Holiday Gift Ideas: Grave Mercy (LeFevers)

Title: Grave Mercy
Author: LeFevers
Genre: Fiction, Assassins, Death, Gods, Historical Fiction, Courts, Fantasy
Pages: 549
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

I love the tagline on this book: Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

17-year-old Ismae escapes the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. At the convent she learns that the god of Death has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death.

Seriously? Nun assassins? Do you really need me to say anything more? Just look at that cover! And this book is the beginning of a new series!
I am in love with this book...it has all the the elements of a dark, sophisticated fairy tale (castles, courts, good vs evil), a nod to historical fiction, and a twisted love story for feminists and romantics alike. And if you are one of those people that likes to read "Best Books," this title has made many Top Books of 2012 lists.


Ismae is one of the great heroines of literature these days. She if flawed but has a strong voice, can spy and kill with the best of them, shows mercy, and her romance with Duval shows her feminine side. This is definitely a book for older (high school and up) readers, but well worth the read. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel, Dark Triumph, due in April.