BOOK REVIEW: Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J Maas

BOOK REVIEW: Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J MaasEmpire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5)
by Sarah J Maas
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what—and who—to sacrifice if she's to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

Review:

*Leans back, cracks knuckles, thinks to myself ‘MUAHAHA THESE GUYS HAVE NEVER READ ANY OF MY MAAS REVIEWS YET’*

I’m sorry, I really am because up until now you’ve probably all thought that I was pretty normal.  I think I’ve fangirled mildly in my previous reviews but honestly, nothing brings out my inner book-fangirl-freak than reading a Sarah J Maas book, lol.  So sit back and enjoy as I reread the final two books in this series before Kingdom of Ash comes out on the 23rd and life as I know it ceases to exist.  Also I apologize in advance for the swearing but I was freaking out when I wrote this and didn’t want to change it and also there are probably some spoilers so if you haven’t read this yet, AVOID, AVOID, AVOID.

“Men can make their own light, Heir of Brannon.” 

I am speechless…No. No that’s not right. I actually have a lot to say. Because this book was even crazier and longer than QOS. It’s just hard to know where to even start. I finished this book late last night and afterwards I just lay there in a puddle of tears wondering how in the F that Maas has continuously done what she has done. Even though I have never been a write, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t my dream to become an author of a YA series of this caliber someday….but there is no way in hell I could ever craft something like this. The plots were INSANE. Like I’ve read enough YA, and even enough of Maas’ books to start to recognize when she leaves a clue here of there….but there were still so many things at the end that had my jaw dropping. 

Rolfe let out a low laugh. “The talk of young idealists and dreamers.” 
“The world,”
 Aelin said, “will be saved and remade by the dreamers, Rolfe.”

I might as well start with the girl that started it all. . .Aelin. Can I just say that about halfway through this book I just took a break and thought about how far this series has come from book one. Seriously, if you singularly read book one, it’s a story of a broken, girl assassin who loves chocolate and pretty things and can be wicked when she wants to be but is a good friend to Nehemia, Dorian, and Chaol despite everything that has happened to her in her past. THIS BOOK. This good features a grown-ass-woman who has more power than fucking Maeve, Queen of Darkness. I actually am really glad that she still gets to play Celaena every now and then because let’s face it, a lot of us fell in love with this series because of Celaena. Aelin on the other hand is something else entirely to behold. There were times in this book where I really wanted to put a boot up her ass. She is STILL, CONSTANTLY hiding her schemes from everyone (especially us as readers) and that pissed me off at certain points…until that ending. Honestly every single thing that she did in this book that annoyed me was made up for at that ending. It all made sense. It made everything that much more heartbreaking, too. Aelin is the Queen that Terrasen needs and deserves (so fuck you, Darrow).

And then Aelin said to Rowan with a secret smile, “You, I don’t know. But I’d like to.”

These two a-holes. Man. If any of you have read my previous reviews, you know that I was a DIEHARD Chaolena shipper. My heart bled for them, and was shattered to pieces at the beginning of QoS. HOWEVER. I think I knew in my heart by the end of HoF that Rowan and she were endgame. As much as I love my Chaol, he is in no way good for Aelin whereas Rowan is her complete equal. I actually think it’s pretty funny because a lot of people are saying that they didn’t like the couple as much in this book as others…where I finally let myself love them together and thought that what they had was great. It was a little two sweet at times but come on, she deserves all that and more. (BTW for all of you who read ACOMAF, wasn’t it obvious that they were mates??!?! I didn’t get why they weren’t admitting it until the end but when everyone was all surprised by it?? How?)

“The useless sentries in the watchtower are now all half in love with you,” he lied. “One said he wanted to marry you.” A low snarl. He yielded a foot but held eye contact with her as he grinned. “But you know what I told them? I said that they didn’t stand a chance in hell.” Aedion lowered his voice, holding her pained, exhausted stare. “Because I am going to marry you,” he promised her. “One day. I am going to marry you. I’ll be generous and let you pick when, even if it’s ten years from now. Or twenty. But one day, you are going to be my wife.”

Speaking of ships….this book was full of them. It was unreal. I am loving the slow burn that is Lysandra and Aedion…and that quote up there ^…I just about died. Manon and Dorian—sign me up. To all of you out there that are pissed about it, I get it. Really I do. BUT. You have to remember, Dorian and Manon are both different for very specific reasons. Dorian had a Valg prince inside him for months—he was bound to get a big darker. And Manon. Manon has found out that her whole life has been a lie. She’s a fucking View Spoiler ». She’s bound to become a little less dark, herself. The only ship that I am not fully convinced with yet is Lorcan and Elide. I love, love, loved Elide in this book, and the time she spent with him was enjoyable to read but…I just don’t know yet.

“I think love should make you happy,” Elide said, remembering her mother and father. How often they had smiled and laughed, how they had gazed at each other. “It should make you into the best possible version of yourself.”

Character development. I honestly think the character development in this book is one of my favorite things about it. I loved seeing Dorian’s darker side, I loved seeing everything that Manon has become and the hope that she now has, and I loved reading every single page that featured Elide and Lysandra. Lysandra especially has become everything. Man she saved all of their asses so many times…she deserves the entire world. And Elide too. Her entire journey to find Aelin was filled with so much growth. I was so proud of the bravery she showed the closer and closer she got to her Queen and was so damn happy when Aelin finally got to relay her the message from her mother. Man, that slayed me. I was also so happy Aedion got to meet his father and Fenrys wasn’t a bad addition either…(BUT HIS WINNOWING??!?!? I NEED MORE ON THIS) 

Scions—each of them touched by a different god, each of them subtly, quietly, guided here. It wasn’t a coincidence. It couldn’t be. 

Plot: This was the one part of the book where I had a few problems with, and it kind of goes back to what I said earlier about how this series has transformed from book one to…this. It’s not that I don’t like it—really I do…it’s just that there were times where I was thinking that it was too much. Too many threads (all of which seem to actually come together, but still) and too many people who keep becoming important. And with Maas, you know that there is always that some else hidden that you find out in the next book. While I wouldn’t actually change anything about this series, I just think that it’s all a lot to take it. Also….these ACOMAF parallels are making me MIGHTY SUSPICIOUS. Winnowing, similar quotes, TALK OF WYRD GATES??!?!? Maas help us all.

That cocky smile widened. “Hello, bitch,” Ansel purred. “Hello, traitor,”Aelin purred right back, surveying the armada spread before them.“Looks like you made it on time after all.”

Ending. View Spoiler »

“It is not such a hard thing, is it—to die for your friends.”

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2 Comments

  1. Raven

    I’ve skipped reading your review because I’ve only read the first two books in the series. I’m planning to binge the whole series next month! Hope you enjoy the finale! 🙂
    Raven recently posted…Touching Infinity (The Rogue’s Galaxy #1) By Erin Hayes [Review]My Profile

    • Arielle

      Yess that’s a great idea! It is KILLING ME having to wait even just another five days for it, haha. I hope you love all of the rest of them just as much as I have! 🙂

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