The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

"Celaena Sardothien is her kingdom's most feared assassin. Though she works for the powerful and ruthless Assassin's Guild, Celaena yields to no one and trusts only her fellow killer for hire, Sam." -Goddreads synopsis

This review will be a little different from my others for several reasons. This is a series we are way too deep into for me to go over each character or plot. I won’t me writing a super detailed review for each one, just a small summary, my favorite quote, and the rating.

The Assassin's Blade is a bind up of five novellas for the Throne of Glass Series. I’m just going to say this right way... I wish I would have read this right after Throne of Glass. I wish I wouldn't have waited till I was four books in to pick this up. This book would have changed the way I viewed this series, and I mean that in the best way. These stories changed the way I see Celaena, answered both little and big questions I had, and ultimately decided whose "team" I'm on... but I'll get to that part in a few. These stories cover everything from young Celaena up until the point she ends up at Endovier (a salt mine prison).

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord- 10/10
Celaena is sent with Sam to meet up with a Pirate Lord (obviously) to set up a deal for her boss. This is the first time we really get too see her and Sam actually interact. If you’ve read any of the other books, even just the first, then you know how sassy Celaena is and we get a look into why she is this way. Especially towards Sam. We get to see how she got her start, and how their relationship actually started. I know we’ve heard bits a pieces in the other books, but these start filling in all the cracks. After a twist in the plan is presented the two they have to deceive what path they want to take, and pick whose side they are going to be on.

Favorite Quote: “You want my advice?” he asked her. “No.” “I’d watch my back around Sam. You might be the best, Sardothien, but there’s always someone waiting for you to slip.” Sam, the traitorous bastard, didn’t hide his smirk. The other pirate captains chuckled. Celaena stared hard at Rolfe… “You want my advice?” He waved a hand, beckoning her to go on. “Mind your own business.”

The Assassin and the Healer- 9/10
After returning home from her mission with the Pirate Lord she is sent to the Red Deseret. This is where she will spend her summer as punishment. Before arriving to the Red Desert she is stuck in a small town waiting for her boat to arrive the next day. She finds herself helping a barmaid and teaching her how to defend herself. This was my least favorite story in the book. I also believe it is the shortest one. I didn’t hate it; it just didn’t have the same effect on me the other ones did. I didn’t feel like it gave me as much. I did like that it had a lot of the bitter angry Celaena that I love so much.

Favorite Quote: “Let me give you a bit of advice, from one working girl to another: Life isn’t easy, no matter where you are. You’ll make choices you think are right, and then suffer for them.”

The Assassin and the Desert- 10/10
Celaena finally arrives at the Red Desert to spend the summer training with the Mute Master as punishment. While she is there she has to go through a Kill Bill style training to redeem a letter from the master before she can return back to the Guild. While there we learn how she got to be as good as she is, how she is starting to feel for Sam, and we get to hear about the “first real” friend she’s ever made. This is the story that I feel lays down the foundation for why Celaena became the softer version of herself that we have all grown to love so much. Think this is where she goes from villain to something more. Some might disagree or think it happened at some other point, and some might think it hasn’t happened at all.

Favorite Quote: “Go to Hell” Ansel chuckled “I’ve been to Hell.”  

The Assassin and the Underworld- 10/10
Celaena is back from the desert and ready distract herself from owning up to her feeling. Not just the feelings she has for Sam but towards everything. She decides throwing herself fully into a mission is the best way to do this. The Underworld was the biggest surprise read to me. Out of all five this one was my favorite. Everything finally clicks, things really starts happening, and everything we’ve been waiting for is slammed into us. This story will always have a special place in my heart, and in this series. The best part is we get so much Sam and Celaena time. I thought that the last story was going to be the one that choked me up, but this is the novella that got me. I was sneak reading at work and had to cry on the inside like a winner. So many feels.

Favorite Quote: “and from today onward, I want to never be separated from you. Where you go, I go. Even if that means going to Hell itself, where you are, that’s where I want to be. Forever.”

The Assassin and the Empire- 10/10
If you’ve read even just the first few chapters of Throne of Glass, then you already know what is going to happen in this story… I would like to say that you’ll be ready for it… but I won’t lie. You won’t be. This story has everything in it. The emotions, the fighting, the betrayal, the answers about what really happened to Sam that terrible evening, and how Celaena ultimately got caught. This story will break you. Second favorite in this bind up.

Favorite Quotes: “Deep down, she said, “I’m a coward.” His brows rose. “I’m a coward,” she repeats “And I’m scared. I’m scared all the time. Always.”

“I am Celaena Sardothien… and I will not be afraid.”

This book had me laughing, crying, swearing, praying, and completed me. I thought it would help with the pain of waiting for book five, but all it did was make me crave it even more. I love Celaena, she is my favorite literary female. She falls in this area of being a villain and being a hero. She is everything I want from my leading lady. She is fire and smoke. She is hard and soft. Loving, strong, and weak. She is changing the game when it comes to Ya/Na females...

I thank Sarah J every day for this series. I finally want to end this long review with these two statements: (this isn’t a spoiler it’s just my theory) I in no way shape or form believe Sam is dead. I might be in denial but I just don’t. I think the biggest twist in this series will be that he is still alive. Also for the question I left hanging at the beginning of this; whose team am I on… Thought it was Rowan, but then again something always felt like it was missing. That’s because Sam is what was missing. I am officially and 100% on Team Sam. If he really turns out not to be an option, then I want Celaena to stand on her own. This series is beyond phenomenal.

Overall Star Rating- 10/10 Stars
-Angela

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Celaena Sardothien is coming for everything they said she couldn't have. Everything she loves and has was taken from her. But she's has returned to the empire for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront her past

"Do you think monsters are born or made?"

I just... I just... I can't... I just don't know what to say. Game of Thrones meets Batman. That's what the Throne of Glass series is... and yes it's as epic as that sounds. Sarah J. does it again. Another stunning, jaw dropping book. This review is going to be so hard to write. I want to gush. I want to scream. I want to rage about this book, but can't because *sigh* spoilers. As much as I want to spoil this for you I just can't be that kind of monster. I will still write my feelings about it and highlight a few moments I loved, but I just wanted to give warning this review WONT have spoilers in it... I will say that if you haven't taken the time to read this series you're a fool and I have no idea what you're doing with your life, besides living it wrong! Go pick it up the first three books then come back and read this review.

Queen of Shadows picks up right where Heir of Fire left off; pulling us behind a car by our heartstrings. There are a lot of characters introduced and finally produced in this book that I unfortunately wont be able to touch base on in this review. Just understand that the smallest player can end up playing the biggest part. Anyways, I'll just jump right into our main players. First off lets talk about Dorian. God, I love him in this book (If you've read QOS you probably read that sentence and thought I was insane but I don't care). I absolutely loved reading from his point of view. The complete change from light to dark had me drawn in. He became such a stellar character in this novel. He is a true wild card at this point in time. Then there's Choal. I know people love Choal. That in the previous books everyone has been "team Choal this" "team Choal that", however if you know or have read any of my review for this series then you know I have not been team Choal---or even team Dorian. Choal does give us a ton of character development and growth in this book, and I love his character but he's still not my man. Then we have a "newer" player, Aedion... Love him. His sass, his loyalty, his personality shine so bright in this book. I just couldn't get enough of him. And the growing bromance between him and Rowan had me dying. This leads me too the two people I've been dying ta get ta....

Yes, Rowan and Celaena. I know that Celaena officially goes by Aelin in this book, but I'm going to warn you now that I will probably always call her Celaena or "C". These two... THESE TWO KILL ME!!!!!! I haven't shipped a ship this hard in the longest and it has me all sorts of giddy. Again if you've read my review in the past then you know whose team I've always been on... Team Rowan. From the moment this man was introduced it was signed, sealed, delivered. I LOVE HIM!!!! Good gods I love him. Though we got a good deal of him in HOF it isn't even half of what we get out of him in this book. We get to see into his brain. We get to see how he is feeling, he's stages of thinking, and his feeling towards Celaena in a way we haven't been able to in the past. It has be swooning all over the place. Everything he does and says will win you over. He was already on my favorite fictional guys list but lets just say after reading this he has defeintely moved up on the list. I can't wait to see where their bond takes them. It's refreshing to have a character in this series that generally understands her struggles and the weight that has been put on her shoulders. Lastly we have Celaena. I have said it on many many occasions that Celaena is my all time favorite female character. Queen of Shadows just further justified this for me. She is one cunning, whip smart, silver tongued, bad-ass bitch. QOS by far gives the best description I've ever heard of her...

"A storm given flesh." 

That sentence is so spot on it isn't even real. In QOS ya girl is taking no prisoners. No seriously, If  Celaena was in a GOT house she would be a freaking Lannister... and yall know why... Because a Sardothien always pays her debts.

I can't even count how many times I screamed "OH MY GOD" over something she did. At one point in time this was my goodreads status update... "Seriously????!!? Did C just drop the mic??? UH YEAH SHE DID!! Seriously just screamed "oooooooooooh damn" and scared the crap out of my dog. She just such a badass"... Everything she does is so calculated that when you finally see all the pieces come together you'll be exploding. Your brain will have to take several cold showers to get over the mind rape she will do to you. If there was something you wanted from C that you didn't get in the past you'll get it in this one. She gives you a side of her we haven't seen. This raw real emotion that takes her character to a whole new level. Celaena's character in this novel had me bowing down to the real Queen that is Sarah J Maas. *Insert slow clap*. Bravo! Thank you for making a character that is the epitome of strong leading female. Yes Celanea might go a little stray cray here and there, but God... She might want a man but she doesn't need one. She can do bad all by herself. Sarah continued to show that you can be tough but still love the things you want. You can wield a sword but still love dresses. That you can be all these strong willed tough as nails things, but still love deep. There's no other word to describe Celanea's character besides amazing. As for the characters I couldn't mention, they truly hold their own in this book. One surprise after another. There is one certain witch in particular that I can't wait to see in the next book.

I know I talked a lot about the characters and not so much about the plot. Again that is only because we are now four books deep people. QOS is the perfect balance of action packed scenes, romance, fighting, plotting, and build up. This is basically me the whole time... Page 1-170 I thank Maas for giving me everything back. Page 181 I die. Page 295 I freak the f out! Page 319 I cry my eyes out. Paged 320 I curl up in a ball and die again. 370 I realize that if my heart wasn't stolen by C before it's was officially taken. Page 400-656 I don't breathe and can't feel my body. I cry. I swoon. I die again and didn't even know that was physically possible. Swoon some more. Then do my final freak out. This is all without even mentioning the crazy plot twists that happen. They sneak up on you and tear your heart and eyes both out. Sometimes at the same time. And that ending, though a lot of lose ends are taken care of it still has me so conflicted. I just don't know where this story is headed. My heart is telling me it going to go one place while my head tells me to expect another. 

The whole ending plays out just like a movie. So vivid you can see and feel the whole thing. Just phenomenal. Queen of Shadows was well worth the wait and hanging around till the next book comes out might just do me in. Don't even get me start on how we still get at least two more books! Sarah J. Maas continues to surprise me with a series I never even thought I would like, but has turned out to be one of my favorites. 

All in all Queen of Shadows is about finding your place in the world. Consuming what you must and then fighting for what you love. That you yourself can be your best friend or your worst enemy. That it isn't about how heavy the weight is but about how long you hold it. That you get to choose your future. That your past might have built you but that it doesn't have to define you. That one person can truly rattle the stars.

10/10 Stars
-Angela