Book Recommendation: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series
One of the books I always recommend to friends and family is, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. This is one of my all time favorite series, and it has been in my top ten since I have first read it. As of right now it is a trilogy with a novella, but there is a fourth installment (A Court of Silver Flames) coming out early next year.
This story is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It is not exactly the same as the Disney story, and I believe that is why people like it so much. There are hints of a fairytale, but it is not solely about the retelling of another story. The story arc expands far beyond the traditional tale we are used to. There are fae, wars, magical powers, curses, and fights for survival and love.
The story is centered around Feyre Archeron who is the hunter and gatherer for her family. One day she is out in the woods, when she takes down a wolf. At first she thinks nothing of it, but a companion of the wolf comes to claim compensation when he learns of his friend's death. An "eye for an eye" if you will. Feyre is then forced to serve out her sentence in the Fae world where she learns of the world across the wall that has always separated them. This is a story of love, curses, magic, hope, and heroism. Maas creates characters that stick with the readers long after they finish the book. The first installment is only the tipping point, the books, characters, plot, everything gets better as the series continues.
I can never say enough good things about this book and the entire series. I have re-read it many times and each time I fall even more in love with the world Maas created. There is such strong character development. This series will definitely give readers a book hangover.