Goodreads Synopsis
A ruthless young assassin continues her journey for revenge in this new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.
Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.
When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.
Set in the world of Nevernight, which Publishers Weekly called “absorbing in its complexity and bold in its bloodiness,” Godsgrave will continue to thrill and satisfy fantasy fans everywhere.
My review
Wow. What an amazing read. How did Jay Kristoff manage to write such an incredible sequel to the first book in the series: Nevernight? He must be a demon. I spent most of it swearing about how amazing Jay Kristoff’s writing is and wishing I could crawl into his writer’s brain and feast on his mind for a day. Oh, one can dream. Fantastic characters, amazing plot, pulse racing excitement, entrancing sexy bits – murder plus sex, and did a certain someone give into the raging urges of her bisexual side?
Godsgrave has it all.
Passion, bravery, dark quips of humour, fantastic usage of unique phrases like: ‘byss and blood,’ and merciless death – what a combination. The twists at the end were crazy and I’m still reeling from them. Jay Kristoff had so many unexpected tricks up his sleeve. My poor wee brain couldn’t keep up.
It’s strange how much I love this blood-thirsty assassin story so much. It surprises me – perhaps it’s the Scorpio in me. The passionate sting in my tail is hidden but it’s there!
This series has captured my heart and soul because:
I adore character driven stories. Mia is such a well-crafted heroine. The reader can’t help but adore her even though she is a merciless killer. The violence is vindicated because she has been through hell. This isn’t just about a raging psychopath killing for the sake of it. She has a purpose – to avenge her family – and the reader longs for her to find love, and happiness and to succeed.
The subsidiary characters are beyond awesome and the shadow cat and dog are hysterical. I love their back and forth banter.
In the second book I particularly enjoyed Mia’s character arc – how she became more thoughtful, questioning her actions and the friendships she made whilst holding on to, and keeping sight of her ultimate goal.
My recommendation – read this series. It’s a must if you are a YA author. It’s a must for wannabe authors too. But it should carry a health warning for writers. You will swear. Loudly. And be very jealous.
Beware – if you’re squeamish about blood and gore this might not be for you – think arenas of death and Gladiator. And I’d suggest this is not for the tender eyes of younger readers due to the graphic sexual content and violence.
Conclusion: Welcome to my writer’s bible!
Jay Kristoff is undoubtedly my favourite author, no question. If I could give him six stars I would.
Love ya Jay!
Have you read The Nevernight Chronicle? And if not, why not?
Author’s website: https://jaykristoff.com/
My review link to Nevernight: https://mjmallon.com/2018/03/03/review-of-nevernight-by-jay-kristoff/
Till the next time droogs … Don’t let my quiet persona fool you…
Buy Paperback Book link: http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)
Social Media:
Authors Media Kit: https://mjmallon.com/2018/02/13/media-kit/
Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
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Wow! I want to run out and buy this book! Thanks for the awesome review, Marje. Congratulations, Kristoff!😀
Really recommend it Vashti but read the first in the series Nevernight before this one. He is an incredible author and very sexy too! Lol. I would love to meet him.
Great review Marjorie this looks right up my street 💜
Go for it Willow. His writing us amazing. 🙂
I will 💜💝
wow, Marjorie, I read the first book in this series and loved it. I love the way he writes, every word. I am waiting patiently to read this one. Great review and so glad that you love his writing as much as I do. <3
Great minds think alike! Yes his writing is epic! Xxx
I feel like I’ve been seeing Jay Kristoff everywhere lately, he’s really making a name for himself!! Which is great to see, of course 😉 I completely relate to the sweary reaction, I did the same thing when I read The Bell Jar for the first time (in fact, I swore at one point in the story that I’d give up on writing altogether, because what was the point of writing anything ever when something that good already exists?). So, solidarity, sis! 😉
Yes he really deserves it. Glad to hear you react in a similar way! I keep on writing in the hope that one day a little bit of magical writing pixie dust might alight on me from the likes of Jay Kristoff! Lol. Solidarity to you too. x