A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

 

My thoughts

This is my favorite of the ACOTAR books. It gave me more emotion and feels. It's Nesta's story. A raw look at a very misunderstood human turned fae...

This book is basically all about Nesta and Cassian. Nesta is Feyre's older sister. One who never lifted a hand to help Feyre when they were starving and poor. One who only thought about herself. Except when she was worrying over Elain. They had been among the riches of the rich in the human world but their greedy father wanted more. 

Nesta and Elain were taken from their home and turned fae against their will. Nesta had so much anger. So much going on. She hated this life. She hated most everyone in it. During the war she helped bring down the high king. Beheaded him. She protected Cassian who was in fact her mate. She didn't see that yet. When her father was killed she blamed herself. Thus the beginning of her own self destruction began.

Nesta moved into a hovel of an apartment. She drank way to much and took strange men in to her bed. She didn't seem to care about anything. Mostly she hated herself and felt she was not worthy of anyone loving her. Least of all her sisters. She was heading for total destruction until Feyre and Rys along with their friends step in. Nesta is basically given no choice but to go with Cassian and train. Work in the library and train. It's that or be deposited back in the human realm and since the destruction of the wall that would not be good. Not at all.

Now here I got a bit angry. First of all why didn't they care before Nesta got so low. Why wait until they received a bill so huge to get riled up. She was obviously screaming in pain. Her own sister, Feyre, didn't bother to truly check on her. Even if she did keep saying go away. Or I'm fine. Why didn't Feyre sense that her sister was in total distress. She had reached a breaking point that she herself could not see. 

The story gives us lots of insight into what she goes through and the friends she makes. The love she finally accepts and the strength of her Cauldron power. Oh my what strength. And how loving Cassian truly is. Yes he made me so mad at first. Though he did have to wait for her to cry out for that help. In her own way of course. The part where she finally broke truly made me weep. Weep for all the pain she felt. All the guilt she was burdening herself with. All the hate she felt for herself. She did not deserve those feelings. She had been human. She was turned high fae against her will. She watched her dad be murdered. She endured so much in her young life. She had a right to be angry. 

And that ending. That part where Nesta saved... Well I can't say who but she was amazing. Raw. Real. The feelings were so spot on. She's a true friend and sister to all the women in her life.

I hope there will be another book to this series. I hear there will be. This was so much fun to read and it is absolutely wonderful. It was out of my normal comfort range. Not my usual genre, but I am happy I read it. I'll be reading more since I have all of this author's books now... Next will be Crescent City series...

FIVE big stars from me. I loved it.

About 

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other's arms.