Three Dark Crowns #1 Three Dark Crowns

Presenting Three Dark Crowns #1 Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake.

Here is the summary of the book:

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.

REVIEW ==

Three Crowns. Three Sisters. A mysterious island. A vicious duel to declare the Queen Crowned and the general bloodbath. This is the story of Katherine, Arsinoe and Mirabella. Sisters. Queens. Each said to possess three separate gifts and raised since infancy to .... well fight it out. I have been a fan of Kendare Blake's words since 'Anna Dressed in Blood' and damn do i say this book is another milestone of her pen.

Decidedly dark and a little creepy. Three Dark Crowns divides the story into three points of views. Namely, Katherine (Poisoner), Arsinoe (Naturalist) and Mirabella (Elemental). One can digest any poison without breaking a sweat, one can bloom any flower with just a nudge and the last one capable of controlling the elements. Of course two of them are faking it. And obviously political and conspiratorial influences are not far behind.

All three stories or better yet point of views tells three separate stories and respect for the author for keeping the characters separate, beautifully meshing together in a crescendo of a revelation. Some very much unexpected and surprisingly well placed. Since this book hasn't released yet, so I well endeavor to keep what I tell next spoiler fee. Although I will say this that while the three POVs are equally distributed it still felt that Arsinoe and Mirabella's stories took center stage and Katherine's lost its shine after an epic first chapter.

Throughout the story it is said that Mirabella is the strongest and ruthless. It seems she does have a soft side. Where each groups raise each of the Queen to kill her opponent sisters but she seems to still old a particular regard for them. Although I will say this the part of Mirabella and Joseph really brought down the story for me. So it gets a few stars less.

Arsinoe on the other hand maybe the weakest of them all but her leap before looking attitude maybe he best quality and felt a tad reckless. As well as Katherine's struggles with her fare share but as the story progresses, evolves into a consummate poised Queen, charming to boot. Her chapters were definitely my favorite and the most dark.

While Katherine doesn't get much spotlight it looks like she will in the next book. So i'm very excite to see what happens next. Kendare Blake does has a flare for the dramatics. There is a constant tug-of-war of ideals and powers, the added drama, romance, politics and out-of-bounds conspiracy afoot.

This is only the first book o the series and while the stated negatives put me a bit off. I will definitely be on the look out for he sequel.

"A darkly enticing series debut"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, High Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: 20th September, 2016

My Copy: publisher & edelweiss

Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Other Books by the Author (review link):
                 Anna #1 Anna Dressed in Blood 
                 Anna #2 Girl of Nightmares

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Anna #2 Girl of Nightmares

Presenting Anna #2 Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake.

Here is the summary of the book:

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.


Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.


Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

Begins where 'Anna Dressed in Blood' left off. And must say 'Girl of Nightmares' is a change of pace. Wherein the first book, Anna Korlov throughly spooked us with her vicious after life tendencies, at the end saving Cas and his friends lives against the Obeman..... And don't forget the effort Cas put in catching her.... it was definitely the perfect Halloween read..... But what progressed was the point that never sits well with me..... the romance between a ghost and a living being.

Still Girl of Nightmares was a change of pace purely because Cas is not hunting ghosts this time but answers.He knows Anna is in hell or wherever the knife sends them but so is the Obeman and he wants to get her out of there.

While the change of pace puts the spook factor to a lower degree but what I liked of this book was that we found out more about Cas' history or more probably on that of the knife and just how dangerous it actually was. Kendare Blake presents a much subdued and calm finale to her ghostly saga..... but worry not you will find all the ghosts, secret societies and action you desire out of this book.

"An intense unraveling and action-packed finale"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, Horror, Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release Date: 7th August, 2012

My Copy: bought (ebook)

Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Books in the series (review link):
                 #1 Anna Dressed in Blood

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Anna #1 Anna Dressed in Blood

Presenting Anna #1 Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake.

Here is the summary of the book:

Cas Lowood, armed with his late father's athame knife, kills ghosts. In Thunder Bay, Anna, forever 16, drips blood on her white dress from throat slit in 1958, and rips apart anyone who enters her house - except Cas. He makes new friends - high school queen Carmel, jock Will, admiring nerd Thomas and Tom's voodoo grandpa Morfran - to fight this demon.

Ghost Stories. Now you all know I don't read this sub-genre very much except every now and then when I get a craving for it (man i'm making it sound like food aren't I *wink*)..... but yes whenever I do I find books with the ultimate factor, they should be scary enough.... And Kendare Blake's Anna Dressed in Blood fills the criteria rather well (and that's saying something since I was reading it after midnight *shivers).

Theseus Cassio Lowood. A rather mouthful of a name, so i'll use Cas (just like the characters). Born and brought up in a very unconventional family. Mom's a white witch and Dad was the killer of the undead, until he was killed by the ghost or thing he was hunting..... resulting in Cas inheriting the ghost hunting business ever since he was 14 years of age, killing already dead people or rather the echo they leave behind in cases of violent or gruesome deaths.

Why do these ghosts stay behind? Why can't they find rest in the after life? What prompts them to kill? What happens when Cas kills a ghost with his athame? Just where do they go? Questions Cas never asked. Questions Cas had never had to ask, not until he went to Thunder Bay and met Anna Korlov - Anna Dressed in Blood.

A deadly, dangerous and very much murderous. Tied to the house she died in. Slit at the throat and covered in blood. And nobody has lived to tell the tale. Just imagine a pale echo with inky black hair floating and white party dress stained and dripping with blood. She does not take kindly to guests at all....... ripping out their innards *shivers*.

And Cas was rather fantastically written too wasn't he. Strong and aloof. He understands ghost hunting is a deadly endeavor and could get you killed but meeting Anna changes not only him but us as well. Just when we thought we knew Anna. Things unravel. And you just can't help but feel the utmost pity for her..... She did not...... scratch that nobody deserves to die like Anna.

Kendare Blake sure cannot a tale of the ages. This has everything a horror reads needs to flourish. Dark atmosphere. The deadly vengeful ghosts. The blood and gore and the vivid and brutal description of all things ghostly..... looking forward to begin Girl of Nightmares now.

"Look no further than Anna's for the horror you are looking for"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal, Horror, Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release Date: 30th August, 2011

My Copy: bought (ebook)

Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository