You know how there are series of people who are like "You have to read this or else", this was one of those for me. I have had friends galore recommending this series and then this year I decided to do a 12 recommendations by 12 friends reading challenge and one of those 12 books was ACOTAR so here I am. I read it on Monday in one day and I have to admit, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. You see years ago, I was a big fantasy reader and then one day I woke up and couldn't read it - I felt like I had gotten fantasy burnout but now - I am back into this fantasy book rhythm and I have been enjoying them. I have to admit as I began reading this book, I was a little confused as if I had missed a chapter as it does jump straight into the story of Feyre - the youngest of three girls whose family is poor. She is the Katniss of the SJM ACOTAR universe, the hunter and the one providing for her family. When Feyre is off hunting, she shoots a wolf who turns out to be Fae. Tamlin -the Fae King of one of the kingdoms is angry and gives Feyre a choice - to die or live the rest of her life in the kingdom and never see her family again. She goes to the kingdom, but her heart is still with her family. However of course over time, things change as she starts to fall for Tamlin and becomes fast friends with Lucien and eventually frenemies with Rhysand whom you can see she has a Love/Hate Relationship. I felt this book had a strong Beauty and The Beast feel to it as we see a curse placed on Tamlin and his court that can only be broken by love. Overall, I did enjoy this and I am looking forward to reading and discovering the rest of the SJM universe of books as I also have her other two series to read.

While I really enjoyed the book when it first came out, I can no longer see it in the same way as my teenage self many years ago. The book uses cliché tropes such as “mates” or an overprotective love interest. I didn’t like the Tamlin-Feyre relationship at all which was straight-up abusive, and even the bigger story — fighting for survival in the game set up by the antagonist — couldn’t make up for it. Nonetheless it opened my eyes to the wider spectrum of fantasy books.

A fantastic start to another amazing series from Sarah. Personally I prefer ToG but this is so good!

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Feyre is a huntress. She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price . . .
Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy’s kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden escape. Her captor’s body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked – but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre’s feelings for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she’s been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows. Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.

*2.5 stars*

There was so much hype about this book that I think my expectations were much higher than the ability of this book to live up to them...

I guess what I was expecting was a politically-charged fantasy action novel that incorporated romance and a hint of Beauty and the Beast (that's what I was told)…

YA tropes abound!!

What I got was a main character (Feyre) that did nothing more than whine and make the most ridiculous decisions. And she was supposed to have been a great warrior and looked after her family. How are they still alive????

Also, she didn't seem to actually solve anything for herself. There are passages throughout the story where other characters spew out details to her in huge monologues which were frustrating and silly.

Add to that the need for ridiculous love triangles and horny, sex-addicted characters. It's boring now - let's move on to something new. I just find myself sighing when this comes up (as much as I do when I see the whiny MC).

Finally, nothing really happens for the first 300 pages. I really feel like I was wasting my time reading it. I certainly won't waste any more time with this series.

No, I can't recommend this to people with similar tastes to mine but I can see by the number of 5-star reviews that it does have a market. I am just not it.


Paul
ARH

Firstly I have to say thank you to Bloomsbury for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I've had this book on my TBR pile for like 3 years so I am so glad I have finally found time to read it. Everyone has been talking about this series recently as A Court of Frost and Starlight was released last month. This is classed as a YA book but I don't really agree. There are some scenes that seem a lot more New Adult to me.

One of the reasons I was excited about this book was that it's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I LOVE Beauty and the Beast and I'm really into retelling's at the moment. If you're expecting the Disney feel in this book though you will be disappointed. This is a grittier, darker version of the story for sure. Sarah definitely puts her own spin on the classic story.

Feyre lives with her father and her two older sisters. The first thing I have to say about Freyre's family is that they are rather ungrateful. Freyre risks her life in order for them to survive. I did warm to them slightly over the course of the book but only slightly. In the beginning Feyre is annoying but after she stops trying to escape she actually is quite likeable. Feyre goes through so much in this book and my heart was breaking for her as she goes through it all.

Slowly but surely I fell in love with Tamlin. At first he was a grumpy surly man but chapter by chapter as those walls came down I fell a more and more in love with him. If I was a fae I would definitely be in the Spring Court.

I can already see the makings of a love triangle and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I guess I will have to wait until I read the next book to see how it unfolds.

The beginning of this book is quite slow but the action picks up later on. The beginning has a lot of world building so I expect the rest of the series may not be as slow. I liked the writing style. Being a fantasy novel in a made up world there were a lot of unfamiliar words but Sarah easily explains everything for us. 

This was the first book I have read by Sarah J Maas but it won't be my last I am eager to read the rest of this series and possibly Sarah's Throne of Glass series too.

I love Sarah J. Maas and I loved this book even more than the Throne of Glass series. She has such a talent for writing fantasy! The world she creates is so vibrant and real, that when combined with an intriguing plot and fantastic characters, this book is impossible to put down. I am eagerly awaiting the next book, because I can’t wait to see what happens to Feyre, Tamlin and Lucien!

I loved this book so much I didn't want it to end. I was initially recommended this by a friend as a alternative twist on the beauty and the beast tale. However it became something much more to me. There was something about this book that just stayed with me and even when I think about it now I get a warm glow. That I know comes from reading a truly amazing book.

I adored this book, one of my absolute favourite books, cant wait to see more of Rhysand in book 2.