Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Title: Three Dark Crowns

(Three Dark Crowns #1)
Author: Kendare Blake
Length: 416 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Source: e-galley via Edelweiss (Thank you, Harper Teen!)

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.

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***I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review***

Three Dark Crowns was my first book by Kendare Blake and definitely not my last! I was extremely excited to read this book and I am glad that I ended up really liking it! 

Three Dark Crowns starts off slowly. The Reader is introduced to the three sisters, one at a time. It was a little hard for me to remember which characters were with which sister, but as the story progressed it became easier for me to remember which characters interacted with which sisters. And even though I read the first part of the story slowly, I was still entranced by the dark writing. I knew I wanted to find out what was going to happen. 

I really liked the world-building in this book I think that it is very creative. I found the three different magics that the sisters and other characters have to be very fascinating. I found the world to be dark and twisted, but also completely interesting. 

I really liked reading about each of the queens. I liked all three for different reasons. Katharine has been through so much and I felt so bad for her. She has a strong soul. Arsinoe is stubborn and determined. Mirabella is strong and has a very caring heart. I care about each of the sisters so it was impossible for me to decide which sister was my favorite. I loved the relationships and interactions the sisters had with their foster families and friends. 

I LOVED the last quarter of the story. I became completely hooked and I couldn't put it down. There was so much going on and I wasn't sure what was going to happen. And what an ending! I think the ending was surprising and I cannot wait to find out what happens in the next book!

My Recommendation:

I recommend reading it! I think Three Dark Crowns is a fascinatingly dark story. I enjoyed the world-building and the characters. I was completely entranced by the different magics. The grim darkness seeps off the page and kept me curious about what would happen next. I did find this book to start off pretty slowly but I was completely captivated by the last quarter of the story and couldn't put the book down. I really enjoyed reading Three Dark Crowns and I am already excited for the next book!

My Rating: