Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, #1)

Feb 29, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, historical-fiction, 2012-publication, 2012-favorites, heroines-butt-kicking, action-packed, made-my-heart-hurt, crush-worthy-boys, paranormal-general, read-2012, april, mature-ya

4.5 stars Absolutely spectacular, and everything you'd expect a historical YA novel about assassin nuns to be. Love love love!

Review to come. (I swear.)

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Apr 05, 2012 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-favorites, all-the-right-choices, arc-2012, cover-lust, historical-fiction, just-another-book-crush, netgalley, my-flat-army, surprise-surprise, totally-saw-that-coming, ya, reviewed-in-2012, own-a-dtb

What a pleasant surprise this was! Grave Mercy won me over in chapter one and I was unable to put down Ferguson, my Kindle, until I finished it. I always have troubles getting through the middle part of a book, but that was not the case here at all. I stayed up very late to finish it and I didn’t regret it for a second.

After being abused for her entire life by her vicious father and then married off at fourteen to an equally vicious husband, Ismae is saved by a hedge priest on her wedding night...more What a pleasant surprise this was! Grave Mercy won me over in chapter one and I was unable to put down Ferguson, my Kindle, until I finished it. I always have troubles getting through the middle part of a book, but that was not the case here at all. I stayed up very late to finish it and I didn’t regret it for a second.

After being abused for her entire life by her vicious father and then married off at fourteen to an equally vicious husband, Ismae is saved by a hedge priest on her wedding night and taken to a convent where she is told that she is a daughter of Mortain, the god of death. She is to be trained to carry out Mortain’s will and kill those he has placed his mark upon.
Ismae is reborn in the convent, determined to make the absolute best of the second chance life has given her. She is a good and dedicated student. But when the abbess orders her to go to duchess’ court and do her best to protect her, Ismae is not very comfortable with her orders. At 17, she is highly trained in every skill she might need and she has no trouble killing any traitor the convent tells her to, but the only way to get access to everyone important is by posing as Duval’s mistress, and that is very unsettling. Duval seems to be loyal to the duchess, he is her half-brother after all, but Ismae is under orders to investigate him. It doesn’t matter that she finds him attractive, slightly infuriating, but most of all trustworthy. Mortain’s will always come first.

What can be more fun than nuns who turned You shall not murder into You shall murder only those we order you to and You shall not commit adultery into You shall seduce for information, but not for love? Everyone, including myself, was thrilled by the idea of killer nuns, but that part proved to be just a little bit disappointing because these nuns had very little in common with actual nuns. I expected more conflict between their religion and their actions, but LaFevers chose another direction altogether.

I really admired Ismae. Getting to know her was my favorite part of this book. I liked her spirit and her intelligence, and I felt that her actions were pretty consistent, a sure sign of a well-built character. It didn’t take long for her to abandon the victim mentality and accept that she’s the one with the power, and that she earned that power by working hard for three whole years.

While I had a lot of fun reading it, Grave Mercy was by no means perfect. People with little patience for political intrigue will probably find themselves bored from time to time, especially around the middle. There is also the small issue of predictability: I knew who the traitor was about ten seconds after he showed up and it left me disappointed because I loved everything else so much.
Aside from that, I really wish Duval’s poisoning was handled differently. (I have to be extremely vague here lest I spoil things for some poor, unsuspecting reader, but those of you who have read the book will know exactly what I’m talking about.) I don’t mind what happened at all, I wish there was more of it, but the way it happened, under those circumstances, felt a little like a cop out to me. It’s like the action needed to be justified by a life or death situation, which I thought didn’t fit well with the overall tone of the book.

Grave Mercy was much more fun than I expected it to be. I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel.
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Mar 12, 2012 Catie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Catie by: Jo

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2011, romance, series, for-review

3 1/2 stars

I may have a few mixed feelings about this book, but I know exactly who to recommend this to. Do you love historical mysteries? Court intrigue? Romance? Very light fantasy? Do you love Juliet Marillier? Sherwood Smith? Do you wish that The Queen’s Thief series read a lot more like a romance novel? Then this book is absolutely for you.

Ismae is a young teenager when she’s sold in marriage to a much older man. Her father is happy to be rid of her, but her new husband doesn’t know that sh...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, ya, soul-sister-heroine, when-can-i-move-in, e, own

“When one consorts with assassins, one must expect to dance along the edge of a knife once or twice.”

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Well, I thought I was going to hate that... quite the opposite.

High Points.
Ismae. Breton courts. Nuns. The coolest convent EVER. Saints. The genre (my first historical/fantastical adventure… very exciting). Death’s handmaidens. 13th century gadgets. Poison. Saints. Horsies. Beast. Anne. Secret passage ways. Traitors. Secrets. Corruption. A kiss can be deadlier if you...more

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May 04, 2012 Emily May rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-na, fantasy, historical-fiction, 2012, boring, coverly-love

2.5
This book is like small dashes of awesomeness randomly sprinkled throughout long stretches of boredom. Perhaps I would have been far less bored if I cared more for fantasy/historical fiction that focuses most of its energy on the romance story. Perhaps I would have been less bored if the romance had been the kind to creep up on you, so that you're inwardly pleading that the characters will get together long before they even acknowledge their attraction for one another. Perhaps.

However, the r...more

2.5
This book is like small dashes of awesomeness randomly sprinkled throughout long stretches of boredom. Perhaps I would have been far less bored if I cared more for fantasy/historical fiction that focuses most of its energy on the romance story. Perhaps I would have been less bored if the romance had been the kind to creep up on you, so that you're inwardly pleading that the characters will get together long before they even acknowledge their attraction for one another. Perhaps.

However, the romance was the main player in this book and it was the kind that sprang up immediately and left our heroine instantly breathless every time she saw Mr Duval after their first meeting. I prefer a book that is about more than a bit of romancing, but I'm not immune to a well-told love story either and I can easily be persuaded to award a book at least three stars if I'd been sold on it. Unfortunately, I wasn't. It all happened too soon, too predictably, too obviously. The heroine - Ismae - is a trained assassin that has some serious man issues (with understandable reason), so why can she do nothing but ogle Duval's sexy body in armour when they are in life-threatening situations?

The beginning, in my opinion, was the best part of the whole book. A young woman has been scarred since her mother attempted to abort her pregnancy but she survived, and the marque she bears is that of Death's servants. She is rescued away from the beginning of an abusive marriage to be taken to a convent... but these are no ordinary nuns. She is trained as an assassin, taught how to fight, how to create complicated poisons to kill instantly or drag out a death for days. She is the ultimate weapon and she uses her abilities to serve the convent and Death.

I cannot deny that this is a wonderful, kickass idea. The problem was that this part at the beginning is the most action-packed of the entire novel. After this, Ismae doesn't use her abilities that much beyond flashing her "womanly charms" at the men of court in order to find out information about who Brittany can really trust in these dangerous times when France is out for everything she can get. This book needed a serious injection of badassery.

The politics surrounding the issues of Brittany and France in the 1400s could have been much more interesting than it was, except for the fact that it was used as a platform for Ismae and Duval's budding romance. There was too much talking and eaves-dropping on conversations that didn't matter, too much family drama with characters I couldn't give a damn about, too much of all the wrong stuff. Not enough conspiracies, plotting, assassinations (she is an assassin, for pity's sake, was it too much to expect a little more of it?).

As much as I like this idea and part of me would like to know how this series progresses, I cannot imagine wanting to put myself through another 500 pages of boredom to find out. And one last thing, I'm sure some of the phrases used in this book weren't around one hundred years ago, never mind six hundred years ago... can't say for sure, I'm no language expert, but it sounded very 20th/21st century for me.
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Apr 05, 2012 Steph Sinclair rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those who enjoy YA Historic Romance with a twist

Shelves: ebook, netgalley, 2012-release, young-adult, historic-fiction, fantasy, e-arc, 2012-reads, ass-kickin-heroine, could-have-been-better, disappointment, fell-for-the-hype, i-totally-saw-that-coming, it-wasn-t-all-that-but-enjoyable, le-sigh, original-and-creative, pretty-covers, too-long-don-t-care, what-kind-of-ending-was-that

Actual rating 2.5 stars

Grave Mercy started out very strong for me with its historical roots. I instantly loved Ismae and could empathize with her bleak outlook on life. The novel had strong characters, a good plot, and political intrigue. I mean, c'mon! An assassin nun?! A badass premise like that is just begging to be read and loved. So what in heaven's name went wrong for me? Why am I only giving this book 2.5 stars?

Well, I'll start with what I actually liked first. I did like all the charact...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: blind people

Recommended to Anzu by: NetGalley - fuuu

Shelves: buddy-or-group-read, like-a-sir, lots-of-kisses-and-mushy-stuff, is-it-just-me-goddammit, dropped-in-the-toilet, fat-kitty-judges-you, me-no-like-at-all, kill-it-with-fire, reviewed-2012, masters-of-snoozeville, i-am-disappoint, zzzzzzz, well-arent-you-mister-popularity

Ugh I couldn’t finish this. I tried and tried so far but eventually the inevitable happened.

I may be harsh (I don’t consider myself harsh), I may be an asshole (I don’t consider myself an asshole), I may be a hater (I’m totally a hater) but I DNF’d the bitch! And it felt so damn good!

I was fair though. I gave it a 100-page trial, stuck to it like the good little girl I am and couldn’t even handle it. And to think page 100 was like 35% or something inside the book. 35%!!! Imagine how much left un...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Soumi(in love with Puck) Roy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite, young-adult, books-i-reviewed, arc-e-galley, historical-fictions, owned-copy

"I bear a deep red stain that runs from my left shoulder down to my right hip, a trail left by the herbwitch's poison that my mother used to try to expel me from her womb. That I survived, according to the herbwitch, is no miracle but a sign I have been sired by the god of death himself."

A History

Escaping her father’s rage and brutal arrange marriage, Ismae took shelter in a covenant that serve Mortain, the saint of death and the nuns running the place was no ordinary ones. Soon Ismae learns s...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: assassin fans

Shelves: 2013-200s-club-challenge, lethal-women, assassin, kickbutt-heroine, tough-as-nails-heroine, not-romance-but-has-love-story, sigh-worthy-hero, enemies-to-lovers, pretend-lovers, thriller-suspense, historical-fantasy, grim-reaper-personification-of-deat, yearly-reading-challenge-2013, young-adult, library-checkout, heroine-i-liked, hero-i-liked, scarred-heroine, bodyguard-protector, royalty, illegitimate-hero-or-heroine, women-s-issues, abused, bad-first-marriage, nun-monk-minister, 1st-person-pov, all-things-winter-challenge, chubby-chunkster-2013

Grave Mercy is a fantasy novel that feels like historical fiction. Our heroine is a young woman in 15th Century Brittany who has always been cast in the role of victim, until she is delivered to the Convent of St. Mortain, the God of Death who masquerades as a saint to appease the newer Christian church. Now she is the wolf instead of the prey. Ismae is believed to be the daughter of this god, since she even survived being poisoned in her mother's womb, although she is forever physically scarred...more Grave Mercy is a fantasy novel that feels like historical fiction. Our heroine is a young woman in 15th Century Brittany who has always been cast in the role of victim, until she is delivered to the Convent of St. Mortain, the God of Death who masquerades as a saint to appease the newer Christian church. Now she is the wolf instead of the prey. Ismae is believed to be the daughter of this god, since she even survived being poisoned in her mother's womb, although she is forever physically scarred by that poison. She seems to be resistant to poisons and heals faster. While Ismae never felt special so much as rejected, when the choice is a life away from an abusive husband, and some agency in her life, she chooses to become a novice in the convent, learning all the many skills of bringing death to those marked by her god.

Not long after her first mission, Ismae is sent to masquerade as the mistress of Gavriel Duval, the bastard brother of the young Duchess of Brittany. Her Mother Superior has tasked her with spying on Duval to see if he is faithful to the Duchy. If Mortain marks him for death, she is free to kill him. Instead of growing sure that Duval needs to die, she falls in love with him, one of the few men she has met who is decent and caring to women, when her own father hated and abused her. But love won't be easy when Ismae is surrounded by intrigue and treachery in the young Duchess's court. Will her father guide her aim true in these tortuous waters?

I enjoyed this book a lot. While the author doesn't describe every detail of the setting and appearance of the characters, I obtained a very clear picture of what was going on. Better yet, the story simmers with atmosphere, quite Gothic. While this book establishes itself as a historical fiction novel, the paranormal/supernatural vibe teases at the senses. The manner in which Ismae knows that her god has selected a target is quite eerie but doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, because the story fits so naturally in both categories, paranormal and historical fiction.

As far as Ismae's character, she is quite admirable. She's incredibly lethal, and I think a large part of her lethality is her quick mind and her observant nature. She makes a very good spy but also a bodyguard because of those skills. I liked seeing the mystery unfold through her eyes. You see that she isn't always unbiased, especially when it comes to men, considering her past painful experiences with men. I did like that her view changes as she comes to realize that not all men are bad and women aren't the superior sex, because they are just as flawed. She also comes to realize that people can use religion of any kind as a tool for power and control, but that doesn't invalidate one's personal faith in their god. While Ismae is very skilled at killing, she's not a killing machine. She has a respect for life and no desire to torture or cause suffering in others. This was necessary for the story to feel right. This reader is fascinated with assassins in literature, but she hates cruel, sadistic acts, and a good assassin should always show self control (or so this fictional assassin connoisseur believes).

Grave Mercy is a successful book, in my opinion. While this is slated as a young adult novel, it doesn't feel as though it's trying to talk down or dumb down the story. If anything, it aims for a clean feel, meaning no graphic sexuality or depictions of violence. But this book doesn't need that. The storytelling gives the reader what they would want for a story of this type. The author writes about themes that affect women, especially women in the past. How their lives and choices are restricted due to their sex, and how that impacts nearly every decision they make, even if they are allowed to have that much control over their lives.

Ismae is a heroine that a reader can cheer for. A lethal assassin with a supernatural ability who realizes the world is a lot bigger, less cut and dried place than she first assumed. And that love is definitely a possibility for the daughter of death, but her life and her choices are ultimately her own.(less)

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Mar 06, 2012 Arlene rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Arlene by: Street Corner Bookers - Group Dessert Pick March

Shelves: fantasy, read-2012, street-corner-pick, historical, ya-fantasy, arc, dress-me-up, young-adult

Five Solid Stars!

When I was reading Grave Mercy, I couldn’t help but reminisce about the life lessons I learned from the nuns I went to Catholic School with. Now keep in mind, they weren’t the skills Ismae was exposed to at Saint Mortmain's convent, so maybe I should start off with a brief comparison.

See, I was taught:
To walk like a bird, not like an elephant.
Keep my ankles and knees together when I sit.
My school tie is not to be used as a napkin.
Keep plenty of room for the Holy Spirit betwee...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, other, other-favourites, romance, fantasy, historical

3.5/4 stars

“It is a dark god you serve, daughter, but remember, He is not without mercy.”

Let’s start with the assassin nuns, because let’s face it, that’s why everyone wants to read this book.

Interesting premise, right? I certainly thought so. All those months ago when I first read the description for this book up on Goodreads, all I could think was assassin nuns, how cool is that? It may be helpful here to mention that I am a ~~huge~~ dork – and not even the relatable kind – and it was the mere t...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone that loved Poison Study and/or Graceling.

This book was outstanding. You have all the fun elements- a young "kick-ass" female assassin gifted by the God of Death, a potential love interest, court politics, revenge, mistrust, and so on.

In addition, you have a beautiful tale of a girl’s personal growth. Watching Ismae go from a naive young girl, who blindly follows, to a smart thinking young woman, was the best part of the book.

Update-3/11/12

I was going to write more for this review but I am going to just roll with what I wrote originall...more

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Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rameau wrote: "Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker wrote: "rameau wrote: "Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker wrote: "rameau wrote: "Are you still writing a r...more
Mar 05, 2012 11:26am

rameau Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker wrote: "rameau wrote: "Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker wrote: "rameau wrote: "Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker wrote: "...more
updated Mar 05, 2012 11:38am

Mar 11, 2012 Lisa O. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, ya-lit, fantasy

I guess even assassin nuns can be boring after all.

Also called "daughters of Mortain", the god of death, often rescued from terrible living conditions - like our Ismae - this particular kind of nuns are trained and educated in a convent in honor of the god, and they dedicate their lives to the fulfillment of Mortains' will by killing people who carry the "marque" and who are guilty primarily of treason against their country.
Ismae has just been sold to her future husband - a brute man - by her fa...more I guess even assassin nuns can be boring after all.

Also called "daughters of Mortain", the god of death, often rescued from terrible living conditions - like our Ismae - this particular kind of nuns are trained and educated in a convent in honor of the god, and they dedicate their lives to the fulfillment of Mortains' will by killing people who carry the "marque" and who are guilty primarily of treason against their country.
Ismae has just been sold to her future husband - a brute man - by her father when she is rescued by the town's herbwitch and is sent to Mortain's convent. She bears a mark upon herself that makes her a daughter of Mortain and is, miraculously, immune to all poisons.
Fast forward three years of training in martial arts and whatnot, she is sent on a mission to unmask a plot to overthrow the coronation of Anne, the future duchess of Brittany, by following one of the suspects, her half brother Duval.

I admit being in a bit of a reading slump lately and I get easily distracted by life getting in the way but it truly took me forever to read this book. The first few chapters were tedious, uninteresting and awkwardly written. I am sure some of my fellow Goodreaders (I have a few in mind) would abandon it right there. But since I am nothing if not stubborn, I read it until the end.
I am quite glad I did, to be honest because it does get better, eventually. The pacing is still somewhat slow and the book is long (or so it seemed to me) but the plot became gradually engrossing and the heroine grew on me, as well as the other characters. That's why I'm giving it three stars; I actually enjoyed reading it, after all.

In my humble opinion as an amateur reviewer, this book needs some more work. It needs more editing, to tighten some long and useless scenes and conversations as well as various incoherencies in some scenes (like cloaks on when there's no mention of the actual putting on of the cloaks... you know, that kind of small mistakes).

Furthermore, I don't understand how can it can be categorized as young adult lit. It's not that it has blatantly adult content, like hot sex scenes or inappropriate language, but it certainly does not follow the usual young adult tropes.
Is it just because the heroines is 13 when the book starts? (and by the way my eyes bulged when I realized that). Her voice sounds a tad too mature for her to be 13.
I was thinking all this political intrigues and plots would probably not have interested me much in my teen years, I suppose. If you want more of a comparison, I'd say this is as much YA as Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder.

I was somehow irked in more than one occasion by Ismae's cluelessness. She gets to logical conclusions some lightyears too late, so much so that I felt banging my head on the way in more than one occasion. She also makes a very poor assassin considering her three years of training, by being clumsy and "green" (as Duval describes her); her very first mission was rather disastrous, I'd say.

Aside from these problems, the story was enjoyable. I liked the way the romance developed gradually, the idea of the story itself and how, though part of a series, it is a standalone in itself (by the little snippet at the end of the book, I understand the next book will focus on Sybella).

For lover of political intrigues in costume and of clueless heroines, this is your cup of tea.(less)

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Apr 02, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, fantasy, historical-fiction

Assassins. NUN assassins. Who is not immediately intrigued by this premise? I sure was. It started with a bang too. We are introduced to our feisty protagonist, Ismae; with a bitter childhood and a somber future, she is sent to a convent where she will train to do Death's bidding. With this great main character and exciting plot, I obviously enjoyed it, my problems lay with the historical/political stand-points where I found myself getting confused and disinterested.

I have enjoyed historicals i...more Assassins. NUN assassins. Who is not immediately intrigued by this premise? I sure was. It started with a bang too. We are introduced to our feisty protagonist, Ismae; with a bitter childhood and a somber future, she is sent to a convent where she will train to do Death's bidding. With this great main character and exciting plot, I obviously enjoyed it, my problems lay with the historical/political stand-points where I found myself getting confused and disinterested.

I have enjoyed historicals in the past, but not being a historical nut, Grave Mercy really had me overwhelmed. I had difficulty keeping up with the characters and their roles in this immense political scandal set in a time I am unfamiliar with. I mean, I am not unintelligent, I could keep up with the main plot points but it affected my ability to truly understand these characters and, thus, develop a connection with them. I kept forgetting their roles in this conspiracy, which in turn, also affected my reactions to the twists; the unraveling of the betrayers was not as affecting as I feel it should have been. It also didn't help that I couldn't easily go back to check the character index with my e-reader. I may have been able to follow more easily if it had been a print copy.

With that out of the way, I thoroughly enjoyed everything else. Ismae, the setting, the writing - it's all excellent and I can see why so many are absolutely in love with this title. Ismae is the type of girl everyone loves, and should also fear (if only they knew). She can kill a man in a second, she does as she pleases, and she's highly intelligent. Plus, her being constantly underestimated makes her even more dangerous. I had a blast going into this story with her. She also has a great sense of humor that had me chuckling quite a bit.

I found the writing especially wonderful. This is often a big part of why I sometimes can't get into historicals, but LaFevers gives it all a great flow with an easy to follow prose, vivid descriptions, and enchanting dialogue. I especially loved how she wrote the relationship between Ismae and Duval. It starts off as a mutual distrust, and slowly builds into sometimes heart-meltingly sweet.

Intrigue, conspiracies, scandals, betrayals - you can find it all inside these 549 pages. It does have an immense amount of historical intrigue so for those who are able to follow this will become positively entranced in this powerful, action packed novel.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads (less)

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Mar 09, 2012 Eunice rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, arc-netgalley-edelweiss, damn-gorgeous-males, death-tragedy-suicide, favourites, kick-ass-heroines, mythology, out-2012, paranormal, ya-romance, young-adult, cool-covers

4.5 stars

I was doubtful I would enjoy this during the first parts but surprisingly as the story progressed, for someone like me who's not much into historical and political stuffs, I found myself getting thoroughly engaged into everything that was happening. It was indeed a stunning and impressive read.

The synopsis instantly caught my interest and definitely had me when I saw the promise of 'assassin nuns'. However, I didn't know that it was set in a historical period. I haven't read any histor...more 4.5 stars

I was doubtful I would enjoy this during the first parts but surprisingly as the story progressed, for someone like me who's not much into historical and political stuffs, I found myself getting thoroughly engaged into everything that was happening. It was indeed a stunning and impressive read.

The synopsis instantly caught my interest and definitely had me when I saw the promise of 'assassin nuns'. However, I didn't know that it was set in a historical period. I haven't read any historical fiction (aside from the Infernal Devices) and they don't usually float my boat so I became a bit uninterested and less excited. Adding to that, the first few chapters didn't go well with me, especially the religious aspects. It was a little uncomfortable and unnerving for me. The sisters in the convent and their beliefs was quite spooky and freaky. But I was glad when the story didn't dwell on those part for long and went to Ismae's tasks fast. From then on I find myself gradually getting devoured and caught up with the happenings, twists and discoveries in the story. I can't seem to put it down.

The plot was unique and fantastic and the writing was really great and surprisingly smooth and easy. Much of the concepts and ideas were a bit new to me so everything went a bit unpredictable which was really good since it kept me curious and interested. The political stuffs was actually intriguing and attention-grabbing. Some readers might find it boring but since the characters really grew on me and I love and care for them, I was so interested in figuring things out too. I find myself thoroughly engage with it - how they're gonna fight the opposing side and win, what actions and strategies they're going to do, who's to be trusted and who's not. The paranormal aspect was also cool, it blended very well with all the other aspects of the book.

The characters were remarkable. Ismae's a kick-butt heroine! I wasn't sure of her at first since she seems to be really naive and trust the convent pretty much. I was glad when she started questioning the things taught to her, doing and believeing her own observation, trusting other people, and following her heart. I also loved it whenever she kills (whoa! there goes my twisted sense of humor! lol) or more like how she does it, the way she fights and uses her weapons which were actually really cool. Despite her terrible past she's a very caring, understnading and loyal person - to Duval, to Anne and Isabeau, to Beast and De Lornay and even to Duval's mother. It was great when she realized the right and real purpose of her ability and what Death really wanted for her - how she stand up to it and believed on it.

Duval was an outstanding character. He's intelligent and wise, brave and loving. His loyalty to his country and sister was impressive. Despite being a little aloof during the first parts he was actually very kind and caring gentleman. Hist strategies and ideas were great and remarkable. I love how his and Ismae's relationship developed, it was slow but more believable. The ending was lovely and really sweet!

Anne's character was very striking (She reminds me of Nunally in Code Geas! XD). She radiates wisdom and knowledge at a very young age. I, sometimes can't quite make myself believe that a 12 year-old girl will be able to think and talk like that and the idea that she would be married to a much older man at that age unnerved me. But given the time period, I think it was pretty believable and I know the author made a fair share of research on that. Other character was very admirable like Beast and De Lornay (view spoiler), they were brave and a very loyal friends, I love how much they trust and value Duval.

All in all, it was very spectacular and stunning story! The blending of history, politics, and paranormal was great. It made the story more interesting and brilliant. The characters were well developed, the actions and twists were thrilling and the ending was very satisfying. I highly recommend this, even if your not much into historical fiction, I think this might be a good start for you! :))

An advance copy has been provided by the publisher via the Netgalley.

This review is also posted at Book Overdose (less)

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May 15, 2012 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, paranormal-humans, e-version, historical-fantasy, gods-demons-angels-immortals, unfinished-2012, love-story-romance

"Who are you to say what the god of death needs or doesn’t need? Mortain is an old god and has no desire to be forgotten and fade from this world, which is why he chooses to bestir Himself in the affairs of man. [...] He will ask for sacrifices, but it is not your role to question. Only to serve with love and obedience."

Before starting this review in earnest I believe I have to come clean concerning three facts:
1. Although I have consumed some very fine specimens historical fiction is usually no...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Marg K. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1-star-rating

First thing's first. I must admit that I skimmed this book. I skimmed it hard. I was also only semi-consciously reading certain bits, and I may have fallen asleep with eyes wide open a few times. In my defense, however, this book was not at all what I was expecting. Plus, it was long...and draggy...and soooo incredibly boring (in my personal opinion of course). Truth be told, the only reason I continued reading Grave Mercy through to the bitter end was because I've been DNFing way too many books...more First thing's first. I must admit that I skimmed this book. I skimmed it hard. I was also only semi-consciously reading certain bits, and I may have fallen asleep with eyes wide open a few times. In my defense, however, this book was not at all what I was expecting. Plus, it was long...and draggy...and soooo incredibly boring (in my personal opinion of course). Truth be told, the only reason I continued reading Grave Mercy through to the bitter end was because I've been DNFing way too many books lately, and consequently I guilt-tripped myself into finishing this one.

So what lured me in and convinced me to read Grave Mercy in the first place? I've got two words for you: Assassin Nuns. We all know that assassins are damn cool and totally badass. And those of us who have attended Catholic school at some point in our lives also know that the convent can be full of some really interesting & unique characters.

Take for example Sister Elizabeth. She may have been 90-years-old, 5-feet-tall, legally blind in both eyes, and extremely hard of hearing, but the woman had a surprisingly fine-tuned spidey sense that alerted her (without fail) to all of our mischievous behaviors. Additionally, she had the uncanny ability to appear out of thin air like a super-sneaky ninja whenever we were up to no good. Another example would be Sister Richard, who looked like John Goodman in drag and who we suspected had narcolepsy since she repeatedly fell asleep in the middle of class. The woman would go all She Hulk on us whenever we came within a foot of her prized ceramic miniature animal collection, but she had a wise-cracking sense of humor and an arsenal of inappropriately funny jokes that would make any standup comedian very proud.

Unfortunately, no such fascinating, eccentric personalities were present anywhere in this book. Barely any time at all was devoted to the convent at which Ismae, the heroine, was trained and the nuns were very briefly introduced by short definition of their teaching roles/titles. In fact, all of the characters in this book seemed underdeveloped, and most of them were barely two-dimensional, possessing one single predominant trait that defined who they were (aside from being categorized as one of the good guys or one of the bad guys). I also had no freakin' clue what anyone actually looked like. Descriptions were provided, but the characterizations were so superficial that I could never concretely picture them in my mind.

This brings me to my biggest issue with Grave Mercy...it lacked heart & substance. The plot dragged along a linear path with unclear significance. Characters popped in and out of the story, but I was never given the chance to really get to know them. And thus, I didn't give a damn about what happened to them or how they impacted the heroine's life & mission.

Speaking of Ismae, I never connected with her either. Her characterization seemed inconsistent & wishy-washy. She went from hating & fearing men to fixating on, drooling over, and falling in love with one at a drop of a hat. She was frustratingly closed-minded and (despite multiple red flags waving right in front of her face) didn't really stop to question who she killed & why until she conveniently fell in love with a man she was later ordered to assassinate. Moreover, she was supposedly taught how to kill a person in a hundred different ways and yet she constantly allowed herself to be manhandled by Duval (aka McBroody)—the most boring love interest eva.

And while I'm on the topic of things that bored me out of my mind, let me warn you that contrary to what the synopsis might imply, there was very little assissiny action in this book. In reality, majority of the story revolved around the predictable, cliched romance between Ismae & McBroody as well as a whole lot of tedious yawn-inducing court politics. I kept waiting for Ismae to get in touch with her inner La Femme Nikita, but the girl mostly just played dress up in cleavage exposing dresses, redundantly argued with McBroody, and eavesdropped on boring conversations between boring individuals.

On top of all of that, the dialogue between the characters was often stilted and at times pompous to the point of sounding silly & lame. And there were several things (like the ridiculous "sexual healing" scene) that made no sense to me whatsoever...and made me laugh when I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to be laughing. (less)

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Mar 20, 2012 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Graceling and Poison Study

Shelves: netgalley-e-book

4.5 Stars

I didn't expect to like this story as much as I did. I'm not a huge fan of historical novels but this one definitely sucked me in from the first page. This felt like a cross between Graceling and Poison Study. I think any fan of those stories would definitely enjoy this story.

Ismae has had to endure the horrible treatment of her cruel step-father for years. When we come into the story, she is being forced to marry some revolting male, by her step-father. Little does this disgusting man...more 4.5 Stars

I didn't expect to like this story as much as I did. I'm not a huge fan of historical novels but this one definitely sucked me in from the first page. This felt like a cross between Graceling and Poison Study. I think any fan of those stories would definitely enjoy this story.

Ismae has had to endure the horrible treatment of her cruel step-father for years. When we come into the story, she is being forced to marry some revolting male, by her step-father. Little does this disgusting man know that Ismae is a daughter of the god of death, Mortain. Before things go too far, she is rescued and delivered to a convent dedicated to St. Mortain where she is to be trained in his service. Ismae is so happy at this turn of events, she welcomes the invitation to be trained as an assassin to carry out the will of St. Mortain, whose current goal is to keep the duchess of Brittany in office, and protected. The thought of never being at the mercy of a cruel male again, also appeals highly to her. When she is sent on her second mission, Ismae encounters Gavriel Duval, who is not pleased at all with her actions or methods of the convent. He is also trying to protect the duchess and feels they are undermining his mission. As a result, the convent pairs Ismae with Duval and sends them to court to work together. A situation neither welcomes at all!

I was amazed at Ismae's strength of character; all the things she had to bear growing up didn't break her, and she never once seemed to wallow in self-pity. I love a good strong heroine who knows how to defend herself and is skilled in such things as: knifes, poisons, cross-bows, hand-to-hand combat, and the art of seduction (because one must use all their talents in the service of St. Mortain). The nuns teaching these skills were at times hilarious, and I was cracking up at Ismae's shock at their bluntness. The friendship with fellow novices, Annith and Sybella, and affection she's shown is nothing she's ever experienced before. Though, what I love most about this story, of course, is the romance. There is a slow build-up, with much reluctance from both parties, and seeing it evolve was a pleasure. I really bonded with the secondary characters, as well: The Beast, and De Lornay, trusted friends of Duval. Anne, the soon-to-be duchess, and her little sister Isabeau were endearing, too. The villains are done quite well, and either disgust you or make your blood boil! There were several plot twists and surprises that kept me turning the pages. This is a long book, almost six hundred pages but it didn't feel that long to me at all. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good adventure, kick-ass heroines and a believable romance. This story wraps up nicely but I guess we will be continuing on, in the same world next year with Sybella's story, a fellow novice of Ismae. I worry about Sybella, and the mission she was sent on, especially because she seemed so troubled to begin with. She is seen throughout this story under mysterious circumstances, so maybe this will be elaborated on more in the next installment.

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin and Netgalley for allowing me to read this.(less)

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Apr 03, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review originally appeared on Clear Eyes, Full Shelves

FNL Character Rating: Lyla Garrity (with a touch of Tyra’s badass)

I liked, but didn’t love R. L. LaFevers’ debut novel, Grave Mercy.

First of all, this book is erroneously being marketed as Young Adult.
The main character and narrator, Ismae Rienne, is a young adult. That’s the only element of this book that strikes me as YA. (Sandra, a retired English teacher and therefore someone who knows what she’s talking about when it comes to litera...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

(4.5 stars) I first heard about Robin LaFevers’ new YA release, Grave Mercy, a few months ago and was intrigued by its premise, which involves an order of assassin nuns. Based on that, I thought it was set in a fantasy world. When I learned that it was in fact set in our own world, in medieval France, I was more skeptical. How would LaFevers set assassin nuns in real France without it seeming unrealistic?

Alongside the real history, LaFevers sets up a secret, fictional one in which the people of...more (4.5 stars) I first heard about Robin LaFevers’ new YA release, Grave Mercy, a few months ago and was intrigued by its premise, which involves an order of assassin nuns. Based on that, I thought it was set in a fantasy world. When I learned that it was in fact set in our own world, in medieval France, I was more skeptical. How would LaFevers set assassin nuns in real France without it seeming unrealistic?

Alongside the real history, LaFevers sets up a secret, fictional one in which the people of Brittany have continued worshipping a pagan pantheon under a thin veneer of sainthood. The assassin nuns belong to the convent of St. Mortain, who is based on a god of death.

It’s still not quite realistic, but it’s so much fun that you won’t mind. LaFevers’s fictional history is rich with traditions and myths, doled out to the reader at a natural pace rather than infodumped. The lore of poisons is particularly fascinating and had me just as spellbound as it did the heroine, Ismae. And the real history is just as rich as the parts LaFevers makes up. Grave Mercy is set during the time of Anne of Brittany, who inherits a great duchy at the age of twelve and becomes a prime target for fortune-hunting men. She’s a compelling character in her own right and her court is rife with plots and intrigue.

Our heroine, Ismae, is another girl who resists the plans of controlling men. Her brutal stepfather sells her into marriage to an equally brutal husband, but she escapes his clutches when he recoils in fear from a mark that denotes Ismae as the daughter of St. Mortain. She is taken in by Mortain’s convent and trained as an assassin. Grateful for her rescue, Ismae is all too happy to serve the convent elders without question.

When she is sent to Anne’s court on a mission, though, Ismae begins to question things. She’s no longer sure she can trust what she’s been told, or that her god works precisely as she’s been taught. She goes through a fantastic character journey as she tries to figure out whom she can really trust in a tangle of competing agendas, and what her patron god really wants from her.

The romantic subplot works well too. Instead of an instant soul mate connection, Ismae and her love interest start out with bickering, which slowly develops into bantering (and quite funny bantering at that) and then, gradually, the two begin to trust one another in a setting where trust is hard to come by.

Grave Mercy was so much fun to read. The heroine is fierce and resourceful, the romance is believable, the world-building is enthralling, and the intrigue is… well, intriguing. Whenever I wasn’t reading it, I was wishing I was reading it, and couldn’t wait to get back to it. I’m shocked to find that it’s listed at 560 pages. It felt short to me, and I wished it were longer! It ends on a good stopping point but leaves plenty for Ismae’s friends Sybella and Annith to do in the next two HIS FAIR ASSASSIN books.

Grave Mercy is aimed at young adult readers, but has plenty to satisfy older readers too, especially if you liked Maria Snyder’s Poison Study, Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Dart, and Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon.(less)

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Apr 11, 2012 Ariana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley, once-upon-a-time, series

Well, this was a lovely surprise :)

How many ways to kill a man do you know?
Probably many, right?
Now, how many of them could you use if in trouble?
For me the answer is around.. arr.. none, if you don’t count the fact that I could bore someone to death, but that would take me quite a while. This being said I would be in big, big trouble.

So, let’s pretend that we need to know how to save ourselves. We are all damsels in distress and we have to change this and fast because our life depends on it.

Wh...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Mariya rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dac-2012, young-adult

Oh, man. What can I say? I just wish I would've read more than the amazing reviews on GRAVE MERCY before I started the book, maybe then I could've saved myself some time diving into another book. But of course, here I am stuck with another not so great book. There were so many problems with GRAVE MERCY and all those little problems made the book not so enjoyable for me. I so wish I could've liked it, but it looks like it didn't turn out that way.

Factor one, This is supposed to be a YOUNG ADULT B...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Keertana rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-author-2012, why-the-hype

Rating: 2.5 Stars

I've got to give it to Robin LaFevers: it takes an immense amount of talent to make a book about assassin nuns boring. Grave Mercy was the type of book that started out with a BAM! It was interesting, compelling, and I thoroughly enjoyed the historical setting. Ismae, the protagonist, was a deep and tortured character who I was expecting a lot of and the premises of the story seemed designed for success. Unfortunately, I was very much wrong. Grave Mercy took a turn for the wors...more Rating: 2.5 Stars

I've got to give it to Robin LaFevers: it takes an immense amount of talent to make a book about assassin nuns boring. Grave Mercy was the type of book that started out with a BAM! It was interesting, compelling, and I thoroughly enjoyed the historical setting. Ismae, the protagonist, was a deep and tortured character who I was expecting a lot of and the premises of the story seemed designed for success. Unfortunately, I was very much wrong. Grave Mercy took a turn for the worse, sprinkled with splashes of excitement in a cumbersome tale, a romance that cropped out of nowhere and took me by surprise, and a protagonist who failed to live up to her true potential. It was, as so many books I seem to be reading these days, a disappointment.

Ismae has grown up learning to hide herself and the true circumstances of her birth because she is the daughter of Mortain, or Death itself. When Ismae finds herself in the convent of St. Mortain, she pledges herself to the god of Death, vowing to use her skills to extract revenge on men and all those who have hurt and tortured her in the past. Three years later, Ismae, now an assassin nun, must embark on a journey to the castle, filled with political intrigue and traps, with an unexpected young man who just may steal the one thing she has guarded against all costs: her heart.

I know what you're thinking: with a summary like that how can this book go wrong? It has a kick-ass heroine who is an assassin, a mystery that is filled with political intrigue, and a romance that seems to be original and note-worthy! Wrong, wrong, and wrong again. Ismae, despite being an assassin, does very little assassinating in the novel. Furthermore, despite her dark past and previous experiences with men, which have involved sexual abuse, she cannot stop thinking about Gavriel Duval, the young man she is forced to work with, even during scenarios of life and death! I found this to be not only infuriating, but extremely unrealistic as well. In addition, she is quick to question her life in St. Mortain's Convent even though she has lived there for three years and it was the sanctuary that saved her from a brutal marriage. Somehow, these qualities of Ismae's simply didn't add up and I found myself infuriated with her for being nothing more than a besotted young girl who had her flashes of brilliance here and there.

Another major flaw in this novel was its mysterious plot. I am a huge fan of novels with political intrigue, so I was both excited and fascinated by how this would play out in the historical setting of Grave Mercy. Unfortunately, the political scene described in this novel was boring and barely held my interest. Ismae, pretending to be the cousin of Duval in order to get closer to the duchess and protect the throne, merely attends dress fittings, dances at balls, and tries to avoid being known as Duval's mistress. So much for politics eh? Furthermore, Ismae fails to be badass after the initial few chapters of the novel. The only noteworthy act she does in court is to flash her "womanly charms" at other members of the castle. I found it hard to believe that this was the same kick-ass heroine we met at the beginning of the story.

However, one of the biggest faults with this story is its romance. Ismae is attracted to Duval solely based on the fact that he is handsome, chivalrous, and does not take any undue liberties with her. Yet, I was surprised to find that Duval too was attracted to Ismae! Ismae is nothing but cold and hostile to Duval, refusing to work with him easily, hiding various important secrets from him, and generally being aloof. Yet, he becomes jealous when she talks with his older brother, makes excuses to be near and touch her hand, and of course, they eventually fall in love. I knew from the synopsis itself that Duval would be Ismae's love interest, but I did not expect their relationship to go from that of hate to love so quickly without any type of development in between. Ultimately, I was unable to form any true feelings toward this couple at all.

Overall, Grave Mercy was a disappointing read. I had a lot of high hopes and expectations for this novel and they simply fell flat. Yet, I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and I loved the idea as well as the historical setting. This story could have been incredible if it were not for the flat characters, boring writing, and un-developed love story. Alas, this is one series I will definitely not be continuing with. (less)

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Mar 20, 2012 Sonia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, read-in-2012, arc

I enjoyed the story more than I thought. I didn’t go well with the first few chapters. It couldn’t hold my attention and I even decided to abandon it. After reading a few reviews, however, a small part of me was curious about what would happen. So, I give another try and so glad I did.

When I was reading the story, I had no idea there was politics in it. Usually, I would turn away immediately. It can be quite complicated, you know. I admitted that I didn’t know what was going on at first as I po...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Sab H. (YA Bliss) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Historical readers, High Fantasy readers

Shelves: alamw12, own-arc, own, historical-fiction, yahfchallenge, favorites, fantasy-challenge, reviewed-books

This was SO awesome. Nun assassins who kill people when the God of death says so. Oh, yeah, definitely my kind of book. "Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?" plus it's historical fiction plus THAT cover? This was screaming my name!

I was sucked in from the start, though it has a little slow hole after the second chapter, but as soon as Duval appears, this became mouth-dropping. You know that perfect kind of stubborn romance that's prone to fight and push and pull before actually realizing...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Natalia Belikov rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, young-adult, favorites, best-ya, fantasy, received-won

Read more of my reviews at Dazzling Reads

Up-there!
Grave Mercy is UP-THERE!

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is extraordinary in every sense. It is a brilliant and captivating story with highly well developed characters and plot. It is a story where war, love, justice, free-will, trust and loyalty intertwines in an exquisite and completely seductive medieval adventure that can easily become one of the 2012 favorite reads of teens and adults alike.

The original concept of Death handmaidens (assassin nu...more Read more of my reviews at Dazzling Reads

Up-there!
Grave Mercy is UP-THERE!

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is extraordinary in every sense. It is a brilliant and captivating story with highly well developed characters and plot. It is a story where war, love, justice, free-will, trust and loyalty intertwines in an exquisite and completely seductive medieval adventure that can easily become one of the 2012 favorite reads of teens and adults alike.

The original concept of Death handmaidens (assassin nuns) has certainly created one of the most kick-butt heroines in the YA world. In Grave Mercy, gifted girls are trained in a convent to server their God -Death himself- by obeying his word and bring death to those who deserve it (or so they think). Ismae is one of those girls, but her second and first big assignment turns her entire world completely upside-down.

Grave mercy is full of complex politics of the 15th century France. I loved the historical background LaFevers used to set this story and I loved the intrusion of the convent into this world as well. In addition, the characters are excellent. In Grave Mercy, Ismae is placed in a very complicate situation between her loyalty and heart, and even though she is grateful and loyal to the convent, she is not blinded by her devotion nor by her heart. Ismae is extremely brave, intelligent and sensitive enough to know what is right from wrong. Then, there is Duval. He is one of the most loyal characters I have come across in a long time. I really tried to find something negative about this character but I couldn't. However, this perfect image of a man doesn't disturb the credibility of this character. Actually, Duval has no powers, nor he posses the face of a fallen angel. He is just a very honorable man whose values excel among those of most man. In other words, Duval's soul is a diamond. A diamond that exist thanks to the infinite love he feels for his little sister.

Robin LaFevers has a marvelous way to build-up the atmosphere of the story. It is so powerful and bewitching that you can easily be transported into the 15th century. In addition, I think that LaFevers' exquisite prose makes of Grave Mercy a true gem among YA books! I can't express enough how much I love this book. Romance, intrigue, politics, action, drama, free-will, justice vs. vengeance, and women's right are some of the topics and themes you can find in this book. Grave Mercy really has it all!

LaFevers really surprised me with an excellent and well portrayed historical novel with a strong scent of fantasy that will forever remain as one of my favorites reads. Grave Mercy certainly deserve to be UP-THERE along with Poison Study, Finnikin of the Rock, Graceling and The Demon King! This one is a must-read that you will entirely devour in just one seat!!! =D(less)

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Mar 04, 2012 Kilikina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: badass, swoon-worthy

Freaking loved this book!

So I made the mistake of starting this one late yesterday night and boy was I up for a long time...The story was just so interesting! I just love assassin-type books in general and Ismae was the perfect female assassin. I absolutely loved her. The plot definitely had some unexpected "what?!" moments that I didn't see coming. And of course...*happy sigh* oh how I wish all male leads could be like Duval. The chemistry and romance was just ugh, I loved it. I personally thin...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Riya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read more of my reviews at www.teenbookguru.com

Okay lets start by focusing in on the main reason I picked up this book and enjoyed it so much. Assasins. But not just any old assassins, nun assassins. If those two words put together aren't enough to make you run to the closest bookstore and pick up this 600-page historical thriller, I don't knowwhat will convince you.

Not only did Grave Mercy have a very fascinating and kick-ass plot, but also some killer characters. Ismae, Death's own daughte

...more Read more of my reviews at www.teenbookguru.com

Okay lets start by focusing in on the main reason I picked up this book and enjoyed it so much. Assasins. But not just any old assassins, nun assassins. If those two words put together aren't enough to make you run to the closest bookstore and pick up this 600-page historical thriller, I don't know what will convince you.

Not only did Grave Mercy have a very fascinating and kick-ass plot, but also some killer characters. Ismae, Death's own daughter, and the female MC, was by far my favorite. We are introduced to this feisty heroine at the very beginning of the novel. Single-handedly raised by her cruel step-father, after her mother died during childbirth, Ismae has had a horrible upbringing; always tortured, taunted, and bullied by men. So it's no wonder she's a bit a HELL of a feminist. When we meet her, she's about to be married off to a pig-headed brute, whom her father 'sold' her to. Little does this pathetic excuse for a human being man *clears throat* know that Ismae is actually the daughter of St. Mortain, death. *snickers*

Before things go too far, Ismae is rescued and brought to St. Mortain's convent. There, she meets people who are like her. The nuns over there teach her how to defend herself, wield dangerous weapons, become skilled in hand-to-hand combat, brew deadly poisons, and, ultimately, the art of seduction... much to Ismae's despair (but, as the nuns say, one must use all their talents in the service of St. Mortain). :P The nuns had me cracking up all over the place, when I least expected to! They are honestly nothing like the modest, quiet people I mistakenly thought them to be!

I was continually amazed by Ismae's strength and growth throughout the novel. Not once did she allow herself to wallow in self-pity because of her hard up-bringing, and she never cowered in the face of fear. She was so empowering and AWESOME! When she's sent off to a mission that could determine her future in her beloved convent, Ismae is determined to let nothing get in the way of her, and her mission. Not even a frustratingly handsome and seemingly arrogant mysterious man who is the Duchess' closest confidante. With England constantly threatened by France's growing power, and the Duchess' safety in grave danger, Ismae is sent to track Duval and make sure his intentions are in the right place. Guided by Death's own hand, and skills she never even knew she possessed, Ismae thinks she has nothing to worry about. But not once did her mind cross over the possibility of falling in love...

The romance in Grave Mercy is easily one of my favorites. I love how reluctant the both of them are at first, and it was such a pleasure to watch them grow to love each other. It was realistic, and totally intense. I loved it so much!

The historical and political references made it a little bit difficult for me to follow the plot as well as I would have liked, but they didn't get in the way of me enjoying this book as much as I did. I actually finished this whole 600-page bad boy in only two sittings! It sucked me in right from the very start and left me gasping for more! Can't wait for Sybella's story now... she seems creepy and a little scary but also really cool. XD

Two words: Nun. Assassins.

5 (MILLION) Muffins - Positively Enticing!

(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, netgalley, read-2012, historical-fiction, first-reads

4.5*

Two words captured my attention when I was sent an email from Netgalley about this book: Assassin Nuns.
These two small words basically sold this book for me and I downloaded it straight away.

I am a fan of historical fiction as it is and as I have not read any books in this genre for a while, this book has really perked my interest again.
Grave Mercy really did not disappoint and lived up to the high expectations I had of it due to numerous reviews I had already seen on Goodreads. The story...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, ya

I remember going on a date in college to see Kill Bill Volume 2. I was on said date with a guy that I had been crushing on for a few months and was one of those dates that you know you should say no to, being last minute and all, and to partake in viewing something you have no interest in or knowledge of no less. But you say yes because crushes make you stupid, and some idiotic thought inspires you to believe that the glory of some dude you barely know will radiate so much awesomeness that viewi...more

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! YA Heroines !: Grave Mercy	16	16	May 06, 2013 10:43pm
YA Buddy Readers'...: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers --> Start Date: 5/3	23	18	May 06, 2013 06:51pm
YA Today Book Club: Discussion #11 Grave Mercy	16	34	Apr 18, 2013 11:07pm
all about fantasy: grave mercy	8	9	Apr 13, 2013 08:41am
Crazy for Young A...: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers → Start Date: February 21st, 2013	51	47	Mar 10, 2013 06:10am

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