SARAH J MAAS
(Book 4 in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series)
Synopsis:
Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.
The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.
Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.
Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other's arms.
My rating: ★★★★★
Categories: Upper YA, NA, fantasy, romance
Content:
Language: Frequent use of both mild and strong language.
Violence: The majority of the book focuses on Nesta's warrior training. There are mentions of rape, war and battle, decapitation, torture, etc. There are several fight scenes using swords, hand-to-hand combat, and magic. There are also several descriptions of blood.
Sex: Crude language is often used to describe sex. There are several allusions to sex, multiple explicit mentions, as well as several explicit sex scenes. There are also a few mentions of taking two lovers at a time, and the MC often uses sex to cope with her trauma.
LGBTQ: Not present (it is mentioned in a past book that there are bisexual and lesbian characters, but they are not discussed in this book)
My Review: Do I think the book needed to be 750 pages? No. Am I happy it was? Yes. I loved being back in the ACOTAR world and seeing all the characters again. I don't know how Maas did it, but she got me to like Nesta. I'd been delaying reading ACOSF just because I couldn't stand Nesta and I went into this book very close-minded about her character, determined to hate Nesta forever. Yet here I am. Her character development and growth was very well done. I loved how her relationship with Cassian changed and developed too.