Aveline

Lost Vegas #1

by Lizzy Ford

Book 1, Lost Vegas Series. In post-apocalyptic America, five hundred years in the future, famine, war, and chaos have created a hell on earth. Outside the isolated city of Lost Vegas, violent skirmishes among the Native Americans – who have retaken their ancestral lands – claim lives by day, while ancient predators awakened during the Age of Darkness hunt humans by night. Inside the city, criminals, the impoverished, and the deformed are burned at the stake weekly.


Among those ruthless enough to survive is seventeen-year-old Aveline, a street rat skilled in fighting whose father runs the criminal underworld. On the night of her father’s unexpected death, a stranger offers to pay off her father’s debts, if she agrees to become the guardian of Tiana Hanover, the daughter of the most powerful man in Lost Vegas. Caught between her father’s debtors and his enemies, Aveline reluctantly accepts.


Expecting a pampered princess, Aveline soon discovers sheltered, sweet Tiana is little more than a slave – and harboring a secret the wealthy Hanover’s will kill to keep. Little does she know that her fate, and Tiana’s, have been bound since long before they met.


Will Aveline’s street smarts be enough to keep them both alive?

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Fantasy

ebook

Published September 19, 2016

About the author

I breathe stories. I dream them. If it were possible, I'd eat them, too. (I'm pretty sure they'd taste like cotton candy.) I can't escape them - they're everywhere! Which is why I write! I was born to bring the crazy worlds and people in my mind to life, and I love sharing them with as many people as I can.

I'm also the bestselling, award winning, internationally acclaimed author of over sixty titles and counting. I write speculative fiction in multiple subgenres of romance and fantasy, contemporary fiction, books for both teens and adults, and just about anything else I feel like writing. If I can imagine it, I can write it!

I live in the desert of southern Arizona with a pack of spoiled dogs and Tubbs, the Godfather cat who rules them all.


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LizzyFordBooks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LizzyFord2010
Email: LizzyFord2010@gmail.com
Radish: LizzyFord
Wattpad: LizzyFord

Lizzy’s books include:

Lost Vegas – young adult post-apocalyptic
Aveline
Tiana
Arthur
Black Wolf

Spell Realm Series (coming summer 2017) – young adult fantasy
Water Spell (2017)
Dragon Spell (2018)
Moon Spell (2018)
Sword Spell (2019)

History Interrupted – time travel romance
West
East
North (2017)
South (2018)

Omega Beginnings Series
Alessandra
Mismatch
Phoibe
Lantos
Theodocia
Niko
Cleon
Herakles

Omega Series
Omega
Theta
Alpha (2017)

Theta Beginnings Miniseries (novelettes)
Silent Queen
Mercenary
Shadow Titan
People’s Champion

Non-Series – 2014 - 2017
Black Moon Draw (about a reader sucked into her book)
White Tree Sound (2017)
Highlander Enchanted
The Door
The Fall of Esme (2017)
Sons of War – contemporary military romance
Semper Mine
Soldier Mine
SEAL Mine (2017)

Super Villainess
It’s Not Easy Being Evil
It’s Not Easy Being Good

Starwalkers Serials (with Julia Crane) – new adult science fiction serial
Severed
Trapped
Exiled
Revealed
Escaped
Ascended
Starwalkers – complete (#1-6)

Heart of Fire – sexy dragon shifter
Charred Heart
Charred Tears
Charred Hope

Incubatti – Buffy meets 50 Shades
Zoey Rogue
Zoey Avenger

Rhyn Trilogy – new adult paranormal with demons
Katie’s Hellion
Katie’s Hope
Rhyn’s Redemption

Rhyn Eternal – Death finds love
Gabriel’s Hope
Deidre’s Death
Darkyn’s Mate
The Underworld
Twisted Fate
Twisted Karma (2017)

War of Gods – paranormal with gods, guardians and exceptional humans
Damian’s Oracle
Damian’s Assassin
Damian’s Immortal
The Grey God

Damian Eternal
Xander’s Chance
The Black God

Hidden Evil – paranormal with angels and four horsemen
Hear No
See No (TBD)
Speak No (TBD)

Unnamed Series
Unnatural (TBD)
Unmade (TBD)

Omega
Omega
Theta
Alpha (2017)

Anshan Saga – new adult science fiction romance
Kiera’s Moon
Kiera’s Sun

Santa’s Ninja Elves (short stories)
Natasha & Hunter

Non-series titles – 2011 - 2013
Star Kissed
A Demon’s Desire
The Warlord’s Secret
Maddy’s Oasis
Rebel Heart

Witchlings – young adult paranormal
Dark Summer
Autumn Storm
Winter Fire
Spring Rain

Broken Beauty Novellas – new adult dramatic fiction
Broken Beauty
Broken World

Voodoo Nights - young adult paranormal
Cursed

As SE Reign, erotica writer
101 Nights Box Set (Serials 1-7)

Reviews

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzy Ford is fast becoming one of my favorite YA Fantasy authors. This is the third book I have read of hers and I've given all three 5 stars. Her stories are so creative that they pull me in and I devour them! I won't give my usual run down of what this book is about because I believe that will spoil it. You already learn enough in the synopsis. I will just say that Lizzy has created so many great characters in this book that she has me hooked. I can not wait to see how this story will unfold. On that note, this is the first in a continued story and does end on a cliffhanger.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Silvara Wilde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out my other reviews, discussions and link ups at Fantasy of the Silver Dragon.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


So much of this book dragged. There were a lot of interesting bits that I breezed through quickly. But in between those bits, there were slow spots and things going on that I just didn't care about. I wanted to like this book, it sounded really good, and I was super curious about why Tiana was locked away and mistreated.

There is a brothel scene early on, and you find out that the poor people are cannibals because there isn't enough other meat to go around. There are signs all through the book that something horrible happened in the past, and the people had to flee from it. The wealthy have electricity and elevators, but the poor use torches and most have no idea what technology is.

I liked Tiana and her brother Arthur a lot more than Aveline. The book alternates view points between the three, with Aveline having the most chapters in her view point. I also liked how one of the main characters is LGBT, even if it's as forbidden as the secret the siblings share.

Some of the possible trigger warnings are cannibalism, self-harm (cutting), blood and violence. None of them were bad enough to bother me, but there are a few bloody scenes towards the end of the book. The book also ends on a huge cliffhanger, almost like there were a few pages or more missing. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, but almost nothing felt wrapped up enough for the book to be over.

Aveline didn't fit what I was hoping for as an assassin. Even one who is technically still in training. Her father was the head of the guild and said to be one of the best there was. She had supposedly been training with him since she was 3 or less. And yet, there were so many times in the book where the way she acted didn't fit. In the beginning, she's running through streets trying to escape pursuers. But when a stranger throws her a rope so she can escape to the roof, she's so busy checking out who had followed her on the street below that she nearly forgets that he is up there with her!

She also ignores advice on how to fit in with the slaves on her assignment, pretty much tunes out the man who is telling her how things work. And there are a number of times she forgets that she is supposed to be a mute slave, and speaks to people. This would be mostly forgivable as she's still a teenager, and maybe she hasn't learned as much as she should. Except we're constantly being told things like how she started learning how to use a weapon at age 3, or how role-playing was a skill children learned at a young age. And each time we were told something like that, you could be sure that shortly afterwords Aveline would fail to live up to what was said or thought.

I did like how the court intrigue and politics was done. As well as the twists about the danger that was stalking Tiana. But overall, I'm not sure I liked the book enough to read the next in the series.

This review was originally posted on Fantasy of the Silver Dragon

[Sarah Yee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

An excellent read, perfect for fans of Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns series. Anxiously awaiting the next installment!

[Annie Deo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one. Judging by the glowing reviews on Goodreads, this appealed to several other readers, but alas, I was not one of them. :/

The synopsis sounds fantastic - I love strong female protagonists, I love assassins, I love female friendship or mentor/protegee relationships. And I will say that the action scenes were a high point in this novel. But I found the title character so exasperating that it made this book a struggle to get through!

First, the positives. This is the first in the 'Lost Vegas' series - from the name, you can guess that the setting is a post-apocalyptic US, as opposed to an entirely new fantasy world, and there are hints throughout to support this with the limited availability of electricity in the pyramid structure inhabited by the wealthy elite (which has the word 'Casino' inscribed on its main floor). There isn't any dense exposition outlining the precise details of the world these characters inhabit, just snippets here and there, so the reader can build up their own impression of the setting and do some educated guesswork to fill in the blanks.



My theory is some sort of nuclear apocalypse that affected the genetics of certain characters, given the unique mutation suffered by those like Tiana and the abilities that come with it. Because in fiction, radioactive fallout always leads to you developing amazing powers, it never just results in your hair and teeth falling out as you waste away in a slow painful agonizing death!



The plot was quite zippy and fast-paced, there was certainly no filler slowing down this book! There were a few genuinely disturbing scenes that unsettled me - the whole sequence in the brothel, for one. That was excellent writing there, it was a bit more horrifying than some of the books I've read in the actual horror genre!

I liked that a few central mysteries and conflicts were addressed (even if not resolved) by the end instead of being dragged out, a couple shockingly so! Being a genre-savvy reader, I was confident of one character's true loyalties lying elsewhere, but there were still a few twists and turns I didn't see coming, which is always fun.



We also were treated to alternating POV chapters from the perspective of Tiana and her brother, Arthur. They were much easier to invest in - Tiana with her shy sweetness and Arthur's fierce loyalty and courage. The sequels are titled Tiana and Arthur, so that's encouraging. ^_^ I found their storylines a great deal more engrossing and their struggles more sympathetic than Aveline's, so it's good that the next couple books will focus more on these characters.

Now to the negative - Aveline. I understand that she's a teenager and she's not perfect, but instead of being realistically flawed, it was more that she was built up to be this amazing assassin with years of experience and training, but everything she said and did proved the contrary.

In the beginning, when she's on the run and narrowly escapes capture with the aid of a stranger who helps her to scale a building to evade her pursuers...it's not JUST that she is taken unawares and knocked unconscious by him that rankles, it's that she disregards him to the point that 'she had nearly forgotten the man who threw her the rope' in favor of looking over the building at the men chasing her. Surely situational awareness should be the first lesson an assassin learns? Not to trust someone who helps you out of the goodness of their heart and always be suspicious of their motives?

Then when she's infiltrated the pyramid as a slave, she ignores the spiel given by George who is her guide to this new society she's completely unfamiliar with, because who needs to know the lay of the land? What value is there in learning the etiquette and mannerisms specific to her role? Nope, Aveline has no need for any local intel, instead her response is:

"I'm not here to pass as one of you," she replied "I'm here to do what I do best."

Well, no, because a) she's ostensibly here to PROTECT someone, not assassinate them, and b) impersonating a slave is how she'll carry out her mission, so half-assing that role and being thrown out is completely counter-productive!

This isn't just brash impetuousness either, I could wave this conversation away as a reckless teen projecting an overconfident demeanor, except it's not just bravado, she genuinely is terrible at undercover work and consistently betrays her true self despite the fact that 'role playing was yet another skill children living in the streets mastered at a young age'. Hmm, you wouldn't know it from the way she absent-mindedly speaks to Tiana two seconds into her role as a MUTE slave, right after unrolling and examining her assassin's kit of weapons right in front of her!



Maybe it's not so bad that she accidentally revealed her true purpose to Tiana, at least her ward knows someone is looking out for her. But then Aveline continues to speak in front of other people, even though she's notoriously Tiana's mute slave. And George instructed her right from the start to keep her abilities a secret and not allow anyone to guess her role as Tiana's bodyguard, they literally had an exchange where he told her:

"You must only act in defense and only use what force is necessary."

"I can do that."

Of course Aveline isn't smart enough to just accept a few punches later on from another slave annoyed that Aveline was unfairly promoted ahead of those in line to ascend up the hierarchy, oh no, she needs to start a brawl that ends with TWO PEOPLE DEAD and the rest in need of serious medical attention. Because that's keeping a low profile! Nobody will be suspicious about a slave with combat training!



But maybe it was just too hard for her to tamp down on her killer instincts when faced with people intent on doing her harm. Maybe I should cut her a break for lashing out first and thinking second. Only violence is her answer as a first resort rather than the last - because unnecessarily stabbing a merchant in the hand and proclaiming herself the Devil's daughter when she's out running errands as a slave from a well-known wealthy household is the best option!

Plus she goes on to deliberately defy Matilda in stupid insignificant matters like breaking open Tiana's boarded-up window because who cares if the lady in charge of her employment is infuriated at this insolent act and tosses her out? OH, WAIT, Aveline's future career, not to mention her BEST FRIEND'S LIFE, hangs in the balance!


And so on and so forth. There are numerous examples of Aveline being basically the worst assassin in history, completely belying her supposed training from a young age to succeed her father as leader of the guild of assassins. Unfortunately I have to mark her down as another of the Too-Stupid-To-Live leads that we see a lot of in this genre. >_<

---

I received the digital ARC free from Captured Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The above quotes have been taken from an early proof and are subject to change in the published edition.

[Quimataz · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was transported into this story from the moment I began to read it. The author portrayal of the characters, places, surroundings and such, enthralled me to the point of making me feel as if I was there myself. The book is very descriptive and palpably alive, made possible by the author's talented way of telling a story.

This book may not be for everyone due to it been aimed at teens but it certainly deserves high praise. I finnished reading it in one seating and at the end I wished it would have continued on.

The story begins with Aveline at her father's side after he passed away. From then on every page turned was as entertaining as the last. Would I recommend this book? Definitely! Provided the reader is a lover of young adult books as I am.

[Marisa Manghelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick and easy read, and interesting story line. For a character supposedly raised to be an assassin, Aveline can be rather naive and oblivious. I realize she’s only supposed to be 17, but her implied upbringing should have resulted in a more mature, self-aware, and observant person. Additionally, this book uses one of the only story devices with which I have problems: societally condoned cannibalism. Brings up too many memories of Soylent Green, which I saw as a kid and still gives me the creeps. All that being said, I still enjoyed the book and will keep an eye out for the rest of the quartet.

*Please note - this story does contain mention of a gay relationship. If that is not your cup tea, then I suggest finding another series. It is a minor part of the story (though probably will become more prevalent in the sequels) and only briefly mentioned.

[Diamond Jones-Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

July 2016

*I received this book free from the publishers for my honest review.*

I don't read a lot of YA books but the synopsis from this one caught my attention.

When Aveline's father died her life began to crumple. With just her Best friend by her said she begin to ran for her life. I was caught up in this book from the first chapter. There were so many twist in turns I couldn't put the book down.

As new information come to light Aveline can't trust too many people. family secrets begin to come to light and she most act fast. To save her life and her Ward's.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in The Lost Vegas Novellas series.

This book is a great read due out September 19, 2016.

[Dee/ bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect from this book, but I got a lot more than I thought I would. The story line was a little different, so it took time to acclimate to it, but I had a very hard time putting it down. Wow, did you go through so much being on a ride with Aveline.
I liked Tiana almost immediately, who couldn't? And I felt the same anger Aveline did when she found out behind the scene's information.
The ending? Cliffhanger… I wanted to throw my precious e reader across the room, I definitely wanted more of the story. I cannot wait for the next book to come out, especially if it is as good as this one!!!

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting storyline

I wasn't expecting how this story was going to go. I really enjoyed how the characters developed throughout. Although, the premise of the city is familiar, the use of most readers foreknowledge was only enhanced by the unique storytelling.

[Emmanuelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some books that take a few chapters to set up the characters; not this one and it doesn't need to. The story starts right off and you learn about the characters as they go through the challenges. It works this way though since you slowly learn about the history and various characters. Like Aveline, you take knowledge passed on to you as truth and with her go through the emotions as you realize things aren't as they seem. Great read!

[Glenda Dykstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting take on Apocalypse

I did enjoy some of the names that were used.. pyramid.. cruise.. the idea that one should be burned for being different, that skin walkers and gouls are real. Assassins are hired out in a post apocalyptic world. Interesting how it is all falling into a tale worth reading

[Vicky Camp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very promising.

The characters are very strong in this book. I look forward to the next one because I want to find out what happens.

[Stacey Bookerworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is post-apocalyptic teen fiction at its best and an absorbing read I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.
Aveline is a seventeen year old assassin in training and a half-breed with the curse of the devil in her blood. She is daughter to the head of the assassin’s guild and knows that if she lets go of her control then she could end up inadvertently massacring a bunch of people just like her father did after her mother’s death.
Aveline’s life is thrown into disarray when her father dies. Before she has time to grieve Aveline and her best friend Rocky must hide from her father’s enemies. She is torn because she knows if she stays she will be enslaved to pay her father’s debts but if she leaves her father’s body is likely to be harvested for organs to sell on the black market.
When things go wrong and Aveline finds herself facing life in a brothel and decides that the only way of saving herself from the situation is to kill herself. Before she can take the action, which feels wrong to her anyway, she is rescued by a stranger in exchange for guarding a girl she has never met.
Tiana Hanover is the daughter of one of the most powerful men in Lost Vegas. Aveline is surprised when she discovers that Tiana is a timid young girl who is kept in slave-like conditions by her own family. Her stepmother emotionally and physically abuses her and her dad is so worried about the family secret coming out that he wants to kill her before he eighteenth birthday in a few months’ time. Aveline needs to be constantly aware of the new dangers around her or she and Tiana might end up dead.
The book is suspense-filled from the start, “The corpse on the makeshift dais at the center of the two-room cabin was still warm when the dreaded knock resounded off the walls.” Mentions of Lost Vegas have the reader wondering where this scene is occurring.
Aveline muses that one of the people waiting for Aveline’s dad to die must have had a clairvoyant working for them to find out the very moment of his death as she hadn’t told anyone of his condition.
This book is filled with interesting and unique characters; each one is a massive part of what makes the book so good.
Aveline is a likeable character from the start because the author cleverly gets you to empathise with her over the death of her father. Due to her assassins training she is somewhat lacking in empathy but her sense of duty and honour shine through on many occasions.
Tiana is my favourite character in the book, on the surface she is timid and socially awkward but she has many hidden depths. She is strong, in a stoic sort of way, in the face of her family’s attitudes towards her and her stepmother’s disgusting behaviour.
Tiana’s brother Arthur appears arrogant at times but the love he has for his sister makes him an endearing character, particularly when the rest of her family despise her for her ‘disfigurement’.
Matilda, Tiana’s stepmother, is a self-centred and vindictive woman with a sense of entitlement and a horrible attitude towards Tiana. One of the first things she says to Tiana is, “your father should have burnt you at the stake alongside your mother.”
Rockford, or Rocky, is her best friend since childhood and a fully qualified assassin. He is second in lethality only to her father and is one of the few people she trusts completely. As a character we don’t get to see a lot of him in this book and I hope we get to see more of him in the next.
I loved the vague descriptions of Lost Vegas and the Free Lands that are peppered throughout the book. We learn that the elite in the city live in a pyramid shaped structure and this structure is one of the only places to have electricity which is viewed as magic.
The Free Lands are viewed as mythical by many people and if they do exist there are many dangerous things in between the city and the Free Lands. The Free Lands are a place of hope for many of the characters in the book.
This book is gory, emotion filled and definitely an absorbing read. The only criticism I have is that it finished too soon and left me wanting more!

[Payal · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I loved this book, but taking away half a star for the bad grammar and punctuation. More on that later.

Aveline is an assassin in training, expected to follow in the footsteps of her father and take over as head of the Assassins' Guild some day. But after he dies following an illness, she is in danger of being carted away to the brothel to repay his debts. She is rescued by a mysterious stranger who offers her a way out -- it's not ideal, but at least she will escape the brothel if she says yes.

Her new assignment takes her to the prosperous Inner City, where the wealthy reside inside a giant pyramid-town in opulent luxury, where her assignment is to protect the 'deformed' daughter of one of the most powerful families of the land. But why exactly Tiana, her ward, is in danger, and what the stakes are is anybody's guess, as is figuring out who the enemy is. Going undercover as a slave, Aveline's biggest headache is not just keeping the girl alive, but also maintaining her cover and keeping the side of her that's touched by the Devil in control.

This is a fantastic story, with a great main character. Lizzy Ford has also created a--pardon the repetition--fantastic world, one in which the chasm between the haves and have-nots is so vast that each is barely aware of how the other half lives. The setting, the city of Lost Vegas, hints at an alternate-reality post-apocalyptic US, and the interspersing of natives and the concept of 'half-breeds' makes it a deliciously complex society.

But life is ruthless. It is where the rich know they are entitled to own and abuse the less fortunate, where cutthroat competition for power prevails, where a ruthless Shield enforces discipline among the people with violence, where children are sold to brothels for the use of men and women who can pay for it, where unwanted children are butchered for meat. And where highly-trained assassins are in demand.

Aveline is a strong main character, but she's not perfect. She is about seventeen and her final test stands between her and a full assassin status. However, the death of her father puts a sudden halt to her training and a question mark on her future. What was particularly interesting was her--as well as other assassins'--complete lack of remorse for what they are trained to do, that is, kill. A contract to kill is a binding one for the assassin, and the guild, in fact, commands considerable respect and standing in society. That isn't to say that the assassins don't have a code of honour, one that Aveline is called upon to question as the motives of people around her are revealed.

This is a well-written story, but what caused it to be sometimes awkward was the frequent trip-up in tenses, especially in the first third of the book. The author often mixes up past tense and past perfect tense. The other niggle was the incorrect use of apostrophes: 'the Hanover's' was repeatedly used where 'Hanovers' was the right way to say it. Since this happened throughout the book, it was clearly not a typo. If these things are cleared up, this will be a 4-star novel. It ends on a sort of cliffhanger, which keeps it from being a complete story and you have a sense of it being cut off in the middle.

A word about the cover: it is quite unispired and completely underserves the book.

(Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy.)

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait to find out what happens now that Aveline knows the truth. And how she will go forward with protecting Tiana. I would love to see Aveline grow more into the assassin she wants to be. Because as an assassin I feel she should be more fearless and brutal in protecting Tiana. Am hoping her reservations as an assassin so far have been because of the mixed emotions of the two opposite jobs she was hired to do.

[Regina King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been a fan of post apocalyptic books so I was trying to read this with an open mind. I received an arc copy of this book for review.

I really liked this book. I couldn't put down the Kindle. I found the characters that are supposed to be like able very much so. And the characters we're supposed to hate very, very hateable.

I found the entire book very exciting and I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.

I didn't want the book to be finished! I'm looking forward to the next installment in the series!! Great job Lizzy!

[CrazyCat (Alex) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Vegas, 500 years after the Old World, Aveline mourns the death of her father, the leader of the assassination group "The Guilt". She feels not safe and, together with her best friend Rocky, decides to run to find a safer place until the city calmed down and she can come back to take her rightful place in society. Nothing goes as planned and Aveline is captured and taken to one of the many brothels in town. There is only one thing she can do to get away from this place and that is to make a deal with a stranger, offering her a job. She has to make sure that Tiana, the daughter of Lost Vegas's powerful leader, is not assassinated. This job proves more difficult than Aveline initially thought, with a stepmother willing to get rid of an unwanted child, a father not wanting to lose his position for a daughter and an unknown numbers of jealous members of other wealthy families wanting to be the next leader.
I really enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down. From the first chapter I was captivated by the story building and the well written story line. I felt with Aveline and towards the end I wasn't sure anymore whom to trust. My heart went out to Tiana and how she managed to survive a abusing stepmother and an absent father. Five stars from me and I highly recommend this book to anyone loving books with a strong heroine and a lot of action.

***Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review***

[Kathy Osborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzy Ford has done it again!! This time with a post-apocalyptic YA book that draws you in to their world.

Aveline (17 yrs of age) is in training when her father suddenly falls ill and dies. She must leave her home before the Shield come to get the body and enslave her. She is a half-breed with the devils blood and now no family except one good friend - Rocky.

As Aveline and Rocky run, they must split up as they are being chased. Aveline is helped by a stranger who wants to hire her, but refuses. Now she must chose to help him or remain in a brothel where he put her. She decides help, which sets her on a journey she is not prepared for as she is an assassin, not a babysitter.

Tiana is the daughter of the powerful Hanover family which most people envy and fear. However, Tiana is locked away, except once a year as she cursed with unearthly eyes and powers. Her father is married to Matilda, who is Tiana's evil stepmother.

Tiana also has a brother (Arthur) who also has powers, but is able to conceal them so no one knows. Arthur uses his powers for hunting game to feed the entire town. He worries about what will happen to Tiana as he fears someone wants to kill her.

Aveline is hired to watch over Tiana, can she protect her or does Tiana end up protecting her?

I was lead into a world filled with danger, hope, and suspense. Life and death is in the balance for all of them, can they survive?

Part 1 of Lost Vegas Novellas
Characters: Very Detailed and Developed
Storyline: Excellent and fast paced

5 Koala Paws

[S.J. Higbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ignore the misleading cover – this is no soft-focused lurve story, this is a gritted battle for survival by a gutsy heroine who had me hooked from the first page. Aveline, shocked after her father’s sudden death, has no time to grieve. His enemies are howling for vengeance and are keen to capture and sell her on for what they can get. Ford immediately sucks us into her plight, so despite her violent tendencies, I immediately cared for her. The world is a savage one, which Ford manages to depict with shocking details that nevertheless don’t veer into the gratuitously violent or graphic, which is a balancing trick many modern authors don’t pull off.

While it was clear early on that Aveline and Tiana were going to meet up, after their initial encounter the story started shooting off into all sorts of directions I didn’t see coming. The characterisation of Tiana was also skilfully handled – she could easily been merely annoying and I really enjoyed the fact that Aveline frankly thinks she’s wet so the gradual progression of their relationship is both realistic and fascinating. The antagonists are also satisfyingly horrible – there is a real sense of claustrophobic menace created in the Hanover household that had me turning the pages long after I should have been doing other things.

In fact, that is my main complaint – I flew through this entertaining read far too quickly and the ending was left on a real cliffhanger. That said, I’m far less grumpy than I was when researching this author. She is a veritable writing machine and plans to have the next novella released in mid-October. Am I going to buy it? Oh yes – Aveline is currently free on Amazon UK and all Ford’s books are very reasonably priced, so I’ll definitely be getting the next in the series. I want to know what happens next…

My copy of Aveline was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
8/10

[poppingthoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

by Lizzy Ford

I think this is the first time that I read a book by Lizzy Ford. My attention was captured by this book because of the description. I just wondered, why is the cover? It's like telling me that Aveline is an Indian descent?

Anyway.. While reading the book, it feels like looong story.. the story is interesting and though I felt it is long, it is really short. Really...... after reading the book, I can recall what happened. I am actually still thinking about it today as of this writing.

I like the story of this assassin in the making, and a big point that she's a girl. haha. I am really curious after reading the book of the powers the siblings Arthur and Tiana has. How did they got it? Is it from their mother? Is her mother deformed as well? then why did Tiana's father married her mother. There's a lot of question formed after reading the first book.

I am also curious about Aveline's family. How did they get the Devil's blood? is there some sort of connection between Tiana's and Aveline's family? I really wanna know. This book is highly recommended! Definitely! If you're looking for magic and actions and assassins, then this is your thing.. ;)

I am very thankful to Captured Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. I am looking forward and hoping they will allow me a copy of the next 3 books.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't too sure about this book when I read the description but man was I wrong. I loved every part of it. The adventure and mystery of this story was really top notch.
It was different too which I liked. I am also really interested in assassins, so even though not a lot of assassin stuff happened I would be interested to see what happens in the others.
Aveline is an interesting girl, who has some sort of curse that still hasn't been fully explained. I almost think there is something more to who she is and her connection with her charge.
Tiana needs to grow up, though I don't blame her the way she acts sometimes. I just know that she is going to become a powerful women.
Rocky interested me from that start and really cannot wait to find out more about him.
This story was very intriguing and kept me reading and on my toes. I love that there is magic, real people, assassins, people who can shift into animals, ghouls(thought we have not encountered them yet and have only heard of them), and all sorts of crazy things going on. It makes for a very interesting world. I highly recommend this book, and really cannot wait to read the others.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Se · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me a little longer than usual to get into (Lizzy's books usually have me hooked instantly), I think because the beginning felt like I'd come in part way through the story. Once it got going though, I was hooked and was pretty irritated every time I had to put it down and get back to real life. Lizzy has created a really vivid post apocalyptic world and characters- something that she is brilliant at. The two leading ladies are both young and although one has seen much more than the other, they are both pretty naive, just in very different ways. Aveline is the daughter of the 'devil' and wants to be a part of the Guild- a group of assassins. Tiana although born into privilege, is a wallflower and has to hide herself from the world, for fear of being burnt, because of her secret. When the two girls meet, the story really starts to get moving and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops.

My only real negative is the length, I know it's a novella so will of course be short, I think it would be nice for it to be a full book, so you can really get into and read the whole thing, without going mad with anticipation for next part to arrive.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 4 Stars

For the most part, I love Lizzy's books, but have to admit, I didn't love this one. I actually struggled a little with it at the beginning. The pace was good, but the content was a little gross for me (not usually a wuss but eating children?). And the brothel scene bothered me too. Part of the struggle was Aveline. It could be that I don't quite know what to expect of an assassin. She just doesn't quite fit the part. On top of that, things do slow down in the middle, and I'm wondering where we're going and like others, what the heck happened in the past, but when we switch to Arthur, things again get very interesting and boom, I'm now invested in these people. Tiana is sweet and how she is treated is abominable. Her brother is a product of his upbringing, but still seems to have a heart. Even Rocky, who played a more minor role, grew on me to the point where I want to see all 5 (fingers crossed Warner is ok) of them escape to the Free land. So yes, this wasn't one of my favorite Lizzy Ford books, but I liked it enough to want to continue reading the series.

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Assassain In Training


°°°Not for the homophobic, transphobic, closed minded or feint of heart°°°


This series must be read in order. This is tbe first book. I cant wait to read Tiana!


Aveline had the whole of her world laid out in from of her... Until her father died. Without his patronage she can't become a real Assassain and that means that she is fair game for anyone. With only Rocky as a friend how can she possibly escape the tragic fate awaiting ber? Who is this mysterious man who wants to hire her, even without being al full fledged Assassain? Should she take the job? Or throw herself on the mercy of the Guild? Or will she end up trapped in some whore house to be used and abused until she is only fit to be sent to the Butcher as meat?


***This series is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy postpostapocalyptal worlds several shades darker than any dystopian could ever be, filled with plenty of horror, suspense, action, intrigue qnd a dash of romance :)

[Kendassa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy for an honest review.

This was a really great read. I have never read a book by Lizzy Ford and I was not disappointed. The only problem I do have with the story is I was left wanting more and the story was left feeling a bit incomplete. I know it is a series but it just didn't feel finished.

Having said that, the story itself is wonderful. The action begins right at the start and you are taken on such a great journey and you do feel like you are part of the story. Her story telling skills and the story she weaves is really magnificent. When Aveline is left alone, after her father dies, you feel like you are there with her. As she has to decide who is the traitor, and who is sincere, you feel her pain.

There characters feel real, will Tiana be kept safe? What will Aveline do? I look forward to the next book and reading more from Lizzy Ford!

[Melinda Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This book was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

'Aveline' had a good plot and good characters. I especially liked the main characters Aveline and Tiana as well as Rocky although he is not a major part of the book only making a few appearances. Aveline's one display of her kick-ass assassin skills was really enjoyable to read but I wish the author had included more scenes like this. Aveline is supposed to be an assassin-in-training and is supposed to be protecting Tiana yet the majority of the book is spent setting the scene and spinning a web of court intrigue/politics. Overall this was a good book that was at times a bit slow and needed, in my opinion, some more action.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adeline by Lizzy Ford is a sci-fi and fantasy and teens ya read.
Seventeen year old assassin-in-training, Aveline, is ready to die rather than submit to her fate working in a brothel to repay her late father’s debts. On the night she tries to end her life, a stranger stops her and offers a proposition: a clean slate, in exchange for her agreement to become the guardian of a young woman she has never met. Leery of the assignment and the man behind it, Aveline has no other option but to accept the deal.
This was a really good read with strong characters. Adeline was my favourite character. How she acted with the other slaves who thought they were better than her. I wanted to slap them. I would highly recommended this book. 5* . Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.

[Victoria Stolte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love the worlds and stories Lizzy creates for us but this one has to be one of my fave series starters to date. It starts a little slow as we get to know the story and characters but takes off in no time and gets really good! This story is very interesting from the start and keeps going at a great pace and throughout you will be wondering what direction the series will take. I find the characters intriguing and the way everything intricately falls into place you wonder if maybe there are other forces that had been put into place long before Aveline's story comes into play. Over all this one will be great for most ages and will keep you interested and leave you craving more...

[Turja Islam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a crazy Lizzy fan but this did not appeal to me much from the beginning. I've loved just about all of her books but this was a bit off... There seemed to be a lack of connection between the writer and the writing. The ending did not make me want to eat my hand and crave for more like Lizzy's all other books.
However, the story line is good. The lack of details is a bit annoying but keeps the mystery well. The heroine is cool. But emotions did not seem well portrayed. Need more on Arthur, though. He seems interesting.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say I loved this book. This was right my alley. It did take me about 3 to 4 chapters to really get in to. At first I was like Oh man I’m just not in to this. But it does pick up and get you hooked.

This is shaping up to be a great and a favorite post-apocalyptic story.

I feel like the characters in this book are well developed. You will want this story to go on and on but in classic Lizzy fashion she will leave you hanging at the worst Part!!!! ;)

All in all this a great read!