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Title: The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3)
Author: Rae Carson
Year Published: 2013
My Girl of Fire and Thorns (#1) REVIEW
My The Shadow Cats (#0.5) REVIEW
My The King's Guard (#0.7) REVIEW
My Crown of Embers (#2) REVIEWAshley's Girl of Fire and Thorns (#1) REVIEW
Ashley's Crown of Embers (#2) REVIEW
Synopsis: The epic conclusion to Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns trilogy. The seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen will travel into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny.
Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most.
Why?: Rae Carson! Her writing is amazing! I've loved the first two books in this series so I'm ready for this one!
Expectations: I expect another amazing fantasy novel.
Judging a book by its cover: I like this cover. I like that the covers for this trilogy all match. I like the wintery feel if this cover.
--PAUL
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Title: The King's Guard (Fire and Thorns #0.7)
Author: Rae Carson
Year Published: 2013
My The Girl of Fire and Thorns (#1) REVIEW
My The Shadow Cats (#0.5) REVIEW
My The Crown of Embers (#2) REVIEW
Ashley's The Girl of Fire and Thorns (#1) REVIEW
Ashley's The Crown of Embers (#2) REVIEW
Synopsis: At fifteen years old, Hector is the youngest squire in the most elite military force in the country. And his first day is disastrous. Everyone assumes the only reason he was recruited is his close personal association with King Alejandro, not because he's really earned it.
But Alejandro needs Hector for a secret mission, one that gives him the chance to prove to everyone—including himself—that he is worthy to be a Royal Guard. Hector must break into the ancient Fortress of Wind to retrieve something so important that the kingdom's future depends on it. What Hector finds in the fortress will stretch his bond of friendship with his king near to breaking. And it will prepare him to become the fearsome warrior and lord commander Elisa will never let go.
A riveting prequel to Rae Carson's epic and acclaimed Fire and Thorns series.
Review: Hector is a fan favorite of this trilogy. In this prequel novella, Hector has an adventure of his own, but it is an adventure that impacts a lot of people in the kingdom. It was nice to see Rosaura and Alejandro together. I really liked Queen Rosaura.
So many things were established in this novella that really make the wheels moving in the other books. It is nice to see where things started.
I loved the adventure of this novella. Every chapter had me excited to continue reading. Like all the novellas from this series, they really add good stories instead of just retellings from another POV.
I give this novella a 5/5. I suggest all of these novellas, but this one most of all! After reading this, I wanted to reread the first two books in this series before I start the third one.
-PAUL
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Title: The Shattered Mountain (Fire and Thorns #0.6)
Author: Rae Carson
Year Published: 2013
My The Girl of Fire and Thorns (#1) REVIEW
My The Shadow Cats (#0.5) REVIEW
My The Crown of Embers (#2) REVIEW
Ashley's The Girl of Fire and Thorns (#1) REVIEW
Ashley's The Crown of Embers (#2) REVIEW
Synopsis: On the outskirts of Joya d'Arena, small villages fight for survival against the onslaught of sorcerers and raiders. Mara's village has been safe--so far--but Mara decides to escape anyway. Escape from her harsh, abusive father. Escape with her first love. But when their plans fall on the same day that the animagi burn the village to the ground, Mara faces losses that could destroy her. She's a survivor, though. She is going to make it through the mountains, and she is going to protect the refugees following her. Because there's a rumored safe haven . . . and some say they have found the Chosen One. Told from Mara's point-of-view, The Shattered Mountain is an alternate perspective of the beginning of the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns.
Review: This is a really good survival story. It is compelling the whole time. Mara and her fellow survivors have to escape into the desert and avoid the animagi. With Rae Carson's novellas, they aren't just fun little other-side-of-the-story stories. They are whole stories on their own. There are characters from the first two books that make appearances in the story, but many new characters that are interesting.
This novella deals a lot with loss and death and the different ways people can deal with such loss. The way Carson writes these children surviving after such loss is so compelling. I give this novella a 4/5 and it is a must read for fans of the trilogy.
-PAUL
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Title: Crown of Embers
Author: Rae Carson
Year Published: 2012
Synopsis: In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.
Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions.
As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.
Why?: I read The Girl of Fire and Thorns, and have been anxiously awaiting this sequel since I finished it. I can't wait to see how Elisa's story continues, and how she deals with being a new widow and queen of a foreign land at only 17. And I'm really curious as to what her epic destiny is!
Expectations: I'm expecting quite a lot from this book! Epic adventures, fantasy, magic, and probably lots of heart break. Because that's what Rae Carson does. Makes you fall in love with a character and then kills them. What a jerk. But I love it anyway and think it adds so much to the story.
Judging a book by its cover: I love this cover. It's colorful and striking and all sorts of fantastic things. If I saw it on a shelf somewhere, I would totally pick it up.
--Ashley
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The Girl of Fire and Thorns REVIEW
The Shadow Cats novella REVIEW
The Crown of Embers PRE-READING
Title: The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2)
Author: Rae Carson
Year Published: 2012
Review: This is one of the best fantasy YA series out there right now. Rae Carson is an excellent writer. Elisa is a heroine that truly grows as a character. All her actions and the lessons she learsn are done so fluently. Carson writes relationships so well. They are very realistic, having a gradual build. It always irks me when a heroine falls for the only guy in the book or there is insta-love.
There is a large cast of characters in this novel and none are sidelined. each character has just enough backstory and characteristics to make them all unique and memorable. Many of the characters I loved from the first book return and some of my favorite characters in the series so far were introduced in this book. Hector was one of my favorite characters. He is an awesome guard.
I like when same-sex relationships are casually placed in YA novels. Carson did an excellent job with that. My gaydar went off and I was excited when it was revealed. Another good series that does this is Graceling by Kristin Cashore.
The first half of this story took place in the city, then Elisa goes on an adventure! There's even a boat. I always like fantasy stories on the high seas.
The godstones and religion in this series are very interesting. It is a monotheistic religion with magic. There aren't many other stories out there like it. The history and details of the godstones and magic are revealed in a nice and slow way that kept me on the edge of my seat while reading.
Rae Carson is one of my favorite authors of YA right now! She is up there with Jodi Meadows, Marissa Meyer, Leigh Bardugo,and Beth Revis! I am really excited for the third book and can't wait for Carson's next series. I hear it has to do with magic in the Gold Rush!
I give this novel a 5/5!
-PAUL
Title: The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2)
Author: Rae Carson
Year Published: 2012
Amazon | Goodreads
Synopsis: In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.
Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.
The Girl of Fire and Thorns Review
The Shadow Cats novella Review
Why?: I absolutely adored the first book in this series. After finishing it, I immediately wanted to read more about Elisa. It has been over a year and I am so excited to finally read more of her stories.
Expectations: I expect Carson to continue the awesomeness that was the first book in this series. I expect even more growth from Elisa. I also expect to learn more about many minor characters as well as get to meet more characters that will have depth. I want to learn more about the origins of the godstones.
Judging a book by its cover: I like this cover. It is similar to the first book's cover.
-PAUL
