Hot Chocolate & Books: fantasy

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Sum up: (Goodreads)

Leah Buchanan’s family has been in service to vampires for five centuries. Even so, Leah wants nothing to do with her family’s legacy. But when she’s summoned to her Selection by the Vampire Dominion, under familial pressure, she has no choice but to go.

Lucien has been living under the strict edicts of the Vampire Dominion for centuries but he’s tired of these ancient laws stripping away everything that is the essence of the vampire.

So he’s taking it back.

And this is because Lucien has been watching and waiting for decades for Leah to become available for a Selection and he will not be limited with what he can do with her. He will have her, all of her.

Therefore, Lucien is going to tame Leah, even if he gets hunted and killed for doing it.

What neither Leah nor Lucien expects is the strong bond that will form between them, connecting them on unprecedented levels for mortals or immortals. And what will grow between them means they will challenge their ways of life and their union will begin The Prophesies which makes them one of three couples who will save humanity… or die in the effort.

Until the Sun Falls from the Sky - Kristen Ashley - HotChocolate.and.Books

This book contains violent and sexual scenes that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Forget everything you knew about the vampires/humans stories. Kristen Ashley completely re-wrote this! In this series, humans and supernatural beings have coexisted for centuries. Some humans knew and fully live in adéquation with supernatural beings, but most of the human beings did not know other creatures lived among them.

Centuries ago, vampires could mate with humans. But in order to protect both species from extinction, it has been forbidden for vampires and humans to have any kind of relationship besides for humans to be concubine. Concubines are willing humans who serve vampires for a certain amount of years. This helped maintain balance of power and to keep vampires from hunting humans. Willing humans attend a gathering called The Selection, where a vampire chooses his next concubine who then serves them on a contractual basis. Being a concubine is a great honor. You are cared for throughout your service and until you die.

Leah Buchanan was born into a family of concubines. Her lineage is extremely famous for being the most desired concubines. But where her family finds pride, Leah is nothing but uninterested in serving a vampire. For her, being a concubine is close to a death sentence. When she reluctantly attends the Selection, she is surprised to know that Lucien - a very famous, powerful vampire - has been waiting for her for years and selected her. But everything goes downhill for her then. He tampered with the contract forcing her to be a concubine until he decides otherwise, agrees to having sexual intercourses with him and should she choose to run away, he is allowed to track her and punish her the way he sees fit. When she is close to refusing, Lucien compels her to sign the contract and carries her away, cutting her from her family and the outside world by taking away her wallet, passport, phone, bag...

Leah is not the regular concubine Lucien is used to: she defies him all the time, frustrates him on every single thing he asks of her. Despite his patience, Leah is more stubborn than he anticipated. But both characters are in for a wild ride...

Opinion:

I have mixed feelings about this book. Don't get me wrong, I probably read it five times, but I still like it as much as I dislike it. Let me explain...

The characters:

At first, I thought Lucien was a real a**ho*e! Yes, he is a very respected vampire and he is expecting Leah to treat him accordingly. Let me tell you that Leah cannot give two crap about what he wants and I loved that! Anyway, by the end of the story, I started liking Lucien a lot. He turned out to be caring, loving and super sweet. BUT... I am still pissed at him that he didn't explain better to Leah what the taming is exactly (see below for more explanations). The other thing he did and bugged me was he claimed loud and clear he waited for Leah for centuries, but as soon as he runs out of patience, he almost cheats on her. That was a big NO for me. But thank God, he didn't do anything reprehensible.

I loved that Leah was a strong, stubborn character.She had a mind of her own and I found her to be super funny. I was just frustrated every time she resisted Lucien only to give in ten minutes later. I just wanted to yell "Girl, get your act together!". But she was a funny, relatable character. I just struggled with her age. It is said she was 40 years-something and I couldn't help picturing her as a teenager or in her early twenties. For example, she was expelled of Vampires Studies for passing notes, exchanging texts and writing her will. I thought it was hilarious, but not really fitting for a 40-year-old woman.

The taming:

The only reason (at the beginning of the book anyway) Lucien selected Leah is because he wants to tame her. Now, I can see the wheels of your brain turning and be like "Say whaaaaaaat?!". A guy calls me pet and tells me he wants to tame me, be sure I will run the other way screaming at the top of my lungs after spraying his face with some pepper spray. Anyway, the taming is actually the moment a concubine gives herself wholeheartedly to her vampire. She lets go of everything and relies completely on the vampire. But Lucien did not explain any of this to Leah and of course, she made (the wrong) assumptions, which he never corrected, but only replied with a "You need to feel it" stuff. Ugh... if he had told her from the beginning, a lot of things would've been much easier for the both of them.

I was also disappointed by how Leah gave in to the taming. It is like all of a sudden she had an awakening of some sort and was super happy about the taming and understood what it was despite not having a clue for the first three quarters of the story. It kind of came out of the blue. Anyway...

I did enjoy Kristen Ashley's writing. I am a huge fan of hers anyway, so it shouldn't be too surprising. I couldn't put the book down when I started it and like I said before, I read it at least five times. Overall, I liked the plot and the universe KA created. There is also an upcoming war that will most likely run throughout the series, so I cannot wait for more actions and you can be sure I will read the other two books.

Have you read it? Please leave a comment to let me know your thoughts on this book :)

Résumé : (Booknode)

Depuis la nuit des temps, les Anciens cohabitent avec les humains.
A New York, Pia Govanni, mi-humaine, mi-dragonne, a été choisie pour une mission ultra-dangereuse : dérober un élément du trésor de Dragos Cuelebre. Il est le chef incontesté des Wyrs, le dragon le plus redoutable au monde. Simple pion dans la guerre qui oppose le roi des Faes noires à Dragos, Pia sait pertinnement qu'elle devra subir la fureur de la ténébreuse créature. Car Dragos est à ses trousses, et il la retrouve en territoire elfique. Mais aucun des deux ne s'attendait à ce qu'une telle alchimie se révèle entre eux.

Ce livre contient des scènes violentes et sexuelles qui peuvent heurter la sensibilité des lecteurs.

Intrigue :

Bienvenue dans un monde où les humains vivent en harmonie avec des espèces surnaturelles (vampires, wyr, faes...) dans des villes telles que New-York, mais les espèces surnaturelles ont également accès à d'autres contrées qui recèlent de magie.

Pia est une jeune femme mi-humaine mi-wyr qui a été surprotégée tout au long de sa vie par sa mère. Lorsque cette dernière décède, elle fait jurer à sa fille de vivre avec prudence et de ne jamais révéler ce qu'elle sait faire, ni de dévoiler son vrai nom (car oui, les noms ont une grande importance chez les wyrs). Malheureusement, après le décès de sa mère, Pia enchaîne les désastres amoureux et son ex, justement, lui fait du chantage afin qu'elle pénètre dans l'antre du Dragon - appelé Dragos (original, je sais !) - afin d'y dérober un objet. Personne avant elle n'avait jamais réussi cet exploit. Et surtout, personne n'en était jamais sorti vivant. Lorsque Dragos découvre qu'un de ses trésors a disparu, sa rage ne connaît aucune limite et Pia a intérêt à décamper le plus vite possible...

Mais tout ne va pas se passer comme prévu...

Avis :

Cet avis fait suite à une deuxième lecture quelques années après l'avoir lu une première fois. J'ai beaucoup apprécié la lecture de ce livre. J'ai beaucoup aimé le monde que l'auteure a mis en avant, rempli de créatures mystiques tels que les dragons, les faes... J'ai aussi apprécié la plume de l'auteure qui a su nous faire naviguer aisément dans ce nouveau monde imaginaire, dans les intrigues politiques et de rencontrer tous ces personnages. Elle garde toujours cette part de suspens, d'action, de surprises, de romance et d'humour.

- Tu as volé un penny frappé en 1962, grommela Dragos en serrant les dents. Tu m'as laissé à la place un penny de 1975. Ce n'est pas la même chose.
Elle le toisa.
- Mon Dieu, c'est effrayant que tu aies remarqué ça.
- Je sais exactement ce que j'ai et où tout se trouve. Jusqu'à l'objet le plus minuscule.
- Tu devrais peut-être consulter un médecin, voir si tu souffres pas d'un trouble obsessionnel.

Le personnage de Pia était plutôt bien ficelé tout au long de l'histoire, même s'il y avait quelques contradictions. Par moment, c'était un personnage fort et débrouillard, mais à d'autres, elle était faible et laissée Dragos tout gérer, ce qui pouvait créer quelques incohérences et frustrations pour le lecteur. Mais j'ai adoré découvrir de quel espèce wyr elle était. Je ne m'attendais pas du tout à la révélation. C'est toujours un plaisir d'avoir un.e auteur.e qui nous surprend.

Le personnage de Dragos est l'archétype même de l'alpha : protecteur, possessif et possédant un tempérament de feu. On aime ou on n'aime pas. Souvent dans ce genre d'histoires, on prend plutôt le parti d'aimer ces traits de caractère.

Il posa une main sur sa joue.
— Tu m'appartiens, tu es à moi. Tu peux le nier, protester, trépigner, essayer de t'enfuir. Mais. Tu. Es. À. Moi. Ça. Ne. Changera. Rien.
— C'est insensé. Je ne sais pas du tout ce que cela signifie. Je n'appartiens pas plus à toi qu'à quelqu'un d'autre.
— Si, insista-t-il, passant son pouce sur les lèvres de la jeune femme. Tu es à moi et je vais te garder. Je ne te ferai pas de mal, je te protégerai.
— Je ne suis pas un objet, bordel !
— Mais tu m'appartiens.
— Je crois que tu es cinglé.
— Vu que tu l'es aussi, ce n'est pas tellement un problème.

J'ai beaucoup aimé les personnages secondaires. Ils sont à l'arrière-plan tout au long de l'histoire, mais chacun a son importance. Je déteste quand un.e auteur.e introduit des personnages secondaires, mais ils ne servent à rien.

Au final, c'est un premier livre plutôt réussi pour cette saga La Chronique des Anciens. Hâte de lire le second tome pour voir si la magie opère tout au long de cette série.

L'avez-vous lu? Dites ce que vous en avez pensé en commentaires ! :)

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Aelin has risked everything to save her people―but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. Aware that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, though her resolve begins to unravel with each passing day…

With Aelin captured, Aedion and Lysandra remain the last line of defense to protect Terrasen from utter destruction. Yet they soon realize that the many allies they’ve gathered to battle Erawan’s hordes might not be enough to save them. Scattered across the continent and racing against time, Chaol, Manon, and Dorian are forced to forge their own paths to meet their fates. Hanging in the balance is any hope of salvation―and a better world.

And across the sea, his companions unwavering beside him, Rowan hunts to find his captured wife and queen―before she is lost to him forever.

As the threads of fate weave together at last, all must fight, if they are to have a chance at a future. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever in the explosive final chapter of the Throne of Glass series.

Kingdom of Ashes - Throne of Glass #7 - Sarah J. Maas

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

The events of this book occurs after Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn.

Kingdom of Ash is divided into two parts and each one of our heroes are on their own quest.

Rowan, Elide, Lorcan and Gavriel are still looking for Aelin who has been kidnapped and is being tortured by Maeve.

Aelin and Fenrys are trying their best to survive what Maeve has planned for them.

Lysandra and Aedion are trying to keep the illusion that Aelin is still among them while leading their army.

Dorian and Manon are trying to unite the witches and make Manon their rightful queen so they can follow them into the upcoming battle.

Opinion:

/!\ This section may contain spoilers /!\

Oh my! I was kind of preparing myself for this one. I knew it would be emotionally intense. And yet, I was not prepared enough. I am not even sure to know where to start. This book was long, I am not going to lie. However I read it in barely three days because I couldn't put it down. Be ready for some actions with battles on battles on battles! (alright, I have to admit that sometimes it was a bit long to read but anyway) Such an emotional rollercoaster, honestly! So many things happening with so many different characters and yet, it’s all linked.

Let's start with Aelin because obviously everyone wants to know what happened to her after the awful ending of Empire of Storms. Aelin has been tortured for months at the hands of Maeve and Cairn. The torture is not only physical but also psychological. When Sarah J. Maas describes the tortures Aelin went through, it is most definitely hard to read about it. I would advise against reading this book for people who are a bit sensitive to "torture scenes". I could just feel Aelin's helplessness. She could not do anything against what was done to her. It just feels like a never-ending nightmare. Fenrys also lives his own nightmare. I just felt so bad for the two of them.
Even though we know that Aelin will be released, the wait is so painful and the moment she was released, she looked so broken. I just couldn't take it. I mean, we all know Aelin and how strong and full of sass she is. And yet, when she was running away and begging for her friends to let her out of this iron mask, she completely broke and I just broke with her too.
Rowan wants what is best for Aelin but he struggles to know how to be close to her again. She is a whole new person with everything that happened to her and she is scared of what everyone expects her to be. But Rowan was just perfection even though I felt like he was a bit erased in this book.

I really liked how Sarah J. Maas grew Dorian's character throughout this story. His new found abilities made him quite interesting. I have to admit that he gave me a few scares here and there. She gave him a true depth. Unfortunately he also becomes mean and cold, which implies that his romance with Manon was a bit weird. I was rooting for them at the beginning but then it just turned cold. She gave him everything and he just turned it down. He used her and her body. Yes, it was interesting when he found this "dark side" of his and Manon was kind of helping him with it, kind of like with a protégé but still, it doesn't mean he has to be a d*ck all the time.

I felt for Manon throughout this book. I was not a huge fan of hers when she was first introduced in the Throne of Glass series. And yet, I learned to love her and her Thirteen. Unfortunately this story doesn't end well for everyone. The Thirteen's deaths affected me so much. I felt so bad. Even worse than bad. I cried so much during this scene, I felt like I was never going to get through it. I had to put the book down to take a break.

Many of the secondary characters became much more important than I would've thought at the beginning, especially Yrene (you'll understand once you read the book). I liked that the end was not just about Aelin because it would have been way too predictable. Chaol and Yrene were really cute together. It seemed like they drew their strengths from one another.

I liked that Elide was a strong female character. However the way she handled things with Lorcan were a bit... too much. I mean, I totally understand that she was pissed off by his actions at the beginning. But even Aelin forgave him and Elide was not capable to do so. Worst, she kicked him down when he was already more down than down. He tried his best to make up for what he'd done (kind of like Chaol in Tower of Dawn). I really discovered a new face of Lorcan and I really fell for him. He tried his best through his actions to make things right. He offered his support and took an oath to Aelin. I almost liked him... alright, I think I actually really liked him in this book.

Now let's talk about Aedion and Lysandra. I am not fully sure on what to say about the two of them. Aedion was such an as*hol*. Honestly he was abusive to Lysandra to the point he kicked her out when it was freezing cold, snowing and she was naked. Who on Earth does that?! I understand that he is pissed off at Aelin's plans but why would he take his frustration out on Lysandra who is only playing the part that has been asked of her? I would've never, ever forgiven him, no matter if we died tomorrow. I wanted to punch him so hard! Lysandra could do better and she should have had better. She shouldn't have ended with him. I hate that his character ended up being abusive. In the first books, he reminded me of a little boy who only wanted his cousin back. Now, I'm ashamed for him.

The only thing I felt for for Aedion was how short his reunion with his father was. I was so frustrated for him. We'd been waiting for this reunion for ages and I was so disappointed that it ended so suddenly with Gavriel's death. Honestly, what was that?!

I was so happy to see more of Nesryn and Sartaq. I just loved them. I basically just love the whole Sartaq's second family. The ruks sounded so interesting. I felt like they were an equivalent to the Thirteen wyverns.

In a really twisted way, I could admire Maeve. I said in a (really) twisted way. She is a really strong female character and she is ambitious.

This book was mostly psychological. Sarah J. Maas really focused on how the characters felt, all their hopelessness. Hopelessness is truly the main motto here. It is a really, really dark book, which is expected considering how Empire of Storms ended. You can feel the despair of every character throughout the final battle. They've been dragged from battles to battles and they are just over-exhausted.

Anyway, yes, this book is really long. No, it is not the best book. Yes, some scenes could have been better. But this book is the end of the Throne of Glass series and I will dearly miss all the characters. This book made me cry so much... to the point I got a headache. I cried for all my beloved fallen characters but also for the end of this amazing series. How I’m going to miss it!

Sum up: (Goodreads)

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Crown of Midnight - Throne of Glass #2 - Sarah J. Maas

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Celaena is now the King's assassin. Even though she despises him, nothing will stop her from gaining her freedom even if it means killing people and endangering her life. She agrees helping her ennemy destroying he rebels. But the more murders he asks her to commit, the more she questions who these people really are. When she is confronted with someone of her past, she has to act now before it is too late. Or maybe it already is...

Opinion:

OH! MY! This book... and this ending! I think I need a few minutes to collect myself and know what to write down.

Okay...I am sorry I didn't write the review before but I just needed to read the next book because I just couldn't wait. I had really enjoyed reading the first book. I found the story quite original and the characters were all very different but driven by something. Anyway... I do not really know how to review this book without saying too much and spoiling you so I will try to be extremely careful and I will probably stick to describe the characters and their evolution. Just let me tell you that this book contains many actions and twists and you cannot possibly be ready for it. It is a full rollercoaster and your head will be spinning at the end of the story. And the end... it is not really a cliffhanger but it is for sure quite some twist!

Celaena does not care that she should now be faithful to the king as she only sticks to her convictions and beliefs. She is not perfect, that is for sure but she is strongly loyal to her ideas and to the people she considers her friends. But even though she seems fierce and tough, she is also vulnerable when it is time for her to stand for something. The more she kills for the King, the more she questions herself. Does she really want to gain her freedom out of murdering innocent people?

I have to admit that I was really not a fan of Chaol as I didn't get the chemistry between him and Celaena. I mean, I just didn't feel anything for these two characters together. However in this book, it changes. They both develop a relationship and I liked seeing Celaena so carefree and Chaol so passionate for someone else than Dorian. Chaol turns to be a perfect, sexy, sweet and protective guy. But I have to say I was disappointed that nothing more would happen between Dorian and Celaena because for me, they were just perfection together.

In this book, the friendship between Celaena and Nehemia slowly unravels because of their own beliefs. Nehemia wants nothing more than stand for her country and for her people even if it means endangering her life but Celaena is scared. She is scared for her life but also for everything she built here.

But after a dreadful event, Celaena becomes really different from the first book. She becomes darker, blood-thirsty and terrifying...

Okay, I need to stop now or I will want to tell you everything. So you probably understood that this series is really a must-read. I found the first book nice but kind of slow sometimes and a bit too predictable. However I feel like it is only getting better and better.

Sum up: (Goodreads)

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Throne of Glass - Throne of Glass #1 - Sarah J. Maas

Some scenes contain violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Celaena Sardothien is barely seventeen and yet, she is the best assassin. Everyone has one day heard of her. Yet, after one betrayal she ends up in Endovier salt mines where no one lasts more than a year. Everyday she survives. She keeps her head up no matter how many times she gets whipped. But she knows she will never make it out alive. That was until a surprised bargain may save her life.

This year, the infamous king has decided to organize a competition where the best fighters in the world - may they be prisoners, ex-soldiers or guards - will fight. At the end of this competition, the winner will be the king's assassin for four years before being granted freedom.

When the Captain Chaol Westfall offers Celaena the possibility to fight in a competition where she could gain freedom after a few years, she accepts even if it means being the king's assassin. She will fight as the Crown Prince's champion, Dorian.

But when she gets in the castle, she will soon realize that the competitors are not her biggest threat. There is something lurking in the shadows, something that slowly slaughters each fighter and she will have to find out what it is before she is the next one...

Opinion:

This review may contain some spoilers if you haven't read this book

I heard so much of this series and I finally started it. Yay me!

Let's talk first about this new world that Sarah J. Maas created. As always, Sarah J. Maas has a nice writing and I absolutely liked the storyline revolving around a world that is slowly dying because a king, so greedy with power, destroys everything that may be a threat to his throne. No one talks about magic to the point everyone forgot it ever existed. This world is violent and depressing. No one good lasts very long. Celaena knows about magic. She has already seen it.

I really enjoyed the storyline because it was original. At least for me. I had never read a story where a young girl is a famous assassin and her only way out of the mines is to serve a king she hates.

I just regretted that the story around the "demons" haunting the castle was not better explored. I felt slightly frustrated because it could've been better. Celaena took way too long to realize who was beyond the attacks even though it was obvious. However I was really surprised (in a good way) by the outcome between the Duke and Kaitlin. I was not expecting it at all. I cannot wait to read more about that in the next books.

Personally, I didn't see the use of the love triangle between Dorian-Celaena-Chaol. Maybe I am a bit too old for that (oh nooo!). I mean there was obviously a hot chemistry between Dorian and Celaena but I didn't see anything between Chaol and Celaena. It also doesn't bring anything to the story.

When she refused to be with Dorian at the end though, I really wanted to struggle her. He loves her, she likes him and nup, she doesn't want to go there. I mean, if you see something you want and this something is the prince who could possibly change everything, you go for it. You don't say "Nah, I want freedom more". You could still be free and in love with a prince. Okay, maybe it's my extremely sappy, cheesy, romantic side speaking but still...

Now about the characters:

I liked Celaena. She is strong, fierce, proud, smart, loyal, brave... Everything you cannot possibly be in real life (haha!). Despite trying to prove the world she is a fearless assassin, we see glimpses of a past that still haunts her. She has flaws and vulnerability but she is afraid to show them. Even after working in the mines, she remains true to herself and she doesn't hesitate to help other people.

Chaol... Now I'm a bit confused about this character. I don't know if I like him or not. I know he is supposed to be a withdrawn character, which explains why we probably didn't feel his chemistry with Celaena, and yet I couldn't really bring myself to like him. He plays hot and cold the whole time. He supposedly likes her but he is constantly waiting for her to try to murder them all. But maybe this opinion will change along the books of this series.

I hated Dorian at first but as I reached the end of the book, I couldn't believe the Dorian from the beginning was the same Doriam from the end. It felt like they were two complete different characters. The first time we read about him, he is cold, spoiled, selfish and a real womanizer. In the middle, there is already a shift as we see he is truly trapped between what his heart wants and what his father wants him to be. He tries to protect Celaena the best he can. I felt sorry for him because his situation clearly is uneasy. Witnessing his growing love for Celaena, I just felt more in love with him. He is ready to do anything that is possible for Celaena.

Having different POV at some point in this book offers the reader a glimpse of each character's feelings in some situation.

Anyway, if you like a bit of fantasy and a lot of adventures and actions, this book is for you! :)

English review here

Résumé : (Goodreads)

La princesse Winter est admirée par les lunaires pour sa grâce et sa bonté et malgré les cicatrices sur son visage, sa beauté à couper le souffle surpasse celle de sa belle-mère, la reine Levana.
Winter méprise sa belle-mère et sait que Levana n'approuvera pas ses sentiments envers son ami d'enfance - et beau garde du palais - Jacin Clay. Mais Winter n'est pas aussi faible que Levana le croit et elle se moque bien des souhaits de sa belle-mère depuis des années. Ensemble, avec la mécanicienne cyborg Cinder et ses compagnons, Winter pourrait bien avoir le pouvoir de lancer une révolution et de gagner une guerre qui fait rage depuis trop longtemps.
Cinder, Scarlet, Cress et Winter pourront-elles vaincre Levana et avoir une fin heureuse ?

Winter - Les Chroniques Lunaires #4 - Marissa Meyer

Intrigue :

Retrouvez la conclusion des Chroniques Lunaires ! Cinder se prépare à aller sur la Lune avec ses amis afin de détrôner Levanna et prendre le rôle de reine qui lui revient de droit. Mais pour cela, il lui faudra d'abord trouver de l'aide parmi les lunaires afin de monter sa révolution. Une tâche qui pourrait s'avérer plus compliquée qu'elle ne l'avait prévu !

Winter est connue parmi les lunaires pour son grand cœur et sa beauté sans pareil, malgré les cicatrices infligées par sa belle-mère. Une belle-mère qu'elle méprise de toute son âme. A cause du mal lunaire qui la tourmente, tout le monde n'a de cesse de la croire faible et folle. Pourtant, elle a plus d'une carte en main et avec l'aide de son ami et garde royal, Jacin, elle se sent prête à faire partie d'un plan qui la dépasse pour libérer la Lune du joug de sa belle-mère.

Meurtres, manipulation, enlèvement, torture... Nos amis vont avoir encore du pain sur la planche avant de pouvoir débarrasser la Lune de Levanna !

Avis :

Ça y est ! La lecture de cette série est finie et quelle belle fin ! Ce tome est le meilleur de la série je trouve. Avez-vous déjà eu ce sentiment de vouloir finir une série le plus rapidement possible parce que vous êtes impatient(e)s de connaître la fin et d'un autre côté, vous voulez prendre votre temps parce que vous ne voulez pas mettre fin à cette lecture? C'est exactement ce sentiment que j'ai eu. Bon après, il y avait près de 1000 pages, donc de quoi satisfaire notre curiosité tout de même. Ça peut paraître long, mais par d'autre côté, c'était trop court parce que je n'avais de cesse d'en vouloir plus.

Ce tome va vous emmener à travers toutes les émotions : le suspens, la joie, la tristesse, la peur... Accrochez-vous parce que c'est une réelle montagne russe !

J'ai beaucoup apprécié les personnages, même si j'ai encore beaucoup de mal avec l'histoire entre Thorne et Cress. Tous les personnages ont bien grandi et prennent leurs responsabilités, même si cela veut dire les mener à la mort. Chaque personnage a un rôle précis dans le renversement de Levanna, un réel esprit d'équipe.

De la petite cyborg terrestre qui a du mal à trouver sa place, Cinder est prête à prendre ses responsabilités en tant que reine, même si elle n'est pas sûre d'elle-même et de ses décisions. Mais surtout, elle n'a jamais voulu être reine. Heureusement qu'à travers toutes ces épreuves, Kaito est là pour la soutenir. L'évolution de leur relation depuis le premier tome est vraiment flagrante et j'en suis bien contente ! J'étais à la limite de la frustration dans le premier tome, mais là, j'ai été plus que servie. Kai, au même titre que Cinder, est prêt à se sacrifier (sous-entendu à se marier avec Levanna) afin de sauver la Terre de la létumose.

Scarlet et Loup... alors ces deux-là restent mon couple préféré. Ils ont tout connu et ils reviennent de loin, mais ils sont plus forts que jamais ! L'amour qu'on peut ressentir entre les deux personnages m'a mis des étoiles dans les yeux. Mais peu importe ce qui se dresse sur leur chemin, ils sont bien décidés à rester ensemble, coûte que coûte.

Comme dit précédemment, le couple Thorne-Cress, j'ai toujours du mal. J'aime beaucoup Thorne quand il est seul car il est drôle et il sait détendre l'atmosphère. Mais avec Cress, je ne l'apprécie pas parce que j'ai l'impression qu'il ne la respecte pas. Je ne ressens aucune alchimie entre les deux. J'ai préféré Cress dans ce tome parce qu'elle prend enfin des risques et elle ne reste plus cachée derrière Thorne.

Nouveau couple dans cette série : Jacin-Winter. Je regrette que leur relation n'ait pas pu être plus développée. Nous aurions pu avoir un nouveau couple à l'image de Scarlet-Loup, mais non. Donc je dois l'avouer, j'ai de nouveau été très frustrée. On voit l'amour entre les deux personnages, mais il ne se passe rien (argh !). J'aimais tellement que Jacin soit capable de voir au-delà du mal lunaire qui affecte Winter. Winter est un personnage d'une extrême intelligence, même si par le fait de sa maladie, elle ne parvient pas à se faire comprendre de tous. Je détestais le Jacin que j'avais vu dans le tome centré sur Cress. Mais ici, on ne peut dénier qu'il est complètement dévoué à Winter et qu'il ferait n'importe quoi pour elle. Dans sa tête, elle reste une princesse, même si elle est chassée du palais, et il ne peut déclarer son amour, malgré les nombreuses tentatives de Winter pour le faire craquer.

Comment finir cette chronique sans parler d'Iko? C'est LE personnage-phare qui a su détendre et faire rire tout au long de cette série. Mais dans ce tome, on voit aussi une Iko près à défendre ceux qu'elle considère comme ses amis.

Marissa Meyer a su prendre le temps de développer chacun des personnages à travers toute la série. J'ai adoré ce monde qu'elle a créé. Elle est partie de contes de fée connus pour créer son monde à elle. Un monde fantastique avec des personnages sortis d'un conte par moment presque cauchemardesque. J'ai aussi aimé le fait qu'elle aborde des sujets qui nous touchent encore aujourd'hui, tels que le racisme dont font preuve les humains envers les cyborgs, où le pouvoir ressenti par les dictateurs qui vont les pousser à aller toujours plus loin dans leur folie...

Cette série a eu des hauts et des bas. J'avoue que même si les tomes de Cinder et Cress étaient un peu moyen pour moi, j'ai adoré les tomes de Scarlet et Winter. Je maintiens que c'est une série qu'il faut lire impérativement !

Maintenant place à Stars Above. Un dernier tome de la saga des Chroniques Lunaires qui contient l'épilogue de cette série.

English review here

Résumé : (Goodreads)

Cinder et le capitaine Thorne se sont enfuis aux côtés de Scarlet et de Loup. Le groupe rebelle projette de renverser la reine Levana et son armée. Mais, le seul espoir de la résistance réside dans Cress, qui, emprisonnée dans un satellite depuis l'enfance avec ses écrans pour seule compagnie, est devenue un hacker imbattable. Malheureusement, la reine Levana a d'autres projets pour elle, et libérer la jeune fille pourrait bien leur coûter cher...

Cress - Chroniques Lunaires #3 - Marissa Meyer

Cette chronique contient des spoilers des précédents tomes ainsi que du troisième tome. A lire dans l'ordre :

1. Cinder

2. Scarlet

Intrigue :

Cress est une jeune fille Lunaire qui vit depuis plus de sept ans recluse dans un satellite. Elle n'aspire à rien d'autre qu'être une fille normale et avoir des amis. Mais le problème est qu'elle est une coquille et elle ne doit sa vie qu'à Sybil, la thaumaturge de la reine Levana, qui a su voir en elle sa capacité à infiltrer tous les réseaux informatiques. Depuis elle travaille pour la reine Levana. Mais elle sait que ce qu'elle fait porte préjudice à la Terre et aux humains. Elle décide alors de renverser la tendance et elle contacte Cinder et ses amis pour qu'ils viennent l'aider...

De son côté, Cinder est en fuite avec Thorne, Scarlet et Loup. Elle se prépare au combat qui est à venir : combat physique, maîtrise de ses pouvoirs lunaires... Rien n'est laissé au hasard. Son but : empêcher le mariage de la reine avec l'empereur Kaito...

Mais la tournure des événements risquent de rendre leur mission encore plus compliquée. Complot, combat, trahison, sacrifice... Rien ne leur sera épargné !

Avis :

!!! SPOILERS !!!

Alors, j'ai beaucoup aimé ce livre et les intrigues. J'ai beaucoup aimé voir la préparation de Cinder pour faire face à la reine Levana, j'ai aimé connaître ses doutes, ses peurs et ses envies. On sent que le poids des responsabilités auquel elle va devoir faire face la terrifie et pourtant, elle est plus déterminée que jamais. Tous ses amis comptent sur elle et elle n'a de cesse de craindre pour leur vie. On sent qu'elle improvise au fur et à mesure des événements autour d'elle et pourtant, elle est plus forte que jamais.

Beaucoup de révélations sont faites dans ce livre et par moment, je me suis retrouvée complètement bouche-bée. Je n'en dis pas plus, vous comprendrez tout de suite si vous lisez le livre ! ;)

Nous avons également découvert de nouveaux personnages qui seront au centre du dernier tome : Winter et Jacin. Winter est décrite comme folle et bizarre, même si toutes les personnes au palais l'affectionnent beaucoup et ne supportent pas qu'elle soit qualifiée de "bizarre". Elle a cessé de se servir de ses pouvoirs, ce qui la rend folle.

Point négatif dans ce livre : j'ai détesté Cress. Pourquoi?

1. J'ai l'impression qu'elle passait son temps à gémir, crier ou pleurer.

2. Marissa Meyer a voulu mettre en avant un personnage innocent, mais nous en sommes au troisième et avant-dernier tome et j'avais l'impression de faire une régression dans le caractère des personnages. Scarlet et Cinder avaient déjà connu une vie haute en couleurs et elles avaient su s'endurcir au gré des événements, alors que Cress est beaucoup trop une demoiselle en détresse (ce qu'elle ne cache pas). Certes, elle a vécu la plupart de sa vie dans un satellite donc elle a tout à découvrir, mais je n'ai quand même pas trop accroché.

3. J'ai aussi beaucoup de mal avec le couple Thorne-Cress. J'adorais Thorne dans le livre précédent Scarlet, mais ici, je ne l'ai pas trouvé aussi amusant et charismatique. Cress l'idéalisait et Thorne n'arrêtait pas de démonter un par un chacun de ses rêves. Je le trouvais un peu trop froid et calculateur. Je n'arrive toujours pas à cerner Thorne.

4. Je la tiens un peu pour responsable de la capture de Scarlet (qui est un de mes personnages préférés) et par conséquent, de la souffrance de Loup. Donc elle est descend encore plus dans mon estime malheureusement.

Je pense que mon couple préféré reste Loup et Scarlet... Dommage que nous ne les voyons pas beaucoup dans ce livre. J'espère que ça changera dans le dernier livre : Winter. D'autant plus qu'avec la capture de Scarlet, cela aurait pu être intéressant d'avoir un peu plus de chapitres avec son point de vue sur les choses qui se passent autour d'elle.

Hâte de savoir ce qu'il va se passer dans le dernier tome ! Mais pour le moment, place à Levana.

So I will probably not be the most objective person because even though I didn't hate the book series, I also didn't like it particularly. I felt like the two first books were very long and very "young", the third was the one I actually enjoyed the most and I didn't have the courage to properly read the fourth book. I passed so many scenes, it shouldn't even be legal, haha!

Anyway, there was a Fallen movie that had been "released" (where? I don't really know; when? a few months ago) and I will let you discover the trailer.

I am sorry but it looks like a very bad B-rated movie. I am not a huge fan of the books series so I was hopeful maybe I would like the movie but it looks like nup! it's going to be as bad as the books.

So what do you think of this trailer? Have you read the books? Did you like them?

P.S: I don't think there has been an official release date in DVD or on TV so we'll have to be extremely patient... but I wasn't that impatient anyway, haha!

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Knox and Harper's story continues as the Las Vegas lair - and its two infamous Co-Primes - face their most terrifying enemy yet . . .

Together, Harper and Knox have overcome just about every evil thing you can think of - from Horsemen of the Apocalypse to dark magic practitioners to Lucifer's insistent belief that he's hilarious. They're looking forward to some well-earned downtime - until Harper is attacked by mercenaries in the middle of her tattoo shop. Worse still, the attackers are trying to take her wings - the ones no one is meant to know she even has.

It's a near miss and once a furious Knox has managed to pull his demon back into line there's only one thing clear - someone knows Harper's secrets and is systematically setting out to destroy her. It seems likely that someone is the third Horseman - but how do they know so much about Harper? It seems the impossible might be true - they have an enemy hiding at the very heart of the lair.

To survive Harper will need to embrace power that's darker than she's ever experienced and even Knox can't protect her from everything - though God knows nothing's going to stop him trying. The stakes have never been higher, for if Harper's taken by this new threat, Knox won't be able to stop his demon from taking a vicious pleasure in tearing the world apart . . .

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

/!\ BIG SPOILERS ALERT /!\

Plot:

A few months after the incidents that occurred, Harper and Knox were hoping for a bit of tranquility. But that was before Harper was attacked by hunters who wanted to steal her wings. She barely makes it out safely. The more they try to figure out who planned this attack, the more blurry everything becomes. Impossible to know if it could be allies or foes of them that wanted her wings.

But a murder requires their full attention too. When a demon-kid is discovered among humans after his adoptive human mother tried to burn him in an oven thinking he was a monster, Harper and Knox decide to take him under their wings and give his care to a couple from their lair who struggled to have children on their own. But something about this kid rubs them wrong. He is emotionless. Worse, he sees his demon as a paternal figure. When murders keep accumulated around the kid, could he be a bigger threat than they thought?

The faster the events accelerated, the closer danger is getting from Knox and Harper and one unforeseen piece of news could unbalance everything….

Opinion:

/!\ SPOILERS ALERT /!\

I am totally in love with this book. I do not know if it will be the final book or no because I still feel like there are some questions left unanswered but I just loved it. Action, suspens, villains, murders, babies, psychopaths… You just have everything in this book.

Harper is more and more a badass. She is completely devoted to Knox but she knows where to draw her limits. Having a baby also made her even more badass. Her demon rides her hard to be overprotective of everyone, which leads her to take time off work. I loved seeing her as a mom with her uncertainties and her doubts and yet, she will not hesitate to kill anyone who would try to hurt her mate or her baby.

Knox is just perfection. Seeing him with a baby is enough to make my heart melt and to beg him to take me as his mate (I can still dream, right?). Now that Harper is pregnant he is even more protective than he was before. He is completely devoted to her and her happiness and I really liked that he listened to her and what she needed. He will stop at nothing to protect her and his baby from any harm.

I felt like we saw a bit less of the second characters. We still saw them but because Harper had to take some time off from her work, we didn’t see much her family and there were less attraction between Tanner and Devon, which I really missed. I love these two. They are just perfect for each other.

This book contains quite some actions. I really couldn't put it down once I started it. It was just brilliant in a very cheesy way. I loved the introduction of the psychopath child. It added some mystery and suspens on who could be behind all these murders. I almost felt as if I was reading a Stephen King book.

The storyline was really well built around the Four Horsemen. I was just slightly disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of them. I mean, they took most of the storyline in the second book and here, we didn’t see them much. They were just a threat in the wind. Characters kept talking about them but we had to wait until the end to finally meet them all (well, all… there were only two still standing). But I really liked that we had no idea who could be behind all the threats. Everyone suspected everyone and it felt nice to not everything and everyone for granted.

The only negative point in this book was the grammatical mistakes. I think some words were missing. It bugged me but I really wanted to know what would happen, so I didn’t focus on it too much. But what really frustrated me was to always find the same sentences in the three books: « Naked, he truly was a sight to behold. Not an ounce of fat there. ». Some sentences are just the same over and over again. But that’s it for the negative side!

So if you like Alpha-male deciding everything, a strong-headed heroine, then this book is for you. I can only hope that I will see more of these beloved characters soon.

Excerpts:

"There are three stages to a demonic pregnancy. I call them infestation, oppression, and possession.”She paused with the bottle close to her mouth. “Aren’t those the stages of demonic possession?”Smiling, he shrugged. “Pregnancy is pretty much the same thing.”“No, it’s really not.” She cocked her head. “Anyone ever told you that you have the oddest sense of humor?”“Once or twice."

Head tilted, Lou looked at her curiously. “Are you… are you trying to appeal to my conscience?” He snorted. “That inner voice gave up on me a long time ago. Honestly, trying to make me feel bad is more pointless than the ‘ay’ in ‘okay’. If self-centeredness could bounce, I’d be in orbit. And wouldn’t that be fun?”Harper sighed. “At least you’re honest about it.”“My shrink says I shouldn’t hold things in or pretend to be what I’m not. He says I should just be myself.”“Yeah, that was bad advice.”“And yet, I have a fan club,” Lou said smugly. “Several.”“You mean you have Satanic cults that worship you.”“Yeah,” he muttered, seemingly unimpressed by them.

Knox rubbed her leg. “I didn’t think I’d ever have this. Someone who was mine. A child. A family. Didn’t see it coming.” His face hardened as he added, “I’ll fight to the death to protect and keep what we have."

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Defeat the enemy. Win the boy. Live happily ever after. But life "ever after" isn't as easy as it used to be. Harper's gone from being a member of a small demon lair to co-Prime of one of the most powerful lairs in the US with a mate who, though hot as hell, is just a mite overprotective - I mean, you get kidnapped by dark practitioners just once ...

Then one of Knox's demons goes rogue, and in his madness decides Knox Thorne must die. Harper's worried. Knox isn't - at least until he discovers his mate's willingness to get between him and danger.

Now, Knox has a new priority: Keep Harper safe ...no matter what it takes. But Harper begins to suspect there's more danger than one rogue demon. It seems the combined strength of Harper and Knox has upset the balance of power in the demon world and there are those who are determined to right that wrong. Because when you move up the food chain, sometimes the other predators just want to take a bigger bite.

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

Plot:

Harper and Knox thought that the harder part was behind them and that they could now dedicate their time to each other. But that was before one of Knox’s demons turn rogue and declares that any child Knox and Harper will have will destroy the world. Invested of a mission, he goes first after Harper’s mother and he removed all of her reproductive organs to make her regret giving birth to Harper, and then he decides that Knox has to die. Everytime Knox and his sentinels are close to get him, he vanishes.

Meanwhile, Harper still struggles with her position as a Co-Prime. She is now considered as a celebrity for the humans and all the demons want to have a look at her for being Knox’s mate. But being on the public stage makes her an easy target for Knox’ exes — who do not believe that Harper really is Knox’s mate — and new villains who want power.

Danger has never been so close and it could make Harper and Knox lose control over their demons but it could also affect their relationship as mates. When they understand that this new threat objective is to destroy all the Primes in the U.S. but to do so, they have to destroy Knox first, Harper will stop at nothing to protect him, even if it means direct the danger towards her…

Opinion:

Wow! I think I definitely preferred the second book than the first one. In the first book, the events and the love story were rushed. Even though this book felt like it was too short and we came too quickly to the conclusion, I liked that we saw Harper and Knox struggling to compromise on things and struggle and argue. They love each other but they are also extreme and it is hard for them to find a common ground when it comes to the safety of each other.

Harper is still faithful to herself: she is loyal, fierce, honest… She doesn’t take s*it from everyone. I like how she can be vindicative. She is so funny when she is pissed: sewing sequin on people’s clothes is just too funny! She is more in love than ever but sometimes, mating with a powerful, well-known demon has its bad sides. She constantly has bodyguards with her, she is repeatedly bugged and threatened by Knox’s exes but she doesn’t let it get to her. What does get to her is when her so-called mother is kidnapped. She shouldn’t feel guilty and yet, she does. She always cares deeply for people.

Knox… well, Knox is just melting my heart, more than in the first book. He wants nothing more than to protect Harper and make sure that she is never endangered because of him. But when he fails to protect her, this is when they have their very first argument and seeing him begging Harper to come home with him was just… too much. However, I was kind of bugged by some gestures Knox had. Instead of holding hands, he has a tendency of holding wrists or cup her elbows. I find it to be a kidnapper gesture — like she is his prisoner —, not a lover gesture.

As usual, we saw the Imps family: Jolene, Khloë, Rainy, Devon… I really like the Imps because they don’t take anything seriously: politics, life, people… When they went to the Xpress Bar to get drunk, I just couldn’t take it. And Jolene’s relationship with Lucifer is hilarious. They cannot stop bugging each other. Imps are just not scared of anything or anyone. Harper and Jolene love toying with Malden by calling him Malcom or pretend to forget his name is just hilarious. He always gets upset and yet, they keep on bugging him.

I love Knox’s sentinels. I would really want to see a spinoff series following them on their quests for their mates. I especially want to see how the relationship between Devon and Tanner will evolve. The two of them together are hilarious. I think they deserve their own standalone novel. And I would be curious to know what could happen between Khloë and Kennan…

Excerpts:

Harper raised her brows. The dolphin had been doing her homework.
Devon looked at Harper. “I’ve always said that a crazy ex can do better research than law enforcement.”
Alethea’s eyes widened. “Crazy ex?”Khloë patted the bitch’s shoulder.
“Don’t beat yourself up about being a nut job. Facebook’s made stalkers out of us all."

"Just because you’re, like, super powerful doesn’t mean people shouldn’t defend you.” But he was looking at her like she was a cute harmless little bunny that was obviously on drugs. She sighed. “You’re still not fearing my mighty wrath.”“I’m trying.”“One day I will unleash it and you will flee in terror. Why are you laughing? It’s only the truth. A sphinx in full-on berserker-mode can wreak major destruction and instill fear into the hearts of all who… stop laughing!"

"Want to know what else I heard you did at the bar?”“I don’t think I do.”“You used your red lipstick to scribble ‘Alethea is a skanky hoe’ on the bathroom mirror.”In her opinion, truer words had never been spoken – well, scribbled. Her demon agreed.“You almost yacked in the Bentley.”Oh, God. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut. “Stop.”“We had to pull over so you could vomit in a bush.”“Stop.”“Then you got back in the car and said, ‘Taco Bell, anyone?’”“Stop.”

Devon sighed at the spectacle. “You know… I sometimes look at how well-organized, precise, and fearless Khloë can be and think, ‘Wow, she’d make an excellent army general.’ But then I remember it would only be a matter of time before she’d be shot by her own troops."

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit—and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords—and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

A Court of Wings and Ruin - A Court of Thorns and Roses #3 - Sarah J. Maas

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

BIG SPOILERS ALERT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST TWO BOOK!

Plot:

Feyre is now back at the Court of Spring but she has a plan. She will destroy the Court of Spring from within. But she has to do it smartly and smoothly so that no one can understand she is planning, especially not Jurian and King Hybern who has spies everywhere. No one sees anything except Lucien who is suspicious.

When her plans are finally falling into place, it does not happen the way it should have and she ends up bringing Lucien along with her. She finally comes back home only to find her sisters more broken than ever and a war ahead to plan.

When Feyre and her friends understand that they will never win this war by themselves and they need the help of every Court - and I mean all of them - they will realize that trust is very dangerous, especially when allies become ennemies and ennemies turn out to be friends...

Opinion:

First thing first, this book is much slower than the previous one. A Court of Mist and Fury was all about twists and action. I felt like this book revolved around the strategies and the upcoming war. We had less Rhys-Feyre moments, which saddened me. I was expecting more. More emotional rollercoaster, more joy, more tears, more suspens, more shock... The second book completely wrecked me and even though, this one was nice and I enjoyed it, I still felt like there was something missing.

About the characters...

Feyre character evolved so much. She is now a High Lady, a friend, a sister, a mate, a warrior but she is also a politician. She takes decisions and she takes responsibilities for it, no matter what. The way she plotted against Tamlin and the Court of Spring was so well described. She is so much mature now and she is ready to manipulate for her plans to work. She is also ready to bargain with everyone and everything to win this war.

"You were right,” Lucien declared at last. “That girl I knew did die Under the Mountain."

I love the part Feyre took in this war. She was truly revealed as a High Lady. She took decisions and everyone just supported her, no matter how crazy her ideas and actions were.

But this is war. We don’t have the luxury of good ideas—only picking between the bad ones.

Sarah Maas really knew how to perfectly detail the trauma Feyre went through. She is a true magician with words. I feel like everyone could relate to what she and other characters went through.

Rhys is still the super cute guy that we met in the first book and fell in love with in the second book. But he is still really stubborn. He prefers taking the weight of the world on his shoulders instead of asking for help.

I feel sorry that we didn't see more of Rhysand. The second book of this series was focused on the growing romance between the Feyre and Rhysand and now, I just felt disappointed that we did not see more of them. But this is not the only time I was disappointed. Azriel-Morrigan, Nesta-Cassian, Amren-Varian... I feel like some love story lines were left aside when the writer could've developed them. I understand that she wanted to develop the war aspects and all the strategies the characters thought about to win this war but I think the writer missed some important part of the stories by deciding not to develop the love stories. Because it is war, I feel like the characters would not spend much time dancing around each other instead of going at it.

In this book, we get to learn more about Morrigan. I have to admit that I felt frustrated by her stagnant love story with Azriel and the turn the writer gave to this story frustrated me even more. But it is the way it is and I can only hope that both characters will find their happiness at some point. I still think that Morrigan is unfair to Azriel to not tell him the truth.

Cassian and Nesta were just too much. We finally what Cassian was worth on a battlefield and damn if it didn't give me goosebumps. Nesta was still slightly getting on my nerves. I liked to see a new side of her but her angry-cold side was just annoying at some point.

I was also expecting more Lucien moments in this book but no. We see him during the first quarter of the book and a bit at the end and that's it. I mean, he left everything behind and we don't even see how he adjusts and adapts to this new life. He was always faithful to Tamlin and his court and now, he is surrounded by people he doesn't know, in a city he never heard of. I would've loved to have more coming from him.

Sarah Maas introduced new - and old - second characters and I really want to see more of them: Helion, Kallas and Viviane, Miryam, Drakon, Varian, Tarquin, Nephelle, Vassa... There are so much more to be told. Even Tamlin and Jurian's stories.

I am very happy that I discovered this writer. I will probably try to read more of her works.

Excerpts:

“Only you can decide what breaks you, Cursebreaker. Only you.”

“Remember that you are a wolf. And you cannot be caged.”

“And will you come with me; On this adventure - and all the rest?""Always”

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Feyre 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.

A Court of Mist and Fury - A Court of Thorns and Roses #2 - Sarah J. Maas

Some scenes contain sexual and violent contents that may offend sensibilities of readers.

BIG SPOILERS ALERT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST BOOK!

Plot:

Feyre and Tamlin are back from Under the Mountain. Three months have passed and they are now living their life, broken and utterly alone despite their engagement. Tamlin is always busy with affairs he never talks to Feyre about. She spends most of her time alone and confined in this big house in the Court of Spring. Nightmares keep them both up at night and yet, they never talk about it.

He never woke when the nightmares dragged me from sleep; never woke when I vomited my guts up night after night. If he knew or heard, he said nothing about it.

Feyre is slowly fading until the day of her wedding. She should be happy, right?

That was until Rhysand made a grand entrance at the ceremony to remind her of their bargain and he took her to the Court of Night. In the next few months, she spent the week with Rhysand while he helps her reading, working on her mental shields and on her powers. But one day, when she was back to the Court of Spring, everything changes. Tamlin wants nothing more but to know that Feyre is constantly safe from everyone and he decides to lock her up in his house. The least we can say is that Feyre lost it. Rhysand sends his cousin - Morrigan - to come and pick her up.

Feyre just cannot believe that Tamlin would betray her like that after everything they've been through together. And she is just done. Done with Tamlin, done with Lucien who never dares going against Tamlin's wishes, done with the Court of Spring, done with everything.

Rhysand takes her under his wings (quite litteraly by the way) and he warns her about the war that is coming. She has a great role to play but even with Rhysand instructions and the help of his friends, will she be ready on time? Can she really trust them? And which sides will she be on?

Opinion:

Wow! Just wow! I don't even comprehend what just happened. All these twists and actions, I thought my heart couldn't take it.

Reminder: big spoilers ahead if you haven't read the first book. Do not read this review if you do not wish to be greatly spoiled!

This book is undescriptable. It is an emotional rollercoaster. It is beautiful, painful, hopeful, cruel... you will feel every possible human emotions.It is litteraly like no other book I have read in the past. I am truly at lack of words.

This book is about life, love, death, betrayal, hope... You slowly understand that everything is not black and white, easy and hard. You have shades of grey. Beautiful shades of grey and ugly shades of grey.

We already knew everything Feyre was capable of going through for love. She went through the worst events when trying to free Tamlin from Amarantha. But in doing so, she lost a piece of herself. She feels like she is drowning and Tamlin cannot do anything to help her. She is strong despite what she believes. She saw the worst in people and yet, she still hopes, she remains strong - even stronger, she remains vibrant and faithful to what she believes in.

I was not a pet, not a doll, not an animal.
I was a survivor, and I was strong.
I would not be weak, or helpless again.
I would not, could not be broken. Tamed.

This Feyre is completely different from the Feyre we met in the first book. This one is loyal, fierce and she does not care anymore about the blood in her hands as long as it means that her beloved ones are safe.

Tamlin has been overprotecting her, breaking Feyre even more. Both our characters are broken but love completely blinded Tamlin what his fiancée truly needed. His support, his trust, his love, his everything. He slowly becomes overbearing and intoxicating.

“He did—does love me, Rhysand.”
“The issue isn’t whether he loved you, it’s how much. Too much. Love can be a poison.”

Now that his powers are fully back, he is very different from the one he used to be. I have to admit that even though at the beginning I still liked him, he slowly began to get on my nerves and I just wanted to slap him awake. But I am still sad on how the writer turned the story. I mean Feyre and Rhysand have a great chemistry together but Feyre just sacrificed everything for Tamlin and he ends up being a jerk. I am just sad :(

Now Rhysand... it took me quite some time to get warmed up by his character. I still felt like he was the "bad guy" from the first book, always plotting against someone or trying to play games no one knows the rules to. Yet, we saw a very different side of his character: caring, loving, fierce, loyal, funny, hopeful... He always seems like he does not care what people think of him when it actually affects him deeply.

“You think I don’t know how stories get written—how this story will be written?” Rhys put his hands on his chest, his face more open, more anguished than I’d seen it. “I am the dark lord, who stole away the bride of spring. I am a demon, and a nightmare, and I will meet a bad end. He is the golden prince—the hero who will get to keep you as his reward for not dying of stupidity and arrogance.”

Rhysand truly understand what Feyre is struggling with and he is ready to help her through it. He is a true feminist in a way. She learns how to fight with her new abilities and with her body. This whole new love story was so touching because it starts with a friendship, trying to get through everything that happened and trying to anticipate the war that is yet to come, and it ended with... a mating (I warned you there would be spoilers).

I just felt like Feyre said way too quickly that she loved Rhysand. I mean, she barely knows he is her mate, she is still slightly upset with him (even though she truly shouldn't be) and paf! she is in love. I mean, you could the love growing between the two of them but she never acted on it. I even resented her when she got upset because he did not tell her straight that she was his mate. She was about to marry another guy, then she was completely broken and she still hated Rhys... If he had told her then that she was his mate, she never would have believed him. Anyway... Their love story was based on respect, love, caring, loyalty, trust, honesty and support, even through difficult times (take that Tamlin!). Their chemistry is just... too much! I felt like my heart was about to explode and I couldn't wait until they finally kiss and accept each other (and trust me, it takes quite some times).

“I’m thinking,” he said, following the flick of my tongue over my bottom lip, “that I look at you and feel like I’m dying. Like I can’t breathe.”

We also met incredible new characters: Morrigan, Amren, Azriel, Cassian... They are all like a big, united family. They were all different and yet, wonderful together. The least we can say is that they had a bad start in life.

In this book, we saw many courts: Court of Dreams, Court of Nightmares, Court of Summer, Court of Night... The other courts felt so vibrant and alive. Especially the Court of Summer. i really like Tarquin and I feel so sorry for him after he has been played out.We traveled a lot, trust me!

This series started as a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and yet, it feels now more like a very light Game of Thrones. But this series and this book particularly are epic. So go read it. NOW! And with that ending, you will want to start the third book straight away.

Excerpts:

“But then she snapped your neck.”
Tears rolled down his face.
“And I felt you die,” he whispered.
Tears were sliding down my own cheeks.

“He locked you up because he knew—the bastard knew what a treasure you are. That you are worth more than land or gold or jewels. He knew, and wanted to keep you all to himself.”

“To the people who look at the stars and wish, Rhys."
Rhys clinked his glass against mine. “To the stars who listen— and the dreams that are answered.”

“If you were going to die, I was going to die with you. I couldn’t stop thinking it over and over as you screamed, as I tried to kill her: you were my mate, my mate, my mate.”

I was his and he was mine, and we were the beginning and middle and end. We were a song that had been sung from the very first ember of light in the world.

Sum up: (Goodreads)

Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

A Court of Thorns and Roses - A Court of Thorns and Roses #1 - Sarah J. Maas

Plot:

Feyre is a young girl who has lived in poverty since her mom died many years ago. She lives with her dad and her two sisters who despise her. Her two sisters are beautiful and they still remember the old times when they were wealthy and educated. Feyre cannot read and she doesn’t have the grace or the illocution of her sisters. Her dad spends his time mourning a lost wife who was not well-known for her kindness. Feyre hunts animals to feed her family and gets money when it is possible after she took a deathbed oath to her mother.

However, one day, she kills what she thought was a wolf but was instead an Immortal. Only a few days pass when an Immortal comes to her house and claims her life after she took an Immortal’s life. She has no choice and finds herself leaving her family for a new place she knows nothing of but scary stories and legends. Now she is stuck in the magical land of Spring Court in Prythian and she will learn that the Immortal who took her is not the scariest thing that walks in this land. He may actually be her only chance to make it out of there alive… unless he gives her a reason to stay…

Opinion:

Okay, I have to admit… I just fell in love with this book! Everyone told me to be careful because the beginning was slow and kind of boring but I really didn’t feel like it was slow. You didn’t have any action because the writer just wanted to settle the scenery and the story.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is definitely the contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It was very different though because it was more modern and in a world where magic is known from everyone. The world is also divided in courts instead of countries. I loved this new world Sarah Maas invented. It is original and very dark and yet, beautiful. She describes beautifully this new land Feyre lives in. She provides vivid details but it was never too much — to the point where you’re wondering when the story will start again.

Feyre is a heroine that I first didn’t really like. She got on my nerves from time to time when she arrived at Prythian. I could understand that she missed her family — even though her family clearly did not deserve it — and I could understand she struggled to find her place in this new place and new life. But still. Then I couldn’t deny that she was a strong, powerful, loyal character. She definitely isn't a damsel in distress. She would give her life for the people she loves, no matter who they are and how they treat her.

I found him carefully studying me, his lips in a thin line.
“Has anyone ever taken care of you?” he asked quietly.“No.” I’d long since stopped feeling sorry for myself about it.

Tamlin was at first very awkward and weird. Some explanations about his behavior were given towards the end but still… Anyway, he was still amazingly beautiful and compassionate. He is not scared to admit his feelings and he is ready to do everything in his power to protect Feyre — even though she does not really need it… well she does… but she doesn’t know it.

I was conflicted regarding Lucien. Did I like him or not… I am not totally sure. I feel like the writer could have given him a better personality. He is all hot and cold with Feyre and it sometimes got on my nerves.

“Do you ever stop being so serious and dull?"
"Do you ever stop being such a prick?" I snapped back.
Dead—really, truly, I should have been dead for that.
But Lucien grinned at me. "Much better.”

I struggled with the other characters. Nesta, Elain and her dad were just awful people whose only thoughts were how they could possibly spend the money Feyre could get them. The dad was just a selfish pr***.

The love story was beautiful and raw. The writer takes her time to build the relationship between all the characters. We see how they come from hatred or wariness to lust and love or simply friendship. You see the whole development of Feyre and Tamlin’s love story.

“I love you,’ he whispered, and kissed my brow. "Thorns and all.”

I liked that the writer « said things explicitly ». Sometimes in YA novels, writers censure scenes of characters making love or kissing and I just hate that because I feel frustrated — for me and for the characters.

"I would have had you moaning my name throughout it all. And I would have taken a very, very long time, Feyre.”

Anyway, this is definitely a must-read book and I really regretted not starting it sooner but at least now, I can read the last two books straight without having to wait :)

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