The Bookworm's Feast

 Release Date: May 2016
 Publisher: Bloomsbury
 Genre: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance
 Page Count: 626
 Goodreads Page 
 Rating: ★★★★★ 

“To the people who look at the stars and wish, Rhys.”

Rhys clinked his glass against mine. “To the stars who listen— and the dreams that are answered.”

Oh be still my beating heart! This book is not like the first – and I love it far more for it! It had me chuckling, a bit hot under the collar, and completely enraptured all the way through.

Diving in after the events of ACOTAR, Feyre suffering from essentially PTSD, amongst other things, and not adjusting to court life well – she is haunted by all that she did and saw. This book is all about healing.

The characters grow so much, as I said in my review for ACOTAR I think Maas is masterful with how she evolves and builds up her characters. Feyre really comes into her own, and we really start to see the multifaceted aspects to a few other characters we meet in the first book – alongside the introduction of all my favourite cast as we finally get to see more of the land of Prythian. I wish I was able to visit The Night Court – if I could I would live there, even how its described to smell is perfect! 

Tamlin really starts to show himself as the controlling, oppressive person he is – I never liked him, I liked the stunted interaction and how that played out in the first book, but as a character he has a seriously flawed personality.

I didn’t mention Rhysand in my previous review, just to avoid any spoilers with how he is introduced for those who haven’t read the book – but he’s coming up here.

Rhysand is the most handsome high lord

Rhysand is the most delightful high lord

Rhysand is the most cunning high lord

Rhysand is my favourite – to be fair I love all the Inner Circle – but Rhys has a whole other level of my love, my favourite parts of ACOTAR were his scenes. He is everything Tamlin could potentially be seen as being in the first book, and so much more. I especially love that he is a character that enables Feyre to be the strong woman she is. Tamlin holds her back, cocoons her, smothers her – Rhysand encourages her, gives her the freedom to make her choices, and just 110% sees the value that all the female characters of his court pose (if you haven’t guessed, unlike Tamlin – whose thinking comes across as dated by our standards when it comes to women).

And that ending… I’m glad I never read this book when it was first released and had to wait until I could dive into the next book. It’s not so much as cliff-hanger as it just leaves you wanting more – I completely devoured those final chapters!