Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Heir of Fire
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #3
Publication: September 11th 2014 by Bloomsbury Childrens 
Genre: Fantasy ~ Young Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 4/5

Consumed by guilt and rage, Celaena can't bring herself to spill blood for the King of Adarlan. She must fight back...

The Immortal Queen will help her destroy the king - for a price. But as Celaena battles with her darkest memories and her heart breaks for a love that could never last, can she fulfil the bargain and head the almighty court of Terrasen? And who will stand with her?

I don't know where to start with this review. It's the first Throne of Glass book that I actually loved. I knew pretty quickly into the book that it was so much better than both the first and second book. It also made me buy book #4 while I was still reading this one and that doesn't happen a lot so yes, Heir of Fire was really good!

I was simply addicted to this book. It was larger and it had just more epicness all around. I loved that the fae played a bigger role, which was a huge part of me liking this book so much. I love reading about any kind of fae. And Rowan... I loved him so freaking much. 

I also liked Celaena a lot more than I did in the previous two books. Especially once she met Rowan and they started training together. I adored their relationship. I feel like he played a big part into the person she was becoming towards the end of the book. And I had lots of love for all the magic!

There's also some other points of view. I love different POVs so that was yet another reason to love this book. It was nice to read about how the others were doing and also some new characters were introduced. Manon was by far my favorite and I loved her chapters to bits and pieces. I can't wait to read more about her! I also loved Aedion and Sorscha, too. 

The author's writing has improved a lot in this book than in the two previous books. It was so, so much better! The end of the book made me kind of wanting to scream, like seriously! But hey, at least it wasn't boring or anything. 

With how amazing I thought Heir of Fire was, I'm really glad I didn't give up on this series and gave it another shot. So fingers crossed for the next book! But I'm sure it'll be great also.

       About the Author:

       Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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. Empire of Storms, the fifth Throne of Glass novel,is available now. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hamilton College in 2008 with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in Religious Studies.

Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #2
Publication: August 15th 2013 by Bloomsbury Childrens
Genre: Fantasy ~ Young Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 3/5

Crowned by Evil.
Bound by Duty.
Divided by Love.

Celaena Sardothien, royal assassin, is the King of Adarlan's deadliest weapon. She must win her freedom through his enemies' blood - but she cannot bear to kill for the crown. And every death Celaena fakes, every lie she tells, put those she loves at risk.

Torn between her two protectors - a captain and a prince - and battling a dark force far greater than the king, Celaena must decide what she will fight for: her liberty, her heart or the fate of a kingdom...

It's not a secret that I haven't been a fan of Throne of Glass (at least not until I read book #3). The second book, Crown of Midnight, was a little bit better. It was mostly the end that saved this book for me, but at least that's something, right?

Did I like Celaena more in Crown of Midnight? Yes, but I can't say she's my favorite character ever. And for the most part of the book I wasn't a big fan of Chaol and Dorian either. Though I gotta say towards the end that Chaol has warmed up to me a little. 

There was also a lot of unpredictableness that went with this book which is always a good thing for me because I really hate it when books are predictable. Some twists were rather shocking, like the death of a certain character and of course the ending was pretty good.

Overall, I really did like Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. I had a hard time putting the book down so I finished it fairly fast. It still wasn't totally amazing or anything but at least it was better than Throne of Glass. The writing was a bit better too and the unexpected twists around every corner made it all the more exciting.

       About the Author:

                 Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Sarah J. Maas is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling Throne of Glass series–Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, and the series’ prequel, The Assassin’s Blade–as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses and its sequel A Court of Mist and Fury. She wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in twenty-three languages. Empire of Storms, the fifth Throne of Glass novel, will release on September 6th, 2016

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.

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 #2
Publication: May 3rd 2016 by Bloomsbury Childrens Books
Genre: New Adult ~ Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | Kobo
Rating: 5/5

Feyre is immortal.

After rescuing her lover Tamlin from a wicked Faerie Queen, she returns to the Spring Court possessing the powers of the High Fae. But Feyre cannot forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people - nor the bargain she made with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court.

As Feyre is drawn ever deeper into Rhysand's dark web of politics and passion, war is looming and an evil far greater than any queen threatens to destroy everything Feyre has fought for. She must confront her past, embrace her gifts and decide her fate.

She must surrender her heart to heal a world torn in two.

I have so many words coming to mind when I think back to A Court of Mist and Fury — Brilliant. Thrilling. Steamy. Heartbreaking. Tragic. Radiant. Seductive. Well, I could go on and on. Because it was all that and so much more!

So this is my third book by Sarah J. Maas tha tI have read. I read Throne of Glass, which didn't sit very well with me. Last year I gave A Court of Thorns and Roses a shot and it ended up being so amazing but with A Court of Mist and Fury it was a thousand times more amazing than that one was. 

During the first part of the book I felt so very bad for Feyre because let's face it, after everything she went through in the last book she was more than a bit depressed and Tamlin (I'm so not a fan of his...) wasn't helping a lot with that either, in my opinion. But I gotta say that the way the author wrote all that was pretty impressive. Because who wouldn't be depressed after going through what Feyre went through.

Enter Rhysand! *cheers* Honestly, I already loved him in ACOTAR but oh my goodness he has turned into one of my top favorite characters ever and definitely my favorite fae character ever. Everything he has done for those he loved and everything he did for Feyre in this book. JESUS CHRIST. 

I also absolutely loved Rhys's friends. Mor, Cassian, Azriel, Amren... what a varied bunch they were. I loved them all! 

And let's not forget the totally amazing writing. Action, creepy, romantic, angst — this author can do it all. Especially the creepy scenes... I swear to god some of those scenes will give me nightmares.

What more can I say? I loved A Court of Mist and Fury so damn much. I can't even express enough how incredible this book was. The feels, man, the feels! 

       About the Author:

              Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Sarah J. Maas is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling Throne of Glass series–Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, and the series’ prequel, The Assassin’s Blade–as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses and its sequel A Court of Mist and Fury. She wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in twenty-three languages. Empire of Storms, the fifth Throne of Glass novel, will release on September 6th, 2016

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.

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

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Publication: May 5th 2015 by Bloomsbury Children's
Genre: New Adult ~ Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 5/5

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

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.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

As far as fairy tale retellings go, A Court of Thorns and Roses is one of the best ones I've read so far. The whole story sucked me right in and I just couldn't get enough of this world. The story continued to surprise me at almost every page and I loved the twist on faeries. 

The story is about Feyre, who's pretty much the sole provider for her family. One day while hunting she kills a wolf, who's actually a faerie in disguise. This starts a chain of events that Feyre never saw coming. When she's forced by a beast to choose between death or living her life out in Prythian, the land of the faeries that she hates so much, to pay for the life of his friend, she goes with him, having every intention of escaping and running which doesn't prove all that easy.

I thought Feyre was a really great character. She wasn't perfect by a long shot, which is good because perfect main characters are really boring. In fact, Feyre was illiterate so she certainly had some weaknesses. I also loved that she was totally human but she still took risks and was very brave. 

Tamlin (a.k.a the beast) was interesting for sure. At the start I wasn't actually sure if I liked him or not but somehow he snuck up on me and before I realized it, I started really loving him. Especially when it came to Feyre. They really had some hot chemistry going on. Lucien was also a character that was awesome. A friend and courtier to Tamlin + his tragic backstory made me love him fairly fast. 

But the guy I loved the most was Rhysand. At first I was not certain where he stood and it's more towards the end that I really got to read more about him, but oh once I did, there was no going back. I instantly adored him. And I hope the next book will let us get to know him better. 

The romance was amazing, I loved how Feyre and Tamlin slowly but surely fell in love. There was no insta-love or any of that crap so that was a breath of fresh air for me. There was also a lot of action and danger in the story, which kept me at the edge of my seat at all times.

A Court of Thorns and Roses was beautifully written, featured intriguing and complex characters, had heartstopping romance and action + the magical world of the fae took my breath away. In one word: Perfection!

       About the Author:

       Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Sarah J. Maas is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling Throne of Glass series–Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir of Fire, and the series’ prequel, The Assassin’s Blade–as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses. She wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in twenty-three 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. Queen of Shadows, the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, will release worldwide on September 1st, 2015.

Release Day Blitz: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

I am so excited that QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful series by Sarah J. Maas, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a set of the first 3 books in the series (in paperback format). US only. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About The book:

Title: QUEEN OF SHADOWS

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Pub. Date: September 1, 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Pages: 656

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series reaches new heights in this sweeping fourth volume.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

Read Chapters 1-5 of QUEEN OF SHADOWS HERE!

Sarah J. Maas is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling Throne of Glass series–Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir of Fire, and the series’ prequel, The Assassin’s Blade–as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses. She wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in twenty-three languages. Queen of Shadows, the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, will release worldwide on September 1st, 2015.

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. 

Connect with the Author: 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Instagram| Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive the first 3 books (in paperback) in the THRONE OF GLASS Series. US Only.

Ends on September 11th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #1
Publication: August 7th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens 
Genre: Young Adult ~ Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Rating: 2/5

Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another.

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Throne of Glass was one of those books that I thought would be amazing but disappointed me in the end. There's quite a lot of hype around the book, so my expectations were a understandably higher than they'd normally be but everything about it left me down. I had a lot of issues with the characters, plot and writing. I know a lot of people would eat me alive for not liking it but it's just how I feel, unfortunately.

My biggest issue was Celaena, who the story revolves around mainly. She was way too arrogant for me to like her and spend a lot of time thinking about how beautiful she is. Just... no. Also, she's supposed to be this asskicking assassin, and though we saw a little bit of her in that way, I thought it wasn't enough at all. The second biggest issue was how I quickly lost interest in the story. I had wanted more action and fantasy elements than there were.

The other characters in the book all blended into a faceless bunch for me. And what can I say about Chaol and Dorian? As the two love interests, I had expected to at least like one of them and I just didn't. Both had no personality for me. I felt like there wasn't enough character-building for me to get to know them. The romance was simply awful to me. It was mostly centered on Celaena and Dorian, though we can all see that Chaol was liking Caelaena too. Sometimes a love triangle is nicely done but the romance in this book was a lot of 'bleh'.

Even though I usually love multiple points of view, I found that in this book it didn't work at all. For one thing, aside from Celaena's, they were too short and I couldn't care less about what Chaol, Dorian, Kaltain were thinking or doing. They were completely unnesessary to say the least. At the end of the book there was also the pov of the king, which I have to admit was slightly more interesting, but only a bit.

All in all, Throne of Glass was an okay concept. It was promising but due to the lack of good writing, tedious plot and unlikable characters, it fell flat for me. I do want to read the other books because I heard they get better but this one wasn't a great one for me, sadly enough.

About the Author:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Sarah J. Maas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series (Heir of Fire, Book 3, will be out in September 2014). Starting in Spring 2015, her New Adult Fantasy series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, will be published by Bloomsbury as well.

Sarah lives in Southern California, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much coffee, and watches absolutely rubbish TV shows. When she's not busy writing, she can be found exploring the California coastline with her husband.