A Court of Thorns and Roses

Let me preface by saying that I sat down to read this book and could not put it down until I completed it within a 24 hours period. This is an occurrence I find so rare these days as I get older. My basis for a good book have become more and more demanding the more I read and the less time I have to read. I'm someone who will not hesitate to drop a book a hundred pages in if it's not gripping me by any means. With that said, my requirements are quite simple although they seem hard to achieve these days. Good enough writing, engaging plots, believable characters, and “HEA”. ACOTAR certainly exceeded my expectations because I dove into it purely based on my immense interest in its premise being based on a Beauty and the Beast retelling, which is one of my most loved stories. And the intrigue of faery court politics, which I am always fascinated by. The rest I was willing to chance since this is in the YA fantasy category and I find most of these make my eyes roll while reading a majority of the time. But ACOTAR delivered on all that I asked for: world building, character developments, romance, and action. WORLD BUILDING: Wow do I desperately wish to see this Fae world brought to life on screens. I appreciated the illustrated map of their world before the book began. It made envisioning the world of Prythian a breeze. I would probably read every single book if Maas ever decided to write about each of the seven Courts and their ruling High Lords. ACOTAR took place majority of the time in the Spring court and it was as if I was there walking along with Feyre during all her outings. ROMANCE: There was no “instalove” happening here and for that I am always grateful. The draw in any forms of fiction for me is a slow burn, gradual build of love. It makes for deeper investments from the audience and the payoff scenes so much more satisfying. I will admit I was generally indifferent to Tamlin for the first quarter of the book. He was pretty stiff and bland but after the incident that occurred the nite of the Spring ritual(fans self) I started to fall in love with him just as much as the heroine was. It also helped that their relationship building after that was sweet and believable. My only nitpick is that although his face was concealed, it was already implied that he was extremely good looking. Which contradicts the theme of loving someone despite their outer appearance that BatB conveyed. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTS: Feyre was brave but ultimately very human and therefore imperfect. She made bad choices and actions but I always understood where her motivations came from. At the beginning it seemed as if characters behaved in certain ways "just because" to push a point, which seemed forced. But once they were revisited and layers were peeled at a later point, their actions suddenly made sense. ACTION: For anyone who is expecting a full on action-packed book from beginning to end then you might be a little bit disappointed. There were one or two scenes thrown into the first 3/4, but most of the action came at the last quarter of the book. And when it came it was exciting and riveting to see played out. Although this is a first in a planned trilogy, ACOTAR should have no problem standing on its own should I decide not to continue the rest of the series. The main plot was tied up leaving me feeling satisfied and fulfilled while just enough bait was dangled to make me anticipate the next book. I hate it when series writers end their books in a cliffhanger in order to hook readers to anticipate the next book. Guess what, it doesn’t work like that. All that does is generates unnecessary aggravation and ruins any good feeling the reader had upon finishing that book. Especially when the reader usually has to wait up to a year for the next. *RATINGS CATEGORY AND SLIGHT SPOILERS* As most others have pointed out about the included sex scenes, they are a bit more detailed than the typical YA fade to black. This is a heads up for anyone who is wary of reading sex scenes described in books or intends this for younger readers.

This book, with its magic, fairytale roots, and steamy hot romance, deserves ALL of the stars. I loved it! Here are the five reasons why I gave A Court of Thorns and Roses 5 out of 5 stars (and then some): ★ FAIRYTALE RETELLING I was a little wary of this story when I discovered that it was a fairytale retelling. I love the story of Beauty and the Beast. Growing up, I watched the Disney version all of the time (but not as much as I watched Pocahontas). However, in the past I have struggled to find enjoyment in Beauty and the Beast retellings. Particularly Beastly by Alex Flinn -- I did not enjoy the book or the movie. I think I was worried that A Court of Thorns and Roses wouldn't feel original, but it was the complete opposite. Maas has written an incredibly unique story that is grounded in the fairytale we all know and love, but is also independent and utter creative genius (Maas is definitely honing and owning her writing skills!). Yes, there is a curse, and magic, and a love story. But there is also dark magic, and steamy romance (and I do mean steamy!), and blood and gore, and court drama -- basically, all of my favorite things wrapped up in one neat, rose-colored bow. There were some twists on the original story of Beauty and the Beast that I really enjoyed. For example, in the original story, the residents/servants of the Beast's home are cursed and transformed into household items. However in ACOTAR, rather than being transformed into household items, Maas' cursed characters must wear masquerade masks, and have done so for 50 years since the curse was placed on the night of a masquerade party. I also appreciated that, though Tamlin was a beast, that quality did not factor into the curse that was placed on him. Rather, as a Fae, he has the power of shape-shifting, and takes the form of a beast (usually when fighting). So, throughout most of the book, Tamlin is portrayed as a glorious, chiseled, man of steel. Some readers believe that the fact that Tamlin is gorgeous retracts from the Beauty and the "Beast" story line. However, no one writes hot male love interests like Sarah J. Maas, so I am not complaining about Tamlin at all. Overall, I found that I loved the fairytale background of this story more than anything. I enjoyed drawing comparisons between Maas' story and characters, and the story I grew up with. Maas' world is so intriguing, engrossing you from the very beginning and never letting you go. ★ GENRE While we know that ACOTAR is a fairytale retelling, that is not to say that it is a children's book. I went into this book thinking that it was Young Adult. However, there is a particular scene that takes place after the Great Rite on Fire Night (such a good scene, by the way -- just wait for it) that made me take a step back and think "Whoa! This is way too sexy and erotic for Young Adult literature." Looking back at Goodreads, I found that the book was listed as Young Adult and New Adult. But, I would personally classify this book as New Adult. Having read many New Adult novels, I found that the sex rating for ACOTAR resonates with that of a New Adult novel. I think that there is a lot of confusion about the genre of this book because we all know Sarah J. Maas as a Young Adult author. I personally have no problem with this genre. However, for parents who are giving this book to their young children, or for those readers who don't enjoy sex scenes in their books -- you have been warned. I love the New Adult genre, and discovering that ACOTAR fell into that genre made me love it even more. I appreciate the more mature content, and that the characters are closer to my age (Feyre is 19). And, hey, I appreciate the sexy times, too. (There is no shame in my game... Because, who am I kidding? I have no game.) I had also never read a New Adult Fantasy before, so I was glad to be exploring new territory. I'm absolutely impressed with Maas as a writer. She is not afraid to be different, to venture out to new places. I love that she is entering this new genre, and look forward to seeing what else she has up her sleeve for the future. ★ FEYRE, THE PROTAGONIST When I started reading ACOTAR, I was sure Maas was going to give us another Celaena Sardothien: a badass girl who is nearly invincible, yet lovable and cool. However, Feye (pronounced Fay-ruh) is so different from other fantasy protagonists I have read, because she is so unapologetically human. She is normal, and she is flawed, and I found that I could easily relate to her character. Feyre is unlike the female protagonists we are accustomed to. She is no fighter, not outstandingly gorgeous, and she is also illiterate (a shortcoming that embarrasses her to not end). In the beginning, Feyre is not very likable. She is cold, harsh, stubborn, and hard-headed. But, readers begin to see how her situation of poverty has shaped her to be that way. Once at the Spring Court, where she is no longer burdened with the responsibility of taking care of her father and two sisters (all of whom are ungrateful of her efforts to keep them alive), the ice in her heart begins to melt as she lives in comfort and takes up her passion for painting. Readers witness her character develop as she begins to rediscover happiness and life's simple pleasures. Feyre easily becomes a character you can't help but root for and love. ★ TAMLIN & AN IMPENDING LOVE TRIANGLE Since we have discussed Feyre, I believe that it is only appropriate to take a glance at her love interest: Tamlin. Tamlin is a bae Fae warrior, with magical abilities. He is also gorgeous, kind-hearted, and strong. And, he places Feyre's happiness and well-being above all else. But, he is not perfect. He is flawed, haunted by his family's past, by his own mistakes, and the lives he has taken. But, through all of that, he still strives to do and be good. However, I admit that while I love Tamlin, I am worried that Maas has a love triangle in the works for Book 2 of ACOTAR. Because Rhysand. Rhys, a sexy, dangerous Fae, is a force of nature who seeks to dig his claws (or rather, talons) into Feyre. And, I can't say that I hate him. I actually like his character, although we witness him do some terrible things (even to Feyre). He seems edgy, fun, and is incredibly witty. (Maas does this thing where she makes you fall in love with all of her characters, even the morally ambiguous ones.) While Tamlin is all gorgeous and good, Rhys has that hot-but-tragic thing going for him. I am already struggling with the love square Maas has going on in the Throne of Glass series (between Celaena and her three love interests -- Chaol, Dorian, and Rowan). I don't think that I will be able to handle the emotional roller coaster of another of her love triangles. But, I think that as long as no one else is introduced, as long as this does not move into the quadrilateral stage, everything will be fine. ★ SUPPORTING CHARACTERS While Maas' main characters are at the center of attention, her supporting characters keep this book afloat. With less focus and fewer appearances, Maas' supporting characters still manage to steal our hearts and the show. First, there is Lucien, the red-haired, one-eyed Fae who is Tamlin's best friend. He is initially rude to Feyre, but eventually warms up to her. They easily develop a sort of big-brother-little-sister relationship. I would consider Lucien to be the story's comic relief. He is humorous and sarcastic and I adore his character. There is also Amarantha, the story's evil villainess. She is a Fae ruler who has a particular hatred for humans, which is not good for Feyre. She is cold, calculating, and cruel. But she has a backstory (all the best villains have backstories). And, I don't want to spoil you all, so I will just say that, when you learn her backstory, you realize why Amarantha is so harsh and unforgiving. Although, while I can sympathize with her on some level, I find her evil ways to be too much at times. However, I still find her to be an interesting, well-written character. And of course, there is Rhysand, whom I mentioned earlier. He is incredibly important to the story of Book 1, and will have an even larger presence in Book 2. I cannot wait to learn more about his character, because he is so enigmatic and intriguing and I just know that I am going to love him. HONORABLE MENTIONS Maas' Writing I believe that ACOTAR is Maas' at her best. As I stated earlier, we are definitely seeing Maas hone and perfect her skill -- each book she releases is always better than the last. What I liked most about Maas' writing in ACOTAR was her use of first person. Throne of Glass is written in third person, and with changing character perspectives. I find that I can tend to get bored with certain characters. But, with ACOTAR, told from Feyre's perspective, I felt engaged throughout the entire book. Faerie World I literally want to live in Prythian, in the world of the Fae that exists beyond The Wall (just without all of the drama). Maas depicts the Spring Court so beautifully and vividly. It seems like a literal heaven on earth. Other than the beauty of the Fae world, there are the parties and festivities. I mentioned Fire Night and the Great Rite earlier, two very interesting festivities held in the Fae world. And then there are parties and gatherings celebrating the seasons, such as Summer Solstice and Midsummer. It is all so fantastical and fun, readers are just dying to step into the pages. *** There is not much else I can say about A Court of Thorns and Roses. I LOVED this book! I have no idea how I am going to wait an entire year for the sequel. It's going to be excruciating, but I am sure that it is going to worth it. Because Sarah J. Maas is a fabulous queen of writing, and every word she writes turns to gold.

I was kind of nervous to pick up this book for several reasons. One reason being that I have kind of been turned off of books about faeries and such in the past. But I think that Sarah J. Maas has fixed that problem for me. Another reason being that my two loyal blog readers didn't love it as much as everyone else. Ahh, but I shouldn't have worried because it doesn't take much to impress me. I loved it! If you read my last review, you will know that I am a big fan of Beauty and the Beast. Therefore, one of my favorite things about this book is the fact that it's a retelling of that story! And a really good one at that! I loved that I could easily pick out all the different characters and events and such from Beauty and the Beast that were adapted to this book. Another thing that I really liked about this book was the fact that it was more new adult than young adult. This book was like an answer to my bookish prayers! Because I have been really wanting to read books about characters moreso my own age. But I haven't really cared for all that many of the new adult books that I have picked up so far. And this one just kinda fell right into my lap. I just read Sarah J. Maas's other series and loved it so I had to read this as well! So yeah, like I said, an answer to my bookish prayers! Now I don't have to feel like such a cradle robber thinking that Tamlin can bite my neck anyday! ;) I really liked that there were STEAMY parts in this book! And they got actual detail and not just kinda blown over! That made me happy! I hope there's lots more steamy moments in the future of this series! I really liked Feyre. I love how dedicated she was to her family despite how completely useless and ungrateful they were for everything that she did for them. It made me so angry how they all just sat around looking pretty while she was out making sure they had food to eat. And how her sister would beg her for money. Go make your own money, you vultures. I felt bad for her family, but I didn't care for them at all. And I completely hated Nesta in the beginning. I still don't like her, but she grew on me just a little bit. I also found her to be really brave. She killed a faerie disguised as a wolf while out hunting and a faerie beast comes to claim her life in exchange for the one she took. So she has to choose between going to live with him in Prythian for the rest of her life or being shredded to ribbons right there on the spot. She leaves everything she knows behind to go live with this creature that she hates. And she chooses this option, holding onto the hop that she might one day escape and be able to go back to her ungrateful family who would probably only miss her when they ran out of meat from the deer she just killed. And I found her to be really selfless. First of all, everything she did for her family was completely selfless. While she is out and about in Prythian she goes off to catch a Suriel who has answers to the questions she has (and has to answer them) and while she's asking the questions they are surrounded by some other unholy form of faerie that are out for blood and the first shot she takes with her bow and arrow is to save the Suriel and not herself. And then at the end, everything she does is for the sake of all the faeries in Prythian and she knows that it will probably be her doom. But she's just SO GOOD! And I kinda love her. Also, she's a painter and that speaks to the artist in me. Then there's Tamlin. I really liked him! I thought that Feyre and him were a great match (A STEAMY MATCH). He has a lot on his shoulders during this book as he has to keep going out and ridding his court of awful beasts that keep wandering in. And there's something evil plaguing the lands. And to top it all off, he's cursed. But he does his very best to make Feyre feel at home rather than feel like a prisoner. And he's good to her and I just really liked him. Rhysand... now he's another story. He pretty much came off as a complete and total creep to me. Feyre truly would have probably been doomed without him, but he did not help her out of the goodness of his heart. I don't even know what to say without giving lengthy, spoilery descriptions of every creepy thing he did... I don't care if underneath it all he had good intentions. His intentions perhaps were good for the faerie people, but they were not good for Feyre. They were just creepy and I want him and his creepiness to go away. If there ends up being some kind of love triangle here with him, I will scream. I liked Lucien! He's not Feyre's biggest fan in the beginning and he's kinda rude, but he warms up to her. And he's really loyal to Tamlin and I liked their friendship. Seemed like Lucien pretty much got the short end of the stick in EVERYTHING in this book though. Poor guy. I liked the setting and descriptions in this book. To be perfectly honest, I don't even actually remember any of the descriptions, but I liked them because I could clearly picture in my head what the spring court and everything looked like. So I figure even if I don't remember it, it must have been good. I am really excited to see how Prythian deals with the aftermath of this book! And also to meet more of the faerie courts. And hopefully see Rhysand get his butt kicked. I gave this book 4 stars because I found it to be a little bit slow in the beginning. Also because Rhysand is creepy and I could completely do without that.

I bought the trilogy. All together they were the best books I've read in a while. Separately, they were not perfect but I'm okay with that. I read a lot and tend to dislike books that show no character growth, or have wishy-washy villains, or have insta-love, or have love result from H saving h from sexual violation, or suffer from deus ex machina. I don't particularly care if something is obvious because sometimes I want to read something that is easy and obvious. My brain doesn't want to be challenged 24/7. Also, I love good dialogue- dialogue makes a romantic connection feel real rather than insta-lovey. Is dialogue action-packed? No. Does it slow down pacing? You bet. At this point, you're probably wondering where this review is going? Well, I think that knowing more about me as a reader might make it easier to see/ relate to my views for this book. Now the fun stuff! ***SPOILERS*** Feyre (the h): This character is complex and goes through several changes throughout the series. In this book, she has her ups and downs. Initially, she is hardened, street-smart and capable with a cynical eye toward romance and happiness and outright hatred and prejudice towards the fae. She also has love for a family who seems to dislike and neglect her. She is not very likeable. But does that make a book bad? No. (Hello, Wuthering Heights.) It is, however, more rare to write an h this way because readers in general tend to want to relate to an h, particularly when it's written in 1st person perspective. So many readers might not be able to get into the story because of their dislike for Feyre. When the far remove her burdens that largely drove who she was, Feyre changes. She doesn't have a purpose to keep her going, to shape her. The pacing of the book suffers a bit here while she tries to sort herself out. She tries to make love and painting her new purposes, and while she has the determination to do so, the fit just isn't right. Does this make the book bad? No. While many people won't like to read about an h that seems somehow "less" this downward arc was necessary to fuel the inevitable reversal toward a more fitting purpose. It drags a bit for sure, but makes the reversal feel more right, more true later on. Did she rush into something with Tamlin. Her feelings do feel a bit rushed but ultimately fit her as a character- going all-in has always been her style from the start. In that sense, the character is consistent. Also, her reluctance to voice her love made me think that deep-down she might have confused love with gratitude. Tamlin was her savior in many ways. For all of these reasons I liked Feyre. Tamlin (the H): Tamlin was the 1st high fae Feyre had any meaningful interactions with in the 1st book. I never really liked him as an H. He was pretty but basically hollow. He struggles with uncontrolled rage. He had just as much hatred for humans as Feyre did for fae, and his elitist attitude was hinted at throughout this book (though not substantiated until book 2). He also adheres to fae tradition in weird ways- his willing participation in the Fire Night ritual is distasteful because it borders on infidelity (especially since we later learn in book 2 that he can designate a replacement). Tamlin has from the beginning been primarily focused on Tamlin. When things get tough, he sends Feyre away; he doesn't consult or listen to her, but just decides, hinting at his desire to treat her like a possession rather than a person. When he gets a moment of freedom under the mountain he attempts to have sex with Feyre (his wants) instead of trying to escape with or save her (her needs). When Feyre is dying, he can only bring himself to beg for her life, he isn't moved into action. All of these things hint that Tamlin is not a good fit for Feyre. Many readers will not like to read about an H that is so lacking/ ill-fitted. The beautiful part is that these things are only ever hinted at in the writing, not outright stated so you will want to root for Tamlin while also feeling something inexplicably lacking in him. I thought about it lots before I picked up book 2, where my thoughts regarding Tamlin were cemented. Tamlin could not have been written more likeable though. If he was the perfect H then Feyre falling for Rhys in book 2 would have felt like a betrayal, instead of fated, and then Feyre would've been worse than unlikable but detestable as an h. Lucian: A secondary character who is both interesting and flawed. He hates Feyre at first, but ultimately warms up to her. He is loyal to a fault, siding with Tamlin over and again, even when he thinks it is wrong to do so. A trait that becomes more obvious as the series progresses. Lucian has potential. Rhysand (villain/other H): Rhysand was the most interesting character in the book (although Nesta was a close second). Rhys was the evil queen's right-hand man. He has done terrible things. Yet, when we meet him (not my favorite bit of the book because of the gross circumstances I do not favor, as mentioned above) there is evidence that he is not all that he seems. He appeared to be interested in Feyre romantically, but the "why" part is not there. Also, it is not 100% certain WHAT drives his actions. He is a mystery. Why did he decide to help her time and again? Why, if he likes her did he decide to put her through nightly humiliation? Why use her to torment Tamlin? He is clearly not 100% a good guy. He is complex. Other things people often talk about: The sex. There is a lot more sex in this book than in other "YA" books. It seems like that has somehow lead to some amount of controversy. I find that notion very strange as many eons ago when I was a teen, sex was a big part of being a teen- whether or not to have it, who had it, when they had it where and how, what type of birth control to use, etc. Suggestions that a book would have any type of influence on those things are just silly. Teens have sex. It's a fact. Wishing it otherwise does nothing productive. Also, the sex in this series is not "explicit." Every time I see this adjective used, it makes me laugh. I have read many romances and even some erotica. If you truly want something "explicit" check out erotica- phrases like "the apex of my thighs" or the "the length of him" are not "explicit." The copious dialogue. Lots of readers don't like the extended dialogue and also wish to have seen more of the fae world. I am just guessing here, but I am thinking that they are meaning that they wanted less talk and more fairy magic. But, fae are known for more than just their magic. Another key attribute of fae has to do with their words- being able to only speak in rhyme, only speak the truth, answer any question posed, etc. This attribute can be very interesting (see Mortal Instruments series or Dresden Files). And indeed it was put to use throughout the series, sometimes well done other times much too dues ex machina for my liking. Dialogue can be a type of action when done well enough. In this book, it probably could've been better but was good enough for me. The Fire Night and rape culture. Honestly, I am bothered by this one. I am never fond of rape or sexual violence as a plot device which is why I tend to avoid historical romances almost entirely. In this book, I think the Fire Nite ritual was used in part explain a bit about fae magic and in part to push forward the Feyre-Tamlin relationship while introducing Rhys. I think it both went too far and not far enough. Tamlin's participation cheapens his feelings toward Feyre, just imagine someone saying, "I love you, truly, but I need to go have sex with someone else." And then he came back to Feyre AFTER HAVING SEX WITH SOMEONE ELSE, and bit her to clearly show his possession of her. It doesn't sit well, does it? Additionally, the three fae with bad intentions suggest to Feyre that fae tradition gives them the right to violate her just because she is present. That makes all fae seem brutal and detestable. Thus, it goes too far. But, what about the converse? The Fire Night ritual is supposed to be necessary to ensure the bounty of the land for the next year. But, the spring court is the only court that has/ observes this ritual en mass? That does not really make sense to me. The need for this ritual, especially considering mated bonds are a rare and extremely valued thing, is not properly explained. It really could've been omitted from the book and is one of the few things about the book that I truly did not like. The masks. Some people like them, some don't. The reason given for them was that they were yet another obstacle to a human girl falling in love with Tamlin. I really didn't mind them but I did not like Feyre's reaction to the removal of the masks. While it was consistent with her character (she always had an eye for pretty guys), I thought that it cheapened her character to have her feel relieved that Tamlin was so pretty without his mask. It was very superficial, and further proof that there wasn't much of substance to their "love." While book 1 is my least favorite of the series, I still really liked it and will definitely re-read it again. Books 2 and 3 get even better and I am looking forward to further writings as well. Hopefully we will get to see what happens to Nesta, Elaine, the 6th queen, and Bryaxis.

Okay so... I might lost some of my favorite critics over this because I know a lot of you weren’t a fan of this book. And I have some pretty intense feelings about some of the biggest criticisms lmao. I will talk about some flaws with the book still, as no book is perfect. But for the most part I really loved it. There will be rants. I have ALOT to say. Sooo here we go before I lose my nerve lmao. My main petty annoyance: the fact that tamlin uses his paws the same way a human uses hands even when he’s in beast form lol. There I said it. Now let’s move on to hopefully not my most controversial review ever. I feel like I’m supposed to hate MAAS and her writing. But I don’t. I really love what she did here. Characters: Feyre: I really don’t get the hate. Maybe she gets worse later. Maybe. But people hate her in this book too and I don’t get why. She was meh to me. I admired her in some ways and hated her in others. I loved her heart, and how often she let it guide her even if it resulted in her ignoring everything anyone told her. Which yes- did annoy me sometimes. But it wasn’t that bad. now we get to the fun part. Tamlin and rhyes (similar thoughts on both)- Oh my god. The reasons you guys hate this dude are absurd in this book. Every single thing I was told to look out for and that would start me into hating him was ridiculous. I genuinely believe you guys just don’t ship him and feyre so that makes him immediately sooo horrible. Same for the rhyes haters. You guys have to stop inserting in a fantasy setting and acting like any of the decisions made are simple. Both of them are great in their own way- and both had feyres interest in mind in my opinion. The questionable things they do, because yes there are some...Are either for show to SAVE feyre and everyone else. It’s all so obviously calculated and here you guys are trying to critique it like they’re events that happened over tea in a totally normal world with nothing intense or life threatening going on around them. Just why. I’m team Rhys just because I like him a little more- and I love the way he thinks and speaks. But I also love tamlin and am still rooting for him to be happy. I think they’re both fleshed out brilliantly and have many layers that I can’t wait to uncover. They both have scars and they BOTH have really unfortunate situations that are eating away at them that make them who they are. I’m just saying... think about the alternative that could happen if they didn’t make some of their questionable choices. They wouldn’t have done half the stuff they did for this one human... if they didn’t truly care. Villain- Well she’s like not very nice lol so of course I don’t like her and I’m not rooting for her but...idk I put her here because I did kind of have a problem with how stupid she seemed to be for someone who was supposed to be cunning. She let certain people get away with way too much, and didn’t seem to notice or care. It was strange because then she would just randomly turn into a brutal witch out of nowhere but then let certain things happen other times. I’m sure some of it was her calculating but... still. It seemed a little weak. She’s bitter, brutal and interesting. The ring, will probably haunt my nightmares. She just wasn’t as developed. Lucien- I don’t want him with feyre but I just wanted to say... despite me liking tam and rhyes... Lucien will forever be my babe. I love him the most. He’s so complex and he’s been through so much. He’s witty, intelligent, and overall just cares about people even when he pretends he doesn’t. I want nothing but greatness for him lol. His story is heart breaking as well. The rest- this story is filled with intriguing, misunderstood, and terrifying creatures. No complaints there. Her family- feyres family is on my poop list. But I don’t hate nesta even now as some of you seem to. Maybe I’m a mean bitter person... Idk. The plot- Like every plot it has both weak and strong points. I loved seeing the world unfold, and getting to see a good chunk of it before the action started. I did think the twist with the masks and how convenient all of the events were was well... convenient....while it did lead to the most exciting parts, I felt like the point of it was kinda glossed over and the explanation for why things were how they are wasn’t too important to the story. But it came over decently- and the ending wasn’t terrible. So I’m happy. I still got the magical yet unsettling experience I wanted. And I can’t wait to see more of this world. I really feel like it’s just the cool thing to hate maas and these books now. But I don’t see them as problematic as a lot of people seem to. I had an incredibly enjoyable time reading them, and I saw the reasons behind the words . Think what you want about me because of that lol. I will not defend myself for not seeing the issues other people see. I will be continuing.

A good story. Tamlin, Lucien, Rhysand were great male characters. I love how Feyre was a hunter. How strong, brave, and smart she was. I am curious about her sister Nesta. How the glamor didn’t work. I wonder what we will learn in the next book about her.

This book had it all - fantasy, romance, friendship, family ties, tests of loyalty, deception and an impending war continues to threaten everyone we've come to love At first I was not sure if I would like this book, because in the beginning I was not sure I completely liked Feyre. I did feel bad for her because at the start it seemed like her family was just so god awful. But just because you feel bad for someone does not mean you have to like them.That being said I grew to like Feyre more as the book progressed. In general, I liked how each character was well developed and as time went on we as readers learned more and more about them. Because which each bit of information I felt for the characters more and more. Feyre - She grew from a somewhat bitter, occasionally self-righteous, strong/independent young woman who hated faeries, into a more caring and understanding person. It can be said that one Feyre's greatest weakness in the beginning was her inability to connect with others. She lived only ever depending on herself and as such made herself isolated and her heart cold. But after coming to live in Prythian she finally opened up her heart to the world around her. She fell in love, made friends; she changed. Tamlin - I like Tamlin, I really do. However, for me I think he is the most consistent character so I don't have too much to say about him. He truly was a fool to let Feyre go but I understand that he did that out of love. Thankfully it all worked out for them. Lucien - I am not going to lie for a large portion of the book Lucien was my favorite character. He (as Feyre said herself) never pretends to be anything but who he is. He is frank, blunt and honest. Learning about his past, it was no wonder he closed himself off to others. His family (minus his mother I suppose) is beyond cruel. His relationship with Feyre was also one of favorite parts. From the start it was clear that he had a lowly opinion of humans. But their little adventures, along with their back-and-forth made up some of my favorite moments. Because at the end of the day inspite of everything Lucien and Feyre cared about it each other. He took a risk helping her and she gave up her name for him. They built a genuine friendship and I love it. Rhysand - This may surprise some, I actually liked Rhysand from the moment he was introduced. The way he appeared out of nowhere are rescued Feyre from some random faeries had me thinking he'd be of greater importance in the story later on. Even when he did wicked things I felt he was a rather gray character, because as he said, he had reasons for remaining beside Amarantha. When Rhysand appeared before Feyre and offered the deal to save her life I knew, I knew there must be more to him. Although it took Feyre quite sometime to notice I quickly figured out the Rhysand was plotting to take down Amarantha. I mean who is their right mind would want to stay enslaved if they could find a way out? It also occurred to me that Rhysand might truly care about Feyre. Though she never seemed to notice until the end. Honestly, if this story were a little different and Feyre wasn't so entirely in love with Tamlin I could honestly see her and Rhysand together. Because in the end I think they have this peculiar understanding between, a bond that I hope will be addressed further in the sequels. Amarantha - I hate her, I hate her so much. But I guess that is what makes her a good antagonist and her death so worth it. When they first talked about her I actually randomly thought to myself, "What if this wicked, cold-hearted character had a sibling, maybe a kindhearted sister to serve as her foil. Wouldn't that be good?". Of course then I read she had a sister, and I thought "Wow just like I'd hoped". Too bad her sister was described was being just as wicked as her, only somehow naive enough to fall in love with manipulative human and be tortured and killed by his hand. Damn, just damn I felt bad for Amarantha for a fraction of second. Naturally that moment passed and in spite of her past I couldn't possibly ignore the horrible things she continued to do and her enslavement of the High Fae. She reveled in the suffering of others and like a child essentially lashed out whenever she couldn't have her way. I truly wretched person from start to end. Nesta - I went from hating this girl to loving her. She came off cold hearted and careless but in truth she loved her family fiercely. To think that she was the only person thus far to have been able to, through seer willpower, resist glamouring is pretty amazing. Her willingness to actually go and try to fight for her sisters life is truly amazing. At first I didn't quite feel that her coldness toward their father was really necessary and I thought it only to be due to the fact that he'd lost their money. But when I realized it was because the things their father refused to do, his unwillingness to truly fight for their family I came to share her resentment. Because honestly their dad essentially left them to fend for themselves. If it weren't for Feyre they would've died a long time ago, and there father did was dumbly crave wood and wallow in self-pity. In the end, I think Nesta loved Feyre the most, and they understood each other the best. Alright well this late-night rant of a review over. Bottom line this book as worth it. If you're a person that like fantasy, romance, intrigue, court politics and the like you'll love this. Its well-written, well-paced and the characters are wonderful.

Feyre is a huntress, and she had to do anything in order to feed her family and herself. One day she encountered a wolf, so she killed it. What she didn't know was that it wasn't a wolf but a Fae. She had to live the rest of her days in Prythian with a hot High Fae, Tamlin. “We need hope as much as we need bread and meat,” he interrupted, his eyes clear for a rare moment. “We need hope, or else we cannot endure.” I felt proud of Feyre since I started reading the first chapter because for me she was a strong and mature woman. She sacrifice her life every single day in order to feed her family, and she didn't enjoyed her life because of that. I think the best thing that could've happened to her was killing that Fae. Because of that, Tamlin came into the "rescue", and she started to have and live her own life. That was just what she needed, "freedom", being away from her family, having a good place to live... even though Tamlin did that in order to get free of his curse. I really enjoyed how well their friendship/relationship grew and developed throughout the story, because it wasn't rushed like it happens in some books. As I said, Feyre was a strong and mature woman, but so was Tamlin. His character was so well written. He wasn't the only male character who was well written, because Lucien and Rhysand were phenomenal. Even though I liked and loved Tamlin and Rhysand, I think Lucien was my favorite. He cared too much, but showed so little. His past was heartbreaking, but that didn't affected his sense of humor. He was so funny and sarcastic when he talked with Feyre and those were my favorite scenes, I swear. "I love you," he whispered, and kissed my brow. "Thorns and all." One of the most amazing parts of this story was when they were at Amarantha's and Feyre was on her final task and she had to kill three faes including Tamlin. When she figured out what she had to do and was going to happened, I had goosebumps. I think that part gave anxiety and I couldn't breath. I was like "OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING". There was another part that I liked but I'm not going to tell you. “Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.” The world building was marvelous. Sarah J. Maas is the queen when it comes to write phenomenal worlds. I really liked how she describes every single place, the clothes, the way people looks, even the sex scenes. Tamlin and Feyre had their hormones all over the place and they couldn't keep their hands to themselves, hahaha... (I loved those scenes, I was blushed all the time). I love curses, and having it as a plot was fantastic. I can sense some love triangle coming very, very soon and I'm screaming cuz I like that so muchhhh. Also, I know that we will read more about Rhysand in ACOMAF and I'm fangirling already. Every time there was going to be a problem, I was shocked like the character because everything took my by surprise. Sarah never disappoint me, she has done and amazing job with the Throne of Glass series and this book as an introductions was beautiful, everything I wanted. “More—I wanted the hardness of his body crushing against mine; I wanted his mouth and teeth and tongue on my bare skin, on my breasts, between my legs. Everywhere—I wanted him everywhere. I was drowning in that need.” I highly recommend this book if you like her writing style, faeries and hot guys. I swear you won't regret reading this book (you can ask me because this is the second time I read it). I'm not ready to read ACOMAF, so we'll see when I'm going to have enough courage to pick it up.

Yo recibí el libro en perfecto estado a comparación de otros usuarios. No tenía ni una sola marca ningún doblez, venía en muy buen estado. Además es un libro de fantasía muy bueno, te hace estar pegada al libro. En seguida compré el segundo.

I can't believe I didn't read A Court of Thorns and Rosesbefore now, ten years after it first released! Better late than never the saying says. I'm in agreement with its high popularity as I was instantly captivated by Feyre's journey! The intrigue started slow, but it was the perfect pace to get acquainted to this fantastical world. I liked discovering the different varieties of fearies and creatures living in Prythian, but also knowing more about this magical land. The High Fae and their powers with the multiple Courts had me intrigued. It was truly a very immersive experience reading this novel. I loved the heroine, Feyre. This human, so brave and determined in a world full of enemies. The evolution of her relationship with Tamlin and Lucien, her Spring Court protectors, was amazing to witness. They shared an amalgam of feelings together going from hate to humor to respect to friendship. All these protagonists were certainly multi-faceted and alluring. The most intriguing one of all to me: Rhysand from the Night Court. I appreciated his morally gray persona, not knowing his true motives, but still seeing a kind of protectiveness toward Feyre despite his actions. The true intrigue took off at the midway mark and the last quarter of this story was simply fabulous and addicting. I was breathless from all the action, deception and revelations. And the discovery of the real villain was so interesting. In retrospective, ACOTAR was seriously such a brilliant book in my opinion! I'm now so excited to dive into the second novel, A Court of Mist and Fury! There's still so much unresolved things that I need answers to.

Super wydanie, dostarczona w idealnym stanie.

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To be honest i did not pick up this book last year thinking it was an overhyped book. But this year since "A court of mist and fury" had released, i thought of picking up this book. And OH MY LORD!! This book is one of the most fantastic book i have read this year till now. Sarah has written a fantastic book.A perfect plot,perfect world building to die for characters and and amazing story. This story is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Though this book is a retelling it has its own interesting story plots and its own twist and turns.This book just blew my mind. Feyre is such an amazing character. She is bold and a daredevil. At the same time she is caring toward her family and considerate of everyone's feelings. She is really intelligent and is aware of every situation. Loyal to her feelings she finds herself in really dangerous situations.Each and every character in this book has stole my heart. No character was deemed useless. Each character had their own background and a back story. And each of them were woven together beautifully. I must say it was just flawless to see so many characters intertwined together by the fate they had to face. I found myself loving all the characters. Even the bad boys had my heart. Tamlin is the love interest and oh my God!!! He is just perfect. Not only is he handsome but strong and fierce.He is kind and loving towards all his subjects. The chemistry between Feyre and Tamlin is to die for. It was like i was there in that place with them watching them have all those conversations. I loved to see the slow growth in their relationship. Even the growth of these characters from the first till the last page was really something to appreciate. And can i say i am also in love with Rhysand? He is intriguing but at the same time he seems to be lovable and naughty(which i like). I am really curious to see how his anti hero role progresses. The relationships in this book are really admirable. The relationship between Feyre and her family was really fascinating.The love she had for her elder sisters and for her father was something to really look forward to. She loved them no matter what and thought of them before her. She was always worried for their safety and had done what needed to be done for keeping them safe. I loved the romance between Tamlin and Feyre. It was bitter-sweet. I wanted to be in Fayre's position. I just wanted to be that character. There is a little bit of adult content but not too much. I felt it was necessary for the story. The world building in this story was remarkable. The world is divide into two. The faerie Realm and the human Realm and none is allowed to visit the other. The history of the faerie world in itself and its history with the humans was really rich and fascinating. It left me intrigued wanting to know more of it. The world and the magic was not at all hard to understand.It just flowed on beautifully. All in all i am in love with this book. It is probably the best book i have read till now. I am completely obsessed. Highly recommend this book to all the fantasy lovers out there. It is a must read. An intriguing tale of love,hate and magic. I am really excited to read the next book in this trilogy. A really enjoyable and lovable book if you ever loved fairy tales. Video review- [...]