Bro... I wasn’t ready for chapter 22, that was very hot...😂

Tbh my favorite book from the series is the wicked king. I like the queen of nothing but i feel like it was rushed and i wish the book was thicker but all in all this book just made me love cardan and jude (i still hate tayrn tho)

I love Jude and Cardan and I was so happy that they got a happy ending. But the rest was so anti climactic and underwhelming. It was just poorly done and feels like a completely different book from the previous 2. Taryn, Locke, Madoc, the serpent thing, the powers of the land, all of it felt rushed and cheap to me. Grima Mog is a legend though and deserved more page time! 😁 I was pleased with the ending but the book overall fell flat for me...

"I don't actually believe anyone dies anymore", literally, though. And then I read a book by an author that actually kills important characters on book 1 and I spend the rest of the series thinking they'll be back at some point xD I also agree with your general thoughts about the book. Quite disappointing.

I totally agree with you about the size. When I opened it, my first thought was that it looked thin. Overall, I enjoyed it but there were underwhelming bits. In the end I gave it a 4/5. As a concluding book, I think it did its job.

I felt the same way while reading the book! But even though it did lack in some areas I still really enjoyed it and I'm happy with how the series ended. Now if Holly Black wrote a novella or maybe a book in Cardan's POV I wouldn't mind that at all :)

I agree, I was very underwhelmed and felt like it lacked so much in comparison to Wicked King. And the size of it was incredibly small.

I liked it. But I'm I the only one thinking there will be a next one? I feel its unfinished. And theres more of the story to be told.

@Katesbookdate, did you read Cardan's letters? I have the barnes and noble edition of the book so i'm not entirely sure if they are included at the end the original book as well, but the very end of the last letter just grabbed my heart out of my chest.

ok like am i going crazy or did we never find out a bunch of things? like in the first few chapters when jude is taryn and she’s in locke’s estate and is served the faerie fruit jam... like wtf was that. did i miss an explanation??? it seemed like something that would be mentioned again and then it never did. also what happened to nicasia’s mother? did the bullet get stopped somehow? did i miss that too? idfk

I know I am so late to this video BUT I finally finished the series... I would have liked more about Taryn’s life with Locke. When Jude was in their home pretending to be Taryn, her dinner had the magical apples and Jude wanted to know why she was eating them. Maybe I missed the explanation there.

Alright this going to be complete spoilers since I just finished it and had to watch your video right after because my minds abuzz. Basically tldr agree with everything you've said. Man I thought there were going to be way more twists and turns in this book, I was prepared for another Taryn betrayal since she knew ghosts name! Or that her father had Locke killed or had her kill Locke or it was all a setup to get Jude into his paws so he would have something Carden loved and use her against him. But then he would have to realize he was also sacrificing something he loved *again* and losing his entire family to it. Honestly I barely remember Taryns betrayals from the last few novels but I remembered hating her. It made this book easier to read, and more tense, but she is not forgiven, and I think Jude went too easy on her despite her proving her "loyalty". I think one of Blacks weaknesses is she is so fricking tight with her writing. I want to just take in the sights sometimes, experience this amazing world shes created. I really wanted to sit with the seedy assassinations Jude was doing in the human world, witness more of Oaks growth, then her struggles and nailing imitated behaviors as Taryn. Later see more of the balance in Carden and Judes ruling together. Maybe more of how Oak and Oriana feel about kind of being on separate sides, or the dads betrayal. And completley back you on the moments together holding more emotional impact. But it's hard when we the reader are already leagues ahead of them. And it doesnt help that I'm such a touch based person and none of her couples are, there so little physical interaction that's not lead ups to sex. Like that hair touch was about it! It was more about thinking about each other and then communicating those thoughts (finally) than those intimate interactions, glances, touches, that convey connection and communication. And maybe it did do its job right? We ended up missing Carden as much as Jude did, but we dont get as much of that satisfaction in the ending. The ending isnt because they were smart and clever and figured out the riddle, it's just because of who they became versus who their enemies were, and that they made more powerful friends that way. I suppose that power if friendship theme fits within the rest of the books theme as well as the power of being smart and clever and making sacrifices...but the court intrigue was definitely missing from this book as well. I enjoyed it so much...and yet...I felt like I missed more than I consumed. I wonder how I will feel after a reread or two of the series. Oh and gawd how I want just a book of more short stories about Kaye and the ice lord and their human queen, and the redheaded twins (I know I should probably know them but it's been a while and I cant remember), and the Undersea folk. Oh and maybe a few years down the line of Oak and any further interaction with the human girl ice queen. (she reminds me of Hazelwood, gawd could you imagine how bold that crossover would be?)

I pictured that scene of mean girls too when he cracked the crown😂

Holly black could have easily made it a 600+ pages book...I wish she had. I want more of Elfhame ❤️

Oh god, i love this book, but yes is too short :/ Jude and Cardan's moments... CUTE♥ btw how fast you're speaking haha :D

I just got the book!!!! I am going to watch this while I read the book. Love your videos.

Omg some things you’ve said inspired one of the scenes I still have to write for NaNoWriMo THANKS YOU (Also this was really entertaining as always, thank you)

I felt similar. I enjoyed it but was a little underwhelmed.

I literally agree with your review so much. I couldn't figure out exactly what it was that had me disappointed in this book... but you're right it was the execution! And I was sad that I didnt feel as attached as I think I should have?? Idk it's really hard to rate this one for me

I am so sad I can’t watch this because I haven’t read the series yet 😭

I actually liked this book way more than the other two:)

I only want to know did Cardan and Jude end up together? 😭

on page four of this...

Sad that I cant watch this. Haven't read this series yet 😫

I just uploaded a book talk on this too! SPOILERS I completely agree about Taryn! I HATE her character and Jude forgave her way too easily ughh!! And I can't believe Locke died off page!!

I hated The Cruel Prince and have no plans to pick up the other books. Just stopped in to see what I'm missing... not much it seems 😂🤐

GAH I STILL HAVE TO GET A COPY

I actually enjoyed it so so much. But I also try to keep my expectations low lmao.

My heart was broken when I finished the book

I enjoyed it, I just didn’t like that Jude is still mortal and Cardan is not. Soooo if they keep going to the mortal world she’s going to start aging while he lives forever.

Haven’t read these but have no interest in them but I’ll watch anyways 2 support u and bc ily! 😂

Will you upload another reading vlog this week? Or just this one?

did you read the letters? they're in the b&n edition!

Many of the same thoughts as you while reading! Check out the B&N exclusive edition to read Cardan’s letters to Jude - while still not nearly enough of them, the letters were everything.

I don’t plan on reading this series at all cos I think I’d hate it. I’m not a fae reader nor do I love Holly Black’s writing. I did like The Spiderwick Chronicles by her but that’s definitely the outlier ahaha. I’m seeing in the comments a bunch of angst and an off page death of a character. Omg what a wild ride!!! 😂

I haaaate taryn, but like soooo much

Spoilers~ I kinda wanted Cardan to die. The ending was waaay too happy and it felt so unsatisfying to me. All that build up fell so quickly and I think it would’ve been interesting to see Jude fall into despair and become fully corrupt. It was still a pretty cute ending but it could’ve been better.

You are not alone. Taryn is so aggravating I hated her character

Okee let's see if it's the same formula Holly always does. I welcome the spoils. (Edit... okay you begged me to leave, so I'm not going to watch this....yet)

I still hate Taryn and was not a fan of where her character went in this book.

Ok...I only able to see the video until the minute 4:07 because the spoiler was a lot for me so, Bye....