#Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas - 5 Wine Glasses

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #2
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Format: Kindle Edition, 640 pages
Published: May 3rd 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
ASINB:015FELXQ0
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Reviewer: Crystal
Source: Purchased by Reviewer
Rating:  5 out of 5 Wine Glasses

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.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights. 

Crystal's Thoughts:
* Warning: This review will contain spoilers for those who have not read book #1. *

Sarah J. Maas delivers a dazzling sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses in her new release of  A Court of Mist and Fury where Feyre's journey of acceptance, strength, and determination leads to an epic and unforgettable adventure!

I didn't think it was possible, but A Court of Mist and Fury surpasses even A Court of Thorns and Roses with it's spellbinding world, gripping plot, and enchanting characters. More often then not, fae stories are difficult to read. They're over-detailed, and understandably so, with all of the history, rules, names, stations, and then characters that are associated with those types of tales. However, Maas delivers an easy-to-read fae story with unsurpassed creativity that is sure to capture you, heart and soul. I had so many feelings while reading, and days later I am still brooding over them all. The story was beautiful, heart-breaking, nerve-racking and all-eclipsing. Totally consuming. In fact, I am about to re-read both books again. I just can't get these characters and this world out of my head enough to move on to another.

As the story opens, Feyre is adjusting to her new immortality and coming to terms with the choices that she had to make Under the Mountain. Her guilt is eating her alive, making her physically ill and unable to sleep. Yet all the while Tamlin seems to ignore the changes and severe unhappiness in Feyre.

"I wished my human heart had been changed with the rest of me, made into immortal marble. Instead of the shredded bit of blackness that it now was, leaking its ichor me. "

It's crazy how my opinion of a character, a character that I loved, could do a total 180 in just a few pages. Just a few chapters in I found my self loathing Tamlin, who seemed to just ignore what he didn't want to face, hoping that if he did so it would just go away. Wouldn't life be so much easier if that were the case? But he crosses a line that he never should have crossed and an unlikely source comes to Feyre's rescue. I'd just like to say; I had an inkling, by the end of the first book, how this second book would go and I am so happy were it led. So, so happy. Back to Feyre though, she is an incredibly easy heroine to get behind. Forged from fire, she may be broken, but she is not destroyed and wow- does she prove that throughout the story. How her character develops and grows with each page is simply astounding and beautifully written.

Now let's talk about Rhys. I always tend to root for the bad boy, the underdog, the dark over the light, and am overjoyed that this bad boy got to shine for most the book. Rhys' character is a plethora of layers, hiding a deep and golden center with a scary bad-ass exterior of ice.

"I dared a glance at Rhys, and there was something like devastation on his beautiful face. It was gone in a blink."

His story was just as heart-breaking as Feyre's and gosh, I just wanted to shake Feyre sometimes when she was blind to what Rhys was feeling. The sexual tension between them is undeniable though, sizzling. And the chemistry, compatibility, unquestionably scorching. I don't want to get too spoilery, but you will go through the entire emotional spectrum when it comes to these two. I adored the secondary characters of ACOMAF as well. They were just as unique and captivating as the main characters, supporting them throughout their journey. These are Rhys's true court, his best friends, and his family. Because family isn't always the people  you were born to. 

“There are different kinds of darkness,” Rhys said. I kept my eyes shut. “There is the darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is restful.” I pictured each. “There is the darkness of lovers, and the darkness of assassins. It becomes what the bearer wishes it to be, needs it to be. It is not wholly bad or good.”

The plot has so many twists and turns that I was left gasping by the end, desperate for just one more page. A Court of Thorns and Roses was a sweeping, powerful, breathtaking journey that captivated me from the first page! When finishing this book, I had the biggest book hangover that I've ever had. I felt nauseous and depressed that I couldn't open up any more pages and dive back into this world of dark and light, human and fae, love and hate.   A Court of Mist and Fury is hand's down, my favorite read of 2016, and Sarah J. Maas' best writing yet! I can't recommend this book, this entire series, enough.

Now, which one of my kids can I sell to have the next book now? They're still cute, not too gangly yet, and they clean up after themselves and everything! #kiddingnotkidding ;-) 

Series Reading Order:
A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1) 
A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2) 
Untitled (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3) - May 4th 2017