His Fair Assassin

Robin LaFever's Grave Mercy drags you into the trilogy with a great hook and only gets better from there. It's set in an alternate 14th century Brittany, where fourteen-year-old Ismae escapes an abusive arranged marriage to a convent, where her unique abilities make her the perfect assassin protégé. Though she takes to the profession as a better alternative, there's still plenty of conflict here. Part of the story is Ishmae's coming of age, from delicate child to a questioner of the convent's morals. There's a lot of depth to be found in the character, but the rest of the series presents the viewpoint of refreshing new characters. It's in these latter books that LaFevers really begins to find her strength. The second book details the story of Sybella, who trained at the same convent as Ishmae. However, where Ishmae is hesitant and inexperienced, Sybella is trained and deadly. LaFevers manages to create a harrowing, emotional story whilst still developing the other characters in the story. The third book follows in a similar vein, with the viewpoint of another previously introduced character. In all, LaFever's series is a great combination of history, subverted fantasy tropes, and YA It has romance, vengeance, and strong female characters. The changing perspectives mean that even if one protagonist isn't to your fancy, there's another to try out. On top of that, the author manages to encourage real attachment to the characters and great entertainment without constant action scenes. Best of all, the series isn't yet over. After a four-year hiatus, LaFever will return to the series next year, with a second book following in 2019. Read if you like: Strong female characters, historical fiction, Graceling