Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf
Summary
Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.
Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.
Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.
So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.
Winner takes the loser’s heart.
Literally.
Book Details
Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf
Series: Bring Me Their Hearts #1
Published June 5th by Entangled: Teen
Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy,
Fairy Tales & Folklore, Adaptations
Hardcover, 400 Pages
Source: Publisher
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Book Review
Filled with sass, stabbing, and a slow-brewing—enemies-to-lovers romance, Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf is a new YA fantasy series featuring an immortal teen girl tasked with stealing the prince’s heart…literally.
Losing one's heart has never been so much fun nor deadly—Heartless Zara and Prince Lucien d’Malvane are in for an epic battle.
Bring Me Their Hearts ended up being a delightful read. It reminded me a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer but with a medieval, dark, twisted-fairy tale mix to it. Add in some fun tropes, a prince who must lose his heart, a heroine who must steal his in order to gain her's back, and lots of sly and witty banter and you have the beginnings of a fun and fresh new take on vampires and witches.
“I am no flower to be ravaged at your whim, angry wolf—I am your hunter, bow cocked and ready. I am a Heartless, one of the creatures your people fled from in terror thirty years ago. If you were smart, you’d start running too.”
Zera is a Heartless – an immortal, whose life was saved by the witch Nightsinger from the bandits who murdered her family. Bound to her, Zera only wants to earn back her heart (the one kept in a jar!) and gain her humanity and freedom back...but it comes at a terrible price.
At once a look at what it really means to have a heart and what makes us human (and therefore supposedly, humane), Sara Wolf gives readers a fierce and sassy heroine who reminds us of this.
One of my favorite elements of this story is the fresh twist given to the trope of winning the prince's heart...literally, and princess who is anything but what you would expect.
“So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.
Winner takes the loser’s heart.
Literally.”
Prince Lucien is definitely swoon-worthy material as he defies tradition and is a bit of a rogue. While Zara is bold and brass (and tempted to be all teeth and bite at times!) though Lucien holds his own with her.
If you enjoy feisty couples and hate-to-love romances, then Bring Me Their Hearts should definitely be on your TBR list.
Bring Me Their Hearts also has delightful secondary characters that really rounded out the story, ones that often had me laughing and smiling.
My only complaint is the overall plot felt pretty simple and straightforward. The world building was just enough to give this series opener and nice fantasy vibe with a few unique creatures and magical feel to it. A cliff-hanger ending ensures invested readers will be anxious to grab up the next installment.
In the end
Bring Me Their Hearts is a spellbinding blend of sass, subterfuge, and magic perfect for readers who enjoy a fierce and brass heroine and a forbidden romance that simmers.
Recommended for:
YA readers looking for a darker fantasy/paranormal balanced by its fun wit and banter along with a fresh take on the supernatural.
