Read with Me: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas!

Do I smell the start of a possible new series?? I think I do! 😎

In an attempt to try and spice things up a bit I’m going to try something new – giving you a play by play of what I think of popular books while I read them. Way back when, I recommended The Fault in Our Stars to one of my friends and checked my phone one evening to find a running commentary of what she thought of each bit, as she read it. It really made my day to see her reactions to a book I loved, even if we weren’t able to read it together. So, in a similar vein, why not put other popular books to the same test and see how much I enjoy them?! I do want to note here that this is pretty much the same thing as live-tweeting a book (like I’ve seen the lovely Asha do) so I can’t take full credit for this idea but I have yet to see it done as a blog post (pls correct me if I’m wrong). Apologies in advance for the jumbled ramblings 😂

First up, we have A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas! It was first published in 2015 (where was I??) and the series now consists of fives full length novels. Apparently I’ve been living under a rock for the past few years as, despite being a fan of this sort of book, I’ve never picked it up! Now we’re going to change that. I will say that my hopes are pretty high for this book – I see rave reviews all over social media and there’s fan art/fanfiction/merch galore. Let’s hope it lives up to the hype!

Blurb: Feyre is a huntress. The skin of a wolf would bring enough gold to feed her sisters for a month. But the life of a magical creature comes at a steep price, and Feyre has just killed the wrong wolf… Taken prisoner by a High Fae Lord, Feyre learns that her masked captor is hiding even more than his piercing gaze suggests. But as Feyre’s feelings for Tamlin begin t burn through every warning she’s heard about his kind, a shadow is falling across the land. And if Feyre cannot fight it, she will lose everything.

*NOTE: there will be spoilers in this post so read at your own risk!

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Straight away this map is giving me Stardust vibes 🤩

Chapter 1 – Never before have I been so into a hunting scene? We already know from the blurb that this wolf isn’t any ordinary wolf so I’m intrigued already. Also love the sibling dig about Nesta being “prone to crave anything someone else possessed”… (me).

Chapter 2 – Oooh I officially can’t stand Feyre’s sisters. But I am a sucker for the Hero archetype and I feel like she’s going to embody that entirely.

Chapter 3 – Big fan of it taking “six mortal queens” to end the War – no mention of Kings here which you’d usually get in Fantasy novels 😎 Also a fan of Feyre’s relationship with Isaac, I love that her confidence extends to this aspect of her life too, but we still get to see a bit of vulnerability when she finds out about his marriage. I always get really into the world building at the start of a fantasy novel and, between the market, the Children of the Blessed and the talk of different types of fae, I can really picture it. Bit of a cliffhanger ending to this chapter though…

Chapter 4 – And now our fae adventure begins! The goodbye to her family may have made me tear up a little, maybe 😓

Chapter 5 – The Beauty and the Beast vibes are stroooong!

Chapter 6 – The flower descriptions are giving me flashbacks to the Immortals novels by Alyson Noël (haven’t read them in so long!). Aaaand of course the beast isn’t really a beast 👀 Why is there always someone called Lucien in fantasy novels??

Chapter 7 – Tamlin is really reminding me of Chad Michael Murray at the masquerade ball in A Cinderella Story with the awkward flirting while wearing a mask. Can’t decide if I like Alis or if she’s lowkey scary? Lucien seems actually fun? Am I sensing a growing book crush on Tamlin? Many questions.

Chapter 8 – I’m thinking he like likes her but SHE CAN’T TELL?

Chapter 9 – Does anyone else melt a little at sentences like, “the sleeves of his white shirt had been rolled up to the elbows to reveal tanned forearms corded with muscle”?? I’ve also decided that I do quite like Lucien, for now. Who could this mysterious her be?? More questions.

Chapter 10 -Thoroughly enjoying the back and forth between Feyre and Lucien. And just curious, how has her DAD ENDED UP THERE??

Chapter 11 – Ok, it wasn’t her dad 😳 Also, why is no one making a big deal about the fact that she killed a High Fae and instead is now just a guest in a fancy house with all the amenities she could want?? There must be a reason but I can’t figure out what. Is she super important but just doesn’t know it yet?

Chapter 12 – A wound patching up scene!!! My favourite! More pls. Also, I’m very much enjoying that they swear on Cauldron (not sure what it means/its significance but it sounds suitably magical).

Chapter 13 – There’s a Beauty and the Beast style library! 🤩 I’ve now figured out the significance of Cauldron – I get it but for an origin story it feels a bit meh? However my love for the Feyre/Lucien banter is only growing.

Chapter 14 – A Suriel = Voldemort but more gross? I feel like I need a faerie encyclopedia to go with this book. (Side note: does one of those exist to go along with the series? That would be amazing). Also this King with a throne of bones has intrigued me. I’ve heard many things about Rhysand (never in any context so I have no idea who he is in this series yet) and is it him? Or does he just rule another High Court? I must know!

Chapter 15 – Who is the Dark Mother? The one who tipped the liquid out of the cauldron? Or nothing special? I have so many questions. Every time Tamlin uses his claws for something I automatically picture some Wolverine-style claws – is that right? 😂 HE GAVE HER HIS SHIRT!! Well tunic but same thing.

Chapter 16 – Oh, he definitely like likes her! They’re having a moment!

Chapter 17 – They’re taking about a she again – is this the Dark Mother? She sounds pretty dark if she’s cutting off wings. Now that was a sad chapter.

Chapter 18 – She’s calling him Tam! Oof, Lucien’s origin story is wicked, I feel like he needs a hug.

Chapter 19 – Am I slightly in love with Tamlin? Maybe. But why have I seen no Tamlin hype on book-twitter/tube? Does he do something awful? Does his die??? Am I going to regret loving him already? OMG HE KISSED HER (cheek but still). Slightly miffed that we don’t get to hear more of these poems 👀 More mentions of this illusive she but still no ideas about who she could be.

Chapter 20 – I feel like Feyre following the drums will turn out to be a bad idea… OMG OMG OMG IS THIS RHYSAND? Am I about to see what all the hype is about? 🤩 (Update: we didn’t find out his name).

Chapter 21 – …Well that was a bit intense 👀

Chapter 22 – THEY’RE HAVING ANOTHER MOMENT!! My love for Tamlin only grows. (Rhysand better be pretty spectacular when he appears to change my mind!).

Chapter 23 – I thought we were FINALLY going to get a kiss 😠 It doesn’t feel like a particularly steep price to pay to get all these new senses, I wouldn’t take much convincing.

Chapter 24 – A head on a stick is very medieval – I love that you can’t escape that feel in fantasy worlds. Is Rhysand the High Lord of the Night Court? Is he sending this message because he knows about Feyre? So many questions.

Chapter 25 – Faerie wine sounds like it would be fun. Oh, and THEY KISSED!

Chapter 26 – Rhysand has appeared! And we know it’s him this time! But I’m not sure how Feyre ever starts to like him – am I sensing enemies to lovers?? Is Amarantha the mysterious she we keep hearing about?? Hmm.

Chapter 27 – 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 but also goodbyes make me sad. And slightly mad that they’re so cute together but Tamlin’s sending her away.

Chapter 28 – It feels weird reading that Feyre’s back in the mortal realm and that reminder of the Suriel’s words is definitely foreshadowing, right? Oh, and Nesta is definitely up to something/planning something/knows something, I can feel it.

Chapter 29 – Nesta definitely knows something’s not right…

Chapter 30 – Nesta’s prickly but I’m warming to her. We all need someone who’d go over the wall for us. She kind of makes me wish I had a big sister.

Chapter 31 – All of these goodbyes are killing me but yay for Feyre being brave! Wait… they can’t just be gone? Surely??

Chapter 32 – Ooft that was a good one! Everything’s clicked into place and I need to know what happens next. Amarantha sounds awful yet amazing at the same time? And yep, still slightly in love with Tamlin.

Chapter 33 – These caves are giving me chills and I don’t know how Feyre’s going to be able to get away from this Attor…

Chapter 34 – Amarantha is AWFUL (but I lowkey love it?) – I’d love to see her in a tv/movie adaption 😍 Also intrigued about these tasks and wondering if I’d be able to solve the riddle…

Chapter 35 – Is Rhysand trying to help Feyre in a round about way? Still not his biggest fan. I just know that my mind is going to be obsessed with that riddle until I figure it out (unlikely) or the answer is revealed.

Chapter 36 – I’ve always hated labyrinths and mazes and THIS IS WHY. Rhysand definitely bet on her surviving, didn’t he? Also, as a side note, I can’t think of another fantasy novel that’s kept me so invested in the action scenes. They’re never usually my favourite bits of any book but I already anticipating Feyre’s next challenge.

Chapter 37 – Rhysand’s offer is giving me Hades/Persephone vibes (and we all know how much I love them) 👀

Chapter 38 – I’m starting to like Rhysand… I can feel it. I’m weak. Maybe it’s something about how he walks with his hands in his pockets? So casual.

Chapter 39 – Not sure how I feel about this wine malarkey. We’ve all had nights we don’t remember very well but maybe Feyre’s better off not remembering these nights? Rhysand’s got a plan for something, I’m sure of it.

Chapter 40 – Decided it’s a love/hate thing with Rhysand for now – he just licked her face and it sounds a bit gross. Lucien constantly being used as bait is making me sad, poor boy.

Chapter 41 – Was that Tamlin playing the music? I like it think it was.

Chapter 42 – Ooooh Rhysand is clever! But we did get a little Feyre/Tamlin action for the first time in ages 👀 I still haven’t figured out the answer to the riddle.

Chapter 43 – … I hope she’s right about Tamlin!

Chapter 44 – Feyre figured it out!! Right?

Chapter 45 – I’m on tenterhooks… what are these sparks of light? Bits of soul??

Chapter 46 – SHE’S FAE!! Rhysand stumbled… are they mates or something?? I don’t know how I feel about the possibility.

Jeez that was wild! Excuse me while I go order the rest of the series…

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Have you read this book? Are you a big fan of the series? What did you think? I’d love to know!

You can always find me over on Twitter if you’d like to discuss this book (or any others that I’ve featured) in more detail 😌