Seriously, if I was a fictional character in one of these books, I would totally take up a sword for her, that is how awesome she is. I am not sure if this is a new trend (see: Allegiant) but I do not mind it at all.If you love books where it’s the journey that is important, you will love reading about Elisa’s final and most important quest. Also, The Bitter Kingdom is unique from the previous two books because alternating with Elisa’s narration is Hector’s narration. AND HORSES! Basically, all my check boxes of things that I like are ticked. There’s this mistrust there with Storm, but it turns out he is a pretty competent guide! ALSO! There are new characters, including a small child who is not at all annoying but will totally melt your heart.

Elisa assembles a team to go beyond enemy lines to fetch Hector – including Storm, the Invierno she went on that whole godstone quest with. His kidnappers will find that there will be hell for them to pay. Y’all, do not mess with pissed off women. Remember how at the end of Crown Of Embers, Hector got kidnapped by the Inviernos? Okay, so in the beginning of The Bitter Kingdom, Elisa is freaking pissed. Rae Carson certainly gives Elisa one hell of a sendoff though. I know this review is a bit more subdued to start than my usual flaily armed reviews, but I am feeling somber and sad that a series I’ve been fangirling and pushing my friends to read is over. On the other hand there comes the realization that you can only read a book for the very first time once and I am thrilled that I chose the best possible time to read The Bitter Kingdom, a few weeks before BEA. On the one hand, I am so angry with myself for holding off so long finishing Elisa’s journey. I held off on reading it until May, just before BEA.

Do you ever delay gratification with a book? I mean, let’s say you feel like you have been waiting forever for a sequel to come into your hot little hands and you finally get it several months ahead of the publishing date, but you just wait because you desperately do not want the story to end, you want to pretend the characters go on and on and on in their lives with adventures and romance and magic? Friends, I had Rae Carson’s The Bitter Kingdom in my hot little hands in March.

Rae carson the bitter kingdom