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

A Court Of Wings and Ruin – Sarah J. Maas

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

First published: 2017

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 699

Blurb:    Feyre will bring vengeance.

She has left the Night Court – and her High Lord – and is playing a deadly game of deceit. In the Spring Court, Tamlin is making deals with the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees and Feyre is determined to uncover his plans. But to do so she must weave a web of lies, and one slop may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As mighty armies grapple for power, Feyre must decide who to trust among the dazzling and lethal High Lords – and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

But while war rages, it is her heart that will face the greatest battle.

History of my copy: I picked up ACOWAR whilst shopping in Waterstones as I had enjoyed the first two books, A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury.

I was quite impressed by how quickly I read this book; 2 months isn’t bad during university term time!

Plot: The third instalment in the Court of Thorns and Roses series follows Feyre as she plays a treacherous game of spying in the Spring Court whilst she pretends to return to her initial captor turn love interest, Tamlin. As Hybern finally brings the wall down with the cauldron, a battle ensues (which is actually quite cool to be honest.) However, my main gripe with the plot is that it was too cliché and the ending too happy. It felt like something bad should have happened just to get some form of emotion out of the story.

Setting: I will, however, praise the setting of A Court of Wings and Ruin. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews of this series, Maas is a master at setting the scene, and describes every location so vividly that you truly believe that you are there. I cannot wait to explore more of this world in future books!

Characters: The character development in A Court of Wings and Ruin was probably the most frustrating part of this book. Over the first two books in the series, the characters have really interested me and, as you can see from my past two reviews, my opinions of certain ones have changed. However, ACOWAR felt like a step back. Feyre’s great twist of becoming immortal has now just turned her really two-dimensional, and her whole relationship with Rhys has become nothing but sex and ‘vulgar hand-gestures’. Even Lucien, who I adore, started to get a bit boring once he left the Spring Court, although he did pick up again towards the end of the book. And, the more bored I got of Rhys, Feyre and the rest of the Night Court, the angrier I got about the injustice Maas has given Tamlin – she has completely twisted his character to make the reader favour Rhys. Sure, Rhys is the better partner for Feyre, but Tamlin is once again becoming my favourite character.

                The only enjoyable character development belonged to Nesta, who has become a brilliant character. But even she has her flaw – why are all the characters getting paired up? Yawn.

To read or not to read: Read, but only to continue the series. I was fairly disappointed with the third instalment of this series, and I really hope that the next book is much more interesting.

| A Court of Thorns and Roses | A Court of Mist and Fury |

Illumicrate Number 7 Unboxing (May 2017)

Following on from my February 2017 Illumicrate unboxing, here is my unboxing of the 7th box, from May 2017.

Check Illumicrate out here.

This box was jam-packed with goodies, as you can see! See the packing list below:

Truth Or Dare by Non Pratt was the included book this month. It was signed, with little additions, by the author and came with a letter too. I haven't gotten around to reading it yet, but I am excited to!

The Feyre mug included is really cute! It currently sits on my shelves by the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.












I am a huge fan of candles and, as you can imagine, I was so happy when I found this gorgeous Mermaid Lagoon candle included! It smells amazing!

This Harry Potter inspired keyring in an exclusive colour was a great addition. I love the colour blue, and it's all sparkly and looks so good when the sun catches it. 











In case you didn't know, I am a humongous fan of Beauty and the Beast. The original animated Disney film is one of my all time favourites! Because of that, this print and door hanger are 2 of my favourite Illumicrate additions as they are so pretty!








I loved this little page-corner bookmark that was included.

Now onto the little extras included in the box.

A large poster promoting Windfall was included.












This cute Gender Games badge was also there.

I adore these little cards promoting Taste of Blue Light and I'm sure they will be featured on bookstagram at some point. My favourite is definitely the one in the bottom right.















The final item in this month's Illumicrate was a letter, bookmark and ARC of The Waking Land by Callie Bates, which I can't wait to read!










And that's it for the May 2017 unboxing of the Illumicrate box! Hopefully I will catch up with these soon so that I can post up-to-date ones.


I'm now on summer holidays after my second year of uni. And guess what? I've made it into third year! Hopefully I will catch up on all my delayed blog posts over the summer and set up a plan to keep posting regularly next year.

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

A Court of Mist and Fury – Sarah J. Maas

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Sara J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

First published: 2016

Edition: Paperback, signed

Pages: 264

Blurb:    Feyre is immortal.

After rescuing her lover Tamlin form 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.

History of my copy: ACOMAF was one of the many books I picked up in my book haul last May. It was a bit of a gamble as I hadn’t read ACOTAR at that point and didn’t like Maas’ Throne of Glass much but as it was a signed copy, I couldn’t resist. And I’m so glad I got it!

I’ve said before that the time it takes me to read a book and how much I like it are in no way linked, and ACOMAF is a perfect example of that. It has taken me nearly 2 months to read (and now over a month to review), but is hands down one of my all-time favourite books.

Plot: ACOMAF starts pretty much where ACOTAR ends, with Feyre trying to settle to some kind of normalcy now that she is immortal. She thinks Tamlin and the Spring Court are all she needs when, in reality, it starts to suffocate her, leading her down a path she doesn’t want, right up to her wedding which Rhysand interrupts under the pretence of carrying out the contract he had made with Feyre to save her life – she was to stay with him for one week a month.

         Although not an ideal escape, it is clear that Feyre is glad that she is now in the Night Court and as the two get closer, she is let in to all the wonderful secrets that the rest of Prythian don’t know. However, as her relationship with Rhys and his closest friends grows, so does the looming danger and thus they work together to try and save Prythian and the Mortal Lands from King Hybern.

         In the end, though, there is a plot twist that turns Feyre’s life upside down and sets the perfect scene for book 3.

Setting: Although featuring many settings all over Prythian, it is the Night Court that truly takes the lead in the second book of the series, with the reader being introduced not only to Rhys’ home in the mountains, but to his secret city, Velaris, polar opposite to the Court of Nightmares hidden inside a mountain. This is a hidden paradise in what is perceived as the darkest of the courts, and Maas describes it perfectly, to the point where it is entirely understandable why Rhys did everything to keep it safe.

               We also get a chance to visit the Summer Court, a paradise in its own right, but as Feyre gets accustomed to Rhys’ home, as does the reader to the extent that nowhere but Velaris feels like home anymore. Creating a beautiful setting is definitely one of Maas strong points, and this really shines in ACOMAF with each setting being fully distinguishable from the next.

Characters: You may remember that I left my review of ACOTAR with adoration for Tamlin and a complete lack of understanding of the love of Rhys. Well, now I get it. After ACOMAF, there is no way I can adore Tamlin and with everything we learn about Rhys, it all becomes clear! Although I’m still not sure whether the twists truly suit the characters, Maas has done it well and I think I can go along with it.

                        You may also remember that I didn’t like the ending given to Feyre. However, Maas has brilliantly portrayed our heroine’s development from human to immortal, detailing how she gets used to the physical powers she now has, along with a fantastic sub story of her dealing with the emotions and PTSD she has from Under the Mountain. I really must praise Maas for furthering Feyre’s story in a beautifully believable way as it is something that really adds to ACOMAF.

To read or not to read: Read. Hands down read. Somehow even better than ACOTAR, ACOMAF has deepened the story and taken it away from the Beauty and the Beast backbone and allowed it to develop into its own fantastically unique tale. I am just dying to get my hands on the next book, recently revealed to be titled A Court of Wings and Ruin, and I need it right now!

Find my review for A Court of Thorns and Roses here!

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

A Court of Thorns and Roses – Sarah J. Maas

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury

First published: 2015

Cover: Paperback

Pages: 416

Blurb:    Feyre is a huntress.

She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price…

Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy’s kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden to escape. Her captor’s body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked – but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre’s feelings for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she’s been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows.

History of my copy: I got A Court of Thorns and Roses, along with its sequel A Court of Mist and Fury as part of my book haul back in May. ACOTAR is a hugely popular book in the Bookstagram community, which is one of the reasons why I bought it. Although I was rather disappointed with Maas’ Throne of Glass, I decided to give her another try and I am so glad that I did!

I actually finished ACOTAR over a month ago at the beginning of June, but as I mentioned before, I was so busy with exams that I’m only now getting around to the reviews.

Plot: A Court of Thorns and Roses is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, one of my all-time favourite stories. I wasn’t much of a Disney Princess girl as I grew up (blame that on my pop-punk skateboarding brother), but their version of the fairy-tale was one of my favourite films growing up. I’m eagerly anticipating the live-action version, although I dislike Emma Watson as Belle.

I’m a huge fan of fairy-tale retellings, especially those with a twist, but I was apprehensive of ACOTAR due to it being a retelling of my favourite story – there was a lot of pressure for it to be good!

That being said, I was impressed. I adored ACOTAR. Whilst it loosely followed the traditional story (girl has to live in captivity with ‘beast’, they fall in love, etc.), Maas gave it some fantastic twists and embellished the story with a whole cast of brilliant characters.

The story was perfectly executed throughout. In fact, my only qualm is what happens to Feyre at the end. But, we shall see how that works for the sequel, ACOMAF.

Setting: Well-written story? Check. Beautiful fantasy setting? Check! The Mortal Land where Feyre originates is separated from Prythian, one of the Faerie Realms, by The Wall. Within Prythian, there are 7 courts (Night, Day, Dawn, Winter, Summer, Autumn and Spring) along with Under the Mountain. Whilst the land is hardly explored in ACOTAR, I have high hopes that we will get to see more in the remaining two books of the trilogy.

               Maas describes the settings wonderfully, further evidence that she has grown much as a writer since Throne of Glass.

Characters: Feyre is actually a really interesting character. She is clearly brave and willing to accept the consequences of her actions, but at the same time you can see that she is scared too. Whilst she suffers a little from ‘way-too-badass-female-lead’ syndrome, it’s not so bad that I’m constantly rolling my eyes at high unbelievable her actions are.

               Tamlin! I am a huge(!) Tamlin fan! He is the perfect Beast. He has lost hope and all but given up, but once he warms up to Feyre you can see how kind he is at heart. He compliments Lucien well, who I also adore. They have a great bond and it’s great seeing their friendship with each other, and Feyre, develop throughout the book.

               Rhysand is a character that people rave over. Currently, I don’t see it. Yes, he’s dark and moody and probably sexy as hell, but he’s just arrogant and annoying. Whilst he does help Feyre, he’s not exactly nice to her! Team Rhysand confuses me; Team Tamlin all the way! However, I am intrigued to see the relationship between Rhysand and Feyre develop once I get round to starting ACOMAF.

To read or not to read: Read. A Court of Thorns and Roses is a fantastic retelling, making a unique story for itself out of the underlying plot of the traditional fairy-tale. The story is well-written, with interesting characters and a well thought out plot. I thoroughly recommend ACOTAR to anyone who loves fairytales and fantasy. 

My Latest Book Haul! (07/05/16)

As I'm sure many of you are aware, I'm coming up to a rather stressful time in my schooling right now. The dreaded A-levels. As I'm taking 6 subjects (well 5 if you don't count General Studies, which most people don't), you can probably imagine that I have paper coming out of my ears and I'm reciting chemical equations in my sleep. Well, not literally. (Not yet anyway!)

Yesterday I had a half-day as my double biology lesson was cancelled. Because of that, I had originally planned to pop into town (Plymouth) and go book shopping to kill some time before catching the bus home with my brother's girlfriend. Unsurprisingly where my brother is involved, there was a change of plan so I could go straight home from school. However, as I'd sort of built myself up for a good spot of book shopping, I decided to go ahead and treat myself anyway. The only problem was money.

Although I will actually get a pretty big student loan next year, especially for staying at home, this summer I intend to learn to drive and therefore a lot of my loan (if not all of it!) will be spent on car insurance. So I decided to to limit myself to only the money I had on me. If I used my card, I think I would have made myself bankrupt!

£34 later I had a nice collection of 6 books, although a little sad as I had to put a few back.

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses; Sarah J. Maas

2. A Court of Mist and Fury; Sarah J. Maas. I took their last copy and it was signed! I didn't even realise they were selling signed ones!

3. The Force Awakens; Alan Dean Foster. I've been considering buying this for a while as Star Wars is my absolute favourite series of all time and, as it was part of 'buy one get one halfprice' I went for it.

4. Trouble Twisters; Garth Nix and Sean Williams. I had never even heard of this book, but a copy signed by Nix was in the reduced section for only £1 so I went for it!

5. Rebel of the Sands; Alwyn Hamilton. Although on my tbr, there were many books I wanted instead. In fact, I nearly chose The Heir by Kiera Cass over it but as it was 'buy one get one halfprice' with Star Wars, I ended up buying it.

6. Happily Ever After; Kiera Cass. A toss up between this one and The Heir, I decided I'd finish off America's story first. The reviews of The Selection, The Elite and The One are all on this blog. Although not too impressed by The One, I just knew I had to read Happily Ever After sometime. 

#SundaySeven (28/02/16)

So here is the very first #SundaySeven! I will admit, I totally underestimated how difficult this would be. At one point, I was worried it would become Sunday Seventeen, or perhaps even Sunday Seventy... But, at the end of the day, I have knuckled down and chosen my favourite seven. It amazes me just how talented the bookstagram community is, and the wide range of photos and imaginative techniques they display, especially considering most aren't professional photographers.
So, here is what you have all been waiting for...

1. 

@celinereads

This photo caught my eye and became my favourite of the week for a few reasons. Firstly, I am a huge Harry Potter fan, and am bound to 'like' any photo Potter related. Also, I love the contrast of the dark green against the whites and pastel colours of the surrounding books. Furthermore, just something about the way it is being removed from the shelf really catches my attention.

2. 

@lei_reads

These two books have been on my tbr ever since I joined bookstagram. I mean look at those covers! I have since heard wonderful things about the contents too. Books featuring a selection of pens are quite common, even I have joined in with the trend a few times, but something about the contrast of the two book covers and the selection of pens, some of which you can easily match with a colour on the covers, and others that you feel as if are included somewhere, just really makes this photo stand out from the rest.

3. 

@harley_golightly

I love Sarah's account! All of her photos looks so simple yet sophisticated, I'm sure she could make even my least favourite books look absolutely gorgeous. As mentioned before, I am a huge Potterhead (and I promise there is only one more Potter related photo this week!) and saying that I'm jealous of those socks is quite an understatement. #SockSaturday and #SockSunday are very popular and some weekends it can feel as if I'm scrolling through a website displaying socks only! But this photo, with some beautiful copies of Harry Potter, just makes the scrolling worth it, because sometimes you'll come across some real gems, like this one.

4. 

@the.blonde.bookworm

I'm really not much of a clothes or shoes girl, but my gosh I love those boots! What I like about this photo, is the way Alex has played the colour scheme of Six of Crows (another book I am dying to read). Often, black, whites and greys can look more drab than smart, but this photo has really pulled it off! I think the location and positioning of the cardigan (possibly a blanket?) to the right of the photo, rather than the centre, helps make this one something special.

5. 

@ilsiereads

Although new to bookstagram, Ilsie's photos look like she has been around for years. Not only does she make use of roses, as mentioned in the title, she throws in one of those beautiful masks that I used to have an obsession with! To me, the other items in the photo compliment the book cover and title so well, it pretty much feels as if she has created this perfect visualisation of the book. Girl, you've got some serious talent and I can't wait to see what you come up with this week! (No pressure.)

6. 

@book_lovers_15

 A quick flick through bookstagram tells you that books come in all shapes and sizes, including a lovely pin-wheel as shown here! The pin-wheel itself looks just like numerous others (beautiful though it is!), but what really makes this photo is the adorable little crafted flower in the centre. To whoever made it, it's stunning! It really adds something special to this otherwise fairly average photo.

7. 

@read.dream.live

So as promised, one last Harry Potter photo to end my first ever #SundaySeven. Taking us back to where it all began, this photo shows off some adorable merch. I love love love these bookmarks (IG of creator found here) and am always so tempted to buy some. The problem is, I'm in so many fandoms, it would cost a fortune! Also included is the Harry Potter funko pop which, just like all pops, looks so cute. So although not a busy photo, the simplicity along with just how adorable the items are makes this photo just enter my top 7 of the week.

Thankyou for reading, and thanks to all the bookstagram accounts (both those featured, and the countless others I poured through in order to decide on my seven). 

None of these photos are mine, and I have credited the account and notified them that I am using their image. Occasionally, it is known for accounts to repost photos without crediting the original owner. I do not support this. All photos are, to my knowledge, original to the accounts credited. If not, I will happily amend and assist in reporting accounts that are stealing photos. (To the accounts featured: I am not suggesting this applies to you, I am merely covering myself. This paragraph shall feature on all #SundaySeven posts in the rare and unfortunate case problems may occur.)

Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass – Sarah J. Maas

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury

First published: 2012

Cover: Paperback

Pages: 404

Blurb:    Meet Celaena Sardothien. Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake. She got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament – fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?

History of my copy: Recently I have been getting into the book community on Instagram, and I saw that nearly everyone was talking about The Lunar Chronicles and Throne of Glass. When I went into Plymouth to get an interview dress, I had the intention of buying either Cinder or Throne of Glass, the first books in the series. Cinder was out of stock, so my decision was thankfully made for me and I ended up with Throne of Glass.

I had high hopes for this book due to the hype it has with fellow readers. Although slightly disappointed, the book is still good. The majority of it, I really enjoyed, and there were points in which I wasn’t able to put it down. However, there were also points I felt were a bit too far-fetched for the story, especially the final dual between Celaena and Cain.

Plot: The basic plot of the book is quite simple. Celaena is rescued from the salt mines in Endovier where she is serving a life sentence for being Adaralan’s assassin by Captain Westfall and Prince Dorian to be their champion in a secrete competition that the King is hosting. The winner of the competition serves as the King’s Champion for a few years, and then becomes free.

         Whilst in the castle taking part in the competitions, Celaena makes many unusual friends, one of which being the Princess Nehemia, whom she later ends up believing is responsible for the horrific murderers of her fellow competitors.

         After Celaena sneaks into the Yulemas ball where she ends up dancing the night away with the crown prince, she soon realises Nehemia’s innocence as she discovers that Cain, another competitor, is responsible for the murders.

         In a final dual between her and Cain, Celaena nearly loses due to being poisoned by Kaltain, a woman who is jealous of Celaena’s closeness to the Prince but, with some help from Nehemia and the first queen of Adarlan, Elena, ends up coming out on top.

         Throughout the story, we watch as Celaena becomes more and more trusted. We also see a love triangle between Celaena, Prince Dorian and Chaol Westfall form.

Setting: This story has two main settings: the salt mines in Endovier and the castle in Rifthold. I will admit that setting is not one of Maas’ strong points, leaving much to the imagination of the reader. You get the picture that the mines are a horrific place to be, and that the castle is magnificent and extravagant, but only a few places are described in much detail.

Characters: Celaena Sardothien, the eighteen year old assassin, is one of my least favourite main characters I have ever read. Although she is the best assassin, she seems a bit too flawless in my opinion. Yes, she is vain, and often rude, but her bad qualities seem very minor in comparison to the good. I hope that in future books her character is developed more, giving a better insight into her past. As someone who is nearly eighteen myself, I find it very hard to believe that someone could be quite so perfect at everything.

                One of my favourite characters in the story is Captain Chaol Westfall. I loved watching his character develop as he got to know Celaena better. Furthermore, I think it is interesting to watch someone have his morals questioned and learn to think for himself. I would like to see Chaol and Celaena’s relationship, either platonically or romantically, over the rest of the series.

                Another favourite character is Princess Nehemia of Eyllwe. Although introduced as someone who has limited knowledge on Adarlan, and there being the heartbreaking moment where you believe she might kill Celaena, Nehemia turns out to be a brave and intelligent woman, who knows entirely what is going on. She is a good ally for Celaena and I hope to see her fight to get her kingdom and title back.

To read or not to read: Read. Although there are a few negatives to this book, and it hasn’t made it’s way into my favourite books list, it is still certainly worth the read. I think Sarah J. Maas has the potential to be a fantastic author, but this book doesn’t quite showcase that as well as it could. However, I remain hopeful that the rest of the series shall only get better.