5 Minute Book Review: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

Rating: 3 Stars
Author: R.L. LaFevers
Publisher:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Series: 1st in His Fair Assassin 
Pages: 549
File Under: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Summary from Goodreads:

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself 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. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. 

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

5 Minute Reviews are just what they sound like. I take 5 minutes and jot out my feelings about the book, whether it's because I don't have time for a full on review or because I don't have a lot to say. Let's get started.

Like: 
Duval: He's the main squeeze. Not a jerk! Love him. (Is it sad that that's all it takes for me to like a YA male character. Sigh. Authors, quit making boys into jerks!)
Plot: A little predictable but sill enjoyable.
Setting: It's built up well.
 Sex: A YA book that acknowledges sex is a thing!
Cover: What is it about a girl in a red dress that drives me mad?
THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE!!


Didn't Like: 
Ismae: It's not that she's unlikable. It's more that she's kind of boring. Sad.
Why they have sex: Really? Really? That's the big mystery? MMhm.
Pacing: Parts of the book are real drags.
"Womanly Charms": I get it. Please quit saying it.
Duval's Mother: That was fixed/dropped pretty fast. Not impressed.

Finally: Sybella's story is the next one and I really want to read it!

Review: Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

Rating: 3 Stars
Author: Kady Cross
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Series: 1st in Steampunk Chronicles
Pages: 473 (Including the prequel which I didn't read.)
File Under: Young Adult, Romance, Steampunk, Historical Fiction
Summary from Goodreads:

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one...except the "thing" inside her.When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no "normal" Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch.... 

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of "them." The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret. 

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help--and finally be a part of something, finally fit in. 

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on--even if it seems no one believes her.

This book was given to be by Tena via RAK. Thank you so much!

At first I debated and debated on whether or not I wanted to read this book. No sooner than I decide I would give it a try, Tena sent it to me! This book book had the potential to be a favorite. I can see it under its surface. However it fell a little flat.

What I Liked:
It was entertaining. I enjoyed elements of the plot. And while it was predictable and stiff in some parts, I still liked it. For the most part the pacing was adequate.

It got my attention in the beginning.The book starts off with a great hook. Finley works for a family whose son is notorious for assaulting women. That night Finley catches his eye. He starts to assault her and her inner demon comes out to save her. She flees and gets ran over by my favorite man, Griff.

No instalove. Thank you! The characters in this book are not in love. They are attracted to each other. But things develop slowly. And granted most of their thoughts for each other are lustful. But it has a natural progression of feelings. Their relationship doesn't feel forced.

The humor. Cross kind of pokes fun at her book. Finley uhgs at Emily's love triangle, when she herself is in one. Sam mentions how perfect Finley is and he wouldn't be surprised if wings grew out of her butt.

Beautiful cover. I can't resist a red dress.

Writing. I am not the kind of person that likes long, drawn out descriptions. Give me what I need and move on. There is little purple prose in this book. (But there is a lot of telling instead of showing.)

Finley is a great name.

Multiple POVs. I usually do not like multiple POVs. Often books with multiple POVs annoy me. But it works here. The change in POVs is smooth. And it adds more to the story.

Griffin is not a jerk. Many books have the love interest who is a complete asshole or a creep. But for some ungodly reason the MC falls for him anyway. (cough Jack Dandy cough) Griffin is not that man.

Didn't Like:
The book is romance. Until it's not. Steampunk. Until it's not. Historical. Until it's not. The genres happen in parts. Not in one cohesive package.

The steel corset wasn't a big part of the story. It was more like a blip. It's introduced halfway through the novel and then mentioned again in the final battle.

Shallowness in plot and characters. While the story starts off fast it does loses it's steam pretty fast. The characters are flat and one-dimensional with cardboard personalities that we have seen before. And while I did enjoy the plot and the action, it could have been better. There could have been more mystery. There was little suspense.

Sam. I hate him. He is a horrible character who does not deserve Emily. She is the character that falls for the jerk character.

Finley needed more. She is out main character. This is supposed to be her story! We need more of her background and family to be explored more. Her father was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! And what about her personality? She herself barely has one. It's inner demon Finley that has character depth.

Love triangle. Jack Dandy could have easily been written out without much change to the story.

Overall:
Even with some of the negatice aspects, I enjoyed the book.