Crown of Midnight: Throne of Glass, Book 2

The perfect sequel! A thrilling, highly addicting read. Crown of Midnight was one book I had a hard time putting down. It has all the elements I love in a sequel and then some. If you read Throne of Glass you know how enticing Sarah's writing is. She weaves together these exciting plot twists, and complex characters that I can't help but want to know more about them, to create a simply irresistible read. Between the secrets, forbidden romance, betrayals, shocking deaths and danger that lurks within the walls of the castle, Crown of Midnight kept me glued to the pages until the last word. Now I'm wishing book three was already in my hands. I need more! Celaena has already endured so much. Now an assassin for the King, her role in this complex story takes a twisted turn. Nothing is quite as it seems, and it's hard to gage who's a friend and an enemy. One thing is for certain, Calaena isn't the only one with secrets. Celaena's relationship with the crown Prince, Dorian, gets complicated, as does her relationship with the swoon worthy Captain of the Guard, Chaol, whom always seems to be there when she needs him most. Her relationship with Princess Nehemia is the one that harbors the most secrets, and is also one of the most stable things she has in her life. One thing is for certain though, each of these characters plays such a crucial role in Celaena's life. Celaena is a character who grows a lot in this story. Her past makes her hold her head high, and the untold future is what drives her. A character with many secrets of her own, things unravel quickly around her as she uncovers the many hidden secrets of the castle that could forever change her fate, as well as those around her. Celaena herself is a character who I felt I got to really see her true self. She's a character who holds so much in, and closely guards the secrets that could kill her. She comes across as fierce killer whom most wouldn't cross, but when betrayals happen, and someone close to her is killed, something snaps in her. It's during this time that my heart broke for her. She makes choices I can't say I blame her for making, and man alive does Sarah rip my heart out during this time. It's also during this time that Celaena finds that inner strength she's always had, and becomes more determined than ever in her quest to reclaim that which is her destiny. Though it was hard to read some of the things she deals with, I loved the journey Celaena goes on. She is more driven than ever to get answers. I loved the friendships and relationships in this book. I don't know how many times I find myself swooning over the forbidden relationship she and Chaol have. I loved their friendship. They have this fabulously written hot chemistry. Their stolen glances, and slight touches were awesome. Not to mention a few other things that happen *evil grin* You'll have to read the book to find out more.... The relationship Celaena and Nehemia have is so well written. I loved that these two could confide in each other, but at the same time, they both kept secrets from each other. They also had this friendship that felt real. Prince Dorian is a character I'm really anxious to find out what he does in book two. My feelings toward him are changing. I was seriously surprised at some of the things he does. Crown of Midnight is a book rip with betrayal, fueled by love and loyalty, and given plenty of action. There isn't a moment in this book that there isn't something going on. Every moment has a purpose. Each character in this book is there for a reason, and I loved seeing how some thing unraveled, and how other things still aren't answered, as it keeps me wanting more from this series. Nothing is what it seems, and even I was shocked at some of the turn of events. Normally I find it easy to figure out what's going to happen next. Sarah J. Maas has done a fabulous job with keeping me wanting more. I loved this book! I can't wait for more. Crown of Midnight is a must read!

Rebellion is coming. Can you feel it? Do you see it? Is it too late? In the second instalment of Sarah J. Maas's death defying, blood curdling, heart a pumping series we are sucked back into the world of assassins and magic as Celaena must endure the King's wrath as he makes her do his bidding..she is the Kings Champion after all. If you haven't read the first one, well you need to! Like go and do it now..stop reading this. GO! Spoilers ahead: Anyway..sorry about that. Where was I..oh yes. I truly loved this sequel, especially because we are over the whole setting up of the story and the world etc..(all that first book good stuff) and now can really enjoy the mysteries and marvellous plot points created in the imaginative brain of Maas. I still love Celaena as a main character, she is truly everything a heroine should be. The fact that she has this softer side, erkrm Chaol, but at the same time maintains her sense of power is riveting to read. She is unique in that she is so deadly but at the same time develops this conscience, I guess, that enables her to grow as an individual. When we realise how much Nehemia gave up to push Celaena into embracing a higher purpose it gutted me. Why? well because I was the sap who wouldn't believe that she had actually d.i.e.d. She was so brutally murdered that I figured it was staged and she had finally escaped..but in fact she had sacrificed herself in the hopes that Celaena would take a step toward the path destiny had planned for her. Can I say what a woman, or what? I really, truly, upmostly love this world. Just the intricacies amaze me as Maas builds the layers of the castle, or describes the items of clothing, even the fighting scenes just immerse you and pull you under. If you can't imagine yourself there, well then. Concentrate a little bit harder readers and let this world encompass your imagination. The whole Chaol and Celaena thing I find to be ok. Yes I found their relationship to be uber cute and all sorts of sweetness, but I think I am a Dorian fan. Don't hate me. Maybe it is his charm and well, Chaol is such a nice guy, like a really nice guy. He gives up a possible future with the one he loves so that Celaena can uncover the truth about her magic and save the masses..he is truly a great guy. I think i'm just more attracted to Dorians smartassiness and his storyline with discovering his powers. Although I do think he should have fought for her a little bit more, or just at least get angry at Chaol..but he didn't because he too is a nice guy but oh so witty. (Also he realised that 'it had always been about Chaol and Celaena) I do wonder if he isn't actually the Kings son..if his mother lied about the conception if you catch my drift. Or maybe because Elena had waited all of this time to break through the barriers in the other worlds, that it is just a symbol of everything changing. Such mystery. These Wyrdgates are really interesting, and since Celaena can open them without the keys I'm sure the next book will be amazing as well. I like that we now know how the King has conquered realms so quickly, and overthrown the rulers of Terresan. Is his final goal just to be an all powerful ruler? He hasn't yet succeeded in taking over realms across the seas, I wonder if this would help the rebellion? Maybe he wants to unleash the demons back onto this world.? The manipulation of Katlain and Roland is really interesting, and I think the 'flapping wings' are actually the winged beasts that Celaena saw in the first book when she was drugged..of course I could be wrong. But maybe the mind melding due to the black rings can mess with your mind, and give you the sight or something..like what Nehemia had..although I think that was due to her families power. On a side note I thought Celaena had a bit of a stupid moment, since it took her forever to see the connection between Roland and Katlain. I don't like it when I figure things out way before the characters do..especially something so obvious. There is so much happening with Celaena being the rightful ruler (which I so saw coming...:p), the revolution, the Kings ultimate plans and these weapons he apparently created also his creepy monster...OH! And why couldn't the King have the sword? Maybe it chooses its owner..only the purest of hearts may wield it or something. Oo and I can't wait until Arobynn comes back into the picture...maybe Sam isn't dead after all. Someone who has died must come back...so I can be happy and not sad like with Nehemia. But now that Celaena can open portals we might get to see her again. Yesss. Loved this one, can't wait for the next one. Curse your world for the lengthy wait I now must endure. *shakes fist at no one in particular..just the air really*

This is one of those books. You know, the ones that you absolutely CANNOT put down for anything. Here's what I mean: I have to wake up at 4:30 each morning. I have to. But last evening I was about half-way through this book when I headed to bed. But I couldn't sleep. At all. I HAD to know what happened next. I tried and tried and tried to sleep, but I would not rest until I finished the entire story. Finally, at about 3 am I finished, but even then I could not sleep. My mind replayed the events of this story over and over and over again. My words will not give this book justice. It is just SO, SO GOOD. It may rank as one of my favorite books ever. I will not spoil this story for this review, so feel safe to read on. What I LOVED: Chaol!!!! Oh wow, how I loved Chaol! Strong, stoic, loyal, caring ... but fallible. In this story the stoic Captain of the Guard opens up a bit ... just a bit, but it is enough to fully entrench him in my heart as one of my favorite book heroes. And I don't think it is spoiling too much to say that when he weeps inside a broom closet at one point in the story he gained my heart completely. His struggle in this story was heart-breaking at times. Celaena! Do you know what I love about this amazing heroine? She can be so ruthless and hard. She can kill a strong man without flinching. She is fierce and talented. But she isn't this emotionless automaton. She shows feelings of tenderness and kindness. Even in the face of such a horrendous profession as an assassin she manages to retain her femininity at times. She doesn't like for people to see her vulnerability, but she can be vulnerable at times. She cries. She loves. She does't always have the right answers, and sometimes she makes big, big errors. She can be selfish in many ways, and as Nehemia points out, she can act as a coward at times. She is absolutely amazing! Sarah Maas manages to write a complicated heroine with many layers. She does not fit into any stereotype. She fascinates me at every turn in the story. Dorian! Dorian almost takes a back seat in the first half of this story, but by the end of the story it is easy to remember how much I liked him in Throne of Glass. He is a source of goodness in a kingdom of evil. In this story he faces a knowledge about himself that is terrifying ... something that could send him to the gallows if anyone discovers it. He is still dealing with his love for Celaena, but is working through things. I am totally on Team Chaol for this story, but I do love Dorian and hope that all ends well for him by the end of this series. The romance. In this day and age romance is often rushed in stories. Authors race through the preliminaries in romantic relationships in order to get straight to the kissing and declarations of love. In this story I appreciated Maas's subtlety as she wrote the romance. The romance is not the central part of the story, and yet the romance infuses every single action in some way. Chaol proves his love for Celaena over and over and over again without ever uttering a word. Everyone could see the love that these two felt for each other even though neither one had declared that love. The events of this story were absolutely beautiful at times ... the sorts of scenes that I love to relive over and over in my head and re-read from time to time. The story. This story has it all. There is danger and mystery. There is romance. There is friendship. There are alliances and betrayals. This is a complicated story that doesn't feel complicated. I can see the convergence of action that is leading to something greater. Nothing is entirely predictable, keeping me on edge as I read. Authors of high fantasy can often come across as pretentious as they create their worlds and craft their story. But Sarah Maas manages to write a fantasy that is easy to relate to. The themes presented are universal, and the dilemmas the characters face are realistic. This is such a well-written book. It had been awhile since I read Throne of Glass, so I was a bit concerned that I would have forgotten key details about the plot. Maas is able to leave gentle reminders that kept me in the story without making it feel like a giant recap lesson. I was able to quickly re-enter this world and join the story without a lot of confusion, thank goodness. I cannot understand exactly why all of these people feel this need to be so loyal to such an awful king. Maybe it is fear. Maybe there is little choice. I don't know. But I do look forward to seeing how Dorian, Chaol, and Celaena come together to bring good to a world so unused to happiness. This is a story that will resonate with me for a long, long time. I can't praise it enough. Five stars!

*Sigh* this book! It was almost too much for me to handle, these emotions, such a Roller Coaster! Honestly, I hope to be as good as a writer as Sarah J. Maas someday, now that is a goal :) Her stories are SO good and gosh darn it, this book kept taking my breath away, it kept distracting me from studying (wasn’t a good idea to start a book near exams on my part heh…) Well I still did pretty good ^^! Sorry for that aside… back to Crown of Midnight. Gosh…golly… where to start? When I said this book took my breath away, it literally did. There was so much more to this back than the first, so many secrets, so many lies 0.0! My mind was blown moment after moment, literally sweeping me away in the River of Feels. For me, Crown of Midnight was so much better than Throne of Glass, even though I still enjoyed the first book. Only in this book, Celaena wasn’t looking in the mirror the whole time going over her reflection or dotting over the Prince, she was kicking some serious butt and much more assassiny. The book went from Assassins Princess to The Greatest Assassin. The Crown of Midnight picks up pace like bam! Pow! Right off the bat it grabbed me in it’s… uh claws? and dragged me into its deep plot and heart wrenching moments. Seriously, I can’t even give this book words, because there aren’t any that could describe how much I LOVED this book. Hold on… must calm… calming… deep breaths… I CAN’T HOLD IT IN ANY MORE HERE COME THE TEARS! “I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn’t, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens.” Now to my serious review hah, if I can write this with out fan girling every ten two seconds. I feel like I start a ton of my reviews saying: where to start? Where to start? I guess I will start with the plot since it blew me away. Prior to actually picking this book up and reading it, I wasn’t sure if I would like it since The Throne of Glass wasn’t my favorite, gooooosh am I glad I did! When people say the Throne of Glass series just gets better and better, do they ever mean it! The plot of the Crown of Midnight is really good, really really good. The whole book starts with such an attention grabber, and everything gets better from there. As the book continued, Sarah J. Maas kept adding more twists to the story and it really began to sweep me away. With every turn of the page, every end of the chapter, it all begged to be read. This book had it all, the emotions, the climax, the heart pounding moments… The characters were as stunning as ever. I still adore Dorian but found Chaol and Celaena cute as ever! Those two, I swear! Really, the characters were all taken to a whole new level, with such wonderful personalities (uh depending on who, I’m looking at you the King >_>) each one with their own distinct mind. What is even better is that the rotating chapters and ever-present love triangle don’t hurt the story ONE BIT! Yeah, I mention the love triangle in every review but Sarah J. Maas wove it in PERFECTLY into this story, and it felt right. The love in the book felt like it belonged, like the characters had made their way up to it and love at first sight was no existent, *swoons*. Honestly, I love uh… love in books :) as long as it isn’t over the top or just plain in the way :P! “It was like coming home or being born or suddenly finding an entire half of herself that had been missing.” Could the bad guys get more bad? Uh, yes and they really did! Throne of Glass had some of the evilest villains I can think of, but the Crown of Midnight? They went to a whole new level, the threat is there. It is best to mention that this book did have gore like the first book did, and I would say about the same amount. It’s not like the book is littered with blood, it’s just there so fair warning :) “To escape death, she’d become death” And the ending? I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! Cue the evil laughter >:D mwhaha… this was fantastic! Honestly, the ending made me want to run in circles and cry or something, it was mind blowing!

I loved this book. I have to admit that Book One of this series left me a bit uncertain as to whether I wanted to continue reading the rest of the books being offered by Sarah J. Maas. This was my first time reading her books. I am so glad that I gave the series another chance! There are so many twists and turns that you genuinely do not expect or even see coming. Sarah keeps you guessing with each passing chapter. This excites me because usually I can guess what is coming with most books that I read. Not with this one. In this book, we find Celaena Sardothien accepting her hard-won position of the King’s Champion. Be prepared to hate the King for all of the vile things he is going to ask Celaena to do in his name. Throughout it all, Celeana never forgets who she is or what her end goal should be. The King has no problem asking her to kill anyone he considers to be a traitor or an enemy of his Kingdom. Celaena has to find a way to complete her tasks without losing the bright, vulnerable woman that she hides from most people. Along with the King, you will meet his son, Dorian, and the Captain of the Guard, Chaol. Each has their own special attributes. Each one develops feelings for the brave, sassy Celeana. Which one of these unique men will she choose? If any… One is magical, sensual, and oh so romantic, while the other man is more pragmatic, sensible, and constantly worries about Celaena’s safety. Each one loves her in their own special way. This is a great story of a determined woman who is on a mission to make her legacy come true. She has a great many secrets that she is desperately trying to keep hidden from those who would kill her if they knew them. Can she safely accomplish the tasks she is being held to, or will all of her loved ones pay the price for her failure? You will have to read the book to find out. I loved this book. I cannot wait to read Book Three.

After THRONE OF GLASS I wasn't expecting great things from this book, but Maas has provided me with an incredibly pleasant surprise. I rate the first one at about 3 stars, and despite it being a light, fun read I was significantly disappointed with the characters and several important aspects of the writing and structure. Most of those things were largely re-modelled and repaired for this book, and I found myself enjoying it much more from the very beginning. From the first page Celaena is morally conflicted about her assassinations, and shows consideration of deeper ethical issues. She actually develops and grows throughout the novel! Who'd have thought? Saying this, the introductory section of the story, in which plot and characters are established, did stretch out for a full half of the book. About 40% of the way through I seriously thought I'd let myself become hopeful too soon, and was just in for another complete book of the same fluffy dancing around important issues the first one consisted of. But then about halfway through, the story takes off, and it doesn't stop. Here, we see Celeana in the role that's always been rumoured but never witnessed before now. Adarlan's Assassin. We see her let loose and fight and kill. She is brutal and savage and gruesome and it is fantastic. She is dark and wicked and I loved her for it so much more than I ever loved her flirty or pretty. It frustrated me when someone was trying to bring her back from the madness; talk her out of the darkness, because in the darkness she was amazing. My respect for her instantly shot up at seeing her cause ruthless carnage (disturbing as that sounds), because this is the character we were promised back on the blurb of book one; this is the character we wanted to read. Finally, she emerges. And perhaps because it was so overdue, it was ridiculously satisfying. There was not quite so much obsession over the love triangle in this book either, which impressed me significantly. Romance was a large focus in the first half of the book, but only because it was used as a driving force for the plot events that occurred in the second half of the story, at which stage romance retreated to the periphery and yielded to action. I was glad that unlike the first book, where it was essentially used as the main plot-draw for readers, the romantic aspect was used instead to support and enhance the plot. It made for a much more readable story. Additionally, there's also a lot more in this book on Celaena's personal background and the history of the world, which is all well presented. The core plotline that one can sense will be the focus of the series entire is further developed, but not so much as to leave nothing for the next books to cover. In fact, I would say the central plot is only just beginning. My one concern in this regard, is that Maas revealed everything about Celaena's history all at once. It made for a great ending and a stunning developmental twist to her character, which would have been perfect leading into the final book of a trilogy, but considering there are supposedly another four books or something to come, I am a little concerned about where she'll go with the character from here. As mentioned I didn't much like Celaena in book 1 due to her lack of depth and development, and I'm worried that now Maas has unleashed all the development and revelations at once, and Celaena will slide back into being flat and emotionally stagnant for the rest of the series. But I suppose that's why she's the author, and as a reader I can't but trust in her abilities to continue keeping me amazed, surprised and entertained. I have settled on awaiting the next instalment with cautious anticipation, and will conclude here by saying that even those who thought the first book was `okay' like I did, should enjoy this sequel much more. If this is you, don't decide whether or not to read this based on the first book. Although it starts off similar it is worlds better, and I strongly believe you will enjoy it much more.

Crown of Midnight completely lived up to the hype! The stakes are higher, the twists are jaw-dropping, and the world feels even more vivid than in the first book. Aelin continues to be my absolute favorite—her courage, wit, and determination shine brighter than ever, and I couldn’t help rooting for her every step of the way. The story is fast-paced, full of surprises, and pulls you right in from the first page. If you loved Throne of Glass, this next book is an absolute must-read. Five stars, no question!

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas Steph's Rating: 5 stars Dani's Rating: 5 stars Overall Rating: 5 stars Steph's Review: I did not expect to love Crown of Midnight as much as I did. Throne of Glass was a 4-starish book for me, but just let me say the COM makes it to the top of the 5-star list. I was thoroughly impressed by Sarah J. Maas's plotting this time. This is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2013...one that I forgot to finish reviewing... Celaena Sardothien has won the title of royal assassin who answers solely to the king. She hardly follows her orders exactly though, a secret she must keep absolutely hidden or else she'll risk the lives of the few friends she has within the castle walls. The spirit of Queen Elena has given Celaena the task of finding the true source of the Kind of Adarlan's power, while a rebellion is brewing within the kingdom. It sparks old memories within Celaena's psyche, and she must decide where her loyalties really lie if they are not to the king. I know the Throne of Glass if going to take off and become an enchanting series. Sarah J. Maas knows how to put just the right touch of suspense to the amount of action in the book to give a fulfilling read. The protagonists are all awesome too--I don't dislike a single one of them! Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian each have their own unique voices, and it's very easy to tell who is narrating in a chapter even though Sarah doesn't say who's POV that chapter is in. Celaena is everything a girl looks for in a heroine story--she's got strength, smarts, and is daring enough to use both to the best of her ability. While I usually hate arrogant characters, Celaena just knows how to wear it correctly. It comes off as self-confidence instead of a pompous attitude. But despite this, I love how she's not faultless either. She has her fears and nightmares, her short temper, everything that keeps her real. If anything, one thing that really made me love Crown of Midnight is her expanding relationship with Chaol. In the first book, I hardly felt some kindling romance between the two even though Throne of Glass's synopsis hinted that there was going to be one in the first book. Chaol is just a true gentleman that I think every girl wishes they had, and I love him to pieces. Poor Dorian is slightly neglected by the two in this book, but I love Dorian so much more after this book too. As Prince of Adarlan, of course he has to be groomed to follow in his father's footsteps. Dorian really just grows a mind of his own in this book and starts questioning the beliefs he grew up on, and whether or not his father is a worthy ruler of the country. Dorian also has to keep a deadly secret at bay too--one that will be his death is anyone finds out. Fantasy books are common topic these days, but Crown of Midnight has a refreshing and clever voice amongst all of them. It is a well rounded novel with heart-melting romance, action, and apprehensive suspense. I seriously recommend reading this series! --Steph and Dani @ A Walk on Words