A Court of Thorns and Roses

10 reviews for A Court of Thorns and Roses

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Teisha @ Girl Writes Reviews – October 5, 2015

   Bow Down to the Queen of YA FantasyThis 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 RETELLINGI 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.★ GENREWhile 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 PROTAGONISTWhen 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 TRIANGLESince 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 CHARACTERSWhile 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 MENTIONSMaas’ WritingI 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 WorldI 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.

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Kindle Customer – October 2, 2017

   Not a perfect book, but a good book 1.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.

3. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Jess | The HEA Bookworm – January 19, 2023

   Fantasy for people who don’t like fantasyWell suffice to say, I did NOT see this one coming. I don’t “do” fantasy. I’ll be honest: I went into this firmly assuming I would end up laughing at the fantasy elements and either not finishing or rating it low. Yeah I was wrong.“𝙸 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞,” 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚠. “𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕.”So the 60% of you on my stories who said I’d be obsessed were on point. Everything’s already been said about this book, and most of y’all have read it, so nothing I say is going to add anything to the conversation with this review. All I can say is that for those of you who haven’t read it yet, do it. It’s not just reading a book – this is a full-on experience.“𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗, 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜.”I loved the action, the tension between Tamlin/Feyre in the first half and with Rhys/Feyre in the second, I loved Lucien each time he was on the page, and I want to see more of him and his eye. I had zero expectations but I was still not expecting the absolute whiplash from cute little enemies to lovers romance to hunger games. My heart was ready to burst for most of the second half. I spent the last 10% screaming at my kindle (in a good way).In the end, this book gave me 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚕𝚢 what I want in my books: banter, action, some violence, mysterious characters, an enemies to lovers story, comedic relief, and a lil spicy spice. I couldn’t put this down, and I’m diving into ACOMAF now. Expect this to become my personality for awhile.Final Thoughts:-Rhysand is my fave-I am not sold on Tamlin. You know how I feel about blondes. I don’t trust him.-Does Lucien get a girl? He needs a HEA. Can we get him another eye too? Magic can’t fix that?-I feel like somebody’s gonna die. I don’t know who when where or how, but as long as he doesn’t have dark hair and wings I’m OK.-I know it’s “fey re” but in my head it’s faaairr and I’m not going to change that.My rating is ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 – because there’s 4 books left and people are in my DMs telling me “just wait” for ACOMAF, so I’m leaving room to grow.

4. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Daphne Darling – December 28, 2022

   Fantasy World with Fae and magic, female heroine who glows up fierceOkay, I’m sure half the world has read ACOTAR, and if you haven’t, then you should. It is a fascinating fantasy romance story filled with powerful Fae and how the worlds blur between the human realm and the fae realm. There’s a barrier that keeps the two apart, but it’s not as strong as it once was, so naturally bad, evil things get through.Feyre and her family are dirt poor, and she is the provider and hunter while her family doesn’t do anything, literally. Her dad is a piece of garbage who would rather let them starve then try, because he’s disabled from thugs breaking in his legs due to lack of payment. Her sisters, one sweet and one a royal bitch, stick together like glue. Nesta, the ruthless one, protects Elain at all costs because of her good nature, while leaving Feyre to her own devises.Long story short, Feyre gets whisked away from the Spring Courts Royal Fae, Tamlin, due to an incident that involves Feyre killing a magical wolf because of her hatred of the fae. There is a curse that needs to be broken ASAP because an evil bitch, Amarantha, is running the show in the fae land. She rules with an iron fist and expects people to bow to her. They’ve relied on Feyre to break the spell because of the clause in breaking the curse.People say this is like a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it’s so much more then that. The books that follow have nothing to do with a beauty and the beast retelling, so in my opinion it’s not like it. But it is filled with adventure, a great plot, love and loss, finding yourself, and world of character building. This was my first step into fantasy/fiction, and I have fell hard and fast for this type of stories. I never knew how much I needed to have magic and wonder in my life till reading ACOTAR. The way Feyre glowed up! She really did her damn thing, because she started out as a corpse, half starved, to a strong ass female heroine ready to take anyone and anything!

5. 

   Rated 3 out of 5

   Robin Snyder – May 8, 2015

   ஐBeauty and the Beast meets Faerie ஐஐBeauty and the Beast meets Faerie ஐ – I should ADORE this but overall it was just okay. There are things I totally loved about this story, but they are marred by the things that didn’t quite work out for me and so what I’m left with is feeling in the middle where I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either.I’m a huge fan of beauty and the beast retellings or most fairytales actually, but Belle is my absolute favorite heroine because she is smart, reads and doesn’t fall head over heels for the first pretty face that happens along. She and I could totally be BFFs. Then there is the Fae. Now I’m not a big expert on faerie stories or anything like that, but I find the Fae to be totally interesting creatures and usually like it when they are incorporated into stories. Instead if this being a magical mashup that made the story soar to new heights of awesome I found myself seeing some serious sour notes that disjointed the story and made it feel clunky.The stuff I totally LOVED –✧ – Tamlin and his Faerie world – There are some really interesting descriptions of the time spent at the his manor. The lake full of starlight, the manor, the art and his court cursed to all be in masks. Tamlin is completely likable right from the near beginning.✧Lucien – He is a spunky guy full of vim and vinegar that Fayre has a lot of fun verbally sparring with and getting into general trouble. He is also a great friend to Tamlin and I love the brotherly bound between them. While Lucien has an easy way with people he is working hard to help his friend find the right way to woo Fayre.✧ The Love Story – I enjoyed the time Tamlin and Feyre were getting to know each other and the tentative flirting the best. I really wish there was maybe just a little more time spent on it as it was the basis for the last 40% of the book.“My father once told me that I should let my sisters imagine a better life—a better world. And I told him that there was no such thing.” I ran my thumb over his mouth, marveling, and shook my head. “I never understood—because I couldn’t … couldn’t believe that it was even possible.” I swallowed, lowering my hand. “Until now.”✧ The ‘Tasks’ – I like the idea behind completing some challenges to prove your worth and love. I liked even more that it was Feyre The Girl who had to do this instead of prince charming. It was a nice twist to a normal Fairytale.✧ – The Curse – while not particularly a fan of the fact the curse made Tamlin and his court all have to wear masks (since I really thought it would have been better if they all had to remain in animal form) I did like the final symmetry and cruelty of the curse. It was different and I totally respect that, it was a truly Fae curse in the level of cruelty behind it.✧ Rhysand – was my FAVORITE CHARACTER and I’ll totally admit I’m still not sure what exactly I think of him. I will say this though, he is the most interesting character in the book whether he is playing on the side of good or evil….well you will have to make your own decision on that. But I seriously hoping the next book is about him.As this is the start of a new series I will give it some leeway at getting started. There are some really fun parts to the story and even though it is a bit clunky at times I still got to a point when they are ‘Under the Mountain’ that I needed to get through the story to see how it all worked out and this is where the story mostly stayed on the like side of the line.The stuff that missed the mark:✦ – When writing about a well-established lore I think there are some things that perhaps the reader will ‘accept’ or ‘not accept’ based on how important or ingrained it is OR the story the author puts with the lore change. Based on my various readings there are a few things about fantasy creatures that are ingrained into me. I KNOW that➜ Vampires – Drink blood, Can’t be in the sun and die by a wooden stake through the heart➜ Werewolves – Silver bullets, Shifting (of some kind), Full Moon➜ Fae – Immortal Tricksters, CAN’T LIE➜ Zombie – Human dead, eat fleshI’m not going to say the Maas changed the Fae lore so much that she *Stephanie Meyer’d* it but she pretty much made a change to the Fae lore equivalent to making vampires sparkle in the sunlight. It isn’t quite a deal breaker for me, but I’m not a fan of that particular lore twist either.✦ It pains me to say this but Feyre and I didn’t get along until about 75% of the way through the book. She does so many stupid things that honestly I went from really liking her in the very beginning of the story to being completely annoyed with her.She began strong and independent with a family to support and I really liked that she wasn’t your typical virgin heroine. She hunted for her family and was the main supporter. Not conventionally educated she still came across as bright and strong.After ending up in Tamlin’s court and promising to stay the first thing Feyre tries to do is escape, when Tamlin assures her that he has seen to her family’s comfort she pouts and tries to find a way to escape again. She puts herself in dangerous situations without much thought in these attempts and really it was slightly tiresome.“Weren’t you warned to keep your wits about you?” Tamlin snapped. “That your human senses would betray you?”He stepped beyond me and let out a snarl so vicious that whatever the thing was by the gates shimmered with light and darted out as fast as lightning streaking through the dark. “Fool,” he said to me, turning. “If you’re ever going to run away, at least do it in the daytime.”I liked her a little more after she calmed down and decided to stay but the damage was done and she never made much headway with me again until toward the very end of the book when she became much more likable.✦The Curse –( Yes I know that it is up in the like part as well, you get +5 points because you noticed) – The story made it seem like it was so horrible to be cursed to wear the masks but honestly I thought it made Tamlin hotter instead of diminished. Masks are sexy I don’t care who you are just think about it Zorro, Phantom of the Opera, a slew of superheroes AND….The Dread Pirate RobertsTamlin had a beast form so I thought it would have worked possibly better if she had to fall in love with only his personality. Just an opinion.✦The ‘Rite’ – There is a moment in the book where there is a spring festival. I’m not a prude I swear but it really bothered me how that played out. The whole scene made me feel a little strange and I really wasn’t sure what to do with my feelings about it. Maybe if I knew some other Fae stories and knew that was what ‘The Rite’ of spring was I wouldn’t have minded but I was not prepared. On a good note I was happy that it didn’t have any negative residual affects between Feyre and Tamlin.Overall Thoughts:Sometimes at the beginning of a new series you can’t see the big picture and that is why the first book of it might fall a little flat for you. I will say that when I read Throne of Glass it was just an okay book for me as well but then I loved both Crown of Midnight and Heir of Fire. I’m hoping that is also the case with this series.Based on how the book ended I have some really high hopes for the next book of this series. If you like fairytale retellings or Faerie stories then I say still give this one a go. If anyone can deliver a stronger second book to a series it is Maas so I’m not concerned and think she could be off to a solid start.Begs Sarah J. Maas to have the next book be about Rhysand and dare I hope for it..….Nesta

6. 

   Rated 2 out of 5

   Anne Pruitt – November 13, 2018

   ACOTAR is nothing more than eroticaSo here I sit, having gone through the OMG ACOTAR SERIES IS AMAZING phase, and out the other end, I can sit back and think “What the actual hell?”I’m a HUGE Maas fan, so when I found out she was writing another series, I had to have it. For the first time in a long time, my library actually got the book within a month of its release, so I checked out ACOTAR and read it in a single day. I loved it.Books two came out, and while I was super disappointed in the pointless sex thrown in every so often and whole chapters dedicated to this nonsense, I continued reading because the story was compelling enough. And then ACOWAR emerged, and everything changed.This was a series I read numerous times before ACOWAR came out, and I saw things that genuinely bothered me, but I ignored them (I don’t even know why) until I just couldn’t stand it anymore.ACOTAR is nothing more than erotica. I feel like the series as a whole started out with plans of being some sort of “story” porn that has a kick-ass plot with “hot” scenes thrown in for whatever reason, and then it got to ACOWAR and decided it wanted to be The Bachelor or a soap opera instead.The relationship between Tamlin and Feyre GREATLY disturbs me. She’s taking care of her family and he swoops in after she accidentally kills a fae (who was disguised as a wolf int he woods where hunters hunt…) and takes her away, claiming she’s going to be in trouble and damned and blah blah. No, she’s pampered and given servants and pretty clothes and good food. Tamlin dresses her up like a doll and makes snide remarks when she falls short of his goals (fae goals, mind you).Feyre is a HUMAN. Tamlin is fae. He acts like her humanity is a curse or something to hold against her, and he constantly makes remarks about how she’s too fragile, too uneducated, too plain, etc. Instead of “fixing” these issues, Tamlin does nothing other than tell her what to do and not do.He sexually assaults her after Calanmai, and in the book Feyre shows how much she does not want his advances, and he shoves her against the wall and BITES her, then tells her not to ever go against him again. How is this OK? If my husband ever did this to me, I’d kick him in the crotch and leave. This is not OK. This is not a relationship. This is abuse, which is why it disgusts me that people go on and on about Tamlin.The fact that Feyre and Tamlin have sex at a later time after he did this makes it worse. why, Feyre, are you going to throw yourself at a man who A) Doesn’t care about you based off his degrading comments and B) threatens you. Not only that, he basically blames her for a near-rape experience when he literally did nothing to look out for her and/or stop the guys who were going to attack her?That being said, I have a lot of issues with Feyre. She gets off too easy on everything, and it’s like her brain is only wired to care if the dude is hot. You take care of your family, but then you walk into Tamlin’s embrace after the things he has said and done. I understand she has been abused by this, but at the same time, she could have said no. Death is a lot better than basically being a sex slave or punching bag to an immortal person determined to imprison you until you die.She’s never punished for killing a fae. Lucien and Tamlin tell her about magical creatures that could give her what she wants, and the next day she walks out and finds them…the elusive creatures…that are hard for fae to find?Lucien is about the only well developed character, and he’s too sexualized sometimes for me to take me seriously. If you keep pointing out the abs, tanned skin, or whatever on the dude, you’re turning them into a slab of meat. All of the males, and truthfully the females as well, in ACOTAR are “perfect” in the idea of what today’s society thinks is beauty, sexy, and amazing at everything. This is sexist on every account. Your characters become nothing more than fantasies–which is why I say this is nothing more than porn/erotica.Sure, you can get some great messages out of this series, but is it worth all of the dung in the way? Specifically with the later books, there’s too much sex at some points for it to even be OK. Please, go try to have sex that many times or for days on end and tell me how that is. if you can do that, I’m sorry, but you’re either a whore or you’re just kinda crazy, because that’s too much.Why I ever read this book and like it, I truthfully don’t know, but I’m done with this series. I’m done with this fandom, and I’m fed up with seeing people “swoon” or make comments or even draw/like at that nude art about LITERARY CHARACTERS. Guys, seriously? This is not a book for young girls, but when I went to the first (and last) Maas event, most of the audience there were between the ages of 14-20 (predominately 15-17 years of age) and SCREAMED when Maas was mentioning SEX SCENES. I’m not going to continue to support a series that is encouraging young teens and young women to have unrealistic ideas of men as well as sexual fantasies, especially the married women who I’ve seen act this same way. if I were your husband, I wouldn’t be able to deal with that. I wouldn’t want those books in my house.About the only good thing I have to say for ACOTAR was that there actually was a plot in this book, and it was good, if insanely slow to get rolling, and the amount of sex was fairly minimal.

7. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Natisha J – December 22, 2022

   The perfect book to introduce you to fantasy“Don’t feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy.”A Court of Thorns and Roses by @therealsjmaasThis was the first book I picked up as a recommendation from bookstagram, and it started me down a whole new rabbithole.I know this series divides readers, some of whom love it, and some of whom feel that it is overhyped. I am firmly in the former camp. Being my first SJM series, I was amazed by the depth of emotions evoked, the relationships explored, and the incredible world building that occurs. While I devoured all of Nora Roberts’ fantasy novels, this was completely new to me, and I loved it.Feyre is a strong female who is willing to do anything that she has to, to help her family, even what is forbidden. Her sisters, especially Nesta, annoy me by just letting Feyre support the family. I love how they and the other characters develope over the series, how we see more and more of their internal battles and insecurities. Sarah is brilliant with the weaving of her stories, especially as you explore her other series and you marvel at how these cross the different worlds to add that little extra that takes a story from good to jawdroppingly great and leave you in awe of her thought process.If you have been debating whether or not to start this series, take this as your sign to do so immediately. Do beware, though, that you should get all of these books before starting or, at the very least, the first 3 since you will need to know what happens next with the cliffhangers that they end on.

8. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Shay – February 26, 2021

   Doesn’t deserve the hateOkay 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.

9. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Alicia Miller – January 9, 2023

   The start of an amazing series, I can tell.A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. Feyre lived in a little hovel while poverty-stricken, having to help her family survive in any way she could. While out hunting one day, she discovers a deer but also a wolf. She kills and skins them both, only later to discover that the wolf was no regular wolf…it was a faerie. Violating the treaty by killing a faerie, Feyre is given the choice to be taken out to be killed or to live the rest of her days in Prythian. The decision she makes not only changes her entire world but her family’s as well. What could possibly go wrong, right? Check out this book to find out…if you haven’t already. First book of the series.I found that this book was full of emotions and adventures and creatures you wouldn’t expect. It’s got plenty of plot twists and surprises. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to continue the rest of the series. I give this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

10. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Chelsea Filer – January 16, 2023

    The series is great, the first book though…I absolutely adore SJM as an author and I LOVED the ACOTOR series… but just for anyone who is reading this going… not exactly excited about this Stockholm Syndrome love story, just wait, hold on… see it through to Mist and Fury, you will be proud of our girl Feyre then.Spoiler warning, but I thought the plot twist explaining why the curse led Tamlin to plant his sentry in Feyre’s path hoping she’d kill him was stupid. I really thought that could have been left out, like woopsie and not like “this had to happen exactly this way to break the curse and you’re just one in many attempts to play out this scenario that just happens to work out” eh.But still, the rest of the series is A1. SJM found her rhythm with this story in Mist and Fury, clenching it in Wing and Ruin and hit it home with Silver Flames. and dare I say I actually liked Silver Flames the most… Nesta is a bonafide Baddie.Thank you SJM for delivering the fairy smut I never knew I needed in my life.