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Chosen by: Katie
WHY:
I fell in love with this book series several years ago when I worked at the local library. The young adult librarian at my branch mentioned it was a popular series and recommended I read it. I owe her a favor, because it has become one of my favorites. A strong heroine who protects the people she cares about, gorgeous fae, a sexy love story. There is nothing “young” adult about it, and I love getting absorbed into this world Sarah J. Maas created. I got it for Jessie for Christmas that year, but was never able to convince my other sisters or mom to read it. When it was my turn to pick the book, I was excited to finally get a chance to read it with them. If I have any recommendation for reading this book, it is to just go ahead and get the whole series. If you only read the first book, you are doing yourself a disservice because Feyre’s story gets better with each book.
Summary of the book:
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world. As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin―and his world―forever.
Katie:
I generally feel like the best books and movies make me feel the full range of emotions. Happy, sad, nervous, brave, etc. If I feel all of that wrapped up in one book, then it must be a great one, and that is the way I feel when I read this book and series. I laugh, I cry, and get completely engaged emotionally. There are some wonderful characters that I absolutely love and there are some characters I love to hate. Ferye is a great character and her story is one I can’t recommend enough.
Jessie:
Katie bought me this book a couple of years ago and I was hooked immediately! I was actually at a work seminar and decided to bring it along and start reading it during my breaks and lunches. Imagine the goofy look on my face while reading steamy love scenes in the middle of a crowded room full of salon owners and coaches! Yikes! I couldn’t put it down! I read during all my breaks and when I went back to the hotel by myself each night. I finished it the night before I had to fly home, so I downloaded the second book onto my computer! It would take forever to talk about what happens and all the different twists and turns. So, just buy the series and get to reading!! This is a fun one!
Duckie:
Oh boy. I should have written this review before I tore into the second book…and third, fourth and currently the newly released fifth. Oops. But I suppose that means I highly recommend it? I do. I was definitely hesitant to start reading this. I love fantasy books but something about a fairy (actually, faerie in this book) romance sounded like a little too much. My sisters would always have these silly little smiles on their faces when they would talk about the books and I mercilessly made fun of them. Well let me tell you that stupid little grin has been plastered to my face this past week as I’ve literally not done anything but read. Come for the sex, stay for the beautifully built fantasy world. True escapism that you’ll want to live in and immerse yourself. As Katie recommends, just buy the whole series. The first book is good…the second and third are better.
Kellie:
For me this book reminded me heavily of “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Hunger Games”. Feyre is a human with shortcomings who has to live in the Faerie realm Prythian. A mere mortal living with creatures with powers and unique superiors strengths. This book is about Feyre finding her spot in this new land. She is a strong character who has a lot on her shoulders with her family. Finding who she is outside of her regular family structure and living for her own happiness. I like to guess the romantic plots of books and this one threw a few curve balls I did not expect coming, which I enjoyed. Feyre has to show sharpness of will and wit to make it through everything. I have already started the second book!
The only thing is I would not classify this a young adult. I would not want my niece (now 14) reading this.