His fair Assassin #2 Dark Triumph

Continues to be best of the best..... presenting His Fair Assassin #2 Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers.

Here is the summary of the book:

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

First blood red and bright colors, now Black an God. R.L. LaFevers knows how to change the mood of the story according to the characters and string us along for the read. Dark Triumph, is the second book in the "his Fair Assassin" series. While Grave Mercy was about Ismae, Dark Triumph is about Sybella. While Grave Mercy was a historical event, Dark Triumph is a much more of a personal battle against the homegrown darkness.

Battles are dark and ugly affairs, they always have been and always will be. But homegrown evil, the helplessness, the torture, the feeling of not fitting in, of despair is a prospect even darker than an open battlefield. Barricaded evil, the hardest to route out..... and Sybella returns to this evil of her past to conduct her duties as St. Mortain wishes, all the while keeping her faith in her divine father alive..... A tall order to face with no friends to help you for it.

In Grave Mercy, Ismae overshadowed everything, our introduction of Sybella then was all for nought, as Dark triumph forces us to re-evaluate everything we knew or felt about her. TrueIsmae and Duval were deeply missed but this was Sybella's turn in the tale and Robin LaFevers administered the worksperfectly leaving no room for mistakes at all.

The one thing I felt there would be no happy endings for Sybella. LaFevers paints her story with such darkness, such melancholy and despair. A life of hopeless torture, Sybella had no happiness in her life. Not even with her half-brother who was a bit too close for comfort.

Sent to the place of past horrors with the promise of the Mortain's will, Sybella finds that Ismae may have been right, the convent does not always know or misunderstood, the Lord's grace. It was her meeting with Beast that brought her that. Beast who teaches her the meaning of love.... And might I say that the author did wonder molding them together and shaping them like that.

An all round winner for me. And with Ismae and Sybella's story done it seems the next one "Mortal heart" is of Annith as she discovers her might...... 2014 looks so distant right now.... so excited for the book.

"Dark and Enticing, the much talked about and discussed sequels leaves its own mark, of darkness and sheer hope that he light will guide you to a more better place"

Genre :     Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Release Date: 2nd April, 2013

My Copy: bought (ebook)

Rate:             5/5 (It was Awesome)

Books in Series(review links):
         #1 Grave Mercy

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository

His Fair Assassin #1 Grave Mercy

A million thank yous to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for putting it up for 2 days promotion on netgalley, you made my day. Presenting my views of the much anticipated book, His Fair Assassin #1 Grave Mercy by Robin L. LaFevers.

Here is the summary of the book:

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf? Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

We are born in this world for a reason; a purpose that must be seen through. No one comes here to get wasted. Some are born to lead, some to follow orders while some are to carry out the almighty's will. Centered around this fact is the series His Fair Assassin. Of death's own hand-maidens, looking for his marquee and met out his will.

Based in 1485 circa, Brittany, young Ismae is rescued from a heartless and cruel life; raised from the cellar door and taken in by the convent of St. Mortain and trained in the arts of being an assassin, carrying out the will of Mortain, death himself. Ismae is well on her path to take the final vows when she is given the final test, to go to the royal court and root out the treachery abound, protect her lordship, the Duchess and prevent another war with the French. With her only in this ordeal, the closest adviser of the Duchess, Lord Duval, Ismae plays her role perfectly but all of Ismae's training proves to be wisp of smoke in the face of the cut throat life of court but can she protect heart in this extraordinary test... Maybe St. Mortain is with mercy and not vengeance after all.

Narrative of a period dialect and the grace of the french tongue, Robin LaFevers delivers a tantalizing masterpiece. There is treachery, there is deceit, there is vengeance, but there is also love and mercy. It is but how we interpret the ways of the lord that matters not what people tell us about them. The plot is well layered and extremely well textured, the characters fleshed out, very believable and easy to connect with and the conclusion satisfying. Ismae, Duval, the Duchess, Beast, De Lorney and the lot offer us every spices of life and the chemistry between Ismae and Duval is very attractive and sure enough we find ourselves rooting for them both till the end.

"Grave Mercy is but the beginning - a powerful beginning at that - leaving us hungry for more" 

Genre :      Historical Fiction, Romance


Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt


My Copy: Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              5/5 (It was Awesome)