Rate: 5/5

Medium: Audiobook

Overview (No Spoilers):

I can hardly contain how much I enjoy this series, much to my husband’s annoyance, as I cannot put down one of these books upon starting them. Maas is quite skilled at weaving a story in which the twists are not obvious and continually surprise me. I typically think I’m fairly adept at predicting outcomes, however Maas has done an excellent job throughout this series at keeping me on my toes.   Moreover, the characters, we’ve come to love, have continued to mature and grow in leaps and bounds with each additional book.   Heir of Fire is no exception! Celaena is in her mother’s homeland, Wendlyn, where she is ordered to master her magic by her Great Aunt Maude, under the watchful eye of Prince Rowan. During her training she is forced to address her past, which has been hidden far away in her mind. The addition of other characters, e.g., Manon (Blackbeak witch), Aedion (Celaena’s childhood friend/cousin), Rowan (Fae warrior prince), and Sorcha (the healer), were delightful and much needed as the story is growing beyond the initial small world of the castle. Overall, give this series a shot! The story itself has matured much as the initial characters have and I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

Additional Insight (May Contain Spoilers):

1. Will Chaol be able to save Aedion and Dorian from the King? Why did Chaol have an outburst in front of the King thereby forcing Dorian’s hand and exposing his magic? What will the collar do to poor Dorian? Will Celaena be able to remove the collar and restore Dorian to his original state? I loved the maturity and Kingly nature that Dorian obtained throughout this book. I couldn’t understand the point of Chaol keeping Dorian in the dark about his father, Celaena, and magic.
2. Finally, the full truth to Celaena’s past comes to light and much to the readers delight is filled with magic, mystery and details galore! I loved that the final Wyrdkey was an heirloom of Celaena’s family and will finally introduce her assassin mentor, and potentially betrayer into the story.
3. While initially I found the introduction of a witch’s perspective to be uninteresting, I quickly became fascinated by the intricacies of the social structures. I believe we will find that Manon will struggle with gaining a conscience, killing her grandmother, and choosing a side for the war in future books. The bond she experiences with her wyvern will be her undoing. Also, if the witches are deployed to Wendlyn, how will the return of their magic impact their attitudes? When/how will the terrible Yellowlegs heir meet her demise?
4. I could not get enough of the Rowan/Celaena dynamic. I wanted to skip ahead to their chapters, bypassing Chaol’s or the Manon’s sections. While initially their interactions often were cringe-worthy, their relationship soon grew to one of understanding and concern as they both healed each other of old emotional wounds. I’m so over Chaol. Why can’t these two develop further feelings!