Two Dark Reigns audiobook

OMG...the madnessLike it's predecessors, I consumed this book. Just to change it up, I'll do character rankings rather than just sister rankings.Character Rankings:Katharine ≈ Arsinoe > Billy ≈ Mirabella ≈ Pietyr > Jules >>> Emilia First off, congratulations to Mirabella and Jules for stepping out of the role of my least favorite character(s). But it's not much of a surprise when Emilia Vatros is literally one of the most annoying, over-bearing characters of this entire series. She acts as though she knows what is best for Jules and constantly, not so subtlely, insisting that she lead the rebellion against the queen line because it is her destiny, and she should just accept that it's her job to lead these efforts she literally had no idea about until now. And she also seems to dislike Jules' close relationship with Arsinoe, to which I say: BACK THE F*** UP! Relationships: Billy & Arsione"I can't believe you almost let me go with Jules and Mira. Why didn't you ask me to stay?""I didn't think of it. And I figured you were still angry?""Is that it? Or are you just trying to politely get rid of me? You keep trying to leave me behind; should I be taking the hint?""No, I-""Because I don't want to keep on where I'm not wanted.""Of course, I-" She growls in frustration, and they are both suddenly very aware she is still holding the knife that Jules gave her."What are you going to do?" he asks. "Gut me?""Of course not. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what lies at the top of that mountain. But I do know that it's all for the hope of something else. A future somewhere, with you. And I'm sorry I can't say that when I'm not holding you at knifepoint. All right?""All right," he says, and grins.Billy and Arsinoe's relationship does hit a quite a few bumps in the road throughout this book. One major one being Billy's mother and her relentless efforts to marry him off to a traditional mainland girl. Others being Arsinoe's intrinsic habit of keeping secrets and each of them feeling somewhat out of place in the other's world. But despite it all, they continue to hold on and fight for each other. Never truly letting anything come between them. Pietyr & Katharine"Do you trust me, Kat?"She looks up at him in surprise. "Of course I do.""Even after..." he says, and looks down in shame. "Even after," she says, and smiles. It's odd really. Katharine and Pietyr are both people who most others would've surely walked away from. What with Pietyr pushing the girl he claimed to love down a horrid abyss, a Katharine being possessed by murderous queens that force her into killing against her will. Most girls would never forgive Pietyr, let alone trust him. But Katharine does. And most boys would've taken running for the hills to escape the trail of bodies Katharine seems to leave in her wake. But Pietyr doesn't. Arsinoe & MirabellaNo longer twisted by the demands of the crown and those around them, these two have returned to their roots. Two sisters just trying to find their place in a world in which they can never truly belong. Mirabella steps right back into her role as a big sister. Looking after Arsinoe and making sure no one, not even Billy, ever has the chance to hurt her. But despite all her efforts Mirabella is not able to keep Arsinoe, or herself, from returning to the island.Billy & MirabellaThese two have become quite the pair of friends. There is clearly a mutual understanding and respect between them now, and the pair constantly work together in an attempt to care for and protect Arsinoe. Arsinoe & JulesNo matter what has come to past, these two are still best friends. Ride-or-die. So when Arsinoe returns to the island and finds out Jules has taken on the title of Legion Queen. She does not question it. She stands by her friend and supports her, just as Jules has always done for her. Mirabella & JulesPreviously, rivals at best and enemies at worst, these two have found common ground. That being their love and devotion to Arsinoe. They've set aside their differences and are both working for the greater. But by books end, their paths have yet again diverged and only time with tell what becomes of their tenuous ceasefire. How I felt about how things ended for the trio by books end: Arsinoe: Mirabella: Katharine:

The devil works hard but Kendare blake works harder. bECAUSE THAT ENDING. BYE. I CANT LIVE LIKE THISI WAS PLANNING TO DO A REVIEW BUT I CANT. NOPE BYE

Pre-review: OMG (view spoiler)[what will happen to the queens after they escape to the mainland? And what is the 'mainland' actually like? Different countries sprawling across the land or just one kingdom? Plus are the queens' parents really still alive? (I highly doubt it, though) Is it even possible that Julie is a Warrior Queen? What is the unexpected rebellion anyway? (hide spoiler)] I can't wait!Secondly, allow me to pimp my Three Dark Crowns fanart:(link: https://www.deviantart.com/vampirekik...)["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

SO GOOD!!WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the previous two books of the series.This series honestly just keeps getting better. It's so dark and twisted now! I was not expecting such fantastically macabre things from a ya fantasy about competitive queens. So the third book opens with a mini history lesson, which was fun. I love when we get dark pasts that affect the present. That historical thread was probably one of my favourite aspects of this novel. It made the whole story level up and created a new, intriguing dynamic. I was so frustrated for Arsinoe that it took so long to convince people she wasn't just dreaming. It should just be common knowledge that if you dream something more than once you need to accept it as the message it inevitably is. At the end of the second book, here's where we stand: -Mirabella, Arsinoe and Billy are on the mainland-Jules is with the war-gifted-Katherine is queen and possessed by innumerable dead queen spirits-Pietryr still has the worst name in the whole book and I'll never remember how to spell it. Oh, and he's still Kat's right-hand man. Even though it's his fault she's possessed. I don't get that. *shrugs*Arsinoe on the mainland is hilarious. She's definitely my favourite queen because she grumbles about everything, hates wearing dresses, and refuses to show affection. She's basically me. Billy is devoted to her no matter what, and it's interesting to see the interaction between his family and the exiled queens but it doesn't pack much of a punch. It's mostly just filler - a diversion before we get to the good stuff. I thoroughly enjoyed imagining the tea parties, though. I've always loved Mira's feisty-ness but it seems paled a little here. Possibly because, on the mainland, her powers are somewhat muted. It's like she's lost a little piece of herself, and I liked how that was reflected in her behaviour. It made me a little sad, though.Katherine is becoming more and more badass and I love it but I wish she'd embrace it more. She's still trying to Do The Right Thing but she's got these evil queens circling around inside her so things keep going awry. I kinda wish she'd just accept it and go total Evil Queen. I guess it's good that there's hope for redemption, though. *sigh*Jules is being recruited to lead a rebellion which is a fun surprise! She's pretty tough so it's interesting to see how she approaches the suggestion and still maintains her integrity. Sort of. Camden is kinda my favourite part of Jules, though. I'm just so jealous because I want my own mountain cat to be my bff and claw my enemies to shreds when they deserve it. I love the animals in this book. I want an exotic pet.Peitiryr of the Terrible Name is still an annoying little brown-noser who is more of a lapdog than an equal. I honestly don't know what Kat sees in him. Also if I, as a reader, am supposed to be enamoured with this guy? Honestly the only fella I'm digging in this series is Billy, and even he doesn't have quite enough pull to make me swoon. Piet- you know what, I'm just gonna call him P-Diddy- P-Diddy spends most of this book running around telling Kat what to do but backing down meekly when she objects. I just do not like that guy. Not one bit. Did I mention the series is getting darker? I mean, there are some gruesome things, and people die and stuff. It can get messy. I LOVE that. I'm such a psycho. But I love that this is so dark and twisted and nothing is safe and I have absolutely no idea how this is going to end. Not a clue. There was less magic in this one but I feel like that aspect was just the calm before the storm, and I sense the final book is going to be one epic finale. I'm so excited for magical showdowns. I love the way this series is written. It always takes me a few pages to get into the present tense, but once I'm there it's such an easy read. There's always something happening.This series isn't slowing down and I'll be anxiously awaiting the fourth book! In the meantime I'll have to track down the short stories.With massive thanks to Pan MacMillan Australia for my advanced copy!

What I want from this book: for Madrigal to die please :)

Reread 20.10.2019I did not remember that this ended like this. I’m so glad I have the final book waiting for me on my bookshelf. I’m loving this series so much that I really hope the ending is satisfying.First read 12.9.2018Um excuse me how dare you end it like that? Me probably gonna die here slowly while I’m waiting for the last book to come out.

It took me a week to finish this book, because it couldn’t keep me interested. 😁 It was ok, but the action was a little bit confusing. I’m really curious how the fourth book is gonna be. Because the title of the fourth book gives nothing. I mean... so far, I understood why there was a pattern: 1st book - 3 queens fighting for the crown; 2nd book - 1 crowned queen; 3rd book 2 queens fighting but the last book has a 5 in its title. 5 queens? Impossible... 4 yeah... considering that Jules is now considered a queen. But the 5th?! I really want to know what’s happening in this one. 🤔

I really enjoyed this one! I was annoyed with the last one, but the ending sucked me in, so I've had Two Dark Reigns on my TBR pile forever, but I think this was my favorite one! I felt like it was easier to read and keep track of everyone? Anyway, excited to real the final book!

That was a bit crazy of an ending that leads up to the next book. I feel like this one moved a bit slower than the previous books. The blue queen and the mist aspects added a lot to the series because they add more mystery and is just intriguing. So Katharine is becoming more aggressive in her reign than the previous two books because of the dead sisters/queens. Arsinoe has a lot going on with her dreams in this one that is way more interesting than in previous books, but she frustrated me in this one with some of her antics and decisions. Jules situation just keeps getter stranger by each book. Now she has a following that you think is great until you see how invested they are in her potential future reign. Regardless of the strained relationship between Jules and her mother, she makes a very selfless move for her mother. I am so excited for the next book to hurry and come out so we can see how this crazy world finishes. I feel since readers have become so invested in Jules & the three queens that there will not be a happy ending, because in the premise of this world there really does not leave room for happy endings for all. That might not makes sense, but I just do not know how to put it in words without spoilers/potential spoilers.My quick and simple overall: I have enjoyed the first three books immensely and am even more invested in the characters and plot leading into the fourth and final book.

Esta trilogia não poderia ficar melhor. Este livro foi incrível e só me deixou mais ansiosa pelo próximo. Esta série fica melhor a cada livro. Neste livro observamos uma mudança radical. A tradição das rainhas está prestes a tomar um rumo imprevisto. O povo está revoltado. Muitos querem e acreditam noutra opção. Jules vai ter um papel destaque nesta mudança. Muitos acreditam e seguem o poder de Jules. Querem que ela tenha um papel destaque na história. Será que Jules seguirá esse caminho? A rainha Katharine que sempre teve o objetivo da coroa começa a ficar desesperada com múltiplos eventos que vão acontecendo na ilha, como o aparecimento inesperado de um nevoeiro. O nevoeiro que ninguém sabe o que é, torna-se mortal. Corpos vão aparecendo. O povo começa a entrar em pânico. Até a rainha Katherine sente-se ameaça e começa a entrar em pânico. Ao mesmo tempo que os acontecimentos vão tendo o seu rumo na ilha, Arsinoe começa a ter sonhos muito estranhos que parecem reais, parecem memórias. Algo lhe diz que tem de voltar à ilha, que tem de descobrir a verdade sobre as visões que anda a ter. E, especialmente, percebeu o que de facto aconteceu com a Rainha Azul e porque que é ela que está a ter aquelas visões. Este livro é imperdível depois dos outros da série, e ainda levanta mais curiosidade sobre como tudo irá acabar. Será que a lenda das rainhas irá prevalecer? Ou será que irá começar a haver novas regras que irão mudar tudo?

I enjoyed this book BUT I will say I find this series kind of dragging on? I don't think it needed to be 4 books, but that is just my opinion.Sister Ranking:Katherine> Mirabella = ArisnoeIf you've read my other reviews of this series you know I've been a Katherine die-hard from the beginning which is why she is ranked #1, but I will say I almost put Mirabella there. All the sisters are levelling up to each other in my eyes, which is a good thing for the series. some spoilers below Katherine is trying so hard to be a good queen but everyone hates her and then those demons give them even more reason to. I enjoyed seeing her old enemies come to her side and Katherine befriending them, showing them that she's not completely the ruthless, un-caring Queen they thought she was. Mirabella has really done a lot for me in this book and is a great person. She doesn't want to be queen, she wants to be happy, but she sacrifices her need to be happy to protect Arisnoe with unrequited love. I am excited to see Mirabella and Katherine potentially team up in the next book. I do not want Mirabella to die and if she does, that's just *pardon my french* fucking sad. She has lived her whole life a pawn of the temple, believing she would be queen. She turned against the temple for her sisters, for love and fled the only country she has ever known. On the mainland, she was able to assimilate more so than Arisnoe and might have been able to enjoy it, but she spends her entire time caring and worrying for Arisnoe. She follows Arisnoe back to their home country on a promise she knows Arisnoe will not be able to keep. She does this for love! She is CONSTANTLY putting aside what she wants for other people, which yes makes her the perfect person to sacrifice herself BUT it's also (I am going to sound like a whiny 11-year-old here -) just not fair. It's not fair :(Arisnoe, I really like where her storyline has taken her. I really enjoyed more background on the last Blue Queen and that plot arc of the dreams. I really like her and Billy's relationship. I am writing this review a little later then I hoped so I am forgetting some things that I wanted to say when I remember I will squeeze them in here.Overall, I enjoyed it and I am excited to see how the story ends :) What were your thoughts and what are your current sister rankings?

While some of the plot points felt a bit inconsequential and unnecessary to me in the long run, this was such a nice next installment to the series and featured a lot of beloved characters, mystery the mythological aspects I've come to love from these books. Also I'm patting my own shoulder for holding back on reading this once because I now only have to wait six more months for the conclusion.* * * And next on "Let's pray I haven't forgotten too many of the happenings of the previous books because I really love this series and want to enjoy the next installment":

Note: I had first read the English text before I read the Chinese translation.PS: just look at the ass-kicking Taiwanese version book cover!English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Rating: 3.8 stars.Outline of the story: After a bloody battle over the crown, the youngest of the three queenly sisters, Katharine the poisoner queen, was now Queen Crowned, with her two older sisters vanished and losing their claims to the throne, she could finally sit back and enjoy her new-found power, or could she? New threat came from unexpected direction: the great Mist that had been the Island's protection ever since the ancient time of the Blue Queen was now turning against the Island and its residents. Meanwhile on the Mainland, the two exiled sisters were struggling to adjust to the unfamiliar customs of their host country, but then Arsinoe, the naturalist (former) queen, started having strange dreams about the Blue Queen and the creation of the Mist...?Jules, Arsinoe's loyal friend and a naturalist in hiding, was approached by a group of rebels who wanted to overthrow Katharine, they claimed Jules was destined to be Queen although she wasn't of the queenly bloodline. What sort of fate awaited the girl, who had just lost her friends, her family, her lover and even her homeland?My thoughts:To be honestly, this volume doesn't excite me as much as the two prequels. Plus I am not very convinced by how Ms. Blake wrote the revolution, but I'm fine with the characters' development, which is the stronger point of the story.Arsinoe and her sister's experience in the Mainland is reasonably written but I can't say it's very interesting, plus I'm a bit disappointed that we never get to know where the sisters' mother (the former queen) had become after she went to the Mainland with her husband. The sisters' lack of interest in their own parents can be explained by the fact they never knew them or lived with them, but still.On the other hand, the power struggle among Katharine's court members (some of them are Katharine's former enemies), the mysteries about the Blue Queen, Jules' journey of becoming an unwilling rebel kept me interested. To sum up, it's an satisfying 3rd book, it is doing pretty good if you compared it with the other YA books in the market, but there is still room for improvement. I look forward to the next book.

BLOODY FANTASTIC.