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adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book had me so conflicted bc for the first half I was kinda bored but when it picked up… it picked UP.
Honestly it felt like reading a different book after the high stakes actually hit I literally had to stay up until 3am to finish it I couldn’t put it down.
I’m super excited to read the next books bc I feel like sjm will take the series in such a good direction with the foundation she set in this book.
Honestly it felt like reading a different book after the high stakes actually hit I literally had to stay up until 3am to finish it I couldn’t put it down.
I’m super excited to read the next books bc I feel like sjm will take the series in such a good direction with the foundation she set in this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Excrement, Vomit, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A fantasy world that I could actually understand. Sweet and spicy, I was blushing most of the time reading it lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, War
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
First read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ Three and a half stars (I think? Idk it was a long time ago now)
Second read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four stars
Third read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four stars (because less would be salty)
Don't get me wrong, A Court of Thorns and Roses is a great book! I really enjoyed it the first time I read it, and I got more out of it the second time—though putting up with certain characters was nightmarish—but this third time around it was difficult to get myself into it at some points just because it really is a hard slog when I hate so many of the characters now.
That's not this book's fault. You can blame it on the following books completely. And it's not a bad thing. The characters just come into their own so much over the next books that it's hard to live in a world we're they're not their more evolved selves. Still enjoyable though, but definitely more tiring as I reread the book.
That said, this book is well written, the pacing is fine (not Maas's best, but still good), and the character writing is wonderful. But if I had a better memory for all the details about the history between Amarantha, Hybern and Durian I'd skim read this book. Or skip it altogether.
A Court of Thorns and Roses is a solid read, but the series really gets better as it goes along. While it's recommended by many that you read Throne of Glass before A Court of Thorns and Roses, I began with the latter and I have no complaints. But if you're going to read Crescent City you absolutely have to read Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses before starting book one. It'll help you to understand everything. Or as much as anybody can really understand about Crescent City without some sort of tour guide. That world is bonkers!
Second read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four stars
Third read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four stars (because less would be salty)
Don't get me wrong, A Court of Thorns and Roses is a great book! I really enjoyed it the first time I read it, and I got more out of it the second time—though putting up with certain characters was nightmarish—but this third time around it was difficult to get myself into it at some points just because it really is a hard slog when I hate so many of the characters now.
That's not this book's fault. You can blame it on the following books completely. And it's not a bad thing. The characters just come into their own so much over the next books that it's hard to live in a world we're they're not their more evolved selves. Still enjoyable though, but definitely more tiring as I reread the book.
That said, this book is well written, the pacing is fine (not Maas's best, but still good), and the character writing is wonderful. But if I had a better memory for all the details about the history between Amarantha, Hybern and Durian I'd skim read this book. Or skip it altogether.
A Court of Thorns and Roses is a solid read, but the series really gets better as it goes along. While it's recommended by many that you read Throne of Glass before A Court of Thorns and Roses, I began with the latter and I have no complaints. But if you're going to read Crescent City you absolutely have to read Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses before starting book one. It'll help you to understand everything. Or as much as anybody can really understand about Crescent City without some sort of tour guide. That world is bonkers!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read in 2023, reread in 2025
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gore, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
YA isn't usually my genre but I've seen so much talk about this book so I figured I'd give it a try. Definitely trying to be a new spin on Beauty and the Beast (which I do appreciate).
It was a slow start and Feyre's I'm not like the other girls attitude was incredibly grating during the first half of the book. Her opinions of her sisters was also obnoxious to sit through. I get why she feels that way but Feyre just has zero nuance as a character or in her opinions. Maybe I have this gripe because I was like her as a teen/young adult but it was a real drag either way.
There is also a character in here that it seems like her only job is to info dump onto Feyre, and therefore the reader, which sucks because she could have been a really interesting and useful (in other ways) character.
This wasn't a Bad book but it also wasn't a Capitol G Good book either. I do plan on reading the second book as I'm told it is better than the first one so we shall see.
It was a slow start and Feyre's I'm not like the other girls attitude was incredibly grating during the first half of the book. Her opinions of her sisters was also obnoxious to sit through. I get why she feels that way but Feyre just has zero nuance as a character or in her opinions. Maybe I have this gripe because I was like her as a teen/young adult but it was a real drag either way.
There is also a character in here that it seems like her only job is to info dump onto Feyre, and therefore the reader, which sucks because she could have been a really interesting and useful (in other ways) character.
This wasn't a Bad book but it also wasn't a Capitol G Good book either. I do plan on reading the second book as I'm told it is better than the first one so we shall see.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Slavery, Vomit
Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Murder
Minor: Slavery, Torture, Excrement, Vomit, Death of parent, War
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I cannot believe I did not pick up these books sooner!
Admittedly, I did google if this book was supposed to be based on Beauty and the Beast, since I was halfway through and started making connections. A few other fairytales also come to mind when reading the book, but it is still its own standalone story.
I think the main character is very likeable and even admirable, seeing what she sacrifices for her family. The side characters also go through important character development which makes it even better.
There were some bits I didn't care for towards the end of the book, but it's a new adult romantasy about faeries after all, so I shouldn't be too surprised that there were some elements about the romantic relationships between characters that didn't sit well with me.
Overall, a great story and loveable characters.
Admittedly, I did google if this book was supposed to be based on Beauty and the Beast, since I was halfway through and started making connections. A few other fairytales also come to mind when reading the book, but it is still its own standalone story.
I think the main character is very likeable and even admirable, seeing what she sacrifices for her family. The side characters also go through important character development which makes it even better.
There were some bits I didn't care for towards the end of the book, but it's a new adult romantasy about faeries after all, so I shouldn't be too surprised that there were some elements about the romantic relationships between characters that didn't sit well with me.
Overall, a great story and loveable characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Vomit
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence
Minor: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder
Minor: Sexual assault
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Excrement
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War
Minor: Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent