Review: I found “A Court of Frost and Starlight” to be a breath of fresh air! Thus far, the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series has only been told from Feyre’s point of view. “A Court of Frost and Starlight” allows for the reader to see things from Rhys’, Cassian’s, and Mor’s perspective which was great! I also enjoyed seeing the Court of Dreams celebrate the solstice without war looming. 

In addition, I appreciate how this novella communicates that we all cope with our inner demons in different ways. Through her characters, Maas expresses that at some point, we may have to face our demons and we don’t have to go through that process alone.

Review: It was really refreshing to return to Prythian and read from Nesta’s perspective in “A Court of Silver Flames.” 

The book follows Nesta’s mental health journey, as it was previously established that Nesta felt a lot of guilt towards the death of her father, Elain’s capture, and Feyre’s upbringing. In addition, Nesta experienced a lot of grief after being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae. In “A Court of Silver Flames,” Nesta masks her guilt and grief with anger and tried to drown herself in alcohol and sex. 

As Nesta’s condition worsened, Feyre intervened. With the help of Cassian, the Night Court, and few friends Nesta made along the way, she was able to liberate herself from the darkness inside. 

I appreciate how real Nesta’s mental health journey was. Her struggles were something I felt I could relate to and I loved how Maas emphasized that healing does not happen right away. I am so glad that Nesta had such a great support system and I hope that what others are able to take away from this book is that you should always keep reaching your hand out to those who need it. 

Another element I enjoyed was how empowering this book is to women. The introduction of Gwyn and Emerie created a fierce girl group determined to pave their own way in the world. 

Though I felt that the sexual content was too much for my tastes and that Feyre’s side plot drew the attention away from Nesta at times, I really enjoyed this book and would rank it as my second favorite in the series behind “A Court of Mist and Fury.”

Review: I was really excited to get to this book because it kept reappearing on my instagram feed! The book also advertises itself towards those who like the acotar series by Sarah J. Maas, so i thought i would give it a read! 

Despite this novel’s extremely slow start, I enjoyed it. The most intriguing part of the novel was the complexity of the world. There were many different parts to it: the natural world, Midscape, the veil, the beyond, and the fade. In addition, there were many species occupying the world developed by Kova, ranging from humans to vampires. i hope we get to explore more of this world in book 2! 

What could have made this book stronger for me would have been to write it in the third person and include alternating perspectives. I grew tired of Luella’s character, as she felt very childish and her thoughts were very repetitive (my town payed for my schooling, I need to stop the cycle, etc.). I would have also liked to have seen things from Eldas’ perspective because I found him to be a strong character.

I also wished there was more romance. The slow burn was a little too slow for me and i wished Kova had included more of those cottage scenes. There was little chemistry and I expected more from a work advertising itself to an acotar audience. 

All in all, I’m glad I got around to reading this book! It is very reminiscent of the myth of Hades and Persephone.

Review: I appreciated how unique and different this book was. I have never read anything like it! All of the characters were morally grey and the world was fascinating! I especially liked Jude’s character because she was so fierce. It was intriguing to watch her switch from a passive character to one that was cruel and cold in order to survive.

Despite the hype Jude and Cardan got as a couple, I found their relationship to be a bit of a letdown. The buildup to Cardan confessing his attraction to Jude was too long for me. And while I did find the buildup to be worth it in the end, I had hoped more time would be spent exploring Cardan’s hatred towards his attraction to Jude. I just wanted more Jude and Cardan moments, because the whole novel seemed to center around Jude while Cardan was left as a side character. However, that may just go to show that my preferences regarding romance are formulaic.

All in all, I found this book to be incredibly entertaining and definitely recommend it to those who want to escape to a fantastical world for the weekend!

Jess Approved?: ✓

Review: While I did not love this novel as much as “A Court of Mist and Fury,” I still enjoyed it! It was exciting to venture beyond The Night Court and The Spring Court into The Dawn Court and The Summer Court. I also appreciated that Maas allowed us to explore the abilities of both Nesta and Elain as well as witness the final battle unfolding. 

I was a bit disappointed in Feyre’s character in this book because she was not as involved in the action as I expected her to be.

In “A Court of Mist and Fury,” she was made out to be this mighty warrior and then practically sat out of the final battle. She was only involved in the siege at Adriata and then Maas just decided she was done fighting after that. I suppose I just expected Feyre to be the one to kill Hybern, but instead that task was left to Elain of all people.

Despite these few criticisms, I really enjoyed the surprising twists and turns in this book paired with Avengers-esque moments!

Review: I felt as though it took me a while to get into this book, but I ultimately found “The Wicked King” to be even more enjoyable than “The Cruel Prince!” There were many twists and turns (as well as betrayals) that I did not see coming. Mrs. Black truly is the Queen of suspense and cliffhangers! 

In the previous book, the reader was able to explore Elfhame through Black’s imagery. It was wonderful to be able to explore the world of the undersea in this novel and watch Jude and Cardan’s relationship develop. 

However, despite this development, I still expected / wanted MORE romance. There were many instances throughout the novel where I was hoping Black would take things a step further. One such instance was when Jude was rescued from the undersea. I was expecting Cardan to become more possessive of Jude, but once again, he felt more like a side character in this novel. 

Regardless of my want for more romance, I truly appreciate Black’s knack for storytelling. Her imagery is incredible, her diction is strong, and her jaw dropping endings are sure to snag anyone’s attention.

Review: “The Queen of Nothing” is definitely my favorite book from Holly Black’s “The Folk of the Air.” I was thrown right into the action and this final book delivered a satisfying ending where all loose ends were tied up. 

What made this novel so appealing to me was how many of the female characters in the series were given their time to shine! Jude was just as a fierce as ever, but Taryn, Vivienne, Nicasia, Oriana, and The Bomb also played an integral role in the story. 

I also felt as though the last book delivered on the romance element I had been craving for in the first two books. Both Jude and Cardan really grew as characters and I was left in shambles when the two began to express their feelings to each other. 

As I reached the final few pages, I was left feeling empty knowing my time with Jude and Cardan was coming to an end. I think that speaks volumes about Holly Black’s writing and her ability to connect with her readers. 

Review: I initially did not think I would end up purchasing this book because I do not often read side stories within a series. Ultimately, I am so glad I gave this collection a chance because I thoroughly enjoyed it!

For starters, it was awesome to finally read from Cardan’s perspective! Black allows the reader to view certain aspects of time that were briefly touched on in the previous “Folk of the Air” books through Cardan’s eyes. By writing a collection of short stories rather than a prequel, Black was able to jump around in time and show us Cardan’s life before and after Jude which I really appreciated. 

In addition to a collection of short stories, the novel includes absolutely stunning illustrations spread throughout! Rovina Cai did a phenomenal job capturing Cardan and other characters on the page. The illustrations paired with Holly Black’s text creates a storybook feel, transporting the reader to Elfhame where Cardan is hearing his own storybook tales being read aloud (the stories within the story truly are meta). 

The fantastical images paired with the superb storytelling of Holly Black make How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories one of my favorite purchases of 2021!

Jess Approved?: ✓