As some of you know, I absolutely love the Graceling Realm series. I’m gonna go ahead and say that it’s my favorite fantasy series ever. The world is stunning, the characters are badasses, and the stories are so enthralling! This fourth book in the series is no different.

In Winterkeep we arrive in… Winterkeep. This is the first time in the series we’ve drifted beyond the Seven Kingdoms and things work a little different there. There aren’t any people with Graces from Winterkeep, but there are air ships and telepathic foxes.

Queen Bitterblue of Monsea travels to Winterkeep to investigate some suspected espionage, but on the way, she falls overboard and is presumed dead. Meanwhile, we’re introduced to Lovisa Cavenda, a teenager who is starting to suspect her parents, both high up government officials, are getting involved in illegal activities.

This book is so well done! I adored being back with Bitterblue, Gideon, and Hava as well as meeting a whole new cast of characters and exploring a new part of the Graceling world.

These books can be read as stand alone, but I would highly recommend a Bitterblue refresher before jumping into Winterkeep.