Three Dark Crowns

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Reading this felt similarly to how I’d imagine hopelessly clawing at my closed throat, not being able to gasp for air, would feel..but while someone I love braids flowers into my hair…

Regan over at PeruseProject recently reviewed this book after I had heard a bit about it on booktube. There is this thing about Regan though, where she always gets me really excited, and pushes me to read the books I’ve had my eyes on. So after hearing her praise, I could not help to do anything besides pick it up.

And I will never regret that I did.

Three Dark Crowns is about an island that is run by a matriarchy. The islanders worship one single Goddess, and the Queen who rules over their land whom is nearly as divine. Every Queen eventually has triplet daughters who are naturally the next in line for the throne. They are separated in childhood and based on the power each one is gifted at birth, they are handed off to three separate factions to be raised and trained in their gift. The three factions are; the naturalists (who control nature and have animal familiars), elementals (who control water, fire, wind, lightening, etc..), and the poisoners (who can consume and also create very powerful deadly poisons). In this world, the people celebrate an annual holiday called Beltane, but the year that the three Queens turn sixteen is special, because everyone on the island participates in a bunch of games, festival actives, and different ceremonies where the three girls present themselves to suitors and show off their powers. And then afterwards, they have a whole year to kill each other. Whoever lives becomes Queen.. and the cycle starts all over again.

I am so glad to say that I read a book I enjoyed so thoroughly this early into the year. Like I said, I was definitely expecting to love it..but I L O V E it. Not only is it one of my favorite first books in a series I’ve ever experienced, but the whole concept is just so interesting and it was done so well! You get a sense of the politics and the religious aspects of the world (which are two of my most favorite things to read about in fantasy) and the characters are so lovable, and real. And don’t even get me started on the sisters…because…okay I have been started:

Prepare for an incoherent gush of emotion (as if we haven’t had enough of that already)

I love all three of the sisters so so much. You get to know their lives so well and the different situations they were raised in. They are so well described that I can get images in my head of their facial expressions in certain situations and their reactions felt so true to them that I started to think they were real people! Which is insane, but also such an interesting side effect to reading that doesn’t happen often! So, anytime a novel has gotten me to feel that way I know it’s going to remain important in my life.

So yeah, I have no complaints. I was genuinely intrigued the entire time. A lot of crazy things happen, and they are fantastical, and they are dramatic, but they are written so well (in my opinion), that nothing felt unrealistic??….even though it all was!! The characters feel so real!! (I literally finished it an hour ago and I’m still reeling!!)

Bottom line, I might actually explode out of violent curiosity if I don’t get my hands on the next installment like…as soon as possible. Which, good news, Blake said on Goodreads that the next book is almost done and should be coming out in September 2017! Also, there is a possibility the series will contain four books?! Which just makes me so giddy. Even if it turns out to only be three books, I’m still so glad I started this wonderful adventure!

Overall, I am just so excited. I have always enjoyed the idea of anticipating new releases since I found booktube, and Goodreads and all that fun stuff. Before then, I just picked up what I thought looked cool in Barnes&Noble or in Target. And I usually stuck to standalones, because often times the latest novel to a series is what is displayed rather than the first. Anyways, I usually only read series if people recommended them.

For example, these two detrimental series for most YA readers:

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was recommended actually, forced upon me by my friend Gabby in the 8th grade. She bought me the first book for my birthday after I kept asking her what it was about and she refused to tell me because I, “had to read it for myself.” And I’m so glad I did, because it was a blast. (Fun Fact: Gabby and I actually watched the first movie together, on premiere night, while I was on the east coast and she was on the west coast. How cool is that!?

&

• The Mortal Instruments by Cassie Claire was recommended by my sister’s friend but accidentally via my sister, who told me, “My friend is reading this weird book series, I think you’d like it.”. Which obviously got my attention. So I looked it up and basically ate up a preview of it online and was so interested by the club scene and the demons that I bought City of Bones the next day. (This series got me through one of the most depressing times of my life. It helped me while I was loosing friends, and learning about myself as a person, and all I wanted to do was be in that world.) I sped through the first three books, and was craving the next one when one day went to visit some family friends. (Since we were getting ready to travel cross country.) So, flashback to that car ride, when my parents stopped to go into target, and you can see me (not so) lightly begging for the fourth book as they ate practically shaking me off of their legs. This is turning into a tangent, but I didn’t think they would get it for me, and they did. A brand new hard copy. All mine. And as a thank you, I spend the entire day locked in the guestroom of the family friend’s house, completely devouring it. Then I had to wait for the fifth book. So naturally, after I traveled across the United States for the second time in my life, arrived at my new home, and started a new school…I promptly forgot about the series for at least a year.

So as you can see, I highly enjoy the anticipation now. Although, not too much anticipation. I believe I can patiently wait until September for One Dark Throne…possibly..

As for book One,

I gave Three Dark Crowns: ★★★★★

*collective applause*

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I highly recommend this one. I can already tell I’m in for a whirlwind of emotions and probably a whole lot of death. Lovely.

//T.M.