I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Bring Me Their Hearts is a fun and light read filled with witches, magic, and a sassy main character that I instantly fell in love with. Zera is a Heartless, which is a servant to a witch named Nightsinger, who is tasked with pretending to be a potential bride and stealing the heart of the prince. Being a Heartless also means that you must deal with the insatiable hunger for blood, organs, and human flesh.
I loved that this book turned the entire “Damsel in Distress” trope on it’s head with Zera, who is a monster, pretending to be a princess. I also loved the constant moral struggle Zera has while living amongst the court between wanting to eat everyone and a desire to protect the helpless. Zera is a real character for me with her sarcasm, hopes, and quick-witted comebacks. I loved the romance and it was fun to see Zera further deal with the struggle with her humanity to keep someone she has feelings for safe.
The one fault that I had with this book was that the ending was predictable. Not only that, but I didn’t realize that it wasn’t a standalone book. I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for something different from your typical fantasy novel, but I would say to wait until the next book is out because that cliffhanger ending was super frustrating for me.

Sara Wolf’s Bring Me Their Hearts is one of those books to have grabbed my attention because I’m seeing so many people reading and loving the book. With the promise of something a bit different in the young adult fantasy genre, of something a bit darker, I was more than willing to grab the book and give it a try.

As a lover of young adult fantasy who is a bit disenchanted with all the repetition I’ve been seeing as of late, Bring me Their Hearts was a nice refreshing read. When comparing Bring Me Their Hearts to all the other young adult fantasy books I have been reading lately, this one really stands out – it most certainly is not the same story I have already read numerous times in the guise of something different, rather it is something unique that has left me more than willing to dive into the future books in the series.

I will be honest and say this one did take me a wee while to get into. We’re introduced to a new world and way of magic, one that is slow to develop into a full picture. As a fan of new interesting worlds, as a fan of something different, I was more than happy to work with the slow build to get myself the full interesting picture. Once the world does develop in full, it was a lot of fun and I found myself desperate for even more. It may not have been as dark as I hoped for, but such is often the case with young adult fantasy, and I was more than happy with what I was given.

With interesting characters, an addictive storyline, a fun new world to understand, and something completely different to the norm, Bring Me Their Hearts was a book I was more than willing to power through. Once I started the story I could not put it down, and at the end I was left desperate to get my hands on the second book. I need more of the characters, I need more of the world, and I desperately need answers as to what comes next.

There is no doubt in my mind I will be reading the next book Sara Wolf releases in this series, as I need to see what comes next.

I absolutely loved this. Well, except for the beginning which was a little slow. But once Zera first met Lucien I was all in. I loved these two characters, especially when they were together. I also like the world created here, it was all really interesting.

Zera was such a fun character. She always tried her hardest but never lost herself even when shoved into a role that she wasn't comfortable with. She's known as a heartless because while she was dying a witch came and took her heart from chest, but bound her lifeforce with her magic. But by doing so, she also pretty much became Zera's master until she decides to give her heart back. And that's exactly what's being offered if Zera can complete this mission given to her by this group of witches. All she has to do is get close to the prince, carve out his heart, and bring it back them. Then she will have her own freedom and the freedom of two other children with her. First she has to learn how to act like a noble and has very little time.

I Loved Lucien, I really did. He was not what one would expect from a crown prince and a big part of that was because of a tragedy that hit his family when he was young. In public, even though he plays his part, it's obvious that he detests what's going on. Numerous noble girls have been brought before him for him to choose a wife from, but he sends them all away never showing interest in any of them. Until Zera. She challenges him and their customs, isn't just a pretty face, and she also speaks her mind. It's more than enough to draw his attention to her.

Lucien and Zera were just so much fun to read about when they were together. Whether they met up on purpose or by chance it was always entertaining. Making it even more fun was Lucien's personal bodyguard, Malachite, because he treated Lucien as a charge but not as a royal. Even the interactions between those two were fun because more often than not they acted as friends would.

As time for Zera to betray Lucien was running out, I couldn't wait to see how he would react when he found out what she truly was. I NEVER expected it to go down the way it did though. And now I REALLY can't wait for the next book because I desperately want these two back together.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 June 6

BOOK REPORT for Bring Me Their Hearts (Bring Me Their Hearts #1) by Sara Wolf

Cover Story: Fancy Sassy Dress
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Talky Talk: Something More
Bonus Factor: Zombies
Factor: Series Starter
Anti-Bonus Factor: Cliffhanger
Relationship Status: Ready for a Second Date

Cover Story: Fancy Sassy Dress

Most times, Fancy Dress covers are fancy for no good reason other than that cover designers think people who buy YA are drawn to ladies in ballgowns. However, in this case, the fancy dress the covergirl is wearing is actually very applicable to the story. As is her sassy People’s Eyebrow.

The Deal:

Zera’s been stuck in a sixteen-year-old body for three years, thanks to her death and subsequent resurrection as a Heartless, a servant of the witch Nightsinger. Things could be worse: Zera can’t be killed, and she won’t age as long as she remains Heartless. But she also can’t travel far from her heart—which Nightsinger keeps in a jar on their hearth—and her greatest wish is to once again be free.

So when Nightsinger comes to Zera with an offer: pretend to be a noble and literally steal the crown prince’s heart to turn him into a Heartless, and regain her freedom in return, Zera jumps at the chance. After all, freedom is all she’s ever wanted.

Or so she thought.

BFF Charm: Yay



The fact that Zera’s basically a zombie who has to control her “hunger” by eating raw meat lest she become a monster who craves human flesh doesn’t make her any less of a really cool girl. She’s got a quick wit (albeit sometimes paired with a quick temper) and a lust for life that would likely be lost on those of us who aren’t bound to serve as a witch’s Heartless. She takes time to appreciate the beauty in life, and all too easily recognizes the inequalities of the society in which she lives. She’s also not willing to sit around and play the quiet, demure, “proper” young lady, regardless of the con she’s running, and immediately makes waves among the nobility. Were I a member of the nobility, Zera’s totally the type of girl who I’d want to hang out with, and I’d hope she’d look past my bookish, rule-following tendencies to see the kindred spirits within.

Swoonworthy Scale: 8

As painfully obvious as it is that Zera’s going to eventually have feelings other than “he’s a means to an end” about the crown prince, Wolf doesn’t rush things. And the enemistry in this book! It’s delightful.

Talky Talk: Something More

On the surface, Bring Me Their Hearts seems like the kind of fantasy tale that we’ve seen time and time again: a young woman infiltrates the upper echelon of society in order to bring about change, but finds out that all she thought she knew wasn’t entirely the truth. However, Wolf infuses her novel with enough intriguing and unique elements to make it stand out from the crowd. There are certainly tropes in the book, but Wolf uses them both to the story’s benefit, and subverts them enough so that they don’t feel stale.

Additionally, her world-building creates a rich, nuanced setting for the story, and the book left me wanting more—both from the actual plot and the world—long after reading the last page. (Thankfully, it’s the first of a trilogy.)

Bonus Factor: Zombies



Unlike the traditional pop culture zombie, Zera looks totally normal from the outside. Her connection to Nightsinger keeps her young and healthy, which is really the only benefit of being a Heartless (aside from, you know, not being dead). If she goes too long without eating, however, or gives in to the voice in her head that’s pretty constantly urging her to attack people and eat them, Zera can definitely turn into something much more monstrous. Wolf’s take on the zombie idea is an interesting one.

Factor: Series Starter



Although Goodreads doesn’t list Bring Me Their Hearts as a series starter (yet), it’s obvious that this book is just the start of a series. Wolf even affirms that this is the start to a trilogy in her answer to a question on the site. Although I do enjoy a good standalone, I’m not going to mind revisiting this world one bit.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Cliffhanger



In the same answer in which Wolf says this book is the first of three, she also assured the reader that it wouldn’t have a terrible ending … only to later edit herself.



I guess I agree that the ending is a good one, but it certainly doesn’t help my impatience for more.

Relationship Status: Ready for a Second Date

You’re a great storyteller, Book, and I got sucked in almost immediately to your tale. I’d love to get together again to hear more, as soon as possible.

Literary Matchmaking:



● If you enjoyed Zera’s personality—and her secret mission—you’ll enjoy Celena’s story in Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series, starting with Throne of Glass.

● Love enemistry as much as I do? (SO MUCH.) Check out The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You, Lily Anderson’s Much Ado About Nothing retelling.

● And if you’re interested in reading more about badass ladies who infiltrate royal courts to bring about change, try The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows.


FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Entangled: Teen, but got neither a private dance party with Tom Hiddleston nor money in exchange for this review. Bring Me Their Hearts is available now.

Bring Me Their Hearts literally took my heart, throbbing from my chest and swarmed myself into this fulfillment of a YA Fantasy novel.

First off, the cover completes the essence of the novel. I usually don’t like faces on the front of YA books, but this one brought my attention into the searing main character! Literally, the face she’s making can wrap up the novel’s tone in one look.

There is deceit and a perfectly burning romance that I couldn’t get enough of. There are a lot of moments you feel yourself wanting so much more. For all of those who absolutely love the dreadful cliffhangers, guess what?!? Yep, this book has one!

Originally, I came into this book thinking it was a stand-alone, but boy, was I wrong! It’s so good!

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I loved the witch-y world and the epic fantasy feel to the writing. The main character is filled with sass (which I love reading in a character) and reminds me of the main characters of both Sarah J. Maas series (but of course, this book has it’s own beautiful twist). So if you are a fan of the Maas books, you will fall in an fierce, fantasy love for Bring Me Their Hearts.

I probably won’t be able to contain myself for the next year until the next book comes out. Honestly, I may be re-reading it here very soon!

This book has been on my tbr since before they changed the synopsis when Zera was the heartless being held responsible for the murder of her witch. The day NetGalley kindly decided to grant my wish, it undoubtedly was my lucky day. I screamed so loud that the people around me looked at me as if I were a girl going mad.

Bring Me Their Hearts is a story that lives up to its cover and its synopsis. Zera is the second heartless of the witch Nightsinger. She is there to protect her master and to follow every order she is given until her boxed heart is returned to her. In fact, there is nothing in this world that Zera wishes more than to have her heart back to its original place.

This book reminded me a lot of To Kill a Kingdom. The setting is entirely different, yet, their main characters are so similar. Their temperament, sassiness, and witty responses are good enough to make you keep going without stopping for a moment. The worldbuilding is full of intrigues, opulent villains, and dark fairytales.

My favorite thing besides Zera, are the characters' development, and how the story is not specifically built around the romance. There is romance indeed, but it grows slow burning and fluid, giving you time to appreciate all the little details. Nobody wants a strong personae as Zera to be head over heels in love since page one.

Secondary characters are fantastic as well. They give the book a spicy touch. The author hinted an LGBT relationship, and I hope she develops it in the following installments because I am sure that couple is going to be fire.

The only thing left to say is: WHEN AM I GETTING BOOK TWO?? I don't think I am going to survive the wait. I knew there was going to be a cliffhanger because Ms. Wolf herself confirmed it, I just didn't expect for it to be so epic and leave me so thirsty. So hurry up please, because I don't think Zera wants more deaths around her.

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf is fantasy novel with a romantic twist. Zera is an immortal soldier who is bound in service to a witch, her heart stored in a jar. When the witch tasks her to get the heart of the crown prince in return for her own, it's all or nothing. Prince Lucien has everything and hates it. People either tiptoe around him or are out to claim him. Then Zera comes along and she's not like anyone else.

The battle of wits between these two makes for a fun and intense read. The fact that so much is on the line makes it even more complicated. Hate and love are closer than people think, but only one of them can survive and it's hard to see a way out.

Overall I enjoyed Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf. This was an intriguing and suspenseful book with a complex and interesting world.

So. I should have read this book a while back now. Yet I only finished it yesterday.. And I have to admit I regret a bit waiting this long to read it, because I found this book amazing!
The story and Sara Wolf's writing are so addictive, I could hardly put down the book (so no surprise that you see it took me barely two days to read it).

The pace of the whole book is rather fast, as the story happens in a span of two weeks, and even though it sometimes bother me when a book is set in a small amount of time like here, it wasn't the case for <i>Bring Me Their Hearts</i>. It's actually one of the reasons I was so caught up in my read!

I haven't read High Fantasy in quite a long time, and it felt so good! The universe created by Wolf is as fascinating as it is dangerous.

I absolutely loved Zera. She's fierce, independent (at least when you don't take into account the fact that she's a Heartless and that she's bound to her Witch) and clever, though sometimes she doesn't see things through, which can land her into trouble. I absolutely loved the evolution of her character, and how she somehow increasingly become more 'human' as time passes by.
Even though I was a bit skeptical and reluctant to see a romance between her and Lucien, I ended up really enjoying it. Their chemistry is undeniable, and they were just perfect together: never too cheesy, always hating/loving each other. My favorite kind of love story !

As for the plot itself, despite a few predictable things, I loved everything ! From the introduction to the novel to the very last line of it, this novel was everything I loved.
And this cliffhanger, oh my god! I can't believe we'll have to wait Gods know how long for the sequel. I NEED IT NOW!

So yeah, if you love fantasy, a book with a good pace and slow-burn romance, this one's definitely for you!

This book has a zillion reviews already, so I don’t have to recap it.

The takeaway is that the author actually makes being a zombie fun to read about.

Wolf mixes the usual YA tropes with some imaginative creature features, beginning with the “Heartless” heroine, Zera, who retains her youth and strength, can’t be killed, but fights against a hungry . . . thing inside her, while her heart is kept by the witch who first turned her into a Heartless.

Zera is sent to the capital to capture the heart of the crown prince. She is introduced into a deadly court by a mysterious and fascinating lady who pretends to be her aunt, and who has reasons of her own to be part of this plan. The danger is from a fairly standard evil and powerful duke who uses religion as an excuse to kill people right and left, including menacing the royal family.

Longtime readers will recognize the tropes as they come, and will easily predict the “surprise” ending, but the younger readers this book is aimed at should enjoy Zera’s snarky narration, which is presented in first person present tense. I guess present tense is cool now, as I’ve seen it a lot of late. I find it less successful when there are many flashbacks, especially as (as is done here) we start with the introduction of Zera to the court and the Crown Prince, then jump back to introduce her story and her training, before we catch up with the present.

I thought this might be a first novel, as there are some misused words, and mixed metaphors (inches being used to measure sound, for example) plus apostrophe names that make no linguistic sense. It turns out that this author has several books under her belt, and a big following. I can see why, with that exuberantly sarcastic heroine who isn’t afraid of anyone, and slams into action when she sees injustice, in spite of that heartlessness. There are also some vivid descriptions, especially of the magical races.

Altogether a fun summer read for the teen reader who likes fantasy, magical races, and a take-no-prisoners heroine.

Zera is heartless. Literally. A witch saved her from death by making her a heartless and in return, she has to serve the witch. With the threat of war around the corner that could leave the witches decimated again, Zera is sent to the kingdom to take the heart of Lucien, the crown prince of Cavanos. It should be easy right? After all, she only has to win the prince’s heart (literally).

Except, it turns out there are some… complications along the way.

Bring Me Their Hearts is a YA fantasy book that promises a lot of banter, action, and of course, a star-crossed romance. In a market where almost every other book promises the same thing, Bring Me Their Hearts really needs to deliver to stand out or twist the common tropes into something else. After reading this book, I can say that it certainly succeeds in some of these areas!

This book was incredibly fun to read, and this is mainly because of all the characters being quite snarky, which makes for great dialogue. While it was amusing at first, as the story continues it did begin to become too much causing the characters to blur together due to their similarities. Other than their wits, they all have a ‘more that meets the eye’ personality going on. The characters are also reminiscent of those which have become popular in YA. For example, a female assassin is sent to murder someone resulting in them earning their freedom, along with their love for pretty dresses, frequent quips and banter, and falling in love with someone who they are supposed to kill.

Personally, the secondary characters were more intriguing, such as Malachite and Lady Y’shennria, and it would be great to learn more about them, especially the latter because she formed a really amazing relationship and story with Zera. Plus Malachite seems quite interesting because he’s part of this race known as the Beneathers.

The world building is incredible and well fleshed out, without dumping too much information on us. We get to learn about the different races, the Sunless war, their religions, and the political issues they face. The religions especially play a huge part in the story as it’s important in the history of Cavanos, especially in the recent war. We see the people living in poverty while the royals and nobles live in opulence in the middle of it all… So cue the alleys, drinking taverns, chaotic markets and some high-speed thief chases.

Although the plot was enjoyable to read, it did carry the predictability that has become come in YA with their ‘tried-and-true’ formula. That being said, the way the story unfolded was great with it starting off with Zera being presented at the Spring Welcoming, before moving back to the point where she was initially recruited. The story then moves forward until we reach the starting point before continuing onward to what happens after the Welcoming. Since this is Zera’s first time going to court, she had to learn everything about the kingdom and court, which as a result, we get to experience everything alongside Zera without it being overkill. While it may sound slightly confusing, it’s not something I have encountered before.

Overall, despite having a great time reading it with its political intrigue and action, it did blur together with other YA fantasy books. However, hopefully in the next book we will see more of the side characters. With the major cliffhanger at the end of this book, I’m interested to see how the next book will take us.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf is a story following the absolute savage heroine Zera and her quest to retrieve her humanity by earning back her heart, as well as to try and prevent another catastrophic war between the humans and witches. With such a burden on her shoulders and everything on the line, Zera must make sure everything goes well so that no more lives would have to be lost and ensuring the safety of those that she loves.

I am quite familiar with Sara Wolf’s books, reading several of them before, all of them being modern realistic fiction and contemporary YA books. Even though her previous books honestly never really left an impression (and wasn’t…that good, to be honest), simply because I recognize her when I saw her name, and how she’s giving out ARCs, I still did not hesitate to sign up (even when I actually never read the synopsis).

I recently watched a video about J.K Rowling’s publisher, and how he chooses books for publishing. He said that you typically can always tell if a book is good or not just by the first few chapters, if not the first few pages.

This relates to me so much, because I noticed that whenever I first start with a book, and it did not give me that “adrenaline-rush-you-got-when-you-read-a-good-book”, chances are…that feeling is going to stick with me the entire book. I’m not saying that automatically, it would segregate this book to be a bad one, but I definitely won’t enjoy this book as much as I would’ve liked. In other words, just another typical book.

But this book is a perfect example of what it’s like for reviewers when finally hiting a jackpot with an ARC.

And it is the most congenial experience I can get.

This book is not perfect, and my biggest issues with this book include the relationship pace between Zera and Lucien (which ironically is also what made me love this book so much), and some of the logical story flaws I feel like the author could’ve improved.

I am so pleased with this book because first-and-foremost I haven’t gotten the chance to read an actual hate-love relationship in a very long time, nor a hate-love relationship that is actually this good. So you can imagine why I am so happy that this book came into my life.

Let’s start off with the story and world building. The world building made perfect sense with the storyline. Details down to the cultures, lineages, and history were all clearly understandable and interesting. Oh, and the storyline had exponential suspense, much more than I anticipated (considering the fact that this isn’t even a thriller or horror BOOK).

Now we’ve got that out of the way, I want to discuss my thoughts on the relationships a bit. THIS BOOK SERIES HAD ONE OF THE BEST HATE-LOVE RELATIONSHIP IN I’VE EVER SEEN IN BOOKS (and this also leads to mind-blowingly good chemistry between the two). But as much as I adore Lucien and Zera, and indubitably acknowledge how Sara Wolf did a pristine job in introducing and growing the two’s relationship, I would’ve much more appreciated if Wolf would’ve stretched their relationship a bit longer. In order to not make the book itself too slow, I would’ve recommended Wolf to instead stretch out the series’ arc, instead of the book’s individual story arc. In that way, there can be much more room for Zera and Lucien to slowly develop their relationship. The reason I recommend this specific technique is because first off, I understand that an author should never stretch out the individual books’ story too much if they can, in order to maintain the reader’s attention span, retaining the suspense, and in result keep the adrenaline rush going for the readers.

The storyline should always be going at a corresponding pace with the character (especially romantic) relationships. I strongly emphasize this because if the author doesn’t do this, the book would definitely become a huge disaster. The storyline would be all over the place, and instances such as the story ending first with an incomplete arc would definitely happen, and that is one of the worst things a writer can do to a story. It’s an absolute taboo when it comes to storytelling.

So, in order to stretch out the relationship (so that it can go slower), the story-line must be dragged a bit longer as well. I would’ve savored the relationship a lot more (and appreciated it a lot more) if instead of having Lucien and Zera confessing at the end of the first book, Sara Wolf should’ve had them finally giving in and admitting their feelings at the end of the second book instead. Basically, have them admit that they at least not completely despise (also, very important to still maintain the “hate-love relationship” attitude between them at a bare minimum, to the end of the second book. But I will still recommend continuing it at least to some extent in the third book as well) at the end of the first book instead.

If anyone read this and felt like “oh, but story-line is more important than a relationship”, just keep a mental note a bad relationship definitely will get a mark off with readers (and especially critics) when they’re reading and the reviewing the book. Relationships are a factor of the story, so it will be graded as in how well (or how bad) it contributes to the book’s storyline and purpose.
There are also specific factors in the story that I feel like could be improved, so that it can feel more logical (almost overlooked this because I was so busy enjoying the book. Very sneaky, Sara). For example, this whole “spring bride” thing is kind of the like The Selection book ideas, where the prince is supposed to choose a bride from a group of candidates. Because of this reason, I felt that it’s kind of out of place that you don’t ever see Lincoln interacting with any of the other candidates ever after the first introduction of them to the prince. It also wasn’t like there was no opportunity for the author to put it in. There were plenty of banquets and royal public events to at least put two or three in. Even if the author felt like Lucien would never voluntarily approach the other girls (except for Zera), at least have the girls trying to approach him. Don’t just throw the spring selection out the window the moment it was finish introduced in the begging of the book. It’s a huge part of how the story started, and how Zera got to where she was in the book. Elaborate on it!

*Also, in the beginning, Lucien was (emphasize on) fake flirting with this one girl. Although it was just for a show, how she just completely disappears from entire book…I don’t know what to feel about that. Not a huge problem or deal breaker at all, just something I noticed. *

Speaking of beginning, I want to heavily praise Sara Wolf’s decision on how she started the book. Instead of starting it in classic chronological order, she started first at a very suspenseful scene, then brought us back in time to see what happened, a.k.a back to the beginning.

This idea is not rare at all and is used all the time in movies and books alike. But I still want to praise her for this because it definitely contributed in starting a book off with a bang, and is much more effective in interesting the reader.

The intelligence in the ideas that the book talked about was surprisingly clever and deep. For example, Lady Y’shennria’s initial talk about the power of clothing and appearance was serendipitously intuitive, especially when she made the point of Zera never doubt if Lady Y’shennria was actually who she said she was when they first met. Accentuating the power of assumption, Lady Y’shennria made the point of how the more sumptuous you look, the fewer people would doubt you position no matter who you are.

I cannot give Sara Wolf props for the puns in this book regarding “wanting the heart”. There were so many instances where the person asked “why are you here” to Zera, and she would always answer “I want the prince’s heart”. I laughed so hard at these jokes too.

Basically, Bring Me Their Heart was a story with a great and interesting idea that can only become such a good book because the author executed it so successfully (which would’ve really been a shame if the book was wasted by bad execution, this book has huge protentional if you weren’t able to tell from my review at this point).

I cannot, cannot recommend this book stronger and I am now to fans of fantasy, the trope of prince falling with a commoner, and hate-love relationship especially. Also, if you really miss the good humor in books and want to have a good laugh, this book would be the one for you too.

Sara Wolf, if you’re reading this, I just want to let you know that you have exceeded my expectation indefinitely and that you really surprised me with how much I enjoyed this book. I can not thank you enough for providing me such an experience. I am astounded (and shaken to the core right now I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH).

I received an ARC through Netgalley for an honest review



I gave this book 4.5 stars. I am a known lover of Sara Wolf's writing. I read Lovely Vicious back when it was still called Lovely Vicious and then started a love affair with everything Sara Wolf has written before and since then. Bring Me Their Hearts is the latest in a long line of books that I have loved, Sara Wolf just knows how to do it right.



We start off getting introduced to our protagonist, Zera. Zera is a lot like the many protagonists Sara has written before, and maybe she isn't for everyone, but I, however, really enjoy the sense of humor that is instilled in these characters. Zera has a pretty horrible backstory, but she somehow manages to keep her sense of humor and I love that in a character. she may be sad and miserable, but she's there to make you smile through it.



Then we met Lucien. Lucien is a prince who lost his beloved sibling and now has a major chip on his shoulder. He's in the middle of a brewing war and isn't a fan of how his king father is handling affairs of their country. Lucien is sarcastic, sneaky, and at times a total douchebag, however, he has a big heart. Lucien wants what is best for his people and maybe his personality is a bit rough around the edges, he is a huge teddy bear on the inside.



I just have to quickly mention that there is a specific scene at the very end that I knew was coming, not because it was majorly obvious because I had that idea for another character in another series and I just thought their circumstances were very similar. I plan to refer back to this in another full spoiler post, but I'm just mentioning it here first so that I might possibly remember to do so.



The entire time I was reading this novel I was hoping it would be a standalone. I don't like having to wait and I hadn't seen anything on the author's page about this being a series. I was about 60 percent of the way through the book when I realized that would not be happening. The climax had yet to hit, things were still building and I just could not see the author just chopping the plot off right at the end. Alas, when we finally made it to the end it was announced in, I think either the author's notes or the acknowledgments that this will, in fact, be a trilogy. I'm excited and disappointed. I hate waiting, but this just means that we're going to bet two more amazing books in this world!



The world building in this novel was phenomenal. It's basically set in a world were humans and witches are at odds. And the Heartless are basically the enslaved of the witches, as the witches have taken their hearts. Its raw, gritty, and full of dark magic. This book was just what I needed after the great May reading slump.

Brace yourself: I’m about to drop the truth. This book is a perfect five-star read. *gasp* The description of this book drew me in and made me want to pick it up, but the opening of this book? Oh my gosh. It sold me.

I’m a sucker for an opener. Who isn’t? Given the choice between an awesome opening chapter or a book that only picks up 25% of the way through, we all know what we would choose, am I right? But this book...this book has one of the most catching openings I’ve read in a while.

“King Sref of Cavanos watches me with the deadened eyes of a raven circling a corpse – patient, waiting to devour me the second I let me guard down. I briefly debate telling him humans don’t taste all that good, until I remember normal girls don’t eat people. Or fake their way into royal courts.” (Chapter One)*

Ding. Ding. Ding. Someone grab me the popcorn because this is gonna get good.

It took me like 0.5 seconds to realize Zera is everything I look for in a book character. She is fierce, she is strong, and she is Sassy with the capital S.

“I can’t raise my head for fear I’ll be singled out, but I can just look high enough to see the feet of Queen Kolissa and her son. Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane, Archduke of Tollmount-Kilstead, Fireborn, the Black Eagle – he has a dozen names, all of them eye-roll worthy. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my single day at the royal court, it’s that the more names someone has, the less he actually does.” (Chapter One)*

Picture this: Me, in a public place, snickering to myself.

Friend: Amanda...are you ok?
Me: Fine. Perfectly fine.
Friend: But...
Me: *lifts book*
Friend: Oh.

There are so many things I love about this book and, to be honest, I can’t think of a single thing I dislike. And I tried. I tried to think of a reason to give but I came up with nothing. The characters are fantastic. Zera’s banter has no bounds and I am here for that, one hundred percent. Lucien is the book boy I immediately start rooting for: a pretty face that hides the tortured and torn soul within, but no one knows because they are distracted by the surface. The supporting characters are just as good (I’m looking at you Y’shennria!). The plot and world building is A+. I mean, you’re looking at a girl who is being controlled because her heart is in a jar. If that isn’t a recipe for conflict, I don’t know what is!

If you haven’t done so already, go pick this one up! It’s a fantastic story that brings sass and wit (my favorite) to fantasy, and I couldn’t put it down. No. Really. I read this throughout my vacation. Oops.

Now I have to wait for the next book *cries*. I’m afraid to see how long the wait is because I needed the sequel yesterday. No pressure, Sara Wolf ;)

My love for Sara Wolf goes back a good bit. Way back to when I had my first NOOK (yikes, before I knew better). The Lovely Vicious series was my everything. I have read almost everything she has done. So when I first heard of this fantasy coming along, I was excited, but also nervous. Fantasy is a lot to live up too and get right, in my opinion. Also, I get bored SO EASY with fantasy sometimes.

But… this book yall… WITCHES. MONSTERS. AMAZING PRINCE AND SIDEKICK. DELIGHTFUL AMOUNTS OF SARCASM. OMG. I LOVED IT.

I need to immediately talk about the characters in this book. I FREAKING LOVE ZERA. She was hilarious, sarcastic, witty…. her internal struggle so interesting. I was never bored in her head. Lucian is so swoon worthy, and quick to have a comeback to all of Zera’s quips. His bro-bodyguard-guy, Malachite, pretty sure I also have a huge thing for him. I grew to love Lady Y’Shennria and Fione. And the hate I managed to feel for certain people….. ughhhhh! But it was people I was supposed to hate, so that is okay. What drove me most crazy is the way so many people seemed to be working towards the same goal, but not realizing it and coming together the way they should. (But at the same time, had they done so, I guess there wouldn’t be much of a story line.) But I just wanted to yell at them, TELL YOUR SECRETS! WORK TOGETHER! THEN MAKE BABIES!

The world itself, with all of the races, human and non, was so interesting. I also liked the history of the world and division of witches and humans, without feeling like I was being info dumped on. I loved visually imagining the Beneathers/Celeons, especially just being apart of the human world. There is this weird, old lore feeling to the story, things feeling very twisted fairy-tale like. Like a Grimm tale, your classic girl meets prince, but loaded with death and darkness and blood.

The end was so good. Everything was so insane, intense, and then the surprise! (I had wondered about this the whole book, but did not see it coming as the cliffhanger until it was literally being shoved in my face.) I had like, chills at how good everything was and then the crazy ending and abruptly wrapped up with the shock… so many emotions! This book was a breath of fresh air for YA fantasy, so unique in its lore and characters. I flew through all 400 pages, just devoured it. I cannot wait to see where the rest of this series goes!!!

Bring Me Their Hearts is a stabby YA fantasy with interesting world-building and a morally conflicted heroine. So on paper, I should have been all over this. Unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me. However, I liked it enough that I would give the next book in the series a try.

Zera is a heartless- the immortal thrall of a witch- commanded to seduce and take the heart of a prince in order to prevent war and win back her humanity. Killing a stuck up royal should be easy right? Except that the prince is not quite what Zera expected and the intrigues at court run deeper than she realizes.

I think the most interesting part of this book for me was the world. The author really fleshes out various races, creatures, political factions, and more. Some of which are quite inventive. At its heart, the political situation is one of magic vs. science where the polymaths create machines to root out and kill the witches. I am a big fan of world-building and this was an interesting one. I'm excited to learn more about the magic system and the creation of witches in book two. I do think that there may have been too MUCH detail (which I don't say very often!). The pacing of this book was often quite slow and I think there is an excess of descriptive passages (about buildings, art, dresses, elements of the world etc.). I would have liked to see that tightened a bit. Some authors can get away with this, but usually they need to have very lyrical writing (think Laini Taylor) and here that wasn't quite the case. So I liked the world-building, and definitely give the author credit for doing a good job with it, but I thought the descriptions could have been pared down a bit. Full disclosure- I did read an advance copy of the book, so it's possible some of this was fixed in the final version!

So about Zera. I had very mixed feelings about Zera. I think my problem with her can be summed up with Hogwarts houses. (Because what cant?!) I really wanted her to be a Slytherin, but instead I think she's a Hufflepuff pretending to be a Slytherin because circumstances have forced her into it. So she's smart and can be snarky, which I love. But she is SO conflicted about her past. A big part of the story is Zera fighting this darkness/voice inside her that can turn her into a monster (which is why people are terrified of Heartless and she can't let people know what she is). Just after she was turned, there was one time that she let the darkness take control and she killed the 5 mercenaries who murdered her family. And if she was a Slytherin, she probably would be mostly okay with that. But because she's really a Hufflepuff in disguise, she is CONSTANTLY feeling guilty about it and believing that she is a terrible person. Which I found to be really annoying, probably because I'm a Slytherin! This is also probably why I had a hard time believing she would actually be dangerous. Unlike some of the side characters who I did like. On the other hand, I love that we get a strong female protagonist who takes initiative and is fearless in protecting the people she cares about.

In terms of the plot- it's good. It's not bad. However, it is a little bit predictable and I definitely saw the twist coming a mile away. I wanted more from it, but I think it may work really well for younger readers who haven't seen similar stories told before. I didn't have strong feelings about the romance, but it is more of a slow burn, which I like. So overall, I thought this book was good, but not amazing. For younger readers, it might be much more of a hit! I do think it has a lot of potential though, so I may check out the next book in the series. Also, the cover is absolutely GORGEOUS!!! I freely agree to review an early copy of this book via NetGalley.

Oh, this book was so entertaining! I love Sara Wolf's books and I've been very excited to read this book since I first heard about it because it sounded very intriguing and also the cover looks so pretty.  Well, she didn't disappoint me. I absolutely loved this book. It felt like I was reading a dark fairy tale and I quite enjoyed the main character Zera. She's definitely the best thing I loved about this book because I just love snarky heroines. I also enjoyed the world building, the engaging plot, interesting characters, and the forbidden romance between Zera and prince Lucien. I actually thought that this was a stand-alone novel, but It's a trilogy and I'm so glad that there's going to be another book because I really want more of this world and its characters. 

Sixteen Year old Elizera aka Zera is a heartless and immortal because she doesn't age and nothing can kill her. All the heartless are the soldiers of their witches. Zera was bound to the witch named Nightsinger who turned her into heartless three years ago when bandits murdered her entire family and she saved her life. With her heart stored in a glass jar, Zera needs to obey her witch's every command. Since her turning, Zera didn't see the outside world except for the woods surrounding them. For three years, she longed to become human again. When Zera is given a new mission which could finally bring her freedom that she longed for, she doesn't hesitate to take it. To prevent another Sunless war between Humans and Witches, Zera needs to bring Crown Prince Lucien's heart in exchange for her freedom but it's a risky mission because If she gets discovered, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the ruthless nobles. Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court because he knows the poison that's filled in their minds. Every girl in the kingdom is competing for a place beside him because of his royal status. In the Spring Bride Offerings, he needs to choose a bride even though he feels it was totally ridiculous and embarrassing. And then he meets the smart mouthed Lady Zera who's not afraid to challenge him. Zera needs to lure the prince into her trap so that she could finally steal the heart beating inside his chest. With so many lives at stake, Zera had to complete this mission without fail, but she never expected to start falling for him. 

I enjoyed all the characters in this book. The main character Zera is totally badass! She's strong, fearless, smart, witty, cunning, and beautiful. Her wittiness is definitely the best part I liked about her. She's a heartless monster, but she's really not cruel because she does possess feelings. Everyday she fights with the monster inside her to keep the last ounce of humanity left in her. She eats raw meat to stave off the monster's raging hunger, but if she eats normal human food bloody tears will start falling from her eyes which is a painful experience for her. Lucien is a prince with many identities and I quite enjoyed his character. He's arrogant and also charming. He's not like the other ruthless nobles and honestly wants to help his people who're struggling to live, that's very admirable. I also liked Malachite, Lucien's bodyguard and also his best friend. He's a very intriguing character and I really didn't expect him to be so funny. He's totally hilarious! I want more of him! Lady Y'shennria, Zera's fake Aunt is a nice addition to the plot. She tutors Zera in etiquette even though she fears her. I enjoyed every interaction between them and how Zera constantly sought her approval. And next we have, Fione. She belongs to a noble family and she has her own agenda. She might look fragile and vulnerable, but she shouldn't be underestimated.

The plot was very interesting and refreshing! I was hooked to the story from the start till the end. Even though it was a bit predictable, it was well executed and never left me bored. To be honest, this book was focused more on the characters and less on the plot but I still enjoyed every minute of it because I really enjoyed the characters and their relationships. The slow romance between Zera and Lucien was well developed and I'm glad that it wasn't a insta-love thing. I loved every interaction between them and not to forget the witty banters. The twists and turns made the story interesting but the last one was quite shocking, I didn't see that coming. I loved the writing style of the author, It was simple yet addicting. I liked reading the book from Zera's POV, but I might've enjoyed this book a bit more if it was told in multiple POV's. The world the author created was very fascinating filled with magic and some interesting supernatural creatures. I would love to explore more of this world.

Overall, I loved this book! Despite some cliched and predictable parts, this was quite an entertaining read. It was really a great start to a new series and that cliffhanger at the end had left me wanting for more. I seriously can't wait to read the next book.

I was given a copy of this for my honest review. Thank you Net Galley.

***My review has gifs that go with it, but I cannot post them here. You can find the full review with gifs at the links I've provided (to my review on Goodreads and my review on my blog).***

I am no flower to be ravaged at your whim, angry wolf - I am your hunter, bow cocked and ready.

This book. THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK!!!!

Bring Me Their Hearts is at the top of my Favorite Reads of 2018. I freaking loved this book. I will definitely be re-reading it and purchasing the hardback version of it very soon.

Let me preface this by saying that I loved just about everything to do with this book. I loved the cover. I loved the writing style. I loved Zera's voice. I loved Zera. I **adored** Lucien. I just loved this book with my whole heart (which is still in my chest, thankfully).

Zera was fantastic. She was flawed, oh so flawed, and tormented by her Hunger. Oh, and really quick, the concept of the Heartless turning into ravaging cannibals if they give in to the voice of Hunger in their minds? Bloody brilliant, literally.

"I briefly debate telling him humans don't taste all that good, until I remember that normal girls don't eat people."

Zera wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She was unapologetically herself and was full of snark and wit. I lost count how many times she made me snicker, and I had quite a few moments of bursting out in laughter in public. I got some looks, but I didn't care.

"Lots of people stab me, and half of them I end up being great friends with!"

Another thing I loved was that there was no insta-love. Such a breath of fresh air. In fact, Zera and Lucien bickered incessantly in the beginning.

"This girl is a..." He narrows his eyes further at me. "Special case. And an especially annoying one."
"Don't try to change the subject by flattering me," I singsong. "Do you know how hard it is for me to keep my mouth shut? Spectacular compensation is the minimal requirement."

"I hope you are aware you're blackmailing the prince of Cavanos."
I sigh greatly. "And here I was, thinking of calling this the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"...the more names someone has, the less he actually does. I haven't seen more than the prince's booted toes and I already know he's useless.

I'm sure the only one he doesn't think ungainly is the mirror in his room.

He's handsome, I think to myself - handsome enough when he's not being a hateful dog turd."

And Lucien...oh Lucien. He was tormented, felt caged by his station, & haunted by the loss and memory of his sister. He stole my heart from the very beginning.

The ending absolutely gutted me but was also very satisfying.

"I am a monster, and he's a human. I want his heart, and I want his other heart. His affection, his blood. I want it all.

But I want the whole of my humanity, and the cost is his."

"Almosts, I'm starting to learn, are fuller of regret than absolutes - much sadder than certain yeses and nos. Yes and no mark ends and beginnings. But almosts cling, hovering on the boundary, never quite realized yet still there."

Bring Me Their Hearts had everything I need in a book. I've read a couple other reviews that reference this story having a reversed Snow White spin on it, and I can see it, but it's a little bit of a stretch. I almost wish that I waited until the sequel was released before I read this book because I need to know what happens next.

3.75 of 5 Stars!

Meet Zera, second Heartless of the witch Nightsinger. Her sole purpose after Nightsinger saved her from the bandits who killed her parents and nearly killed her is to protect Nightsinger and kill any threats. Nightsinger has control over her because Zera isn't technically alive - Nightsinger keeps Zera's heart in a jar forcing Zera to do her bidding.

The witches fear another war is brewing between them and the nobles so they devise a plan. They'll send a Heartless to infiltrate the palace posing as a potential bride for Crown Prince Lucien d'Malvane to literally steal his heart so the witches can hold him captive as a Heartless.

Unfortunately, Zera is the right age and look to pose as one of the Spring Brides, but she's far from what anyone would think of a girl from noble blood. Zera is crass, sarcastic, and sassy - not to mention she constantly has to feast on raw meat. But the witches have no choice and Nightsinger proposes a trade - the prince's heart in exchange for Zera getting her heart back. But if she's caught infiltrating the court Nightsinger will destroy her heart.

She's out to steal the prince's heart. But will he end up stealing her non-existent heart instead?

First off, let me say I've loved the cover of this book from the first time I saw it. It is seriously gorgeous.

As for the story, I liked it - it was a really unique idea. I loved Nightsinger and the other witches names and I enjoyed Zera's sassy, unpredictable banter. I kept having to remind myself that she wasn't a zombie throughout this book (because of the eating raw meat and not having a heart/being technically alive).

I thought the world-building and backstory of the witches and other characters was well-plotted and kept me engaged, although I felt the story dragged at certain times. This book does end in a cliff-hanger which makes me eager to read the next book.

Overall, if you're looking for a unique fantasy novel with a smart-mouthed heroine, look no further than Bring Me Their Hearts.

Rating: 4.5 stars

I tried looking for the perfect gif to show you my expression, but alas, I could not find one that showed my smirk all through reading. You know the kind, where just one side of your mouth curls up, as if you know something juicy? Actually, just look at the face of the girl on the cover. That's exactly how I looked while reading. You see, Sara Wolf is excellent at banter, and it makes her books so much fun to read.

In a departure from Sara’s previous YA/NA contemporary work, Bring Me Their Hearts is a YA fantasy that brings together a few cool concepts. First, you’ve got the almost Cinderella-like aspect of prospective wives being brought to court for the prince to choose a bride from. But add to that a history of war between humans and witches, each with their own supernatural armies, and a second such war on the horizon, and things get a little more interesting. And to really stir things up? The main character of Bring Me Their Hearts is basically a zombie, or Heartless, her heart in a jar belonging to a witch (Once Upon A Time, anyone?). Zera is tasked with infiltrating court, getting close to the prince, and cutting out his heart so that she can exchange it for her own, all to help the witches prevent or delay the coming war. Sounds deliciously bloody, right?

And in so many ways, it was bloody and gruesome and sometimes just cruel. Although, funnily enough, it wasn't the witches or Heartless who acted monstrously. Politics and religion and magic all twisted together, an exciting backdrop for some great supporting characters. And layered on top of all that was emotional depth and development, with some straight-up touching moments. Oh, and a few good doses of wisdom, too.

In some ways, this reminded me of Ella Enchanted , which was a big favourite of mine growing up (and I still read it every few years). Both stories have a teenage girl who must be obedient due to some form of magic, and in both, the girl hides who she is to visit the castle and see the prince. Furthermore, both are filled with witty banter, something I’ve been addicted to ever since first reading Ella Enchanted. While not all that similar in other ways, this small likening endeared me to Bring Me Their Hearts even more.

The one thing that had me holding back my enthusiasm while reading was that, while I do love Sara’s fun writing style, it did seem almost too similar to her previous work in terms of the main character’s way of thinking and talking. It's like she took Isis out of her Lovely Vicious series and plopped her in a fantasy setting as an undead.

But since I enjoyed Iris’ character in Lovely Vicious, really, this was no problem at all. If you like something, why not keep seeking it out? And I now know that I like Sara Wolf’s snappiness and humour, regardless of whether she’s writing contemporaries or fantasies.

But seriously, give me the second book right now.

"I haven't seen more than the prince's booted toes, and I already know he's useless -- and soon, if I have my way, he'll be heartless." quotes from an eARC so this could have changed. For me it takes a few pages or chapters before I feel invested in a YA. The quoted part is from I believe the second page which brought me into the story faster than what I'm accustomed to, which was a nice surprise :)

Overall an interesting YA Fantasy that I would recommend!