A book that’s more than 600 pages: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Why I picked it: Because I am slightly obsessed with SJM and this was one of my most highly anticipated releases of 2016, the other being the fifth book in her other series which comes out in less than 70 days because yes, I am totally counting.

Blurb in brief: “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.”

What I thought: Oh. Em. Gee. It has been a very long time since a book has given me a book hangover like ACOMAF did. I devoured it in two nights and then was ruined for all other stories for a solid two weeks. All I could do was go back and dazedly reread SJM’s other books and curl up in the fetal position because this book made me feel ALL THE FEELS.

Backstory! I read A Court of Thorns and Roses not too long after it was released last year. I had never heard of Sarah J. Maas before (apparently I was living under a rock), but I love Beauty and the Beast retellings, so when it popped up on Audible, I downloaded it. Alas, I didn’t write an actual Goodreads review upon completing it so I don’t have a record of my thoughts at the time, but I did rate it 5*, mostly because of the second half of the book. I found the events of Under the Mountain much more interesting than the events in the Spring Court.

Full disclosure: I never loved Tamlin, who was a bit too blandly alpha male for my taste. You know who did set my heart a fluttering? Rhysand. Sexy, silver-tongued, cheeky Rhysand who stole my heart the second he appeared.

Long story short—I loved ACOMAF SO HARD it hurts. Feyre, whom I liked well enough in ACOTAR, turned into a character who rivals Celaena from Maas’ Throne of Glass series in my heart. And Rhysand! Sexy, silver-tonged, cheeky Rhysand gets all of the depth I missed with Tamlin. And bonus! We get the characters of Rhys’s badass inner circle and all of the accompanying  banter and camaraderie. Plus, THE NIGHT COURT. Starfall? Are you kidding me? Sarah, I want to live in your head for awhile.

“To the stars who listen—and the dreams that are answered.”

My rating: 5/5 ; Goodreads rating: 4.77/5