booksalacarte's reviews
659 reviews

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

First read 2022- 3⭐️
No written review
Reread 2024-3⭐️3🌶️

NA Romantic Fantasy
Multi POV
Mental Health
Found Family


This Christmas novella was just filler. It focused on introducing the multi POV and setting up a lot for the next book. 

Mostly the novella focused on bringing a lighter tone to the family circle. Add a few spicy scenes and a little art therapy and there you have It.
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

2022 read: 3⭐️
No written review.

2024 reread:
4.25⭐️3🌶️

Multi POV
Fantasy Romance
Mythical Beasts
Magic
Politics
War


I thoroughly enjoyed this as a tandem read with Empire of Storms. With the timeline overlapping, I understand why it was made into 2 books… but I enjoyed it together.

This was a lot of politics and Chaol dealing with his decisions and the outcome of things he has no control over. The love stories that develop are a bonus.
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

EoS first read - 3⭐️
6/2022- No written review

EoS/ToD reread- 4.5⭐️
2/2024
EoS: 4.5⭐️3🌶️

Multi POV
Flashbacks
Slow burn
War
Mythical creatures
Quest
Fae
Fated Mates

The tandem read was a great way to read these two books! 

With Maas bringing other’s love stories to the forefront, this book focused on building the romance to the forefront while the groups were on their individual quests. 

So much of this book was the journeying. The world building was minimal, but the amount of things pulled from the very beginning of this series with such artfully placed plot devices was masterful. So really……… it was so good. 

I love that each character is given their chance at a happiness, no matter how fleeting.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

First read- 4⭐️
No written review

Reread- 5⭐️ 3🌶️

Mental health 
Found Family
Slow burn
Open Door Romance
Secrets
Heist
Cliffhanger


The ACOTAR series is such an easy read. The problems that are focused on are much more relatable when it comes to mental health and relationships. I think that’s why so many people love it. 

This book starts 3 months after the ending of ACOTAR. The POV is so heavily on Feyre and her journey, that not much is know about what else is going on in the kingdoms. 

The first half of the book is very much about Feyre’s mental health and getting her identity back. It’s slower, for sure. But so many interesting bits of information is given as we look into Rhys and the night courts ways. Once things pick up, they really pick up. 

The characters are really well written and expanded on. The plot is slow because of all the relationship building, but once things get going, they sprint. 

In the end you are on the edge of your seat with a great cliffhanger, NEEDING the next book immediately.
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Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

First read- 3⭐️
No Written Review

Reread- 4.5⭐️ 1.5🌶️

Multi POV
Slow burn
Found Family
Mythical Creatures
Magic
War



Tw: discussion on infant loss

This series is a lot. There is always a lot going on, but the multi POV shifts solidly enough that you don’t feel jostled all over the place. Every character has an important viewpoint and unique voice. 

I do think that some of the characters had kinda big personality shifts from the last book to this one. Mainly Chaol and Aelin. No maybe they aren’t endgame… but all of a sudden finding out that Chaol was having an illicit affair the summer before the champions competition and acted in a way that he had quickies in alleys??? I don’t buy it.

And Aelin while I appreciate the grief that was focused on in Heir of Fire… in Queen of Shadows she was working well below her standard badassery. As if her entire personality became dependent on Rowan.

And what is up with the “he seemed to say” and “she seemed to say” conversations?! Full blown, detailed conversations all with facial expressions. I bet they looked like absolute idiots to the people around them when they happened………… so weird. Just make them telepathic already. 


Starting the story with Dorian’s POV was so important to see his depression and mindset since his situation was the last we read about in Heir of Fire. It definitely put in some tension and anxiety when it came to no one else knowing what was going on.

Knowing everything definitely makes the reread fun and heightens my ratings… but I am definitely not blowing through them on a binge the way I did on the first read.
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Heavy Crown by Sophie Lark

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Heavy crown 2.75⭐️3.75🌶️


Mafia Romance
Dark Romance
Dual POV
Morally grey couple
Insta-love
Rival families
Secrets


For a finale of a series this was a complete bust. Generally a finale brings people together and this book just didn’t. It did a good job of bringing past couples into the story, probably more than any other book, but not in a good way. 

The insta-love was just that, with not a lot of relationship development. There was a little bit too much dub con for me. The situation put the FMC at a huge emotional disadvantage making the scene borderline emotionally abusive. Just yuck.

The book was a sloppy ending to this series and felt like it was just to set up the kingmaker series. There is no emotional resolution for this generation, only setup for 3 kids in the next one. 




Thank you NetGalley and Sorcebook Bloom Books for an Advanced eReader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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Broken Vow by Sophie Lark

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adventurous dark hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

3⭐️ 3.25🌶️

Mafia Romance
First person
Dual POV
Bodyguard romance
Forced proximity


This book follows a different child in the mafia family and jumps straight into the action. A always appreciate that the previous book give a decent amount of set up for whoever is the focus of the next book all while also giving cameos of the ones earlier in the series.
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Faebound by Saara El-Arifi

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Faebound  3.75⭐️ 3🌶️

Fantasy
🏳️‍🌈 Main Characters
Older fmc’s
Dual POV
BIPOC
War
Unique Magic System
Sister story
Disability rep
Animal familiars
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ normative societies


The magic system was very interesting, I really loved the familiars the fae have. So many good quotes come from Pila, who is a familiar, innocently with true intention. 

I found the worldbuilding to be a little slow. The foreshadowing was very heavy, so I wasn’t thrown for a loop when the big twists came. 

The plot really dragged. I wish that there was a little bit more angst than just someone refusing to interact with the other and calling it romantic tension. The cast of main characters are all 28 and older, but the inner monologues are very juvenile. It made it harder for me to read, I think.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the Advanced eReader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion
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Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

First read (6/2022)- 3⭐️
Reread (1/2024)- 4.75⭐️ 1.75🌶️

New Adult Fantasy Romance
Book 3
Multi POV
Magic
Magical beasts
🏳️‍🌈 normative representation 

Tw: grief

This book not only sifts through Celaena’s grief, showing us the multifaceted growth of her character.

We are introduced to Manon, the 13, and what the witches are up to. I adore dragons/wyverns, so seeing the development of this side of the story was compelling, but also hefty in the back story and additional worldbuilding that is wrapped up in having a witch go from being mentioned, to being a critical part of the overarching plot.

Another introduction was Rowan, this old battered and dried up fae who helps train Aelin and her magic.
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