Two Dark Reigns (Three Dark Crowns, 3)

If you haven’t read the first two books in this series you won’t want to read this review. It’s incredibly difficult to type this without any spoilers slipping in. I highly recommend that you read the first two then continue on with the series. It definitely became a favorite of mine almost instantly!In this book, Queen Katharine has been waiting her entire life to be the one with the crown on her head. Now that she has it though the dissent in the city grows day by day. There’s the issue first off of whether or not her sisters happen to be dead or if they are just waiting in the wings to swoop in and claim the throne.Mirabella and Arsinoe are quite alive as it happens and are hiding out on the midlands dealing with their own major issues. Specifically, being visited repeatedly by a ghostly person that they think just may be the fabled Blue Queen. She says nothing but her rotting boney finger just points out to the sea giving them a very clear message: return to Fennbirn.Jules is also in a strange place, disguised. Her only confidants are a war gifted woman named Emilia and her friend Mathilda, the oracle. They are urging her to take on the role she really can’t imagine filling; a legion cursed queen who will be the leader of the rebel army.This is an incredibly good book. I know some would have been happy if this had just stayed a duology but I’m very happy it didn’t. I’ve finished all of the books and the last one, well, it just wraps things up so nicely and this one just continues to build up to that. I loved it!

TWO DARK REIGNS (Book 3 in the THREE DARK CROWNS series), by Kendare Blake, takes place after the events in ONE DARK THRONE. Queen Katharine is crowned, but . . . different . . . and another fraction of their world is calling for a change."You don't threaten the life of a queen and live to tell the tale . . . Taking the life of a queen . . . now that is another matter."Jules, Queen Arsinoe's best friend, is taken into the War-gifted's land and being prepped to challenge the rule of Queen Katharine. Much of the land has tired of the Poisoners' long rule and yearn for a drastic change.". . . Heaping fear upon dislike breeds hatred. And hatred makes the people likely to bite."This book really intensifies the personalities of the individual characters. I felt as if I finally knew all the minute differences between the sisters, as well as some of the similarities they shared. We are also focused more so on the rest of the Island, and the various "gifts" that the different people possess."I love it when you both talk about me as if I weren't here . . . "We see a lot of the duties that Queen Katharine is now expected to do as the "officially crowned" Queen. Additionally, we finally see the lives of the subjects and how they vary from gift to gift.Of particular interest to me was a look at the past of the Fennbirn Queens, and how certain customs began or changed over time.Some people leave too much space behind when they are gone."The world-building in this novel was simply phenomenal. I loved getting a more detailed look at the lives those other than the Queens lived. The action was just as intense as in Book 2, but with even more of a mental component added to it to increase the emotional impact. I'm both excited--and yet reluctant--to read the final book in this series. It is certainly one that has left a lasting impression.Highly recommended.

Having read all the books in this series, I am a bit disappointed in some of the turns this book has taken and how the character have made some pretty dumb decisions.First, well Katherine is still possessed by dead princesses so that story line will continue. She continues to be violent and cray cray. I am not sure how this will fare for her in the final book.Next you have Arsinoe who is haunted by a ghost and nightmares, which lead her to find the origin of some of the island's mysteries? Great, right? No. What she might have to do to stop the mysteries is terrible! But, side track. What bothered me the most about Arsinoe is that she blatantly put others lives at stake and all we got is a "wince" when she committed people she loved to doing something dangerous (no spoilers) and deserts them last minute, leaving those people in an awkward position. Even one of the characters points out how many people go out of their way to protect her. You'd think she'd reflect on that, but nope. She just endangers them.Then we have Jules's legion curse. Hoo boy, I did not like the people she teamed up with. Emilia is war gifted and Mathilde is an oracle. Together they convince her that, given her powers and Katherine's shoddy rule, she can be a new queen. Throughout the story, Jules constantly says that she does not want to do this and Emilia and Mathilde just go "lol, Jules, you're doing this." Everything that happens to Jules (which suuuucks) and other characters in this storyline are a direct result of two insane girls that push an unwilling girl with uncontrolled gifts to do things she doesn't want. And when it blows up in their face and hurts Jules, these two girls are like "lol minor slip ups, minor losses." Oh, and wait. Arsinoe has a vision about how things might end for Jules and does she tell her supposed best friend in order to warn her? Nope! Arsinoe is kinda the worst in this book.Mirabella stays Mirabella, oldest sister that just wants everyone to kinda get along.Billy..hmm..when he's on the mainland he alarms me. I don't know how this will end.The story inevitably ends in a cliffhanger again so we'll see what happens in the last book!Lastly- Is anyone else annoyed in the present tense that the writer uses throughout this book? Her format really irks me and takes something from the storyline, at last to me.

This is the third book in the YA fantasy series, Three Dark Crowns. Picking up from the events of the previous book, each of the sisters has a score to settle. Katharine has been crowned, but there are whispers of her being a thief and undead. Arsinoe and Mirabella are in hiding on the mainland, but a fabled long dead Queen is visiting them, with hints to return to the island. Jules is also in danger – is she really a Legion-Cursed Queen, that will lead others to victory? I really enjoyed this and had preordered it months in advance! The writing is as captivating as usual, with so many hints about the story to come. Arsinoe still remains a firm personal favourite, but the other two queens are equally as strong, in their thoughts and feelings. There were moments were the plot dropped, and I found it hard to dive back in at times. This being said, the plot twists and final chapters had me wanting to tear my hair out and throw the book at the wall – I want the next book now, even though I think it’s the final instalment! In the end, I’d highly recommend the series.

I really liked this book but can see why other reviews are variable. There are alot of characters so there isn't a focus on one person. I would prefer to really get to know one character. However I love the premise and still found it really enjoyable and can't wait for the final book.Note: this is the third book in the series and won't make much sense without reading the first two in the series.

I bought the first 2 books in the series and couldn't put them down. This finished off the collection nicely and again couldn't put it down. The story line is split between the 3 sisters, so if you want to know what happens mext then you have you read the next 2 chapters to find out, as I said previously this book is addictive m, love it!

I'm completely in love with this book series, even though I have a horrible feeling it is going to break my heart by the end of the story. But my heart will be broken, because I must read the next book!

God I love this series! So much brutality between sisters. Ahh I love it so much.