ACOFAS, ACOMAF, ACOSF, ACOTAR, ACOWAR. By Sarah J. Maas. Audiobook

Emma Smith

A Court of Thorns and Roses and its sequels have been a constant presence in my Instagram feed for over a year. I'd see the covers and think: "Just another fantasy series. Is it worth my time?" and scroll on. My genre is thrillers; fantasy is what I read during breaks.

When the library closed, I turned to e-books. After devouring a pile of thrillers in April, I felt a break was due. Opening the AnyBooks App, the first non-thriller recommendation was A Court of Thorns and Roses. "Maybe," I thought, "it's time to give this series a go." And that's how it all began.

How much did I love them? I read 3 thrillers in April. In May, I finished this series-3 books-in around 6-7 days. Yes, you heard that right. Looking back, I'm not sure what my initial hesitation was about. I should have started sooner. But as they say, better late than never.

Let's talk about the books themselves.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. While I love the original, this version has earned a place in my heart. The story centers on Feyre, whose family lost everything due to her father's bad decisions. Now the sole provider, she hunts near the magic wall separating the human and faerie lands. After she kills a faerie, one of the High Lords takes her as retribution. Feyre soon learns that everything she'd been taught about the fae is wrong. The friendships she forms, the people she falls in love with, and her fight to free both the humans and the fae from a tyrannical king is what the series is all about.

Now, to the review. The world-building was the first thing that stood out for me. It was amazing. Normally, I forget character names within days of finishing a book. It has been more than a week since I finished this series, and I can still remember every name and every minute detail. For example: Velaris, the town that was untouched by the war. I can still hear the waves and the laughter of children. I can see The Court of Dreams, the night of Starfall! I could keep going, but you get the point.

The second is the relationship between Rhysand and Feyre. In my opinion, Sarah J Maas has nailed it. They have such great respect for each other. The way they care for each other and handle each other's nightmares is so heartwarming. And the most important part is how Rhysand gives Feyre a choice in everything. I'm sure most of you would agree that those are relationship goals.

The third thing that stood out was Rhysand's Inner Circle. There's always a delicate balance to be maintained when you are both a leader and a friend. You need to know when to be stern and when to let go and be a friend. Rhysand does this so beautifully. The friendship between Rhysand, Mor, Azriel, Amren, and Cassian is written so well. I loved it.

Now, let's go book by book.

A Court of Thorns & Roses is the first book. Most reviews I read mentioned it was a bit slow. Personally, I didn't feel that way. It wasn't fast-paced like the other two books, but it wasn't boring either. It has its own good moments. I loved how Feyre rediscovers herself and fights for what she loves in this book.

A Court of Mist & Fury is the second book. This is where the relationship between Rhysand and Feyre develops. I'm sure most of you will agree that this is the best book in the series. I enjoyed reading this book. Once I finished it, I took a break of 1.5 days before starting the third book. I was in a book hangover. I was literally dreaming of all the characters and I didn't want the series to end. I haven't had such an experience with any of my recent reads.

A Court of Wings & Ruin is the third book. It did not appeal to me as much as the first two. It wasn't bad in any sense. Just that comparatively, the first two books were better. This could be because the third book is mostly about the war. What I did love in this book is how Feyre and her sisters learn to care for and trust each other. Feyre's family from both worlds come together in this book. It had one of the best endings I could have asked for.

More than a week after finishing the series, I'm yet to pick my next read. I'm still enjoying recollecting my memories of the books. The series also has a novella, A Court of Frost and Starlight. I'm still trying to decide whether to read it or not. I've read that it is more like a fan fiction. It is set in the future. Maybe I will give it a go.

My Rating: 5⭐