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Elemental Blessings #3
Jeweled Fire
The national bestselling author of Troubled Waters and Royal Airs returns to her Elemental Blessings series with the story of a young princess who will need more than blessings to survive in a kingdom where everyone will do whatever it takes to claim the throne…
As one of the four princesses of Welce, Corene always thought she might one day become queen. Only circumstances changed, leaving fiery Corene with nothing to show for a life spent playing the game of court intrigue—until a chance arises to become the ruler of a nearby country.
After stowing away on a ship bound for Malinqua with her loyal bodyguard, Foley, Corene must try to win the throne by making a play to marry one of the empress’s three nephews. But Corene is not the only foreign princess in search of a crown.
Unaccustomed to being anyone’s friend, Corene is surprised to find companionship among her fellow competitors. But behind Malinqua’s beautiful facade lie many secrets.
The visiting princesses are more hostages than guests. And as the deadly nature of the court is revealed, Corene must rely on both her new allies and Foley’s unwavering protection—for the game she has entered is far more perilous than she ever imagined…
As one of the four princesses of Welce, Corene always thought she might one day become queen. Only circumstances changed, leaving fiery Corene with nothing to show for a life spent playing the game of court intrigue—until a chance arises to become the ruler of a nearby country.
After stowing away on a ship bound for Malinqua with her loyal bodyguard, Foley, Corene must try to win the throne by making a play to marry one of the empress’s three nephews. But Corene is not the only foreign princess in search of a crown.
Unaccustomed to being anyone’s friend, Corene is surprised to find companionship among her fellow competitors. But behind Malinqua’s beautiful facade lie many secrets.
The visiting princesses are more hostages than guests. And as the deadly nature of the court is revealed, Corene must rely on both her new allies and Foley’s unwavering protection—for the game she has entered is far more perilous than she ever imagined…
16 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 3, 2015
96 people are currently reading
1699 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Shinn
58 books2,284 followersI’ve been writing stories and poems since I was eight years old. My first poem was about Halloween: "What is tonight? What is tonight?/Try to guess and you’ll guess right." Perhaps this inauspicious beginning explains why it took me till I was in my thirties to sell a novel. It occurred to me early on that it might take some time and a lot of tries before I was able to publish any of my creative writing, so I pursued a degree in journalism at Northwestern University so I’d be able to support myself while I figured out how to write fiction.
I’ve spent most of my journalism career at three trade and association magazines—The Professional Photographer (which, as you might guess, went to studio and industrial photographers), DECOR (which went to frame shop and art gallery owners), and BizEd (which is directed at deans and professors at business schools). My longest stint, seventeen years, was at DECOR. Many people don’t know this, but I’m a CPF (Certified Picture Framer), having passed a very long, technical test to prove I understood the tenets of conservation framing. Now I write about management education and interview some really cool, really smart people from all over the world.
I mostly write my fiction in the evenings and on weekends. It requires a pretty obsessive-compulsive personality to be as prolific as I’ve been in the past ten years and hold down a full-time job. But I do manage to tear myself away from the computer now and then to do something fun. I read as often as I can, across all genres, though I’m most often holding a book that’s fantasy or romance, with the occasional western thrown in. I’m a fan of Cardinals baseball and try to be at the ballpark on opening day. If I had the time, I’d see a movie every day of my life. I love certain TV shows so much that knowing a new episode is going to air that night will make me happy all day. (I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, but in the past I’ve given my heart to shows all over the map in terms of quality: "Knight Rider," "Remington Steele," "Blake’s 7," "Moonlighting," "The Young Riders," "Cheers," "Hill Street Blues," "X-Files," "Lost," "Battlestar Galactica"...you can probably fill in the gaps. And let’s not forget my very first loves, "The Partridge Family," "Here Come the Brides" and "Alias Smith & Jones.")
I don’t have kids, I don’t want pets, and all my plants die, so I’m really only forced to provide ongoing care for my menagerie of stuffed animals. All my friends are animal lovers, though, and someone once theorized that I keep friends as pets. I’m still trying to decide if that’s true.
I’ve spent most of my journalism career at three trade and association magazines—The Professional Photographer (which, as you might guess, went to studio and industrial photographers), DECOR (which went to frame shop and art gallery owners), and BizEd (which is directed at deans and professors at business schools). My longest stint, seventeen years, was at DECOR. Many people don’t know this, but I’m a CPF (Certified Picture Framer), having passed a very long, technical test to prove I understood the tenets of conservation framing. Now I write about management education and interview some really cool, really smart people from all over the world.
I mostly write my fiction in the evenings and on weekends. It requires a pretty obsessive-compulsive personality to be as prolific as I’ve been in the past ten years and hold down a full-time job. But I do manage to tear myself away from the computer now and then to do something fun. I read as often as I can, across all genres, though I’m most often holding a book that’s fantasy or romance, with the occasional western thrown in. I’m a fan of Cardinals baseball and try to be at the ballpark on opening day. If I had the time, I’d see a movie every day of my life. I love certain TV shows so much that knowing a new episode is going to air that night will make me happy all day. (I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, but in the past I’ve given my heart to shows all over the map in terms of quality: "Knight Rider," "Remington Steele," "Blake’s 7," "Moonlighting," "The Young Riders," "Cheers," "Hill Street Blues," "X-Files," "Lost," "Battlestar Galactica"...you can probably fill in the gaps. And let’s not forget my very first loves, "The Partridge Family," "Here Come the Brides" and "Alias Smith & Jones.")
I don’t have kids, I don’t want pets, and all my plants die, so I’m really only forced to provide ongoing care for my menagerie of stuffed animals. All my friends are animal lovers, though, and someone once theorized that I keep friends as pets. I’m still trying to decide if that’s true.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
November 17, 2015
This book was glorious. GLORIOUS. This series has been pretty amazing in general (ok, so maybe book 2 was slow as fuck, but nobody's perfect), and this was a spectacular ending.
It's got everything. Amazing character development. A high fantasy world that's actually decent and spectacular and thoughtfully built. Palace intrigue. Diversity. Female friendship. Low on romance. No insta-love or love triangles of any kind in sight. Spying. Danger. Murder. A mystery.
MY FEELS!!!!!!!!!
If this book sounds overwhelming, let me reassure you it's not. It was so well-written that I, who have a tremendous dislike for conspiracy and needlessly complicated plots, had no problem at all keeping up. I read quickly. I can finish a book in an hour or two. It took me a week to read this book because I read slowly, savoring every word. It was spectacular. What can I say?
The world building in this book is quite complicated, and if you started with book two, you'd be quite confused. However, this book could be read as a standalone, because the character travels to a different country, and everything is fleshed out enough for a reader to understand.
I am saddened that this series is not more popular, while other crap YAs are so highly rated and adored.
It's got everything. Amazing character development. A high fantasy world that's actually decent and spectacular and thoughtfully built. Palace intrigue. Diversity. Female friendship. Low on romance. No insta-love or love triangles of any kind in sight. Spying. Danger. Murder. A mystery.
MY FEELS!!!!!!!!!
If this book sounds overwhelming, let me reassure you it's not. It was so well-written that I, who have a tremendous dislike for conspiracy and needlessly complicated plots, had no problem at all keeping up. I read quickly. I can finish a book in an hour or two. It took me a week to read this book because I read slowly, savoring every word. It was spectacular. What can I say?
The world building in this book is quite complicated, and if you started with book two, you'd be quite confused. However, this book could be read as a standalone, because the character travels to a different country, and everything is fleshed out enough for a reader to understand.
I am saddened that this series is not more popular, while other crap YAs are so highly rated and adored.
July 11, 2025
A fantastic third instalment in the Elemental Blessings series. Still not as fantastic as Troubled Waters, but very-very good, nonetheless.
Although Corene's story takes place in a different country, not Welce, thankfully, the elemental blessings play a a much bigger part than in Royal Airs.
When Corene decides to escape to Malinqua as a stowaway on the ship of the Empress, her sister, Josetta sends her a set of blessing coins, so not only can she draw blessings, but so can her new friends.
I liked the rival princesses from the other countries (Malinqua, Cozique & Dhonso) & how their relationships with Corene is developing. I did not find Corene a very appealing character in the first 2 books, but it changed considerably in Jewelled Fire. I love how Shinn handled her character development, how she is getting stronger & more involved ...
The political / court intrigue – Shinn’s forte- does not disappoint & there are several subplots intertwining: who will be named heir to the throne of Malinqua; which princess will end up married to the possible heir; who has been doing away with political rivals; what the empress Filomara’s real intentions are with keeping the foreign princesses as guests (almost hostages) in Malinqua? And of course there is the ever present question of who Corene is going to end up with?
Once again Shinn manages the romance beautifully: it is an integral party of the story without being overwhelming or being much in the foreground. I am so glad Corene’s love interest turns out to be the man I hoped she would end up with. It is very gradually & nicely done.
I liked the subplot of Leah, a spy for Darien & the sweela prime, Nelson Ardelay turning up in Malinqua and becoming involved in the story.
Although Corene's story takes place in a different country, not Welce, thankfully, the elemental blessings play a a much bigger part than in Royal Airs.
When Corene decides to escape to Malinqua as a stowaway on the ship of the Empress, her sister, Josetta sends her a set of blessing coins, so not only can she draw blessings, but so can her new friends.
I liked the rival princesses from the other countries (Malinqua, Cozique & Dhonso) & how their relationships with Corene is developing. I did not find Corene a very appealing character in the first 2 books, but it changed considerably in Jewelled Fire. I love how Shinn handled her character development, how she is getting stronger & more involved ...
The political / court intrigue – Shinn’s forte- does not disappoint & there are several subplots intertwining: who will be named heir to the throne of Malinqua; which princess will end up married to the possible heir; who has been doing away with political rivals; what the empress Filomara’s real intentions are with keeping the foreign princesses as guests (almost hostages) in Malinqua? And of course there is the ever present question of who Corene is going to end up with?
Once again Shinn manages the romance beautifully: it is an integral party of the story without being overwhelming or being much in the foreground. I am so glad Corene’s love interest turns out to be the man I hoped she would end up with. It is very gradually & nicely done.
I liked the subplot of Leah, a spy for Darien & the sweela prime, Nelson Ardelay turning up in Malinqua and becoming involved in the story.
February 7, 2020
A solid fantasy by the talented Sharon Shinn. Review first posted on www.FantasyLiterature.com:
Jeweled Fire is the third book in Shinn’s ELEMENTAL BLESSINGS fantasy series, each one of which focuses on a different young woman. Corene, a secondary character in the previous books, is a strong-willed and fiery young woman (purely sweela, or fire, for those readers who recall the elemental influences that are presumed to govern personalities in Welce), one of four princesses of Welce who were in contention for the throne. Due to events that occurred in the second book, Royal Airs, Corene is no longer a candidate to become queen of Welce. Feeling disoriented and useless, she impulsively ran away, surreptitiously accepting an invitation from Filomara, the visiting empress of Malinqua, to visit that kingdom and sailing away on Filomara’s ship with her devoted guard, Foley, and Steffanolo, the empress’ recently discovered grandson. Filomara has several marriageable nephews in contention to become the heir to her throne, as well as Steff, and Corene hopes that she can find happiness and a new purpose in life in Malinqua.
When Corene arrives in Malinqua, she meets two princesses from other countries who are also visiting the empress’ palace … and hoping as well to marry the heir to the throne, whomever he may be. The empress’ three nephews aren’t quite the catches Corene had hoped, however: the oldest nephew is crippled and can walk only a few steps, spending most of his time in a wheelchair; the second is gay; and the third is young and attractive but not very intelligent (although one of the other princesses opines that he “simply needs to marry well … Handsome, stupid men always benefit from marrying intelligent, resourceful women”). Steff would be a natural choice for heir, but he is unsophisticated and unfamiliar with Malinqua politics.
To complicate matters further, the path to the throne of Malinqua is strewn with dead candidates, mostly from many years ago, but someone may be making a move again to permanently remove some additional contenders. And once Corene is safely ensconced in the palace, under the watchful eye of the empress and innumerable guards, she begins to feel more like a hostage than a guest. Corene, who has always been fiercely independent and rather careless of the feelings of others, must learn to develop her friendship and alliances with others to avoid the potentially deadly pitfalls in the Malinqua court.
The first book in this ELEMENTAL BLESSINGS series, Troubled Waters, was a heartwarming romantic fantasy that was a pure joy to read, but its sequel, Royal Airs, missed the mark for me. Jeweled Fire is a definite step back in the right direction for this series, although not quite as strong or satisfying as Troubled Waters. Corene’s characterization was a little inconsistent: in the first few chapters she evinced distinct rudeness and immaturity. That disappeared ― a little too quickly to be completely believable ― once she landed in Malinqua, although it was a welcome change from the self-absorbed main character that I thought I was going to be dealing with. Corene displays an unexpected talent for, and interest in, international relations and trade, and gradually realizes that it isn’t necessary for her to be a queen, either in Welce or Malinqua, for her life to matter.
Malinqua lacks the uniqueness of Welce, the setting for the first two books in this series. In Welce the idea of the five elements permeated society and played a significant role in the plot. Shinn gives a nod to a similar type of idea in Malinqua: the capital city displays a divided architecture, half built with a warm red granite and the other with white stone, representing the duality of existence: fire and ice, day and night, flesh and spirit, life and death. This is particularly evidenced in two huge towers in the city, white and red, but although it provides some color to the setting, the duality concept isn’t really explored in any deep or meaningful way. However, the two towers are the setting of some pivotal and tense moments in the plot.
ELEMENTAL BLESSINGS has been a romance-driven fantasy series, and Jeweled Fire does contain a romantic subplot, but the focus of the story is more on the political intrigue and the mystery of the deaths that occur in connection with the competition for the throne in Malinqua. That mystery isn’t particularly deep and wouldn’t support the entire plot, but its shortcomings are made up for by the strong development of interpersonal relationship among the characters. In particular, it’s always encouraging to see strong female friendships and mutual support in young adult fiction. The characters are a diverse group who manage to come together despite their racial, cultural, and sexual differences. There is also a subplot with a spy from Welce, who is charged with watching out for Corene’s safety, that provides some variety and echoes some of the themes of the main plot: feeling lost, and the importance of family ties.
Jeweled Fire is worth reading if you enjoyed Troubled Waters, even if you thought its sequel missed the mark. It’s not clear whether Jeweled Fire is the end of this series or a temporary stopping place, but I hope Sharon Shinn will write additional books in this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. Thank you!
Jeweled Fire is the third book in Shinn’s ELEMENTAL BLESSINGS fantasy series, each one of which focuses on a different young woman. Corene, a secondary character in the previous books, is a strong-willed and fiery young woman (purely sweela, or fire, for those readers who recall the elemental influences that are presumed to govern personalities in Welce), one of four princesses of Welce who were in contention for the throne. Due to events that occurred in the second book, Royal Airs, Corene is no longer a candidate to become queen of Welce. Feeling disoriented and useless, she impulsively ran away, surreptitiously accepting an invitation from Filomara, the visiting empress of Malinqua, to visit that kingdom and sailing away on Filomara’s ship with her devoted guard, Foley, and Steffanolo, the empress’ recently discovered grandson. Filomara has several marriageable nephews in contention to become the heir to her throne, as well as Steff, and Corene hopes that she can find happiness and a new purpose in life in Malinqua.
When Corene arrives in Malinqua, she meets two princesses from other countries who are also visiting the empress’ palace … and hoping as well to marry the heir to the throne, whomever he may be. The empress’ three nephews aren’t quite the catches Corene had hoped, however: the oldest nephew is crippled and can walk only a few steps, spending most of his time in a wheelchair; the second is gay; and the third is young and attractive but not very intelligent (although one of the other princesses opines that he “simply needs to marry well … Handsome, stupid men always benefit from marrying intelligent, resourceful women”). Steff would be a natural choice for heir, but he is unsophisticated and unfamiliar with Malinqua politics.
To complicate matters further, the path to the throne of Malinqua is strewn with dead candidates, mostly from many years ago, but someone may be making a move again to permanently remove some additional contenders. And once Corene is safely ensconced in the palace, under the watchful eye of the empress and innumerable guards, she begins to feel more like a hostage than a guest. Corene, who has always been fiercely independent and rather careless of the feelings of others, must learn to develop her friendship and alliances with others to avoid the potentially deadly pitfalls in the Malinqua court.
The first book in this ELEMENTAL BLESSINGS series, Troubled Waters, was a heartwarming romantic fantasy that was a pure joy to read, but its sequel, Royal Airs, missed the mark for me. Jeweled Fire is a definite step back in the right direction for this series, although not quite as strong or satisfying as Troubled Waters. Corene’s characterization was a little inconsistent: in the first few chapters she evinced distinct rudeness and immaturity. That disappeared ― a little too quickly to be completely believable ― once she landed in Malinqua, although it was a welcome change from the self-absorbed main character that I thought I was going to be dealing with. Corene displays an unexpected talent for, and interest in, international relations and trade, and gradually realizes that it isn’t necessary for her to be a queen, either in Welce or Malinqua, for her life to matter.
Malinqua lacks the uniqueness of Welce, the setting for the first two books in this series. In Welce the idea of the five elements permeated society and played a significant role in the plot. Shinn gives a nod to a similar type of idea in Malinqua: the capital city displays a divided architecture, half built with a warm red granite and the other with white stone, representing the duality of existence: fire and ice, day and night, flesh and spirit, life and death. This is particularly evidenced in two huge towers in the city, white and red, but although it provides some color to the setting, the duality concept isn’t really explored in any deep or meaningful way. However, the two towers are the setting of some pivotal and tense moments in the plot.
ELEMENTAL BLESSINGS has been a romance-driven fantasy series, and Jeweled Fire does contain a romantic subplot, but the focus of the story is more on the political intrigue and the mystery of the deaths that occur in connection with the competition for the throne in Malinqua. That mystery isn’t particularly deep and wouldn’t support the entire plot, but its shortcomings are made up for by the strong development of interpersonal relationship among the characters. In particular, it’s always encouraging to see strong female friendships and mutual support in young adult fiction. The characters are a diverse group who manage to come together despite their racial, cultural, and sexual differences. There is also a subplot with a spy from Welce, who is charged with watching out for Corene’s safety, that provides some variety and echoes some of the themes of the main plot: feeling lost, and the importance of family ties.
Jeweled Fire is worth reading if you enjoyed Troubled Waters, even if you thought its sequel missed the mark. It’s not clear whether Jeweled Fire is the end of this series or a temporary stopping place, but I hope Sharon Shinn will write additional books in this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. Thank you!
November 17, 2015
I can’t think of any other author that so consistently satisfies as often as Sharon Shinn. I don’t read that many new books, and the few that I do don’t often hit the mark. It feels like I simply wait every year for Shinn’s newest release to fulfill the need for a brand new read—and during the rest of the year I’m rereading her old books! Shinn just has the touch, whether it’s world building, characters, cracking plots or—and I admit this is why she always works for me—some of the most solid romances to be found in fantasy.
At this point I’ve read almost her entire bibliography, and Troubled Waters is by far my favorite. If goodreads is anything to go by, it’s a big favorite among the rest of her fans as well. Before Shinn went on to write sequels, Troubled Waters was the King of Stand Alones, as far as I’m concerned. Neither Royal Airs nor Jeweled Far come close to matching Troubled Waters as a favorite, but perhaps that’s less to do with the quality of the sequels and more to do with the fact that what I really want is a sequel—or rather, an entire SERIES—dedicated to the daily lives of Zoe and Darien. I don’t care if it’s just them brushing their teeth and eating breakfast or anything else equally mundane (although how could it be, with all the drama those two attract?), I want it. Badly. But for now, I suppose we must make do with sequels about other characters…in Jeweled Fire, it’s obviously Corene that’s the focus.
One of the big differences between Jeweled Fire and the previous books is the setting. Fans of Welce will be disappointed, but those curious about what other places Shinn has created will be intrigued with Malinqua is it’s traditions, which really aren’t so different from Welce. Instead of five core elements, Malinqua is divided by north and south, the calm and collected versus the fiery and passionate. The orginal elements are more interesting—Shinn seems to think so too, because quite a bit of time is spent explaining them to the almost entirely new cast of characters that Corene meets: namely the three princes vying for the throne, and the posse of princesses who have come to win the men’s hands in marriage.
The second notable difference in this installment is that the romance is MUCH more understated—in fact, it’s hardly there. Instead, Shinn spends her time developing Corene’s relationship with the other princesses (and princes) at the palace. In my opinion, Shinn made the right (and rather brilliant) choice on focusing Corene’s growth in her friendship with other women her own age, rather than in a romantic attachment. Shinn created an excellent, if slow-moving, development arc for Corene, and she handled it masterfully enough to make Corene likable to the reader. Corene, a coquettish and temperamental girl, is not the easiest person to like (as the character herself mentions several times), but I found myself enjoying Corene’s narration and sympathizing with her. I actually ended up admiring her by the end of the book. Considering the amount of trauma she’s been through, she holds herself up quite well.
That being said, I’m not sure I find Shinn’s teenage characters as compelling as her adult ones. I found Jeweled Fire’s second (adult) main character and POV, Leah, a much more compelling character than Corene. Leah is a Welce spy with a murky past planted in Malinqua, although it’s no mystery that she’ll eventually be returning to Welce. Shinn has announced that the next book will be about Leah, and based on what we learn in Jeweled Fire, I have VERY high hopes for the next book, although to give any more information would be spoiler-y, so I’ll stop here. I’ll simply say that I have a hunch the next book is going to be the best one since Troubled Waters!
Just to help people avoid disappointment: Zoe and Darien are mentioned in Jeweled Fire, but they do not make an appearance in this book. This surprised me, since I predicted that the obvious climatic moment for Corene would be a tete-a-tete with her father, but somehow Shinn made it work without that particular argument ever taking place (which I liked. Corene found out who she was through her new friends—not through her overbearing father). HOWEVER, just because they are physically absent does not mean Zoe and Darien’s presence is not felt throughout the book. I find it interesting that Darien has remained such an integral part of this series, even more so that Zoe. He’s always on the backs of everyone’s minds and remains one of the strongest characters, even when he’s not a main player—even when he doesn’t show up in the book! Which brings us to the reason why neither Jeweled Fire nor Royal Airs surpass Troubled Waters: Zoe and Darien remain the strongest, most interesting characters in the entire series.
So far Jeweled Fire is my least favorite out of all three books, but that has more to do with my personal preferences (Corene still isn’t my favorite character, and…sorry as I am to say it, I prefer more romance!) rather than the quality of the book. From a strictly objective perspective, I think it’s superior to Royal Airs due to Corene’s impressive character development, which is quite more substantial than Josetta’s, and the focus on female relationships in lieu of romantic ones. Actually, I like the book more in retrospect, after I’ve written this review. It seems like it’s the kind of story that grows once you set it aside and think. Still not as good as Troubled Waters, but really, what is?
Highly recommended for Shinn fans, especially those who love this particular series.
At this point I’ve read almost her entire bibliography, and Troubled Waters is by far my favorite. If goodreads is anything to go by, it’s a big favorite among the rest of her fans as well. Before Shinn went on to write sequels, Troubled Waters was the King of Stand Alones, as far as I’m concerned. Neither Royal Airs nor Jeweled Far come close to matching Troubled Waters as a favorite, but perhaps that’s less to do with the quality of the sequels and more to do with the fact that what I really want is a sequel—or rather, an entire SERIES—dedicated to the daily lives of Zoe and Darien. I don’t care if it’s just them brushing their teeth and eating breakfast or anything else equally mundane (although how could it be, with all the drama those two attract?), I want it. Badly. But for now, I suppose we must make do with sequels about other characters…in Jeweled Fire, it’s obviously Corene that’s the focus.
One of the big differences between Jeweled Fire and the previous books is the setting. Fans of Welce will be disappointed, but those curious about what other places Shinn has created will be intrigued with Malinqua is it’s traditions, which really aren’t so different from Welce. Instead of five core elements, Malinqua is divided by north and south, the calm and collected versus the fiery and passionate. The orginal elements are more interesting—Shinn seems to think so too, because quite a bit of time is spent explaining them to the almost entirely new cast of characters that Corene meets: namely the three princes vying for the throne, and the posse of princesses who have come to win the men’s hands in marriage.
The second notable difference in this installment is that the romance is MUCH more understated—in fact, it’s hardly there. Instead, Shinn spends her time developing Corene’s relationship with the other princesses (and princes) at the palace. In my opinion, Shinn made the right (and rather brilliant) choice on focusing Corene’s growth in her friendship with other women her own age, rather than in a romantic attachment. Shinn created an excellent, if slow-moving, development arc for Corene, and she handled it masterfully enough to make Corene likable to the reader. Corene, a coquettish and temperamental girl, is not the easiest person to like (as the character herself mentions several times), but I found myself enjoying Corene’s narration and sympathizing with her. I actually ended up admiring her by the end of the book. Considering the amount of trauma she’s been through, she holds herself up quite well.
That being said, I’m not sure I find Shinn’s teenage characters as compelling as her adult ones. I found Jeweled Fire’s second (adult) main character and POV, Leah, a much more compelling character than Corene. Leah is a Welce spy with a murky past planted in Malinqua, although it’s no mystery that she’ll eventually be returning to Welce. Shinn has announced that the next book will be about Leah, and based on what we learn in Jeweled Fire, I have VERY high hopes for the next book, although to give any more information would be spoiler-y, so I’ll stop here. I’ll simply say that I have a hunch the next book is going to be the best one since Troubled Waters!
Just to help people avoid disappointment: Zoe and Darien are mentioned in Jeweled Fire, but they do not make an appearance in this book. This surprised me, since I predicted that the obvious climatic moment for Corene would be a tete-a-tete with her father, but somehow Shinn made it work without that particular argument ever taking place (which I liked. Corene found out who she was through her new friends—not through her overbearing father). HOWEVER, just because they are physically absent does not mean Zoe and Darien’s presence is not felt throughout the book. I find it interesting that Darien has remained such an integral part of this series, even more so that Zoe. He’s always on the backs of everyone’s minds and remains one of the strongest characters, even when he’s not a main player—even when he doesn’t show up in the book! Which brings us to the reason why neither Jeweled Fire nor Royal Airs surpass Troubled Waters: Zoe and Darien remain the strongest, most interesting characters in the entire series.
So far Jeweled Fire is my least favorite out of all three books, but that has more to do with my personal preferences (Corene still isn’t my favorite character, and…sorry as I am to say it, I prefer more romance!) rather than the quality of the book. From a strictly objective perspective, I think it’s superior to Royal Airs due to Corene’s impressive character development, which is quite more substantial than Josetta’s, and the focus on female relationships in lieu of romantic ones. Actually, I like the book more in retrospect, after I’ve written this review. It seems like it’s the kind of story that grows once you set it aside and think. Still not as good as Troubled Waters, but really, what is?
Highly recommended for Shinn fans, especially those who love this particular series.
January 5, 2016
I've been putting off writing this review because there really isn't much to say. If you liked the first two, you'll probably like this one; the setting and the magic/religion are still interesting, and the characters are still superb. I'm struck by how much of a presence Darien Serlast still has, even though he doesn't show up at all and works through proxies. And Corene...honestly, I never thought I'd care about her, since she was such a stinky brat in the first book, but she really comes into her own here. Four stars, because I didn't really care about the plot and was impatient to see how Corene's character, and romance, developed, but it's an excellent story.
June 19, 2018
I liked this! I liked the variety of women and that they were FRIENDS despite being somewhat in competition with each other.
I liked the romance and it made me feeeeeel at the end, but I wish there had been just a SMIDGE more of it. I feel like it wasn't set up quite enough.
Audiobook Re-read June 2018
I like this a lot better than I did the first time I read it! (I knew I gave it four stars, but that was favorite author bump!) It really isn't a very well developed romance, which is a shame, because there's so much potential, but it IS a good female friendship book. And I was able to appreciate that a lot this time through.
And I do love Leah.
I liked the romance and it made me feeeeeel at the end, but I wish there had been just a SMIDGE more of it. I feel like it wasn't set up quite enough.
Audiobook Re-read June 2018
I like this a lot better than I did the first time I read it! (I knew I gave it four stars, but that was favorite author bump!) It really isn't a very well developed romance, which is a shame, because there's so much potential, but it IS a good female friendship book. And I was able to appreciate that a lot this time through.
And I do love Leah.
November 17, 2015
liked this way better than the second one and was pleasantly surprised cause i didn't like corene all that much in the previous book. can't say i liked the romance all that much but it really wasn't that much part of the story and sometimes everyone acted a bit childish and very illogical but as a whole it was fun and pleasant.
January 15, 2016
In Welce, there is a surplus of princesses. The Empress of Malinqua needs a princess or two as brides for her three nephews. When Princess Corene of Welce decides to accept the Empress’s invitation to visit Malinqua, she defies her father’s wishes but she is determined to forge her own life. Unfortunately, when Corene arrives at the royal court in Malinqua, she discovers that the situation is much more complex than she had thought and much more lethal.
The Empress hasn’t named her heir yet, and many of her surviving relatives jockey for the position. The key word is ‘surviving’, as there is a long tradition in Malinqua of eligible royal relatives dropping dead – of illness or accident, of course. But the body count is just too high for Corene’s peace of mind. Could she be the next victim of a convenient accident? And who is responsible for so many corpses?
Corene is an unusual heroine. Strong-minded and sharp-tongued, she is not very likable in the beginning. She could be downright rude, exploit people’s weaknesses without remorse, or throw a tantrum, if it suits her goals, but inside her prickly exterior, there is a vulnerable little girl who yearns to be loved for who she is. Combined with her inexhaustible courage, her experience of the palace intrigues at home, and her desire to find a purpose in life, she makes an explosive and fascinating protagonist.
The characters surrounding her are just as complicated and very diverse. There are two other foreign princesses in Malinqua: the flirty Melissande and the tragic Alette, both of whom become Corene’s friends as they face the unknown dangers together. There are three nephews of the Empress, all aspiring to the throne, all with their own problems. There is also Foley, Corene’s bodyguard from Welce – her stalwart supporter and watchful protector. And maybe even more.
The plot unfolds slowly, as many Shinn’s novels do. Nothing of import seems to happen at first. Corene shops and chats and flirts and explores her new surroundings. She is learning to navigate the treacherous waters of the court, but subtle tension always thrums underneath the mundane, and suspense mounts quietly but steadily. Corene must figure out fast who of her new friends might be her bitterest enemy if she wants to survive her visit to Malinqua.
In the end, when the tension finally snaps, and the embers that’s been smoldering burst into a conflagration, the author flings her reader towards a fiery denouement. The ending is the only flaw of this book. Not the actions, no, they are as absorbing as the rest of the tale, but Corene’s final decisions seem unrealistic and questionable in the milieu of the novel.
Until the very end, I believed the story. I sympathized with Corene’s quest to find a true meaning to her life. But when she ‘found it’, I said: “Huh?” The story didn’t really end. It just took the next logical step, so all the anguish and terror and heroism seemed for naught.
Despite the disappointing finale, the journey was worth the reading. I hope there are more books in this series. I definitely want to read them.
The Empress hasn’t named her heir yet, and many of her surviving relatives jockey for the position. The key word is ‘surviving’, as there is a long tradition in Malinqua of eligible royal relatives dropping dead – of illness or accident, of course. But the body count is just too high for Corene’s peace of mind. Could she be the next victim of a convenient accident? And who is responsible for so many corpses?
Corene is an unusual heroine. Strong-minded and sharp-tongued, she is not very likable in the beginning. She could be downright rude, exploit people’s weaknesses without remorse, or throw a tantrum, if it suits her goals, but inside her prickly exterior, there is a vulnerable little girl who yearns to be loved for who she is. Combined with her inexhaustible courage, her experience of the palace intrigues at home, and her desire to find a purpose in life, she makes an explosive and fascinating protagonist.
The characters surrounding her are just as complicated and very diverse. There are two other foreign princesses in Malinqua: the flirty Melissande and the tragic Alette, both of whom become Corene’s friends as they face the unknown dangers together. There are three nephews of the Empress, all aspiring to the throne, all with their own problems. There is also Foley, Corene’s bodyguard from Welce – her stalwart supporter and watchful protector. And maybe even more.
The plot unfolds slowly, as many Shinn’s novels do. Nothing of import seems to happen at first. Corene shops and chats and flirts and explores her new surroundings. She is learning to navigate the treacherous waters of the court, but subtle tension always thrums underneath the mundane, and suspense mounts quietly but steadily. Corene must figure out fast who of her new friends might be her bitterest enemy if she wants to survive her visit to Malinqua.
In the end, when the tension finally snaps, and the embers that’s been smoldering burst into a conflagration, the author flings her reader towards a fiery denouement. The ending is the only flaw of this book. Not the actions, no, they are as absorbing as the rest of the tale, but Corene’s final decisions seem unrealistic and questionable in the milieu of the novel.
Until the very end, I believed the story. I sympathized with Corene’s quest to find a true meaning to her life. But when she ‘found it’, I said: “Huh?” The story didn’t really end. It just took the next logical step, so all the anguish and terror and heroism seemed for naught.
Despite the disappointing finale, the journey was worth the reading. I hope there are more books in this series. I definitely want to read them.
April 5, 2017
3.5 stars
Unlike in previous entries in this series, the main focus in this story was on the protagonist's, Corene's, personal growth rather than on a romance. At the end of the previous book, Princess Corene, feeling unwanted at home, stowed away to Malinqua to take up the empress's invitation to vie for the hand of one of her nephews, all hoping to become her heir. There's plenty of court intrigue, but dealing with that and befriending some other princess candidates give Corene a chance to take a hard look at herself away from the expected role she had at home and to test her mettle.
For the most part, she fares well and does some real maturing in the process. This was a pretty solid 4 star read for me until some disappointment at the end. There's a touch of romance in the story, not really fully realized, in part because she is only seventeen.
We're introduced to Leah, a Welce noblewoman working as a spy for Darien in Malinqua and someone with interesting ties back home. At the end of this book, she is heading back to Welce and will be the protagonist of the next story. From what we learn of her here, it should be good.
Unlike in previous entries in this series, the main focus in this story was on the protagonist's, Corene's, personal growth rather than on a romance. At the end of the previous book, Princess Corene, feeling unwanted at home, stowed away to Malinqua to take up the empress's invitation to vie for the hand of one of her nephews, all hoping to become her heir. There's plenty of court intrigue, but dealing with that and befriending some other princess candidates give Corene a chance to take a hard look at herself away from the expected role she had at home and to test her mettle.
For the most part, she fares well and does some real maturing in the process. This was a pretty solid 4 star read for me until some disappointment at the end. There's a touch of romance in the story, not really fully realized, in part because she is only seventeen.
We're introduced to Leah, a Welce noblewoman working as a spy for Darien in Malinqua and someone with interesting ties back home. At the end of this book, she is heading back to Welce and will be the protagonist of the next story. From what we learn of her here, it should be good.
October 25, 2015
Once again Shinn has written a love story that simmers in the backgound. Corene and Foley are a great pair who have to respond to multiple threats. Nothing is as it seems. Does the empress really want to marry off her nephews? With three old choices and one new choice who will actually be the heir. Who is pulling strings in the background to see that their candidate wins. Why is one of the princesses in more danger than the other two.
All of this is happening in a book that is full of tension even as the prose flows in a very smooth way. Shinn had a way with the gentle romance. You know that the two are attracted but it is never shoved in your face. Instead there are hints in the action required by the two main characters.
Jeweled Fire is character driven. Corene, the main character, starts out not knowing what she wants from her life and ends up realizing that running way leads her to being able to run to a new and interesting life. Best of all Foley will be sharing that life with her.
All of this is happening in a book that is full of tension even as the prose flows in a very smooth way. Shinn had a way with the gentle romance. You know that the two are attracted but it is never shoved in your face. Instead there are hints in the action required by the two main characters.
Jeweled Fire is character driven. Corene, the main character, starts out not knowing what she wants from her life and ends up realizing that running way leads her to being able to run to a new and interesting life. Best of all Foley will be sharing that life with her.
April 22, 2018
Corene craves adventure and escape. From a life in Welce that has been one of royal intrigue and manipulation.
So she boards a ship to Malinqua--one of an assortment of princesses sought to match up with an astonishing number of possible heirs for the Malinquan throne. She doesn't care that much who she marries or even if she marries. She simply needs to get away.
Which turns out to be a great deal more challenging than Corene bargained for. As it appears the princesses are not only possible brides, but also possible . . . hostages.
Drat. And the Malinquan court, while luxurious, appears to harbor a murderer. Which makes being trapped there rather inconvenient.
Classic Sharon Shinn. A headstrong princess, an impossible romance, very real danger, and a terrific read.
So she boards a ship to Malinqua--one of an assortment of princesses sought to match up with an astonishing number of possible heirs for the Malinquan throne. She doesn't care that much who she marries or even if she marries. She simply needs to get away.
Which turns out to be a great deal more challenging than Corene bargained for. As it appears the princesses are not only possible brides, but also possible . . . hostages.
Drat. And the Malinquan court, while luxurious, appears to harbor a murderer. Which makes being trapped there rather inconvenient.
Classic Sharon Shinn. A headstrong princess, an impossible romance, very real danger, and a terrific read.
March 3, 2020
It turns out one Sharon Shinn series I had totally ignored is precisely my cup of tea and now my favorite of hers. I liked this as much, or even more than Troubled Waters, Corene is compelling as a teenager finding herself, and I liked the plot. As usual I do like Shinn's writing and pace, it is all very readable (which seems like faint praise but it is not) and smooth and compelling. Great female characters as well. The love story is quite subtle, perhaps too much because I would have loved a bit more (an epilogue? An appearance on a fifth yet to be written book), but I did love it.
Apparently I am just in the mood for this, so have now moved into the next book....
Apparently I am just in the mood for this, so have now moved into the next book....
July 11, 2022
I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book after the lukewarm reaction to book two, but all in all, I had quite the nice time with it.
Corene is quite the interesting character, I'd say she's the one that goes to the more drastic personal growth (Zoe's journey is very close to that...maybe they're on par, even), and while in book 1 she's a bit of a spoiled child, in this book we take a good look into her head and what being raised for the majority of her life at court and her manipulative mother really did to her, but also the reprieve that living with Darien and Zoe gave her.
The change of location didn't bother me as much as I thought it would and I quite enjoyed exiting one of the other realms. The various side characters were great addition for the plot and helped breaking the slow pace of the story. Of those, I found Leah very intriguing: there are a few clues about her character that made it pretty easy to get a good guess about who she is and how she's tied to the court of Welce.
The romance in this book was very puppy sweet like, thanks to the young age of the characters....as usual when it comes to this series, I wished it had been explored a little bit better and gave it more space to see the development instead of being rushed through it in the last third of the book.
Off to the final book we go!
Corene is quite the interesting character, I'd say she's the one that goes to the more drastic personal growth (Zoe's journey is very close to that...maybe they're on par, even), and while in book 1 she's a bit of a spoiled child, in this book we take a good look into her head and what being raised for the majority of her life at court and her manipulative mother really did to her, but also the reprieve that living with Darien and Zoe gave her.
The change of location didn't bother me as much as I thought it would and I quite enjoyed exiting one of the other realms. The various side characters were great addition for the plot and helped breaking the slow pace of the story. Of those, I found Leah very intriguing: there are a few clues about her character that made it pretty easy to get a good guess about who she is and how she's tied to the court of Welce.
The romance in this book was very puppy sweet like, thanks to the young age of the characters....as usual when it comes to this series, I wished it had been explored a little bit better and gave it more space to see the development instead of being rushed through it in the last third of the book.
Off to the final book we go!
August 11, 2021
Very enjoyable. Unlike the previous novel in this series, there is a lot going on in this novel. Corene has always been an interesting character and in this novel it was wonderful to see her coming into her own. I loved the friendships in this novel, the four young women growing to care for and support one another as well as all of the characters in the Malinquese court. It was just terrific.
October 25, 2015
YA Fantasy Absurd
I can't remember ever being so irritated by a book as I am with Jeweled Fire. This book can't decide what it wants to be, with the first 90% spent slogging through excruciating court politics, then a quick turn at murder mystery before finally having a bit of adventure in the last few pages.
Whatever else it may be, this story is certainly not a romance. I cannot imagine who this will appeal to, certainly not teen girls. The supposed purpose of Corene's trip is to find a royal husband, but her prospects are made up of a man twice her age confined to a wheelchair, a gay man almost as old, or a good-looking man her age who is described as lacking intelligence.
Speaking of the romance aspect of this book, it is awkward and uncomfortable. If the tables were turned, this would clearly be sexual harassment. Corene bullys, manipulates and blackmails Foley, her guard, relentlessly, with not one iota of interest or encouragement on his part.
Ms. Shinn makes no attempt to make Corene likeable, none. At one point, when we learn that Corene is about to be burned alive, I actually shouted Finally!
To make matters worse, we have two perspectives in this novel. The other woman's point of view serves no purpose, and she's just as unappealing as Corene.
This is my first read by Sharon Shinn, and based on the reviews of her other books, I am sorely disappointed. I personally would not recommend this book for teen girls, the conversations and morals are not what I would want to impart to my daughter. At one point, the girls actually discuss the perks of having a husband who won't mind his wife cheating on him. Not to mention that teens will be bored to tears by all the politics. Unfortunately, I can't see an adult enjoying the book either, Corene is pure teen, blasé and tunnel-visioned.
I would never have finished Jeweled Fire if I hadn't committed to reading it for NetGalley. As it is, I very much want to give it a one star rating. Unfortunately, with my rating system, it will get two stars simply because, whether under duress or not, I did finish it.
To the best of my recollection, the book has one bad word and one kiss.
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I can't remember ever being so irritated by a book as I am with Jeweled Fire. This book can't decide what it wants to be, with the first 90% spent slogging through excruciating court politics, then a quick turn at murder mystery before finally having a bit of adventure in the last few pages.
Whatever else it may be, this story is certainly not a romance. I cannot imagine who this will appeal to, certainly not teen girls. The supposed purpose of Corene's trip is to find a royal husband, but her prospects are made up of a man twice her age confined to a wheelchair, a gay man almost as old, or a good-looking man her age who is described as lacking intelligence.
Speaking of the romance aspect of this book, it is awkward and uncomfortable. If the tables were turned, this would clearly be sexual harassment. Corene bullys, manipulates and blackmails Foley, her guard, relentlessly, with not one iota of interest or encouragement on his part.
Ms. Shinn makes no attempt to make Corene likeable, none. At one point, when we learn that Corene is about to be burned alive, I actually shouted Finally!
To make matters worse, we have two perspectives in this novel. The other woman's point of view serves no purpose, and she's just as unappealing as Corene.
This is my first read by Sharon Shinn, and based on the reviews of her other books, I am sorely disappointed. I personally would not recommend this book for teen girls, the conversations and morals are not what I would want to impart to my daughter. At one point, the girls actually discuss the perks of having a husband who won't mind his wife cheating on him. Not to mention that teens will be bored to tears by all the politics. Unfortunately, I can't see an adult enjoying the book either, Corene is pure teen, blasé and tunnel-visioned.
I would never have finished Jeweled Fire if I hadn't committed to reading it for NetGalley. As it is, I very much want to give it a one star rating. Unfortunately, with my rating system, it will get two stars simply because, whether under duress or not, I did finish it.
To the best of my recollection, the book has one bad word and one kiss.
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2015
First off, I loved this book! In Troubled Waters, I didn’t care much for Corene. In Royal Airs, you could see that she had grown and matured and I enjoyed reading this book from her perspective.
This is Corene’s story of finding her place in the world, discovering what she wants from life and who she wants to be with. This book is filled with court intrigue and a murder mystery. It has my favorite kind of romance, one that builds up slowly instead of the unrealistic and rather unhealthy insta-love variety you see so often today.
If you’ve enjoyed any of Sharon Shinn’s books you should definitely put this on your to-read list. I will be reading this again and again in the future.
I received a copy through NetGalley for an honest review.
This is Corene’s story of finding her place in the world, discovering what she wants from life and who she wants to be with. This book is filled with court intrigue and a murder mystery. It has my favorite kind of romance, one that builds up slowly instead of the unrealistic and rather unhealthy insta-love variety you see so often today.
If you’ve enjoyed any of Sharon Shinn’s books you should definitely put this on your to-read list. I will be reading this again and again in the future.
I received a copy through NetGalley for an honest review.
January 22, 2024
Of the Sharon Shinn novels I’ve read thus far, Jeweled Fire is probably my least favorite, if you forced me to make that call. In other ways, though, there are aspects I love that are different from any of the others. Basically, Shinn is a fantasy queen, even if occasionally her shippy brilliance falls through.
Let’s talk about that elephant in the room first. If you’ve read the book blurb, you know that Corene’s going to end up with Foley. In a rare exception to my general rule, I actually read the jacket copy before starting the book, and I was…puzzled to say the least. But I figured that Sharon Shinn would be able to make it work, even if he and Corene had never ever had any chemistry (considering that he was holding down a job as a royal guard and she was a teenager, that’s probably a good thing).
The best I can say for this ship is that I didn’t hate it. Foley’s very nice, but I don’t particularly go for bodyguard ships; there’s something about the power dynamics there I don’t like. I mean, it’s his job to die for her, and it’s also his job to protect her and it’s messy. He’s not AS much older than her as I thought he was, but the age gap’s still fairly large. Mostly, the ship is just lacking in chemistry, which really doesn’t seem suited to the fiery Corene. I get that he exerts a steadying influence on her, but this one does not float my boat.
However, I do absolutely love Corene, and I love the plot of this book a lot. It’s the most political intrigue-y of the novels I’ve read, and it has an actual mystery the resolution of which I didn’t work out ahead of time. Also, it’s the first Shinn novel where the heroine left her culture for another, and it’s really fabulous to see more of the world.
What I love most is that Jeweled Fire is about four girls competing to try to marry the potential heir of Malinqua (who could be one of four guys) and they all become friends. It’s not an easy immediate thing, and they do scheme against one another some. The friendships form slowly, but are ultimately so touching and believable. I especially love Corene’s relationships with Liramelli and Melissande. The girls all understand the game they’re playing, and this isn’t remotely a girl hate novel. It’s beautiful, honestly.
Corene’s voice differs strongly from that of Zoe or Josetta. Corene’s more power hungry and curious, and she’s also more naive and impulsive. She’s not as nice as her mother-in-law or sister. Unlike the other two, Corene also has major insecurities, largely from having been raised by Alys. For all that she’s very young and you hear that in her voice, she’s also really good at court interactions, which shows frequently in this book. Shinn has such a brilliant way of highlighting the flaws and strengths of her heroines.
Leah’s sections left me a little bit cold. She doesn’t get too many chapters, and she’s largely a plot point (and likely there to set her up for the next book). I like Leah, but she’s much more staid (torz, duh) than Corene, and her narration pales when placed side by side with Corene’s. My attention always wandered during her sections.
Another excellent fantasy from Shinn, though very disappointing in terms of shippiness.Time to headcanon Corene meeting someone sexy and bantery in Cozique!
Let’s talk about that elephant in the room first. If you’ve read the book blurb, you know that Corene’s going to end up with Foley. In a rare exception to my general rule, I actually read the jacket copy before starting the book, and I was…puzzled to say the least. But I figured that Sharon Shinn would be able to make it work, even if he and Corene had never ever had any chemistry (considering that he was holding down a job as a royal guard and she was a teenager, that’s probably a good thing).
The best I can say for this ship is that I didn’t hate it. Foley’s very nice, but I don’t particularly go for bodyguard ships; there’s something about the power dynamics there I don’t like. I mean, it’s his job to die for her, and it’s also his job to protect her and it’s messy. He’s not AS much older than her as I thought he was, but the age gap’s still fairly large. Mostly, the ship is just lacking in chemistry, which really doesn’t seem suited to the fiery Corene. I get that he exerts a steadying influence on her, but this one does not float my boat.
However, I do absolutely love Corene, and I love the plot of this book a lot. It’s the most political intrigue-y of the novels I’ve read, and it has an actual mystery the resolution of which I didn’t work out ahead of time. Also, it’s the first Shinn novel where the heroine left her culture for another, and it’s really fabulous to see more of the world.
What I love most is that Jeweled Fire is about four girls competing to try to marry the potential heir of Malinqua (who could be one of four guys) and they all become friends. It’s not an easy immediate thing, and they do scheme against one another some. The friendships form slowly, but are ultimately so touching and believable. I especially love Corene’s relationships with Liramelli and Melissande. The girls all understand the game they’re playing, and this isn’t remotely a girl hate novel. It’s beautiful, honestly.
Corene’s voice differs strongly from that of Zoe or Josetta. Corene’s more power hungry and curious, and she’s also more naive and impulsive. She’s not as nice as her mother-in-law or sister. Unlike the other two, Corene also has major insecurities, largely from having been raised by Alys. For all that she’s very young and you hear that in her voice, she’s also really good at court interactions, which shows frequently in this book. Shinn has such a brilliant way of highlighting the flaws and strengths of her heroines.
Leah’s sections left me a little bit cold. She doesn’t get too many chapters, and she’s largely a plot point (and likely there to set her up for the next book). I like Leah, but she’s much more staid (torz, duh) than Corene, and her narration pales when placed side by side with Corene’s. My attention always wandered during her sections.
Another excellent fantasy from Shinn, though very disappointing in terms of shippiness.
December 27, 2025
I love!! this book!! It's one of my favorite Sharon Shinn books, period, with so many elements that I adore -- a strong-willed heroine who practically leaps off the page, whose growth and maturity is so intensely heartwarming to read about, a cast full of lively, engaging characters (my favorite of which is bi!!), incredible female friendship saving the day, twisty but not overwhelmingly tangled political intrigue, plot that is just intense enough to keep the pages turning but not so intense that it dominates the emotional core of the story. It just means everything to me, and I'm so very glad I got to reread it.
Corene is a magnificent heroine, and seeing her grow in prior books to culminate in her POV here, to learn how different she is than the way we've always seen her, what drives her and what we have yet to learn about her, and to see how good being in Malinqua was for her is just... [chef's kiss] I LOVE HER SO MUCH. And Leah is a deuteragonist is also lovely -- she's so different than the other heroines we've seen in this series, older and more world-weary but still on the brink of experiencing the biggest moments of her own life (and I LOVE seeing her with Chandran here knowing what's coming, AAAAAA). I adore every single one of the other princesses, too, but especially MELISSANDE, LOVE OF MY LIFE, BISEXUAL QUEEN OF MY HEART, she is EVERYTHING to me!!! I loved how the mystery of who was behind all the deaths unfolded, all of the revelations we got throughout the book, the twists and turns of the plot -- and I adore the worldbuilding, the way we see brief glimpses of Coziquela and Dhonsho as contrasted to Malinqua and Welce; I'm such a sucker for multicultural fantasy, and it comes so very much to the forefront here! I love seeing Nelson come back, and seeing him in a different light than we usually do (as well as his prime abilities !!!). Nearly every single character interaction here is just absolutely perfect.
Now, if you know anything about my fondness for Sharon Shinn, you're probably noticing a glaring omission in here -- the romance. And that's because... well, it's vastly underwhelming here, to say the least. There's next to no build in prior books -- probably because in the first one, Corene was 12 and Foley was 20!! -- so her feelings for him seem totally out of the blue, and to be frank, he's not that much of a character. He's great in a side role, but as a romantic lead, I find him intensely underwhelming. It's a poorly developed romance, which is SO disappointing for an author whose romances tend to be the central reason I read -- but even though I feel pretty strongly about this, I love everything else about it SO MUCH that I can't bring myself to round down at all. Milquetoast romance aside, I still deeply, deeply love this book.
Corene is a magnificent heroine, and seeing her grow in prior books to culminate in her POV here, to learn how different she is than the way we've always seen her, what drives her and what we have yet to learn about her, and to see how good being in Malinqua was for her is just... [chef's kiss] I LOVE HER SO MUCH. And Leah is a deuteragonist is also lovely -- she's so different than the other heroines we've seen in this series, older and more world-weary but still on the brink of experiencing the biggest moments of her own life (and I LOVE seeing her with Chandran here knowing what's coming, AAAAAA). I adore every single one of the other princesses, too, but especially MELISSANDE, LOVE OF MY LIFE, BISEXUAL QUEEN OF MY HEART, she is EVERYTHING to me!!! I loved how the mystery of who was behind all the deaths unfolded, all of the revelations we got throughout the book, the twists and turns of the plot -- and I adore the worldbuilding, the way we see brief glimpses of Coziquela and Dhonsho as contrasted to Malinqua and Welce; I'm such a sucker for multicultural fantasy, and it comes so very much to the forefront here! I love seeing Nelson come back, and seeing him in a different light than we usually do (as well as his prime abilities !!!). Nearly every single character interaction here is just absolutely perfect.
Now, if you know anything about my fondness for Sharon Shinn, you're probably noticing a glaring omission in here -- the romance. And that's because... well, it's vastly underwhelming here, to say the least. There's next to no build in prior books -- probably because in the first one, Corene was 12 and Foley was 20!! -- so her feelings for him seem totally out of the blue, and to be frank, he's not that much of a character. He's great in a side role, but as a romantic lead, I find him intensely underwhelming. It's a poorly developed romance, which is SO disappointing for an author whose romances tend to be the central reason I read -- but even though I feel pretty strongly about this, I love everything else about it SO MUCH that I can't bring myself to round down at all. Milquetoast romance aside, I still deeply, deeply love this book.
November 11, 2015
This may be the best thus far in Shinn's "Elemental Blessings" series! The pacing, the characters, the plots, the world- all worked together to make a seamless, compelling whole.
Corene- an annoying character from the previous books- sets off for parts unknown (with her family's disapproval), and in so doing, learns a lot about herself and the world, and how she can interact with the world as it is.
But that sounds all too educational! There is flirting! There are mysteries, including murder mysteries! There are even action-adventure sequences! There are satisfactory marriages arranged, based on the idiosyncratic needs and desires of various characters, and their countries!
Also- great political intrigue, sometimes with unexpected results.
Corene really came alive here, and the other characters as well. A lot of the plot(s) were character-driven, so that really intensified things.
I love Shinn's writing. I love the characters here! and the world, and all the plotting makes sense.
Very recommended, and I thik one would not have to read the previous 2 books to enjoy this one.
Corene- an annoying character from the previous books- sets off for parts unknown (with her family's disapproval), and in so doing, learns a lot about herself and the world, and how she can interact with the world as it is.
But that sounds all too educational! There is flirting! There are mysteries, including murder mysteries! There are even action-adventure sequences! There are satisfactory marriages arranged, based on the idiosyncratic needs and desires of various characters, and their countries!
Also- great political intrigue, sometimes with unexpected results.
Corene really came alive here, and the other characters as well. A lot of the plot(s) were character-driven, so that really intensified things.
I love Shinn's writing. I love the characters here! and the world, and all the plotting makes sense.
Very recommended, and I thik one would not have to read the previous 2 books to enjoy this one.
May 6, 2017
I didn't enjoy Jeweled Fire as much as I thought I would or as much as I had the earlier two in the series.
In particular, there's a scene early on where the Empress's 3 nephews are introduced/described to Corene, our protagonist. The eldest is the smartest, but his flaw is that he uses a wheelchair after an accident left him apparently partially paralyzed. The middle nephew is adequately smart, but his flaw in the eyes of his countrymen is that he is more interested in other men than in any prospective wife. The youngest nephew is described as beautiful, popular, but stupid and headstrong. The whole set-up is awkwardly handled and Ms. Shinn spends just a little too much time ham-handedly trying to show that Corene doesn't see disability or homosexuality as a barrier. The story then moves on to much court intrigue, that eventually led to exciting chaos. I enjoyed, but found the disability portrayal troubling throughout.
In particular, there's a scene early on where the Empress's 3 nephews are introduced/described to Corene, our protagonist. The eldest is the smartest, but his flaw is that he uses a wheelchair after an accident left him apparently partially paralyzed. The middle nephew is adequately smart, but his flaw in the eyes of his countrymen is that he is more interested in other men than in any prospective wife. The youngest nephew is described as beautiful, popular, but stupid and headstrong. The whole set-up is awkwardly handled and Ms. Shinn spends just a little too much time ham-handedly trying to show that Corene doesn't see disability or homosexuality as a barrier. The story then moves on to much court intrigue, that eventually led to exciting chaos. I enjoyed, but found the disability portrayal troubling throughout.
December 21, 2023
Original Review:
These books always defy my expectations a bit, which is a nice change of pace.
These books always defy my expectations a bit, which is a nice change of pace.
September 19, 2025
Very good. On to the next one. This is about Corene when she goes to Malinqua.
Withstands a reread a few months after I first read it. Definitely a find of 2023!
Withstands a reread a few months after I first read it. Definitely a find of 2023!
May 5, 2022
This story builds on the first two, following key characters as they leave their home city and country to build a relationship with a neighboring country. They thought their own politics were twisted, but this place is nuts! Also, the first two books featured mature women, while this one has a younger protagonist. The youthful exuberance is fun, with bits of pouting and teen angst thrown in. As the story builds, there are more characters introduced to confuse things even further. Cleverness is met with unexpected consequences, which have serious implications.
With 5 eligible bachelors, 4 potential mates, one desperate queen, and a short future for those who end up with the short stick, madness abounds.
Yet after a fiery climax, the author wraps it up very nicely, with a few surprise casualties, and some fortuitous pairings. A fun read. On to the next.
With 5 eligible bachelors, 4 potential mates, one desperate queen, and a short future for those who end up with the short stick, madness abounds.
Yet after a fiery climax, the author wraps it up very nicely, with a few surprise casualties, and some fortuitous pairings. A fun read. On to the next.
June 8, 2019
3.5 stars! Good story! I thought it would be more romantic but the story line was more a mystery whodunit!
January 8, 2018
Rating: 3.5 Stars
December 7, 2015
I liked this one better than the previous book in the series, Royal Airs but the first book, Troubled Waters is still by far the best.
This one features the Princess Corene whom we last saw stowing away on a ship to go to the far land of Malinqua to run away from the disappointments of her life. To be fair, poor Corene has had it a bit rough.
Her mother Alys is probably one of the most scheming, poisonous characters in the series. She is a woman who is completely ruled by her ambition for power and would use anything -- her status, her body, her daughter, her daughter's virtue -- to get it. Corene had every expectation of being named heir to the throne after all her father had been the king, and one of his daughters needed to be chosen. But a huge paternity scandal put a an end to that when it was discovered the King had been impotent and fathered none of his children. Added to that Corene's awful stepfather tried to molest her. And because of the way she was brought up, she has a reputation as being not very nice. So yeah, Corene has seen better days.
In the first book Corene was a spoiled little snot. But credit to the author for making it apparent in the course of the story that what we saw of Corene wasn't necessarily her own personality. It was the effects of a young girl being brought up in a royal court with a mother like Alys. There were flashes where Corene is shown to be vulnerable and more decent than first impressions. This is further evidenced once Corene is brought under the influence of her stepmother Zoe (the heroine of the first book) and her biological father, the powerful Regent Darien. Under their loving guidance, Corene blossoms, but she is still adrift. What does a princess do when once can't really Princess?
Well she runs off to find a prince for one. Just like in her own home kingdom of Welce, Empire of Malinqua's succession isn't a clear cut thing. There are four pretenders to the throne, including a newly discovered secret heir. And three other princesses who are there for the same reason as Corene: to marry the heir.
When Corene arrives in Malinqua she finds herself in familiar territory -- amidst court scheming, succession wars and surprisingly... murder.
I wasn't sure I was on board with reading a book with Corene as the center. But like I said the author did lay the foundation for redeeming her in the previous book. Most especially since in those books she was a very young girl and can be excused for being a bit selfish. In this one she is now a grown up young woman and we see the pay off of being part of Zoe & Darien's life and away from her toxic mother.
But I love books full of court intrigue and this one had it in spades. Actually this one kinda reminded me a bit of Summers at Castle Auburn - Sharon Shinn , especially with the younger set hanging out and being friends and bonding. That was a cool part of this book, Corene and the other princesses all became good friends instead of catty rivals. So much so that they make lifelong friend pacts and actually help out each other when things become really life or death in the palace.
This is also a bit of a murder mystery. A whodunnit? Who is slyly killing off people to affect the succession?
There is also a romance and I love that Corene and Foley end up together. Foley had been Corene's sister's Josetta's indefatigable bodyguard and a quietly awesome character throughout the series. I was a little bummed he didn't end up with Josetta in the previous book, but I can't be too mad at him. By the time this book ends, Corene has become such a root-worthy heroine and she deserves the bad-ass Foley. Even if he isn't a Prince.
Looking forward to the next book in the series and hope we get some follow-up on what happens with Alette, Liramelli and Melissande (the other princesses) .
This one features the Princess Corene whom we last saw stowing away on a ship to go to the far land of Malinqua to run away from the disappointments of her life. To be fair, poor Corene has had it a bit rough.
Her mother Alys is probably one of the most scheming, poisonous characters in the series. She is a woman who is completely ruled by her ambition for power and would use anything -- her status, her body, her daughter, her daughter's virtue -- to get it. Corene had every expectation of being named heir to the throne after all her father had been the king, and one of his daughters needed to be chosen. But a huge paternity scandal put a an end to that when it was discovered the King had been impotent and fathered none of his children. Added to that Corene's awful stepfather tried to molest her. And because of the way she was brought up, she has a reputation as being not very nice. So yeah, Corene has seen better days.
In the first book Corene was a spoiled little snot. But credit to the author for making it apparent in the course of the story that what we saw of Corene wasn't necessarily her own personality. It was the effects of a young girl being brought up in a royal court with a mother like Alys. There were flashes where Corene is shown to be vulnerable and more decent than first impressions. This is further evidenced once Corene is brought under the influence of her stepmother Zoe (the heroine of the first book) and her biological father, the powerful Regent Darien. Under their loving guidance, Corene blossoms, but she is still adrift. What does a princess do when once can't really Princess?
Well she runs off to find a prince for one. Just like in her own home kingdom of Welce, Empire of Malinqua's succession isn't a clear cut thing. There are four pretenders to the throne, including a newly discovered secret heir. And three other princesses who are there for the same reason as Corene: to marry the heir.
When Corene arrives in Malinqua she finds herself in familiar territory -- amidst court scheming, succession wars and surprisingly... murder.
I wasn't sure I was on board with reading a book with Corene as the center. But like I said the author did lay the foundation for redeeming her in the previous book. Most especially since in those books she was a very young girl and can be excused for being a bit selfish. In this one she is now a grown up young woman and we see the pay off of being part of Zoe & Darien's life and away from her toxic mother.
But I love books full of court intrigue and this one had it in spades. Actually this one kinda reminded me a bit of Summers at Castle Auburn - Sharon Shinn , especially with the younger set hanging out and being friends and bonding. That was a cool part of this book, Corene and the other princesses all became good friends instead of catty rivals. So much so that they make lifelong friend pacts and actually help out each other when things become really life or death in the palace.
This is also a bit of a murder mystery. A whodunnit? Who is slyly killing off people to affect the succession?
There is also a romance and I love that Corene and Foley end up together. Foley had been Corene's sister's Josetta's indefatigable bodyguard and a quietly awesome character throughout the series. I was a little bummed he didn't end up with Josetta in the previous book, but I can't be too mad at him. By the time this book ends, Corene has become such a root-worthy heroine and she deserves the bad-ass Foley. Even if he isn't a Prince.
Looking forward to the next book in the series and hope we get some follow-up on what happens with Alette, Liramelli and Melissande (the other princesses) .
April 2, 2023
Reread in January 2020 - My goodness, this book. Seriously. I really liked Filomara this time around, she's flawed, but it's hard not to be awed. I also loved Corene in this, she goes through so much personal growth. The female friendships are excellent and so is discovering Malinqua. Leah is precious, I loved meeting her here too. Shinn is the queen of slow burn and it worked so well here. I have nothing but praise for this book - everything works and the characters always feel like close friends to me by the end. The best series.
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Reread in June 2019 - SUBLIME and I really loved all the new characters, though I missed Zoe greatly.
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Reread in January 2019 - I'm head over heels in love with this book and this series. It's so special. This reminded me of Princess Academy - a group of princesses supporting each other through court betrayals and intrigues. It was also wonderfully cosy and had THE BEST characters. This is as perfect as it gets.
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Pretty much the perfect book. It's hard to beat the Elemental Blessings series, and this installment is one of the best. Corene isn't the most obvious heroine at first glance but her journey was so rewarding. I also adored the female friendships in this book - princesses supporting each other through court intrigue. The secondary characters were also charming and I can't fault Shinn's sense of place. Once again, I wanted to be part of this world and walk the streets of Malinqua. This is the series that has made me traveled the most, it's got an amazing scope while making sure to pay attention to those rich details that matter - food, laughter, jewels, all sorts of relationships. I can't love this more.
---- Original review:
Well, this is embarassing. For the first time in my life I haven't read a book series in order. Somehow I ended up thinking #3 was #2, meaning I read Jeweled Fire before Royal Airs. No wonder the beginning seemed very odd! I didn't realise my mistake until I was halfway through the book so I just carried on. That being said, I was lucky in that both Jeweled and Royal are spin offs of the first book so in essence I didn't miss anybody's main story, though I was spoiled for a couple of things.
I enjoyed Jeweled Fire very much. This is the very definition of court intrigue -murder, investigation, inheritance rules. That was joyful. I missed what little magic we had in the first book (there's none here and it doesn't read as fantasy, more like romantic historical fiction) and I dearly missed the main characters of Troubled Waters (mentioned here in passing) but the story was cosy, full of various depictions of female friendships and engrossing, with a couple of LGBTQ characters on top of it all (and a kiss between two girls). This is a great series and definitely a comfort read.
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Reread in June 2019 - SUBLIME and I really loved all the new characters, though I missed Zoe greatly.
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Reread in January 2019 - I'm head over heels in love with this book and this series. It's so special. This reminded me of Princess Academy - a group of princesses supporting each other through court betrayals and intrigues. It was also wonderfully cosy and had THE BEST characters. This is as perfect as it gets.
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Pretty much the perfect book. It's hard to beat the Elemental Blessings series, and this installment is one of the best. Corene isn't the most obvious heroine at first glance but her journey was so rewarding. I also adored the female friendships in this book - princesses supporting each other through court intrigue. The secondary characters were also charming and I can't fault Shinn's sense of place. Once again, I wanted to be part of this world and walk the streets of Malinqua. This is the series that has made me traveled the most, it's got an amazing scope while making sure to pay attention to those rich details that matter - food, laughter, jewels, all sorts of relationships. I can't love this more.
---- Original review:
Well, this is embarassing. For the first time in my life I haven't read a book series in order. Somehow I ended up thinking #3 was #2, meaning I read Jeweled Fire before Royal Airs. No wonder the beginning seemed very odd! I didn't realise my mistake until I was halfway through the book so I just carried on. That being said, I was lucky in that both Jeweled and Royal are spin offs of the first book so in essence I didn't miss anybody's main story, though I was spoiled for a couple of things.
I enjoyed Jeweled Fire very much. This is the very definition of court intrigue -murder, investigation, inheritance rules. That was joyful. I missed what little magic we had in the first book (there's none here and it doesn't read as fantasy, more like romantic historical fiction) and I dearly missed the main characters of Troubled Waters (mentioned here in passing) but the story was cosy, full of various depictions of female friendships and engrossing, with a couple of LGBTQ characters on top of it all (and a kiss between two girls). This is a great series and definitely a comfort read.
October 4, 2015
Reviewed for NetGalley:
I loved this book. LOVED IT. I was super excited to see it as an option on NetGalley, and when my request for an ARC was approved, I told everyone at work. I was so excited. Just so you know that this review is probably biased. :D When I got home, I read the whole thing. Not quite in one sitting, because I fell asleep, but within 24 hours of starting it. I thought it was interesting to get out of Welce and see some of the other countries first hand. I'm hoping that we get more stories set in this world. I was a little worried about this book, because Corene wasn't my favorite character, but at least I understand why she acted the way she did. And by the end, I liked her a WHOLE lot more. If there is one flaw, I could've done with a BIT more romance, but I absolutely love romance, and the mystery in this was fantastic, and I wasn't sure who the bad guy was until Corene figured it out. Which is also super fun. I had a hard time, at first, keeping track of all the different characters, but that slowly faded away.
I loved this book. LOVED IT. I was super excited to see it as an option on NetGalley, and when my request for an ARC was approved, I told everyone at work. I was so excited. Just so you know that this review is probably biased. :D When I got home, I read the whole thing. Not quite in one sitting, because I fell asleep, but within 24 hours of starting it. I thought it was interesting to get out of Welce and see some of the other countries first hand. I'm hoping that we get more stories set in this world. I was a little worried about this book, because Corene wasn't my favorite character, but at least I understand why she acted the way she did. And by the end, I liked her a WHOLE lot more. If there is one flaw, I could've done with a BIT more romance, but I absolutely love romance, and the mystery in this was fantastic, and I wasn't sure who the bad guy was until Corene figured it out. Which is also super fun. I had a hard time, at first, keeping track of all the different characters, but that slowly faded away.
November 29, 2015
Ugh it kind of breaks my heart but I'm giving up on this. I'm a devoted fan of Sharon Shinn, her Samaria series remains some of the best fantasy romance out there and I've loved some of her standalones and I was even digging this new series set in a world where the five elements determine the course of your life. Unfortunately the series, rather than building on that concept, has gotten really bogged down in convoluted court intrigue and there are so many characters its totally impossible to keep everyone straight.
This latest book in the series doesn't even stay in the same city and instead takes a previously almost unknown character on a voyage to some random empire peopled with a slew of totally new characters who aren't even a party to the whole "elemental" thing and its just one long slog through people spying on other people and vying for a throne and couples falling in love blah blah blah...
I'm disappointed...very, very disappointed.
This latest book in the series doesn't even stay in the same city and instead takes a previously almost unknown character on a voyage to some random empire peopled with a slew of totally new characters who aren't even a party to the whole "elemental" thing and its just one long slog through people spying on other people and vying for a throne and couples falling in love blah blah blah...
I'm disappointed...very, very disappointed.
November 24, 2015
I like that this was more character focused, similar to the first book, but I didn't think the romantic relationship was well developed. It relied too much on their history in the second book and didn't show the evolution of their relationship.
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