I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. I liked the premise and the story was a fun quick read, but I just didn't enjoy the characters and the banter and jokes got old really fast. This, for me, was a situation were less would have been more.

I was super excited to read this book when I first started hearing about it. However it ended up not being my thing at the time and I believe it was a did not finish.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review.

Loved this one!! It really drew me into the story and I can’t wait to find out what happens next! Love the cover too.

I tried reading this twice. The first time I had to put the book down and I thought maybe I just wasn't in the mood. So I tried again after a couple of weeks (months?) and I felt the same way. I've read some really good reviews about the book so I think I'm on the minority here but... I don't know. Maybe this is one of those "it's not the book, it's me" type of situations.

I requested this book because one of my friends enjoyed it, and I'm glad it didn't disappoint. It was a super interesting YA fantasy, setting itself apart from the crowd a bit and I appreciated that.

4.5 stars -- You know what?  That was totally lived up to my high expectations for a fantasy book from Ms. Wolf.  I was honestly worried it wouldn't, which is why I kept avoiding reading it.  But nope, it was chock full of the same fantastic snarkiness that I've come to expect...mixed with a fascinating and horrifying world.

Honestly, the concept of Heartless is just freaking crazy!!  I mean, who thinks up this stuff?  Oh yeah, authors.  But seriously, it was a fascinating world.  I kind of loved how it was a blend of made up things mixed with real things.  Like they'd be talking about rose bushes as well as some made up plant that doesn't exist (I know cause I'm a googler).  So it was just close enough to my reality that I could draw parallels.  And it wasn't just the world, it was also the state of the kingdom, and the use of fear to control populations...it all struck just a little too close to home at times, you know?  It was kind of masterful.  I mean, I'm sure some snob is probably calling it heavy handed, but it worked for this reader.

Zera was both so easy and so hard to love.  She was so wrapped up in who she was, and what she'd done, and what she had to do.  She was like a big ball of conflict, and it pervaded her entire journey.  It was hard to read about, because my heart ached for her.  I wanted her to make one decision, but she really could only see so many options in front of her.  But I got it, I really did.  I got it based on how her life had been the last 3 years, and the demands of the hunger, and just...all of it.  But my heart broke for her, especially near the end.

It was fascinating to watch her waffle between resolute in her quest, to feeling bits of her humanity come back.  I loved the way her relationships with other characters played into that as well.  Obviously her developing relationship with Lucien was a component, but in some ways I don't even think it was the most important one.  But I am champing at the bit to move on to book 2 to find out where things are going to go after that ending.

The relationship that had the most impact in my opinion was with Lady Y'shennria.  I LOVED the way that developed, and how far it had to go.  I feel like you got to see most of Zera's heart with her longing for a relationship with her.  And it wasn't just Lady Y'shennria, it was Reginall as well.  It was...just something I wasn't expecting.

Obviously I also enjoyed the friendships she sort of developed with Fione and Malachite.  They both brought something unique to the story, though it was Malachite I was most in love with as a friend.

So yeah.  Loved it.  I can see it not being for everyone, but I just seriously LOVE the snark that permeates everything that is Zera.  It's what I was expecting and hoping for, and I wasn't disappointed.

I started reading this one but didn't hold my interest. I though the concept was good but I wish I could have connected with the characters more.

I received an e-arc of Bring Me Their Hearts from the publisher for honest review. Thanks so much to Entangled Teen for letting me give it a read.
This was so great! I really, really liked Bring Me Their Hearts. It had that magical, addictive quality to it that just pulled me into the story immediately.
I liked Zera. She was an interesting character. She's very sassy, almost too sassy at times. Her battle with her monster was pretty compelling.
I liked Lucien. He was great.
I liked Y'shrennria, especially with how her relationship grew with Zera. I liked everyone in Y'shrennria's household. I just like the little family they created.
I liked Malachite. He was cool.
I'm unsure about Fione. I feel like she has more simmering beneath the surface then she lets on. I'm almost suspicious of her, and I don't know why.
I enjoyed the world. It felt medieval, steampunk, and sort of spacey all at the same time. It was fun to read about.
The ending is brutal! It leaves on such a big cliffhanger. I'm glad I can go right to the next book so I can see what happens. I need to know how all of this resolves itself. Will Zera get her heart back?
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.5/5
Everything I wanted!

This book took me forever to read, but I enjoyed it all the way through. I like to think that I truly savored it.

When I started the novel, I thought that I knew what the story was going to be. Monster girl goes to complete her mission and ends up getting healed in some magical way, ends up with a boy, the end. But this isn't how it went, and boy was I happy about it!

Zera has been a Heartless for several years, even though she doesn't want to be. Heartless don't age, and she is starting to lose more and more of the already faint memories of her life before turning. She can't even go outside of the forest boundaries before getting hurt because of her connection to the witch who has her heart. The witches need the Heartless, and the Heartless cannot live without their hearts from the witches. Therefore, when the witches are in danger, only a Heartless can kill the one person putting them in danger: Prince Lucien.

Zera is one of the best and most trustworthy Heartless fighters, so she is sent to kill Prince Lucien. She gets to see outside the forest for the first time in years, but she has to manage to blend in with other humans. The most interesting part of the story was learning about the character of Prince Lucien. At first, Zera doesn't even hesitate to think about killing him. Then, the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes that there is more to the story than what is being told to her by the people who sent her. She makes a very interesting character as she sneaks around to figure out the secrets of the kingdom and then reports back to the people who sent her to plot his murder.

Then, there are the other characters. I won't reveal too much as they are related to major spoilers, but they make the story so much better. I wanted an entire story just about the woman who brought Zera to the capital, and about Fiona. Fiona might have been my favorite character, even though her story has only been half completed as of this novel. I hope that her story is finished in the next book!

The only part of the book that I found confusing was around the middle. By this point, many new characters had been introduced, and still more were showing up every chapter. It got to be very difficult trying to keep up with every single character, and even at the end of the book I was still figuring things out. I feel that if there had been at least one or two more scenes with Zera interacting with the new characters separately or in small groups, I would have definitely been able to have an easier time telling them apart. 

Overall, this was a great fantasy read that focused on both a bit of romance and a very intense storyline. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a new NA/YA fantasy book with great worldbuilding and a unique main character. 

I received a copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.

This book was a fun read. The story was fast-paced and the dialogue witty. The heroine is a certified badass. I'm glad to know the series will continue.

None of them will fill the emptiness, the gaping chasm, the cold void of the girl I used to be. A happy girl, an innocent girl. A girl with family. A girl who believed in the goodness of the world, once.
A girl with love.”

Bring Me Their Hearts ends on such a cliffhanger, I don’t know what to do with myself. Sara Wolf is an author I’d follow anywhere; simply for the fact that she gave me Jack Hunter in the Lovely Vicious Trilogy. It was inevitable that I would choose to read and review this book as well.

I’ll be honest, it took me a hot minute to truly get into the story. Why? I have no idea. The main character is spunky and hilarious; I loved her immediately. I just couldn’t, for the life of me, care for the story. The more I read though, the more interesting this new world became. The world building and the story in all, was different. Good but very different. You have beings that are called Heartless—they literally don’t have a heart and witches control them.

“I might be a thief, but I’m also a romantic. I’m after his heart.”

Zera, our main girl, is a Heartless. She’s given a huge task—to seduce the crown prince and take his heart. In turn, she’ll get the freedom she desires for her and her friends. Things prove to be difficult once she meets Prince Lucien and see how kind and caring he is. But Zera only has so little time to get the job done until everything is too late.

Despite the fact that the book started off slow, I clearly enjoyed the story very much. The comedic way the heroine would handle situations, made the book so fun. I like books that don’t take themselves too seriously. I think Wolf has a great imagination and I’m so happy she’s shared this particular story with us. Now, I’m not too needy when it comes to reading material but...can we get the sequel like now?

“His heart. Freedom. His heart. Freedom.”

3.5 stars

When I first started Bring Me Their Hearts I wasn't sure I would like it, but as the story progressed I could feel myself get into it page after page.

I really enjoyed this story, I found it to be different than most fantasy reads and it was very refreshing.

I can't wait to read the next book!

I received an ARC copy from netgalley for my honest review, so thank you netgalley and publishers for offering me this book! ♡
The cover and title is what originally drew me to this book.
Zera is a Heartless—the immortal, unaging soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger's control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.
Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a prince's heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum: if she's discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy Zera's heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.
Crown Prince Lucien d'Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him—every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him—until the arrival of Lady Zera. She's inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The prince's honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.
So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.
Winner takes the loser's heart.
Literally.
This was my first book by this author. It was alltogether an easy read. ♡ I give this book a
4.5 star rating!

Finally, interesting characters! I loved Zera’s snarkiness and the constant battle she had with her inner monster. Loved Lucien! The romance is an incredible slow and beautiful burn, because Zera is on a mission to take Lucien’s heart, literally. The action was great with addicting writing! And that ending! Bring me book 2!

I was given a readers copy by the publisher and YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. There will be spoilers in this review, but I will flag the paragraph they are in.

For three years, Zera has wandered the forests as a Heartless, an immortal soldier of a witch. She spends her days fending off wound-be assassins and protecting the cottage she calls home, where she lives with the witch who stole her heart and two other Heartless children. Until the day her witch, Nightsinger, offers her a deal: sneak into court and steal the crown prince's heart, turning him into a tool of the witches, and Zera and the other two children can have her own hearts back. Zera will earn her freedom and all she has to do is condemn the prince to her deathless fate. It should be easy-- how hard could it be to tear out the heart of a spoiled, ignorant noble?-- or so she thinks, until she meets Prince Lucien, the tenderhearted boy caught between the court and what he believes is right.

As they grow closer, Zera grapples with the monster inside her. Can she kill the beautiful boy who makes her heart flutter, even so far away in a jar? And if she doesn't, will she be condemning everyone she loves to another war between witches and humans?

Welcome to the city of Veris, where the pampered elite look down on the struggling masses. Where large statues called Crimson Ladies guard the city against witches. And where a new archduke stirs up hatred and fear in hopes of starting another war. Bring Me Their Hearts takes us right into a traditional fantasy court, full of magic, drama, and witches. The book leaps right into action, starting at Lucien and Zera's first meeting, then dialing us back a few weeks to show Zera preparing for when she enters the court. There's an easy flow to the writing with just enough description to get a feel for the scenes without bogging the reader down, which made for a pleasant read.

The characters in this book are its true strength, from Zera to Lucien and even Y'shrennria. I found there was not a whole lot of chemistry between Lucien and Zera, but taken individually I found myself really liking their characters. With Zera, we see a really balanced main character: strong but gets knocked around, bratty but kind, selfish but compassionate. As well, Zera does things to make herself "feel human," when she's stressed, like dressing up in fancy clothes, and does this several times throughout the book, which was a nice touch. I really liked Lucien as well. I feel like much of his personality was purposefully crafted to make him seem more attractive-- his habit of saving Zera, caring about his people to a fault, isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, even his devotion to his sister-- but it still adds together to create a really solid and lovable character. The relationship between Zera and Y'shrennria was also really lovely-- seeing Y'shrennria learn not to be afraid of Zera was touching-- even if the scene where Y'shrennria admits she cares did come down a little heavy handed.

On that note, the book was a little on the nose sometimes with it's narration. As in, when referencing something that had happened earlier, either a character or the narrative would immediately connect it back to that earlier event, without letting the reader make the connection themselves. This might be helpful for younger or forgetful readers, but it takes away the sense of reward of piecing together the story, which I don't think the general YA audience would have had trouble with. It could also be a little cheesy at times, but that wasn't always a bad thing and it made the book more fun in a lot of ways. Still, the cheesiness sometimes took away from scenes that would have had more impact had there been a more genuine approach.

The romance in this book is really awesome, and definitely keeps the story moving. Despite having no real chemistry between love interests, the romantic scenes were well done. By the end I was definitely holding my breath, trying to figure out what Zera would decide. Zera does clue into her feelings for Lucien a little late, which is kind of cute while at the same time it makes her seem a little dense. The tension in this book is also incredible, as you can probably see from the summary. The stakes are very well-established, there's a feeling of time running out, the impending doom of the monster within her, and all of this makes the book very hard to put down. By the end, I was completely glued to my ereader.

There is a bit of Not Like Other Girls syndrome in this book. as Zera is skilled with a sword and "inelegant," unlike all the noble girls around her. It's not completely overt, and will probably appeal to teen readers who feel like the odd girl out, but it's disappointing to see the narrative pit girls against each other in competition for a guy. Grace and Charm, the two other Spring Brides competing for Lucien's hand, are the worst developed characters in the book. Not only do they get barely any page time (which begs the question, what was their point?) but they're portrayed as snide, spoiled rich girls that turn their noses up at Zera. Instead of showing why Lucien would choose Zera over Charm and Grace, the other girls are simply turned into caricatures that disappear from the story shortly after Zera knocks them down a peg.

**SPOILERS FOR THE NEXT PARAGRAPH**
The only thing about the book that really bothers me, and truly knocked down the ranking for me, was the ending. It does end in a cliff hanger, but the frustrating part is the main conflict of the book-- will Zera take Lucien's heart?-- is never actually resolved. The book ends abruptly after Lucien sees Zera's true nature while she's still grappling with whether to take his heart. It made me feel extremely disappointed, as it felt like I was waiting the whole book for this question to be answered, only for it to be jerked away at the last second.
**SPOILERS OVER**

Despite the above complaints, this is a great romance read for teen readers. It's got a kick-butt heroine that doesn't take crap from anyone, a swoon-worthy lead, and wicked tension that makes this book impossible to put down.

Overall, 3/5 stars. A wickedly fun battle of wills--and hearts-- against a delightful court fantasy backdrop.

I really, really loved this book! I was not a huge fan of the cover, to be honest, and I was really leery about giving it a read. My friend recieved and ARC as well and she really enjoyed it, so I decided to give it a go. Totally worth it.

Really enjoyed this book! Totally original fantasy with fairy tale vibes that I adored! The world-building was great, the characters were entertaining, and the plot kept me glued to the pages! I was really curious to see how the author would wrap this first book up, and I'm happy to say the ending surprised me in a good way! I will definitely be picking up book 2 when it comes out because that cliffhanger...GAH! Destroyed me!

PS. Can I just add...the cover is GORGEOUS!!! I can't wait for the reveal of book 2!

*Got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

People who know me know it’s a hard sell for me to pick up a fantasy novel. Unfamiliar worlds laid out tend to bore me; magic and the like doesn’t entice me.

Folks, this book just punches all that in the face.

For as much as Bring Me Their Hearts is a fantasy novel, it’s also a character driven novel that is expertly shown, and not told. The world building was so natural that I felt like I could reach into the pages and live there. Not that I’d actually want to, considering the state of the world.

Let’s first talk about Zera, one of the most fascinating female characters I’ve read in a while. She’s 100% sass and 200% badass. Zera is fierce when it comes to protecting her heart – and I’ll leave it at that so you can see what I mean.

I loved that each of the side characters got their own backstory woven into the history of the world they live in. I can’t even decide who is my favorite (though it might be Malachite).

Also, THAT.ENDING. Winner takes their heart – Sara is just racking them up because we are all dead after reading this. Bring me book 2 to revive me!

-Christy Jane (CoBlogger)

Bring Me Their Hearts (Bring Me Their Hearts #1) by Sara Wolf
Entangled Teen, 2018
Fantasy (Romance/YA); 400 pgs
Source: Netgalley

Sara Wolf’s Bring Me Their Hearts was pure entertainment, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Zera is a Heartless, an immortal slave to the witch, Nightsinger, who saved her from the bandits who murdered Zera’s family. Zera wants nothing more than her freedom—and her heart back. Zera is used to being told no when she asks for her heart, but this time Nightsinger offers her a deal. Her heart in exchange for the heart of the prince. Those in power hate the witches and will do anything to see them wiped out of existence. The witches have other ideas and using Zera is their latest ploy to gain the upper hand. Time is short, and Zera must learn the skills of a lady in record time. She must pass as a noble or forfeit her life if caught. Her timing could not be more perfect as Lucien is about to choose a bride. At least that is what his parents want. The crown prince is hard to please, however, and nothing short of extraordinary is bound to catch his eye. Zera is not at all what Lucien expected, nor is he what she expected. The two find themselves fighting their attraction to each other while at the same time unable to stay away. The risk to Zera is high. Her very life hangs on the line either way. If she doesn’t get the prince’s heart, she will die. And stealing his heart is the last thing she wants to do.

Zera may be a bit of a smart-ass, but she truly is smart and quick on her feet. Sometimes I found myself rolling my eyes at her quips, but I liked her just the same. She is in a very difficult position, and I felt for her and her situation. I could not help but think of Monstrosity as I read Bring Me Their Hearts. Zera must work hard to keep her inner monster under control. Not having a heart inside her chest has its consequences. I read a tweet in which someone mentioned the author having referred to the voice inside Zera’s head being a mirror image of the author’s own experience with Depression and how that inner voice continually tells her hurtful things. And I could see that. Zera feels so much guilt over her past, sees herself as a monster, but the more the reader gets to know her, the more she seems less like a monster and more like the caring human being she is. For someone without a heart, she has the biggest heart of all in this novel.

It is a constant struggle for Zera to push those voices down. Zera is grateful to the witch who saved her life but also longing to have the tie to her severed. She hates her fate and the more she gets to know the prince, the less she wants him to have to go through that too. Prince Lucien has the expected arrogance of his position, and as is often the case in novels like this, is a bit of a rebel. I got annoyed at some of the games he played with Zera—clearly he likes her, but playing hard to get got old fast for me. I did like him overall though. Lucien, it turns out, has a good head on his shoulders. And I liked that the romance between the two developed over the course of the novel. Neither he nor Zera trust others quickly—and with good reason.

There are a couple of other characters in the novel that won me over as well—both of whom I was skeptical of at first. Fione, a longtime friend of the prince and Lady Y’shennria, the noble woman who takes Zera in and trains her for court. Both have their own agendas and reasons for wanting to help Zera, although Fione does not have a clue about Zera’s true identity.

I was intrigued with the world building in this novel. The old versus the new religion, the way science and magic are woven in, and the politics. The novel has a definite medieval feel to it. The idea of a young woman sent in to assassinate or incapacitate the prince is not a new one, of course. It’s often the story around it that varies. Sara Wolf sets her story in the middle of a war between witches and humans, in which the humans are winning. The witches have developed a strong weapon of their own—that of the Heartless, humans whose hearts they keep in jars. They control those whose hearts they hold captive. Some witches are more humane with their Heartless than others. It could be argued that Zera is lucky the witch holding her heart is humane and even at times kind to her. And while I would not argue against the affection Zera feels toward her witch, there is nothing humane about enslaving someone to do your bidding.

Cliffhangers tend to make me mad, especially in books in which I am deeply involved like this one. Be forewarned as this has a big one. I hope we don’t have to wait long for the next book! Other than that though, I thoroughly enjoyed Bring Me Their Hearts. I look forward to the next book.

Bring Me Their Hearts is a unique, young adult fantasy set in a magical world with witches and monsters and other creatures.  Zera is a Heartless monster forced to do the bidding of a witch named Nightsinger. There’s a war coming and the witches are ready to be on the right side of that war.  The plan is for Zera to take the heart of Prince Lucien and in return, Nightsinger will return Zera’s heart back to her chest. Of course, things aren’t exactly as they seem and nothing goes as planned.

Overall, I did enjoy this story.  

In the beginning, it was a very slow start with a lot of information dumping that caused me to really struggle to get into the story. We get a lot of backstory on Zera and the world, and I would have rather all that info be dispersed in bits throughout the story.

It took until about 50% into the book for it to finally get interesting, then I couldn’t put it down.  I loved the snark and banter between Zera and Lucien. Plus, I really wanted to know what was really going on with Lucien???  We know Zera’s secrets, I was dreading for those to be found out, but I really want to know all of Lucien’s secrets!!

Then there is the cliffhanger!  I actually thought this was a standalone book when I started since I received and read the ARC before the book release.  Nope, it ends on a huge cliffhanger! I’m not talking about the lead into the next part of the plot arc either. Not a single thing gets answered or resolved at the end.

Now, I need to read the next book when it comes out because I’m still curious.