Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

#1 in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series

Released: May 5, 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's

Received: Library

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf

The preamble

Well, be still my heart!

I was a little worried (ok, ok, I was A LOT worried) I wouldn't love this new series as much as I love the Throne of Glass series.

I mean, it has fairies and stuff.

And, her name is Feyre, which I can't for the life of me say properly in my head (I'm constantly tripping up between "Freya" and "Fire" and stuttering through a mix of the two every single time I read her name.)

Also, I hate that cover (seriously, I hate ALL of Sarah's covers, except the first one, which they changed. *sigh*)

So, yeah, there were a lot of things for me to worry about. I worried so much I didn't even pre-order A Court of Thorns and Roses even though Sarah and me are totally on pre-order basis by now (Queen of Shadows already pre-ordered!)

Instead, I waited for a copy to come through inter-library loan. Which basically means I had to hide from the internet all during release week until my ILL copy finally came through because ya'll were blowing up internet with ACoTaR updates, reviews, quotes, and hypable squees.

And, touche, you were all right. I should have just pre-ordered, because I'm totally buying a copy to put on my Special Shelf and re-read a million times.

This is a kissing book

(and then some)

Swoon. Lots of swoon.

I know Sarah J. Maas is known primarily for her YA series and I think a lot of libraries are getting mixed up in their cataloging because of that. But this series? This is NOT a YA series.

I've heard a lot of back and forth about the romance and whether or not it's wrong or swoony or we're wrong for swooning or not or, yeah, I'm not wading into that.

I'll say this: I like it. 

Feyre 

Ok, so I couldn't help comparing Feyre to Celaena, and I'm sorry but I like Celaena a little more. That's not to say that I don't like Feyre, because I definitely do. It's just, Celaena has a...spark? She has something that Feyre doesn't.

Feyre and Celaena are both so similar, but also totally different, which is a completely unhelpful description, I know. They both have fire and sass over a core of vulnerability, but Feyre is in some ways...harder? Darker?

I know that's a weird thing to say considering Celaena is the assassin here, but Celaena always had a certain sparkle to her. She's had terrible things happen to her, but she retains an almost childlike optimism, even when she's in the depths of despair (seriously, could you see moping, sad Celaena turning away candy? I think not.)

She also has a swaggering bravado and self-confidence that I can't help but love. She's Celaena Sardothien, and she will not be afraid.

Feyre feels more beaten down by the grinding suckiness of life. Poverty, starvation, the bone-aching hurt and betrayal of a family that disappoints. Feyre's painful experiences aren't relegated to the world of fantasy and they seem all the more adult and crushing because of that.

But, then I get scenes like the mud worm fight and suddenly Feyre goes from her regular likable but not entirely stand out self to someone who is awesome. And she's made all the more awesome for it because she isn't a trained assassin or some super-fairy. She's just a tough as nails survivor and THAT is what makes me like her so much. 

All the men

For the most part, all of the other main characters are men, and I can't decide which one I like more. They each bring something different to the table (think Marcello, Luca, and Lord Greco), and every one of them is a character who is interesting in his own right beyond romance.

I want to know more about their histories. I want to follow them on their own adventures. I want to read from their perspectives. I want spinoff series.

This is why I love Sarah J. Maas so much—she writes every character with a depth and realism that is usually reserved for the main character. All of her characters have main character potential. Her romantic interests don't just exist for shallow swooning. Her side characters aren't just props to support the main character. They don't exist solely for the purposes of advancing the plot. They are fully fleshed out people who happen to cross paths with the main character while going about their own off-screen story.

Bottom line

Ok, ok, Sarah J. Maas is an auto-buy author, regardless of what series she's writing. I get it. I won't resist again. Just take all my money, ok? All of it. Just please keep writing these books that feel like they're ripped from my very soul and heart and encompass all my readerly desires. Ok? Thanks. 

Looking for another book like this? 

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Click on the covers to go to my review/Goodreads

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Book Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

#3 in the Throne of Glass series
Own
562 pages
4 out of 5 stars

There aren't any huge spoilers for the series in this review, but it probably wouldn't do much good to read it if you haven't read the first two books. If you're interested in reviews for those, you can check out my review for Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight.

Things I liked

• It's Sarah J. Maas. I love everything about her writing. The way she builds worlds, her characters, her approach, and how in everything you can feel her paying homage to her influences (all of which are my favorites too) while still remaining wholly her own. Sarah J. Maas makes me remember why I love stories.

• Manon Blackbeak's story. This felt a little out of place because it doesn't tie in at all to Celaena's story (in this installment), but I did enjoy it. I wasn't hugely impressed with Manon as a character (especially in light of all the hype) and I think she could have been fleshed out a whole lot more (backstory!). But, I'm a sucker for the underdog and I latched onto her relationship with her dragon like a dog with a soup bone.

• Those scary creatures! My gosh they are creepy. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the pulse pounding scenes with them. They reminded me of Tolkien's Nine with all their creepy soul sucking tenacity. But, of course, Sarah J. Maas makes them her own.

• Aedion Ashryver. Oh, swoon! Even better, he stands on his own as an intriguing character. I'd love a spinoff series of Aedion's adventures. In many ways he was a highlight of this book, despite his short page time, and I hope he gets developed a whole lot more. 

Things I didn't like as much

I'm having a hard time adjusting to Celaena's character switch. I get it. It's good. It's important. It matters for her character arc and I do like the direction this is going in.

But...Celaena Sardothien is such a powerhouse of a character and her name matters. I feel like something is lost. Aelin may be who she was born as, but Celaena is who she chose to be and I feel like she's ceding something by embracing the name Aelin instead of sticking with Celaena. Then again, I always have difficulty with this sort of thing.

While this is definitely not a filler book, it still felt like a filler book. Introducing Manon's storyline broadened the scope of the book, but it also felt like a digression. Celaena spends a lot of time sulking and depressed, and instead of gutting me and wrenching my heart (Nehemia!), it made me feel bored and listless. Celaena is going through a lot of legitimate feelings during this time, and I'm disappointed that this didn't come through to me like it has in the past.

While I liked Rowan well enough, he wasn't a particularly memorable character and I wasn't feeling much chemistry between him and Celaena (platonic chemistry, I mean, because there is no romance between them). It felt...forced? This whole part felt like a waiting period. It felt like a rehash of Celaena's growth periods with Chaol after the salt mines or in the desert with Ansel and the Silent Master, but without any of the heart or fire or character chemistry.

Things for the future

I feel like, as the story is getting larger, it's losing it's way a little. There's a lot going on here and I think some of it suffers from lack of development. Sarah J. Maas can do epic and she can create characters that leap off the page and into my heart, so I'm sad to see so many meh characters here that I know could be so much more.

I'd rather have a 2,000 page book or have one book broken in two (yes, even if that means massive cliffhangers) than sacrifice the depth of the world and characters. Manon is a character worthy of more. Rowan could be. Chaol deserved more page time and depth to his intrigues. Dorian is a potentially huge character with an incredible arc that continues to get short shrift. Each of these characters are worthy of lead character status and I wish Sarah J. Maas would write them that way.

I know this would fundamentally change the series from Celaena's story to something really epic and HUGE, but, gosh, what a story that would be.

Bottom line

I felt like a lot of this book was tearing down everything I loved about the earlier books. Celaena's spark, her relationship with Chaol, her direction, the momentum of the story. This is a darker, slower, more introspective book, which is not a bad thing. It did make this a hard, disappointing book to read though.

That said, there were also stunning moments that have been seared into my memory. That scene running from that...thing, the battle at the end, the descriptions of flying, the backstory with the red cloak, Sarah J. Maas knows how to deliver scenes that leap off the page and there were plenty of them in Heir of Fire. 

I understand and appreciate the value of this book, and I think I will like it a lot more upon a reread. As a part of a whole, this is a solid installment and a worthwhile part of Celaena's journey. But, as my one yearly gulp of new story fodder, I was disappointed.

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Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury 
Pages: 432
Received: ARC from publisher, via NetGalley, pre-ordered
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf

This is a sequel, and while there aren't any MAJOR spoilers for the first book, there are a few (like, if a mention a character, you kind of know they didn't die in the first book!)

Worried about spoilers? Read my review of the first book Throne of Glass instead!

Summary

From Goodreads:

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

Review

What's higher than a five star Special Shelf rating? 

That's what I gave Throne of Glass, but Crown of Midnight blows it out of the water.

Crown of Midnight takes everything in Throne of Glass and adds MORE. There's more character depth, more action, more relationship exploration, more intrigue, and more heartbreak (oh my gosh the HEARTBREAK).

The scope of the story explodes from the contained Throne of Glass setting revolving around the competition to a more sprawling, epic-fantasy style with all sorts of layers and hints for things to come (those witches!!!).

If Throne of Glass was like dipping my toe into still waters, Crown of Midnight was taking a running leap and cannonballing into Sarah J. Maas's imagination.

I can't write my sleepover party invitation fast enough

It took me a little while to warm up to Celaena in Throne of Glass, but when it dawned on me that she was the girl version of every male character I love, I realized I'd just met my new best friend.

While I think Sarah J. Maas did a great job making Celaena more than a one-note character in Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight deepens her characterization even further. The protective (but fun!) layers of arrogance are peeled back to reveal a girl with hopes, dreams, fears, insecurities, and hurts.

I ached for her. The best character I can compare her to now for sheer level of complexity and depth, fun and fluffy mixed with serious, is Buffy, and I can think of no higher praise than that. (Side note: If you haven't watched Buffy yet, go watch it!)

Crown of Midnight Celaena is just as kick-butt awesome as she was in Throne of Glass, but MORE. I knew she was this super badass assassin and she definitely had a few moments to show that off in Throne of Glass, but I always felt like she was holding back on me a little. And she was. So what happens when Celaena doesn't hold back?

Ho-le-COW.

I don't want to spoil one second of those scenes (and one in particular is a total re-read scene), but let's just say Celaena's arrogance over her abilities is downright HUMBLE.

But that re-read scene? Oh gosh, I can't even begin to talk about it. If you've read it, then YOU KNOW.

If you haven't read it, well, you're missing out. It was a powerhouse scene and I didn't know whether to cheer triumphantly, start punching people angrily, bask in the intrigue, fist pump the awesomeness, swoon uncontrollably, or SOB MY BLEEDING HEART OUT (x2).

So of course I did all of that, which is why Crown of Midnight comes with the Don't Read This in Public warning.

So what happens with the romance?

Throne of Glass had a love triangle I actually didn't hate, but Crown of Midnight makes it very clear early on who Celaena chooses. If you like the guy who *I* like and wanted her to end up with, then you'll be overjoyed with Crown of Midnight. Sarah J. Maas took my wildest dreams and gave me everything I wanted and more! The scene re-reading potential in this book is super high.

But... ok, I can't say anything more except that, but just know that the romance doesn't devlove into monotone sappiness that overwhelmes the book with boringnesss. Not at all. I laughed, I cried from pure happiness, I swooned, I raged, and I BAWLED. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

If you were rooting for the other side of the love triangle, sorry! But, unlike most losing sides of love triangles, this guy actually has a personality and plot all his own.

After reading Throne of Glass I had talked about how I hoped he would grow and develop into a character in his own right because I see more for him than getting relegated to third-wheel status. Thankfully, that totally happens in Crown of Midnight! He has his own stuff happening and I can't wait to see how it develops more in the next book.

And the secondary characters?

One of the strenghs of Throne of Glass was the super-developed side characters. I had strong feelings for each of them and they all seemed to have lives of their own (not just lives that revolve around the main character/plot point).

I was happy to see Kaltain return, and while her role is much smaller than in Throne of Glass, I have a feeling her parts are hinting toward something Significant in future books. Nehemia is also back, as is Fleetfoot and both are just as awesome as they were in Throne of Glass.

There are also a few new characters of which I have mixed feelings (as you're supposed to), but by far my favorite is the talking doorknob (who reminded me of a mix of Gwen's talking sword Vic from Mythos Academy and the general vibe of The Last Unicorn—two very good things).

And the plot?

I'm a sucker for sprawling epic fantasy plots that cover multiple realms, cultures, peoples, and, of course, feature lots of intrigue and layered history between them all.  

Throne of Glass hinted at this broader world, but Crown of Midnight BROUGHT it. This series is now the type of story where I can settle in and get my geek on analyzing all the tiny details of the world and people and how they all fit together.

While you definitely have to read Throne of Glass before starting Crown of Midnight, I also highly, highly recommend reading the prequel novellas, too. At the very least, read them before reading Crown of Midnight. I don't think readers would be lost without this backstory knowledge, but it added a whole new layer of enjoyment for me in both the characterization and the plot.

As far as pacing goes, well, you know me, I consider anything over 300 pages a long book and this one weighs in at a hefty 432 pages. But it wasn't nearly enough. I kept making myself try to read slower so I could savour it. I would have happily read another 400+ pages and would probably still have wanted more.

I was totally invested in both the plot and the characters, so there was never a dull moment for me. There are quieter moments that focus on character and relationship building, but I was just as entralled by these scenes as I was by the heart-pounding action scenes (of which there were also a lot).

But the ending? I'm STILL struggling to know what to do with myself until the release of book three. It's such a cliffhanger! Plus, I'm so wrapped up in these characters and this world that it's just downright cruel to rip me away from them and make me wait for more.

Oh, and a warning? Sarah J. Maas is the best kind of cruel author because she kills her characters and rips my heart out. In the most gut-wrenching ways. 

Bottom line

I've already re-read most of Crown of Midnight and Throne of Glass and the prequel novellas (and pre-ordered the print version of the prequel bindup!) and I would have read the bonus scenes but I'm saving them for when I desperately need another fix between publications. I'm holding myself over for now with the completely unrelated but still (co-) written by Sarah J. Maas Starkillers Cycle (which is awesome, by the way), but I'm dying for more Celeana now.

Sarah J. Maas is one of those rare Soul Twin authors who writes as if she has a line straight to my heart and she's giving me everything I've ever wanted in a book. Which is to say, she's an autobuy author for sure.

And, oh look, Crown of Midnight comes out today, so you know what that means? NO MORE WAITING! 

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key 

Do you have any questions about Crown of Midnight that I haven't addressed?
Feel free to ask in the comments!

Looking for another book like this?

You might like:

 Click on the pictures to go to my reviews.

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Cover Confessions: Throne of Glass Series

Book 2. Yawn.

If you haven't read Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, then this post won't make much sense. So for those who have not read Throne of Glass, you can read my review instead. Or feel free to chime in with your un-book-biased impressions! For all others, feel free to tell me I'm totally wrong in the comments!

Because, I know, I'm totally in the minority here.

So much so that even the publisher decided to take my choice and toss it out in favor of creating a mismatched series (a travesty in and of itself).

And, yes, I know, the new covers are "so badass" and she has swords and stuff and it's illustrated and she looks like a tough fighter and zzzzzzzzz.....

Yes, I admit it. The new covers BORE me. The colors are so bland and they make me think of a graphic novel. All things that would make me ignore the new books if I stumbled across them on a shelf.

I also don't think they fit the series at all.


I know, I know, I can hear the detractors now. This is a series about a badass assassin lady, right?! How can these covers NOT fit the series? Just look at her! She has weapons practically dripping off her body. An initial count turns up four, and that's only after giving the cover a cursory glance.

But that's ALL they show. And Celaena is so much more than a killer.

New cover: Ooooh she's going to kill someone!

Sure she probably looks JUST like that cover picture in a few scenes. Rage burning, weapons out, and a look that says, "I.WILL.END.YOU." There are definitely some scenes like that.

But she's also a girl, and I think that defines her much more than her assassin traits.

She's a girl who likes pretty dresses and swoony romances and glamorous parties and emotional music. She plays with her puppy and has giggly tea parties with her best friend. She eats chocolate cakes (like, the whole cake) and she likes glittery decorations. She frequently indulges in shopping sprees. She loves deeply and she treasures her friends (and, please tagline, she does NOT have a "heart of ice"). These are all the reasons I love her as a character and want to be her friend.

Does the girl on those new covers do those sorts of things? I'm having a hard time seeing her swoon over the prospect of elaborate dresses and bags of candy.

That girl on the first cover, though? SHE I can see doing all those things. Her makeup is perfect, she's curled her hair (and there's plenty of places to hide her stylized hair daggers—can't do that in her flowing new covers hair, can she, hmm?), and there's just something about her that makes me think she'd be down for having a sugar-laden sleepover party.

Old: This is a girl who reads fantasy romance novels

I can also see her tearing apart those who would dare threaten her loved ones. There's something about her that looks like she's been through some things and can hold her own. A wiriness and a wariness.

This all fits the first book extremely well. In Throne of Glass, Celaena had just left the salt mines. She was broken down, thin, and weak. She was still Ardlan's Assassin, but she was rusty.

She spent many memorable months in Throne of Glass training with Chaol (swoon!) to get back to peak form. I can totally picture the girl on the old covers running in the woods with Chaol, puking her guts out, sniping at him (in part because puking her guts out makes her look unattractive, which is something I would SO think about if I were barfing in front of the hot Captain Westfall) and then wishing she could attend a fancy ball.

The girl on the new covers? Not so much.

That new girl doesn't seem like she cares at all what she looks like, what she wears, what songs she dances to, or what sweets she eats. She doesn't look like she harbors any tender or sentimental feelings for anyone. Killing people seems to be her only focus. She seems boring and one-dimensional. Just another "tough girl" in a long boring string of tough girls. I definitely won't be inviting her to any sleepover parties!

Fan art of an actual scene in the book

So, sorry Bloomsbury. Everyone else might love the new covers, but I'm disappointed there won't be any more like the first.

What do you think about the covers?
Love the new ones? Hate the old one?

If you haven't read the books yet, which cover would make you more likely to pick them up?

I know, I know, I'm probably the only one who prefers the old cover, so feel free to tell me why you like the new ones better!

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Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury 
Pages: 416
Received: ARC from publisher, via NetGalley AND from RUBY who growled at BEA people for me
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf

Summary

From Goodreads:

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Review

It's like all of my favorite books wrapped into one package of awesome

Sarah J. Maas must love every book *I* love, because reading Throne of Glass was like taking all the best bits of all my favorite books ever and rolling them all together to create a gigantic homage of love to such epically awesome series like The Banned and the Banished, The Queen's Thief, and The Black Jewels.

Yet it STILL felt totally original and not at all like a rip off. It was like, when you read a fairy tale retelling and you get to spot all of the little references back to the original. Like that, but it was like a personal scavenger hunt of all my favorite books.

Usually, for me, it's all about the book. But every once in a while an author gives me such a spectacular gift that my feelings go beyond the text and I want to bestow the author with lots of hugs and thank yous. If I ever meet Sarah J. Maas in person, lord help me, the squees will be epically, embarrassingly loud.

Apparently, I'm a total sexist

It took me a little while to warm up to Celaena. I read the first novella and I thought, with no small degree of horror and shame, that, "Oh my, I'm not sure if I can like her." She was brash, arrogant, lazy, crude and, really, arrogant needs to be mentioned again.

It wasn't until a few chapters into Throne of Glass that I had a light bulb moment: If Celaena was a guy, I would be completely in love with her.

And then it clicked. Celaena is Eugenides. Celaena is Lucivar. Celaena is Han freaking Solo! I may not be able to swoon over her the same way, and she may not be the typical sleepover party friend, but, you know what? I can totally get on board with a female Han. I mean, can you imagine the sleepover hijinks possibilities with the Millennium Falcon?! 

Plus, on second thought, Celaena also kind of IS a typical sleepover party friend. She might be a tough as nails assassin, but she thankfully doesn't shun girly things. You know in the sleepover party movies how they have the fashion montage where they all try on lots of pretty clothes and make funny faces? Celaena would totally do that. She appreciates important things in life like sparkly dresses and candy, and that's a girl I can get along with.

The love triangle I actually didn't hate

Yes, there is a love triangle. But NOOO, I didn't hate it! It's not really a triangle in the sense that Celaena has two equally awesome stereotypical guys and she's too indecisive to choose between them. If it were like that, then I would have hated it.

It's more like, she has two different relationships with two very different guys (neither of which fall into the "good guy/bad guy" mold) and her feelings for them progress in logical ways given the circumstances throughout the book. Vague? I know, I'm sorry. I don't want to spoil it.

Plus, I'm TOTALLY biased. There's one guy I'm rooting for and he'd BETTER WIN IN THE END. He's just, oh swoon. He's stoic and has a strong sense of responsibility. He has Sherlockian powers of observation, and he's also steadfast, loyal, and he has a soft spot the size of an elephant (even though he'd be aghast to admit that). His awkward attempts to show he cared about Celaena were heart-meltingly aww-inducing and fit in perfectly with their combative hate-turning-to-love relationship. I spent the better part of the book twisted up in *THAT* kiss anticipation.

I'll tolerate the other guy because he's nice and all, but he's so young and he has a lot of growing up to do. BUT, that growth will happen and I'm curious to see how he develops (and he may very well become a real contender for my heart then). His path and position make him more than just a pretty face and I'm looking forward to seeing how his character develops across the series—not just as a love interest for Celaena, but as a full character in his own right.

And that's what I love about this series. The secondary characters could all easily become main characters themselves (like the warrior princess? SO cool!) They have history and arcs and secrets and growth and personality that are all detailed and strong enough to command Main Character status. Their paths intertwine now, but they each have journeys they need to take separately as well, and I'm very curious to see how Sarah J. Maas develops them in the sequels. 

But what about the plot?

Oh, right, the plot. I'm a character girl, and clearly I'm in love with these characters enough that the plot doesn't really matter to me much. But, I was still pretty invested.

First off, there's a contest between the assassins to see who is the assassiniest assassin of them all. Is there any question who will win? Erm, no, not really. But that doesn't matter. It was still fun watching the contestants compete and, for me, the competition plotline never gets old even though it's always pretty darn predictable. Also, that fight scene at the end? Talk about nail-biting!

THEN there's the mystery of what or who is killing the contestants, because, yeah, something is turning them into pretty grotesque corpses and while this is great from the whittle-down-the-competition angle, the fact that something is killing contestants and Celaena IS a contestant is a little troubling.

So she sleuths, and I love her for it. She utilizes both the library AND secret passageways, two things that are near and dear to my heart. And, in this case, both lead her to buried secrets from the past, which pretty much makes the whole scenario explode with win. There are also red herrings and side reveals that were fun and definitely had me barking up the wrong tree once or twice.

And, while I wasn't totally in love with the Big Reveal and the eventual villain reveal was a little, erm, deflating, it also didn't really matter much because the journey was so much fun. Plus, this is only part one of a series, so I know there's more to it all than I'm learning right now so I'm ok with suspending judgement for now. (Also, honestly, I don't really care because I'm a character girl).

Bottom line

Throne of Glass is not a perfect book. But it IS a perfect book for me. The characters make me smile, the romance gives me that prickly anticipatory tension I love, and the 416 pages and promise of sequels makes me think, "Hm, I'm not sure if that's going to be enough for me." Because I want more. Now, please?

And that's not because the story ends mid-way through. Granted there are loose ends that need wrapping up and there is now the entire chapter of Celaena's new life that's been opened wide, and, most importantly, I still need to witness *THAT* kiss, but I'm not dangling from any cliffs here.  I want more simply because I love these people and this world and the fact that everything is dripping with vibes of all my favorite books.

Simply put, Sarah J. Maas is now one of my very few auto-buy authors.

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key 

Do you have any questions about Throne of Glass that I haven't addressed?
Feel free to ask in the comments!

Add it on Goodreads
Buy it on Amazon

Looking for another book like this?

You might like:

 Click on the pictures to go to my reviews.

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