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New Review!- A Court of Thorns and Roses

Submitted by NYMBC on Mon, 10/22/2018 - 9:55am

Teen Advisory Board Member Amanda  Reviews A Court of Thorns and Roses 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the explosive start to an amazingly written series filled with love, betrayal, and hatred. Feyre Archeron, a peasant human girl, hunts in order to support her family. Killing a deer and what she assumes to be a wolf, a faerie lord takes her away in vengeance for his friend. She learns of the courts of the fae, and navigates through politics, hatred, and an unidentifiable plague spreading throughout the courts. Her choices dictate the fate for all faeries - and her human family as well.

 

I came here from her Throne of Glass series and stayed for the beautifully written plot, fascinating characters, and general amazingness this story has to offer. Every character has such a diverse background, and it shows in her writing. I loved how each character had a motive - and a role to play. Not all life is good, not all shadow is bad, and the emotions these characters invoke is something that most authors wish to do.

 

Another part I really liked was the politics of the courts of fae, and how different they were from those of humans. Feyre grew up not learning how to read or write, and isn’t educated in book smarts. She had to learn to fend for herself, which is a huge culture shock when she enters the land of the faeries. The cold descriptions of the reality of Feyre’s life compared to the illustrious court of the High Fae is harsh and contradicting, and it’s absolutely beautiful.

 

If I am to be perfectly honest, my favorite part of all was the character development, and how I was emotionally invested in the characters. If you like fantasy stories with the opportunity to ship people, you’ll definitely love this series. Teen or adult, everyone could find someone they love, and I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any readers YA or above.

-Review written by Amanda, Age 14

You can find all of Sarah J. Maas' work, including the Throne of Glass series, here. 

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New Review!- Strange the Dreamer

Submitted by NYMBC on Tue, 10/16/2018 - 10:58am

Teen Advisory Board Member Emily Reviews Strange the Dreamer

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor follows Lazlo Strange’s journey to complete his dream: to see the lost city of Weep. Starting at a young age, Lazlo’s fascination with the lost city supported him through his lonely childhood, and continued even after becoming a librarian as an adult. Unfortunately, Weep is located across the world and hasn’t been heard from in centuries. Lazlo is not like the warriors and heroes in his stories; he cannot possibly make the journey on his own. Fortune strikes when Eril Fane, a warrior known as the Godslayer, comes into Lazlo’s town in search of anyone who can help him fix the history that shadows Weep. Little do they know, five of the godspawn, the offspring of the same gods Eril Fane slew, survived and live in the giant seraph that continues to haunt the city. One of them, Sarai, visits Lazlo through his dreams, and the pair eventually develops a relationship. As their relationship blossoms, conflict ensues between the godspawn and the inhabitants of Weep, and secrets begin to surface.

Throughout the book, Laini Taylor maintains her fantastical imagery and magnificent setting. The characters were all intriguing, even when they weren’t always the most likable. Lazlo remains endearing and almost overwhelmingly good throughout the book, and Sarai was such an interesting character to read. While their romance did develop rather quickly, I found myself rooting for the two of them all the same. The conflict between the two sides is realistic, and each side has a valid motive. Although there is a clear good side and bad side, I felt empathetic towards the bad side. However, although the plot sounded really interesting, the pacing was so slow I stayed slightly detached from the story while reading. That being said, I was easily able to read the entire book in one sitting due to the amazing world building and unique cast of characters. All in all, Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor has a slower start, but its immersive world and fascinating set of characters more than compensate for its pacing.

-Review written by Emily, Age 14

Did you enjoy Strange the Dreamer too? The sequel, Muse of Nightmares, is available in stores now! 

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