From the Bookshelf of Challenge Corner…

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)

Sarah J. Maas

Start date: October 28, 2015

Finish date: November 21, 2015

Discussion: Book of the Month

Why we're reading this: Our fourth book of the month for October.
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What Members Thought

Sep 06, 2015 Dr. Andy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2016, reread, read-2017, read-2018, audio-narrators-i-love, read-2019

Wyrd I love this series so damn much. I definitely enjoyed this way more than the last time I read it. And I think it's because I don't hate Chaol anymore. I was really frustrated with his character after reading Queen of Shadows, but since I have read Tower of Dawn and I feel like I understand him so much better. He is trying the best he can to reconcile something he has known his whole life-his loyalty to the throne-and the fact that that very throne is corrupt. And it is such a struggle for h Wyrd I love this series so damn much. I definitely enjoyed this way more than the last time I read it. And I think it's because I don't hate Chaol anymore. I was really frustrated with his character after reading Queen of Shadows, but since I have read Tower of Dawn and I feel like I understand him so much better. He is trying the best he can to reconcile something he has known his whole life-his loyalty to the throne-and the fact that that very throne is corrupt. And it is such a struggle for him to go against what he has thought was right his whole life. I think this is such a powerful lesson that Chaol begins to learn in this book. He is not perfect, but I think his flaws make him incredibly realistic.

I had some problems with Celaena in this book. Her cowardice to act against the King in any meaningful way was so frustrating. I understand that she was scared, but why couldn't she just try! It kills me to think of how this book would've been different had she been willing to try.

Despite that, this book incorporates so many amazing aspects that Throne of Glass didn't have. The main series plot is really introduced in this novel and like wow I am still blown away even though I've read this whole series before. I loved the mystery, fantasy and political intrigue that were tied up in the plot of this book. At times the story line is so intricate, I'm amazed at how SJM managed to connect everything the way she did. It is amazing and this was such an emotional damn reread. I feel raw and I don't think I should go into Heir of Fire feeling this raw because that book is going to be my ruin. I cannot wait.
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Updated Review: Wow this book just wow. I feel like the stakes in this series just went up about 100%. We learn so much in this book about the world and rebel movements it's crazy! Let me just say that the first time I read this book, I was a hardcore Chaolaena shipper, like they were it. But this time I still enjoyed them, but it wasn't as intense for me. Rather, I was more sad that the three friends had managed to drive a wedge between each other. There's so many things I want to say about this, but I don't way to give anything away at the same time. So I'll settle with this: this book was intense in so many ways. You will feel things and it won't just be one emotion, it will be all of them.
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The Book of Feels
Crown of Midnight (ToG #2)
Rating: 5/5

Summary: The book starts off a couple months after the end of the competition that Celaena Sardothien won, despite being drugged and Cain using the Wyrdmarks to get more power. Celaena goes around pretending to do the King’s dirty work, but she’s secretly helping these victims escape. That is until her next victim is the courtesan Archer Finn, who used to train with her at the Assassin’s keep and is dazzlingly gorgeous. Celaena begins to unearth a rebel group that Archer claims to be working with. As Nehemia begins to pressure Celaena to act more against the injustice of Adarlan, she also falls into an alluring romance with the brooding and painfully loyal Chaol. A strange creature begins roaming the halls and Celaena must race to defeat it and unwind the rebel plot before someone she loves is ensnared in a trap.

Warning: there are so many feels in this book, just so many and they’re not all good! You may want some tissues near you while you read. Despite this, it’s still awesome and just as fast paced as the one before. The romance between Celaena and Chaol sizzles into a fiery climax that kind of makes me want to die (in a good way). They’re so adorable and it’s beautiful. Once again, Maas delivers an action packed story with terrifying twists that will make you feel like you were stabbed in the stomach.

In this second installment of the Throne of Glass series, we learn more about Celaena and her past as well as what might haunt her. Celaena is still the sassy, cocky assassin I grew to love in ToG, but in CoM we also get to see her more flirtatious side and it was awesome. She is a riot, and even though there were a couple parts where I wanted to slap some sense into her, I still love this girl. The relationship that develops between Celaena and Nehemia is especially meaningful and Celaena begins to heal some of her deeply rooted scars.

This was definitely not a slumping sequel. It was dazzling and just as action packed as the first book and I knew I had to pick up the third one before I even finished this one. This series keeps you on the edge of your chair by convincing you to relax and think everything will be fine. Then boom! Plot explosion and the adrenaline starts pumping. It’s addicting and I can’t get enough!

Quotes:
“You remind me of what the world ought to be. What the world can be.”
“If they wanted Adarlan’s Assassin, they’d get her. And Wyrd help them when she arrived.” ...more

28 likes · Like · see review

Sep 23, 2018 Maddie rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-i-own, books-i-own-have-read, ya-fantasy

5th re-read complete! A totally impulse pick-up. Did I have time for this? Heck no. Did I make time? You betcha. ToG may almost be one of those yearly re-reads for me, that's how amazing this series is.

While this book is my least favourite of the series, this is the take-off point. All the shit's hit the fan, people are discovering things, and HoF is on the waaaay! I love seeing baby Celaena in this one, pre-development and still so unsure of herself. This book hurts me in so many ways, but I lo ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Sep 10, 2013 Maddie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I have to be honest, the first half of the book was a real let-down. I found it rather boring with not much plot. And the second half was almost a repeat of the first book, I found. But the extra little plots were amazing, like (view spoiler) and (view spoiler) I so did not expect that! Also not sure what's happening with (view spoiler) ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Aug 22, 2014 Toshita rated it it was amazing

Re-read. Not sure why I gave it five stars last time because it felt like a four star read to me but to be fair I also knew what was coming cause I remembered all of the major plot twists. Onto Heir of Fire!

3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 01, 2019 Melanie rated it it was amazing

I liked this better the second time but am still angry about things!

3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 06, 2016 Mucia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: avani-s-shelf, fantasy

UGH ITS STILL SO GOOD YEARS LATER PLS!!!

(view spoiler) ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 24, 2015 Madeleine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, read-2015

ALL MY SHIPS SUNK AND THE ANNOYING THING IS, I CAN'T BE MAD ABOUT WHY THE SUNK BECAUSE THE REASONS FOR THEIR SINKING ARE REASONABLE.

Also, this is a book that makes you forget you have work to do. This is a stay-up-late-get-up-early-so-I-can-read-it type of book. It will consume your every thought. It will plague your being. You will come up with scenarios about how it will end, or what will happen to your ships next, or struggles and challenges that each character will face and then you will be ...more

Like · see review