Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

 Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas - 576 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak. She is now alone in Wendlin with a broken heart and no motivation to complete an impossible task. She has hit rock bottom and blames herself for the fates and deaths of loved ones until she reaches a turning point and realizes she has to accept the pain and regret and move forward. Her character development throughout is phenomenal as she becomes stronger, wiser, and more determined while also staying stubborn, snarky, and brave. In short, she develops into a queen ready to fight for her kingdom as, with the help of Fae Prince Rowan Whitethorn, she tries to "become worthy" of being allowed into Doranelle to get information about the Wyrdkeys from the Fae Queen Maeve.

I love this series, and this 3rd installment is even better than the first two. I can't wait to see what lies in store as Celaena returns to Erilea.

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

 The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass Prequel-Novellas #0.1-0.5) by Sarah J. Maas - 451 pages

⭐⭐⭐✩✩

Novellas included:

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
The Assassin and the Healer
The Assassin and the Desert
The Assassin and the Underworld
The Assassin and the Empire

Celaena Sardothien is her kingdom’s most feared assassin. When Celaena's scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, she finds herself acting independently of his wishes—and questioning her own allegiance. She may work for the powerful and ruthless Assassin’s Guild, but Celaena yields to no one and trusts only her fellow killer for hire, Sam.

Along the way, she makes friends and enemies and discovers that she feels far more for Sam than just friendship. But by defying Arobynn’s orders, Celaena risks unimaginable punishment, and with Sam by her side, he is in danger, too. They will have to risk it all if they hope to escape Arobynn’s clutches—and if they fail, they’ll lose not just a chance at freedom, but their lives . . .

On the recommendation of my daughter, who LOVES this series, I read this after I finished the 2nd book. I'm not sure if it was because I was not familiar with all the characters or because I really wanted to see what happens in the 3rd book, but at times I had difficulty staying engaged. That being said, I did enjoy it. The insight into Celaena's relationship with Arobynn Hamel and the contrast between Arobynn's domain and that of the Silent Master's, along with the betrayals she experienced, definitely helped me understand her better. 

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

 Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas - 432 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

I liked this 2nd installment in the Throne of Glass series just as much as I liked the 1st book. I definitely did not anticipate several of the revelations that came to light in this book, and I'm just as anxious to see what comes next as I was at the end of the 1st book.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

 Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas - 432 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In a land without magic, the king rules with an iron hand. An assassin is brought to the castle from the salt mines - not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she will be released from slaverey to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

I'm not usually a reader of Teen books, but this one captured my interest from the beginning. The characters have a lot of depth, especially Celaena. I really like the way you learn about her a little at a time, and I like her more and more with every revelation about her background and true character. It's very easy to hate the king and his minions and wish for their downfall to come immediately even though this is only the beginning of the series.

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J Maas

 The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

448 pages

★★★★

Prequel novellas to the popular Throne of Glass series, this collection gives more context to how Celaena Sardothien was sent to the prison camp, Endovier. Starting with Calaena and another assassin in her group, Sam, being sent to make a deal with the Pirate Lord. The stories go on to show the relationship between Sam and Calaena grow from enemies to trusting each other more than anyone.

While some of these stories felt unnecessary, it did ultimately answer some of the questions I’ve had and it showed how different Celaena was before her year in prison, including her first love. 

Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6) by Sarah J. Maas

Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6) by Sarah J. Maas-660 pages

I finally got back to reading this after reading other books for a while. I really liked this one. I think this is my favorite in the series so far. Tower of Dawn is full of twists and turns and ancient secrets revealed. The reader is introduced to a new continent (the Southern Continent) of Erilea and to a whole new cast of characters. Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq arrive in Antica to plead with the Khagan to raise an army to help the Northern Continent fight Erawan and his dark army. The Khagan has many sons and daughters, one of whom will be the Heir and one day Khagan himself or herself. The royal family is full of interesting characters. The Torre Cesme in Antica is home to the famed healers. One such healer is Yrene Towers. She is tasked with healing Chaol from his spinal wound suffered earlier in the series. I really like where Maas is going with the story and how it all is coming together for the next and final book, Kingdom of Ash. I am eager to find out how the series ends. It has been a long, eventful ride. I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5) by Sarah J. Maas

Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5) by Sarah J. Maas-689 pages

This was a bit slow in the beginning, but it really picked up in the second half. Everything comes together at the end of the book and provides a nice transition for the next books. Plans and secrets are revealed and the battle for Terrasen and Erilea begins in earnest. I really enjoyed this book and the ending is terrific. I eagerly look forward to reading the final two books in this series. 

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas, 406 p.

"After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined."--Goodreads blurb

This was a re-read for me, as Sarah J. Maas books are my "get out of a reading funk" go-to. They are always easy to read and fun, and I love a butt-kicking female lead. This is a great introduction to the Throne of Glass world and its characters, and I will continue on with this series when I need a pick-me-up. 

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas-565 pages

The story of Celaena Sardothien, King's Champion and Adarlan's Assassin, continues in this third volume of the "Throne of Glass" series. In this book, Celaena is off in Wendlyn where she was sent by the King of Adarlan at the end of the last novel. Celaena is taken by Rowan, a Fae warrior and prince, beyond Wendlyn to Fae lands to meet her aunt Maeve. Maeve is Queen of Doranelle. Chaol and Dorian run into some trouble in Adarlan. Celaena unlocks her true magical potential and gains confidence in herself and her abilities. This story is told from many perspectives and new voices are added, including Manon, who is a Blackbeak witch, and Sorscha, who is a healer in the King's glass castle. I enjoyed reading this book and have enjoyed the series so far. I am very interested in seeing where Maas takes this story in the next volume, "Queen of Shadows." 

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight
(The second book in the Throne of Glass series)
By Sarah J. Maas
418 pages









Celaena Sardothien is the king's Champion--yet she is far from loyal to the crown, for the man she serves is bent on evil. Working against her master in secret is no easy task. As Celaena tries to untangle the mysteries buried within the glass castle, she can trust no one, not even her supposed allies Crown Prince Dorian, Captain of the Guard Chaol, or foreign Princess Nehemia.

Then an unspeakable tragedy shatters Celaena's world. She must decide once and for all where her loyalties lie....and whom she will fight for.

She is the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But does she have the heart of a killer?