I heard only fantastic things about this novel and this series in general. I gave it a shot, and WOW I loved it. It was a beautiful book and I immediately bought the others in the series in anticipation of the release this week.

Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price …

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

I just need to get a few things out of the way first. If you are a huuuge fan of SJM, perhaps you should skip this review. I’ve had a bumpy relationship with her books, and I can’t say I’m very fond of them. If you love her books, I’m honestly very happy for you, very happy that you found an author you love who’s written so many books and shows no sign of stopping. She is just not for me, I guess.

Now, If you haven’t read Throne of Glass just yet, I suggest you skip this paragraph. I will try to keep it as spoiler-free as possible, but I feel like I need to explain my “bumpy relationship” with SJM’s writing. So, here goes. I read Throne of Glass when I was about 16? Maybe 17? Anyway, I read it when I was quite young and genuinely loved it. Then Crown of Midnight came out and I loved that one even more. And then Heir of Fire came out…and I stopped reading the series. The change between books two and three of the series was so abrupt for me, so sudden, that I could barely even recognize it as the series I loved and cherished so much. As soon as I realized that Chaol was to be replaced with Rowan, and that I could barely even recognize Celaena anymore, I just gave up on the series. Especially when I saw – through other people’s reviews – what happened in the later books of the series, I was so glad I stopped when I did. Chaol was my favourite character, and he remains one of my favoruite book characters of all time, so you can see why I would be hesitant to ever read past Crown of Midnight.

I think you can see now why it took me so long to even decide to read ACOTAR. I wasn’t ready to give SJM’s writing a second chance just yet. And, to be honest, if I hadn’t stumbled across a copy in Netgalley, I probably wouldn’t have read it. Alas, I did and here we are.

I’m not a massive fan of this book. I think my main issue with it are the protagonists themselves. Basically, I think Tamlin is the most boring love interest I’ve ever seen, and I feel like I don’t know Feyre well enough to have an opinion on her just yet. She did remind me of Celaena in some ways, but overall I couldn’t tell you much about her. I also really didn’t like the way she spoke of her sisters and father, and don’t even get me started on the way her father’s disability was written or the way his daughters reacted to it. It was just horrible.

As should perhaps be expected then, I wasn’t a huge fan of the romance either. I didn’t particularly care about Feyre or Tamlin – so why should I care about their relationship? Even though, it wasn’t insta-love, it felt like insta-love. Does that make sense? Feyre just went from hating faeries, to willing to die for Tamlin in the blink of an eye. I think the fact that I really didn’t care about this relationship, helped me realize I really don’t like the way SJM writes sex scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a steamy fantasy romance, but as soon as people start purring and growling, and a whisper becomes an “erotic caress”, I’m out of here. Nope, no, not for me.

I really liked the supporting characters though. I think the most compelling character of the whole book was Rhysand, who was cunning, and manipulative, and just seemed like the most complex character so far. I was also very fond of Lucien, so much so, that I kind of struggled to see why on earth would Feyre go for Tamlin when Lucien is right there!! I got a feeling I could like Nesta a lot, as well. I’m not sure I like her just yet, but she definitely seems like a character I would fall in love with if she is developed and explored properly.

As far as the plot goes, I actually thought it was quite interesting. Did Feyre make stupid choices? Yes, she absolutely did, but reckless female protagonists seem almost like a prerequisite of the genre at this point, so I didn’t really care. But, while the plot itself was good and had a lot of potential, the pacing of the book was a bit of a nightmare. About 60% of the book was quite slow, almost like a set up for the final 40%, which resulted in – you guessed it – the final part of the book being a bit rushed, despite being the best part of the story for me. I think that, had we spent more time Under the Mountain, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more. Yes, even then, there are certain things that just don’t. make. sense, but it was really enjoyable.

Will I pick up the second book of the series? The truth is, I don’t know yet. I’m intrigued enough by Rhysand and curious enough to see how Nesta will turn out, that I am considering it. It’s definitely not a priority though – I might just pop into my favourite second-hand bookstore at some point and see if I can find it there. If you have read the second book, could you let me know what you thought of it? Should I continue on with the series?

I am not usually someone who enjoys fantasy books, but I was told that this one was a must read. I loved the world building in ACOTAR and the characters were all a lot of fun to get to know. The part with the giant worm was a LITTLE weird, but overall it was very enjoyable. I definitely felt a lot of inspiration from classic fairytales and Disney stories which I loved. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where the rest of the series goes!

Sarah J. Maas is an absolute god. This first installment of the ACOTR series is a masterpiece. I can’t wait for the rest

I didn't know this was kind of a rendition of Beauty and the Beast. And 6 books, wow. Interested to see how this will go and how the plot will continue to develop over that long of a series. I did thoroughly enjoy this starter though, and I love the new cover art.

I absolutely love this book. I can't say enough good things about it - I love the depth of world building, and the complete visual savoriness of the descriptions of scenery, the characters, everything. I will keep coming back to this series for a long time.

This was one of the best Paranormal books I have read to date. Dived straight into book 2. A new author for me and I know I will read everything she has written.

The characters in this series of books are flawless, their personalities so addictive and once you start this series, you won't be able to stop reading until you finish each book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this fabulous book.

This book falls between 3 and 4 stars for me because the beginning of the story was soooooo slow! I kept on reading because lots of friends had read this book and couldn't stop talking about it. I am SO glad I did! This book has now cemented my interest in fantasy books. The characters were unforgettable and really were the main reason I enjoyed this story. I believe this is more of an adult or older YA fantasy read due to some of the content (later in the series as well). I would recommend!

Wow I didn't expect to like this book as much as i did. I had low expectations because it wasn't my type of reading, but I really enjoy the characters and the worldbuiding.
I love finding genres that are not my cup of tea and that manage to entertain and interest me the way this book did.
4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
I received this new cover edition via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Court of Thorns and Roses totally lives up to the hype. I hate that I waited so long to start this series. I have been a fan of Sarah J. Maas for awhile. I loved it so much that I already want to reread it!

Feyre's family is starving. She killed a wolf in the woods while out hunting. Little did she know that death would change her life. The debt she pays is to live there forever, but at what cost?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the #gifted book.

I am happy to report I liked this book! I just didn’t love it as much as everyone else seems to. I’ve read many reviews that say the second book is better so I am going to continue with the series. I’m hoping to read the second book this month but its so big, so we’ll see if I get to it.

I am not into fantasy so this book is out of my comfort zone. However, I think it was well done. I enjoyed the world building and getting to know the characters. This book gave me so many vibes from other books: Beauty and the Beast, Twilight, The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones. It’s like if you took elements of all of those books and put them together into one. I found some parts to be a little cheesy but at the same time I found myself not wanting to stop reading because I wanted to find out what happened, especially towards the end of the book.

I liked that there weren’t that many characters because I felt like at times I was trying to figure out what things where I can’t imagine adding a bunch of characters to the mix. The character development is great, the characters are flawed but grow throughout the book. At times I didn’t like Feyre (she makes some stupid decisions) but you can’t help but root for her. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series and see where the story goes.

This book offers readers a look into the female hero's journey. Feyre, a young girl, who is tasked with providing for her family, goes into the woods and kills a wolf. Feyre, unaware of the mistake she made, proceeds in her normal, day-to-day life. Until a beast breaks into Feyre's family home and takes her to the land called Prythian. I won't spoil any more of the story, but I will say that this book is a slow burn. It is no secret that this book has a lot of hype surrounding it. Often, I find myself not wanting to read books that are hyped up due to the inevitable disappointment I feel. Although, I must say that this book proved me wrong. Yes, it is slow but once I got to the end, I was completely bought in. I HAD to know what would happen next. I ended up devouring the entire series in 2 weeks while also working a full-time job. This book gently guides you into the fae world and all at once slams you into full-on fae obsession.

The only reason I gave this book 4 stars is due to the slow burn throughout the majority of the novel.

Have not had a chance to read this yet, but will keep it on my list for a rainy day! Appreciate being offered the reading copy!

Seriously this book is AMAZING! 5 stars. I can’t wait to read the next in the series! Sarah J Maas created a masterpiece!

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the first novel in the series of the same name by Sarah J. Maas. It was initially published on May 5th, 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Children’s. I was able to read this book by subscription to audiobook subscription service Scribd on the app installed on my phone.

The novel is advertised a retelling of the classic story Beauty and the Beast. The plot is centered around the characters of Feyre and Tamlin, a human and Fae who are forbidden to be together, but cannot resist urge to connect to one another. Ferret is a struggling human to support her family during the harsh winters, when she kills a wolf in disguise of a Fae, a magical creature race that seems to have taken over the human world where Feyre lives. As punishment for breaking the treaty between the two races, Tamlin, one of the high royal Faes, allows Feyre to live with him instead of being killed, as long as she never returns to the human world with her family.

Feyre realizes that she has very much to learn about the history and abilities of the magical creatures that are now constantly surrounding her, which is more difficult to do since everyone is wearing masquerade masks. She also realizes that not everything is going smoothly in this realm of the world, since Tamlin’s manor is constantly either under attack or being surrounded by suspicious individuals. And while there is a curse that is haunting Tamlin and his people that can be broken by love, the consequences are much higher than simply forever looking like an animal.

As a huge fan of the film Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, I had high expectations for this novel. I had heard about it constantly throughout the years, and was hesitant to read it as I was afraid of being disappointed. I was very ecstatic to know that I throughly enjoyed it very much, though I will be the first to say that it is not for everyone. Maas created strong characters that are very certain in themselves and their actions, and a twisting plot that had me guessing from beginning to end. I would also like to commend Jennifer Ikeda for a job well done on the audiobook narration. Also, there is a lot more interaction and at stake towards the end of the novel, with the pacing picking up about halfway through the book.

While it may seem for younger audiences, I would not recommend for children or young teens. There is mature content within the novel, involving foul language and sexual scenes. Also, the novel is quite long, so it does require a commitment to stay with it from start to finish. It is also the first novel in a series, where the fourth novel will be released at the beginning of 2021, which indicates as well a multiple book commitment.

I cannot believe I waited so long to read this book!! I see what the hype is all about! I cannot wait to finish this series!

Okay, full transparency… I haven’t read a fantasy book since Twilight in my teen years. ⁣
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Did I love this? Yes. ⁣
Am I going to read all of them? Yes. ⁣
Did I surprise myself? Yes. ⁣
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The hype got to me and I am so glad it did. I am about halfway through book 2 and I am so ready to get home to dive back into the amazing world that @therealsjmaas created. This was a, “okay, one more page… no one more chapter!” type of book. ⁣
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If you aren’t a fantasy fan and want to dip your toes into it, I recommend here. ⁣

This is one of my all time favorites.. I always recommend it to teens at my library when they need a suggestion.

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas is a super fun fantasy book! I’d seen the series as being pretty hyped up and now I know why. I really enjoyed it! It was a little bit of a slow start but once I got into this new world I was really hooked. I really liked the main character, Feyre, who is a strong female lead full of bravery and passion. The touches of romance were just enough and I really liked the surprising plot full of lots of action. The pacing was also really well done since this is a book on the longer side. I’m definitely curious about what happens in book two!
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Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing via NetGalley for my e-copy!

SJM is amazing. I absolutely love this series and I am in love with the new covers! If you like romance, fantasy, an escape from reality, then you need to read this book and series!