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Order of the MoonStone #1
A Reluctant Assassin
Her mission was simple — get close to the Prince, and kill him. . .
Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess but beneath the mask, a killer lays in wait — for the perfect moment.
Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife . . .
But due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law — he must find a bride before he is allowed to take his rightful place on the throne.
And the one woman he wants — just might be the one who is there to kill him…
Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess but beneath the mask, a killer lays in wait — for the perfect moment.
Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife . . .
But due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law — he must find a bride before he is allowed to take his rightful place on the throne.
And the one woman he wants — just might be the one who is there to kill him…
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2015
59 people are currently reading
1315 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Morrows
29 books186 followers
JC Morrows is the bestselling author of the young adult dystopian series: Order of the MoonStone and the post-apocalyptic Frozen World series. A believer in sharing knowledge, JC is passionate about both stoking the creative fire in young minds and doing all she can to help authors of all experience levels excel.
A true storyteller, JC is one of those authors who grew up thinking it was perfectly normal to make up wild and fantastic tales, talk to people who weren't there, and look at the world from a perspective that no one else understood.
These days she records those fantastical tales (when her resistant laptop lets her) . . . and the people who aren't there . . . well, she still talks to them. She tells their stories and even argues with them on occasion. And she still sees the world in a way that makes sense to no one else, but that's OK because she is a teller of tales, a dreamer of dreams, a traveler of made-up worlds!
Though she doesn't write strictly "Christian" fiction... as a true believer, she gives God all of the glory for her talent and ability!
"And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." Habakkuk 2:2 KJV
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 18, 2016
I was expecting really high things from this book. The cover is simply amazing. I was expecting intrigue and assassination attempts. Cloak and dagger stuff.
This book isn't that. It's a love story. It's pretty much a clean, Christian version of The Selection.
The prince has to choose a bride from a group of 24 girls. He instantly feels attracted to the girl, though she happens to be an assassin sent to kill him. It's very much a Cinderella type, insta-attraction. Not quite insta-love, but he definitely is attracted to her from the first moment he meets her eyes across the room.
On the girl's part, there's more falling in love with the prince than agonizing over having to kill him. The one time she accidentally almost kills him, she screams and freaks out about it. Not the reaction I would've expected from a girl who was trained as an assassin, especially not one who the book hints has succeeded in several missions before this.
Much of the time, I felt a little like I wasn't getting the whole picture. I didn't understand a lot of the how and why things were happening. How did the Order manage to get her in as a potential bride when the advisers are so set against her? Why does the Order want to kill the prince in the first place? I also wasn't sure why this book had to be dystopian. Besides being told this was in the future, it didn't feel like it. With much of the book happening inside the castle, this book could've been set in pretty much any time period.
I did like the concept and I did enjoy the brief section of action at the end. The book ends with the promise of more action and more intrigue in the next book now that the initial love story stuff is out of the way. The story line and characters have a lot of potential to build in the next books, and I look forward to seeing where the author takes this story.
Overall, this is a sweet love story with just a hint of danger that would be appropriate for younger teens looking for dystopian novels but aren't quite ready to handle a higher level of grittiness.
This book isn't that. It's a love story. It's pretty much a clean, Christian version of The Selection.
The prince has to choose a bride from a group of 24 girls. He instantly feels attracted to the girl, though she happens to be an assassin sent to kill him. It's very much a Cinderella type, insta-attraction. Not quite insta-love, but he definitely is attracted to her from the first moment he meets her eyes across the room.
On the girl's part, there's more falling in love with the prince than agonizing over having to kill him. The one time she accidentally almost kills him, she screams and freaks out about it. Not the reaction I would've expected from a girl who was trained as an assassin, especially not one who the book hints has succeeded in several missions before this.
Much of the time, I felt a little like I wasn't getting the whole picture. I didn't understand a lot of the how and why things were happening. How did the Order manage to get her in as a potential bride when the advisers are so set against her? Why does the Order want to kill the prince in the first place? I also wasn't sure why this book had to be dystopian. Besides being told this was in the future, it didn't feel like it. With much of the book happening inside the castle, this book could've been set in pretty much any time period.
I did like the concept and I did enjoy the brief section of action at the end. The book ends with the promise of more action and more intrigue in the next book now that the initial love story stuff is out of the way. The story line and characters have a lot of potential to build in the next books, and I look forward to seeing where the author takes this story.
Overall, this is a sweet love story with just a hint of danger that would be appropriate for younger teens looking for dystopian novels but aren't quite ready to handle a higher level of grittiness.
March 16, 2016
About this book:
“Her mission was simple — get close to the Prince, and kill him. . . but plans don’t always go the way they’re meant to, and emotion gets in the way.
Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess but beneath the mask, a killer lays in wait — for the perfect moment.
Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife . . . but due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law — he must find a bride before he is allowed to take the crown.
And the one woman he wants — just might be the one who is there to kill him...”
Series: Book #1 in the “Order of the MoonStone” series. {Review of the novellas #.5 Here and #1.2 Here! Best to read #.5, #1 and then #1.2 in that order. :)}
Spiritual Content- Many Prayers; Talks about God, trusting Him, God’s plan & having faith; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Dvarius has a strong faith even though others don’t; Mentions of chapels.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘what the blazes’, two ‘idiot’s, and four ‘stupid’s; Kayden is on a mission to kill the prince; Pain & Fighting (semi-detailed); Mentions of blood, killing & hanging (up to semi-detailed); A mention of a later death (boarder-line semi-detailed).
Sexual Content- two hand kisses & two almost kisses; Many Touches, Nearness, Warmth, & Dancing (semi-detailed); Noticing & Staring; Blushes; Dvarius has never kissed a girl before; Marek is somewhat of a ladies’ man; A mention of the Prince in his bed; A bit of jealousy; A few mentions of a young woman wearing a tight dress & showing her womanly charms (Dvarius is careful to touch where her skin on her back is covered); Love, falling in love & the emotions.
-Kayden Argos, age 17
-Prince Dvarius
P.O.V. switches between them, The Man (twice) and Drey (once)
Dystopia
180 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
“What if Cinderella had been sent to kill The Prince?”
I think that is such an interesting twist on the classic fairy-tale. I’ve been really waiting to read this book ever since learning about it. The cover is great, even if it is a bit inaccurate on the girl. The plot is different, but a good different. It sometimes came across as a Medieval novel, but it’s a Dystopia. I wasn’t a fan of all the touches & warmth, but for the title being “The Reluctant Assassin”, there wasn’t much fighting/killing which was a nice surprise. :) It’s pretty short at 180 pages, but once you read “A Cunning Masquerade” (which the author says she wishes she could add to this first book), it feels longer, so that’s a bonus. :)
That ending though! I’m definitely looking forward to the next book coming out next month! :)
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
“Her mission was simple — get close to the Prince, and kill him. . . but plans don’t always go the way they’re meant to, and emotion gets in the way.
Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess but beneath the mask, a killer lays in wait — for the perfect moment.
Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife . . . but due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law — he must find a bride before he is allowed to take the crown.
And the one woman he wants — just might be the one who is there to kill him...”
Series: Book #1 in the “Order of the MoonStone” series. {Review of the novellas #.5 Here and #1.2 Here! Best to read #.5, #1 and then #1.2 in that order. :)}
Spiritual Content- Many Prayers; Talks about God, trusting Him, God’s plan & having faith; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Dvarius has a strong faith even though others don’t; Mentions of chapels.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘what the blazes’, two ‘idiot’s, and four ‘stupid’s; Kayden is on a mission to kill the prince; Pain & Fighting (semi-detailed); Mentions of blood, killing & hanging (up to semi-detailed); A mention of a later death (boarder-line semi-detailed).
Sexual Content- two hand kisses & two almost kisses; Many Touches, Nearness, Warmth, & Dancing (semi-detailed); Noticing & Staring; Blushes; Dvarius has never kissed a girl before; Marek is somewhat of a ladies’ man; A mention of the Prince in his bed; A bit of jealousy; A few mentions of a young woman wearing a tight dress & showing her womanly charms (Dvarius is careful to touch where her skin on her back is covered); Love, falling in love & the emotions.
-Kayden Argos, age 17
-Prince Dvarius
P.O.V. switches between them, The Man (twice) and Drey (once)
Dystopia
180 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
“What if Cinderella had been sent to kill The Prince?”
I think that is such an interesting twist on the classic fairy-tale. I’ve been really waiting to read this book ever since learning about it. The cover is great, even if it is a bit inaccurate on the girl. The plot is different, but a good different. It sometimes came across as a Medieval novel, but it’s a Dystopia. I wasn’t a fan of all the touches & warmth, but for the title being “The Reluctant Assassin”, there wasn’t much fighting/killing which was a nice surprise. :) It’s pretty short at 180 pages, but once you read “A Cunning Masquerade” (which the author says she wishes she could add to this first book), it feels longer, so that’s a bonus. :)
That ending though! I’m definitely looking forward to the next book coming out next month! :)
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
October 3, 2015
The first thing I fell in love with about this book was the cover. And then I read the synopsis, I knew this book would exceed my expectations. YA, Fantasy, Steampunk, Speculative are all genres right up my alley. In fact, they're some of my most read genres next to Historical fiction and Historical Romance. A female assassin who's sent to kill the Prince, but may be falling in love with him instead. C'mon, that's a book I want to read. J.C. really knows how to weave a tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat and wanting more even after you've finished the last page. The ending was very satisfying, but Book #2 is going on my #needitinmyhandsrightnow list. Oh, and the Prince is totally my new book boyfriend. If you like stories with assassins, princes, and romance all with a steampunk element then I would suggest picking up this book now.
March 16, 2019
A Reluctant Assassin is a good mix of romance, suspense, and faith. When seventeen-year-old Kayden is sent to assassinate Prince Dvarius, she never expects the assignment to be so tough. Dvarius is nothing like what she expected.
I liked Kayden, a lot. She's strong and capable, but she isn't the cold, overly-tough female lead we see all too often. I found her a refereshing change in that she was feisty...but she had a soft side, too.
I think A Reluctant Assassin will appeal to both fans of fantasy and dystopian. The storyworld has a very fantasy-ish feel to it (kings, palaces, dresses, bows and arrows, etc), but there are hints that this is a future America.
All in all, I enjoyed A Reluctant Assassin . Bravo, JC Morrows, for an intriguing debut!
*I received a free copy of A Reluctant Assassin in exchange for an honest review*
I liked Kayden, a lot. She's strong and capable, but she isn't the cold, overly-tough female lead we see all too often. I found her a refereshing change in that she was feisty...but she had a soft side, too.
I think A Reluctant Assassin will appeal to both fans of fantasy and dystopian. The storyworld has a very fantasy-ish feel to it (kings, palaces, dresses, bows and arrows, etc), but there are hints that this is a future America.
All in all, I enjoyed A Reluctant Assassin . Bravo, JC Morrows, for an intriguing debut!
*I received a free copy of A Reluctant Assassin in exchange for an honest review*
March 18, 2016
Oh. My. Word. First of all, I fell in love with the cover. Because of the stunning cover, I entered the Goodreads contest and actually won (how awesome is that???). THEN I READ THE BOOK. Wow. Drop everything you're doing and read it. Right now. If you like YA, romance, edge-of-your-seat suspense, Read. This. Book. I'm telling you, I'm dying for book two. Why are still reading this review? Read the book!!! :)
August 23, 2015
I received an advanced copy of this book from the author for an honest review
Kayden has been chosen to complete a mission that will involve deceit and calmness to achieve her goal. She is transformed into a beautiful woman with the most fancy of dresses awaiting the arrival of the Prince with twenty-four other eager young women. They are all there vying for Dvarius's attention. He is the prince that has come to the ballroom to select his princess. As Kayden sees Dvarius enter the grand ballroom , she remembers her trainer saying to her, " Never let him see who you really are. You do belong there . Remember that." To her surprise, the Prince is headed straight to her. Their eyes lock on each other as the author describes the Princes's eyes as " deep velvety chocolate." I could picture those eyes so vividly that I reread the sentence again, just to absorb the superb picture the words painted .
The Prince becomes very smitten by Kayden, much to the disgust of some of the members of his staff. As they begin to grow closer, he ponders if Kayden shares his faith. Dvarius is very deeply committed to his faith and it is of upmost importance that his bride share the same deep devotion of faith. Kayden knows that the prince is falling for her and she wonders "did my mission just get easier....or impossible ?" Can she complete her mission , or will love get in the way ?
The book is an explosion of intrigue and keeps you mesmerized by the author's gift for beautifully written words that come to life. I loved when the author wrote " she felt like a flame -and he was the oxygen.'" Those words gave me chills and I knew I had to read faster to see what was coming up next. I was so engrossed in the book, I lost track of time. The ending of the story was intense and had me on the edge of my seat. I am thrilled to know that there will be another book to continue this story. I will leave you with this line from the book that captured my attention . " What if Cinderella had been sent to kill the Prince?"
Kayden has been chosen to complete a mission that will involve deceit and calmness to achieve her goal. She is transformed into a beautiful woman with the most fancy of dresses awaiting the arrival of the Prince with twenty-four other eager young women. They are all there vying for Dvarius's attention. He is the prince that has come to the ballroom to select his princess. As Kayden sees Dvarius enter the grand ballroom , she remembers her trainer saying to her, " Never let him see who you really are. You do belong there . Remember that." To her surprise, the Prince is headed straight to her. Their eyes lock on each other as the author describes the Princes's eyes as " deep velvety chocolate." I could picture those eyes so vividly that I reread the sentence again, just to absorb the superb picture the words painted .
The Prince becomes very smitten by Kayden, much to the disgust of some of the members of his staff. As they begin to grow closer, he ponders if Kayden shares his faith. Dvarius is very deeply committed to his faith and it is of upmost importance that his bride share the same deep devotion of faith. Kayden knows that the prince is falling for her and she wonders "did my mission just get easier....or impossible ?" Can she complete her mission , or will love get in the way ?
The book is an explosion of intrigue and keeps you mesmerized by the author's gift for beautifully written words that come to life. I loved when the author wrote " she felt like a flame -and he was the oxygen.'" Those words gave me chills and I knew I had to read faster to see what was coming up next. I was so engrossed in the book, I lost track of time. The ending of the story was intense and had me on the edge of my seat. I am thrilled to know that there will be another book to continue this story. I will leave you with this line from the book that captured my attention . " What if Cinderella had been sent to kill the Prince?"
January 13, 2016
A Reluctant Assassin was an amazing read. I was shocked when it ended, I didn't even realize I was near the end (I read it on my ereader). J.C. Morrows does an excellent job in creating a different world. One that's been torn apart by wars. Where believing in God is not a popular choice. She creates intrigue, suspense, and romance all within the pages of the novel. I cannot wait until the next one comes out. It's a great read!
September 16, 2015
"A Reluctant Assassin" is a dystopian novel based in the future U.S.A. where monarchs rule, women wear big dresses, and princes must marry to become kings. The story opens at a ball where twenty-five of the most eligible ladies have been selected from the kingdom in order that the prince might choose his bride. Only, one of them isn't really a wealthy noble, she is an orphan plucked from the streets and trained to assassinate the prince. But, as she gets to know him, will she have the heart to fulfill her mission?
I really, really liked this story. I ended up devouring it. The Order of the MoonStone series has the potential, if played right, of being a fan favorite. The story is told mainly from the perspective of the prince and the assassin. The author does a beautiful job of keeping each character's voice distinct enough that I had no problem knowing whose head I was in without the need of subtitles. And I never experienced any dull or lagging moments in the plot. Everything in this book is there for a reason, not just to fluff the story. Given all this, let me add a disclaimer (or a few):
1. "The Reluctant Assassin" is not long like most fandom books, i.e. Divergent, Hunger Games, etc. And ends rather abruptly, but that wasn't too bad because the "sneak peak" of the next book eases the reader out of the story while still keeping us pining for the next.
2. It is formatted in British style, so be warned that there are no Oxford commas, some of the words are spelled differently, etc. Oxford commas are a pet-peeve of mine, so I feel duty bound to warn others who feel as I do about having the additional comma.
3. Read all the forward materials. They explain why the book is formatted a bit different than today's traditional formatting. The author is formatting the book as if it was published at the time in which it is set. At first this was a bit hard for me, but a few pages in I got the hang of it. And the story was way too compelling to let a change in formatting keep me from racing through the pages to the end.
All in all, this was a very good read. If you like dystopian, I recommend "A Reluctant Assassin" as your next read.
I would like to thank J.C. Morrows, the author, for providing me an ARC of "A Reluctant Assassin" for an honest review.
I really, really liked this story. I ended up devouring it. The Order of the MoonStone series has the potential, if played right, of being a fan favorite. The story is told mainly from the perspective of the prince and the assassin. The author does a beautiful job of keeping each character's voice distinct enough that I had no problem knowing whose head I was in without the need of subtitles. And I never experienced any dull or lagging moments in the plot. Everything in this book is there for a reason, not just to fluff the story. Given all this, let me add a disclaimer (or a few):
1. "The Reluctant Assassin" is not long like most fandom books, i.e. Divergent, Hunger Games, etc. And ends rather abruptly, but that wasn't too bad because the "sneak peak" of the next book eases the reader out of the story while still keeping us pining for the next.
2. It is formatted in British style, so be warned that there are no Oxford commas, some of the words are spelled differently, etc. Oxford commas are a pet-peeve of mine, so I feel duty bound to warn others who feel as I do about having the additional comma.
3. Read all the forward materials. They explain why the book is formatted a bit different than today's traditional formatting. The author is formatting the book as if it was published at the time in which it is set. At first this was a bit hard for me, but a few pages in I got the hang of it. And the story was way too compelling to let a change in formatting keep me from racing through the pages to the end.
All in all, this was a very good read. If you like dystopian, I recommend "A Reluctant Assassin" as your next read.
I would like to thank J.C. Morrows, the author, for providing me an ARC of "A Reluctant Assassin" for an honest review.
October 23, 2015
W.O.W.
A Reluctant Assassin is oh-so-wonderful…
It’s the typical “Prince Charming will choose his bride at the ball” story – except for a teensy, tiny twist. One of the ladies at the ball was sent to kill… eliminate… assassinate… the Prince. As the author puts it so eloquently —
“What if Cinderella had been sent to kill the Prince?”
Oh. My. Gosh.
I have always loved the Cinderella stories… one of my favorite movies is Ever After – to me it’s the most realistic Cinderella story ever told. And I have books – lots of books – with princes, princesses, kings and queens. But this is the first book I’ve owned with a prince – and an assassin!
Without making the story a thousand pages, JC Morrows gives the reader enough back-story to stay interesting – just a few hints – while creating intriguing, bigger-than-life characters, who keep the reader – well, reading. And she throws in a plot guaranteed to keep anyone on their toes.
JC purposely leaves out information, such as why Kayden is an assassin… and why there seem to be others whose goal is to kill the Prince. If her intent is to make me eager to read the next story in the series – it’s working!
I’m beginning to feel sorry for the Prince. What has he ever done to deserve this? He hasn’t even begun to rule, and from the looks of things, he may never be crowned.
And… that’s enough to share for now. If your interest is piqued, get the book.
JC Morrows is a talented storyteller – you can tell by the success of A Reluctant Assassin. Although she previously released a short story in this series, Morrow’s success has been tremendous! The day after it released, A Reluctant Assassin reached the #1 spot on Amazon (YA action/adventure) – and it stayed the #1 choice (for hot new YA action/adventure releases) since its’ debut almost 30 days ago.
Don’t wait another minute to read this story!
December 30, 2015
The only reason I am giving this book 4/5 stars is because of the whole love at first sight thing. I hate that! I don't think it's realistic and gives girl's a false impression of Love. I believe you can be attracted to someone and then fall in love, but I don't think true love comes first.
September 4, 2016
Another late night as I stayed up to finish this one! The last half of the story just flew by. Now this is a hard review for me to write because I so badly wanted to love it more than I did. The blurb is interesting and look at that cover? Can we say enough times how amazing the cover looks? And the title speaks of all sorts of intrigue!
To start, I think it’s only fair to tell everyone that I don’t feel the cover accurately portrays this book. Kayden has red hair and for the entirety of the book is dressed up in super fancy princess dresses. Not once is she wearing anything close to what’s on the cover.
Now if the cover would’ve been a redhead in a ball gown with maybe a dagger in her hand or something, that would’ve fit. And I would’ve been attracted to either cover. I’m just saying that the content didn’t match the cover for me.
Phew! Okay, so now for what’s inside the book! Let me start with the pros.
Pros:
The dialogue of the characters is great. Very realistic and smooth. I felt like I was sitting up in a tree overhearing two people interacting in real life for every scene. More than that the characters acted as I’d expect real people in their situation to, and the body language, thoughts, all added up to create this wonderful picture.
The writing style was one that I loved. Very clean, polished, read smoothly, and everything had a nice pace that drove the story forward.
The fundamentals of the plot were interesting, and I kept wanting to know what happened next.
Now *swallows* for the hard part, the cons. I would like to say that despite my long list of cons and lengthy explanations(do I ever have short ones?) that I do feel that the above list of positives was strong enough to merit the three stars. So here goes.
Cons:
- Lack of worldbuilding. We’re told this takes place in the future where some things like cars exist, but other parts of regressed. Monarchy in America, women wear dresses exclusively, and weapon choices seem to be blades and arrows.
Other than that we’re told very little about Kayden’s world. She originally despises the prince because the world outside is terrible and in the palace is wonderful and he isn’t doing anything. But she quickly forgets that and Dvarius’ pov shows a very nice, centered, young man. So what exactly was he guilty of?
I didn’t get a sense of what the world looked like, and the extreme differences between the rich and poor.
- Lack of secondary characters/development. Let’s just say this book is a romance pure and simple. It’s about Kayden and Dvarius. There’s almost no other characters besides “hey we walked passed a nameless guard and there are other girls here”. The few named secondary characters are given little development and little page time. Caterine seemed like a really sweet person, but I struggled with the fact that after one brief meeting with Kayden the two were best buds. Kayden leaves for a week or whatever and Caterine’s waiting eagerly for her return like her bff was away and the two from that point on are as thick of thieves.
- Plot holes. This for me was the biggest reason I didn’t LOVE this book. I spent most of the book questioning things and was never given the answers.
Why does the Prince’s death need to look like an accident? Why do the assassins want to kill him? He seems harmless and powerless? How did they get Kayden access to the 25 women? Does she have any fake servants at the palace? Fake paperwork? Do the two servants at her fake house know the truth? How can they not? How could the council not have extensively researched her like everyone else and made sure she was legitimate? If the prince is so closely guarded then they wouldn’t have just let anyone in. Why is the council against Kayden? We’re told they have reasons, but never given even one. If they didn’t approve of her, why include her in the choices? It was their call who was there, so why not pick all women you’d be happy with as queen?
Kayden’s hiding memories that are never shared. How did she get in with the Assassins? She never really makes an attempt to kill Dvarius or even thinks much beyond “I’m supposed to kill him”. The idea that she will carry through on her mission was never a serious threat to me because it was obvious from the start she wouldn’t.
Mostly I can’t get over why an assassin with no status was given access to a contest to win the ruler of all of the former US and why the council let her in if they were so against her. It didn’t make sense and without knowing that information I couldn’t fully accept anything happening as plausible.
- The romance happens too fast. I can accept this in a fairytale, and I’m sure it’s good for a romance novel(which this is), but I do struggle with the fact that Dvarius was head over heels from Kayden the moment he walked in the room and spotted her. He doesn’t give anyone else a chance until much later in the book, and it’s obvious he’s not really giving them a chance. He also keeps asking if she’s the one God has for him and his faith seems strong, but not ONCE does he ask Kayden about what she believes or anything. I don’t understand why the subject never came up and why he was even entertaining the idea of a relationship without knowing if she shared the same beliefs.
*stares at review* Yep, that’s another long one. So summarize quick, I thought the actual writing and the two main characters were great, but there was quite a few things that just stopped me from loving this like I hoped I would. The book also ends very abruptly with a cliffhanger. I haven’t decided yet if I’ll continue. I’m interested in what’s happening, and it was a pleasant reading experience, I’m just not that into straight romance and the suspension of belief is a lot for me to swallow.
I can see romance readers loving this, and that’s the big difference in my mind. A romance reader will love the romance, and the fantasy reader will want more other elements.
To start, I think it’s only fair to tell everyone that I don’t feel the cover accurately portrays this book. Kayden has red hair and for the entirety of the book is dressed up in super fancy princess dresses. Not once is she wearing anything close to what’s on the cover.
Now if the cover would’ve been a redhead in a ball gown with maybe a dagger in her hand or something, that would’ve fit. And I would’ve been attracted to either cover. I’m just saying that the content didn’t match the cover for me.
Phew! Okay, so now for what’s inside the book! Let me start with the pros.
Pros:
The dialogue of the characters is great. Very realistic and smooth. I felt like I was sitting up in a tree overhearing two people interacting in real life for every scene. More than that the characters acted as I’d expect real people in their situation to, and the body language, thoughts, all added up to create this wonderful picture.
The writing style was one that I loved. Very clean, polished, read smoothly, and everything had a nice pace that drove the story forward.
The fundamentals of the plot were interesting, and I kept wanting to know what happened next.
Now *swallows* for the hard part, the cons. I would like to say that despite my long list of cons and lengthy explanations(do I ever have short ones?) that I do feel that the above list of positives was strong enough to merit the three stars. So here goes.
Cons:
- Lack of worldbuilding. We’re told this takes place in the future where some things like cars exist, but other parts of regressed. Monarchy in America, women wear dresses exclusively, and weapon choices seem to be blades and arrows.
Other than that we’re told very little about Kayden’s world. She originally despises the prince because the world outside is terrible and in the palace is wonderful and he isn’t doing anything. But she quickly forgets that and Dvarius’ pov shows a very nice, centered, young man. So what exactly was he guilty of?
I didn’t get a sense of what the world looked like, and the extreme differences between the rich and poor.
- Lack of secondary characters/development. Let’s just say this book is a romance pure and simple. It’s about Kayden and Dvarius. There’s almost no other characters besides “hey we walked passed a nameless guard and there are other girls here”. The few named secondary characters are given little development and little page time. Caterine seemed like a really sweet person, but I struggled with the fact that after one brief meeting with Kayden the two were best buds. Kayden leaves for a week or whatever and Caterine’s waiting eagerly for her return like her bff was away and the two from that point on are as thick of thieves.
- Plot holes. This for me was the biggest reason I didn’t LOVE this book. I spent most of the book questioning things and was never given the answers.
Why does the Prince’s death need to look like an accident? Why do the assassins want to kill him? He seems harmless and powerless? How did they get Kayden access to the 25 women? Does she have any fake servants at the palace? Fake paperwork? Do the two servants at her fake house know the truth? How can they not? How could the council not have extensively researched her like everyone else and made sure she was legitimate? If the prince is so closely guarded then they wouldn’t have just let anyone in. Why is the council against Kayden? We’re told they have reasons, but never given even one. If they didn’t approve of her, why include her in the choices? It was their call who was there, so why not pick all women you’d be happy with as queen?
Kayden’s hiding memories that are never shared. How did she get in with the Assassins? She never really makes an attempt to kill Dvarius or even thinks much beyond “I’m supposed to kill him”. The idea that she will carry through on her mission was never a serious threat to me because it was obvious from the start she wouldn’t.
Mostly I can’t get over why an assassin with no status was given access to a contest to win the ruler of all of the former US and why the council let her in if they were so against her. It didn’t make sense and without knowing that information I couldn’t fully accept anything happening as plausible.
- The romance happens too fast. I can accept this in a fairytale, and I’m sure it’s good for a romance novel(which this is), but I do struggle with the fact that Dvarius was head over heels from Kayden the moment he walked in the room and spotted her. He doesn’t give anyone else a chance until much later in the book, and it’s obvious he’s not really giving them a chance. He also keeps asking if she’s the one God has for him and his faith seems strong, but not ONCE does he ask Kayden about what she believes or anything. I don’t understand why the subject never came up and why he was even entertaining the idea of a relationship without knowing if she shared the same beliefs.
*stares at review* Yep, that’s another long one. So summarize quick, I thought the actual writing and the two main characters were great, but there was quite a few things that just stopped me from loving this like I hoped I would. The book also ends very abruptly with a cliffhanger. I haven’t decided yet if I’ll continue. I’m interested in what’s happening, and it was a pleasant reading experience, I’m just not that into straight romance and the suspension of belief is a lot for me to swallow.
I can see romance readers loving this, and that’s the big difference in my mind. A romance reader will love the romance, and the fantasy reader will want more other elements.
October 4, 2015
Synopsis:
Her mission was simple — get close to the Prince, and kill him...
Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess but beneath the mask, a killer lays in wait — for the perfect moment.
Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife . . . but due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law — he must find a bride before he is allowed to take his rightful place on the throne.
And the one woman he wants — just might be the one who is there to kill him...
My Review:
After a few days of pondering, I've decided that 3.5 stars is my final rating. I liked the story, however there were a few problems I had with A Reluctant Assassin.
But let's start with the good. This rather short story is a fast-paced read despite it's slow-moving plot. I flew through this story in 6 short days (for those who know me, this is a great accomplishment)!
Kayden was a likeable heroine--definitely a strong protagonist--however, I wish she wouldn't have questioned herself so much. She had so much potential to be kick-butt, but there were times when she fell short. Nevertheless, I enjoyed hearing the story from her POV. She owned some of her moments.
Dvarius was also a likeable protagonist. He was more confident than Kayden, I think. But again, there was too much questioning in himself. C'mon, guys, you're both amazing! You have such great potential. Don't be doubting yourselves. I know it's human, but it was almost sad to watch (or read). But back to Dvarius. He was a bold, loving character that was easy to relate to. I liked him a lot.
I think I preferred the story being told from Kayden's POV, however. More happened, more was fleshed out, more was explained, and there was more emotion when we were in Kayden's head.
The writing was actually decent. I enjoyed its flow. It was choppy at times, but gosh, there was some beautiful quotes in this book--obviously God-given.
FEAST YOUR EYES:
No one was watching, no one judging...no orders, no mission, nothing but the two of them--and the music.
She was a flame--and he was the oxygen.
Okay, there were more than just those, but I only wrote those two down. BUT HOLY HOT SAUCE AREN'T THEY BEAUTIFUL. I love them so much!
Now the part that hurts.
*inhales*
The Bad.
*DUN-DUN-DUN* *shriek in the distance*
Okay, for starters, the world-building was lacking. At first, I assumed this was a high fantasy--a different world, different everything--but about 50 pages in, it tells me that it's about 300 (I think?) years in the future. What? Color me confused. It vaguely described how the world got to be how it was, but it just... wasn't enough. I often forgot and had look back/think really hard to remember.
Another topic I'm bringing up again (briefly): the characters. They were likable, believe me, but they were just so unconfident in themselves. It was disappointing (especially since Kayden is supposed to be a notorious assassin). I really wanted something more from the characters. Hopefully we'll see more character development in book 2.
Okay, I can't think of anything else that's negative (sorry about that!).
Also, isn't this cover just freaking gorgeous?! (You're wrong if you say no, sorry) I love it so much! Woooow.
*stares*
*blinks*
*shifty eyes*
*cheesy grin*
The ending was very abrupt. Like, what?!?! Not cool! But it was a very well done cliffhanger. Definitely, definitely need book 2 NOW!
Overall, I thought A Reluctant Assassin was an enjoyable story with good writing, but it had its flaws. I look forward to book 2! Bravo, Ms. Morrows! *bows* *applauds*
Recommended!
*Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review*
Her mission was simple — get close to the Prince, and kill him...
Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess but beneath the mask, a killer lays in wait — for the perfect moment.
Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife . . . but due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law — he must find a bride before he is allowed to take his rightful place on the throne.
And the one woman he wants — just might be the one who is there to kill him...
My Review:
After a few days of pondering, I've decided that 3.5 stars is my final rating. I liked the story, however there were a few problems I had with A Reluctant Assassin.
But let's start with the good. This rather short story is a fast-paced read despite it's slow-moving plot. I flew through this story in 6 short days (for those who know me, this is a great accomplishment)!
Kayden was a likeable heroine--definitely a strong protagonist--however, I wish she wouldn't have questioned herself so much. She had so much potential to be kick-butt, but there were times when she fell short. Nevertheless, I enjoyed hearing the story from her POV. She owned some of her moments.
Dvarius was also a likeable protagonist. He was more confident than Kayden, I think. But again, there was too much questioning in himself. C'mon, guys, you're both amazing! You have such great potential. Don't be doubting yourselves. I know it's human, but it was almost sad to watch (or read). But back to Dvarius. He was a bold, loving character that was easy to relate to. I liked him a lot.
I think I preferred the story being told from Kayden's POV, however. More happened, more was fleshed out, more was explained, and there was more emotion when we were in Kayden's head.
The writing was actually decent. I enjoyed its flow. It was choppy at times, but gosh, there was some beautiful quotes in this book--obviously God-given.
FEAST YOUR EYES:
No one was watching, no one judging...no orders, no mission, nothing but the two of them--and the music.
She was a flame--and he was the oxygen.
Okay, there were more than just those, but I only wrote those two down. BUT HOLY HOT SAUCE AREN'T THEY BEAUTIFUL. I love them so much!
Now the part that hurts.
*inhales*
The Bad.
*DUN-DUN-DUN* *shriek in the distance*
Okay, for starters, the world-building was lacking. At first, I assumed this was a high fantasy--a different world, different everything--but about 50 pages in, it tells me that it's about 300 (I think?) years in the future. What? Color me confused. It vaguely described how the world got to be how it was, but it just... wasn't enough. I often forgot and had look back/think really hard to remember.
Another topic I'm bringing up again (briefly): the characters. They were likable, believe me, but they were just so unconfident in themselves. It was disappointing (especially since Kayden is supposed to be a notorious assassin). I really wanted something more from the characters. Hopefully we'll see more character development in book 2.
Okay, I can't think of anything else that's negative (sorry about that!).
Also, isn't this cover just freaking gorgeous?! (You're wrong if you say no, sorry) I love it so much! Woooow.
*stares*
*blinks*
*shifty eyes*
*cheesy grin*
The ending was very abrupt. Like, what?!?! Not cool! But it was a very well done cliffhanger. Definitely, definitely need book 2 NOW!
Overall, I thought A Reluctant Assassin was an enjoyable story with good writing, but it had its flaws. I look forward to book 2! Bravo, Ms. Morrows! *bows* *applauds*
Recommended!
*Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review*
December 19, 2015
**re reading before I read the sequel Dec. 2015**
**got review copy, YEEEESSSS!!!! so grateful for authors like JC Morrows**
I knew I had to get a copy of this incredible story the moment I saw the cover, there are just some books you KNOW you're meant to read and this is one of those books for me :)
In the land of Auralius, there has been much suffering and turmoil for everyone leading Kayden to be sent on a mission to kill the prince. Little does she know how different the prince really is from what she has been taught. She has never failed an assignment before while working for The Order and she is determined not to let Drey (her boss) down, any other option would mean death or worse.
Current circumstances have forced Prince Dvarius to take the throne early, but before doing so he has to choose a bride from among 25 esteemed ladies his advisors have picked out for him. The only trouble, is it possible to choose the right one that will make a proper queen that Dvarius can also love? Or must he choose for duty to his kingdom?
The book was slower paced than I anticipated, but the story is wonderfully done and it's easy to like Kayden as she figures out how to handle her mission throughout. The movie I thought of relating to this plot the most was Elektra starring Jennifer Garner. This assassin is the best at what she does, but she ends up caring too much and questioning what the right choice for her will be.
Favorite characters....easily Marek and Lady Catarine! Lady Catarine is supposed to be Kayden's competition, but that changes quickly :) She's honorable, sweet, innocent, and loyal. She enhanced the plot nicely.
I'm wondering about Drey's relationship with Kayden and how that will change.
There is VERY little violence in the story, nothing offensive, short chapters (which i always appreciate), and the prince is the only one described with faith in the plot but it was wonderful seeing how he constantly prayed and sought God's presence while believing His best for everyone in the story. *no love triangles, YAY* The book gives both Kayden's perspective and the prince's, they're both easy to love :)
The story ends on a cliffhanger, but the book gives a peak into Book 2 at the end and is enough to keep the reader interested without being frustrated. Morrows has definitely gotten my full attention wanting to know more about Kayden for Book 2!! I truly enjoyed the beginning of Kayden's story and I'm so grateful for the author's writing style. Everything I love about a good clean YA story is present in A Reluctant Assassin and I'm looking forward to more books by Morrows!!
*I want to thank the author for the eARC copy I received, I was not compensated or required to write a positive review and I was blessed to read this book*
**got review copy, YEEEESSSS!!!! so grateful for authors like JC Morrows**
I knew I had to get a copy of this incredible story the moment I saw the cover, there are just some books you KNOW you're meant to read and this is one of those books for me :)
In the land of Auralius, there has been much suffering and turmoil for everyone leading Kayden to be sent on a mission to kill the prince. Little does she know how different the prince really is from what she has been taught. She has never failed an assignment before while working for The Order and she is determined not to let Drey (her boss) down, any other option would mean death or worse.
Current circumstances have forced Prince Dvarius to take the throne early, but before doing so he has to choose a bride from among 25 esteemed ladies his advisors have picked out for him. The only trouble, is it possible to choose the right one that will make a proper queen that Dvarius can also love? Or must he choose for duty to his kingdom?
The book was slower paced than I anticipated, but the story is wonderfully done and it's easy to like Kayden as she figures out how to handle her mission throughout. The movie I thought of relating to this plot the most was Elektra starring Jennifer Garner. This assassin is the best at what she does, but she ends up caring too much and questioning what the right choice for her will be.
Favorite characters....easily Marek and Lady Catarine! Lady Catarine is supposed to be Kayden's competition, but that changes quickly :) She's honorable, sweet, innocent, and loyal. She enhanced the plot nicely.
I'm wondering about Drey's relationship with Kayden and how that will change.
There is VERY little violence in the story, nothing offensive, short chapters (which i always appreciate), and the prince is the only one described with faith in the plot but it was wonderful seeing how he constantly prayed and sought God's presence while believing His best for everyone in the story. *no love triangles, YAY* The book gives both Kayden's perspective and the prince's, they're both easy to love :)
The story ends on a cliffhanger, but the book gives a peak into Book 2 at the end and is enough to keep the reader interested without being frustrated. Morrows has definitely gotten my full attention wanting to know more about Kayden for Book 2!! I truly enjoyed the beginning of Kayden's story and I'm so grateful for the author's writing style. Everything I love about a good clean YA story is present in A Reluctant Assassin and I'm looking forward to more books by Morrows!!
*I want to thank the author for the eARC copy I received, I was not compensated or required to write a positive review and I was blessed to read this book*
June 7, 2018
3.5 stars (3 here, 4 on Amazon) I don't normally read speculative, but I'm trying to include more of it because it's so popular and many of my friends write it. This title, cover, and premise grabbed my attention immediately. Ms. Morrows should also be complimented on her daring to use all caps for the text. It really works for this story, and I found it easy on my eyes in spite of the fact that I was told the opposite for many years.
Other than YA speculative and steampunk, I don't know how this novel is categorized for genre, but I would call it romantic suspense. The assassination plot seems subordinate to the romance, so readers should not expect explosive action or constant nail-biting suspense, although there is some, along with some violence. The romance should appeal to female readers, teen and adult. Teens would probably enjoy reading more steampunk details incorporated into the story, but I didn't need them.
The narrative style and voice are reminiscent of older works of fiction and unlike what this reader usually finds in today's YA, but they suit the story, setting, and characters very well. In some cases, I would have enjoyed more detailed descriptions of settings and characters' apparel, but that's a personal preference for many novels I read.
The ending was a big surprise, and I like surprise endings. I started trying to guess the ending about two-thirds of the way through, and I'm usually pretty good at that, but I didn't expect what happened. I'd be curious to know if that was the case for other readers.
This is a short novel, which I tend to pick up more quickly and finish than long ones, which I lose interest in more often than not.
I received an ARC in paperback from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Other than YA speculative and steampunk, I don't know how this novel is categorized for genre, but I would call it romantic suspense. The assassination plot seems subordinate to the romance, so readers should not expect explosive action or constant nail-biting suspense, although there is some, along with some violence. The romance should appeal to female readers, teen and adult. Teens would probably enjoy reading more steampunk details incorporated into the story, but I didn't need them.
The narrative style and voice are reminiscent of older works of fiction and unlike what this reader usually finds in today's YA, but they suit the story, setting, and characters very well. In some cases, I would have enjoyed more detailed descriptions of settings and characters' apparel, but that's a personal preference for many novels I read.
The ending was a big surprise, and I like surprise endings. I started trying to guess the ending about two-thirds of the way through, and I'm usually pretty good at that, but I didn't expect what happened. I'd be curious to know if that was the case for other readers.
This is a short novel, which I tend to pick up more quickly and finish than long ones, which I lose interest in more often than not.
I received an ARC in paperback from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
May 28, 2017
I picked this book up one day when it was free because I had seen it around and it looked interesting.
The beginning I was a little confused by, because I didn’t realize it was Steampunk. Steampunk is really not a genre I like, but that maybe accounts for a half-star off.
While the main characters were interesting, I quickly lost any interest in them. The prince mentions he is a Christian at the beginning and the end and that was about the whole of the Christian content.
What saddened me was that this was an interesting plot, but I just couldn’t stand how shallow it was. The main guy and girl are really just attracted to each other’s appearance for a lot of the book. The Prince says he likes her character, but he doesn’t really take much time to get to know her, he just decides he’s in love with her.
If the author had spent a bit more time building a strong, Christ honoring relationship between the characters, I might have been tempted to pick up the second book, as it is, I’m not.
The beginning I was a little confused by, because I didn’t realize it was Steampunk. Steampunk is really not a genre I like, but that maybe accounts for a half-star off.
While the main characters were interesting, I quickly lost any interest in them. The prince mentions he is a Christian at the beginning and the end and that was about the whole of the Christian content.
What saddened me was that this was an interesting plot, but I just couldn’t stand how shallow it was. The main guy and girl are really just attracted to each other’s appearance for a lot of the book. The Prince says he likes her character, but he doesn’t really take much time to get to know her, he just decides he’s in love with her.
If the author had spent a bit more time building a strong, Christ honoring relationship between the characters, I might have been tempted to pick up the second book, as it is, I’m not.
March 16, 2021
I'm not sure that I buy that the protagonist used to be an assassin, as a story of two people falling in love with each other, this story actually worked surprisingly well. I don't tend to like most romance, and I don't tend to like most Christian fiction. But this book manages to handle both romance and Christian fiction elements exceptionally well. The romance was realistic and engaging, and the Christian genre elements felt natural to the characters without being preachy. This is a really rare find. And so I found myself really enjoying this story a lot.
This book has its flaws, and I had to put aside the fact that she's supposed to be an assassin since I didn't find that incredibly plausible given her personality. But once you do that, as a Christian romance novel, this book is actually pretty enjoyable.
Rating: 3.5 Stars (Good).
This book has its flaws, and I had to put aside the fact that she's supposed to be an assassin since I didn't find that incredibly plausible given her personality. But once you do that, as a Christian romance novel, this book is actually pretty enjoyable.
Rating: 3.5 Stars (Good).
September 28, 2015
She thought her mission was simple but...
He was finding his mission was hard!
I found this an entertaining story of young lives brought together for totally different purposes. His for finding a wife, hers for murder! No matter their training we find that when emotions come into play.. anything can happen! I liked this story and found it a fun read too.. I was not expecting that ending, but, JC gives us a peak into the next book and I am very much looking forward to the next adventure in Kayden's and the Prince's life!
If you like Young Adult, Inspirational speculative fiction try JC Morrows.. I think you will enjoy it!
I liked it. . This is clean inspirational with a little into the future aspect...
He was finding his mission was hard!
I found this an entertaining story of young lives brought together for totally different purposes. His for finding a wife, hers for murder! No matter their training we find that when emotions come into play.. anything can happen! I liked this story and found it a fun read too.. I was not expecting that ending, but, JC gives us a peak into the next book and I am very much looking forward to the next adventure in Kayden's and the Prince's life!
If you like Young Adult, Inspirational speculative fiction try JC Morrows.. I think you will enjoy it!
I liked it. . This is clean inspirational with a little into the future aspect...
September 7, 2015
This review orginally appears on What Am I Reading?
Rate: 2.5
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
A Reluctant Assassin takes place in a futuristic, socially regressive United States called Auralius. What sets Auralius apart from the current day US are the second civil war, the two additional world wars, and all the repercussions that come with warfare which include countless deaths, environmental destruction, and government reformation. This is where my first issue with the book appears. Other than this information and Kayden's repetitious observations of the rich's obsession with satin, silk, and (gold) jewelry, there's very little world building. Kayden describes what the streets of the poor look like and from there we can imagine what their lives must be like, but we're never told if the people are resilient or depressed. This lack of world building is also evident in most scenes where we're told where Kayden is (ballroom, stables, etc.) but aren't given much description. This allows the reader to be as imaginative as s/he pleases, but prevents Morrows from juxtaposing the livelihood of the rich to the hardship of the poor in the manner she probably intended. While the lack of description does allow Kayden and Dvarius's inner turmoil to be highlighted, to me, the world felt flat and empty without it.
My second problem with the story was the lack of depth expressed by the characters - the exception being Dvarius, which I'll explain later. A Reluctant Assassin clearly (and repeatedly) mentions that Kayden was assigned to kill Prince Dvarius by the Order of the MoonStone. However, there's no backstory on how Kayden got involved in the Order and there are no details about her family. We know her feelings concerning two operatives of the Order and receive snippets of her opinion concerning the rich-poor gap, but we aren't told much about Kayden. And the same is true for majority of the other characters. There are people the book mentions Kayden interacts with, but we never see the interactions and they aren't given names. There are 24 other women vying for the crown and yet only two are named and the book only shows Kayden interacting with one. As I previously mentioned, there the world seems empty when only a few are talking and they rarely mention outside the palace.
On the other hand, unlike most of the characters, Dvarius had a bit more depth. His character isn't fully fleshed out, but he's more emotive and tangible than the other characters. It was interesting to see the guy stress/obsess over whether the girl liked him for a change. My problem with Dvarius (yes, another issue. You could've stopped reading a hundred words ago if you were sick of me.) was his air of indecisiveness. Dvarius is dedicated to his religion, which isn't a problem. However, there are times when he'll defer taking action and leave the decision to God, which made him seem more indecisive than faithful. I mean, how hard is it to go see the girl you have feelings, especially when she's living in your house/palace? No, instead, Dvarius had to be blasé and declare that if he was meant to see Kayden, God would intersect their paths.
Lastly, even though all I did here was (semi) complain about A Reluctant Assassin, I didn't hate the story. I just saw so many places where Morrows could have improved the story. And who knows, maybe by the time the story is published it'll be different from what I read. All in all, A Reluctant Assassin tackles the question: what would happen if, after a few more wars, the US turned into a monarchy and a female assassin was sent undercover to kill the prince who was to be crowned king?
Rate: 2.5
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
A Reluctant Assassin takes place in a futuristic, socially regressive United States called Auralius. What sets Auralius apart from the current day US are the second civil war, the two additional world wars, and all the repercussions that come with warfare which include countless deaths, environmental destruction, and government reformation. This is where my first issue with the book appears. Other than this information and Kayden's repetitious observations of the rich's obsession with satin, silk, and (gold) jewelry, there's very little world building. Kayden describes what the streets of the poor look like and from there we can imagine what their lives must be like, but we're never told if the people are resilient or depressed. This lack of world building is also evident in most scenes where we're told where Kayden is (ballroom, stables, etc.) but aren't given much description. This allows the reader to be as imaginative as s/he pleases, but prevents Morrows from juxtaposing the livelihood of the rich to the hardship of the poor in the manner she probably intended. While the lack of description does allow Kayden and Dvarius's inner turmoil to be highlighted, to me, the world felt flat and empty without it.
My second problem with the story was the lack of depth expressed by the characters - the exception being Dvarius, which I'll explain later. A Reluctant Assassin clearly (and repeatedly) mentions that Kayden was assigned to kill Prince Dvarius by the Order of the MoonStone. However, there's no backstory on how Kayden got involved in the Order and there are no details about her family. We know her feelings concerning two operatives of the Order and receive snippets of her opinion concerning the rich-poor gap, but we aren't told much about Kayden. And the same is true for majority of the other characters. There are people the book mentions Kayden interacts with, but we never see the interactions and they aren't given names. There are 24 other women vying for the crown and yet only two are named and the book only shows Kayden interacting with one. As I previously mentioned, there the world seems empty when only a few are talking and they rarely mention outside the palace.
On the other hand, unlike most of the characters, Dvarius had a bit more depth. His character isn't fully fleshed out, but he's more emotive and tangible than the other characters. It was interesting to see the guy stress/obsess over whether the girl liked him for a change. My problem with Dvarius (yes, another issue. You could've stopped reading a hundred words ago if you were sick of me.) was his air of indecisiveness. Dvarius is dedicated to his religion, which isn't a problem. However, there are times when he'll defer taking action and leave the decision to God, which made him seem more indecisive than faithful. I mean, how hard is it to go see the girl you have feelings, especially when she's living in your house/palace? No, instead, Dvarius had to be blasé and declare that if he was meant to see Kayden, God would intersect their paths.
Lastly, even though all I did here was (semi) complain about A Reluctant Assassin, I didn't hate the story. I just saw so many places where Morrows could have improved the story. And who knows, maybe by the time the story is published it'll be different from what I read. All in all, A Reluctant Assassin tackles the question: what would happen if, after a few more wars, the US turned into a monarchy and a female assassin was sent undercover to kill the prince who was to be crowned king?
December 10, 2015
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5
A Reluctant Assassin is the first book in the Order of the MoonStone series by J.C. Morrows. It is a young adult fantasy romance, that is light on the action/adventure and heavy on the romance. Perfect for fans that love a good love story in the background of a high fantasy universe. This is also a clean book, so it would be appropriate for young young adult readers as well as older readers. I really enjoyed A Reluctant Assassin. I had a bit of a snafu with the Prince early on, but overall this was a good read.
The Prince has to marry as soon as possible, "for his kingdom". He was very much against the idea of marrying for the wrong reasons. I really liked that about him. I admired that he wanted to get to know girls. And actually get to know them. What irked me was that from the moment he saw Kayden, he knew she "different" and "real" and the one. And I just didn't see how he could go from wanting to get to know which ladies had substance and which didn't, to being totally taken with just one of them.
That being said, after the somewhat shaky first meeting, I really liked watching Kayden and Dvarius interact. If you are looking for a high speed action and adventure fantasy, this might not be the book for you, but if you love the castle setting and you are looking for a sweet and clean romance, this is the perfect series for you to check out. There is a bit of action excitement at the end, and I think there will be more to come in the next installment, but for this first book, author JC Morrows does a great job of setting the stage and letting us get to know the characters really well. I thought this was a solid first book in a new series, and I think the next one will be even better.
p.s. I also have to say that I just love the cover! Her assassin's outfit is on point! ;)
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5
A Reluctant Assassin is the first book in the Order of the MoonStone series by J.C. Morrows. It is a young adult fantasy romance, that is light on the action/adventure and heavy on the romance. Perfect for fans that love a good love story in the background of a high fantasy universe. This is also a clean book, so it would be appropriate for young young adult readers as well as older readers. I really enjoyed A Reluctant Assassin. I had a bit of a snafu with the Prince early on, but overall this was a good read.
The Prince has to marry as soon as possible, "for his kingdom". He was very much against the idea of marrying for the wrong reasons. I really liked that about him. I admired that he wanted to get to know girls. And actually get to know them. What irked me was that from the moment he saw Kayden, he knew she "different" and "real" and the one. And I just didn't see how he could go from wanting to get to know which ladies had substance and which didn't, to being totally taken with just one of them.
That being said, after the somewhat shaky first meeting, I really liked watching Kayden and Dvarius interact. If you are looking for a high speed action and adventure fantasy, this might not be the book for you, but if you love the castle setting and you are looking for a sweet and clean romance, this is the perfect series for you to check out. There is a bit of action excitement at the end, and I think there will be more to come in the next installment, but for this first book, author JC Morrows does a great job of setting the stage and letting us get to know the characters really well. I thought this was a solid first book in a new series, and I think the next one will be even better.
p.s. I also have to say that I just love the cover! Her assassin's outfit is on point! ;)
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
November 26, 2015
***4.5 stars***
Kayden is faced with a dilemma. She has come to the palace with a mission to kill the Prince. The information she had been told about him is incorrect. He is not what she expected and it doesn't take long for her to begin to develop feelings for him.
Dvarius is not excited that he must choose a bride from the 24 young women brought to the castle. He must marry in order to become King. He trust in God to lead him to the woman whom he could love and to rule the Kingdom with.
The book is set in a futuristic society. After the destruction of society through war, a monarchy has been put in place to govern the people. The book combines the old with the new. Women wear dresses, but there is remnants of our modern world in use. I really enjoyed how J.C Morrows was able to combine elements of society in creating her social setting. The manners are also reminiscent of an older day.
The major action in the book takes place on a subtle level. It is more a conflict of emotions and purpose. The wordplay and characters drew me in from the start. I can't wait to continue reading the series. The book contains political intrigue, romance, and assassins.
I found the book to be a clean read. The Prince is a devout Christian and there are references to deity.
Kayden is faced with a dilemma. She has come to the palace with a mission to kill the Prince. The information she had been told about him is incorrect. He is not what she expected and it doesn't take long for her to begin to develop feelings for him.
Dvarius is not excited that he must choose a bride from the 24 young women brought to the castle. He must marry in order to become King. He trust in God to lead him to the woman whom he could love and to rule the Kingdom with.
The book is set in a futuristic society. After the destruction of society through war, a monarchy has been put in place to govern the people. The book combines the old with the new. Women wear dresses, but there is remnants of our modern world in use. I really enjoyed how J.C Morrows was able to combine elements of society in creating her social setting. The manners are also reminiscent of an older day.
The major action in the book takes place on a subtle level. It is more a conflict of emotions and purpose. The wordplay and characters drew me in from the start. I can't wait to continue reading the series. The book contains political intrigue, romance, and assassins.
I found the book to be a clean read. The Prince is a devout Christian and there are references to deity.
November 18, 2015
I was drawn into the story of A Reluctant Assassin from the beginning. WOW J.C. Morrows is gifted storyteller! Kayden was sent to the palace on a mission to assassinate Prince Dvarius. The young Prince is drawn to Kayden from the beginning, as she is there along with other young women for Prince Dvarius to find a wife. Kayden had been trained for this mission in her order; however, her emotions come into play with the Prince. Prince Dvarius is tired of all the wars, famine, etc that the people in Auralius have endured over the past decades. He seeks God in what to do when he felt like he was losing Kayden. You'll have to read this amazing story to see what transpires between Prince Dvarius and Kayden that caused him to believe Kayden was going to be lost to him. The ending was a cliff hanger--leaving the reader wondering is Kayden going to survive her assignment to assassinate the Prince or lose her own life. A Reluctant Assassin is an inspirational speculative fiction, young adult read but an excellent story. I look forward to the next short story and book in The Moonstone Chronicles by J.C. Morrows.
September 17, 2015
I'm usually not a YA, fantasy, steampunk, speculative fiction reading person, but WOW! I feel pretty lucky being one of the few chosen to get an advanced copy of this book! J.C. Morrows did a fantastic job creating a suspenseful story. You will need to be sure you have plenty of spare time when you pick up this book because you will not want to put it down. And when you finish, you will definitely be wanting more!
November 3, 2015
The cover for this book is fantastic! Between the front picture and the back cover description, I was expecting an exciting assassin action-adventure drama with the flair of a Cinderella story thrown in, much like a combination of Cinder and The False Prince.
Unfortunately, the book struggled to live up to its cover - instead of being the skilled assassin she was made out to be, Kayden seemed to have very little ability to actually carry out her mission! She was continually being surprised by her feelings, and was unable to control her reactions to them. The snippets we heard about her previous missions and family history were never explained, nor was how she got into the castle in the first place - which was important to feeling that the story had solid foundation of facts to stand on.
Much of the suspense of the book was lost due to the alternating narratives from Kayden's and the prince's POV - I always knew exactly how each was feeling about the other, and since this was ultimately a "short and sweet" romance novella, knowing those feelings left nothing for me to wonder about. (There was never any question as to whether Kayden could ever bring herself to assassinate the prince, as her instantaneous feelings for him were very obvious as soon as they met.)
I appreciated the attempt to make the story a Christian-based one - in truth the Christian claim was a big reason why I read the book in the first place - and although the topic of religion and Christianity felt forced in a world where Prince Dvarius was the only one who had anything to do with it, his struggles with trusting God vs. trying to control things himself did resonate with me, and gave me something to come away with.
I really wanted to like this book, and as several other reviewers said, better character development and much more world description/explanation would have gone a long way toward making that happen. I do think there is potential in the premise of the story, and I hope the story improves in its sequel!
Unfortunately, the book struggled to live up to its cover - instead of being the skilled assassin she was made out to be, Kayden seemed to have very little ability to actually carry out her mission! She was continually being surprised by her feelings, and was unable to control her reactions to them. The snippets we heard about her previous missions and family history were never explained, nor was how she got into the castle in the first place - which was important to feeling that the story had solid foundation of facts to stand on.
Much of the suspense of the book was lost due to the alternating narratives from Kayden's and the prince's POV - I always knew exactly how each was feeling about the other, and since this was ultimately a "short and sweet" romance novella, knowing those feelings left nothing for me to wonder about. (There was never any question as to whether Kayden could ever bring herself to assassinate the prince, as her instantaneous feelings for him were very obvious as soon as they met.)
I appreciated the attempt to make the story a Christian-based one - in truth the Christian claim was a big reason why I read the book in the first place - and although the topic of religion and Christianity felt forced in a world where Prince Dvarius was the only one who had anything to do with it, his struggles with trusting God vs. trying to control things himself did resonate with me, and gave me something to come away with.
I really wanted to like this book, and as several other reviewers said, better character development and much more world description/explanation would have gone a long way toward making that happen. I do think there is potential in the premise of the story, and I hope the story improves in its sequel!
August 31, 2015
I give A Reluctant Assassin by J. C. Morrows 3 out of 5 stars.
First of all, I want to say, I love the premise of this book: What if Cinderella had been sent to kill the Prince? Paints an interesting picture, doesn’t it?
I was intrigued before I even started reading because of the killer premise (no pun intended), but as I began reading, I was immediately drawn into the world, which has both a futuristic and old-fashioned feel to it.
We are first introduced to Kayden, the girl on a mission, and shortly thereafter she meets the prince, Dvarius. Even though he’s not ready to marry, for him, it’s love at first sight. Kayden is resistant, presumably because feelings would get in the way of her mission. Their budding relationship is easily the best part of this story.
Dvarius was the best-developed character, and I enjoyed him quite a bit. I understood him and his motivations.
Kayden, not so much. Although she has personality, I couldn’t access her character. If it weren’t for the synopsis, which leads me to believe Kayden’s mission is to kill the prince, I wouldn’t know about it, because her mission is not clearly delineated in the story – it’s barely alluded to. Furthermore, it’s not clearly stated why she’s been sent to kill Dvarius, or who the people who sent her are, or why Kayden would go along with their plan. Synopsis aside, I left the story wondering if it really was Kayden’s mission to kill Dvarius or if I’d just been set up to believe that.
The supporting characters needed better development as well.
Beyond that, the story comes to an abrupt end – no climax and no denouement. The effect was startling, when considering all that had transpired. It’s possible that the intention behind such an ending was to leave the reader on the edge of his or her seat in anticipation of the next book in the series, but it only served to frustrate me. I had difficulty bonding with the characters, because they weren’t properly introduced, and so unfortunately, I have difficulty caring what comes next for them.
For me, the question What if Cinderella had been sent to kill the Prince? remains unanswered.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
First of all, I want to say, I love the premise of this book: What if Cinderella had been sent to kill the Prince? Paints an interesting picture, doesn’t it?
I was intrigued before I even started reading because of the killer premise (no pun intended), but as I began reading, I was immediately drawn into the world, which has both a futuristic and old-fashioned feel to it.
We are first introduced to Kayden, the girl on a mission, and shortly thereafter she meets the prince, Dvarius. Even though he’s not ready to marry, for him, it’s love at first sight. Kayden is resistant, presumably because feelings would get in the way of her mission. Their budding relationship is easily the best part of this story.
Dvarius was the best-developed character, and I enjoyed him quite a bit. I understood him and his motivations.
Kayden, not so much. Although she has personality, I couldn’t access her character. If it weren’t for the synopsis, which leads me to believe Kayden’s mission is to kill the prince, I wouldn’t know about it, because her mission is not clearly delineated in the story – it’s barely alluded to. Furthermore, it’s not clearly stated why she’s been sent to kill Dvarius, or who the people who sent her are, or why Kayden would go along with their plan. Synopsis aside, I left the story wondering if it really was Kayden’s mission to kill Dvarius or if I’d just been set up to believe that.
The supporting characters needed better development as well.
Beyond that, the story comes to an abrupt end – no climax and no denouement. The effect was startling, when considering all that had transpired. It’s possible that the intention behind such an ending was to leave the reader on the edge of his or her seat in anticipation of the next book in the series, but it only served to frustrate me. I had difficulty bonding with the characters, because they weren’t properly introduced, and so unfortunately, I have difficulty caring what comes next for them.
For me, the question What if Cinderella had been sent to kill the Prince? remains unanswered.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 5, 2016
4/5 Stars
So, the first thing I noticed was that the tags in this novel were Teen/Religious/Christian/Action & Adventure. There were other tags, but as soon as I saw Religious/Christian I got mildly worried. I have read books with those tags where it is overly preachy, which, for someone like me who doesn't have a real set of beliefs (I try to use many different aspects of many beliefs), is extremely annoying. But this book was not like that at all.
Yes, Prince Dvarius is religious. But the way J.C. Morrows wrote his belief was amazing. She made him realize that his faith was his. He never pushes it on other characters and even when it is mentioned, it's not over the top. The one portion where it is heavily used made sense for the character and for the overall plot of the story.
Now, to digress from that point. This book was breathtakingly beautiful. You have an assassin, Kayden, that is thrust into a life of luxury that she is unaccustomed to in order to assassinate Dvarius. On top of that, Dvarius is in a position where his father died, but he cannot be on the throne without a queen (because rules). They are both thrust into uncomfortable positions that they must deal with in order to get to their goal.
Honestly, there were two reasons I gave this four rather than five stars. One is due to the relationship that develops between Kayden and Dvarius. I realize that this is a work of fiction, but I felt at times their romantic attraction seemed to have no basis. Mainly because we see no real interactions between him and the other girls selected as potential spouses other than one girl he sends away, and Catarine.
The other reason is that there was a side character that would occasionally show up to be all pissy that Kayden was chosen for this job. But we get no real information on him and I was left wanting more about him. Hopefully in the next one! Because yes, I am continuing this series. Especially with the little sneak peek I read at the end of this novel.
So, the first thing I noticed was that the tags in this novel were Teen/Religious/Christian/Action & Adventure. There were other tags, but as soon as I saw Religious/Christian I got mildly worried. I have read books with those tags where it is overly preachy, which, for someone like me who doesn't have a real set of beliefs (I try to use many different aspects of many beliefs), is extremely annoying. But this book was not like that at all.
Yes, Prince Dvarius is religious. But the way J.C. Morrows wrote his belief was amazing. She made him realize that his faith was his. He never pushes it on other characters and even when it is mentioned, it's not over the top. The one portion where it is heavily used made sense for the character and for the overall plot of the story.
Now, to digress from that point. This book was breathtakingly beautiful. You have an assassin, Kayden, that is thrust into a life of luxury that she is unaccustomed to in order to assassinate Dvarius. On top of that, Dvarius is in a position where his father died, but he cannot be on the throne without a queen (because rules). They are both thrust into uncomfortable positions that they must deal with in order to get to their goal.
Honestly, there were two reasons I gave this four rather than five stars. One is due to the relationship that develops between Kayden and Dvarius. I realize that this is a work of fiction, but I felt at times their romantic attraction seemed to have no basis. Mainly because we see no real interactions between him and the other girls selected as potential spouses other than one girl he sends away, and Catarine.
The other reason is that there was a side character that would occasionally show up to be all pissy that Kayden was chosen for this job. But we get no real information on him and I was left wanting more about him. Hopefully in the next one! Because yes, I am continuing this series. Especially with the little sneak peek I read at the end of this novel.
January 16, 2016
(3.5 stars) I love dystopia and Christian dystopia was new to me so I was intrigued. Add in royalty and an assassin posing as a potential bride and I'm in.
The prince, Dvarius, needs to find a wife so 25 women have been invited to the palace for him to choose from. Kayden is in that group of women. However, she has been sent there to assassinate the prince. They meet early on and Dvarius feels a connection with Kayden. He realizes he needs to make an effort with the other women and discovers that there might be someone else that could also make him happy.
Kayden feels like a fraud at the beginning but is able to adjust to life in the palace the longer she stays. She is able to form a friendship with a rival, which is something she didn't expect to do. As she learns more about Dvarius, she's not sure she can complete her assignment but is also worried about the penalty bestowed on anyone who crosses the Order of the MoonStone.
I thought there were some issues with this book but overall, I enjoyed it. I didn't feel like there was any sort of build up to the two of them meeting. I would have liked a scene at the beginning where Kayden showed her skills as an assassin because she seemed so nice the whole time that I had a hard time picturing her as one. There were times when I felt the writing was almost too fast paced and it would have been nice to have more details.
Having said that, I did also enjoy the fast pace of the book because I found myself continually reading one more chapter to find out what would happen next. I love that it's clean and the prince believes in God. I'm still intrigued and am looking forward to reading more. It ended in a cliffhanger so I was glad I had book two ready to start reading!
I received a copy of this book via Singing Librarian Book Tours for an honest review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
The prince, Dvarius, needs to find a wife so 25 women have been invited to the palace for him to choose from. Kayden is in that group of women. However, she has been sent there to assassinate the prince. They meet early on and Dvarius feels a connection with Kayden. He realizes he needs to make an effort with the other women and discovers that there might be someone else that could also make him happy.
Kayden feels like a fraud at the beginning but is able to adjust to life in the palace the longer she stays. She is able to form a friendship with a rival, which is something she didn't expect to do. As she learns more about Dvarius, she's not sure she can complete her assignment but is also worried about the penalty bestowed on anyone who crosses the Order of the MoonStone.
I thought there were some issues with this book but overall, I enjoyed it. I didn't feel like there was any sort of build up to the two of them meeting. I would have liked a scene at the beginning where Kayden showed her skills as an assassin because she seemed so nice the whole time that I had a hard time picturing her as one. There were times when I felt the writing was almost too fast paced and it would have been nice to have more details.
Having said that, I did also enjoy the fast pace of the book because I found myself continually reading one more chapter to find out what would happen next. I love that it's clean and the prince believes in God. I'm still intrigued and am looking forward to reading more. It ended in a cliffhanger so I was glad I had book two ready to start reading!
I received a copy of this book via Singing Librarian Book Tours for an honest review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
November 23, 2015
Are you a fan of dystopian novels? A make-belief society with a strong hero or heroine to get you all riled up to root for? How about someone like Katniss from The Hunger Games that you don't really like but you can't help but love? Well, Ms. Morrows gave us quite a character in Kayden of A Reluctant Assassin. She's there to kill the prince, but can it be true that she actually likes the prince and even love? Well, that's a question you'll have to read to find out.
In all, I enjoyed this book, not because of the action, which really wasn't much, but for all the questions in my mind. How did she become a princess overnight or how did she get into the castle in the first place, what is going on with the Prince, Dvarius and these "advisers", and what is this organization she's part of, and so on and so forth. You'll get some answers, but not all at the end of this book, which is Book 1 of The Order of the Moonstone series. Kayden's a character that is sarcastic at times, feisty other times, and vulnerable on the rare moments her true nature takes over, but she is a character you'll want to see her to make a choice and to see what becomes of that choice. I really like the Prince. His faith, his goodness in wanting to protect his people and his country, makes him a hero to like.
For the full review & GIVEAWAY: http://justcommonly.blogspot.com/2015...
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book through Singing Librarian Books Blog Tour for an honest review.
In all, I enjoyed this book, not because of the action, which really wasn't much, but for all the questions in my mind. How did she become a princess overnight or how did she get into the castle in the first place, what is going on with the Prince, Dvarius and these "advisers", and what is this organization she's part of, and so on and so forth. You'll get some answers, but not all at the end of this book, which is Book 1 of The Order of the Moonstone series. Kayden's a character that is sarcastic at times, feisty other times, and vulnerable on the rare moments her true nature takes over, but she is a character you'll want to see her to make a choice and to see what becomes of that choice. I really like the Prince. His faith, his goodness in wanting to protect his people and his country, makes him a hero to like.
For the full review & GIVEAWAY: http://justcommonly.blogspot.com/2015...
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book through Singing Librarian Books Blog Tour for an honest review.
October 27, 2016
What the book is about:
Her mission was simple — get close to the Prince, and kill him. . .
Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess but beneath the mask, a killer lays in wait — for the perfect moment.
Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife . . . but due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law — he must find a bride before he is allowed to take his rightful place on the throne.
And the one woman he wants — just might be the one who is there to kill him...
My Review:
*4.5 stars*
While this book was a tad confusing in the beginning, it ended up being amazing!
Dvarius is so sweet and amazing <3
I felt like Kayden's emotions were all over the place towards the beginning as well, but it did help in someways getting to know different things about her.
I'm still trying to figure out The Order of the Moonstone, why they want to do what their doing, I'm very interested to learn more about them.
That ending while I saw it coming, still surprised me a little o.O I NEED the next book!
There are quite a few things that weren't resolved in this book, but I'm sure we will see how those things play out in the rest of the series :)
That's all I can think to say right now :) soooo...
Shalom
and
byeeeee
Her mission was simple — get close to the Prince, and kill him. . .
Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess but beneath the mask, a killer lays in wait — for the perfect moment.
Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife . . . but due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law — he must find a bride before he is allowed to take his rightful place on the throne.
And the one woman he wants — just might be the one who is there to kill him...
My Review:
*4.5 stars*
While this book was a tad confusing in the beginning, it ended up being amazing!
Dvarius is so sweet and amazing <3
I felt like Kayden's emotions were all over the place towards the beginning as well, but it did help in someways getting to know different things about her.
I'm still trying to figure out The Order of the Moonstone, why they want to do what their doing, I'm very interested to learn more about them.
That ending while I saw it coming, still surprised me a little o.O I NEED the next book!
There are quite a few things that weren't resolved in this book, but I'm sure we will see how those things play out in the rest of the series :)
That's all I can think to say right now :) soooo...
Shalom
and
byeeeee
November 23, 2015
This is a great start to a new series. Kayden is on a mission. This is a different mission than she is used to. She must convince the Prince that she is the girl for him and then kill him. Dvarius is the prince she is to kill and is immediately attracted to her. He must choose a bride from the twenty-five ladies his advisers have chosen but they would like him to choose any of them but Kayden. What neither of them knows is there is someone else with a mission all their own and Kayden's heart may become compromised in the process.
I absolutely loved Dvarius. He is a strong young man, but he isn't certain how to handle Kayden. Kayden is a good person who has done plenty wrong to survive. Still she is good at what she does and doesn't always follow orders. I think under all the tough exterior she has to show the world is a good heart. I loved Dvarius' best friend and Catherine as well. The ending has me wanting the next book in this series now!
5/5 for me. I cannot wait to read more and find out what happens next to these characters.
Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.
I absolutely loved Dvarius. He is a strong young man, but he isn't certain how to handle Kayden. Kayden is a good person who has done plenty wrong to survive. Still she is good at what she does and doesn't always follow orders. I think under all the tough exterior she has to show the world is a good heart. I loved Dvarius' best friend and Catherine as well. The ending has me wanting the next book in this series now!
5/5 for me. I cannot wait to read more and find out what happens next to these characters.
Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.
July 16, 2025
3.5 stars
Total cliff-hanger. Just going to start right there.
I like Kayden. She's spunky, fierce, daring, and brave. Although at first, she was very determined in her goal and as the story progressed, she became a little unsure of herself, I liked that she was real. She had real emotions, and to be blindsided the way she was, even though it was her mission, showed the multiple sides of humanity.
Dvarius was a strong, undermined, emotional man. I liked him too!
This story came across to me as Ester meets Cinderella. I loved the thrill of danger with the glint and glamor of balls and gorgeous dresses.
This was too good to not continue the series!
2025 - rereading to finish the series. Just as good as the first read!
Total cliff-hanger. Just going to start right there.
I like Kayden. She's spunky, fierce, daring, and brave. Although at first, she was very determined in her goal and as the story progressed, she became a little unsure of herself, I liked that she was real. She had real emotions, and to be blindsided the way she was, even though it was her mission, showed the multiple sides of humanity.
Dvarius was a strong, undermined, emotional man. I liked him too!
This story came across to me as Ester meets Cinderella. I loved the thrill of danger with the glint and glamor of balls and gorgeous dresses.
This was too good to not continue the series!
2025 - rereading to finish the series. Just as good as the first read!
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