A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

*A Shadow Bright and Burning will be released Tuesday, September 20th!*

A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess. Random House, 2016. Paperback/Softcover. 416 pages.

*I received a printed ARC of A Shadow Bright and Burning courtesy of Random House in exchange for an honest review.*

Jessica Cluess' debut novel begins the story of Henrietta Howel, who is believed to be the first, prophesied female sorcerer, a rare quality in the male-dominated world of magicians. As Henrietta begins her training to become a fully-fledged sorcerer, she starts to struggle and second-guess whether she even is the prophesied one.

A Shadow Bright and Burning felt both unique and familiar. The overall idea of a protagonist discovering their powers and traveling to a 'school' to learn more with other, more advanced pupils seem like an age-old tale (but I suppose it is popular for a reason). However, the ideas and magic system created feel fresh, and I truly enjoyed reading about every aspect.

As mentioned, I am a huge fan of this magic system. It felt very concrete (well, for the most part) and it had 'rules' that overall actually made sense. I liked that there was such a huge difference between what magicians and sorcerers are, and the explanations were fascinating. For instance, magicians create conduits of power with the elements, whereas sorcerers merely act as conductors and  alter/etc. the elements. This also perfectly sets up the background for why magicians are inherently seen as being more evil, as they can sort of create their own catastrophes.

Henrietta Howel is our main character, and I'm not sure how I feel about her. She's very stuck on tradition and acting 'like a lady,' which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it got a little old sometimes. However, I did appreciate how bold and unafraid she was, at times, and how she was willing to stand up for herself and own the fact that yes, she is a woman, but no, she is not going to accept your sexist views.

I enjoyed many of the supporting characters, such as Rook, Lilly, Magnus, Hargrove, and Blackwood. Hargrove is an incredible character, and I'm pretty sure he is one of my favorites in this book. Lilly is a sweet lady's maid to Henrietta, though I must say she was pretty similar to other lady's maids from other books, so perhaps that just shows Cluess really got the part down. I enjoyed the rest of the characters as well (including those not named here), and I'm sure I would have enjoyed many of the others if I had seen them more. I understand that there's only so much time to have other characters in the fray, but I missed seeing some of the other boys at the 'school' where Henrietta studied. They were always there, but rarely discussed, so when they suddenly become much more prominent at the end of the book, I found myself feeling like they were just sort of thrown in there.

There were a few surprises along the way that felt somewhat predictable, but fortunately this didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the book. A Shadow Bright and Burning was so entertaining and well-written that I didn't care about a few of the cliches or stereotypes used. And while most people like to complain about love triangles, I'm not sure I minded this one, - and I'm not sure if I would even call it one - simply because it wasn't prominent. It definitely wasn't at the forefront, and there was never anything overtly annoying or in your face about it. Sure, flirtations and romantic interests were apparent, but it wasn't like most of the dreaded, constantly fretted about love triangles found in other books, so please don't let reviews that mention this take away any potential interest in reading this book.

Lastly, I'd just like to touch on Cluess' world building. This world was great to me, because it was set in a realistic world in what feels like the nineteenth century, complete with mentions of historical events and even America, but it was also fantastical and full of a magical background/lore that flowed perfectly throughout the setting.

This was honestly a really fun and enjoyable ride. I truly enjoyed learning the lore, the history of the magic, and the rules and how it is and can be used. Cluess has created a truly exciting world that I cannot wait to read more of, and thus I am giving A Shadow Bright and Burning four stars!

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Nevernight by Jay Kristoff (Spoiler-free!)

*Nevernight will be released on Tuesday, August 9th!*

(US cover here - I am in the U.S., but I just really love the UK/AUS cover)

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. Harper Voyager, 2016. Ebook. 448 pages.

*I received an ARC of Nevernight courtesy of Harper Voyager and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I have been wanting to post this review for what seems like ages now, but since I generally tend to post my review closer to the release date, I've  been waiting and waiting - but I am waiting no more!

Nevernight is truly a masterpiece of immense proportions. If you want a brief review: Go read this book. If you want a more expansive review, please do read on.

This was my first experience with Kristoff's writing, and I fell in love with it almost immediately.  By probably the fifth page or so, I could tell that he was one of those authors that writes with a wonderful flow and instead of merely using words to convey his story, he commands words to say what he wants - his storytelling becomes those words. That probably sounds completely ridiculous, but my point is that his prose is both effortless and powerful all in one and it really makes for a breathtaking (sometimes literally for the characters) reading experience.

Nevernight is essentially about a girl named Mia who hopes to join the ranks of some of the deadliest assassins in the land. There is a boatload of juicy intrigue, plots, and secrets. This a bloody, brutal book with fierce characters and competition and I loved every minute of it.

First, I adored whoever our narrator was. The dry wit and sense of humor were such welcome additions to this dark story. I also particularly loved the footnotes. They added a wonderful dimension to the story and provided detailed background information (or mere asides) that firmly enforced the world-building and truly brought the world of Nevernight alive around me. I don't often see footnotes in fiction books (with a few exceptions), and I really enjoyed the concept. It made it feel much more like I was reading something real and authentic.

For many of the chapters, there is a switch between the telling the story of the present day and telling the story of Mia's past and what got her to the present day. This was one of those rare occasions in which I liked the occasional switches between present day and experiences from Mia's past. Sometimes these can be overdone and a tad on the dry side, but learning about Mia's past was just as interesting and also helped with understanding her and her story. This brings me to Mia, a realistic, badass, and wonderfully developed character that I loved reading about. She's serious and tough, but also maintains her own distinct sense of humor and endearing personality. Along with Mia is Mister Kindly, her not-cat shadow that acts as her constant companion; I loved the relationship between the two characters, as well as the overall concept of what Mister Kindly is as well (keeping it vague because spoilers).

As far as secondary characters go, there is such an abundance of outstanding ones that I'm not going to go through and discuss each one individually here because I'm pretty sure none of you want to sit and read this review all day. Suffice to say, Nevernight is full of interesting, well-developed, and wonderfully molded characters that do nothing but add immense depth and entertainment to the story.

 I was so immersed in this novel that I ended up speeding through it faster than I've sped through a book of this size in a while. The ending was absolutely brutal and  beautiful and heartbreakingly perfect all in one. I sat in awe for quite a long time after finishing this book, and I still occasionally like to sit back and think about what a wonderful journey this book was.

I would like to quickly add that I was pretty confused for the first few pages, as I wasn't sure how long the parallel format storyline was going to continue (despite how wonderfully written it was), but once I got into the groove and things started happening, I was completely hooked and everything fell into place.

Side note: I've been on a very successful book buying ban this year (I've bought hardly any books - most have been ARCs or library books, though I do go to a lot of library sales... but they're so cheap I don't always count them), but I completely splurged and went for the red stained pages from Goldsboro - I'm so excited and it's gorgeous!

I think a star explanation is unnecessary - this is hands down a five-star book that earned itself a place on my favorites shelf. And I personally don't even want to compare this to Harry Potter because it's in a league all on its own - no comparisons or mash-ups necessary.

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Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015. Hardcover/Hardback. 599 pages.

I genuinely don't know how to start this review because there are just so many thoughts racing through my head about this book, but I will do my best.

I've seen Illuminae around the book community for what feels like ages now, even though it just came out last year, and now that I've read it I'm also mad at myself for not picking it up earlier. I think it was mainly because I'm not normally that interested in futuristic worlds or high school romance (which, by the way, is not an adequate classification for Illuminae). Illuminae basically follows the story of Kady Grant and Ezra Mason as their planet is invaded and those remaining from the attack must battle for their lives. Oh yeah, and a horrible plague has broken out that essentially makes people violent and crazy. This book is made up of classified documents, IMs, surveillance footage transcripts, and transcripts from crew members.

First off, it's just utterly brilliant. I love novels that try to break through the binds of traditional presentation and do something different, but it's often heard to achieve without coming across overly cliche'd or try-hard. Fortunately, Illuminae is one of the few that pulls off this feat remarkably well and thus created a truly breathtaking story as a result. The only other book that comes close to invoking somewhat similar feelings as Illuminae by using unconventional formats and typography is Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves, and even then there is still much difference between the two books.

This book took me on such a roller coaster of a ride that I feel like I'm still feeling the aftereffects. The characters are all absolutely brilliant, which I'll admit was something I worried about due to the setup of the book; I wasn't sure if it allowed for the development of many characters. Well, I was needlessly worried. I fell in love with Kady and Ezra, as well as a few of the minor characters that we are introduced to as well. Everyone is so animated and each character has a strong, exciting personality that makes it hard not to become fully engaged with each one. I thought the romance element would bother me, but it was surprisingly entertaining and didn't drive me completely crazy; I instead enjoyed watching the growth and the strong bond that lay between them despite their past and current situation. I'm also very intrigued by Ezra's mysterious family and I'm hoping Gemina delves into that whole situation more deeply, which I assume it will.

I also really liked exploring the theme of artificial intelligence and the potential impacts it can have upon a society when things don't always go according to plan. I feel like that entire aspect of Illuminae brings up so many great potential discussion points that really need to be had.

In order to make sure this stays spoiler-free, I'm going to leave much of the rest of my analysis of the plot out because this is definitely a book that thrives on the element of surprise and the unexpected.

Illuminae will make you laugh, cry, cringe, and gasp in horror as you continue to uncover this tragic, incredible story page after page - and it's all completely worth it. Overall, I am definitely giving Illuminae a well-deserved five stars for creating such an in-depth, captivating story that kept me on the edge of my seat and for making me so excited for the next installment (this August!)

Side note: I loved the shout-outs to various authors and such. When I came across the casualty list, I thought 'I bet the author's names are in there' - and yep, they were! There is also a movie poster at one point, and more fun authors names can be found there as well. So very clever - I love little easter egg type things.

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Waiting on Wednesday: A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

This week's upcoming book spotlight is:

A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

Publication Date: September 20, 2016

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

From Goodreads:

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. 
Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers.

Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her.

But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one.
As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?

Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces Henrietta Howel, a powerful, unforgettable heroine, and an entertaining world filled with magic, monsters, and mayhem. 

There are so many enticing things about this book! I love a good Victorian London setting - there's just something so captivating about it. But I also am really intrigued by the notion that our protagonist is chosen to be the 'chosen girl,' but that she's actually not the chosen one. I have to say, that's not a commonly used setup, so I think (and hope) that this book will be completely unexpected. 

What do you think about this upcoming release? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

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Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine

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Paper and Fire will be released Tuesday, July 5th!

Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine. NAL, 2016. 368 pages. Ebook.

**I received an ARC of Paper and Fire courtesy of NetGalley and NAL publishers in exchange for an honest review**

Take the intensity of Ink and Bone, amp it up about ten times, and you have Paper and Fire. This second installment to The Great Library series is even stronger than Ink and Bone and adds even more depth and intrigue to this unique setting.

Initially, I was worried that I wouldn't understand what was going on since it feels like I read Ink and Bone so long ago, but fortunately I was able to fall right back into the world with great ease.World-building within the world of Paper and Fire is incredibly detailed and somehow even more thrilling than I remembered from Ink and Bone.

The world itself is so intricate and unique - what book lover wouldn't love a premise in which the Library of Alexandria still exists? But then there's that flipside where, oh yeah, no one is allowed to read a majority of those books. No one is even allowed to own physical books for that matter - everything is all on a tablet device with a somewhat limited collection - you know, limited to what the government deems appropriate.

The first thing that stands out to me about Paper and Fire is how much I love learning about the various positions and roles that people can take within this society, such as the High Garda and working in the Iron Tower. These roles tell so much about the strict world Jess lives in and to what extent the Library will go to in order to make sure their rules are followed.

Where Paper and Fire  fell flat for me, however, was the lack of connection I felt towards some of the main characters and story itself. I'm not sure how this is possible, but I feel like I'm losing my grip on Jess. He has a very distinct, sharp character, but he's not exactly interesting - or overly likable, to be honest. There is often so much else going on with other characters that it almost appears as if he is left behind. He's become a rather bland, emotionless character that, quite frankly, I didn't find myself caring much about. However, one thing I did notice and appreciate about Jess was how much he seemed to mature from the first book, and even throughout Paper and Fire. He is no longer as rash and naive, but instead knows how to handle himself and take things more seriously.

I'm much more interested in some of the secondary characters, such as Kahlia, who is quiet, intelligent, and fierce, and Glain, a hard-nosed leader who takes everything she does very seriously. Santi and Wolfe are also still fascinating characters that bring so much depth to every scene they are in; they have such conflicting ideas about what they should sometimes do, but every argument or uncertainty is a direct result of the deep love they have for one another.

The weirdest aspect of reading Paper and Fire was that I never felt overly excited while reading this book, but I somehow couldn't stop reading it. I would put it down and think, 'hm, I guess I'll come back to it sometime later,' with very little emotion, but somehow I always seemed to pick it right back up and be unable to put it down. Caine has a way of using her words just right to keep you ever so slightly hooked at all times, regardless of your feelings about the book. Her prose is smooth and flows effortlessly, which leads to a thrilling reading experience.

Overall, I am giving Paper and Fire three stars, because despite the writing talents of Caine, the characters and overall story fell a bit flat and left me rather disappointed with this series.

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Sun Kissed by Coco Nichole

Sun Kissed by Coco Nichole. Nov. 2015. Softcover/Paperback. 

A little over a month ago I was emailed by Coco Nichole regarding reading and reviewing her new book, Sun Kissed, which I readily agreed to after reading the synopsis provided. I was very pleasantly surprised!

The story begins right after Sofia Aguilar has moved from her boarding school in the United States to live with her brother and dying mother in a remote Amazon village. The locals tell of the legend of the Encantados, mythical beings that can transform, control the weather, and enter into the dreams of humans. Sun Kissed takes us on Sofi's journey into this unique legend where we discover more about the mysterious Encantados.

Sun Kissed is a wonderful mixture of fantasy, myth, suspense, and entertainment that proves to be an effortless and enjoyable adventure. There is an exceptional blend of the innocence of youth with the temptations and dangers of the world as we mature. The setting of this story is in a small village in the beautiful South American Amazon and I found it to be a wonderfully refreshing change from many common settings. I loved the mysterious, enchanting Amazon river and the culture of the area. Nichole successfully created a realistic and culturally accurate setting; it's obvious that she did her research and put her heart into this story.

Sofi is a willful young girl with many human qualities that often trip her up and cause her to make mistakes that any normal person would, which made her relatable and understandable. She falls prey to the kind, smooth words of a beautiful man, but also has the sense to realize when things aren't quite right. Out of all the characters, Sofi appears to have experienced the most changes, going from a grumpy, unhappy, and bored teenager to one caught up in the thrill of an old legend and a growing love for her brother and mother.

The rest Nichole's characters are all teasingly diverse and full of life. However, I did feel that the character development was slightly lacking. The characters were unique and had great personalities that defined each one, but they needed a bit more in the developmental area. While the characters do undergo change and have dynamic qualities, these changes appear to be a bit too blunt and random, and I wish that, as the reader, I would have had more of a chance to witness the dynamic change within each person.

I also found this development issues within the plot as well. Before I go further, however, I do want to say that the plot and idea of this story is wonderfully unique and I think Nichole has struck gold with her story. It's refreshing, multicultural, and highly intriguing. Yet, in a manner similar to the character development, I just felt that the plot could have used a bit more explanation. Sun Kissed contained many points where more expansion could have benefited, though Nichole was still successful at developing complex backstories for her characters.  I would have loved to hear more about the Encante and some of the things they have done or are capable of doing. They are such an intriguing topic and legend, and I am excited to see what Nichole continues to develop within her story.

Overall, I am giving Sun Kissed three-and-a-half stars for its magical storytelling and exciting plot. I would recommend this to any who enjoys myths and legends, fantasy, or multicultural literature taking place in a new and exciting setting!

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An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. Razorbill; 2015. 464 pages. Ebook.

An Ember in the Ashes was an extremely delightful surprise to read. While I had only been hearing great things about it, I was still a bit unsure for some reason - the summary just didn't quite grab me. Fortunately, it turned out be a major hit.

This book is told in alternating perspectives: The first character we meet is Laia, a young Scholar girl living in fear of the Empire and whose brother has been kidnapped and arrested for treason. Her only goal throughout the book is to do anything and everything that she can to free him, even if it means getting killed. The second perspective is told by Elias, one of the top soldiers at the Empire's military school, and who is destined for greater things. With this, we have the basic setup of the plot, and the rest I will leave out for fear of giving away too much or giving away spoilers.

Laia is not your typical female character. She's strong, yes, and that is made apparent throughout the book, but what sets her apart is that she's also not strong. When her brother is being kidnapped for treason before her eyes she becomes frozen in fear, knowing that she should help, but also realizing that she feels too cowardly to do so. Now, I'm not saying she's weak, but it's interesting that an author has created a character that actually doesn't act out and do something stupid in an attempt at false bravery that ends up getting them and the character they are trying to save into even more trouble. Instead, she simple lets the character run away for her own safety. Laia is not a born and trained fighter; she is simply a girl trying to survive. Thus, when she becomes a spy for the Resistance, she has absolutely no idea what to do how to spy. This is where her character development kicks in: she starts out as somewhat innocent, meek, not overly bold of confident, but slowly transforms into a much more risk-taking and bold person. It is extremely fascinating to watch Laia as she begins to realize who she can and can't trust, how to maneuver in her new surroundings, and how she handles each unique situation that she is confronted with.

Next, we have Elias. Elias, unlike Laia, is a born fighter. He has been trained to show no emotion or remorse, but to be strong and stoic. The Martials are a brutal lot, (with somewhat psychopathic tendencies, I'd like to add) and Elias is one of the few (if not only) that realizes he doesn't want to become a part of the Mask lifestyle or live a life torturing and hurting innocent people. He does not want to live under the command of anyone - not even his mother, The Commandant. He's sympathetic, and we see many streaks of kindness in him as the story progresses. While he is brave, strong, and confident at the start of the book, these features continuously grow as he learns more and more about his fate and responsibilities.

Laia and Elias were both equally fascinating to read from their perspective. Their lives couldn't have been more different, yet they are also strangely similar. While they start out completely unaware of the other's existence, their stories slowly unfold in a way that causes them to end up in the same place as the other. A connection forms - slowly - between the two as their fates unravel into one another.

I feel it is also important to mention Helena, Elias' friend since childhood; the two have grown up learning to fight and become strong members of the Empire together. Their bond is introduced as purely platonic, but of course we know that there is always more to the story. Helena is much more headstrong than Elias, and also extremely devoted to the Empire; she is willing to do anything for the Empire. It is where her loyalty lies. This, of course, creates conflict and complications between her and Elias, and she becomes a huge test of Elias' strength, skill, and loyalty.

All of the antagonistic character in this book were wonderfully written - and by wonderfully written, I mean completely and utterly repulsive. The Commandant truly is the perfect villain. She is seriously evil and I am not exaggerating in the slightest. What I truly loved about Tahir's portrayal of The Commandant was that she did give her a bit of backstory that helps us understand a little bit more about her. But it still doesn't make us like her. If anything, it makes us realize how evil and conniving she truly is as a mother and person. There is also Markus, a fellow student of Elias' who is similarly evil in nature and out to make Elias' life hell. There's always one of those, right?

There are also a few minor characters who are, in my opinion, more representative of what most of the other Martial students are like: loyal to the death, but only because they have to be. These people aren't inherently evil or violent, but they have been raised in that environment, so it is all they know. They have been brainwashed to ridicule those who are weak or attempt to escape. They have deep loyalty to the Empire and to their friends, and are willing to do anything they must to maintain that, as well as continue on with their brutal ways, which would include raping and acting out in violent manners toward innocent Scholars.

Let's not sugarcoat it: this is a pretty intense books. There's extreme violence, torture, threat of rape multiple times throughout the book, and extremely psychopathic villain. This book constantly kept me on my toes! The book moved at a rather fast pace, but it worked perfectly with the novel itself. When a book has such a brutal landscape as this one, it's almost necessary and crucial to keep the story moving, otherwise it simple becomes too bleak and depressing to read. There  is a legitimate fear conveyed to the reader when Laia is sneaking around under The Commandant's watch that really blew me away; it's been a while since I've experienced such a dangerously terrifying villain in a book, where you are one hundred percent positive that they will have no problem mutilating or killing the protagonist.

Overall, this book will be getting five stars from me. I had a really difficult time deciding between four and five, but then I realized that I actually really enjoyed reading this book, and it got bumped to five. This is a major page-turner, and I highly, highly recommend it!

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A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

 A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. Bloomsbury Children's; 2015. 416 pages. Ebook. 

I don't know how Sarah J. Maas does it, but I haven fallen in love with every single thing that I have read by that woman. After reading all of the currently published Throne of Glass books, (minus Assassin's Blade, but including Crown of Midnight and Heir of Fire), I'll be honest and say that I was a little worried that it would be too similar and the characters would have too many overlapping traits. Thankfully, however, it turned out to be a perfectly unique, innovative story that contains just as many magical elements, but in entirely new ways. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) is, at its core, a fairy tale retelling; it contains elements of the well-loved Beauty and Beast story, but in a very loose, dark, and twisted sort of way. ACOTAR tells the story of a woman named Feyre who accidentally kills a member of the fae one day while hunting, and is then forced to repay her debt by living in a Prythian court, where she is watched over by two fae known as Tamlin and Lucien. While living in her new world, she learns the struggles and secrets of the fae, and slowly begins to warm to her captors, all the while becoming caught up the political turmoil of Prythian.

The two biggest factors that I think are what made this book so successful were the wonderful combination of characters and setting. While this book does contain some pretty intense action, the bigger emphasis was placed on the relationships between characters, as well as individual character development. Feyre, for instance is a strong woman who is fiercely loyal to her family, despite her often negative feelings towards them. Throughout the entire novel, she is the one taking care of her family, while in return her family acts as if they could not care less about her. Her sisters are useless; Feyre must hunt and provide for her family while they sit at home and carelessly throw away any extra money that she makes on frivolous items. Thankfully, by the end of the novel Maas allows us to see more sides of the sisters' personalities, which helps us to both understand their actions and see how they can change. Although Feyre is not a weak character in the slightest, she enters the house of Tamlin as an rather innocent, naive person. She has only ever heard myths and tales about the fae, which leads her to believe that that is how all fae act; she is, as we soon found, quite wrong. As she adapts to her new living situation, she begins to learn more her 'hosts,' as well as the lives and struggles of the fae as well. 

Moving on to Tamlin... Where to start? Tamlin is such a unique and interesting character; I was immediately intrigued by his actions and words. His demeanor is reminiscent of your typical 'charming captor' trope, but it was also very different. When he first meets Feyre, he is in his fae form and acts rather frightening and harsh, but we are soon able to learn that he isn't really a truly cruel person at all. It was curious to watch as he struggled to be nice and charming at times, but then naturally charming at others, such as when he takes Feyre to a lovely little lake to enjoy the Spring Court's weather. His relationship with Feyre is slow to start, but soon takes off with fiery speed. What begins as a rather mutual dislike (or hatred, one could argue) soon turns into a passion that cannot be stopped. The chemistry between the two is spot on, and completely obvious. 

Lucien and Rhysand are the last two main characters that I would like to discuss. Lucien comes across as talkative and honest man who isn't really afraid to say what he thinks. He's like the charming, teasing older brother that may be distant and brutal at times, but is ultimately someone you care deeply for. He has faced great tragedy and upset in his life, and he uses that to fuel his everyday existence and strive for revenge against Amarantha. Where Lucien is a somewhat lighter, honest-but-friendly character, Rhysand is a much darker, deadly sort of person. He is suave and immensely persuasive. He is incredibly tricky, and his power is deadly, which quickly instills fear in Feyre. While he is seen as an enemy, he is also a form of an ally, aiding Feyre when she needs it the most. Rhysand was another character that was extremely intriguing to me. How far would he go to help Feyre fight against Amarantha? How does he really feel about the current situations occurring in his world, and how does he truly feel about Feyre and Tamlin? These are all questions that I hope will be answered in forthcoming books. 

Maas has deposited all of these wonderful character in a land called Prythian, made up of various courts of fae, which are currently be ruled by a terribly and delightfully wicked fae known as Amarantha, a perfectly evil villain with an intriguing backstory. I loved this setting. Maas' fantasy world contains many of the same elements of other fantasy worlds, such as the poor peasants struggling to survive, frightened by the mythical tales they've been told their entire lives, and lands separated by magic and non-magic, it is still entirely unique and magical in its overall imagining. I enjoyed the various glimpses at faery traditions, other members of the fae, and the variety of beasts that inhabit the land, such as the Naga, Attor, Bogge, and Suriel. Every element brought even more fantasy and excitement into the story.

Overall, I highly recommend ACOTAR. For me, the sign of a good book is when I constantly have a desire to read it. If I'm not reading it and I'm dying to pick it up and lose myself in the pages, I know it's a winner. A Court of Thorns and Roses left me constantly longing to pick it up at every moment. The characters, setting, and storyline were perfect, and for all of those reasons, combined with the sheer enjoyment it brought me, I am giving ACOTAR  a lovely five stars. It earned every single one.

If you like A Court of Thorns and Roses, you might also like:

Thrones of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen.