Description: The Quietude, a psychic realm accessible by only a select few, is Katriyana Pusabunthri’s secret for improving her deadly focus. It’s how she became a high level Midnight Slicer, an elite assassin. But when she meets Tristien Waef inside the Quietude, Kat knows she’s outmatched. Tristien, scarred from head to toe both physically and emotionally, displays unheard-of abilities inside the Quietude! In a rare move, Kat throws caution to the wind, and joins Tristien and her two friends: the battle-hardened Cela and the almost-famous bard Kinjara, in their travels. But will the Midnight Slicers allow Kat to shift allegiances? And can a budding relationship with Kat get Tristien to move beyond her traumatic past?

“Hey! This book ain’t about just that! That part’s only got you two,” interrupts Cela. “It’s about fightin’, drinkin’, and carousing’. You know, slicin’!” With one arm, the tall warrior slashes her two-handed sword through the air.”

Tristien sniffs, “Fighting and drinking isn’t going to sell the book. The more unique aspects will.”

“Presentation factors as well. A bard,” says Kinjara bowing. “The honor should thus drape across the bard’s shoulders.” Clearing her throat, she stands up, “Love and redemption,thrills with chills, devious deities along with myths of yore and lore build foundations upon which ‘A Slice of Quietude’ rises…”

Kat never looks up from sharpening her daggers.

Rating: dnf at 25%

Cover: It looks interesting.

Review: I really wanted to like this book. Lesbian assassin?! Sign me up! Yeah… sadly that part of the story wasn’t enough for me. Don’t get me wrong, the characters were well done – I especially liked how Tristien had scars on like every part of her body, but wasn’t the broody, human-hating woman like it is often done. Kinjara on the other hand… she has her quirks. But reading a sentence said by her was just exhausting to me (if you take a look at the description you can see what I mean. She’s like that all the time).

The writing itself just couldn’t hold my interest. And this story takes place in a whole new world, which is great, but there were so many unknown things, so I felt a lot of the time rather confused. Maybe a glossary would be helpful. One with information about titles and Peoples and… everything? I always like it more if this information is explained in the story itself, but… there has to be some sort of explanation.

It stood out to me how often a character’s full name was used. Usually it is used maybe once or twice (introductions aside), but in this book you have no chance of forgetting a character’s full name. So a lot of the time – especially if used at the beginning of a chapter – this made me feel like I started a new story.

Anyway, you really should check this book out yourself, because like I said it was the writing that made me file it under dnf and that’s really personal taste.

The author provided me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

You can buy and sample it here.