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The Leeth Dossier #2
Harsh Lessons
Raised at the Institute for Paranormal Dysfunction to test Dr Alex Harmon's theories, Leeth's magic took everyone by surprise. And now, she and her abusive guardian have been taken by a covert government agency where Leeth is training to become their assassin.
But Leeth is both more dangerous than they know, and too innocent for her own good. Sent "back" to school to learn some much-needed social skills - under strict instructions not to kill - Leeth is singularly ill-equipped to deal with the challenges of a normal life.
She wants to belong, but has little idea how to fit in - let alone how mean girls can be.
Nor does she know that an uncanny and ruthless killer, the product of a madman's insane magic, hunts her.
Leeth has some harsh lessons to learn.
She'd better learn fast.
But Leeth is both more dangerous than they know, and too innocent for her own good. Sent "back" to school to learn some much-needed social skills - under strict instructions not to kill - Leeth is singularly ill-equipped to deal with the challenges of a normal life.
She wants to belong, but has little idea how to fit in - let alone how mean girls can be.
Nor does she know that an uncanny and ruthless killer, the product of a madman's insane magic, hunts her.
Leeth has some harsh lessons to learn.
She'd better learn fast.
- GenresFantasy
330 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2016
9 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Kendall
6 books33 followersL. J. Kendall is an Australian author who failed to drown on five separate occasions on Sydney's northern beaches. He worked in software R&D and communication, and had a long happy marriage to an adventurous mediaeval scholar 22 years his senior.
He believes honesty is the best policy, most people are good and kind, and, with luck, you get out of life what you put in. He writes and enjoys believable sci fi and fantasy where the characters drive the plot. He loves quirky outsiders, and after over 10,000 hours of roleplaying – opposing everything from cosmic horrors, to time-looped cannibal space-Nazis, to evil megacorporations – he reckons he’d be helpful in a zombie apocalypse.
Inspecting his double-stacked collection of 2,000 paperbacks and his teetering piles of 300 or so books-to-be-read, you’ll find his favourite authors, including Roger Zelazny, Wen Spencer, and Marjorie M Liu.
His favourite movie is probably The Fifth Element, or maybe Ponyo. Or Mr Right. Or Alita: Battle Angel.
His author website is A Toe in the Ocean of Books
He believes honesty is the best policy, most people are good and kind, and, with luck, you get out of life what you put in. He writes and enjoys believable sci fi and fantasy where the characters drive the plot. He loves quirky outsiders, and after over 10,000 hours of roleplaying – opposing everything from cosmic horrors, to time-looped cannibal space-Nazis, to evil megacorporations – he reckons he’d be helpful in a zombie apocalypse.
Inspecting his double-stacked collection of 2,000 paperbacks and his teetering piles of 300 or so books-to-be-read, you’ll find his favourite authors, including Roger Zelazny, Wen Spencer, and Marjorie M Liu.
His favourite movie is probably The Fifth Element, or maybe Ponyo. Or Mr Right. Or Alita: Battle Angel.
His author website is A Toe in the Ocean of Books
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 17, 2020
It took me some time to get to Harsh Lessons, but once I started reading, I couldn’t put this down. The second book in the Leeth Dossier series, Harsh Lessons has our heroine (was Sara, now Leeth) move out of the Institute for Paranormal Dysfunction to a covert government agency where she has to learn to fit in. Unfortunately, there’s still something hunting her and this untrained huntress might just become the hunted.
Disclaimer before we start: I met this author on a writing site a few years back, which is how I found out about Leeth, but I bought this book of my own volition because I wanted to find out what happened to Leeth. Naturally, all opinions are my own (given that I paid for this and am writing this voluntarily).
The first book took place in the Institute but in this second book, Leeth’s world is expanded. Unfortunately, leaving the Institute didn’t leave her abuser/guardian behind and this time, the powers-that-be are in agreement that he can continue turning her into the perfect “Huntress”. It’s a lot of emotional, mental, and even sexual abuse and it makes for very heavy reading, especially in the first part.
But, I found that this book also had lighter moments, especially in the latter half of the book where Leeth has to go to the real world. I thought that her character grew the most here and it was honestly very touching to see her among peers her age. The second half was my favourite part of the book because it had a great balance of normal and darkness.
Since the second half of the book was my favourite, I did wish that the first half of the book was shortened. I see that it’s necessary to set up the norms of the agency, but Leeth never really connected with the agents and it was a bit sad to see how everything was continually set against her. In fact, towards the midway point, the book got so dark I considered pausing for a while. The turn to a ‘normal life’ was unexpected but it was what made me read on.
Overall, this was a dark and disturbing read. The post-apocalyptic world is chilling (and well-built! I really liked learning more about it) and it breaks my heart to see the ways that so many adults around Leeth continually fail her. But I’m heartened at the ending and I’m looking forward to reading the third book.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
Disclaimer before we start: I met this author on a writing site a few years back, which is how I found out about Leeth, but I bought this book of my own volition because I wanted to find out what happened to Leeth. Naturally, all opinions are my own (given that I paid for this and am writing this voluntarily).
The first book took place in the Institute but in this second book, Leeth’s world is expanded. Unfortunately, leaving the Institute didn’t leave her abuser/guardian behind and this time, the powers-that-be are in agreement that he can continue turning her into the perfect “Huntress”. It’s a lot of emotional, mental, and even sexual abuse and it makes for very heavy reading, especially in the first part.
But, I found that this book also had lighter moments, especially in the latter half of the book where Leeth has to go to the real world. I thought that her character grew the most here and it was honestly very touching to see her among peers her age. The second half was my favourite part of the book because it had a great balance of normal and darkness.
Since the second half of the book was my favourite, I did wish that the first half of the book was shortened. I see that it’s necessary to set up the norms of the agency, but Leeth never really connected with the agents and it was a bit sad to see how everything was continually set against her. In fact, towards the midway point, the book got so dark I considered pausing for a while. The turn to a ‘normal life’ was unexpected but it was what made me read on.
Overall, this was a dark and disturbing read. The post-apocalyptic world is chilling (and well-built! I really liked learning more about it) and it breaks my heart to see the ways that so many adults around Leeth continually fail her. But I’m heartened at the ending and I’m looking forward to reading the third book.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
February 12, 2020
Leeth has been taken away by a government agency so she can be trained as an assassin. Leeth has a hard lesson to learn on her first day of training as she believed that if she beat her opponent then that made her the winner but not always. When Leeth took a step back and started listening to what her teacher had to say then she became a better fighter.
Leeth was being taught more than just fighting she was taught how to be a lady like how to dress and wear make-up and how to order food for a lady when out in public she was taught how a lady must act.
Leeth just touched my heart in so many ways as she was so innocent on so many levels and there was so much of life that she was unaware of and had never experienced with chocolate being one of those things.
Leeth works so hard at trying to do what she is being taught as she wants so bad to fit in with everyone else. Leeth is like most girls she just wants to be liked and have friends like every other human.
Harsh Lessons is filled with so much action that it keeps the adrenaline pumping and the pages turning as we follow along with Leeth in her fighting, etiquette, and dressing lessons plus so much more.
One click yourself a copy of Harsh Lessons to begin this journey with Leeth as she learns about life in all her innocents.
Leeth was being taught more than just fighting she was taught how to be a lady like how to dress and wear make-up and how to order food for a lady when out in public she was taught how a lady must act.
Leeth just touched my heart in so many ways as she was so innocent on so many levels and there was so much of life that she was unaware of and had never experienced with chocolate being one of those things.
Leeth works so hard at trying to do what she is being taught as she wants so bad to fit in with everyone else. Leeth is like most girls she just wants to be liked and have friends like every other human.
Harsh Lessons is filled with so much action that it keeps the adrenaline pumping and the pages turning as we follow along with Leeth in her fighting, etiquette, and dressing lessons plus so much more.
One click yourself a copy of Harsh Lessons to begin this journey with Leeth as she learns about life in all her innocents.
August 21, 2016
Three and a half stars.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This book continues the story of Leeth, groomed by her adopted Uncle Harmon to be an archetypical huntress, as she grows from teenager to young woman. Now she is being trained within the secure subterranean facilities of the Department, honing her fighting skills and being pushed to learn other, more difficult, lessons. How can this wild child be taught the social skills, not just to blend into normal society, but to take on the range of personas a mission might require? And what is the motivation behind the evil menace that stalks the streets, The Breaker? In this book, we see Leeth’s transformation from child to adult.
My first comment on this book has to be a warning: like the first in the series, it treads a thin line in its portrayal of violence and sexual abuse within a story intended as entertainment. For me, it hovered on the edge in places, but was saved towards the end by Leeth’s growth, and her budding sense of moral responsibility.
I also felt that more background to the characters and organisations would have helped to establish their motivations. For instance, what is the Department trying to achieve? Why do they want Leeth badly enough to train her, on an individual basis, for more than a year? Perhaps my understanding of the socio-political situation was inadequate to fully grasp their goals.
The plot revolving around The Breaker felt underdeveloped, too. It was a little disappointing to finish this book with no greater understanding of this part of the plot than I had at the end of book 1.
Don’t let these perceived flaws put you off, though. Leeth is an interesting character tested by a variety of threats both mental and physical and I found her story an absorbing read.
Merged review:
Three and a half stars.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This book continues the story of Leeth, groomed by her adopted Uncle Harmon to be an archetypical huntress, as she grows from teenager to young woman. Now she is being trained within the secure subterranean facilities of the Department, honing her fighting skills and being pushed to learn other, more difficult, lessons. How can this wild child be taught the social skills, not just to blend into normal society, but to take on the range of personas a mission might require? And what is the motivation behind the evil menace that stalks the streets, The Breaker? In this book, we see Leeth’s transformation from child to adult.
My first comment on this book has to be a warning: like the first in the series, it treads a thin line in its portrayal of violence and sexual abuse within a story intended as entertainment. For me, it hovered on the edge in places, but was saved towards the end by Leeth’s growth, and her budding sense of moral responsibility.
I also felt that more background to the characters and organisations would have helped to establish their motivations. For instance, what is the Department trying to achieve? Why do they want Leeth badly enough to train her, on an individual basis, for more than a year? Perhaps my understanding of the socio-political situation was inadequate to fully grasp their goals.
The plot revolving around The Breaker felt underdeveloped, too. It was a little disappointing to finish this book with no greater understanding of this part of the plot than I had at the end of book 1.
Don’t let these perceived flaws put you off, though. Leeth is an interesting character tested by a variety of threats both mental and physical and I found her story an absorbing read.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This book continues the story of Leeth, groomed by her adopted Uncle Harmon to be an archetypical huntress, as she grows from teenager to young woman. Now she is being trained within the secure subterranean facilities of the Department, honing her fighting skills and being pushed to learn other, more difficult, lessons. How can this wild child be taught the social skills, not just to blend into normal society, but to take on the range of personas a mission might require? And what is the motivation behind the evil menace that stalks the streets, The Breaker? In this book, we see Leeth’s transformation from child to adult.
My first comment on this book has to be a warning: like the first in the series, it treads a thin line in its portrayal of violence and sexual abuse within a story intended as entertainment. For me, it hovered on the edge in places, but was saved towards the end by Leeth’s growth, and her budding sense of moral responsibility.
I also felt that more background to the characters and organisations would have helped to establish their motivations. For instance, what is the Department trying to achieve? Why do they want Leeth badly enough to train her, on an individual basis, for more than a year? Perhaps my understanding of the socio-political situation was inadequate to fully grasp their goals.
The plot revolving around The Breaker felt underdeveloped, too. It was a little disappointing to finish this book with no greater understanding of this part of the plot than I had at the end of book 1.
Don’t let these perceived flaws put you off, though. Leeth is an interesting character tested by a variety of threats both mental and physical and I found her story an absorbing read.
Merged review:
Three and a half stars.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This book continues the story of Leeth, groomed by her adopted Uncle Harmon to be an archetypical huntress, as she grows from teenager to young woman. Now she is being trained within the secure subterranean facilities of the Department, honing her fighting skills and being pushed to learn other, more difficult, lessons. How can this wild child be taught the social skills, not just to blend into normal society, but to take on the range of personas a mission might require? And what is the motivation behind the evil menace that stalks the streets, The Breaker? In this book, we see Leeth’s transformation from child to adult.
My first comment on this book has to be a warning: like the first in the series, it treads a thin line in its portrayal of violence and sexual abuse within a story intended as entertainment. For me, it hovered on the edge in places, but was saved towards the end by Leeth’s growth, and her budding sense of moral responsibility.
I also felt that more background to the characters and organisations would have helped to establish their motivations. For instance, what is the Department trying to achieve? Why do they want Leeth badly enough to train her, on an individual basis, for more than a year? Perhaps my understanding of the socio-political situation was inadequate to fully grasp their goals.
The plot revolving around The Breaker felt underdeveloped, too. It was a little disappointing to finish this book with no greater understanding of this part of the plot than I had at the end of book 1.
Don’t let these perceived flaws put you off, though. Leeth is an interesting character tested by a variety of threats both mental and physical and I found her story an absorbing read.
September 23, 2016
Good second book
I enjoyed reading about the further adventures of leeth and the doctor. It is insuring to watch her try to fit it like a normal person.
I enjoyed reading about the further adventures of leeth and the doctor. It is insuring to watch her try to fit it like a normal person.
May 16, 2020
Oh my goodness, this story just keeps getting better and better. Getting to know Leeth more and I can't wait to see all she gets up to in the next book. I'm buying it right now!!!
April 4, 2017
Warning this book is not suitable reading for young adults. Use caution when deciding to read this book as it has sensitive subjects covered. Abuse. Neglect. Murder. Psychopathic tendencies and blood gore and violence. action. I loved the book. The first book was extremely psychologically disturbing, kept you on the edge of your seat and i could not put it down.. The second was a continuation of the training. I love that Leeth is not a 'Mary Sue' she has flaws and her character grows, learns and changes. I am hoping that the author writes and gets the 3rd in the series published as I have enjoyed reading the first two portions of the story and have a hard time waiting for sequels. The book is graphic and has disturbing abuse scenes that are not descriptive or gore filled...and I appreciate the author leaves the imagination to supply details instead of spelling everything out. I appreciated that the main character has growing to do. There are portions where i wish things were a little more spelled. If the were tough, I am afraid I'd be shedding massive amount of tears.
May 9, 2017
Book 2 continues with a hard to put down theme. Good fight scenes with a lot of hidden agendas.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews