Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Age Group: Young Adult

Rating: 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it… or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Sarah J. Maas did it again. When I read Throne of Glass, I fell in love. With A Court of Thorns and Roses, I doubt I’ll ever recover.

The story feels like a fairytale – timeless, endless, magical. Feyre is a poor girl who has to resort to hunting to get enough food for her father and two sisters. They were wealthy once, but they’re now very poor and on the verge of starvation. So when Feyre finds a wolf in the woods she kills it, even though she suspect it’s a faerie. As payment for her debt by killing one of the fey, she now needs to live out the rest of her life in Prythian, the magical land of the Fae.

Feyre is cold and determined, made that way by the harsh life she’s led. She rarely acts childish (except once when I kind of wanted to slap her across the face), and she’s very courageous. I also loved how she put her family first, and how much she cared about them. Unfortunately they didn’t seem to care for her half as much.

Tamlin is the High Fae lord who Feyre now must answer to. He’s the lord of the Spring Court, and he’s really swoon worthy. He’s a good guy, willing to risk his life for others, and although he’s mysterious, he’s also protective, fiercely loyal. And while I totally get the fling between Feyre and Tamlin…

… I don’t think it’s real love. I mean, she loves him, sure, but not in love love. She loves him in the way she loves a friend. A very hot, sexy friend, but I don’t think it’s real love. Sorry for all the Tamlin/Feyre shippers, but I think her heart will eventually settle for someone else.

Bring in Rhysand. Dark. Mysterious. Haunted. Sarcastic. I think he’ll manage to steal Feyre’s heart in the next book.

There’s also Lucien, Tamlin’s best friend. I actually kind of liked him. It’s nice to see Feyre having a friend who has no ulterior motives… I hope. Feyre’s sisters were interesting too, especially Nesta; I think there’s more to her than meets the eye.

The best part of the book besides the writing (which was excellent) was no doubt the world-building. The descriptions of the settings were wonderful. Prythian has a rich and engaging history, and I loved learning more about it and about the Fae.

If you haven’t read this yet, shame on you. Go into the first book store you can find and buy it. NOW. What are you waiting for?