A Court Of Mist And Fury is the second book in magical the ACOTAR-series by Sarah J Maas. When I read the first book I kept hearing that ACOMAF would be so much better and that I would fall in love with Rhysand. I thought it would be impossible, but no, turned out it wasn’t! ACOMAF is that good! Such an addictive, twist turner! And Rhys is that wonderful…

In my review for ACOTAR I wrote that “The only thing I’m not happy about is the spoilers I have not been able to avoid about Feyre and Tamlin not lasting. I seriously cannot understand why at this point, but I certainly will make sure to find out...” And boy, did I find out! I really didn’t want to like Rhysand, I wanted Feyre and Tamlin to have their happy ever after, but in the end I’m all Team Rhysand.

He’s like the hottest, most bad-ass feminist ever? Right?! I love that he pushes Feyre to make her own decisions, to be her own person and not someone’s pawn.

“You are no one’s subject.”

And the story is so full of action and tension, there is so much going on. And the twists! This is plotting at its best. I completely agree with all of you who think that ACOMAF is the best book in the series.

I do have some minor issues though about how fast Feyre changed from being willing to give her life for Tamlin to despising him and I kind of missed Lucien (until he came along and I suddenly was happy that he had been left out, but I still have my hopes up for Lucien, that he will make the right choices in the end). And I feel a bit tricked. It was so obvious that Sarah J Maas wanted you to change from Team Tamlin to Team Rhysand that I really tried not to, but in the end it was impossible. I do feel bad for Tamlin though. I can understand why he did the things he did, and I kind of wished that he didn’t have to end up like the bad guy in the book.

I have to say how much I liked the new secondary characters too, especially Cassian, Azriel and Mor. All their arguments and bickering made the book so much more fun. I also loved how they treated each other as family, looking out for one another and loving each other despite their differences.

And the romance is so hot! Some scenes seriously make you blush… Not that I’m complaining (not at all...), but younger readers should be aware that this is NA, not YA fiction.

Find out more about the books and the author here: Sarah J Maas

The reading tips this week is the lovely and disturbing The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel. This book is dark and creepy, twisted and gothic and so disturbing! But it’s also gripping, and engaging and such a page-turner. This is a very different story from what I normally like to read; so I really wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. But the combination of Amy Engel’s writing style and how she gets your curiosity and feelings for the Roanoke girls (especially Lane) up, really makes this a churning, heartbreaking story you won’t easily forget. This is a book that will both give you the thrills and make you feel a bit disgusted at the same time.

Lane Roanoke is fifteen when she comes to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin at the Roanoke family's rural estate following the suicide of her mother. Over one long, hot summer, Lane experiences the benefits of being one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls. But what she doesn't know is being a Roanoke girl carries a terrible legacy: either the girls run, or they die. For there is darkness at the heart of Roanoke, and when Lane discovers its insidious pull, she must make her choice...

At first, the unsettling subject matter of the story (won’t go into any more details as it would be a spoiler) put me off a bit, but the second half of the book really picked up pace and feelings and the ending was such a good, well-written one, leaving you with a kind of happy feeling after all the prior misery and heartache.

​Also kudos to Amy Engel for daring to write a book about a very heavy and against the law taboo topic, and for so clearly condemning it.

Find out more about the books and the author here: Amy Engel

My reading tips this week is the gorgeously cute and romantic Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles. This is the second book in the Perfect Chemistry series following three brothers. I read the first book, Perfect Chemistry, a couple of years ago and totally loved it! Simone Elkeles sure knows how to tell a romantic story with all the right feels and I just love, love, love her bad boy characters who are such a bad asses with good hearts (aren’t they the best..?)!

What I love about the Perfect Chemistry books - besides that they are truly adorable, addictive, sweet and quirky and with characters that steels your heart - is that you get to know all of the Fuentes brothers. 

​The story line of both books are similar, but still unique for each book. Both books are kind of modern, urban Romeo of Juliet stories; both brothers get into trouble and fall for a girl from different sides of the track. In Perfect Chemistry the eldest Fuentes brother, Alex, meets uptown, perfect Brittany, only to find out that she’s a real person behind the facade. In Rules of Attraction it’s the younger brother, Carlos, gets into problem with a drug lord and has to leave Mexico to go and live with Alex. There he meets Kiara, the daughter of his professor and a type of girl he normally wouldn’t fall for. Alex and Brittany from the first book are part of the story in the second books as well, but this is not a typical sequel, it’s more of a companion novel. I don’t think that it is necessary to read Perfect Chemistry first to appreciate Rules of Attraction.

The brothers are very different, but still really cares about each other as a family. At first I didn’t like Carlos as much as I liked Alex, but he grew on me when he started to show his more vulnerable sides. Kiara was wonderful from the start; so nervous and unsure and still so strong and true to herself at the same time. I cannot wait to read the third book, Chain Reaction, that will be told from the youngest brother’s point of view! So looking forward to another romance rush and what I’m sure to be yet another addictive read by Simone Elkeles!

Find out more about the books and the author here: Simone Elkeles

So glad I finally got the time to read A Court Of Thornes and Roses by Sarah J Maas. It' a book that has been on my TBR list forever, and it really lived up to the hype! ​It absolutely blew me away, and showed me all what a fantasy read can be! I love the world-building and that the story is something of a Beauty and the Beast-story, but with added layers and intensity and characters with depth and flaws. 

The characters are wonderful and loveable. Feyre is this stubborn, rebellious and to cocky-for-her-own-good girl that you cannot help falling in love with right away, even though you feel like slapping her every now and then for her bad decisions. And Tamlin is so sweet and honorable, you just swoon. But my favorite is probably Lucien, I love his snarkiness and hilarious comments. Rhysand I’m not quite sure what I think about yet, but I’m sure that will crystalize itself onwards.

I love the fantasy world that Sarah J Maas has created. It’s so rich in details and vivid you can really picture all of it. I also love the slow build-up of the relationship between Feyre and Tamlin, how the story allows for Feyre to take her to go from fear and hate to slowly fall in love. The only thing I’m not happy about is the spoilers I have not been able to avoid about Feyre and Tamlin not lasting. I seriously cannot understand why at this point, but I certainly will make sure to find out... Starting the next book in this series right now!!!

Find out more about the books and the author here: Sarah J Maas