[Bre’s Review] Blog Tour + Giveaway: The Queen’s Assassin

The Queen's Assassin
by Melissa de la Cruz
Pages: 384
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons
Release Date: February 4, 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, YA
Source: Publisher
Format Read: ARC
Goodreads

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Red Queen, this is the first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy-romance duet about a deadly assassin, his mysterious apprentice, and the country they are sworn to protect from #1 NYT bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

Caledon Holt is the Kingdom of Renovia's deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in brawn or brains, which is why he's the Guild's most dangerous member and the Queen's one and only assassin. He's also bound to the Queen by an impossible vow--to find the missing Deian Scrolls, the fount of all magical history and knowledge, stolen years ago by a nefarious sect called the Aphrasians.

Shadow has been training all her life to follow in the footsteps of her mother and aunts--to become skilled enough to join the ranks of the Guild. Though magic has been forbidden since the Aphrasian uprising, Shadow has been learning to control her powers in secret, hoping that one day she'll become an assassin as feared and revered as Caledon Holt.

When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they're forced to team up as assassin and apprentice to hunt down a new sinister threat to Renovia. But as Cal and Shadow grow closer, they'll uncover a shocking web of lies and secrets that may destroy everything they hold dear. With war on the horizon and true love at risk, they'll stop at nothing to protect each other and their kingdom in this stunning first novel in the Queen's Secret series.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“All the answers you seek are there, but only if you are willing to hear them.”

The Queen’s Assassin is reminiscent of the old school YA that I remember from many late nights of reading. It has all the elements of an intriguing fantasy including assassins, romance, and political intrigue. 

I will admit that I was a tad confused in the beginning. I couldn’t understand parts of the story because there was a lot going on but then it was eventually explained which worked fine for me. There was a little lull in the pace but it picked back up and even have some unexpected twists! So make sure to push through!

What I really loved was the romance! A lot of times the romance gets put on the back burner in most YA fantasy books but the romance between Shadow and Caledon is very much an integral part of the plot and it definitely kept the book going!

“A promise between two souls,” he says, but he only has eyes for Shadow. “A promise can be broken,” Shadow replies.  “Not mine,” he says, so quietly that he’s not sure she can hear him.  “Nor mine,” she says, which means that she did.

If you love both YA Fantasy and romance, make sure to enter the giveaway. It will be running from February 4-18.