Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin.

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.

Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire, Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive… @goodreads 

Do not mess with these nuns . . .

It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of Sweet Mercy Convent Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men

No child truly believes they will be hanged. Even on the gallows platform with the rope scratching at their wrists and the shadow of the noose upon their face they know that someone will step forward, a mother, a father returned from some long absence, a king dispensing justice . . . someone. Few children have lived long enough to understand the world into which they were born. Perhaps a few adults have either, but they at least have learned some bitter lessons.

First off you must know there are a bunch of jerk holes in this book. Taking children from their homes to sell for different reasons. Mainly to fight for some other jerk in the rings. Children being killed for whatever stupid reason. And there was one part with a horse that pissed me right off and I wanted to kill everyone in the immediate area. But I digress.

Nona was about to be hanged but she was saved by one of the sisters and carted off to the nun school. Here she will train with the best and become what she is to become. You find out if you have powers and what you will actually be. Killing with poison, a stealer, a flat out killer with blades, your mind, etc and so on.

Some of the teachers were beyond bad ass. Sister Tallow for one.

"More importantly you will learn about pain, fear, rage, and control. You will learn how to balance the first three to achieve the fourth. and you will carry those lessons into Grey Class where I will put weapons in your hands and teach you what it is to be a Red Sister. In Grey Class I will teach you how to make the fuckers bleed.

Pretty awesome!

I'm not going to go into all of the classes etc. Why? because I don't feel like it and spoilers and you can read the book.

There are mixed reviews on the book. Some people think it was too boring and some loved it. I loved it and you need to decide for YOURSELF what you like. I can't wait for the next book out this coming year! Because I have a feeling that it's going to be the one that takes this to whole new level. Now don't get me wrong, there are some bloody killings in this book but we will get to the main stuff in the other books I do believe.

Happy Reading!

Mel ♥