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Assassins #1
Assassins: Discord
Kindra’s moral compass has never pointed north, but that’s what happens when you’re raised as an assassin and a thief. At sixteen, she’s fantastic with a blade, an expert at slipping through the world unnoticed, and trapped in a life she didn’t chose. But nothing in her training prepares her for what happens when her father misses a target.
In the week-long aftermath, Kindra breaks rank for the first time in her life. She steals documents, starts questioning who their client is and why the target needs to die, botches a second hit on her father’s target, and is nearly killed. And that’s before she’s kidnapped by a green-eyed stranger connected to a part of her childhood she’d almost forgotten.
Kindra has to decide who to trust and which side of the battle to fight for. She has to do it fast and she has to be right, because the wrong choice will kill her just when she’s finally found something worth living for.
In the week-long aftermath, Kindra breaks rank for the first time in her life. She steals documents, starts questioning who their client is and why the target needs to die, botches a second hit on her father’s target, and is nearly killed. And that’s before she’s kidnapped by a green-eyed stranger connected to a part of her childhood she’d almost forgotten.
Kindra has to decide who to trust and which side of the battle to fight for. She has to do it fast and she has to be right, because the wrong choice will kill her just when she’s finally found something worth living for.
411 pages, ebook
First published September 5, 2016
About the author
Erica Cameron
18 books201 followersAfter a lifelong obsession with books, Erica Cameron spent her college years studying psychology and creative writing, basically getting credit for reading and learning how to make stories of her own. Now, she’s the author of several series for young adults. She’s also a reader, asexuality advocate, dance fan, choreographer, singer, lover of musical theater, movie obsessed, sucker for romance, Florida resident, and quasi-recluse who loves the beach but hates the heat, has equal passion for the art of Salvador Dali and Venetian Carnival masks, has a penchant for unique jewelry and sun/moon décor pieces, and a desire to travel the entire world on a cruise ship. Or a private yacht. You know, whatever works.
Her debut novel, Sing Sweet Nightingale, released March 2014 and it was the first volume of The Dream War Saga. In May 2015, Erica and her co-author Lani Woodland launched the Laguna Tides series with Taken by Chance. Riptide’s YA imprint Triton Books began the Assassins series with Discord in September 2016. The Ryogan Chronicles, a fantasy trilogy through Entangled Teen, launched in 2017 with Island of Exiles. Next up, Erica will be working with Entangled Teen to create a young adult science fiction trilogy pitched as Star Trek: Voyager meets The Expanse and Battlestar Galactica; Pax Novis is set to fly in 2018.
Her debut novel, Sing Sweet Nightingale, released March 2014 and it was the first volume of The Dream War Saga. In May 2015, Erica and her co-author Lani Woodland launched the Laguna Tides series with Taken by Chance. Riptide’s YA imprint Triton Books began the Assassins series with Discord in September 2016. The Ryogan Chronicles, a fantasy trilogy through Entangled Teen, launched in 2017 with Island of Exiles. Next up, Erica will be working with Entangled Teen to create a young adult science fiction trilogy pitched as Star Trek: Voyager meets The Expanse and Battlestar Galactica; Pax Novis is set to fly in 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 28, 2016
This was really good. What a ride! I felt like I just watched a block buster, action-spy movie. Yes, this is a book about assassins, but there was a ton of espionage too. Those of you who know Requiem, think if she had a sixteen year-old sister, who has a little bit more of a conscience, and you have Kindra.
As far as I know this would be considered a YA book. With two of the main characters under 18. But this is clearly a book for adults too. There was many times I got so lost in Kindra's character, that I would forget her age. Kindra was raised as a child to kill and follow orders. She knows no other way. And when a routine assassination job, goes wrong. Her life and everything she thought she knew, changes.
This really is an action book. After the first few pages the action starts, and you hardly have time to catch your breath. It's exciting, with twists and you just don't know what will happen next.
There is a love interest for Kindra. It is well done and parts are actually funny. But I would not really call this an action romance. Fighting for your lives does not leave much room for romance. But the beginnings is there and it's sweet and likeable.
This is the first book in a series. The story is open ended. But it's not a cliffhanger. Enough plot points wrapped up, not to let the ending drive you nuts. Yes, I can't wait to read book 2. But that is what a good series is suppose to make you feel. I would absolutely recommend this to lesfic fans that enjoy action books.
An ARC was given to me from Riptide Publishing, for a honest review.
As far as I know this would be considered a YA book. With two of the main characters under 18. But this is clearly a book for adults too. There was many times I got so lost in Kindra's character, that I would forget her age. Kindra was raised as a child to kill and follow orders. She knows no other way. And when a routine assassination job, goes wrong. Her life and everything she thought she knew, changes.
This really is an action book. After the first few pages the action starts, and you hardly have time to catch your breath. It's exciting, with twists and you just don't know what will happen next.
There is a love interest for Kindra. It is well done and parts are actually funny. But I would not really call this an action romance. Fighting for your lives does not leave much room for romance. But the beginnings is there and it's sweet and likeable.
This is the first book in a series. The story is open ended. But it's not a cliffhanger. Enough plot points wrapped up, not to let the ending drive you nuts. Yes, I can't wait to read book 2. But that is what a good series is suppose to make you feel. I would absolutely recommend this to lesfic fans that enjoy action books.
An ARC was given to me from Riptide Publishing, for a honest review.
August 31, 2016
Thank you to Net Galley, the publishers and the author.
Kindra’s moral compass has never pointed north, but that’s what happens when you’re raised as an assassin . At sixteen, she’s fantastic with a blade, an expert at slipping through the world unnoticed, and trapped in a life she didn’t chose. But nothing in her training prepares her for what happens when her father misses a target.
In the week-long aftermath, Kindra breaks rank for the first time in her life. She steals documents, starts questioning who their client is and why the target needs to die, botches a second hit on her father’s target, and is nearly killed. And that’s before she’s kidnapped by a green-eyed stranger connected to a part of her childhood she’d almost forgotten.
Kindra has to decide who to trust and which side of the battle to fight for. She has to do it fast and she has to be right, because the wrong choice will kill her just when she’s finally found something worth living for.
A difficult book to review, parts of the book I really enjoyed, some parts not very clear to me.
I enjoyed the main characters of Kindra and Dru, great characters, great relationship, with some good characters supporting these main two., with some funny instances.
But lacks history on the main characters, why are they assassins at such a young age, a little far fetched at times.
Two families both full of assassins?
But action scenes were good, then bogged down and a little heavy at times.
Giving the book three stars, but I still like the characters enough to know what happens in Book 2.
Some great bits, some heavy bits !
Kindra’s moral compass has never pointed north, but that’s what happens when you’re raised as an assassin . At sixteen, she’s fantastic with a blade, an expert at slipping through the world unnoticed, and trapped in a life she didn’t chose. But nothing in her training prepares her for what happens when her father misses a target.
In the week-long aftermath, Kindra breaks rank for the first time in her life. She steals documents, starts questioning who their client is and why the target needs to die, botches a second hit on her father’s target, and is nearly killed. And that’s before she’s kidnapped by a green-eyed stranger connected to a part of her childhood she’d almost forgotten.
Kindra has to decide who to trust and which side of the battle to fight for. She has to do it fast and she has to be right, because the wrong choice will kill her just when she’s finally found something worth living for.
A difficult book to review, parts of the book I really enjoyed, some parts not very clear to me.
I enjoyed the main characters of Kindra and Dru, great characters, great relationship, with some good characters supporting these main two., with some funny instances.
But lacks history on the main characters, why are they assassins at such a young age, a little far fetched at times.
Two families both full of assassins?
But action scenes were good, then bogged down and a little heavy at times.
Giving the book three stars, but I still like the characters enough to know what happens in Book 2.
Some great bits, some heavy bits !
Read
January 27, 2017DNF at 20%
Lacks a compelling narration (at least of my liking), a.k.a me dió hueva.
Might fast read from time to time but i'll leave it at DNF for now.
Lacks a compelling narration (at least of my liking), a.k.a me dió hueva.
Might fast read from time to time but i'll leave it at DNF for now.
August 31, 2016
"There were always places to go and people to kill."3.5 stars rounded up to 4. The protagonist of this story is a sixteen-year-old girl named Kindra, but due to the life she has been forced to lead, feels much older (I actually had to double check her age, and the book definitely didn't feel Young Adult - and to be honest, every teenage character seemed older than they were). Together with her parents and her sister, they form a band of thieves/assassins for hire. During their latest mission, her father misses their target and things start to go wrong.
This felt very much like an action movie, with car chases, undercover missions, explosions, murders, hacking, family members turning on each other... And this is not just Kindra's story to tell, every few chapters there is a short one focusing on another character to explain what happens to them, or what they're about to do, related to the plot, just from a different perspective.
I liked many of the characters, and thought they were well written. Kindra comes off as a bit cold or detached, but I could understand why, and I still found her likable. There's also a bit of romance involving her and a mysterious girl (who kidnaps her), but it's mostly just flirting (here's an example of their interactions: ), and it did leave me a bit disappointed, I wanted more! And aside from Kindra (and maybe also her love interest?) being bisexual, there were also mentions of another character being asexual, and one intersex. And those aspects weren't really relevant, for example, you just read about a certain male character and he casually mentioned his boyfriend, just that. Something little, but I thought it was nice.
Regarding the plot, it revolves around the people who hired Kindra's family to kill another man, and another team trying to protect said man and wanting to take down the people after him, however I have to say I was at times confused about what was happening, or why they needed to do a certain thing, and I don't know if I just wasn't in the right mindset while I was reading it, or it really was confusing at times, but that's how I felt. And sometimes I wanted to know more about the characters, and a little less about the mission. Still, the book was entertaining enough to hold my attention.
Review copy provided by Riptide Publishing (via NetGalley).
September 4, 2016
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
Kindra has grown up in a family of assassins and thieves, and she has been raised to be the exact same thing. However, when one mission goes wrong, she starts to question everything she’s ever known and done, and questions her orders on the current mission. Things go wrong and Kindra ends on the other side of the mission with a group of people she used to see as family, protecting the man her family was hired to kill.
I liked Assassins: Discord – it was action packed, fast paced, with a big conspiracy thrown into the mix. If you are looking for a f/f thriller then I do highly suggest picking this up. So while I did enjoy it, it didn’t manage to wow me.
The beginning of the book was a little bit confusing. We were thrown into the action and the mission that I feel like I would have liked more of an introduction to the characters and the mission. I had a lot of question of who was who and what was happening. As an action movie, this opening probably would have worked pretty well, but it didn’t translate very well on paper. It was a little too action heavy and very plot driven that sometimes it felt like characters took a back seat to the plot/mystery/conspiracy. I didn’t feel like Kindra was as fleshed out as she could have been, we got a lot of internal dialogue but we didn’t get a sense of what she was really thinking or feeling so I felt a little disconnected.
I would have liked more development on their past – two families full of assassins and thieves who have raised their children from a young age to do the same. I would have liked to have seen more of this element, without the development and past insight it felt more superficial and unrealistic. And I would have loved to have seen more of Kindra’s relationship with her brother (I really liked them both), especially in her past. Assassins: Discord did really well for representation – bi girls, intersex, asexual characters, so that is a positive as well.
While I felt a little disconnected to the characters sometimes, I did still like them. Kindra was headstrong, smart, and motivated. Dru was cocky, compassionate, and stubborn. I enjoyed their relationship as well and their dialogue was full of banter and wit.
Overall Assassins: Discord is a decent read, a good thriller and mystery read, and while lacking in character development still worth a read if you are looking for a f/f thriller.
Kindra has grown up in a family of assassins and thieves, and she has been raised to be the exact same thing. However, when one mission goes wrong, she starts to question everything she’s ever known and done, and questions her orders on the current mission. Things go wrong and Kindra ends on the other side of the mission with a group of people she used to see as family, protecting the man her family was hired to kill.
I liked Assassins: Discord – it was action packed, fast paced, with a big conspiracy thrown into the mix. If you are looking for a f/f thriller then I do highly suggest picking this up. So while I did enjoy it, it didn’t manage to wow me.
The beginning of the book was a little bit confusing. We were thrown into the action and the mission that I feel like I would have liked more of an introduction to the characters and the mission. I had a lot of question of who was who and what was happening. As an action movie, this opening probably would have worked pretty well, but it didn’t translate very well on paper. It was a little too action heavy and very plot driven that sometimes it felt like characters took a back seat to the plot/mystery/conspiracy. I didn’t feel like Kindra was as fleshed out as she could have been, we got a lot of internal dialogue but we didn’t get a sense of what she was really thinking or feeling so I felt a little disconnected.
I would have liked more development on their past – two families full of assassins and thieves who have raised their children from a young age to do the same. I would have liked to have seen more of this element, without the development and past insight it felt more superficial and unrealistic. And I would have loved to have seen more of Kindra’s relationship with her brother (I really liked them both), especially in her past. Assassins: Discord did really well for representation – bi girls, intersex, asexual characters, so that is a positive as well.
While I felt a little disconnected to the characters sometimes, I did still like them. Kindra was headstrong, smart, and motivated. Dru was cocky, compassionate, and stubborn. I enjoyed their relationship as well and their dialogue was full of banter and wit.
Overall Assassins: Discord is a decent read, a good thriller and mystery read, and while lacking in character development still worth a read if you are looking for a f/f thriller.
Read
April 26, 2016Assassins ~ action contemp ~ great LGBTQIA rep ~ funny
February 17, 2019
Action right from the beginning that kept me at the edge of my seat. The mystery also kept me turning the pages. I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did but I'm glad I took the time to read this book.
Kindra blindly follows her parents' orders while Dru grew up in a loving family, opposite to how Kindra grew up. I enjoyed the few moments between Dru and Kindra and by the end of the book, I was left wanting more of their story.
I know Erica Cameron has a second book of the series out so I will probably pick that up so I can find out the rest of the story even though that Kinda and Dru are not the main characters in the book.
Review also posted here: https://wp.me/p4Pp9O-Lf
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kindra blindly follows her parents' orders while Dru grew up in a loving family, opposite to how Kindra grew up. I enjoyed the few moments between Dru and Kindra and by the end of the book, I was left wanting more of their story.
I know Erica Cameron has a second book of the series out so I will probably pick that up so I can find out the rest of the story even though that Kinda and Dru are not the main characters in the book.
Review also posted here: https://wp.me/p4Pp9O-Lf
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2019
This was an exciting read and I really liked Kindra's character arc. She grew to trust and to care... which is scary AF, but it suited her.
July 27, 2016
I must preface this review by telling you that I had only one reason for requesting this book from NetGalley: I recently finished the third draft of a novel about a 16-year-old girl raised since childhood to be an assassin, and I thought I should suss out the competition. Not least because if this proved to be too similar, or significantly better, I might have needed to rethink my querying plans.
Well, good news: beyond their protagonists, my book and this one have very little in common either in style, setting, or content. Just two totally different books about teenage assassins. We're safe. And now, onto the review, though I'll write a more complete one for my blog.
THE GOOD: This is a fast paced and exciting novel that's full of action. It's got a diverse cast of characters, both in the sense that they're distinct and have their own personalities, and in the sense of representation. There are bi characters and gay characters and ace characters and even an intersex character, all mentioned by name rather than just implied. So that was very cool. It's obviously a heavily researched book, which I guess is good if you're into details but I know so little about guns that some of that stuff was lost on me. There are some emotional moments and a few plot twists that keep the reader guessing.
THE LESS GOOD: This book would probably make a great action movie. On the page, though, so much was happening that I found it a bit hard to follow. Car chases are much harder to visualise than you might think. I was also totally thrown off by Kindra swearing by and referencing the Greek Fates and so on, and there were several moments (I'll find a quote for my full length review) where I couldn't tell if it was literal or metaphorical. While this is eventually vaguely explained, it's not until a long way through the book, and it thoroughly confused me at the beginning. I was trying to adjust to the setting, which I had thought was modern until those references, and then I kept readjusting, throwing me out of the story. Dru's family's vintage pop culture references were similarly off-putting because I didn't understand a lot of them, but as they came into the story a lot later it was less of a problem.
Although this is an engaging story, I found it a bit dense and hard to read. There's just so much action, and I didn't get to know the characters until a long way into the book. Yet for a book that seemed so plot-based, I guessed a number of the twists while remaining thoroughly confused as to what was actually happening at other points.
This might be just me and the way my imagination works -- some people love action, whereas I'm all about character development. (And don't get me wrong, there's plenty of that in this book, it's just harder to see.) I find fight scenes and chases very hard to follow in books, though on screen they're fine. This book read like something that needed to be a film to be fully appreciated, and honestly I think it would work better in that medium than on the page.
So, some good stuff but this didn't quite do it for me. And I think I'll stick to using Buffy as my main comp title -- it's probably a more accurate comparison to make. :)
Full review to follow when I get my act together on account of the whole NetGalley thing yay
Well, good news: beyond their protagonists, my book and this one have very little in common either in style, setting, or content. Just two totally different books about teenage assassins. We're safe. And now, onto the review, though I'll write a more complete one for my blog.
THE GOOD: This is a fast paced and exciting novel that's full of action. It's got a diverse cast of characters, both in the sense that they're distinct and have their own personalities, and in the sense of representation. There are bi characters and gay characters and ace characters and even an intersex character, all mentioned by name rather than just implied. So that was very cool. It's obviously a heavily researched book, which I guess is good if you're into details but I know so little about guns that some of that stuff was lost on me. There are some emotional moments and a few plot twists that keep the reader guessing.
THE LESS GOOD: This book would probably make a great action movie. On the page, though, so much was happening that I found it a bit hard to follow. Car chases are much harder to visualise than you might think. I was also totally thrown off by Kindra swearing by and referencing the Greek Fates and so on, and there were several moments (I'll find a quote for my full length review) where I couldn't tell if it was literal or metaphorical. While this is eventually vaguely explained, it's not until a long way through the book, and it thoroughly confused me at the beginning. I was trying to adjust to the setting, which I had thought was modern until those references, and then I kept readjusting, throwing me out of the story. Dru's family's vintage pop culture references were similarly off-putting because I didn't understand a lot of them, but as they came into the story a lot later it was less of a problem.
Although this is an engaging story, I found it a bit dense and hard to read. There's just so much action, and I didn't get to know the characters until a long way into the book. Yet for a book that seemed so plot-based, I guessed a number of the twists while remaining thoroughly confused as to what was actually happening at other points.
This might be just me and the way my imagination works -- some people love action, whereas I'm all about character development. (And don't get me wrong, there's plenty of that in this book, it's just harder to see.) I find fight scenes and chases very hard to follow in books, though on screen they're fine. This book read like something that needed to be a film to be fully appreciated, and honestly I think it would work better in that medium than on the page.
So, some good stuff but this didn't quite do it for me. And I think I'll stick to using Buffy as my main comp title -- it's probably a more accurate comparison to make. :)
Full review to follow when I get my act together on account of the whole NetGalley thing yay
July 2, 2016
This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it. There's quite alot of action and spy like scenes so if you enjoy that side of a book you'll enjoy this.
The main character was born into a family who make their money taking jobs which involve assassinating people. Kindra hasn't had many choices in her life, forced to follow the path which her parents carved out for her. When I read for the first time in the book she was only 16 it struck me as a little unrealistic. How could someone that age do the things she's forced to do but also seem so much older.
Enter a beautiful stranger and a few twists and turns which throw her life upside down and this is an enjoyable read. There were a few things left unanswered at the end but I guess that's what the next one in the series will address. I also hope we'll see more of the romance in the next one too.
ARC received from publisher via NetGalley.
The main character was born into a family who make their money taking jobs which involve assassinating people. Kindra hasn't had many choices in her life, forced to follow the path which her parents carved out for her. When I read for the first time in the book she was only 16 it struck me as a little unrealistic. How could someone that age do the things she's forced to do but also seem so much older.
Enter a beautiful stranger and a few twists and turns which throw her life upside down and this is an enjoyable read. There were a few things left unanswered at the end but I guess that's what the next one in the series will address. I also hope we'll see more of the romance in the next one too.
ARC received from publisher via NetGalley.
February 25, 2020
2.99/5
- I’m just not into spy books as much as I thought I was bc although I think it was well written I just couldn’t ~Really~ get into it
- But I think if the description sounds intriguing, definitely give it a try!!
- I’m just not into spy books as much as I thought I was bc although I think it was well written I just couldn’t ~Really~ get into it
- But I think if the description sounds intriguing, definitely give it a try!!
September 12, 2016
Thank you Erica Cameron for my e-arc of Assassins: Discord!
Assassins: Discord is like those action movies you watch on TV where there’s guns, explosions and car chases. Only in this book there are more girls than guys. The girls are complex, the girls are kissing and they’re more badass than anyone else. In other words, this book is like those action movies you watch on TV, only a thousand times better. I love Assassins: Discord not only because it’s refreshing and features a storyline that isn’t that often explored in YA but because these teenage girls are flawed, they’re lethal and yet they are just that, teenagers with raw and complex emotions. I also love how inclusive this book is. There are bisexual, asexual, intersex and gay characters and some of them are also of color. Erica Cameron really nailed this book in every aspect there is, it’s sassy, it’s filled with action and once you finish it you’ll literally be begging for more (very much like I am, please when’s the next one coming out *grabby hands*).
Assassins: Discord had me laughing multiple times through the story and the wit, sarcasm and humor throughout this book is the greatest thing about it. It’s just so damn good. I love how there’s turns and twists from start to finish and the biggest one had me literally screaming. I suspected it for quite some time throughout the book but I was still shocked when it happened. Another thing that made Assassins: Discord so great is the character development. There’s a lot of it. We have complex characters, difficult relationships and a lot history that needs to be sorted out. All of the characters start at one point and end at another, with both relationships and dynamics shifting. Even though there’s a lot of action going on there’s also a lot that makes the characters drive the story forward. It’s the best of both worlds.
I love the ship in this book and how their relationship develops. In the world they live, one filled with danger, death and uncertainty relationships are hard, especially for someone like Kindra. Her family has never been much of a family, they have always been more about the job and less about trust, warmth and security. To see how Kindra handles this, how she evolves and becomes better, but also stays true to herself is amazing. I love that Assassins: Discord’s main character is a bisexual who is not afraid to be who she is. I love that this book explores a relationship between two girls that are different in a lot of ways but are still drawn to each other and find something in each other they haven’t before.
Assassins: Discord shows us that action filled books centered around girls – girls that are funny, girls that are sassy, girls that are dangerous and girls that kiss other girls – are the best kind of books. This book literally slays every male dominated book and movie ever created. I want more. I want more lethal girls, I want more girls that take risks and I want girls that evolve. Give me the sequel to Assassins: Discord and give it to me now!
Assassins: Discord is like those action movies you watch on TV where there’s guns, explosions and car chases. Only in this book there are more girls than guys. The girls are complex, the girls are kissing and they’re more badass than anyone else. In other words, this book is like those action movies you watch on TV, only a thousand times better. I love Assassins: Discord not only because it’s refreshing and features a storyline that isn’t that often explored in YA but because these teenage girls are flawed, they’re lethal and yet they are just that, teenagers with raw and complex emotions. I also love how inclusive this book is. There are bisexual, asexual, intersex and gay characters and some of them are also of color. Erica Cameron really nailed this book in every aspect there is, it’s sassy, it’s filled with action and once you finish it you’ll literally be begging for more (very much like I am, please when’s the next one coming out *grabby hands*).
“When her eyes focused, a familiar face hovered above hers. One that shouldn’t have been anywhere near here. “Baby, we’ve really got to stop meeting like this,” said a girl with dyed-black hair – her brown roots peeking through – and teasing moss-green eyes. A familiar endearment on the wrong tongue, and familiar eyes in the wrong face.”
Assassins: Discord had me laughing multiple times through the story and the wit, sarcasm and humor throughout this book is the greatest thing about it. It’s just so damn good. I love how there’s turns and twists from start to finish and the biggest one had me literally screaming. I suspected it for quite some time throughout the book but I was still shocked when it happened. Another thing that made Assassins: Discord so great is the character development. There’s a lot of it. We have complex characters, difficult relationships and a lot history that needs to be sorted out. All of the characters start at one point and end at another, with both relationships and dynamics shifting. Even though there’s a lot of action going on there’s also a lot that makes the characters drive the story forward. It’s the best of both worlds.
“They made it behind a huge tree. Kindra pushed Dru face-first to the forest floor, falling on top of her and covering her own ears with her hands, mouth open slightly to equalize the pressure she knew was coming. Less than two seconds later, the grenade exploded.”
I love the ship in this book and how their relationship develops. In the world they live, one filled with danger, death and uncertainty relationships are hard, especially for someone like Kindra. Her family has never been much of a family, they have always been more about the job and less about trust, warmth and security. To see how Kindra handles this, how she evolves and becomes better, but also stays true to herself is amazing. I love that Assassins: Discord’s main character is a bisexual who is not afraid to be who she is. I love that this book explores a relationship between two girls that are different in a lot of ways but are still drawn to each other and find something in each other they haven’t before.
“That seductive drawl was back, and Kindra shivered. She planned to die before ever admitting she found that sleepy accent ridiculously sexy.”
Assassins: Discord shows us that action filled books centered around girls – girls that are funny, girls that are sassy, girls that are dangerous and girls that kiss other girls – are the best kind of books. This book literally slays every male dominated book and movie ever created. I want more. I want more lethal girls, I want more girls that take risks and I want girls that evolve. Give me the sequel to Assassins: Discord and give it to me now!
June 12, 2020
All kinds of things happen and somehow Kindra is taken by an opposing group. Here she gets two big shocks that change her life. Everyone - her family, herself and the other group - has mad skills as killers, thieves, hackers, spies, you name it. This is a fast-paced adventure, with Kindra trying to decide who the villains really are and falling in love with another young woman her age. It’s bloody, gritty, murky, and intense. It will definitely take your mind off current events if you’re interested in reading a fast-paced story of crime and love. I read this awhile ago and it still resonates. I'm looking forward to a sequel.
September 9, 2016
3.5/5 Stars
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Assassins: Discord follows Kindra, a teenage girl who's been raised as an assassin. Yeah, I know this sounds a tad bit far-fetched, but I was able to suspend disbelief for the most part---I mean, it's not that much stranger than crime families who raise their kids to be in the "business," right? If mom and dad are both assassins, it seems logical that they'd train up the kids to be a part of the action.
Kindra has learned never to question the job, but when things go wrong with her family's latest hit, she can't help but wonder why all the details don't seem to add up. And one question leads to another until Kindra is finding cracks everywhere in the foundation of her life. Once she starts looking too closely, she may not be able to go back to blissful ignorance.
What Fed My Addiction:
Morally gray MC.
Those of you who are fans of books with a main character who skirts that line between the light and the dark will LOVE Kindra. After all, she's an assassin. And she's not exactly unwilling. Kindra has been raised in a family of assassins and she's been taught that you don't question the job. You don't think about the moral implications of what you're doing---you just do what you need to do to get paid. Even when Kindra starts questioning that, she's not necessarily against doing what needs to be done. Her own survival comes first, even when there might be innocents caught in the crossfire. (Old habits die hard.) But even though Kindra has some definite character flaws, I never found her unlikable. I could see how she was a product of her environment and how she often felt driven into a corner she couldn't escape---without the use of weapons.
Trust and Betrayals.
This is the type of book where the main character doesn't know who she can trust. Kindra has spent her life depending on her family to back her up on the job, but can she truly trust them or will they sell her out if necessary? She's never really felt love or devotion, only dedication to the task. And now Kindra has found herself in a situation where she has to decide to put her life in other people's hands. Not only that, but she starts to have feelings for these people and she realizes that there might be more to life than the next mission. But things are complicated, and Kindra can't just jump into putting her faith into others---and she discovers that her life has been filled with more betrayals than she ever knew and that secrets lurk around every corner.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Too much action? (For me)
This type of action/thriller isn't my typical style of read, and I have to confess that I sometimes tend to get bored with long action scenes. If you love actiony spy books, this will be right up your alley, but I sometimes wanted to get past the shooting and bombs exploding and get back to the hearts of the characters. That's just me.
Forced diversity?
Okay, this is one of those cases where I almost feel bad for mentioning it because I am a white hetero female who gets plenty of representation in books, but the LGBTQA diversity in this book felt just a little forced to me. I was happy for a main character who was bi, but then there were LOTS of other random orientations that almost felt thrown in - three gay/lesbian characters, an asexual character and an intersex character. It seemed awfully coincidental to me that so many sexual orientations turned up in this relatively small group of randomly assorted people. Still, I guess better to over-represent than under-represent?
Fans of action thrillers will find plenty to love about Assassins: Discord. Likewise, so will LGBT readers looking for a little excitement and variety in their reading. If I was more of a fan of the genre, I think I would have loved this book even more, but the book still gets an easy 3.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Assassins: Discord follows Kindra, a teenage girl who's been raised as an assassin. Yeah, I know this sounds a tad bit far-fetched, but I was able to suspend disbelief for the most part---I mean, it's not that much stranger than crime families who raise their kids to be in the "business," right? If mom and dad are both assassins, it seems logical that they'd train up the kids to be a part of the action.
Kindra has learned never to question the job, but when things go wrong with her family's latest hit, she can't help but wonder why all the details don't seem to add up. And one question leads to another until Kindra is finding cracks everywhere in the foundation of her life. Once she starts looking too closely, she may not be able to go back to blissful ignorance.
What Fed My Addiction:
Morally gray MC.
Those of you who are fans of books with a main character who skirts that line between the light and the dark will LOVE Kindra. After all, she's an assassin. And she's not exactly unwilling. Kindra has been raised in a family of assassins and she's been taught that you don't question the job. You don't think about the moral implications of what you're doing---you just do what you need to do to get paid. Even when Kindra starts questioning that, she's not necessarily against doing what needs to be done. Her own survival comes first, even when there might be innocents caught in the crossfire. (Old habits die hard.) But even though Kindra has some definite character flaws, I never found her unlikable. I could see how she was a product of her environment and how she often felt driven into a corner she couldn't escape---without the use of weapons.
Trust and Betrayals.
This is the type of book where the main character doesn't know who she can trust. Kindra has spent her life depending on her family to back her up on the job, but can she truly trust them or will they sell her out if necessary? She's never really felt love or devotion, only dedication to the task. And now Kindra has found herself in a situation where she has to decide to put her life in other people's hands. Not only that, but she starts to have feelings for these people and she realizes that there might be more to life than the next mission. But things are complicated, and Kindra can't just jump into putting her faith into others---and she discovers that her life has been filled with more betrayals than she ever knew and that secrets lurk around every corner.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Too much action? (For me)
This type of action/thriller isn't my typical style of read, and I have to confess that I sometimes tend to get bored with long action scenes. If you love actiony spy books, this will be right up your alley, but I sometimes wanted to get past the shooting and bombs exploding and get back to the hearts of the characters. That's just me.
Forced diversity?
Okay, this is one of those cases where I almost feel bad for mentioning it because I am a white hetero female who gets plenty of representation in books, but the LGBTQA diversity in this book felt just a little forced to me. I was happy for a main character who was bi, but then there were LOTS of other random orientations that almost felt thrown in - three gay/lesbian characters, an asexual character and an intersex character. It seemed awfully coincidental to me that so many sexual orientations turned up in this relatively small group of randomly assorted people. Still, I guess better to over-represent than under-represent?
Fans of action thrillers will find plenty to love about Assassins: Discord. Likewise, so will LGBT readers looking for a little excitement and variety in their reading. If I was more of a fan of the genre, I think I would have loved this book even more, but the book still gets an easy 3.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
September 29, 2016
Rating: ★★★½
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
Being completely honest: I wasn’t expecting a lot from this book. I’m not the biggest fan of assassins in modern days so I went into Assassins: Discord with very low expectations. And well, I was surprised (at first, at least).
First, because of the writing. I loved it. It’s sharp and efficient and totally fits the tone of the book and the story. Second, because the first half of this book is absolutely breathtaking. I-need-to-find-out-what-happens-now kind of breathtaking. Assassins: Discord has everything a good action movie would have: assassination attempts (duh), car chases, bombs exploding, lots of guns and knives, etc. It is good. Really good.
But then the story kind of loses its steam after the midpoint. That is, more or less when Kindra and Dru get stuck together (kind of), which is sad because the world needs more f/f couples, but they didn’t work for me. I didn’t dislike them or anything, but I didn’t really feel their romance. It happens way too fast and since Assassins: Discord is a very plot-driven book, the characters don’t have much space to be, let alone to build relationships. I found the romance kind of awkward.
To my surprise, the more well-developed characters for me were Odira, Amett and Sera, Kindra’s parents and sister. I didn’t like them (is it even possible to like Odira?), but they seemed very real, which many of the other characters didn’t do. Odira’s characterization in particular was very well done, but overall, I don’t think the characters are this book’s strong point. Honestly, though, I would have loved it anyway if the story didn’t sag after 50%. And, well, I can’t point out exactly why that happened – maybe the pacing? The not so interesting chase? The complete change of scenery/characters?
Anyway, I will read the next volume if I have the opportunity, but it isn’t my priority.
I do appreciate how diverse Assassins: Discord is, though. Kindra herself is bi, Dru is either bi or lesbian, there is an intersex character (very minor but it’s there) and an asexual character.
Unfortunately, the character who maybe would have made me want to read the next book isn’t going to show up again, so there is that. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
Being completely honest: I wasn’t expecting a lot from this book. I’m not the biggest fan of assassins in modern days so I went into Assassins: Discord with very low expectations. And well, I was surprised (at first, at least).
First, because of the writing. I loved it. It’s sharp and efficient and totally fits the tone of the book and the story. Second, because the first half of this book is absolutely breathtaking. I-need-to-find-out-what-happens-now kind of breathtaking. Assassins: Discord has everything a good action movie would have: assassination attempts (duh), car chases, bombs exploding, lots of guns and knives, etc. It is good. Really good.
But then the story kind of loses its steam after the midpoint. That is, more or less when Kindra and Dru get stuck together (kind of), which is sad because the world needs more f/f couples, but they didn’t work for me. I didn’t dislike them or anything, but I didn’t really feel their romance. It happens way too fast and since Assassins: Discord is a very plot-driven book, the characters don’t have much space to be, let alone to build relationships. I found the romance kind of awkward.
To my surprise, the more well-developed characters for me were Odira, Amett and Sera, Kindra’s parents and sister. I didn’t like them (is it even possible to like Odira?), but they seemed very real, which many of the other characters didn’t do. Odira’s characterization in particular was very well done, but overall, I don’t think the characters are this book’s strong point. Honestly, though, I would have loved it anyway if the story didn’t sag after 50%. And, well, I can’t point out exactly why that happened – maybe the pacing? The not so interesting chase? The complete change of scenery/characters?
Anyway, I will read the next volume if I have the opportunity, but it isn’t my priority.
I do appreciate how diverse Assassins: Discord is, though. Kindra herself is bi, Dru is either bi or lesbian, there is an intersex character (very minor but it’s there) and an asexual character.
Unfortunately, the character who maybe would have made me want to read the next book isn’t going to show up again, so there is that. 3.5 stars.
August 20, 2016
A story about a ruthless teenage girl-assassin? Sign me up right now! Kindra Weston has been trained from birth in the arts of hiding in plain sight and killing people without leaving a trace. It wasn't like she had any say in her occupation, but that doesn't mean she isn't good, dangerously good, at her job. When her father muffs an important assassination, it puts into motion a sequence of events that spirals her life out of control. Saying any more would be a spoiler.
While Assassins: Discord is a thrill-a-minute action-packed tale that takes off from the word go, it does take you a bit of time to get into it. Mostly because there are too many names, too many connections, too many details to get a handle on. Some of the descriptions are also unclear, so even though you know there is, say, an exciting car chase on, you're not sure exactly what is happening.
Kindra’s attraction to Dru Calver, the daughter of her family’s biggest rivals, forms one of the storylines, but the way it starts off isn’t exactly convincing. When you’re tied up, kidnapped and likely to be killed sooner rather than later, thinking about how “cute” your captor and would-be killer is hardly the sort of thing that runs through your mind. Also, the book seems to have set out with and agenda to include as many LGBTQ characters as possible. While this would be commendable, it seems to be forced in this case. Here’s the count: one bisexual, two gay/lesbian, one asexual, one intersex (and yes, one of them dies).
Overall, however, I did enjoy the book, once I got past the slow start and figured out (almost) what was going on. The Westons’ and Calvers’ unconventional ways of cursing was certainly imaginative and amusing.
(Review copy from NetGalley)
While Assassins: Discord is a thrill-a-minute action-packed tale that takes off from the word go, it does take you a bit of time to get into it. Mostly because there are too many names, too many connections, too many details to get a handle on. Some of the descriptions are also unclear, so even though you know there is, say, an exciting car chase on, you're not sure exactly what is happening.
Kindra’s attraction to Dru Calver, the daughter of her family’s biggest rivals, forms one of the storylines, but the way it starts off isn’t exactly convincing. When you’re tied up, kidnapped and likely to be killed sooner rather than later, thinking about how “cute” your captor and would-be killer is hardly the sort of thing that runs through your mind. Also, the book seems to have set out with and agenda to include as many LGBTQ characters as possible. While this would be commendable, it seems to be forced in this case. Here’s the count: one bisexual, two gay/lesbian, one asexual, one intersex (and yes, one of them dies).
Overall, however, I did enjoy the book, once I got past the slow start and figured out (almost) what was going on. The Westons’ and Calvers’ unconventional ways of cursing was certainly imaginative and amusing.
(Review copy from NetGalley)
September 5, 2016
Thank you to Netgalley and Riptide for proving me a copy of the eArc in exchange for a fair review.
Kindra is a teenage bi-sexual assassin. Everything in her life is pretty normal right up until her father missing the target. He never misses the target, and after that moment everything begins to change. She begins to ask questions and do more research.... and worst of all she begins to wonder if they should even be killing the target.
With the botched hit brings other families to complete the mission, and Kindra notices that a girl has been following her, and before she can start putting all the pieces together she gets kidnapped by that girl (Dru) and everything changes...
I am going to get my only dislike out of the way. The family reference confused me, I never really understood if her parents are her parents... I think they are but it kind of weaves in between her calling them by their names and calling them mom and dad. So since it's a family of assassin's I can sort of understand that, however I felt it was never really clear and it just added some confusion to the overall story.
That being said, this was a fast paced action packed thrill ride! Kindra was a great main character, snarky and interesting. The overall story was good, despite some minor confusion and sometimes you have to guess who is telling the story at the moment, because the pov changes and it's not always clear up front who it is. I am looking forward to seeing how this series goes and I will be reading book 2 when it comes!
Kindra is a teenage bi-sexual assassin. Everything in her life is pretty normal right up until her father missing the target. He never misses the target, and after that moment everything begins to change. She begins to ask questions and do more research.... and worst of all she begins to wonder if they should even be killing the target.
With the botched hit brings other families to complete the mission, and Kindra notices that a girl has been following her, and before she can start putting all the pieces together she gets kidnapped by that girl (Dru) and everything changes...
I am going to get my only dislike out of the way. The family reference confused me, I never really understood if her parents are her parents... I think they are but it kind of weaves in between her calling them by their names and calling them mom and dad. So since it's a family of assassin's I can sort of understand that, however I felt it was never really clear and it just added some confusion to the overall story.
That being said, this was a fast paced action packed thrill ride! Kindra was a great main character, snarky and interesting. The overall story was good, despite some minor confusion and sometimes you have to guess who is telling the story at the moment, because the pov changes and it's not always clear up front who it is. I am looking forward to seeing how this series goes and I will be reading book 2 when it comes!
October 12, 2016
This is a fantastic young adult novel about a teenage girl who grows up as part of a family of assassins. When a job goes wrong, the family tries again to kill the mark and make things right. Only then things get even more botched, and Kindra is unexpectedly kidnapped by a member of another group trying to protect the mark--another family that Kindra knew from when she was much younger. From there, things go even more sideways as Kindra brgrudging helps that family and the mark, and uncovers more details that make her question her loyalties to the only family she has ever known. And it turns out her family is more than willing to kill her if they believe she's turned on them, so where does that leave her when the dust settles?
The action is fast paced. There is a romantic subplot between Kindra and another character, but it's not the main focus of the story. Though this story is not supernatural in nature, it easily competes with other YA action series, like The Mortal Instruments or the Lorien Legacies. It has a great cast of characters woven together with a carefully driven plot. I will happily continue with this series as soon as the follow-up stories are released.
The action is fast paced. There is a romantic subplot between Kindra and another character, but it's not the main focus of the story. Though this story is not supernatural in nature, it easily competes with other YA action series, like The Mortal Instruments or the Lorien Legacies. It has a great cast of characters woven together with a carefully driven plot. I will happily continue with this series as soon as the follow-up stories are released.
September 9, 2016
This book should have been everything I wanted. I love gunslingers, girls who can fight and crazy crime family novels. The rival gangs were a bit like Romeo and Juliet.
But for me, the writing really let it down. I struggled to even understand what was going on for the first 50 pgs or so, because so many characters get dumped on the reader at once and it's almost entirely dialogue with no world-building.
But for me, the writing really let it down. I struggled to even understand what was going on for the first 50 pgs or so, because so many characters get dumped on the reader at once and it's almost entirely dialogue with no world-building.
December 19, 2020
Ever wonder if you were supposed to be part of your family? If anyone had a right to ponder this, it's Kindra. She's one of three teens in a totally amoral family of killers for hire, but unlike her sister, she's beginning to have doubts when this book begins.From there, it's pretty much non-stop action, alternating between chasing and being chased. When she's nearly blown up while interrogating a captive, things change quickly and in very surprising ways. To say more would give too much away. It was good enough so I ordered the sequel the day after finishing this book.
May 29, 2017
I thought I would love this book but I just didn't and found myself doing other things to not have to finish reading it.
There was nothing about it that made it bad - nothing wrong with stories or characters but I just couldn't get into it.
There was nothing about it that made it bad - nothing wrong with stories or characters but I just couldn't get into it.
January 30, 2018
this had way too little action and actual killing for a book about assassins...
May 29, 2019
I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. Can't really pinpoint it exactly. Didn't leave a very lasting impression. I would like to come back and finish this one day, but for now, DNF.
Shelved as 'featured'
December 6, 2020
November 14, 2016
Review to come!
March 24, 2017
A copy of this novel was provided by Riptide Publishing for review via Net Galley.
Oh, this review is hard to write. Because on the one hand there were many times that I wanted to DNF Assassins: Discord because it was really, really long, and I also didn’t feel like the plot was moving fast enough (and I was more than a little bored at times). But on the other hand there were elements I liked, and against all my DNF feelings, I did finish it, and I’m quite glad that I pushed through.
Assassins: Discord takes place over a pretty small amount of time, which is why I was surprised that everything moved so slowly. I thought that because it was so action-packed, and there were so many things going on, and heaps of mystery … it would not be slow at all. But it was. Even though there was action, a mysterious storyline, and quite a lot of thrilling scenes I was, for the most part, quite bored. I never felt like enough was happening for me to fall in love with it.
I also wasn’t invested in the main character, Kindra, either. For one thing, I felt like she was too young, which is really rare for me. She’s sixteen, and goes on these missions where she pretends to be a government official. I know I was baby faced at sixteen, but I’m pretty sure no sixteen year old could pull that off efficiently. She also mentioned the fact that she started seducing people in missions four years ago, which means that she was twelve. Unless they were all creepy paedophiles (who knows, they could have been) that timeline is very, severely off.
Most of the plot revolved around shady business, and while I have recently discovered that I enjoy political intrigue, I am not as interested in business shenanigans. I mean, I wanted to see the evil people taken down because they’d killed people (including children), but the storyline wasn’t exactly one that kept me hooked.
I was really on board with the diversity, though. There were a heap of people of colour and queer characters in this book, and I was extremely happy about this. The word “bisexual” was used to describe Kindra’s sexual orientation, and she rebutted a comment about her willing to sleep with anyone, both of which were A+. There’s also an asexual character who uses the word. I would have loved this character to have at least one POV chapter, so that this was a book with an asexual MC who used the word.
I’m not sure whether or not I will read the sequel, but there’s a chance I will. I did end up enjoying some of the storyline (mostly about Kindra’s interaction with her family and another), and I would be interested to see where everything ends up because there wasn’t a whole lot of resolution at the end of Assassins: Discord.
I think if you’re one for movies about shady business people and trying to bring them down, stories that question what you’ve always been told, and books with a heap of diversity then I’d suggest reading Assassins: Discord.
© 2016, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity . All rights reserved.
trigger warning: murder + murder of a sibling, attempted murder, torture, forced prostitution + forced prostitution of a minor, domestic violence, emotional abuse, physical assault, and physical abuse in this novel
Oh, this review is hard to write. Because on the one hand there were many times that I wanted to DNF Assassins: Discord because it was really, really long, and I also didn’t feel like the plot was moving fast enough (and I was more than a little bored at times). But on the other hand there were elements I liked, and against all my DNF feelings, I did finish it, and I’m quite glad that I pushed through.
Assassins: Discord takes place over a pretty small amount of time, which is why I was surprised that everything moved so slowly. I thought that because it was so action-packed, and there were so many things going on, and heaps of mystery … it would not be slow at all. But it was. Even though there was action, a mysterious storyline, and quite a lot of thrilling scenes I was, for the most part, quite bored. I never felt like enough was happening for me to fall in love with it.
I also wasn’t invested in the main character, Kindra, either. For one thing, I felt like she was too young, which is really rare for me. She’s sixteen, and goes on these missions where she pretends to be a government official. I know I was baby faced at sixteen, but I’m pretty sure no sixteen year old could pull that off efficiently. She also mentioned the fact that she started seducing people in missions four years ago, which means that she was twelve. Unless they were all creepy paedophiles (who knows, they could have been) that timeline is very, severely off.
Most of the plot revolved around shady business, and while I have recently discovered that I enjoy political intrigue, I am not as interested in business shenanigans. I mean, I wanted to see the evil people taken down because they’d killed people (including children), but the storyline wasn’t exactly one that kept me hooked.
I was really on board with the diversity, though. There were a heap of people of colour and queer characters in this book, and I was extremely happy about this. The word “bisexual” was used to describe Kindra’s sexual orientation, and she rebutted a comment about her willing to sleep with anyone, both of which were A+. There’s also an asexual character who uses the word. I would have loved this character to have at least one POV chapter, so that this was a book with an asexual MC who used the word.
I’m not sure whether or not I will read the sequel, but there’s a chance I will. I did end up enjoying some of the storyline (mostly about Kindra’s interaction with her family and another), and I would be interested to see where everything ends up because there wasn’t a whole lot of resolution at the end of Assassins: Discord.
I think if you’re one for movies about shady business people and trying to bring them down, stories that question what you’ve always been told, and books with a heap of diversity then I’d suggest reading Assassins: Discord.
© 2016, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity . All rights reserved.
trigger warning: murder + murder of a sibling, attempted murder, torture, forced prostitution + forced prostitution of a minor, domestic violence, emotional abuse, physical assault, and physical abuse in this novel
October 10, 2016
Assassins: Discord had its strengths and weaknesses. It started off with a bang that held my attention with all the questions I wanted answered. Why had brought this family to take down others? What had happened to Ryce? Why did Kindra and Sera not refer to their parents by ‘mom’ and ‘dad’? Is this the life that Kindra really wants to live? With time, all these questions were answered with some effective twists; one of which I had foreseen.
I enjoyed the action. It was pretty much nonstop and the scenes were detailed. The only downside was that it was somewhat difficult for me to follow along in certain areas. I had to reread passages in order to understand what was happening and make up my own theories on what resulted. The political talk with the bad guys also confused me. It was over my head and I eventually gave up trying to understand the motives and plans.
Another thing I didn’t like was the multiple points of view in third person. There were too many characters scattered around the globe that made the story more confusing than necessary. Some of these people could have been left out or described through another character’s point of view. That definitely would have reduced the page count because this is a long story. A little too long in my opinion since some things seemed to drag on.
Because of all the characters, I didn’t feel attached or like any of them. Kindra’s point of view was used the majority of the time, but I never took a liking to her. She was too cynical, sarcastic, and reckless. I understand that her personality stems from the way she was raised by her parents, but I never feel an attachment to characters like that. I need some type of balance of good and bad to grasp my attention. I didn’t like Sera or Odira since they were too extreme and heartless with their words and actions. The other characters were decent to endure, but like I said, nothing stuck with me once I finished the story.
All in all, this is a good read for someone who enjoys espionage novels since it is action packed and will hook your attention from the beginning.
I received an ARC of Assassins: Discord from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I enjoyed the action. It was pretty much nonstop and the scenes were detailed. The only downside was that it was somewhat difficult for me to follow along in certain areas. I had to reread passages in order to understand what was happening and make up my own theories on what resulted. The political talk with the bad guys also confused me. It was over my head and I eventually gave up trying to understand the motives and plans.
Another thing I didn’t like was the multiple points of view in third person. There were too many characters scattered around the globe that made the story more confusing than necessary. Some of these people could have been left out or described through another character’s point of view. That definitely would have reduced the page count because this is a long story. A little too long in my opinion since some things seemed to drag on.
Because of all the characters, I didn’t feel attached or like any of them. Kindra’s point of view was used the majority of the time, but I never took a liking to her. She was too cynical, sarcastic, and reckless. I understand that her personality stems from the way she was raised by her parents, but I never feel an attachment to characters like that. I need some type of balance of good and bad to grasp my attention. I didn’t like Sera or Odira since they were too extreme and heartless with their words and actions. The other characters were decent to endure, but like I said, nothing stuck with me once I finished the story.
All in all, this is a good read for someone who enjoys espionage novels since it is action packed and will hook your attention from the beginning.
I received an ARC of Assassins: Discord from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
June 15, 2021
La duologie Assassins d’Erica Cameron était dans la longue liste des livres avec de la représentation ace que j’avais à lire, et j’ai sélectionné Discord, le tome 1, un peu au hasard. J’ai eu de la chance, car il m’a bien changé les idées des autres lectures assez chargées que j’avais en cours. Je regrette seulement de l’avoir commencé alors que j’étais en week-end chez des ami·es : j’avançais entre quelques conversations, la cuisine et la vaisselle, sans lire plus de quelques paragraphes à chaque fois, ce qui n’aide pas à se mettre dans l’ambiance.
Surtout que le début est compliqué à suivre ! Il y a un prologue qui est un fait un chapitre retiré du milieu − et que je conseille de lire à ce moment-là car il n’apporte pas grand-chose avant − et ensuite, on découvre Kindra, une assassin de seize ans qui s’attache à sa cible… Puis son père échoue à le tuer, ce qui n’était jamais arrivé auparavant.
Tout au long de cette scène, on découvre les doutes de Kindra : elle n’aime pas son travail, elle sait que sa famille ne tient pas à elle, mais elle est aussi terrorisée par sa mère qui n’hésitera pas à la tuer si elle s’enfuit.
J’ai immédiatement pensé à un ami qui écrit une histoire avec un assassin entrainé depuis l’enfance : qu’est-ce qui fait qu’une personne éduquée sans sens moral en acquiert un ? J’ai trouvé la question bien traitée dans ce roman, car au fur et à mesure que l’intrigue progresse, on comprend à la fois pourquoi Kindra a des doutes mais aussi pourquoi elle n’a jamais cherché à s’enfuir.
La suite de mon avis : https://elainevker.com/blog/2021/06/1...
Surtout que le début est compliqué à suivre ! Il y a un prologue qui est un fait un chapitre retiré du milieu − et que je conseille de lire à ce moment-là car il n’apporte pas grand-chose avant − et ensuite, on découvre Kindra, une assassin de seize ans qui s’attache à sa cible… Puis son père échoue à le tuer, ce qui n’était jamais arrivé auparavant.
Tout au long de cette scène, on découvre les doutes de Kindra : elle n’aime pas son travail, elle sait que sa famille ne tient pas à elle, mais elle est aussi terrorisée par sa mère qui n’hésitera pas à la tuer si elle s’enfuit.
J’ai immédiatement pensé à un ami qui écrit une histoire avec un assassin entrainé depuis l’enfance : qu’est-ce qui fait qu’une personne éduquée sans sens moral en acquiert un ? J’ai trouvé la question bien traitée dans ce roman, car au fur et à mesure que l’intrigue progresse, on comprend à la fois pourquoi Kindra a des doutes mais aussi pourquoi elle n’a jamais cherché à s’enfuir.
La suite de mon avis : https://elainevker.com/blog/2021/06/1...
September 12, 2016
whoa. this book was a thrilling, wild ride. i got to the end and....i need book two like nowwww???
the entire thing read like an intense, non stop action movie!! i have sooo many questioooons and i need them answered immediately...but obviously i'm gonna have to wait for book 2 to get them *pouts*
the entire thing read like an intense, non stop action movie!! i have sooo many questioooons and i need them answered immediately...but obviously i'm gonna have to wait for book 2 to get them *pouts*
September 12, 2016
Listen, this is a f/f hit men. With a decent plot. With a decent writing.
Granted, the writing could be 2 seconds more polished, but frankly the concept is 1 start all on its own and let's not forget the wide minority/orientation representation!!!
I'll buy everything like this and brand it 5 stars until it will become the norm.
Granted, the writing could be 2 seconds more polished, but frankly the concept is 1 start all on its own and let's not forget the wide minority/orientation representation!!!
I'll buy everything like this and brand it 5 stars until it will become the norm.
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