A Letter to Aelin Ashryver Galathynius

Aelin,

I have read many books, hundreds of them, and with each one I leave a part of myself within the pages. When I first found you, you were called Celaena, and you were in a terrible place - somewhere worse than anything I could ever imagine and I know that I would not be strong enough to survive, let alone thrive in the way that you did. Was it hard? To keep going day after day; to be shackled in the mines with no light to find your way? I imagine it must have been. Especially knowing that, in another world, you could have created your own light to banish the darkness, even if the very thought terrified you.

I guess I want to ask you how you do it. How did you keep going, when everything around you was telling you to give up. How did you keep your confidence that everything would turn out okay? When Rowan confronted you, about reclaiming your throne - how did you overcome the idea that you weren't good enough, weren't worthy to sit on the throne?

I have started down the road to the career of my dreams, and yet every day, at some point, there's a little voice in the back of my mind telling me I'm not good enough. That this isn't going to work. I have no doubt that all of the stress and worry that I'm going through will be worth it in the end, but I wanted to take a moment to thank you.

Thank you for coming into my life right when I needed you the most. Thank you for being the strong, confident, kick-ass woman that you are. Thank you for teaching me that no matter what life throws at you, you need to keep going, because you never know what amazing things lie ahead. Thank you for showing me that loving people with all your heart can lead to the worst pain imaginable, but can also mean spending your life with the most wonderful characters. Thank you for doing all of the above as a woman, with all the highs and lows that brings. For fighting on when your body betrayed you and for loving shopping with a passion that is not healthy. Thank you for loving books and proving to me that you can be the most kick-ass person in the whole city, and still get weepy over a romance book.

Thank you Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. For giving me the female role model that I have been waiting for.

Lots of love,

A friend xx

Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis: The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Review: This book. This book you guys. It's amazing. As the title suggests this is going to be a spoilery discussion and there's really not a lot that I can say about this series without spoiling everything but I can tell you that this is the fifth novel in the Throne of Glass series and if you have not picked this series up yet then you need to. Seriously. Put this series on your wish list to Santa because, ladies and gentlemen, it will come as no surprise to anyone that Sarah J Maas has done it again. She has destroyed my heart in every single way possible. And I love it. So, on that note, if you do not want to be spoiled for this book, or any other book in this series then please leave now, read the books and then come back and discuss. Because I promise you, you will have so many feeling after reading this book...

WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

It goes without saying that I loved this book. The more I think about this book, the more I realise just how much I love it. Up until this point, Heir of Fire was my favourite book in this series because the emotional journey that Aelin went on was so incredible to read and we got to see her grow and develop as a character so much more than in Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, but now I think Empire of Storms might have just over taken Heir of Fire as my favourite. I think the main reason for this is because I loved all the characters in this book.

If you've read my discussions of the other books in this series, you will know that for the past two books I have really struggled with Manon as a character. I just could not empathise with her, she really annoyed me and I really didn't enjoy reading her point of view sections. The same with Elide in Queen of Shadows, I just didn't really enjoy her as a character. One of the first chapters in Empire of Storms is from Elide's point of view and I immediately loved her. It was so strange. I think this happened because she was on her own. She wasn't surrounded by people who were more powerful than her, who gathered round her and stopped her from being the bad ass person that she is. As soon as we started seeing her in the woods alone, I knew I was going to enjoy reading about her because we now have an opportunity to see Elide really fight for herself, without anyone else there to help her.
  Lorcan as well is a character that I did enjoy in Queen of Shadows but I wasn't sure what we were going to do with him in Empire of Storms. When I started reading about Lorcan and Elide I wasn't sure I was going to like them as a couple. It turns out I really, really enjoyed them together. I loved that Elide put Lorcan in his place time after time and being around him seemed to bring out the best in Elide. By the time we met up with Manon again I felt like Elide could now stand next to Manon and the Thirteen as an equal rather than a bystander.

The same with Manon. Like I said, I have never been able to relate to Manon in the way that I've seen other people do. In this book though, I really enjoyed reading her chapters. The scene where she saved Dorian was the moment where I realised I could really like Manon. And then Asterin was sentenced to death and Manon fought her grandmother and almost died and I was sold on her character. I'm going to be honest, I'm not completely sold on the Dorian/Manon relationship. I don't hate it but I'm not completely on board with this train just yet. By the end of the next book, I'll probably ship it but for right now...I'm not sold.

Lysandra and Aedion is a relationship I do ship. I ship it so much it hurts. I saw this coming at the end of Queen of Shadows when the two of them caught Rowan and Aelin kissing at the end. I loved them together. When Lysandra was exhausted after the battle in Skulls Bay and Aedion sat with her and told her that he was going to marry her, I loved that so much. That whole scene was so amazing. Lysandra as a sea dragon was incredible and also terrifying to watch as she fought against those sea wyverns was so tense because no one could really do anything to help her until the very end. Speaking of this scene, the moment where Aelin was taken over by Deanna was so strange. Seeing Aelin delving so far in to her power that even Rowan was scared for her was incredible to read about, and then Deanna appeared and took over her body and almost killed the entirety of Skulls Bay. This whole scene was so tense; I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it.

Lets talk about our girl Aelin. I felt like Heir of Fire was Aelin accepting her role as being heir to the throne but Queen of Shadows was Aelin saying goodbye (in most part) to Celaena, and getting revenge for all of the things that were done to her during her time as Celaena. This is the first book for me that we've really seen Aelin as a Queen and I adored it. I knew from the beginning that getting her throne back wouldn't be easy but even so, Darrow was so self-righteous and arrogant and I hated him for keeping Aelin from her home. Sending Rowan to help Dorian was the best thing for everyone because Dorian finally had someone to begin to help him with his magic. I loved that they got to Skulls Bay first and went to try and get Rolfe on their side before Aelin got there because of her history with him. Which brings me on to a point to note; if you haven't read the Assassin's Blade before this book, you really need to read it because most of the characters from those stories return in Empire of Storms.

When Aelin returned to Skulls Bay and they all walked in to Rolfe's office to find her there is possibly one of my favourite scenes in the whole book. Not least because we briefly get Celaena back. I love that everyone who knows Aelin can tell when she is being Celaena and just acts along with it, no questions asked. When she's flirting with Rowan and he tells her he has someone already and they smirk at each other...argh I love them so much. When Aelin is messing with the jewels and Rolfe immediately tells her to put the ones she's hidden in her sleeve back, and then she takes one from her mouth. Dorian is just watching like, how on earth did she get that in there? And then, to top it all off, Lysandra walks in as Aelin and freaks Rolfe out completely. Like I said, this was possibly one of my favourite scenes in the whole book.

Another amazing scene was the scene where Aedion and Gavriel meet for the first time and Aedion lays in to him. I thought this was a really well written scene because Gavriel did need to hear what happened while he was with Maeve and what Aedion's mother did to protect him. I would have liked them to reconcile a little bit in this book. They did protect each other, but I kind of wanted them to talk to each other and for Aedion to maybe concede a little bit that Gavriel didn't know he existed. I'm hoping we get that in the next book.

I loved that the whole little adventure to retrieve the mirror, Dorian works out that Manon and Aelin are the two people who can use it and manages to convince them to step in to this mirror and leave them all on the eve of a battle. I'm not surprised Aedion punched him. Who does that? Dorian, I love you, but that was kind of a stupid move. And then we find out exactly what Elena did a thousand years before and what she bargained away. She bargained away Aelin's life because of her mistake. She got to live her life with Gavin, but is going to take Aelin away not just from Rowan, but Aedion, Lysandra, Chaol, Dorian...all these people who have become her family. I've never been sure of Elena's motives and hearing this just turned me off her completely. She did redeem herself slightly when she saved Aelin from drowning the night Marion was killed but still...the fact that Aelin had worked this out and it had shocked her so much she threw up was so horrible to read.

I honestly didn't think it could get any worse. Aelin has been told that she is going to die, that she was born to be sacrificed, and Nehemia had known all about it even before she set foot in Rifthold and then she is faced with Maeve. And to top it all off, Aelin has very little magic left. How can this get any worse? Apparently, Maeve has been planning this all along. She knew that Aelin and Rowan would be two of the most powerful people ever so she staged a mate bond between Rowan and Lyria and then killed Lyria so that Rowan would be so broken that he would swear the blood oath to Maeve. And then we discover that Lorcan set this up in a twisted way of trying to protect Elide which just backfired completely. Seeing Maeve force Aelin to give herself up was heart-breaking, seeing Fenrhys and Gavriel try and help her broke me a little bit more and then Maeve brought out the whip.

I don't cry easily at books. This scene broke me. The one thing that could break Aelin, the one thing that haunts her nightmares more than anything, is being whipped at Endovier. And that psycho queen brings out the whip and tells Aelin to count the whips she receives or they'll start over until she does. And Aelin doesn't do it. Despite everything, despite her body shaking with fear and the pain that she's in, Aelin doesn't count. And in between the tears I was so proud of her. And then she was place in the chains and the iron mask and put in an iron coffin and...I still don't know what to do with all these feelings that I am feeling right now. To top it all off, we then find out that Rowan and Aelin got married in secret so Terrasen would have a King (I got slight ACOMAF vibes from this I'm not going to lie) and Rowan and Aedion essentially represent my feelings in this moment. Especially when we find out that Aelin had called in all of the debts owed to her. Ansel and the rest of the silent assassins and Galan her cousin from Wendlyn come to provide Terrasen with an army and Aedion is left sobbing because he yelled at her that she hadn't done anything to get an army and it turns out she had all along and just let him yell. Lysandra's act from earlier in Skulls Bay is coming back, she is going to act as Aelin to make sure everyone keeps fighting for Terrasen and there was a conversation about Lysandra having children with Aedion in the future as Aelin to keep the bloodline going and to keep the ruse. Aelin did all of this knowing she would likely not see it happen herself. And it broke my heart in to a thousand tiny pieces.

I think that's everything I wanted to discuss - at least that I can think of for now. I hope it made a little bit of sense, I'm sorry if it didn't! I can't wait for the final book in this series, I need to know how it all ends. Sarah J Maas is an incredible author and I love all of her books. This series is wonderful and I can't recommend her books enough. If you haven't read Throne of Glass or the Court of Thorns and Roses series, and you enjoy high fantasy novels, then I really recommend picking these series up! Let me know your thoughts and feelings on this final book and all the other books in this series!

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis: Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. Now she returns to the empire - to confront the shadows of her past ...Bloodthirsty for revenge on the two men responsible for destroying her life, and desperate to find out if the prince and his captain are safe, Celaena returns to Rifthold, the seat of so much evil. She has accepted her identity of Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, there are dark truths to learn and debts to be paid. Aelin must stay hidden beneath her assassin's hood and draw on her mortal strength as Celaena to prevent the King of Adarlan from tearing her world apart. Only then can she fight for her people.

Review: Wow. So much happened in this book you guys. So much amazing, bad-ass, insane stuff! Which means that this review is going to be ridiculously long and I am not even sorry because I need to discuss this book in detail. There isn't much else I can say that won't spoil what happens because this is book 4 in the Throne of Glass series so if you haven't read these books and don't want to be spoiled then go away and read the books and then come back and discuss.

WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

Okay, so lets start at the beginning. So, lets start with Dorian. My poor baby! All of the short Dorian scenes that we get scattered through the book are heart-wrenching to read, because you can see Dorian fading away and the Valg prince taking over. I knew going in to this book that Dorian would be saved, but we'd have to wait until the end of the book for Aelin to save him. Knowing that didn't make the wait any easier but at least I knew he'd be okay.

Chaol is still a douche. When he sent her to Wendlyn and realised who she was, he knew she would end up in Doranelle which means he could also have predicted she would have been able to practise magic or at least be around magic users. His whole speech about her 'antics' made me so mad because we all know that Aelin wasn't playing around. It took her half of Heir of Fire to even start to use her magic because she was scared of it. And she was dying. What else did he want her to do in that situation? (Yes I know Chaol wasn't there so he doesn't know this but, my point still stands). Despite everything that has happened between them, Chaol should know that Aelin would never deliberately harm him or Dorian. They're her friends and, in a way they're her family. In all fairness, he does grow throughout the book and comes to accept Aelin for who she is but those opening chapters with the two of them were horrible to read because I just wanted to slap some sense in to him.

I'm interested in Nesryn. She is such a strong person who ends up being a really good ally with Aelin. I liked that Aelin and Nesryn hit it off early on and even when Nesryn tried to stop Aelin from killing Dorian in her great escape from the castle, she was doing it on Chaol's orders. At that point, she didn't know who to back and Dorian seemed like the good choice and I think Aelin realised this and decided to show Nesryn that she is the safer choice to put her faith in right now than Dorian. I think I'm also on board with the Chaol and Nesryn relationship because Nesryn will not take any of Chaol's ridiculousness. She will call him out when he's being a douche and she does it frequently in this book, so I think it could work really well.

I want to talk about Aedion. I adore him. Watching him try and sacrifice himself to save Aelin was so sweet. He hasn't seen her in ten years and he has been loyal through that whole time. The rescue itself was amazing to read. The dancers throwing the powder on the floor that ignited at the end of the dance and Aelin sneaking through the guards and the crowds and stealing Aedion from under the Kings nose was such a great scene. They work so well together as well. Both feel guilty about their actions in the ten years since they last saw each other, especially Aelin, but neither judges the other. Aedion goes out of his way to tell Aelin that he understands why she stayed with Arobynn and became an assassin. It kept her safe and it made her strong enough to come back and rule her territory. As soon as Sarah brought up the blood oath though, I knew we were going to see them argue about it. It was something that never occurred to me before now but of course Aedion is going to feel put out that Rowan took the blood oath that was meant for him. He'd pinned his hopes on to taking it when they were reunited. What I loved though was that Sarah didn't drag the argument out. They fought and said things they didn't mean but the next morning they apologised and made up. I thought this was so refreshing. In YA this doesn't happen. People fight and then don't speak for the next 200 pages. Having these two characters who are so close realise that actually there is a way around this problem and it doesn't have to be a big deal as long as it is acknowledged that it hurt that the choice was taken away was so refreshing to read.

Before I talk about Rowan and Arobynn, I want to talk about Elide and the witches. I had tentatively come round to Manon and her Thirteen at the end of Heir of Fire but I just could not get in to their scenes in this book. I really didn't enjoy reading about what was happening in Morath and again I think it was because of Manon, I can't get in to her headspace. I wasn't invested in the witches or in Elide and didn't particularly care what happened to them throughout the book. The one scene I did enjoy was Manon and Aelin meeting in the clearing. I spent the whole of Heir of Fire and the majority of this book waiting for the two of them to meet because I knew it would be epic. And it was. These two strong willed, powerful women pitted against each other was amazing to read about because you honestly didn't know who would win the fight. I loved that Aelin went back for Manon. A moment before she was willing to let them die, but Aelin realised how much Asterin cares for her leader. I liked that it led to a debt where Manon told Aelin that Dorian was still there, despite the Valg Prince taking over.

The Dorian and Manon thing was a little strange to me. I liked it better than Dorian and Sorsha but it really was strange to me that Manon went to Rifthold to see if Dorian was still him. I think this relationship will definitely play a part in Empire of Storms though I don't know if it will be anything more than a friendship between the two.

Rowan and Aelin kill me. The constant flirting and the silent communication thing they have going on is so entertaining to read. I love that Aedion is in awe of Rowan and despite his feelings about the blood oath, he still respects Rowan and wants to learn from him. He never thinks to contest the relationship either like most people would in YA books. He's simply happy for his cousin and I loved seeing the two guys come together as brothers to protect Aelin. The scene where Aelin comes to bed wearing that short nightgown was hilarious. Sarah has built up this image of Rowan as a calm and lethal warrior where nothing fazes him and yet the first sight of Aelin in this nightgown sets him off and he can't cope was pure comedy to me.

The scene in the theatre where Aelin and Rowan sit in the rafters and then Aelin plays her favourite piece of music from the symphony was beautiful. I love that we're told the chairs are still in the same position as the night when the orchestra protested the killings in Endovier and Calaculla, I thought that tiny detail was a really nice inclusion because it reminds us of what happened and of that short scene in Heir of Fire which is so easily overlooked because of everything else that happens without Sarah giving her characters a long speech about how awful it is that the theatre is still the same. It's a subtle detail but I loved it. I liked that Rowan was interested not just in watching Aelin play the pianoforte but he was interested in the piece she played. He wanted to learn how she played it which again is another small detail but one that I think really added to their relationship. Chaol enjoyed the music she played him, Rowan wanted to share it with her.

The whole game with Arobynn was so well written. This book made me so glad that I pushed through the Assassin's Blade because so many of the characters from that book were mentioned here. I loved this whole section where we were in Arobynn's house after delivering the Valg prisoner because we finally got to see the end to the game, where all the cards are shown. I thought Aelin pretending to be Arobynn was a stroke of genius. Something as trivial as dying her hair red which I overlooked every time it was mentioned suddenly had a deeper meaning. Seeing how Aelin manipulated her old master at every turn by destroying the Vaults and then endearing him to the new owners all played in to her plan and Arobynn never suspected until right at the end. I loved getting to see her take her revenge in such a subtle and clever way.

The silent conversation between Rowan and Aelin might be my favourite part in the whole book. Watching them flirt right in front of Arobynn about how their 17 year old selves would react to meeting each other was so well written and so entertaining. Hearing Rowan say that 17 year old Rowan would be scandalised by Aelin and Aelin replying that he'd be even more scandalised to know she wasn't wearing underwear was brilliant. Rowan hitting his knee off the table in response was hilarious. I loved it.

Arobynn putting that Valg ring on Aelin's finger didn't surprise me in the slightest. I knew he'd do it when he cut it off the prisoner. What did surprise me was that Aelin had planned for that to happen and that the ring was a fake. Despite knowing it would happen, I don't think I've ever turned a page so fast in my life. I definitely agree with Aedion, it would be nice to be let in on some of Aelin's plans.

I'm glad that Lysandra got to kill Arobynn. I'm glad Lysandra and Aelin became friends actually, but I think she deserved the chance to do it herself after everything Arobynn did to her. Aelin came out of being Arobynn's assassin well - she has Rowan and Aedion and Dorian and the knowledge that she is strong enough to protect them now. Lysandra watched as the two men she loved were killed and she was left alone with the man she hates. I'm glad she got to avenge Wesley. I had wondered why Aelin kept going to the bank and it all became clear when Arobynn's will was read. It was a clever way of getting the money she needed for her armies and for Terrasen.

Rowan and Aelin's fight broke my heart. Rowan's reaction was instinctive but because Aelin doesn't know how he truly feels it really hurt her when he backed away. Watching her do the same to him after that; ducking away when he went to touch her and barely talking to him killed me to read. I liked that there was never a point where she didn't accept his help though, she simply kept her distance because that's what she thought he wanted. Sarah's portrayl of relationships in her books is wonderful to read about because they're so realistic.

The final fight with Chaol and Aelin in the palace and Rowan and Aedion taking the hellfire in to the sewers was so tense to read. Finding out that Lorcan betrayed them was horrible because for a long time there wasn't really a way out for the guys. When they managed to blow up the clock tower and free magic, it freed Lysandra. I love that she chose to become a ghost leopard I thought it was such a fitting form for her to take and I love that she saved the guys butts. Seeing Chaol's men hanging from the battlements was awful. They risked so much and we heard that many of them were young. I liked that Chaol took on the King despite knowing he wouldn't succeed in his task, I thought it was kind of fitting that, if he had to take on anyone, he stood a small chance (we assumed) of killing the King. Watching Aelin fight to get Dorian back was the tensest part of the whole book and I was so pleased when he managed to do it. I also liked that Dorian killed his father but Aelin took credit for it so that the people of Rifthold wouldn't start rioting against him. The display of power from both of them at the end was amazing and I'm not surprised they both slept for three days straight. As for what the King said at the end, I was shocked. I never even considered both Perrington and the King having Valg princes inside of them and I wouldn't have considered that the Valg King was inside Perrington. It makes me incredibly nervous for Empire of Storms because the King was awful, Perrington is going to be ten thousand times worse.

Okay, I think that is everything I wanted to discuss about Queen of Shadows. Let me know your thoughts on this book and the series so far and what your favourite parts are.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Rating: 5 stars (although you probably already knew that)

Synopsis: Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien's only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan's Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King's Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan's biggest threat - and his own toughest enemy. While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

Review: Do I even need to say how amazing this book was? Because, it was. Heir of Fire is the third book in the Throne of Glass series and, this series just keeps getting better and better. At the end of every book, I finish thinking that the next book can't possibly top this one and it does. If you have not read the previous two books in the Throne of Glass series and don't want to be spoiled for this book, then leave now; go and read this series, and then come back and discuss!

WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

Okay, so Heir of Fire is split in to three narratives; Celaena, Chaol/Dorian and Manon. This worked so well, especially in this book where our core characters have been separated because it meant that we could see what was happening with each character, wherever they are. Switching POV can be tricky in books, because it can sometimes feel like we're talking to the same character. Each character needs to be distinctive and Sarah is a pro at this. Every character we see has a history and a story and, because of this, each character has a distinctive voice.

I'm going to start with Manon. I think Manon is my least favourite character in this book. It took me so long to come round to her because, to begin with, she wasn't likable at all. I mean, her very first scene is her butchering village men who were hunting her. I think the main reason she grew on me was Abraxos. To begin with, I thought Manon and Titus would be perfect together but I was so happy when she claimed the bait beast as her own instead. I think that was the turning point for Manon - picking the underdog to be her mount, rather than the 'fighter' of the pack. Abraxos made Manon more human. When he sheltered her from the wind so she could sleep was so cute and when he was eating the wild flowers? Abraxos made those Manon chapters for me and I became more and more invested in those chapters the more he was involved in them. I'm definitely interested to see what will happen when Manon and Celaena meet - I'm thinking fireworks.

Chaol infuriated me in this book. In Crown of Midnight and Throne of Glass, I did initially ship him and Celaena together, but I wasn't really invested in it. And now we're in book 3, I'm beginning to wonder how I even managed to half-heartedly ship them together! Every time he appeared I felt like screaming at him. He can't see that the woman he loved is still in there, or at least, she was. I could have kissed Dorian when he called him out on it - you can't pick which parts of her to love. Despite their fleeting romance in Throne of Glass, Dorian and Celaena are still friends and he accepts her for who she is which I love. Chaol can not let it go that she kept her identity a secret from him. He did stand up to the King at the end of the book but, even then, he ruins Aedion's plan of surrendering to keep Chaol safe. If he had done that earlier, so many things would have been resolved sooner. I hope he and Celaena make up when they meet again, but somehow, I doubt it.

Speaking of Aedion, I'm more than slightly obsessed with him. I think he's my favourite character in this series so far. From the moment we knew who he was, I knew he wasn't loyal to the King but I was worried about how he'd react to finding out his cousin survived all those years ago. I needn't have worried. He's spent the last ten years being so loyal to Celaena, going as far as winning back her father's sword from the King in her memory. The flashback scenes we got when they were children were so sweet. He was devoted to her even then and I need a reunion between Celaena and Aedion in the next book. Especially after he was willing to die without seeing his cousin again because he knows that Chaol and Celaena have a history together and she would be upset if he died. I love him, I love him, I love him.

I know Sorsha gets a lot of hate and she definitely wasn't my favourite character, but I did like her for her relationship with Dorian. She made him happy and, while I never really believed their relationship, I was pleased that Dorian had someone to confide in about his magic since Celaena's not there. I liked how accepting she was of his magic and how she tried to help him control his magic in a practical way, which no one else did. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't devastated when she died, but I did feel for Dorian in those moments because he did care for her.

I'm dreading seeing what happens to Dorian in the next book. Now that he's possessed by the Valg prince, I'm definitely nervous about what Celaena is going to do when she finds out. I think she'll try to save Dorian but, after what happened in Wendlyn, I think she understands that it's more of a mercy to kill him rather than spare him. I don't think it will get to that point, but Dorian will definitely be changed after all of this and I'm interested to see what happens next.

Oh Celaena. Am I the only one who wanted to give her a hug? Seeing her struggle with her power and her own guilt and rage was heart-wrenching. Those early scenes with Rowan were horrible, because you knew why she didn't want to shift, why she was scared and you were left wanting to yell at Rowan to just leave her alone but, I did understand why he pushed her so hard. He knew she could do it, knew she would be powerful and ten times stronger if she embraced who she truly was. The way I think about it, he didn't owe Celaena anything. He was being forced into this as much as she was, but, I genuinely think that after a couple of sessions, he realised how strong she could be if she embraced herself and I think it peaked his curiosity.

The scene where she thought she'd burnt herself out is possibly my favourite scene in the whole book. It was such a huge turning point in Rowan and Celaena's relationship, and I enjoyed reading Rowan's POV where he realises how cruel he was to Celaena and why she reacted the way she did when he threatened to whip her. His fussing over her after that was so cute and I loved how close they grew after that.

Hearing what the King did to the slaves in Calaculla and Endovier was so horrible. Seeing Celaena break down because she knew her promise to Nehemia had been broken broke my heart. What I loved the most though, was that short scene in the theatre in Rifthold, where the orchestra played songs honouring each city and the slave camps, before walking off. I thought that was such a touching scene and showed that people in Rifthold are aware of the slave camps and the injustice of killing all those people. It added a human touch to a place that, up until now, just seemed filled with people who only cared about themselves.

Watching Celaena being drained by the Valg and being surrounded by her loved ones ties with my favourite scenes in this book. It was slightly Harry Potter-esque but I loved it. Having eight year old Aelin telling her to get up was such a beautiful moment. That was the moment Celaena truly embraced her past and who she had been running from for ten years. It was such a well written scene and getting to see those flashbacks to the night her parents were killed and seeing the sacrifice that Marion made for her and how the King manipulated her family into retreating after that dinner...it never felt like an info dump. It was so beautifully crafted and well placed in the plot and I was on the verge of tears reading about it.

I knew Rowan and Celaena were carranam from the moment it was mentioned. I loved that whole end scene in Doranelle where Celaena faced Maeve and broke Rowan's oath and set fire to the whole place. I think Maeve had underestimated her and that final showdown was a beautiful moment in Celaena's arc. At the beginning of the book, she wouldn't have dared to show even a flicker of that fire, and now, she's not afraid of it anymore. I loved that Rowan immediately bound himself to Celaena - again signifying the development of their relationship. The tattoo as well that Rowan did on Celaena's back - the story of her loved ones over the scars from Endovier. I loved that because it was like both halves of Celaena had come together.

I am so excited about Queen of Shadows. I can't wait to see what happens when Celaena gets back to Rifthold.

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis: Eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is bold, daring and beautiful - the perfect seductress and the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But though she won the King's contest and became his champion, Celaena has been granted neither her liberty nor the freedom to follow her heart. The slavery of the suffocating salt mines of Endovier that scarred her past is nothing compared to a life bound to her darkest enemy, a king whose rule is so dark and evil it is near impossible to defy. Celaena faces a choice that is tearing her heart to pieces: kill in cold blood for a man she hates, or risk sentencing those she loves to death. Celaena must decide what she will fight for: survival, love or the future of a kingdom. Because an assassin cannot have it all . . . And trying to may just destroy her.

Review: So. I'm going to start off with the non-spoilery section and say this - this book was so good. Crown of Midnight is book two in the Throne of Glass series and, honestly, it was so good. I really enjoyed Throne of Glass but this book, was a thousand times better than it. The character development, the plot - it was all so much better in this book. Now, I know that right now this book is amazing but I also know Sarah J Maas and I know for sure that the next book Heir of Fire is probably going to top this one again but, for now, all you need to know is that this book was amazing and you should definitely go and read it! So, if you haven't read Crown of Midnight yet and don't want to be spoiled, you should go and read Crown of Midnight and then come back and discuss with us. Because there is so much to discuss in this book....

WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

Okay so lets start with Celaena and her new role as the King's Champion. I knew right off the bat that she wasn't killing her targets. Sarah kind of lets us know this by stopping the opening chapter with her sword over the guy but even if you missed it from that, Celaena is pretty clear in Throne of Glass that the only reason she is taking part in this competition is because she wants to be free and working for the King for a few years is her only shot at that. Just because she won the competition, doesn't mean she's happy about it. I did admire her for going through with her promise though. I was a little worried at the end of Throne of Glass that maybe she wouldn't have the courage to not kill her targets because the King has threatened Chaol and Nehemia but, I shouldn't have worried about it. It takes guts to defy the King, and to have done it from the very beginning (in more ways than one) is actually quite amazing to see.

I also knew that Archer Finn was up to no good. I suspected that he was actually working with the rebel group but I didn't realise how much sway he held with them. Celaena really should have just killed him after he let her down the first time, rather than giving him a second chance, because he ended up being more trouble than he was worth. I did quite like the idea of Archer underestimating Celaeana though. He knew her when she was growing up in the Assassin's Keep and she had a crush on him and I think that, despite all the rumours and stories that floated around Rifthold about Celaena, he simply saw her as that child. Well, she soon proved him wrong. That scene in the sewer, was so well written. His mistake was telling her that she's a good person and you just knew, the moment he said that, that he wasn't going to make it. Her rebuttal that she's not a good person but Nehemia was - my heart. It broke all over again for her in that moment.

I really enjoyed seeing Chaol and Celaena grow closer together. I thought their relationship was quite sweet and the birthday dinner that Celaena organised in the apothecary roof garden was beautiful. I did laugh when she decided that was the moment to tell Chaol all about how she wasn't really killing the King's enemies. Of all the times to tell the person you like, you choose now when you're about to kiss? I really liked that Chaol chose Celaena in that moment. He told her that he would go with her when she's finally freed from the King. It's the first time since Sam that someone has chosen her or is able to choose her anyway and I think it meant a lot to Celaena that he would do that for her. I also thought it was hilarious when Celaena came and interrupted a meeting with the guards and ended up pulling him into a closet. It was just nice to see a different side to Chaol for a little while; someone who isn't as uptight and stoic as he was made out to be in Throne of Glass. Someone who is totally up for sneaking around behind the King's back and all his guards. It was nice to see Chaol loosening up a bit. At least, for the short time we had them together. Oh, and we finally got a dance between them. When she left her post during the ball and Chaol went to find her and they ended up dancing together in the gardens! I was so happy when I read that scene because Dorian got his dance with Celaena in the last book and I was so happy that Chaol got a turn as well.

So, those were the highs of their relationship. Now for the low. The scene where Chaol was kidnapped was a heart in my throat kind of moment because I wasn't convinced that Chaol was going to make it out of there alive. And at that point, I wasn't sure Celaena would cope with losing anyone else (little did I know...) but he DID make it out alive because Celaena was a complete bad ass. That whole scene where she came in and just destroyed those rebels was so awesome. Actually, every scene where Celaena 'lost herself' was really awesome to read. The moment when Archer came through the door and explained why they had kidnapped Chaol was just....ugh! We all knew that nothing good was going to come from Chaol keeping the threat on Nehemia's life a secret from both the girls but - wow. I didn't expect it to backfire in such a gruesome way. My heart broke when I read about what had happened to Nehemia, and the fact that she knew what was coming was just so horrifying. And then Celaena full on attacked Chaol and she almost killed him. I guess I was right when I said earlier that she wouldn't survive losing someone else. The fact that Dorian risked himself and exposed his magic to stop her from killing Chaol just made me love him even more and showed that he still loved her, despite everything he said.

Throwing Celaena in the dungeons. I do understand why he did it - she was obviously dangerous but, I mean, he just left her there and let them drug her. This obviously was never going to help her in the long run and the fact that she was so eager to take the drugs and to not see anyone was so sad. Even when she was let out, she didn't leave her room. She didn't see anyone, didn't talk to anyone and the idea of her being completely alone now was so strong in these scenes. Chaol, Dorian and Nehemia were her only friends in the castle, and, in her mind, she'd lost them all. While we're on the subject though, I really loved that Dorian was there for her. When she went to his room for dinner and he asked her why she'd come and she said "because I have nowhere else to go" all the feels came out to play. I like that he didn't pressure her. He still loves her, yes, still has a grudge against Chaol for having her when he couldn't but, he is still her friend and he's there for her, despite everything that's happened between them. Equally, she didn't judge him for having magic. They both accept each other and move on. Though, Dorian having magic is scarily awesome and I'm betting it won't be long before his father finds out about it.

Killing Grave - oh my goodness. First off, I'm so glad that she finally found a use for that passage in the sewers. Second, we got to see Celaena's really dark side, the side that she's never really let out until now. Grave deserved the death he got, but I think I knew that the name he gave Celaena wasn't the right one. When she interrupted the King's meeting and dumped Grave's head on the table was such a macabre and gruesome moment and I kind of loved it. Of course, the King enjoyed the show, and it was interesting to see Celaena being honest with the King for the first time. The smile she gave him was just so perfect. It was the first time that she didn't feel guilty for murdering someone.

Baba Yellowlegs. She was so terrifying. Also, why did Celaena think that going into the caravan was a good idea? You never go into the creepy caravan, especially when you know that the woman you're following is a evil witch! Who eats children. Why? Why would you do that? She was so creepy! All I could think was that no one knows where you are, so when she turns on you, you're completely on your own. Which, I knew with anyone else Celaena could handle no problem. But she's a witch who eats people. It's not exactly your normal run-of-the-mill evil person. To be fair, Yellowlegs did underestimate Celaena but she was cutting it pretty close when she killed her. I have a feeling that killing Yellowlegs is going to come back and bite her later on, even if she did deserve it.

Can I also just mention how much I love Mort? The sassy, sarcastic door knob on the door to Elena's tomb. I loved him. He's your typical irritating magical entity that will never give you a straight answer, but I really loved him and I want to see more of him.

That secret passage beneath the library that was actually a prison was so creepy. I was fully expecting Celaena to attack Dorian because he was sneaking down there as well but that...thing. I don't even know what it is but it sounds horrible and creepy and just...no. Just no. We didn't really need any conformation that the King was sick but, if we did, I guess this would be some good evidence to use. It was like the caravan all over again. You knew nothing good was going to come from it, yet we went down there anyway and, guess what? Nothing good came from it.

Those final chapters where we were in the tomb and she opened the portal. First off, I love that Gavin came and warned Dorian that Celaena was about to do something stupid, just like Elena came to Celaena before. I liked that he was worthy of that. Secondly - you never try and contact the dead! Ever. Everyone knows this! I'm starting to see a pattern here - when Celaena is this far gone, she does a lot of stupid things that she really should know better than to do. When Nehemia comes through and tells her to shut the portal was so bittersweet because I really wanted them to reconcile and for Celaena to be able to say everything she wanted to but, on the other hand, I wanted her to close the fricking portal! But, of course, she doesn't, and Fleetfoot ends up in the portal. Chaol kind of redeemed himself in this moment because he went after Fleetfoot. You never hurt the dog. Ever. So, he got some points for going after Fleetfoot. When Celaena came through after them and shifted. Oh. My. Goodness. She's badass as a mortal, as a Fae she is terrifyingly amazing. And I can definitely see why she didn't say anything to anyone.

Sending Celaena off to Wendlyn. Okay, I get why Chaol did it. In his own way, he was trying to protect both Celaena and Dorian but, it kind of backfired on him in the most epic way. The scene where she tells Dorian that she'll come back for him was so sweet. I don't think they're ever going to be together romantically, but they're definitely friends and I liked that she didn't just leave without talking to him and making sure they were okay after everything that had happened. When she told Chaol about herself on the dock and left him with the date of her parents death, I was a little confused, until Chaol figured it out and then it all made sense. I already knew that Celaena is actually Aelin but I actually really liked how she told Chaol. This is a secret that she's kept for ten years - she's not going to openly tell him. Even in the moments before she told him the date, she told him that she didn't trust him, but she must have trusted him a little bit, to tell him this information. She trusted him not to tell the King. To keep her secret and I really admired her for doing that. Though I am curious as to why she seems to have no interest in her title. Beyond the obvious fact that her parents were murdered. What did annoy me, was Chaol's reaction to the news. He knew she was Fae - that's why he had her sent away - but discovering that she was more than that, that she's the lost princess is so much worse to him. Yes, I understand his loyalty to the King, but that same loyalty lost him the girl he loves so, you'd have thought he'd be a little more receptive to the idea.

So, that's all I wanted to talk about for this discussion. I loved this book and I am so excited to read Heir of Fire and see what happens next. If you've stuck around to the end of this review, congratulations! What's your favourite part of Crown of Midnight?

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis: In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen year old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake. She got caught. Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament - fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin's heart be melted?

Review: Oh. My. Gosh you guys - this book was so good! After reading 'The Assassin's Blade' I wasn't too sure if ToG was going to live up to my expectations but it did. It really, really, really did. If you haven't read The Assassin's Blade, or Throne of Glass, we follow eighteen year old Celaena Sardothien, the most infamous assassin of all time. Or at least, she was, until a job went wrong and she was sent to live out the rest of her life in a slave camp. After a year in the salt mines, she's offered the deal of a lifetime - represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament and become the King's Champion. It's a deal Celaena can't refuse - a chance to fight for her freedom. But, there are dark things occurring in the castle, and Celaena will need to keep her wits about her if she's to survive this test. If you have not read this book yet I would seriously recommend you checking it out - it's fast paced, action filled and I sped through it.

If you don't want to be spoiled for this book, then leave now, read Throne of Glass and then come back and discuss with us!

WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

Okay. So, lets start with Celaena. In my review of The Assassin's Blade, I said that one of the reasons I didn't really like those novellas was because of Celaena. She was very spoilt and very arrogant and I just could not warm to her. I'm pleased to say that, after this book, I have now warmed to Celaena, and actually really like her as a character. Her year in Endovier has removed the spoilt personality that I really disliked in the novella's. Now, she's a strong, determined girl, who will do anything to win her freedom. She's still a little arrogant, but actually, in this book, it almost lightens the tone. She's told not to draw attention to herself, to stay in the middle of everyone else. Which doesn't exactly go down well with Celaena. It was so funny to see the arguments between her and Chaol about keeping her identity a secret. Celaena has become a 'real' person to me after this book and I'm so happy that it happened.

Speaking of Chaol and Dorian - how does Sarah J Maas keep coming up with all of these amazing guys? Seriously. I don't know if anyone can match Rhys but...I'm not complaining. I thought the friendship between Dorian, Chaol and Celeana and the romance between the three of them as well. I really admired Celeana for telling Dorian that being together wasn't going to work between them. I was fully expecting them to continue seeing each other behind everyone else's backs but, she was right. He's the crown prince - it wouldn't be good for him to be seen 'dating' her. Don't get me wrong, I like Dorian but I from the first moment I saw him as more of a friend to Celeana rather than a boyfriend. Of the two of them right now, I'm leaning more towards Chaol but I do know that Rowan comes into the picture in Heir of Fire (though I don't know anything more than that) so I'll have to wait and see if that changes my ship. I learnt my lesson from A Court of Thorns and Roses - do not pick a ship early on! It's highly likely to change!

The little details we found out about Celeana's upbringing with Arobynn were horrific. She wasn't as good at sword fighting with her left hand so, Arobynn gave her a choice: either she broke her right hand herself, or he'd do it for her. So, she slammed her bedroom door on her hand meaning she could only fight with her left hand for months. What? This is just such a cruel thing to do to anybody, but to do it to a child? Okay, great, now she's awesome fighting with both hands but reading that scene just made me feel so sorry for Celeana. Even having read The Assassin's Blade and seeing what Arobynn did to her after the events in the first novella, it still shocked me when I was reading this.

The tests were quite interesting. The whole premise of the contest reminded me of the Hunger Games, so I was expecting the tests to be along the same lines. I was pleasantly surprised actually. I thought the poison test was really interesting because I would be completely useless at it! Scaling the tower as well was such a good chapter to see Celeana's character develop. She could have won that challenge but, instead, she went back to help a friend. I also liked that she picked a less obvious 'tool' to use to help her. Everyone else picked rope or something else quite obvious, whereas Celeana picked tar to help give her grip on the walls but wouldn't weigh her down on the climb. She also took a less obvious path up the side of the tower, staying out of the scuffles that led to people falling off. It's these little details that remind us that Celeana is the best assassin for a reason - these skills aren't something she's forgotten in her year in Endovier.

The final duel was really good if not a little confusing at times. I felt like everything kind of happened at once, with all the demons surrounding Celeana but, it was incredibly cool none the less. I really like how she took down her first opponent in a matter of minutes - faster than Cain did. It was so easy for her to do and it made the effects of the drugs so much more dramatic. I really liked the fact that Queen Elena came to help Celeana, even if she was insanely cryptic about everything. I liked that we had her there - it can sometimes feel a bit random in books. Here's the Queen to help you, she knows everything but won't tell you anything. But it really worked in this book for me. We needed Elena to help Celeana because she did know what was going on. Celeana needed someone who knew what was going on in the castle to help her because she was guarded.

  I also love that Elena was also a warrior. It gave her and Celeana a common entity between them, something the Caeleana could relate to. I thought this was an interesting twist on the concept of a fairy tale. The Queen or princess is seen as a damsel in distress, and this was how history remembers Elena when, actually, she was as much of a warrior as Gavin. It's a subtle twist that's so well woven in to the story that if you're not paying attention you could miss.

I'm really interested to see what's going to happen to Kaltain. I get the feeling those headaches aren't going to go away anytime soon and they're not down to opium use. I wonder why she was chosen. Was it just because she was trying to use the Duke or is there another reason? I definitely don't think this is the last we'll see of Kaltain. We have some unfinished business with her.

Sarah J Maas is very good at taking a fairy tale and leaving only a few subtle clues as to the origin behind. Throne of Glass is a retelling of Cinderella and the biggest clue to this is obviously the masquerade ball. I loved this scene. I especially love that the mask she wore did nothing to hide her identity. They all knew who she was. I love how Chaol was just so done with Celeana in this moment - he knew he wouldn't be able to get her to leave but he definitely wasn't happy she was there. He was even less happy when she danced with Dorian. This conflict is obviously missing in the original fairy tale, but makes this book so compelling to read. The fact both Chaol and Dorian want to be with Celeana, but only Dorian takes the chance is huge for both of the guys relationships with Celeana. It also added some humour, with Chaol just standing next to Celeana, putting everyone off coming near her.

I love that Dorian gave Celeana Fleetfoot. I'm a dog lover and Fleetfoot just seems like the perfect companion for Celeana - someone to dull out her rough edges and give her someone she can love unconditionally without really worrying about losing them, in the same way that she's worried about losing her human friends.

I think that's everything I wanted to talk about for this book. I think I'm going to do a review for each book of the series because if this series is anything like ACOTAR (and it's shaping up to be!) there's going to be a lot I want to discuss in each book! What do you think about Throne of Glass? Love it? Hate it? Let me know.

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J Maas

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J Maas

Rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis: Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan's most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin's Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas, Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn's orders and could suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be free? Explore the dark underworld of this kick-ass heroine to find out.

Review: Yes, you've read the title right. I've finally started reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas! I wasn't originally going to read this bind up, but, a lot of people said that they wished they'd read them before starting the series so, I decided to pick it up. Now, if you've seen my review of A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas, you will know that I absolutely adore that book, and is probably going to be my favourite book release of 2016. So, I have high hopes for the Throne of Glass series. Based on this bind up, I'm slightly disappointed. But, it seems I'm the only one who feels that way.

Now, let me explain. I have (somehow) managed to come into this series with very few spoilers. I know a few minor things but, actually, I don't know much about what is to come. So, I'm judging this book as any new book that I read. As far as first impressions go, I was left slightly disappointed by these stories.

The five stories recount the events that lead up to Throne of Glass. They obviously give more details on the characters and the world which was really nice. Once again, Sarah has created an incredibly intricate world for these characters to live in and I'm excited to read more about it. My issue, I think, was actually Celaena. In these stories she is incredibly self-centred and spoilt, which means that I had a really hard time liking her as a character. Like I said, these are prequel stories to the main series, so she is bound to be different here than in those books, but these characteristics made it really difficult for me to finish the book; especially through the first four stories. I thought that the Assassin and the Desert would persuade me to like Celaena, but the next story kind of destroyed that for me. It wasn't until the final story where I finally saw Sarah's finesse and style really come out.

I had the same problem with this book as I did when I read 'Dorothy Must Die' by Danielle Paige. While I was reading it, I was intrigued and invested but, I could put it down and step away for days at a time and not be bothered by it. This happened up until the last story and that had me hooked from the first page and, again, I think it's because I finally saw Sarah J Maas in the writing. Which, doesn't make much sense but, her writing style generally is just so effortless and, usually means I fly through her books.

If you haven't read the Throne of Glass series yet (I feel like I'm talking to the minority here!) then I would recommend picking up at least the last novella 'The Assassin and the Empire.' This was my favourite of all five and sets everything up for Throne of Glass and gives you some context to the events leading up to that book. This story actually really excited me and made me look forward to reading Throne of Glass (which I'm currently reading right now!) so I would definitely recommend this one. The other four obviously give some more context to the final story but you don't need to have read them to understand the Assassin and the Empire.

Overall this collection was okay but, without that last story, I wouldn't have been nearly as excited to pick up Throne of Glass as I was. I'm hoping that the further in to the series I get will change my opinion on the other four stories, but, I guess we'll see.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS!

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

Rating: 10 out of 5 stars (I can do that, right?)

Synopsis: Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

Review: Okay, so I normally don't review the second book in a series, but today I'm making an exception. I've just finished my second read of A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas, which is the second book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses trilogy and it was absolutely fantastic. This is going to be an incredibly spoiler heavy discussion of this book so, if you haven't read either A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) or A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOMAF) yet, then go and do that because they are absolutely amazing books. Go and read them and then come back and discuss with me! I have done a review of ACOTAR on this blog so if you're unsure about picking it up, I'll link my review here if you want to check it out. One more note before I move on to the discussion, ACOTAR is a YA book but ACOMAF is definitely in the New Adult territory as it does contain a few sex scenes, so bare that in mind if you are a bit younger, you might want to bookmark this series for a little while before starting it. Okay, so all those people who haven't read the book, this is your final warning. The rest of this article contains major spoilers so, go read the books and come back to discuss....

WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

You guys. This book was incredible. I loved ACOTAR, it was one of my favourite books of last year but I really had no idea what was going to happen in book 2. Sarah has completely surpassed any expectations I may have had about book 2 and it is so much better than ACOTAR. The world building and character development was phenomenal and I flew through it the first time I read it. I want to start with a confession. If you read my ACOTAR review, you may remember me not being thrilled about the possibility of Rhysand and Feyre being mates. At the time, I was firmly on the Feylin ship and thought they would be endgame after everything that had happened in book 1. I am now willing to admit that I was wrong. So, so wrong and I can't actually believe I didn't want Feyre and Rhys to be together. I think my main problem was that I didn't know much about Rhys in book 1, and what I did know, wasn't very nice. Sarah rectified that problem so well in this book. We got so many details about Rhys' time Under the Mountain, and his life before that and I just fell in love with him. I mean, it also helped that Tamlin was a jerk of the highest order but, hey. My point is, my issue from book 1 was solved.

Lets talk about the two guys for a minute, shall we? Tamlin, in book 1 was sweet and I loved the way he took care of Feyre. In book 2, that protective nature just went into overdrive. I'll admit, when I first read this book, I was a little confused about the direction Tamlin's character takes but, when you think back to ACOTAR, actually, a lot of the behaviour Tamlin displays in that book is about claiming power and order within his court, it was just a little more subtle because Feyre didn't pick up on it. She saw it as being loving and protective. With the return of his power, this protective nature just destroys his relationship with Feyre. He leaves her alone and takes her choices away. Tamlin is very traditional and so the gender roles in his court are very obvious. He is the High Lord and Feyre will be his wife. Her job is to look pretty and bear children. To me, this completely undermines the sacrifices that Feyre made for him Under the Mountain. He can't see that his actions (or in actions, depending on how you look at things) are actually killing the woman he loves. He uses her for sex and pleasure but, what she needs is completely overlooked by Tamlin. He knows best.
  I think that's why I fell in love with Rhys in this book. He looks after Feyre, but he gives her choices. He saves her in so many ways, by teaching her to read and to block her mind and, when she leaves the Spring Court for good, he starts to physically train her and her new magic, which is something Feyre has been desperate to do, but Tamlin wouldn't let her. He makes sure she eats and helps her through her nightmares and is just there for her. Simple, little things that Tamlin doesn't do. Feyre deserves to be with someone like Rhys and vice versa and I apologise for dismissing the potential for this relationship in book 1. I was a fool.

I really liked how Sarah dealt with PTSD. We obviously go through the book in Feyre's POV so we see more of her PTSD, but I did like the glimpses we saw of Rhys' nightmares and trauma, and we also get a few glimpses at Tamlin's PTSD and even Lucien to some extent. The book opens with Feyre feeling so guilty for what she did Under the Mountain. She has horrific nightmares that make her throw up after and Tamlin simply sleeps through them. He leaves her there to sort through her problems by herself and, when she tries to help him with his own nightmares, just shakes her off. She's disinterested in everything - she doesn't paint anymore because she can't see the colours and the pictures anymore and, even with planning her wedding, she can't dredge up any emotion. Rhys, obviously, picks up on this immediately when he crashes her wedding, his arrival stopping Feyre's panic attack. And when you realise that Rhys has known Feyre was his mate for a long time, you can start to understand how much it killed him to see her like that. When Tamlin locks her in the house I could have killed him. He knew that she had been kept locked up in a cell for three months and yet he honestly thought locking her in the house was a good idea? I love how gentle Rhys is with her after that, knowing that he shouldn't push her. But he still takes her with him when she asks him to. He lets her come and that means the world to her. He understands what it's like to have your choices taken away from you, and, for someone as headstrong and stubborn as Feyre, not having the freedom she desires will kill her.

My heart ached for Rhys when he was shot out of the sky. He used his powers to protect Feyre; to throw her far from the battle and let them take him. This was where Feyre came into her own for me. As soon as she landed, she went back for Rhys. There was no waiting around, wondering what to do, she just did it. She used the powers and survival instincts that she has and went back for Rhys. And she was a complete bad ass while she did it. All those training sessions with Cassian paid off! The fact that she winnowed them to safety, that she distracted Rhys with the story of how she painted her cottage with the few paints Elain had brought her, that she stayed up all night watching over Rhys to make sure he was breathing. It made my heart ache for them both because you could feel how worried Feyre was for Rhys. He's the most powerful High Lord in Prythian and he could have died if she hadn't found the Suriel. On another note, I think the Suriel really likes Feyre. She makes catching it seem really easy, yet Rhys hasn't been able to do it. Is the Suriel following Feyre around just in case she needs help?

I want to talk specifically about the mate bond just for a minute. I love how Rhys dreamed of Feyre for three years before he even met her, and that she gave him hope during those long nights with Amarantha. I loved that her drawer was the night sky because of him, because of the image he sent back. It's such a small moment in reality but I thought it was really sweet.
   Feyre's reaction to the mate bond was the only thing that annoyed me a little bit about her character. She knows how sick she was when she left Tamlin and she's told Rhys that she won't leave him, that nothing he can do could make her leave. And then she does just that. This had the possibility to go completely awry and make me hate Feyre's character but Sarah didn't let it. Actually, I ended up kind of liking Feyre for how she handled the surprise. Yes she got mad and left Rhys in the mud and didn't give him a chance to explain, but he had promised her no secrets. Instead of saying things she didn't mean, or would later regret though, like so many YA heroines do, Feyre removed herself from the situation. She took a step back and went away so that she could think things through alone, without any distractions. And, by that first night really, she knew she was wrong. She also used that time to heal some more. She took that time for herself in a way that she hadn't had chance to do throughout the book and she painted again. She got to a place where that hole inside of her was ready to be filled again and, when Rhys finally showed up, she was ready to hear him out and fully accept the mate bond. A scene which could have changed my perception of Feyre was handled expertly and is one of my favourite moments in the book.

One of my other favourite moments in the book, and I'm pretty sure it's shared by a lot of people, is Starfall. This is a holiday celebrated only in the Night Court and sounds amazing. I think it goes without saying at this point that the Night Court is my favourite of all the courts. Velaris sounds amazing (and is so worth keeping a secret from all the other courts) and even the Court of Nightmares is a really interesting place if only for the fact that that's the court everyone else sees. It deters people from looking too closely at the Night Court and lets everyone live in relative peace. Starfall sounds beautiful. Migrating spirits look like fallen stars and I love the fact that it only happens in the Night Court. That only a few people ever get to see it happen. This scene is where you can truly see the bond start to form. I loved the moment when they both got hit in the face with a spirit - it's one of the few moments that you actually see both Feyre and Rhys relax completely.
  The Court of Nightmares scene was also amazing. I loved that we got to see the contrast between the Court of Dreams and the Court of Nightmares and the persona that Rhys (and Feyre) adopt when they go there. That whole scene is really interesting to read and you can't help but feel smug about Rhys and Mor lording it over Mor's father in such an obvious way.


Rhys' Inner Circle. I love them. I love them all so much. Their dynamics were amazing and brought so much to the story. I loved Mor from the very first time we heard her speak. "That went well." Her backstory (as with all of the Inner Circle) is heart breaking, but the fact that she is so relaxed, that she doesn't treat Rhys like a High Lord, just her cousin, her family, is so nice to see, especially after Lucien and Tamlin's relationship break down in the Spring Court. Mor understanding Feyre as well, and being such a good friend to her is also really nice to see. I loved when she made Feyre add her eyes to Amren's in the cabin so they could both watch over the guys when they snuck away there. And then made her add the others eyes so Feyre knew they were watching her too. Mor sees Feyre as family too and I just love that. Azriel is an intriguing character because he's so secretive. I guess that's why he's such a good spy! Mor and Azriel need to get together ASAP because the tension there is driving me crazy. Cassian just makes me laugh. Him insulting Rhys from the porch of the town house in Velaris and his antagonistic relationship with Nesta is just brilliant and I love him to pieces. He's also there for Feyre when she breaks down and lets her work out her frustrations on him, even though she could have hurt him. He's a good friend to all of the Circle. Amren scares me. Seriously, she's terrifying but, I'm also dying to know what she is. I love how fierce she is and how protective she is of the family she's found. I also love that she uses the blood ruby that Tarquin sent as a paperweight. That was just pure genius. These people are the family that Feyre has always wanted. Oh, and the fact that Rhys has made Amren and Mor his Second and Third in command just warms my heart.

Rhys and Feyre's notes to each other were a thing of beauty. You know I love a good sarcastic couple and these two took it to a whole new level. I laughed so hard when I read those notes because most of them were designed just to annoy the other person. Rhys teaching Feyre to read as well was amazing. You just knew the sentences she had to copy were coming because they would have really wound her up. They were just so...Rhys. Yet doing this gave Feyre a way to survive in the Spring Court, it gave her a way to occupy her days by practising in the library.

I did like that we revisited Elain and Nesta in this book, though Nesta is still as prickly as ever. This did irritate me slightly because we kind of turned a corner with Feyre and Nesta in ACOTAR and yet, in this book we kind of reverted back to that initial relationship. I do understand why this happened, she's scared of the fey, in the same way that Feyre was when Tamlin first took her to the Spring Court. But she's still your sister, fey or not. I did like the fact that Elain acknowledged that they had let Feyre down by leaving her to keep them alive when the money ran out. I do also love the fact that Elain and Lucien are mates. With her love of flowers and gardening, Elain is literally made for the Spring Court so I hope she accepts the bond with him.

Speaking of Lucien I want to talk about him for a minute. The hate that he's got from people over how he behaved in the book is really annoying. I loved Lucien in ACOTAR - he had the same attitude as Cassian. Very sarcastic and funny but, he does come to consider Feyre a friend. Here's what you have to remember. Lucien was Under the Mountain too. He was whipped by his best friend for helping Feyre in the first trial. He almost died in the second trial because Feyre couldn't read the riddle, let alone the answers underneath. He wants to help Feyre in the Spring Court - he does keep bringing the subject up with Tamlin, trying to get him to let Feyre train. Feyre wasn't the only one abused by Tamlin, Lucien was as well. He's scared and he's caught in a catch-22. He did all he could to help Feyre without Tamlin turning on him as well. He doesn't deserve the hate that he's getting.

Ianthe on the other hand, does deserve the hate. I'll admit, I was suckered in when I first saw Ianthe. Feyre finally has a friend she can talk to, who can talk her through planning her wedding. She has Alis, but she's usually busy in the kitchens so it's nice Feyre has someone to talk to. That was up until the wedding. When Feyre walked down the aisle to see red rose petals on the ground. Red Rose Petals. The one colour, the one detail that Feyre specified not to be at the wedding, and Ianthe ignores her. That was the moment I saw Ianthe for the witch she truly is.
 The human queens as well. Apart from the one queen who decided to try and help Feyre and Rhys, and who died horribly for her actions, those other queens were terrible. The way they played Feyre and Rhys and got them to reveal the secret that Rhys has done everything to keep, to then sell them out to the King of Hybern. That Cauldron better not work right on them, I swear. They deserve everything that's coming to them.

Those final chapters with the King of Hybern and Jurian and Tamlin and Lucien were excruciating. Azriel was shot with a poisoned arrow like the ones that almost killed Rhys, Cassian's wings were pretty much destroyed when he tried to protect his fallen brother and Feyre's sisters were turned into Fae. I was so worried, and I still am worried about the group. Cassian better keep his wings. I honestly thought one of the sisters was going to die and I'm so glad they didn't. I loved how Nesta went down fighting at the end. It was so...Nesta.

The attack on Velaris was another chapter that I loved because we got to see how Feyre has grown over the course of the book. She doesn't hesitate to fight for the people of the Night Court - it's her court now as well and she'll do anything she can to protect it. I adored the scene where Feyre killed the Attor. It all came about full circle and it seemed right that Feyre was the person who killed it. The fact that Feyre shut Rhys out while she did what she had to do and he wasn't mad at her for it was so refreshing. Normally in YA, the guy gets mad at the girl when she does something dangerous. Instead, Rhys was proud of her. We need more of that in YA.

I want to end this incredibly long and spoilery discussion and just talk about that final moment when the bond was broken. This. Was. Gut. Wrenching. It was so hard to read that scene because I hated the idea of that bond disappearing. I was so relieved to find out that only the bargain bond had broken and the twist that had been thrown in. Feyre being the High Lady of the Night Court just made everything so much better, especially because Tamlin had told her there was no such thing as a High Lady. We also get a chapter in Rhys' POV which I love and makes me think the next book will be in dual POV. Tamlin has absolutely no idea what he's done and I can't wait for the next book to come out.

If you've made it to the end of this review, congratulations. I absolutely adored this book and it's left me with a pile of books (The Raven King and Lady Midnight to name two) that are demanding to be read but I can't because I cannot stop re-reading this book! Let me know what you're favourite moments were in ACOMAF and any predictions you might have.

Image from Goodreads - no Copyright Intended

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 4.8 stars

Synopsis: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Review: If you remember, many months ago, I did a blog post of some of my most anticipated books of 2015 and one of them, was this book. It came out in May and, embarrassingly, it's taken me until now to read it. This is my first trip into Sarah J Maas' writing (Throne of Glass IS on my Kindle, I just need time to read it!) and, I really enjoyed it.

Now, this book was inspired in part by Beauty and the Beast and, maybe it was just me, but, until I found an interview with Sarah where she explained her inspiration, I didn't really see the connection. Our 'beast' Tamlin wasn't very beast like (on the contrary, he was really sweet) and there were no dancing teapots (although that might just be Disney's movie coming into play). Despite this though, I really enjoyed the book. The world that Sarah has created is so intriguing and different. The numerous courts and their corresponding 'High Fae leaders' was really interesting and I actually would have liked to have seen more of them.

It took me a while to warm up to Feyre. Yes, she supports her family (which, as the youngest is really not fair) but, she did seem to repeat herself a lot, especially in the first 100 or so pages. She questioned everything Tamlin did and said, despite him assuring her that she was safe and her family was being looked after. I can understand you might not trust him to begin with; but after a while it does get annoying. To be fair to Feyre though, she's never had a reason to trust anyone, not even her own family. So, that does get her a few bonus points; and she does make up for it in the final portion of the book. That was the best part in my opinion, those last 100-150 pages where Feyre really came into her own and started showing signs of being the kind of heroine I wanted her to be from page 1.
On a quick side note, I loved how Sarah used Feyre's 'weakness' in one of the challenges. I think it was something a little different and her love of painting and art that come from that weakness is intriguing and different and I really enjoyed it. I would have liked some more time spent on the particular challenge but, apart from that, I really enjoyed that aspect of Feyre's character.

Tamlin - oh Tamlin. I do love him. He's so sweet and caring and protective and everything I think Feyre needs. She's had to look after everyone else for so long, that I think Tamlin will be good for her. I can understand why some people don't like him. While I wouldn't say he's a pacifist (he does play the role of the beast after all, and so does have an aggressive nature) he's very good at controlling himself and reigning himself in which doesn't make for the most stand out character. But I loved him and I want a Tamlin. Which brings me onto my next point - I really don't want Feyre to end up with Rhysand! Rhysand is an intriguing character and I would love to learn more about him, but I really don't want him and Feyre to end up together, not after everything she's done in this book to end up with Tamlin. Yes, I ship Feylin and I'm not even sorry.

All of the characters in this book I could learn more about those. Lucien, for starters, was an amazing character and was a complete contrast to Tamlin with his sarcastic comments. He's stubborn and loud and infuriatingly sarcastic, but, he does come through for Feyre in the end, and tries to help her when Tamlin can't. Amarantha was an intriguing villain and I kind of wish we'd met her earlier. There was a lot of build up about her, throughout the book, but because of the curse, it took a while to learn about her. I really liked the idea that her and Tamlin used to be friends, but she fell in love with him. While it's not a new idea, Sarah made it feel like it was which was a pleasant surprise.

The curse itself was incredibly specific. It was almost a thinly veiled prophecy to me. Not only must you fall in love with a human but the human must kill a fey out of pure hatred and hate all of fey-kind. It did make me laugh a little when I read it but hey, I guess fey HAVE to be incredibly specific when making deals. The riddle as well wasn't particularly complex. I'm awful at riddles and I knew what the answer would be but, knowing that didn't detract from the book.

All in all, I really loved this book. It was intriguing and interesting and I loved the characters and the world. I'd really recommend this book and it's made me even more excited to start the Throne of Glass series!

Image and Synopsis from Goodreads - no Copyright intended