A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

At least, he’s not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read.

Paperback, 419 pages

Published June 2, 2015

 by Bloomsbury Publishing

4.5/5 stars

Full disclosure - this was my 4th time reading this book and I honestly can't tell why I never sat down and wrote a proper review before now. Better late than never I guess! I picked it up again to refresh my memory as I work my way through the rest of the series, determined to finish before book six arrives this fall.

This was one of my first forays into fantasy,  what really drew me in originally was the Beauty and the Beast retelling at its heart. Though I will say that it is so much more than that. The world building is intricate and impressive and on this reread I found myself rediscovering details I had completely forgotten.

At the centre is Feyre, a 19 year old who had to grow up too fast and has spent most of her young life taking care of her family even when they didn't appreciate it. She is a character easy to root for. The Spring Court is nicely rendered and the tension that builds between Feyre and Tamlin makes for a compelling read.

The ending is suspenseful and full of tension, introducing new characters while setting up what promises to be a very different journey for Feyre in the next book. Let's just say the girl who entered the Spring Court is not the same and what lies ahead for her is going to test everything she's made of.

I am not counting this as part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge since it is a reread.  I've already reread book 2 and hoping to start 3 shortly.   Kinda like Diana Gabaldon, each book does grow a little more in size.