BOOK REVIEW: A Court of Thorns & Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas
"That's the key, isn't it? To know the darkness will always remain, but how you choose to face it, handle it... that's the most important part. To not let it consume. To focus upon the good, the things that fill you with wonder."
I hope y'all are ready for a long blog! A while back I did a book review on the first book in the A Court of Thorns & Roses series, one of my first book reviews actually! I've finally finished my reread of the whole series (well, the parts of the series that are published so far) and am back to give my review on all of it!
The whole series is an amazing weaving of fantasy and romance. Throughout the books there are strong-willed women who, despite being fae, must deal with every day emotions, thoughts, and actions, just like us mere mortals, which makes them relatable while still giving us the fantasy and action we crave in a good fantasy novel. And then we have the men, or males since they are fae, who are there no matter what for their friends and family, and who are brave, thoughtful, and, of course, hot. Together, the characters bring you through a range of emotions, from anger to compassion to joy. Overall, these are stories I couldn't put down, but let's find out why.
A Court of Thorns & Roses (ACOTAR)
Since I've already written a review for ACOTAR, I'll just do a quick review. While romance is threaded throughout ACOTAR, the fantasy aspect is more strongly portrayed, but I'll touch on the romance for a bit. While the majority of the book focuses on Tamlin and Feyre building the foundation to their love, I don't feel that Tamlin is the right match for Feyre. Tamlin is the one who "rescued" her from her life in the cottage, but he does not fight for her once they both have been captured. I can see how he would think that how he is acting is in Feyre's best interest, but there is another part towards the end (I can't give too much detail or it will spoil the ending!) where he has ample chance to fight for Feyre, and once again, he does not. Feyre is willing to risk her life to save Tamlin and his lands, but he seems content to sit on the side lines. Not a man worthy of Feyre, in my opinion.
A Court of Mist & Fury (ACOMAF)
While we have not had to go through the same ordeals Feyre does Under the Mountain in ACOTAR, I think many of us can relate to the turmoil she must now cope with following the traumatic events in ACOMAF. And despite his love for Feyre, Tamlin cannot see how her time Under the Mountain has changed her and continues to love her as if she is the same girl whom he stole from the cottage.
In ACOMAF, we learn more about Rhysand and the Night Court, which I'm all about. Through his actions, before we even learn of his connection with Feyre, you can see how he cares for her, even if his actions can also be for his own gain. While learning about the true Night Court, we also learn more about Rhysand's inner circle, and I fell in love with all of them immediately. They each bring something special to the group and their ease within one another, while also respecting their positions, is something to strive for in a family.
Overall, I feel the theme in ACOMAF is healing and figuring out who your true self is. Feyre has to learn this and decide her future, which may just determine the future of Prythian. I just loved this book and all it's little details and highly recommend it.
A Court of Wings & Ruin (ACOWAF)
I have a love/hate relationship with ACOWAF because I LOVE the story and how so many new characters are brought in, but I hate that this is the last book (at least that we know of) that focuses on Feyre and Rhysand (although I also love that we get to dive into other characters in other books) - so it's complicated.
I particularly love that we get to witness more interactions with Nesta and other High Lords, as well as getting to see more of Feyre's cunning. And even though plans are well laid out, that doesn't always mean they work out how we want them, which Sarah J. Maas reminds of us throughout this book. I like that because it brings a sense of realness to the fantasy that Sarah J. Maas writes so well. I don't want to say too much even though I love this book (it might be one of my favorites) because I don't want to give away the ending! Especially since the other books out in the ACOTAR series are spin-offs! I will warn you though - I was up trying to finish this book at like 1 or 2 AM crying. So be prepared!
A Court of Frost & Starlight (ACOFAS)
Ok, so ACOFAS is a novella that is a nice short book to read between ACOWAR and ACOSF, but so far it's not necessary to the storyline. That doesn't necessarily mean I'd skip it though because I want as much ACOTAR as I can get and it does give a little back story to ACOSF, although again it's not entirely necessary background information. Throughout a lot of this book I cringed because of Nesta's behavior, which I think (and I could be entirely wrong) is the intention. Although at the end I'm dying to know what Cassian threw in the river.
A Court of Silver Flames
ACOSF is all about Nesta, and I know a lot of people are not fans of Nesta, but I love her. Her character really shows how people (and fae) are different and we all deal with trauma differently. And while that doesn't mean I condone her behaviors, I can see how in many ways she thought she was doing what was best for so many years and how she felt as if she could not redeem herself or her actions.
I also loved seeing new characters brought into the story (sensing a theme yet? Lol) and the little tidbits we get from the story. However, there are other tidbits you can get from "secret" chapters that are only available in specific editions of the books. However, you can also find them on the internet, which I have done. The possible relationships that can occur in the next books are just making my imagination go wild. And the fan theories, some of them I love and some of them I hate because of who has to die for them to come true, but we won't know anything for a while because there is currently no definitive publication date for the next installment in the ACOTAR series. Yes, I'm sad too.
Overall, I give the ACOTAR series a five star rating. It has quickly become one of my favorite series - rivaling that of Harry Potter. I can get lost in these stories time and time again. There are currently supposed to be three more books in the series and I cannot wait!!! There's also going to be a show on Hulu and man do I hope it does the books justice!! I literally cannot get enough of these books and I'm so grateful I found them on #booktok and finally took the plunge and read them all!
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