Book Review: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Author: Kendare Blake

Series: Yes - Book #1 in Three Dark Crowns series.

Cover: Can we take like five minutes to admire how gorgeous the cover is? I was surfing around for books to read and I fell IN LOVE with this cover. I need to buy this book just to have because of how pretty it is <3

Rating: 5/5 I'm conflicted on deciding if I want to read the next book in the series or not RIGHT NOW. I hate waiting for books to release and since this series isn't finished, part of me wants to continue with another book before I pick up One Dark Throne. UGH I CAN'T DECIDE. I LOVE THIS BOOK.

Review: As usual, this review WILL contain spoilers, so you have been warned! Okay, OH MY GOSH GUYS... I love this book. First, when I saw the cover and read the back of the book I was interested. As I was reading the book I fell in love. When I finished the book, I was excited. For the first third of the book I was going to give it a 4/5, but towards the end I give it a full 5/5. 

Now, I know a LOT of people said that this book starts off slow or that they were hoping for more fighting rather than talking. Personally, I love this slow start. I believe this slow start makes you feel invested into each of the girls. I remember in my The Next Five! post I said how I thought Mirabella was the "bad" sister and that the other two sisters would be useless, but I was proven wrong! 

One thing that I enjoyed greatly is the setting of the story. The story is different from any books that I have read so far. Usually it is a book about Main Character & Co. vs. Evil Bad Guy. In this book, I don't think there is a bad guy or one clear character that I can root for. Blake wrote each of the three girls beautifully and distinct. Not only were each of the main characters developed beautifully, but so were the minor characters. I literally loved almost everyone.

This was me as I was reading this book. I can't explain completely in words how much I love everything about this book. The lore in this world is so interesting, consisting of triplets (sometimes quadruplets), magic, religion, plebeians, and BATTLE TO THE DEATH. I love the cold atmosphere of Greavesdrake Manor and the beautiful country side of Wolf Spring. Have I mentioned how pretty the map is? No? Well I love maps in books <3

Another aspect that I loved in this book were the characters. It is one thing to make THREE lovable main characters, but it is another thing to make lovable MINOR characters. I think that is a skill that is very hard for many authors to successfully do. Most of the time when I read books, I feel as if the protagonist is the only developing and complex character while the minor characters are all stagnant. While reading this book, you can't help but be invested into Jules, Pietyr, Elizabeth, etc. 

Now, there are characters that I absolutely hated. For example, pretty boy Joseph Sandrin. I want him to stay FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR away from Jules. Just no. Stop. Get away. I don't like you. Another character I hate? Rho. She is barely there in the books, but dear lord do I want to throw her into the Breccia Domain and hopes she snaps her neck. Madrigal can go away too. She's like the one of the worst mothers I've read in a while in YA. Now onto the queens of this book.

Katharine is my least favorite out of the three sisters. I still love her, but she's pretty bland compared to Mirabella and Arsinoe. She is made to stand there and look pretty. I love the relationship between her and Pietyr and Natalia. She also has a pet snake named Sweetheart. How. Cute. Is. That. Katherine's personality is also cute and vicious like a little danger noodle. 

Arsinoe is my FAVORITE out of the three. Her name is so sad though. Every time I read her name I thought of "arse." After finishing the book, I can't help but think "arsenic" for her name. I love how carefree and fierce she is compared to the other two. I didn't like how she stooped to low magic to do what she must, but I understood the reasoning. Her carelessness sometimes irks me, but I think that's what makes her more lovable. I can relate to her. She doesn't want to disappoint and fail her people. Also, I know Billy and Arsinoe are friends and all, but I want them to be together. I want it as a slow burning relationship, not hot and heavy like Pietyr and Kat or Mirabella and Joseph. 

Mirabella is okay. She was already a given star in terms of her gifts so when I was reading about her I just assumed she is miss perfect. I expected her to be the "Miss Popular" stereotype, thinking that she's prettier and better than her sisters, but she wasn't. She has a very kind heart and loves her siblings even though she hasn't seen them in 10 years. Also, she needs to toss Joseph to the sharks. Girl, you deserve BETTER.

The ending. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. All the girls turned FIERCE. Katharine wants bloody revenge. Mirabella is fuming in wrath for Arsinoe after what she thinks was a betrayal. Lastly, Arsinoe finds her true gift and is ready to use it. Do you hear that hype? That's me screaming for book #2. 

Overall, Blake, you have written a beautiful book. I cannot wait to read the second book, but I think I'll wait a bit to let the story digest. Also, I hate waiting for the next book to release so I'll gladly distract myself with other books. Once this series is finished, I hope I can get all the books to add to my future mini library. This series is 100% going to be in there. 

Favorite Line: 

Usually I find a line that is snarky, beautiful, or funny to read, but this line is a bit weird without context. 

"'Only a king-consort is fool enough to love a queen," he says quietly.'"

Top 3 Favorite Characters

Katherine, Arsinoe, and Mirabella I have already mentioned that I loved. So here are three MORE characters I loved because there are so many great characters. 

Jules - I love everything about her. She is such a beautiful character. She and Camden are so loyal to Arsinoe that they're willing to risk their life for her. 

Billy/Junior/William - YO I LIKE BILLY. The moment he went up to the crowd during the Quickening festival and bowed ONLY to Arsinoe. OMG... This dude is 10/10. 

Pietyr - This guy is the "Mr. Mysterious Bad Boy" of the book in my opinion. There's not a whole lot mysterious about him, but he seems tall, dark, and handsome. He loves Katharine so much that I just love reading the romance between the two because it's so cute. 

That is all everyone! I enjoy this format of my book reviews so far. The endless amount of rambling of my thoughts straight after I finish a book. I was trying to decide on either reading Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas first or wait until War Storm by Victoria Aveyard is released, but I think I'll start on the next book. Leave a comment down below what you thought of this book if you've read it! Don't forget to follow me on my social media accounts found on Contact Me.

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Link: Three Dark Crowns