READING: A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court Of Thorn and Roses #3.1) by Sarah J. Maas

Publication date: May 1 2018

Published by: Bloomsbury USA

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fae, Magic, Kings, Romance, Suspense 

Rating: 

Feyre, Rhys, and their close-knit circle of friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve. 

Yet even the festive atmosphere can't keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated--scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court.

Um. Wtf was that?

Not that it was any worse than ACOWAR (at least this one was short!) but it looks to me like Sarah J Maas is purposefully sabotaging her own books. Or she simply writes whatever because she knows it's going to sell, which somehow is even worse.

First and foremost, there is too much sex in this book. Thankfully, not too much actual sex, but the insinuation of it was very prominent throughout it. Everyone was either talking, thinking or acting like sex was the only thing they think about ALL.DAY.LONG. How they get anything done, is beyond me! Especially Rhysand, whose possessive side, or rather lack thereof, was the only thing setting him apart from the big bad, Tamlin, or at least that's what Maas wanted us to think at the time because it suited her story. Rhysand was always shown as the good guy, the nice guy. Not that nice guys shouldn't have a high sex drive or that they shouldn't enjoy rough sex, not at all. Maas however, had attributed these characteristics to Tamlin in ACOMAF if you remember, and we all know Tamlin is the scum of the earth (eyeroll). So now, having Rhsyand repeatedly saying shit like "can't wait to take her" in reference to having sex with Feyre, especially after the sensitivity talk about how abusively Illyrian women were treated by men, it was absolutely disgusting and completely out of character. Another one ruined Sarah J Maas, thank you. 
And it wasn't just Rhysand and Feyre, even though they were my biggest problem in the book. 
Amren and Varian - sexual looks and touches in every interaction
Nesta and Cassian - Cassian ALWAYS looks like he's seconds away from jumping her
Again, nothing wrong with liking sex and lots of it, of course not. But not in this setting, and definitely not when it's used in place of a story with an actual plot.
Also, we are talking about a Young Adult book, yeah? I think everyone keeps forgetting that.. That is why I decided not to comment on Rhysand and Feyre's sex scene. 
Psych! Of course I will! 
It was unnerving and made me cringe. They both had way more chemistry Under the Mountain in ACOTAR, than now.

Going back to Rhysand and how Maas unapologetically destroyed him: he gave Feyre painting supplies as a Solstice present, sketchbooks etc. Hmmmmm 🤔 Does that remind you of anyone by any chance? Maybe Tamlin in ACOMAF, giving Feyre the exact same present and her hating it, thinking it was another way for him to control her and pressuring her into doing something she didn't want? I just found it interesting how Rhysand is slowly morphing into Tamlin, but for some reason it's ok now because he is Rhysand, and not a total loser like Tamlin, which Maas doesn't let us forget for a second. It wasn't only the scenes at the Spring Court that bothered me, but the constant reminder throughout the book that he deserved everything that happened to him. It just didn't sit well with me and I found it cruel and unnecessary.

Speaking of cruel, Feyre is such a little b.
Wait, scratch that. A major b! Where does she get off acting all superior to Lucien, like she's better than him or something? He came to bring her Solstice presents, which he absolutely didn't have to, and she only showed him scorn and derision, mocking him for his choice of friends. She is a hateful *%$#*& with a massive inferiority complex. Never ever liked her.
Lucien on the other hand, I like. I think he has the potential to become an awesome character, if Maas doesn't ruin him too.
Also, to Lucien: forget Elain, man. She is as bland as a napkin and you definitely deserve better. xx Love, me ❤️

Can we ease up on the use of the word "mate", please? You don't need to use it 100 times to remind us that Rhysand and Feyre are mates, WE GET IT! That was a huge pet peeve of mine in ACOMAF as well. Also, for us Aussies, the word "mate" has a slightly different connotation.
Whenever I read sentences like (paraphrasing): "I did all this for you, mate", I always thought of the following:
"Oi mate, get us a beer and I'll light up the barbie".
Ew.

After reading ACOFAS, I wonder why I didn't just stop at ACOMAF all these years ago? I thought it was mediocre then, and my opinion has only gotten worse for the rest of the series.
I would like to read Nesta and Cassian's story, I am not gonna lie. It is intriguing enough to me to borrow the book from the library when it comes out and give it a try. 
Cassian -- I already have him pegged, I highly doubt he'll surprise me in the books to come. Honestly, I just don't want him to turn into another Rhysand. That would be enough for me.
Nesta -- I am still on the fence about her. I definitely don't hate her like Feyre, but I think the whole angry kitten vibe has worn a little thin. I'm still holding out hope however that she can be more than that.

Stray observation: 
If I see this in one more book, I am going to scream:

"Didn't used to" 🙅🙅💣

It is not grammatically correct! It's just not. You can't use negative followed by a verb in past tense.
I don't even know how many eyes have gone through this book before its release, and somehow nobody picked it up. 
Just because "didn't used to" is homophonous with "didn't use to", which is the correct form, doesn't mean it's right. Ffs, so many teens and pre teens are reading your books, have a little care. And it's not just Maas. I have seen this in hundreds of books. For shame.

READING: A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court Of Thorn and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Publication date: May 2 2017

Published by: Bloomsbury USA

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fae, Magic, Kings, Romance, Suspense 

Rating: 

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's manoeuvrings 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. 

It took me almost a month to finish this book, and for a good reason.

We are in the middle of a very bad second wave of COVID-19 here in Melbourne and quite honestly, I was in no mood to read. I have been working from home since 1st of April and I have only been out for grocery shopping since then. With my family in another country and all my friends on quarantine, it has been a lot, to put it mildly. And reading this boring as book, didn't help at all!

I am not even gonna try to review ACOWAR. For me it was a waste of my time and try as I might, I can't find anything positive to say about it. 
The last battle with Hybern which was the only thing I was looking forward to was a hot mess, with things happening way to quickly and with no rhyme or reason.

Feyre's dad appeared out of nowhere, all hero-like all of a sudden when up until then he was admittedly the biggest coward, only to die so quickly minutes later. What was the point of that? And Feyre could resurrect Rhys possibly owing a million favors to all High Lords, but her father she didn't even give a second thought? And I am supposed to believe her sadness? Please, she couldn't care less. She always thought he was a wimp and I would have respected her way more if she didn't pretend to mourn him.

To me ACOWAR was a book full of grunts, snorts, chuckles, repetitive patterns and boring as scenes. 699 pages of it. At least ACOMAF had flowed smoothly and was literally unputdownable, regardless of its questionable content. ACOWAR is definitely not a worthy sequel and the 4.46 Goodreads rating astounds me.

READING: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court Of Thorn and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Publication date: May 3 2016

Published by: Bloomsbury USA

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fae, Magic, Kings, Romance, Suspense 

Rating: 

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.

Wow 😳😳

Sarah J Maas, you played me good. So good in fact, that for a minute there I actually thought this book was awesome. Only after I finished it and wondered what the hell I just read, did I realise that ACOMAF is nothing but bell and whistles, just showy and flashy mediocrity, nothing more.
Just for the nerve and skill it takes to successfully accomplish that and make $$millions out of it, I’ve got to hand it to you, you are absolutely brilliant. 
Your book? Not so much.

I will divide this review into sections – makes it easier to just read the parts you want and skip the rest.

SPOILERS AHEAD-YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Content/Plot/Story: ACOMAF is a dense book. It’s 626 pages chock full of action and exposition. Is it all necessary and useful? Absolutely not. Was I bored? Surprisingly, not at all. I thought ACOTAR was boring in parts, but not ACOMAF.
I’m gonna be real with you though: what I really cared about was to see what’s gonna happen with Feyre and Rhys and consequently Tamlin, and that is what kept me turning the pages. Maas came up with a simplistic story about the cauldron and how to nullify it, which should have been front and centre, but only worked as a filler between the romance. And even then, it was mostly used as a plot device to bring F+R closer together. This way, the romantic aspect never ever let up, it was always present in the book and those two were almost always together in every scene. That is what made the book so addicting in my opinion, the slow burn romance. And Maas was a master in skilfully dragging it out without making the reader feel bored or uninterested. By doing so, she created a feeling of time passing very slowly, so you think that the events of the book take place in a span of years, but in actuality it has only been a couple of months. That’s mostly so we can forget about Tamlin completely and 1. accept that Feyre will choose Rhys and 2. be shocked by the "Tamlin is working with the King: reveal. I wasn’t, I actually found it very consistent with how he had been portrayed so far.
The ending was pitiful. After almost 600 pages of planning and training and covert missions, as soon as Feyre reached the cauldron, she surrendered almost instantly to its magic. This born again-power of all 7 courts-High Fae, who has proven she had so much power in other occasions, she couldn’t resist the cauldron and the book even for a second more and gave in that easily? It was laughable, really. She had enough power to break all of the King’s wards in the end, but no power to nullify the freaking cauldron. She had ONE job!
Let’s not mention the most powerful Fae in existence not being able to move a finger to do anything while King was dipping Feyre’s sisters in the cauldron (??) Also, why is Jurian working with the King? He was buddy buddy with Amarantha so Jurian should…hate him? I mean, it’s ridiculous if you think about it. No thought put into writing a decent story that actually makes sense. I know I said that I mostly cared about the romance, but I am still very aware that I am reading a fantasy book series. I think if you are a writer of that calibre, you can write both an alluring romance AND an engaging story in one book. Very disappointing.

Feyre
I never liked Feyre, and ACOMAF solidified that. She is very insecure and an attention seeker. She cared for her family yes, but she always made sure they knew it was because of her that they survived. I don’t think she’s that honourable that she could not forsake the oath she gave to her mother, whom she didn’t hold in any high regard anyway. As soon as Tamlin told her her family was taken care of in ACOTAR, she stopped worrying about them, choosing instead to blindly trust the word of a Fey she spent her life hating, and go on living her life in the luxury of Spring Court. 
At the end of ACOTAR, Feyre kills two humans because of her love (or attraction, lust) for Tamlin AND NOTHING ELSE. She couldn’t bare seeing him with Amarantha and she had to get him back. I think that is mostly what drove her insane when they went back to the Spring Court and she couldn’t sleep or eat. That she killed two people in cold blood for a guy she kind of just met. When the infatuation passed and she realised what she had done, it is only natural for her to feel shitty. But that’s on her, no one else is to blame for that. Yes, Tamlin was being an ass and was overprotective and was acting all alpha male. But also, can you blame him? She threw enormous fits because she was couldn’t stand the sight of the colour red (!) and then she was asking to go hunting evil, dangerous creatures with him. Like he would ever agree to that after seeing the freak-out state she was always in and how she cowered in the face of everything. I am not justifying Tamlin’s actions, but whatever Feyre’s psychological trauma was after what happened under the mountain, we never stopped to consider that Tamlin’s might have been the same or even bigger. I admit I didn’t when I was reading the book, and that is once again great proof of how Maas can skilfully manipulate the reader. 
In regards to Feyre, I don’t know what else to say. I think the absolute failure of her end mission speaks volumes of her and the way she approaches things that don’t directly pertain to her.
She craved Rhys’s attention constantly in both ACOTAR and ACOMAF, and pretending not to be attracted to him because it would be considered “traitorous” to Tamlin, was absolutely ridiculous. She even commented on the fact that Tamlin didn’t do anything to save her under the mountain while Rhys risked it all (again, massive manipulation). I don’t see her objecting to Rhys not doing anything to save her in the end of ACOMAF when his friends were in danger…just saying. She is self-righteous and such a drama queen when things don’t go her way, and will not admit that she is wrong to save her life. At least she admitted that she only fell for Tamlin because he was the first person to show her kindness. I think that must have been the only real thing she ever said. Apart from that, I have nothing good to say about her. Not a fan.

Rhysand
Look, I like Rhys. I liked him when he pretended to be evil, even though everyone knew he wasn’t, and I liked him when he was finally out as a good person in ACOMAF. The more I read and got deeper into the book though, the more I got that niggling feeling inside that something’s just not right. Every time Feyre gave him a very good excuse to blow a fuse or be protective or act like a jerk or just have a normal reaction like we have seen happen with MCs everywhere, he always reacted the same: calmly, politely and very well mannered, practically giving Feyre whatever she wanted and being the picture perfect partner.
She wanted space? No problem. 
She wanted to tease him relentlessly and not be teased back? He took it all in stride.
She wanted to be included in all meetings and decisions? Yes, ma’am.
He basically did everything in his power to show how diametrically different to Tamlin he was (manipulation again) and how Feyre made the right decision. While I don’t mind YA and NA MCs being uncharacteristically nice for once, I do think there is a limit. There is such a thing as “too perfect”, and that was Rhysand. When he went to the Night Court and tried to play the bad guy, it was just not believable at all, almost like a kid playing dress up. In ACOTAR, there was a good balance between his light and dark side, but in ACOMAF that all went out the window and he lost all the bits of his personality that actually made him interesting. His long ass speech in the cabin at the end was supposed to show what a hero he was, and how noble he remained through everything and I’m sorry for being harsh, but I thought he came across as completely spineless. His sentences started like “I wanted to say or do that blah blah but I couldn’t, because I respected you and I only cared about your happiness”. Boo hoo who cares?? Show some B-bone bro, seriously! Have flaws and take responsibility for them, nobody likes perfect. Perfect is sooo boring. Flawed characters can still be good-natured and respectful, it’s called WRITING A MULTI DIMENSIONAL CHARACTER! I think Maas did a disservice to both Rhysand and Tamlin in ACOMAF. And even though as I said I like Rhys, I would like to see him disagree or get angry or have any kind of a reaction to Feyre when she is being too dramatic or unreasonable, that is not pure adoration (barf).
I don’t think that Maas needed to invent mating to show that Feyre and Rhys have something special. I could have done without it. And the number of times Feyre calls Rhys her “mate” in the book, it’s just over the top. Yes, we get it! You are relieved you chose "correctly" and Rhys was your destiny and not Tamlin. If that’s what makes you sleep at night…
Rhysand, I still have faith in you. Please go back to the mysterious and cunning night creature you were in ACOTAR 🙏

Tamlin
First off, I want to acknowledge the fact that it takes massive balls to suddenly change the love interest of a YA/NA series in book two, especially one you made the readers so invested in book one. I have never seen or heard of it happening before in books of the genre, and anything that is so original is immediately interesting to me.
That being said, the shade thrown at Tamlin in ACOMAF, was on another level. Poor thing, I almost felt sorry for him. Even though I didn’t like the way Tamlin handled some things (yes, he is flawed!), we can all agree that Feyre is a massive drama queen and over exaggerated about everything. And I don’t even like Tamlin, I am Rhys all the way, have been since ACOTAR. But, we have to face the facts here: would we think Tamlin was bad if Rhys wasn’t in the picture? Would we think that he did “nothing” Under the Mountain, if Rhys was not there to serve as Feyre’s puppy dog, showering her with attention? Would we think that Tamlin locking Feyre in for “her own good” was as bad as shown, if there was not a romantic interest alternative already established? The answer to all that is no, we wouldn’t. If Rhys was not there or he was not pure perfection, Tamlin and Feyre would have a tiff, they would struggle to overcome the tortures they endured UTM, but in the end their relationship would become stronger for it and they would fight against Hybern together to save Prythian. It’s only in comparison to Rhys that we see Tamlin as an asshole. And Maas didn’t let us forget it! The comparisons between the two were endless and of course, when you’re compared to perfection you always lose. Only thing missing was Feyre comparing dick size and performance, which I wouldn’t put past her to do. It was done is such a crass way that is just wasn't fair. We couldn't even hear his side of things. The only thing that struck true to me was when Feyre admitted that both her and Tamlin were so badly hurt by Amarantha, that they could never recover after they came back. I can accept and agree to that. Maybe if she thought to say that to Tamlin, they would have broken up amicably and in a more reasonable and respectful manner. But no. She had to be all dramatic about it 🙄
Naturally, when it was revealed that Tamlin made a pact with the King, it was done, there was no coming back from that. We now officially hate Tamlin and we can no longer make excuses for him, period. And to think he made this deal only so he can get Feyre back because he thought that she was in danger at the Night Court, knowing what he knows of it. Remember, he doesn't know anything about Velaris and um, the Night Court did kill his entire family. So, a little food for thought there. That doesn’t justify him consorting with the enemy, but hey. Feyre killed two innocent fae to get Tamlin back. Potato potatho 🤷

Sex
Good Lord, that was graphic! Since when do YA books contain such explicit sex scenes? I am not going to be all prudish and say this is not for teens, because let’s be real, teens have seen more mature content on the internet that I have seen in my entire life! Note though, that is by choice and mostly unbeknownst to parents. However, when you market your book as YA and it gets shelved in stores as such, you have a certain responsibility towards a huge number of readers who are underage. I think ACOMAF should be a better fit in the New Adult genre, but then again *whispers* NAs don’t sell as much. 

Other characters: I liked the Night Court team. Wasn’t over the moon, but I had no particular problem with them. I would have liked to get to know Azriel more, he seems interesting. Cassian is the typical brute sidekick I have seen many many times before in YAs, but still enjoyable. Also, I can sense an enemies-to-lovers story with Nesta, and I’m here for it 🙌
Am I the only one who still likes Lucien and wants him to be King of everyone and everything? 😂 I mean, the bond with Elain is ludicrous, but apart from that I really like him. Hope Maas doesn’t destroy his character as well in ACOWAR.
I would also like to point out the lack of diversity in this book. I don't know about Maas's other series and what's going on there, but I'd take an educated guess and say...the same?

In summation, ACOMAF was, without a doubt, a very addictive page turner with an undeniably appealing romance. BUT! If you really stop and consider what you’re reading for a second, you will see this book for what it truly is: the most beautiful Christmas present you can’t wait to unwrap, only to find out it’s totally empty inside.
Or as Emer very well put in her review ← read it, it's dope.

 

READING: A Court Of Thorn and Roses (A Court Of Thorn and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas

Publication date: May 5 2015

Published by: Bloomsbury USA

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fae, Magic, Kings, Romance, Suspense 

Rating: 

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.

Didn't write a review when I first read it back in 2015, but I decided to write one after I re-read it 5 years later.

1st re-read
Surprisingly, better than I remembered.
Granted, I was expecting the absolute worst, but turns out it wasn't that bad. I even remembered it wrong: I thought the "triangle" was between Feyre, Tamlin and Lucien. I did not remember Rhysand or the events that took place Under the Mountain at all! And I didn't remember any of their names, obviously. Funny thing, as soon as I saw the name "Rhysand", I immediately recognised it, as I have seen it written in hundreds of forums and book reviews, some not even ACOTAR series reviews (yes, that's right). So, I guess he is a fan favourite which is understandable and expected. Who doesn't love a bad guy turned all good and heroic for the love of a woman? Classic trope. He is basically Spike from BTVS. I mean, come on. Instant obsession 😍

Apart from Rhysand adding some necessary spice to an otherwise bland YA fantasy, I only liked Feyre's scenes with her family. It's the only time I felt she showed genuine emotion. As her relationship with Tamlin started to grow and she forgot all about her hatred for the fae and just took Tamlin's word that her family was ok, I lost interest. I could have easily skimmed this part and went straight to when she goes back to the village. I find her family dynamic very interesting and definitely something to explore, especially Nesta's character.

I don't know what to think of Tamlin. I guess there is not much to say for a character that gets so quickly outshined by someone that just appears at the end of the book. Tamlin is forgettable yes, and I have seen the exact same character in 90% of the YAs I've read. 
BUT. I can definitely see potential, and the chance to change the history of hot but boring YA MCs. If Maas knows how to explore that potential and really dig into his relationship with Fayre and Rhysand, it could be something beautiful. Judging by the books' success, I would like to think that she did, let's hope 🙏

I have to say, it's nice to finally read the books which reviews and discussions have been monopolising my feed for years now. Also, I have to give myself props for not reading any major spoilers all this time. Or if I have, I have definitely forgotten 😄
If I'm being honest, the reason I decided to read this series is to finally see what ACOMAF is all about. Hands down, it's the most praised book in the GR community for the past 11 years I have been an active member. For that alone, it is worth a shot. 

READING: Anhaga by Lisa Henry

Publication date: July 23 2019
Published by: DreamSpinner Press
Genre: Adult, MM, Romance, Fantasy
Rating: 

Aramin Decourcey—Min to his few friends—might be the best thief in Amberwich, and he might have a secret that helps him survive the cutthroat world of aristocratic families and their powerful magic users, but he does have one weakness: his affection for his adopted nephew, Harry.

When the formidable Sabadine family curses Harry, Min must accept a suicide mission to save his life: retrieve Kazimir Stone, a low-level Sabadine hedgewitch who refuses to come home after completing his apprenticeship… and who is in Anhaga, a seaside village under the control of the terrifying Hidden Lord of the fae. If that wasn’t enough, Kaz is far from the simple hedgewitch he seems.

With the Sabadines on one side and the fae on the other, Min doesn’t have time to deal with a crisis of conscience—or the growing attraction between him and Kaz. He needs to get Kaz back to Amberwich and get Harry’s curse lifted before it kills him. Saving Harry means handing Kaz over to his ruthless family. Saving Kaz means letting Harry die. Min might pride himself on his cleverness, but he can’t see his way out of this one.

The Hidden Lord might see that he never gets the choice. 

Anhaga was a really nice, sweet, MM fantasy novel (I believe the first) by what I consider THE queen of MM, Lisa Henry.

Was it one of my favourites of hers? No. 

If there was one thing that I wish Anhaga had, is a second POV. If Kaz had his own chapters, the book would have been elevated to another level. As it was now, I felt like I didn't know Kaz at all and I didn't really feel the connection between him and Min, eliminating the romance aspect completely for me.

Henry is a master in character development and it was so disappointing that she didn't do what she does best. So instead of giving me two solid characters and great story telling, she gave me only one semi solid (!) character, and a numerous of other secondary ones, plus Kaz, who was supposed to be a main character, but wasn't really. By not getting to know Kaz, he came across as quite unremarkable to me and not someone that streets smarts Min would risk his life saving and falling in love with. I wholeheartedly believed that Min did love him, but I just couldn't see it. And because the romance totally eluded me, I didn't particularly enjoy their love making scene-it was pretty awkward, considering that Kaz was a demure 19 year old virgin and the fact that there was almost no chemistry between them. Min has tons of chemistry with Harry though. That would have been fun, Min and Harry. But yeah, obviously it didn't happen.

The story was a very light fantasy tale without any intricate or complex world building, lacking the charged atmosphere that is a Lisa Henry trademark. Also, I found the ending to be inexcusably unfair to Min, him having to always wait for Kaz while he lived an entirely different life elsewhere, it seemed way out of character for sly, cunning Min.

I so wanted to fall in love with Anhaga but I didn't. Don't get me wrong, it's still a very well written, enjoyable book. However, after being super spoiled by Henry's past masterpieces, I had very high expectations which unfortunately weren't met. 😞

READING: Feversong (Fever #9) by Karen Marie Moning

Publication date: January 17 2017
Published by: Delacorte Press
Genre: Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fae, Mystery, Suspense
Rating: 

As Mac, Barrons, Ryodan, and Jada struggle to restore control, enemies become allies, right and wrong cease to exist, and the lines between life and death, lust and love, disappear completely.

Black holes loom menacingly over Dublin, threatening to destroy the Earth. Yet the greatest danger is the one MacKayla Lane has unleashed from within: the Sinsar Dubh—a sentient book of unthinkable evil—has possessed her body and will stop at nothing in its insatiable quest for power.

The fate of Man and Fae rests on destroying the book and recovering the long-lost Song of Making, the sole magic that can repair the fragile fabric of the Earth. But to achieve these aims, sidhe-seers, the Nine, Seelie, and Unseelie must form unlikely alliances and make heart-wrenching choices. For Barrons and Jada, this means finding the Seelie Queen who alone can wield the mysterious song, negotiating with a lethal Unseelie prince hell-bent on ruling the Fae courts, and figuring out how to destroy the Sinsar Dubh while keeping Mac alive.

This time, there’s no gain without sacrifice, no pursuit without risk, no victory without irrevocable loss. In the battle for Mac’s soul, every decision exacts a tremendous price.

Fire to his ice.

Frost to my flame.

Forever. 

Last night I said a heartfelt farewell to one of my favourite series of all time.
All grievances and objections I had for this book went out the window as I was reading through the last pages. Even though I didn't quiet connect with the last 3 books as I did with the first 5, I was still very deeply saddened by the ending. 
I want to thank my friends Anna and Monika for the endless converstations we had about these books, and the infinite times we sighed at the mere mention of Barrons ("Kneel, Ms Lane"). Thanks, girls!

For all that, for all the emotions it stirred in me, for everything it taught me, for all the sleepless nights, for all the good and bad times, I will always love the Fever series. 
Goodbye. It's been one hell of a ride.

I'll see you in the slipstream 

READING: High Voltage (Fever #10) b Karen Marie Moning

Publication date: March 06 2018
Published by: Delacorte Press
Genre: Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fae, Mystery, Suspense
Rating: 


There is no power without price…

When the Faerie Queen used the dangerously powerful Song of Making to heal the world from the damage done by the Hoar Frost King, catastrophic magic seeped deep into the earth, giving rise to horrifying, unforeseen consequences–and now deadly enemies plot in the darkness, preparing to enslave the human race and unleash an ancient reign of hell on Earth.

There is no future without sacrifice…

With the lethal, immortal Ryodan at her side, armed with the epic Sword of Light, Dani once again battles to save the world but her past comes back to haunt her with a vengeance, demanding an unspeakable price for the power she needs to save the human race and no one—not even Ryodan who’d move the very stars for her—can save her this time… 

How can KMM transform Dani from an obnoxious and annoying brat, to this amazing character with the strongest and most painful background story, then create her alter ego-equally amazing, if not more-then rise her again from the ashes painstakingly slow, only to give her such an abysmal and completely unsatisfying ending, I will never understand. 

The only good thing about this book was Dancer's letter, because let's face it, Dancer was great in everything he did, and quite frankly after reading High Voltage, I think he deserved better than Dani.
Such a disappointment. 

That being said, I'm very curious to see what her next "Fever" book will be about. Mac's fight with the Fae perhaps? But I thought Mac's story was over...? Hm.

READING: Feverborn (Fever #8) by Karen Marie Moning

Publication date: January 19 2016
Published by: Delacorte Press
Genre: Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fae, Mystery, Suspense
Rating: 

When the immortal race of the Fae destroyed the ancient wall dividing the worlds of Man and Faery, the very fabric of the universe was damaged and now Earth is vanishing bit by bit. Only the long-lost Song of Making—a haunting, dangerous melody that is the source of all life itself—can save the planet.

But those who seek the mythic Song—Mac, Barrons, Ryodan and Jada—must contend with old wounds and new enemies, passions that burn hot and hunger for vengeance that runs deep. The challenges are many: The Keltar at war with nine immortals who’ve secretly ruled Dublin for eons, Mac and Jada hunted by the masses, the Seelie queen nowhere to be found, and the most powerful Unseelie prince in all creation determined to rule both Fae and Man. Now the task of solving the ancient riddle of the Song of Making falls to a band of deadly warriors divided among—and within—themselves.

What was a pretty unremarkable book, the last 50 pages or so more than made up for it. They reminded me of the good all Fever days, the staying awake all night reading kind of days, and it felt good. After what seems like a very long time, I caught a glimpse of what the Fever books after Shadowfever could be like, and I really really hope Feversong won't disappoint me-especially after that ending 😱

Rest of the book was pretty much the same as Burned. I realised that Moning has set aside the plot and character development part (except for Jada, who is still the coolest of them all), and has replaced it with creepy and awkward eroticism, something I didn't even think it was possible in Feveverse. But when she does get into the plot and characters, more seldom than not unfortunately, she is one of a kind!

One more thing: does anyone else find Lor completely repulsive, or is it just me? His way of thinking is disturbing and disgusting and it's not even funny anymore.

READING: Burned (Fever #7) by Karen Marie Moning

Publication date: January 20 2015
Published by: Delacorte Press
Genre: Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fae, Mystery, Suspense
Rating: 

MacKayla Lane would do anything to save the home she loves. A gifted sidhe-seer, she’s already fought and defeated the deadly Sinsar Dubh—an ancient book of terrible evil—yet its hold on her has never been stronger.

When the wall that protected humans from the seductive, insatiable Fae was destroyed on Halloween, long-imprisoned immortals ravaged the planet. Now Dublin is a war zone with factions battling for control. As the city heats up and the ice left by the Hoar Frost King melts, tempers flare, passions run red-hot, and dangerous lines get crossed. 

It’s a world where staying alive is a constant struggle, the line between good and evil gets blurred, and every alliance comes at a price. In an epic battle against dark forces, Mac must decide who she can trust, and what her survival is ultimately worth.

Burned was a huge let down, simple as that. 3 stars are given just because I still love the series that Fever once was.

Plot: really, what was the meaning of Burned? Just a rehash of what happened in previous books, but worse. Only actual plot was the introduction of Jada, which was really shocking and sooo cool, and the attempt to save Christian in the last 50 pages or so. And those were the only 2 good elements of the book, I'm afraid. 
I mean ↓

what happened to the black hole at the bottom of Chester's? What happened to the Unseelie Princess? What is happening with Cruce and the Shidhe Seers(not enough said about it

The rest of the book had no structure, which ultimately, led to characters doing stupid, silly and offensive things, because what else is there to do? There was no story! Oh, and a lot of fucking inner dialogue! Mac wasn't a big conversationalist in this one, and she only interacted with very few people. As a result, we kept reading over and over again how horny she was, among other silliness of that level. Score!
Characters: the story around Lor, Ryodan and Jo was simply inane, didn't belong in Fever books. The whole Ryodan-Jo situation was bad enough to begin with, imo.
Also, what happened to Mac? How did she become such a whiny, mopey little girl? She used to be a strong, opinionated, female warrior and now what? Just casually hanging around at BB&B, doing nothing? The only thing she actually did was↓

save Christian at the end and that's because she was invisible! Which, was the stupidest trope ever. For one, because Buffy did it first and much better, and two because it considerably weakened her character. Like all she cared about was admiring how sexy Ryodan was when invisible, spying on him and Barrons while invisible, again, basking in their sexuality. WE GET IT! They are animalistically sexual, it has been mentioned like a million times. Fever books used to be way more than sex. What happened? I wanted to yell at her to grab her sword and just wreak havoc on the Fae, Sinsar Dubh be damned. That's what Jada did when she got it. I think Mac is getting too comfortable and complacent, especially with the Nine coming to her rescue all the time.

Speaking of sex...

was Barrons's scene at the beginning supposed to be sexy? I hope not, because it wasn't. I can't say that he raped Mac, but he definitely took advantage of her grieving state, violated and abused her. Erasing her memory was sick, and that he had the nerve to act annoyed after Mac found out, was just unbelievable. And Mac let it go waaaay too easily, if you ask me. I mean, how can you trust a person like that? She knew what and how Barrons is, sure, but her accepting this, made me feel like Barrons is no different than any other fucking creep out there. And I was not ready to think of him that way, nor did I want to. Moning is way, way better than this. She managed 4 books with no Mac-Barrons sex (I don't count the Priya ones which were addmittedly awesome) and it was still full of sexual tension where it needed to be, and it was perfect. Why resort to cheap tricks now?

In a nutshell, Burned was a huge disappointment, and I am legit scared of what's to come. I'm afraid Moning is taking the series on another path that I am not seeing myself being a fan of.
Taking a break now, and resuming with the next 3 on a later date.

READING: Iced (Fever #6) by Karen Marie Moning

Publication date: October 30 2012
Published by: Delacorte Press
Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Fae, Paranormal
Rating:  ⃠⃠⃠ NO RATING

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.
Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux. 

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.
Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.

I can't believe Dani was not my biggest problem in Iced. Who would have thought? I actually have a new appreciation for the kid. 
In my opinion, Iced is one of Moning's best. She manages to morph an unbelievably annoying and unlikable character, into someone you feel and care deeply for, because of the way she grew up, because of her incredibly sad story, because, at 14 years old, she wants to do what's right for everyone, because she wants to save the world. Dani touched my heart in Iced and I hope when Mac comes back as the lead, she doesn't turn into an abnoxious brat again. 
All of Kat scenes were my absolute favourites. Her voice is so lyrical-almost haunted-and I can just imagine her traipsing around the abbey, it's almost she was from another era. Her encounter with Ryodan at Chester's, is one of my top favourite scenes in all Fever books, pure gold.

However! As much as I loved Iced, I cannot and will not get past the overt sexualisation of a 14 year old girl. Some things just ain't right.
You have to wonder why; why would Moning ever create an underage female lead character in such an indecent, X-rated, oversexualised world such as the Feververse? What did she possibly stand to gain from that? 
Honestly? No idea. 
She actually lost someone, Christian, who was so messed up, I just wanted him to die to be put out of his misery. I really liked him in previous Fever books, he was an OK bloke. But in Iced, his character got ripped to shreds, both metaphorically and literally! Every time he appeared, I inwardly cringed. Unless he gets the Unseelie out of him, I hope he doesn't come back. 

And then we have Ryodan, the Cool guy.
Is he though? 
First half of the book he is described as this creep who has his eye on a 14 year old waiting for her to become "acceptably" older - even though he blatantly said that in other worlds girls her age wed and start families...- having constant pissing contests with Christian, who is obviously losing his marbles, and Dancer, another human kid! 
Second half, you see him having a relationship with someone else, which I am not buying for a second, and being all father figure to Dani. I mean, I much prefer that side of him, but I still don't know what to think. Is he the anti hero turned hero? Highly doubt it. He's definitely intriguing, if, again, Dani was older. But she isn't. So, he just looks like an overly pushy and obsessive creep. Even if he tries to care for her and be the dad she never had, parents don't act like that towards their children. At least, oh my God, they shouldn't. 

I don't know if in Burned Mac and Barrons will be leads again and all Iced characters are going to play second fiddle,but I really hope not. As long as Ryodan doesn't creep out on me, or Christian stays where he is (or isn't) I'll be fine.

Stray observations:
-Very sad to read about Chester's, knowing where the name came from.
-Fun fact: a huuuge presence and alleged influencer on GoodReads (with 5,000 followers, #1 reviewer rank etc.) has said about C. S. Pacat's Captive Prince II, a fantasy MM adult romance book, that it focused too much on men's genitals and that she was fed up with their over exposure. Whatever that means.

However, she didn't blink an eye when Christian got hard just by looking at Dani, a 14 year old girl, or that Ryodan was fighting with Christian over who will fuck her first. There was no actual sex or kissing, so all good.

Hm, interesting.😐