A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J Maas 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Online Ratings: 4.3 out of 5 Stars

*I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FROM BLOOMSBURY AUSTRALIA IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

NO SPOILERS! 

Summary from Goodreads:

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 grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

My Opinion: 

Sarah J Maas has done it again. She has created another mind-blowing, original novel with so many unexpected twists and turns. A Court of Thorns and Roses is a very promising, intense and thrilling new series filled with the right balance of action, fantasy and romance. 

The setting of the novel was very vivid and imaginable. Sarah J Maas was very descriptive and wrote elegantly making the world and the courts situated in Prythian extremely intriguing and interesting to read about. 

There was never a dull moment in this novel. The plot was action-packed and absolutely phenomenal. Although it was a slight re telling of 'Beauty and the Beast', Sarah J Maas managed to transform this novel into something more interesting and captivating, making this novel very unique. 

The characters in this novel were so multi-dimensional and really relatable to. The female protagonist, Feyre, was introduced with a strong, brave demeanour but as the novel goes on readers find out about her insecurities and start to really feel and sympathise with her. I felt really, strongly, emotionally connected to Feyre even though I have never experienced poverty or been forcefully taken away from my home. That strong, emotional connection that I had with Feyre was developed through Sarah J Maas' beautiful and elegant writing skills. 

The male protagonist, Tamlin, was introduced quite early in the novel but his personality and past isn't really explored much until later on in the novel, and that's when his beautiful inner beauty shines through the pages. Tamlin was the ideal male protagonist- he was brave, intelligent, protective of his land and people and wishes for peace between all. 

The passionate, strong love blooming between Feyre and Tamlin, leads to such a tragic and horrific situation that both are willing to sacrifice themselves for the other. Their love, devotion and loyalty for each other was so commendable and at times, heart-breaking to read about. 

A supporting male character in this novel was Tamlin's friend Lucien. Lucien was extremely hilarious and always trying to lighten the mood. His past really connects with readers and makes them feel for him. Lucien endured a lot of pain due to his past but he never complains or portrays his emotions in public. Lucien is helpful, informative and willing risking his life for others, especially Tamlin. 

Rhysand, another character, was like my guilty pleasure in this novel- he was very swoon worthy and even though he is the villain, readers fell for his charming looks and created a soft spot in their hearts for him. He had a very unusual way of portraying his concern for Feyre and other Faeries, but still managed to help his people in the end. 

In addition to the phenomenal setting, plot, ideas and characters, Maas also created a fantastic but intense conclusion. The last 150 pages were very action-packed and electrifying. These pages were "straight to the point" and very, emotionally difficult to read as the characters had to face a lot of false hope, unexpected twists and broken promises. But even though these pages were very emotional, the ideas that were executed in these last few chapters were very unique and the connection between the characters and the readers, was strengthened. There was a major twist at the end that really shocked me but also has me extremely excited, curious and desperate to read the next novel. 

I definitely recommend everyone to read this phenomenal novel, you will not regret reading this novel. Thank you so much Bloomsbury for sending me this novel to read and review. 

- Erisha <4 

Brothers in Crime by K.M. Rockwood

Title: Brothers in Crime

Author: K.M. Rockwood 

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

Online Ratings: 4 out of stars 

*I RECEIVED THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

NO SPOILERS! 

Summary from Goodreads:

The cops say surveillance video doesn't lie. But could they be mistaken? 

After nearly twenty years in prison, Jesse Damon is just trying to make it on parole. But nothing comes easy. The cops say they have a video of him breaking into an ATM. He’s in trouble at work over a toxic chemical spill. A runaway wife shows up on his doorstep, dead broke and needing somewhere to stay. And his sometimes-girlfriend Kelly seems to have met someone new. Sydney. At an AA meeting, of all places. When Jesse goes to Sydney's office and finds his dead body, he’s pretty sure the guy has been murdered. And that he will be the prime suspect.

My Opinion: 

K.M. Rockwood is back with our favourite character, Jesse Damon, and a heart-stopping, intense, electrifying conclusion to a phenomenal series. Brothers in Crime doesn't fail to disappoint and it definitely lived up to the high standards I set before reading this novel.

This novel went straight into the action with new mysterious events and situations. Brothers in Crime had to right amount of comedy and mystery making it a fast, quick page turner but an interesting read. There was never a dull point in this novel- K.M. Rockwood kept you on the edge of your seat, curious to know more. 

This captivating read reintroduced the famous character, Jesse Damon, the main protagonist, who somehow always seems to be a 'magnet' for trouble. In this novel, after a huge amount of character development, the readers finally get to see Jesse in a new light. Jesse is finally portrayed as an intelligent young man who is quick-witted. In this novel, Jesse is no longer portrayed as an introvert and has found the ability to stand up for himself and his rights, understanding his place in society. 

I felt as if Kelly's personality in this novel was quite different from the first novel. Kelly seemed to be more dependant on Jesse and sort of used him to take care of her children. Her dependency in this novel really portrayed a lack of confidence and character underdevelopment. Kelly's extrovert personality didn't mask her weaknesses in the novel, which was one aspect I didn't exceptionally like in the novel. 

The conclusion and the last few chapters of this novel was not very descriptive and ended almost abruptly. All the solutions, to the issues introduced in the novel, were 'thrown' at the reader in one stage, which was another aspect I wasn't a very big fan of. 

But an aspect I extremely enjoyed in the novel was Rockwood's ability to entwine and interconnect all the various scenarios and situations. Rockwood wrote beautifully and really helped readers experience Jesse's everyday life and emotions. 

Overall, Brothers in Crime was a fantastic conclusion to the series and I recommend for everyone who loves mystery to pick up this series, you won't regret it. Thank you so much K.M. Rockwood for allowing me to review and read your novel. 

- Erisha <4