Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.

Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.

Jillian’s Review:

I've been looking forward to this one since I read The Girl of Fire and Thorns last year and The Crown of Embers did not disappoint! This is a really great story, with a more magical element, awesome characters and tons of action... and even some romance. I wasn't happy how weak Elisa was after winning a war in the previous story, but it worked for the most part. The only negative is that I CAN NOT WAIT for book three and yet, I have to. :( AH-MAZING!!

 

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one.
But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.
Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.
And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.
Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.
Most of the chosen do.

Jillian’s Review:

I’m so excited to review this novel because I LOVED it and I’m a picky reader so it’s difficult for me to really love a book. I loved everything about this book: the warm setting, the beautifully detailed descriptions, and the wonderfully realistic people. It was beautiful.

I LOVED that poor Elisa feels like a fat, dumpy, disappointment of a princess, not to mention a failure as the bearer of the Godstone. Elisa is amazingly strong but she doesn’t know it until she travels through a scorching desert and heads a band of war-ravaged people. She has so much growth in this story, more so than the average YA novel, but even from the beginning she’s lovable and endearing.

This was a rich story with just a hint of fantasy, which made the ending a bit over-the-top. That being said, it was still a phenomenal read. If you read one book this year, make it this one.