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Courting Darkness #1
Courting Darkness
When Sybella accompanies the Duchess of Brittany to France, she expects trouble, but she isn’t expecting a deadly trap. Surrounded by enemies both known and unknown, Sybella searches for the undercover assassins from the convent of St. Mortain who were placed in the French court years ago.
Genevieve has been undercover for so many years, she no longer knows who she is or what she’s supposed to be fighting for. When she discovers a hidden prisoner who may be of importance, she takes matters into her own hands.
As these two worlds collide, the fate of the Duchess, Brittany, and everything Sybella and Genevieve have come to love hangs in the balance.
517 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2019
About the author
Robin LaFevers
10 books3,114 followersSee R.L. LaFevers
You can find her most current blog posts--including information about the upcoming COURTING DARKNESS--over there.
You can find her most current blog posts--including information about the upcoming COURTING DARKNESS--over there.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 918 reviews
July 2, 2019
UPDATE: $2.99 Kindle US 7/2/19
Read this with my lovely friend, Tammie! Did I get to reread the first trilogy that I loved before this one? No! Do I care? No! 😃
So I wanted to smack Genevieve there at the end but I get to the last page and chills went down my spine!! Woot!!
I was so excited to read this book because I loved the first books and Sybella and Beast!! Of course now I need to do a reread but that’s neither here nor there.
Sybella is bad ass as well as Beast as well as all assassin girls!
I love them sooooo much!!
This book is told in the POV’s of Sybella and Genevieve. Where I was more interested in Sybella’s parts, I was interested in what was going on with Genevieve and the mysterious prisoner.
I did want to smack Genevieve at the end but that last page has me hoping for something awesome in the next book!! And I swear!! Sybella & Beast better not get hurt!!!
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
MY BLOG
AMAZON REVIEW
Read this with my lovely friend, Tammie! Did I get to reread the first trilogy that I loved before this one? No! Do I care? No! 😃
So I wanted to smack Genevieve there at the end but I get to the last page and chills went down my spine!! Woot!!
I was so excited to read this book because I loved the first books and Sybella and Beast!! Of course now I need to do a reread but that’s neither here nor there.
Sybella is bad ass as well as Beast as well as all assassin girls!
He is a big man, thickset and heavy. Either it has not registered that I have just mortally wounded his two friends or he is stupid, so certain he has a killing blow that he moves slowly, like an executioner at a beheading.
In the time it takes for his sword to arc toward me, I retrieve the stiletto from my left sleeve. Ducking in low, I launch my entire body at him, aiming for his gullet.
The move brings me up against his chest, my blade sinking deeply into the hollow of his throat. For one crystalline moment, we are pressed together in an embrace, his sword flailing uselessly behind me. I twist the stiletto, shoving it in deeper.
**********************
Beast
His physical presence has all the sublety of a small mountain, and as he draws closer, the tattered remains of the lingering souls retreat. He slips his arm around my waist and pulls me close—the only man in the kingdom who could survive taking such a liberty with his throat intact.
I love them sooooo much!!
This book is told in the POV’s of Sybella and Genevieve. Where I was more interested in Sybella’s parts, I was interested in what was going on with Genevieve and the mysterious prisoner.
I did want to smack Genevieve at the end but that last page has me hoping for something awesome in the next book!! And I swear!! Sybella & Beast better not get hurt!!!
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
MY BLOG
AMAZON REVIEW
Want to Read
March 8, 2019I need me a good historical fiction
Read
June 12, 2022dnf @ 12%
was really promising but i read the original trilogy in high school and i'm old and can't remember what the hell happened in it. and i think you definitely need to read those before attempting to read this.
was really promising but i read the original trilogy in high school and i'm old and can't remember what the hell happened in it. and i think you definitely need to read those before attempting to read this.
April 11, 2019
Do my eyes deceive me or ARE THERE GOING TO BE MORE BOOKS?!
I NEED AIR (also, a time machine)
I NEED AIR (also, a time machine)
January 28, 2019
4.5 Stars!!
I have loved the His Fair Assassin trilogy since the very gruesome, action packed beginning and as the series progressed, it only seemed to get better but not only was the writing better but but as the story grew, as the characters grew, so did the very heart of the story itself. I was so sad to say goodbye to all the wonderful daughters of Death. I felt like I grew with them. Became friends with them and most of all, I cared about them and wanted to see them all happy, in whatever way that meant for each of them.
When I learned that the series wasn't over but would in fact, have two more books added in a spin-off, I was beyond thrilled.
Courting Darkness was every bit as deliciously dark, enthralling and exciting as the first three books. With everything we have come to expect and love about LaFevers books, characters and her ability to weave a tale of gods and darkness and death that only she can do, it had me turning the pages and not wanting to put it down.
Every bit as enchanting as the first three, Courting Darkness will have you on edge, eagerly turning pages wanting to both devour it and make it last forever. I can not wait for more!
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I have loved the His Fair Assassin trilogy since the very gruesome, action packed beginning and as the series progressed, it only seemed to get better but not only was the writing better but but as the story grew, as the characters grew, so did the very heart of the story itself. I was so sad to say goodbye to all the wonderful daughters of Death. I felt like I grew with them. Became friends with them and most of all, I cared about them and wanted to see them all happy, in whatever way that meant for each of them.
When I learned that the series wasn't over but would in fact, have two more books added in a spin-off, I was beyond thrilled.
Courting Darkness was every bit as deliciously dark, enthralling and exciting as the first three books. With everything we have come to expect and love about LaFevers books, characters and her ability to weave a tale of gods and darkness and death that only she can do, it had me turning the pages and not wanting to put it down.
Every bit as enchanting as the first three, Courting Darkness will have you on edge, eagerly turning pages wanting to both devour it and make it last forever. I can not wait for more!
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
July 2, 2019
Sale Alert: Kindle Deal 01Jul19 for $2.99
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Two Words: Assassin Nuns
Courting Darkness is the first book in a new duology featuring Sybella from the His Fair Assassin Series. It can be read without any prior knowledge of the previous series as Robin LaFevers brings you up to speed, but I think you miss some of the magic of the Daughters of St Mortain (God of Death) if you didn’t read the original series set in this world. The story is told from two alternating PoVs. Both are daughters of St Mortain, training in the convent in all the ways of death. Sybella’s Pov is with the happening close to Anne of Brittainy. Genevieve is the other PoV and she has been a sleeper in the French court for five years with not a word from the convent, just waiting for her time to be activated.
Anne of Brittainy has been through a few possible engagements and one marriage by proxy to Maximillian of Austria trying to keep her dutchy intact. She might still be a young girl but she has played the game of politics for a long time. We pick back up with her as she is traveling to marry Charles VIII, King of France. This puts her in new dangerous territory as she will have far less direct power being married to a King. Anne will have to go head to head with Anne De Beaujeu, the current regent of France, who is going to make it difficult for Anne and Charles to get close to each other in her bid to hold onto the power she currently has.
Sybella’s book Dark Triumph was my favorite book of the original His Fair Assassins series. I was so excited to continue on with the Historic Fantasy revolving around Anne of Brittiany. To say expectations were high is an understatement. I loved Sybella in Courting Darkness, she has come a long way from the broken, cynical girl she used to be before falling in love with Beast. To see how she is now, the one who can find good in a situation and protect those who are innocent, is a fantastic facet of her character to see.
Sybella has also made an enemy of the regent as she tries to minimize the humiliation Anne goes through before and after marriage to the King of France. Sybella had people to protect from her brother, Peirre D’Albret, and making an enemy of a powerful woman could put them in even more danger.
Genevieve reminded me a little of the old Sybella, in that she is adrift and alone, without a friend in the world. She hadn’t even finished her training at the covenant, before being placed as a sleeper in the French court and she feels lost, hoping and waiting for some word she is needed. Sybella had a way of making me like her even when she was trying to be a lone wolf, Genevieve’s character didn’t do that for me and so I found myself a little frustrated with her.
Genevieve wants to love and trust so badly, but she pushes any away that try to get close to her, thinking it will just make her weak. She has a connection with Marrow, a prisoner, in the castle where she lives. As they build a friendship, I had high hopes it would lead to a deeper connection but every time it gets close, she smashes it. As we got closer to the end of the book there was a scene, I was hoping would never happen, but it did and it really hit me emotionally how much I was really upset that Genevieve carried out that part of her plan. I remind myself she is young and hasn’t been in the fold of the covenant for so long, that her intentions were good, but the consequences might be dire.
The prisoner, Marrow, that she ends up traveling with, is completely likeable on the other hand. He often carried their chapters, as I really adored the man and his heart. I liked how honorable he was and you could tell he is a good man to the core. I look forward to seeing him in the next book and wonder if we might even get a PoV from him.
Between the two PoVs, we get a really good indications of the strife and challenges happening in France at this time. It is also clear there are some big changes happening and plots afoot not only against Anne, but possibly against the King as well.
I enjoyed this new book set in a world I once loved. I’m very curious to see how things play out now that everything has been set in motion and have high hopes for the conclusion. I’m not sure I liked it as much as the original trilogy, but that has a lot to do with being frustrated with Genevieve and not liking some stuff near the end of the book. Still overall it was a satisfying tale and a good sign that I was so emotionally invested in the story.
I would still recommend starting with Grave Mercy as it sets up the world in this series so well.
Narration:
Angela Goethais is back as the voice of Sybella. She does a solid job capturing the complex emotion Sybella is feeling in her new role and surrounded by enemies. Suzy Jackson also gives a strong performance. I really enjoyed her in Skyward and continue to find her voice fills out the narration well. While Genevieve drove me a little nuts, it wasn’t due to Suzy.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/audiolibrary-a...
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Two Words: Assassin Nuns
Courting Darkness is the first book in a new duology featuring Sybella from the His Fair Assassin Series. It can be read without any prior knowledge of the previous series as Robin LaFevers brings you up to speed, but I think you miss some of the magic of the Daughters of St Mortain (God of Death) if you didn’t read the original series set in this world. The story is told from two alternating PoVs. Both are daughters of St Mortain, training in the convent in all the ways of death. Sybella’s Pov is with the happening close to Anne of Brittainy. Genevieve is the other PoV and she has been a sleeper in the French court for five years with not a word from the convent, just waiting for her time to be activated.
Anne of Brittainy has been through a few possible engagements and one marriage by proxy to Maximillian of Austria trying to keep her dutchy intact. She might still be a young girl but she has played the game of politics for a long time. We pick back up with her as she is traveling to marry Charles VIII, King of France. This puts her in new dangerous territory as she will have far less direct power being married to a King. Anne will have to go head to head with Anne De Beaujeu, the current regent of France, who is going to make it difficult for Anne and Charles to get close to each other in her bid to hold onto the power she currently has.
“Women like her are worse than the men they serve. They cling hardest to the very rules that cage them, ruthlessly ensuring that all other women are equally trapped.”
Sybella’s book Dark Triumph was my favorite book of the original His Fair Assassins series. I was so excited to continue on with the Historic Fantasy revolving around Anne of Brittiany. To say expectations were high is an understatement. I loved Sybella in Courting Darkness, she has come a long way from the broken, cynical girl she used to be before falling in love with Beast. To see how she is now, the one who can find good in a situation and protect those who are innocent, is a fantastic facet of her character to see.
“You are not an apricot. You are a blade that has been brutally forged, painfully hammered, and wickedly honed. You are steel, not poison. You are deadly, not depraved. They are very different things, Sybella.”
Sybella has also made an enemy of the regent as she tries to minimize the humiliation Anne goes through before and after marriage to the King of France. Sybella had people to protect from her brother, Peirre D’Albret, and making an enemy of a powerful woman could put them in even more danger.
Genevieve reminded me a little of the old Sybella, in that she is adrift and alone, without a friend in the world. She hadn’t even finished her training at the covenant, before being placed as a sleeper in the French court and she feels lost, hoping and waiting for some word she is needed. Sybella had a way of making me like her even when she was trying to be a lone wolf, Genevieve’s character didn’t do that for me and so I found myself a little frustrated with her.
Genevieve wants to love and trust so badly, but she pushes any away that try to get close to her, thinking it will just make her weak. She has a connection with Marrow, a prisoner, in the castle where she lives. As they build a friendship, I had high hopes it would lead to a deeper connection but every time it gets close, she smashes it. As we got closer to the end of the book there was a scene, I was hoping would never happen, but it did and it really hit me emotionally how much I was really upset that Genevieve carried out that part of her plan. I remind myself she is young and hasn’t been in the fold of the covenant for so long, that her intentions were good, but the consequences might be dire.
“I had as many choices as you did. It is just that I have never seen shame in whoring nor understood the need to lie to oneself by dressing it up with silk and jewels.”
The prisoner, Marrow, that she ends up traveling with, is completely likeable on the other hand. He often carried their chapters, as I really adored the man and his heart. I liked how honorable he was and you could tell he is a good man to the core. I look forward to seeing him in the next book and wonder if we might even get a PoV from him.
Between the two PoVs, we get a really good indications of the strife and challenges happening in France at this time. It is also clear there are some big changes happening and plots afoot not only against Anne, but possibly against the King as well.
I enjoyed this new book set in a world I once loved. I’m very curious to see how things play out now that everything has been set in motion and have high hopes for the conclusion. I’m not sure I liked it as much as the original trilogy, but that has a lot to do with being frustrated with Genevieve and not liking some stuff near the end of the book. Still overall it was a satisfying tale and a good sign that I was so emotionally invested in the story.
I would still recommend starting with Grave Mercy as it sets up the world in this series so well.
Narration:
Angela Goethais is back as the voice of Sybella. She does a solid job capturing the complex emotion Sybella is feeling in her new role and surrounded by enemies. Suzy Jackson also gives a strong performance. I really enjoyed her in Skyward and continue to find her voice fills out the narration well. While Genevieve drove me a little nuts, it wasn’t due to Suzy.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/audiolibrary-a...
Want to Read
November 2, 2016I AM HYPERVENTILATING. I HAVE TEARS IN MY EYES. I ALMOST SPAT OUT THE TEA I WAS DRINKING AS I CAME ACROSS THIS PAGE.
OMG. ANOTHER FAIR ASSASSIN BOOK. ANOTHER...SYBELLA AND BEAST FAIR ASSASSIN BOOK. ACTUAL TEARS ARE ROLLING DOWN MY FACE AS I WRITE THIS, I'M SO ECSTATIC AND HAPPY. OH MY GOD. WHAT EVEN. I HAVE NO WORDS.
PLEASE COME QUICKLY 2018, PLEASE, PLEASE, COME QUICKLY.
*starts crying all over keyboard*
OMG. ANOTHER FAIR ASSASSIN BOOK. ANOTHER...SYBELLA AND BEAST FAIR ASSASSIN BOOK. ACTUAL TEARS ARE ROLLING DOWN MY FACE AS I WRITE THIS, I'M SO ECSTATIC AND HAPPY. OH MY GOD. WHAT EVEN. I HAVE NO WORDS.
PLEASE COME QUICKLY 2018, PLEASE, PLEASE, COME QUICKLY.
*starts crying all over keyboard*
August 20, 2020
I am so sad that one of my most anticipated reads is only getting 3 stars.
(update 2020: the second book totally came through, and i still highly recommend this duology)
likes:
✅ Sybella and Beast 💕
✅ Genevieve (until that ending ::face palm::)
✅ Sybella's blooming friendships, as well as her roasting the hell out of the Regent.
dislikes:
❎ too many bad guys (too many characters in general)
❎ good guys can't catch a break
❎ plot dragged out
-----------------
Below things are going to get spoiler-y so I am just going to hide the whole rant, if you have not read this book turn back now.
------------------------
His Fair Assassin Trilogy
Grave Mercy, #1 ★★★★☆
Dark Triumph, #2 ★★★★☆
Mortal Heart, #3 ★★★★☆
Courting Darkness Duology
Courting Darkness, #1 ★★★☆☆
Igniting Darkness, #2 ★★★★☆
(update 2020: the second book totally came through, and i still highly recommend this duology)
likes:
✅ Sybella and Beast 💕
✅ Genevieve (until that ending ::face palm::)
✅ Sybella's blooming friendships, as well as her roasting the hell out of the Regent.
dislikes:
❎ too many bad guys (too many characters in general)
❎ good guys can't catch a break
❎ plot dragged out
-----------------
Below things are going to get spoiler-y so I am just going to hide the whole rant, if you have not read this book turn back now.
------------------------
His Fair Assassin Trilogy
Grave Mercy, #1 ★★★★☆
Dark Triumph, #2 ★★★★☆
Mortal Heart, #3 ★★★★☆
Courting Darkness Duology
Courting Darkness, #1 ★★★☆☆
Igniting Darkness, #2 ★★★★☆
March 11, 2019
Fuck man!! I love this series so much and this one did not disappoint. I am so god damn excited for the sequel. LaFevers just DELIVERS!!!!!
PRE-READ
[Update May 2nd 2018] omg omg omg I peed my pants I LOVE THIS COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it looks so bad ass omg omg omg omgggggggggg I cannot wait I absolutely
CANNOT
WAIT
[Update February 2nd 2018] I just saw that this got pushed back to February 2019 which suuucks BUT ALSO WE HAVE A TITLE COURTING DARKNESS I CAN'T BE MAD
[October 8th 2017] I just can't believe that we are getting more book in this series and that we ARE FOLLOWING SYBELLAAAAA!!! DARK TRIUMPH WAS MY FAVOURITE
♦ Booktube Channel ♦ Twitter ♦ Instagram ♦
PRE-READ
[Update May 2nd 2018] omg omg omg I peed my pants I LOVE THIS COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it looks so bad ass omg omg omg omgggggggggg I cannot wait I absolutely
CANNOT
WAIT
[Update February 2nd 2018] I just saw that this got pushed back to February 2019 which suuucks BUT ALSO WE HAVE A TITLE COURTING DARKNESS I CAN'T BE MAD
[October 8th 2017] I just can't believe that we are getting more book in this series and that we ARE FOLLOWING SYBELLAAAAA!!! DARK TRIUMPH WAS MY FAVOURITE
♦ Booktube Channel ♦ Twitter ♦ Instagram ♦
February 18, 2019
4 Stars!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Death wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning…
Before reading this- I re-read Grave Mercy and then finished off the series reading Dark Triumph and Mortal Heart. I think my favorite of the 3 was Mortal Heart, probably because it was the last in the series and everything just came together for me in that last installment. I will point out that if you have not read the first trilogy - I would not read this one until you do. I know the author says that you really dont need to read it first, but trust me - I literally just finished the trilogy and still found myself having to take a minute to remember certain things from the other books.
This book is told from two POVs and follows Sybella (an OG from book 2 Dark Triumph) and a new Character Genevieve. I am going to just call her Gen. Gen is also a daughter of Mortain- which basically means she is another bad ass nun assassin hidden behind a sweet girl persona.
In a desperate bid to keep her two youngest sisters safe from the family that nearly destroyed them all, Sybella agrees to accompany the duchess to France, where they quickly find themselves surrounded by enemies. Sybellas only hope is to find two fellow sisters of the convent, disguised and hidden deep in the French court years ago by the convent—provided Sybella can find them.
Gen was sent undercover years ago and struggles remembering what her end game is. She wonders why after all this time- why she was sent here and what she is supposed to be doing because she is ready to return safely to the convent. She finds solace in a prisoner she stumbles across whom which the guards have forgotten about. As Sybella and Gen’s paths draw ever closer, the fate of everything they hold sacred rests on a knife’s edge. Will they find each other in time? Or will everything come together only to fall apart?
I really liked Courting Darkness!! I found the beginning to be a bit confusing and long winded- but I think maybe that was a little info dumping for those who have not read the trilogy. Once all that was done- the plot began to take shape and things started to pick up and get intense. There was not very much world building in this one- she covered that in the first books, thats why I feel to truly be able to appreciate this story, you need to read the trilogy.
I really liked Sybellas role in this one. I liked seeing a little softer side to her hard personality. Gen was a pretty interesting new character, once I realized what she was and her purpose. After the half way point things really start happening and picking up. There are some really hard situations to read - I wanted to jump into the book a few times and punch a few people. My emotions were all over the place in some parts. Which is a good sign I was invested. I think my favorite thing about these is not only the writing but the french atmosphere. It is so rich and I love that about it. It makes all the politics and war talk a little more interesting since its sorta based off of something that really happened in history. LeFevers just puts her spin on it and its unique and awesome for someone like me who isn't into history.
Overall I found this to be a really intriguing read and look forward to the second part of this Duology. I hope more people read the first series so that can truly give this one a chance. :P
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Death wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning…
Before reading this- I re-read Grave Mercy and then finished off the series reading Dark Triumph and Mortal Heart. I think my favorite of the 3 was Mortal Heart, probably because it was the last in the series and everything just came together for me in that last installment. I will point out that if you have not read the first trilogy - I would not read this one until you do. I know the author says that you really dont need to read it first, but trust me - I literally just finished the trilogy and still found myself having to take a minute to remember certain things from the other books.
This book is told from two POVs and follows Sybella (an OG from book 2 Dark Triumph) and a new Character Genevieve. I am going to just call her Gen. Gen is also a daughter of Mortain- which basically means she is another bad ass nun assassin hidden behind a sweet girl persona.
In a desperate bid to keep her two youngest sisters safe from the family that nearly destroyed them all, Sybella agrees to accompany the duchess to France, where they quickly find themselves surrounded by enemies. Sybellas only hope is to find two fellow sisters of the convent, disguised and hidden deep in the French court years ago by the convent—provided Sybella can find them.
Gen was sent undercover years ago and struggles remembering what her end game is. She wonders why after all this time- why she was sent here and what she is supposed to be doing because she is ready to return safely to the convent. She finds solace in a prisoner she stumbles across whom which the guards have forgotten about. As Sybella and Gen’s paths draw ever closer, the fate of everything they hold sacred rests on a knife’s edge. Will they find each other in time? Or will everything come together only to fall apart?
I really liked Courting Darkness!! I found the beginning to be a bit confusing and long winded- but I think maybe that was a little info dumping for those who have not read the trilogy. Once all that was done- the plot began to take shape and things started to pick up and get intense. There was not very much world building in this one- she covered that in the first books, thats why I feel to truly be able to appreciate this story, you need to read the trilogy.
I really liked Sybellas role in this one. I liked seeing a little softer side to her hard personality. Gen was a pretty interesting new character, once I realized what she was and her purpose. After the half way point things really start happening and picking up. There are some really hard situations to read - I wanted to jump into the book a few times and punch a few people. My emotions were all over the place in some parts. Which is a good sign I was invested. I think my favorite thing about these is not only the writing but the french atmosphere. It is so rich and I love that about it. It makes all the politics and war talk a little more interesting since its sorta based off of something that really happened in history. LeFevers just puts her spin on it and its unique and awesome for someone like me who isn't into history.
Overall I found this to be a really intriguing read and look forward to the second part of this Duology. I hope more people read the first series so that can truly give this one a chance. :P
January 27, 2024
Re-reading because it's been *blinks* 5 years!?!? How .... Well anyway, I never actually read the sequel because I forgot too many of the political intricacies and here I am. It's time to clean up these series I loved but never finished
I blasted right through the reread and don't have much else to say. I think I liked it more this time through as the political machinations and dangerous scenes really keep the plot moving. I'm a tiny bit more sympathetic to Genevieve too even though I still don't think teens need to be reading about characters who take multiple "lovers". She made what she thought was the best choice in a crappy situation even if I still really don't like her that much
...
Why Genevieve Why😭
Why madame why 😭
WHY MRS LaFEVERS WHY 😭😭😭
Ok, now with that outburst over and out of my system -
-No, my mind is still blown.
First off - it is absolutely imperative to read the trilogy first, it is ridiculous to think otherwise. Courting Darkness picks up mere weeks after Mortal Heart ended, and you will miss ALL of the everything without the trilogy.
We now follow Sybella and Beast to France for Anne of Brittany's wedding, and man is it a nest of VIPERS! The intrigue, the fighting, the plotting, there was a lot in this book.
But the plot also slowed down - and it was a LONG book - and not much actually happened to advance the story. It is a 500 page exposition for the second novel almost, and really picked up in the final third - hence my 4* rating. Book 2 pretty much has to be either nonstop action or 800 pages long to tie this up now😳
I am used to each of these books having a sense of closure, but this ending ripped my heart out in so many ways. I know it is a duology but there is absolutely NO sense of closure for anyone, and it is so terribly devious that I am about to be waiting, hooked lined and SUNK until the conclusion.
Everyone knows I love the HFA books and this is truly no exception. Sybella and Beast carried this book on their imperfect, amazing backs, and I literally want nothing more in the literary world than to see them get their happiness and rest. They are both endlessly brave heroes and deserve nothing less. Their scenes are so beautiful!
Gen is not a bad character but she did less for me - probably because I am used to a certain formula being used with the women that wasn't used. I was expecting one thing and had my heart clobbered, so, thanks RLLF. The introduction of the prisoner, though, I wonder what role he will play!
Ok ok ok I am not reviewing. I am rambling. I just finished the book and just can't believe it. Honestly if you are reading this and haven't read the trilogy, do yourself the favor and go read it first. It's worth it. If you like reading duologies together, I would wait and read this closer to the second installment.
Also someone draw me some Beast fan art👑
I blasted right through the reread and don't have much else to say. I think I liked it more this time through as the political machinations and dangerous scenes really keep the plot moving. I'm a tiny bit more sympathetic to Genevieve too even though I still don't think teens need to be reading about characters who take multiple "lovers". She made what she thought was the best choice in a crappy situation even if I still really don't like her that much
...
Why Genevieve Why😭
Why madame why 😭
WHY MRS LaFEVERS WHY 😭😭😭
Ok, now with that outburst over and out of my system -
-No, my mind is still blown.
First off - it is absolutely imperative to read the trilogy first, it is ridiculous to think otherwise. Courting Darkness picks up mere weeks after Mortal Heart ended, and you will miss ALL of the everything without the trilogy.
We now follow Sybella and Beast to France for Anne of Brittany's wedding, and man is it a nest of VIPERS! The intrigue, the fighting, the plotting, there was a lot in this book.
But the plot also slowed down - and it was a LONG book - and not much actually happened to advance the story. It is a 500 page exposition for the second novel almost, and really picked up in the final third - hence my 4* rating. Book 2 pretty much has to be either nonstop action or 800 pages long to tie this up now😳
I am used to each of these books having a sense of closure, but this ending ripped my heart out in so many ways. I know it is a duology but there is absolutely NO sense of closure for anyone, and it is so terribly devious that I am about to be waiting, hooked lined and SUNK until the conclusion.
Everyone knows I love the HFA books and this is truly no exception. Sybella and Beast carried this book on their imperfect, amazing backs, and I literally want nothing more in the literary world than to see them get their happiness and rest. They are both endlessly brave heroes and deserve nothing less. Their scenes are so beautiful!
Gen is not a bad character but she did less for me - probably because I am used to a certain formula being used with the women that wasn't used. I was expecting one thing and had my heart clobbered, so, thanks RLLF. The introduction of the prisoner, though, I wonder what role he will play!
Ok ok ok I am not reviewing. I am rambling. I just finished the book and just can't believe it. Honestly if you are reading this and haven't read the trilogy, do yourself the favor and go read it first. It's worth it. If you like reading duologies together, I would wait and read this closer to the second installment.
Also someone draw me some Beast fan art👑
September 25, 2025
The author advertised that you didn't need to read the previous trilogy to understand this one. That is just plainly not true.
There is almost no world building in this book. The religions don't make sense. The characters supposedly have deep relationships even though they never talk to each other and when they do its mostly in reference to thing that happened in the previous trilogy. I kept feeling like this book was punishing me for not reading the precious trilogy. Like "oh you wanted to understand why these things are happening and why people are doing them? WELL TOO BAD you didn't read the first trilogy"!!!!
To make it all worse is that NOTHING happened in this book. The character go from one place to another squabbling with each other making mountains out of mole hills. And for a book about assassins there is not a lot of assassinating in it. In fact one of the characters says she made her first kill practically at the end of the book! Also just to really nit pick there are two different characters names Louise in this book. Isn't that one of the big no no's of writing?
Maybe if you really like the first trilogy then you will like this book, others seemed to. But if you haven't I would give this book a hard pass.
There is almost no world building in this book. The religions don't make sense. The characters supposedly have deep relationships even though they never talk to each other and when they do its mostly in reference to thing that happened in the previous trilogy. I kept feeling like this book was punishing me for not reading the precious trilogy. Like "oh you wanted to understand why these things are happening and why people are doing them? WELL TOO BAD you didn't read the first trilogy"!!!!
To make it all worse is that NOTHING happened in this book. The character go from one place to another squabbling with each other making mountains out of mole hills. And for a book about assassins there is not a lot of assassinating in it. In fact one of the characters says she made her first kill practically at the end of the book! Also just to really nit pick there are two different characters names Louise in this book. Isn't that one of the big no no's of writing?
Maybe if you really like the first trilogy then you will like this book, others seemed to. But if you haven't I would give this book a hard pass.
February 9, 2019
I have received this ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Now before I dive into this review, let me say that I had no idea that this was a spin off of His Fair Assassin series. Pretty sure I only ever read the first book of that series and just never found the time to actually read the rest of it. That being said, I was still pretty much pumped to dive into this book. So freaking pumped.. but then I just kind of got disappointed.
In Courting Darkness you will fall in love with some characters and despise others. You might even plot a death or two - for me, it was many. After meeting Sybella and Genevieve - well, honestly.. I fell in love with them. These two girls were amazing and such bad asses in their own way. Maybe it's the assassin books that have my caught my eye lately.. but where can I sign up for these kind of convents?
After meeting some of these characters, I definitely formed my ships. Even if they are slowly crushing my heart because they aren't together together - I still have faith that it will eventually. I also really enjoyed all of the backstabbing and bantering in this book. It's obvious that this would actually happen in real life (because let's face it.. what is politics without any of that anyways?). Plus the whole era of it all was just making me happy.
However, the pacing is what got to me. It just threw me off and I know that it's probably because I was reading this ARC on my phone. Mostly because phones are very distracting when you have texting, phone calls, and apps like candy crush getting in the way. It eventually took me three days to finish this book (which trust me that's basically three years of my life wasted because it never takes me that long to get into a book). I will also blame work and it's distractions from distracting me from this book.
In the end, I was so excited when I got accepted. Then I was even more excited to dive into this world. However, I just got a bit disappointed by it because it was just an okay book and ended in an okay way. Nothing really wowed me and that is why I'm sad. I will still like to read the second book but perhaps I should dive into the rest of His Fair Assassin series beforehand.
Now before I dive into this review, let me say that I had no idea that this was a spin off of His Fair Assassin series. Pretty sure I only ever read the first book of that series and just never found the time to actually read the rest of it. That being said, I was still pretty much pumped to dive into this book. So freaking pumped.. but then I just kind of got disappointed.
In Courting Darkness you will fall in love with some characters and despise others. You might even plot a death or two - for me, it was many. After meeting Sybella and Genevieve - well, honestly.. I fell in love with them. These two girls were amazing and such bad asses in their own way. Maybe it's the assassin books that have my caught my eye lately.. but where can I sign up for these kind of convents?
After meeting some of these characters, I definitely formed my ships. Even if they are slowly crushing my heart because they aren't together together - I still have faith that it will eventually. I also really enjoyed all of the backstabbing and bantering in this book. It's obvious that this would actually happen in real life (because let's face it.. what is politics without any of that anyways?). Plus the whole era of it all was just making me happy.
However, the pacing is what got to me. It just threw me off and I know that it's probably because I was reading this ARC on my phone. Mostly because phones are very distracting when you have texting, phone calls, and apps like candy crush getting in the way. It eventually took me three days to finish this book (which trust me that's basically three years of my life wasted because it never takes me that long to get into a book). I will also blame work and it's distractions from distracting me from this book.
In the end, I was so excited when I got accepted. Then I was even more excited to dive into this world. However, I just got a bit disappointed by it because it was just an okay book and ended in an okay way. Nothing really wowed me and that is why I'm sad. I will still like to read the second book but perhaps I should dive into the rest of His Fair Assassin series beforehand.
January 17, 2019
I loved the His Fair Assassin trilogy. Maybe my expectations were too high for this especially since one of the main characters is Sybella. Her book was my favorite of the three. The POV switched between Sybella and Genevieve. The parts with Sybella were great despite much of the focus being on political maneuverings of the time.
Unfortunately I found this book to be lacking in a few ways. There wasn’t a well defined plot. The Duchess of Brittany was marrying the King of France. There was a lot of upheaval because the duchess’s station in life was changing and she was losing some power. Sybella had to assist her and help to make the transition as smooth as possible. Other than that Sybella was focused on keeping her sisters safe. There was a lot going on but no main goal to achieve.
If this book had only been from Sybella’s POV, I would have loved it especially if it meant there would have been more time to focus on her personal issues. Roughly half of the book was about Genevieve who is another of Mortain’s daughters. She’d been placed in the French court and essentially abandoned by the convent.
Genevieve was unbearable. At first, I had some sympathy for her situation, but the more I learned about her the less I liked her. After a while, I really began to dread it when her name would appear at the top of a new chapter. She was selfish, judgmental, and cold. Her lack of empathy for others bothered me greatly. Her treatment of Maraud made me hate her. Last but not least, she was a shitty spy. Her resources for obtaining information were limited, and she had a habit of making opinions and decisions based on unreliable information. What she did at the end proved that she was a hypocrite and an idiot. I’ll read the next one for Sybella and Beast, but I’m not broken-hearted that I have to wait another year to get it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this in exchange for an honest review!
Unfortunately I found this book to be lacking in a few ways. There wasn’t a well defined plot. The Duchess of Brittany was marrying the King of France. There was a lot of upheaval because the duchess’s station in life was changing and she was losing some power. Sybella had to assist her and help to make the transition as smooth as possible. Other than that Sybella was focused on keeping her sisters safe. There was a lot going on but no main goal to achieve.
If this book had only been from Sybella’s POV, I would have loved it especially if it meant there would have been more time to focus on her personal issues. Roughly half of the book was about Genevieve who is another of Mortain’s daughters. She’d been placed in the French court and essentially abandoned by the convent.
Genevieve was unbearable. At first, I had some sympathy for her situation, but the more I learned about her the less I liked her. After a while, I really began to dread it when her name would appear at the top of a new chapter. She was selfish, judgmental, and cold. Her lack of empathy for others bothered me greatly. Her treatment of Maraud made me hate her. Last but not least, she was a shitty spy. Her resources for obtaining information were limited, and she had a habit of making opinions and decisions based on unreliable information. What she did at the end proved that she was a hypocrite and an idiot. I’ll read the next one for Sybella and Beast, but I’m not broken-hearted that I have to wait another year to get it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this in exchange for an honest review!
March 31, 2019
I have to admit that I am disappointed for this continuation of this series.
Here are some of my thoughts:
• So first – the unpleasant part – Gen is the worst protagonist so far out of the 4 that has been shown so far. Maybe it is a disservice to let her share this book with Sybella – but I don’t think so – Sybella fucking saved this book. I find Gen’s story initially interesting – and I find her initially kindhearted and smart. Later on though, I find her contradictory and unlikable. Here, I’ll go into details:
• 1)
• 2)
• 3)
• So I still really like Sybella still. I don’t think I ‘ve loved her more or less after reading this book – I love her just the same. However, I do think the developments b/w her relationship w/ Beast has gotten even better (and I’ve already liked them in Book 2). Their scenes together are definitely the best.
• I appreciate seeing Sybella stand up for the innocents. She has been so kind and supportive towards females in this book.
• It was disconcerting to see how weak the duchess have been made her after her engagement and then marriage to the king. I suppose that’s realistic b/c people do, unfortunately, tend to look past the woman and see the husband instead, even women of power. However, I really hope that next book, she shows uppppp and bring some power into this situation. If she’s going to be the female with the highest “position,” I’m expecting some serious power moves with her against the king next book b/c although I like the way she held herself at times, I hated how the king and regent shitted on her. She is so kind and is strong, but she deserves better.
I don’t even know what to rate this rn. I love this series as a whole, and I love Sybella. I love Beast. I love certain aspects of female empowerment. I just hated Gen’s story so much. It started off interesting – but it turned into such a disaster.
I don’t even know what to rate this. Ugh. If it was just Sybella, I’ll give it 3-4 stars. For Gen, 1 star. I’ll put 2 stars for now (maybe 1.5). Look, I still lvoe this series and I'll continue to read the next book to see how stuff pans out, and I especially wanna see how Sybella's story goes. However, please bring on the redemption arcs b/c this was book just a lot of waiting, a lot of bitches in politics, and a lot of not good plans. Please let have some things go right in the next book b/c this was just one disaster after another. I think that's why it made the 1st 3 books easier to swallow b/c even though those 3 protagonists went through a lot of shit, their story still concluded and their mission was solidified to reach that conclusion - thus, a more enjoyable book.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Angst level? Other things to note?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scenes?
Here are some of my thoughts:
• So first – the unpleasant part – Gen is the worst protagonist so far out of the 4 that has been shown so far. Maybe it is a disservice to let her share this book with Sybella – but I don’t think so – Sybella fucking saved this book. I find Gen’s story initially interesting – and I find her initially kindhearted and smart. Later on though, I find her contradictory and unlikable. Here, I’ll go into details:
• 1)
• 2)
• 3)
• So I still really like Sybella still. I don’t think I ‘ve loved her more or less after reading this book – I love her just the same. However, I do think the developments b/w her relationship w/ Beast has gotten even better (and I’ve already liked them in Book 2). Their scenes together are definitely the best.
• I appreciate seeing Sybella stand up for the innocents. She has been so kind and supportive towards females in this book.
• It was disconcerting to see how weak the duchess have been made her after her engagement and then marriage to the king. I suppose that’s realistic b/c people do, unfortunately, tend to look past the woman and see the husband instead, even women of power. However, I really hope that next book, she shows uppppp and bring some power into this situation. If she’s going to be the female with the highest “position,” I’m expecting some serious power moves with her against the king next book b/c although I like the way she held herself at times, I hated how the king and regent shitted on her. She is so kind and is strong, but she deserves better.
I don’t even know what to rate this rn. I love this series as a whole, and I love Sybella. I love Beast. I love certain aspects of female empowerment. I just hated Gen’s story so much. It started off interesting – but it turned into such a disaster.
I don’t even know what to rate this. Ugh. If it was just Sybella, I’ll give it 3-4 stars. For Gen, 1 star. I’ll put 2 stars for now (maybe 1.5). Look, I still lvoe this series and I'll continue to read the next book to see how stuff pans out, and I especially wanna see how Sybella's story goes. However, please bring on the redemption arcs b/c this was book just a lot of waiting, a lot of bitches in politics, and a lot of not good plans. Please let have some things go right in the next book b/c this was just one disaster after another. I think that's why it made the 1st 3 books easier to swallow b/c even though those 3 protagonists went through a lot of shit, their story still concluded and their mission was solidified to reach that conclusion - thus, a more enjoyable book.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Angst level? Other things to note?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scenes?
May 10, 2019
I DON'T LIKE SAYING THIS... BUT I AM SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTED
✨ Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019✨
✨✨A book that's published in 2019✨✨
When I read the 'His Fair Assassin'-series I absolutely loved it! I loved the historical setting paired with fantasy settings as well as the league of female assassins raised in a convent. I mean, come on, how awesome does that sound! So when I learned that the world and the story was going to be continued in a duology I was so excited. Perhaps a little excited, because I was somewhat let down by this book. Not that it was bad, not at all, it just wasn't all that I had imagined it to be...
THE GOOD STUFF
The universe: Even if the story was slightly disappointing it was still a nice treat to get back to Britanny in the late 15th century and to revisit the initiates of the convent of Mortain. I love the mix of history and fiction, it is done so seamlessly and expertly.
Beast and Sybella: These two just take adorable to a whole new level! Love their love and their devotion, and I love that we get to revisit them and their story. Beast has an ugly face and Sybella thinks she has an ugly soul, but they still complete each other. Now, that's true love right there.
Genevieve's story: Genevieve was sent to the French court when she was 12 and has waited 5 years to hear from the convent who sent her there. Without any word from them she has started questioning her mission and her part in the greater scheme of things. I found that really interesting. And I really loved her relationship with Maraud, it was very naked and real.
THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF
Genevieve: While I may have liked Genevieve's story I was not all that fond of her as a character. She felt sort of bland, I had a hard time identifying with her, and I didn't really understand her motivation for many of the things she did.
Two books in one?: Sybella and Genevieve's stories run parallel in this book. Half the chapters are narrated by Sybella and the other half by Genevieve. And usually I don't mind parallel stories, as long as they interact in some way. Here it mostly felt like two different books - a Sybella book and a Genevieve - mashed into one book. It might sound strange, but it actually kind of bothered me...
FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR MORE BOOK GOODNESS
✨ Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019✨
✨✨A book that's published in 2019✨✨
When I read the 'His Fair Assassin'-series I absolutely loved it! I loved the historical setting paired with fantasy settings as well as the league of female assassins raised in a convent. I mean, come on, how awesome does that sound! So when I learned that the world and the story was going to be continued in a duology I was so excited. Perhaps a little excited, because I was somewhat let down by this book. Not that it was bad, not at all, it just wasn't all that I had imagined it to be...
"How thin is the line between self-defense and willful murder?"
THE GOOD STUFF
The universe: Even if the story was slightly disappointing it was still a nice treat to get back to Britanny in the late 15th century and to revisit the initiates of the convent of Mortain. I love the mix of history and fiction, it is done so seamlessly and expertly.
Beast and Sybella: These two just take adorable to a whole new level! Love their love and their devotion, and I love that we get to revisit them and their story. Beast has an ugly face and Sybella thinks she has an ugly soul, but they still complete each other. Now, that's true love right there.
"Even a duchess - a soon-to-be queen - must beg for scraps at her own table"
Genevieve's story: Genevieve was sent to the French court when she was 12 and has waited 5 years to hear from the convent who sent her there. Without any word from them she has started questioning her mission and her part in the greater scheme of things. I found that really interesting. And I really loved her relationship with Maraud, it was very naked and real.
THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF
Genevieve: While I may have liked Genevieve's story I was not all that fond of her as a character. She felt sort of bland, I had a hard time identifying with her, and I didn't really understand her motivation for many of the things she did.
Two books in one?: Sybella and Genevieve's stories run parallel in this book. Half the chapters are narrated by Sybella and the other half by Genevieve. And usually I don't mind parallel stories, as long as they interact in some way. Here it mostly felt like two different books - a Sybella book and a Genevieve - mashed into one book. It might sound strange, but it actually kind of bothered me...
FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR MORE BOOK GOODNESS
April 19, 2020
Ok time for my review! This book definitely gets a 5/5⭐️ from me.
It’s very rare that I am equally interested in more than one POV in a book, but this joins the small list of the ones I loved. (along with Anything by Sarah J Maas, The Gilded Wolves, Serpent snd Dove and a couple others) Each time a POV ended I was anxiously waiting for their chapter to come back, only to be sucked into the next persons. I never got bored or felt the need to skip pages with this story.
I will admit I was a bit confused at first because I’ve never read the ‘His Fair Assassin’ trilogy. I was told you didn’t need to read those books first, but honestly I wish I had Just so I had a better understanding of the world and the whole “daughters of mortain” thing. The story was still phenomenal none the less.
Sybella - I loved her. I love how bad ass she was. I loved how even when she was scared or nervous she still put her love and care for others above that. I was so ready for her to get rid of the regent. Sybella and beast? I absolutely love them together. It’s not every day you find a story where the main character is in love with someone described as “ugly”. I was truly sad when he had to leave to save her sisters.
Genevieve - I loved her for the most part, until the ending chapters, mostly. Her relationship with the prisoner was actually interesting and cute and I ship them. I was not happy with how she left, and she should’ve allowed him and his friends to help her. I also wanted to throw the book when she ran her mouth to the king, and is unknowingly sending him right to Sybella’s sisters and beast!
I would truly recommend this book but I would suggest you read ‘His Fair Assassin’ trilogy first.
4.5/5 🌟’s
It’s very rare that I am equally interested in more than one POV in a book, but this joins the small list of the ones I loved. (along with Anything by Sarah J Maas, The Gilded Wolves, Serpent snd Dove and a couple others) Each time a POV ended I was anxiously waiting for their chapter to come back, only to be sucked into the next persons. I never got bored or felt the need to skip pages with this story.
I will admit I was a bit confused at first because I’ve never read the ‘His Fair Assassin’ trilogy. I was told you didn’t need to read those books first, but honestly I wish I had Just so I had a better understanding of the world and the whole “daughters of mortain” thing. The story was still phenomenal none the less.
Sybella - I loved her. I love how bad ass she was. I loved how even when she was scared or nervous she still put her love and care for others above that. I was so ready for her to get rid of the regent. Sybella and beast? I absolutely love them together. It’s not every day you find a story where the main character is in love with someone described as “ugly”. I was truly sad when he had to leave to save her sisters.
Genevieve - I loved her for the most part, until the ending chapters, mostly. Her relationship with the prisoner was actually interesting and cute and I ship them. I was not happy with how she left, and she should’ve allowed him and his friends to help her. I also wanted to throw the book when she ran her mouth to the king, and is unknowingly sending him right to Sybella’s sisters and beast!
I would truly recommend this book but I would suggest you read ‘His Fair Assassin’ trilogy first.
4.5/5 🌟’s
Read
October 7, 2016WHY HAVE I ONLY HEARD OF THIS NOW?!!!
June 29, 2021
❐ Overall Rating 4¼⭐ | Narration 😁 = Very Good
❐ Narrated by Angela Goethals & Suzy Jackson
❐ Listening Length: 17H 33M
❐ Courting Darkness Duology #1 (His Fair Assassin #4)
❐ Starts right where Mortal Heart left off from
❐ Part Fantasy/Part Medieval Historical
❐ Cliffhanger Ending
Told in alternating POV’s between Sybella, who we know from the OG trilogy (His Fair Assassin), and from a new character Genevieve. Genevieve has also been trained as an assassin for St. Mortain. She has been in deep cover with another girl in the French court. Sybella is accompanying the duchess of Brittany to France where she will marry the King of France and she is tasked with finding these two assassins; if she can. Genevieve is waiting ever so impatiently for an assignment from the convent...until she takes matters into her own hands.
This series of books is filled with courtly intrigue, medieval douchebags (and some who aren’t), and best of all...kickass females. It’s refreshing to read/listen to a book that has women who are empowered to make a difference instead of being treated like chattel like it’s their lot in life? If only ass-kicking females were a common occurrence in medieval times.
❐ Narrated by Angela Goethals & Suzy Jackson
❐ Listening Length: 17H 33M
❐ Courting Darkness Duology #1 (His Fair Assassin #4)
❐ Starts right where Mortal Heart left off from
❐ Part Fantasy/Part Medieval Historical
❐ Cliffhanger Ending
Told in alternating POV’s between Sybella, who we know from the OG trilogy (His Fair Assassin), and from a new character Genevieve. Genevieve has also been trained as an assassin for St. Mortain. She has been in deep cover with another girl in the French court. Sybella is accompanying the duchess of Brittany to France where she will marry the King of France and she is tasked with finding these two assassins; if she can. Genevieve is waiting ever so impatiently for an assignment from the convent...until she takes matters into her own hands.
This series of books is filled with courtly intrigue, medieval douchebags (and some who aren’t), and best of all...kickass females. It’s refreshing to read/listen to a book that has women who are empowered to make a difference instead of being treated like chattel like it’s their lot in life? If only ass-kicking females were a common occurrence in medieval times.
April 29, 2019
You are a blade that has been brutally forged, painfully hammered, and wickedly honed. You are steel, not poison. You are deadly, not depraved.
Well this was just FANTASTIC! I completely loved the His Fair Assassin trilogy and I am so glad Robin LaFevers is giving us more stories in this world. This book picks up right after Mortal Heart and follows Sybella who travels with the Duchess (soon to be Queen) to her new home at the French Court. At the same time we also learn of Genevieve and Margot- two spies from the convent who have been in place at the French court for years, waiting for the convent to give them orders.
I was unsure about the addition of Genevieve in this book, because honestly I just wanted an entire book of Sybella and Beast! However, within moments of meeting Genevieve I was already captivated by her personality and story. Her relationship with Margot was strained and disheartening, especially considering at this point we already have had 3 main female characters that strive for good and to do work to honor Mortain (and just kick ass in general). When this story starts Genevieve and Margot have already grown distant to each other but you really feel for Genevieve who wants more out of life than a baby or a marriage. She wants to serve her God and the convent that sheltered her and gave her a purpose and has no one to confide in since Margot seems to have turned her back on their mission. Once she decides to take her life into her own hands, things start getting really interesting.
I literally could not put this book down for two days and I'm already impatient for the next book in the series. I give it a full 5/5 stars!
Well this was just FANTASTIC! I completely loved the His Fair Assassin trilogy and I am so glad Robin LaFevers is giving us more stories in this world. This book picks up right after Mortal Heart and follows Sybella who travels with the Duchess (soon to be Queen) to her new home at the French Court. At the same time we also learn of Genevieve and Margot- two spies from the convent who have been in place at the French court for years, waiting for the convent to give them orders.
I was unsure about the addition of Genevieve in this book, because honestly I just wanted an entire book of Sybella and Beast! However, within moments of meeting Genevieve I was already captivated by her personality and story. Her relationship with Margot was strained and disheartening, especially considering at this point we already have had 3 main female characters that strive for good and to do work to honor Mortain (and just kick ass in general). When this story starts Genevieve and Margot have already grown distant to each other but you really feel for Genevieve who wants more out of life than a baby or a marriage. She wants to serve her God and the convent that sheltered her and gave her a purpose and has no one to confide in since Margot seems to have turned her back on their mission. Once she decides to take her life into her own hands, things start getting really interesting.
I literally could not put this book down for two days and I'm already impatient for the next book in the series. I give it a full 5/5 stars!
June 24, 2024
Courting Darkness is the first of a duology set after a trilogy with the same characters. While I really enjoyed the trilogy, His Fair Assassins, this book was much slower. One of the main characters makes some immoral choices that I hope will be addressed in the second book. I did enjoy the historical research the author put into this book, setting it in 15th century France. The end was definitely a cliff hanger too!
Content Cleanliness: two brief somewhat closed door scenes with some descriptions, a few d-, h-, b-tard, s- words (fewer than two or three each in most cases)
Content Cleanliness: two brief somewhat closed door scenes with some descriptions, a few d-, h-, b-tard, s- words (fewer than two or three each in most cases)
February 28, 2019
When Sybella accompanies the Duchess to France, she expects trouble, but she isn’t expecting a deadly trap. Surrounded by enemies both known and unknown, Sybella searches for the undercover assassins from the convent of St. Mortain who were placed in the French court years ago.
Genevieve has been undercover for so many years, she no longer knows who she is or what she’s supposed to be fighting for. When she discovers a hidden prisoner who may be of importance, she takes matters into her own hands.
As these two worlds collide, the fate of the Duchess, Brittany, and everything Sybella and Genevieve have come to love hangs in the balance.
I loved LaFevers' His Fair Assassin trilogy so when I heard she was writing a duology that would continue the story but with some new characters, I was really looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately I did not love this as much as I loved His Fair Assassin. There were some good things about this book. Sybella and Beast being at the top of the list, but I found the character of Genevieve pretty unlikable. Her chapters would have been a complete slog if not for the fact that Maraud was in them. This author has a way of making me fall in love with the leading men in every one of her books and this one was no exception. He was the best new character in the whole story. Unfortunately there were somethings that happened concerning him made me both angry and sad.
This is a historical fantasy set in the 1400s just after the events of the Mad War. As in the previous trilogy, Anne, the duchess of Brittany is a major character in this book. It was interesting to read about her marriage to the King of France, and all the court intrigue involved, even though there was certainly a lot of creative license involved in the writing of the historical figures. This and the previous books did get me interested enough to research the Mad War, Anne, the King of France and all the other people who were alive then and that was great reading itself.
I wanted to love this, I really did, but overall it felt a bit lackluster compared to the previous books. I will however read the second book in the duology to see where the story goes for the characters that I do like so much, and being that the end of this book puts so many people in jeopardy I really need to find out what happens next!
A note on the content: There is some sexual content in this book that I feel is too mature for young teens.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
Genevieve has been undercover for so many years, she no longer knows who she is or what she’s supposed to be fighting for. When she discovers a hidden prisoner who may be of importance, she takes matters into her own hands.
As these two worlds collide, the fate of the Duchess, Brittany, and everything Sybella and Genevieve have come to love hangs in the balance.
I loved LaFevers' His Fair Assassin trilogy so when I heard she was writing a duology that would continue the story but with some new characters, I was really looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately I did not love this as much as I loved His Fair Assassin. There were some good things about this book. Sybella and Beast being at the top of the list, but I found the character of Genevieve pretty unlikable. Her chapters would have been a complete slog if not for the fact that Maraud was in them. This author has a way of making me fall in love with the leading men in every one of her books and this one was no exception. He was the best new character in the whole story. Unfortunately there were somethings that happened concerning him made me both angry and sad.
This is a historical fantasy set in the 1400s just after the events of the Mad War. As in the previous trilogy, Anne, the duchess of Brittany is a major character in this book. It was interesting to read about her marriage to the King of France, and all the court intrigue involved, even though there was certainly a lot of creative license involved in the writing of the historical figures. This and the previous books did get me interested enough to research the Mad War, Anne, the King of France and all the other people who were alive then and that was great reading itself.
I wanted to love this, I really did, but overall it felt a bit lackluster compared to the previous books. I will however read the second book in the duology to see where the story goes for the characters that I do like so much, and being that the end of this book puts so many people in jeopardy I really need to find out what happens next!
A note on the content: There is some sexual content in this book that I feel is too mature for young teens.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
February 5, 2019
Courting Darkness is a spin off book from the His Fair Assassin series, it’s been mentioned that you do not need to read the trilogy before starting this, but I’m going to disagree and say that you should read the trilogy first. There are things going on that you may feel lost and confused about.
The book is told in dual POV that goes back and forth between Sybella and Genevieve.
Courting Darkness picks up where Mortal Heart left off and we are following Sybella and Beast. Sybella and her fellow Handmaidens of Death are trying to come to terms with a world that no longer has the presence of Mortain and the mark that guided them, now they need to make choices that they see as being difficult since their training did not prepare them for this.
I was thrilled to see that Sybella and Beast were going to be back, they have an amazing dynamic bond.
We are also introduced to Genevieve, who is an initiate of Mortain. She has been undercover for 5 years in the French court and is starting to feel that the convent has forgotten about her and her mission. I did not care much for Genevieve, she seems to go through the story with blinders on and just wants to do things her way, with no consideration for others and the consequences her choices could lead to.
There is a lot of political intrigue that takes place in the book, which some may find boring and or confusing since there are several houses that are part of the book.
This book is a slow burn since there is no real interaction between Sybella and Genevieve until the end, which seems to be a build up for the second book.
I do plan on picking up the second book in the duology since I love Sybella and I want to see if Genevieve smartens up.
The book is told in dual POV that goes back and forth between Sybella and Genevieve.
Courting Darkness picks up where Mortal Heart left off and we are following Sybella and Beast. Sybella and her fellow Handmaidens of Death are trying to come to terms with a world that no longer has the presence of Mortain and the mark that guided them, now they need to make choices that they see as being difficult since their training did not prepare them for this.
I was thrilled to see that Sybella and Beast were going to be back, they have an amazing dynamic bond.
We are also introduced to Genevieve, who is an initiate of Mortain. She has been undercover for 5 years in the French court and is starting to feel that the convent has forgotten about her and her mission. I did not care much for Genevieve, she seems to go through the story with blinders on and just wants to do things her way, with no consideration for others and the consequences her choices could lead to.
There is a lot of political intrigue that takes place in the book, which some may find boring and or confusing since there are several houses that are part of the book.
This book is a slow burn since there is no real interaction between Sybella and Genevieve until the end, which seems to be a build up for the second book.
I do plan on picking up the second book in the duology since I love Sybella and I want to see if Genevieve smartens up.
Want to Read
April 18, 2017HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS WAS GOING TO BE A THING???
I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE
I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE
June 4, 2019
My stomach churns at how foul a place men have made the world - aided by the women who blindly adhere to their rules.
It seems I have a bit of a thing for stories about righteous, murderous nuns and this one was pretty good - 3.5/5 stars.
It seems I have a bit of a thing for stories about righteous, murderous nuns and this one was pretty good - 3.5/5 stars.
July 22, 2020
For the most part, Courting Darkness is an intriguing fantasy novel with some complex court drama. I guess it makes sense when this takes the events of 15th century France and turns it on its head a little. Add a little dark elements and some pagan gods, then you've got Courting Darkness.
I absolutely loved the feminist vibe this book brings to the table. Remembering this is a book that takes place in 15th century France and Brittany, there wasn't a lot women can do at that time. I think even Robin LaFevers includes in her author's note that sex working was one of the few jobs women had in those times. So providing Genevieve and Sybella the talents of being bad ass assassins and the daughters of Death is such an interesting dynamic. And these women were strong when they needed to be strong and they were vulnerable when they wanted to be vulnerable. I loved that they play this dual role of lady-in-waiting, but also sneaking off in the middle of the night to spy on the duchess or the regent. I'm just a sucker for those kinds of stories.
But I will admit I was a bigger fan of Genevieve's story than Sybella's. Sybella's was interesting, but I felt like her detachment from the French court made her story a little secondary in comparison to Genevieve who's been undercover for so long that she doesn't even know what her point is anymore. I loved that she found that random prisoner and started fighting, training, and planning her next move. It made the story really compelling in comparison. I wanted more from Sybella, but it felt like her story was way different from Genevieve.
There were also some pretty hunky dudes in this one too, but this story didn't really involve them except when the ladies wanted some companionship or to talk with someone close to them. LOVE THAT. I loved that these men weren't their driving force or doing everything to protect them. The point of characters like Beast or even Maraud was to boost the ladies. Sybella and Beast were in a relationship with each other, which was lovely, but Genevieve has casual sex and relationships with both men and women and I really loved that LaFevers incorporated that into the story. Women aren't defined by their romantic relationships or their partners.
The book was definitely a slow burn and I guess we could argue that not much happens. But I loved the slow burn and it's the main reason why I think this book is more adult than a YA fantasy. There were enough little battle scenes and fights to keep your blood flowing, but then there was a lot of planning and plotting, which I always find intriguing. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for me especially since
The big issue I had with this book is that you can't really read it as a standalone. I took the advice of some folks who said it'll be fine, but the ending became really confusing because there were characters that weren't introduced earlier in the book that show up. It requires a lot of patience and slow reading in order to make heads or tails with what you're reading, but it didn't take too much away from the overall reading experience. I'm not a huge fan of dismissing things in the book because it's covered in the previous novels, so that was my only issue with this book. Lol, my only issue is that I didn't read the other books prior to it.
I absolutely loved the feminist vibe this book brings to the table. Remembering this is a book that takes place in 15th century France and Brittany, there wasn't a lot women can do at that time. I think even Robin LaFevers includes in her author's note that sex working was one of the few jobs women had in those times. So providing Genevieve and Sybella the talents of being bad ass assassins and the daughters of Death is such an interesting dynamic. And these women were strong when they needed to be strong and they were vulnerable when they wanted to be vulnerable. I loved that they play this dual role of lady-in-waiting, but also sneaking off in the middle of the night to spy on the duchess or the regent. I'm just a sucker for those kinds of stories.
But I will admit I was a bigger fan of Genevieve's story than Sybella's. Sybella's was interesting, but I felt like her detachment from the French court made her story a little secondary in comparison to Genevieve who's been undercover for so long that she doesn't even know what her point is anymore. I loved that she found that random prisoner and started fighting, training, and planning her next move. It made the story really compelling in comparison. I wanted more from Sybella, but it felt like her story was way different from Genevieve.
There were also some pretty hunky dudes in this one too, but this story didn't really involve them except when the ladies wanted some companionship or to talk with someone close to them. LOVE THAT. I loved that these men weren't their driving force or doing everything to protect them. The point of characters like Beast or even Maraud was to boost the ladies. Sybella and Beast were in a relationship with each other, which was lovely, but Genevieve has casual sex and relationships with both men and women and I really loved that LaFevers incorporated that into the story. Women aren't defined by their romantic relationships or their partners.
The book was definitely a slow burn and I guess we could argue that not much happens. But I loved the slow burn and it's the main reason why I think this book is more adult than a YA fantasy. There were enough little battle scenes and fights to keep your blood flowing, but then there was a lot of planning and plotting, which I always find intriguing. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for me especially since
The big issue I had with this book is that you can't really read it as a standalone. I took the advice of some folks who said it'll be fine, but the ending became really confusing because there were characters that weren't introduced earlier in the book that show up. It requires a lot of patience and slow reading in order to make heads or tails with what you're reading, but it didn't take too much away from the overall reading experience. I'm not a huge fan of dismissing things in the book because it's covered in the previous novels, so that was my only issue with this book. Lol, my only issue is that I didn't read the other books prior to it.
April 11, 2020
I think I actually enjoyed this even more than the original trilogy, particularly Genevieve's POV, and I can't wait to find out how this all unravels in the next instalment!
August 6, 2019
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I was sent an eARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not change my view in any shape or form. Review also found here at Booked J.
First of all, Robin LaFevers is one of my auto-buy authors and I just now realized my reviews of the His Fair Assassin books are MISSING. What?! Those were some of the first books I reviewed after my massive hiatus a few years back. Damn. Second, I'd always hoped that she'd release a book like Courting Darkness. Aka, a companion novel or series. So, this book was IT for me. I was ready to throw down my kidneys for it and sell them in order to be approved for a galley.
Good news for my kidneys: I didn't have to. When I got approved for this, I'm almost certain I spent a good portion of that day squealing loudly. If you guys heard something inexplicable on November 15th, 2018, that was just me signing onto NetGalley and seeing I'd been approved. I'd apologize but, you know, don't want to. I think receiving an ARC of Robin LaFevers is a pretty good reason for, putting it bluntly, completely losing your shit.
I really wanted to reread the His Fair Assassin books before diving into Courting Darkness but (a) I don't own them and my library doesn't have them anymore, ugh! and (b) Time was a total nag about this book. Time was basically like, wow, Jessica, you cannot reread those books before the release of Courting Darkness. Sad.
That being said: I ADORED Courting Darkness. Like, a lot. A LOT, A LOT. I feel like we're being so spoiled with good books this year and this is definitely one of the many.
It's just so brilliantly high paced and as action packed and intriguing as the books it is a companion to. In summary? Robin LaFevers marry me. It's great. I adored being able to revisit this world and seeing Sybella in particular. Am I Sybella's number one stan? YEP. I'm not sorry.
I mean, I'm sorry, because I'm babbling and not reviewing, when I should be reviewing. So, like, half sorry I guess? Whatever. Back on track, Jessica. Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, I can't really say much without spoiling the book because my feelings are all (incoherent screaming) and the plotlines were just so, so engrossing, I couldn't put Courting Darkness down.
It left me wondering: did I consume this book or did it consume me?
This was just an experience. One that was equally quick to devour and the slowest of burns. It's such an odd way of wording it, but it's all I can come up with?
LaFevers continues to impress me and will likely always do so. I wish I had a physical copy of this novel (it's so beautiful!) and the original series, but I'm confident that one day I will own it. That being said, I need the sequel now. I can't wait to continue this planned duology. If you're a fan of His Fair Assassin, you're going to adore Courting Darkness.
I was sent an eARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not change my view in any shape or form. Review also found here at Booked J.
First of all, Robin LaFevers is one of my auto-buy authors and I just now realized my reviews of the His Fair Assassin books are MISSING. What?! Those were some of the first books I reviewed after my massive hiatus a few years back. Damn. Second, I'd always hoped that she'd release a book like Courting Darkness. Aka, a companion novel or series. So, this book was IT for me. I was ready to throw down my kidneys for it and sell them in order to be approved for a galley.
Good news for my kidneys: I didn't have to. When I got approved for this, I'm almost certain I spent a good portion of that day squealing loudly. If you guys heard something inexplicable on November 15th, 2018, that was just me signing onto NetGalley and seeing I'd been approved. I'd apologize but, you know, don't want to. I think receiving an ARC of Robin LaFevers is a pretty good reason for, putting it bluntly, completely losing your shit.
I really wanted to reread the His Fair Assassin books before diving into Courting Darkness but (a) I don't own them and my library doesn't have them anymore, ugh! and (b) Time was a total nag about this book. Time was basically like, wow, Jessica, you cannot reread those books before the release of Courting Darkness. Sad.
That being said: I ADORED Courting Darkness. Like, a lot. A LOT, A LOT. I feel like we're being so spoiled with good books this year and this is definitely one of the many.
It's just so brilliantly high paced and as action packed and intriguing as the books it is a companion to. In summary? Robin LaFevers marry me. It's great. I adored being able to revisit this world and seeing Sybella in particular. Am I Sybella's number one stan? YEP. I'm not sorry.
I mean, I'm sorry, because I'm babbling and not reviewing, when I should be reviewing. So, like, half sorry I guess? Whatever. Back on track, Jessica. Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, I can't really say much without spoiling the book because my feelings are all (incoherent screaming) and the plotlines were just so, so engrossing, I couldn't put Courting Darkness down.
It left me wondering: did I consume this book or did it consume me?
This was just an experience. One that was equally quick to devour and the slowest of burns. It's such an odd way of wording it, but it's all I can come up with?
LaFevers continues to impress me and will likely always do so. I wish I had a physical copy of this novel (it's so beautiful!) and the original series, but I'm confident that one day I will own it. That being said, I need the sequel now. I can't wait to continue this planned duology. If you're a fan of His Fair Assassin, you're going to adore Courting Darkness.
Did Not Finish
February 13, 2019DNF at 14% and a poop face to those who claim you don't need to read the original series to appreciate this new duology because let me tell you...you really need to read the original series or else this book gives no sympathy for readers new to this world and its cast of characters.
I've even read the first three books, albeit without remembering every little detail, but I still found myself not recalling the relationships, the importance of Mortain, the previous political setting, or how the last book ended. By the way, this book picks up directly where Mortal Heart left off...so there goes the author's assurance that you can be a new reader welcomed to the table. Instead, new readers be coming to the lunch table and being turned away like:
That aside, the writing is still accomplished in technicality but lacking in creative storytelling or engaging character development. Snooze from me.
I've even read the first three books, albeit without remembering every little detail, but I still found myself not recalling the relationships, the importance of Mortain, the previous political setting, or how the last book ended. By the way, this book picks up directly where Mortal Heart left off...so there goes the author's assurance that you can be a new reader welcomed to the table. Instead, new readers be coming to the lunch table and being turned away like:
That aside, the writing is still accomplished in technicality but lacking in creative storytelling or engaging character development. Snooze from me.
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