Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake Pages: 464
Published by HarperTeen on September 4, 2018
Series: Three Dark Crowns #3
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy & Magic
Source: eARC from Publisher
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake returns with the highly anticipated third book in the Three Dark Crowns series!
Katharine sits on the throne, Mirabella and Arsinoe are in hiding, and an unexpected renegade is about to wage a war of her own. The crown has been won, but these queens are far from done.
Two Dark Reigns is the third book in the Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake. The Three Dark Crowns series is a young adult fantasy series that I freakin’ love! Full disclosure, I binge read this series and it is currently all I can think about! I need the next book fiercely. Three Dark Crowns is a series that is darkly addicting and I want more more more. I will say, I am very glad that I read this series back to back because this world is vast and complicated and reading the books one right after another helped me pick up on many world and characters nuances that I am sure I would have missed out on if a year of more had passed between my readings of book 1, 2, or 3.
This review is nearly impossible to do without spoilers but because I don’t want to ruin anything for you, I will talk in general about what I like about this series. To do that first, I will give you a brief background of the set up. The Three Dark Crowns series is set in a world where each generation a set of triplet princesses are born. Each of the triplets possess a form of magic and when they turn 16 they will have to battle it out with their sisters to see who will become queen. And yes, the series is just as dark and twisty and crazy as that sentence leads you to believe. Personally, I love how deliciously dark this series is, but it is something to be aware of. This is a dark fantasy series. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Two Dark Reigns picks up right after the second book, One Dark Throne and immediately we are thrown into action. I flew through this book so quickly, partly because I how much I love the story but also because this novel is so action packed, there really wasn’t a dull moment. Kendare Blake is so excellent at weaving a story, and writing compelling characters that make you feel a whole range of emotions. Some characters I loved and some I loved to hate, but they all made me feel something.
If you are a fan of the first two books of the series, Two Dark Reigns will be right up your alley. It is an excellent continuation and the ending made me actually itching for the next book. I have no chill with this series! But if you are new to the series and you are a fan of excellently crafted dark fantasies with compelling complex characters and fantastic storytelling, you need to pick up this series. Three Dark Crowns is a favorite of mine for sure!
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Praise for TWO DARK REIGNS
“Tragic, devastating, horrifying, enthralling.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Praise for ONE DARK THRONE
★ “Blake’s already pitch-dark tale shades even darker. Exquisitely restrained prose, deliberate pacing, paying off in a tumultuous climax that piles one shocking twist upon another. Achingly gorgeous and gruesomely fascinating.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“This sequel to Three Dark Crowns loses none of that book’s momentum, powering toward a conclusion that leaves several doors open. With wonderfully drawn characters and a lethal, unpredictable plot, this follow-up will leave readers breathless as the queens’ fates unfold.” ―ALA Booklist
Praise for THREE DARK CROWNS
“New exciting heights with a driving plot. Dark indeed, and exploring themes of loyalty, this is a thrilling sequel with everything from action to romance to entice readers. A strong purchase for YA fantasy shelves.” ―School Library Journal
“Three Dark Crowns is a brutal and inventive fantasy that is as addictive as it is horrifying. I can’t begin to guess the fates of these three remarkable sister-queens, but I’m salivating like poisoners at a feast to find out what will happen next.” ―Marissa Meyer, New York Times bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles
“Full of mystery, intrigue, and deadly girls I wouldn’t dare cross, Fennbirn is a darkly magical world I’m both drawn to and frightened by. In short, this is a book I could linger in for months, with three girls I am rooting for with all my heart.” ―Megan Shepherd, New York Times bestselling author of The Cage series
★ “With exquisite world building and luminous detail, this is high fantasy at its best. The magic is fierce and the plot intensely twisted, but at this novel’s dark heart beats a story about sisterhood, the unbreakable bonds of family, and ties that bind enough to kill.” ―Booklist (starred review)
★ “The opener to a pitch-black epic fantasy series. Blake has constructed an insular, matriarchal society from convincing intimate details, vivid, complicated characters, [and] sumptuous, poetic prose. Gorgeous and bloody, tender and violent, precise, and passionate; above all, completely addicting. ” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“I loved this book. Blake’s Three Dark Crowns is hypnotic, twisting, and beautiful…as satisfying as a drop of poison in an enemy’s cup.” ―April Genevieve Tucholke, author of Wink, Poppy, Midnight
“Readers will be riveted by Blake’s ingenious world-building, stunning developments of main and supporting characters, and spiraling tensions. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy action thrillers with strong female leads, such as Victoria Aveyard’s ‘Red Queen’ and Sarah J. Maas’s ‘Throne of Glass’ series.” ―School Library Journal
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About Kendare Blake
Kendare Blake is the author of several novels and short stories, most of which you can find information about via the links above. Her work is sort of dark, always violent, and features passages describing food from when she writes while hungry. She was born in July (for those of you doing book reports) in Seoul, South Korea, but doesn’t speak a lick of Korean, as she was packed off at a very early age to her adoptive parents in the United States. That might be just an excuse, though, as she is pretty bad at learning foreign languages. She enjoys the work of Milan Kundera, Caitlin R Kiernan, Bret Easton Ellis, Richard Linklater, and the late, great Michael Jackson, I mean, come on, he gave us Thriller.
She lives and writes in Kent, Washington, with her husband, their cat son Tyrion Cattister, red Doberman dog son Obi-Dog Kenobi, rottie mix dog daughter Agent Scully, and naked sphynx cat son Armpit McGee.
Julie
The Descent, maybe? I don’t watch too much horror.
Deanne Patterson
The Jigsaw movie.
sherry fundin
My mind always goes to Phantom of the Opera. Watched it when I was a kid and my siblings and I all ended up scared to death in my parents bed. lol
sherry @ fundinmental
Sandra Watts
I don’t know. I watch so many horror movies. They are my absolute favorite. Maybe Jeruzalem might have had some parts in it that were creepy.
joannatoxy
Great post! I need to read some of these!
Jessica
Well I would have to say that the scariest horror movie I watched when I was little was Steven King’s It but we rewatched it before the new one came out and I had to really think about why this looked so bad when I was 7 lol.
steph y
I’m not a fan of scary movies. Scary book I like though.