leahsbooks's review
5.0
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www.leahs-books.com
TRIGGER WARNING: animal testing, amputation
I was really excited to dive back into the world of the killer triplet queenss vying for the crown of Fennbirn. The pace of this book is a lot faster than the previous book (see my review of Three Dark Crowns here), and there’s more action going on. There’s something about three sixteen year old queens running wild in their quest to kill each other that is irresistible to read about.
My perception of the characters changed in this book. In the previous book, Katharine was my favorite, but she’s a totally different person in this book. She’s more relaxed, tougher, reckless, and has become bloodthirsty and even cruel. She has her reasons why, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“‘The pain is nothing,’ Katharine assures her, wiping her chin. ‘I have endured much worse.’ She pops a berry into her mouth as her stomach starts to churn, and looks at her reflection in the mirror. She is no little girl who would turn into Natalia’s skirts and weep.”
Arsinoe is learning how to manage her own gift while still keeping it a secret. Her character is growing on me, and the stubborn and willful traits that bothered me in book 1 are starting to be more endearing. I think one of the things that I liked best about Arsinoe is that she is not willing to compromise her morals, no matter what. She never does what is expected of her, and she’s fiercely loyal to the people she cares about. So when an unexpected secret is revealed about someone close to her, she works hard to protect them.
Mirabella seems to have changed the least throughout the series. She’s always been the one who remembers the most about her sisters, and displays the most empathy towards them. As the sister with the strongest gift, she’s always been the one expected to be the Queen Crowned, but this also sets her up to have a target on her back. This also puts the ones closest to her in danger.
I loved everything about this book. It’s dark, fast-paced, and incredible. The writing makes me feel as if I’m right in the book along with the queens, feeling every intense moment. The plot twists come fast, and I didn’t know what to expect from one page to the next. I had no idea who would be crowned until it actually happened, and once it happened, I didn’t fully believe it. There’s definitely something brewing on Fennbirn, and I am going to have to jump right into the next book to find out what it is. Beware — if you read this, you’re going to have to have the next book lined up to start immediately.
www.leahs-books.com
TRIGGER WARNING: animal testing, amputation
I was really excited to dive back into the world of the killer triplet queenss vying for the crown of Fennbirn. The pace of this book is a lot faster than the previous book (see my review of Three Dark Crowns here), and there’s more action going on. There’s something about three sixteen year old queens running wild in their quest to kill each other that is irresistible to read about.
My perception of the characters changed in this book. In the previous book, Katharine was my favorite, but she’s a totally different person in this book. She’s more relaxed, tougher, reckless, and has become bloodthirsty and even cruel. She has her reasons why, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“‘The pain is nothing,’ Katharine assures her, wiping her chin. ‘I have endured much worse.’ She pops a berry into her mouth as her stomach starts to churn, and looks at her reflection in the mirror. She is no little girl who would turn into Natalia’s skirts and weep.”
Arsinoe is learning how to manage her own gift while still keeping it a secret. Her character is growing on me, and the stubborn and willful traits that bothered me in book 1 are starting to be more endearing. I think one of the things that I liked best about Arsinoe is that she is not willing to compromise her morals, no matter what. She never does what is expected of her, and she’s fiercely loyal to the people she cares about. So when an unexpected secret is revealed about someone close to her, she works hard to protect them.
Mirabella seems to have changed the least throughout the series. She’s always been the one who remembers the most about her sisters, and displays the most empathy towards them. As the sister with the strongest gift, she’s always been the one expected to be the Queen Crowned, but this also sets her up to have a target on her back. This also puts the ones closest to her in danger.
I loved everything about this book. It’s dark, fast-paced, and incredible. The writing makes me feel as if I’m right in the book along with the queens, feeling every intense moment. The plot twists come fast, and I didn’t know what to expect from one page to the next. I had no idea who would be crowned until it actually happened, and once it happened, I didn’t fully believe it. There’s definitely something brewing on Fennbirn, and I am going to have to jump right into the next book to find out what it is. Beware — if you read this, you’re going to have to have the next book lined up to start immediately.
alysona's review
4.0
I got the ARC from Edelwiess but now I regret it because I will have to wait longer for the third book!
kellyz628's review
5.0
Loved the second book just as much or maybe more than the first one! Great series so far!
lyraofstellaryus's review
4.0
Il primo libro ha ingranato a rilento ma verso la fine ha avuto uno sprint che mi ha dato energie sufficienti a iniziare subito a leggere il seguito. Tuttavia mi sono ritrovata davanti a una storia che avanzava di nuovo molto lentamente. I colpi di scena del finale del primo romanzo non danno una vera svolta alla storia, che si trascina per pagine e pagine senza avvenimenti degni di nota.
Verso i due terzi del libro, di nuovo, le vicende accelerano. Dopo che per capitoli e capitoli non è successo niente, nel giro di una manciata di pagine cambia tutto. In modo molto repentino, forse troppo, ma dopo aver arrancato per così tanti capitoli ben vengano i colpi di scena non preparati! Ci sono molte cose che non mi sono piaciute molto, ma ho trovato veramente tenera e coinvolgente la relazione tra due delle sorelle (non dico i nomi per non fare spoiler) e ammetto di essermi commossa durante il viaggio in nave.
La fine di questo romanzo sottolinea secondo me una cosa che ho sospettato dal primo momento: la cosa più bella di questi due romanzi è infatti che non si riesce a indovinare chi sarà la futura regina perchè non trapela una particolare simpatia dell’autrice per nessuna delle tre gemelle… visto che la sua preferita è evidentemente Juillenne Milone. Che, tra l’altro, adoro anche io. Anche se preferisco Arsinoe perchè a me le ragazze troppo dotate di talenti straordinari non mi fanno impazzire, le trovo troppo “poco ordinarie”!
Sono trattenuta dal leggere il terzo perchè temo che ancora una volta ci saranno pagine e pagine di nulla prima di qualche evento… però chissà, magari lo leggerò solo per vedere come va a finire.
Una piccola nota sul titolo. Se in inglese si intitola One Dark Throne, perchè chiamarlo La Battaglia della Corona Maledetta, rendendolo praticamente uguale a La Battaglia delle tre corone, che è il primo, e facendomi confondere continuamente? I misteri delle traduzioni italiane…
Verso i due terzi del libro, di nuovo, le vicende accelerano. Dopo che per capitoli e capitoli non è successo niente, nel giro di una manciata di pagine cambia tutto. In modo molto repentino, forse troppo, ma dopo aver arrancato per così tanti capitoli ben vengano i colpi di scena non preparati! Ci sono molte cose che non mi sono piaciute molto, ma ho trovato veramente tenera e coinvolgente la relazione tra due delle sorelle (non dico i nomi per non fare spoiler) e ammetto di essermi commossa durante il viaggio in nave.
La fine di questo romanzo sottolinea secondo me una cosa che ho sospettato dal primo momento: la cosa più bella di questi due romanzi è infatti che non si riesce a indovinare chi sarà la futura regina perchè non trapela una particolare simpatia dell’autrice per nessuna delle tre gemelle… visto che la sua preferita è evidentemente Juillenne Milone. Che, tra l’altro, adoro anche io. Anche se preferisco Arsinoe perchè a me le ragazze troppo dotate di talenti straordinari non mi fanno impazzire, le trovo troppo “poco ordinarie”!
Sono trattenuta dal leggere il terzo perchè temo che ancora una volta ci saranno pagine e pagine di nulla prima di qualche evento… però chissà, magari lo leggerò solo per vedere come va a finire.
Una piccola nota sul titolo. Se in inglese si intitola One Dark Throne, perchè chiamarlo La Battaglia della Corona Maledetta, rendendolo praticamente uguale a La Battaglia delle tre corone, che è il primo, e facendomi confondere continuamente? I misteri delle traduzioni italiane…
reclusivereader's review
2.0
I don't know what it is about this series but I just can't get into it or behind it. And this one took me days to get through and nearly threw me into a book slump. Considering I just got out of one.. I am not amused.
Also not amusing? When a duology (or was it trilogy?) becomes a quartet. Because I don't think I'll be picking up another Three Dark Crowns book until the series is over so I can binge it, find out where it's all meant to go, and move on.
These books are the kind of read that should be great -- dark, edgy, gritty, vicious -- but aren't. They are full of potential and could actually be super interesting but also filled with idiotic situations (seriously, Arsinoe, fucking stop with the low magic, you twit!) and.. I don't know, maybe it's the writing style? I've liked Blake's stuff before but this one isn't working. Also, nothing really seems to happen for 75% of the story and then the author throws us a curveball (or five) in the final chapters. I'm generally okay with the strategy but it makes a slow and already boring or frustrating read even moreso.
Not to mention this series is full of shitty, terrible, characters. And I'm normally on board with less cookie cutter happy go lucky personalities because hello shades of grey. But there's just too many shitty characters. Thankfully some of them got offed but still.
I will finish the series and I'm curious about a few of the story arcs and directions this might go but it's a curiosity that is tempered and weighed down by dread and lackluster enthusiasm. I can't say I would really recommend this series but I think I'm also in the minority, so, hey. Do as you will, reader.
1.75 "I've been hand-feeding this bird for days to be sure it was not poisoned before the fact and now.. now her name is Harriet" stars
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Also not amusing? When a duology (or was it trilogy?) becomes a quartet. Because I don't think I'll be picking up another Three Dark Crowns book until the series is over so I can binge it, find out where it's all meant to go, and move on.
These books are the kind of read that should be great -- dark, edgy, gritty, vicious -- but aren't. They are full of potential and could actually be super interesting but also filled with idiotic situations (seriously, Arsinoe, fucking stop with the low magic, you twit!) and.. I don't know, maybe it's the writing style? I've liked Blake's stuff before but this one isn't working. Also, nothing really seems to happen for 75% of the story and then the author throws us a curveball (or five) in the final chapters. I'm generally okay with the strategy but it makes a slow and already boring or frustrating read even moreso.
Not to mention this series is full of shitty, terrible, characters. And I'm normally on board with less cookie cutter happy go lucky personalities because hello shades of grey. But there's just too many shitty characters. Thankfully some of them got offed but still.
I will finish the series and I'm curious about a few of the story arcs and directions this might go but it's a curiosity that is tempered and weighed down by dread and lackluster enthusiasm. I can't say I would really recommend this series but I think I'm also in the minority, so, hey. Do as you will, reader.
1.75 "I've been hand-feeding this bird for days to be sure it was not poisoned before the fact and now.. now her name is Harriet" stars
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
faefolkreads's review
4.0
Fast paced continuation to the story. I loved the strength of Arsinoes character and how the bond of sister hood is still there! I think there needed to be a bit more on Katherine and what happened to her, but hopefully this will be something in the next book? Jules character took on a fascinating story and I can't wait to see where that goes!
compassionatebibliophile's review
3.0
I liked it a lot better than the first! I'm actually eager to read the third instalment.