New Adult

Review of A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

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A Court of Wings and Ruin
A Court of Thorns and Roses book 3
By Sarah J. Maas

Star Rating: 
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Historical
Number of Pages: 720

Date Started: December 30, 2017
Date Finished: January 4, 2018

Synopsis: (From Amazon)
Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

Review:
I thought that showing what happens to one’s psyche during war was well done. There were changes that Feyre didn’t expect, feelings and sights that one cannot simply forget about.

Unfortunately, this book had slow pacing, and while that may be true with getting ready for a war, it made it quite hard to read because it didn’t flow nearly as well together as the first two in the series–it was a completely different type of story/vibe, and it threw me.

Definitely still saying this book isn’t really Young Adult, but New Adult given the copious amounts of intimacy.

There were a few times that I teared up during this one. The ending was decent, and I do want to read the continued stories in the series. I do hope, however, that the characters do not continue to dull simply because they are now at peace. A lot of fire and passion was lost in this book, and while it might be due to worries and time constraints from the war, I hope to see that fire return in any future showings.

Author Biography: (From Amazon)
Sarah J. Maas is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series, as well as A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury. A New York native, Sarah currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and dog.

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

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A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses book 1
By Sarah J. Maas

Star Rating: 
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Historical
Number of Pages: 432

Date Started: December 27, 2017
Date Finished: December 28, 2017

Synopsis: (From Amazon)
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 over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin–and his world–forever.

Review:
My copy of this book was a gift to me from a dear friend, Maria Picone. She’s awesome, and if you have the chance, feel free to check out her website here.

It took me a bit to get into this story, but once I was finished with the first chapter, I found it impossible to put down. During the first chapter, I worried. I worried that Feyre was going to be a Katniss. There’s something for everyone in this novel, and from the beginning I understood that this particular novel is, while not marketed as, a retelling of my favourite fairy tale of all time (which if you haven’t figured it out by now, shame on you!) but moreso, this novel in no way needed to rely on the original story it likely originated from, completely able to stand on its own. If Maria hadn’t recommended this to me after reading it, I’d really have to reconsider how well she knows me.

In so many stories there is an insta-romance, but with Feyre and Tamlin, it happened so slowly and gradually that it took me by surprise when Feyre realized her feelings had changed. I found myself thinking back on their interactions, on why they might have developed feelings for each other, and was pleasantly pleased with what had transpired. While Feyre and Tamlin are the main protagonists, I did enjoy the various other characters as well, and their relationships with Feyre. While Feyre is important, I liked that not everyone treated her nicely/with respect.

This book is listed as Young Adult but I’d say it’s more New Adult.

Such a depth and difference from any other fairy tale retelling I’ve read, having the faerie politic background, festivities, and interests not usually integral to most fairy tales, that it was impossible to not love this novel.

I regret waiting so long to read this amazing book, but when someone gives you a book, it has power. It has the power to either bring you closer together, or wonder if you know each other as well as you thought. This one was the perfect mark, and I can’t wait to devour the rest in the series. Thank you, Maria!

Oh, and as for the riddle… my original guess was wrong.

Author Biography: (From Amazon)
Sarah J. Maas is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series, as well as A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury. A New York native, Sarah currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and dog.

Review of Happily Ever After by Kelly Oram

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Happily Ever After
Cinder & Ella book 2
By Kelly Oram

Star Rating: 
Genre: YA, NA (New Adult)
Number of Pages: 454

Date Started: April 17, 2017
Date Finished: April 18, 2017

Synopsis: (From Amazon)
The end of one story is often the beginning of another. Hollywood heartthrob Brian Oliver and his Cinderella princess Ellamara Rodriguez have finally found love outside the digital world. But leaving their anonymity behind creates a whole new set of obstacles for the nation’s new favorite sweethearts. With the stress of Brian’s fame, Ella’s disapproving family, and the pressures of a new relationship weighing down on them, the It Couple quickly begins to wonder if they can hold on to their newfound joy, or if maybe happily ever after is only a fairy tale.

Review:
Bought this book as soon as I finished the first. I was so excited that Cinder & Ella’s story got to continue, and that we would see more growth, and that everything wasn’t simply perfect because they finally were together again.

I love that Ella doesn’t find suddenly having the ability to do and be whatever she wants the fairy tale ending. She wants to find something to DO, something she can enjoy and still make money doing (something we can all relate to). She wants to make sure she is capable of taking care of herself, doing things without always having Brian there instead of relying on him for everything. What a fabulous role model. Her personal issues with her appearance, given, she is far more scarred than most, will resonate with most teenagers and young adults. It takes a while to find confidence in one’s self and how to dress, what one wants to be. It’s even harder reinventing oneself, but totally possible.

This novel, like the first, completely gripped me from the beginning and I love it. The relationships, while sometimes harsh, are quite realistic. Seeing that no matter how rich and famous one is doesn’t mean that everything in their life is perfect is a great message for young people who might believe that life would be perfect if only….

I would absolutely love a novella with Ella’s next planned fairy tale–mentioned to Brian towards the end.

Author Biography: (From Amazon)
Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She’s obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.