[Review] The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout

In The Crown of Gilded Bones, the epic and intense third installment of the Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Poppy takes control of her own life like never before, discovering secrets about her past and making enemies bow down from Atlantia to Solis. 

Picking up immediately after A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, The Crown of Gilded Bones follows Poppy and Casteel as they fight for their kingdom, fight for their friends, and fight for each other. Sprawling over the vast Atlantia landscape, Poppy and Casteel will have to fight a battle on multiple fronts. Will the people of Atlantia accept her and who she is? Will they accept her as a Queen? And maybe most importantly, will she and Casteel be able to defeat the Ascended and bring Prince Malik back home? With allies both new and old, and an onslaught of new friends and foes, the next chapter of Poppy’s journey is seeped in power, bravery, and vengeance. 

I will start my thoughts by saying I’ve never read a Jennifer L. Armentrout book I didn’t absolutely love and/or cry over, and The Crown of Gilded Bones is no exception. I loved the first two books in the Blood and Ash series, so I was immediately swept into the story of the third installment. The Crown of Gilded Bones is fast paced, action packed, and has no shortage of twists and turns as Poppy discovers who she is when she isn’t the Maiden. Poppy has had such wonderful character development since From Blood and Ash, and she only gets better throughout this book. With the help of her closest allies, like Casteel and Kieran, Poppy has developed such a wonderful voice on the page, full of wit and sarcasm and courage. She holds her own against those who have centuries more experience, and she doesn’t hesitate to go to war for the ones she loves. Reading this book was, at times, overwhelming. As a reader, you know this isn’t the end of the series, and as a Jennifer L. Armentrout fan, you know there’s usually a lot of despair and tears before we reach the last book. The Blood and Ash series is no exception, and readers will need Poppy’s determination and patience in order to make it to the next book. The writing is brilliant, the world building is fantastic, and Armentrout exquisitely takes paranormal and turns it on its head. There are so many wonderful things to say about this book (the whole series, actually), but words won’t truly do it justice. If you’re a fan of fantasy and/or paranormal, do yourself a favor and pick up this series. I’ve yet to meet anyone who didn’t immediately fall headfirst into Poppy’s world, and all the hype online for the series isn’t exaggerating. The Crown of Gilded Bones is the perfect continuation to the Blood and Ash series, highly recommended, and will leave you craving more.