YA Review: THE QUEEN'S ASSASSIN by Melissa De La Cruz

The Queen's Assassin

by Melissa De La Cruz

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons

February 4th, 2020

384 pages

Plot: Caledon Holt is the Kingdom of Renovia's deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in brawn or brains, which is why he's the Guild's most dangerous member and the Queen's one and only assassin. He's also bound to the Queen by an impossible vow--to find the missing Deian Scrolls, the fount of all magical history and knowledge, stolen years ago by a nefarious sect called the Aphrasians.

Shadow has been training all her life to follow in the footsteps of her mother and aunts--to become skilled enough to join the ranks of the Guild. Though magic has been forbidden since the Aphrasian uprising, Shadow has been learning to control her powers in secret, hoping that one day she'll become an assassin as feared and revered as Caledon Holt. When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they're forced to team up as assassin and apprentice to hunt down a new sinister threat to Renovia. But as Cal and Shadow grow closer, they'll uncover a shocking web of lies and secrets that may destroy everything they hold dear. With war on the horizon and true love at risk, they'll stop at nothing to protect each other and their kingdom in this stunning first novel in the Queen's Secret series.  (2020, Goodreads.com)

Review: The Queen's Assassin is a new fantasy series by Melissa De La Cruz.  It was an interesting story of a would-be assassin-in-training and forbidden romance.  Shadow wants to become an assassin like the Queen's young assassin, Caledon Holt. But, when Cal kills someone he isn't supposed to in order to save a girl he finds in the forest (Shadow), he unfortunately gets himself thrown into a dangerous prison called Deersia to await trial.  Learning that assassin's have been sent to kill Cal in prison, Shadow disguises herself as a boy and finds her way to Deersia to save Cal.  Once they escape from prison, their journey begins.  For Cal, it's to find the missing scrolls that will relieve him of his father's blood oath, and for Shadow it's to finally fulfill her dream of becoming a Guild assassin one day.  

Shadow and Cal were an interesting pair together. Being teenagers they were a bit immature and it was hard to believe they were serious at being assassins at times.  Shadow idolizes Cal from the beginning because he is a respected assassin of the queen.  But, because she doesn't want to get married and live the life her mother plans for her, she decides she wants to learn from Cal and become his apprentice.  At times, it felt a little unbelievable considering how young they were. There adventure is fun and dangerous at times, but they grow closer together as they spend more time together.  

There are plot twists that you don't see coming towards the ends and the romance is drawn out and is not insta-love.  The ending does have some closure, so it's not a cliff hanger.  Overall, it was a fun read and I do want to see what happens between Cal and Shadow in book two.  

Book 2: The Queen's Secret - coming soon!

Rating: 4 Hearts!

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