Blog Tour Review: The Griever's Mark by Katherine Hurley!

Title: The Griever's Mark
Series: Griever's Mark #1
Author: Katherine Hurley
Release date: 11/11/14
Length: 333 pages

Book Summary:

Astarti’s master controls her through a Leash, a bond of energy anchored deep within her. Despite being one of the few remaining Drifters, able to manipulate the energy world, she cannot break free. She knows her fate: she will serve until she dies, at which point her master will harvest her energy to augment his own.

Oh, yes, she’s done some bad things in her master’s name. She’s not asking for forgiveness. She expects you to hate her.

What she doesn't expect is Logan, a man meant to be her sworn enemy. A man with secrets as dark as her own.

Buy it here: Amazon

About the Author:

I’m Katherine Hurley, author of The Griever’s Mark series. Book 1 will be out in November 2014 and Book 2 in spring of 2015.
My love of myth and legend led me inexorably into fantasy, and I have no intention of leaving. Ever. I grew up riding horses and finally, finally, finally have one of my very own. (I’m hoping Astarti will get some quality horse time at some point, but Drifters don’t really need horses. Hmm.) I’m also an avid (but amateur!) mountain biker and whitewater kayaker.

I was born in New Mexico, grew up in Kansas, got my MFA in Michigan, and now live in West Virginia. The most beautiful place I’ve ever been is New Zealand.
Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Review:

★★★★ ★

4.5/5 stars.

I'm really, really impressed with this book. Fantasy is undoubtedly my favorite genre to read (though I admittedly don't read nearly enough of it), so I was really excited to get a place on the blog tour for this title. I was not disappointed. Plus, look at the cover. It's absolutely gorgeous.

The world building here is great, talking about a society in which humans live in plain sight of other types of being such as Drifters and Earthmakers, who can use energy and magic of sorts. There's a plot of kings and assassins and forbidden romance and slavery tethers that all add up to a story that never gets boring. For the most part, I found that everything was explained really well without having the dreaded "info dump" of background information. That being said, because there was such an onslaught of new ideas and words there were a few times where I got a bit confused. This never lasted for more than a paragraph or two, and it didn't really hinder my enjoyment of the novel. I also feel like the concept of the Drift- that is, this sort of "other world" that those who are Drifters can dip into- could have been explained or flushed out a little bit. I think I get it, but I was left a little bit uncertain as to how exactly to visualize this.

I really liked the characters of this book as well. The main character, Astarti, is both a Drifter and a slave, but she is far from a weak submissive. She's a bad ass who is skilled in fighting and dark dealings, and fights against the hand that holds her Leash. I also liked the way her master was portrayed; he is given some sympathetic traits, if just for a moment, and because Astarti has always been a silent observer, she notices his moments of foolishness or weakness while still recognizing his greatness. I appreciate that she didn't constantly cower in fear, nor did he have an impossible, perfect bad guy image that cannot be infiltrated or brought down. And then there's Logan. Gorgeous, mysterious, mystical Logan. He was probably my favorite character because of all of the questions Astarti has during their first meets. He is a sworn enemy to the Drifters, an Earthmaker, and yet he seems to be so much more. I liked watching their mysteries get solved and their romance grow.

I loved this book up until the end, which has a cliffhanger. While it has ensured that I will continue onward with the second book of series, I really dislike not having a definitive end to a book.

I'd recommend this book to YA fans who enjoy magic, romance, and fantasy. If you enjoyed Spark of Light, than I think you'll like this one.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Blog Tour Organized by:
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