The Crown of Gilded Bones by JLA Review
This review may have spoilers, proceed with caution.
Every reader has their favorite snacks or drinks that accompany a good book. Personally, I typically go for a cup of tea or wine. For this book, I would recommend having a glass of wine ready, along with a plate of cheese, crackers, chocolate and berries; this fantasy novel will no doubt cause you to crave it.
The Crown of Gilded Bones (TCOGB) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (JLA) is the third in its series. The first two books were released last year and quickly became a fan favorite; this has only made fans eager for the release of TCOGB for months. I was no exception, I bought all the special editions, as well as the preorder.
JLA has never disappointed me in the past and I will say she has held up that streak.
“I will not replace the veil you loathed with a crown you hate.” -TCOGB
Previous book recap
It will be advised if you have not read the previous books in this series — “From Blood and Ash” (FBAA) and “A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire” (AKOFAF) — there may be spoilers ahead.
Before I read this book, I had heard many readers rant and rave about how great this book was. While I was hesitant about it, due to the fact I was not into books about vampires. I decided to take the plunge many months ago, and I have not regretted it. The book may be somewhat based on vampires, it is not.
We have the Atlantian’s; they do not feed off the blood of mortals, they heal quickly, and can heal others with their blood. Atlantian’s can walk in the sun among other qualities.
The Ascended — — vampires — — different from Atlantian’s, cannot be in the sun, they have four fangs rather than two, and are mostly void of emotions, with black eyes. They were born from the Atlantian’s
Then we have the craven, who are the closest to vampires as we all know, devoid of all emotions except for their hunger.
There are of course other beings in the book, such as the wolven (much like a werewolf, but with their own twist) gods, goddess, draken’s and more.
“You’re an absolutely stunning, murderous little creature.” -FBAA
The series is based on Penellaphe (pronounced as Penelope, better known as Poppy) Balfour is the chosen one of the gods, the maiden to the Ascended. She is under increasingly strict rules, but it does not stop her from trying to be who she is. She meets Hawke, her new guard, and they begin a “forbidden” relationship; later discovered to be Casteel, the dark one, the prince of Atlantia. Much of world building goes through this book and of course leaving off where Poppy was kidnapped by Casteel. Poppy becomes complicit with Casteel, learning the truth of the Ascended. This leaves off on a major cliffhanger of him asking her to marry him as a deceit to retrieve their brothers.
While the second book consists of the two trying to convince everyone else, they are in love for the marriage to work, they dismiss the truth, later discovering they are heartmates. While on their trip to Atlantia for them to be wed, Poppy’s powers begin to expand and grow. Leaving off on yet another major cliffhanger, Poppy being the descendant of Nykto’s — — the king of the gods — making Poppy the rightful heir of Atlantia.
“You will bow before your Queen… Or you will bleed before her.” -TCOGB
TCOGB Review
On April 21, 2021, the release of the third book in the FBAA series; as many other fans, I have been anxiously waiting for months for the book to become available. I can already tell you I am anxiously waiting for the fourth book and as of May 2, 2021, we have no release date; it was confirmed to six books within this series, along with a set of the same books based on Casteels point of view. It has been confirmed of two more series based in the same world.
A good chunk of TCOGB was mostly an info dump. I will admit most of this book was quite slow; many could find that aspect to be quite boring, oftentimes I would agree. I often love to have much more action within my books, and I would have preferred more action in this book, I was in no way bored. The book begins to pick up about 60 percent in.
The atmosphere of TCOGB felt slightly different than the previous books, but in no way did it diminish the brilliance that this series holds.
“I wasn’t embarrassed by my scars… Not when those scars, like his, were proof of the life I’d lived and the things I survived.” -TCOGB
One thing I must have in any book I read is a strong, independent, and badass female main character(FMC). Poppy fully captures each of those; she is also written to have many realistic features and attitudes. Many books are written with the FMC to be quite thin, typically have brown or blonde hair and are unnaturally beautiful.
JLA has written Poppy with scars covering her face and body and finding the beauty within those scars. She is described as of average body, often referring to herself as curvy or not petite or dainty; in the first book she refers to her hair as being the shade of “burnt copper.” While I love all these things as much as any reader, I would have to say my favorite of her realistic aspects, especially within TCOGB, is her awkwardness. Poppy had been restrained from any social connections, often rendering her from the most basic human needs. It caused her to be in a way socially inept. In TCOGB we see much more of her awkward tendencies as she tries to learn to fulfill her role and I can wholeheartedly relate to her reactions within these situations.
I would like to point out what I do struggle with when I read books by JLA is that she is awfully repetitive. She often repeats the same words, information or sentences which can get aggravating to read. My biggest pet peeve reading JLA is how often she mentions dimples. She mentions the act of Casteel’s dimple(s) appearing about 104 times within the three books. It is not the only series I have read by her where she repeatedly mentions the act of dimples appearing. JLA often repeats Poppy’s affection and love for Casteel, in TCOGB, the first 100 or so pages are majorly Poppy doting on Casteel and vice versa.
“You are the foundation that helps me stand. You are my walls and my roof. My shelter. You are my home.” -TCOGB
I will mention that JLA’s writing is typically predictable. Personally, I tend to be able to figure out what the plot twists will be but according to myself, and other fans, JLA tends to be a bit cliché and predictable in her books. With that said to my recollection an author has never been able to surprise or shock me with a plot twist, until now. JLA has shockingly got me three times with her plot twists in TCOGB. Something I will never forget.
JLA is a phenomenal writer, she is most definitely one of my top favorites, though I would mention her writing in this book seemed a bit choppy. Quite frequently I read sentences that seemed unnecessarily added which disrupted the flow.
This book has been one hell of an emotional rollercoaster, I cried, I laughed, scenes angered me, some scenes hurt me. Admittedly, JLA managed to break my heart with this book. Which is exactly how you can tell if a book is great; if a book can cause emotions to arise, especially a variety of emotions, it is written painfully well.
I am looking forward to the future books by JLA; I am hoping for more scenes with my favorite character Kieran — best friend of Casteel and a wolven — he is sarcastic, witty and funny, yet he is still extremely caring, and in my opinion, Kieran deserves the whole world. I would not mind a whole series based on him…
“”I have so many questions,” I whispered. “Not a single person is surprised to hear that,” Kieran remarked…” -TCOGB
And I know we are all hoping for a Miss Willa book of our own. Miss Willa is mentioned quite often throughout the series; in TCOGB we get a brief meeting of the one and only.
As always, JLA has left us with another major cliffhanger, one filled with conflicting emotions of sadness, pain pride and strength.
“I summon the flesh and fire of the gods, to protect me and those I care for… I call upon the bloodline birthed of flesh and fire to awaken.” -TCOGB
Readers were left with endless questions from previous books in this series; TCOGB has gifted us with many of those answers. While some may have been theorized and obvious, others were shocking! Though we may not have been left with many questions as before; the cliffhanger has caused me yearning for more.
Fans, including myself, must anxiously wait for the unknown release of the next book, we do get to look forward to the upcoming series based in the same world as Poppy, Casteel and Kieran. “A Shadow in the Ember” to be released this year on Oct. 19. It will be centered on the king of gods, Nykto’s and his consort.
“That I know… I saw you in my sleep, kneeling beside the one you kneel behind now… And I gave you two my blessing.” -TCOGB
