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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer!
I found this book to be very fun and enjoyable! It was predominantly charachter driven, really focussing on the development of the three main characters throughout the story. We follow Ky, Jory and Asher as they navigate their pasts, and treacherous alliances, in order to create a future together.
I love the differing background of each character and thought this really brought a lot to the overall story. The connection that they form with one another is delicious, and I couldn't get enough!
It really felt like the plot didn't pick up much until the last quarter of the book, though I never found myself bored. I think the story is headed in a really exciting direction, which I'm sure will be explored more in the second book.
Overall, I would highly recommend!
I found this book to be very fun and enjoyable! It was predominantly charachter driven, really focussing on the development of the three main characters throughout the story. We follow Ky, Jory and Asher as they navigate their pasts, and treacherous alliances, in order to create a future together.
I love the differing background of each character and thought this really brought a lot to the overall story. The connection that they form with one another is delicious, and I couldn't get enough!
It really felt like the plot didn't pick up much until the last quarter of the book, though I never found myself bored. I think the story is headed in a really exciting direction, which I'm sure will be explored more in the second book.
Overall, I would highly recommend!
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
and now let's talk about that 1% plot! so the king’s people are starving and he has to marry the princess so that her father can help him and his people! but what did he do? he went ahead and delayed marriage for a month 😃 that made no sense to me! i don’t know how the other two books are going to be like because of the lack of plot
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Dear Brigid Kemmerer,
- How dare you?
- Oh my god, good job
The three main characters are woven into the story together in a slow crescendo of tension. The tingling of what bond will snap first? Who will be left out? What desires are forgone for the sake of political gain?
A king, his betrothed, and her exiled childhood friend— where will they land in the chaos of a potentially violent political climate? The first book in a new series, with fight scenes that read as perfectly choreographed, and an FMC not fraying in the face of it all.
Kemmerer writes about past abuses, the scars they leave, and how coping mechanisms become maladaptive with such concern, but never lets the characters be flattened by it.
I do wish I could have had another 100 pages of it, but boy howdy I’ll probably just re-read the pool scene 20 times between now and book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual violence, War
Minor: Sexual assault
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
⭐ Rating: Infinity stars (but if I have to choose—5/5)
🔥 Spice: 3/5 – A couple of open-door scenes near the end that felt earned, emotional, and beautifully done.
Thank you to Avon Books for the advance reader copy!
This might be my favorite read of the year. I’m not even exaggerating—I was hooked from the very first page and completely obsessed by the end. The tension, the character dynamics, the twists… I devoured it and immediately wished book two already existed.
Told from three POVs, this story has everything! Betrayal, political tension, slow-burn romance, and so much emotional weight. Each character has their own past, their own pain, and their own secrets.
Things That Stood Out:
- Asher completely broke me. His story is gut-wrenching and honest. He’s guarded, vulnerable, traumatized, but still full of so much strength.
- Ky is nothing like I expected. Yes, he’s a fearsome warrior-king, but also layered and surprisingly kind. The more we learned about him, the more I loved him.
- Jory is fierce but sheltered. She’s grown up surrounded by lies, and watching her start to question everything and step into her own was really rewarding.
- The tension between the three of them? Off the charts. The attraction, the conflict, the trust issues, every interaction had me holding my breath. This is definitely shaping up to be a why-choose romance, and I’m fully on board.
- The plot is full of betrayal, secrets, and high stakes. There are several scenes that had me gasping—and that final moment? With the three of them joining hands? I had goosebumps.
- The intimacy is slow burn and well-earned. It doesn’t hit until near the end, but when it does, it’s meaningful and emotional. It just works for where these characters are.
Warrior Princess Assassin comes out August 12, and I already know it’s the start of what is going to be one of my favorite series of all time.
🔥 Spice: 3/5 – A couple of open-door scenes near the end that felt earned, emotional, and beautifully done.
Thank you to Avon Books for the advance reader copy!
This might be my favorite read of the year. I’m not even exaggerating—I was hooked from the very first page and completely obsessed by the end. The tension, the character dynamics, the twists… I devoured it and immediately wished book two already existed.
Told from three POVs, this story has everything! Betrayal, political tension, slow-burn romance, and so much emotional weight. Each character has their own past, their own pain, and their own secrets.
Things That Stood Out:
- Ky is nothing like I expected. Yes, he’s a fearsome warrior-king, but also layered and surprisingly kind. The more we learned about him, the more I loved him.
- Jory is fierce but sheltered. She’s grown up surrounded by lies, and watching her start to question everything and step into her own was really rewarding.
- The tension between the three of them? Off the charts. The attraction, the conflict, the trust issues, every interaction had me holding my breath. This is definitely shaping up to be a why-choose romance, and I’m fully on board.
- The plot is full of betrayal, secrets, and high stakes. There are several scenes that had me gasping—and that final moment? With the three of them joining hands? I had goosebumps.
- The intimacy is slow burn and well-earned. It doesn’t hit until near the end, but when it does, it’s meaningful and emotional. It just works for where these characters are.
Warrior Princess Assassin comes out August 12, and I already know it’s the start of what is going to be one of my favorite series of all time.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Big thanks to NetGalley, Brigid Kemmerer, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy!
Five Stars on Fire!
Every book I’ve read by Brigid Kemmerer has somehow left me both speechless and unable to stop talking about it for weeks, and Warrior Princess Assassin is no exception!
Princess Marjoriana (Jory) of Astranza is preparing to meet her betrothed, King Maddox Kyronan (Ky) of Incendar, when Asher, her childhood best friend turned assassin, appears with orders from the Hunter’s Guild to kill them both. Knowing someone will be sent in his stead, Asher attempts to get Jory to safety, but a tangle of mistrust and uncoordinated efforts lands all three of them back at the palace where tensions flare between the kingdoms. With trust shattered, Ky proposes a one-month stay in Incendar to determine if the alliance is still viable.
Joined by Asher and a contingent of Ky’s soldiers, the trio journey across Astranza and Incendar, where the threat of the Guild and a rivaling nation loom large. Jory, Ky, and Asher begin to form an uneasy bond. Trust deepens. Loyalties shift. And an unexpected romance sparks between them. Just as they settle into peace, betrayal strikes, and they find the greatest threat may be closer than they ever imagined.
Be still my angsty heart! I love a tortured soul, and Ky and Asher deliver this in spades. Their personalities clash and complement each other in all the right ways. Protective characters make my heart melt, and there’s a moment where Ky is relieved to know Jory and Asher are safe in their carriages, and ugh, all the feels! Ky draws a wolf metaphor for Asher in his POV, and while I often find wolf tropes tired, this one was executed beautifully. Asher is a deep character with a painful past, and I thoroughly enjoyed his stubbornness and clunky ways of navigating a world that’s been so cruel to him.
Jory is a sheltered princess with little real-world experience. I kept waiting for this to make me cringe, but her innocence was handled with nuance. Ky and Asher treated her with a care that felt natural and respectful rather than patronizing.
This novel gives a rich array of side characters! The antics of Ky’s soldiers made the journey, and I appreciated their evolving attitude toward Asher and even Jory. The lead-up and pay-off to meeting Ky’s sister was so heart-warming and satisfying.
The disability representation found in Brigid Kemmerer’s books is always a welcome treat as they are written with such care and complexity. Their disability is never their entire identity, but a facet of who they are. That kind of representation is rare and deeply appreciated.
The worldbuilding is immaculate! I find myself so immersed in Brigid Kemmerer’s worlds, and Ky’s palace has officially made the top ten list of fictional places I’d love to visit! The betrayal hit hard, and now I cannot wait for the next book to see how it all plays out.
The part of me that indulges in the occasional ot3 fanfiction absolutely adored the romance in this. There was a moment early on where Asher and Jory teetered on the edge of insta-love, but their shared history quickly added the depth I needed. Asher’s efforts to preserve her childhood image of him were so precious, and he completely won me over!
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to romantasy readers. It hits all the marks: lush worldbuilding, sharp emotional beats, and a satisfying slow-burn. I think fans of Forging Silver into Stars will love this! Think Tycho, Jax, and Callyn, iykyk.
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
CAN YOU HEAR ME SCREAMINGGGGGG, oh my god the way this book was so much fun?!
hear me out, im going to be upfront and honest right away that there is not much that happens in this book until towards the end !!!BUT!!! i think this was SUCH a good and fun way to set up this trilogy. its an introduction to the world, magic, characters and plot without it being extremely overwhelming the way 99% of fantasy’s are these days. it allows you to get comfortable and familiar without too much pressure to keep up with 10 billion things.
every single character in this book was extremely pleasant and intriguing, im very obsessed with the three main characters and the dynamic that they’re attempting to figure out. i really liked all of Kys men that surround him. im very much looking forward to learning more about Kys sister. The traitor is a tad predictable BUT ill give it a pass bc i just really had the best time reading this lol.
i am PUMPED that it seems to be setting up for MMF, i am on my knees praying this is the direction the books will continue in because all three of these characters have the most ridiculous tension and chemistry 🤭
this is my first of brigids and im so deeply impressed by this book as i know her previous works are YA, her writing had me in an absolute chokehold. i really enjoyed how she uses everyones favorite fantasy tropes but in a way that isnt overdone or cliche. the explicit scenes were HOT, i absolutely loved how exploratory they were. im verryyyyy excited to see how the dynamics shift in this aspect through out the next two books, im excited to see jory get more confident with her two men and how ky and asher will eventually find their groove with one another!! the tension and yearning through out the entire book builds up SOOOO stunningly. like when i can get my hands on book two prepare to hate my ass because im gonna be FERAL by the time it happens after all the waiting 😂
im just overall very excited to see where this story goes, there is nothing i love more than an engaging fantasy where i love all the characters and it doesn’t require me to be constantly using my brain to keep up with everything. just *chefs kiss*.
hear me out, im going to be upfront and honest right away that there is not much that happens in this book until towards the end !!!BUT!!! i think this was SUCH a good and fun way to set up this trilogy. its an introduction to the world, magic, characters and plot without it being extremely overwhelming the way 99% of fantasy’s are these days. it allows you to get comfortable and familiar without too much pressure to keep up with 10 billion things.
every single character in this book was extremely pleasant and intriguing, im very obsessed with the three main characters and the dynamic that they’re attempting to figure out. i really liked all of Kys men that surround him. im very much looking forward to learning more about Kys sister. The traitor is a tad predictable BUT ill give it a pass bc i just really had the best time reading this lol.
i am PUMPED that it seems to be setting up for MMF, i am on my knees praying this is the direction the books will continue in because all three of these characters have the most ridiculous tension and chemistry 🤭
this is my first of brigids and im so deeply impressed by this book as i know her previous works are YA, her writing had me in an absolute chokehold. i really enjoyed how she uses everyones favorite fantasy tropes but in a way that isnt overdone or cliche. the explicit scenes were HOT, i absolutely loved how exploratory they were. im verryyyyy excited to see how the dynamics shift in this aspect through out the next two books, im excited to see jory get more confident with her two men and how ky and asher will eventually find their groove with one another!! the tension and yearning through out the entire book builds up SOOOO stunningly. like when i can get my hands on book two prepare to hate my ass because im gonna be FERAL by the time it happens after all the waiting 😂
im just overall very excited to see where this story goes, there is nothing i love more than an engaging fantasy where i love all the characters and it doesn’t require me to be constantly using my brain to keep up with everything. just *chefs kiss*.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of Warrior Princess Assassin. To start off, I strongly dislike the name of this book because it feels like it needs punctuation, but that is the ONLY thing about this whole book I don’t like. It was perfectly done. I had the privilege to hear Brigid talk about writing this last year and I was so excited to receive an advanced copy. She has shown how skilled she is, once again, by switching audiences (YA to adult) while still keeping the emotional depth and character growth she is known for. I thought this was her best so far.
I love how Kemmerer portrays all kinds of relationships, disabilities, trauma responses, and moral gray areas while compassionately writing some really complicated and frustrating characters -and also some perfect favorite ones. This book was a stellar example of her craft. I loved how well she did the central romance which was perfectly paced, deeply emotional, and the yearning was perfection. She always makes an intentional effort to portray real, loving, complicated, and accurate romances both queer and straight. I thought the way the three main characters interacted and loved each other was so well done and I was rooting for all of them. I do have my favorite though, who is one of those all time best characters in a book and I have a feeing he’s going to get better in the next one as she continues to develop his character and shows more of his relationship with his sister. The setting and world building were also excellent, though the romance was definitely the key theme of this book. I would recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy romance with deep character work, or really anyone who should love it and hasn’t found the right one yet.
Brigid Kemmerer said “I am doing ADULT romantasy now!!”… and she did not hold back with this bisexual, slow burn of a love triangle.
Warrior Princess Assassin sounds like a very plot-heavy title but don’t be fooled: this book is deeply interior, probing into the minds of three characters who all want to bang.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Warrior Princess Assassin sounds like a very plot-heavy title but don’t be fooled: this book is deeply interior, probing into the minds of three characters who all want to bang.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I did not know what I was getting into with this book and was not prepared...it felt like a Jennifer L. Armentrout book, which I decided I'd never read another of hers lol. This was a fast read, but the plot was definitely lacking.