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jcqb09 's review for:
The Crown of Embers
by Rae Carson
He says, "I won't kiss you again."
My vision wavers and the world tilts beneath my feet. I won't kiss you again. Humberto said the same thing to me once. It prophetic, for he died not long after.
Hector is turning his back, walking away from me. How can he, when my head still swims with his words and my skin still hums with his touch? When my heart feels as jagged as Godstone shards?
Something wells up inside me. Desperation, maybe, that I have loved and lost yet again. Or terror; people have a tendency to die after kissing me.
But no, neither of those. It's rage.
I clench my fists and yell, "Hector!"
He whips around.
"You were never, never, going to be just a diversion to me."
He sighs, nodding. "That was unfair of me," he says. "I'm sorr-"
"And you will kiss me again. That and more. Count on it."
His mouth slams closed, and his eyes flare like a starving man's.
I whirl and stride away.
Ladies and gentlemen, my favorite scene in the book. Elisa and Hector's relationship is so perfect.
I read [b:The Girl of Fire and Thorns|10429092|The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns, #1)|Rae Carson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1323448113s/10429092.jpg|13282366] a long time ago, and I had all but entirely forgotten everything about it. I remembered enough to get the gist of this book, allowing me to enjoy it as immensely as I did. With the way the aforementioned novel ended, this book could've started the series; the slate was cleared basically.
I LOVED THE CHARACTERS WITH A BURNING PASSION. All of them had very likeable qualities that made the book all the better. Mara was such a sisterly figure to Elisa, talking with her about just about everything. Tristan was enduringly loyal, along with all of the other characters. Hector is self-explanatory; being an agreeable love interest was reason enough for me to like him. But I also liked how protective he was of Elisa. My favorite character was Storm. I don't really know why.... Who am I kidding, yes I do. I love the characters that are cocky and confident and basically just hold themselves in a higher regard than the others. And Storm fit all of these qualities, making me laugh every time he made a superior-sounding comment. The only character I didn't like was Ximena. SHE LIKE SACRIFICED HECTOR. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?? LEAVE PLEASE. And leave she did. I'm glad that Elisa dismissed her, because I don't know if I could take more of her deceitfulness.
Since I don't really remember the last book, I'm not sure if this is accurate, but I feel like Elisa's character developed more in this book. I loved her powerful and - despite her claims - self-assured personality. Her decision in the end to save Storm by sacrificing the zafira didn't hurt, either. *wink*
I hope that in the next book, they save Hector and he stops being a righteous and honorable person long enough to admit that he loves Elisa and is willing to be open about that and not be made that she engaged them without his consent and they live happily ever after.