Jaime's Review of Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)

R.L. LaFevers

Hardcover: 560 pages

Release Date: April 3, 2012

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

ISBN: 054762834X

Source: ARC from the publisher at NCIBA

Rating: Loved

From Goodreads. 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?

I rarely read historical fiction mostly because I haven’t found any that have blown my mind. But this book did!!! Not only was there a main character who was an assassin and a complete badass but there was a love interest that had me at hello (yes I know cheesy Jerry Maguire quote) even if he didn't have Ismae’s.

The court intrigue and the twists and turns gave me whiplash, but it was the good kind. I loved trying to figure out exactly who the bad guy was and who could be trusted and I fell in love with many of the characters not just Ismae and Duval. I think what I loved about this book the most was there was an ending. Yes I’m sure there will be more about Ismae and Duval in the upcoming books, but book 2 will be about another character Sybella who was a mystery wrapped in an enigma in book one and I can’t wait to find out more about her. And I have an idea who her love interest is but I won’t spoil anything all I will say is yay and I can’t wait for their story!!!!

I had a hard time just picking one passage from Grave Mercy but I think I found the perfect one J

 “I fear it is what my convent expects,” I tell him.”They may train us in the arts of love, but in their minds our hearts belong firmly to Mortain.”

“I disagree with your convent,” he says. “Why give us hearts at all then?”

Slowly, as if afraid I will bolt, he reaches for my hand, which has somehow escaped from the covers. When he laces his fingers through mine, my heart does its now familiar panicked flight, bumping painfully against my ribs. My shoulder twitches as if to pull my hand back, but my heart overrules it.

His hand is warm, the skin firm. We sit together in silence. I do not know what is going through his head, but my own mind is unable to form a single thought. At least, not a coherent one. After a long while, he squeezes my hand, then leans down to kiss the back of it. His lips are warm and soft and I am filled with the memory of them on my mouth, my throat. Slowly, as if with great reluctance, he pulls away, and I shiver. “Perhaps,” he says. “When this is all over.”

“Perhaps, my lord.”

Ok so swoons!!!!!

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