The Graceling realm is one of the series that made me fall in love with reading, and I'm so glad we get to continue to live in it. This was one of the books that pulled me out of a reading slump this year, and I can't wait for more. Bitterblue's story in this book met me exactly where I was, and I wasn't expecting to fall in love with Giddon. What a beautiful story woven into a fantastically developed world by Kristin Cashore.

A fascinating addition to this universe, but with complex freestanding characters! Not to mention the cover and prose is truly beautiful.

I really enjoyed Cashore's Graceling and Bitterblue, I was really looking forward to Winterkeep, but I found that it lacked something I cannot put my finger on that the other books had. I did not finish the book.

Loved loved loved. Had me at the edge of my seat reading and wanting more. This author always leaves you with that feeling.

I did not manage to finish the first book in this series but i did hear that they can be read as standalones
Winter keep is a follow up of Bitterblue. I do love that we get to see characters from the other books without taking the light away from the characters this book is about.
I adored Bitterblue and Giddon. Their relationship blossomed in the most natural way and it made my heart beat with love for them.’
Winter keep is a mix of mystery, fantasy , and romance packed with action and adventure.
I think the world building was done exceptionally well and i didn't have to much trouble trying to conjure up images.
The writing wasn’t all the bad either , i had an issue with the jumping between different storylines but i caught up quite fast.
I’ll definitely be finishing reading the other book in the graceling realm that i didn't stick through till the end.

This continuing of the Graceling series was long awaited. It was very satisfying to see Bitterblue as the new ruler of Monsea. I can’t wait to read the full book and find out what happens. Hopefully this series will continue. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the Graceling series.

Before you read this review, know the main takeaway it that you NEED to read Winterkeep.

This book was an unexpected but needed part two to Bitterblue in a way the others in the series did not follow each other. Set ten years later, Winterkeep is set mostly in yet another nation, following the dual POVs of Bitterblue and Giddon.

It took a while for me to finish this book, due to work and college, but I also wanted to take my time with it, and I'm so glad I did. This is a book to be enjoyed, not rushed through.

This book gave me a sense of closure I didn't realize I was missing with the the previous three books. While Graceling and Fire are closer to my heart, Winterkeep added dimension to characters we were introduced to in Bitterblue. I read the first three books when I was very young, and I still remember waiting up until midnight of Bitterblue's release when I was twelve to buy and download the electronic version onto my Nook. I've reread them many times since, and was worried Winterkeep wouldn't feel the same. I'm so happy to say that it does. The continuity of the writing perfectly balanced the added depth that the ten years (both in the books and in real life) and allowed Kristin Cashore to explore and enrich the world.

I LOVED the characters. Bitterblue and Giddon had a wonderful dynamic, and their romance developed in such a genuine and adorable way. I appreciated the callbacks to their dynamic in Bitterblue, and it made me look at the previous book in a new light! Each character was so well fleshed out, and I'm so glad we got to see Katsa and Po again!

There was only really one drawback for me. In so many ways, this book felt like a gentle send off to the Graceling world, giving room for possible novellas but leaving on a high note. The stories of all the characters feel finished, but the world does not. I understand this may be because the author wanted to give room for more books with more characters, but it felt like each book just added another country, another world, when I would have liked further exploration of the main ones. It makes sense to incorporate the world of Fire, but I didn't love adding the other lands of Winterkeep, with other magic. The main five lands were still in turmoil, and I would have preferred more insight into those dynamics, and more closure for the Graceling world. It felt like Cashore had a great idea for a new setting, and molded Bitterblue's story to add it. I loved the countries and dynamics of Winterkeep, and it was excellently crafted, but they could perhaps have been used in a different book.

However, I want to emphasize that I adore the worlds and the worldbuilding in these novels. Most of my above disappointment is due to the fact that I didn't want to leave the richly imagined countries Cashore had introduced us to. They are unique in a wonderful way, and I never felt confused regarding the politics, geography, or magic. I genuinely believe Graceling was underappreciated on its release, and I'm so glad these books are getting more traction. Kristen Cashore could give a masterclass on worldbuilding.

This is a book series I will never stop recommending to people, or rereading. I jumped for joy when I was able to receive a free eARC courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley, and returning to the series I've loved for so long was truly a joy.

Audiobook Quality (5/5): This was an exquisitely done audiobook that I enjoyed immensely. The narration is beautifully done and really makes all the characters and the world come alive. I would highly recommend listening to this on audiobook if you enjoy audiobooks.

Story (5/5): The story introduces us to the land of Winterkeep. Bitterblue is drawn into some political troubles that involve Winterkeep when one of her ships (and two of her ambassadors) go missing in the region. There is a good mystery here, some adventure and action, and a bit of a love story as well. It was a very well balanced epic fantasy that I enjoyed a ton!

Characters (5/5): I am going to be honest, I only vaguely remembered a lot of the characters here since it’s been nine years since the last book in this series was published. This book does include a pdf list of all the characters, which was useless on audiobook (they read the list out at the end of the audiobook). However, I enjoyed the characters right away even if I couldn’t remember much of their history. They all have a lot of depth and are thoughtful and intriguing and just incredibly well done. The story switches between Bitterblue, Giddon, and Lovisa and I really enjoyed all of their viewpoints.

Setting (5/5): It was wonderful to journey back to this incredibly intricate and well done epic fantasy world. I again struggled to remember the history of Bitterblue’s rise to power in Monsea but there are enough reminders thrown in that I got the general gist of it. Most of the book takes place in Winterkeep and it was an intricate and interesting new setting for the story. Very well done world-building overall.

Writing Style (5/5): This is a long book but it never felt long to me. I enjoyed the different characters’ viewpoints so much that I never minded jumping between storylines. Everything wove together beautifully. This was a wonderfully balanced story and had excellent world-building, amazing characters, an intricate plot, as well as adventure and some romance. It was so fun to read another Graceling novel, Cashore is an amazing writer and I am glad she decided to continue the series.

My Summary (5/5): Overall this was an amazing read. I approached this book with a bit of trepidation since it had been so long since the last Graceling Realm novel. However, I shouldn’t have worried. Cashore has crafted another amazing Graceling novel with new locations and new characters, as well as some old favorites. I would recommend this whole series to fans of epic fantasy, although the later books were definitely more epic fantasy in tone than the earlier books were.

This is one of those times when being a sucker for a beautiful cover came back to bite me on the butt.

I did not realize this was Book 4 of the series when I requested it. I tried to push through anyway and just ended up getting lost without any background information or backstory. I will revisit this book at a later date when I catch up on the series.

From what I read and gathered so far, the story is very intriguing and this is something that I definitely need to pick up as soon as I am able.

Only was sent a sample, but it left me wanting to read the rest. Kristin Cashore's books are always a delight.

I'm so disappointed to say that I was underwhelmed by Winterkeep. I loved Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue, but Winterkeep was missing the magic of the earlier installments.
the foxes and sea creatures were the most interesting elements and we just didn't get enough of either of them.

This excerpt did not do enough to get me hooked into this story again. There needed to be more done with the characters, and I would also say the world building to help get people into this story again.

From the preview, I'm sure that this will be another great addition to the series. Hard to give an opinion from just a few chapters, but I am looking forward to getting a copy and reading the rest of the story!

Kristin Cashore is an author whose books I will pick up and try regardless of what they're about, because she was one of the authors that was a "re-read all the time" when I was a teen. I was very happy to read Winterkeep and enter the Graceling universe once again! This book did not disappoint, either. It was fun, thought-provoking, and maintained all the magic I remember.

From this preview I can tell that this will be another satisfying book in the Graceling series. I cannot wait to read more about this story and the characters I've grown to love!

It was an excerpt!! It was not clearly mentioned in any form. It was just mentioned on the cover. Did not read it because I was pissed after seeing that it was just an excerpt and not the book.

This book is just a joy to read. I had forgotten how utterly immersive Cashore’s writing is. The world feels full and rich. We expand into yet a new area of the world, and it feels like it might be my favorite area so far. I love the various cultural details littered through out such as the ambles, the various references to the Keeper, how Torla’s Neck got its name. They’re such small, offhanded comments, but they make the world come alive.

The characters too are fleshed out and vibrant. The new character that just the cast with her own perspective draws up complicated feelings from me. There are things I like about her, things I don’t. I’m conflicted on how to feel about her overall and while I sympathize with her reasoning for taking certain actions, I don’t always agree with the action. It’s wonderful, because she feels like a real person because of it.

In theory, this is not a binge read, though it certainly makes you want to binge it. It’s like that rich, decadent ice cream that you know you shouldn’t eat in one setting, but you’re also having a hard time putting the spoon down. The writing makes you want to savor it, but the mystery makes you want to keep reading. Such an exquisite dilemma! I would highly recommend this book for people who enjoy immersive storytelling, beautiful writing, an engaging mystery (seriously, this thing is so compelling!), with sprinkling of political intrigue and romance.

This was a satisfying addition to the Graceling Realm series. I enjoyed rereading this series during Covid 19 quarantine. It was nice to revisit the characters and check into a new world for a while.

I received this sample as an eARC from netgalley. All opinions remain my own.

I want to preface this by saying that Graceling is one of my favourite books of all time. I was extremely excited to know there would be another.

I found the writing lovely and it brought warm memories to my mind.

I loved the characters once more but found the amount of names a little confusing. The story was really interesting and I am very excited to read this entire book.

From the snippet I read, I can tell I will love this.

I didn't notice this was a 4th in a series so I think I lost something even if I appreciated the story.
Good character development and world building, fast paced and entertaining.
I want to read the rest of the series.
Recommended (if you read the rest of the series)
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine