A Court of Mist and Fury

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I knew that Rhysand would have a much more important role in Feyre's future the moment he showed up in A Court of Thorns and Roses. The way he was described, and the way he helped her with little to no personal gain. 

What I didn't know was that he knew Feyre before he met her. 

It's interesting to see Rhysand's life and the beautiful world of the Night Court. Sarah J. Maas does a wonderful job developing Feyre's character and revealing the twist of the story. 

Feyre was given barely a choice while she lived at the Spring Court. Tamlin doesn't even consider her to be the High Lady. She is merely a consort, and her power is limited in terms of the court. 

Rhysand treats Feyre with more respect, and he truly cares for her. He always gives her the option to leave or stay, and Feyre finds a more welcoming environment at the Night court. 

The twist in this book was no surprise to me, because the author did so well dropping hints in the first book A Court of Thorns and Roses. From the begining, Feyre is drawn to Rhysand, and in this book, we learn why. Watching Feyre change from a helpless consort to a powerful queen was an incredible process. I think this book speaks volumes for teens on the meaning of a healthy relationship versus a toxic one. 

So often the male leads in teen YA are possessive and easily angry. That's taken to be "exciting" and "edgy" but in reality, it's not. It's seriously unhealthy. 

Feyre and Rhys are a team, and I belive that is really important for the young readers of today. The model of a healthy relationship really made this book for me. 

I loved it, and I give it five stars who listen. 

My favorite quote is an exchange between Feyre and Rhysand. 

"To the people who looked at the stars and wished, Rhys" - Feyre

"To the stars who listened and the dreams that are answered." - Rhysand. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This was a book that I literally could not put down. I had to force myself to close the book three times, and then I just gave up and finished it completely. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the story of Feyre, a survivor with an icy heart and a will of steel. Her world changes when she kills a wolf in the forest. A wolf that was not a wolf at all, but a Faerie. As punishment, she is taken to live in the Faerie Realm, a place that she has been taught to dread. With a wall of hatred and blame between the faeries and humans, it is difficult for her to understand why the Faerie that punished her has not killed her. But time passes, and she begins to learn about the history that the faeries and humans have had. 

Feyre learns that heroic deeds come with a price, and not all is what it seems in this strange world of glamours, rumours and danger. 

Sarah J. Maas has written a book that combines Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun, West of the Moon with the deadly politics of the Faerie Courts of Celtic lore. 

Not only is the story layered by mystery, but the world has been thoroughly created, and the complex characters are well written. 

Maas takes her time introducing each character, dropping clues here and there for the reader to pick up on. 

The story itself is a thrilling ride with unexpected twists and turns. As Feyre decides what is true and what is false, she learns more about the mysterious Fae. Despite the stories she was told, and the cruelty tied to her knowledge, Feyre discovers that the Fae are not so different from humans. 

As she learns more about the Faerie Tamlin, and his clever friend Lucien, Feyre finds a hope that she never knew she had, and maybe her heart wasn't as icy as she trained it to be. 

This book has joined the ranks of my favorite Beauty and the Beast tales, along with Beasty by Alex Flinn and Beauty by Robin McKinley. The mysteries of the fae were intriguing, the history fascinating and Feyre's character was a powerful representation of what it means to be human. 

I will both curse and praise the cliffhanger ending of every chapter, and I will honestly say that I can't wait for the next book. 

I give this book five out of five venetian masks. A wonderful fairytale retelling and epic story rolled into one!