"A Court of Silver Flames"

Fae magic, Rocky-like training sequences, battles with addiction, and SMUT all rolled into one. I loved every second.

Summary:

Everyone has seemed to move on from the war with Hybern, everyone except Feyre's oldest and coldest sister. Plagued by her memories and the horrible power lurking beneath her skin, Nesta has spent the last several months drowning herself in liquor and lust. Cassian is tasked with teaching her how to control herself and her emotions. And with the human queens and an ancient force stirring across the sea, Nesta will need to train herself into a warrior and find three magical objects, the Dread Trove, if she's to save the world that Cassian is bringing her back to.

Verdict: 8/10

This installment was the first book not centered around Feyre and Rhys. I think Frost and Starlight balanced perspectives better, labeling each chapter with the character whose viewpoint the reader was seeing. This 'bouncing around' omnipresence that shifts in between every sentence hurt my head at first. Eventually I adjusted and got further into the story.

While I don't quite buy into the hype of this couple as much as I did their High Lord and Lady, I loved Nesta's emotional journey and Cassian's support of her. This story had so much heart to it! Besides her already icy demeanor and tendency to push people away and avoid vulnerability, Nesta has to face herself (her addictions, her past, her power) and learn to let others in. Her mindset was so beautifully raw, like the author had really been through all this mental growth personally.

Nesta's empowering transformation also affected other characters dealing with their own traumas. We got more introductions to new characters in this book, to be expected when we're moving from Feyre's world into Nesta's. The training sequences were inspiring (even though all I did was continue to lay on a couch reading). And the battle sequences, particularly in the last 100 pages thrilled me more than Feyre's trials in Thorns and Roses.

This book was also the steamiest of the series. NOT FOR YOUNG READERS! The other books have had a handful of spicy scenes but this book was straight-up sexual from the start. Not necessarily complaining about that though... and Maas still added enough plot and again character development, that is wasn't simply SMUT.

But my criticism of the third book still stands, (SPOILER ALERT) no one ever actually dies! Any character in peril is quickly rescued and death is magically averted. It's a tiresome trend. Have the guts to make your characters stay dead! Also I got major Twilight: Breaking Dawn vibes from Feyre and Rhys (if you know, you know).

All in all, Silver Flames featured greater insights into the characters and expanded the world well. The villains didn't seem as threatening as Hybern did, but there's still enough intrigue to keep me going. And the romances cut right to the core every time. Keep them coming, Maas.