Goodreads link for book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25714594-a-reluctant-assassin
Author's website: https://jcmorrows.com/
Genres: Dystopian, Steampunk, Christian
Rating: 5 stars
Mature Content: 2.5 (mild violent and romantic content)
Age Range: 13+
Interest level: About 14-16
Background Knowledge: Kayden is one of many girls in the palace, supposedly waiting to hopefully be selected as the price's bride, but there's something different about her. She doesn't want to the prince for a sweet love story, instead, she's been sent on a mission to kill him.
Review: Wow, this is definitely on my absolute favorites list. I mean, an assassin mission turned love story? And written in a clean, Christian perspective? Where was this book my whole life?! Ever since I read the description of this book I was beyond hooked.
I love how the main character has her own personality, and, even though she's surrounded by these girly-girls and living in a perfect princess castle, she still stays true to her personality and doesn't give it up. She's also a great role model, displaying values such as respecting everyone, staying true to who you are, doing the right thing, and more. Also, can I just take a moment to adore the beautifully done cliffhanger at the end? There are so many great books in the world, but they're never fully complete without a killer cliffhanger, like the one in this book.
Things I Loved:
-It ended on a very well-written cliffhanger that most book so desperately lack. I read the book, and I was dying to get the sequel.
-The romance didn't really take over the plot. I find that in most books, once the romance is introduced, everything shifts and all that matters now is the romance, but not here. Romance is more like an element of the story, and it still gives all the other elements of the story (such as the fact that she's on a mission to kill the prince) space.
-It was just the right length. It wasn't too long, boring us with the intricate detailing of the ladies' dresses, but it wasn't too short either, and skipping large portions of the story and leaving us guessing.
Things I Didn't Love:
-It took a little bit to get into the book, but after about 50 or so pages, I was completely hooked.
In Conclusion: If you're a teen girl (or not) looking for a great, clean, and suspenseful romance with a twist, this book is definitely for you.
Recommended?: Absolutely!