Title: Queen of Shadows

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Date Published: September 1, 2015

Format I Read: Kindle + Hardcover

My Star Rating: 5 stars

Short Synopsis:

Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen and hailed as the Fire-breathing Bitch Queen, is back in Rifthold searching for her family’s heirloom amulet, which happens to be the third wyrdkey.  The amulet now lays in the hands of her old master, and to get it back she must become the devious trickster we know her capable to be.

My thoughts:

Holy, epic #$%*! This is, by far, my favorite book that I’ve read in the Throne of Glass series. Jam-packed full of action. Constant trickery from the one and only Aelin, heart-warming moments with Rowan (my growing heart-throb), and Aedion’s smart mouth kept this book alive! Obviously I haven’t read anything beyond Queen of Shadows yet, but this book seemed like an epic turning point for this series. Even though there was so much resolved, and I closed this book practically bawling happy tears, there is still more to come. The stage is set for more adventures (and loving from Rowan) and I seriously cannot wait to dive into it!

Characters that stood out to me:

Aelin:  She is my absolute favorite female heroine in YA literature.  For only nineteen, she is beyond mature, shouldering the weight of her friends and her people.  I love her cunning, her badass ways, and that touch of heart that makes her such an epic character.

Rowan:  He obviously stood out to me.  I am a romance lover at heart, and this boy, sorry…..Fae prince……..delivered those heart-clenching and cheek-warming moments in this.  Unlike when Aelin was around Sam, Dorian, and Chaol, with Rowan the build-up to their relationship is slow but sizzling.  I’m feeling the heat from this prince.

Manon:  Yes!  Villain turned good!  Manon seems to be the witch-form of Aelin.  Badass and deadly.  I loved seeing her change from the beginning to the end.  And I can’t wait to see how she fares in the next novel.

Aedion: Such a strong, loyal force at Aelin’s elbow.  She is lucky to have him as a cousin and a member of her court.  I couldn’t help but feel a touch sweetness towards him.

Would I recommend:

Abso-freaking-lutely!  For fans of Sarah J. Maas’ other series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, they should definitely check this out.  Or even if you are just a fan of non-stop action, explosions, sly of hand moments, and just plain old fantasy.  This was amazing!!!