#ArtOfTheDay: 'Nona' by Francesca Resta

'Nona' by Francesca Resta.

Cover art for the Grim Oak Press edition of the 'Book Of The Ancestor' omnibus edition, written by Mark Lawrence.

#ArtOfTheDay: 'Holy Sister' by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme

'Holy Sister' by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme.

Cover art for the US edition of 'Holy Sister', book 3 of the 'Book Of The Ancestor' series by Mark Lawrence, published April 2019 by Harper Voyager.

#ArtOfTheDay: 'Nona Grey' by Dominik Broniek

'Nona Grey' by Dominik Broniek.

Cover art for the Polish edition of 'Holy Sister', book 3 of the 'Book Of The Ancestor' series written by Mark Lawrence, published August 2019 by MAG Publishing.

#ArtOfTheDay: 'Holy Sister' by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme

Cover art by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme for 'Holy Sister', book 3 of the 'Book Of The Ancestor' series written by Mark Lawrence, published April 2019 by Ace Books

Book Review: 'Book Of The Ancestor: Book 3 - Holy Sister' by Mark Lawrence

Cover art by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme

The final book in Mark Lawrence's excellent 'Book Of The Ancestor' trilogy, 'Holy Sister', is a satisfying end to what has become one of my favourite series.

The book is split into two narrative threads; one immediately after the events of book 2 with Nona and Zole on the run, and another in the present set three years later with Nona and her friends in Holy Class with the backdrop of war looming on the horizon. Both are written from Nona's point of view, as we flit from one path before jumping back to the other. But it never once gets confusing, as you think it might be with the crisscrossing, but it's a rewarding read with the threads from both lines coming together for the payoff with a satisfying conclusion.

This is Nona's story. Not just because it's told through her, but because of her superb character development, we want to follow her wherever she goes. She makes you feel what she feels - the pain, the anxiety, the tragedy, the love, the vengeance, the ambition and the triumph - and we come out the other side oh so much stronger for it, as she completes her journey from little Nona, when we first see her in Red Sister, to the confident Sister Cage we see at the end. She's one of the best characters I've had the chance to get to read! 

The excellent character development doesn't just stop at Nona either, the rest of the supporting cast have also grown and expanded into more than who they were at the beginning. The relationships and interactions feel very much real world and full of genuine emotion, as well as complex and honest, that they feel so three dimensional and real! 

'Holy Sister' is a book about faith, hope and the love of friends. It's a tightly plotted, intense and complex story, that's also filled with emotion, thrills, plenty of action, and some of the best characterizations and world building, all written in such a lyrically literary way, that it confirms author Mark Lawrence an automatic on my reading lists! Recommended!

Available from:

#ArtOfTheDay: 'Grey Sister' by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme

Cover art by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme for 'Grey Sister', book 2 of the 'Book Of The Ancestor' series by Mark Lawrence, published April 2018 by Ace Books

Book Review: 'Bound: A Book Of The The Ancestor Short Story' by Mark Lawrence

A really enjoyable but brief read that takes place not long after the events in 'Grey Sister', book 2 of Mark Lawrence's excellent 'Book Of The Ancestor' series. I'd definitely recommend that you read the previous books in the series before starting this one so you know who's who and get a sense of the world and what's been going on, as there's next to no preamble before it gets straight into the story.

'Bound' is a murder mystery that has Ara and Regol recruited for a special mission and despatched to the ballrooms of the Sis, along with Sister Kettle, to find out who has been poisoning some of the young high society nobles. Nona is able to tag along as well, albeit long distance, as she and Ara are now bonded with each other - where they can communicate and experience what each other is seeing and feeling through a kind of telepathic thread - after they both share a kiss as a kind of practice for the secret mission that Ara is about to go on.

It's a fun story that also sees the return of some of the popular characters in the series. It's also an engrossing, fast paced and exciting read with a few twists and turns, with a good dose of kick ass action too for good measure that, unfortunately, is over all too soon, but it does make me excited for 'Holy Sister', the concluding book in the series, which, thankfully, is not far away (released in April 2019), so at least I don't have to wait too long to revisit this world again!

I've been loving the 'Book of the Ancestors' series so far and 'Bound' is a shorter, but definitely worthy addition.

Available from Amazon.

Book Review: 'Book Of The Ancestor: Book 2 - Grey Sister' by Mark Lawrence

Cover art by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme

Book 2 of Mark Lawrence's excellent 'Book Of The Ancestor' series.

'Grey Sister' begins a couple of years after the first book, 'Red Sister', with Nona Grey now graduated to Mystic Class at the Convent of Sweet Mercy, learning to walk the Path and to manipulate the threads that make up reality. But immediately things don't start well for Nona. There's Joeli Namsis, the rich girl bully, who straight away takes a serious dislike to Nona, taunting, teasing and beating Nona. Well, trying to beat up Nona anyway! Joeli's family also happen to have close ties to Thuran Tacsis, whose son Nona killed and who sent out assassins known as the Noi-Guin after her in revenge, which doesn't exactly endear Nona to her either.

But her bitter rivalry with Joeli is just the start of Nona's problems. She now has a Demon sharing her skin and the Inquisition, with their questionable motives, have also turned up at the Convent. It all spells disaster for Nona.

Nona is once again surrounded by a great supporting cast of characters which add depth and perspective to the overall story, which is good as we spend a lot of time with Nona and her friends, feeling like we've gotten to know them a lot more over the course of the series. I also liked the change in point of view and pace during the story, following Abbess Glass, wondering what will happen to her at the hands of the Inquisition. It added more tension to the story, getting sucked into the narrative and making it really engrossing reading!

The first part of the book focuses on events at the Convent, but it's when the story shifts away from the Convent, and we learn more about the grab for power over Abeth that was hinted at in the first novel, do things get a whole lot more interesting and a whole lot bloodier.

It's another great read, building on the characters and world building of the first book and taking them to the next level! I can't wait to see how this trilogy is all wrapped up.

Available from Waterstones, Kobo ebooks (US) / (Canada), Audible Audiobooks and all good bookstores.

Book Review: 'Book Of The Ancestor: Book 1 - Red Sister' by Mark Lawrence

Cover art by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme

The first book by Mark Lawrence I've read, and going by this one, it won't be the last.

The opening paragraph hooks you in straight away;

"It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy Convent, Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men."

It paints a picture of the world of 'Red Sister'. The world of Abeth, an unforgiving violent place where convents are renowned for their training of assassins, as well as for their spirituality.

'Red Sister' follows Nona, an 8 year old girl, falsely accused of murder, escaping the gallows to now find herself at the Convent of Sweet Mercy. There she becomes a novice and is enrolled into Red Class and educated in the many paths on the way to taking holy orders, honouring and keeping the faith of the Ancestors, becoming skilled in espionage, stealth, poisons, armed and unarmed combat, and being able to walk the Path and manipulate threads.

As Nona progresses through the classes, over the three years the book covers, her skills increase and so do the dangers that have followed her. She also reluctantly comes to terms with her troubled past to become the deadly assassin she was prophesized to become.

It's a story that uses the well worn 'Chosen One' trope, and although it's similar in some ways to 'Harry Potter', here it's written in a way that twists and turns your expectations. I enjoyed Nona, Ara, Hessa and the other cast of characters. They were really compelling and engaging, each with different personalities and some good progressive character development, making you care about their fates as the story progresses.

Although mostly set in a Convent, the world building here is pretty good as well. We learn about the world of Abeth through Nona and her classes, as well as being explored through flashbacks and stories told by the characters. I hope in the second book, 'Grey Sister', the world is explored much more, as it sounds like a world I want to see more of.

It's a really enjoyable read, that focuses on friendship, trust and faith and leaves you wanting more from Nona and the Sisters!

Available from Waterstones, Kobo ebooks (US) / (Canada), Audible Audiobooks and all good bookstores.