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A Court of Thorns and Roses #1-3

Das Reich der sieben Höfe

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Die Bestseller-Reihe Das Reich der sieben Höfe im wunderschön ausgestatteten Schuber!

Die junge Jägerin Feyre wird in das sagenumwobene Reich der Fae entführt – und verliebt sich gegen alle Warnungen vor den wunderschönen und unberechenbaren Wesen in ihren Entführer: Tamlin, den High Lord des Frühlingshofs. Doch Tamlin hat ihr verschwiegen, dass über dem Reich der Fae ein dunkler Fluch liegt, der auch die Welt der Menschen vernichten könnte. Um ihn zu brechen, bringt sich Feyre in große Gefahr. Dabei trifft sie auf Rhysand, den mächtigen und gefürchteten High Lord des Hofs der Nacht – und sieht sich gezwungen, einen Pakt mit ihm zu schließen, um zu überleben und ihre neue Liebe zu retten. Je näher sich die beiden kennenlernen, desto mehr zweifelt Feyre, ob er der ist, der er vorgibt zu sein – und auf welcher Seite Tamlin tatsächlich kämpft …

2094 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2017

42 people are currently reading
2795 people want to read

About the author

Sarah J. Maas

137 books540k followers
Sarah J. Maas is the #1 bestselling author of the Throne of Glass, Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City series. Her books have sold millions of copies and are published in thirty-eight languages. She lives in New York City with her family.

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5 stars
1,783 (76%)
4 stars
335 (14%)
3 stars
131 (5%)
2 stars
26 (1%)
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48 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
Profile Image for Naomi.
598 reviews23 followers
November 13, 2018
This trilogy was everything. I didn't want to write a review for each individual book because I was so engrossed in this series, I bought all three books and read them all back to back.

It all started when one of my friend told me to read A Court of Thorns and Roses, I didn't want to because I don't read YA often and also because I don't like love triangles. Turns out, this series is definitely not YA and doesn't really have a love triangle either. I gave it a shot after my friend harassed me for weeks and I will be eternally grateful to her for making me read this incredible series.

Sarah J. Maas has a way with words, this world she created is intricate, beautiful, exciting, surprising, inspiring, unique. I could go on and on. I'm a sucker for fantasy romance, even more so when it's not YA and I had all that with ACOTAR, ACOMAF and ACOWAR. Yes, I'll say it again, this series is NOT YA, I don't know why some people think that but it sure isn't, the sex scenes are detailed (to my utter delight), the characters are not teenagers (Feyre is the youngest and is 19 at the very beginning), they're all mature adults. So, not a young adult book.

I crave more. This is what I'm feeling right now, I crave more of these characters and this universe. The first book makes for an amazing introduction, Feyre is still human and naive about a lot of things, we don't really meet the real Rhysand either until the second book. ACOTAR is more about Feyre's growth, her introduction to the fae's world. ACOMAF and ACOWAR are more about her finally finding her true self, understand herself and making hard choices.

I loved all three books. The last one is definitely my favorite but I can absolutely say that this series is one of my favorite series of all time. All three books met my expectations and more, they made my heart soar, they made me happy, I felt everything a human being can feel, I laughed, cheered, cried, raged, despaired, loved, I lived through them.

It's rare to find a series where each book only gets better and better. Usually the first one is amazing and then the other two are a bit less, but, it wasn't the case with A Court of Thorns and Roses, the first one blew me away, the second one tore me to pieces, put me back together and broke me again and the third one did all that and more.

I am looking forward to read about Cassian and Nesta, Lucien, Azriel, Elain, Mor, Amren and all the other secondary characters. I can't wait to finally peek inside their minds. I can't wait to see more of Feyre and Rhys, now that they got their happy ending, I'd love to see them have a family. I could honestly read an entire book of all of them just living their best lives, no wars, no bad guys, just them and their up and downs. That's how much I love these characters.

This trilogy will stay with me for a long time, rooted in my heart, in my mind. That, right there, is why I read. This feeling of happiness, feeling like I've made new friends even if they're not real, feeling like I'm living a thousands different lives all at once, all because of a book.
Profile Image for Christina.
67 reviews2 followers
November 19, 2020
Absolute Lieblingsreihe!!!! Ich habe gelacht und geweint. Die Liebe und Freundschaft in diesen Büchern sind einfach magisch und haben sich tief in mein Herz gebrannt. Ich muss jetzt erstmal wieder in die Realität finden, denn die Bücher haben mich umgehauen und mich weit weit weg in eine andere Welt entführt.
Profile Image for Lauren.
3,670 reviews142 followers
June 13, 2017
Overall: ~4.7 Stars

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) - 4.5 Stars

Feyre, the provider for her family, has spent her life fearing the Fae on the other side of the wall. She has heard the gruesome stories but when faced with a decision that could feed her family she takes it. That decision brings on the full force of the Fae when Tamlin takes her in retribution for killing one of his own. But Tamlin is not exactly what Feyre is expecting and neither is the world she now finds herself in.

I was surprising blown away by this book. I am not a huge lover of reading about fairies but I was enthralled with this story. I absolutely loved the characters and their heartfelt, 'real' interactions. I got the world, I could see it in my mind and I felt like I was experiencing the story right along with Feyre

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) - 5 Stars
Feyre survived the last enemy but the consequences of her decisions are now catching up with her. Though she is no longer human, her emotion still are and they are in turmoil in more ways than one. Torn between facing what she had to do under the mountain to free the Fae and the man she loved, she now has to deal with all of those feelings and turns to the one person no one expects.

Definitely going on my favorites list! If I thought I was blown away by the first one, this one surpassed it! There was so much build up and tension between the characters. I loved how to the story took a turn that I was not expecting from the last one.

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) - 4.5 Stars

As Feyre returns to the Spring Court she finds her deception and information gathering harder then expected. With the threat looming, her very enemy practically comes knocking at the door. When trust is something that is hard to give, the battle might be that much harder to win.

Out of the three books so far this was the most emotional one for me. I got to know all of the characters and connect with them. I did not want any of their stories to end. One thing that really bugged me was
Profile Image for Siobhan.
5,022 reviews597 followers
July 30, 2017
I picked up A Court of Thorns and Roses prior to picking up Throne of Glass, and in all honesty I favour this series. Throne of Glass is a decent enough read, but my level of enjoyment was much higher with A Court of Thorns and Roses. With A Court of Thorns and Roses I was overly eager to get my hands on the next read, whereas with Throne of Glass I can amble along without worrying too much about grabbing the next book instantly.

Whist I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses, it’s not one of my all-time favourite fantasy series. It’s good to pass the time, it keeps you entertained, and it is enjoyable, but it will never earn a spot in my top ten fantasy reads. I enjoyed a lot about the series, but there are also a number of things that I wasn’t crazy about – such as the romance (in particular I’m not a fan of the – what is intended to be – ‘steamy’ scenes), I wasn’t crazy about the pacing at some points in the story, and I wasn’t content with the way some of the individual storylines played out by the end of the Feyre and Rhys arc.

Nevertheless, it was a decent enough series. It kept me entertained and I found myself rather invested in certain elements. Slightly overhyped, I’ll admit, but still decent.
Profile Image for Lina.
119 reviews21 followers
Read
February 22, 2025
I don't know why these HOURS LONG summary videos kept popping up in my YouTube feed, but I watched ALL of them and I'm glad I didn't actually read the books :)
Profile Image for Lisa.
44 reviews
February 26, 2025
08. Feb 2025

So eine schöne Story😭
So spannend und einfach voll mitreißend
10/10🌹
Profile Image for Cecilie Arnesen.
12 reviews2 followers
December 31, 2024
Jeg er visst very late to the party!! Var disse bøkene veldig høykvalitets litteratur? Nei. Var de kjempegøy å lese likevel? Ja.
Profile Image for navami.
1 review2 followers
December 22, 2020
I just came here to say that I had really high hopes for this book, but the way that SJM deals with writing women of color is severely disappointing. The one main character who was “female of color” was literally a terrifying beast trapped in the BODY of a WOC. Cresseida was portrayed in a poor light and then was used as a prop to make Feyre jealous. How is a book SWIMMING with powerful women so lacking in Black and Brown women? Why do WOC have to be beasts trapped in Brown bodies in order to make it into the world of fantasy?

This was such a let down, because I truly would’ve enjoyed the series otherwise. This ruins it for me, but I’m not surprised.

If you want to read a compelling+lush fantasy book with a diverse, well written cast of characters, try Six or Crows by Leigh Bardugo.

I know people might have a negative reaction to this review and I have one thing to say about that: I really do not care! Enjoy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for ..
157 reviews7 followers
December 29, 2021
3.8

One book meh.
Second book loved.
Third book loved more or less.

Fun series and I enjoyed reading this world and characters 😊

…. Along with the 😍🥰😘 scenes

Feyre was a good protagonist to follow, as progressed she got better but never really truly earned my full liking 😞
Profile Image for Bobo's Book Bank.
550 reviews14 followers
May 22, 2020
A Court of Thorns and Roses is a trilogy set in the Fae world of Prythian. I'll review all three together and I'll really try not to give spoilers!

The Players
*Feyre Archeron: a human who kills a Fae and ends up embroiled in the fantastical world of Prythian for punishment
*Tamlin: High Lord of the Summer Court. He captures Feyre and imprisons her for the death of his friend
*Rhysand: High Lord of the Night Court. He helps Feyre escape Under the Mountain, strongest and most feared High Lord
*Lucian: best buddies with Tamlin but hails from the Autumn court
*Amarantha: Evil Queen who's "stolen" all of Prythian from the High Lords
*Elain and Nesta: Feyre's sisters, also human
*Cassian & Azriel: soldiers for Rhysand
*Morrigan: Rhysand's cousin, High Fae and third in command
*Amren: unknown origins (a fallen angel maybe?), extremely powerful, Rhysand's second in command
*King of Hybern: Amarantha's "boss," wages a war to overthrow the High Lords and take over the mortal lands

The Locations:
*Mortal Lands: protected from the Fae by a magical wall
*Spring Court: High Lord Tamlin
*Summer Court
*Winter Court
*Autumn Court
*Day Court
*Dawn Court
*Night Court (Broken into 2 courts: The Court of Dreams & The Court of Nightmares): High Lord Rhysand


Here's my impressions, my thoughts, my feelings, and some things you should know about the SERIES:
- this is kind of a love triangle? There's a relationship between Tamlin, Freye and Rhysand but there's no cheating!
- the world building is simply amazing! Sarah J. Maas created a fantastical universe of fairies with all kinds of seriously freaky creatures thrown in
- there's so many twists and turns, the adventures never stop!
- the story is a mash up of several fairy tales: Beauty and the Beast, Hades and Persephone, Hansel and Gretel, all woven together in a warped but intriguing way
- the characters! There's so many wonderful characters but I'll go over just a few...

Freye: a human who becomes a powerful High Fae, she endures a huge transformation both physically and emotionally, she grows into an amazingly beautiful, strong woman right before you, page by page. There's a lot of side characters that we meet, many of them that I adored but make no mistake, Feyre Archeron is the STAR of this tale!
Tamlin: well, I liked him in Book 1. Freye and Tamlin made a cute couple but there are subtle warning signs in the book that make you wonder if they should really be together. His true self is revealed in Book 2 and at times, I felt sorry for the dude but it's clear that he has issues!
Rhysand: SIGH...I'm a sucker for tall, dark and handsome and Rhys definitely fits that! Sometimes, things just aren't what they seem and you gotta look beyond the obvious to find a true heart of gold! For me, Rhys is the ANTI-HERO OF THE YEAR!

Overall, I ended up with a big book hangover but it was sooo worth it! I wanted to crawl into the pages and live in Prythian! I'm extremely grateful for my fellow bloggers who encouraged me to read this series. Told mostly from Freye's POV with a happy ever after. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
Profile Image for Emily Montgomery.
388 reviews16 followers
January 3, 2023
I enjoyed the first and most of the second book, they had storylines that were truly interesting and just so fun to read. The two initial arch’s felt so original and exciting. Yet, when there could have been interesting character development or an emotional story arch that WASNT based on romance... things fell apart.

Specific complaint: Why was there literally no heart to heart with Tamlin? Not with his friends and of course not with Fayre. Could she not fit a conversation to flesh out his character in the 700 pages?? No letters explaining how he felt, no letters explaining how she felt even. No conversation where they both say what they need to say. THAT would’ve been interesting.

In the beginning things were shown and left for the reader to figure out- which is what made the stories good! Later, I just felt like instead of showing how characters felt through actions, the love for each other or Fayre’s friends was just constantly crammed down my throat. We get it... I won’t forget this after two pages.

There were weird elements to it like the over emphasizing of romantic paring... “my mate” was used so much my eyes may have permanent damage from rolling them so much. I liked how fun the relationship felt but at some point it’s like we understand you are each other’s everything- now move on.

Weird toxic masculinity things were never truly called out or dealt with... or sometimes joked about in the “boys will be boys” way that’s a bit cringe.

But I finished the series! (a bit of skimming towards the end) but still a fun read if you have the time.

First book - 4.5
Second book- 4
Last book- 2
Profile Image for M.M. Paquin.
Author 1 book6 followers
August 1, 2017
I thought this series was amazing. I read the first two books and pre-ordered the third months before it was released. Rarely do I find a series that can hold me captive from beginning to end the way that ACOTAR did. Thank you for letting me into your world! I had a blast.
Profile Image for  Bookaholicqueen.
123 reviews16 followers
February 14, 2020
wow. Just wow. Sarah has created an amazing series so much so that it is my favorite out of all the books i have read! I could not put down this series it was so well written. I am completely obsessed over this series and i'm recommending it to everyone!

The love and pain and shock and dedication in this series is amazing. Every part leaves you wanting more!!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
519 reviews19 followers
July 7, 2017
Suriel: Oh No! It looks like I've been captured by Feyre Cursebreaker!
Feyre: why are you talking about? I didn't-
Suriel: OH DEAR. What do you want to know this time?
Feyre: Suri-
Suriel:
Feyre:
Suriel: :)
2 reviews1 follower
May 19, 2018
Reading again for the third time so I can read the latest, Court of Frost & Starlight. Could never get bored of these. Not read anything like them so glad for the recommendation!
28 reviews4 followers
August 18, 2018
Good, quick read, crossover series
Profile Image for Courtney Huchton.
211 reviews2 followers
January 2, 2020
You get so much detail and a real understanding to every character. You feel everything. Your pain her pain, her struggles and understanding, desire and love! Best series.
Profile Image for Bella.
6 reviews
September 8, 2020
One of my favourite series, hands down! I could not put it down. Utterly in love with the characters as are most, and will always go back to reading.
Profile Image for Alexandra.
82 reviews1 follower
June 17, 2021
i ask myself every day why i continued reading this series
Profile Image for Steff.
78 reviews
May 3, 2024
3,5 ⭐
Die Trilogie hat vom Rahmen alles was ich tendenziell gut finde: einen gutes Fantasysetting, in der eine ganz eigene Welt erzeugt wird. Der Schreibstil lässt sich gut lesen.

In Band I fand ich nur die ersten 50 Seiten gut als ich noch dachte die Protagonistin Freye könnte eine tiefgründige sich stark entwickelnde Person sein. Danach hatte ich aber nur das Gefühl, dass nichts bei den Charakteren zusammen passt. Beispiel Freye soll Fae hassen? Dabei fürchtet sie sich anfangs nur das Unbekannte an den Fae und deshalb von Hass zu sprechen finde ich fraglich. Weiteres Beispiel die angebliche "unbändige Liebe" zu Tamilin unter dem Berg, war mir zu hoch gegriffen, dafür dass sie ihn lediglich immer mehr attraktiv fand. Außerdem warum sollte sich Tamilin wahrhaft in Freye verlieben, wenn er eigentlich seit fast 50 Jahren auf das Fluch brechen fokussiert ist?
Ich habe den ersten Band schnell durchgelesen, da mir prophezeit wurde, dass ab Band II alles anders ist. So habe ich Band I als Vorbereitung auf II hingenommen und gehofft, dass dadurch Tiefe der Handlung und Charaktere aufgebaut wird.

Band II und III zeigte zwar mehr von der grandiosen Fae-Welt, verlor sich bei unwichtigen Stellen und Handlungssträngen in Langatmigkeit. Schade, wenn bedenkt wie viel eigentlich passiert, sollte es einen automatisch fesseln.
Tendenziell finde ich gut, dass die Protagonistin nicht den ersten besten Typen in einer Story verfallen ist. Un,d dass die Charaktere schreckliche Geschehnisse nicht ohne seelische Aufarbeitung drüber hinwegkommen können.
Mir hat aber die Story vor allem vermiest, dass ich überhaupt nicht mit den Charakteren mitfühlen konnte. Nicht, weil es nicht beschrieben wurde, sondern weil alle Charaktere total glatt sind und somit wenig tiefgründig sind. Besonders passt das glatte der Charaktere nicht in die dargestellten Beziehungsdynamiken. Beispielsweise die unglaublich intensive Seelenverbindung zwischen Rhysand und Freye, die Freye von einem immer wahrheitsagenden Wesen erzählt werden musste, damit sie kapiert, dass sich sich nicht nur sexuell zu ihm hinzogen fühlt und sich dafür auch nicht mehr fertig machen muss, weil achja ist ihr "Seelengefährte"?! Ich hätte mir gewünscht, dass sie sich selbst mehr reflektiert und dabei herausfindet, wie "tief" ihr empfinden ist (die ganzen Erotikexzesse lasse ich mal weg).
Weiteres Beispiel für unstimmige Beziehungsdynamik in Band III, indem Mor eine so "tiefe Vertrautheit" zu Freye hat, dass sie ihr unbedingt das größtes Geheimnis über sich mit Freye teilen musste, aber es nie über Jahrhunderte mit ihren ach so engen Freunden geteilt hat...wann und wo soll zwischen den beiden eine so tiefe Verbindung entstanden sein?. Des Weiteren haben mich die ständig kleinen offensichtlichen Logikbrüche genervt, beispielsweise als sich im dritten Band der Hof der Träume (Rhysand und Freye) zur Ehrlichkeit gegenüber den anderen Höfen übergehen wollen, um Vertrauen zu schaffen. Im gleichen Atemzug wird aber direkt für Freye Kräfte eine Ausnahme von der Ehrlichkeit gemacht, da die Wahrheit unbequem für die Verhandlungen mit den anderen Höfen wäre. Die Kräfte werde zwar offen gelegt, aber nicht weil sie es mit der Ehrlichkeit ernst meinen.

Am Ende ist mir nach dem gigantischen Krieg das Ergebnis (keinen nennenswerte Verluste bei den "guten" Hauptcharakten) viel zu unrealistisch. Generell hat die Geschichte durch die gesamte Trilogie zu viel Kitsch, Sex und Kuschelfaktor für eine so "kalte und brutale Welt", in der es oft eigentlich ums Überleben ging.

Der Hype um die Reihe ist mir leider nicht nachvollziehbar. Die Idee der Story ist aber gut.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jen.
1,434 reviews138 followers
April 20, 2020
I was surprised by how much I loved this trilogy. I'm so glad I bought it, because I imagine I'll want to reread it many times in the future!

Here's when I read the books and a short review of each:

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses, 419 pages. Read April 9-12, 2020. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love this story. It's so exciting. This time through it, though, I did not cry in Chapter 16 and also couldn't remember why I cried in Chapter 16 on my first read of it. But I did cry in Chapter 17 when Feyre "let go." 😭

I didn't laugh at anything in this first book, I don't think. But it's still a five-star read for me because I know I'll read it again! ❤

2. A Court of Mist and Fury, 626 pages. Read April 12-16, 2020. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I had a LOT of feelings while reading this book, but I don't think I ever laughed or cried. In book one, I liked Tamlin. In this book, I didn't like him nearly as much. Especially after he locked Feyre in his manor! I was so glad that Mor rescued her and that she later agreed to work with Rhys. Rhys, by the way, I pretty much loved from the moment Feyre met him on Calanmai (or whatever that "holiday" was called).

I also loved the Night Court! Mor, Cassian, Azriel, and Amren were GREAT! I especially love Az, but Cassian is also pretty fabulous. ❤

The Spring Court never set right with me. Tamlin was too secretive. And that whole locking-Feyre-in-the-manor thing clinched my dislike for the Spring Court.

There was so much going on in this story! I wish I knew why it took me five days to read.

I wasn't happy that Feyre But I was glad when they finally talked it out and she accepted it!

And incidentally, that scene when they were at the Court of Nightmares and Feyre was on Rhys' lap. . . Whew! Fan me, somebody! 😄

This book also had that "To the stars who listen--and the dreams that are answered" line in it, which I LOVE. ❤

3. A Court of Wings and Ruin, 705 pages. Read April 17-19, 2020. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Now this book was truly a five-star read for me. I laughed four times and cried three times!

I first laughed when "Mor spewed her wine across the table..." on page 186 after something Feyre said.

I next laughed on pages 381, 383, and 397, after Rhys said, "I figure it's time for the world to know who really has the largest wingspan." Mor gave Feyre a look that nearly had her howling, and I lost it! lol 😆

Tears fell when Feyre's father was spotted at the helm of a ship named for one of his daughters on page 634. And then again on pages 668 and 671 when . 😭

I almost cried at the end of this story, too, on page 699. It was so beautiful. I might cry on future readings. But for now (or rather, for tomorrow), it's time to continue and read A Court of Frost and Starlight!

❤❤❤
Profile Image for Jennifer Claire.
15 reviews3 followers
November 21, 2020
********* SPOILERS *************



I decided to write one review for this series rather than an individual review for each one. While I have read this series gradually from it’s initial release date back in 2015 and have a current countdown for A Court of Silver Flames, I feel one review is the best suited.

“I threw myself into that fire, threw myself into it, into him, and let myself burn.”

I look at this series as a whole and while I absolutely adore every installment, the real reason I love this series is the unfolding of the plotline. The way Maas has woven her plot through this series so precisely, just really blows my mind to be honest.

I love the way Sarah develops Feyre’s character and the continuation of that growth across this series. Maas throws so many different obstacles at Feyre which lead to some harrowing experiences which inevitably make Feyre the strong, powerful character she is known to be by readers today.

"Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don't feel anything at all.”

Sarah does not shy away from difficult topics and in this series explores abusive relationships, mental illness, love, loss, family, friends and so, so much more. I think the Maas can write about each and everyone of these aspects in such a respectful way and by staying so true to each one just shows how talented she truly is. I have loved her writing from her first Throne of Glass book and with every new book I just fall more in love with it. But what stands out to me in this series is the way Maas explores Feyres character and the way she documents how Ferye deals with everything thrown at her. Moreover, how Sarah shines light on the strength of friends and how in some instances they are more family than blood.

“To the people who look at the stars and wish, Rhys."
Rhys clinked his glass against mine. “To the stars who listen— and the dreams that are answered.”

Now to the plot. From book one the reader is aware that while humans and fae remain separate by a physical boundary that it is inevitable that boundary will collapse. Sooner rather than later. The way in which Maas builds her plot is so natural that it flows like water in a river. If that makes sense… it could not have been done better. Furthermore the development of Feyre and how she becomes the High Lady of the night court -not something I could ever have guessed would have happened in book one, could not have been done better.

“I am broken and healing, but every piece of my heart belong to you.”

I have tried to sum up my thoughts of this series without giving too many spoilers, although there is one or too. (Sorry!) But I have nothing more to say other than, this series is a prime example of why I love reading to the extent I do. This is my favourite series and I am immensely interested in how Sarah is going to explore Nesta’s character and experience with mental illness in A Court of Silver Flames.
Profile Image for Justin.
6 reviews1 follower
July 13, 2025
A Court of Why-Did-I-Read-This: I think I’ve finally found it. The absolute worst book series I’ve ever read—or at least one that has managed to gracelessly swan-dive into the same literary dumpster as The Blue Road to Atlantis, which held the title for “Most Painful Reading Experience” for a solid two decades.

The recipe for A Court of Thorns and Roses is deceptively simple:
1. Take one blender.
2. Add the leftover plot points from Twilight, Shades of Grey, The Hunger Games, and several fantasy series ever optioned by Netflix that should know better.
3. Dump in 4 cups of cringe, 3 tablespoons of YA angst, and an entire Costco-sized tub of the word “mate.”
4. Sprinkle in a few world-building elements stolen from more interesting books.
5. Remove any bits of potentially interesting character development—especially scenes like the mirror moment in book three, which could’ve been a nuanced deep dive into human nature, self-perception, and inner flaws… but was instead treated with all the introspective depth of a motivational poster or less).
4. Blend on high until the word “mate” no longer has any meaning, and the resulting texture is smoother than any actual character development.

Voilà! You now have ACOTAR—a literary smoothie so saccharine and soupy, it might actually cause internal damage.

The main character, Feyre, starts off as semi-tolerable (the bar was very low after Bella’s whining in Twilight), and by book three is the type of person who, in the middle of a war that could destroy the world, decides the real priority is emotionally spiraling over whether someone was dishonest about a past sexual partner. Character growth? She regresses. Stakes? Don’t worry, the book will remind you there’s a war every 200 pages… usually after an unnecessary sex scene in a tent.

Also, can we talk about the word “mate”? I have never wanted to gouge my eyes out with a spork more than I did reading “my mate” for the 372nd time in one chapter. It’s not romantic. It’s not cute. At this point, it sounds like a bad nature documentary narrated by a drunk koala.

By the end of book three, I wasn’t emotionally devastated. I was just devastated that I’d spent this many hours on what felt like a 900-page fantasy written by someone who skimmed the Game of Thrones wiki and said, “But what if we made it hornier… and also worse?”

I will not be reading the next books. Not even ironically, which is saying something because I rarely ever leave a book / series unfinished. I barely made it out of the first three books with my sanity intact. I’m not volunteering as tribute for whatever flaming mess comes after.
Profile Image for Lassamor Books.
142 reviews1 follower
January 30, 2023
Finally finished the whole acotar series, and I couldn’t go another hour before dropping my review here, first of I took my time before putting my hand on this bcos I fell in love with Sara after reading TOG🤗 it was fun reading the acotar bcos I buddy read with @suchabibliophile and we get to rant together , tbvh I prefer TOG way better than the ACOTAR like you can’t even compare, if you read TOG you’ll know what I’m talking about , from the first book I thought I had my couples then sara was like boom jokes on you I’m just getting started 😂 the 2nd & 3rd book were fire 🔥well I went for whole ass journey In this series and it was worthy, it was sad ,annoying and thrilling, at first it was only rysand that kept me going , so I had to deal with feyre attitude before she finally grew up and I cme to like her , the sisters rep in this series was just not it tbh, I don’t like their relationship ,Nesta was a f**king b**ch from the start I don’t like her , the way she dnt give a damn about feyre but elain , all of them are all about elain that I even thought she was the last born until I read the 5th book, and I hate the way feyre kept licking their feets and taking whatever nesta threw her way, it was so annoying , but I guess that’s what we do for love , fam over everything innit 💀and I still couldn’t believe Sara wrote a whole book for that nesta girl 😵‍💫, I thought I’ll know why she was being bitchy but it still never explained why she behave certain way,only few things that didn’t justify her actions,I feel like Sara gave her more attention than all the characters in the series , I’m glad she healed and learn to love at the end tho, the ending was awesome , but still didn’t explain a lot of things , like Eris reason for somethings , and mor not coming out to let Az know why she couldn’t be with him , just kept him in the dark , Elain and Lucien relationship too, Tamlin , a lot of things were not solved 😭

✨Anyways I love Sarah J Maas's writing. Her writing is extra ordinary,It's so full of witty humour and I'm all for it.
✨Rys my man🫠 All the characters were good sha especially the guys🤭💪🏾I have a lot to type but ima just hold here 🫶🏾
Profile Image for PelicanFreak.
2,116 reviews
March 31, 2021
1:
A Court of Thorns and Roses

Wow.
Brilliant writing, an important end message and fun, vivid, addictive scenes and world. Paired with advanced character development and, I don’t have much to say other than ‘wow’.

4.5 stars
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️



Note:
I listened to the audiobook; this was produced by Recorded Books and it was okay. The narrator wasn’t one I’d set out to list



2.
A Court of Mist and Fury

So Feyre is not only immortal now, but likely has all sorts of powers she needs to master—and war is coming so there’s no shortage of drama.

After doing an excellent job of getting Feyre’s feels for Tamlin across in book 1 and the beginning of book 2, Maas did an even better job of conveying the moment their relationship changed. I felt the moment Tamlin moved into ‘unforgivable’ territory for her, felt her feelings completely change.

I don’t want to say too much more for fear of spoilers so I’ll just say this was an epic read and I’ll definitely be reading on in the series.


4 stars.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️


Note:
I listened to the audiobook; the narrator is fine, not my favorite at all but good enough.




3.
A Court of Wings and Ruin


After book 2 in this series, the corruption and triple-agent situation, I absolutely HAD to read on. This one really shows us just how calculated Feyre can be if she wants to; it also demonstrates much of what she can do with her powers, which is fun.

This installment also demonstrates that this series is a well-played chess game and the author’s own ability to be calculated. This is the book that made me want to read her other works, so I’ll be continuing on in the series and maybe exploring her others as well.

I particularly enjoyed the show of true love, non-romantic love, and loyalty that this installment conveyed. A fun read that I missed when I stepped away.

4 stars.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Note:
I listened to the audiobook; the performance was decent, better than the previous installment for sure. A 4-star performance.
Profile Image for Carolina Moreira.
100 reviews3 followers
August 28, 2022
terminei a saga toda 🧝🏼‍♀️🧝🏽
top
1º névoa e fúria: obra de arte. sem sombra de dúvidas
2º espinhos e rosas: MUITO BOM SIM!!!! meu deus o final desse livro 🤌🏼
3 chamas prateadas: achei meio forçado a nestha sair do lugar de mulher brusca e afiada de ALMA para uma pessoa muito da paz e zen. eu gostava do humor ácido. achei que a trama da rainha ficou perdida por ter sido abordada o livro todo e resolvida em 2 minutos 🫠 gastamos tanto tempo para que? rs. o rolê do bebê MUITO estranho, parece que tava sobrando na trama kkkkk VASSA LUCIEN E JURIAN???????? esquecidos no churrasco?????????? nestha e cassian fizeram uma evolução durante o livro muito boa, o desenvolvimento dos personagens nesse livro foi muito bom!!! deu pra acompanhar bem e conhecer os personagens novos com qualidade.
4 asas e ruínas: muito confuso. muitos personagens, não dava pra entender muito o caminhar das coisas, uns personagens meio perdidos na trama e o final meio aleatório. achei bem fraco principalmente quando comparado aos outros. não lembro direito de nada muito marcante além dessas coisas

meu parecer foi sem muito me prolongar

espero que: ainda exista uma trama para tamlin, apesar de tudo eu gostaria que ele fosse feliz e superasse a perda; gostaria de ver Lucien descobrir q na verdade elain NÃO É sua parceira kkkkkkkkkk
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for ♥ I’d Rather Be Reading ♥.
2,716 reviews
November 21, 2025
4 stars

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OVERALL THOUGHTS:

The first two books in this series are amazing. The third is extremely slow paced and boring. I love the characters and the atmosphere of the books, but I was disappointed by the third book lacking the excitement from the first two.

You can see my review for each book below:

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A Court of Thorns and Roses (4.5 stars)
(Read 7/29/2025 to 7/31/2025)
You can read my review for this story on it's individual book page here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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A Court of Mist and Fury (4.5 stars)
(Read 8/22/2025 to 8/26/2025)
You can read my review for this story on it's individual book page here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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A Court of Wings and Ruin (3 stars)
(Read 10/19/2025 to 11/21/2025)
You can read my review for this story on it's individual book page here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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