Book Review - Courting Darkness

• Title And Author: Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
• Publisher: Andersen Press
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Physical
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by publisher in exchange for honest review
• Length: 523 Pages

As you guys know, I am planning to try and read the whole series of His Fair Assassin by Robin LaFevers this year (as well as  Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle - I announced my hopes to read these in this post). But here’s the thing. When I decided this last December, Layla from Andersen Press asked if I wanted to read Courting Darkness  and reveal the UK cover. I said yes (because of course I world) and I was given a ring-binder manuscript as finish copies weren’t ready. So, for the past month or so, I have slowly made me way through Courting Darkness. 

The fourth book in the His Fair Assassin series (or first in a duology set after the events of the series), we follow Sybella, one of the most gifted of Death’s daughter, serving deadly justice on behalf of St Mortain. But her younger sisters are her newest mission and in a bid to keep them safe, she agrees to accompany the Duchess of Brittany to France where the Duchess will marry the King and bring together the two countries together as one. But as Sybella watches the French court and begins to distrust the King’s sister, she discover that two fellow assassins from the convent of St Mortain have been placed in the court under cover… but how can she find them? 

Genevieve has been a faithful assassin to St Mortain, going deep undercover int he French court since she was 12. But she’s been under cover for so long, she no longer knows what she’s fighting for any more. And when she discover a prisoner deep in the castle’s dungeons, she decides to take matters into her own hands. 

As these tow women’s path slowly draw closer together, the two must tread careful if they don’t want to lose everything… 

So, reactions. What do I think about this?

Courting Darkness Cover Reveal!

COVER REVEAL! COVER REVEAL! MYSELF AND KATE FROM READING THROUGH INFINITY HAVE A COVER REVEAL FOR YOU ALL!!!

... can you tell am a little excited to reveal this?

Anyway, Kate and I revealed this cover on our Twitters about an hour or so ago (Kate is at @Katelovescolour and I'm at @PewterWolf), but we both said we wanted to blog about this cover.

And if you guys haven't guess, I did mention this last week on my His Fair Assassin Mood Board Week. Yes, it's Courting Darkness. And I am quite excited to be involved in the tour as I plan to read the series this year as part of my Year of Blood and Magic and, if you have read this series, there is a lot of blood and murder and assassin nuns! HISTORICAL ASSASSIN NUNS!!!

So I am thrilled and excited to reveal the cover for Courting Darkness and revealing a tad of information about the book!

You ready...?

His Fair Assassin Mood Board Week - Courting Darkness

So... here we are. The last day of my His Fair Assassin mood board week. Though, technically, this isn't a His Fair Assassin book. This, while set in the same world and follows one of the characters we have earlier met, this is the first book in a new duology, Courting Darkness.

No cover, I hear you ask? Well, keep your eyes peeled on my Twitter (@PewterWolf) and on the lovely twitter of Kate at @katelovescolour as we might be showing off the cover of Courting Darkness on Friday 25th, maybe... (keep eyes peeled on Andersen Press's twitter as well. They are at @AndersenPress)

And seeing as I - and a good chuck on readers I love and trust - haven't read this yet, I am going in blind with this mood board and, because of this, this was the hardest mood board to create. I wanted something striking yet...

But before I explain myself more, let's show you the synopsis and all the stupid affiliate links (humour me as am doing this as experiment)...

His Fair Assassin Mood Board Week - Mortal Heart

Day Three of our His Fair Assassin Mood Board Week and it's Mortal Heart. Out of the original His Fair Assassin trilogy, this was probably one of the hardest to create as, while I had a good idea of Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph, I don't know much about Mortal Heart, so I had to trust the book's synopsis far more than I would have liked.

But I am quite happy with what I created...

His Fair Assassin Mood Board Week - Dark Triumph

Day Two on my His Fair Assassin Mood Board Week and we're on what I have discover seems to be a fan fave within the series, Dark Truimph. No pressure to get this right, but seeing that I haven't read the book yet or met Sybella and this mysterious Beast. But am intrigued to see if what info I have gathered and used to create my mood board and compare to what I read...

But now, before I hand you my mood board, here is the synopsis of Dark Triumph and explain why I picked some of my choices...

His Fair Assassin Mood Board Week - Grave Mercy

As I told you guys know, I am planning to read His Fair Assassin trilogy by Robin LaFevers and the first book in its companion spinoff, Courting Darkness due to the cover reissuing (Aren't they pretty?). Well, when I was chatting to Layla at Andersen about this, she and I started chatting about ways to give this series some more attention and I said "I love the idea of a mood board. Plus, only read the first years ago so it would be fun to do them based on the synopsis. Plus, fits in with my Year of Blood and Magic as... well... murder and blood!" And Layla said "That sounds weird. I like it! Go for it!"

So, here I am. And because I don't want to do a review this month, this whole week will be mood board on assassin nuns (barring Wednesday. Even I need a break!)

Now, the plan is that am going to show you the book's synopsis, stupid affiliate links where you can buy them and then show you the mood board and chat about where my brain where with it...

So, let's get this blood-party start!

Two Series I'm Going To Try And Read in 2019

You know in my "The Year of Blood and Magic Begins..." post last week, I said that I had no rules for this. Well, it's kinda true and it isn't. You see, I had an idea of trying to read one series throughout the course of 2019. And that was the plan I was sticking to... but then another series caught my attention and I decided to add that series to my year-long reading.

So, I have two series I am going to try and read throughout 2019, each tackling one side of my "Blood and Magic" and I wanted to let you know so, if you fancy joining along with me, you are more than welcome...

So, what are the two series in question? Well, they are the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini and His Fair Assassin by Robin LaFevers.

And the reasons for these two series (as well as a few other books am keeping on the down low for now...): Here There Be Dragons and Badass Nun Assassins!

Ok, there is more to them than that. Of course there is. I have, in fact, read the first book in each series - Eragon and Grave Mercy - many years ago. One was before the blog and I remember wanting to continue the series, but the size of them scared the ho-ha out of me! The other was when I did have the blog and, while I did like it, I wasn't that big a reader of the genre it was set in and found it quite slow. But I have changed as a reader and I love a good, slow burn...

Plus, let me say this again: DRAGONS AND KILLER NUNS! How can I possibly sell these two series to you more?!

Ok, maybe I need to sell these two series more... Ok, let's me copy the synopsis of Eragon and Grave Mercy on here for you to read. (Both of these are from Goodreads. Will put links in for you

When Eragon finds a polished stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. (Goodreads Link to Eragon)

*

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?

(Goodreads Link to Grave Mercy)

So, I have eight novels to read for both series - Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance for the Inheritance Cycle and Grave Mercy, Dark Triumph, Mortal Heart and Courting Darkness for His Fair Assassin and its spinoff. Plus I have a collection of short stories set in the Eragon world - The Fork, The Witch and the Worm. 

Have I bitten off more than I can chew? Probably. But I am going to try. I do hope you come along with me while I read these badass novels! (And if you wanna buy a copy, go to the affiliates on the side or visit your library! This is gonna be fun!)