Book Review · Books

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas [BOOK REVIEW]

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas [BOOK REVIEW]

About The Book:

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 406

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Romantasy

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format I read it in: Hardcover

Rating: ★★★★★

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My Thoughts:

When I truly love a book, I keep a note of my favourite quotes, and “Throne of Glass” was no different. Sarah J. Maas has that ability to instantly transport you into a world full of magic and wonder.

In this case, we were transported to Erilea and our main character is the incredible assassin lady, Celaena Sardothien. Captured and in prison, she is visited by the Crown Prince, who makes her an offer she cannot refuse. If she wins a competition, she will be free. But the competition in question involves killing twenty-three warriors, killers and thieves, a fight until death to become the king’s champion.

As soon as I started reading, I was hooked and intrigued. I have read the prequel, “The Assassin’s Blade”, prior to reading Throne of Glass, so I was aware of Celaena’s past, but I liked the fact that it didn’t impact this story and it could be read independently. 

I loved her connection with the Crown Prince.

Her reservation, the mystery surrounding her past and the events that kept occurring added to the slow burn romance. I am really eager to see how this develops in the next books.

I also loved the competition itself, and Sarah J. Maas is known for making a worthy competition. The different tasks and stages were very entertaining. I didn’t quite enjoy the mystery part though. It felt rushed, and then everything happened at once, all to end with a cliffhanger. But then, as I am writing this, I remember it’s Sarah J. Maas we are talking about. Of course it will all kick off in the last 30 pages. And of course we are left with a cliffhanger. I can’t even be mad about it. And of course, I’ll be there, always eager to read the next book. I just hope it’s as good as this one.

Favourite Quotes:

“He found her beautiful, if a bit strange and sour. It was something in the way that her eyes sparked when she looked at something lovely in the landscape. He couldn’t understand it.”

“Guards are of no use in a library.” Oh, how wrong he was! Libraries were full of ideas – perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”

“Celaena smiled as she watched the Crown Prince of Adarlan lead the Princess of Eyllwe through the basic steps of fencing. He was charming, she supposed. In an arrogant sort of way. But someone with his title could have been far, far worse. It made her uneasy how he’d made her blush. In fact, he was so attractive that she had difficulty not thinking about how attractive he was, and again wondered why he wasn’t married.”

“Damn him for being so handsome.”

“The notes burst from her fingers, staggering at first, but then more confidently as the emotion in the music took over. It was a mournful piece, but it made her into something clean and new. She was surprised that her hands had not forgotten, that somewhere in her mind, after a year of darkness and slavery, music was still alive and breathing. That somewhere, between the notes, was Sam. She forgot about time as she drifted between pieces, voicing the unspeakable, opening old wounds, playing and playing as the sound forgave and saved her.”

“He didn’t know why, but seeing her made him feel like a man. She was something out of a dream – a dream in which he was not a spoiled young prince, but a king.”

“We all bear scars, Dorian. Mine just happen to be more visible than most.”

About the Author:

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas [BOOK REVIEW]

Sarah J. Maas is the #1 bestselling author of the Throne of Glass, Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City series. Her books have sold millions of copies and are published in thirty-eight languages. She lives in New York City with her family.

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Book Review · Books

Drowning by T. J. Newman [BOOK REVIEW]

Drowning by T. J. Newman [BOOK REVIEW]

About The Book:

Drowning by T. J. Newman [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 304

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Format I read it in: Hardcover

Rating: ★★★★★

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My Thoughts:

“Drowning” took me on a journey and gave me all the feels. I really wish I could read this book sooner. It starts with a plane struggling as soon as it lifts off. Very soon, it becomes obvious that their only option is to ditch. 

“The term “last-ditch” is used to describe an effort that is made at the end of a long line of failures. It is the final attempt and is not expected to succeed. In aviation, the emergency landing of an aircraft on water is called a ditching.”

When I think of ditching, the successful attempt in the Hudson River always comes to mind. But it’s scary to think that the Hudson River ditching was the lucky exception, and this kind of emergency landing usually ends up with a lot of casualties.

I cannot reveal too much of the plot, because I don’t want to spoil anything. But during the evacuation, whilst the aircraft is under water, the engine explodes and starts flooding the plane. Those that are still alive are forced to close the doors, but despite this, the plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers still trapped inside. What used to be a plane has now essentially become a submarine, and a team of divers is working to launch a rescue mission and save the people trapped. 

To make things more intriguing, one of the professional divers is Chris. And she happens to be Shannon’s mum and Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife. And both Shannon and Will are – you guessed it – trapped inside the plane, two hundred feet underwater. This was the only part that I didn’t really like. I mean, come-on, what are the chances? But I went with it, and enjoyed seeing the stakes being raised because a diver had someone they cared about in there. I would also like to note that if this wasn’t the case, the outcome at the end of the book would have been very different. 

Aside from that issue, the book delivered in every possible way.

As a thriller, it had all the intensity and fast-pace that I could ever want. Then, on top of that, the book was quite emotional. It made me cry so many times. Ruth and Ira, I am looking at you! I also surprisingly enjoyed all the technical details. The mission planning and the team brainstorming ideas with the resources and time restraints they were facing. The multiple plot twists also came at perfect moments. I really enjoyed the idea of the book and it delivered every expectation I had. It satiated my thirst for plane crashes – I’m that person that watches all the plane crash documentaries and podcasts. Now I’ll probably start watching submarine documentaries too. If this book sounds like it might be your cup of tea, I am 90% certain hat it will be, and urge you to give it a go.

About the Author:

Drowning by T. J. Newman [BOOK REVIEW]

T.J. NEWMAN is a former bookseller and flight attendant whose first novel, Falling, became a publishing sensation and debuted at number two on the New York Times bestseller list. Her second novel, Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 was an instant New York Times bestseller. Both books made a number of best book of the year list, are published in thirty-five countries and will soon be major motion pictures after selling in two separate headline making seven-figure deals: Falling with Universal Pictures, and Drowning with Warner Brothers. T.J. lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

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