Sunday 20 March 2016

Assassin's Heart

Assassin's Heart (Assassin's Heart, #1)

Assassin's Heart by debut author Sarah Ahiers is the first in the series of the same name.

In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price.  As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trustd in the strength of her Family.  Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames.  The Da Vias, the Saldanas' biggest enemy, must be responsible- and Lea should have seen it coming.  But her secret relationship with the Da Via's son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct- and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.

Racked with guilt and shattered over Val's probably betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay.

The Breakdown:
1.  One of the first things I liked about this book is the world that Ahiers has built in it.  The cities feel old world Italian, and the pantheon of gods is intriguing.  Plus, how she deals with death and afterlife in the story is intriguing to me, being reborn to a better life, or becoming an angry ghost. The way she describes the ghost had me both terrified of them and feeling sorry for them. And the interesting concept that assassination is a legal, even holy thing, where people hire Clippers to kill their enemies, loved ones in pain, or even themselves.

2.  Lea's character went through some interesting struggles.  First, she is guilt ridden, believing that her actions with Val are a big reason her family is dead.  She is struggles with controlling her anger, at times she lashes out at those trying to help.  She also finds herself developing feelings for Alessio, Les, as the book progresses. She is a complicated character and that makes her fun to read.

3. Les makes an interesting companion to Lea.  He afraid of being alone, and wants be like her, a Clipper.  He is also terribly kind despite how the world has treated him. He is good for Lea because he is loyal and would never betray her.

4. I loved how this story played out, and how the gods of this world came into play in it.  I, also, love that Lea learns that family is more important than revenge.  I thought that Ahiers tied up things nicely at the end, so it will be interesting to see where this series goes.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

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