• About

By Hook Or By Book

~ Book Reviews, News, and Other Stuff

By Hook Or By Book

Daily Archives: April 2, 2017

International Children’s Book Day

02 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 27 Comments

Tags

Inspirational quotes, International Children's Book Day, J.K. Rowling

IMG_0025

It’s books you read when you’re young, that stay with you always.

~ J.K. Rowling ~

Advertisements

Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) ~ By Mark Lawrence – 4.5 Stars

02 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 50 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Epic Fantasy, LGBTQ

img_0668

Thanks to NetGalley and Ace for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 4th, 2017

432 Pages

Synopsis: I was born for killing–the gods made me to ruin.

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.

Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire, Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive…

It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy Covenant, Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men.

And with that beginning I knew I was going to be in for one heck of a ride! Red Sister is the first book I’ve read by Mark Lawrence, which has left me questioning “Why?” The main character, Nona immediately grabbed my heart right from the beginning as she’s waiting to be executed for murder. Once she’s rescued and brought to the convent, she begins training to be a holy and deadly warrior. The nunnery is somewhat similar to those seen in other fantasy series such as The Kingkiller Chronicles, and even Harry Potter. It also was slightly reminiscent of Nevernight, by Jay Kristoff. There’s that connecting theme to all of them that have the main character possibly being a “chosen one” being sent off to some form of boarding school with tough teachers, and bullies, yet also features close friendships being formed. In this book though, this theme takes on a far more darker and sinister tone. The style of writing is evocative and almost lyrical, which further sets it apart from other fantasies. Everything in Red Sister, from the world-building, the magic system, and even the characters themselves, takes the reader on a journey quite unlike any other. I was a little confused in the beginning as far as the way Lawrence’s world actually works, but I wonder now if this was done purposefully. As I kept reading, it seemed as though I was learning alongside Nona. The ending completely blew me away and it’s left me anxiously waiting for the next book. I do need to bring up the absolute brutality in this book, particularly as it relates to children. This complex world that the author has created is unapologetically bloody and violent. The first chapter has  the line:

No child truly believes they’re going to be hanged.

I knew right then there were going to be some stomach-churning moments and I was right. So just beware, particularly if you cringe at violence being directed toward young ones. Otherwise I cannot recommend this highly enough to fans of fantasy. I guarantee that from the very first page you won’t be able to tear yourself away until the end which will leave you gasping!

  • By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff

Archives

April 2017
M T W T F S S
« Mar   May »
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930

Blog Stats

  • 133,911 hits
Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Buns are all that you require
  • democratizemoney
  • Bookish Penguin
  • Forever Bookish
  • Petyr Baeish Books
  • Ludwig's Thrillers
  • Reading.Between.Wines
  • Gerardo Writes
  • Words Of The Willow Tree
  • Page After Page Book Blog
  • Simple And Funny Observations of Everyday Life
  • bookdragongirl.wordpress.com/
  • The Narcissist's Daughter
  • Books & Rants
  • The Loyal Brit Wit
  • Blogging Thoughts Photos & Life
  • TwinMirrors
  • abellafairytale
  • orangeowldiaries
  • A Girl With An Adventurous Fork
  • dog-eared
  • Coffee, Crime, and a Whole Latte More
  • shamarswint
  • Chronically Ill With A Bucket List
  • A Book World!
  • Marjorie's World of Books
  • RootReads
  • Spellbound Librarian
  • Reader Fox and a Box of Books
  • The Traveling Inkwell
  • Art of Feels
  • DigiThanks
  • Reading Through Life
  • acourtofbooksweb.wordpress.com/
  • Paper Books Rock
  • Teddy and me - a reading blog
  • TaysInfiniteThoughts
  • Fresh Princess of Bochord
  • Beckie Bookworm
  • Bookgraphy
  • Sammy's Shelf
  • ANerdyBookBirdy
  • the shelter of books
  • fangsandfiction.wordpress.com/
  • Bits & Books
  • paintandbutterfliesbooks.wordpress.com/
  • Stories From The Resistance
  • Reading with June
  • onemovieonebook
  • Heather Tasker

Member of The Internet Defense League

Advertisements
Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Buns are all that you require
  • democratizemoney
  • Bookish Penguin
  • Forever Bookish
  • Petyr Baeish Books
  • Ludwig's Thrillers
  • Reading.Between.Wines
  • Gerardo Writes
  • Words Of The Willow Tree
  • Page After Page Book Blog
  • Simple And Funny Observations of Everyday Life
  • bookdragongirl.wordpress.com/
  • The Narcissist's Daughter
  • Books & Rants
  • The Loyal Brit Wit
  • Blogging Thoughts Photos & Life
  • TwinMirrors
  • abellafairytale
  • orangeowldiaries
  • A Girl With An Adventurous Fork
April 2017
M T W T F S S
« Mar   May »
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Buns are all that you require

democratizemoney

Monetary policy, central bank, economic policy, politics, government, economics, money creation, income inequality, wealth inequality, business cycle, boom, contraction

Bookish Penguin

#bookishpenguinreads

Forever Bookish

Raves, reviews, and rambles about all things YA

Petyr Baeish Books

Book Reviews, Tags & More!

Ludwig's Thrillers

A guy hunting for thrillers across the world, and a firm believer in the power of tea

Reading.Between.Wines

Lose Yourself in a Book

Gerardo Writes

#YA

Words Of The Willow Tree

A Little Bit Of Everything

Page After Page Book Blog

Simple And Funny Observations of Everyday Life

bookdragongirl.wordpress.com/

The Narcissist's Daughter

Blogger. Survivor. Writing of recovery from Maternal Narcissism, Childhood Abuse, PTSD, MDD, GAD, and living with Chronic Pain.

Books & Rants

Book discussions & reviews

The Loyal Brit Wit

Posh and cultured language adventures

Blogging Thoughts Photos & Life

TwinMirrors

Look into our mirrors...You will see the most amazing things...

abellafairytale

This is my review on young adult books.

orangeowldiaries

A Girl With An Adventurous Fork

The story of a girl with her romantic adventure with food and travel.

dog-eared

verb: to fold down the corner of (a book or magazine), typically to mark a place; adjective: (of an object made from paper) with the corners worn or battered with use.

Coffee, Crime, and a Whole Latte More

Lawyer- Writer- Politico- (Disney) World Traveler

shamarswint

Chronically Ill With A Bucket List

A Book World!

One doesn't exactly remember what they read, but they will forever remember how it made them feel.

Marjorie's World of Books

Book Reviews, Literary Discussions, Author Interviews

RootReads

"I lived in books more than I lived anywhere else." --Neil Gaiman

Spellbound Librarian

A lover of magical books : Book reviews, and general book rambling

Reader Fox and a Box of Books

[book reviews by SPasciuti]

The Traveling Inkwell

always reading, always roaming

Art of Feels

DigiThanks

Reading Through Life

acourtofbooksweb.wordpress.com/

–My Bookish Life–

Paper Books Rock

Reviewing the books that, you know, rock.

Teddy and me - a reading blog

TaysInfiniteThoughts

Book Reviews & More

Fresh Princess of Bochord

"bochord" - Old English for Book Hoard

Beckie Bookworm

FICTOPHILIA A CONDITION INVOLVING AN IRREVOCABLE AND PASSIONATE LOVE FOR A FICTIONAL CHARACTER.

Bookgraphy

Sammy's Shelf

I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book - j.k. rowling

ANerdyBookBirdy

the shelter of books

//INTERNATIONAL LETTERAR BLOG// ***//BLOG INTERNACIONAL LITERARIO //*** For all readers in the world - Para todos los lectores en el mundo

fangsandfiction.wordpress.com/

Bits & Books

paintandbutterfliesbooks.wordpress.com/

Stories From The Resistance

Don't be a Trump. Fight for democracy.

Reading with June

Only honest reviews!

onemovieonebook

Heather Tasker

Dweebdom, reading, writing, living with chronic pain, and hopefully not too much about politics.

Buns are all that you require

democratizemoney

Monetary policy, central bank, economic policy, politics, government, economics, money creation, income inequality, wealth inequality, business cycle, boom, contraction

Bookish Penguin

#bookishpenguinreads

Forever Bookish

Raves, reviews, and rambles about all things YA

Petyr Baeish Books

Book Reviews, Tags & More!

Ludwig's Thrillers

A guy hunting for thrillers across the world, and a firm believer in the power of tea

Reading.Between.Wines

Lose Yourself in a Book

Gerardo Writes

#YA

Words Of The Willow Tree

A Little Bit Of Everything

Page After Page Book Blog

Simple And Funny Observations of Everyday Life

bookdragongirl.wordpress.com/

The Narcissist's Daughter

Blogger. Survivor. Writing of recovery from Maternal Narcissism, Childhood Abuse, PTSD, MDD, GAD, and living with Chronic Pain.

Books & Rants

Book discussions & reviews

The Loyal Brit Wit

Posh and cultured language adventures

Blogging Thoughts Photos & Life

TwinMirrors

Look into our mirrors...You will see the most amazing things...

abellafairytale

This is my review on young adult books.

orangeowldiaries

A Girl With An Adventurous Fork

The story of a girl with her romantic adventure with food and travel.

Cancel