Reviews by kingrosereads | The StoryGraph

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Auren finally realising Midas manipulated her for 10 years and her fighting back was everything! I cannot wait to see where she goes from here. Rip being Rot was not surprising, I had my suspicions then my doubts then vindication! Love the series! It’s like a mix of FBAA and ACOTAR. Ready and eager for more!

Gleam

Raven Kennedy

4.5

adventurous challenging dark funny tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

After 3 books, we finally get the Rip & Auren love scene! I love it so much. And we meet Fake Rip who is my new favorite and it turns out to be Slade’s brother, Ryatt (can’t wait to see more of him!). Lucky this cliffhanger is one I can live with so I’m not crawling out of my skin for the next 9 months! Loved Auren’s development with dealing with her trauma and relationship with Midas. It made me happy she killed him, but I’m made he didn’t suffer like she wanted him to! Him cutting her ribbons KILLED me and I hope she can somehow grow them back because I miss the little flirts.

The Crown of Gilded Bones

Jennifer L. Armentrout

3.0

Surprisingly took my time with this book because I realized it was not a trilogy (I read the other two books within 60 hours). I am so glad I braced myself because damn does it end when it’s getting good.

The romance is great in this one (though nothing has been able to beat the woods scene in FBAA) and seeing the vulnerability of Casteel was just amazing. My heart broke for Poppy and her lose and I definitely could relate to her hate and anger and pain.

It’s my least favorite but favorite of the three books so far. I hated the repetitive jokes, though I often find myself laughing at things that Kieran or Poppy says throughout the series. It definitely felt like a filler book for a huge chunk in the second and third quarter. But the first and last quarter? Ah-mazing. The plot twist is a little chunky but good. I’m excited to see new creatures and places in Solis. Upset I have to wait 8 months though.

Blood & Honey

Shelby Mahurin

3.25

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book was looooong as hell. And I mean it dragged on for a while. And then the emotional turmoil with Reid and Lou was just too much for my heart. But it got better and faster with the action in the last quarter. I am NOT okay with what happened at the end. I had basically attached the brotherly love I have for my brothers to Ansel and YOU ma’am just killed my little brother for WHY. Also, Lou better get out from underneath the control of the blood witches because I can’t take this pain anymore!

Gods & Monsters

Shelby Mahurin

4.5

adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It’s okay that my heart was torn out in Blood & Honey. But it was uncalled for to make me cry again in Gods & Monsters. This one was definitely miles better than the second instalment of the series. It was an emotional rollercoaster to be sure but I actually liked Lou and Reid better in this book. They were nearly insufferable in Blood & Honey.

I liked Reid without his memories finding his way back to Lou the most. I’m glad that the last chapter was of Ansel’s point of view. It made my heart happy. Overall, fun series and different from other fantasy books about witches.

Crown of Midnight

Sarah J. Maas

3.25

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Okay this one was a little dry but it’s started laying down what the rest of the series seems to be heading.

Rebellion and overthrowing a tyrant and a lost princess destined to be a badass Fae Queen? Yes please. It was heartbreaking that Nehemia died and in such a grotesque manner. I’m glad Calaena/Aelin got her revenge in that regard. I’m ready for the epic adventure getting these keys! I’m so upset Chaol is leaving the castle like Dorian cannot be alone. The urge to cheat and peek ahead is too strong after this book. Loved the relationship between Chaol and Calaena. I’m sad it couldn’t be a little longer since they both deserve a little happiness.

Content Warnings

Throne of Glass

Sarah J. Maas

3.5

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Interesting start for the series. I can’t wait what adventures Calaena will get into next. I hope it’s more than just her being the king’s assassin and it seems with Queen Elena’s warning there’s more to come. Clearly, the king is using some kind of dark magic that resulted in the deaths of those 500 people plus his own unit of soldiers. I like Dorian and Chaol, I’m interested to see where their own journeys take them. And Nehemia is my favorite character so far.

Empire of Storms

Sarah J. Maas

4.5

adventurous challenging funny medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This has to be my favorite of the series thus far. I love the different pathways and quests each group carried out and then they converged as one.

I am upset they split up again and that Aelin was taken. Classic SJM with the surprise they’re married. I have a feeling with two Mala descendants perhaps they both can create the lock with either dying because this has to end happily after all the crap the characters have gone through. I read this at the same time as Town of Dawn and it was an experience and I’m really glad I read it that way, especially since Chaol is my least favorite character.

Tower of Dawn

Sarah J. Maas

3.25

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

A lot of this book was just information and building romance. However, not the romance I wanted as Nesyrn & Sartaq barely kissed at the very end. But a lot of important information was revealed in this book and now I’m anxious for them to get to the Terrasen group to tell them what’s going on with Maeve.

The Spanish Love Deception

Elena Armas

3.75

funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This book was cheesy as hell and I loved it. It’s very romcom-esque and a good palate cleanser as I try to give my brain a break from high fantasy series. It was fun and cute.

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