Book Recommendation: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Just finished re-reading the three Graceling books. This was my second time reading Bitterblue. They are all amazing. Still think Graceling is the best. Then Fire. Then Bitterblue. While I didn't enjoy Bitterblue the same way I enjoyed the first two, I still loved it so much. The writing is perfect. The characters adorable and loveable. And the story is extremely good. Just a tiny bit boring and long in this third book. But it was also the book with the most horror. And I enjoyed that. Just, not enough action.

Bitterblue is an amazing book. I loved re-reading it. While it is very, very slow at times, it is also very enjoyable. I did love every part of the book. And I did feel like it was necessary for it to be slow at times. Because time needed to pass. Even when I didn't want it to. I don't like it when time passes. But that's the thing about these books; living where there is just horses. It takes ages to travel. And I sort of adored that. Kind of. When it didn't keep my favorite people apart :) I seem to dislike those parts ;p

This book is about Bitterblue. Leck's daughter. The little princess that Po and Katsa saved in Graceling. Back then she was just ten, but now she's eighteen. And the Queen of Monsea. Being Queen for a broken kingdom is not easy for Bitterblue. She doesn't know what to do about it all. At first she believes there is nothing wrong with the kingdom or the people. She's been missinformed. All she does all day long is paperwork. And she's getting pretty tired of it. So one night she sneaks out.

Which truly is the best thing she has done. She starts doing it often, mostly every night. She meets a few new people. Some amazing people. Like Saf. And Teddy and Tilda and Bren. They are all so amazing. And we get to know them so well. I adored Saf and Teddy. Saf is the love interest. Tilda and Bren is the sisters of Saf and Teddy. They are adorable as well. Thing is, Bitterblue lies to them all about who she is. That creates a whole lot of problems. But it needed to be done. And I enjoyed it ;p

There is so many characters in this book. Bitterblue. Who I adored. She may not be perfect, but she's so great, still. She's kind. And sweet. And broken. But also strong. I adored her. She's a great Queen. Then there is the people working for her; her advisors. Like Thiel and Runnemood. I disliked them a whole lot. Evil people. But I also felt so sorry for them, because I understood them, and they had been tortured so much by Leck. For 35 years. It was all so horrible to learn. But also so perfect.

Other people who work at the castle is Helda, who also worked for Katsa. She's so kind and sweet. She's also not stupid, which they do seem to think. lol :) I liked her a lot. Then there is Madlen; their healer. She was also really sweet. Liked her. There is also Death. The librarian. I liked him very much. He was awesome. Also adored his cat; Lovejoy ;) Then there was this girl named Fox. I never liked her. Ugh. There was also Hava; who I did like reading about :) She had an amazing Grace.

Then, of course, there was Po and Katsa. They will forever be my favorite characters. Well, okay, mostly Po :D But I love Katsa as well. Bitterblue loves them. And I adored that. They aren't that much in this book, and I was a bit upset about that. Especially because they were mostly apart :( In the past as well. But always a couple, thank god. They are the most perfect couple. And they love each other so much. Sigh. There need to be another book about them. And another about Bitterblue.

Po is amazing. He does have a big part in this book, kind of. They need his Grace a few times :) But oh. I mostly hurt for Po in Bitterblue. He isn't with Katsa much. And he's in pain so often. All the time. He gets sick, and it's not nice, because Katsa isn't there. Grrr. Do not approve. And he gets punched in the face. Twice. By Giddon and Skye. Sniffs. I might understand them for doing so, but why must they punch Po? He does not deserve more pain. It isn't fair, not really. Adore him so much.

We also got more of Giddon in this book. And I actually liked him. Which I didn't in the first one. Okay, I hated him for punching Po. But I liked him at other times. He was a great friend for Bitterblue. I wonder if he could be her love interest in the next book. If there ever is one. But I don't want him to be. I want Saf. But, okay, I might be fine with Giddon. But it isn't fair to just take away Saf after having given him to us. Not fair at all. Still. I did like Giddon. Really :) He was pretty nice. I also felt sorry for him o.O

Then there was Raffin and Bann. They were adorable together. I loved Raffin. He'll make a great King someday. Really wish to see that in a new book :) There is too many characters in this book to mention. So I won't talk about more of them ;p Hih. Felt like I have written about them for ages. But I needed to. Because they are adorable. All of them. And I need more. So much more. But now, now I must talk some plot. But not too much. It will also hurt me to think about it. Sniffs. So much heartbreak.

First I wish to talk about the romance. The romance in this book is sweet. It is too little. I wished there had been more. But it is also real. Bitterblue and Sapphire is amazing together. And I adore Saf. Okay, he might have been an asshole at times. But I didn't blame him. Just wished he had forgiven her sooner. And wish he hadn't left at the end. Which I shouldn't be telling you. But it's kind of awful. Bitterblue ends without having solved the romance issue. It is UNFAIR. And I need to know what happens.

I need to have Saf and Bitterblue together. They are perfect with each other. Even though it can probably never be, as he doesn't want to be a Prince/King, whatever he would become after marrying Bitterblue. Still. I adored him. He's a Graceling, with purple eyes. He seemed adorable. And he's Grace is perfect. So sweet. Won't say what it is, because I did like learning about it. Just, sigh. I wish the romance had been better. With a better ending. There must be a sequel to Bitterblue. There must be.

The plot in this book is pretty amazing. While it is boring at times, it is also amazing. I won't say much about it. Just that there is a lot of murders. And a lot of awful past. There is also this big mystery that I liked, and I liked figuring out the answers. We get to learn so much more about Leck. About what he did in the 35 years that he was King. I don't know how to feel. My heart is broken. Because he was awful. So awful. He did so many disgusting things and cruel things. But, he did them because he was crazy. He seemed to have a reason for doing things like that. Made it even worse, to be honest.

We get to read some of his own personal journals. Some things were awful. But I also felt that some things weren't awful enough. I'm weird like that. I'm also crazy for wanting to read all those thirty five journals. I want them. And that must make me crazy. But I'm curious. And I sort of like horror books. And I adore this world. Anyway. Leck was goddamn awful. Perfect villain, though. Even though he's dead, and have been dead for eight years. He still causes so much pain for everyone.

A lot of things does happen in this book. And I did enjoy reading about it all. I loved hearing more about the Dells, from Fire. It was amazing. But, yeah, the best pages of this book was the last 100 pages. Also the most heartbreaking ones. Sniffs. There is so much pain in this book. So much heartbreak. But there is also happy moments. Amazing moments. I adored what happened between Saf and Bitterblue on the bridge. Favorite moment in this book. But then the heartbreak when he left.

I hated that Saf left at the end of Bitterblue. I'm not sure how to feel about it. I need a sequel to this book. I need to know what happens with Bitterblue. Who she must marry. And I need to know that Saf will come back. I need them together. Biggest wish for future book. Pretty please, Kristin? <3 All I wish. Okay, now I kind of lied. Biggest biggest wish is a new book with just Po and Katsa. But that probably won't happen, so I'll wish for more Bitterblue and Saf ;) And more Po and Katsa. <3 I need it all.

There isn't more to say about this book, truly. I'm pretty sure I have said it all. lol :) Okay, not really. But you should know that Bitterblue is an amazing book. And you need to read it. After you have read Graceling and Fire :) Those first. I loved Bitterblue. It has romance, perfect characters, amazing writing, stunning plot. I adored reading more about this perfect world that Kristin has created. I need more of it. Anyway. I loved reading this book :) And I cannot wait for more. There must be more. <3

My first and very bad review of Graceling. My first and bad review of Fire. My slightly better review of Bitterblue. My first sucky book recommendation of Graceling. Also. It has teasers. Perfect teasers. You must see those. They are the best. Where to buy them all. My new, perfect, book rec of Graceling. 

My new, perfect, book rec of Fire. 

I also have a blogoversary giveaway going at the moment. Where you can win a paperback copy of Graceling. Trust me, you want it. You can enter that one here. :)

Update: Newer and better review of the book can be found here.