Jeweled Fire

Elemental Blessings, Book 3

De: Sharon Shinn

Narrado por: Jennifer Van Dyck

The national best-selling 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' 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....

©2015 Sharon Shinn (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Jewled Fire doesn't measure up

I was disappointed in this 3rd volume of the Elemental Blessings series. I found myself bored in spots. I didn't enjoy the violent parts, like the final scene in the tower. The characters didn't captivate me as much as in the first 2 books. I'll still continue with the series, but will recommend it with some reservation.

puppy love

Well thought out tale of royal intrigue about finding a suitable heir to be the next ruler of the realm, and what havoc the current ruler can unleash.
In this tale the Queen invites foreign princesses to compete for the hands of the several men in the running to be named royal heir.

Mayhem and murders, galas and gossip, and the merest mist of magic follow.

For the plot and the telling of it, 4 **** are warranted. For the puppy love of Corene, and the endless exploration of it, 2 **. For Corene's never moving beyond it, although she and her do say "I love you" 1 star. Boring superficial romance appropriate for a YA (female) audience.
Oh. And without men, our heroine would have lost her life multiple times. Not my idea of a woman.

Super sequel

I really enjoyed this book. Finally Corinne gets her own story and come into her own after being everyone else’s pawn for so long. This book also had a bit of murder mystery as well. Sharon Shinn is an awesome author and her work always pulls me into the story. I always hate it when I finish her books. Some people complained about the violence but I didn’t think it was really much more than the last book. By today’s standards it’s very tame. The narrator is terrific too. Glad they kept the same one from the previous two books. I only wish there were more than four books in the series. This book can stand alone if you haven’t read any of the others but I think it is more enjoyable if you read the series in order. Definitely read it if you like Sharon Shinn’s writing. Lots of action!

Utterly satisfying

Jeweled Fire is an absorbing tale of court intrigue & flirtation & page-turning mystery/adventure. Princess Corene is a selfish, manipulative little minx of a beauty who gradually becomes a good person. She learns compassion & generosity; the meaning of friendship (she never had any before); & the truly important traits in a future husband. This was my first audiobook. I loved it! I walked my dog for many extra miles because I couldn't wait to find out what happened to these irresistible characters. Ever since I finished the final chapter, I find myself wondering what Corene, Foley, Stef & the rest are doing now.
. Advice to listeners: write down the names & identities of characters as you meet them.
. Request to Audible: Please do not label the book's introductory materials as "Chapter One" ... because then you list the actual Chapter One as "Chapter Two," and so on. So your list of chapters is always out of whack with what the narrator is telling us. Confusing when I needed to search for a specific chapter or scene.
. Bottom line: I wholeheartedly recommend Jeweled Fire as an entertaining (& ethically educational) gift for a girl or young woman, and as a delicious, completely satisfying treat for adults.

Great narration but story drags on.

I've liked the 2 previous books in this series but this one just didn't catch my attention like they did. The story consistently dragged and I felt myself urging the characters to "stop debating, shut up and just do something for God's sake!"
It also became rather convoluted as some of the characters names are similar but they're storyline are so intertwined.