Winner: Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers

With the help of Rafflecopter I am happy to announce the winner of an signed ARC of Cinder by Marissa Meyer is:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Congratulations Michelle, this really is your lucky week LOL! Your prize will be sent out by my contact at Andersen Press and I've already forwarded them your contact details.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Anderson Press for allowing me to host this giveaway for them!

Dark Triumph Blog Tour: Q&A with Robin LaFevers & UK Giveaway

I absolutely loved Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers when I read it last year so I'm thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour to celebrate the ebook release of the second book in the series. Dark Triumph was released as an exclusive ebook on the 2nd of April and the paperback will be available from the 6th of June. I'm thrilled to have Robin LaFevers here today to answer some of my questions but first let's have a look at the book:

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. Naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, the convent views Sybella as one of their most dangerous weapons.

But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

This heart-pounding sequel to Grave Mercy serves betrayal, treachery, and danger in equal measure, bringing readers back to fifteenth century Brittany and will keep them on the edge of their seats.

His Fair Assassin Series:
Grave Mercy
Dark Triumph
Dark Hope (2013)

Visit Robin LaFevers' website for more information

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Robin LaFevers

Q&A with Robin LaFevers:

1. Can you give a brief description of the His Fair Assassin series for readers who haven't come across the books before?

Robin: Girls who are sired by the god of death are trained at a convent to serve as his handmaidens and carry out his will on earth, but they must also come to terms with the very human issues we all face; who to trust, how to balance blind obedience with self actualization, and whether or not love is at odds with their service to their god.

2. I loved the concept of a series about assassin nuns because it's such a unique idea. How did you come up with the idea in the first place?

Robin: I knew I wanted to write an epic story full of lives and kingdoms hanging in the balance and impossible choices for those involved. And because of that, I knew I wanted to set it in the middle ages, which seemed a perfect backdrop for that sort of story. I also knew I wanted to write about girls who went from being totally powerless and take them on a journey to where they found both personal power and agency in a society where they traditionally had none. There were only a very few choices available to women then, and when I read during a bit of research that some noblewomen preferred entering a convent to the more traditional roles of wife or mother because it offered them greater freedom and autonomy, the idea of assassin nuns began to take shape.

When I combined that with the medieval fascination with patron saints and the early Christian church’s decision to incorporate earlier pagan deities into it’s fold in order to make their religion more palatable to the general population, the idea coalesced into assassin nuns who served the old god of death.

3. Although the series contains fantasy elements in a lot of ways it reads more like historical fiction. Did you have to spend a lot of time researching the time period to make it accurate?

Robin: Oh yes! Lots and lots of time researching! Luckily, the book was my ‘side’ project for a number of years, the project I used as a creative playground when I had time between contracted projects. So that really allowed me the luxury of taking my time with research and building the story world. Also, the middle ages have always been a time period I’m fascinated with, so I had a big of general knowledge to build upon.

The great thing was that I always found the answers or details I needed in the historical research. Bits and pieces that not only brought the time period to life, but that provided essential plot twists or solutions.

Even so, the books are historical fantasy so I didn’t get as hung up on complete accuracy as I would have if it were straight historical fiction. The needs of the story always took precedent over issues of accuracy, but luckily there weren’t many instances where I had to choose.

4. Grave Mercy was narrated by Ismae, Dark Triumph is narrated by Sybella and Mortal Heart is going to be from Annith's point of view. Did you always plan to tell the story that way and how easy was it to give each of the girls their own distinct voices?

Robin: Yes, I always knew I wanted to tell three distinct stories within an overarching framework. For one, I feel that any story should be about the most important or transformational moment in a character’s life, and I didn’t want to stretch a single story too thin by spreading it across three books.

But more importantly, I was fascinated by the idea of exploring how three different girls would respond if given a similar opportunity to serve the god of death. How would their histories and personalities affect the decisions and choices they made?

5. Did you have the whole series planned out before you started writing or do you prefer to see where the story takes you?

Robin: I had a number of the broad strokes planned out, and of course, history itself provides the overarching template of what will happen, but I try to leave as much room for the characters to be spontaneous and let the journey be organic to them as they develop on the page. Because that’s definitely part of the fun, creating these characters who become so real, who take on such a life of their own, that they end up surprising me.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Robin, I loved Grave Mercy and can't wait to get started on Dark Triumph!

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To celebrate the release of Dark Triumph my contact at Andersen Press is offering one of my UK readers the chance to win a paperback copy of the first book in the series, Grave Mercy. So if you're new to the series this is ideal, you can read the first book now and come back in June when I'll be holding a giveaway for a paperback copy of Dark Triumph!

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?

Giveaway Details:

• Courtesy of Andersen Press I have 1 paperback copy of Grave Mercy to giveaway to a lucky UK winner.
• The winner's prize will be sent out directly by my contact at Andersen Press so the winner must give me permission to pass their address on.
• The winner will be chosen at random from all entries received.
• To enter please use the rafflecopter below to confirm that you are a UK resident, there are optional extra entries for following or tweeting about the giveaway but these are not required to enter.
• The giveaway will close at 12:01am GMT on the 19th of April 2013 and the winner will be contacted soon afterwards. You will have 48 hours to reply to me with your address or A new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Make sure you check out the rest of the stops on the blog tour for some great content and more chances to win prizes:

Winner: Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers

With the help of Rafflecopter I am also excited to announce the winner of a copy of Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is:

Tabby Hart (email address starting rubypandamad@...)

Congratulations Tabby! You should have already received an email from me asking for your addresses so please make sure you look out for it. If I don't hear back from you within 48 hours then a new winner will be chosen. Your prize will be sent out by my contact at Andersen Press so you'll need to give permission for me to forward your address to them.

I'd like to say a massive thank you to Andersen Press for allowing me to host this giveaway for them.

Blog Tour: Exclusive Deleted Scene from Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers + UK Giveaway

If you read my review of Robin LaFevers' debut YA novel Grave Mercy a few weeks ago (find it here if you missed it) you'll already know how much I loved the story. So when I was asked to take part in the UK blog tour I jumped at the chance and I'm very excited that I have an exclusive deleted scene from the story to share with you today. Thanks to Andersen Press I also have a UK giveaway for a copy of the book.

Before we get to the deleted scene and giveaway I want to give you a bit more information about the Grave Mercy:

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?

His Fair Assassin Series:
Grave Mercy (UK Publication date = 7th June 2012)
Dark Triumph (2013)
Dark Hope (2013)

Visit Robin LaFevers' website for more information. You can find out more by visiting the Grave Mercy Facebook page or read an extract from the book here.

Now have a look at the book trailer:

Robin LaFevers

Poison Workshop

Deleted scene from Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

We are all in the poisons workshop. Sister Serafina sets the youngest girls to pluck the flowers, leaves, and berries from the nightshade I collected yesterday. She gives them careful instructions not to crush the stem, for it will fill the room with a foul odour. Margot and Mateline are outside collecting honey from bees fed on laurel and rhododendron, for even what we use to sweeten our potions is poisonous. Annith is sorting through a bag of rye, plucking the grains covered in black mold, for that highly prized black fungus is used in a poison called Martyr’s Embrace.

“Here,” Sister Serafina hands me a plate of goose livers and a mortar filled with grayish white powder. “Prepare this for the toads, then have Florette and Aveline feed them. After that, I’ll need your help with the mushrooms.”

I take the supplies from her and set them down on the table closest to the toad’s cage. They croak loudly and crowd close, eager for their meal. The two younger girls play with them while I quickly mash the arsenic into the goose liver, then form the mixture into small, pebble-sized balls. “Gloves,” I remind the girls, and they hurry over to the shelf. When they return, I set the platter of pellets on the floor and watch them feed the first few to the eager toads. Once I am certain they know what to do, I hurry over to assist Sister Serafina.

I have just begun to help her place the crop of wild mushrooms on a drying rack when Sister Thomine appears in the doorway. Sybella is with her.

“Our new novitiate is ready to join the others in their lessons,” Sister Thomine announces.

Sybella’s eyes seek mine out, and she gives the tiniest of nods. I smile back. “Sybella can work with me. I will begin showing her how to identify these mushrooms.”

“Very well.” Sister Serafina waves her over to my table.

When Sybella is close enough to see, I hold up a mushroom. “This is a fool’s webcap. See how it is purple, but these are redder?”

Sybella leans in close to study the mushroom. “Yes.”

“The redder they are, the more poisonous.”

She points to a brown one lying on the table. “And that one there?”

“That is the deadliest of them all.”

“And yet it looks the most harmless.”

I look up and meet her gaze. “Ingenious, no? A man would pick that one, thinking he was safe.”

Sister Serafina leans across the table. “Then the man would be a fool. Just like he will be a fool to look at either of you and think he was safe.”

Sybella and I exchange a glance and, for the first time since she’s arrived, she smiles.

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What do you think? Is Grave Mercy on your wish list? Now how would you like a chance to win a copy of the book? This is a UK only giveaway and the prize will be sent out directly by my contact at Andersen Press.

Giveaway Details:

• Courtesy of Andersen Press I have 1 paperback copy of Grave Mercy to giveaway to a lucky UK winner.
• The winner's prize will be sent out directly by my contact at Andersen Press so the winner must give me permission to pass their address on.
• The winner will be chosen at random from all entries received.
• To enter please use the rafflecopter below to confirm that you are a UK resident, there are optional extra entries for following or tweeting about the giveaway but these are not required to enter.
• The giveaway will close at 12:01am EST on the 17th of June 2012 and the winner will be contacted soon afterwards. You will have 48 hours to reply to me with your address or A new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers

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?

His Fair Assassin Series:
Grave Mercy
Dark Triumph
Mortal Heart

Visit Robin LaFevers' website for more information

Review:
Grave Mercy is the first book in Robin LaFevers' new historical fantasy series and a book I'd highly recommend to fans of Maria V. Snyder's Touch of Power. Ismae has suffered from prejudice and abuse her whole life - starting with her mother's attempt to abort her before she was even born. The poison used by her mother left her scarred and marked her as Death's daughter, her father never forgave her for being born and after years of abuse he forced her into an arranged marriage when she was just 14. After suffering a brutal beating on her wedding night Ismae is rescued by the local herb witch and taken to the convent of St Mortain. Mortain is the god of Death and the nuns at the convent train as his handmaidens to become assassins.

Ismae is an easy character to love, she starts the story with a very low self image, lacking in confidence and believing that she is worthless and unwanted. She feels powerless in a world where men get to control women's destinies and it isn't until she arrives at the convent that she starts to realise that she can change her future. As the nuns train her with weapons and in the art of poison and she starts to uncover her previously hidden abilities Ismae grows as a person and becomes a confident, powerful and kick ass young woman. It is easy to see how she comes to blindly trust in the nuns who gave her her freedom and why she believes they have her best interests at heart. When she is assigned to go to court to protect the Duchess Anne she starts to realise that the orders from the convent aren't always the best way to serve her god. It is at that point that we really get to see her become a woman and begin to follow her destiny. Ismae has the courage to go against orders from the people she believes saved her because she has the intelligence to figure things out for herself.

I can't write this review without mentioning the wonderful slow-build romance between Ismae and Gavriel Duval. These characters start off with very good reasons to mistrust each other - they don't like each other much either! - but both of them are sworn to protect the Duchess and they finally realise that they are on the same side and start to work together. Trust slowly turns to friendship and eventually becomes something more and it was beautiful to watch. Duval and Ismae really are made for each other and I hope we get to see a lot more of them both as the series continues. I was a little disappointed when I first found out that the second book Dark Triumph will be told from Sybella's point of view - I'm going to miss Ismae - but the more I think about it the more I actually like the idea. I've been intrigued by Sybella since we first met her and I think that Ismae and Duval's part of the story has come to a natural conclusion so it will be interesting to see what part Sybella has to play.

This story is full of mystery and political intrigue that had me turning the pages as fast as I could. This feels more like a historical book with slight fantasy elements than a full on fantasy novel although I don't know enough about the time period to know how historically accurate it is. Either way it was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. I am very curious to see how things play out for Anne and her subjects and I highly recommend this series to both historical and fantasy fans.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I also received a print copy from Andersen Press.

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

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