Thankful Reads Day 3: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Page Count: 626
Format Read: Hardcover
Genre: New Adult Fantasy
Keywords: Depression, Love, War
Kid Appropriate: Teens and older

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Why I'm thankful:

It is no secret that I absolutely adore Sarah J. Maas' books. They are filled with snarky characters, beautiful worlds, romance, adventure, magic, and Fae. The perfect combination of my favorite fantasy elements.

Now this book is possibly my favorite I have ever read from her. I remember being absolutely blown away by it, the twists that she wove into the book before and expertly revealed here or the growth of vague, two dimensional characters into full fleshed beings. It is a beautiful book and almost everyone I know that was not a huge fan of its predecessor, A Court of Thrones and Roses, loved this book.

Now, if you don't want any spoilers do not read further.

While anyone that has read this book will probably remember quite vividly the immense amount of smut that filled this tome, it was something other than this that struck me as important and I am glad to have read as a young adult. Many books in the young adult genre tend to focus on the power of first love. Many heroines meet their one true love and that is that. There is no other great love. There is little dating or learning about what is and is not acceptable in a relationship. Feyre breaks this message by realizing that the boy she 'dated' in her home village was absolutely not for her (never fooling herself into believing she loved him), then she falls for Tamlin.

Tamlin loves her, that is clear. However, it is the fact that she falls out of love with him and realizes that his controlling behavior is not right or healthy for her that really struck me. The message is that you do not owe anyone a place in your life. By moving on and finding happiness eventually with Rhys she sends the message that the end of a first relationship is not the end of the world and that you deserve happiness regardless of your past relationships.

I wish this was a more common theme in books for younger readers. Reading this as a teen/early 20-something was important for me, teaching me how to handle life as I continue to grow up. We learn even when we read fiction. This one teaches us it’s okay to be wrong.