Three Dark Crowns Series, by Kendare Blake -> Restarting October 30th, 2023

[Felicia]

When kingdom come, there will be one.

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born—three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.

The last queen standing gets the crown.

[Celia]

34% - So far, I agree with many of the people who've said the beginning is hard to get into. Blake just doesn't do enough with her world building or character building to make the reader connect in the way other similar novels do.

[Celia]

52% - So did Blake just remove Katherine from the story for a while leading up to the climax? Not that I'm complaining (her character hadn't added that much anyway) but is there a point to it?

[Saige]

Celia wrote: "52% - So did Blake just remove Katherine from the story for a while leading up to the climax? Not that I'm complaining (her character hadn't added that much anyway) but is there a point to it?"
Yeah, I noticed that too. I think it's because not a lot was actually happening with her besides her continued courtship, so Blake wanted to focus on the other queens. It did annoy me a bit though, I wanted more details about her character development.

[Celia]

Saige wrote: "Celia wrote: "52% - So did Blake just remove Katherine from the story for a while leading up to the climax? Not that I'm complaining (her character hadn't added that much anyway) but is there a poi..."

I mean, I'm not complaining. I can't say she really added that much overall, at least up until the part I've finished.

[Saige]

Started "One Dark Throne", the second book.
25%- Is it just me, or does the lack of title continuity annoy anyone? I think starting with "Three Dark Crowns" then going to "One Dark Throne" and ending with "Two Dark Reigns" is annoyingly out of order. Regardless, I'm really liking the character development so far. Mirabella hasn't changed too much, but Katherine's development from the first book is pretty stark. I'm excited to finish. Anyone else on/near the second book?

[Celia]

Saige wrote: "Started "One Dark Throne", the second book.
25%- Is it just me, or does the lack of title continuity annoy anyone? I think starting with "Three Dark Crowns" then going to "One Dark Throne" and endi..."

I'll definitely be picking it up after this. I'm about 60 pages from the end of the first book, and I won't get to the second until at least Monday, but I know at this point in the story that I will want to continue ASAP. I agree with you about the titles, though.

Also, does anyone else consider Arsinoe the "main character" even though the story technically centers around all three? She just has so much personality compared to the others. She's amazing. I'm really rooting for her, although in some ways, I'm thinking by the end of the third book, they will find a way to distribute the power and unite, or something like that. Anyway, I need to get back to reading. I'll post when I finish.

[Celia]

Okay, but THAT ENDING!!! Since everyone else here has read the book (I think, don't read any further if you haven't), I'm just going to say it. If Arsinoe is a poisoner, is Katherine a naturalist? Don't answer that and spoil it for me! Now I NEED to know, though. I don't have access to the school library until Monday, though. But that was intense!

[Saige]

Celia wrote: "Okay, but THAT ENDING!!! Since everyone else here has read the book (I think, don't read any further if you haven't), I'm just going to say it. If Arsinoe is a poisoner, is Katherine a naturalist? ..."

43%- I know! I was really excited when I read that ending, and the second book has yet to answer that question. Personally I really enjoyed how it was a twist, but it didn't exactly come out of nowhere. The one thing I'm really bothered by is the lack of development in the romances. Jules and Joseph I get, but Arsinoe and Katharine's romances feel kind of flat and forced. I'm rooting for all the queens besides Mirabella. She's not as interesting to me, especially because she's so in the pocket of the priestesses. I'll probably finish tonight, and I'll update then (and I promise no spoilers).

[Saige]

100%- Just finished the book. Arsinoe has emerged as a clear main character, finally. I've been waiting for someone to root for. Mirabella's character still needs some development, but Katherine has become quite interesting. I'm excited to see how all the new plot points and twists come together in the third book.

[Celia]

Can't wait to start it.

[Saige]

Ok, the third book is really letting me down. I was expecting more world building by now, but instead there have been huge character shifts out of nowhere and major plot lines that feel kind of shoehorned in. Also, the more I think about it, the less sense the whole Ascension year thing makes. Like, why send away the old queen and have a council rule for 16 years until the girls are older? Why have a monarch at all if they only rule for a few years??? There is just so much that I want explained that hasn't gotten any description from the author at all.

[Alaina]

26%: (view spoiler)[idk why but this time around everything seems to be happening at a much slower pace than before. (hide spoiler)]
50%: (view spoiler)[lmfao.. i forgot how much I still don't give a single fuck about mirabella and the boys who sleep or want to sleep with her.. (hide spoiler)]
89%; (view spoiler)[ugh i'm bored again.. (hide spoiler)]
100%: (view spoiler)[ya know first time around I was always wondering if the girls were mixed up on purpose or on accident.. then I was wondering how the hell everyone goes to react to this coming out into the open air.. oh lord - on to the next book. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

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RESTARTING SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2019

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[Sierra]

im really enjoying this so far i hope to be able to post some tonight

[Sierra]

25% (view spoiler)[ i wonder why pietyr wants a seat on the council. arsinoe us a every weird name. i have a feeling all 3 will live somehow. (hide spoiler)]
50% (view spoiler)[is pietyr falling for kat? i cant believe mira left. i wonder if she will get away or if they will find her. how far will she go? is she going to fall for this boy from the sea? oh no, its joseph.. this isnt good.. (hide spoiler)]
75% (view spoiler)[ how does kat know thats what pietyr wants? will joseph tell her? thank god that he told her. i wonder what she will do. i cant believe they cut off elizabeths hand.. poor girl (hide spoiler)]
finished (view spoiler)[ will the sisters ever like each other? will the bear listen? i feel like joseph might like mira. oh no this isnt good.... so if shes the poisoner does that mean kat has the other power? (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

25% (view spoiler)[I am so glad billy is setting Mira straight about what happened between her and the bear. I want to see Mira and Arsinoe ally. Like pls pls pls (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[Damn this new Katherine is amazing. She’s so confident and dark. I am living for it even if I don’t want any of the queens to die 😂. I am really worried for Jules and her mother especially after that strange vision Madrigal just had. (hide spoiler)]

80% (view spoiler)[I am so glad Arsinoe isn’t dead 🙌🙏 I love her so much. She was the first queen I loved and I am so torn about what I want to happen. I love that arsinoe and Jules are going to team up with Mira once they make it back to Rolland. Ugh I am not ready for this to end (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I'm so glad Arsinoe saved Mirabella. I don't know how I feel about Joseph's death. I'm so heartbroken for Jules but I can't wait to see what she'll do with the other War gifted people. I have a feeling Mira and Arsinoe won't be able to stay away for long. And Katherine freaking killed her husband!! Like shit, the asshole deserved it but what will this mean for the throne? (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

30%: (view spoiler)[the sisters are pretty interesting.. don't know how I feel about being posioned all the time though. (hide spoiler)]
60%: (view spoiler)[ugh this little "love triangle" annoys me. (hide spoiler)]
90%: (view spoiler)[uh oh.. the bear. poor jules. (hide spoiler)]
100%: (view spoiler)[ah yes, i remember this happening. i always forget that things were switched for like two of them. ugh now i gotta dive into the next book! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

30%: (view spoiler)[hmm I'm like kind of intrigued by who the "queen" will really be but at the same time, I'm bored. (hide spoiler)]
60%: (view spoiler)[I don't know if I like mira... especially when she asks billy to be her consort after what happened (hide spoiler)]
90%: (view spoiler)[oh shit, poor billy but I mean do royals even marry for love? (hide spoiler)]
100%: (view spoiler)[why ya gotta give me a sad ass ending. ughhh now I NEED to dive into the next one! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

40%: (view spoiler)[interesting how she's in the old queens mind - maybe they are going back to the island to save their sister? maybe? (hide spoiler)]
60%: (view spoiler)[this shadow of the blue queen is creeeeepy but I am INTRIGUED (hide spoiler)]
90%: (view spoiler)[this whole mist thing is so confused but ugh, how is this going to end? (hide spoiler)]
100%: (view spoiler)[Ughh I have so many questions!! I need the next book right now 😭😭 (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

25% (view spoiler)[these dreams are super ominous. I wonder if Daphne is the elemental that was supposed to die drifting into the sea?? Could her story have anything to do with the bodies found drowned? There’s something brewing and I don’t think it’s going to be good. (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[well shit things are definitely going badly for all the queens so far. Jules is probably the only one having any luck. The blue queen haunting Arsinoe is fucking creepy as all hell. I’m ready to run away lmao. I do hope the girls will go back soon. Clearly Fennbirn is not done with them. (hide spoiler)]

80% (view spoiler)[oh man this trade is not gonna go well. I can feel it and I’m scared lol. I wonder what Arsinoe and Mira can possibly do against the mist. It seems so powerful. I’m really loving the storyline about Daphne tho. I wonder if Pietyr will be able to take the queens out of Katherine. I don’t think it will go well. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I don't want Mira to be sacrificed for the mist. There's got to be another way to save her :( Also, Katherine is gonna regret allowing the queens into her body I can feel it. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

25% (view spoiler)[well this has been quite the eventful beginning. I hope Mira will be able to find answers at Indrid Down, if Katherine doesn’t kill her first of course. I can’t believe arsinoe and Emilia were able to bind the legion curse again!! I hope Jules will be okay now. (hide spoiler)]

60 ish% (view spoiler)[this is crazy!! Idk what to even think!? But Mira finally knows about the dead queens at least. How can she free Katherine and save everyone from the mist. Agh I’m not ready for this to end. Of course Arsinoe is like hey I’m just gonna sneak into the Volroy no big deal (hide spoiler)]

~75% (view spoiler)[MIRA CANT BE DEAD NO 😭😭😭 I didn’t realize how attached I’ve become to her! I also didn’t think she’d die at all. I WAS COUNTING ON HER TO SAVE THEM ALL 😭😭😭. Also I’m so curious what that vision at the first temple about Jules means. Is she truly to take up the mantle of Queen next?? (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I'm still in shock over Mira. After so many books, two queens finally did die. The Mist was really interesting. I was surprised that Mira's death didn't calm it when that's what Daphne said needed to happen. It was really interesting when it attacked the dead queens tho. I'm so happy Jules's legion curse is broken! And that Arsinoe survived everything <3 Sad her and Billy's relationship didn't. I hope Jules gives Emilia a chance eventually! (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

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RESTARTING OCTOBER 30TH, 2023

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[Kim]

Started book 1 but got side tracked so gonna restart it tomorrow.

[Celia]

Two Dark Reigns (book 3)

The audio on this is great, I love all the different accents.

25% (view spoiler)[Restarted this for the second time in October. I like the mystery of what Arsinoe is exploring on the mainland. A hidden queen? Who somehow survived? And kind of parallels Arsinoe and Mirabella's own experience... interesting. (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[I like how Jules is growing into her own. Not sure how to feel about Emilia and Mathilde. At first I thought the relationship was leaning toward Emilia and Mathilde, but Emilia and Jules also have real potential, especially with the idea of a blade woman. Not sure what to think about Margaret coming back to them or trying though. (hide spoiler)]

80% (view spoiler)[Okay, so it is insinuating that Illian is actually Daphne, somehow? I'm excited that Arsinoe, Mirabella, and Billy are back on the island, although the relationship with Emilia is interesting. And I'm anxious to see what happens with Madrigal and Katherine. I still really want Katherine to be good despite everything, and for Petiyr's quest to rid her of the dead queens to work out, and for them to be able to be together. He's grown on me. (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

93% Chapter title:(view spoiler)[The Fate of the Blue Queen (hide spoiler)]

Content: (view spoiler)[Okay, I did suspect that Daphne was somehow Illian in her reign, but I hadn't realized Daphne would turn so hostile. I wanted to like Daphne. But it's hard to tell - did she push Illian? How did this come to a head.

"There's no room for sisters on this island." - does Mirabella really have to die? Does all but one? Is there a way they can survive? Could Mirabella and Jules be a couple? (No, it's leaning way toward Jules and Emilia).

Also, now Madrigal is dead, releasing Jules's legion curse. Camden is dead. Mirabella apparently has to die. And of course, Joseph. (hide spoiler)]

Hard to believe there's still a whole other book left.

[Kim]

I'm also doing audio, I'm glad to hear they are all good. Only 3 chapters in but so far it's interesting!

[Celia]

FINISHED

(view spoiler)[It almost seems like there were so many twists in this one that will be almost predictable. Although FIVE? Aren't there four queens we're following? I don't know where this is going, but I don't think I'm going to like it.

It was pretty obvious that Mirabella would make that choice sooner rather than later. I both like and don't like that Kendare Blake doesn't do cliffhangers. Each book finishes with the decision being made and the outcome final, so we're not left in limbo to see what Mirabella will do with that choice. But as for her impending death... (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Ch.1-5 (view spoiler)[ I am struggling with following all the characters. there are so many names! maybe it's because I'm doing the audio? or because a lot has happened in a short period of time lol. poisoners, elementals, boys and girls and queens and intrigue. hopefully it'll click better the more I listen. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Kim wrote: "

Ch.1-5 [spoilers removed]"

Yeah that's a bit of a problem. The characters to really pay attention to in this book are (view spoiler)[Poisoners: Katherine, Natalia, Pietyr. Naturalists: Arsinoe, Jules (and her family a little bit), Joseph. Elementals: Mirabella is pretty much the only important one in the first book. Priestesses: Luca, Elizabeth, Rho Murtra. Others: both Billy Chatworth and his father. And Camden the cougar. It's still a lot, but it narrows it down quite a bit. Actually maybe this doesn't narrow it down at all lol. (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Lol it does help to see them listed out

[Kim]

Ch.6-23 (view spoiler)[ wowie ok there's a lot happening here. I have a better understanding of who everyone is now so that is making things clearer and easier to follow. I like that we are seeing from all 3 queens. I also like that I do not have a preferred queen; none are my least favorite too. I'm curious to see where this will go. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Ch.24-52 (view spoiler)[ yo this event is wild! can imagine knowing you have sisters and that they hate you because you're the only one who remembers being sisters?! then you fall in lust/love with one of those sister's best friend's bae's?! then you've got katherine who has a boy and no actual powers, more so just good at apothecary and built up resistance. then THEN the bear! this is crazy. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Finished! oh wow i loved that ending! (view spoiler)[ my brain has completely zoomed past Katherine and Mirabella gettin all vengencey with that cliffhanger of Arsinoe! I can't wait to get into the second book and see what this means! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

I got book 2 on Hoopla. Woot!

[Kim]

3% (view spoiler)[ Arsinoe is a poisoner but why does she still pretend to be a naturalist? Katherine seems like she's slipped into her psychotic phase lol. I can't wait to hear 1- why Peter pushed her into the woods 2- how she is going to get revenge. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Kim wrote: "Finished! oh wow i loved that ending! [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[For me, the big thing at the end of that one was Katherine. And then the stuff with Arsinoe. It kind of (view spoiler)[doesn't get addressed as much as I would like in later books (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Kim wrote: "

3% [spoilers removed]"

Yeah the (view spoiler)[Pietyr thing is wild. I was definitely waiting for that explanation. Honestly I can't say much as this is a major plot point. (hide spoiler)]

How long do you think it will take to read 2 and 3 for you? I want to wait for you on 4.

[Kim]

With thanksgiving being this week I’ll probably only get through book 2 this week.

[Celia]

Kim wrote: "With thanksgiving being this week I’ll probably only get through book 2 this week."

Great. Then I can wait for you for book 4

[Kim]

50% (view spoiler)[ Katherine is nuts but I love all the action. The characters are great and now they’re being pushed together! The shot is nuts, I can’t wait to see this play out. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Kim wrote: "50% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[The Katherine thing is just... OMG the entire time. (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

85% (view spoiler)[ yo this is action packed! The black cabin, the duel and now the crowning! I also hope Peter comes back with more specifics from his trip into that void. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Finished - this book was so much more than the first! (view spoiler)[ ok so now that we've had time to get to know the characters i definitely enjoyed this book so much more. the plot was much more interesting and twisty. the fact that 2 queens made it off the island and katherine is haunted by dead queens?! insane! also, joseph dying (hopefully not actually??) and juls going back to be with the war power people are both paths in the story i'm interested in. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

starting book 3 audio tomorrow!

[Kim]

36% (view spoiler)[ so much happening and yet moving so slowly! i can't wait to see what happens with Daphne and the flashbacks. Katherine's storyline is not quite as interesting, even with the sea spitting back dead bodies. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

60% (view spoiler)[ so cool that the “dead queens” did low magic and got to communicate with the blue queen. I think they should go back to the island for sure. Also Madrigal’s pregnancy is terrifying. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Ooh I'll start book 4 when you do.

[Kim]

Finished and starting book 4 at the end of this week.

(view spoiler)[ so many twists! The blue queen and what she told Arsinoe to do? Jules and her war gift gone crazy? Katherine killing Peter?!?! 😫 mirabella heading back to the castle? Just so many ways the next book can go! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Beginning of

(view spoiler)[I already forgot what happened with Pietyr because I was so focused on the Jules and Mirabella arcs. I had to go back and read a summary. I read this from Feed Your Fiction Addiction (https://feedyourfictionaddiction.com/...) which has some crazy speculations. Personally, I think that (view spoiler)[all three queens are going to have to die in order to save the island. If Katherine is already dead, and Mirabella has to sacrifice herself, it won't make sense to keep any of the queen's line alive, because I feel like that returns a little too much to the status quo. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]