I've always been a fan of 'hint of' books. By that, I mean 'a hint of magic', 'a hint of mystery', 'a hint of fantasy', but not too much. Despite being a massive Harry Potter fan, and a LoTR watcher (several times, on repeat), I always thought a lot of fantasy books were a little too strong, and I struggled to find them believable or the characters relatable.
This year, however, I decided it was time to give fantasy another chance. At the recommendation of a friend, I picked up a copy of Sarah J Maas' 'A Court of Thorns and Roses', and believe you me, I have definitely not looked back. Feyre's life became intertwined with my own as I found myself considering her dilemmas, her options, and even her future as I stayed up into the small hours reading this masterpiece...
...and if ACOTAR is a masterpiece, then its sequel, 'A Court of Mist and Fury' is the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Just when I thought the storyline and world couldn't possibly get any better, Maas hit me with THIS. I practically salivated over how the characters developed, at the numerous cliffhangers, and high-action moments that oozed out of the pages. Luckily for me, my timing was absolutely on point, as I finished this just a week before the release of the third book, 'A Court of Wings and Ruin'.
I promise no spoilers, but what I will say is that ACOMAF ended on quite the cliffhanger, and so I was absolutely itching to get my hands on Maas' latest work of genius, which I knew I'd love before even beginning. When reading, I found the beginning a little slow starting, and missed some of my favourite characters (no spoilers, but if you've read this then you'll know exactly who I mean!), but as the action picked up, I found myself once again caught in the magical world of Prythian, watching the politics between courts more closely than the politics of my own coutry!
The third book is a fantastic addition to the series, and once again the character development was superb. I write this before finishing the book, partly because I was so eager to write a review, and partly because I am savouring the final few chapters in the foolish hope that I can make them last forever - I simply do not want to leave this magical world behind.
If you haven't read this series, or like my past self think it isn't quite your thing, I would encourage you to give it a try - you never know, you too may be surprised.
