Author: Arielle (Page 30 of 35)

Synopsis:

Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas’s #1 New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an epic, unforgettable conclusion. Aelin Galathynius’s journey from slave to king’s assassin to the queen of a once-great kingdom reaches its heart-rending finale as war erupts across her world. . .

Aelin has risked everything to save her people―but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. Aware that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, though her resolve begins to unravel with each passing day…

With Aelin captured, Aedion and Lysandra remain the last line of defense to protect Terrasen from utter destruction. Yet they soon realize that the many allies they’ve gathered to battle Erawan’s hordes might not be enough to save them. Scattered across the continent and racing against time, Chaol, Manon, and Dorian are forced to forge their own paths to meet their fates. Hanging in the balance is any hope of salvation―and a better world.

And across the sea, his companions unwavering beside him, Rowan hunts to find his captured wife and queen―before she is lost to him forever.

As the threads of fate weave together at last, all must fight, if they are to have a chance at a future. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever in the explosive final chapter of the Throne of Glass series.

Review:

Once upon a time, in a land long since burned to ash, there lived a young princess who loved her kingdom …

Honestly this might be one of the hardest reviews that I have ever tried to write and that’s only because I want to be able to perfectly communicate what this series has meant to me..how it has impacted my very soul…and I just don’t think my words can ever fully do it justice. But that’s all right, I know that most of you will understand.

“I obey no man,” she snarled. 

While Tamora Pierce was the one who got me started on YA, Sarah J Maas is the REASON I read YA. My first few reviews of her books usually started out something like, “She isn’t the best writer that I’ve ever read, but her books have made me feel things that no other book/ author have.” Fast forward several years and I now think…you know, just because someone’s writing isn’t lyrical or on par with the classics, it doesn’t mean they aren’t the best writer you’ve ever read. For me, I treasure ANY book that makes me feel even a fraction of what these, what all of her books, have made me feel. I swear to God I spent this entire book crying, laughing, heart racing, scared out of my wits, clutching my heart or throat because I was damn invested in what I might find on the next page. If some evil person were to tell me that I was only able to read one author’s books for the rest of my life, it would be hers.

Who do you wish to be? 
“Someone worthy of my friends,” he said into the quiet night. “A king worthy of his kingdom.” For a heartbeat, snow-white hair and golden eyes flashed into his mind. “Happy,” he whispered, and wrapped a hand around Damaris’s hilt.

I guess I should probably start this review with the characters, huh? Can I just say how PROUD I am of all of these characters?! Oh my GOSH when I think about how each and every one of them started from the first page we met them to their last page…I can’t even express the amount of growth that every. single. one. of them went through. I sobbed my way through that last scene when Aelin, Dorian, and Chaol were saying their goodbyes and she told them she loved them. They began as a haunted, swaggering assassin, a fickle, devil-may-care prince, and a everything-has-to-be-the-book captain of the guard to….well you’ll just have to read until the end to find out, now won’t you? 🙂

Even all of the secondary characters will forever hold a very special place inside my heart. I am SO glad that Tower of Dawn became a full length novel so we were able to meet and fall in love with Yrene, Sartaq, Borte, and crew. I MEAN YRENE TOWERS/WESTFALL PEOPLE??!?!?!? I feel like I don’t need to say more about that incredible woman. Her and Chaol are marriage goals x1000000.

Speaking of couples, I ship them all. Every single one of the lovesick fools. View Spoiler »I fucking died at Lord Lorcan Lochan bhahahahah. Also I am in love with the open ending that is Dorian and Manon..Finally yes, Aedion was a fucking prick but…he atoned for his shittiness. I believe that he is the one person who truly understands what Lysandra has gone through and that they both can work through their past’s together « Hide Spoiler. It’s funny…my heart was initially SHATTERED when my Chaolaena ship sank. Not looking back, all I can do is laugh. Rowan is so ~it~ for Aelin. He is her equal in every. single. way. I feel like I don’t even really need to get into why they’re perfect for each other because it just all makes sense.

Be the bridge, be the light. When iron melts, when flowers spring from fields of blood—let the land be witness, and return home

What else? 

Battles: Hmm..well..can we talk about how intense the battle scenes were in this book. Like they were on a J. R. R. Tolkien level with the Battle of Helms Deep/ the last battle in Return of the King. I get shivers just thinking about them. Also….also. View Spoiler »The hardest I cried in the entire book was when Manon’s Twelve sacrificed themselves to destroy that witch tower. God, I didn’t realize how important they were to me until then. ESPECIALLY Asterin. I am so glad she was able to take the Blackbeak Matron down with her and that she’s hopefully happy with her hunter and her baby. *sobs all over again*. « Hide Spoiler

Gods: screw ‘em. View Spoiler »HOW SATISFYING WAS THAT????????!?!? I hope Deanna was ripped apart by the Valg. Bitch. UM ALSO WE ALL KNOW THAT WINGED MALE WAS RHYS. I freaked the F out. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I want that in their perspective so freaking badly, lol « Hide Spoiler

Loose ends: allllllllll tied up, mostly. The only thing that I thought was going to be more important was finding out who the owl was that Maeve keeps as her personal healer. I was CONVINCED that it was going to be someone important but…whatever. Other than that every single thread was tied up neatly. I am fully satisfied.

Final thoughts: Fireheart, I couldn’t be more proud of the character you became. You will be a beacon of hope and courage for me for the rest of my life. I hope that someday I can share your story with my own daughter and that she will grow up brave and strong and knowing that her heart will always lead her home.

Sarah, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this story. I will treasure it forever.

My name is Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, and I will not be afraid. I will not be afraid. I will not be afraid. 

Synopsis:

In the next installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, follow Chaol on his sweeping journey to a distant empire.

Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken.

His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica—the stronghold of the southern continent's mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them.

But what they discover in Antica will change them both—and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined.

Review:

The Lord now in front of Chaol’s name was a mockery. A mockery and a lie that Dorian had refused to abandon despite Chaol’s protests. Lord Chaol Westfall, Hand of the King. He hated it. More than the sound of wheels. More than the body he now could not feel beneath his hips, the body whose stillness still surprised him, even all these weeks later. He was Lord of Nothing. Lord of Oath-Breakers. Lord of Liars.

Well this is going to be one huge mess of a review I can already tell….The reason for this, you see, is that Chaol has been one of my favorite characters from the very moment we were first introduced to him in Throne of Glass. We’ve seen him as a tough and utterly loyal captain of the guard who saw that there was no reason Dorian should be trusting this dangerous assassin in their castle, to a young man falling in love with said assassin, to a shattered character who seemed utterly lost with only a sliver of hope that he could redeem himself and all that he’d done. So many people were so mad at Maas with how Chaol’s character was portrayed in Queen of Shadows and while I was ~disappointed~, I knew that characters go down certain paths for certain reasons that only their creator would know about. When I found out that we were getting more than just a novella about him, I was so excited. I just felt like we deserved to delve deeper into who he is as a character and hopefully see some growth and healing along the way.

Sartaq whispered in Nesryn’s ear, “I was praying to the Eternal Sky and all thirty-six gods that you’d say yes.” She smiled, even if he couldn’t see it.
“So was I,” Nesryn breathed, and they leaped into the skies.

BOY DID WE EVER. Holy cow I was blown away by the care and consideration Maas put into the journey that my Chaol went through in this book. For those of you worried about him being in a chair and him being “fixed” by being able to walk in the end—have no fear. 

I loved that Chaol’s journey to healing emotionally ran parallel with Yrene’s healing of his legs BUT that in the end, his emotional journey was what really mattered. View Spoiler »Yes, he was able to walk in the end in accordance with Yrene’s power supply BUT it didn’t even really matter. Through completing his journey and learning how to love himself, he learned that being in the chair, or having to use a cane for parts of the rest of his life didn’t make him any less of a person. He embraced that new part of himself which is such amazing progress from where he started. « Hide Spoiler Even though I can’t say that my legs have ever been impaired, I just hope that this is a good representation of acceptance and that people who struggle with having to use a cane, or brace, or walker will take heart with this story. And that people who DON’T struggle to walk (or with any disability) will realize how important it is to take a chance to understand what other people are going through and to help them know how strong they are. I hope that makes sense. I just felt like Maas did a really great job here and my heart was so full by the end of the book.

Yrene was smiling, and then she was laughing, as if she could not contain it inside her. Chaol thought it was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. And that this moment, flying together over the sands, devouring the desert wind, her hair a golden-brown banner behind her … Chaol felt, perhaps for the first time, as if he was awake. And he was grateful, right down to his very bones, for it.

Overall this book, despite the heave themes of healing and accepting oneself, was a breath of fresh air. I didn’t realize how much I needed less Aelin and Rowan drama until I read a book that they weren’t in. DON’T GET ME WRONG, I love this entire series so much BUT I also feel like Empire of Storms was a clusterfuck of scheming and drama and craziness that actually made me want to not give it five stars at all.

Was there scheming and intrigue in this book? Yes. But, Chaol and Nesryn have always been two of the most no-nonsense people of this entire series so it stands to reason that I would like a book in which they are two of the main voices, a lot.

ANDDDD all of the new characters. And all of the Southern Continent. AND THE SHIPS. You guyssssss. View Spoiler » Chaol and Yrene are my new favorite couple under Nessian…what is their ship name?!?!? I need one. « Hide SpoilerSo many new amazing ones. Looooove love love Borte and Sartaq the best out of everyone else we’ve met in this book. And obviously loved when Chaol realized who had written the note for Yrene muahaha.

He could still speak with dignity and command whether he stood on his feet or was laid flat on his back. The chair was no prison, nothing that made him lesser.

Basically this book was just…soo good. All of the new things we learned too. You CAN’T skip this. No way. Like I got to the end and all I could think about was how much Maas has grown as a writer. There was nothing about this book that I didn’t like. And I loved what she added to the overall scheme of how the war will play out too, omg.

Not even going to get into the last Fireheart chapter……all I will say is that even if you didn’t like the direction of Chaol’s character in Queen of Shadows, please read this book. He deserves it. ♥

P.S. I freaking KNEW that owl with Maeve in Dornelle was going to be important. I need to know who the hell it is. I feel like that’s not really a spoiler that it’s mentioned because…if you had been paying attention in Heir of fire you would have already been suspicious from the beginning like me….any theories?

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 »CROCHAN QUEEN and the answer to the curse that has plagued their land for hundreds of years « Hide 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 »I don’t know what to say about the ending other than the fact that it blew my damn mind. I am so worried for Aelin. So, so worried. HOW IS SHE GOING TO SURVIVE THIS? How? And I mean mentally. She was in such a fragile fucking state for so long after Endovier and this time around she has SO. MUCH. MORE. TO. LOSE. It made me sick to my stomach when she was whipped by that prick. I would have wanted anything else but that. And when Galen and the Silent Assassins showed up….that’s when I started to really cry. And fucking Lysandra’s plan to impersonate Aelin. Like what in the actual F. So genius but so, so horrible. I’ll give her this—Maas knows how to end a fucking book. « Hide Spoiler

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