4.5 ⭐️ OMFG that f*cking ending has shaken me to my core!!!!!!!
Honestly, there were some highs and lows in this story and I’d probably rate it a solid4.5 ⭐️ OMFG that f*cking ending has shaken me to my core!!!!!!!
Honestly, there were some highs and lows in this story and I’d probably rate it a solid 4-stars but that ending is what bumped it up!! I don’t know how I’m going to be able to wait for the next book!! ...more
Trigger Warnings for A Court of Silver Flames: PTSD, graphic sexual language, abuse, sexual assault, r3.5 Stars ⭐️ Absolutely loved parts of this book
Trigger Warnings for A Court of Silver Flames: PTSD, graphic sexual language, abuse, sexual assault, rape, depression, suicidal thoughts, childbirth complications.
Pages mentioning sexual assault/rape: 59, 174-175, 365-366, 380-381, 694-695. Most of these are flashbacks or recollections of previous assaults. Page 365-366 is a scene where it is implied rape almost happens but does not.
A Court of Silver Flames didn't really feel like an ACOTAR book. Sometimes it read like a 700+ page fanfic, which if you're only here for the Nessian romance, then I'd give it 4-stars. Personally, I fell in love with SJM's amazing world-building and creative plots, and in regards to those things, ACOSF falls flat.
BUT before I go into all that, let me share with you some of the things I LOVED:
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
The Smut. This book is DEFINITELY +18! Let me tell you, as a married, twenty-seven-year-old woman, there were still a few scenes that left me reeling from heat, while others had me uncomfortable with secondhand embarrassment. ...more
I don't even want to write this review because it's just so blahhhhh. But here I go.
I know why we 'needed' this book - to bridg2.5 ⭐️ Boring Epilogue
I don't even want to write this review because it's just so blahhhhh. But here I go.
I know why we 'needed' this book - to bridge the old series with the new series - but there had to be a better way. It's 200+ pages of a whole lot of nothing. I can hardly even remember what happened because nothing does! I should have known, though, based on the completely inadequate summary of the book:
Feyre, Rhys, and their close-knit circle of friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve.
Yet even the festive atmosphere can't keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated - scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court.
This book is literally the equivalent of a holiday special for your favorite show - where nothing good or bad happens. It's a fluff story with zero plot, meant to make fans happy.
Here's what you can expect from A Court of Frost and Starlight:
• Feyre goes shopping • Feyre feeling guilty that she's rich AF • Feyre painting • Feyre and Rhys constantly say they're mates . . . we get it. • 1 sex scene (Chapter 22) where Rhys literally mind f*cks Feyre. • Nesta spiraling and being a b*tch • Cassian pining after Nesta • Random info on Illyrians post-Hybern (setting up for ACOSF) • Inner Circle visits Night Court for Solstice (Eris is there). • Elain ignores Lucien. She won't even give him a chance. • Elain being sweet on Az. • Amren being Amren • Mor being a supportive friend and dealing with past trauma. • Awkward Solstice party • Tamlin being depressed
The book is written in Feyre, Rhys, Cassian, Morrigan, and Nesta's POV. While it was interesting to get these different POVs finally, it made it difficult to keep track of a story that already is lacking a plot. However, it did give us some insight into Cassian, Mor, and Nesta that we haven't seen before.
Did A Court of Frost and Starlight have any redeeming qualities?
Yes.
The humor! There were actually quite a few moments that had me laughing out loud. When Cas and Feyre get drunk and decorate the townhouse but then Az has to fix everything (Chapter 12). Or when Amren brings up her new fae body and how annoying it is to have to use the bathroom so often (Chapter 12). Or when Rhys is with the boys in the sauna, and they kick him out because he gets *excited* (Chapter 19). ...more
4.5 ⭐ 4-star for the first 600 pages and 5-star for the last 200 pages
Did I find myself confused AF by the world-building and names? Yes. Was I annoy 4.5 ⭐ 4-star for the first 600 pages and 5-star for the last 200 pages
Did I find myself confused AF by the world-building and names? Yes. Was I annoyed it took about 500 pages out of this 800-page book for a "big" revelation? Duh. Did my heart break more than once? Absolutely.
This book may not have been perfect, but oh boy did I LOVE it! Definitely cannot wait for the next book.
Here's what I liked:
• The wonderful bonds of friendship."Through love, all is possible." This really was the first SMJ book I read where I was more invested in the main character and her best friend’s relationship versus the main character and her love interest. The message was powerful and beautiful.
• The world-building. Yes, it might have been hard to follow along at first but SJM really knows how to create an entirely new universe that readers can visualize. Often when I read, I skim the descriptive paragraphs when they’re too wordy, but I never found myself doing so here.
• Adult content. Since this is definitely more NA than YA, it was refreshing to see SJM talk about sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll in a mature way. Made the Crescent City world feel familiar to our own, therefore, making the characters and their struggles more relatable. Thankfully, she doesn’t use as many weird euphemisms for genitals or sex (which often happened in the Throne of Glass or ACOTAR series). There were hardly any sex scenes in this book but I have a feeling this is going to get more wild in the next few - or at least I sure hope so.
• The storyline and character development. Yes, there are some cliches, but I found myself more surprised than not - especially the last 200 pages!
This book really felt like a setup to the entire series so while it was amazing, I think we can expect far greater things from the rest of the series....more
4 ⭐️ Good, but not the incredible finale I was expecting
Sarah J. Maas once again continues to enthrall readers in A Court of Wing and Ruin with detail4 ⭐️ Good, but not the incredible finale I was expecting
Sarah J. Maas once again continues to enthrall readers in A Court of Wing and Ruin with detailed world-building, an engaging plot-line, and incredible characters. How she does it so flawlessly still astonishes me. I’ve talked about how amazing these aspects are in my previous review of A Court of Mist and Fury, so for a more in-depth description click the link.
*SPOILERS*
What I liked:
Feyre being a baddie. At first, we see her play spy while taking down Tamlin’s Court from within! He deserves it. Then, she undergoes more training to master her power and ultimately comes into her role as High Lady of the Night Court. I love her character, and I’ll say it again, I wish I were her.
Feyre & Rhys teamwork. While ACOMAF’s plotline was heavily guided by their romance, ACOWAR is less so. However, there are a few sweet/spicy moments - mostly showing the strength of their bond. I love their respect, honestly, and compassion for one another, and it’s highlighted many times throughout this book.
Nesta & Cassian’s ‘love’ story. These two have such an interesting and explosive dynamic. My heart totally sank during the final battle when Nesta throws herself on Cassian, and he says,
“I have no regrets in my life, but this . . . That we did not have time. That I did not have time with you, Nesta. I will find you again in the next world - the next life. And we will have that time. I promise.” (652)...more
"To the people who look at the stars and wish. . . To the stars who listen - and the dreams that are answered." (C5 ⭐️ One of my ALL TIME favorites!
"To the people who look at the stars and wish. . . To the stars who listen - and the dreams that are answered." (Ch. 34, pg. 337)
I'm writing this review after re-reading A Court of Mist and Fury, and it's just as magical now as it was the first time I read it! Seriously, I just LOVE this book. I feel it in my heart and soul. I can't stop thinking about it. It's everything I could want in a book and more! The characters (old and new), storyline, plot twists, worldbuilding, snarky banter, slow-burn romance, action scenes, heart-pounding suspense . . . all AMAZING! Sarah J. Maas never fails to captivate the reader. You'll feel sorrow, joy, anger, pain, and love. You'll laugh out loud and feel the heat ...more
First off, I want to start with this: If you're thinking about reading A Court of Thorns And Roses (ACOT5 ⭐️ after first read / 4.5 ⭐️ after re-read
First off, I want to start with this: If you're thinking about reading A Court of Thorns And Roses (ACOTAR) . . . JUST DO IT. If you like fantasy and romance, you won't be disappointed!
When I first read ACOTAR in November 2020, I didn't know anything about it except that it was a favorite amongst BookTokers. So I decided to give it a go (despite the terrible art covers), and I'm so glad I did!!! The ACOTAR series has become one of my favorites and reintroduced me to fantasy.
If you're like me and knew nothing about this series, here's a very general synopsis:
When 19-year-old huntress Feyre Archeron kills a faerie wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives demanding justice and offers her two choices: die or live the rest of her mortal life in Prythian - a faerie world that is deadly to humans and full of dangerous monsters. Feyre leaves her impoverished family behind for a chance at life with the terrifying creature. But when Feyre arrives, she discovers that her kidnapper is not really a beast but a handsome High Fae named Tamlin.
While living at Tamlin's estate, Feyre discovers the faerie realm is not what it seems. As Feyre's understanding of the faerie change, so do her feelings towards those who hold her captive. Once afraid of her new life, she begins to hope and dream of her future in Prythian. However, a 'blight' or curse threatens both the faerie and mortal realms, and Feyre must find a way to stop it before it's too late.
Okay, now that we've got that out of the way, let's dive into my thoughts about ACOTAR!
Things I liked:
• The fairytale storyline with a twist. Is this a Beauty and the Beast retelling??? Yes, and no. The initial story definitely follows that plotline a bit, but the last 100 pages are completely different and unique. It's honestly the best part of the book - full of gut-wrenching drama and action. You won't want to put it down!
• The foreshadowing. This isn't something you will probably pick up on during your first read-through of ACOTAR, but during a re-read, you'll definitely notice. Sarah J. Mass does a fantastic job tying together storylines and character developments in all her books. SJM loves to surprise her readers, so expect there to be many "OMG," "No way," or "Ah-ha" moments later on in the series.
• The world-building is unreal. Okay, Sarah J. Maas is a genius. There, I'll say it. Honestly, I've read a few stories about faeries, but none that I LOVED as much as ACOTAR. She provides amazing details of the faerie and descriptions of the settings so you can imagine you're experiencing the story with the characters. I've never been so sucked into a universe since Harry Potter or A Discovery of Witches. And the best part is, the next two books only continue to do a phenomenal job expanding the ACOTAR world.
• I love our MC Feyre. She is brave, hard-working, determined, cunning, and devoted to those she loves. We first see Feyre as someone in survival mode, since that's all she knew in her life of poverty back in the human realm. But in Prythian, we see her shed some of her armor and become open to the possibilities of love, laughter, and life (I know. . . cheesy . . but it's true).
• The enemies-to-lovers romance. This is probably my favorite trope, so give me a few well-written sex/romance scenes, and I'll be happy. There are a few 'cute' romance moments and maybe two spicy scenes. Nothing compared to the later books in the series ...more