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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
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.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I preordered Warrior Princess Assassin as soon as I saw it announced by Brigid Kemmerer and was excited to be able to obtain a copy early to review it!
This book is a great start to a new series and I am glad I was able to spend time with Ky, Jory, and Asher.. Watching the three of them overcome the obstacles thrown in their way as they escape back to Ky’s kingdom while realizing their feelings for each other made me want to stop doing anything and just read the book. Brigid has always built amazing worlds in her prior series and this book did not disappoint in this aspect. The action and tension built throughout the book, and as with her other books the first installment in the Braided Fate series leaves you on a cliffhanger that makes you want to be able to start the next book right away!
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for everyone to read this on its release on August 12. Thank you to NetGalley & Avon for allowing me to read and review this!
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book is truly a perfect mix of fantasy and romance, bringing together some amazing political intrigue and plotting, with a fantastic slow-burn romance where the Princess, Jory, has to decide between her promised Warrior King, Ky, to seal a deal between her nation and his or her childhood best friend/Assassin, Asher - or does she? The tension - both sexual and violent - between all characters in this is fantastic.
I love that the way Jory interacts with both Ky and Asher throughout the story changes and matches how the events have played out thus far. There is so much longing and staring between characters as they try to work together and decide if they can trust each other enough to survive assassination plots. While the ending was not shocking, it still snuck up on my in a satisfying way. Kemmerer left us breadcrumbs along the way (like a certain character did) to let us not feel blindsided at the end.
Jory also acts exactly as expected for a princess who never leaves the palace, never interacts with the common folk and is very sheltered. Her naivety is not surprising, but they way she handles this and grows is refreshing. Far too often in romantasy, the FMC shakes that off too soon, or after doing so, suddenly is naive again.
And if you like your Princesses to be a little bit stabby, I’ll leave you with this quote:
“Vicious, Princess.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I will say this also. Don’t go into this blind. If you think it is about a warrior assassin princess, you will be wrong and maybe a little sad. But don’t worry, Jory is strong and packs a mean punch.
Thank you to @avonbooks for the ARC from @apollycon. All thoughts are my own.
I love that the way Jory interacts with both Ky and Asher throughout the story changes and matches how the events have played out thus far. There is so much longing and staring between characters as they try to work together and decide if they can trust each other enough to survive assassination plots. While the ending was not shocking, it still snuck up on my in a satisfying way. Kemmerer left us breadcrumbs along the way (like a certain character did) to let us not feel blindsided at the end.
Jory also acts exactly as expected for a princess who never leaves the palace, never interacts with the common folk and is very sheltered. Her naivety is not surprising, but they way she handles this and grows is refreshing. Far too often in romantasy, the FMC shakes that off too soon, or after doing so, suddenly is naive again.
And if you like your Princesses to be a little bit stabby, I’ll leave you with this quote:
“Vicious, Princess.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I will say this also. Don’t go into this blind. If you think it is about a warrior assassin princess, you will be wrong and maybe a little sad. But don’t worry, Jory is strong and packs a mean punch.
Thank you to @avonbooks for the ARC from @apollycon. All thoughts are my own.
I’ve been reading Brigid Kemmerer’s fantasy novels ever since I heard she had written a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I absolutely loved A Curse So Dark and Lonely—who am I kidding, I love most fairytale retellings. Her young adult novels are filled with richly developed characters, twists, intrigue, immersive world-building, and well-crafted magical systems.
In the same way I loved those novels I love Warrior Princess Assassin.
The characters? Epic. Complex. Irresistibly lovely. As for the rest? Plot, world-building and magic?I honestly couldn’t tell you. I was so completely wrapped up in the characters and the longing, the tension, and the emotional dynamics between them that I tore through the book at a frankly irresponsible rate. I will most certainly need a reread and I can’t wait.
And the spice? On. Another. Level. Perfectly balanced between tender and intense, it brought another layer of depth to the relationships and made the emotional stakes feel even higher.
Read if you love complex, flawed characters, charged glances, aching desire, and a blend of sweet and dirty love.
I received an advanced reader’s copy from NetGalley. Thank you to them! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
adventurous
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No