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Death Sworn #2
Death Marked
A young sorceress's entire life has been shaped to destroy the empire controlling her world. She could change history. But everything she thinks she knows is a lie. The sequel to the critically acclaimed Death Sworn will thrill fans of Leigh Bardugo and Robin LaFevers.
At seventeen, Ileni lost her magical power and was exiled to the hidden caves of the assassins. She trained the assassins in magic—and fell in love with one of them. And she discovered her entire life had been built on a lie. After all of this, she wants to see the truth for herself. She infiltrates the Imperial Academy of Sorcery. She will see everything she despises about the corrupt empire—its thirst for power, merciless control, and careless violence. But she also finds something she never expected—friends, and a place to belong. Ileni no longer knows whose side she is on. Leah Cypess spins an intricate and beautiful conclusion to Death Sworn.
At seventeen, Ileni lost her magical power and was exiled to the hidden caves of the assassins. She trained the assassins in magic—and fell in love with one of them. And she discovered her entire life had been built on a lie. After all of this, she wants to see the truth for herself. She infiltrates the Imperial Academy of Sorcery. She will see everything she despises about the corrupt empire—its thirst for power, merciless control, and careless violence. But she also finds something she never expected—friends, and a place to belong. Ileni no longer knows whose side she is on. Leah Cypess spins an intricate and beautiful conclusion to Death Sworn.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2015
44 people are currently reading
4948 people want to read
About the author
Leah Cypess
67 books814 followersI wrote my first story in first grade. The narrator was an ice-cream cone in the process of being eaten. In fourth grade, I wrote my first book, about a girl who gets shipwrecked on a desert island with her faithful and heroic dog (a rip-off of both The Black Stallion and all the Lassie movies, very impressive).
After selling my first story (Temple of Stone) while in high school, I gave in to my mother’s importuning to be practical and majored in biology at Brooklyn College. I then went to Columbia Law School and practiced law for almost two years at a large law firm in New York City. I kept writing and submitting in my spare time, and finally, a mere 15 years after my first short story acceptance, I sold my first novel to Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins).
I live in Silver Spring, Maryland (right outside of Washington, D.C.) with my husband and four children.
After selling my first story (Temple of Stone) while in high school, I gave in to my mother’s importuning to be practical and majored in biology at Brooklyn College. I then went to Columbia Law School and practiced law for almost two years at a large law firm in New York City. I kept writing and submitting in my spare time, and finally, a mere 15 years after my first short story acceptance, I sold my first novel to Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins).
I live in Silver Spring, Maryland (right outside of Washington, D.C.) with my husband and four children.
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February 2, 2015
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Death Marked by Leah Cypess
Book Two of the Death Sworn series
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
A young sorceress’s entire life has been shaped to destroy the empire controlling her world. But if everything she knows is a lie, will she even want to fulfill her destiny? The sequel to Death Sworn is just as full of magic and surprising revelations, and will thrill fans of Leigh Bardugo and Robin LaFevers.
At seventeen, Ileni lost her magical power and was exiled to the hidden caves of the assassins. She never thought she would survive long. But she discovered she was always meant to end up, powerless, in the caves as part of an elder sorcerer’s plan to destroy the evil Empire they'd battled so long. Except that Ileni is not an assassin, and she doesn't want to be a weapon. And, after everything, she’s not even sure she knows the truth. Now, at the very heart of the Empire—its academy for sorcerers—the truth is what she seeks. What she finds challenges every belief she holds dear—and it threatens her fledgling romance with the young master of assassins.
Leah Cypess spins an intricate and beautiful conclusion to Ileni's story. In the end, it may not be the epic decisions that bring down an empire, but the small ones that pierce the heart.
What I Liked:
Oh man. This book. It has me torn in two. On one hand, it's a decent novel and has a good story... but on the other hand, I wanted more from the book. Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe I'd had an idea in my head when I finished Death Sworn, and after reading Death Marked, the idea wasn't what happened. I don't know. But I didn't enjoyed Death Marked as much as I'd hoped...
Ileni is now a prisoner to the Empire, the very thing she despises. She is a weapon, but not an assassin. At the Empire's Academy, she learns how to use combat magic, with lodestones to help her. Ileni hates it - her people are all about healing and peace, not war and slaughter. But Ileni has a goal, and she must see to it that she finds the truth. But she will have to choose a side, and that could mean betraying the assassins, or losing her life.
I liked Ileni a lot in Death Sworn, and I like her still. She is a strong and hardened, tough as nails, yet gentle and calm. She has a lot of poise for someone who risking everything by sneaking around behind the Empire's back. Ileni loses her way, but she tries her best to stay true to herself and her people. I definitely could put myself in her shoes and could see myself making the same difficult, heartbreaking decisions that she had to make.
This book introduced a slew of new characters. Cyn, a cruel and vicious pupil of the Academy, with her own magic (like Ileni used to be). Lis, her twin, with no magic of her own, a shell of her sister. Evin, the powerful nephew of the scary head of the Academy. And a familiar face... Arxis, an assassin. Except that no one at the Academy knows who Arxis really is.
I really like all of the new characters, even if I hated some of them. They are so well characterized and constructed and have distinct personalities. I especially liked Evin - he is so easygoing and friendly, but really, he is the most powerful of all of them, and could kill them all with the amount of power in his pinky finger. He's a real sweetheart.
I think I liked the story of this book, but I don't think it was enough for me, in terms of a conclusion novel. Like, if this were a sequel novel, and there were more books in the series, I would like this one more. But if you put things into perspective (knowing that this book is the last book, of the duology), then, well, I'm not satisfied. Read on.
What I Did Not Like:
I definitely needed more from the story. Ileni is stuck in the Empire's Academy. That's kind of the state of affairs throughout the entire book. I couldn't really grasp what Ileni's end goal was. I didn't understand why she was there, what she was trying to accomplish, how she was going about accomplishing it. This book probably could have been cut in half, because not that much happened, and what happened was important, but didn't really do much for the overall plot of the series.
The first book definitely had more action in it, despite everything happening in the cave. This book read quickly, the events went by pretty quickly, but it didn't feel like much was happening. Ileni is avoiding Karyn (the head of the Academy), Ileni is contemplating whether or not to contact Sorin, Ileni is struggling to use the magic. A lot of internal battling, but not a lot of external ones (in my opinion). Or maybe I just wanted more.
Sorin is basically NOT in this book. We get his third person perspective in like, two chapters (the whole book is in third person, but limited to Ileni, except for those few instances where the author showed Sorin's perspective). I was disappointed, because I really, really liked Sorin in Death Sworn. And I'm not necessarily talking about as a love interest - he's an interesting character.
So... the romance. I'm not really happy with the romance. It's really not in this book at all. It doesn't progress forward... if anything, we go backwards. Think about it - Sorin and Ileni aren't really interacting in this book. I don't want to spoil things, but them not together affects their relationship, sort of.
I'm not saying the romance is BAD, or badly constructed... but I wanted more, for sure. That was a complaint I had in Death Sworn - that I wanted more romance. I wanted more in this book as well, and didn't get more. The ending needed to be more solid, in terms of the romance. Ugh! It's so hard to explain, but I didn't hate the romance. I just didn't like it either. It bothered me, but not enough to rage. I could see why the author took the direction she did, but still... hmph.
Would I Recommend It:
If you read Death Sworn, definitely give this novel a shot. It's worth the read, especially since this series is only a duology. However, don't do what I did. Don't go in with super high expectations. Don't be *too* excited, basically. Then you won't be super disappointed.
Rating:
3 stars. I liked it, but I wanted more. I definitely think there is room for another book, if the author chose to write another and/or got a contract for a third. There are plenty of loose ends (in all aspects of the story) that could be tied together!
Death Marked by Leah Cypess
Book Two of the Death Sworn series
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
A young sorceress’s entire life has been shaped to destroy the empire controlling her world. But if everything she knows is a lie, will she even want to fulfill her destiny? The sequel to Death Sworn is just as full of magic and surprising revelations, and will thrill fans of Leigh Bardugo and Robin LaFevers.
At seventeen, Ileni lost her magical power and was exiled to the hidden caves of the assassins. She never thought she would survive long. But she discovered she was always meant to end up, powerless, in the caves as part of an elder sorcerer’s plan to destroy the evil Empire they'd battled so long. Except that Ileni is not an assassin, and she doesn't want to be a weapon. And, after everything, she’s not even sure she knows the truth. Now, at the very heart of the Empire—its academy for sorcerers—the truth is what she seeks. What she finds challenges every belief she holds dear—and it threatens her fledgling romance with the young master of assassins.
Leah Cypess spins an intricate and beautiful conclusion to Ileni's story. In the end, it may not be the epic decisions that bring down an empire, but the small ones that pierce the heart.
What I Liked:
Oh man. This book. It has me torn in two. On one hand, it's a decent novel and has a good story... but on the other hand, I wanted more from the book. Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe I'd had an idea in my head when I finished Death Sworn, and after reading Death Marked, the idea wasn't what happened. I don't know. But I didn't enjoyed Death Marked as much as I'd hoped...
Ileni is now a prisoner to the Empire, the very thing she despises. She is a weapon, but not an assassin. At the Empire's Academy, she learns how to use combat magic, with lodestones to help her. Ileni hates it - her people are all about healing and peace, not war and slaughter. But Ileni has a goal, and she must see to it that she finds the truth. But she will have to choose a side, and that could mean betraying the assassins, or losing her life.
I liked Ileni a lot in Death Sworn, and I like her still. She is a strong and hardened, tough as nails, yet gentle and calm. She has a lot of poise for someone who risking everything by sneaking around behind the Empire's back. Ileni loses her way, but she tries her best to stay true to herself and her people. I definitely could put myself in her shoes and could see myself making the same difficult, heartbreaking decisions that she had to make.
This book introduced a slew of new characters. Cyn, a cruel and vicious pupil of the Academy, with her own magic (like Ileni used to be). Lis, her twin, with no magic of her own, a shell of her sister. Evin, the powerful nephew of the scary head of the Academy. And a familiar face... Arxis, an assassin. Except that no one at the Academy knows who Arxis really is.
I really like all of the new characters, even if I hated some of them. They are so well characterized and constructed and have distinct personalities. I especially liked Evin - he is so easygoing and friendly, but really, he is the most powerful of all of them, and could kill them all with the amount of power in his pinky finger. He's a real sweetheart.
I think I liked the story of this book, but I don't think it was enough for me, in terms of a conclusion novel. Like, if this were a sequel novel, and there were more books in the series, I would like this one more. But if you put things into perspective (knowing that this book is the last book, of the duology), then, well, I'm not satisfied. Read on.
What I Did Not Like:
I definitely needed more from the story. Ileni is stuck in the Empire's Academy. That's kind of the state of affairs throughout the entire book. I couldn't really grasp what Ileni's end goal was. I didn't understand why she was there, what she was trying to accomplish, how she was going about accomplishing it. This book probably could have been cut in half, because not that much happened, and what happened was important, but didn't really do much for the overall plot of the series.
The first book definitely had more action in it, despite everything happening in the cave. This book read quickly, the events went by pretty quickly, but it didn't feel like much was happening. Ileni is avoiding Karyn (the head of the Academy), Ileni is contemplating whether or not to contact Sorin, Ileni is struggling to use the magic. A lot of internal battling, but not a lot of external ones (in my opinion). Or maybe I just wanted more.
Sorin is basically NOT in this book. We get his third person perspective in like, two chapters (the whole book is in third person, but limited to Ileni, except for those few instances where the author showed Sorin's perspective). I was disappointed, because I really, really liked Sorin in Death Sworn. And I'm not necessarily talking about as a love interest - he's an interesting character.
So... the romance. I'm not really happy with the romance. It's really not in this book at all. It doesn't progress forward... if anything, we go backwards. Think about it - Sorin and Ileni aren't really interacting in this book. I don't want to spoil things, but them not together affects their relationship, sort of.
I'm not saying the romance is BAD, or badly constructed... but I wanted more, for sure. That was a complaint I had in Death Sworn - that I wanted more romance. I wanted more in this book as well, and didn't get more. The ending needed to be more solid, in terms of the romance. Ugh! It's so hard to explain, but I didn't hate the romance. I just didn't like it either. It bothered me, but not enough to rage. I could see why the author took the direction she did, but still... hmph.
Would I Recommend It:
If you read Death Sworn, definitely give this novel a shot. It's worth the read, especially since this series is only a duology. However, don't do what I did. Don't go in with super high expectations. Don't be *too* excited, basically. Then you won't be super disappointed.
Rating:
3 stars. I liked it, but I wanted more. I definitely think there is room for another book, if the author chose to write another and/or got a contract for a third. There are plenty of loose ends (in all aspects of the story) that could be tied together!
March 5, 2015
4 Stars for when I thought this had a sequel.
2 stars for it being a conclusion.
"She had grown up believing that destroying the Empire was her life's goal, the hope of every Renegai. But too many of her childhood beliefs had been shattered in the Assassin's Caves. She needed to see for herself."
I gave Death Marked four stars (at first) because I thought the struggle within Ileni was real and I admired her for looking for answers for herself instead of inherently trusting the people around her like she did for so many years. I enjoyed the story and got immersed in answering the questions of who to trust, what to think, which side to choose... I thought this book was great, as a sophomore read. Then I read that THIS is the conclusion to the Death Sworn series and all hell broke loose in my head.
"Was nothing she knew about the world true? And if so, how could she--ignorant, naive, wrong about everything--possibly make a decision that would affect the world so drastically?"
Death Marked just didn't read like a conclusion. It set up things SO very nicely, if there was a third title. I understand Ileni's decisions, and I loved that after everything she managed to stay true to herself (and her beliefs) in some way, but it isn't enough. You just don't go through everything you read and then NOT HAVE HAVE A NEAT ALL ENCOMPASSING CONCLUSION.
Death Marked stressed how complicated and difficult this war between the Empire and the Assassins is, I understand that no decision is going to be ideal if they want to end the war, but I also thought the war was going to END by the end of the series. I thought a side would have been proclaimed the winner, and something in the world would change. Yes our main character found peace of some sort but the world did not. The empire is going to keep doing what it is doing, and has been doing for years, the assassins are going to keep coming after them, and Ileni is going to possibly die if she doesn't make herself a more invaluable member of society.
"She could be the one to accomplish the goal both the assassins and her own people had been working toward for centuries: wipe the Empire off the face of this earth."
I don't even think they know what "wiping the empire off the face of the Earth" would mean to their society. You have to have a plan, a back up system in case your wiping out of society's current leaders works out. What will you do? How will you control the chaos? It is much like the assassins' predicament, if they kill Sorin who will take over? Who will lead them? And into WHAT future? They clearly have not thought that much ahead. The master might have, but he dead so.
"She had also once thought that she was on the side of good--that she would do something truly, wholly, unmistakably right. She missed that belief more than she missed Sorin, more than she missed her magic, more than she missed not wondering every morning if she would die that day."
As like the rest of the story the romance went into a very good place, but it did not feel like a conclusion. Ileni struggles with her feelings for Sorin throughout the novel and when we finally get some resolution to their situation... I need a follow up. It just CAN'T end like that. IT CAN'T. I need answers, I need a confrontation, I need IT NOW. It also doesn't help that Sorin was BARELY there throughout the novel. We only get to see his new mask as master of the assassins, little of the reckless boy we came to love in the first title.
Did I enjoy Death Marked? YES. I did, I thought it was written well, I loved the struggle within Ileni, how she wanted to use the magic but she knew it was wrong, etc. but I also thought we were working towards something. I didn't realize this was the last book. I thought there was more so I ended up disappointed in the end.
2 stars for it being a conclusion.
"She had grown up believing that destroying the Empire was her life's goal, the hope of every Renegai. But too many of her childhood beliefs had been shattered in the Assassin's Caves. She needed to see for herself."
I gave Death Marked four stars (at first) because I thought the struggle within Ileni was real and I admired her for looking for answers for herself instead of inherently trusting the people around her like she did for so many years. I enjoyed the story and got immersed in answering the questions of who to trust, what to think, which side to choose... I thought this book was great, as a sophomore read. Then I read that THIS is the conclusion to the Death Sworn series and all hell broke loose in my head.
"Was nothing she knew about the world true? And if so, how could she--ignorant, naive, wrong about everything--possibly make a decision that would affect the world so drastically?"
Death Marked just didn't read like a conclusion. It set up things SO very nicely, if there was a third title. I understand Ileni's decisions, and I loved that after everything she managed to stay true to herself (and her beliefs) in some way, but it isn't enough. You just don't go through everything you read and then NOT HAVE HAVE A NEAT ALL ENCOMPASSING CONCLUSION.
Death Marked stressed how complicated and difficult this war between the Empire and the Assassins is, I understand that no decision is going to be ideal if they want to end the war, but I also thought the war was going to END by the end of the series. I thought a side would have been proclaimed the winner, and something in the world would change. Yes our main character found peace of some sort but the world did not. The empire is going to keep doing what it is doing, and has been doing for years, the assassins are going to keep coming after them, and Ileni is going to possibly die if she doesn't make herself a more invaluable member of society.
"She could be the one to accomplish the goal both the assassins and her own people had been working toward for centuries: wipe the Empire off the face of this earth."
I don't even think they know what "wiping the empire off the face of the Earth" would mean to their society. You have to have a plan, a back up system in case your wiping out of society's current leaders works out. What will you do? How will you control the chaos? It is much like the assassins' predicament, if they kill Sorin who will take over? Who will lead them? And into WHAT future? They clearly have not thought that much ahead. The master might have, but he dead so.
"She had also once thought that she was on the side of good--that she would do something truly, wholly, unmistakably right. She missed that belief more than she missed Sorin, more than she missed her magic, more than she missed not wondering every morning if she would die that day."
As like the rest of the story the romance went into a very good place, but it did not feel like a conclusion. Ileni struggles with her feelings for Sorin throughout the novel and when we finally get some resolution to their situation... I need a follow up. It just CAN'T end like that. IT CAN'T. I need answers, I need a confrontation, I need IT NOW. It also doesn't help that Sorin was BARELY there throughout the novel. We only get to see his new mask as master of the assassins, little of the reckless boy we came to love in the first title.
Did I enjoy Death Marked? YES. I did, I thought it was written well, I loved the struggle within Ileni, how she wanted to use the magic but she knew it was wrong, etc. but I also thought we were working towards something. I didn't realize this was the last book. I thought there was more so I ended up disappointed in the end.
May 18, 2016
The ending is definitely a let down.
November 11, 2015
3 1/2 stars and a lot of thoughts on this one. Very surprised that this is the conclusion, as the story definitely doesn't feel finished. But I enjoyed it a lot, loved the darker side of Ileni, and the non-conventional way the story progressed. Still, I can't quite accept an ending as vague as that...
September 3, 2018
Her life wouldn’t be grand, or dramatic, or momentous. There would be no great choices to make, no moments when everything would change. It would make a dull story if she was ever called upon to tell it.
That quote pretty much sums up my thoughts on this story.
The main protagonist is a foolish girl who has no real values and seems to waffle between hating the empire and not hating the empire based on every single person she meets. In between that she also waffles between liking every boy she meets and betraying them.
I couldn't care about her and couldn't care about this book. The world building was weak as well. Didn't seem to have a real reason for why the empire was so bad until halfway through book 2.
That quote pretty much sums up my thoughts on this story.
The main protagonist is a foolish girl who has no real values and seems to waffle between hating the empire and not hating the empire based on every single person she meets. In between that she also waffles between liking every boy she meets and betraying them.
I couldn't care about her and couldn't care about this book. The world building was weak as well. Didn't seem to have a real reason for why the empire was so bad until halfway through book 2.
February 20, 2015
1.5 Stars
Arc provided by Harper Collins Children through Edelweiss
Release Date: March 3rd
I am just going to come out and say this, a little like pulling a band aid, fast and clean:
I did not enjoy reading this story, and since I am not a fifteen year old girl, no, that reason doesn't have anything to do with what ends up happening in the end (don't worry, no one dies..at least no one that relevant to the story).
The main reason that made me at numerous times consider to DNF this, has something to do that, once again the world building is practically non existent. But this time on a bigger scale. Because if in the first volume, the story took place inside some caves, now Ileni has been captured by the Empire..and I was thinking big, you know?
But no such luck.
Death Sworn ends, and three days later, Death Marked starts....for me this feels lazy.
Once again too much tell, not enough show..
The story starts with Ileni being held captive by the Empire ( a very small Empire who only has aJack /Jane of all trades to all important leading roles in the story..very disappointing), and then being conveniently contacted by Sorin...though you'll have to hold on until the last pages to figure out this apparently whimsical activity, as well as many, many others.
I am sorry to say this, but this time Ileni is severely lacking in all the things that made her praise worthy in the first book, and if on one hand, I could be led into believing that what she goes through is believable due to her age: the indecision, the not knowing in whom to trust, on the other, no one wants to read the story of someone who is constantly considering changing sides.
As a consequence she sounds weak and pathetic.
Thing is, for about 85 or even 90 percent of this narrative, I would give this a one star/one and half star rating:
This was just boring with apparent tstl actions and characters. It really was too much to ask of its readers to keep reading something so basic and undeveloped.
However, the last part reveals part of the motives behind what appeared to be tstl actions.
Also the way in which the author chooses to follow a "less travelled" road for the the way the story ends, could be seen from two different angles:
The innovative one, in the sense that the author pulls the rug under our feet, giving us instead a completely different story. One told on a definite smaller scale.
On the other hand, and having already read the author's other series, I am afraid that I am finding a pattern here:
When things get tough, the author seems to follows the less troublesome road, and that isn't good, because these are fantasy books, not coming of age realistic stories.
In fact I started this review with the intention of giving this _ grudgingly _ a 2.5 star rating, but now on second thought I can't help feeling that I was pulled a fast one.
Also, the romances in Leah Cypess's world continue to be treated in a severely lacking way. Especially in the latest instalments of both series, and although I am a big fan of the "boys with the bread" type of character, I was not a fan of what happened here. Or of what may happen..
Bottom Line: I cannot in good conscience recommend this book.
This doesn't have anything to do with HEA in the story's, it has to do with feeling that the characters made the effort...or not.
And the thing is, I read and enjoyed Death Sworn because of two characters not because of one, and Sorin never pretended to be something he wasn't...
I understand what the author tried to do. She tried to create layers and more layers to the story, but not having enough world building to support them, by not being able of creating strong relationships between the characters _ what happens in the end is another proof _, and having girl on girl hate, made it impossible for me to enjoy this.
Arc provided by Harper Collins Children through Edelweiss
Release Date: March 3rd
I am just going to come out and say this, a little like pulling a band aid, fast and clean:
I did not enjoy reading this story, and since I am not a fifteen year old girl, no, that reason doesn't have anything to do with what ends up happening in the end (don't worry, no one dies..at least no one that relevant to the story).
The main reason that made me at numerous times consider to DNF this, has something to do that, once again the world building is practically non existent. But this time on a bigger scale. Because if in the first volume, the story took place inside some caves, now Ileni has been captured by the Empire..and I was thinking big, you know?
But no such luck.
Death Sworn ends, and three days later, Death Marked starts....for me this feels lazy.
Once again too much tell, not enough show..
The story starts with Ileni being held captive by the Empire ( a very small Empire who only has a
I am sorry to say this, but this time Ileni is severely lacking in all the things that made her praise worthy in the first book, and if on one hand, I could be led into believing that what she goes through is believable due to her age: the indecision, the not knowing in whom to trust, on the other, no one wants to read the story of someone who is constantly considering changing sides.
As a consequence she sounds weak and pathetic.
Thing is, for about 85 or even 90 percent of this narrative, I would give this a one star/one and half star rating:
This was just boring with apparent tstl actions and characters. It really was too much to ask of its readers to keep reading something so basic and undeveloped.
However, the last part reveals part of the motives behind what appeared to be tstl actions.
Also the way in which the author chooses to follow a "less travelled" road for the the way the story ends, could be seen from two different angles:
The innovative one, in the sense that the author pulls the rug under our feet, giving us instead a completely different story. One told on a definite smaller scale.
On the other hand, and having already read the author's other series, I am afraid that I am finding a pattern here:
When things get tough, the author seems to follows the less troublesome road, and that isn't good, because these are fantasy books, not coming of age realistic stories.
In fact I started this review with the intention of giving this _ grudgingly _ a 2.5 star rating, but now on second thought I can't help feeling that I was pulled a fast one.
Also, the romances in Leah Cypess's world continue to be treated in a severely lacking way. Especially in the latest instalments of both series, and although I am a big fan of the "boys with the bread" type of character, I was not a fan of what happened here. Or of what may happen..
Bottom Line: I cannot in good conscience recommend this book.
This doesn't have anything to do with HEA in the story's, it has to do with feeling that the characters made the effort...or not.
And the thing is, I read and enjoyed Death Sworn because of two characters not because of one, and Sorin never pretended to be something he wasn't...
I understand what the author tried to do. She tried to create layers and more layers to the story, but not having enough world building to support them, by not being able of creating strong relationships between the characters _ what happens in the end is another proof _, and having girl on girl hate, made it impossible for me to enjoy this.
April 13, 2015
I fell in love with this world when I read Death Sworn and this was one of my most highly anticipated books this year. Well I'm glad to say that I loved this one too!!
This is much different than book 1. In book 1, Ileni is underground and part of the assassins but now she is at the opposite end of the spectrum and is in the heart of the Empire in a school for sorcerers.
Ileni really struggles in this book. Everything she is thought about the Empire is put to the test and she doesn't know what, or who to believe or trust. At the start she is a prisoner of sorts but then she is taken to the academy and, while she doesn't have magic of her own anymore, she is told that she can use magic again. Only thing is, she has to use lodestones. This is something she particularly struggles with. All her life she is told how evil the lodestones are but once she feels the magic again she is overjoyed. Thing is, Ileni knows that she needs to learn the truth about where the magic of the lodestones come from. She knows that she needs to fight the Empire but just who is the enemy?
We don't see a lot of Soren in this one, which I didn't like but overall it worked well. Ileni has a lot of thinking to do and figuring out who she can trust. We see a bit from Sorens POV and I would love to know just what he was doing during that time!! How is he coping with being Master? What was he up to while Ileni was in the Empire? What plan has he in place? We do see how he struggles with his feelings for Ileni and how he isn't sure what to do about her. She is his weakness!!
My heart broke for Ileni a lot during the story. She was brought up to believe one thing but when she gets to the Empire, she sees that while there are bad people here who do bad things, not everyone is cut from the same cloth. She has a lot more decisions to make but can she choose the right ones? I also felt annoyed with her at times because her indecision was off putting. I wanted her to be stronger and more assertive.
There are a lot of secondary characters in Death Marked. Evin being the best!! I loved his character, he was friendly and kind. He is the strongest, magic wise, than everyone else and I loved that it didn't go to his head.
There isn't as much action in this one but it was still a quick read. It answers some questions but also gives us a ton more. It is pretty open ended so I do hope there is more in this series because I need to see the conclusion to Ileni and Sorens story but I hope if there is one we see more of Soren!!
Overall I loved this one, despite a few problems, the story was still a quick and suspenseful read. From the intriguing characters to the wonderful writing, Death Marked is a must read.
This is much different than book 1. In book 1, Ileni is underground and part of the assassins but now she is at the opposite end of the spectrum and is in the heart of the Empire in a school for sorcerers.
Ileni really struggles in this book. Everything she is thought about the Empire is put to the test and she doesn't know what, or who to believe or trust. At the start she is a prisoner of sorts but then she is taken to the academy and, while she doesn't have magic of her own anymore, she is told that she can use magic again. Only thing is, she has to use lodestones. This is something she particularly struggles with. All her life she is told how evil the lodestones are but once she feels the magic again she is overjoyed. Thing is, Ileni knows that she needs to learn the truth about where the magic of the lodestones come from. She knows that she needs to fight the Empire but just who is the enemy?
We don't see a lot of Soren in this one, which I didn't like but overall it worked well. Ileni has a lot of thinking to do and figuring out who she can trust. We see a bit from Sorens POV and I would love to know just what he was doing during that time!! How is he coping with being Master? What was he up to while Ileni was in the Empire? What plan has he in place? We do see how he struggles with his feelings for Ileni and how he isn't sure what to do about her. She is his weakness!!
My heart broke for Ileni a lot during the story. She was brought up to believe one thing but when she gets to the Empire, she sees that while there are bad people here who do bad things, not everyone is cut from the same cloth. She has a lot more decisions to make but can she choose the right ones? I also felt annoyed with her at times because her indecision was off putting. I wanted her to be stronger and more assertive.
There are a lot of secondary characters in Death Marked. Evin being the best!! I loved his character, he was friendly and kind. He is the strongest, magic wise, than everyone else and I loved that it didn't go to his head.
There isn't as much action in this one but it was still a quick read. It answers some questions but also gives us a ton more. It is pretty open ended so I do hope there is more in this series because I need to see the conclusion to Ileni and Sorens story but I hope if there is one we see more of Soren!!
Overall I loved this one, despite a few problems, the story was still a quick and suspenseful read. From the intriguing characters to the wonderful writing, Death Marked is a must read.
June 2, 2017
2016 Book Awards
(more information about these awards on my blog)
Okay, so remember how much I enjoyed the previous book?
Remember how excited I was to continue with this one?
Well, now I kind of wish I could go back in time and punch past me in the face for wishing that.
Seriously? This is not a satisfying ending by far!
I felt like this was a less intense and less interesting book quite early on - first half of the novel had me zoning out quite a lot and, as I listened to it as an audio book, that was an easy thing to do while still moving forward in the story. It got more interesting as it progressed, but .
And then we have the ending.
The only reason for me not giving this 1 star is that I still love Ileni. Her being there, in this story, boosted it all to two stars. And she deserves better!
(more information about these awards on my blog)
Okay, so remember how much I enjoyed the previous book?
Remember how excited I was to continue with this one?
Well, now I kind of wish I could go back in time and punch past me in the face for wishing that.
Seriously? This is not a satisfying ending by far!
I felt like this was a less intense and less interesting book quite early on - first half of the novel had me zoning out quite a lot and, as I listened to it as an audio book, that was an easy thing to do while still moving forward in the story. It got more interesting as it progressed, but .
And then we have the ending.
The only reason for me not giving this 1 star is that I still love Ileni. Her being there, in this story, boosted it all to two stars. And she deserves better!
December 29, 2014
THOUGHTS:
1
Before Reading:
I actually managed to get my hands on this!
After Reading:
Okay, here's the deal. Let's just say that this book has left me utterly heartbroken, devastated, and ultimately disappointed. It took me three days to finally write out my reaction to this book. I needed time to fully process it. And even now I can't put it into words. The first book held so much hope....and I'm just gonna leave it at that.
1
Before Reading:
I actually managed to get my hands on this!
After Reading:
Okay, here's the deal. Let's just say that this book has left me utterly heartbroken, devastated, and ultimately disappointed. It took me three days to finally write out my reaction to this book. I needed time to fully process it. And even now I can't put it into words. The first book held so much hope....and I'm just gonna leave it at that.
April 19, 2015
This is the 2nd book in the Death Marked duology. I was pretty disappointed in this book. It was just fairly boring and this book didn’t add a lot of resolution to the story.
Ileni has been kidnapped and finds her herself in the very heart of the Evil Empire with the sorcerers there. There she is forced to train with the Empire’s sorcerers. She hopes to find a way to escape and hopes to find a way to sabotage the Empire from the inside. However as she gets to know the sorcerers of the Empire better she wonders how much she can really affect this eternal battle between the Empire and the Assassins.
This was an easy read but provided horrible resolution to the story. The plot is all over the place and Ileni is completely indecisive. I felt very disappointed with how much progress the story made and how things wrapped up. This is supposed to be the final book in the duology and I feel like nothing really happened.
I understand Ileni’s confusion; she is thrown from one extreme to the other but she is so wishy-washy. In the end I kind of felt like she threw her hands up in the air and just decided she couldn’t make much of a difference. Not really the type of story I enjoy reading.
The romance between the characters is lacking in the extreme. Our favorite deadly assassin is hardly in the story at all. Despite the supposed undying love between him and Ileni, neither one of them is willing to compromise at all to find a middle ground.
I guess in the end I felt like this whole duology didn’t have much of a point or a story. The characters blunder around stubbornly and in the end everyone is pretty much where they started; there isn’t much growth at all.
Overall this was a very frustrating read for me. I kept waiting for something to happen, for someone to do something.... I would recommend skipping this duology. There are so many better young adult fantasies out there. Check out The Throne of Glass series by Sarah Maas, the Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson, or Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. All of those book are way way more interesting than this duology was.
February 3, 2015
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
Thanks to Edelweiss and Greenwillow Books for giving me this book to review.
Ileni discovers that losing her powers and ending up with the assassins is all part of a plan for her to destroy the Empire. The only problem with this plan is that she does not want to be a weapon, all she wants to discover the truth. She is now in the heart of the Empire, at their academy for sorcerers, yet she is more confused than ever. Some of the people are not as she had been lead to believe, and she is tempted by the empires evil magic. On top of all that, her budding romance with Sorin, the assassin’s leader, is being threatened by their differences in beliefs. Will Ilena become the weapon she was designed to be or forge her own path and find another way to bring down the empire?
Death Marked is the enjoyable sequel to Death Sworn but is not as good as the first book. This book has action and suspense but not as much romance. I could not get into to this book and it didn’t hold my interest as much as Death Sworn.
Ileni is really indecisive in this book and I wished she would just make up her mind, but she has grown up since the start of the first book. Sorin is not in this book as much, yet we did get some of his POV which means we get to understand him better. There are also some new characters which were interesting as well as some ones from the last book.
I am not sure if there is going to be another book in this series but I would be interested in reading more about Ileni and Sorin. I would recommend Death Marked to fans of the first book Death Sworn.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Greenwillow Books for giving me this book to review.
Ileni discovers that losing her powers and ending up with the assassins is all part of a plan for her to destroy the Empire. The only problem with this plan is that she does not want to be a weapon, all she wants to discover the truth. She is now in the heart of the Empire, at their academy for sorcerers, yet she is more confused than ever. Some of the people are not as she had been lead to believe, and she is tempted by the empires evil magic. On top of all that, her budding romance with Sorin, the assassin’s leader, is being threatened by their differences in beliefs. Will Ilena become the weapon she was designed to be or forge her own path and find another way to bring down the empire?
Death Marked is the enjoyable sequel to Death Sworn but is not as good as the first book. This book has action and suspense but not as much romance. I could not get into to this book and it didn’t hold my interest as much as Death Sworn.
Ileni is really indecisive in this book and I wished she would just make up her mind, but she has grown up since the start of the first book. Sorin is not in this book as much, yet we did get some of his POV which means we get to understand him better. There are also some new characters which were interesting as well as some ones from the last book.
I am not sure if there is going to be another book in this series but I would be interested in reading more about Ileni and Sorin. I would recommend Death Marked to fans of the first book Death Sworn.
August 10, 2016
First off, I liked the first one. The covers for these books are gorgeous. First half 3 and near the end it was a 3.5 and maybe a 4. There's moments in this where I honestly was getting annoyed by Illeni, she just can't decide on something can she? I get she has conflicted thoughts on this side and that side, what she thought she believed of the assassins and the empire and magic, etc. That I didn't mind, one of the better parts in the book.
But at the same time, she came off as a little I don't know, arrogant at times. Even the characters pointed this out to her, which I'm glad they did. She seemed a little different than she was in the first book and I liked her in the first book more.
Anyway, near the end I was not expecting. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. I mean with these books, I hadn't heard much about. But I liked that the ending surprised me and went in a different direction than with most YA series lately.
The characters were interesting as well and I did find myself liking Evin, Girad and Cyn had her moments. I did like the writing style and the setting descriptions.
Also I didn't know this was to be the final book. Its nice change of pace to have a series that isn't a trilogy just because. But with this, I wouldn't have minded it being a trilogy.
It seemed there could of been more to it but I liked that it left things open while giving us little hints here and there.
Anyway, this was a good if a little frustrating at times with how the MC was acting, but a good sequel, finale none the less. Might just give the author's other series Mistwood a read.
But at the same time, she came off as a little I don't know, arrogant at times. Even the characters pointed this out to her, which I'm glad they did. She seemed a little different than she was in the first book and I liked her in the first book more.
Anyway, near the end I was not expecting. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. I mean with these books, I hadn't heard much about. But I liked that the ending surprised me and went in a different direction than with most YA series lately.
The characters were interesting as well and I did find myself liking Evin, Girad and Cyn had her moments. I did like the writing style and the setting descriptions.
Also I didn't know this was to be the final book. Its nice change of pace to have a series that isn't a trilogy just because. But with this, I wouldn't have minded it being a trilogy.
It seemed there could of been more to it but I liked that it left things open while giving us little hints here and there.
Anyway, this was a good if a little frustrating at times with how the MC was acting, but a good sequel, finale none the less. Might just give the author's other series Mistwood a read.
March 10, 2015
I really never thought I’d enjoy reading books about assassins. Throughout the last 5 years, though, I’ve realized that some of my favorite books have murderers for hire in them. The Death Sworn series is such a good fantasy and while it has assassins in it, I just freaking love it.
My favorite part about Death Sworn was far and away the romance. I love the world building and I adore Ileni, the main character, but there was always something about Ileni and Sorin together that just made me so happy.
Since Ileni is no longer at the assassin’s keep and is instead in the heart of the empire, we don’t get to see Sorin as much. That didn’t bother me nearly as much as I thought it would! Ileni's quest to find out the truth about the world she lives in captivated me. We know what the assassin’s and the Renegai think about the Empire, but I love that Ileni has decided not to trust what she’s been taught and instead decides to seek her own answers.
If you liked Death Sworn, you’ll love Death Marked. And if you haven’t started the series yet, but enjoy a good fantasy than you need to pick this one up. Great characters, fantastic world building, and just a hint of love - Death Marked essentially has everything you need for a good book!
For more book reviews, discussions, and book-related fashions, visit abouttoread.com
My favorite part about Death Sworn was far and away the romance. I love the world building and I adore Ileni, the main character, but there was always something about Ileni and Sorin together that just made me so happy.
Since Ileni is no longer at the assassin’s keep and is instead in the heart of the empire, we don’t get to see Sorin as much. That didn’t bother me nearly as much as I thought it would! Ileni's quest to find out the truth about the world she lives in captivated me. We know what the assassin’s and the Renegai think about the Empire, but I love that Ileni has decided not to trust what she’s been taught and instead decides to seek her own answers.
If you liked Death Sworn, you’ll love Death Marked. And if you haven’t started the series yet, but enjoy a good fantasy than you need to pick this one up. Great characters, fantastic world building, and just a hint of love - Death Marked essentially has everything you need for a good book!
For more book reviews, discussions, and book-related fashions, visit abouttoread.com
April 16, 2015
**I received this book for free from (Greenwillow Books) via (Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
Death Marked is the sequel & conclusion to the Death Sworn duology. A journey that has seen 17-year old Ileni exiled from her Renegai home, to landing among assassins who desire to take down the Empire, to entering the hive of the Empire itself searching for a way to destroy their power source. Things haven't exactly been easy for Ileni since the beginning. Her former lover Tellis, her elders, and her clan all turned their back on her and sent her to die once they found out that she wasn't going to be the powerful leader they needed her to be. She lost her magic, faced lies and betrayal, found love, and was forced to kill someone in order to save her life.
*Full Review Posted @ Talk Supe Blog*
http://www.talksupeblog.com/2015/03/s...
*Recvd 09/30/2014 via Edelweiss* Expected publication: March 3rd 2015 by Greenwillow Books
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
Death Marked is the sequel & conclusion to the Death Sworn duology. A journey that has seen 17-year old Ileni exiled from her Renegai home, to landing among assassins who desire to take down the Empire, to entering the hive of the Empire itself searching for a way to destroy their power source. Things haven't exactly been easy for Ileni since the beginning. Her former lover Tellis, her elders, and her clan all turned their back on her and sent her to die once they found out that she wasn't going to be the powerful leader they needed her to be. She lost her magic, faced lies and betrayal, found love, and was forced to kill someone in order to save her life.
*Full Review Posted @ Talk Supe Blog*
http://www.talksupeblog.com/2015/03/s...
*Recvd 09/30/2014 via Edelweiss* Expected publication: March 3rd 2015 by Greenwillow Books
May 27, 2015
This wasn't really what I had been expecting, but I still really enjoyed it. This is a really unique series and it always surprised me. As long as you are ok with the fact that it is more of a slow paced intrigue.
As much as I enjoyed the new direction in this book, I am left a little confused about why the first book spent so much time getting to know Sorin, when he ended up playing such a small part in this book. It seemed like his character was just flung aside and forgotten in this one. But I do agree with what Ileni decided in the end. It was a tough decision with no perfect solution, but I think she did the right thing. I also really liked Evin and don't mind their open ending.
As much as I enjoyed the new direction in this book, I am left a little confused about why the first book spent so much time getting to know Sorin, when he ended up playing such a small part in this book. It seemed like his character was just flung aside and forgotten in this one. But I do agree with what Ileni decided in the end. It was a tough decision with no perfect solution, but I think she did the right thing. I also really liked Evin and don't mind their open ending.
August 6, 2016
I really want to give Death Marked a higher review but I am so confused. IS that the end of the story? Surely it isn't! We just got to the CLIMAX! NOTHING feels FINISHED about that. I am actually stumped.
June 22, 2016
naaahh ... I'm quite disappointed. I was hoping for so much more action, for a clear decision. Maybe for a Black and white perspective ... I don't know. but I feel quite unsatisfied with the ending. also, there weren't as many emotions as I expected. I missed Sorin a lot. this sequel feels more like a draft of a book than the actual finished script.
April 19, 2015
Nothing happened in this book. NOTHING. Everything that did happen turned out to be utterly useless. The ending was frustrating because there was basically no closure. But the narrator was fantastic though and she made listening to this book a pleasant experience. I would have DNFed pretty early on if I had been reading this one.
To sum up : a disappointing conclusion to a series that had the potential to be mind-blowing.
Want to read
December 12, 2014I might just to buy these for the covers alone. So fucking beautiful. :D
December 14, 2019
Wtf did I just read???
Seriously, what book ends like that??
All that character development, romance development, world building...to back track and say fuck it, absolutely NOTHING in those 3 categories will have any sort of coherence at the end.
Seriously, what book ends like that??
All that character development, romance development, world building...to back track and say fuck it, absolutely NOTHING in those 3 categories will have any sort of coherence at the end.
Read
February 28, 2015Find more reviews at
I'm starting the review off with this: I started Death Sworn on Oct 5. I finished it the same day. I then immediately started Death Marked and finished it the same day. And now I'm writing the review and I'm an absolute mess.
I shed a few tears for Sorin and Ilena when I realized this was a duology. Not exactly my proudest moment, but I'm absolutely stunned and heartbroken by the intricate weaving of Cypress's storytelling about an assassin who's cold through and through and a girl who's torn between her heart and herself.
Where do I even talk about first? There were so many things about Death Marked that I love, and so many things that absolutely crushed me--among them, the choice Ilena had to make. It's one that presses down on her from the moment the story starts. She's torn between two sides, neither inherently right or inherently wrong, but both logical in their reasonings. If I'm being honest, even I had trouble picking a side. Sorin and his assassins killed children. They killed innocents in their goal to bring the Empire down to its knees--an empire that was stealing lives and stealing magic itself. And then we have Ilena with her skill and talent in magic, but nothing to call her own except the heart of a man who would kill those she loved if he had to. The decision weighs on her throughout the novel, questions of "what if?" plaguing her mind. What if she betrayed him? What if he betrayed her? What if the Empire wasn't as evil as she'd thought? She's grown up thinking it was cruel and merciless, fell in love with a man whose mission was to tear it down, but when she arrives, she realizes that not everything about it is bad.
Oh Ilena. It wasn't just that decision that weighed on her either. Sorin and her relationship can only be described as star-crossed and tremulous. Sorin is firm in his belief and faith in his goal while Ilena isn't so sure. I can't say much about their relationship in this book because of all the plot points that hinge on it, but I will say that their reluctant love for each other absolutely broke me.
Can I have a paragraph dedicated to Sorin alone? Because dear God I love him. He's such a complex character and almost cruel in a way. But every time it comes to Ilena he just seems to melt and soften, if only a little. Nowadays, assassins in YA are so easily swayed by the people they love, but Sorin was...wow. He's possibly one of the best written assassins I've seen since Celaena. And then we have his whole yearning for Ilena...even as she contemplates betraying him. We get hints from his POV, but honestly? More. I need more. I need so much more Sorin. I honestly can't deal with my feelings about Sorin guys. Except more.
As for the plot? OH political intrigue of political intrigue. There are so many times in Death Marked where Ilena was this close to getting murdered on the spot--whether by a sorceress or an assassin, you never know. I was on my toes the entire time and while there aren't any major plot twists, the plot went in so many directions I never could've predicted--especially that end. Cypress is honestly a hero in my book now. I will read anything she writes, especially after I loved Mistwood. Oh my GOSH I can't even with my feels, excuse me.
Death Marked (and for that matter, Death Sworn) are books I'd absolutely recommend to anyone who loves their high fantasy filled with thrills and assassins you love, but can't quite trust. And now I'm going to say the one thing that should get everyone running--I loved this book just as much as I loved Throne of Glass. It's just as intriguing, the use of magic is a bit new, and the assassins? Hardcore and swoony. While I wouldn't call it "epic" it's still stunning and one I'd shove in your face at a moment's glance.
SORIN X ILENA FOREVER.
July 6, 2024
Hmm what to say about this book.
Ileni was a lot more annoying in this novel, I found. She was very self righteous and preachy, and just down right hypocritical. There were a lot of times I just wanted to walk into the book and say, "Honey, are you really one to talk?" and then slap her. Many of the characters even point this out to her, and she still does it anyways. She also suffers a bit from Special Snowflake Syndrome this time around, which feels like a step backwards from her character in Death Sworn. One thing I really loved about Ileni in the first novel was her growing loss of power; it made her a relatable character to me, and her grief was understandable and human. Now that she's suddenly given access to magical abilities again, it seems she goes right back to being the haughty, self centered brat she originally was when she was a Renegai.
"I could destroy you," Ileni said. Her voice shook. "I could destroy all of you. And I think I will."
This is actually a line she says, and gives you an idea of her new arrogance. She's far less sympathetic this time around.
Some things I really loved, was the added world building. We're given a little more of a view of the world Ileni lives in, but like Death Sworn we're given small, tantalizing details that left me wanting more. For instance, it's mentioned that there are actually two factions of Renegai, which Ileni didn't even know about. It would have been a nice concept to explore, but it's only just a random drop of information. We're only shown a very small slice of the Empire, sadly. Similar to how the first book took place entirely in the Assassin caves, this one largely takes place in the mountains where the Imperial Sorcerer's train, but at least there's more detail about the environment and scenery this time around so I'm not complaining.
I really liked the new characters, like Evin, the light hearted slacker that's an Imperial Sorcerer in training Ileni meets, and Arxis, who is somewhat of an Irun replacement but is still an entertaining antagonist.
We also get to see Sorin's thoughts in this one! He's changed quite a bit since the ending of the first book, but I can't say much more without getting into spoilers. His passages were definitely my favorite parts to read though. He's such a delightfully complex character and I love him to bits.
But I'll just get this out there, I absolutely hated the ending. I'm disappointed and morally disgusted with the choices Ileni made in the novel, and the "resolution" actually left me feeling really depressed when I finished the book. While it's commendable that Leah Cypess wrote such interesting characters that I was able to get my heart ripped and then smashed to a bajjillion pieces, I do wish the series didn't end in such a bitter note, with all my favorite characters seemingly either dead or destined to be miserable. But I shall say no more.
I really hope that Leah decides to pursue this world further, because it's just so interesting, and there's so many more stories she could take this series in if she desired. But as it stands, it appears that this is the end of Sorin and Ileni's tale, and this sadly doesn't seem like a very satisfying conclusion to their stories.
Ileni was a lot more annoying in this novel, I found. She was very self righteous and preachy, and just down right hypocritical. There were a lot of times I just wanted to walk into the book and say, "Honey, are you really one to talk?" and then slap her. Many of the characters even point this out to her, and she still does it anyways. She also suffers a bit from Special Snowflake Syndrome this time around, which feels like a step backwards from her character in Death Sworn. One thing I really loved about Ileni in the first novel was her growing loss of power; it made her a relatable character to me, and her grief was understandable and human. Now that she's suddenly given access to magical abilities again, it seems she goes right back to being the haughty, self centered brat she originally was when she was a Renegai.
"I could destroy you," Ileni said. Her voice shook. "I could destroy all of you. And I think I will."
This is actually a line she says, and gives you an idea of her new arrogance. She's far less sympathetic this time around.
Some things I really loved, was the added world building. We're given a little more of a view of the world Ileni lives in, but like Death Sworn we're given small, tantalizing details that left me wanting more. For instance, it's mentioned that there are actually two factions of Renegai, which Ileni didn't even know about. It would have been a nice concept to explore, but it's only just a random drop of information. We're only shown a very small slice of the Empire, sadly. Similar to how the first book took place entirely in the Assassin caves, this one largely takes place in the mountains where the Imperial Sorcerer's train, but at least there's more detail about the environment and scenery this time around so I'm not complaining.
I really liked the new characters, like Evin, the light hearted slacker that's an Imperial Sorcerer in training Ileni meets, and Arxis, who is somewhat of an Irun replacement but is still an entertaining antagonist.
We also get to see Sorin's thoughts in this one! He's changed quite a bit since the ending of the first book, but I can't say much more without getting into spoilers. His passages were definitely my favorite parts to read though. He's such a delightfully complex character and I love him to bits.
But I'll just get this out there, I absolutely hated the ending. I'm disappointed and morally disgusted with the choices Ileni made in the novel, and the "resolution" actually left me feeling really depressed when I finished the book. While it's commendable that Leah Cypess wrote such interesting characters that I was able to get my heart ripped and then smashed to a bajjillion pieces, I do wish the series didn't end in such a bitter note, with all my favorite characters seemingly either dead or destined to be miserable. But I shall say no more.
I really hope that Leah decides to pursue this world further, because it's just so interesting, and there's so many more stories she could take this series in if she desired. But as it stands, it appears that this is the end of Sorin and Ileni's tale, and this sadly doesn't seem like a very satisfying conclusion to their stories.
April 25, 2015
The first thing I really got from starting Death Marked was dang, I have a terrible memory. Unfortunately, having found Death Sworn an average sort of read, I could hardly remember anything from that book. Which made it very difficult to empathise with any of the characters in Death Marked since I couldn't remember who any of them were. And I was confused about one thing or another for maybe the first third of the book because I wasn't sure why any of the characters were in the situations they were. Of course as I read on, I remembered some bits and pieces, and I ended up quite enjoying the last half of the book.
The main reason I wanted to continue with this duology was because I thought that the world building would improve. In Book One, Ileni is confined to the well hidden assassin caves, which therefore means that the limited world building makes sense. But in this book, despite the fact that she's out of those caves, the world building is still quite limited, with the story being a lot more character-oriented than anything else. Which I guess was okay because the main character Ileni was well developed enough to keep you somewhat interested.
The romance is okay, I suppose. I feel like it's really put to the side in this novel, which normally in any other book I would have been okay with, but with the lack of romance in this one, there wasn't really anything else more interesting to fall back on. The political intrigue and magic development side of things was pretty generic, and the "taking down of the empire" side of things was a bit interesting, but not something that had me on the edge of my seat.
Well, I did like Death Marked overall, but as is pretty obvious from this review, it's a very mediocre read, in terms of it not really being anything fresh or exciting in the world of young adult high fantasy. Not sure I'd recommend it unless you've hardly read any high fantasy at all and therefore won't compare this books to other more well rounded works.
Ratings
Overall: 6/10
Plot: 3/5
Romance: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
World Building: 2/5
Characters: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
The main reason I wanted to continue with this duology was because I thought that the world building would improve. In Book One, Ileni is confined to the well hidden assassin caves, which therefore means that the limited world building makes sense. But in this book, despite the fact that she's out of those caves, the world building is still quite limited, with the story being a lot more character-oriented than anything else. Which I guess was okay because the main character Ileni was well developed enough to keep you somewhat interested.
The romance is okay, I suppose. I feel like it's really put to the side in this novel, which normally in any other book I would have been okay with, but with the lack of romance in this one, there wasn't really anything else more interesting to fall back on. The political intrigue and magic development side of things was pretty generic, and the "taking down of the empire" side of things was a bit interesting, but not something that had me on the edge of my seat.
Well, I did like Death Marked overall, but as is pretty obvious from this review, it's a very mediocre read, in terms of it not really being anything fresh or exciting in the world of young adult high fantasy. Not sure I'd recommend it unless you've hardly read any high fantasy at all and therefore won't compare this books to other more well rounded works.
Ratings
Overall: 6/10
Plot: 3/5
Romance: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
World Building: 2/5
Characters: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
November 21, 2025
Ileni was a powerful sorceress who lost her magic. In the first book, she was sent on a suicide mission by her elders deep into the assassins lair. Now she is running for her life. The man she left behind, Sorin, should want her dead, but she has been thrust into a new enemies camp, The Empire, and the allure might just be too much.
The Empire doesn't have many magic users but what they do have is everything Ileni has been taught to hate. It is the chance to regain her power but at what cost.
It all comes down to power. Can she accept the power taken by another's death or will the temptation might be too great? Will she forgo the love she knew for power? Will she discover the truth behind the powers that be? Its all answered in the conclusion of the Death Sworn series.
I absolutely was riveted to Death Sworn but had a hard time with Death Marked. The story seemed to have a lot of excess that distracted me from the main plot. I understand the author's right to direct a character to what they see in their minds eye but boy was this direction a hard pill to swallow or work for me.
I did missed the Sorin we got to know in Death Sworn even though he still plays a minor but pivotal role in Death Marked.
The decisions laid on Ileni's head are insurmountable. How do you choose between two wrongs and make one as right as you can? Maybe that accounted for all of Ileni's indecision and vacillations.
In the end, Cypess provides a vivid and detailed fantasy. You can't help but visually see the sorcery academies cliffs and take in the plunges over said cliffs. I liked it, but wasn't riveted like I was with the first installment.
I received this ARC copy of Death Marked from Greenwillow Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication March 3, 2015.
The Empire doesn't have many magic users but what they do have is everything Ileni has been taught to hate. It is the chance to regain her power but at what cost.
It all comes down to power. Can she accept the power taken by another's death or will the temptation might be too great? Will she forgo the love she knew for power? Will she discover the truth behind the powers that be? Its all answered in the conclusion of the Death Sworn series.
I absolutely was riveted to Death Sworn but had a hard time with Death Marked. The story seemed to have a lot of excess that distracted me from the main plot. I understand the author's right to direct a character to what they see in their minds eye but boy was this direction a hard pill to swallow or work for me.
I did missed the Sorin we got to know in Death Sworn even though he still plays a minor but pivotal role in Death Marked.
The decisions laid on Ileni's head are insurmountable. How do you choose between two wrongs and make one as right as you can? Maybe that accounted for all of Ileni's indecision and vacillations.
In the end, Cypess provides a vivid and detailed fantasy. You can't help but visually see the sorcery academies cliffs and take in the plunges over said cliffs. I liked it, but wasn't riveted like I was with the first installment.
I received this ARC copy of Death Marked from Greenwillow Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication March 3, 2015.
July 20, 2016
I'm going by what I remember after finishing this book. And to be totally honest, that was already months ago (Two months ago? Three? More?). And even to present I still don't really have anything to say about this book and so what everyone gets are a few unhelpful sentences.
Because I honestly had no idea what was going on in this book at all. I had thought that Ileni had already made a decision about her actions, but I guess she really hasn't. So instead of the competent, kickass, yet powerless sorceress with resources and skills, we get a wishy-washy, indecisive, and STILL powerless (and now also weak and whiny) sorceress who has no idea what the heck she's doing.
Those few months ago, I somehow managed to finish reading this book. And now, in the present, I really have no recollection of what actually happened in this book aside from people dying for reasons, and Ileni going back and forth about what she's supposed to do and where she stands. I get she's trying to make her decisions on her own and not be influenced by others. But, goodness, while she's floundering about who's side to stand on, and who's really the bad guy here, hundreds of people are continuing to die all around her.
It was kind of frustrating and I'm not entirely sure I know what she accomplished... or even what this book accomplished.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Bookish Resolutions Challenge
Because I honestly had no idea what was going on in this book at all. I had thought that Ileni had already made a decision about her actions, but I guess she really hasn't. So instead of the competent, kickass, yet powerless sorceress with resources and skills, we get a wishy-washy, indecisive, and STILL powerless (and now also weak and whiny) sorceress who has no idea what the heck she's doing.
Those few months ago, I somehow managed to finish reading this book. And now, in the present, I really have no recollection of what actually happened in this book aside from people dying for reasons, and Ileni going back and forth about what she's supposed to do and where she stands. I get she's trying to make her decisions on her own and not be influenced by others. But, goodness, while she's floundering about who's side to stand on, and who's really the bad guy here, hundreds of people are continuing to die all around her.
It was kind of frustrating and I'm not entirely sure I know what she accomplished... or even what this book accomplished.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Bookish Resolutions Challenge
March 22, 2015
It's partly because the setting - an academy for sorcerers-in-training - isn't unique, certainly not as unique as a cave of assassins; it's partly the way Ileni is forced to react based on other people's choices, because she'd vacillated for months without making a decision; it's partly the way her conflict is, essentially, created by boys falling for her wherever she goes - and all that combines to make Death Marked noticeably weaker than the first novel in the series.
It's not completely boring, which is more than I can say of the book I'm reading right now. There are interesting parts, like the different ways Ileni sees of carrying out her assigned task. But then she weighs them - and weighs them - and dithers some more, and someone she knows will act does, in fact, act before she makes up her mind. And after that she doesn't seem to choose as much as accept, and it's presented as character growth, that she realizes she isn't one of the people who make history, just a minor player. Which didn't work for me.
It's not completely boring, which is more than I can say of the book I'm reading right now. There are interesting parts, like the different ways Ileni sees of carrying out her assigned task. But then she weighs them - and weighs them - and dithers some more, and someone she knows will act does, in fact, act before she makes up her mind. And after that she doesn't seem to choose as much as accept, and it's presented as character growth, that she realizes she isn't one of the people who make history, just a minor player. Which didn't work for me.
March 7, 2015
So I love Leah Cypess' writing. I have raved about all of her previous books almost to the point of embarrassment. For some reason, this one just wasn't as good as her other ones. It is better than a lot of stuff that is currently being published though. She has a way of building tension that makes you want to scream out loud just to break it. The characters were amazing as always. The plot fell a little short. I enjoyed delving further into the world that she has created, and I will definitely be reading the next book.
October 11, 2014
3.5 almost a 4! I loved the first book in this series and was excited for Death Marked. The story took a different direction than I expected and while I wish it ended differently it was still a good ending. There's enough left untold that a 3rd book would be possible and I'm hoping there will be because I don't want to let go of this world or the characters quite yet.
did-not-finish
August 11, 2016DNF
I've been trying to get through this one for a few weeks and it's not working. I found that I no longer care where it's going and I'm getting tired of Ileni's back and forth. Because of that I'll be putting this one aside.
I've been trying to get through this one for a few weeks and it's not working. I found that I no longer care where it's going and I'm getting tired of Ileni's back and forth. Because of that I'll be putting this one aside.
Read
January 31, 2016Read this is one sitting!!! Magic, murder, and blurry lines between right and wrong, good and evil. Leah created a story masterfully written that will make you think, keep you turning pages, and leave you surprised by twists and turns you didn't see coming. Full review to come!
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