Bitterblue

Goodreads Bit:    Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisers, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

My Thoughts:

-    Leck is one of the (if not the most) creepiest villains I've ever read.  He is seriously messed up!!  

-    Ask and ye shall receive!!  I'm so happy this is a sequel to Graceling!!!  All the wonderful characters are back, and they have their hands full!!

-    It feels kind of like a Maria V. Snyder book.


-    There were times when I wanted to smack Saf!!  I'm so glad he finally shaped up!

-    I LOVE Bitterblue's character!  She has become a very strong woman.  I do not envy her life, but I feel for her, and I'm really proud of her.  She didn't hide from her past or her father's atrocities.  She faced them head on, so she could repair her kingdom!  What a gal!!

-    I didn't like how many homosexual occurrences there were.

-    Why does Bitterblue think of her mother as Ashen and not as mother?

-    This story is so mysterious and intense.  It was definitely a page turner!  It killed me to put it down at times.

-    The romance part of the story was good, and I liked how it ended up.  It wasn't your typical romance, and it was nice to read something new, different, and realistic.  

-    There is some dark stuff in this book, and it gives me the willies!!  I feel sorry for everyone who had to endure the 35 years of hell under Leck's reign.  

-    This was the perfect ending to the trilogy.  I loved how this book tied the others together.  I kept thinking why Fire was so important to have in the series, but now I know, and I know how the 2 worlds are connected. 

-    I really enjoyed this book!!  It is my favorite in the series!  Even though it creeped me out a bit at times, it was still a great read.  

Fire

Goodreads Description:   She is the last of her kind...

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.

Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books. You don’t need to have read Graceling to loveFire. But if you haven’t, you’ll be dying to read it next.

My Thoughts:

-    It wasn't too interesting to read, but it was good to listen too.  I couldn't just sit and read this story, but I enjoyed the audio book while I played Zuma.  

-    I liked the narrator's voice.  It was strong, but feminine.  

-    The prologue is interesting.  It was cool and sad to see Leck's Grace evolve.  I really want to know what happened to him between the time Fire lost him and when he becomes King.

-    This story moves a lot slower than Graceling.  It was mostly politics and hearing about the war. 

-    Besides Leck, there really wasn't anything that tied this world and the Graceling world together.  It was like reading about 2 separate worlds.  

-    The family relationships were crazy!  It was like watching a daytime talk show.  Who is the father?  That child is illegitimate!  You slept with who?  blah blah blah!

-    Fire's character was interesting.  She was really strong, but had a lot of doubts.  She had a lot to think about, and she had a pretty hard life.   I would not want to trade places with her.  

Graceling

Goodreads Description:   Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.     When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. 

     With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

My Thoughts:

-    It would be hard to have Katsa's Grace.  I would have a really hard time killing people.  I wonder if Katsa had hard time at first, or if part of her Grace takes away some guilt.

-    Po?  The author named her leading man Po?  That name should only belong to big fat pandas.   After a while though, the name didn't bug me.

-    I wish my hubby had Po's Grace sometimes.  Not all the time, but it would be nice once in a while.  Then he would know how I felt, and I wouldn't have to explain stuff to him over and over.

-    The story had some great characters.  Po is so patient and kind, especially with Katsa.  Katsa was a really strong female protagonist.  She did what she had to do, but she still had human flaws.  There were a few side characters that I really liked, like Raffin and Bitterblue.

-    I really enjoyed the book more the 2nd time through.  The politics and different kings and kingdoms were easier to keep track of and understand.

-    The 2nd half of the book is pretty intense.  I was so scared for Katsa and Bitterblue.  

-    The "pain" bit after Katsa and Po got together was a little odd to put in a book.  It made feel a little embarrassed.

-    I want to visit Po's castle someday.  

-    I wish there was a sequel to this instead/along with companion books.  I would love to go on another adventure with Katsa and Po, and I'd like to know what happens in some of the kingdoms and with certain characters.