When I first got this book, from Penguin Teen at Y'allfest, I was really excited. I matched the key with the box and I won an ARC! My friend had been talking about this for a while, trying to win it from Goodreads. I personally wasn't too sure about it, but I was willing to give it a shot.
That was a mistake.
From the plot summary, it seems like the book is about Caledon Holt, the Queen's Assassin (I mean, it is in the title). But it is not. It is about Shadow, a wannabe assassin with almost unexplained strong magical powers and and keen focus on Caledon (and a dead ringer for the missing princess cliche, if only the princess were missing). Shadow and Caledon get thrown together to find a set of missing magical scrolls, and wind up falling in love (or lust? It's not really explained, VERY insta-love, and they are way to into each other than they should be).
Then things and plot twists happen. A confusing reveal is made, and characters wind up in strange relationship places (and somehow have accomplished nothing in the entire book). I almost didn't finish it.
Somewhat spoilers: there is a scene where Shadow and Caledon are forced to share a bed and get WAY too close to each other and each end up thinking very rapey thoughts which ruined the entire book for me.
That was a mistake.
From the plot summary, it seems like the book is about Caledon Holt, the Queen's Assassin (I mean, it is in the title). But it is not. It is about Shadow, a wannabe assassin with almost unexplained strong magical powers and and keen focus on Caledon (and a dead ringer for the missing princess cliche, if only the princess were missing). Shadow and Caledon get thrown together to find a set of missing magical scrolls, and wind up falling in love (or lust? It's not really explained, VERY insta-love, and they are way to into each other than they should be).
Then things and plot twists happen. A confusing reveal is made, and characters wind up in strange relationship places (and somehow have accomplished nothing in the entire book). I almost didn't finish it.
Somewhat spoilers: there is a scene where Shadow and Caledon are forced to share a bed and get WAY too close to each other and each end up thinking very rapey thoughts which ruined the entire book for me.