Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake

Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake
Buy Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Teens
Reviewer: Olivia Tierney
Summary: Another stunning book in the dark riveting Three Dark Crowns series. Prepare to return to Blake's intriguing world and the sisters readers love, but be warned, the fate of Fennbirn island has never been in more peril and only the queens can discover how to save their people from imminent danger.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 464	Date: October 2018
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-1509876495
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You cannot put on a costume and become something else. You are a queen of Fennbirn island.

Following on from Three Dark Crowns and its sequel One Dark Throne, in Two Dark Reigns each of the Goddess' daughters have their own battles to fight. All her life, Katharine has dreamed of being the great Queen the island of Fennbirn deserves. Having won the crown though, she is facing trial after difficult trial and murmurs of dissent and revolution grow louder on the streets each and every day. And without evidence of her sisters' death does anyone but herself and the old queens buried under her skin, believe she is the one true Queen?

Meanwhile, Mirabella and Arsinoe, having survived the storm, are in hiding. But it seems that even on the mainland they cannot truly escape the Goddess and her island. Plagued by nightmare visions of the fabled Blue Queen who ominously points across the sea towards their homeland, her message to the sisters is clear: they must return to Fennbirn. But there is another queen lying in wait, to steal the crown as the people believe is her birth right. For Jules, with both the naturalist and war gift, could be the legion-cursed queen with enough power and a strong enough army at her back to usurp the rightful line of queens.

But another danger threatens the island: the mist that once protected the island has become deadly and minute by minute it creeps ever closer inland leaving bodies in its wake. None but the Blue Queen know its true history and understand what the price for destroying it will be. As the island once more welcomes the sisters, tensions will rise, and the fate of each queen will be decided for better or for worse.

The absolute guarantee with the Three Dark Crowns series is beautiful writing and it has put Blake's books firmly on my 'must read as soon as possible' list. It has the power to hold your full attention even when there is little action, and what Blake's latest addition to the series lacks in action, it makes up for with character development. That, I believe, is the main focus and the main selling point of Two Dark Reigns. When a threat reaches the island, we see each of the sisters rise up to meet the challenge of defending their people. It is incredible to compare the young sisters at the beginning of the series in Three Dark Queens and at the conclusion of the third novel. They have grown so much stronger, in resolve, ability, and confidence. No longer are they plagued by the same weaknesses and no longer are they victims of fate, instead they are each determined to be the master of their own destinies with or without their magical abilities. It's empowering to read.

I really loved the layers of history that were woven into the story, the legend of the Blue Queen added another mystery to the island's history and I can't wait for my questions to be answered in the next book. But Two Dark Reigns is so much more: within its pages there is political manoeuvring, grief, forgiveness, redemption, love, friendship and, at its heart, the strength of sisterhood. I cannot recommend this series enough.

Addictive and dark, this series continues to capture readers and as the series nears its final conclusion, nothing is secure and no one is safe. For nothing comes without sacrifice as Blake has shown time and time again.

In terms of further reading, The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner is an enchanting magical realism novel revolving around the strong bond between sisters. Alternatively, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik is an exceptional fairy-tale inspired read which you will enjoy from one page to the next.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake at Amazon.com.

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