Empire of Storms – Sarah J. Maas

If any of you keep up to date with my Insta Stories, you would’ve noticed that I was a bawling mess whilst I was reading “Empire of Storms” by Sarah J. Maas. If not, here’s a snippet of my emotional ranting:

I was a mess; a ball of emotions. The heart-ache I felt after reading what Aelin and her friends/court went through, especially how it ended… I needed some time to process what happened. But now I have, and I’m dying to get “Tower of Dawn” and to finish it before “Kingdom of Ash” is out!

But I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t express how I was feeling about this book. I know I’m quite late to the party, but I hope that fans and non-fans of the “Throne of Glass” series alike enjoy my review!

Blurb: The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what—and who—to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

“A court that wouldn’t just change the world. It would start the world over.”

Caution: some spoilers ahead!

Thoughts: There are so many things that I need to say about this book. It was incredibly action-packed and they all kept me at the edge of my seat. There was even a point during my time in Austria that I couldn’t put the book down, I was so into the book! And those plot twists… they left me dumbfounded. Aelin is always 10 steps ahead of everyone and Sarah J. Maas is one hell of a genius. Her world-building is incredible!

I also like how Sarah J. Maas went on a ‘darker’ path for this book. I got some ‘Game of Thrones’ vibes while I was reading, in the sense that the plot obviously isn’t happy-go-lucky and all smiles because there’s SO MUCH WAR; the characters are quite multi-layered and complex and oftentimes a bit cruel to one another (most of the characters have a lot of secrets to keep from each other, especially ELENA who I now half-despise and half-feel-immense-pity-for); and most importantly, no one is really safe. You can’t be certain about who is going to survive this war and who won’t. Even Aelin and her court’s struggles with the Wyrdkeys, gathering support and fighting the bad guys; all these things weren’t straight-forward and always on the uphill. There were victories and then HUGE failures and more problems; all these things made the story so much more realistic, making it all the more heartbreaking to experience.

And with regards to the steaminess and romance: daaaaamn that was unexpected most of the time, especially the first steamy scene with Aelin and Rowan (let’s just say that my cheeks were on FIRE). But, it was a good way to make the story a little lighter and distract us from all the doom-and-gloom; although there were a few times where the romance seemed a bit TOO out of place, as well as too fast-paced, with particular reference to Dorian and Manon.

This book is too amazing for words! I highly suggest this series and book to ANYONE who likes fantasy, mystery, and incredible world-building.

Rating: Obviously 5/5! No, 10/5! It broke my scale!

“Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will always love you.” 

I hope you enjoyed this review! What do you guys think of this series? Have any of you read it? What do you think of this book? Lemme know in the comments below! 

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