), it was still engaging. So if I like battles and action, why did I still give it 4 stars? Because all of the stuff that did happen, all those little battles helped Elisa come to love herself which is something I’ll always be happy about. Go self-confidence!!

The world building was excellent! I felt like I was there with the characters. She didn’t go into too much detail, but just enough so that you could feel like you were actually going on the journey with Elisa. 

Now, there is one thing that really creeped me out throughout the story. The Godstone…what?! In her naval?! I don’t think that's exactly….normal. Lets just say this creeped me out quite a bit, specially at the end! It just sounded painful! And is this a religious book? Yes and no. While it make many references to God (Godstone), its not a specific religion. Connections can be made, but its not necessary. This religion is the religion of this fictitious world. 

Don’t expect a happy ending. And for me, I loved it. Nobody’s life is perfect and I don’t like when author’s make it that way. In order for it to be realistic, there’s gotta be death and sadness. Now, the story isn’t over, and its not like it’s a depressing ending or anything. Its just not a perfect one either. Elisa goes through hard times, but she pulls through anyway. I can’t wait to join Elisa again on her continuing journey of self-discovery. 

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