Review #57 - Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas

I often struggle with reviews. I find it hard to put what I didn't like about the book into words and coherent sentences. I have struggled to write this review because no words can quite put into words how I am feeling right now but for the opposite reason. This book is so perfect, it is impossible (well almost impossible) to quite put what I adored about it into words.

This is the third book in the Throne of Glass series and I received this is an ARC from Bloomsbury. For that I am so so grateful and is the best end of exam present ever. This review will be spoiler free.

The book is cleverly written: in the words that are picked, the dialogue (which I read over four or five times) and the relationships that are built. There are three main story lines and I did have a definite favourite but I adored all of them.  The pace was maintained well in all three and covered all my favourite characters.

The emotions that I feel for these characters are beyond a level that is considered rational. I am emotionally invested in them beyond belief (especially to do with a certain new character who was introduced in this book). And Celaena is just as smart and brave and real as she ever has been. I read Assassins Blade when it came out (March) and the contrast between Celaena then and Celaena now is astonishing and so well written.

Honestly, I love these characters like my friends.

When I was about 40% of the way through this book I started thinking that I hadn't felt the emotions the book was stirring in me since Dumbledore's final scene in Harry Potter. By the end I knew it was much more than that. I haven't ever felt the emotion it stirred in me ever before, in real life or fiction. The best way I can describe it is pride mixed with love mixed with pure joy mixed with comfort mixed with a tinge of sorrow for all my darling characters.

I have grown up having "comfort books" that I lived on and grew from. Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Juliet Dove. All those series ended and though I was satisfied with those endings nothing ever really has filled the gap left by these writers. And then I discovered Sarah J Maas. I met her in October and right now, if I never meet JK Rowling (which was always my childhood and teenage dream) I think I will be okay, because I have a book that tells me to rattle the stars. Sarah J Maas has filled the literary hole in my heart and for that I will always be grateful.

Thank you, Sarah J Maas.

I would recommend this to:
Anyone with a heart
Everyone who is human
Everyone who contains an X chromosome

If you have read Crown of Midnight Sarah J Maas did an excellent video on Heir of Fire

Heir of Fire will be available September 2014.

Buy Throne of Glass (#1) here

Buy Crown of Midnight (#2) here

Buy The Assassins Blade (#0.1-0.5) here
I have linked all the UK editions because you don't have to separate them on a colour coded bookshelf and they look awesome.

Review #24 - The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

I'm thinking about how to write this review without gushing. This will inevitably be hard.

The Assassin's Blade is the prequel to Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. I saw her speak in October and I love the TOG series *breathes deeply*. This is a set of five novellas which are amazing. I can't write this review and quite justify how good it is because I don't have thoughts I just have heaps of emotions.

Ok. Here we go.

The Throne of Glass series is about a female teenage Assassin, Celaena Sardothien, who was captured and worked in a mine as a slave until she is made to compete in a challenge to become the king's royal assassin. This book is set before she gets sent to the mine.

Each novella is well developed and adds to the original series. I would read the books in the order in which they came out as I believe it adds more to the plot. I think you need sufficient backstory knowledge from the existing series to fully appreciate these fantastic prequels.

Out of all the novellas I liked the Assassin and the Desert the best because I know, I know everyone loves Sam but I loved the mute master as a sort of badass-dumbledore character. Celaena continues to be one of my all time favourite female characters and Arobynn is King of the Douches. I believe that Celaena should be regarded as the best female YA character of all time and I applaud Sarah J Maas for her ability to create such a strong female who  he readers can aspire to be.

The Assassin's Blade was a gripping as the other two books and is wonderful. The pace is fantastic, as ever.

Sarah J Maas does things with words that Shakespeare could be a little jealous of.

Five stars for you Glenn Coco you go Glenn Coco.