Book Review: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah. J. Maas

Title: A Court of Silver Flames

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Series/Standalone: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series (Book #4)

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Pages: 757

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Year Published: 2021

Format: Hardcover Copy (Own It)

First Line: "The black water nipping at her thrashing heels was freezing."

"Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key is halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared with war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance- and healing- in each other's arms."

My Rating: 4.5/5

Wow, it took me long enough to get to this book. And overall, I enjoyed it. Could I have gone in right after I read ACOWAR the first time, maybe, but I'm glad I did an overall reread? I also found that the novella right before this one really helps put you in the headspace for this one, and things that happen in that book are referenced quite frequently, so don't miss it. I've taken up the CAWPILE method for rating books, and this one I added a range for rating, smut. The characters in this were as lovely as always, it was great to get a different perspective. The atmosphere and the writing were good for me. The plot is where I found this story really lacked. Yes, there was a plot, but it just wasn't at the forefront for me. Intrigue about the romance was there, the logic for the plot was just okay. BUT THE SMUT! It was next level for this series, and I was LIVING for it. I will be continuing the series, and Sarah J. Maas can just keep the spice coming.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Frost and Starlight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series/Standalone: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series (Book #3.1)
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Pages: 229
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Year Published: 2017
Format: Hardcover Physical Copy (Own it)
First Line: "The first snow of winter had begun whipping through Velaris an hour earlier."

"Hope warms the coldest night.

Feryre, 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 far-reaching impact on the future of their Court."

My Rating: 3.75/5

This is an odd way to explain this rating but this book just didn't seem necessary. I was glad to see the characters again and get a glimpse into their lives after the war, but I don't think it was needed to read the upcoming books. It did help me look forward to reading the next instalments, but I'm nervous about where the storyline will go just based on this instalment alone.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series/Standalone: A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book #3)
Pages: 699
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Year Published: 2017
Format: Physical Copy (Own It)
First Line: "The buzzing of flies and screaming survivors had long since replaced the beating war-drum."

"Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's manoeuvrings and the invading king threatening the 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 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."

My Rating: 4/5

I know I'm about half a year behind everyone, but here it finally is my review on ACOWAR. I think that this book wasn't a bad wrap up for Feyre's point of view. But I also didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the first two books. I think that Sarah J. Maas did a great job with the action parts of this story along with the romance, that being said it was hard to get through at some points and seemed drawn out for some periods of time. That also being said I wonder what A Court of Frost and Starlight.  Overall I enjoyed it and was happy to finish the series and see our favorite characters again. It was also nice to explore the world more along with the other courts.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler; A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

This book has been a long time coming for me to read. I preordered this book after binge reading ACOTAR and ACOMAF two books that I loved so much in 2016, but then kept putting it off (first to reread the first 2 and then just based on the opinions of others that it was a let down). Don't get me wrong this was my least favorite of the series so far, but I still enjoyed it. At some points I just found that the story was unneccesarily long which isn't really a good feeling to have in the last book from a certain p.o.v. All of these taken into consideration I really enjoyed catching up with favorite characters, the drama, the action and the further exploration of the world and am excited to continue reading stories in this setting in the future. I am certainly curious about who the next 3 books will be following. 

Characters:
Feyre: I enjoyed seeing her grow so much and become so confident in who she is. I also appreciated her relationship with Rhy in comparison to her relationship with Tamlin in the start of the series. I think that it was important that she got closure from her family as well as her former lover, but at the same time I don't know how she didn't rip him apart for what he did to her family and the land. I also loved how she held her own in this book against all odds.

Rhys: He is probably one of the most loved fictional characters in the booktube and blogger universe at the moment and I'm still aboard the train. The way he makes sure that Feyre is able to make her own decisions while still keeping her "safe" is really important to me. I respected that he was willing to do whatever it takes to protect those he loves and what he believes in. But I didn't appreciate the way that his bringing around was a repeat to Feyre's although in an aspect it made the story come full circle. 

Tamlin: While reading the first book I didn't understand how everyone could come to hate him so much, and yet here I am hating him so much. He's an overprotective, abusive asshole. I hated him throughout this story. Especially when he went to the meeting just to throw insults at Feyre and Rhys. What a dick.

Lucien: I do think that he regretted not helping Feyre when he had the chance but overall it did lead him to finding his mate. I do wonder how that will play out for him and Elain after she was so heartbroken by the mortal guy.

Nesta: I think that hell hath no fury quite like Nesta. She is all fire and ice. I loved her attitude even when it was a little much because of who she was. I do wonder about her and Cassian's future especially after the war and all they had seen. 

Elain: Will she still be seeing prophecies even though the Cauldron has been sent somewhere safe. I also wonder how she will cope with being High Fae in this new world.

Azriel: My heart breaks for him especially knowing that Mor can't love him in return. Will he think those years a waste and be angry with himself and her. Or will he be willing to find someone else? I strongly hope for the second.

Mor: Throwing in Mor's sexuality kind of seemed like a last ditch effort to make this book more diverse and I don't think it really accomplished that. We didn't see a good example of a female-female romance, we saw someone who wasn't ready to come out (which may be accurate for a lot of people), but I think that it could have been done so much better.

Cassien: He's brutish and finally being able to hear about his fighting skills took my breathe away. I think that he was too willing to risk it all, even though he might have had an idea about the way he felt towards Nesta. I hope that they do have a mating bond and it clicks in soon (although at the start of the series they were made to sound rare and here we are with so many people getting paired up). 

Beron: I hate him with a fiery passion just because you suspect that someone is not your child gives you no right to hurt them the way he hurt Lucien.

Eris: Either he will be a far better leader than his father or he will be far worse, only time will tell. 

Ianthe: I'm glad she met her end in such a horrible way. She certainly deserved it. After all the assualts she's launched in her time she deserved everything she got.

The King: I wonder what waited for him after his attempt to use the cauldron. He deserves a painful death and I wonder about his subjects (whoever is left) and how they will take the defeat.

Jurian: I wonder what will happen to him now, maybe that's where our story will continue or maybe w'll meet up with him in another time. But I suppose we will have to wait and see.

Amren: I will miss her fiery attitude and her power, but she deserves to live.



Moments to Remember:
Pg. 234
"'This could be... a very bad idea,' I admitted, my grip tightening on his hand.
'Oh, it must certainly is,' Cassian said with a faint smile as we continued down and down into the heavy black thrumming silence. 'But this is war. We don't have the luxury of good ideas- only picking between the bad ones.'"

Pg. 436
"Beron threw her a glare that had Kallias tensing. 'Wives were invited as a courtesy, not as consultants.'
Viviane's sapphire eyes flared as if struck by lightning. 'If this war goes poorly, we'll be bleeding out right alongside you, so I think we damn well get a say in things.'"

Final Line:
"All of it."

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

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

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book #2)
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, New Adult
Pages: 624
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Year Published: 2016
First Line: "Maybe I'd always been broken and dark inside."

"Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court- but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of 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 the key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured should, and decide how she wishes to shape her future- and the future of a world torn apart."

My Rating: 5/5

First off all the stars! Second off, I thought before I read A Court of Thorns and Roses (my first Sarah J. Maas book), I wondered if Sarah J. Maas was going to be over hyped but for me she sure isn't. I loved it! And now I'm trash and can't wait for the next book in the series to come out (why is 2017 so far away). And now I'm filled with so many emotions. So let's talk about this book. So this book follows Feyre while she lives through what happened Under the Mountain and coping with her new body and life. I think that this book was spectacular. Filled with so much more world building and character growth. I thought that the look into mental illness and surviving an interesting. I also found that I loved this book so much more than ACOTAR and I thought that that book was fantastic. I also thought that Sarah J. Maas does an incredible job of twists and turns. I couldn't believe how many turns this story took and can't wait to read the next one.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

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

So I did it. I read the mammoth. And I found that this book was so much better than the first one and I loved that one so much! So now get ready for me to loose my mind. I found that the setting was very interesting. The change from the spring court to the night court was fantastic. Everything down to the clothes was amazing. I loved that everything was so different and a different way to look at the "bad characters." I also found that some interesting subjects were tackled in the book, PTSD and abuse was crazy. I thought that the characters did change a little too quickly, but that being said, I found that there wasn't any instalove. Relationships in this book were built over time.
Also this book is very explicit when it talks about sex. Just for young readers

Characters:
Feyre: I thought that the change was a little crazy in this book. The way that she was so disturbed in the beginning made me feel that this book was already headed in a different direction. I loved it. I thought that her finding herself and who she was meant to be was incredible. I also found that the mating was amazing and her and Rhys together make total sense to me. I loved how she changed into a total badass. I thought that the way she fought for everyone and once again sacrificed for her family and for the night court. Can't wait to see her as a spy.  Also the sex was incredibly hot. 

Rhysand: I thought that his back story was incredible. The way we get to see what he did for who he loves. The way he's broken and shattered. I loved it how he was equal and pushed Feyre to be better. Whether that be through flirting or sassing back and forth. I also found that he became an incredible loving character. I think that he was a strong character to say the least and to see him bow to her. Ugh my heart just burst. Especially that ending were they fake their bond is over. My heart. Ow.

Tamlin: What the hell man? I loved you and now you're hurting me so much.  And maybe it's my own fault for writing off all his past behaviour as part of the curse or like hey that's the beauty and the beast part. But now he's just a total dick. I couldn't stand him. The way he locked her in. I was bawling like a child. How could he not see how much he was hurting her?? Also the way he acts to get her back. Once again the possesive crazy behaviour cut me so deep. I did not see the twist coming.

Lucien: Also dude, what the fuck? I try not to swear on this blog but could you not see how stupid things were getting. Did you not think like for the safety of your land at stake? And your people? Come on. Alse you and Elias yay. Finally someone for you but god damn it. You could have seen before that. The frustration is so real.

Mor: I loved how she owned every piece of who she is. She didn't take the crap that other people gave her under the mountain. I also thought that it was tremendous the way she overcame throughout the series. I loved the three people love between herself, Cassian and Azriel. 

Amren: I want to know all her backstory immediately. She is so strange and powerful and eerie. I think that her back story would be one of the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. 

Azriel: I love his angsty, quiet love. I thought that he was a perfect spy and full of interesting secrets of his own. I wonder how long he's loved Mor. I can't be mad at him. At all.

Cassian: I thought that his character was interesting in the background. I thought that he was a tough brute but I wonder about his life without Mor. I also found it interesting that Rhys said he vomited after battle. I hope that Nesta is his mate in all honesty.

Ianthe: I hate her! I knew she wasn't good when I first heard about her but then after Rhys let Feyre into his mind I couldn't shake the feeling that she was more than a little power hungry. What a horrible, yet amazing villian.

The King: How terribly wicked his is. Or is he controlled by the cauldron as much as he controls it.


Moments to Remember: 
Pg. 117
"I was burning through books every day- stories about people and places I'd never heard of. They were perhaps the only thing that kept me teetering into utter despair."

Pg. 495
"'You were in love with him; you were going to marry him. And then you... you were enduring everything and it didn't feel right to tell you.'"

Final Line: "And so Tamlin unwittingly led the High Lady of the Night Court into the heart of his territory."

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

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

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series/Novel: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series (Book #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, New Age
Pages: 416
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Year Published: 2015
First Line: "The forest had become a labyrinth of snow and ice."

"When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only 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 Feyre dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transforms 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 over the faerie lands in growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin- and his world- forever."

My Rating: 5/5

So I've never read a Sarah J. Maas novel. You can start booing now. But I finally did it! And wow, I understand why the reading community is in love with her writing. I think that the detail put into this book is one of the reasons I really enjoyed it. I knew that it was a retelling of Beauty and The Beast but I really enjoyed how she made it her own type of tale. I thought that the characters were interesting and easy to love. I also found that the setting was interesting. The different areas in this world was something really interesting to me. I think that further exploring this world in the next book (which is a behemoth) will be another chance to learn more about the different areas and the different characters within them. I can't wait! I'm hoping to order it online soon! I would like to mention that this book has adult content that may be a little too much for younger readers, but that is up to your discretion. 

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

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

So if you don't like retellings or fantasy, I would suggest you just skip over this one.. But if you like these things or are interested in trying it out I would suggest this book. As mentioned in the review this book has adult content such as sexual scenes, etc. I think that this really added to the book and was done tastefully. I also found that the way this book was written it was very interesting to see how it related to Beauty and The Beast. I think that the way the world building was incredible and detailed. This being said, we don't know everything about the Fae lands all in all. Although I think that we will see more of the realms (?) in the next book.  Also those characters that you can fall in love with though. If you've read this who are you shipping together? Tell me in the comments.

Characters:
Feyre: I think that she was an interesting character to follow and watch. The way she thinks about those around her and was strong enough to take care of those around her through a struggle. Never mind take care of them, how about deal with their spoiled little selves. I also enjoyed watching her fall in love with Tamlin. She was a tough cookie and I'm sure will continue to be. That being said, I believe that she will fall into a darkness with the next book after the guilt at the end of the book.

Tamlin: I ship them. Ok I said it. I'm hip and know things. I think that Tamlin is the obvious choice. I really loved him as a character. He was caring and smart and sweet. I liked that he could be wild and crazy but at other times he was putty in Feyre's hands. I enjoyed it so much. 

Lucien: I think he was a fun character to read about although he had a tragic past. He treated Feyre like an average person, teasing her and taking care of her at the same time. I wonder what he will do in the next book.

Amarantha: So being a brat didn't get her what she wanted. The obvious villain in this book and what a good one. She was great and evil. I wonder more and more about who will replace her in A Court of Mist and Fury.

Rhysand: I understand why people ship them, but I just don't know if I like him yet. I guess the once a month visits will tell. I think that he was helpful, but was that only to get what he wanted or was it because he was drawn into her.

Nesta: Still don't like her. Don't think I ever will. But I do wonder why the glamour didn't work on her.



Moments to Remember:
Final Line: "'Let's go home,' I said, and took his hand."

Thanks for reading,
Sidny