I really wanted to like this book. The story sounded unique and different. The beginning "hooked" me and I liked the characters. I really couldn't get over the writing. The author kept changing the point of view of the story. I have seen this done really well in other books and definitely adds to the story. The Queen's Assassin, however, doesn't quite achieve that. It is very "off-putting" and ultimately led to me not finishing a potentially great story.

We discussed this on our bookish podcast, Booked All Night, and we agreed that it wasn't the best. We couldn't get through the book and there was a distinct lack of voice. Not much happened and nothing made sense. It's a shame, because we've loved Melissa de la Cruz's books in the past and the cover is gorgeous.

I think unfortunately this is going to be my last attempt to read this author. I've read several books by her in the past and they just really aren't for me. HOWEVER, I do remember loving Blue Bloods in high school, so I honestly just don't think I'm the target market for this. This is standard fantasy fare that adds nothing new to the genre and was boring and flat for me. The world building was lackluster and the characters were meh. I can see this being enjoyable for those on the younger end of the YA world though, so for that reason, I'm giving it an extra star. It just is very generic and predictable and lets just face it, boring.

Thank you Melissa de la Cruz for giving us another great book!! Storytelling at its best!! I could not stop reading!!

The Queen's Assassin...

Some early advice - I do not like the reference that this is for fans of Sarah Maas - while I am a HUGE Maas fan and I really liked the book overall, I do not think most Maas fans would go for this.

de la Cruz did a wonderful job explaining the characters and I feel that I definitely understood who they were, where they had been and from the beginning, the end was somewhat predictable but the journey to get there was enjoyable.

I think this is on the younger end of Young Adult.

I am very much looking forward to the next book but do think I have a hunch on what will happen in that book too.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the amazing people @NetGalley and was not paid for this review.

Not anything particularly new by any means. Enjoyable nonetheless. It took a couple turns I wasn't necessarily expecting and I genuinely liked the characters, so I give it a solid 3.5. I do look forward to the next installment just to find out what happened after that cliffhanger!

The Queens Assassin follows the story of Shadow and Cal, two strangers who are thrown together by a twist of fate. Shadow has grown up outside the palace, with her two ‘Aunts’, learning the ways of the Guild and wanting nothing more than to join its ranks. Calendon Holt is known as the Assassin for the queen, but little else is known besides that. When the two are both requested to come to the palace, the story really gets going.

Ok I will start with the things I liked! I love the world building in this! I really enjoyed the two main characters and their banter with each other. Their romance was entertaining to read mixed with all the political intrigue. This was action-packed that has a few moments that will keep you on your toes. This was a fun fantasy read that I went through quite quickly.

Now the things I didnt enjoy. The POV shifts were a bit confusing between Shadow and Cal. Shadows POV is first person whereas Cals POV was third person. I thought this was quite disconcerting going back and forth between the POV changes. Another thing is the repetition. There was a lot of phrases repeated. Although it was an information dump starting out, as the story goes on it gets much easier to follow and enjoy.

Overall, this was a compelling YA fantasy romance. I am giving it a 3 out of 5 stars.

Many basics fantasy books now a days have the word ‘Queen’ in the title. They all tend to follow similar formulas, plot lines, character arcs, etc... and this one is no different. It offered nothing we haven’t already seen done many times. The characters didn’t really stand out, the plot was nothing special and it was pretty romance heavy. I didn’t hate this but I also didn’t really love it either, it was just okay. I may continue on with the next in the series, I’m not sure yet.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Melissa de la Cruz for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of The Queen’s Assassin. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

First I have to say I didn’t dislike it as much as everyone else seems to be saying, based on their reviews. Now, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t take it so personally when it wasn’t what I was hoping for. First, let me say what a fan I am of Melissa de la Cruz. She is an excellent writer. I think the issue with this is mostly the content. You have very familiar tropes with predictable outcomes and it just doesn’t make for an exciting story. Characters aren’t fully flushed out and the romance seems forced. I do think it is hilarious that people object to the romance seemingly coming out of nowhere when literally every fairy tale, kids story, etc. all have the two people falling in love from nothing. But hey, if this is now a sign that we are fed up with this and want our romance storylines to be better, I’m all for that.

The world was interesting, but for me, not enough was done with this. There was magic all over the land. The king decided that magic shouldn’t be for everyone, and wrote all the magic down in these special scrolls. The world became four different factions who went to war with each other. A nice king finally came into power but got killed in a battle. His queen demands a blood oath of her protector, basically binding him and all his descendants to find the scrolls or die trying. Hence Cal is the son and honor bound to find the scrolls. He is the queen’s assassin and is determined to not get married or have kids because he doesn’t want to pass down what he views as a curse.

The queen has a daughter and was very concerned with her safety. She sends her to the forest to grow up with her two aunts. The girl doesn’t know she is a princess but she knows that she must go to court one day and fulfill family obligations like get married and have kids. She wants to be a queen’s assassin more than anything. Circumstances end up that the two crazy kids end up on the road to find the scrolls. Cal thinks he is training the girl, Shadow, to be his apprentice. They have the usual push pull relationship of “I Hate You” “I Love You” and finally uncover a sinister plot for the kingdom.

So the world had all kinds of potential. There are assassins, magic, things that repel magic, hidden identities, royalty, but it was really light on all the fantasy elements. The romance was manufactured and therefore didn’t come across the page as well as it could. I’m also not so interested in this trope as it has been overdone and I’m not a fan when the females have no agency. Then ending was godawful. I’m not sure if it was rushed but there was a lot of information squished into the last bit. The warring factions could have been introduced earlier and would have made a more interesting story. But the actual ending betrayed all of the characters’ earlier tenets. I really didn’t understand it at all.

There is to be a second book. If, somehow, this weird ending is justified in the sequel, then maybe. But you run the risk of no one picking up the second, if the first one isn’t enjoyed. There was potential, it just didn’t live up to it in my opinion. But, I wasn’t as turned off as everyone else seemed to be. I was happy to keep reading and finish it. But again, that ending - whew!

The Queen’s Assassin is an exciting young adult fantasy/romance novel. I was drawn to the story from the start (maybe more after the prologue).

Caledon is an assassin bound to the queen by blood magic until he finds missing Deian scrolls. Shadow (I love her name) is the queen’s daughter who has very little interest in becoming a princess. Her dream is to become a spy and work for the guild. When Caledon saves her life, not knowing who she is, both their path takes a drastic turn. Shadow then helps Caledon and both will team up in their quest to uncover a conspiracy and find the so desired scrolls.

The two main characters are well written to the point I had no preference. I enjoyed reading both points of view and how their relationship evolves. The world building and magical elements were enjoyable as well even if there were times I was confused/lost with the history, but it did not prevent me from understanding the main story.

The writing is beautiful from start to finish. I was able to read the last few chapters on audiobook and loved the narrators. They both did justice to the characters and that was amazing. Overall, this is a fantastic adventure where I rooted early on for both Caledon and Shadows. The ending is very well done. I can't wait to read the next book. I highly recommend this story.

This is a fine enough young adult fantasy intrigue book with a ton of secrets a weird magic system and a pretty charismatic lead. I do have some issues with the book, especially since Cal's narration is told in 3rd person(the titular character), while Shadow's is told in first. I don't know, I thought Shadow was the stronger character, and that could be because of the first person narrative choice. It's a pet peeve of mine when they jump back and forth between points of view, so if readers don't mind it, I think they will get more out of the book.

Though it is relatively straight forward - a mysterious young woman set out to help a the queen's assassin escape prison after one of his jobs ends in a mishap. As they uncover a plot to over throw the country. Along the way, they grow close and eventually fall in love, then a huge secret is revealed, and they must reckon with it. Now, not to say that this is a bad thing - there is a reason why this formula works. I think my main issue with the book is that it waits almost until the last minute to reveal the huge secret that had been hinted at since the beginning of the book. But because this one is more personal to both Cal and Shadow, it feels a bit more like a kick to the stomach, then they had to move on and end the book almost right away. The processing of this huge event happens mostly off page, and it really diminishes the relationship that was the main driver of the story.

I enjoyed the criminally under used magic system, and wished that de la Cruz took more time with it, but perhaps she will with the second book. I also loved Shadow, and thought her constant references to her two aunts was sweet. Though they raised a girl to be an assassin, they also gave her convictions to do the right thing, which is how Shadow meets Cal. She refused the party line and set out to make him her mentor, while also understanding that something was fishy. Cal is a serviceable enough love interest, but he isn't quite as compelling as Shadow, despite him being billed as the lead character. I will be interested to see, though, how his story plays out in the next book.

For people who enjoy some light fantasy with just enough political intrigue to keep the pages going, this is perfect. I didn't enjoy some elements, but see that there is enough potential for a second book. Also, slow burn romance lovers will like how Cal and Shadow's relationship evolves throughout the book. It's a solid three for me, and I will check out the next book.

Melissa del la Cruz is an author who has an outstanding capability to write compelling stories that transport you to the American Revolution alongside Alex and Eliza in the Alex & Eliza trilogy or to the Lily Throne in The Ring and the Crown. After I finished reading the Alex & Eliza trilogy in 2019 I was especially looking forward to The Queen's Assassin and sure enough, I was so transported by Melissa del la Cruz's narrative and world-building.


Caledon “Cal” Holt is an impressive man of honor as he serves the Queen's Assassin while upholding his blood oath to his father. His mission is to find the Deian Scrolls and end the blood oath cycle with him once and for all.


Shadow was an individual who truly lives up to her name. From learning magical skills to upholding a great aura of confidence, Shadow's first person narrative placed us into the heart of all the gripping moments of adventure within The Queen's Assassin.


The various twists to the story were absolutely jaw-dropping and it absolutely fulfilled my great expectations for del la Cruz's latest work The Queen's Assassin. While the story centered mostly on Shadow and Caledon, the political discourse that surrounded the kingdom of Avantine and, how it has a rippling effect on Shadow and Cal, made readers absorb the pages to an unexpected ending!


Be prepared for the story of the Queen’s Assassin and a girl who wishes to become one with the shadows. They’re coming straight for your heart.

The lives of Caledon and Shadow are intricate and become delicately entwined. Though Caledon is the most dangerous member of the Hearthstone Guild and serves as the Queen's Assassin, his character is surprisingly well rounded and intricate in nature. Shadow of Honey Glade longs to join the guild and be trained. It is all she's ever wanted and seems as though she will stop at nothing to achieve it. When this part teams up, their attraction is something you just can't get enough of. Wonderfully paced, and told in alternating points of view, this story is sure to have you spellbound. I eagerly await future installments to this series because they are certain to be a huge hit!

We reviewed this book on the Booked All Night podcast:
https://anchor.fm/bookedallnight/episodes/The-Queens-Assassin-ear13v/a-a14o3oc

The beginning of The Queen’s Assassin reminds me a lot of Sleeping Beauty. Girl living in a cottage with her Aunts who take care of her. Her mother does something in the palace and periodically visits her. Very suspicious. So I kept thinking of her that way even though at no point does she prick her finger.

I really liked Shadow. She has her moments where she is impulsive and doesn’t listen to anyone else. She can also be stubborn and won’t admit she is wrong ...very much like my own family. She’s pretty but she’s not one of those characters where she is pretty and doesn’t know it. She knows it, she just doesn’t really care. She wants to prove her worth as a Guild member and Assasin. The impulsive problem is that she sets out to do this with no formal training and without really knowing what’s going on. She has enough skills to take care of herself, especially since she does have magic on her side but she still often gets herself in trouble.

One of those impulsive situations is Caledon Holt. He is the Queen’s Assassin, a pledge that has been carried over from his father. Caledon actually dreams of the day when he can break away from that life but in order to do so he must fulfil a promise to find Deian Scrolls. I really liked Cal because he does his job but he also can be kind. Especially when it comes to Shadow and it’s not just his feelings that develop for her. I think that he just has a great deal of empathy for the fact that she wants to prove herself.

Okay so the book is told from two different points of view and in two different styles. First person and third person. The funny thing is that I probably would not have noticed if I did not recently read another book this way and someone had mentioned in a review. It does not bother me in the least to flip back and forth like that. I can see doing that if you don’t think you could do a character justice in first person. I’m just guessing on that honestly but again the flipping does not bother me.

I liked the story. Although I think the Deian Scrolls took a back seat in this book, I’m guessing they will play a bigger role later. This is really just the initial set-up and you can see that the arc only has more to go. Shadow has to make a particular choice at the end that I was surprised by but also really curious where it’s going to take the story in the future. I liked the story, even though it’s a fantasy it had a lighter feel to it. I enjoy my dark stories but it’s nice to read something that feels fun but also intriguing.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. The pacing was completely off for me. The prologue was exciting but then after that the story fell off and never picked back up. The protagonist has very little for the reader to invest in and that leads to none of Shadow’s actions feeling like they matter.

I really think that this book will definitely appeal to anyone who likes fantasy and romance. I loved the alternating points of view and how different the characters were - it really added good layers to the story.

Overall I think I read this one too fast to really enjoy it, or I might be a little fantasied out. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a chance to read it - many students have already requested it!

The Queen's Assassin follows a duty-bound young assassin who must find the missing scrolls for the queen and a rebellious apprentice who doesn't wish to live the life decided by her birth on a path of escaping a tower prison, running to another kingdom, killing the wrong people, and facing revelations that are bound to leave anyone shocked. The swirling chemistry and romantic tropes make the journey even more interesting. A great set of action sequences and a dangerous mission can keep anyone by the edge of their seat but the intensive information dumping and a pacing that often felt bumpy, doesn't allow the story to leave a more long-lasting mark.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Caledon Holt is the queen's assassin, a dangerous weapon, bound by blood to his queen and his promise (the one he inherited from his father) to find the mysterious and important Deian Scrolls and protect his kingdom.
Shadow of the Honey Glade trained all her life to become a member of the Guild, to fight, to become like Caledon, but her mother and her aunts have other plans for her. When Caledon finds himself in danger, she decided to save him and ask him to become his apprentice, while trying to solve a mystery and a dangerous threat to the throne of Renovia. But, even though they are both bound to the throne, they can't deny their attraction for one other.

The queen's assassin is told by two POVs, Shadow's in first person and Cal in third, narrating their adventures, their thoughts, their feeling for one other. I liked this book, because it was interesting and thrilling and I enjoyed the double POVs (even though I didn't understand why one was in third and the other in first person).
It's a book about loyalty, love, attraction and I really liked it, even though it was a bit slow in the beginning.
Shadow and Cal are captivating, their relationship full of banter, attraction and jokes and I liked a lot how Shadow wasn't the the usual damsel in distress, but was resourceful, brave and brilliant. She and Cal are a very good team. I liked the side characters, above all the aunts!
I liked the plot and the writing style, I enjoyed the way the author describes their relationship, the intrigues and the plot twists, the romance!

The ending was bittersweet (I guessed the last plot twist) for their relationship and I will definitely reading the next book, because I need to know more.

I was expecting so much more for The Queen's Assassin. I haven't read any of Melissa de la Cruz's other books. This one sounded so good. I found myself finally giving up at 100 pages. The characters are extremly hard to get behind. Cal has no personality and Sahdow is all over the place. The POV is very frustrating. The pacing is really weird. The whole 100 pages I read was very boring. I kept hoping it would get better but it didn't.