* A Reader Obsessed *'s Reviews > A Court of Thorns and Roses

4 Reluctant Stars

If you even have a smidge of interest in fantasy stories, then I know you’ve been barraged by the love out there regarding this author. Sarah J. Maas is like the Colleen Hoover of romantic fantasy, so of course I went into this with very very high expectations, and I would say for the most part, she delivers.

Admittedly, I had my doubts. In my opinion, this started out soooo slow and at first, nothing new was brought to the genre. However, I will say Maas can definitely create alternate worlds, and though she builds upon classic fae lore, she also puts her own twist on it which was refreshing. I will also say that though there’s things in this that emulate many a typical MF romance out there (MC motivations, romantic progression) she elevates it, and she does a very potent palpable slow burn.

It takes very little to annoy me when it comes to female characters, and Feyre is no different as she definitely has her moments. The men in this book are another story. Tamlin and Rhysand are compellingly sexy, scary, swoony. Their cunning power is nicely contrasted with their gentleness and care, and it will be very interesting, and I suspect devastating, to see how Feyre makes her decisions regarding these two immensely different men who are tied together by a traumatic tragic past.

First impressions. Classic savage fae war and politics, standard enemies to lovers romance, brutal horrific violence, and complex smart machinations in constant play with a heroine that just might earn more of my respect. I grudgingly give this 4 stars for the last 150 pages I couldn’t stop reading and the ending I can’t stop thinking about. Again, Maas has a lot to live up to simply based on her zealous fanbase’s hype. I look forward to seeing if she can continue to deliver and meet my even higher expectations for the next installment.