Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

For Ismae Rienne, escaping a life of torment means joining an order of nuns who train girls in the art of killing. Well equipped with the wit and lethal wiles to carry out a secret mission at the Breton court, Ismae is partnered with the irritating, arrogant Sir Gavriel Duval. No one is more surprised—or horrified—than Ismae to discover Gavriel's presence acts on her emotions like one of her own beguiling potions. But when actual poison courses through Gavriel's veins, this fair assassin doesn't know who to trust. Vivid settings, lavish descriptions and killer weaponry enrich a gorgeously realized world into which Robin LaFevers drops her compelling, conflicted characters. Never feeling bogged down by the intricate detail, this story of a Teenage Medieval Assassin-Nun is intoxicating.

Grave Mercy, Robin LaFevers, $20.