Cover Reveal: The Crown's Dog by Elise Kova

We are so stoked about this cover reveal for The Crown's Dog!

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The Crown's Dog (Golden Guard, #1)
Author: Elise Kova
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: November 22, 2016
Publisher: Silver Wing Press

A coastal summer is turned upside down by a violent murder, and a quest for lost pirate treasure turns into a hunt for the killer.

Jax Wendyll is the crown's dog. As punishment for the unspeakable crimes that tourment him to this day, his life has been conscripted to the Empire Solaris. However, in an Empire afflicted by peace, his duties are relegated to unquestioningly aiding the antics of the youngest prince, Baldair.

Erion Le'Dan, a nobleman's son, expects a quiet summer visit to the Imperial Palace, his only agenda to visit with his unlikely friends. But Jax's discovery the legendary pirate Adela Lagmir’s old workroom inspires a hunt for her long lost treasure.

The pursuit of Adela's truth takes the three men to the Imperial summer manor, built along the old pirate mainstays. When Adela’s trident is branded into a murdered servant, Prince Baldair’s summer amusement of treasure-hunting becomes a hunt to find the killer. But, as mysteries compound, the ghosts of Jax's past may not be the only things haunting them.

Cover Art by Merilliza Chan

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Elise Kova has always had a profound love of fantastical worlds. Somehow, she managed to focus on the real world long enough to graduate with a Master's in Business Administration before crawling back under her favorite writing blanket to conceptualize her next magic system. She currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, and when she is not writing can be found playing video games, watching anime, or talking with readers on social media. She is the author of the USA Today Bestselling Air Awakens Series as well as the upcoming Loom Saga (Keymaster, 2017).

Book Review: Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

Dark Triumph
His Fair Assassin #2
Author: Robin LaFevers
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction | Fantasy
Release Date: April 2nd 2013
Review Source: Loaned

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.

I am seriously addicted to this series. Robin LaFevers has capture my attention with her lady assassins nuns like its no body's business. After Grave Mercy, I pinned for Dark Triumph day in and day out. When I started to see it in the wild, I could not wait to get my hands on a copy to read. I needed to know if the thrills and chills of Grave Mercy would repeat themselves inside the pages of Dark Triumph. Let me tell you, it sure did. Dark Triumph might have even surpassed Grave Mercy in awesomeness. 

You went from this dark and strange story in Grave Mercy to one of pain and torture in Dark Triumph. Robin LaFevers does not hold back when she lets out her characters emotions and pains. She made Sybella suffer and fight her way out of her hell. Also how can a characters who's heart has becomes harder than a diamond ever love again. She even has given doubt to the one thing the assassins have always had as a crutch, their beliefs. Its hard to follow what you have been taught and shown when the one person that should receive such a mark, never has. Sybella has the desire to ignore everything and just take action into her owns hands and spill the blood she craves. If her God Mortain has ignored her pleads then he should ignore the death she wants to ensue. 

Dark Triumph is not your normal young adult novel, this prose is way out of the box. This I admire from Robin LaFevers. She took this dark painful tale and created such a powerful story that touches you in a very intimate way and leaves you a better person. This is one series I recommend everyone try; young, old, male or female. Some of the best written characters are in this series surround by the vivid details Robin has given them all in during 15th century Britain. Once you experience this series, you are forever a fan. 

Dark Triumph follows Sybella, one of Mortain daughters and well trained assassin. She can kill you as well as seduce you. So when Sybella gets her new orders that she must return to the one place she despises the most, she can't fathom why. Sybella must return home to her brutal father and sick minded brother. She will once again have to deal with everything she ran from. She agrees to it with hopes that she will finally see the mark on her father. Never in a million years does she expect to find her savior in her own father's dungeons. A savior that looks like death himself. Sybella will have to decided if this new discovery is what she must do instead of looking for vengeance. 

Robin LaFevers will have you holding your breath as you turn each page and venture alongside Sybella and Beast. Once again I am now left craving for the next installment in this series. If one could only hop inside the authors mind or computer where the story lies. 

Book Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Grave Mercy
His Fair Assassin #1
Author: Robin LaFevers
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: High Fantasy | Historial Romance
Release Date: April 3rd 2012
Review Source: HMH Books for Young Readers

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?

Once again a genre I have not read before has left me speechless. Grave Mercy is a mixture of high fantasy and high historical romance according to my friends that have read it. I actually had to ask since it was all new to me, you had a map which indicated high fantasy but then you had historical elements. So that being said I had not read high fantasy in YA before. I LOVEDDDDDDD it!!!  I have not stop recommending it to everyone on Twitter or Facebook that is looking for something great to read next. Robin created such a world that you sink in to it immediately. The main characters kicks hiney and in a dress while she does at 14 years old. 

Grave Mercy is the first in the series and is devoted Ismae. Ismae had a real tough upbringing, beginning the day she was born. She has been cursed or blessed depending how or who looks at it. She is 14 year old girl, and has been taken to the convent of St. Mortain, The god of death. Ismae will learn that she has been given special powers or strengths by the God of death himself. She will learn at this convent how to serve him and how to use what she has been given. She finally sees her purpose in life. When she is finally given a big assignment, she is not to pleased at what it entails. She must go with Duval the brother of the Duchess Anne to her court and kill all those who wish her harm or the country. Ismae is now 17 years old and has been properly train in everything imaginable, but when she is to pass as Duval's mistress. That's where she becomes clumsy and doesn't really approve of that title she is to bear. So much transpires and Ismae will learn that maybe everything the convent has taught is not correct or that maybe the God of Death, has a soft side too. I don't want to give too much away. JUST PICK UP THIS BOOK!!!  Seriously, its so different and unique. 

Robin will be an author I follow closely from now on, I can't wait for book 2 when its the story of one of the other death maidens from the covenant and Duval's friend Beast. What are you waiting for? Oh yes for me to be done telling you how much I loved this book and thinks everyone should read it, young or old. OK rant over, now you are free to go buy the book and read it now!!!