Book Nerds Across America: Three Dark Crowns

Showing posts with label Three Dark Crowns. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Book review: Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake

Reviewer's Note
I won't post the book summary for this one, as it's the final book in the series. That being said, I will not reveal any spoilers for Five Dark Fates or any other of the books in my review. If you're not up to date with the Three Dark Crowns series, you have plenty of time to get caught up before this final installment comes out on September 3rd!

Flo's Spoiler Free Review
Five Dark Fates was one of my most anticipated, if not my most anticipated book of this year, so I was beyond the moon to read it. I am so, so happy to report that it did not disappoint! I flew through this book in under 48 hours. This series is just so compulsive readable. You find yourself flipping the pages because the pacing is so strong and steady, while it builds and builds to the conclusion.

I definitely had a book hangover this one and had to step back for a few days before writing my review so I could process my thoughts. In a nutshell: Five Dark Fates is a thrilling and satisfying conclusion to a fantastic YA fantasy series. Each one of the queens has a fulfilling role in the fate of the island. That's not to say that my heart wasn't wrenched out a bit, so be prepared! But each queen's story ended in a way that was true to her individual character. I can honestly say that I understood each queen's arc and where it led her. They were realistic, and I really enjoyed following their journeys from book one to book four.

The best kind of ending for a series is one where you set down the last book with a bittersweet feeling in your heart: you are sad to leave the world and the characters, but you are also so proud of them and you know that they will be alright. I definitely had this feeling for Fennbirn at the end of Five Dark Fates.

I will end by reiterating what I said above -- if you haven't read this series, I highly, highly encourage you to do so. You will not be disappointed! Kendare Blake has given us such a fun roller coaster of a fantasy ride. Pack your bags and head to the island.

If you have read the series and are eagerly anticipating this conclusion -- you will not be disappointed! Pick this one up as soon as you can.

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Book review: Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake

Note
To keep this review spoiler free, I will not post the book summary, as it may be a spoiler for Three Dark Crowns and One Dark Throne.

Flo's Spoiler Free Review
I have had so much fun binging this series over the past weeks! I was spoiled to receive Two Dark Reigns early for review, and I've loved every moment of my three book journey.

Like its predecessors, Two Dark Reigns brought non-stop action and surprising twists. However, not as much as the first two. I wasn't in love with the Blue Queen story line. I understand why it's in there in that I see what it had to accomplish for the characters to set up the end of the book, but it didn't feel connected to the main story. I also had trouble with Arsinoe in this installment. Her stubbornness came off as rude, and her independence just put everyone around in danger without her consulting them about it.

But in this series, "not as good as the first two books" is still so good! I had an e-book of this and it made me want to go to the gym so I could read it on the bike! And last night I stayed up past my bedtime because I had to finish it. If you've been following the series thus far, you will enjoy the story's continuation.

If you haven't -- dude, get on that! Three Dark Crowns is one of Barnes and Nobles' Book Haul Blowout, so you can get it for like $5!

Two Dark Reigns publishes on September 4th, 2018.

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Audiobook review: One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake

Note: To keep this review spoiler free, I will not post the book summary, as it may be a spoiler for the first book in the series Three Dark Crowns. Go read Three Dark Crowns! In the meantime, proceed to the review feeling safe that I won't ruin anything for you :).

Flo's Spoiler Free Review
Kendare Blake and the Queens of Fennbirn have done it again! I listened to this one on audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. The narrator was great -- she really made the queens sound distinct and gave them voices to match their characters. Nicolas Martel's voice did kind of make me laugh, but he needed an accent, so there you go.

What I loved about this book (and the last one) is that I really had no idea how it could end. A big event would come up and I'd think it would be the kind of thing that would end everything, but it wasn't. Every time! Something happened and I continued to be pulled along in this intriguing story. The action and the pacing in these books is truly fantastic.

I kept saying "No spoilers!" when I wrote the books, and I wouldn't even let myself look at the summary of book 3, just in case. Speaking of book 3, I am so glad I don't have to wait to continue this story. Naturally, I have no idea what direction this is going in after the end of One Dark Throne, and I'm excited to find out.

Next up: Two Dark Reigns. Let's do this.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Review: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns, #1)

Three Dark Crowns was one of the books I was really excited to receive at BEA last year. I did have to wait in a ridiculously long line, but it was well worth it.

Jacque's Review:

I can't say that I have read anything quite like this before. Every generation there is a set of triplet queens born on a small island. Each of the girls has a special magical ability, which must be used when the girls come of age to defeat her sisters and inherit the throne. The poisoners have been in control of the throne for several generations, but the elemental queen, Mirabella, has a distinct advantage this generation. The poison and naturalist queens appear to have no magical ability while Mirabella is perhaps the strongest elemental in history.

Katharine has been training her body to withstand the effects of poison for years with little to no avail. The same can be said for the naturalist queen, Arsinoe, who tried to flee the island in an attempt to save her life prior to the start of the book. Her best friend is one of the strongest naturalists in recent memory while she has no ability. She even turns to forbidden magic, which she feels is better than having no magic at all. At least she will have something to rely on to defend herself.

The sisters grew up together, but were separated at a young age. They still have fond memories of each other, so it is going to be extremely difficult for them to kill one another. This seems to be a much bigger problem than it has ever been in the past, so the leaders begin to plot ways to get around this challenge. This reminded me a bit of the Hunger Games with the fight to the death orchestrated by the Capital.. None of the girls wants to complete, but they know there can only be one winner, so they must kill or be killed.

As the year long battle is about to begin there is a major revelation that could greatly impact the outcome. I don't want to spoil it, but it definitely explains the discrepancy in their abilities. I don't really have a favorite at this point, but I was rooting for Katharine and Arsinoe since they were at a major disadvantage.

The second book in the series, One Dark Throne, is scheduled to be released September 19, 2017. I have already added it to my TBR and can't wait to find out what will happen next.

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