Thursday, March 12, 2015

The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury {review}

The Sin Eater's Daughter
by Melinda Salisbury
♦publisher: Scholastic Press
♦release date: February 24th, 2015
♦paperback, 320 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦series: The Sin Eater's Daughter, book 1
♦source: from publisher for honest review
I am the perfect weapon.
I kill with a single touch.

Twylla is blessed. The Gods have chosen her to marry a prince, and rule the kingdom. But the favour of the Gods has it's price. A deadly poison infuses her skin. Those who anger the queen must die under Twylla's fatal touch.

Only Lief, an outspoken new guard, can see past Twylla's chilling role to the girls she truly is.

Yet in a court as dangerous and the queen's, some truths should not be told...

Review: For the most part, I really enjoyed this one. I loved the unique bizarre customs of the land it takes place in, loved the stoic voice that Twylla tells her story in when we first meet her.  She's a girl who's life is very much out of her control. She made a choice to become the embodiment of the God's when she was too young to really know what it meant, and as a means to escape the destiny that she was born into---as the daughter of a Sin Eater.  Her mother is a massive woman who ritually eat's a meal off the coffin of the dead, a meal meant to symbolize their sins. It's not hard to see why a young girl would do anything to escape this morbid fate.

But Twylla hates her new lot in life even more---as an executioner to those who commit treason.  She's been mysteriously imbued with the powers of the Gods and no one can touch her or they'll be struck down by the poison in her skin. So she is completely alone. But in her voice you can feel that she is almost accepting of it, like she's just gone numb.  Then she meets Leif--a new guard who finally treats her like a person, not a weapon, not a God, but a girl.  I loved watching the two of them grow closer and I loved the realization that she comes to because of him.

BUT...
Once it got to the part where they were in love, sadly this was where the story kind of lost me.  At first it was sweet, and then it just seemed they both lost their minds and any common sense. (Whited out for spoilers)>>Why on earth would they act so carelessly in a room that both the queen and the Prince could walk into at any moment?? I understood they were falling in love, but that was just asking to be caught in the act. <<(end spoilers).

And THEN...what a love-story twist at the end!  It's quite a heart-wrenching shocker, whether you like their relationship or not.  Also, there's an odd twist to the plot as a whole, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not; it brought in a danger that seemed like it didn't have much to do with the whole rest of the story, had only been slightly mentioned in passing and suddenly it was the whole threat. It just felt a bit disjointed. 

I actually loved the very end though, loved where Twylla ended up---might be one of my favorite results of a love triangle ever! I know this is a series with more to come, but actually I'd have been quite satisfied even if was a stand alone!  I may still read the rest of the series, but really, it was a great ending on it's own!  Despite a few issues, I really enjoyed this dark fantasy quite a bit.
 Find Melinda Salisbury online:  Website  •  Twitter  

Purchase the book:  Indiebound  •  BookDepository  •  Amazon

17 comments :

  1. But.. but.. now I am not sure I want to read this book :( I NEED to know how the romance is going. How it ends. Love triangle? Nooo :( I am not pleased. Sad face. But you loved the rest of book? That is a great thing :D I'm curious about this. But romance sounds silly. And I don't do silly romances. Sigh. I'm just so curious though, lol :) Amazing review Becky. <3

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  2. This book sounds SUPER weird. Your review is one of the first positive reviews I've seen for it though, which was nice to see!

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  3. I'm so glad you liked The Sin Eater's Daughter! :D I've been wanting to read this one since I first saw the cover and now that it's out, I definitely need to have this one in my hands asap! I didn't even know it was a series, but now I'm excited for what more is to come. n_n

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  4. I've seen this book popping up around the blogosphere and every review I read makes me want to read it even more! Even with the parts you didn't entirely like, at least I know that it will have a great ending. Thanks for an honest review!

    Terri @ Alexia's Books and Such...

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  5. I think you can handle this triangle, Carina---its pretty one-sided and then this crazy shocker happens that no one could possibly see coming! The lead-up romance is swoony, it only gets silly when they start doing things that are like "duh--you're going to get caught!". LOL Give it a try, I'm curious to see what you'd think!

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  6. Huh :o I've read so many mixed reviews... well then hahaha. Nice review :)
    I think this book sounds interesting and from the few chapters I have read, it was both confusing and okayish.
    Ah well... I'll finish it :)

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  7. OMG!! This book!!!! I'm dying to get my hands on it and I won it in a giveaway too :) Can't really resist such an amazing fantasy though I've read a few mixed reviews. Still, I think it's too good a book to let go and that cover.. WOW!!!

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  8. I feel really curious about this book! Even though I've heard mixed things about it, it reminds me a little bit of Shatter Me (I'm sure it is completely different, but it has me interested anyway).

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  9. I haven't heard of this. How's the world building, Becky? I'd be very intrigued to read it if the world building is spot on.

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  10. I hadn't really seen to many other reviews of it, but yeah, I can see where people might have had issues with it! Still, I mostly enjoyed it!

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  11. I hope you enjoy this one, Hillary! I'm still not sure I'll read the sequel, I was quite satisfied with the end of this one!

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  12. I hope you give it a try, Terri! I'd love to see what you think!

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  13. Thanks, Brianna! I really liked Twylla's voice at the beginning---she seemed kind of tragically resigned to the awful things she had to do. I hope you enjoy the rest of it!

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  14. The cover is definitely gorgeous! Awesome that you won a copy!

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  15. Yes, the untouchable thing definitely reminded me of Shatter Me, too, but this definitely goes down a completely different path!

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  16. It was interesting! Twylla's world is really just confined to the castle, but it got into the legends and beliefs of the people and ways that the royalty used that. Also touched on a neighboring kingdom. It painted a pretty complete world!

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  17. I hope you do. I always trust your word! ^_^

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