Book Review – 3 Dark Crowns

3 Dark Crowns. 3 Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. What to say about 3 Dark Crowns. Well, here’s the synopsis first…

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.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.

 

This was definitely the book I was looking forward to the most this year! Unfortunately, yet again, I was a bit disappointed. I just found that barely anything happened throughout the book. It seemed as though a giant chunk of the book was a setup for the next one. Two thirds of the book focuses on the 3 sisters in their remote locations trying to hone their “gifts” while flirting with boys or watching others flirt with boys.

You know how in books you feel what the characters feel? You love the romance because it’s gripping? These characters did not grip me. Nor was there anything to keep me going. I kept reading because I kept waiting for SOMETHING to happen. The last 50 pages is when the pace picks up but by the end of the book I kept thinking “was it even worth it”? The ending was good, it makes me want to pick up the next book when it comes out but I’m hesitant because if the next one is just a long boring setup for the 3rd book  I really don’t want to have to trudge through it.

I didn’t mind the writing, it was nice and calm but it just didn’t have enough action for me. I haven’t read anything else by this author so I’m unsure of what others think.

Ps this is what happens to your book if you forget your BOOK BEAU ! Folded right in half! Just terrible. Visit Benita’s Etsy Shop to check out all the Beaus!

Page Count – 416 pages
Rating – 2.5 stars