Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Published: May 2nd 2017 by Bloomsbury Childrens Books
Rating: 4 out of 5

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Available from:

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Synopsis:

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.
As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.
In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

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Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published: May 3rd 2016 by Bloomsbury Childrens

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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.

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Review:

We last saw Feyre and Tamlin heading off into the sunset. Tamlin, no doubt, has his own demons to deal with. After a few hundred years of suffering he's finally free of the grips Amarantha had over him. Feyre, on the other hand, a nineteen year old with a lifetime of suffering herself, has to deal with the two innocent Fae she was made to kill to release the courts of Prythian from their tyrannical rule.

Not-a-Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published: August 2nd 2012 by Bloomsbury  

Synopsis:

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

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Review:

Many years ago I received an ARC copy of this book from Emma at Bloomsbury. I'd recently read Rae Carson's The Girl of Fire and Thorns from her Bitter Kingdom series, so was keen to get my teeth into another fantasy series. There is something about women writing fantasy that makes it far more enjoyable than men. Maybe it's the way women writers use more emotion into the story to provoke our hearts rather than the story being the plot and summation that follows.

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

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published:  May 5th 2015 by Bloomsbury Childrens

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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.

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Review:

I must write before this review starts that I've read this book three times now. Most recently to refresh my memory for the purpose of this review.

This story has three parts. Life before, life at the Manor, and life Under the Mountain. It would also be prudent of me to say I didn't think I'd like this book after the first few chapters. Much like when I started The Iron King series by Julie Kagawa, and having read Throne of Glass series from the very beginning, it's always a little strange to read something new from a writer you like. I didn't think I'd like this because I didn't think I was young enough to enjoy it.

Arc Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published: September 11th 2014 by Bloomsbury  

Synopsis:

Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak―but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life―and her future―forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?

The bestselling series that has captured readers all over the world reaches new heights in this sequel to the New York Times best-selling Crown of Midnight. Packed with heart-pounding action, fierce new characters, and swoon-worthy romance, this third book will enthrall readers from start to finish

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Review:

Read my review of Crown of Midnight here. 

Everything you know, or you think you know about the Throne of Glass series will be turned on its head.

Celaena is back in the third saga, but she isn't back in the finest sense. She must go back to the begin and unlearn all she's learned about herself, her present and her future. And who will be in her future.

The story starts and everyone is bitter. Chaol sent Celaena away. Dorian's angry. We learn of Rowan and what he might be as he spies on Celaena and Celaena herself is doing her usual. Getting into fight, stealing, trying to stay alive whilst spying on the crown prince of Wendlyn...

Rowan leads Celaena on her quest, but Celaena becomes undone as she visits Queen Maeve in Wendlyn. Maeve wants her to become Queen but to achieve her goal Celaena must become Aelin Galathynius. The girl she once was. Through many throw-backs we learn of her childhood, of how she escaped her parents murder and learn more about her cousin Aedion Ashryver. The king's formidable General.

New characters are also introduced. Emrys and Luca are stand-outs. Bringing up the story behind the wyverns we get to know Manon Blackbeak. Again, another character who, similarly, is not happy with her lot in life and plots to overthrow the witches. Throughout Heir, interspersed at regular intervals we learn how the king is planning to use the witches and wyverns as his main plan of attack. However reading about Manon's history and getting an idea of what she see's in the future we know one of them will be disappointed with that outcome.

The majority of the book centres on Aelin and Prince Rowan Whitethorn. An enormous character to bring into the story which is already bulging with big characters. At first we think he's a big bully but it soon turns out that his heart is as big as anyone's, given the right motive to release it. Aelin and Rowan begin a brutal partnership, with Rowan as her trainer, and soon enough there are figments of camaraderie happening and a hope that Rowan will be the one to bring out the goodness in Aelin/Celaena.

As for Chaol, well, he turns his back on his best friend, Dorian, and initially the future isn't bright for him. He decides he's more fit to hiding in shadows but forms an unusual alliance with Aedion. After Crown I had high hopes for Chaol and Celaena but we quickly learn she's outgrown him. He does however redeem himself numerous times throughout the story and where once he looked like his path was ever darker, a stream of light crosses him near the end.

The lands as we know them are all build more solid with Heir of Fire. We can actually feel the scope of what Aelin is wanting to achieve. Can she become the Queen that Maeve thinks she could be? But we also get a new glimpse of the dark world the King would turn the lands to, and how he's been able to hold on to magic while others have had it taken away.

Throughout Heir Aelin has exposed herself in the most daunting of ways. She's opened up and has dropped the tough girl facade she been holding on to these last ten years. Finally near the end, you find yourself rooting for her, as she overcomes Maeve, the Valg prince's, and with unlikely fr-enemies that have joined the fold you have to remember to breathe, and hope she'll win in the end. If only for her sanity....

CBx

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Sarah J. Maas is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series and A Court of Thorns and Roses series, as well as a USA Today and international bestselling author. Sarah wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in thirty-five languages. A New York native, Sarah currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and dog.

She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hamilton College in 2008 with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in Religious Studies.

You can find Sarah J. Maas here:

Web 

  Goodreads

ARC Review: Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) by Sarah J Maas

Publishers:  Bloomsbury UK

Published Date: August 15th 2013

From: Publishers

My rating: 4 out of 5

Thank you to Emma at Bloomsbury UK for allowing me to read this ARC

Synopsis:

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.

But her heart never wavers.

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:

Crown of Midnight is soon to be upon us and is the much-anticipated sequel to Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. While Throne of Glass had an ordered and organised feel about it, the high-fantasy world of Celaena Sardothien winning the famed competition to become Kings Champion, Crown of Midnight is equally as riveting with it's high octane tale of adventure and royal intrigue, though this time you never know what to expect from our heroine.

Celaena IS the Kings Champion. What deeds would the King have her do now that her task is legal killing on behalf of the Kingdom? Unfortunately for her, the kings wishes lead her to liaise with associates from her past. Associates she knows very well, even taught. More questions than answers take Celaena along a bumpy and sometimes lonely path to find out why the king particularly wants these certain people dead. Are they enemies of the Crown or merely important people in the way of something bigger?

This is no love triangle story of Celaena and Dorian or Celaena and Chaol, although Chaol does feature more greatly in this book but Crown mostly tells us about Celaena herself and her battle with her past and how she learns to embrace her future. But in the now, she learns the language of wyrdmarks from the lovely Princess Nehemia settles into a semblance of normal daily life during her duties at court. Celaena finally gets a chance to be herself. But who actually is she? Her past is still shrouded in secrecy and she gives little away until the end.

The writing of Crown is superb and if you've managed to pick up the short stories from the Throne of Glass series then they will help add substance to the main story going on here. Crown isn't as long as Throne, nor does it have as much density with regards to descriptions or even the magnanimous plush parties as we experienced before. Instead we have a fast-paced, action packed adventure that keeps its own mystery until the very last page. My only disappointment with Crown was the abrupt ending of each chapter. I personally would have preferred the scenes to play out just a little bit more rather than the knife edge slice to the next chapter but still, it does leave your imagination to run wild while waiting to find out what happens next.

Crown of Midnight brings back all our favourite main characters including a few new ones that include a doorknocker called Mort and a devilishly handsome good guy/bad guy in Archer. And I think hearts will melt again because the small bit of romance is pretty special too.

All in all Sarah J Maas did a great job of writing a rich and powerful sequel that will be loved by Throne fans everywhere!

You can reach Sarah J. Maas here: 

Web 

  Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

I'm so excited to reveal the cover of the sequel to the brilliant Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas.

Here it is!!

CROWN OF MIDNIGHT
by Sarah J Maas

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.
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?

Expected publication: August 27th 2013 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens 

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