To the stars who listen and the dreams that are answered.
I was recently recommended this series by Sarah J Maas and had also seen it on several instas and Goodreads profiles. With the universe seeming to scream at me to read this, I gave it a shot.
I'm not usually one to peruse the fantasy section (apart from Harry Potter and some random exceptions) but I was promised romance and action, so I wasn't about to not give this series a chance.
After the first chapter, I was hooked. I was reluctant to get up from the couch to cook dinner but I eventually did so. This is a clear sign that shows how I felt about the first book...and second and third.
Yes, this is a trilogy - thankfully, cause I don't know if I could've handled more. Not because the story was bad, mind you. I just got so invested in them that I was both suffering and smiling throughout. So many feels that I don't know if I would've been capable of keeping it up if there had been more.
So, we've got a trilogy but, just as an FYI: there's a fourth book that picks up after the events of the third but it's much lees action-packed in comparison (it was intended as a Christmas special). And a spin-off has also been recently published (yes, I'm going to get into that ASAP).
The world in these books is one that may seem familiar to fantasy readers: we've got mortals and faerie folk divided, can't stand each other, extreme poverty in the mortal lands as well as extreme wealth (there's no middle ground). It's a type of world we've seen in other stories but the author still manages to make it her own.
I especially loved the description of Velaris in the second book. I actually want to live there but, oh well. Let's not get into that right now.
Reminiscent of "Beauty and the Beast", the best part of the books are the characters. They've got depth, heart and are sassy as hell (which never hurts). I especially enjoyed the lead heroine's character arc, which wasn't so annoying and thrived when being independent.
I can't avoid mentioning the chemistry between everyone in these books, especially a certain couple in particular (won't spoil it, no worries). It's very well thought of and written. It's not rushed and there's an amazing build up (slow burn anyone?).
There you are. I've been looking for you.
But overall, every character we meet along the way works perfectly with the story. There's no forcing of characters down your throat or weird approaches that don't make sense. They all have their stories to tell, their friendships, their reason.
Overall, I enjoyed this series A LOT! I devoured these books in like 3 or 4 days. I can't wait to start the spin-off. If you're looking for some fantasy with spicy romance, this is the way to go.