CHAMPION OF FATE By Kendare Blake

September 4, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

CHAMPION OF FATE By Kendare BlakeChampion of Fate by Kendare Blake
Series: Heromaker #1
Published by Quill Tree Books on 9/19/23
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 473
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Aristene are an order of mythical female warriors. Though heroes might be immortalized in legends, it’s the Aristene who guide their paths to victory. They are the Heromakers.

Raised by the order after being orphaned, Reed grew up surrounded by her future sisters-in-arms and the incredible stories of their quests. She’s been counting the days until her initiation, and now one final test stands in her way: shepherding her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and her place in the order is secured. Fail, and she’ll be cast out of the only home she’s ever known.

But Reed didn’t count on Hestion, her assigned hero, being both infuriating and intriguing. When their strategic alliance turns into something more, it forces Reed to question the cost of becoming an Aristene. As battle looms and fate hangs in the balance, Reed must make an impossible choice: her hero or her order.

Short and Sweet Review

The Aristene are legendary female warriors who are the ones who guide every hero to their path to victory. Reed was orphaned at a young age and was raised by the Aristene and now its time for her to go on to her final test, guiding a hero to their path to victory on the battle field, if she succeeds she’s earned her place as an Aristene and if she fails she’ll be cast out. Reed’s hero is a prince named Hestion, he honestly has no desire to be a hero and that makes him infuriating to Reed but also she’s interested in him. Being around Hestion makes Reed wonder if she really wants to be an Aristene.

Champion of Fate is an amazing fantasy book! We follow Reed who is an initiate for the legendary Aristene, who took her in when her village was slaughtered. Reeds mentor and mother figure is a woman named Aster who happens to have a high ranking. I loved the relationship between the two of them, Aster had a tough love approach but Reed always knew she could count on her. For Reed’s test she has to help Hestion a prince becomes a hero and lead him on a path to glory, but upon meeting him she learns that Hestion really wants to be in the background and he’s okay with his brother Belden being the one to take the credit. We see Reed and Hestion spend a lot of time together and get to know one another and they end up developing feelings for each other, which is easier for Hestion than it is for Reed. Reed knows once the war is finished she can’t stay with Hestion and she’ll have to move on. I did like the dynamic between these two and how for a while Hestion had Reed questioning if she really did want to become an Aristene or maybe stick around and leave that life behind. We follow these characters as they go into war which was pretty cool to see how amazing Reed and her friend Lyonene were at fighting. We also learn something about Reed that ends up changing everything. I loved Reeds character, she was strong and thoughtful, but also she cares a lot for the people she loves, she also has a horse that has a big personality. I also thought it was pretty cool to see one of the queens from the Three Dark Crowns series make an appearance.

The ending was not what I was expecting but in a good way and now all I want is the sequel in my hands. The writing is amazing and it will have you hooked from page one. I think of Reed being the Phil to someones Hercules. Champion of Fate is a fantasy book that will have you blown away and leave you wanting more!

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IN EVERY GENERATION By Kendare Blake

January 3, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

IN EVERY GENERATION By Kendare BlakeIn Every Generation by Kendare Blake
Published by Disney-Hyperion on 1/4/22
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 388
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Frankie Rosenberg is passionate about the environment, a sophomore at New Sunnydale High School, and the daughter of the most powerful witch in Sunnydale history. Her mom, Willow, is slowly teaching her magic on the condition that she use it to better the world. But Frankie's happily quiet life is upended when new girl Hailey shows up with news that the annual Slayer convention has been the target of an attack, and all the Slayers—including Buffy, Faith, and Hailey's older sister Vi—might be dead. That means it's time for this generation's Slayer to be born. But being the first ever Slayer-Witch means learning how to wield a stake while trying to control her budding powers. With the help of Hailey, a werewolf named Jake, and a hot but nerdy sage demon, Frankie must become the Slayer, prevent the Hellmouth from opening again, and find out what happened to her Aunt Buffy, before she's next. Get ready for a whole new story within the world of Buffy!

Short and Sweet

In every generation there’s a new slayer and this time it happens to be Willow Rosenberg’s daughter, Frankie. After the slayers are attacked at a slayer meeting and presumed dead, Frankie comes into her powers as the slayer and she’s the first slayer-witch. Frankie has to learn fast because as demons and vampires learn that the slayers are dead they’re all coming back to the hellmouth. With the help of her mom, Spike, Oz, best friend Jake, and new comer Hailey, Frankie has to learn to wield a stake and do what others before her have.

Frankie is your basic teenage girl except for the fact that she’s a witch and her best friend Jake is a werewolf. The book starts off with us learning that the slayers have been attacked at a slayer meeting and we don’t even know if they’re alive or not, that’s when Frankie’s powers start to awaken. Hailey’s older sister, Vi, is a slayer and she was at that meeting, not knowing what’s taking her sister so long, Hailey is picked up by Spike and brought to Sunnydale. The problem of finding the slayers is left to Xander and Dawn because in Sunnydale the new Scooby gang has bigger matters to worry about. More demons and vampires are starting to come back to the hell mouth and one vampire in particular is making a hive.

I’ve watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer so I was excited to see what this book had in store. I will say it started off slow for me and there’s a lot of switching POVs of the different characters. I think one of my main problems was how the dialogue at some points felt too juvenile and cheesy like it could be a middle grade instead of a young adult novel. It was fun to see the characters we love from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and this new generation getting advice and training from them. I liked the plot but I don’t think it really picked up for me until we’re halfway through the book. Frankie had a lot to learn and she was unsure of herself. Her biggest problem was that she was trying to be like the other slayers when she just needed to be herself and come into her own. The villain was interesting mainly because she was thought to be a legend but she was very real, and there wasn’t a lot of information on how to get rid of her.

Overall this was a good start to the series. I’m hoping we learn more about what happened to the other slayers and see Frankie be more confident as a slayer. If you liked the show, I think you’ll find this book endearing we see elements from the show that made it lovable in this book and it’s a whole new generation of the Scooby gang!

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ALL THESE BODIES By Kendare Blake

September 22, 2021 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

ALL THESE BODIES By Kendare BlakeAll These Bodies by Kendare Blake
Published by Quill Tree Books on 9/21/21
Genres: Horror & Ghost Stories, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Young Adult
Pages: 300
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

Summer 1958. A gruesome killer plagues the Midwest, leaving behind a trail of bodies completely drained of blood.

Michael Jensen, an aspiring journalist whose father happens to be the town sheriff, never imagined that the Bloodless Murders would come to his backyard. Not until the night the Carlson family was found murdered in their home. Marie Catherine Hale, a diminutive fifteen-year-old, was discovered at the scene—covered in blood. She is the sole suspect in custody.

Michael didn’t think that he would be part of the investigation, but he is pulled in when Marie decides that he is the only one she will confess to. As Marie recounts her version of the story, it falls to Michael to find the truth: What really happened the night that the Carlsons were killed? And how did one girl wind up in the middle of all these bodies?

Short and Sweet Review

It’s the summer of 1958 and a killer is leaving a trail of bodies along the midwest, and these bodies are drained of blood. Michael Jensen wants to be a journalist and his father is the sheriff in town. Michael never thought that the “Bloodless Murders” would come to his small town. But when the Carlson family is murdered and Marie Catherine Hale is at the scene of the crime drenched in blood, Michael is dragged into the investigation. Marie decides that if she’s going to tell her story the only person she’s going to tell it to is Michael.

The book starts off with a thrill we see Marie covered in the victims blood but claiming that she didn’t commit the killings but she also won’t give up who she was with or tell her story so she just looks guilty. Marie will only tell her story to Michael which surprise everyone but obviously he has to do it because its everyones chance to get answers. We see a sort of friendship develop between Michael and Marie which is kind of understandable because they’re the same age but at the same time she could possibly be a serial killer. Anyway Marie is an unreliable story teller and we can see how she weaves a story and how paranoid Michael becomes. This is one of those books that keeps you reading because you want to know what happened and Marie will keep you guessing till the very end because she doesn’t really want to tell her story, it’s almost like she’s buying time.

All These Bodies will keep you engaged until the very end. I will say that I’m still not sure about that ending and even though I finished the book a few days ago I’m still thinking about it.


Filed Under: Reviews

FIVE DARK FATES By Kendare Blake

July 13, 2020 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

FIVE DARK FATES By Kendare BlakeFive Dark Fates by Kendare Blake
Series: Three Dark Crowns #4
Published by HarperTeen on 9/3/19
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 447
Format: Hardcover
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

After the grim confrontation with Queen Katharine, the rebellion lies in tatters. Jules’s legion curse has been unbound, and it is up to Arsinoe to find a cure, even as the responsibility of stopping the ravaging mist lies heavy on her shoulders, and her shoulders alone. Mirabella has disappeared.

Katharine’s reign remains intact—for now. When Mirabella arrives, seemingly under a banner of truce, Katharine begins to yearn for the closeness that Mirabella and Arsinoe share. But as the two circle each other, the dead queens hiss caution—Mirabella is not to be trusted.

In this conclusion to the Three Dark Crowns series, three sisters will rise to fight as the secrets of Fennbirn’s history are laid bare. Allegiances will shift. Bonds will be tested. But the fate of the island lies in the hands of its queens. It always has.

Short and Sweet

After the last confrontation with Katharine, Jules’s legion curse has come unbound now Arsinoe has to find a cure.

Mirabella leaves the rebels and joins Katharine, and Katharine wants a bond with Mirabella but the dead queens don’t trust Mirabella and don’t want her around.

The mist is rising, allegiances will change, and bonds are tested, and one queen will rise and rule the island of Fennbirn.

Characters

Mirabella: Mirabella joins Katharine mainly to find out what’s wrong with her. I love Mirabella she loves her sisters and will always try to find the good in them and I liked the developing relationship with her and Katharine. Mirabella still feels bad for leaving Arsinoe but she would never betray her.

Arsinoe: Arsinoe is still as tough as ever and she’ll do whatever she has to do to make things right. Arsinoe our queen of low magic proves how beneficial she is and how much she’s improved with using low magic.

Katharine: Katharine poor Katharine. We can see glimpses of the old Katharine the girl who’s smart and not a murderer but she’s possessed by the dead queens and more times than not they win no matter how hard Katharine tries to fight them.

Jules: Jules is the Legion Queen and she’s pretty fierce when the curse is unbound, but when its bound she’s the same old Jules. I love that Jules still looks out for Arsinoe and will try to do the right thing.

Romance

* We have three couples or relationships, but there’s not a lot of romance mainly because they all have a war to focus on.

Arsinoe and Billy: I love these two! They care about each other so much and will always try to make sure the other one is okay and safe. 

Katharine and Pietyr: So Pietyr is unconscious for most of the book, because of what happened with the dead queens. Katharine still loves Pietyr and visits him as often as she can.

Jules and Emilia: There’s chemistry between these two. Emilia cares for Jules a lot but Jules is still apprehensive and still has moments when she thinks about Joseph.

My Thoughts

~ I think what I loved the most was seeing how Mirabella brought out a side to Katharine that showed she was still humane. I liked that these two got to spend some time together I only wish all three sisters had the chance.

~ In this book we’re preparing for a war. Katharine is preparing to face Jules and the rebellion. Katharine gets some help from the dead queens though and learns that she can give the dead queens to another vessel that is willing.

~ The mist is still attacking the Island and Mirabella seems like the only person who can keep it away.

~ Arsinoe gets better with using low magic, she’s able to get Jules’s legion curse under control and she wakes up Pietyr.

~ I read this book so fast I was excited to see what would happen. I wanted to know what would happen with Mirabella now that she was with Katharine. I wanted to see how Jules and Arsinoe would go about things.

~ We learn a little bit more about the history of Fennbirn and the past queens. I wish we could see more of the past queens and what powers they possessed.

Overall

I love this series and I wasn’t sure how everything wrapped up but in the end I can say that I’m satisfied. I loved following the queens throughout four books and I enjoyed the epic battle and the glimpse of a relationship these sisters could of had if they weren’t born on Fennbirn. If you haven’t read this series yet pick it up, you won’t regret it!

Filed Under: Reviews

TWO DARK REIGNS By Kendare Blake

October 29, 2018 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

TWO DARK REIGNS By Kendare BlakeTwo Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake
Series: Three Dark Crowns #3
Published by HarperTeen on 9/4/18
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 464
Format: Hardcover
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Queen Katharine has waited her entire life to wear the crown. But now that she finally has it, the murmurs of dissent grow louder by the day. There’s also the alarming issue of whether or not her sisters are actually dead—or if they’re waiting in the wings to usurp the throne.

Mirabella and Arsinoe are alive, but in hiding on the mainland and dealing with a nightmare of their own: being visited repeatedly by a specter they think might be the fabled Blue Queen. Though she says nothing, her rotting, bony finger pointing out to sea is clear enough: return to Fennbirn.

Jules, too, is in a strange place—in disguise. And her only confidants, a war-gifted girl named Emilia and her oracle friend Mathilde, are urging her to take on a role she can’t imagine filling: a legion-cursed queen who will lead a rebel army to Katharine’s doorstep.

This is an uprising that the mysterious Blue Queen may have more to do with than anyone could have guessed—or expected.


Short and Sweet

After waiting her whole life Katharine is finally the crowned queen of Fennbirn, but theres a few things that still trouble her: the dead queens that life inside of her, the fact that she doesn’t know for sure if her sisters are dead, and that the people aren’t happy with her reign. Arsinoe and Mirabella are very much alive and are on the mainland trying to adjust to life there. But things become complicated when Arsinoe starts dreaming about things that occurred during the Blue Queen’s reign and when Arsinoe sees the blue queen her message is clear, the two sisters need to go back to the island. Jules has been with the war gifted warrior Emilia training to control her legion curse but Emilia believes that Jules can take the throne from Katharine with a rebellion, and begins to call Jules the Legion Queen

Characters

Mirabella: Mirabella is my favorite character, I love her so much. She definitely loves her sisters especially Arsinoe and she takes on the big sister role and really likes it. In this book we see more of her big sister nurturing side come out because its her and Arsinoe together on the mainland.

Arsinoe: Sweet, strong Arsinoe. Arsinoe is also one of my favorite characters and her story in this book is interesting. Even though she’s on the island its like she can’t leave Fennbirn behind and that becomes even more true when she starts having dreams about a girl named Daphne who lived during the reign of the Blue Queen. Arsinoe is the only one having the dreams and its because of the low magic that she used on the island. Arsinoe’s goal is to find out what the dreams mean and why the Blue Queen would want her and Mirabella to go back to Fennbirn.

Katharine: Usually I dread reading about Katharine and her life but something changed in this book. I actually felt bad for the poor girl I couldn’t tell if she still had a bit of Katharine in her or if she really was overcome by the dead queens in her body. She really struggled with them and they did end up doing things when they took control of her that made the people question her leadership even more than they already did which only made things harder for her. The undead queen deals with a lot in this book.

Billy: Billy plays a bigger role in this book mainly because Arsinoe and Mirabella are staying with him and his family on the mainland. I loved Billy he cares about Arsinoe and he has a friendship with Mirabella and I liked seeing these relationships develop in this book.

Jules: Jules Jules Jules, the Legion Queen. Jules has been staying with Emilia training and learning how to control her war gift. I liked Jules in this book she has to make a lot of decisions in this book about her future and whether being a queen would be worth it in the end.

Emilia: … I feel bad for saying this but I could not stand Emilia, I dreaded reading scenes with her in them. Emilia is so head strong and believes that Jules needs to be the legion queen and does not care if Jules wants to do it or not. Jules would try to tell Emilia that she doesn’t want to do this and that she just wants to be able to go back to wolf spring but  Emilia will not hear any of that.

Romance

Arsinoe and Billy: We obviously get a lot more of Billy and Arsinoe in this book and I couldn’t stop swooning over them. They’re just so right for each other even though they do have to deal with certain things like Billy’s mother trying to marry him off to another girl and him having to go to school on the mainland. In the last book Arsinoe wouldn’t tell Billy how she feels about him but I’m sure she made it obvious in this book and I love how patient he is with her.

Katharine and Pietyr: Well these two definitely care about each other but they’re dynamic has somewhat changed since Katherine has become queen crowned. I like that Pietyr cares about Katharine and that she trusts him and that he’s her confidant.

Quotes

~ “I am my sister’s keeper. Her protector.”

My Thoughts

~ The whole Blue Queen mystery was intriguing. First of all, who is she? What does she want? What is she doing back? Why is she in Arsinoe’s dreams? Further into the book we get the answers to all of these questions and it was not what I was expecting. When I got the answers I had to process everything I just read. The Blue Queen and the mist play such a big role in this book.

~ The mist is supposed to protect the island of Fennbirn and it was created by the Blue Queen during her reign. But the mist starts to attack the people of Fennbirn and leaves the bodies strewn around.

~ My favorite characters POVs to read from were Arsinoe and Mirabella and I liked seeing how their bond as sisters grew. They both genuinely care for each other and it was nice to see.

~ On the island Arsinoe and Mirabella’s powers aren’t strong and start to fade because of their distance from the island.

~ On Fennbirn Katharine has to deal with the mist and a so called rebellion from the legion queen so her time as queen crowned is not going well and not only does she have to deal with that she has the dead queens to worry about.

~ Jules is just weighing her options and trying to decide if she actually wants to be a queen or if she just wants to lay low.

~ There’s so much going on in this book but in a good way and it kept me hooked until the very end. And the ending ugh cliffhanger and I need to know whats going to happen!

Overall

The books in this series just get better and better and I can’t wait until the next one is released! The build up of whats going to happen or what I think is going to happen has me on the edge of my seat. This is one of my favorite series and I will always recommend it! So on that note read this book, and if you haven’t read any of the books binge the first three!!!

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THE YOUNG QUEENS By Kendare Blake

May 21, 2018 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE YOUNG QUEENS By Kendare BlakeThe Young Queens by Kendare Blake
Series: Three Dark Crowns #0.2
Published by HarperTeen on 12/26/17
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 85
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Mirabella, Arsinoe, and Katharine weren't always scheming to murder each other. They weren't always surrounded by rival foster families, each swearing to have their best interests at heart. And they weren't always afraid of being unexpectedly attacked—by one of their own sisters, no less—in a way that could cost them their last breath.

They used to be together. Just three sisters. Alone in a glen.

This is the story of the three queens—after they were born, before they were separated, during the time when they all lived together, loved each other, and protected each other. It’s also the story of the day they were torn apart, and the several years that follow.

From birth to eleven years old, this is a rare glimpse of the queens' lives…before they were at stake.


Short and Sweet Review

What could go wrong when you read a book about your favorite queens before they knew about having to kill each other? Absolutely nothing. When we first start this novella we get to read about The queens parents, Queen Camille and King Philippe. I love reading about past queens I think it would be interesting to see what their lives are like after they give birth to the future queens and leave Fennbirn. In this book we get to see the queens when they were younger when they lived at the cottage and how close they were as sisters and their bond. We also get some insight on some things that I don’t want to spoil for you guys. All of the queens have a pretty rough go of it once they’re separated but we see how they adjust to life away from each other and with their new foster families. Mirabella is my favorite queen, she is the oldest of the three but she has a motherly instinct and still cares about her sisters even though she can no longer see them. This book really explains why each queen is the way she is, why Mirabella is so reluctant to hurt her sisters, why Arsinoe tries to leave the island, and why Katherine the youngest is struggling with being a poisoner. I love this series and I think everyone should read it. I would recommend reading this novella after the first book so nothing gets spoiled for you!

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THE ORACLE QUEEN By Kendare Blake

May 17, 2018 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE ORACLE QUEEN By Kendare BlakeThe Oracle Queen by Kendare Blake
Series: Three Dark Crowns #0.1
Published by HarperTeen on 4/3/18
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 120
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Triplet queens born on the island of Fennbirn can be many things: Elementals. Poisoners. Naturalists. If an oracle queen is born, however, one with the gift of sight, she’s immediately drowned, extinguishing her chance at ever taking the throne.

But that’s not how it always was. This cautionary practice started long ago, with Queen Elsabet—the legendary, and last, oracle queen—whose reign was tinged with blood and horror.

Paranoid, ruthless, and utterly mad, Elsabet’s mistrust led to the senseless slaying of three entire houses of innocent people. At least, that’s the unchallenged tale carried down from generation to generation. But what really happened? Discover the true story behind the queen who, though born with the gift of sight, could not foresee her swift and sudden fall from power . . . until it was too late.


Short and Sweet Review

“Do not be sorry. Just do not become my enemy.”

The Oracle Queen is the story of the last oracle queen of Fennbirn, Queen Elsabet. Queen Elsabet is known for taking the throne and eventually going crazy, she orders that three houses with families inside be burnt down without reason or cause. I felt really bad reading Elsabet’s story she was dealt a bad hand when it came to the people closest to her that she should have been able to trust. Everyone around her was out to make her look bad except her maid and the leader of the queens guard. I liked Elsabet she knew that some of the people on the black council were a little shady and didn’t like how she operated as the queen. There’s a lot of back stabbing and shadiness that goes on in this book and I just wish that Elsabet and the people she could actually trust caught onto it before it was too late. When starting this book I came into it thinking that Elsabet was ruling with an iron fist and that she was crazy but she was the opposite and trying to make everyone happy. Elsabet’s story is just tragic and after reading it I’m just so conflicted I don’t want to spoil anything but if it wasn’t for the people in this book all future born oracle queens wouldn’t be drowned out of the fear that they’re mad. I enjoyed this novella and learning about the last oracle queen I just wish Elsabet’s fate turned out a little differently. I would say that this novella can be read before starting the Three Dark Crowns series or in between books.

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Filed Under: Reviews

ONE DARK THRONE By Kendare Blake

September 13, 2017 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

ONE DARK THRONE By Kendare BlakeOne Dark Throne by Kendare Blake
Series: Three Dark Crowns #2
Published by HarperTeen on 9/19/17
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 464
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.


Short and Sweet

After the events that took place during the Quickening the Ascension year is in progress and things have changed. Katharine is different after returning to the manor, Mirabella doesn’t seem to be the front runner anymore, and Arsinoe is trying to figure out what to do with her new found skill. The question is which sister will prevail and take the crown and the throne?

Characters

Mirabella: The elemental queen, in the last book she was thought to be the strongest of the sisters but now that seems to be uncertain. Mirabella tries to see the good in her sisters and likes to think about memories from when they were younger, but this makes her apprehensive about the fact that she has to kill them.

Arsinoe: Our naturalist queen, we find out in the last book that she’s actually a poisoner which makes sense as to why her naturalist gift never seemed to show. Now Arsinoe is trying to figure out how this new skill works and how to use it in her advantage.

Katharine: The poisoner queen, oh how things have changed with Katharine. Katharine was one of the weaker queens but after climbing her way out of The Breccia Domain she’s back with a vengeance and the people on the island now call her, ‘the undead queen’.

Romance

Arsinoe and Billy: I love these two so much! Arsinoe still won’t admit how she feels about him to his face but Billy doesn’t give up easily. He was sent away to Rolanth to be Mirabella’s taster but he was always thinking about Arsinoe. These two cared about each other and it was my favorite romance of the book.

Katharine and Nicolas: Nicolas was one of Katharine’s suitors and one she liked. I honestly think Katharine only got with Nicolas to get back at Pietyr.

Jules and Joseph: After the events of the last book Jules is still trying to find a way to forgive Joseph. Does she trust him? No. Does he still try to make an effort? Yes. Did I think these two should be together? No. Maybe in the first book, but after what he did she just couldn’t trust him I like the fact that she tried though. “So you trust me?” She turns and looks squarely into his handsome, storm-blue eyes. “Not one bit.”

Quotes

~ “This is how it is,” Arsinoe whispers. “Someone’s going to die.”

~ “I am only afraid of what I must do.”

~ “Neither of my sisters will be returning to the island. The crown and the throne are mine.”

My Thoughts

~ Arsinoe, may have a new skill as a poisoner but she knows that she has to keep this a secret and use it to her advantage at some point. For now she still uses low magic to make a bond with her bear familiar.

~ Jules is one of my favorite characters that isn’t one of the queens. She’s the best and I like her better than Bree and Elizabeth. Jules will go to the end of the Earth to try to keep Arsinoe safe. She considers herself to be Arsinoe’s guardian and its like its her full time job. I love how she looks after Arsinoe and doesn’t treat it like a ob she does it because she genuinely loves her.

~ Jules also learns that she has a second gift, she’s legion cursed which occurs when you have two gifts, shes a naturalist of course and she has the war gift. She’s just learning how to use the war gift and is determined to use it to keep the ones she loves safe.

~ Mirabella is trying to wrap her head around the things that occurred during the quickening. She knows that she has to kill her sisters before they kill her. She plans on starting with Arsinoe for sending her bear after her and then Katharine.

~ Katharine is very determined to kill her sisters. A lot has changed with her but I guess thats what happens when you ‘come back from the dead.’ She was eating a lot of poison so much so that she ends up becoming poison.

~ The events of the quickening set a lot of events into motion in this book.

~ I loved Mirabella and Arsinoe in this book. Mirabella doesn’t want to kill her sisters and Arsinoe knows that she may not stand a chance. I liked Katharine in the last book because she seemed sweet but she was blood thirsty and it was a little overwhelming.

Overall

Can the sequel be better than the first book? Yes and this series is the proof! It only seems to get better and I can’t wait until the third book is released. What’ll happen next with these girls, is what I need to know! So much happened in this book and I’m ready to find out whats going to happen. Love this series and I think its a MUST READ pick up the first two books now!

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Filed Under: Reviews

ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD By Kendare Blake

March 13, 2017 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD By Kendare BlakeAnna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Series: Anna #1
Published by Tor Teen on 7/3/2012
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Horror & Ghost Stories, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. They follow legends and local lore, destroy the murderous dead, and keep pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

Searching for a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas expects the usual: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

Yet she spares Cas's life.


Short and Sweet Review

Cas’s job is to kill the dead and that’s what he’ll do no matter the danger that’s involved. His job takes Cas and his mother to Canada, and this time his job is to kill Anna Korlov. Anna dressed in blood. Anna is different than any other ghost Cas has had to kill. Anna is powerful and she knows she’s dead. Cas won’t stop until he finds out is making Anna so powerful, and in the process he falls in love with her. In the end Anna isn’t the one Cas had to worry about. Cas and Anna really make this book. Cas has this creepy job of killing the dead and has to deal with all of the danger that comes with having to do that. And Anna has two sides to her the girl she was before she died and a girl who kills anyone who walks into her house. I loved this book, I couldn’t put it down I just needed to know what was going to happen next. The ending has a huge twist which I wasn’t ready for. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal, horror, and romance. I’m definitely going to get the second book which is Girl of Nightmares.

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Filed Under: Reviews

THREE DARK CROWNS By Kendare Blake

September 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THREE DARK CROWNS By Kendare BlakeThree Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
Series: Three Dark Crowns #1
Published by HarperTeen on 9/20/16
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 416
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose...it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.

The last queen standing gets the crown.


Short and Sweet

Katharine, Arsinoe, and Mirabella, are three sisters and queens that have to compete for the throne. Each sister has a different power, and live in different parts of the land. Only one of the sisters can claim the throne and to do so she would have to kill the other two.

Characters

Arsinoe was the naturalist, she was viewed as a weak queen due to the fact that her gift didn’t seem to show. I felt bad for, because people seemed to view her as a bit of a disappointment.

Katharine was the poisoner, and her power was weak as well. To try and improve her gift, Katharine was repeatedly poisoned her whole life.

Mirabella was the elemental, and was the strongest of the three queens. Because of her power she was favored the most by people on Fennbirn.

My Thoughts

~All three have powers, but Katharine and Arsinoe’s were both weak. It was interesting to see how they had to adjust because of their powers not showing.

~We get to read all three girls POV’s, I liked reading from all three I don’t think I have a favorite, I was rooting for all three of them.

~I thought I wouldn’t like Mirabella, because she wasn’t having the same problems as Katharine and Arsinoe with her power, but she was struggling with the thoughts of having to kill her sisters.

~I also liked the secondary characters they definitely add another layer to this story. My favorite would have to be Jules, she was always looking out for Arsinoe.

~The ending was AMAZING! It was something I wasn’t expecting to happen, I just want the second book now to see what happens next!

Favorite Quotes

~”I could never hate you,” she says. “But if you do not leave now, my cat will tear your throat out.”

~”I want revenge,” “And then I want my crown.”

~”They’ll all pay for this,” “They will bleed and scream and get what they’re owed.”

Overall

I loved this book! Its now one of my favorites and I can’t wait until the second one is released. At the end there were so many plot twist that I wasn’t expecting and it’ll be interesting to see how these three will move forward after the events that took place in this book. I would definitely recommend this book you won’t regret it!

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Filed Under: Reviews