Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church hierarchy think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending the men who destroyed her familia; in fact, she’s told directly that Consul Scaeva is off limits. But after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia suspicions about the Red Church’s true motives begin to grow.
When it’s announced that Scaeva 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 him. 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 love and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.
Source | Format | Pages | Publisher | Genre | Publication Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
HarperVoyager | paperback | 437 | HarperVoyager | Fantasy | September 7th, 2017 |
First of all, many thanks to the publisher for running the Twitter giveaway some yonks ago and many thanks to Lady Luck for pulling my name out of the hat to win an ARC of Godsgrave.
Some books are best to be dissected every which way, their characters and plot analyzed and shredded… Godsgrave? Nah. Godsgrave is hard-core and the book can stand on its own without me sitting here with a Thesaurus, trying to find the best words to use in the review. So, I am going to keep this short and snappy!
If fantasy is your thing, you best get your finances in order and just get on with buying the book already… oh, and start with Nevernight, book #1 [my review].
Even better if you like your fantasy filled with bloody murder, some shags and foulmouthed shenanigans, because Godsgrave is the right kind of RICH! The whole gladiator vibe is great stuff, peoples… It made me think of the TV series ‘Spartacus’, which I loved. What Kristoff created, though, in Godsgrave was better with its fantastical creatures, addition of female gladiatii and proper political intrigue/corruption. Bang on perfect, if I do say so!
If Vengeance has a mother, her name is Patience.
The conflict-points in this book just keep on presenting themselves… they’re popping off the pages since the first page of Nevernight and they continue that sticky-ickyness throughout to the last page of Godsgrave… I mean, goddamn, but Book #3 (yet to be titled) is going to cause some kind of a paradigm shift, I think! Boom! Pop-pop!
Anyway, the conflicts… There’s no shortage of them to keep the reader barreling through this revenge story. Ah, sometimes, when you pull a thread on your sock, you’ll end up without a sock because you just unravelled a whole pile of miniature knots and ended up with a big problem and thus end up bouncing around the place like a circus clown, spinning multiple plates… True, some of those conflicts in Godsgrave remain unanswered providing some cannon fodder for Book #3, but the main, the most important questions around who can you trust and how far are you willing to go for your goal, are answered… this far, anyway 😉 Never know what lies ahead in Mia’s future…
There’s plenty of corruption, conniving bastards, snakes in the grass to go around in this book to keep your blood pressure slightly above the normal. And the SECRETS that come out into the dyalight… oooooh!
But anyway, if the mean and evil (and secret stuff) doesn’t do it for you, some of those sexy times will… Wasn’t too keen on those myself in this book… for some reason… maybe because <spoiler>my loyalty lies with Tric.</spoiler> But yeah, detailed tutelage there of some highest quality.
Mia… the badassest of badass assassins ever in the history of ever. Clever, quick, foulmouthed, darkling… With a multitude of skills in her special bag of tools, she did not let me down. I just KNEW she would not disappoint me with her actions and I was ‘happy’ to see that even with her murderous eyes firmly set on the ‘prize’, she still had her weaknesses (what would she even be and do without Mister Kindly and Eclipse? I’d bet on ‘not what’s she’s currently at!’) but also the qualities you can admire in the best of people which shone through at most pivotal moments.
The choice between looking plain and pretty isn’t really a choice at all. But any fool knows looking dangerous is preferable to both.
And that ending? Read the book but be prepared to throw a hissy because man does the plot thicken! So… All that’s left now is to wipe the sweat off my brow and take a chillpill; let life go back into relevant routine with normal heartbeat until Mia graces our lives with her shadowy presence again. #stabstabstab
I like the pulling a thread on your sock analogy 🙂
I have been meaning to try thjs series for ages. Currently reading a viking novel/series (God of Vengeance) that is a revenge story. So may try something else before hopping back onto the Vengeance bandwagon. But, saying that, this series looks so good!
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I thank you! 🙂
Oh, you simply canNOT miss this series… yes, it has revenge plot but it;s soooooo good… with all the different elements in the story, it feels so much more and it’s imaginative. I think you’ll defo like the books 🙂
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By the sounds of the things I think I’ll love them. Have a couple ARCs go get through first.
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(Y) Sound!
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Damn, this sounds like one hell of a complex book! I think complex books are awesome, though; they keep you on your toes and ensure you never get bored! I do love your summary of “bloody murder, some shags and foulmouthed shenanigans” 😛 I’m sorry that the book ended on something of a cliffhanger. It’s so annoying when that happens, but at least it builds the anticipation for the next book, right? 😀
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You said it… complex plots are nearly a must now… yes, some easy reading material is nice every once in a while, but hardcore readers need to be kept on their toes 🙂
Thank you 🙂 Cliffhangers are mean somtimes, but I love them, too… I like the way a cliffhanger makes me feel… and the anticipation of everything yet to come just makes my small heart soar 😀
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I think complexity helps you to believe in the world that little bit more. Real life is real complex at times and when that’s reflected in the book that you’re reading, you feel you can become a lot more absorbed in the book 😀 You’re not reading it thinking “Oh well, that would never happen that easily or conveniently in real life!”
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I missed my delivery of this today 😭😭 and I won’t be able to collect it till Wednesday 😭😭
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Oh no.. nothing worse than missing a delivery… butt on the bright side- the book is in your grasp and Wednesday is nigh! 😀 Enjoy! 😉
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Yes, yes yes yes. 1000 times yes!! You had me at the tags and then when you said Spartacus, which is one of my all time favorite TV shows cause Lucretia is a boss, plus your overall review and I’m sold. This is going on my next to read list after I finish my current series. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
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LOL- fabulous… I love that you enjoyed the review and I can’t wait for you to dive into this series…
I also love that you love Spartacus- what a freaking show that was- every minute of it and the ending was just BOOM! Speaking of which, I may revisit the series just to go back into that bloody madness 😀 I agree- Lucretia was a boss! And there’s so many despisable characters in that show, it’ll make one feel like a kid at xmas! XD
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I’m thinking I need a rewatch as well. I haven’t watched it since either all aired but I freaking adore that show
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Wow great review! This makes me really want to read the series- can’t believe I haven’t got round to it yet! 😓
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Thank you so much! 🙂 I do hope you get a chance to try the series some day soon- it’s one definitely not to miss 🙂 ❤
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Stellar review Liz! This is on my shelf and I will read ASAP! I have a feeling given the state of my TBR though it will be going on holiday with me in December though!
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Thank you! 🙂 ❤
Oh, this will be a perfect xmas holiday reading 😀 hahahah… I am kind of jealous though- you have yet to dive into this world… I wish I could go back into that moment where I first started it 🙂 Enjoy 🙂
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Haha! I’ve read the first one just not Godsgrave!
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Fantastic review Liz. We were both lucky to get ARC’s in that twittah win. Score one for luck!👌
That sock analogy is great and the sticky-ickyness too!😂
I wasn’t a fan of the sexy times either and damn, Kristoff is so elaborate with them! They don’t last paragraphs, they last pages!
Yeah, definitely a few things to be tied up in book 3 and I know myself and a couple of others still want to know more about the darkin but I guess, book 2 is book 2 and you gotta save something for the final book!
Oh man, that ending, it sure leaves you wanting more and with a ‘f#ck it, where’s the rest’ expression when you realise it was the last page and the book had finished!😢
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Thanks Drew!
Right on- Score one for luck! That was the best news I ever got when I saw that I had won the book… 🙂
Re sexy times- I know.. jesus, that Ash/Mia scene went on forever and I was like- somebody just come already and lets move on with the murders 😀 hahahaha… now, that 69 scene would have sped the process (from book 1) in Godsgrave… it should have been the other way around (ha, pun!) Tric/Mia- long and drawn out v Ash/Mia whambamthankyoumam!
Oh my gosh, yes… I can’t wait for that big revelation around darkins… I think it’s one of the sweetest sticking points of the series- anyway, the issue has been blown so big now with everyone wanting to find out so I sure do hope the revelation won’t be anticlimactic! But we shall see… and blimey- do you have theories what’s going to happen in book 3? The possibilities…
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I’m not sure about book 3! I had theories how Godsgrave would go and yeah, none of them even remotely happened. It’s so different to Nevernight, the settings, etc, who knows what setting book 3 will have! It could be completely different yet again and then when you add in the revelations too, who knows where Kristoff will take the story but I’m eager to find out.😀
Lmao, though I think that you used the wrong variant of come Lizzy, you were after cum!😂 Pages and pages and pages, hopefully there’ll be none in book 3!
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And that last page where the author is all smug about by having resolved anything… rubbing salt in our wounds!
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Sounds like a book I might like will have to add it on my TBR for now
Just curious why did the “sexy-time” turn you off ?
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If you say a book is hardcore, then I’m warned! I need to read the first when I can afford it!! Fab review! And Jill taught me to appreciate sexy times in books, haha!
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hahaha I love the #stabstabstab LOL!! I am *so* excited for this series- I do have Nevernight on my tbr (I’ll get there!) But WOWOWOW you make this sound absolutely amazing- I am ridiculously pumped after reading this review!! Absolutely spectacular!! 😀
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Seeing your review only reminds me just how I need to get my act together and finally start this series! I’m not sure about the sexy times, but hardcore fantasy should make up for it I guess haha.
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I do hope you give them a go… to be honest, the series is not really overloaded with sexy times and I had my reason for not liking the main sex scene in Godsgrave… I am just still hooked up in the past… eh, lets just say my loyalties lie elsewhere with some of the characters 😀 but you can easily skip over the sexy times and have a blast with the rest of the story 😉 That’s pretty much what I did 🙂
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Good advice! I’m definitely going to try and pick up both books soon…
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Maaaan, I really want to this give this series a shot, but I hear the writing style might not be everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve seen what he’s capable of with Aiden in Illuminae, but I don’t know if his books would be something I’d be able to love just as much! Fantastic review though. It sounds like it has absolutely everyone you’d want in a sequel, and in a fantasy series!! 😀
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Lashaan… you absolutely must give this series a shot… the writing style? I have absolutely NO doubt that you will be in the love camp with it… The writing style in this series is something people like me and you and others can totally appreciate… those who don’t? They are after something simple… you’ve never been one to enjoy simple, as far as I know 🙂 😉 and I will eat my hat if you hate this series, I swear! 😀
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Duly noted!!! Hahaha I’ll definitely give this series a shot now 😁
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I definitely did not appreciate he writing style and being constantly interrupted with footnotes. One of the footnotes even ends (paraphrasing) “I cant believe you just took the time to read this 3 page footnote when the gladiator battle is about to start!” But I can’t just ignore them if there’s the slightest chance of something important being in there! Really takes me out of the story 😦
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This review was brilliant! I still haven’t picked this up, slacking big time 😦 I will do better 😀
p.s It seems like I am permanently attached to my thesaurus atm, should probably give it a name!
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You will get there I am sure.. and when you do, you’ll be kicking yourself, thinking- why, oh why didn’t you pcik it up sooner 😀 hahaha… no pressure tho 😉
Hahaha, name your Thesaurus XD Love this idea… Teresa the Thesaurus, or Saurus the Thesaurus… hmm…
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Tis a difficult one, I was thinking more Gustav or Clive… maybe something cool like Brutus or Titan. I am really thinking too much about this… Your review was 👌 and you make me want to read more than I already do! Which is a lot 😆
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hahahaha, I’ve pushed your reading wish over the edge! mighty…
You know, Brutus actually sounds cool! For some reason I think Albert would be cute as well… 😀
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On my list! I keep seeing this book everywhere and can’t wait to get to the series. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it! ❤
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Woop- I can’t wait for you to try this series out 🙂 Hope you like it!
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I was going to just skip over this review because I had an ugly row with the author on Twitter over the first book in this series, but I did not think that was fair to you because I know how much thought and energy you put into your reviews. This is a wonderful review. Thank you for sharing your review. That being said, I want to kick Jay in his egotistical balls. Ha ha. CD
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This was a very amusing review, I really like your analogies!
Unfortunately we didn’t feel the same way about the book, but we both will be reading book 3 when it comes out!
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🙂 Thank you so much!
I must try and find your review for it- did you publish it on your blog? I just started following and have yet to go over to yours an explore…
Even though you didn’t like it much, it’s cool you’ll still be reading book#3! It’ll be interesting to see how this all ends… IF it ends with book #3? I mean, who knows… authors and their crazy ideas…
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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I did have a suspicion that even after she gets her revenge somehow, there’s a lot more he can do with the character. I would not be surprised if there is more books!
It should be my most recent review on the home page for the next few days. I also have a page that lists reviews by author. Hopefully that makes it easy to navigate.
The cliffhanger at the end of the book was just too much to resist; I still want to know what happens. And, I want to know what happened to you know who to turn them into a you know what…
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