The Queen's Assassin - by Melissa de la Cruz

I can’t review the actual book because I haven’t read it yet. But the cover is messed up. It’s got a second layer of the print holographically on it. Part of it lines up and the bottom portion is crooked. I don’t think it’s supposed to be like this

As I haven´t read the book yet because I have been busy, it was in great condition when it arrived. The back of the book, which I have read, it is right up my alley. I absolutely love books like these, and I will definitely recommend this author because I have read some other stuff of Melissa´s. The author is very talented, so please do give this book a chance.

The Queen's Assassin is a fantasy romance geared toward the younger YA reader. It is told from the first person perspective of Shadow, who has grown up with her aunts and wants to join the Guild, an association of assassins and spies, and the third person perspective of Cal, the Queen of Renovia's assassin, dangerous, feared and highly trained. When Shadow is told she has to serve as a lady of the court to fulfil her duty, she rebels, runs away and liberates Cal, who has been imprisoned. She tells him the Queen has ordered her to become his apprentice. Together they work undercover in a neighboring kingdom to identify a dangerous enemy of Renovia. The story and characters were enjoyable, but I wish there had been less emphasis on the romance and more on the magic system. It was good, but not great.

Melissa De La Cruz and I just aren’t good friends. Genuinely shook that I finished this because this was A LOT. I tried so many times to crack it open and read it. I finished it about a week ago, and it rolled my eyes throughout the entire time, and tried my best to reread it today before writing my review. But I made it halfway and dnfed the reread. Wins: -yes. Wins... okay. The world building. It was a good world. It wasn’t my favorite. I kind of get over the modern day/ magical/ historic esque novels. It was a good world. It wasn’t great. -the characters. Individually I liked Shadow and Cal. They were cute characters. -the plot. It wasn’t anything big or out there, I did like it. Opportunities -insta love. Insta love, we meet again, that’s 2 books in 2 weeks that I read ( I guess 3 if we’re counting the reread). I’m over it, enough is enough. Enough said. -the writing style. Man was that a CHOICE. Shadows pov was in first person, and Cals was in third person. I don’t even know how to explain where, I don’t understand it, but yeah, that was a choice. -the fact that shadow is somehow this bad a character who can cast spells, who can fight and wield a sword... okay. Yeah. Sure. -another hit on the writing style: it felt very juvenile. Shadow randomly talking to the squirrel. The characters thoughts. The fact that Cal was like “wouldn’t want to cut your cute face off and I guess yours is okay too” (that isn’t a direct quote, but it’s pretty close) and Shadow is happy about that. Alright. No, I would probably be mad at my boy for a good few hours after a comment like that. So yeah, me and Melissa De La Cruz are officially breaking up. I didn’t want to sit here and slam her book because I know how much work goes into it, but this was a struggle for me. I wanted so badly to like it, I had high hopes; but it genuinely felt like something a very young teenager had written. Young adult very rarely reads like that to me, and I almost never like it when it goes. Sorry to be so negative on this review, but this wasn’t anywhere near my expectations. Also: can we stop with the insta love and the out of nowhere insanely good at everything female characters