The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1)

Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1)
Author: Rae Carson
Rating: 4/5
Summary:Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. 

Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. 

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake. 

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. 

Most of the chosen do. 
My Thoughts: Blessed with a Godstone in her belly, Elisa is constantly living under the scrutiny of those around her. Everyone expects great things from her--waiting for her to fulfill her Service. However, so far, she feels like a disappointment. She is not a beauty or well-spoken like her older sister. She finds solace in food and the company of her studies. She is insecure and self-conscious--in other words flawed and human. As a reader, you sympathize with Elisa, but never pity her. You learn early on that she has a sharp wit and an eye for knowledge. Trusting the intuition of the Godstone and praying for guidance, she has the foresight to see how to handle situations and understand people. In sharp contrast to Elisa is her betrothed, King Alejandro. Married as part of an arrangement between their two kingdoms, theirs is not a marriage of love. As much as Alejandro is supposed to be a handsome (and desirable) king, there was always something a bit off about him. I found myself regarding him with distaste and suspicion. Even though his is Elisa's husband, I started rooting for her to find someone more worthy, so I was very pleased to meet Humberto. Even though the book isn't perfect, its really enjoyable. For me it was a one day, non-stop read. Elisa is an unlikely heroine, not a strong warrior, but a doubtful child of Faith who second guesses herself all the time. She's realistic. A pampered princess, a little whiney, who's afraid of her great destiny, yet doesn't want to go down in the history books as a failure.