I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this at BEA this past summer. I’ve mentioned how much nicer the publishers seemed to be at the booths this year than they had been when I was there two years ago. I’d seen another person with this one and so I went to their booth, but didn’t see any of them sitting out. The gentleman behind the counter asked what I might be looking for and when I told him it was this book, he said he just might have a copy, and then he went and grabbed one for me from their little cabinet. Now I had been lucky enough to get an e-galley of the title earlier from Edelweiss, so I have to say thanks to HMH Books for Young Readers, kind of a double thanks!
Once again a series has ended perfectly. I am so pleased with how this book went. Such a great series. There was no second book slump, as you could tell from my review of Dark Triumph. Just like the 2nd one, we are following a different character. One of the three girls we met in the first two, this time it was Annith. Who had lived her whole life at the convent. Even having to deal with the prior abbess who had been cruel to her. Annith is currently waiting on word from her friends Ismae and Sybella. And while she waits, she hopes to soon get her own assignment to go out and help with the duchess and all that is going on in their country. But it doesn’t seem to be happening for her. In fact, with her habit of being able to overhear things behind closed doors, it seems that the latest abbess, who once had seemed to be the one to help Annith out against the Dragonette, wants Annith to take the job of Seeress. Annith can’t imagine anything worse than this. It is like a death sentence in a way. The Seeress never leaves the convent. Really never leaves her quarters. After all the times of being locked in dark rooms, being basically stuck inside for the rest of her life terrifies her. And so Annith does what she thinks will help, she goes and makes sure to nurse the current seeress back to health, so that they will not need a new one.
But it doesn’t seem to help. One of the younger girls is sent out instead of Annith, a girl who is not ready. And Annith goes to protest it, only to find out that the abbess has decided to tell her she is going to train to be seeress. She gives Annith a choice when she refuses. She can either stay and study to become the seeress, or the abbess will find her a husband from the surrounding area. So Annith starts doing what she can to try to figure out if there is any way around this. She’s sent her whole life training to be an assassin, and feels that her skills will be wasted if she is stuck there. When the abbess says she must go on a trip to see what is going on herself outside the convent, Annith must give her answer. She wants to stay and find answers, so she says yes and begins her training. But once the abbess is gone, she begins looking for answers around the convent. What she does find only leads to more questions, and so Annith realizes she must run away. Not just to leave, but to go out and confront the abbess with what she has learned away from the convent.
On her way out she comes across a hunt of dangerous riders. They are the hellequin, death’s riders. Out to catch people that death is looking for. She figures maybe they are out looking for her after she’s run away from Mortain’s convent. So she pretends to be someone else to use the protection of their leader, Balthazaar. But their hunt never seems to get her to the town she needs to be, and once again she finds herself running away. But not before she learns more about these soldiers of Mortain. And on her next escape she gets help from another group of servants to a god, the Arduinnites. Who aren’t really fans of Mortain and his followers. So she must prove herself to them, even though they do help her.
She will finally reach her friends, and the duchess. But along with all of them will be the abbess. And soon she will learn things about her past, who her parents are. Not to mention she will learn things that will turn everything she has known upside down, and she’ll wonder if any of her life has meant anything, or if it was all a lie. She will find love, with the leader of the hellequins, and find out he may not be exactly who she thinks he is. And in the end, she will help the duchess fight in the only method left to save her kingdom and people.
A perfect ending I have to say. And I love how the author adds in the historical notes at the end, because I wondered which of the characters were real. I do like that there are bits at the end about where the characters will go after this. Something I always like to know. I could even enjoy a bit of spin off of some of the characters. A great, great series. I will always recommend this to someone looking for a strong female character (3 for sure!), as well as historical fiction with a bit of fantasy added in.
I will definitely check out this series on amazon, it looks great!
I'm always worried about the final installment of a series, I'm happy that this one lived up to your expectations!
I still have to finish Dark Triumph! 🙂
Amber Elise @ Du Livre
I have to say that so far this year, most of the final books in a series that I've read have been perfect, or pretty close!
Can't wait to begin this. Such a glorious review. I haven't gotten it yet but hopefully i can soon. Great review.
Aparajita @Le' Grande Codex
Thanks! I loved it, such a great ending to a series. Glad you stopped by and hope you get to it soon!
I've not read this series yet, but you've certainly gotten me interested. Great review.
If you like historical fiction, this is a good one. While of course there is magic and such, there is a bit of history, which the author even explains at the end of the book.
I've been curious about this series so I'm glad to hear you've really enjoyed it! I'll definitely have to pick the first book up. Glad it held strong. It's always so disappointing when a great series has a not so great ending!
You're starting with perfect timing, you'll be able to read them all right in a row! Thanks for stopping by!
I absolutely loved the first book and I'm so glad that Mortal Heart doesn't disappoint. I was curious about Annith, so I'll be reading this soon!
It was a bit slow at first, but then it picks up and it is great to read about Annith. Thanks for stopping by!
wow this sounds interesting I'll totally have to get this book
It was a good one! Hope you get a chance to read it soon.
I really loved this whole series. While I didn't love Mortal Heart as much as Dark Triumph, it was really good. I'll admit, I figured out the twist of Annith's love interest early on, and I wasn't sold on it until about 3/4 of the way through the book, but it was still a great book that I loved reading. I'm also always glad to hear when someone else loves this series!
I agree, Dark Triumph was better, and like you I kind of figured out the twist early, but I did get to like him as the book went on. Glad you enjoyed it too!
I am so excited for this book! This was such a great series! The girls all were so bad ass! You remind me how much I need to have this book in my hands!
It was a great ending to a great series. Hope you get a chance to read it soon!
I have not read this one yet. I would love to. Been stuck in bed and need new reading. Gotta read the whole series.
Well this will be a great reading for being stuck in bed. Hope you get a chance to get ahold of it!
No second book slump at all. This truly is a great series. I liked that it was something different from what I've already read in YA lit. From what I saw on Twitter, LaFevers isn't done writing in the fair assassin's world! 🙂
It was a lot different I thought as well. And I'm so glad to hear there will be more since I love this world so much. Thanks for stopping by!
Mortal Heart sounds like an exciting read! I would enjoy reading this series. Thank you
Well I hope you get ahold of it soon then! Thanks for visiting!
I had never heard of this series before this review and after reading this and the 2nd book's review I am adding it to my reading mountain of books. I love a good series over just about anything. Thanks for these reviews. – Mellena
And lucky you, you can read the whole series straight through! Thanks for visiting!
I havent heard of this series before, but it really sounds good! Thank you for your honest review!
Betul E.
I highly recommend it. Thanks for commenting.
I have the first two books on my kindle and shelf and I just received mortal hearts from a goodreads giveaway so I'm gonna have to binge read it.
So lucky that you can do the binge read. Enjoy it when you get a chance!
A friend just told me about this series! Now I can't wait to read it!
Hope you get a chance to read it soon! It's a really great series.
I really loved Dark Triumph, and I'm very excited to start this one! I was recently at a Robin LaFevers signing and she said there might be more books set in this world in the future. Great review! 🙂
That is so cool! I could totally go back and read more books in this world! Thanks so much for stopping by and telling me that awesome news!