David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite! discussion

David and I are starting a buddy read starting Sunday June 8th for the final book in the Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy! Everyone is welcome to join!

There are no set chapters per day, we just read at our own paces and start each post with how far along you are, i.e., Chapter #, %, using spoilers where needed. Have fun!

Wow, am I behind or what?? Hahahahaa! I haven't even started yet.

LOL You can catch up later, Karen! I can loan you The Bitter Kingdom, too, if you want, I'll be done with it before Nashville!

YAY! Can't wait, thanks Jenny :)

So I started, and I'm 25% of the way in so far. (view spoiler)[This is the part of the story where I started to like Storm. And was really happy with her decision to give up the Zafira and keep Storm instead. She has so much POWER now!!! (hide spoiler)]

Oops, haven't started :( Boo for me! Our new little kitty has been distracting me and cutting into my night time sleep. But she's so cute! Hoping to finish my current read tonight and then start this one tomorrow. Hopefully I'll catch up!

Page 81, so like 19%-ish.

Really liking this read so far! Although the random look-ins to Hector are probably unnecessary, I don't mind them :) (view spoiler)[I'm so glad that Elisa is getting some residual effects from the Zafira, which at least means there was more of a point to that whole journey in the last book. And I love that she seems to have an incredible master plan, I really can't wait to see if she can pull it off.

I'm also enjoying seeing yet another facet to this world--the mixed villages that combine inviernos with Elisa's people. It's all working in this one for me! (hide spoiler)]

YAY!! YES, exactly that. I agree completely! I love the look ins to Hector. When you get to around 25% read this (view spoiler)[ I love it when he's sitting thinking he needs to do something to help Elisa when she comes, because she's no warrior. Right after the part where she is able to call up fire with her Godstone. HA! You were saying, Hector? (hide spoiler)]

I'm now up to 47% (view spoiler)[ This is my least favorite part of the book, where she gets trapped. UGH, Elisa, how could you stand right on that trap door??? (hide spoiler)]

I'm where you are Jenny!! (view spoiler)[ Honestly, the whole plan seemed pretty mission-impossible-esque and was destined to fail! Most of the time Elisa comes up with brilliant plans, but this one wasn't a good one LOL. But I guess it made things interesting! But I love how Mula came up with the idea to get them out.

I knew right away that Storm was either lying (for the first time ever) or twisting the truth somehow. There was no reason for Carson to develop him into a likeable trustworthy character just to have him turn against them. But I'm glad he's still with them!

On Hector, now I see why she wanted his POVs started early, so she could have them when Elisa fell down the trapdoor. Totally makes sense. Thanks for pointing out that bit where Elisa summoned fire and then Hector said he'd need to help her, I completely missed the irony! (hide spoiler)]

One little beef still (view spoiler)[Ugh, Hector! He was SO FREAKING ANNOYING with the whole not touching her and being all I-don't-want-to-marry-you-just-to-be-your-puppet thing. Come on! I wanted to punch him. Didn't find that part very realistic at all. I know Carson was trying to draw the romantic uncertainty out, but she once again took it too far and made me strongly dislike Hector. Personally, I want Humberto back, or the old Hector :) (hide spoiler)]

Agree, agree, agree! (view spoiler)[ ALthough it wasn't a great plan, they still needed to do it...she needed to find out more about the Inveirnos and to try to finally put a stop to them.

I also knew Storm was lying, too. There was no way after going through all that that he would betray Elisa. Storm is a really awesome character!

As for Hector, yes that really annoys me, too. But at the same time, I like that it kind of makes Elisa stronger. Her reactions to him have turned from more timid in the beginning to downright demanding, and I really love that. It also shows he's human. He's almost too perfect in the first half of the trilogy. (view spoiler)[

I didn't get any reading done yesterday, hoping to get some done tonight! (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, that's probably a good way of putting it, he was too perfect in the beginning which makes him really unlikeable in contrast when he acts like a moron LOL. But you're right, it makes Elisa come out even better :)

Oh my gosh, you know what I've been loving? The names! (view spoiler)[The names of the inviernos are hysterical. My recent favorite was something like Ugly Twisted Branches Hiding Bountiful Stream. LOL! And the way she named her horse Horse, and stuck with it. And Mula naming herself Red Sparkle Stone HAHAHA!! Cracking me up :) (hide spoiler)]
One thing I didn't get was (view spoiler)[Why Elisa's suggestion to use the Godstones to burn through the snow was rejected. Hector said it was so cold that the melted snow would just turn to ice and then the horses wouldn't be able to walk up the mountain, but I figure if Elisa could summon that crazy white fire, the fire wouldn't stop burning and would just evaporate the water completely, making it dry. Oh well, I think the mines could be more interesting anyway! (hide spoiler)]

LOL (view spoiler)[ Yes the caves are VERY interesting! One of the better parts of the book :)

YES on the names, they crack me up too! Red in general cracks me up! I love Horse, especially when Elisa is like , "Who's a stupid horse? Yes you are!" HAHA!

I forgot that Hector does apologize. He's pretty much back to his old self now. Much much better :) (hide spoiler)]

I'm up to like 62%, sounds like you are at least that far along! Not much reading time yesterday :( I really would like to finish this today!!

I finished!

Yep, agree completely, Hector is like two different people in this book. I liked him again by the end. Loved Elisa at the end and pretty much the whole way through.

I thought the ending to this series was overall pretty epic and right I line with what I would expect from Elisa. Brains and brawn. Really well done by Carson, about as good a series ending as you can get.

One thing I thought was pretty cool about the last book was that it almost felt like 4 short books, like each part was it's own book with a conflict, rising action, climax, and resolution. That was awesome. Like at the end of part 3 I was thinking, that would've made a perfect series ending. And then Part 4 was a whole new story with yet another perfect ending.

THANKS SO MUCH Jenny for recommending this series and reading it along with me!

you are so very welcome :) thanks for listening to my recommendation! I have not finished yet. And I left it on my nightstand. OOPS

Okay, I finished my reread! Finally! Not having the book for over a week threw me!

LOVE the ending too, I agree, a very fitting, epic ending. One of the things I love most about this book is (view spoiler)[ When we find out her service was actually uncovering an oasis in the desert, not any of the things she had been doing! And if she hadn't had such great friends, she might have killed herself doing it. I just thought that was so clever and unexpected! (hide spoiler)]

I never noticed how it felt like 4 short books, but you're right, now that you've pointed that out to me, its true!

I LOVED Elisa all the way through this book. She is one of my favorite MCs ever :) And fell in love with Hector again. Also Storm and Belen and Mara and Red Sparkle Stone LOL. Such great characters in this book!

This was so fun to read again, so happy you enjoyed it David :)

REd Sparkle Stone hahaha! Always makes me laugh :)

Thanks for rereading with me, Jenny! I totally agree about the Oasis being the perfect ending :)