Today I finished Bitterblue, by Kristin Cashore –the third novel in the YA Graceling–Fire series. Since the plot revolves around a country coming to terms with the damage of their previous leader's totalitarian rein, it's a more serious, slower moving story than the first two.  Overall I enjoyed it though and felt like I'd been reunited with old friends when Katsa, Po, Raffin, Bann, and Giddon were in the story.

PS – I like the way Kristin Cashore treats issues like gay relationships, birth control, and sex in such a wholesome, sweet, regular way. None of these issues is a huge part of the story– in fact the sex is all off-scene– but instead each is just one small part of the many quiet regular pieces of life.