Title: Mortal Heart
Author: Robin LaFevers
Page count: 444 pages
Publishing date: November 4, 2014
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
My rating: 4/5 stars!
Blurb:
Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own. She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has...
Wow, I'm really pleased with this series. LaFevers has hooked me into this story from the very beginning. While I didn't care much for Ismae, I LOVE Sybella and Annith. There's something about them that I just love to death, and I'm so glad that I didn't stop reading this series after My Fair Assassin.
Annith:
Like her other two sisters in faith, Annith is a faithful servant of Mortain. She loves him wholly and thoroughly despite her inner struggles. She wants nothing more than to please Death, but how can she when she's never been given an assignment? Throughout the book, she struggles with this fear that Death doesn't want her as his servant after all; that he has forsaken her. These doubts form seeds in her mind, tormenting her will. Yet, despite this, she still manages to be a strong woman. I love that about her. Annith is torn between serving Death and the convent and making her own path. She has no clue what she's doing with her life half of the time, but she still trudges on. She doesn't ever give up. She's a persevering young lady. She thinks with her heart, but she also takes logic into account as well. She's calculative, thoughtful, and fierce. Out of the three assassins in this series, Annith is by far my favorite.
Balthazaar:
This guy has so much depth to him. He's secretive, aggressive, and can be a jerk. He's not perfect by any means. In fact, you'll either love him or hate him. There's not much of an in-between. I, however, LOVED him. He's brooding. He's hot. He's mysterious. All of these qualities I love/need in a fictional character crush. I found myself grinning like an idiot every time he said/did something that I thought was even remotely sexy. Because, let's be honest, he's a hottie. The good thing is that his character is more than just a pretty face. Everything he says is interesting and sort of a riddle. He makes you think twice about what Annith should do with her life. He makes you wonder if he's really a good guy or a bad one. UGH. He's awesome.
Abbess:
I hated her in the first two books in this series and, unsurprisingly, I hated her even more. Not sure why, but she reminds me of the wicked stepmother off of Cinderella. She's evil... Okay, so maybe the abbess has a better reason for her actions than the wicked stepmother, but still. I can't get over how heartless she is in the majority of this series, and I can't forgive her just because she has a secret of her own, although it is kind of sad and depressing. STILL, I CAN'T DO IT. MEH.
I was really surprised at the intricate plot for this book. While the plots in the first two books were interesting enough, this book shot both of those out of the water. The plot itself was so deep, so thought out, that I couldn't see how anything could go wrong. There were amazing plot twists that had me on the edge of my seat (well, bed) for most of those particular scenes. LaFevers did a wonderful job with tying the plot together at the end. Absolutely magnificent.
The romance:
Sweet baby Jesus, I was swooning over the romance in this book. Balthazaar, the love interest for Annith, is very dark and mysterious. Because I like the brooding guys, Balthazaar fit into my fictional boyfriend list easily. While he might not be the most handsome guy on my list, he sure is swoon worthy. Despite his attempts to leave Annith alone, the reader can practically feel the testosterone in the air. Balthazaar wants Annith. Annith wants Balthazaar. It's only a matter of time before this is going to get hot and heavy, right? Wrong. This romance is actually kind of innocent, to be honest. This sounds weird considering Balthazaar is a paranormal being, but it's true. There's something about their connection that seems pure and unadulterated. I love that aspect even more than I love how Balthazaar's smoldering gazes at Annith. It's something that gives their attraction a more dynamic approach. What makes it even more amazing is that Annith knows he's hiding secrets- she was, too- and they still can't stop thinking about each other. Can Annith trust him, though? And when she finds out his darkest secret, will she be able to overcome it?
Man, that secret... *sighs*
I just really enjoyed Mortal Heart. I was really surprised at how great it was considering the other two, although good, didn't blow my mind. However, this one was really wonderful! +4 stars for the great plot, a swoon-worthy romance, a kick*** main character, lovable secondary characters, and heart-stopping plot twists. -1 star for a few boring or slow paced chapters, especially the first couple chapters in the beginning and a few later on in the story.
Overall thoughts?
YAY! I'm so glad I read this! Everyone go pick up this series because it's well worth it! I hope you'll enjoy it just as much as I did!
No comments:
Post a Comment