[Lisa’s Review:] The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and Ash #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

She's been the victim and the survivor...

Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she's found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It's a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers.

The enemy and the warrior...

Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms' dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy's head.

A lover and heartmate...

But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible—travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself. And as shocking secrets and the harshest betrayals come to light, and enemies emerge to threaten everything Poppy and Casteel have fought for, they will discover just how far they are willing to go for their people—and each other.

And now she will become Queen...

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

If you are debating whether or not to read this book, you must be new to the gang. In that case, please abort mission, clear your schedule (for the next seventy-two+ hours), get some coffee, put your hair in a bun and grab From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash #1). If you did read the first two books, you don’t need me to tell you to read this one, but:

The Crown of Gilded Bones picks up right after the events of A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, and it does so with a massive freaking bang. Fair warning, you might think you’re ready for this; trust me, you’re not. It’s hands down the best book I’ve read in a very, very, very long time and definitely one of Jen’s best books to date.

On a quest to find out about her past, Poppy continues to evolve and grow in this one, the fire we know and love burning as brightly as ever. Her character developed kicked-off in From Blood and Ash full-speed, and hasn’t slowed down since. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it over and over again – I freaking adore our red-headed murderous little creature. Of course, Cas is never too far behind her, the two of them facing whatever the world has in store for them side by side. As for their relationship: there literally are no words. If you’re not already in love with the two of them as a couple, you will be after this one. From playful banter and teasing to gentle forehead kisses and steamy encounters in showers – this one has it all.

The plot is well-paced, laced with action, angst, humor, betrayal, and has twists and turns around every corner; one thing’s for sure – there is no boring second, ever. The world-building continues to be as mindblowing as in the first two books. Jen once again taking the time to walk us through the world on the other side of the mountains. A balanced mix of new and old secondary characters adds the little extra to the story – making this THE book to pick up this spring. In Cas’ words: brace yourself.

Lisa

Hi! I’m Lisa. I’m twenty-three, a college student and a book lover. I spend every free minute, and most of my lectures, reading all kinds of books, which is how I ended up here. While I particularly enjoy books of the young and new adult variety, I also love historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, all things romance, and one or the other classic as well. If I’m not reading, I’m either working, sleeping, binge-watching my newest obsession on Netflix, or on my way to Starbucks, to satisfy my slight caffeine addiction.