Today I am here with reviews of two ARCs that I read in September but forgot to share my thoughts on them. I am sorry for the delay but better late than never, right?
(check my Rating System for detailed explanations of my quick rating)
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
(Three Dark Crowns #1)
Published by: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release date: September 20th 2016
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.
If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.
MY THOUGHTS:
Three Dark Crowns was slow-paced and boring, I felt like nothing interesting was happening throughout whole book. It took me month to finish it and that is pretty telling for itself, isn’t it?
And let me tell you something about my reading preferences. When it comes to fantasy genre, good world-building is a must for me. And this book had none.
Moreover, chapters alternated among three sisters and it was hard to distinguish between them since their "voices" sounded the same. And it is very confusing and frustrating not to be able to clearly see which POV I’m reading when it comes to multiple POVs story.
So yeah, even though I loved the blurb and premise promised unique and interesting story, execution felt nothing but flat for me and I struggled to finish this book.
Like a River Glorious by Rae Carson
(The Gold Seer Trilogy #2)
Published by: Greenwillow
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
Release date: September 27th 2016
After a harrowing journey across the country, Leah Westfall and her friends have finally arrived in California and are ready to make their fortunes in the Gold Rush. Lee has a special advantage over the other new arrivals in California—she has the ability to sense gold, a secret known only by her handsome best friend Jefferson and her murdering uncle Hiram.
Lee and her friends have the chance to be the most prosperous settlers in California, but Hiram hasn’t given up trying to control Lee and her power. Sabotage and kidnapping are the least of what he’ll do to make sure Lee is his own. His mine is the deepest and darkest in the territory, and there Lee learns the full extent of her magical gift, the worst of her uncle, and the true strength of her friendships. To save everyone, she vows to destroy her uncle and the empire he is building—even at the cost of her own freedom.
The second epic historical fantasy in the Gold Seer trilogy by Rae Carson, the acclaimed author of The Girl of Fire and Thorns.
MY THOUGHTS:
Like a River Glorious is pleasant read and great sequel to amazing first book - Walk on Earth a Stranger. Once again, Rae Carson transported me right into the 19th century California Gold Rush era and provided engaging and believable YA historical novel. Smart and realistic characters in this series make such a nice change from all those annoying teenage characters that are so very often present in YA literature. And for that I am incredibly thankful to Mrs. Carson.
My favorite part of this novel was romance between Lee and Jefferson. I shipped them in first book but this sequel brought my shipping level to new heights! I absolutely loved dynamics between Lee and Jefferson and I loved how truly slow burn and real their romance was. I ship them so much and cannot wait to get more of them in final third book!
Even though Like a River Glorious wasn't as perfect as first book, it was more than worthy sequel. If you haven't picked this series up yet, I urge you to do so now!
VERDICT?
It is clear that winner of this "battle of fantasies" is novel by Rae Carson. Seems like her stories are always a great choice whenever I am in the mood for fantasy with smart characters that won't frustrate me.
HAVE YOU READ ANY GOOD YA FANTASIES LATELY?
