Two Dark Reigns

Kendare Blake

2018 • 464 pages

Ratings40

Average rating3.9

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake returns with the highly anticipated third book in the Three Dark Crowns series! And while Arsinoe, Mirabella, and Katharine all have their own scores to settle, they aren’t the only queens stirring things up on Fennbirn Island.

Queen Katharine has waited her entire life to wear the crown. But now that she finally has it, the murmurs of dissent grow louder by the day. There’s also the alarming issue of whether or not her sisters are actually dead—or if they’re waiting in the wings to usurp the throne.

Mirabella and Arsinoe are alive, but in hiding on the mainland and dealing with a nightmare of their own: being visited repeatedly by a specter they think might be the fabled Blue Queen. Though she says nothing, her rotting, bony finger pointing out to sea is clear enough: return to Fennbirn.

Jules, too, is in a strange place—in disguise. And her only confidants, a war-gifted girl named Emilia and her oracle friend Mathilde, are urging her to take on a role she can’t imagine filling: a legion-cursed queen who will lead a rebel army to Katharine’s doorstep.

This is an uprising that the mysterious Blue Queen may have more to do with than anyone could have guessed—or expected.

Genres

Want to edit this book?Become a Librarian

Series

Featured Series

4 primary books6 released books

#3 in Three Dark Crowns

Three Dark Crowns is a 6-book series with 4 released primary works first released in 2016 with contributions by Kendare Blake.

#0.1

#0.2

Popular Reviews

Reviews with the most likes.

jess

At this point, you have to know what is happening with the characters.

I am not super into the awkward romance setup in this series, but I do like the political intrigue, adventure, and the world.

This book goes by fast, but it leaves everything unfinished. The ending is not so much an ending as a pause. You have to read the next book.

July 19, 2020

Nichole

Pros:
- Each book in the series keeps getting better and better. I love this series and its ability to make me constantly change which queen I'm rooting for and which queen I think is going to succeed.
- I love all the complexities of the characters in this series, and I felt in this book they became even more real and more relatable. Arsinoe, Katharine, and Mirabella all have unique perspectives and stories that lead to these amazing characters that I want to know as much as possible about.
- Kendare Blake keeps adding to the complexity of this story with more storylines and more twists and turns. I really cannot wait for the conclusion and to see what she has up her sleeve for the finale.

Cons:
- With the expansion of the story, we have gotten more POVs in this installment and there were even more characters to learn and understand who they are and what “side” they are on. I feel like there were some storylines that were unnecessary (and yes I know I just said I love how complex this story has gotten).
- I think with all the different storylines we should have started to get some closure to certain things and we did not get that. So I'm a little worried Five Dark Fates is going to feel rushed to get everything in and tie everything up. Or worse we are going to get one of those “open endings”.

Regardless, I'm beyond excited for the conclusion of the series and this book has yet again made it impossible for me to choose my favorite Queen among the three. I definitely think each one has strengths and weakness that make them unique and the better fit to rule.