Court of Frost and Starlight
By Sarah J. Maas

Feyre, Rhys and the rest of the inner circle are back in the Night Court, rebuilding and preparing for Winter Solstice. They are all trying their best to recover from the effects of the war and enjoy the festivities while also preparing for the next steps necessary to ensure the safety of the Court. A story of family, healing, and celebration that leaves clues to what may come in future books.

This book was sort of like a long epilogue to the last book (Court of Wings and Ruin) and just gives us a look into the daily lives of the inner circle after that war. It was a cozy story of the time leading up to the winter solstice and the way they celebrated each other for the holiday.
It was definitely not an exciting or action-packed book by any means, but it was a nice little added bonus for those of us who just love living with the characters for a while.

It was a bit different than previous books because it was told in multiple perspectives, mainly Feyre and Rhysand with a few other peppered in here and there. It was also a bit strange to have such a short story when the others are so much longer, but it almost felt like a nice relaxing holiday after the stressful events of the previous book. I really wasn’t sure what I would think of it, but it felt nice and there were lots of little doors opened that get you excited for events to come in future books.

I give A Court of Frost and Starlight 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Adult Fantasy, 18+
Length/Page Count: 229 pages
Format & Source: Hardback, Amazon
Publishing Info: Bloomsbury Publishing 2018

Court of Wings and Ruin
By Sarah J. Maas

Feyre is back in the Spring Court with Tamlin and she has plans. The King of Hybern and his army are descending upon their lands and she is determined to find out what their plans are and lay some plans of her own. She has to hide in plain sight, weaving her web of lies and find a way to get back home to her family and her Court. She will have to decide who it is safe to trust while all of the Fae and humans are preparing for war against the invading king. Her family will be tested as they face their greatest obstacles yet in the battle for their home and their hearts.

A Court of Wings and Ruin is the Third book in the ACOTAR series and I have been reading through them quite quickly. I absolutely adored the second one, A Court of Mists and Fury, but when I got to this one, it slowed a little bit at the beginning. It took a bit for it to get going and the real magic happens in the second half of this book. Once it picks up though, it is riveting and I could not put it down.

I cannot write the review without pointing out that the series is definitely not brilliant prose by any means, but the writing style is light and easy to read. There are a few cliché tropes and repetitive overuse of words as is usual for a Sarah J Maas book, but it didn’t make the story any less enjoyable overall. There are a couple of HUGE gripes I have with the plot of this book that I think weaken the overall story, but unfortunately, they are also huge spoilers, so I will just leave it at that. (But feel free to email or DM me on Instagram if you want to have a full rant with me, cause I am totally here for that.)

Honestly, I have fallen head over heels for all of the characters in this story and I am too far gone at this point. Even through all of the things I dislike, I still cannot get enough of these characters, the world and the literal high I feel after reading one of these books. This one wasn’t as good as the second book, but I still really enjoyed it. The ending was beautiful and absolutely heartbreaking. I cried so hard I had to stop reading for a bit because I couldn’t see through my tears. It was ugly. But as long as you like being swept up into an emotional rollercoaster, it is absolutely worth your time. Overall, this book wraps up the story pretty well, it is a great read and a wonderful addition to the series.

I give A Court of Wings and Ruin 4.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

-Jacqui

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Adult Fantasy, 18+
Length/Page Count: 699 pages
Format & Source: Paperback, Amazon
Publishing Info: Bloomsbury Publishing 2017

Court of Mist and Fury
By Sarah J. Maas

After her fight under the mountain, Feyre returns to the Spring Court with Tamlin. She is now High Fae, but she still has a human heart and she isn’t quite sure how she feels. She is plagued with nightmares and awful feelings about the things she had to do in order to free Tamlin and the rest of the Fae from Amarantha’s clutches. She also has her bargain with Rhysand to deal with and she isn’t quite sure how she feels about the dark High Lord of the Night Court. Feyre must face her fears, figure out who she is now, and make difficult decisions in order to figure out where she truly belongs.

A Court of Mist and Fury is the second book in the ACOTAR series and I cannot express properly how much I enjoyed this book. When I was reading, I had a hard time putting it down. I would get up to make dinner and feel a magnetic pull toward wherever I had set it down. It was like a drug that I just couldn’t get enough of. The romance that is built in this book is so beautiful and powerful that I couldn’t help but get sucked in. Plus, there is so much flirting and a few super steamy and spicy scenes that were great fun to read.

The addition of all the new characters in this story made for an interesting turn and the little found family trope in this story was very cozy and welcoming. I loved getting to explore new parts of the map and learn more about the history of Prythian and its people. There was so much for Feyre to learn both about her new feelings and powers as High Fae as well as her place in the world. It was such a great journey to join her on and I know I will revisit this story many times in the future.

There are always a few caveats for me in a Sarah J Maas book, firstly, that she is in dire need of a thesaurus. I couldn’t stand how often she used the insult “prick” in this book and next time I read it (because there will be a next time) I plan to keep a tally of how many times Feyre calls someone a prick… it is obnoxious. Also, the characters “purr” in this book. What does that even sound like? It is just an awful way to describe a sound for a non-feline creature to make and I cannot picture it in my mind. The writing is definitely not top notch by any means, but it is still pretty easy to enjoy the story if you can see past the little… quirks… in her writing style.

Even with my caveats, this book series absolutely lives up to the hype and deserves all of the attention that it gets. I also recently learned that it is supposed to become a series on Hulu eventually and I am super excited for that. It is a great story for anyone who likes a good guilty pleasure fantasy romance and doesn’t mind a little dramatic smut with a lot of messy paint. *wink*

I give A Court of Mist and Fury 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Adult Fantasy, 18+
Length/Page Count: 624 pages
Format & Source: Hardback, Amazon

Dabblers Guide to Witchcraft: Seeking an Intentional Magical Path By Fire Lyte

In this spiritual guidebook to seeking an intentional magical path, Fire Lyte shows us the way to ethically navigate spiritual avenues, ask the tough questions and seek answers from multiple, culturally appropriate sources. He sets out to educate us on not only what it is to be ethical practitioners of magic, but to be ones who will look beneath the surface of the trends and seek a deeply personal and passionate connection to our journey.  

Let me tell you, I have been waiting on bated breath for this book! I preordered it the day it became available for preorder this summer and I have been a big fan of Fire Lyte and his Podcast “Inciting a Riot” for years now. Naturally, the second I was able to get my hands on the advanced readers copy, I practically inhaled it! This is a bit of a long review for me, but only because I simply cannot contain my gushing over this incredible work of art.

The first thing that struck me when I began reading it was how present and authentic Fire Lyte’s voice is in his writing. You can almost hear him speaking the words as you read them and he is so consistently humble and honest that you cannot help but feel like his friend and equal in every way. He gives tons of little glimpses into his quirky personality and the tone of the book is so conversational, I found myself giggling out loud so often my kids started asking what was so funny. You can feel the passion that he has for his work just oozing off of the page.

Fire Lyte reminds us how important it is to take every nugget of wisdom with a grain of salt and dive deeper for taking things at face value. He gives us permission to take his recommendations with a grain of salt and even predicts that his own book will be outdated at some point. He also points out that magic is not the solution to all your problems and real-life witchcraft isn’t as glamorous as Hollywood would have us believe.

Fire Lyte is reframing the way that we learn about magic and paving the way for new witches and pagans to become more intentional and ethical about their practice. For instance, He recommends when looking for information on a particular culture that you “center the voices of the culture of ownership and take your direction from them.”  He takes time to clearly point out many red flags and types of people to avoid when looking for friends and mentors in a magical community that is unfortunately rife with corruption and deceit. Misinformation and misuse of power is a real issue in the world and definitely within the magical community. It is our responsibility as we learn and practice, to make sure we are not contributing the problem and that we are trying our best to leave the world better than we found it.

This is the book every one of us wished we could have found when we were first starting out on our magical journey and frankly, it needed to be written. My honest opinion is that this book and the new generation of baby witches that will be inspired and shaped by it, could help to transform some of the stigma against modern paganism and witchcraft. I see myself buying numerous copies of this book to give and lend out. I already have 2 on the way.

I love the little personal touches, from the smatterings of art on the beautifully deckled pages to the *ahem, NUMEROUS pop culture references. Every detail is so relevant and makes the whole reading experience fun and so easy to feel connected to. As a pagan witch myself who grew up in the 90’s there were references and small moments that had me gasping or giggling until there were tears in my eyes simply because of how *seen I felt. This book truly felt like home to me and even though this is a guidebook and not a novel, I see it being one of my comfort reads for years to come.

I give The Dabblers Guide to Witchcraft a resounding 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Author: Fire Lyte
Genre: Spiritual Non-Fiction
Length/Page Count: 255pages
Format & Source: Paperback Advanced Readers Copy via Patreon
Publishing Info: Tiller Press September 28^th 2021

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows Duology – Book 2)

The Dregs are regrouping after their daring heist and they are determined to get the reward they deserve. After being double-crossed, they are low on resources and high on enemies at every angle. New challenges arise to test the crew’s skills and loyalties as well as Kaz’s ability to hold them all together in the face of hopelessness. Ketterdam becomes a war zone as a battle for revenge ensues and the fate of more than just their reward weighs on their shoulders.

Crooked Kingdom is the continuation of the Six of Crows and so I read it immediately after I finished the first book. It begins right where the last one left off, so it almost feels like one long story. There was an incredible description of the smell of Ketterdam in the beginning of this book that makes you feel as if you’re standing on one of its damp streets:

“There was no escaping the smell, the throat choaking stew of bilge, clams, and wet stone that seemed to have soaked into his pores as if he had been steeping in the cities essence like the world’s worst cup of tea.”

The description makes it sound so miserable and gross and yet, I wish Ketterdam was a place I could visit. I cannot write this review without gushing about how much I love the characters. The way the characters face their fears and overcome their weaknesses in this book really deepens and opens them up to so much growth. My favorite member of the Dregs is by far Jesper Fahey. I love his constant confidence and flirty swagger, but mostly I love that we get to learn a lot more about his history in this book.

There are a lot of new challenges for the Dregs in this story, and they learn a lot about each other as well the limits of their own skills. They are challenged to overcome their personal weaknesses and the weak spots in their plans are stretched to the point of collapse. They have to adapt and shift in order to accommodate not only their own self interests but the interests of all Grisha and the rest of the world. Our beloved group of morally gray criminals, sort of become heroes in their own right. The character development and group dynamic are beautiful things to watch as they shift and unfold.  

I think that anyone who likes to read fantasy or crime novels of any kind would like this series and I hope everyone I know reads it. It really is a beautiful story with great characters and surprises at every turn.

I would definitely pay money to be able to read this series over again for the first time.

I give Crooked Kingdom 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker heads up a crew of criminals in the bustling trade town of Ketterdam. He gets an offer he cannot refuse that will make him and his team rich, if only he can assemble the right team. He gathers his own rag-tag team of crooks who each bring their own strengths but no shortage of weaknesses to the table. Together they make a plan to pull off the biggest heist that any of them have ever even considered, but will they be able to pull it off? And what sacrifices will they have to make along the way?

This book was one I picked up because it came highly recommended from all angles and because it is a continuation of the timeline after the story in the Shadow and Bone series. (Although, you do not have to have read Shadow and Bone before you read this duology.) I was definitely not ready to wrench myself out of the Grishaverse just yet, so I was thrilled to find myself knee deep in the trenches with Kaz and the gang. The story is told through various perspectives of each member of the crew, bouncing between them as they endure hardships and grow closer together.

The found family in this story is unparalleled. The characters each have their own well rounded back story, with strengths and weaknesses that make you question their youth. Kaz Brekker is so clever and he often reminded me of Sherlock Holmes in the way he could see solutions to problems that others didn’t seem capable of solving. He has a keen eye and is able to set up plans like dominoes to fall at just the right moments.

I love the relationships that are woven between different pairs of characters and the way they bounce off of each other. Their personalities are so genuine and beautifully crafted that you almost forget that they are fictional. I loved the heist aspect of this story as well. When I had just finished it, I described to my husband as Oceans 11 if it took place in a fantasy world. It is so fun to see the plans unfold and fall apart and then reform and fall into place at exactly the right moment. At every twist you never know if it was all part of the plan or if it is throwing everything into chaos and they will have to regroup and recover. It is so unpredictable and keeps you guessing until the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves heist stories and found families. I think that there are characters that appeal to all sorts of readers and anyone can find a perspective that they connect with. It was fabulous fun to read this book I am so looking forward to reading the second one.

I give Six of Crows 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Length/Page count: 462 pages
Format & Source: Paperback, Bookshop.org
Publishing Info: Henry Holt and Co. 2015

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

In a galaxy, where humanity stretches across all of space seeking the signs of alien life, Kira Navárez stumbles into a cave on uncolonized planet and the dust around her takes on a life of its own. Her encounter with the alien relic leaves her the only person with the perspective to face the terrors that humanity is up against. She now has to say goodbye to the future she dreamed of and is thrust into a war among the stars. Kira faces her own horrors, grapples with what it means to be human and is pushed to her very limits in order to save humanity from its greatest challenge.

I was so excited for Christopher Paolini’s book to be released. I have been waiting since the Inheritance Cycle wrapped up almost 10 years ago. I was a bit disappointed to find out that it was science-fiction and not fantasy, but I see why he would want to branch out and do something different and I cannot fault him for that. I just LOVE dragons.

When I first started the book, it seemed to be really going places, action and excitement were abundant, but it did slow down quite a bit not too long after and it became much slower and harder to get through. That being said, the story as a whole was beautiful. It was a great tale about humanity and the perseverance in the face of hopelessness. All of the great hallmarks of a fantastic sci-fi adventure. It was very unique. So much so that Paolini created a vocabulary all his own for methods of communication between races. The alien race in this story communicates by smell rather than voice and somehow, he is able to convey that in words, which just boggles my mind and is a testament to his incredible ability as a writer.

One of my favorite things in the story was the host of characters that shifts as the story does, but eventually settles on a bit of a rag-tag found family that you find yourself falling in love with as time goes on. The idea of “ship minds” is also a really cool addition to the sci-fi universe for me. I loved the ship mind Gregorovich and his overuse of the insult “meat-bag” it was amusing and the depth of his character was absolutely heartbreaking.

There were a lot of finer points in the story that made this book 100% worth reading even though it was a bit rough for me to get through. The book was very long and the pace was a far too slow for me. The story dragged on in many places and it stretched it out to be much longer of a book than I think it needed to be. However, I persevered, because it takes an awful lot for me to quit and decide not to finish a book. I think it would have been a bit easier for me to read this one as a physical book rather than audio book. I also think it would make a kick ass movie.  

I give To Sleep in a Sea of Stars 3.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐ ✰

-Jacqui

Author: Christopher Paolini
Genre: Science Fiction
Format & Source: Audio Book, Audible
Publishing Info: Macmillan Publishers 2020

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Feyre has to hunt to provide for her family, and one day when hunting in the forest a large wolf crosses her path. She suspects that he might be Fae and humans have been at odds with the magical beings for as long as history can remember. She takes the creature down.
The price for her choice is that she must live the rest of her life in the Faerie kingdom with her captor. She soon discovers that there is more to the mysterious Faerie and the land that he rules over. Feyre faces her fears and her own feelings as she fights to break a curse save the man she loves.

Honestly, when I started this blog and my Bookstagram account, this one was a book I was unsure about picking up. I didn’t really like Throne of Glass, which is by the same author, and I secretly hoped that I would one of the few people who didn’t fall for the hype that this book has been generating. Unfortunately, I am a huge sucker, and I really, really enjoyed it. I starting reading this book at lunchtime on Tuesday and finished by bedtime on Wednesday, with little kids and chores and everything. I could not put it down. I already ordered the second book and it is on its way. 

I was pulled into the story by the intrigue of the myths and history of the faerie realms. I am a sucker for fantasy like that that butts up against a human world. The mysteries of the curse and the blight were unpredictable. I thought I had something figured out and then, things would shift and change before my eyes which was exciting. The romance and brooding faerie men were icing on the cake that made this book a guilty pleasure worth enjoying despite any shortcomings

The writing is simple and very easy to read which I do not mind at all in this sort of a story; however, I do have a couple of gripes. Twice in the book the ancient fae men applaud Feyre on her having the “balls” to do something which to me just sounds terrible and off putting. There has to be a more dignified way for a gentleman to applaud a woman’s courage than that. I also cannot stand the way that Feyre says literally everything that comes into her mind. She doesn’t hold any mystery or dignity whatsoever and I wish that she did. I wanted her to have a bit more depth of character and some opinions and ideas that she held. She felt very impressionable to me and I didn’t really like that. It is a step up from my opinions of S.J. Maas’ characters from Throne of Glass, but I still think her MC could use a little depth.

That being said the story is really fun and moves pretty quickly. It is a guilty pleasure story for sure but I don’t personally find anything wrong with that. This is the first in a 5-book series so there is so much more for me to dig into here and I am excited for it. I cannot wait to travel through more of the faerie courts and get to know more of the history and origins of the characters.

I give A Court of Thorns and Roses 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Adult Fantasy (18+)
Length/Page Count: 416 pages
Format & Source: Hardback, Bookshop.org
Publishing Info: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015

Ruin and Rising By Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone series – Book 3)

The aftermath of the battle has left the Sun Summoner broken and her army all but shattered. The Darkling sits on a throne in Ravka and Alina is deep in a network of tunnels underground, recovering her strength while submitting to the will of the Apparat. When she and her small team of allies’ rally to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers, she uncovers secrets that will change the future she is fighting to achieve. Alina’s powers might be enough to overcome the darkness that plagues the land, but the sacrifices she faces might prove to be too much.

The last book in the Shadow and Bone series takes our beloved characters on the last leg of their journey and it is still full of action, twists and unexpected mysteries. I finished the last book in 1 day and the entire series in less than a week. The books were intoxicating and I couldn’t put them down. I was stirring dinner with a book in my hand, pushing the kids on the swings with a book in my hand, walking down the hall to bed with a book in my hand, and staying up way too late to finish one last chapter. 

I felt like the plot of Ruin and Rising was a bit dull compared to the previous two, but only because it was more traveling and searching and less action. I felt like there wasn’t enough of the Darkling in this book and I wanted more confrontation or at least dialogue from him. I found some things a bit predictable along the way, but the most important things still managed to surprise me. The ending wasn’t what I would have predicted, maybe even not what I wanted, but it was satisfying and beautiful all the same.

Overall, this series is beautiful and I loved living in the world with these characters. I especially enjoyed the details surrounding the history and mythology of the world and the Grisha. I am always hunting for books that pull me in like a drug and these ones did it. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes young adult fantasy and magic with a little bit of old world politics thrown in. The worldbuilding in the Grishaverse is unparalleled and wonderful. I am so thrilled that there are more stories to live in that exist in this world left for me to devour.  

I rate Ruin and Rising 4.5 Stars⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Format & Source: Paperback from Main Street Books

Publishing Info: Macmillan Publishing Group 2014