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Rate: 4.5/5

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Medium: Audiobook/ebook

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Overview (No Spoilers): 

It has been years since I last stepped into one of Maas’ well-crafted fantasies, full of danger, romance, and self discovery. A huge fan of Maas’ Throne of Glass series, a glowing recommendation by one of Luke’s employees was all the push I needed to pick up A Court of Thorns and Roses. 

Feyre and her family have been on the brink of starvation after a series of terrible business moves leaves them destitute. She is trapped shouldering the burden of her helpless family’s survival due to an oath demanded by her mother on her deathbed. Just when Feyre least expects it, a debt pulls her from the mire of endless responsibilities and thrusts her into a life of magic and mystery. Can she heal from the injuries and prejudices of her past to embrace the fragile existence of her new life before the cards come tumbling down?

The pacing and worldbuilding in A Court of Thorns and Roses made staying up into the early hours of the morning an act with little regret . No seriously, I literally couldn’t stop reading, spending the whole night with my nose buried in this story, eager to find out Tamlin’s secrets and how Feyre would try to save him. As I have a newborn, I hope you can appreciate how precious my sleep is at this stage of my life, emphasizing how much I truly enjoyed this read.

Maas deliberately builds a solid foundation in  A Court of Thorns and Roses that is riddled with gaps for the rest of the series to expand upon. And while this start is enjoyable, the story is as fleshed out as I would typically associate with Maas. Specifically, I could not find myself fulling shipping the all consuming love story, with the assumed romance heavily leaning on the reader to fill in blanks. Also, much of the fae realm is left unexplored, though especially with the revelations at the end of this novel I’m sure we will soon be visiting the other courts. There’s so much potential, I can’t help but wonder where the story will head next. 

Overall, A Court of Thorns and Roses weaves together a story that will keep the reader mindlessly flipping pages into the wee hours of the morning as Feyre must yet again figure out how to save everyone she loves in the face of impossible odds.

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Additional Insight (Spoilers Abound):

• When Feyre first sees Alis after the glamor was lifted it hadn’t even occurred to me that she would look differently.
• Rhys was such an interesting character that was full of contradictions. Please tell me we learn more about him.
• Will the Hybern still go to war? Will the blight subside? Will Feyre go home?
• Feyre’s family was so infuriating. I did love how Nesta’s relationship with Feyre evolved from something mindlessly cruel to respect and understanding. 
• Poor poor Clare Beddor. 
• Where did Lucien’s brothers go? What will he do next? 
• How will Feyre handle being at the Night Court part time? 
• What happened to Jurian’s eye and bone?
• Did the Suriel escape?
• Will Feyre encounter any of the Children of the Blessed in Prythian?
• Where did the Attor flee to?
• It made me so happy that Lucien’s mother helped Feyre as a repayment for helping her son. 
• What does it mean now that Feyre is now High Fae?

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