The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

I know, I know you guys! This book has been out for so long (like two years now) and so has its sequel too. It's just sometimes the books that are right up my alley get all forgotten about for some reason and I admit I'm a bit of a slacker when it comes to that, which is very naughty of me indeed. But thankfully my local library had a copy of the first book in the series and I'm really glad I read it now because it was actually pretty good! It wasn't a perfect book per se but I really enjoyed it nonetheless as THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS is about a young girl's journey of self-discovery, war, love and of a hidden power within her own being. It can't get better than that!

Elisa, I find, was such a great narrator! She wasn't the easiest character to love as she had her many faults but her strengths is what balanced out everything about her character. So while I didn't necessarily like her complaining and always scrutinizing herself and of her own body weight (it was like c'mon you're perfect and stop it already!), but there was a lot of growth on her part, especially as the book progresses and dives deeper into the cultured world Rae Carson has created. It was almost like she was someone else entirely by the time I finished the book because Elisa was so unlike the Elisa we knew from the beginning. And I like seeing and reading about these certain character changes! She was great!

The secondary characters were great also. Some played more significant roles than others, but I thought they  all had great importance to the storyline and helped shape Elisa into a very strong, fiery, matured character. But I have to say, Alejandro, Elisa's new husband, was someone I didn't like at all. He did have his caring and tender moments here and there, but he never particularly loved her in the way I thought he would nor did he see her worth in being a faithful wife. He was a bit of downer for me in the book since I had so many expectations of him too . . . oh well. His loss. But in terms of another two potential love interests, Hector (who I was really rooting for from the start even though some readers may not think of him as a love interest) and Humberto (who was so sweet mind you and so adorable with everything in-between), I thought the two of them were the most enjoyable parts in the book. Well, apart from the well-plotted and greatly detailed world of course!

Overall, THE GIRLS OF FIRE AND THORNS wasn't an epic book but it was most definitely a wonderful start to a trilogy and I'm looking forward to picking up a copy of the sequel very soon! With powerful magics, transforming characters, almost breath-taking setting backdrops, and intriguing political and religious propaganda, I think many people will enjoy this series and judging by the reviews I've read it definitely seems to be that way!