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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Grave Mercy in Books

Jan 6, 2021  
Grave Mercy
Grave Mercy
Robin LaFevers | 2012 | Children
8
9.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
*I received this copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I'd had this on my "to read" shelf on here for a while and then removed it, thinking that since I very rarely read historical books that I might not enjoy it after all.

What a load of rubbish that was!

The synopsis made me think it would be like the <i>Throne of Glass</i> series and in a way it was; assassin, a bit of romance, but it was also not. This was based on true events and there was a lot of different things happening in relation to the duchy.

I have to admit that the first 10-15% was a bit hard for me to get into. There wasn't too much detail about her time at the abbey and as much as I was interested in what she was learning there that bit started to bore me after a while.

It was only with the arrival of Duval and the sparks they ignited that I really started to get into this. I could tell straight away that something was going to happen there and since I'm a romance reader I was happy that there was the possibility of romance. It was nice reading the slow progression of their relationship as it changed.

As for everyone else; Anne, Isabeau, Beast etc. I grew to really like them. They all added great things to the story.

In relationship to Beast, I would really like to know what happened to him, and I'm hoping I will find the answers to that in the next book in the series.

If you like stories of assassins and romance then you'll more than likely like this.
  
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Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Swallows in Books

Jan 30, 2020 (Updated Jan 31, 2020)  
The Swallows
The Swallows
Lisa Lutz | 2019 | Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
‏I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

Lisa Lutz's latest, The Swallows, introduces Alex Witt, a teacher with a past. She is hired at Stonebridge Academy and asks her creative writing students to answer innocent questions so she can get to know them. "What do you love? What do you hate? What do you want?" The answers surprise Alex. They are not innocent and reveal much more about the students and the school's activities than she expects. The students reveal online bullying and a private message board. She encourages the female students to fight back and fight they do.

While I have not worked at a boarding school, I have worked at urban schools. The online bullying and message board are all too real. So is the school's attitude that "boys will be boys". Lutz uses her characters to show the dark side of technology and teenagers. This is not a young adult book. It is a book for adults which is set in a school.

The writing in The Swallows is witty while covering dark topics. Lutz's word choices and writing style keep the book from being too dark.

I added several of Lutz's books, including the Spellman Files series, to my "want to read" list.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 1/30/20.