The completion of the story cycle begun with Graceling (Harcourt, 2008) and continued with Fire (Dial, 2009) focuses on Bitterblue, daughter of Graceling’s evil King Leck. Teenage Bitterblue, now ruler of Monsea, witnessed her father’s cruelty in the castle but knows she must learn about his reign of terror beyond its walls if she is to become a just ruler. Sneaking out in disguise at night, she meets Teddy and Saf, two young men involved in the underground truthtelling movement intent on bringing the abuse, kidnapping, and murder rampant under Leck into the open. But truthtellers like Teddy and Saf are turning up dead or accused of crimes. Who could be trying to stop them? Bitterblue’s search for answers is complicated by her advisors, who are haunted by the past, and her own half-memories. It’s also complicated by falling in love with Saf—a Graceling who doesn’t know Bitterblue’s true identity until he’s falsely accused of murder. When she reveals it to save him, he feels betrayed. Kristin Cashore’s rich, complex fantasy brings her trilogy to a satisfying close with characters from all three works coming together. In the process, she creates a haunting, unsettling portrait of manipulation and cruelty as Bitterblue learns about the past, and a hopeful look at how truth and love are sources of strength that set the stage for healing as she faces the future. (Age 14 and older)

Enter the Graceling Realm and let it work its magic in this unforgettable novel from New York Times bestselling author Kristin Cashore. 

When Queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea, she was a child, and her advisers ran the kingdom for her. Now she is beginning to question their decisions, especially how they handle the legacy of her father Leck, who who ruled through his Grace—a special talent for mind-altering—and his taste for darkness and violence. Bitterblue needs to know Monsea’s past to lead it into the future, so she begins exploring the city sreets at night, disguised and alone. As she does, she meets two thieves, who hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

Bitterblue is a gateway to the Graceling Realm that braids together magic, memory, and romance.

Look for Kristin Cashore's highly-anticipated return to the Graceling Realm, Winterkeep!

"Some authors can tell a good story; some can write well. Cashore is one of the rare novelists who do both. Thrillingly imagined and beautifully executed, Bitterblue stands as a splendid contribution in a long literarly tradition." —The New York Times Book Review on Bitterblue

* "Brilliantly detailed and brimming with vibrant and dynamic characters." —SLJ, starred review of Bitterblue

“There are some books that stick with you for years, and Kristen Cashore’s Fire is one of them. Thoughtful, steamy and completely original, Fire is YA fantasy at its absolute best.”—Sabaa Tahir, author of New York Times bestselling Ember in the Ashes on Fire

A New York Times bestseller
ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A BCCB Blue Ribbon Title