Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4)

By Sarah J. Maas

 

Synopsis:

The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series continues Celaena’s epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

Publication date: September 1st 2015

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 5 / 5 !!!

My Thoughts:

What a fantabulous read! Based on the three previous books in the Throne of Glass series, I knew Maas would not disappoint but there's always that niggling doubt. Needless to say, that doubt has been squashed, squished and blown far, far away!

Aelin is magnificent in this read. I could clearly see her transition from all her previous personas to Queen. That fear she had of running from her past, her ancestry, is no longer there. Aelin is full on, fire-breathing-bitch-queen mode.

"This city still needs protecting," Chaol snapped.
Aelin shrugged, heading for the roof door. "Or maybe this city should burn," she murmured. A chill went down Aedion's spine, even though he knew she'd said it to piss off the captain. "Maybe the world should burn," she added, and stalked off the roof.

As you can guess, there is a LOT of action, but the romance and wit is all there too. I feel rather fickle in admitting that Chaol has been replaced by Rowas as Aelin's ultimate partner! Chaol was perfect for her at the time, but he only saw what he wanted to see, which was a damn shame. Reading how Aelin had fallen out of love with Chaol gave me definite feels....

There were perhaps only three feet between them now--three feet and months and months of missing and hating him. Months of crawling out of that abyss he'd shoved her into. But now that she was here... Everything was an effort not to say she was sorry. Sorry not for what she'd done to his face, but for the fact that her heart was healed- still fractured in spots, but healed- and he... he was not in it. Not as he'd once been.

In comes Rowan and, like Aelin says, they helped each other out of the darkness and despair. They argue and swear and fight so much but it's clear that they both have that fae wildness. They're not a cutesy, sweet couple, but they're awesome and fiery together, which is just what this story needs.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, trying to push her back far enough to read her face again.
But she held on to him, so fiercely she could feel the weapons beneath his clothes. It would still be fine, even if it went to hell, so long as he was here with her. "I'm crying," she sniffled, "because you smell so rutting bad my eyes are watering."

At the end of the last book, we see that Dorian's body is now inhabited by a Valg Prince. Although Dorian is still there, slowly he is succumbing to the evilness of the Valg and forgetting who he is. It was heartbreaking see him semi-disappear and scary to think that Dorian could be gone forever. 

Aedion is awesomeness defined. He and Lysandra bring the humour to the story and I daresay that there may be a potential romance between them going forwards?

"This one," she said, pointing to a jagged scar by her elbow. Aedion came around the couch to sit beside her. He took up nearly half of the damn thing. "The Pirate Lord of Skull's Bay gave that to me after I trashed his entire city, freed his slaves, and looked damn good while doing it."
Aedion took the bottle of wine and drank from it. "Has anyone ever taught you humility?"
"You didn't learn it, so why should I?"

It's hard to discuss this book without revealing major spoilers so I shall stop for now. Unlike the previous books, this had a more fulfilling ending and I think the wait for Empire of Storms is release later this year won't be as bad as I had expected. Meanwhile, I shall begin reading Maas's other books, starting with A Court of Thorns and Roses! 

Favourite Quotes (beware of spoiler-ish ones!):

"I miss you," she said. "Every day, I miss you. And I wonder what you would have made of all this. Made of me. I think- I think you would have been a wonderful king. I think they would have liked you more than me, actually." Her throat tightened. "I never told you-how I felt. But I loved you, and I think a part of me might always love you. Maybe you were my mate, and I never knew it. Maybe I'll spend the rest of my life wandering about that. Maybe I'll see you again in the Afterworld, and then I'll know for sure. But until then... until then I'll miss you, and I'll wish you were here."

"Apparently," he said, walking toward her and offering an arm, "we both clean up well."
She gave him a sly grin as she took his elbow, the scent of almonds wrapping around her again. "Don't forget your cloak. You'd feel rather guilty when all those poor mortal women combust at the sight of you."
"I'd say likewise, but I think you'd enjoy seeing men bursting into flames as you strutted by."
She winked at him, and his chuckle echoed through her bones and blood.

"I missed you," he said quietly, his gaze darting between her mouth and eyes. "When I was in Wendlyn. I lied when I said I didn't. From the moment you left, I missed you so much I went out of my mind. I was glad for the excuse to track Lorcan here, just to see you again. And tonight, when he had that knife at your throat..." The warmth of his callused finger bloomed through her as he traced a path over the cut on her neck. "I kept thinking about how you might never know that I missed you with only an ocean between us. But if it was death separating us... I would find you. I don't care how many rules it would break. Even if I had to get all three keys myself and open a gate. I would find you again. Always."

She said softly, "You make me want to live, Rowan. Not survive; not exist. Live."

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)

By Sarah J. Maas

 

Synopsis:

She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.

Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak—but at an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth...a truth about her heritage that could change her life—and her future—forever.

Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength to not only fight her inner demons but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed.

The king's assassin takes on an even greater destiny and burns brighter than ever before in this follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Crown of Midnight.

Publication date: August 7th 2012

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 4.5 / 5 !!!

My Thoughts:

What is with Maas and all the feels she likes torturing her readers with?!? Heir of Fire is an amazing third book in the ToG series. I devoured it in two days!

Initially, I wondered why some events were told from Manon's perspective (one of the many evil witches) but like everything else in this series there's always some sort of connection. I won't lie and say that I loved all the characters, despite Manon's slowly thawing heart, she is still a complete wretch. I appreciate that the witches bring their children up to be full of hate and brutality and it's not their fault but I despised them all regardless.

Another person I wasn't Too impressed with this time round was Chaol. Yes, he is the perfect partner for Celaena and their tragic love story will likely never result in a happy ending but he wound me up to no end with his shock and disappointment in Celaena. He's so judgey! What did he expect from the greatest assassin in the world? I get that she's made some stupid mistakes and bad choices but stop with all the judging! Even Dorian called him out on it...

"Do you still love her?" He didn't know why it was important.
Chaol closed his eyes for a moment. "A part of me will always love her. But I had to get her out of this castle. Because it was too dangerous, and she was...what she was becoming..."
"She was not becoming anything different from what she always was and always had the capacity to be. You just finally saw everything. And once you saw that other part of her..." Dorian said quietly. It had taken him until now, until Sorscha, to understand what that meant. "You cannot pick and choose what parts of her to love."

I thought Dorian was a leeetle spoiled in the last book but he's outdone himself this time round. I loved him sooo much! He finally managed to semi get over Celaena and is working on his magic, which I admired about him.

Celaena is badass as ever so there's not much to add apart from that she's the most brilliant female character I've read about (coming very close to Emma from Cassy Clare's Lady Midnight). Her heartbreak and struggles were so emotional and I loved how Maas made it all so realistic, and there were times I almost cried. Almost.

It had been ten years-ten long years since she had heard her mother's voice. But she heard it then over the force of her weeping, as clear as if she knelt beside her. Fireheart-why do you cry?
"Because I am lost," she whispered onto the earth. "And I do not know the way."
It was what she had never been able to tell Nehemia-that for ten years, she had been unsure how to find the way home, because there was no home left.

Finally, a new favourite of mine is Rowan. **Sigh** It's clear that presently there's no romance between him and Aelin but their connection is Mindblowing. I thought She could only have such chemistry with Chaol but Rowan might be a stronger contender. Especially since Rowan is fae, so doesn't have that much human emotion to pity her, which is just what she needed. I love him and think he's so awesome so Maas please don't kill him in the next book!!! 

Favourite Quotes:

"I don't know what you want from Maeve-what answers you're looking for, but you-"
"You don't know what I want from her?" It was more of a shout than a question. "How about saving the world from the King of Adarlan?"
"Why bother? Maybe the world's not worth saving." She knew he meant it, too. Those lifeless eyes spoke volumes.

He looked at his friend, perhaps for the last time, and said what he had always known, from the moment they'd met, when he'd understood that the prince was his brother in soul. "I love you."

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)

By Sarah J. Maas

 

Synopsis:

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Publication date: August 27th 2013

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 4.5 / 5

My Thoughts:

Omg. So many feels! The second book in the Throne of Glass serious is heartbreakingly sad... I guessed Celaena had her share of secrets but nothing would have prepared me for this (no spoilers). Why would you do this, Maas?

And then the whole business between Chaol and Celaena. She was so happy that I knew there was no way it would last. I'm known to be far too cynical for my own good so when I read about finally, how happy she was, alarm bells rang. I wondered what could possibly happen for them to break off and I hoped it wouldn't be another Sam situation where Chaol was killed. The reality was worse but not in a dying way!

"No, but you keep saying 'be careful' and telling me how you worry, and insisting you help me with things, and-"
"Because I do worry!"
"Well, you shouldn't! I'm just as capable of looking after myself you are!"
He took a step toward her, but she held her ground. "Believe me, Celaena," he snarled, his eyes flashing, "I know you can look after yourself. But I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn't, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens."

Poor Dorian, he's stuck in love with her but knows they can't be together. Not only because he's the future king and she's Adarlin's assassin, but also because he can see that his best friend and Celaena are in love, well before they realise it. For such a funny and charismatic guy, he doesn't appear to have much luck in the second book.

The ending confused me a little and without giving too much away, I can't think how the next book will work, especially since the circumstances will mean that Celaena's interactions with her two admirers will be few and far between. In spite of this, I can't wait to dive in to the third book. It's clear that the magic and adventures will increase, but so will the heartbreak and perhaps that's what makes this series so addictive!  

Favourite Quotes:

"He hated each lie that came out of his mouth, but Dorian drank them up, his eyes seeming to glow with rage. This was the other sacrifice he'd have to make; because if Dorian didn't hate him, if he didn't want Chaol gone, then leaving for Anielle would be that much more difficult.
"If anything happens to her in Wendlyn," Dorian growled, refusing to back down, "I'll make you regret the day you were born."
If anything happened to her, Chaol was fairly certain he'd forever regret that day, too.