So, a week or so ago, I talked about finding Sarah J. Maas’s series A Court of Thorns and Roses. At that time, I was about 30% into book 3, A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOWAR).  According to Goodreads, this book is 707 pages long.  I love, love, love, a good, long epic-like book that can keep me interested, so much so, that I don’t want to put it down. This book is exactly that…and when all is said and done, I very much enjoyed book 3. Though, it is not without some faults, and I apologize if this feels a tad ranty.

You’ll feel like a lot of stuff happens in ACOWAR, while you are reading. Up until the point where the “war” is in full force, there is a lot of action and back and forth to make you think the story is moving but, really, it is a lot of “hurry up and wait.” It’s quite repetitive, and slightly predictable, while we wait for various characters to decide what to do, or to make a move, to actually push the story forward to the end game which is the war between whichever High Lords Feyre and Rhysand can convince to fight against Hybern AND if they can finally, somehow, disable the cauldron. Feyre is nothing if consistent as she continues to put herself in danger time and time again. At the height of the war, when you’re pretty much convinced that Feyre, Rhysand and their group are outnumbered and on their way to being defeated….SURPRISE….and then another big surprise on top of that. Sorry, can’t share that part.

At the end of ACOWAR, I was so happy and relieved with the turn of events that I was pissed and a bit depressed that the story was over. The characters popping into my head even as I attempted to start another book.  Yes, in spite of whatever frustrations I may have felt while reading, I did not want it to be over. So, I jumped into the novella that was released in May, A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOFAS book 3.1). I stupidly read the reviews for this book, several very negative, which often just makes me want to read something more.  I mean, having really enjoyed the first 3 full length books, and feeling seriously book-depressed at the end of book 3, I really could not stop myself from jumping right in. That said, I do agree with some of those reviews.

Let me clarify.  A Court of Frost and Starlight, is fine if you’re like me and you just glommed the series reading book after book.  But if you’d been reading this series in real time, and had waited a year for this release-after reading three 600+ page books prior to this, to get this novella, that does absolutely nothing to advance the story, I’d have to agree with the reviews of some of those pissed off fans. This book is basically an extended epilogue.

But wait…there is another novella coming out, as yet untitled 3.2, with no release date and Book 4, the next full length book, is not scheduled to release until 2020.  (Insert several swear words here)

Sadly, I could bitch till I’m blue in the face, and that won’t make the time go any faster, nor will it stop me from reading said untitled novella 3.2 or book 4 in 20freaking20. I can only hope that a lot of open ended issues are resolved–because they are getting so, so boring.

Rhysand and Feyre…I love you Rhys, but it’s time for you both to step back and let the other fairies out to play.

Azriel, Elain and Lucian–shit or get off the pot already.  This love triangle or whatever the heck it is needs to go away. Lucian, grow some balls and stop walking on eggshells. Azriel needs to get laid bigtime. And Elain, beautiful timid Elain….make a decision already.

Morrigan-please, please….be honest.

Cassian-I love you so much. Is she worth it??? I’m not sure she is.

Netsa-we get it.  You were wronged.  But honey, do you really want to go back to just being a human? I think not. You need to pull up your big girl panties and taste some of that power the cauldron gave you.  Use it for good, or evil. I don’t really care…but do something.

Lastly, according to Amazon, the Kindle version of the novella is $8.54 for 200 or so pages.  Book 3, coming in at 726 pages is $5.37 for the Kindle version.

I. Don’t. Understand. This.

I’m not grading these today because, I’m mad and it wouldn’t be a truthful story-based grade. I want to recommend this book to my reader friends and talk about it–at the same time, I know myself and at this moment in time, 2020 is just too, too, far away.  I will find another epic story to read that won’t make me wait two years between books.