In 19th century England, people presume magic to be long dead. But they’d be wrong, two magicians of vastly different personalities continue their work today. As the country heads into the Napoleonic wars, they might just need the help of these two bizarre men. Meanwhile, the fairies grow bored, and wander into the human world looking for fun, often causing hijinks and chaos.
Jude, the new High Queen of Elfhame, has been banished to the mortal world. All Jude wants to do is go back and regain the power that she has lost. Jude’s own banishment keeps her from doing so. However, when Taryn says that she has killed her husband, Locke, and needs Jude to testify for her because of Jude’s geas, Jude cannot help but accept. As Jude enters the court and Cardan learns who she is, she regains the power she thought she lost. But when Cardan proves his loyalty to his kingdom and his queen by breaking the crown, he turns into a deadly serpent.
Jude, after making Prince Cardan the High King without his knowledge, begins her ascent to power as his seneschal. Jude wants to protect her brother Oak, her family, herself, and her stance in the court of fairie. But the High King hates her despite having to obey her every word, and her adoptive father, the general, is still plotting against her. The Queen of the Undersea is also planning to wage war and joins hands with Prince Balekin. Jude tries to maintain her power through the High King even after her oath is over.
Jude has lived a rough life. After witnessing her parents murder, she finds her and her siblings taken away by their killer to the land of Faerie, a place where being a human is frowned upon. Jude must learn to live like the magical creatures there and must avoid being tormented by the cruel Prince Cardan and his friends. In this new world, Jude must prove herself before the King and must make difficult decisions as royal scandals and crimes occur.
Patrick Rothfuss’s book, The Wise Man’s Fear, is the sequel to The Name of the Wind. The book continues the path of Kvothe, however while the first book focused more on his life at the university, this book takes a different path and follows him as he travels throughout the world. Going from Severen to the forests in the North, and then to Ademre, Kvothe faces different threats while still searching for knowledge on the Amyr and Chandrian.
A Court of Mist and Fury is the second novel in the popular series by Sarah J. Maas. In this particular book, Feyre has to follow through on her deal with Rhysand. She has to go to the Night Court, and Rhysand introduces her to his circle of friends. Feyre and Tamlin’s relationship becomes a little rockier, and Feyre has to make some tough decisions. Will Feyre come to like Rhysand more than she ever thought she could, or will she stay with Tamlin, who she thinks could be the love of her life?
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is the first book in a widely known fantasy romance series. This first novel follows Feyre, and her wishes to help her family. In an unfortunate incident with a bow and arrow, Feyre finds herself in the deadly land of the Fae, where as a human she is subject to the magic of the powerful creatures that live there. She ends up in the Spring Court, with the mysterious Lord Tamlin as her captor.
Jude, who lives in Faerie, is a mortal. Cardan, who is the youngest son of the High King Eldred, is a faerie. Jude wants to win a place in the High Court as a knight and prove her skills even as a mortal. Cardan and his friends will do anything to humiliate Jude and hinder her chances of getting a place in the High Court. Jude becomes tangled in the Court’s secrets but then is able to find her ability to deceive and keep those close to her safe.
I read A Court of Thorns and Roses over my winter break, and I really enjoyed it. If you have ever imagined Beauty in the Beast but a little more intense and a little more PG-13, then this book is for you. In a land divided by a magical wall, there are humans and there are fairies. Feyre, the protagonist, unknowingly breaks an ancient fairy law and is forced over the wall into the fairy realm to pay her debt. The first book is moderately paced but picks up towards the end.
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories is the latest addition to The Folk of the Air trilogy by Holly Black. This novella provides more insight into how and why Cardan wears his cruel facade. This novella is a series of interconnected stories that tell the tale of Cardan’s life, past, present, and future. My favorite parts of this book were the retellings of events that happened in The Folk of the Air trilogy told from Cardan’s perspective. Additionally, I loved the illustrations.
