#Review: Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers

Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers

Published: Feb 2, 2015
Goodreads || Amazon
HarperTeen

In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.



Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay.

Oh, beautiful cover and promising summary how you have deceived me. I wanted magic and murder, blood and romance. I wanted the brutality and the cunning nature of an assassin who kills for a living. Unfortunately, while I did get some of this, I did not get it all. And I certainly did not get it with the intensity that I was hoping for it. While the world was stunning, and I did like Lea sometimes, but to be honest I just wanted a whole lot more stabbing to occur. Death and murder and mayhem would have been exponentially appreciated.

The Plot ||

Y’all here is what really had me a little bit bored. I never felt invested in what was going to happen. Like—yes, you’re on a journey. That’s great, babe. But I do not really care. Lea is on this quest to avenge her family which have been brutally murdered by the family of boy she loved: the Da Via family. They have a bit of a Romeo + Juliet thing going on, as well as the struggle of disassociating the family with The Family. There are nine Families of Assassin’s, and these children just happen to come from two of them who happen to have a bit of a feud. And since they are assassin’s feuds typically involve stabbing.

(again, why wasn’t there more stabbing?!)

Basically the girl who wants the lives of the people who took her Family’s/family’s lives is just super clumsy and falls into unfortunate situations and just doesn’t act very assassin’s like. Which leads me into characters.

The Main Character ||

Here’s the main theme of my thoughts with ASSASSIN’S HEART; I liked the book and the characters and the plot, but I never loved any part of it.

When it comes to Lea, this is especially true. Death is a part of being an assassin, even in the Family, and I just though the way she reacted was equal parts unprofessional as true to her age. She’s 17, for goodness sakes. She’s lost everyone she’s ever loved. Even the boy she loved. He’s betrayed her. So (obviously) she’s got to destroy his entire Family like he destroyed her’s. But, then again, she’s also been in training since she was born. Weapons and murder are a part of her daily routine, and are a way of worshipping her Goddess (who, by the way, is my favorite part of this entire book. Like swooooon; she’s badass). When trying to get her revenge, she makes some pretty significant oopsies and I just…I don’t know. I didn’t really believe it.

The Romance ||

I wasn’t feeling it. I don’t really have a whole bunch to say about why I wasn’t feeling it, but I wasn’t. It felt a little bland. I was, however, happy that it wasn’t insta-love. Even without it being insta-love, I still didn’t find myself into it.

Overall ||

As I stated on my goodreads review when I finished the novel, it really was fine. Just fine. Not bad, not great. It didn’t set my world aflame, and I did finish the book. I won’t be reading it again, however. One time is good.

One time is just fine.