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

Pages: 416

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: May 5, 2015

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: Throne of Glass (Glass #1), 

Crown of Midnight (Glass #2) and Heir of Fire (Glass #3)

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "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!"

In the past, Feyre's family had money and a gorgeous home, but her father lost all of their fortune.  Now they are stuck in a rundown cottage and Feyre's entire family relies on her to hunt for their food.  They are barely getting by and Feyre's sisters nor her father help out much. During one hunting trip, she kills a large wolf (that was actually fae) and consequently, a beastly creature breaks into her family's cottage demanding to know who killed the wolf.  As payment for killing the wolf, the beast-like creature takes Fayre to the land of faeries and she can never return home again.  She finds out that this beastly creature can shift into a more human form; in fact, he is downright gorgeous. His name is Tamlin and he is a powerful faerie with an interesting past.  Feyre learns to adjust to her new luxurious home and as she gets to know Tamlin, she discovers that perhaps she has strong feelings for him. Maybe he isn't just the beastly and violent creature that he can shape-shift into.  But there's many secrets about Tamlin that Feyre doesn't know; plus, there's an evil faerie that lurks in their dangerous world with her eye on him.  A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is one of the most entertaining books I've read in quite sometime.

My love for Feyre was definitely fickle. I admired the fact that she could take care of her family, hunt, set up traps, and ultimately, be a bad-ass heroine, but boy, did she make some dumb decisions. I kept saying to myself, "Don't do it, Feyre. Don't do it!" as I was reading it, but she just couldn't help herself.  Nonetheless, that didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying A Court of Thorns and Roses. Despite her willful ways, I loved Feyre's bravery, even if it did place her in some dangerous situations time and time again.

Enter Tamlin. Whoa.  Somehow Sarah J. Maas made faeries hot. I had no idea this was possible. Well played, Maas. I really loved the characater of Tamlin. He's a powerful faerie, but there's so much more to him than that. He's a good guy deep down, which Feyre slowly discovers. Also, I love that this story was somewhat a retelling of Beauty and the Beast--one of my favorites! 

So, onto the romance. Whoa, again. A Court of Thorns and Roses is definitely for older young adult readers. Some reviewers said this novel fits the "New Adult" genre and maybe they are right, because some sections of this book were downright steamy.  I am not complaining though. It was done very well.

Lastly, Maas knows how to provide adventure and suspense better than many of the other young adult authors out there. I haven't been so stuck to the edge of my seat while reading a novel since The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner.  So, needless to say, Maas knows how to bring the adventure and the edge-of-your-seat thrills.

Guys, don't be stupid like I was and wait to start  A Court of Thorns and Roses. If you love fantasy, romance, and an exciting adventure, you must check out this book immediately. I know I am very excited for the sequel due out this May.