Death Sworn

Okay, so we all know (or maybe you don’t know) that I have a soft spot for Assassins and Magic and boy, let me tell you, Death Sworn (Death Sworn #1) by Leah Cypress has both!  This stunning new series will capture your breath and heart and have you sitting on the edge of your seat until the very end with unexpected twist and turns.  And did I mention assassins and magic?! J

Let’s start off with this GORGEOUS cover!  Darkness surrounds the majestic regal structure that looks as if it’s been in ruin for quite some time.  I LOVE the colors and the light contrasted with the dark.  Absolutely stunning.  This is the perfect opener to the world building that is to follow within these pages.  In a world far removed from ours and away from anything you might imagine, Cypress builds the most fantastic, mysterious and dark world you can imaging.  This world is filled with betrayals, secrets and plots. 

Summary courtesy of Goodreads:

 When Ileni lost her magic, she lost everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two tutors had died under mysterious circumstances. 

But beneath the assassins’ caves, Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world.

Death Sworn also boasts some great characters (main and secondary).  Our main characters, Ileni and Sorin are wonderfully written and so full of internal conflict and depth.  Ileni is in an desperate situation and fearing death around every corner, but she is at least at peace with her circumstance.  Sorin, a great young assassin with great promise is just waiting for a chance to fulfill his duty while Ileni who has had her chance and now has to succumb to duty constantly are pulled toward each other in a completely hopeless way.  Oh the SWOON!  And in the background is a mysterious unknown love, Tellis, who I think I am in love with already despite his lack of presence in this novel.  The secondary characters all play their parts as well and each adds a depth and dimension to the cast that really keeps you engaged until the end.   

Of course twists galore in this story that keeps you guessing until the very end. 

There is still so much I want to know from Ileni's past and the kingdom's history that I hope will be revealed in book two! 

What a great read to a hopefully fantastic series! Bravo!