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What Members Thought
If this were a rock song, Kid Rock would be singing about how Sarah was putting up Matchbox 20 money.
Wildly successful, in literary terms this is putting up JK Rowling money.
I read this for my book club and one of our members is a HUGE Maas fan, has read all of the books multiple times, and even has a tattoo on her arm commemorating her love for this book, this series, and this author.
Read some of the two hundred thousand reviews (as a part of the two and half MILLION ratings) and you’ll see p ...more
Wildly successful, in literary terms this is putting up JK Rowling money.
I read this for my book club and one of our members is a HUGE Maas fan, has read all of the books multiple times, and even has a tattoo on her arm commemorating her love for this book, this series, and this author.
Read some of the two hundred thousand reviews (as a part of the two and half MILLION ratings) and you’ll see p ...more
I was a bit disappointed but I am being kind and rounding up to 3. Really 2.75 stars.
Originally I felt unable to finish this book, but the last third was a lot darker and helped balance things out, when I did relent and go back to finish it.
Fayre (Beauty) was intensely irritating: like an obstinate teenager determined to do the complete opposite of what she is asked.
Tamlin ( the beast) is not a beast. Didn't anyone else notice?
How did it get 3 stars then? Well I enjoyed the world building withi ...more
Originally I felt unable to finish this book, but the last third was a lot darker and helped balance things out, when I did relent and go back to finish it.
Fayre (Beauty) was intensely irritating: like an obstinate teenager determined to do the complete opposite of what she is asked.
Tamlin ( the beast) is not a beast. Didn't anyone else notice?
How did it get 3 stars then? Well I enjoyed the world building withi ...more
This review was originally posted on Books of Amber
I don't really know what to say about this book other than it's an enormous disappointment and I wish I had never read it. In regards to Maas' other books, I liked Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight well enough, but Heir of Fire blew me away. Considering A Court of Thorns and Roses was published AFTER that masterpiece, I was expecting more amazing things from a writer who seemed to have gotten this writing thing down.
But actually, my thought ...more
I don't really know what to say about this book other than it's an enormous disappointment and I wish I had never read it. In regards to Maas' other books, I liked Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight well enough, but Heir of Fire blew me away. Considering A Court of Thorns and Roses was published AFTER that masterpiece, I was expecting more amazing things from a writer who seemed to have gotten this writing thing down.
But actually, my thought ...more
Dec 2020 update:
Going back and rereading this after being caught up in the series is such a different feeling, catching the hints and reading between the lines. Knowing the characters and the why. An insider rather then an outsider.
Also I never realized that this reread was almost 5 years later.
Jan 2016
If you are a lover of Beauty and the Beast retellings, if you like your fantasy to involve magical realms, fairies, romance, a wickedness that is just too good then you'll enjoy this book.
Can n ...more
Going back and rereading this after being caught up in the series is such a different feeling, catching the hints and reading between the lines. Knowing the characters and the why. An insider rather then an outsider.
Also I never realized that this reread was almost 5 years later.
Jan 2016
If you are a lover of Beauty and the Beast retellings, if you like your fantasy to involve magical realms, fairies, romance, a wickedness that is just too good then you'll enjoy this book.
Can n ...more
4.5 stars
Though the real action doesn't start until the last part of the book, it had me gripped from the start. I love the fantasy world and love it being so close to the world of the mortals (making me want to go and make a journey trying to find the fantasy world on this planet lol). Also I like Feyre well enough. It did bother me that, as with so many YA novels, she is sometimes depicted as a mindless dumb ass making stupid mistakes. On the other hand, it is less prominent than in for exampl ...more
Though the real action doesn't start until the last part of the book, it had me gripped from the start. I love the fantasy world and love it being so close to the world of the mortals (making me want to go and make a journey trying to find the fantasy world on this planet lol). Also I like Feyre well enough. It did bother me that, as with so many YA novels, she is sometimes depicted as a mindless dumb ass making stupid mistakes. On the other hand, it is less prominent than in for exampl ...more
It is not a secret that I like Beauty and Beast re-tellings. I was therefore looking forward to this book. Maas combines elements of the famous fairy tale with the Fae world, and in particular the story of Tam Lin. So far, so good.
And yet, I didn’t love it. I read it all but had to push myself each time to get back to it. Somehow I didn’t get really invested in the characters and that surprised me quite a bit. I’m usually the easiest reader around, suspending my disbelief ever so quickly. Why? ...more
And yet, I didn’t love it. I read it all but had to push myself each time to get back to it. Somehow I didn’t get really invested in the characters and that surprised me quite a bit. I’m usually the easiest reader around, suspending my disbelief ever so quickly. Why? ...more
2019 - original rating 4 stars
2021 - reread 4.5 stars - Loved this!
2023 - re(re)read 4 stars
2021 - reread 4.5 stars - Loved this!
2023 - re(re)read 4 stars
*4.5 stars
I completely enjoyed reading A Court of Thorns and Roses. I've read Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass books, and I think she just keeps getting better and better as a writer. This story wasn't amazing for me, but it was very engaging. The writing is beautiful and that elevated the story to a higher level.. Since Maas's books have a tendency to get better as the series goes on, I know we'll be in for a real treat when the next book comes out next year. It will definitely be on my pre-orde ...more
I completely enjoyed reading A Court of Thorns and Roses. I've read Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass books, and I think she just keeps getting better and better as a writer. This story wasn't amazing for me, but it was very engaging. The writing is beautiful and that elevated the story to a higher level.. Since Maas's books have a tendency to get better as the series goes on, I know we'll be in for a real treat when the next book comes out next year. It will definitely be on my pre-orde ...more
This is one of the better YA books I've read (although I don't think it felt very YA)- it has a strong fairytale element and the chemistry between the two main characters is strong. I liked the world too. I'm glad my niece wanted me to read it.
...more
I read this book because both my grandmother, who hates fantasy novels, and my sister adored this and my sister has raved about the series for so long. I had my boyfriend read it to see what he thought of it first as we have similar taste and he also enjoyed it despite not usually liking fantasy. I am happy to report I also really loved this despite having a few criticisms. I was actually invested in the romance even though I don’t care for romance typically! I can’t wait to continue the series.
3.5* at best. It was a fine book, with some good moments, but overall, structured badly. The main character had no goal for 60% of the book (some goal in the first 20%, but once she gives up on that/changes her mind, she has no drive until around the 80% mark), which is very uncompelling. She was also set up to have a lot of fight and gumption, and then we see very little of it.
Some scenes were hot, but the romance wasn't that convincing--I was excited for enemies-to-lovers in a series, so that ...more
Some scenes were hot, but the romance wasn't that convincing--I was excited for enemies-to-lovers in a series, so that ...more
3.5 stars
I wanted some pure escapism because *gestures vaguely at the world* and this definitely fit the bill. I am not without reservations but will probably continue the series.
I wanted some pure escapism because *gestures vaguely at the world* and this definitely fit the bill. I am not without reservations but will probably continue the series.
Nothing in particular wrong with this book. Interesting premise. Pretty good characters. That whole hate to love romance trope was good. Just did not appeal to me. So I skipped 50% of the book and read the end before sending it back to the library.
Yeah this was almost terrible. It's distressing to see what high ratings this has and it's incomprehensible to me.
...more
May 05, 2016
Gali
marked it as to-read
Mar 18, 2019
DivaDiane SM
marked it as to-read
Feb 14, 2020
Jackie
marked it as to-read
Feb 23, 2020
Lynne
added it
