Book Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

acomafTitleA Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2)
Author: Sarah J Maas
Pages: 640
Release Date: May 3, 2016
Genre: YA Fantasy, New Adult Fantasy
SummaryFeyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court–but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms–and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future–and the future of a world cleaved in two.


TRB Review – 4/5

I’m going to try my absolute hardest to keep this review spoiler free, but there’s so much to discuss and it’s hard to do that without delving into details, hmm this will be very difficult. Just in case, if you’ve yet to sell your bookish soul to the lovely Sarah J Maas and her Night Court (meaning you have not finished ACOMAF yet) – do not read beyond the “STOP READING HERE” warning I’ve set up for you below. Instead, skip to the comments and tell me whether or not you’ve started the series, and what you think!

A Court of Mist and Fury is the second book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas. The hype that surrounded ACOMAF on Bookstagram is what lead me to reading series. I am very happy that I did, but like I mentioned in my ACOTAR review, I think the hype surrounding them was a little bigger than the truthful quality of the content. Before you start angrily thrashing your keyboard in the comments – I say this only because of how long it takes for the story to really get good. Maas takes some freedom in the buildup to the most important parts of the story, although in this second book the time spent in the first half is necessary because of the internal struggle that Feyre is facing and must overcome for the story to continue as it does.

STOP READING HERE
(skip to the comments if you have not yet finished ACOMAF, spoilers ahead)

Where do I even begin. While reading the first book I had a very hard time liking the main character, Feyre. She was a strong and tougher than nails, but the broken and hopeless girl from the first book transformed into a hardened and guarded Feyre moving into ACOMAF. After her trials Under the Mountain and the transformation that she experienced, she had some soulful healing to do and I think that Maas did an excellent job letting us into her head and heart and experiencing her pain and fears along side of her.

I immediately regretted my prior fondness of Tamlin. It was apparent very quickly to me why everyone was on “Team Rhysand” from the end of ACOTAR, I think I was just blinded by Tamlin’s High Fae glamour or something? It’s no excuse. I about hooted and hollered when Rhysand swooped in and saved the day, and I was very mad at Feyre for her ignorance. I really thought that Tamlin was out of the picture, but surprise surprise when he and his snot nosed court showed back up to ruin the day! Although to be fair, I did really like Lucien and still believe that he’s going to break away from the madness of Tamlin’s corruption…but who am I to interject my personal thoughts and opinions here. Actually, this has turned into more of a discussion than review anyway it would seem.

The unique way that Maas introduces her characters and builds you up to their full personality and character potential is very interesting to me, and I enjoyed learning about each of them (Rhysand’s right-hand ladies and gents) as Feyre spent more time in the Night Court. They continued to awe me event towards the end of the book, of course there is an air of mystery around them all anyway but as pasts are revealed the characters are really rounded out. I was thrilled that there was so much more going on in ACOMAF, the lack of action bored me before which was very well made up for this time around. Feyre continually grew and developed, a great improvement from her hopeless romantic persona in ACOTAR. She was so snarky, it made me laugh out loud more times than I can count on my fingers and toes!

It’s true, I have jumped on the Rhysand train and I refuse to look back. He’s the newest addition to my ever-growing book boyfriend list, and I mean, if he’s ever looking for a new mate…

I’ve definitely fallen in love with the world that Maas has created in this series. Velaris, really the Night Court as a whole, has stolen my heart and refuses to release it back to the real world. I am looking very forward to the next book, A Court of Wings and Ruin, which is set to release in May of 2017. Yikes, that’s so far away! I’m assuming if you’ve come this far you must have finished the book, I am really curious to know what other readers thought?

Comment below with your thoughts on ACOMAF. What did you think? I have so many questions that I hope ACOWAR answers next year, until then I will burn my Starfall & Rhysand candles and make irrational and unnecessary bookish purchases to hold me over.

Unboxing: December Attic Box

December marks my second month as a rep for the Attic Box by Blue Spider Press! I was absolutely in love with this subscription service when I received November’s box, but this month’s blew me out of the water! The theme for December was “Fantasy and Fairy Tales” and being the 100% nerd that I am (Fun Fact: When I was 12-15 my room was painted green and decorated floor to ceiling with dragons, wizards, faeries, etc.) I could barely contain myself when it was announced!

I thought I’d provide a bit more information this time around, so please keep reading for subscription details about the contents, cost, shipping, etc. as well as my full unboxing of December’s “Fantasy and Fairy Tales” Attic Box (spoilers ahead if you are a subscriber!).

Question for my readers: What bookish boxes are you currently subscribed to? Which is your favorite and why? I am always interested in trying new ones out, so please share with us in the comments below!


Subscription Details:

The Attic Box by Blue Spider Press is a monthly subscription box that contains three gently used novels (handpicked according to your preferences I might add), one full-pot coffee or tea sample, and anywhere from 3 to 5 bookish treasures. Some of these treasures are even handcrafted by the team at Blue Spider Press and include but are not limited to  bookmarks, jewelry, etc.

The Box: Attic Box
Subscription Cost: Starting @ $19.99/mo plus s&h/applicable taxes
One-Time Boxes: Limited supplies available, starting @ $17.99 plus s&h/applicable taxes
Discounts: TRB10 for 10% off your subscription


decatticbox

One of the things that makes me so fond of this subscription, is the fact that Candice and Jeremy work so hard to pick novels based on your specified preferences. The books that you receive do not necessarily follow the theme each month (the theme having more of a focus in the goodies you get), but they are chosen carefully and I believe that the passion that goes into this box can really be seen just in its overall curation!


One of my reading/genre preferences when I signed up as a rep was fantasy/sci-fi, and this month was no disappointment with the accidental (or purposeful, we shall never know but I don’t doubt the team’s amazing abilities!!) correlation of theme and books. Included were three novels, Song in the Silence by Elizabeth Kerner, Negative Image by Vicki Delaney, and 100 Great Fantasy Short Short Stories by multiple authors.


The running coffee theme here is another thing that will definitely keep me coming back for more! There were three possible pin varieties in this month’s box that were created by the very talented Brandy at Pigsey Art in TX! I was lucky enough to get the gorgeous “most likely to caffeinate” shown below which perfectly describes Mondays for me…well, everyday I suppose would be more appropriate! I have yet to dive into the holiday blend sample from this month, but it sure sounds wonderful!


The goodies that are included monthly are SO MUCH FUN! I’ve yet to come across something that isn’t useful, which I highly appreciate out of this box. Included this month were the following: a small journal, a gorgeous handcrafted book charm necklace (this one was King Arthur), a bookmark, stickers, and a stunning art print based off of Alice in Wonderland (there were multiple varieties, mine happened to be the Mad Hatter).


I cannot fully express how fantastic this box is, and I will continue to attempt to do so as long as I am a rep and beyond! I’ve purchased quite a few different boxes over the past 4 months (you can find my other unboxings here) and each is special and unique in their own way. This subscription specifically is special as a small business, run by two of the kindest book-loving people out there! Items are handcrafted, books are handpicked, and so much thought and consideration goes into making this the wonderful book box that it is.

Okay so maybe I am a little in love with it, but my convincing can only go so far – you need to try it to believe it! So, if you’re a coffee or tea fanatic who likes unique and usable things and want a little bookish mystery in your life (mystery because the books you get are a surprise), this is the box for you! Sign up today (or try a one-time box if you’re not looking to commit monthly) and make sure to use my rep code TRB10 for 10% off your subscription!