Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1) in YA and Beyond

Aug 16, 2011 Evelyn Swift (Featherbrained Books) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-ultimate-favourites, bad-ass-females, fantasy, love-the-cover, epic-or-high-fantasy, 5-star-books, young-adult, crush-worthy-men, friends-to-lovers, love-the-hero

I absolutely adore this book. I read it back in 2011 and just re-read it, along with Fire and I am half-way through Bitterblue. I realized I didn’t review this back then, and I would still give it 5 stars now. Kasta is hands-down one of my favourite female main characters that I have ever read. She is strong but kind-hearted, intelligent and she really evolves over the novel in gaining confidence, especially against Randa and in her own convictions. (view spoiler) I absolutely adore this book. I read it back in 2011 and just re-read it, along with Fire and I am half-way through Bitterblue. I realized I didn’t review this back then, and I would still give it 5 stars now. Kasta is hands-down one of my favourite female main characters that I have ever read. She is strong but kind-hearted, intelligent and she really evolves over the novel in gaining confidence, especially against Randa and in her own convictions. (view spoiler)

The world building is also really interesting, and very good for a high fantasy novel. I love the idea of 7 kingdoms, all with different kings, queens and stories but it wasn’t difficult to follow as each area was explained very well and the map at the beginning of the book helped as well. There was also a great balance between action and story-building/dialogue. It was fairly fast paced, especially towards the end, and the idea of people being “Graced” would normally be pretty cliché (a little bit like X-men) but Cashore definitely put a unique spin on the concept that really made it work. And the whole novel didn’t just focus on Katsa and Po, there were many interesting and well written secondary characters like Giddon, Raf, Leck, Randa, Grandfather Tealiff etc.

And Po, honestly what can I even write? One of the sweetest characters ever written. I love that this wasn’t love at first sight either due to their friendship first and how she fought against falling in love with him.

And I still maintain that (view spoiler) it is one of the best written emotional twists I have ever read. When I re-read it, I was just waiting for this moment so I could savour it again!

P.s – I also find some of the reviews/comments here pretty hilarious. Apparently being too feminist is a big problem haha. Apparently we want feminism in romance novels, but not too much. People getting offended by everything now a days…geez. ...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Anna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, favorites, young-adult, kick-ass-heroine, fantasy

“How wonderful,” a voice inside said. “Welcome, my friends! Come in and take your honored place among our happy circle!”
It was a familiar voice. Katsa looked up to see strangers sitting around the walls of a long room; and at the room’s end, smiling and appraising them through a single eye, King Leck of Monsea.

I swear to heavens that made my heart stop, only for a bit; but long enough that I want to crawl under my bed. Some who've read this would get my feeling.

In the world within the seven ...more

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Feb 07, 2013 diana rated it really liked it

I wasn't sure at first if I was going to like the book but I read it anyway because of the so many good reviews and all the positive feedback I heard about it.
And damn. It was unexpectedly good and I loved every bit of it!

"I love you," he said. "You're more dear to my heart than I ever knew anyone could be. And I've made you cry; and there I'll stop." ...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Shawn Bird rated it really liked it

If you're looking for a book with a strong female protagonist, this is the book. Kat is graced with a gift for survival and killing. She has to come to terms with her abilities/skill, and suffers a lot of angst about it, but the book is full of kick-butt action where this teen girl whups a lot of big guys in astounding numbers. Definitely fun when you need a bit of girl power! ...more

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