Get Your Hands on Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses Right Now

In Feyre’s world, fairies are real. But we’re not talking Tinker Bell types: no, the fairies in Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses are straight out of ancient Fae lore: dramatic and beautiful and absolutely, 100% terrifying. Which is why Feyre, when on a hunt near the wall dividing the human realm from the Fae realm, takes the opportunity to kill a wolf that might be a fairy in disguise when it presents itself. What Feyre isn’t expecting is the giant beast that arrives at her family home, threatening to tear Feyre and her family to shreds if she doesn’t provide restitution for the murder of his friend. Or that the restitution he desires is Feyre living out her days over the wall in Prythian, the magical but dangerous fairy world.
That’s how Feyre meets Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court. She’s prepared to hate him, considering her lifelong imprisonment in his realm and the fact that his father was once the cruel, murderous master of her people. But with some time and a few long walks in the woods, Feyre finds herself drawn to Tamlin and his air of quiet responsibility (not to mention his immortal good looks).
But there’s a problem: a sickness is creeping into the Spring Court, and it’s threatening the lives of fairies and humans alike. Feyre is almost certain it has something to do with a woman she’s overheard Tamlin talking about, but how could one woman threaten the stability of the entire Fae realm? And how can Feyre protect her family all the way from Prythian?
Maas’s intro to her new series is a perfect blend of fairy tale and faerie lore: it’s “Beauty and the Beast” meets “East of the Sun, West of the Moon,” plus Fae. Maas’s writing is beautifully descriptive without being over the top, and the romance feels natural, steering clear of the tinge of Stockholm Syndrome that’s wormed its way through most “Beauty and the Beast” retellings. (Feyre may be stuck in the Fae realm, but she’s free to leave Tamlin any time she wants.)
Feyre is a strong and determined heroine, without being boringly perfect. She’s powerful, but as a human in the fairy world, she still needs help, and learning how to accept that help is one of her biggest character developments. If you like books AT ALL, you will love this fairy tale retelling (possibly, like Feyre, despite prejudice against these dark fantasy types). But if you also happen to love Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series, you will absolutely not be able to put this book down. Okay, and fine: there’s also the small detail that Tamlin is totally hot.
When does the sequel come out?
A Court of Thorns and Roses hits shelves May 5, and is available for pre-order now.