Bitterblue
"When queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea as a child, her advisors ran the kingdom for her. Now she's beginning to question their decisions. Needing to know Monsea's past in order to lead it into a future, Bitterblue begins exploring the city at night, disguised and alone. As she does, she learns about the legacy of her father, Leck, who ruled through his Grace-a talent for mind-altering-and a taste for cruelty. Soon Bitterblue meets two thieves who only steal what has already been stolen. She realizes that they hold a key to the truth about Leck's reign. One of them, with e Grace he hasn't yet identified, may also hold a key to her heart."
Bitterblue by Kristen Cashore is the third installment in the Graceling series, and the best yet! It is said that one can read the books in any order, but I would strongly recommend going chronologically. At this point in the series, the world and characters have been well established. There doesn't need to be as much time dedicated to explaining the politics, nuances, and geography of the world.
So that leaves for Cashore to really delve into the drama of it all and weave a spectacular story. As with every novel thus far in the series, the begginings of the novel were slow and a bit harder to get invested into. However, as per usual, the plot takes off with a bang and leaves the reader wanting more. So much so that, by the time of writing this, I have already finished the next novel in the series. I simply could not put it down, especially after learning that the two worlds (previously separate), had now made diplomatic contact.
Leck's origins and lies slowly come to light and Bitterblue is faced with the immense task of piecing her kingdom back together from her father's cruelty and negligence. Freshly eighteen, she has to forcibly take the leadership reigns from her advisors, who have been plotting against her and the kingdom's best interest for quite some time. Cashore really knocked my socks off with this one, and thoroughly wood me with the following novel Winterkeep.