Richelle Mead

The final installment in Richelle Mead's sweeping, enthralling Glittering Court series answers the trilogy's biggest question: what is the secret that drives Tamsin to win at all costs? Tamsin Wright is unstoppable. She must become the Glittering Court's diamond: the girl with the highest test scores, the most glamorous wardrobe, and the greatest opportunities to match with an elite suitor in the New World. Training alongside other girls in the Glittering Court, Tamsin immerses herself completely in lessons about etiquette, history, and music--everything a high-society wife would need to know. Once she's married, she'll be able to afford a better life for her family, so the sacrifice is worth it if she can be the best. When her friendship with Mira and Adelaide, her roommates at the Glittering Court, threatens her status as the top-ranked prospect, she does the only thing she knows will keep her on track: she cuts them out of her life. But when her voyage across the sea goes off course, Tamsin must use her unrelenting grit and determination to survive the harsh winter far north of her intended destination in hopes of making it back to the Glittering Court in time to secure a proposal--and a comfortable future for her family. Experiencing new cultures and beliefs for the first time, Tamsin realizes that her careful studies haven't prepared her for everything, and with new alliances formed with roguish tradesman Jago Robinson and good-natured minister Gideon Stewart, Tamsin's heart begins to be pulled in different directions. But she can't let her brewing attraction get in the way of her ultimate goal: protecting the secret she holds closest to her heart, the one that would unravel everything she's worked for if it's uncovered.

The Emerald Sea

Let me begin by saying I adore Richelle Mead. I've met her, she's so sweet and adorable. I love her Vampire Academy series something fierce, girl, but I have to admit... this one was just a fail. 

This is book 3. I had read the first one and attempted the second one, which sits on my Goodreads shelf with the dear ol' DNF title. Yet I still wanted to give this one a go, because while I didn't love the first one, I thought this would be better and more exciting. 

Tamsin has a plan. She plans on doing whatever she can in order to find a rich husband to take care of her and her family. Nothing will get in the way; not the other girls, a roaring sea, or a roadside goods seller. But Tamsin learns that nothing everything goes according to plan and that sometimes, you just have to go with the flow. 

I was really excited about Tamsin's story. It would be the one that didn't have a repetitve feeling compared to The Midnight Jewel, and I was right, it didn't feel like that at all. In fact, it felt like nothing at all. I was prepared for excitment, a journey filled with trouble and a booty kicking female. Instead, what I got was a boring, undeeded discriptioned, story. 

There was a surprising revelation about Tamsin and while it didn't seem that big, it was really the only twist to happen in this book. 

I guess there was some mystery but it was so put into the back of the plot that I forgot it was even a thing. So did Tamsin, apparently. I wish that whole thing was played out even better, and I know if you're reading this, you probably haven't read the book, but trust me--it was lame. 

The thing I always expect from Mead's stories is the lack of romance. She doesn't tend to put much into the romance parts, and while that's okay, I really wish she would build more chemistry between the MC and the Hero. They don't need to kiss or have a heavy makeout session, but when there is no sparks or pull toward someone, you can't really claim to have romance in a story. 

That was badly done. It felt abrupt, way too slow (yeah, I know, it's possible!), and just didn't feel right. It felt rushed in the end. They hardly really talked in the story leading up to it all.

There is a lot of political schpiel in this. It's heavily laddeled with a religious background of Uros. The town where they get stuck made me furious so at least something made me feel while reading this book, but other than that, I felt no connection with the characters. I was disconnected and just wanted it to end already. I debated actually finishing it but knew I had to so I could give an honest review. 

This series has a beautiful cover, and I have to say, that's the only good thing about it. It drags on, there isn't adventure, romance or even real friendship bridging between characters. It's all political, religious feeling and has no draw.

Celia Adams

Wow I just..... man I just did not like this series. Even this book, which was fine (2.5 stars) wasn't enough for me to give it a 'liked it' rating, even if I did kinda like it, but not as much as I normally like books I give 3 stars to, thus the 2 stars. It was just... so long and complicated and that really helped show how resilient and bright Tamsin is but at the same time there was a lot I couldn't really wrap my head around. And while I like in theory the concept of the three books in the series detailing the simultaneous lives and journeys of the three individual girls, it sorta just over-complicated things and made it difficult to believe these 3 girls were best friends despite not knowing where each other were most of the time. Anyway, this series really wasn't for me and I'm disappointed bc I really loved Mead's Vampire books and Soundless

The Emerald Sea

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