The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns, #2)

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The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2)

by Rae Carson (Goodreads Author)

4.35 of 5 stars 4.35 · rating details · 5,176 ratings · 1,046 reviews

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...more

Hardcover, 410 pages

Published September 18th 2012 by Greenwillow Books

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Mar 23, 2013 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines, swoooon, 2013-favorites

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I have to admit, I am a little upset. Not because of the cliffhanger ending, but because I was expecting one and it never came. Seriously. I pre-ordered this book and have been staring at it longingly on my shelves for MONTHS, refusing to be subject to a terrible, heart-wrenching cliffhanger, only to have an ending that leaves me jumping up and down for joy, completely satisfied and happy. Needless to say, we all need to re-affirm our definition of a cliffhanger ending.

Does Cro...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Kat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Holy cheeseballs covered in roly polies. I can't form a coherent thought after finishing this book this morning. I will say that I was distracted ALL DAY at school because of the feelings pulsing through me after gobbling this book up. I just. I can't. I don't.

AAAAHHHHHHH. BRAIN IS IMPLODING.

There were so many times I wanted to smack all the characters! But thank GOD Elisa does what she does at the end, even if she does a certain other thing before then that makes her do the certain thing that...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Jodi Meadows rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-love-beyond-reason

I've now read THE CROWN OF EMBERS twice. If I could give it another five stars, I would. Being on my "books I love beyond reason" shelf will have to suffice.

Because I do love it beyond reason.

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Sep 26, 2012 Kilikina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, swoon-worthy, speechless, love-love-love

Ahhhhhhhaowerfnoafhoawelfkdsljf......ok.

While this sequel wasn't as intense as the first one, I still enjoyed it just as much.
Elisa was just as strong of a heroine as she was in the first book. I loved the romance between Hector and Elisa. I was actually wary of Hector just because of how much I loved Humberto...But Hector isn't one of those male characters that tries to take the other love interest's place. His relationship with Elisa was totally different than Humberto's and that's something...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: five-stars, glbt

Females! Young-adult females! And males, too, I suppose - drop what you're reading and check this series out. Or finish what you're reading and then check it out, as Rae Carson has come into her own with The Crown of Embers. Similar to the Mortal Instruments trilogy, the first book in the Fire and Thorns trilogy (The Girl of Fire and Thorns) didn't win me over, but its sequel did. Boy, it did.

In The Crown of Embers Elisa continues her quest to fulfill the duty given to her by her Godstone. As qu...more Females! Young-adult females! And males, too, I suppose - drop what you're reading and check this series out. Or finish what you're reading and then check it out, as Rae Carson has come into her own with The Crown of Embers. Similar to the Mortal Instruments trilogy, the first book in the Fire and Thorns trilogy (The Girl of Fire and Thorns) didn't win me over, but its sequel did. Boy, it did.

In The Crown of Embers Elisa continues her quest to fulfill the duty given to her by her Godstone. As queen of her kingdom, one might expect this to be easy - but it is anything other than that. Riots begin to break out as some are dissatisfied with her rule, enemies emerge from inside and outside of her palace, and her confidence wavers as even her allies seem to conspire against her. After a failed attempt on her life, Elisa decides to embark on a journey to redeem herself and revitalize her country - before it is too late.

Elisa has earned her spot amongst my favorite female protagonists. She's not a Mary Sue reincarnate, but she's not an unrealistically kick-butt heroine either. She learns from her mistakes and possesses a patriotism alongside her personal compassion that pushes her forward. As a seventeen-year-old, Elisa manages to act her age and exceed what's expected of her as well.

The plot entranced me enough to keep me reading for three hours straight instead of doing my government homework. The Crown of Embers blends political intrigue, palace politics, and good old high fantasy action and adventure to create a winning combination. Everything worked effectively and the cliffhanger made me internally scream in frustration.

I give the romance in this book 6/5 stars - I ship Hector and Elisa so hard. Finally, a young-adult romance that's not, "okay, we just met twenty pages ago, but I am already irrevocably in love with you." Elisa and Hector's relationship is built on respect, trust, and companionship. They didn't rush their feelings, which made it much more rewarding because every time they acted on their emotions I squealed. The cliffhanger only exacerbated my affection for them and I am almost dying to see whether they will make it or not.

Overall, I cannot wait for The Bitter Kingdom. This series has become an unexpected and unappreciated favorite. I hope more people decide to pick it up, because it is definitely worth it.

*cross-posted on my blog, the quiet voice.(less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Lea rated it 5 of 5 stars

OMGosh I am DYING OVER THIS COVER!! So excited to get my hands on this one, the first book was AMAZING!! :D

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Apr 10, 2013 Kate Weber rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson really surprised me. Earlier this year I read the first book in the series, The Girl of Fire and Thorns and thought it was good, but like a lot of only good first books, I didn't know if I would ever read the next book in the series. However, after a discussion with a friend of mine, we decided to read The Crown of Embers together.

I was incredibly skeptical when I went into it. I loved the fantasy aspect and the writing style flows well, but the religious connot...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs

I put off reading The Girl of Fire and Thorns for quite a while, and was schooled on that when I read it and loved it. What actually spurred me was that I borrowed an ARC of The Crown of Embers, so I was lucky to finish the first and immediately begin the second. This sequel absolutely did not disappoint! I just might have loved it more than the first, it's that good.

We saw Elisa grow up so immensely in The Girl of Fire and Thorns that it's hard to believe she has any left to do, but boy does sh...more I put off reading The Girl of Fire and Thorns for quite a while, and was schooled on that when I read it and loved it. What actually spurred me was that I borrowed an ARC of The Crown of Embers, so I was lucky to finish the first and immediately begin the second. This sequel absolutely did not disappoint! I just might have loved it more than the first, it's that good.

We saw Elisa grow up so immensely in The Girl of Fire and Thorns that it's hard to believe she has any left to do, but boy does she. Yes, she's a hero to her country and their queen, but that doesn't mean her rule is accepted without questions or with complete trust. She has to fight for everything she wants to accomplish and cannot trust most of those within her court. In order to harness the power of her godstone and better rule her adopted country, Elisa must go on a perilous journey to the ends of the earth.

I just love Elisa. She started off so pitifully in the previous book and she became just the greatest character to root for. You can't help but love her and the fight within her. She has such love for a country that was not her own until recently and she will sacrifice everything and anything for the good of her people, even her own happiness. Like I said, I just love her.

I absolutely could not get over the romance in this one! I loved her relationship with Humberto for it's sweetness and innocence, but that love and loss has shaped Elisa. Humberto was her first love, someone she'll never forget, but it also prepared her for her great love, whose name I'm not mentioning. Their relationship is founded upon trust and respect for the other. The relationship is slow-burning and so, so fulfilling when acted upon. I was melting into a little pool of jelly at parts and crying with frustration at others. I might love this book simply for the romance, but everything else was so well done I couldn't. :)

We see a whole other side of Joy D'Arena in The Crown of Embers. Elisa's journey takes her to the exotic and mysterious islands of the country, a place that I loved exploring with her. I love the well-developed world and its beauty that just leaps from the page.

If you liked The Girl of Fire and Thorns, you will be blown away by The Crown of Embers. I cannot recommend this sequel enough. It's the epitome of young adult fantasy done perfectly. I might just be crying in my bed every night waiting for The Bitter Kingdom...

You can find this review and much more on my blog: Paper Cuts.(less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Aileen Shara rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Well, if you liked the first one, give it a go. I guess.

Oh no. Here I am again. The odd one out. The one person who just didn't like this book.
Sigh.
More of a review to come...

WARNING! SARCASM AND MILD HUMOR TO COME!! STEER CLEAR IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC!! Sorry about that. I've learned that sometimes you have to set up these little disclaimers for the "die-hard-fans-of-books" who will attack you for giving a book a bad review. Am I not allowed to have opinions here anymore? Are we suddenly living in "dystopian fiction" world? Because I threw that world...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Regina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy, romance, royalty

"man she is falling in love with"
omg omg is it who i think it is? I hope its Hector because i love that guy and was so sad he got shafted in book 1 ><. PLEEASE let it be Hector!

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Oct 10, 2012 Imo :D (Omnom Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, gods, ya, ya-romance, ya-paranormal

Oooh...look at that cover! SHINEEEEEEE and mysteriously SPARKLY

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Sep 28, 2012 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, 2012-src, favorites, high-fantasy, magic-time-travel

I love fantasy. I loved The Girl of Fire and Thorns. I desperately wanted to read The Crown of Embers and be blown away, like I was with The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Was I? Oh, hells yeah. Abso-freaking-lutely, I was! It was amazing and perfect and captivating and when I was reading, the rest of the world dropped away and I had eyes only for this book. (Seriously, I looked up that first night while reading and realized that everyone in my house had already gone to bed, and it was nearing midnigh...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Carina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: top-priority, highly-anticipated, all-time-fav-books, hell-to-the-yeah, favorite-authors

"I've known for a while that I would marry for the good of Joya d'Arena. But now, faced with the prospect, I don't want to. I want to love someone again, the way I loved Humberto, or at the very least share a friendship, as Alejandro and I did in the end.
And I want to be queen of this great country not because someone is holding my hand, but because I can do it. Me. Elisa."

What a great sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

The Crown of Embers is a solid sequel, that has its own great adventure...more

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May 14, 2013 Carolyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, romance, wvreads150, young-adult

Queen Elisa, the widowed virgin bride of Joya d’Arena’s late King Alejandro, has inherited a mess. As a pudgy foreign teenager, Elisa's rule is tenuous, despite her heroic actions during the war with Invierne (detailed in book 1, The Girl of Fire and Thorns ). Facing pressure to re-marry to solidify her reign, Elisa despairs at the necessity of marrying once more for political gain instead of for love. Elisa finds hope in an obscure prophecy that leads her on an adventure-packed journey, but wil...more

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May 10, 2013 Tiana rated it 5 of 5 stars

That feeling where you read a book that is sooooo good but the ending is a total CLIFFHANGER and the next book doesn't come out for months. Curse you Rae Carson!

Gah. I just want to read the next one now. I liked this one so much better than the first. I think it helped that there was only one real love interest (Gotta love Hector!)

I did feel like the ending was just a tad rushed - that some characters didn't act in ways that made complete sense because the author needed them to act that way (th...more

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May 06, 2013 Ian Wood added it

For some reason I keep wanting to call this novel Crown of Thorns. Also I keep mistyping Thorns as Throns, so if I'm reviewing something here that sounds like Game of Thrones, hopefully, you'll understand!

The problem with a volume 2 is that the author has nothing intrinsically new to offer you. We have already met the protagonist; we have already entered the world the author has built. We know everything - so we believe. So what second course can the author bring to the table to make us salivate...more

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May 04, 2013 Nicole rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit, fantasy

On the surface, there is a lot to like about The Crown of Embers. The writing flows nicely, the book is not as lengthy as most fantasy novels, and the main character undergoes an identity crisis of sorts, struggling to reconcile the things she desires most with her duties as Queen and the bearer of the Godstone.

What went wrong? A lot.

One issue is that the author attempts to create an epic forbidden romance - and fails. The reasons Hector and Elisa cannot be together are weak. Elisa is propositio...more

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May 03, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contains-magic

So this one was definitely a step up from the first book! Not that the first one was bad, but this one just kicked it all up a notch. I was thoroughly entertained. The plot...well, let's just say if you've read a vast array of fantasy books, you've probably ran across many of the same elements. But guess what? I don't care. It was still an enjoyable read, and now I'm a bit bummed I didn't wait an extra few months to start this trilogy so the third one coming in August would already be available....more So this one was definitely a step up from the first book! Not that the first one was bad, but this one just kicked it all up a notch. I was thoroughly entertained. The plot...well, let's just say if you've read a vast array of fantasy books, you've probably ran across many of the same elements. But guess what? I don't care. It was still an enjoyable read, and now I'm a bit bummed I didn't wait an extra few months to start this trilogy so the third one coming in August would already be available.

Elisa still has some self-esteem issues, but now they're of a majorly different sort, the sort that are more important than 'am I too fat'; more like, 'am I going to be a good ruler of my country?' What was refreshing about this book was that Elisa didn't have any issues about being queen. She took the responsibility of being a princess who married a king who then died and left her his land pretty seriously. There was never any whining about, oh why did this happen to me, and more about, how the hell am I going to manage keeping everyone from starving and raise the taxes to help rebuild?

What's also cool about Elisa is that she is a scholarly sort, so while it seems a bit strange at first that this pampered princess is suddenly great at camping and foraging and all that, she does back it up by having an innate love of learning and reading and willingness to be taught by others. Her best feature as a queen is that she loved reading about the art of war and all the strategy that entails.

The burgeoning romance between Elisa and Hector was perfect. I'm a sucker for these types of stories, and Carson played it perfectly. There were some tingly moments and slow burns and cute banter and it all just worked for me. I may have been grinning like an idiot at times without realizing it.

The belly button gem is still weird; I tried to think if there was any other way the author could've made it all work without a freaking gem being stuck in someone's stomach like a Troll doll. It's hard, I suppose, given what the gem does. It's set up to be something tangible that's easily removed from the body (unlike a birthmark) if need be and that people can see so they can't doubt...but it's still just freaking strange.

There was less focus on her constant praying in this one, which was a blessing (ha), just because after awhile that's boring to read about. Elisa was growing up in this book and trying to work out what she believed and didn't believe about fate and being a chosen one, and that was infinitely more interesting to read through.

All in all, this was a perfect middle book to a trilogy. It really expanded on the first book, kept the excitement (and romance) up, and paved the road for the ending. I hope she's able to finish strong!(less)

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Apr 03, 2013 Jessica Mangicaro rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, favorites, young-adult

Review cross-posted on my blog

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 Invier...more Review cross-posted on my blog

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.

(less)

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Mar 23, 2013 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did, but was curious to see what happened next.

All in all, I thought the author did a pretty decent job of presenting Elisa in a new challenge. In the 1st book, Elisa had surmounted the challenges of leading her band of guerrillas, and had learned about herself and what she was capable of, but leading a country is an entirely different thing and she was badly outmatched as a young and inexperienced woman.

The various events that threatened her and...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars

That its. I officially adore Rae Carson. She just blows my world. Hector and Elisa. No words

Elisa is still as devout and on top of that: she is a Queen- and not just any queen, one that puts her Kingdom and its people before her own desires. Shes not wimpy or led by men. She stands alone facing the dangers God throws to her. and through it all she keeps her faith. Faith in herself, in Hector, in God.

I love it. officially. Hector is beautiful. (He is now on my top YA best heros list). I love that...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Kayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

So growing up I loved reading all of those girl knight books. Fierce warriors, usually having to face both the skepticism of their male counterparts and you know, the occasional dragon. Rae Carson's series (the first one being "The Girl of Fire and Thorns") is in the realm of Tamora Pierce and Robin Mckinley. She's that good. Elisa who in the previous book was married off to a man who she didn't love, was kidnapped, and led a desert rebellion, now faces the prospect of learning how to govern a n...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you liked Graceling or Bitterblue, you will love this series, and especially this sequel, even more. The worlds are similar, but the characters are more surprising and real.

The Crown of Embers has everything you want: a love story, a great adventure, a few mysteries to figure out, and great characterization. It's not perfect, but there are a few things in this book that make it stand out among others in this genre.

*SPOILER ALERT*

I ultimately chose to rate this book a 5 for a few reasons:

1)...more If you liked Graceling or Bitterblue, you will love this series, and especially this sequel, even more. The worlds are similar, but the characters are more surprising and real.

The Crown of Embers has everything you want: a love story, a great adventure, a few mysteries to figure out, and great characterization. It's not perfect, but there are a few things in this book that make it stand out among others in this genre.

*SPOILER ALERT*

I ultimately chose to rate this book a 5 for a few reasons:

1) The journey to the zafira in this book took the main stage, and while it seemed that capturing this power would be great for Elisa's kingdom, I wanted her to find a way to rule without it. I honestly did not think she would; I did not think the story was headed in that direction. I was pleasantly surprised with her realizations and the choices she ultimately made.

2) Hector was a very well-written love interest. It was plainly evident from the beginning that he was in love with Elisa, but I was SO PLEASED that unlike other young adult males, he did not simply put her above all else and decide that love would solve all problems. He was a very real person with real feelings and wants and needs, and the play between his homesickness and his duty to Elisa was very real. It was so refreshing to not watch these characters put a relationship above what was right given their places in the world. I especially loved when Hector admitted to Elisa that she could be a better queen (when they reached the zafira). He did not try to please her by reassuring her that she was doing a great job. He did not idealize her, as we see so often in these novels. The interactions between these two impressed me.

3) Last but not least, I was impressed with the way many of the supporting characters were woven into the story. The Invierno, Rosario, the nurse Ximena, Belen, the priests--these characters had very real personalities that came alive despite their backseat roles in the book. It is rare that we meet so many characters in a book and can actually put a face to each one. I normally do not even remember minimal characters' names after reading a book, so this review is a testament to good writing.

Eagerly awaiting #3!(less)

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Feb 02, 2013 Grace rated it 4 of 5 stars

Better! Bumping it up to a four, after shading a three for the first book in the series. Elisa settles into her role as Queen, but is quickly outmaneuvered by others members of her council. She takes steps to try and stop things from sliding out of her control, but she's not sure how effective those measures are. She's not even sure who precisely is behind the political machinations - the three prime suspects all implicate each other. Her actions in the first part of the book are both frustratin...more Better! Bumping it up to a four, after shading a three for the first book in the series. Elisa settles into her role as Queen, but is quickly outmaneuvered by others members of her council. She takes steps to try and stop things from sliding out of her control, but she's not sure how effective those measures are. She's not even sure who precisely is behind the political machinations - the three prime suspects all implicate each other. Her actions in the first part of the book are both frustrating and understandable.

Religion's back, again, some more. This really is the element that knocks a star off for me. Part of that's personal, as I deeply dislike religious crusades based on crumbling texts and disputed religious doctrines, but a large part of it is a carryover from the first book: for a plot element that is SO central to Elisa's life, I still know very little about what her God wants or how he intervenes or anything really constructive about the religion. I know that she believes that God swept up her people from a dying world and dropped them on this new earth 2000 years ago. I know he sticks a jewel in the abdomen of one kid every 100 years. I know that he sometimes prompts them to act in very specific ways, like writing long screeds, prophet-style. But it's not enough - if you're going to send your character on a religious crusade, I need more information about that religion and its worth. Elisa clearly believes in it, but is that because she's been brainwashed or because it's a worthy cause? I don't know, because I have no context. It's a real flaw, in my opinion.

Romance develops naturally in this book, and it's well-written and well-earned. The characters in general are evolving in a very nice way: for instance, Elisa's nurse who is also some sort of assassin-nun. Carson has drawn that character out nicely - she started as nothing more than a loyal maid, but as the story continues she doesn't just unveil some crazy combat skills, she also starts showing a fanatic sheen. The violence the nurse is willing to dole out is directly related not only to her (genuine) love for Elisa, but also some deeply ingrained religious fervor that indicates she thinks she personally has a mission from God. It's a nicely troubling characterization, as when push comes to shove, it increasingly looks likely that Elisa will come second to God on her nurse's priority list.

And there's Elisa's heir, Rosario. This is such a unique little relationship and I quite like it. He's the son of her husband, and he's seven, but she hasn't turned into a mother-figure to him. She's much more like a close cousin - she's very fond of him and he treats her like a family member, but there's no overt mothering, which is kind of nice in a story about a 17 year old queen with an orphan in her care. Rosario will scurry into her bed first thing in the morning and gossip, and she loves having him around, but she's not pacing and thinking about his diet or education or his emotional development. I was kind of worried about that at the end of the last book, but no need.

Moved along nicely, fewer counterintuitive plot points, deals with adult themes in a good way. I'm very much looking forward to the third book, actually. I suspect there's a religious reveal in the third book that will in some way explain the vague description of the first two books - the reveal's fine, but it won't fix the fact that too little information at the start undermined the series' strength overall. You can't withhold natural information just because you want to go "AH HA!" at the end, and I think that's what going to happen here.(less)

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Feb 01, 2013 Debbie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

"The Crown of Embers" is a young adult fantasy. It's a quick read, but that's partly because I started skimming it. At the end of the previous novel, Elisa had learned about being a leader and had clever strategies against scheming, dangerous enemies. Yet this novel started off with her passive and useless again.

People would do what she commanded when she asserted herself, yet she spent most of her time upset that people talked over her and didn't automatically seek her opinion and commands. Er,...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Rebekah Snyder rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book far better than the first one, and I think it has everything to do with the fact that I've been Team Hector since he was first introduced on page 25 of The Girl of Fire and Thorns. So, when Elisa finally realizes she's in love with him, I'm all like, "It's about time!" I also think she doesn't actually deserve him (fickle creature that she is), but that might be my jealousy speaking. :)

At the same time, my biggest issue with this book is the relationship between Hector and Elis...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Cynthia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished reading The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson. It is the second in a YA high fantasy trilogy, the first book being The Girl of Fire and Thorns. I am staggered, as I have been every page of the way through these two stories, at the talent and clarity and craftsmanship of this author. There is never a moment of doubt that she will deliver the most well-chosen moments, scenes, emotions, detail ... making the story so real, so poignant in its fantastic-ness. The characters are fallible y...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Jen Ryland added it

Shelves: sophomore-challenge-2012

I'm not a big fantasy reader, so I always open fantasy books feeling a little bit grumbly. Crown of Embers starts with a dramatic bang, then I had to remember what had been going on in book one -- there isn't much recap, and it took me a few chapters to orient myself.

But then, WOW -- I was hooked. Suddenly, all the reasons I loved Girl of Fire and Thorns came rushing back to me, and I read through breakfast and forgot to take a shower.

One of my favorite things about Girl of Fire and Thorns was i...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Whatchyareading added it

Shelves: caitlin, fantasy, series, young-adult

When I reviewed The Girl of Fire and Thorns I called it “a Hunger Games for fantasy fans.” Not because it was an arena battle to the death with magic, but because it was an intense, page-turning, emotional adventure with an awesome heroine. And Crown of Embers does not disappoint in the slightest!

So, lets skip all the other things and talk about the most important. Hector. I love Hector. I want more Hector. ALL THE HECTOR! Can I have my own Hector? He can live in my YA Boys of Awesome Harem…with...more When I reviewed The Girl of Fire and Thorns I called it “a Hunger Games for fantasy fans.” Not because it was an arena battle to the death with magic, but because it was an intense, page-turning, emotional adventure with an awesome heroine. And Crown of Embers does not disappoint in the slightest!

So, lets skip all the other things and talk about the most important. Hector. I love Hector. I want more Hector. ALL THE HECTOR! Can I have my own Hector? He can live in my YA Boys of Awesome Harem…with Jonah Griggs, Gansey, and Darius Channing. The things we learn about Hector and his family and everything that he has sacrificed and…I just love him, okay? And the ENDING!! I’m so excited for book three. I need to see what has happened with Hector and how he is going to react to certain decisions made by Elisa at the end.

Speaking of Elisa, she continues to be super fabulous. I loved how this book clearly featured her still on a personal journey but it was a different one from Girl of Fire and Thorns. You can tell her confidence in herself is more firm in this one but she still has moments of doubt and confusion and doesn’t always know who to trust or how to shake of the constants of her childhood. I loved all the decisions she made at the end of the story and how she really stood up for what she wanted for herself and for her kingdom. I’m really excited to see where she goes, emotionally, in book three. The journey with her so far has been such an exciting inspiration, I can only imagine the awesome things Rae has for us in the next installment.

I liked everything else in this book so much that I don’t even know what else to say. I don’t have a single complaint besides having to wait for the next one. The characters I didn’t like were the ones I supposed to not like and the pacing was perfect and the balance of real world problems and fantastical problems/solutions was so well done. I loved the political intrigue mixed with the religion and fantasy. The world feels so real that it is impossible not to get lost in it.

I mean, it could’ve used more Hector. But that doens’t mean there wasn’t a good bit of Hector. Just that I always want more.

Everything about this book was perfect.

This book was reviewed at WhatchYAreading.net on September 17, 2012.(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Anabel Melgar rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ok, let me start off by saying that I completely LOVED Girl of Fire and Thorns. It caught me from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down. That said, I could not wait for The Crown of Embers and once I started I could not put it down until I had finished it, which I did in 2 days!
The way that the author makes Elisa so self concious and insecure, she could be any one of us. I love the way that she is able to grow and mature right in front of you, you can see the changes as they happen but...more

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Nothing but Readi...: * Carson, Rae; Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2) - ("Buddy Read") Start Date April 19th	51	31	Apr 22, 2013 12:15pm
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The Indie Exchang...: Win a copy of The Crown Of Embers by Rae Carson	5	28	Oct 12, 2012 10:21pm
Anyone else so excited for this book tomorrow?	5	18	Sep 18, 2012 06:52am

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About Rae Carson

I write books about teens who must do brave things. I'm originally from California, but I moved to Ohio to marry my husband, who is the smartest and therefore sexiest man I know. We live in Columbus with my teenaged stepsons, who are awesome. My books tend to contain lots of adventure, a little magic and romance, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices. I especially love to write about que...more

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Books by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns, #1)

The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns, #3)

The Shattered Mountain (Fire and Thorns, #0.6)

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“I love you the way a drowning man loves air. And it would destroy me to have you just a little.” — 66 people liked it

“A quarterstaff is not very subtle. Or handy. If an kidnapper comes at me, what am I supposed to do? Say, 'Excuse me, my lord, while I pull my enormous quarterstaff out of my bodice?” — 30 people liked it

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The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2)

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