A review by beckyyreadss
The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I wanted to read this book because I had seen it all over the book communty and everyone has been raving about it. I don’t usually struggle with fantasy – maybe the first book, but I still cannot connect with this book or these characters. 

This book still follows Poppy and she never dreamed she could find the love she has 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 of them dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed and 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. However, 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. 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 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.  

Okay, so I think this book started off stronger than the last two books and that made me so damn excited, I thought we’ve finally got over the rut and we are here to party. Kieran is still the only character I can appreciate, and we did get some storyline out of it towards the end.   

The book still slightly drove me nuts though. We had some action in the beginning, some action at the end but the middle part was just soooooooo slowwwww. It managed to grip you for a bit and then it lost me again. I am getting sick of the inside jokes and the same shit about Poppy being stabby and asking a lot of questions like she has been thrusted into this world of course she is going to have questions. Also I'm starting to hate the whole “chosen one” and she has all the powers bullshit. Like if there is a found family in this book surely the team should have the powers split between them rather than Poppy being this God and unbeatable person because she still gets beaten every single book. Also I really wanted for Casteel to “lose control” during the spicy chapters he just kept saying he was in control but he wanted to lose control with her and that he was eating her like we get it.  

The only reason why this didn’t get a lower rating was because of the last chapter and the mystery about why Poppy is the way she is. This author does have a way of making you want to read the next book, which right now I slightly hate because I was about to give up on this series and then the ending happened, and the next book is in my amazon basket. I hate it. 
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