Lovin' los libros

A book blog dedicated to young adult and new adult novels

Review: The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

By 11:04 AM , , , ,

The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2)
   by: Rae Carson

Publication Date: Sept. 18, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed from e-Library
Page Count: 410 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

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.

                  -goodreads.com description

There are so many things I really enjoyed about this book! First of all, I can't say whether or not I liked it better than the first. I think the first book had more action, whereas this book gave us a lot more insight into the inner workings of the kingdom and how Elisa is handling being a young queen. This second book also has more romance than the first one did. My stomach is STILL fluttering!! :)

We ended Girl of Fire and Thorns with the battle against the Inviernos and the death of Elisa's husband Alejandro, King of Joya d'Arena. Elisa did a lot of growing up in the first novel and she continues to grow in this one. She is having to deal with advisors that question her every decision and whose fear that her being a foreign queen will result in a loss of power. Not to mention, the threat of the Inviernos has not been completely quelled.

Elisa is such an incredible protagonist in this second book. She relies on her friends to help guide her, which is not a bad thing, but later realizes that it is her and her alone who can be Queen. And to do so will require some sacrifice on her part. She is still trying to figure out the power of her Godstone and understand what her destiny is. With her unyielding faith, Elisa makes a dangerous journey in search of answers to discover the true meaning behind her Godstone's power.

As I said earlier, this book has alot more romance than the first. In Girl of Fire and Thorns, we see Elisa experience her first taste of love with Humberto, but here we see a great friendship turn into something more. (Which I LOVE!) Hector is Elisa's Captain of the Guard, as well as one of the people she trusts implicitly. She depends on him for his guidance and honesty to help her make important decisions.  The tension between these two- WHEW! It's enough to drive us readers crazy! You guys know by now I have to have a good romance in my books and I was flying through the pages because I craved more scenes between Hector and Elisa. They manage to give you hope, break your heart, give you hope again...

Hector is such a noble character and he will not allow himself to be selfish enough to only be allowed to have Elisa every now and again. (Because OF COURSE just loving each other can't be enough. Elisa has the throne to consider and making an advantageous marriage is what really counts)

"Don't you see, Elisa? I love you the way a drowning man loves air. And it would destroy me to have you just a little."

As for the other side characters, I found myself missing Cosmé terribly in this book. She was such a great character. I did enjoy Mara though and I loved their friendship. Elisa needs a girlfriend her own age to talk to about things she just couldn't go to Ximena for.

Speaking of, I cannot stand Ximena. She annoys and irritates me to NO end. Quit interfering with things you old woman! Gah.

I wouldn't call the ending a cliffhanger, but it does leave you ready and waiting for the final book in the trilogy to see how it all ends. I love Elisa's determination and that she will fight for what she wants. You. Go. Girl!

The Bitter Kingdom, the third and final book, is set to be released at the end of August.

You Might Also Like

6 comments

  1. I've been meaning to read the first book for a year now, and other books keep jumping to the head of the line. One of these days...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, I know what you mean. That has happened to me more times than I can count! I really have enjoyed this series. Can't wait for the last book!

      Delete
  2. I can't decide which I like better either! They were both amazing! Hector is the best OMG I love him. I'm dying for the bitter kingdom! I can't wait to find out what happens next. Awesome review!

    Jasmine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree! They both were so different from each other, it's hard to determine which I like more!

      Delete
  3. Eek! Don't you just love this series?? I'm still waiting to be approved for The Bitter Kingdom on Edelweiss. Impatiently, I might add.

    Oh my goodness gracious, the romance! I did just as you did--read like crazy just for the swoony scenes! Mmm, Hector.

    Great review!

    Rachel @ Paper Cuts

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am also pending approval. Also impatiently, lol! Fingers crossed we get it!

      Delete

Leave me some comment love! And I will get around to commenting back!

My blog is an award-free blog, however, as I just do not have the time to follow-up.

Search This Blog

Powered by Blogger.