Brad About Books: The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

Read on July 8, 2013

THE BITTER KINGDOM
Expected Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Greenwillow (Harper)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 433 pages
Source: ALA
Series: Fire and Thorns, #3

This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't started this series.

Read my reviews for the first two books in the series:

The Girl of Fire and Thorns • The Crown of Embers

The Bitter Kingdom is an epic and highly-satisfying conclusion to one of the best fantasy series ever written. Thrilling and pulse-pounding, The Bitter Kingdom is a fantastic ending - Rae Carson is officially the master of fantasy!

If you don't know, I am a high fantasy junkie - I devour those books up like they're nothing. And now that I have completed this trilogy, I can say that the Fire and Thorns trilogy is my favorite high fantasy series ever! The world-building is phenomenal. It's so complex and rich and very easy to dive into! Another favorite part about this series? Each book takes you on a different journey to a new place in the world. We don't stay the same part, and it's totally awesome. And while I love every book in this series, The Bitter Kingdom was definitely my favorite! The world grew so much, as well did the characters! It's absolutely phenomenal - I adore this trilogy to pieces!

And that brings me to my next point of why The Bitter Kingdom is a fantastic conclusion: the characters! Oh my gosh! It's no secret that Elisa is one of the strongest characters in YA, and she develops even more in this third book. And based on her situation, she has to become stronger. She was a little bit naïve in the first book (not much), but she knows who she is now, and she knows that she must protect her world. And woah, she is awesome. Carson did an incredible job with Elisa, and I loved being on this journey with her! So, so amazing. AND, we get to see Hector's POV in The Bitter Kingdom! Hector is a great male lead, and to be inside his head was stunning! Every person of the ensemble is one of a kind in this trilogy. I could go on for hours explaining how much I love this series!

The ending! Woah! Talk about fast-paced. It's impossible to put The Bitter Kingdom down for a minute. If I wasn't reading it, it was the only thing on my mind. It completely consumes your mind and it won't go away. I never wanted The Bitter Kingdom to end! And while I am very sad that the series is now over, I couldn't have asked for a better ending. Marvelous!

Overall, The Bitter Kingdom is a fantastic conclusion to one of my favorite series ever. Simply stunning; I'm utterly speechless. One of the best endings I've ever read!

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