Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses- Sarah J. Maas

General
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Series: book 1
Pages: 432
Genre: Fantasy, romance, action, teen
Rating: Five stars

Buy it here: Amazon

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin--one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. 

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin--and his world--forever.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a different take on Beauty and the Beast. When I had originally read the synopsis, it didn't hit me that it was a re-tell of Beauty and the Beast. So when I started to read, I found bits and pieces that tied it together. 

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this story, but it's amazing. I was worried the hype wouldn't be up to the standard everyone said it was, but I decided to read it anything, I'm glad I did!

I love the wording and beautiful imagery in this book. The words leap right off the page, embedding itself into my mind, making the images clear and amazing. Here is a quote I liked:

"I eased into a more comfortable position and calmed my breathing, straining to listen to the forest over the wind. The snow fell and fell, dancing and curling like sparkling spindrifts, the white fresh and clean against the brown and gray of the world. And despite myself, despite my numb limbs, I quieted that relentless, vicious part of my mind to take in the snow-veiled woods."

Feyre (Fay-ruh) and her family are poor, living on the little pay they get from her hunting. Though she goes hungry, Feyre doesn't complain a lot. To her, family comes first and she'd rather they be protected from the winter elements and not be hungry. 

Her family used to be quite wealthy, but something happened and her father ended up hurt, meaning he couldn't work anymore. They lost their home, and it became tough. Her father is in his own little world, leaving the harsh realities for Feyre to deal with. 

Feyre's sisters aren't helping matters. Nesta hates their father and lets it known. She wants her old life back, filled with money and dresses. Elaine is the free spirit of the three. She's adorable and loves flowers, yet is still innocent to the world and doesn't know how to help Feyre. The dynamic between these three was interesting. We didn't get to see them together a lot, which is unfortunate because they're interesting. 

The world that Feyre lives in is different. War and an invisible wall has separated the Fae and humans. To humans, fae are terrible creatures that just want to enslave them. But Fayre learns that not everything is as it seems. After doing something she shouldn't have done, Tamlin shows up as the beast and takes her to his home.

Tamlin is the High Lord of the Sping Court, his place to rule over. A curse has been put over everyone, making the masks they wore to a party permanently stuck to their face. His emissary and friend, Lucien, is a comedic relief at times, as Tamlin is very beast like in the beginning. He's unsure, shy, and angry, and in my opinion, one of the best beasts I've read. They are both wolves, and I would love to see more of that transition in the next book, as they didn't turn full wolf very often. 

The romance between Tamlin and Feyre is wonderful. I love these two together, and when they're apart, I want to cry (when they're apart, it's not good-heads up). Here is a quote from a scene with them. Here they are dancing in a secluded area:

"I was as unburdened as a piece of dandelion fluff, and he was the wind that stirred me about the world. 

He smiled at me, and I found myself smiling back. I didn't need to pretend, didn't need to be anything but what I was right then, being twirled about the meadow, the will-o-the-wisps dancing around us like dozens of moons."

And...

"His lips brushed mine-testing, soft and warm. He pulled back a little. He was still staring at me, and I stared back as he kissed me again, harder, but nothing like the way he'd kissed my neck."

This is a wonderful, action packed romance with fantasy elements. It's a different and good take on Beauty and the Beast. It's now one of my favorite books. Feyre is strong, brave, and will do anything for love. This is a series, but the end isn't really a cliffhanger, which is nice.