bitterblue

bitterblue
seven kingdoms trilogy #3 (graceling realm #3)
kristin cashore
ya/fantasy
dial books for young readers
published 2012

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

This one was so bittersweet for me.  I loved it, don't get me wrong, but is it really the end?  I wish it weren't.  I definitely loved how she finally tied everything together.  

I enjoyed just about every character, especially the returning ones, but Death was definitely my favorite.  The ending list of characters was hilarious and I think I laughed out loud at least twice!

The story itself was slightly long.  There were times when I wasn't sure if anything was actually happening, but in the end it all made sense.  At the same time it felt like the ending was rushed.  Everything was packed in the last few chapters and I just wanted to see more of what happened afterwards!

Still, I loved it.  I loved Bitterblue, Katsa, Po, Giddon & Death.  They were wonderfully written characters and I'm definitely going back and reading Fire again!