Book Review: Nevernight & Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

The Nevernight Chronicles (Books #1 & #2) were the third and fourth picks of #2018FWTBRPick for the month of July! Don’t forget to click the link to see what it is all about! ❤

Destined to destroy empires, Mia Covere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.

Six years later, the child raised in shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day that she lost everything.

But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and demons at the heart of a murder cult.

The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student.

The shadows love her. And they drink her fear.

There are some books that you either end up absolutely hating or absolutely loving – Nevernight Chronicles will be one such series!

It takes a while to get into the book – the writing style of Mr. Kristroff is abrupt, heavy and definitely drags your own interest down – but it is the writing style of the author that makes or breaks the reader’s interest in the book itself.

But here’s a little advice – DO NOT GIVE UP ON THIS BOOK. A lot of foundation is laid down in the first few chapters; but it is when we reach the School of Assassins; Red Church – a bloody, squeamish journey that will honestly keep you to the edge of your seats.

I adored the kind of unease Mia Corvere (main character, of course!) had around the people she was competing with to become an assassin – but loved loved the kind of unfit band of different kids coming together – Tric, Ashlinn and Charlotte. It isn’t hard to fall in love with all the characters, no matter how much they irritated or exasperated you – Mia is one the most kick-a** heroines I have had the pleasure of reading. But what makes her better is the fact that there is a hint of heart that she never lets go even when its detrimental, not only to her mission but to her life as well.

Mysterious characters, secrets underneath secrets and betrayals that one would definitely not see coming; Nevernight pretty much had it all!

But what it didn’t have was romance – there is hint of feelings of course, but it is never brought to the surface; but what this does have is a whole lot of s*x – while I wanted heartfelt romance; which I do believe we have been conditioned to like not only in our lives but also in books; this book doesn’t do heartfelt romance – but there’s a hint of it – there’s the hint of feelings & for now it was honestly enough to satisfy me!

What makes Nevernight Chronicles stand out is the fact that there are footnotes describing what might have remained unknown – and trust me, THEY WORKED!! I adored reading these footnotes as much as the story itself and I can’t wait to see where the author takes Mia and her shadows forward!

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .5

AMAZON INDIA | AMAZON US

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.

Godsgrave’s blurb/synopsis had my heart in my throat tbh – after the way Nevernight ended; honestly I just couldn’t handle where the author would take Mia off to!

But I sallied forward and unlike most sequels I enjoyed it – for there is a new surprising ally, new betrayals and new challenges and actions to bloody!

This did move a bit slower than Nevernight, in terms of plot – for the basic bones of the book were already revealed in the synopsis itself – so the fact that no major reveals actually happened in this book made me miffed!

But as usual, Mia is her own sarcastic self, and the plot does flow throughout with action and adventure with a whole lot of bloodshood and a surprising new romance that you just might not have seen coming!

As sequel, this is a whole lot more fun than I had expected – and I definitely enjoyed. There is a cliffhanger at the end, but I do wish more information regarding the basic plotline had also been revealed!

Now, the wait till 2019 for the third book is going to be hell, and honestly I don’t think I have the patience to handle it. Should I go the way of Mia then?