A Court of Mist and Fury (Court ofThorns and Roses #2)

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas is the second book in her Court ofThorns and Roses fantasy series. Feyre, a human, has been in the fae realm for a few months – at a time when an evil woman has enslaved most of the fae. To survive she had to make a bargain.

Feyre is tied to the Spring Court and the lord there. She got there because of the ancient treaty. She has returned because of her skills and a bargain she made with the lord of the Night Court – the court thought to be filled with vile creatures and danger to all who enter. The bargain was the only thing that saved her life, but now her debt is about to be collected.

Feyre is taken from the Spring Court in the middle of a ceremony. The debt to be collected is that she must spend one week per month with the lord of the Night Court – Rhysand. Tamlin, the lord of the Spring Court tries to stop it, but bargains are an old kind of magic with harsh consequences if you break them.

Feyre was expecting the Night Court to always be dark, as the Spring Court is always in full bloom. But that is not the case. She is taken to a beautiful palace on a hill overlooking the mountains. While she resent being there, the place gives her a chance to rest and not fell closed in – a feeling that brings back the terror of fighting for her life. The open space is calm and inviting. She is not forced to do anything but be there for the week. For one week each month of her life – if she does not find some way around it.

 Maas is a great story teller. Her books read like she knows exactly where the overall story is going. Her creation of the different Courts is well-thought out and creative. Her characters are either people you want to have your own life or would never want to meet in the dark. I love this series. As a librarian and a great promoter of the public library, I could not wait my turn. I went immediately to the local bookstore and bought the next book!

Maas, Sarah J (2016). A Court of Mist and Fury. New York: Bloomsbury.

A Court of Thorns and Roses (Court of Thorns and Roses #1)

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas is the first book is a fantasy series of the same name. Set in a world where there was a war between human and fae, a wall of magic separates the two sides. There is a treaty in place to keep humans and fae from interacting with each other.

Feyre lives with her two sisters and her father near the wall. Her father, a merchant, lost his fortune when a ship carrying his investment sank. They lost their manor and are now living in a small, rough house in the woods. Feyre has taught herself to hunt – it is the only thing keeping her family from starvation.

On a day when she must catch something for them to eat, Feyre sees a wolf about to kill the animal she has in her sights. If the wolf gets it, her family may not live past the week. While she thinks the wolf might be fae, she must risk it. She kills the wolf and her family’s meal for the week.

A couple of days later, there is a beast at the door. He says that the treaty proscribes a life for a life. Her choice is death or to come to the fae realm to take the wolf’s place. She is put on a horse and under a sleep spell. When she awakes, the beast is walking her up to an estate. And once the beast turns back to his more human for, he is a beautiful and powerful fae lord named Tamlin.

But don’t think that this is a love story with a twist. This is the first book in a great fantasy series. Maas has created a complex fae world with many kinds of dangers to a human. If you are a fan of fantasy and you have not read Maas, start now! Her other series, Throne of Glass, is equally complex and wonderful. She creates characters who will stay with you.

Maas, Sarah J. (2015). A Court of Thorns and Roses. New York: Bloomsbury.