The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

The Bitter Kingdom

by Rae Carson  

 

The epic conclusion to Rae Carson's Fire and Thorns trilogy. The seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen will travel into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny.

Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most.

 

(summary from goodreads.com)

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I just love this series! Great characters, tense and dramatic and romantic and yet still funny at the perfect times. I love how Elisa is strong and independent and not an idiot - SO many, WAY too many heroines in books are kind of helpless idiots. I hate that. I love the Mula and the further development of both Storm and Mara. I love the ending and … darn, no spoilers. Hmm. Well, I love what her "act of service" ended up being and how much she did all on her own. I love her acceptance of who she was both mentally and physically. This is a fun series with a strong and empowering heroine. I hope there are more books in this world so we can see cameos of the characters I've grown to love. Give Red her own series! It would be awesome.

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: yes; Profanity: no; Sex: yes, some discussion with a couple "fade to blacks"