Crown of Midnight, by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2), by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action

Rating: 5/5 stars

Publication: August 27, 2013, by Bloomsbury

Format: Hardcover Edition (borrowed)




Goodreads Summary: "A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Review:

"Leave the talking and charming to me." Chaol raised his brows. "So I'm just here for decoration?" "Be grateful I consider you a worthy accessory." (p. 56)

  This book was like an action TV show in my head. It probably was even better than the first book!

    We all know that Sarah J. Maas masters her books every time. I've only read 2 of her books, and from there, I can see that she's easily a favourite author of mine. By every chapter, she keeps improving her writing and our captivation. She immensely makes everything better and better before we know it. Our time reading this book goes by so quickly, and before we know it, we're having a pretty achy book hangover and our world is slowly falling apart because we realize that the next book in the series is coming (for those who don't have access to pretty review copies.) 

     This book was another fantasy YA literature masterpiece. There was no signs whatsoever of second-book-syndrome (which we all dread) and the action and romance here was better than ever. This book has a mixture of almost every book genre you may think of. Romance, yes (highly), action, adventure, fantasy, magic, suspense, fairies, mystery, EVERYTHING. I love books that incorporate that sort of variety and diversity of different genres.

      If you haven't read the first book or currently are, I would highly not recommend reading on with this review. Just saying. Many SPOILERS will be announced from the previous book and from this one. Take a precaution.

       Celaena has won the fight to become the King's Champion. It was a tough fight that required a lot of fighting and came with consequences, but Celaena has done it. Now, things aren't going to become easier. Secrets and mysteries will unravel beside the fact that Celaena has some drama with her own love relationships going on. Then, adding to that, a big catastrophe came to be. Nehemia DIED. Celaena's only true best friend and person who understood her died, and everything slowly collapsed around her. Could things seriously not get worse?

        In two separate motions, here are two feels that will overcome you and your bookish friends:

       Happy because of the romance between Celaena and Chaol (I literally screamed) and then sad because of the unspeakable tragedy that Sarah really had to add. (Not that it didn't hurt me too much. *sarcasm*)

       But I strongly believe that when a book gives you different and crazy feels, then it's even better. Every book is supposed to be an addicting TV show, with drama, action and romance in between. Feeling things are the best. And this book definitely deserves the Emmy Award.

       When completing the first book, I was in a hazardous book hangover and needed the sequel. A few days later (more like two) I went to the library and picked this one up. I began it sooner than I knew it, and finished it in a matter of three hours. Three hours of screaming, crying, tears, and squeals. Three hours of about 420 pages. I really would like to give myself a big pat on the back for that. :)

        This book still held the same amount of fantasy, a little more romance and amazing action as the previous novel. I love the concept and I think that this is surely the best fantasy-romance book out there.

        I just loved the whole book. There were no moments when I was bored or slightly blinking an eye. Every moment was addicting and unspeakable to any other person. I finished it off with a huge headache of wanting the next book (which I will get to soon because I got a review copy, haha). The plot was a whole enjoyable roller coaster and Celaena's voice was better than ever.

        So imagine this. I loved the first book so dearly much and gave it a 5 gazillion star rating, and this was even better. Imagine my love for this one now. I'm probably giving it an infinite amount of stars. :)

        The character-relationships between Celaena and the men gradually improved even more. Chaol and Celaena FINALLY KISSED and I kept saying, "I wish I was Celaena," so many times out loud. I kept squealing and making a fool out of myself in my own very home. xD Although Celaena and Dorian are now just-friends, I really wish that their love will come back. It's not safe to love the Captain of the Guard, and it isn't safe to love the Prince. So both ways, Celaena would be taking a risk. *grumpy cat face*

          Celaena was just the same as ever. She's a definite favourite heroine of mine, and I wouldn't trade my love for her for anyone else, except maybe Tessa Gray. *apologizes* But Celaena is such a badass girly character. Just my type of woman. 

          And obviously, I have a huge love relatable relationship to the men. Chaol and Dorian both have something so special about them that no fictional men can beat. I, a girl, can even relate to them. I dream every night that they can hold me in their arms.

        By the end, I was a broken mess. I was struggling very hard to deal with the loss of Nehemia, one of my favourite characters. And then the whole action scene with Chaol got me thinking, and then BAM WE FOUND OUT SOMETHING HUGE. And of course, Sarah J. Maas left us with a terrible cliffhanger and I'm going to have to read the next book very soon.

         :') I JUST CAN'T WAIT. But honestly, what a beautiful book.

         

          My favourite quotes:

    

          "The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realized she was home." 

          "The moonlight and the garden and the garden glow from the ballroom blurred together, now miles away. "We'll never be a normal boy and girl, will we?" she managed to say. "No," he breathed, eyes blazing. "We won't." (p. 134)

            "Is that... chocolate cake?" "I thought you might need some." "Need, not want? A ghost of a smile was on her lips, and he almost sagged in relief as he said, "For you, I'd say that chocolate cake is most definitely a need." (p. 173)

             "He will kill you, Celaena." He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "He'll kill you, and make me do it as punishment for being your friend." That was the terror that he grappled with--the fear that plagued him, the thing that had kept him on this side of the line for so long." (p. 186)

              "I would be the greatest fool in the world to let you go alone." And then there were tears rolling down her face, and her mouth became a thin, wobbling line. He pulled back, but didn't let her go. "Why are you crying?" "Because," she whispered, her voice shaking, "you remind me of how the world ought to be. What the world can be." (p. 187)

             "The kiss obliterated her. It was like coming home or being born or suddenly finding an entire half of herself that had been missing. His lips were hot and soft against hers--still tentative, and after a moment, he pulled back far enough to look into her eyes. She trembled with the need to touch him everywhere at once, to feel him touching her everywhere at once. He would give up everything to go with her. She twined her arms around his neck, her mouth meeting his in a second kiss that knocked the world out from under her." (p. 188)

             "But he couldn't help imagining it--the glimmer of the future and how it would be to forge a life together, to call her his wife, to hear her call him husband, to raise a brood of children who probably be far too clever and talented for their own good (and for Chaol's sanity). (p. 212)

             "What does that mean?" he demanded. She smiled sadly. "You'll figure it out. And when you do..." She shook her head, knowing she wouldn't say it, but doing it anyway."When you do, I want you to remember that it wouldn't have made any difference to me. It's never made any difference to me when it came to you. I'd still pick you. I'll always pick you." (p. 413)