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The Law Game #1
Requiem for Immortals
Listening Length: 12 hours and 5 minutes
Professional cellist Natalya Tsvetnenko moves seamlessly among the elite where she fills the souls of symphony patrons with beauty even as she takes the lives of the corrupt of Australia’s ruthless underworld. The cold, exacting assassin is hired to kill a woman who seems so innocent that Natalya can’t understand why anyone would want her dead. As she gets to know her target, she can’t work out why she even cares.
Length: 80,000 words
Themes: assassin · Australia · awakening · cellist · crime · homicide · lesbian · lesbian thriller · Melbourne · murder · music · police
Professional cellist Natalya Tsvetnenko moves seamlessly among the elite where she fills the souls of symphony patrons with beauty even as she takes the lives of the corrupt of Australia’s ruthless underworld. The cold, exacting assassin is hired to kill a woman who seems so innocent that Natalya can’t understand why anyone would want her dead. As she gets to know her target, she can’t work out why she even cares.
Length: 80,000 words
Themes: assassin · Australia · awakening · cellist · crime · homicide · lesbian · lesbian thriller · Melbourne · murder · music · police
13 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 3, 2016
220 people are currently reading
7561 people want to read
About the author
Lee Winter
35 books2,912 followersLee Winter is a former award-winning veteran newspaper journalist who has covered courts, crime, news, features and humor writing for almost three decades around Australia. Now a full-time author and part-time editor at Ylva, Lee is also a two-time Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Golden Crown Literary Award winner.
Want to get in touch? Email: Leewinterauthor@gmail.com
Want to get in touch? Email: Leewinterauthor@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 613 reviews
June 27, 2021
Brilliant! I have to give Winter credit for writing a WLW book unlike any I have ever read. Yes, I have read books with lesbian assassins and about talented musicians, but never anything like this!
On top of that, I feel like I have read so many books with a flawed character, who as soon as she meets her "soul mate" or falls in love, she is totally changed from her ways. Not Requiem. Winter made Req a flawed character and let her continue to be flawed while not apologize for it. It was so refreshing to not have an instant personality change that so many other books are filled with. Req is fierce, messed up, and I loved her character.
I don't want to go into too much of the story for fear I will ruin it for others so I will just say this... Get this book, read it, and enjoy the hell out of it like I did.
On top of that, I feel like I have read so many books with a flawed character, who as soon as she meets her "soul mate" or falls in love, she is totally changed from her ways. Not Requiem. Winter made Req a flawed character and let her continue to be flawed while not apologize for it. It was so refreshing to not have an instant personality change that so many other books are filled with. Req is fierce, messed up, and I loved her character.
I don't want to go into too much of the story for fear I will ruin it for others so I will just say this... Get this book, read it, and enjoy the hell out of it like I did.
August 23, 2017
Fantastic & wow! incredible writing...highly recommended to everyone
August 19, 2016
When the Elite Ops Series ended their fabulous 7-book run back in 2015, the world of lesfic thrillers was left in a void. No sexy, lethal, and larger than life secret agent / spy / assassin has stepped up to take the place of the happily-married-off Elite operatives. Until now.
Natalya Tsvetnenko (aka Requiem), classical cellist by profession, mob assassin-for-hire by avocation. Or the other way around. It doesn't really matter to her which as both are exceedingly exacting and tremendously pleasurable pursuits. Natalya approaches her craft with patience and perfection and in two decades of practice, she's been richly rewarded with a sterling reputation of being the best there is. She's never been bothered by her conscience, as her contracts run the gamut of Victoria's seedy underbelly. But when she is offered a lucrative, no-questions-asked contract to take out a minor government functionary who turns out to be a fragile, almost helpless woman, something didn't smell right.
Welcome to the wild and twisty world of Lee Winter, where nothing is ever as it seems and one should always expect the unexpected. And prepare to pick your jaw off the floor.
If you've read the author's first book, you know she can come up with a really imaginative plot that'll have you scratching your head and say 'why didn't I think of that?'. You can bet she's come up with something to top that here. In fact, I'm challenging readers to try to figure out the mystery themselves ahead of the reveal. I'll have to admit I was a little distracted as I was too busy admiring the stylized and almost poetic depiction of Requiem/Natalya. While there is no way to disguise, downplay or whitewash the inconvenient matter of assassinations, the artful writing does make it more palatable to digest. How many assassins can turn killing into an art? And by extension, how many authors can make taking out someone sound like an intricate origami project or a graceful, perfectly choreographed and executed dance routine?
Probably the most important achievement of the author with regards to this character is her believablity. I don't think I've read a more authentic and credible assassin. Her background, her motives, her thoughts, her moves, it's all there in colorful and fascinating detail. The author imbues her with this singularly unique voice that the reader just 'knows' belongs perfectly to this high-achieving, arrogant, perfectionist. She's a lion who's used to success, and getting her way, and who won't suffer fools gladly.
The Mystery. Throw a mouse in the path of this lion who's used to hunting much bigger game, and she's stumped. What could this mousy woman have done that she's got such a stiff price on her head? Who among the mob bosses did she piss off enough to warrant a death sentence? But, like all mysteries, the less said about them the better. Just let me assure you the shock factor alone from the twist would rate a full 5 stars. So let's leave it at that.
The Romance. Normally, you don't pick up a killing book and expect much romance. But BIG surprise: the romance is actually very well paced and developed, albeit not in the usual way. I can assure romantics right now who might be tempted to sit this out, this book isn't all about death and destruction. There is a relationship you can invest in, and it is huge and pivotal. And, that's all you need to know as well. ;)
The Side Characters. Good gals, bad gals, little gals...but mostly gals. Yehey for girl power! No heroine (or anti-heroine, in this case) worth her salt would be complete without a matching villain or two. So we have a couple of very colorful characters for Requiem to tangle with.
Bottom line. This book felt like it was written just for me, as I love everything about it.
Rating: 5 stars
ARC from Ylva
Natalya Tsvetnenko (aka Requiem), classical cellist by profession, mob assassin-for-hire by avocation. Or the other way around. It doesn't really matter to her which as both are exceedingly exacting and tremendously pleasurable pursuits. Natalya approaches her craft with patience and perfection and in two decades of practice, she's been richly rewarded with a sterling reputation of being the best there is. She's never been bothered by her conscience, as her contracts run the gamut of Victoria's seedy underbelly. But when she is offered a lucrative, no-questions-asked contract to take out a minor government functionary who turns out to be a fragile, almost helpless woman, something didn't smell right.
Welcome to the wild and twisty world of Lee Winter, where nothing is ever as it seems and one should always expect the unexpected. And prepare to pick your jaw off the floor.
If you've read the author's first book, you know she can come up with a really imaginative plot that'll have you scratching your head and say 'why didn't I think of that?'. You can bet she's come up with something to top that here. In fact, I'm challenging readers to try to figure out the mystery themselves ahead of the reveal. I'll have to admit I was a little distracted as I was too busy admiring the stylized and almost poetic depiction of Requiem/Natalya. While there is no way to disguise, downplay or whitewash the inconvenient matter of assassinations, the artful writing does make it more palatable to digest. How many assassins can turn killing into an art? And by extension, how many authors can make taking out someone sound like an intricate origami project or a graceful, perfectly choreographed and executed dance routine?
Probably the most important achievement of the author with regards to this character is her believablity. I don't think I've read a more authentic and credible assassin. Her background, her motives, her thoughts, her moves, it's all there in colorful and fascinating detail. The author imbues her with this singularly unique voice that the reader just 'knows' belongs perfectly to this high-achieving, arrogant, perfectionist. She's a lion who's used to success, and getting her way, and who won't suffer fools gladly.
The Mystery. Throw a mouse in the path of this lion who's used to hunting much bigger game, and she's stumped. What could this mousy woman have done that she's got such a stiff price on her head? Who among the mob bosses did she piss off enough to warrant a death sentence? But, like all mysteries, the less said about them the better. Just let me assure you the shock factor alone from the twist would rate a full 5 stars. So let's leave it at that.
The Romance. Normally, you don't pick up a killing book and expect much romance. But BIG surprise: the romance is actually very well paced and developed, albeit not in the usual way. I can assure romantics right now who might be tempted to sit this out, this book isn't all about death and destruction. There is a relationship you can invest in, and it is huge and pivotal. And, that's all you need to know as well. ;)
The Side Characters. Good gals, bad gals, little gals...but mostly gals. Yehey for girl power! No heroine (or anti-heroine, in this case) worth her salt would be complete without a matching villain or two. So we have a couple of very colorful characters for Requiem to tangle with.
Bottom line. This book felt like it was written just for me, as I love everything about it.
Rating: 5 stars
ARC from Ylva
February 27, 2025
➥ 5 Stars *:･ﾟ✧
Exceptional. Firstly, I'd like to mention that this was a buddy read with Amy but I guiltily (but desperately) could not stop reading, and the book left me so speechless that I fear we didn't discuss much. It's imperative that I acknowledge that this is very possibly the best book I've read in my entire life. I have not ever read a book that I'd call "perfect", but this book came scarily close. There will be a spoiler section, DON'T read it without having read the book! Although I, on one hand, want to encourage you to read my review, so you can feel my obsession and wonder through my words, I do recommend going into it blind and not reading reviews (do check tws though!)
Firstly, I feel implored to reiterate my wonder and fascination with Lee Winter's writing. It is of the best that I've ever had the honour of reading. Her writing is elegant but refreshingly plain, which creates strong atmospheres that draw me into the seriousness of the plotline. I often struggle to enjoy, say, mafia romance books, because I cannot take the stakes or plotline seriously, due to writing that includes sappy or sloppily used metaphors/similes, but Winter doesn't make this error. Every sentence and word that she writes is punchy and meaningful.
This book is unique in so many senses. I, unfortunately, doubt I'll be able to recall every potent aspect of this book since there are so many memorable moments. First and foremost, Lee Winter's skill of crafting characters is top tier - thankfully something I've been aware of since I read Breaking Character.
The action, the side characters, the pure thrill - it was all beyond my expectations. I'm left a little wordless here now, so I'll let the words above speak for themselves, but just know that this is my best kept secret, the book I intend to gatekeep until I die (kind of), and one of those books that I feel like no one will love it the way I do. It's mine <3.
The main two criticisms that I have are Winter's tendency to do two things
Never have I met a soul on this earth who did not want someone, just once, to look with love in their eyes at them.
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Exceptional. Firstly, I'd like to mention that this was a buddy read with Amy but I guiltily (but desperately) could not stop reading, and the book left me so speechless that I fear we didn't discuss much. It's imperative that I acknowledge that this is very possibly the best book I've read in my entire life. I have not ever read a book that I'd call "perfect", but this book came scarily close. There will be a spoiler section, DON'T read it without having read the book! Although I, on one hand, want to encourage you to read my review, so you can feel my obsession and wonder through my words, I do recommend going into it blind and not reading reviews (do check tws though!)
Firstly, I feel implored to reiterate my wonder and fascination with Lee Winter's writing. It is of the best that I've ever had the honour of reading. Her writing is elegant but refreshingly plain, which creates strong atmospheres that draw me into the seriousness of the plotline. I often struggle to enjoy, say, mafia romance books, because I cannot take the stakes or plotline seriously, due to writing that includes sappy or sloppily used metaphors/similes, but Winter doesn't make this error. Every sentence and word that she writes is punchy and meaningful.
The key to getting close to this prey was all about knowing her rhythms, profiling her well, and walking in her shoes until you virtually share the same blisters.
This book is unique in so many senses. I, unfortunately, doubt I'll be able to recall every potent aspect of this book since there are so many memorable moments. First and foremost, Lee Winter's skill of crafting characters is top tier - thankfully something I've been aware of since I read Breaking Character.
➥ Natalya Tsvetnenko [a.k.a. Requiem] (h) is, dare I say, the best strong female character ever written. She's a no-nonsense, intense, morally-grey character and it's simply delectable. She's brutal, she's violent and she's hot, unforgivingly. I'm convinced that if everyone were to read this book, we'd all die to have the honour of simply being in her presence - she's that remarkable. Also, her name is so hot, let's be honest. Another reason for why I loved her character, was because I usually only see male characters with her characteristics: they all have women at their feet, the don't make love - they fuck, they'll do anything to get the job done or get what they want. It's delicious. Furthermore, we are even blessed with a musical element in this book. Natalya plays the Cello and understanding all the musical references and pieces made it even that much more delightful - especially the violinist slander. I also found it so cute that she only addressed Alison as Ryan (her last name), both internally and externally.
Natalya rose, stepping back to show Ryan the unconscious thug had been hogtied.
"Oh, very expertly done," Ryan said sarcastically. "Cellists are so well-rounded. I had no idea."
"No one does. It's always the violinists who get the glory," Natalya said dryly, flicking her eyes over Ryan, and heading back to the seating area.
➥ Alison Ryan (h) was a slightly less impressive character, but lovable regardless. She is, in fact, a violinist, and she reminds me of Summer from Breaking Character, though I think I honestly preferred Summer a bit more. I get a little frustrated with wide-eyed saccharine characters, but she was nevertheless sweet and smart. I'd just have liked if she challenged Natalya or put her in her place just once - that'd have been fun.
She pressed herself against Natalya, a plea for more. "You're so beautiful," Alison said, her hands dropping to Natalya's hips. Alison's finders pulled their bodies closer until all Natalya felt was a wall of soft heat. "Natalya, Please?"
The action, the side characters, the pure thrill - it was all beyond my expectations. I'm left a little wordless here now, so I'll let the words above speak for themselves, but just know that this is my best kept secret, the book I intend to gatekeep until I die (kind of), and one of those books that I feel like no one will love it the way I do. It's mine <3.
The main two criticisms that I have are Winter's tendency to do two things
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
April 24, 2019
Ok, so I think I'm going to need a little while before I can write this review. Wow. Just wow. More later, hopefully.
EDIT (April 24th): So, I know I said I'd write more but I still can't wrap my mind around this one. So here's the review I left on Amazon, where "Wow" wasn't enough ;)
This is the best book I've read in a long time. And I read a lot. I've read plenty of great books recently, but this one really blew my mind. So much so that I don't know how to explain it. If you're looking for a very well-written thriller with badass lesbian characters, go for it.
EDIT (April 24th): So, I know I said I'd write more but I still can't wrap my mind around this one. So here's the review I left on Amazon, where "Wow" wasn't enough ;)
This is the best book I've read in a long time. And I read a lot. I've read plenty of great books recently, but this one really blew my mind. So much so that I don't know how to explain it. If you're looking for a very well-written thriller with badass lesbian characters, go for it.
August 3, 2020
Requiem for Immortals is a thriller and not a romance novel at all, and thank goodness for that. There’s a common idea that all lesbian genre fiction must be romance, and if it’s not, there at least must be a strong romantic thread running throughout. This book defies that standard and is part of a necessary shift in lesfic to offer more to readers. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good romance, and my Goodreads shelves demonstrate that. But if I want to read something from a different genre, it’s a relief to not have to leave lesfic to find it, and Requiem for Immortals perfectly scratches that itch.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/requ...
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/requ...
September 4, 2019
Why do women who are considered bad, dangerous, violent and have an antisocial personality disorder immediately snag my attention? Don't answer that!
If you're one of the few who hasn't read this book yet, what are you waiting for? Especially now that the audio book has been released and we have to wait till sometime mid next year for season three of Killing Eve.
The audio book also includes Love is not Nothing, the short follow up to Requiem for Immortals. I'm also bumping up my rating from 4 to 5* since Lee Winter did a great job choosing Anais Inara Chase as her narrator for this Aussie gem. Do yourself a favor, read, listen, do both and devour this fantastic story written by one of lesfic's best authors.
“Since when do mice have such sharp teeth?”
she demanded archly.
“Since when do cats not let mice play with them?”
If you're one of the few who hasn't read this book yet, what are you waiting for? Especially now that the audio book has been released and we have to wait till sometime mid next year for season three of Killing Eve.
The audio book also includes Love is not Nothing, the short follow up to Requiem for Immortals. I'm also bumping up my rating from 4 to 5* since Lee Winter did a great job choosing Anais Inara Chase as her narrator for this Aussie gem. Do yourself a favor, read, listen, do both and devour this fantastic story written by one of lesfic's best authors.
“Since when do mice have such sharp teeth?”
she demanded archly.
“Since when do cats not let mice play with them?”
October 1, 2021
Edit: Just listened a second time, and was just as riveted as the first time. Maybe even more. If you haven't listened to this, why the hell not? GET ON IT. Love love love it.
-------------------------------------
As of now, I unabashedly declare that this is a tie as my favourite lesfic book ever. Now, that is a big statement. I first read this maybe two-ish years ago and remember liking it, though the power dynamic of the main characters didn't quite sit right with me. This was when I was new to lesfic and most likely seeking the sweeter romances as I slowly delved into other themes, but I do remember quickly putting Ms. Winters on my top 5 list for writers.
Fast forward to the audio version done by the insurmountable Anais Inara Chase. I.....could.....not.....stop.....listening. I woke up this morning at 545am and was thinking about it and just had to finish it. This narrator was so perfect as the MCs, her inflections for Natalya were absolutely spot on and dripping with attitude and aloofness, just like I imagined she would speak. She made these characters come alive in a way I never expected and I was hooked. I understand the characters way more now that I have had more exposure to difference genres of lesfic and I appreciated the story and relationship dynamic completely.
This premise is fantastic. Requiem is a female assassin for underworld crime who happens to also be Natalya, a world-class cello player (swoooooon). She concretely believes that feelings and love are for the weak and only seeks control and power. Her kills are horrific, but all have a real sense of poetic justice. She is ordered to kill a woman with no questions asked, but as she trails her prey, something doesn't fit. This woman, Alison, an office worker who cares for her nasty mother, has a mob hit on her but is too meek, too timid to have enemies. This leads to a cat and mouse chase in a unique way that confounds both the MCs. Ms. Winters has created such deep, complex and riveting characters, their interactions are intense and interesting, which shows how invested the author was in writing them. Natalya and Alison start understanding one another in mature, thoughtful, yet exceedingly cautious ways. They frighten, challenge, and are wary of each other, yet can't seem to stay away. The dialogue between the two is nothing short of gorgeous. This is not a traditional romance per say, but there is no denying the chemistry these two have towards each other.
Goddamned it all to hell, you cannot help but be pulled by the tits into their worlds. Natalya for her long career as two different identities, will obviously have a very complex and toxic past that leads to her skewed view on relationships. Alison's career and the heartache that led her to move home to Melbourne is very emotional, the feels were in full force for me, and her past is unveiled as the chapters go on.
I will undoubtedly revisit this audio time and time again. Bonus for Audible listeners is the short story three years later, which I have already read three times, But to hear Ms. Chase do it.....simply breathless. I know I'm fully gushing and fan-girling, but whatever. 5 out of f-bomb 5 stars and more if I could.
-------------------------------------
As of now, I unabashedly declare that this is a tie as my favourite lesfic book ever. Now, that is a big statement. I first read this maybe two-ish years ago and remember liking it, though the power dynamic of the main characters didn't quite sit right with me. This was when I was new to lesfic and most likely seeking the sweeter romances as I slowly delved into other themes, but I do remember quickly putting Ms. Winters on my top 5 list for writers.
Fast forward to the audio version done by the insurmountable Anais Inara Chase. I.....could.....not.....stop.....listening. I woke up this morning at 545am and was thinking about it and just had to finish it. This narrator was so perfect as the MCs, her inflections for Natalya were absolutely spot on and dripping with attitude and aloofness, just like I imagined she would speak. She made these characters come alive in a way I never expected and I was hooked. I understand the characters way more now that I have had more exposure to difference genres of lesfic and I appreciated the story and relationship dynamic completely.
This premise is fantastic. Requiem is a female assassin for underworld crime who happens to also be Natalya, a world-class cello player (swoooooon). She concretely believes that feelings and love are for the weak and only seeks control and power. Her kills are horrific, but all have a real sense of poetic justice. She is ordered to kill a woman with no questions asked, but as she trails her prey, something doesn't fit. This woman, Alison, an office worker who cares for her nasty mother, has a mob hit on her but is too meek, too timid to have enemies. This leads to a cat and mouse chase in a unique way that confounds both the MCs. Ms. Winters has created such deep, complex and riveting characters, their interactions are intense and interesting, which shows how invested the author was in writing them. Natalya and Alison start understanding one another in mature, thoughtful, yet exceedingly cautious ways. They frighten, challenge, and are wary of each other, yet can't seem to stay away. The dialogue between the two is nothing short of gorgeous. This is not a traditional romance per say, but there is no denying the chemistry these two have towards each other.
Goddamned it all to hell, you cannot help but be pulled by the tits into their worlds. Natalya for her long career as two different identities, will obviously have a very complex and toxic past that leads to her skewed view on relationships. Alison's career and the heartache that led her to move home to Melbourne is very emotional, the feels were in full force for me, and her past is unveiled as the chapters go on.
I will undoubtedly revisit this audio time and time again. Bonus for Audible listeners is the short story three years later, which I have already read three times, But to hear Ms. Chase do it.....simply breathless. I know I'm fully gushing and fan-girling, but whatever. 5 out of f-bomb 5 stars and more if I could.
November 3, 2019
5 Stars for a re-read, this time in audiobook format. This is the first book I've listened to that is read by Anais Inara Chase. I don't know if she is Australian and since I’m not, I can't attest to her accent, but I loved her 5 Star narration.
Another excellent audiobook that reminded me why I loved this book when I read the print version and it may have upped my enjoyment. So much so, I made a new shelf - Memorable Main Character for Requiem/Natalya Tsvetnenko. At forty-one, Natalya strives for perfection at whatever she does – whether it is when she is playing classical cello for philharmonic orchestras or when she is the mysterious and exacting Requiem, a hired assassin for Australian mob bosses. She is prepared physically and mentally and expertly skilled at whatever is needed to do her job. Requiem’s victims are often killed unique to their crime or persona – matching her punishment to the victim’s crimes. Whether it is the businessman whom she poisons with a chemical that kills similarly to the deadly banned pesticides he sells or the mob boss who trafficked under-aged girls and was electrocuted via his genitals. (ouch!)
Requiem is hired to kill a woman, Alison Ryan. She is confused because Ryan is unlike her usual mob hits and shouldn’t require an assassin of her caliber or six-figure price tag. She even nicknames Alison “the little mouse”. As Natasha gets to know Alison (and even like her), she is determined to discover who and why someone hired Requiem to kill a mouse.
I highly recommend this book – either read it on your own or if you like audiobooks listen to it. If you haven’t listened to audiobooks this might be a good introduction especially if you like crime mysteries, interesting characters or just good, well written stories.
Edit: I forgot to add: Lee Winter made a collection YouTube videos featuring music mentioned in this book. I made a similar collection/playlist on Spotify. (Not all of her artists were available on Spotify)
Another excellent audiobook that reminded me why I loved this book when I read the print version and it may have upped my enjoyment. So much so, I made a new shelf - Memorable Main Character for Requiem/Natalya Tsvetnenko. At forty-one, Natalya strives for perfection at whatever she does – whether it is when she is playing classical cello for philharmonic orchestras or when she is the mysterious and exacting Requiem, a hired assassin for Australian mob bosses. She is prepared physically and mentally and expertly skilled at whatever is needed to do her job. Requiem’s victims are often killed unique to their crime or persona – matching her punishment to the victim’s crimes. Whether it is the businessman whom she poisons with a chemical that kills similarly to the deadly banned pesticides he sells or the mob boss who trafficked under-aged girls and was electrocuted via his genitals. (ouch!)
Requiem is hired to kill a woman, Alison Ryan. She is confused because Ryan is unlike her usual mob hits and shouldn’t require an assassin of her caliber or six-figure price tag. She even nicknames Alison “the little mouse”. As Natasha gets to know Alison (and even like her), she is determined to discover who and why someone hired Requiem to kill a mouse.
I highly recommend this book – either read it on your own or if you like audiobooks listen to it. If you haven’t listened to audiobooks this might be a good introduction especially if you like crime mysteries, interesting characters or just good, well written stories.
Edit: I forgot to add: Lee Winter made a collection YouTube videos featuring music mentioned in this book. I made a similar collection/playlist on Spotify. (Not all of her artists were available on Spotify)
February 2, 2021
EDIT: sometime ago I made a Spotify playlist of most of the music mentioned in this book. I think there was at least one that wasn’t available on Spotify. Search for Requiem for Immortals - LuceC (or correacreations2)
This is truly a roller coaster book! And I love roller coasters! You've got the thrills when the assassin Requiem is doing her thing and then you get a breather when the cellist Natalya is around. But then Requiem is hired to kill a mouse, an innocent as near as she can surmise but then the mouse is... I can't say any more. Read the book for an "E ticket" ride.
(A reference for those old enough to remember when Disneyland had ride tickets)
This is truly a roller coaster book! And I love roller coasters! You've got the thrills when the assassin Requiem is doing her thing and then you get a breather when the cellist Natalya is around. But then Requiem is hired to kill a mouse, an innocent as near as she can surmise but then the mouse is... I can't say any more. Read the book for an "E ticket" ride.
(A reference for those old enough to remember when Disneyland had ride tickets)
May 2, 2018
I am fast becoming a huge fan of Winter's. My thought processes get twisted up so that I find it completely acceptable to be rooting for an assassin who has killed in excess of 30 people. Not only am I hoping she gets away with it but also that she falls in love and gets the girl. She's a world-renowned cellist, she can't possibly be all bad, right? And then to compound the confusion, I find myself irritated that her target isn't completely upfront and honest.
Fantastic read. It held my attention from beginning to end.
Fantastic read. It held my attention from beginning to end.
November 30, 2019
Cold blooded, elite assassin. World class cellist. Daughter of a Russian military officer. Natalya Tsvetnenko aka Requiem is all of the above in a fireball package. Of course, she travels by black motorcycle. Of course, she falls for the good hearted, beautiful target.
Everything’s been said about this book so I’ll just concur that Requiem is a fantastic read, exciting, sexy, dangerous even. I forgot how much Lee Winter’s writing is a stand in your face style but loved every minute of it. Just wish there was a cool movie or Netflix series to go with the character. Maybe someday.
Everything’s been said about this book so I’ll just concur that Requiem is a fantastic read, exciting, sexy, dangerous even. I forgot how much Lee Winter’s writing is a stand in your face style but loved every minute of it. Just wish there was a cool movie or Netflix series to go with the character. Maybe someday.
April 1, 2024
1 star
I went into this story expecting it to be a new favourite. A contemporary lesbian romance novel between an assassin and the woman she was hired to kill? I was beyond excited to read this, only for it to be my first 1 star of the year. The execution of this seemingly enticing premise felt subpar at best, and cringe inducing at worst.
Natalya is a respected professional cellist player in front of the masses, but behind closed doors she is Requiem—an assassin targeting Australia's underbelly of criminals. She strictly kills those she considers scum, but one day she gets hired to kill a woman on a 'don't ask any questions' policy—a woman who appears completely innocent.
Alison, the love interest was incredibly dull, but a twist happens with her that got me very excited! Perhaps there would be some chemistry between Natalya and Alison instead of dilly-dallying around contrived conversations that takes themselves way too seriously? But alas, she remains as bland as cardboard until the very end.
Their romance lacked believable chemistry, I can't comprehend why either of them were attracted to the other. Simply talking about a shared love for music and how Alison can 'fix' Natalya is not a strong enough basis for establishing a romance; their romance was devoid of substance. I think I have more chemistry with my university's admin people...
Natalya i.e. Requiem is a stereotypical ice-queen cold hearted main character. She hates love, thinks it's a weakness, is 'dominant' and loves power play (yet the smut is average...), is the best at her job with a 100% success rate, but don't worry if you forget any of these cringey cliche characteristics because this book will repeatedly beat you over the head by reminding you of these facts instead of, you know, showing it in a convincing fashion.
Requiem's entire character portrayal was a cringe fest for me. She is written like a teenage edge-lord on tumblr who is embarrassingly enamoured by her own coldness and edginess.
The narrative repeatedly tells the readers in contrived dialogue that Requiem is the best assassin to have ever assassin'd in the history of assassins, yet she constantly makes laughable mistakes whenever it is convenient for the plot. 'Assassin with a 100% success rate' I think the fuck not!
Do any of you remember the Jughead 'I'm a weirdo' scene from Riverdale that we all collectively laughed at as a meme because it was so cringe inducing that it was absolutely hilarious?
Well. Doesn't this quote and the cringe jughead quote that we all laughed at a couple years ago sound like two sides of the exact same coin? Requiem is like this throughout the entire book, so absolutely in love with waxing poetic about her own edginess.
In this book, Alison is dealing with problems with her mother and her horrible boss at work. Yet after a good fuck with Natalya and having abrupt epiphanies, she suddenly stops being a people pleasing doormat. Come on, was the pussy really that good? How can a character, who is shown to struggle so much with her personal life throughout the book, all of a sudden fix everything that is wrong with her just because of one encounter with their love interest?
The antagonistic characters in this book read like moustache-twirling caricatures of villains too (except , her motivations were fleshed out a little more, although written in the same edge-lord 'haha look at how ruthless and awesome and dominant I am' way as Requiem). It's such a shame because important themes such as sexism in the workplace and parental neglect are very much so portrayed with zero nuance because of how amateurly the story was written. The things this book tried to take seriously were written in a way that was so hilariously awful that I wondered if this book would make a good satire.
But obviously, just because I hated it doesn't mean everyone else will. If you enjoy overt plot twists, can get invested in characters relatively easily, or if you're just really hungry for a lesbian romance with an assassin and the premise sounds interesting to you then you can try this out (a lot of people seem to love this book, I'm the contrarian here). I don't regret buying the audiobook for this because my purchase supported an author who's writing sapphic romances, but I do wish I'd have dnf'd this and saved myself the headache.
I went into this story expecting it to be a new favourite. A contemporary lesbian romance novel between an assassin and the woman she was hired to kill? I was beyond excited to read this, only for it to be my first 1 star of the year. The execution of this seemingly enticing premise felt subpar at best, and cringe inducing at worst.
Natalya is a respected professional cellist player in front of the masses, but behind closed doors she is Requiem—an assassin targeting Australia's underbelly of criminals. She strictly kills those she considers scum, but one day she gets hired to kill a woman on a 'don't ask any questions' policy—a woman who appears completely innocent.
Alison, the love interest was incredibly dull, but a twist happens with her that got me very excited! Perhaps there would be some chemistry between Natalya and Alison instead of dilly-dallying around contrived conversations that takes themselves way too seriously? But alas, she remains as bland as cardboard until the very end.
Their romance lacked believable chemistry, I can't comprehend why either of them were attracted to the other. Simply talking about a shared love for music and how Alison can 'fix' Natalya is not a strong enough basis for establishing a romance; their romance was devoid of substance. I think I have more chemistry with my university's admin people...
Natalya i.e. Requiem is a stereotypical ice-queen cold hearted main character. She hates love, thinks it's a weakness, is 'dominant' and loves power play (yet the smut is average...), is the best at her job with a 100% success rate, but don't worry if you forget any of these cringey cliche characteristics because this book will repeatedly beat you over the head by reminding you of these facts instead of, you know, showing it in a convincing fashion.
Requiem's entire character portrayal was a cringe fest for me. She is written like a teenage edge-lord on tumblr who is embarrassingly enamoured by her own coldness and edginess.
The narrative repeatedly tells the readers in contrived dialogue that Requiem is the best assassin to have ever assassin'd in the history of assassins, yet she constantly makes laughable mistakes whenever it is convenient for the plot. 'Assassin with a 100% success rate' I think the fuck not!
Do any of you remember the Jughead 'I'm a weirdo' scene from Riverdale that we all collectively laughed at as a meme because it was so cringe inducing that it was absolutely hilarious?
"I'm the wrong shape, Alison. Where society expects smooth, I'm sharp. It wants docile and compliant; I fight authority and I loathe leashes. I never will be one of you. Sometimes the view through the glass just stays frosted."
Well. Doesn't this quote and the cringe jughead quote that we all laughed at a couple years ago sound like two sides of the exact same coin? Requiem is like this throughout the entire book, so absolutely in love with waxing poetic about her own edginess.
In this book, Alison is dealing with problems with her mother and her horrible boss at work. Yet after a good fuck with Natalya and having abrupt epiphanies, she suddenly stops being a people pleasing doormat. Come on, was the pussy really that good? How can a character, who is shown to struggle so much with her personal life throughout the book, all of a sudden fix everything that is wrong with her just because of one encounter with their love interest?
The antagonistic characters in this book read like moustache-twirling caricatures of villains too (except , her motivations were fleshed out a little more, although written in the same edge-lord 'haha look at how ruthless and awesome and dominant I am' way as Requiem). It's such a shame because important themes such as sexism in the workplace and parental neglect are very much so portrayed with zero nuance because of how amateurly the story was written. The things this book tried to take seriously were written in a way that was so hilariously awful that I wondered if this book would make a good satire.
But obviously, just because I hated it doesn't mean everyone else will. If you enjoy overt plot twists, can get invested in characters relatively easily, or if you're just really hungry for a lesbian romance with an assassin and the premise sounds interesting to you then you can try this out (a lot of people seem to love this book, I'm the contrarian here). I don't regret buying the audiobook for this because my purchase supported an author who's writing sapphic romances, but I do wish I'd have dnf'd this and saved myself the headache.
February 26, 2023
19/08/2021: I can’t stop crying, happy tears. I don’t even know what to say. What is there even to say? Lee Winter is simply the most wonderful and most talented writer ever. It’s honestly a blessing to live in the same time as her. All her books are favorites of mine and this one wasn’t different. A brilliant and powerful work of art. A masterpiece. I still get chills. Just wow! Lee Winter is definitely my favorite author ever. I love love love this and all the other books so much. The way she writes is just mind-blowing. So much talent. Wow. I 100% recommend this book and all the others she has written. Bravo!!
26/02/2023 (reread): Just listened to the audiobook version and wow!! The narrator did an excellent job! I was even more hooked than when I read the book, if that’s even possible. Just wow indeed!
26/02/2023 (reread): Just listened to the audiobook version and wow!! The narrator did an excellent job! I was even more hooked than when I read the book, if that’s even possible. Just wow indeed!
April 5, 2021
Content warnings: dub con, graphic sex, death, poison, human trafficking, animal cruelty, choking, erotic asphyxiation, torture, threaten, abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, blood, fatphobia
Side effect: developing an obsession with cellists.
Professional cellist Natalya Tsvetnenko (41) is also a professional assassin. As Requiem, Natalya is known for her skills of getting her jobs done. When her newest target Alison Ryan (34) seems to be nothing like her usual ones who reek evilness, Natalya is intrigued and unexpectedly strikes up a friendship with Alison. However, she never anticipates just how unexpected this assignment is going to lead her.
As someone who is classically trained in piano and has been playing on and off for 21 years (yes, I am 25 years old), Requiem for Immortals has brought out my love for classical music again. Every time Winter describes music, I feel an ache to experience the passion—I am totally the kind of person who gets emotional at concerts. That being said, I don’t think readers need to understand music to feel the musical energy radiating through the storyline, but that did add to my enjoyment of the story.
Even though I don’t understand the lust and sexual attraction in the story, I felt everything else. I love both Natalya and Alison, mostly for how good they are in their respective professions. Surprisingly enough, I might have liked Alison a bit more than Natalya, but both are incredibly strong women who are proud of what they do. Sure, there are parts of the story that weren’t great, such as dubious consent, animal killings, fatphobia, etc., but I still think the overall storyline and characters are strong and intriguing (and completely swoon-worthy).
Now I cannot wait to get more of Natalya (and Alison) in After Happily Ever After and Glimpses! I also need more books with deadly musicians because they are everything.
Buddy read with Gabriella! Read her one-line review here.
Side effect: developing an obsession with cellists.
Professional cellist Natalya Tsvetnenko (41) is also a professional assassin. As Requiem, Natalya is known for her skills of getting her jobs done. When her newest target Alison Ryan (34) seems to be nothing like her usual ones who reek evilness, Natalya is intrigued and unexpectedly strikes up a friendship with Alison. However, she never anticipates just how unexpected this assignment is going to lead her.
As someone who is classically trained in piano and has been playing on and off for 21 years (yes, I am 25 years old), Requiem for Immortals has brought out my love for classical music again. Every time Winter describes music, I feel an ache to experience the passion—I am totally the kind of person who gets emotional at concerts. That being said, I don’t think readers need to understand music to feel the musical energy radiating through the storyline, but that did add to my enjoyment of the story.
Even though I don’t understand the lust and sexual attraction in the story, I felt everything else. I love both Natalya and Alison, mostly for how good they are in their respective professions. Surprisingly enough, I might have liked Alison a bit more than Natalya, but both are incredibly strong women who are proud of what they do. Sure, there are parts of the story that weren’t great, such as dubious consent, animal killings, fatphobia, etc., but I still think the overall storyline and characters are strong and intriguing (and completely swoon-worthy).
Now I cannot wait to get more of Natalya (and Alison) in After Happily Ever After and Glimpses! I also need more books with deadly musicians because they are everything.
Buddy read with Gabriella! Read her one-line review here.
January 20, 2025
3.5
I thoroughly enjoyed Requiem For Immortals and its short follow up story Love is not Nothing. Requiem/Natalya is an incredibly compelling character, and it was heartwarming to see her express her love for Ryan in her unique way.
Additionally, the action and steamy scenes were brilliantly written!
I thoroughly enjoyed Requiem For Immortals and its short follow up story Love is not Nothing. Requiem/Natalya is an incredibly compelling character, and it was heartwarming to see her express her love for Ryan in her unique way.
Additionally, the action and steamy scenes were brilliantly written!
September 12, 2019
How is it that a book can get better and better every time?
This time I listened to the audio. The narrator doesn't get too extravagant with the different voices (which I prefer). But holy heck does she have a sexy Australian voice.
I'm fairly certain that this has surpassed 'Letters Never Sent' as my favorite book.
For those of you who have not read this, you are crazy.
This time I listened to the audio. The narrator doesn't get too extravagant with the different voices (which I prefer). But holy heck does she have a sexy Australian voice.
I'm fairly certain that this has surpassed 'Letters Never Sent' as my favorite book.
For those of you who have not read this, you are crazy.
October 9, 2016
Given the reviews for this book I was prepared to absolutely love this book and when I found myself at end I have to admit to a sense of disappointment.
Don't get me wrong, this is quite a good book. But in my opinion its not a great book. I loved the Red Files, I totally brought into the plot, characters and the romance. With this novel, not so much.
The character of Requiem was just too much of a psychopath for me to warm to at all. Now I get the whole bad girl attractiveness. Think f male Leon and a slight Gross Pointe Blank element of seeking to exit the business - but honestly it was all a bit too nihilistic for me. Bad things happening to bad people.
Of course she's a concerto level cellist, of course she's gorgeous and of course she sees the worth of the little mouse target she has to hit.
This was a well written book but missed the mark for me.
Don't get me wrong, this is quite a good book. But in my opinion its not a great book. I loved the Red Files, I totally brought into the plot, characters and the romance. With this novel, not so much.
The character of Requiem was just too much of a psychopath for me to warm to at all. Now I get the whole bad girl attractiveness. Think f male Leon and a slight Gross Pointe Blank element of seeking to exit the business - but honestly it was all a bit too nihilistic for me. Bad things happening to bad people.
Of course she's a concerto level cellist, of course she's gorgeous and of course she sees the worth of the little mouse target she has to hit.
This was a well written book but missed the mark for me.
Read
February 2, 2021I’ve just finished Requiem For Immortals. Literally. I opened this app as soon as I closed Kindle. I am so thoroughly blown away by this novel. I was a bit late to the party in discovering it, but there really isn’t a due date on great writing, is there? And it is great writing. The story is gripping because, from the very beginning, you’re held in the palm of words which have been chosen with such care, as you travel into the psyche of Requiem. It’s seductive and tension-filled as we discover the motivation that drives her actions and behaviour, and despite our visceral need to turn away from the nature of her cut-throat job, we can’t help the fascination we have in trying to discover who Requiem really is. Perhaps we never know, as Winter has created Requiem to question that part of herself as much as we do. The other characters, including Alison, are there to assist us (and Requiem) in our study of love, power, need, self, and vulnerability. Lee has created a novel where plot points are placed orchestrally, which, of course, is completely deliberate. You can actually see the movements. It’s very cool.
I’ve only bought one paperback lesfic in the last fifteen months because for me to do so, the novel has to be outstanding. It has to be one that I look at on the shelf as a piece of art, to savour when I open it again to re-read. And so today, despite owning the ebook copy already, I ordered the paperback of Requiem For Immortals, because I want it there on my shelf as that piece of art.
It was so incredible to read something and not say “ooh, I wish I could write like that.” I don’t want to write like Lee Winter. I want to sit in her carefully chosen words, which build her intricate characters, who sustain her layered plots, and admire them, not emulate them. Requiem For Immortals has a depth and strength that holds an audience. It is artistic. Sometimes it’s just nice to perch quietly on the padded seat in front of the painting and appreciate all that it offers.
I’ve only bought one paperback lesfic in the last fifteen months because for me to do so, the novel has to be outstanding. It has to be one that I look at on the shelf as a piece of art, to savour when I open it again to re-read. And so today, despite owning the ebook copy already, I ordered the paperback of Requiem For Immortals, because I want it there on my shelf as that piece of art.
It was so incredible to read something and not say “ooh, I wish I could write like that.” I don’t want to write like Lee Winter. I want to sit in her carefully chosen words, which build her intricate characters, who sustain her layered plots, and admire them, not emulate them. Requiem For Immortals has a depth and strength that holds an audience. It is artistic. Sometimes it’s just nice to perch quietly on the padded seat in front of the painting and appreciate all that it offers.
December 16, 2022
**Even better the second time around**
This book is something else and Natalia is the ultimate ice queen! I found the storyline to be absolutely enthralling, even if it was a painfully slow burn (but it was good pain, I promise)!! Excellent, deep writing from Winter, as always, with intriguing and well-developed characters.
Great narration! I felt like the narrator really fit the characters and tone of the book perfectly. The true seal of approval from me was that I listened to it in 1.0x and never felt it dragged (and also never wanted it to end)!
I highly recommend giving this one a listen!
This book is something else and Natalia is the ultimate ice queen! I found the storyline to be absolutely enthralling, even if it was a painfully slow burn (but it was good pain, I promise)!! Excellent, deep writing from Winter, as always, with intriguing and well-developed characters.
Great narration! I felt like the narrator really fit the characters and tone of the book perfectly. The true seal of approval from me was that I listened to it in 1.0x and never felt it dragged (and also never wanted it to end)!
I highly recommend giving this one a listen!
February 28, 2022
What the f*ck did I just read?
It took me a long time to finally read this book. I know, I'm slow on the uptake on this one. I don't think I can write a review that remotely reads as sophisticated as this book. Winter pulled me in from page one and soon after found myself being led down the rabbit hole from one twist after another. Winter blindsided me with Natalya. I went in knowing she was the assassin, but the facets of that woman was remarkable. Natalya, in my eyes, was a completely different species of human. Ethereal yet hard with lines carved from granite. A tormented, tortured soul with a gift to end life in a way as if she was performing a solo act on her cello that would bring the house down. I could go on and on about Natalya, but I'll stop here.
Winter ended this book on a HFN and it suited the characters. This was an exquisite piece of work, almost art, if you will. I am blown away, not only because of how brilliantly Winter wrote this story, but also how different it was from the previous books I've read of hers. Requiem makes her other books I've read seem vanilla and I don't mean this rudely, but mundane when compared to this one. I totally understand the award and the countless reviews. Damn, this needs to be made into a movie!
5 glittery stars!
It took me a long time to finally read this book. I know, I'm slow on the uptake on this one. I don't think I can write a review that remotely reads as sophisticated as this book. Winter pulled me in from page one and soon after found myself being led down the rabbit hole from one twist after another. Winter blindsided me with Natalya. I went in knowing she was the assassin, but the facets of that woman was remarkable. Natalya, in my eyes, was a completely different species of human. Ethereal yet hard with lines carved from granite. A tormented, tortured soul with a gift to end life in a way as if she was performing a solo act on her cello that would bring the house down. I could go on and on about Natalya, but I'll stop here.
Winter ended this book on a HFN and it suited the characters. This was an exquisite piece of work, almost art, if you will. I am blown away, not only because of how brilliantly Winter wrote this story, but also how different it was from the previous books I've read of hers. Requiem makes her other books I've read seem vanilla and I don't mean this rudely, but mundane when compared to this one. I totally understand the award and the countless reviews. Damn, this needs to be made into a movie!
5 glittery stars!
December 3, 2018
Oh WOW 😮
This is one excellent read! I don’t generally read books on assassins but this one really blew my mind away! Whatever adjectives come to mind wouldn’t do justice to what I thought of this book! I just LOVED it! Ms Winter is such an outstanding storyteller and I’m fast becoming a huge fan of her writing!
Not gonna write what the story is all about. Go read the blurb, read the reviews from all Goodreads friends and you can see and gather just how good this story is.
This is one excellent read! I don’t generally read books on assassins but this one really blew my mind away! Whatever adjectives come to mind wouldn’t do justice to what I thought of this book! I just LOVED it! Ms Winter is such an outstanding storyteller and I’m fast becoming a huge fan of her writing!
Not gonna write what the story is all about. Go read the blurb, read the reviews from all Goodreads friends and you can see and gather just how good this story is.
October 27, 2025
Lee Winter, the FUCKING GENIUS you are 🛐
here we go:
I decided to take the time to write a coherent review because the mastermind of Lee Winter DESERVES it. Okay that’s a lie, this wont be coherent because i took a master in fangirling in 2012 being a directioner and never look back, only became a lesbian and used my powers for a Good cause (workshipping women)
Story and characters:
I cant stress enough how difficult sometimes i find to connect with both MCs in sapphic books. Honestly, I would put my two cents in internalised misogyny and writers struggling to write real human complex women… BUT OMG omg how i loved Alison and Natalya.
The change of POV to Alison in the storytelling throughout the second half was a MASTERPIECE. How we suddenly get to really know her, be in her mind, understand her thought process… It was so fascinating and fucking hilarious, cause Requiem invented a whole novel in her mind and you just see Alison living a normie life and trying to solve a gangland murder cases and AGH I CANT TELL YOU HOW I ENJOYED EVERY FUCKING PAGE.
🥺❤️🩹🕵🏻♀️🐶 Alison: SHE WAS THE BEST. I love her so much. She was just so human. So candid, so sweet, gullible (at the begining at least)… and omg when we got to see her character growth!! WHAT A PLEASURE! So strong, so brave! Knowing her dog (who I love, precious) and Hailey too was great: CUTIES. In short, she was an amazing character. Truly. Like I would love to be her friend and chat with her for hours. She is more than a cardboard “good uwu girl”, her struggle seemed real, her way to deal with the emotional intelligence of a pencil of damned Requiem sometimes was chef kiss. I was so proud of her for not throwing away her common sense and just be a horny teenager. THANK GOD. So yeah, as you can see, I adore this woman.
🫦❤️🔥🎻🥷🏻🐚 Requiem/Natalya: dude THIS WOMAN. I don’t know if I want to declare my love for her or idk scream at her while she looks at me like I’m a stupid ant. I don’t even know how to describe this woman. Probably the iciest ice queen to ever exist. Girl you made me eat my nails until the literal last 10 pages. I guess she just needed a vacation in spain eating paella (a psychologist would have been better tbh) to clear her mind and priorities. I wouldnt want her any other way either. this woman was simping over Alison since the beginning and idc what she says. i know who you are. and THAT SAVING MOMENT!? I WAS FUCKING SWOONING. IN THE FLOOR. SCREAMING AND GIGGLING AND AGH. I love russian women, I discovered that too.
Chemistry test: PASSED WITH HONOURS. This twoooooooo!!!! 😭🥹😍🛐
This will be the most random quote and probably the least romantic but I think it suits them to a tee.
“Which test?”
“What?” Alison blinked at her in confusion.
“Which one didn’t you ace?”
Alison looked mutinous. “Grip test. You have to be able to squeeze thirty kilograms. I did it eventually, but they gave me so much shit for it.”
“Ah,” Natalya said. “I thought it would be ‘command presence.’”
“That’s not a measurable test,” Alison said shooting her a dark look.
“Lucky for you,” Natalya said, only half joking.
I love them, your honour. 🤌🏻
I will shut up already cause this could go for days.
And you Lee Winter? I will thank the day you were born in my lesbian altar every night, thank you very much.
The way I got to love Australia thanks to many lesbians. My Australian trifecta of lesbians: Hannah Gadsby (comedy lesbian), Lee Winter (writer lesbian) and Sheila Jeffreys (feminist lesbian).
In conclusion, READ IT. The best day of my life. Probably the best day of your life. Only half joking. (do I think I have accomplish something by imitating Requiem? Yes I do)🙂↔️
Rep: both lesbians MCs. As god intended lol
PS as a spanish person, I really hope no one from Valencia read this book, because saying that the best paella is from Santiago de Compostela would be a crime of some kind
here we go:
I decided to take the time to write a coherent review because the mastermind of Lee Winter DESERVES it. Okay that’s a lie, this wont be coherent because i took a master in fangirling in 2012 being a directioner and never look back, only became a lesbian and used my powers for a Good cause (workshipping women)
Story and characters:
I cant stress enough how difficult sometimes i find to connect with both MCs in sapphic books. Honestly, I would put my two cents in internalised misogyny and writers struggling to write real human complex women… BUT OMG omg how i loved Alison and Natalya.
The change of POV to Alison in the storytelling throughout the second half was a MASTERPIECE. How we suddenly get to really know her, be in her mind, understand her thought process… It was so fascinating and fucking hilarious, cause Requiem invented a whole novel in her mind and you just see Alison living a normie life and trying to solve a gangland murder cases and AGH I CANT TELL YOU HOW I ENJOYED EVERY FUCKING PAGE.
🥺❤️🩹🕵🏻♀️🐶 Alison: SHE WAS THE BEST. I love her so much. She was just so human. So candid, so sweet, gullible (at the begining at least)… and omg when we got to see her character growth!! WHAT A PLEASURE! So strong, so brave! Knowing her dog (who I love, precious) and Hailey too was great: CUTIES. In short, she was an amazing character. Truly. Like I would love to be her friend and chat with her for hours. She is more than a cardboard “good uwu girl”, her struggle seemed real, her way to deal with the emotional intelligence of a pencil of damned Requiem sometimes was chef kiss. I was so proud of her for not throwing away her common sense and just be a horny teenager. THANK GOD. So yeah, as you can see, I adore this woman.
🫦❤️🔥🎻🥷🏻🐚 Requiem/Natalya: dude THIS WOMAN. I don’t know if I want to declare my love for her or idk scream at her while she looks at me like I’m a stupid ant. I don’t even know how to describe this woman. Probably the iciest ice queen to ever exist. Girl you made me eat my nails until the literal last 10 pages. I guess she just needed a vacation in spain eating paella (a psychologist would have been better tbh) to clear her mind and priorities. I wouldnt want her any other way either. this woman was simping over Alison since the beginning and idc what she says. i know who you are. and THAT SAVING MOMENT!? I WAS FUCKING SWOONING. IN THE FLOOR. SCREAMING AND GIGGLING AND AGH. I love russian women, I discovered that too.
Chemistry test: PASSED WITH HONOURS. This twoooooooo!!!! 😭🥹😍🛐
This will be the most random quote and probably the least romantic but I think it suits them to a tee.
“Which test?”
“What?” Alison blinked at her in confusion.
“Which one didn’t you ace?”
Alison looked mutinous. “Grip test. You have to be able to squeeze thirty kilograms. I did it eventually, but they gave me so much shit for it.”
“Ah,” Natalya said. “I thought it would be ‘command presence.’”
“That’s not a measurable test,” Alison said shooting her a dark look.
“Lucky for you,” Natalya said, only half joking.
I love them, your honour. 🤌🏻
I will shut up already cause this could go for days.
And you Lee Winter? I will thank the day you were born in my lesbian altar every night, thank you very much.
The way I got to love Australia thanks to many lesbians. My Australian trifecta of lesbians: Hannah Gadsby (comedy lesbian), Lee Winter (writer lesbian) and Sheila Jeffreys (feminist lesbian).
In conclusion, READ IT. The best day of my life. Probably the best day of your life. Only half joking. (do I think I have accomplish something by imitating Requiem? Yes I do)🙂↔️
Rep: both lesbians MCs. As god intended lol
PS as a spanish person, I really hope no one from Valencia read this book, because saying that the best paella is from Santiago de Compostela would be a crime of some kind
November 22, 2018
*Reread for a Book Club weekend discussion. This book gets better the second time around. Maybe the shock value has ebbed a bit in the knowing, but the second half with Alison throwing in her two cents made a bigger impact on me on this reread. Good stuff.*
Oh momma that was a good read.
Requiem is the the ultimate in cold blooded hired assassins. She also plays a mean cello in her day job. The perfection needed in her musical career bleeds (snort) into creative ways to end the lives of underworld mob bosses, flesh traders and other unsavoury business types. Her victims are not blameless innocents. When her next assignment is an unassuming office worker she is perplexed and curious about her target and the person responsible for the requested hit. But a job is a job and the great Requiem never fails an assignment.
This book was a pleasure to read. Winters writing has an elegance to it that elevates her stories to that next level. Descriptive sentences like The concrete floor was lit by a dust-filtered arc of moonlight streaming through the cracked window. when she is describing the scene of an assasination make the crime almost poetic. Natalya's cynical view of the mere mortals with whom she must share the planet showcases the author's dry wit. Natalya generally found most people duller than an Amish fashion show.
Her ability to ramp up the tension and give depth to her characters make this novel on par with mainstream thriller authors like Lisa Gardner and Tess Gerritsen. Books you can't put down because you have to know what happens next, who is the real target, what will become of the hero/anti-hero.
The book isn't perfect but it's close. The first half is perfect. I found the rewind and discussion of previous events by Alison dragged the book down to a pedestrian pace in the second half of the novel. I was happy when the characters returned to the present to bring the novel to its final crescendo.
And yes, the underlying classic music theme is impossible not to embrace while reading.
4.5 for a great Lesfic thriller
Oh momma that was a good read.
Requiem is the the ultimate in cold blooded hired assassins. She also plays a mean cello in her day job. The perfection needed in her musical career bleeds (snort) into creative ways to end the lives of underworld mob bosses, flesh traders and other unsavoury business types. Her victims are not blameless innocents. When her next assignment is an unassuming office worker she is perplexed and curious about her target and the person responsible for the requested hit. But a job is a job and the great Requiem never fails an assignment.
This book was a pleasure to read. Winters writing has an elegance to it that elevates her stories to that next level. Descriptive sentences like The concrete floor was lit by a dust-filtered arc of moonlight streaming through the cracked window. when she is describing the scene of an assasination make the crime almost poetic. Natalya's cynical view of the mere mortals with whom she must share the planet showcases the author's dry wit. Natalya generally found most people duller than an Amish fashion show.
Her ability to ramp up the tension and give depth to her characters make this novel on par with mainstream thriller authors like Lisa Gardner and Tess Gerritsen. Books you can't put down because you have to know what happens next, who is the real target, what will become of the hero/anti-hero.
The book isn't perfect but it's close. The first half is perfect. I found the rewind and discussion of previous events by Alison dragged the book down to a pedestrian pace in the second half of the novel. I was happy when the characters returned to the present to bring the novel to its final crescendo.
And yes, the underlying classic music theme is impossible not to embrace while reading.
4.5 for a great Lesfic thriller
September 17, 2016
Requiem For Immortals by Lee Winter is easily one of the best books I have read in some time. The characters are fascinating. The writing is superb and the story , absolutely captivating. Some adjectives right! This book will stay with you in and leave you wondering what’s next. Not in the frustrating cliffhanger kind of way, but in write another one already, I need more kind of way.
The story is center around our two main characters, Natalya and Alison. These two are your yin and yang. Natalya Tsvetnenko is a classical musician, a cellist, who plays for the Victorian Philharmonic Orchestra in Melbourne. This is one-half of who this woman is. The other, almost like another personality, is Requiem. Requiem is an assassin for hire. A cold blooded killer, that will do whatever the highest bidder needs. Both sides of Natalya’s life are regimented, consisting of extreme discipline and control, just with very different outcomes.
Alison Ryan is your basic, Melbourne woman. Average in every way, she goes to work, Monday through Friday. Miss Ryan does her eight-hour shift and then heads home to care for her disabled, abusive mother. Her only passion is music. She has no lovers, no unseemly vices, so why on Earth does Requiem have a contract to kill her for double the average payment?
Oh my, the tangled web, Lee Winters has weaved with this one. This psychological thriller throws curveball after curveball leaving you on the edge of your seat the whole book. Oh so good!
The story is center around our two main characters, Natalya and Alison. These two are your yin and yang. Natalya Tsvetnenko is a classical musician, a cellist, who plays for the Victorian Philharmonic Orchestra in Melbourne. This is one-half of who this woman is. The other, almost like another personality, is Requiem. Requiem is an assassin for hire. A cold blooded killer, that will do whatever the highest bidder needs. Both sides of Natalya’s life are regimented, consisting of extreme discipline and control, just with very different outcomes.
Alison Ryan is your basic, Melbourne woman. Average in every way, she goes to work, Monday through Friday. Miss Ryan does her eight-hour shift and then heads home to care for her disabled, abusive mother. Her only passion is music. She has no lovers, no unseemly vices, so why on Earth does Requiem have a contract to kill her for double the average payment?
Oh my, the tangled web, Lee Winters has weaved with this one. This psychological thriller throws curveball after curveball leaving you on the edge of your seat the whole book. Oh so good!
May 2, 2017
I thought this was a fantastic and fun read and I enjoyed it even more than 'The Red Files'. The two leads are both excellent and developed characters and the plot is unique, complex, and well executed.
It was one of those books that I couldn't STOP reading, telling myself "Just one more chapter...okay, one more chapter". I really loved this. It's an interesting mix of action, humor, drama, and mystery that felt highly cinematic. I couldn't help thinking it would make a great movie.
This is a new favorite.
It was one of those books that I couldn't STOP reading, telling myself "Just one more chapter...okay, one more chapter". I really loved this. It's an interesting mix of action, humor, drama, and mystery that felt highly cinematic. I couldn't help thinking it would make a great movie.
This is a new favorite.
October 9, 2021
Great book. Enjoyed it tremendously.
October 22, 2022
So my wife loved this one so I had to go back to see why was it not a five star book for me. Narrator was great. I think it came down to the one main being in a miserable position because of her own doing. Hate to see someone being abused by her family and stay for no good reason. Emotions were a bit repetitive as well. But otherwise there is a lot to love about the book.
August 3, 2024
Maybe my expectations were too high but I wanted to like this more than I did 😭
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
August 23, 2016
Natalya Tsvetnenko is one character in a million.
It’s so different to be refreshing. She could be compared somehow to Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander (another one character in a million), as she is violent, genial, disturbed but with a heart.
But she is not a hacker. Her life is not a mess.
“By day” she is Natalya, a brilliant, internationally renowned celloist, great lover of classic music, but secretly she is also Requiem, the most dangerous, efficient assassin of the Orient (well, actually the author says of the Australian state of Victoria, but I honestly think she’s just modest…), a vindictive angel who adds a touch of distinctiveness to every murder she commits. Natalya/Requiem is a kind of double personality, even if there is merging between the two.
Her leit-motiv is power, order and control. Her only release is her music. Otherwise she is ethereal, cold.
Hired by criminals, she is used to kill criminals, the worst ones, the most vicious, the most dangerous, dispensing her ruthless justice with a sense of exhilaration.
But what happens when she’s hired to kill an innocent? Expecially if her target is the sweet, shy, charming Alison…
Can those strange, new, growing feelings really tame the great Requiem?
The story is both a crime and a romance.
It’s a very good, solid crime, full of action and gruesome assassinations, in the underground world of crime families war and there’s the mistery of the innocent woman targeted to be killed.
As a romance I’d define it as a “defrosting ice queen” kind (a genre I have a thing for), but brought to the extreme, as here the “queen” is really, really dark, almost black.
Also, gradually, we get to discover the story of Natalya and why and how she was transformed into Requiem.
Now let’s say it: how cool is all that?
5 full stars and favorites.
It’s so different to be refreshing. She could be compared somehow to Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander (another one character in a million), as she is violent, genial, disturbed but with a heart.
But she is not a hacker. Her life is not a mess.
“By day” she is Natalya, a brilliant, internationally renowned celloist, great lover of classic music, but secretly she is also Requiem, the most dangerous, efficient assassin of the Orient (well, actually the author says of the Australian state of Victoria, but I honestly think she’s just modest…), a vindictive angel who adds a touch of distinctiveness to every murder she commits. Natalya/Requiem is a kind of double personality, even if there is merging between the two.
Her leit-motiv is power, order and control. Her only release is her music. Otherwise she is ethereal, cold.
Hired by criminals, she is used to kill criminals, the worst ones, the most vicious, the most dangerous, dispensing her ruthless justice with a sense of exhilaration.
But what happens when she’s hired to kill an innocent? Expecially if her target is the sweet, shy, charming Alison…
Can those strange, new, growing feelings really tame the great Requiem?
The story is both a crime and a romance.
It’s a very good, solid crime, full of action and gruesome assassinations, in the underground world of crime families war and there’s the mistery of the innocent woman targeted to be killed.
As a romance I’d define it as a “defrosting ice queen” kind (a genre I have a thing for), but brought to the extreme, as here the “queen” is really, really dark, almost black.
Also, gradually, we get to discover the story of Natalya and why and how she was transformed into Requiem.
Now let’s say it: how cool is all that?
5 full stars and favorites.
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