Settled into our rhythm in Florida, I was ready to read a lot more in February than I did in January… and I did! In page count… but not book count *shrug*. It’s okay.
February was also the month that I spent a full week in Vienna for work, with not much down time for reading. That being said, I did finish the Throne of Glass series in February (carrying two of the books in my suitcase), and loved every page of it.
For anyone who has not read Throne of Glass yet, read this recap at your own risk! I’ve tried to be as vague as possible to prevent spoilers, but ya never know: my non-spoiler details could be too much information for you. You’ve been warned 😉
February Reading by the Numbers
In February, I read:
- Seven books
- 4,222 pages
- On 26 of 28 days
February Reads: Ratings Summary
A ratings explainer: While I do have a Goodreads profile and adhere to their rating system on that platform, I prefer a different method in my reading log: one, two, or three stars, and a yes or no on whether I think it'd be worth someone else's time to read. I don't rate memoirs or autobiographies, but will note my recommendation for them.
This month, I rated:
- Two stars: 2 books
- Three stars: 5 books
And would recommend all seven books!
With that, let’s get to the reviews.
February Reading Reviews
Since all but one book this month was part of the Throne of Glass series, these reviews will probably be a bit shorter than January’s to avoid any plot spoilers.
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 418
Format: Hardback
Genre: Fantasy
Dates read: January 31 – February 2
My rating: 2 stars, would recommend
With the trials of book one behind her, Celaena Sardothien is still a servant to the crown. Crown of Midnight begins to unravel the mysteries of Adarlan, and the secrets that are picking at the edges of the crown’s control.
It’s funny that this is the third book, if including the novellas, and yet it feels like the story is just starting. The action-filled storylines of Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight feel like prequels themselves when you reach the end of this book.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Pages: 295
Format: Paperback
Genre: Dystopian fiction
Dates read: February 2 – 3
My rating: 2 stars, would recommend
The Handmaid’s Tale is a familiar story for anyone who had to read it in school or has seen the show… I was not one of those people. It follows Offred through her training and duty as a Handmaid under the new totalitarian government of Gilead. As a Handmaid, she is responsible for bearing children to a Gileadean commander.
While the story is a critical read, I didn’t think its power to draw one in matched the gravity of the story. I don’t feel compelled to reread the book for annotation, and I’m not sure I’ll read the sequel.
Of the story itself: It is interesting to me that the sweep of power was so complete and immediate at the beginning of the novel, and that there were some who bought in to the programmatic domination of women’s lives. It raises the question: would that be the case if a societal coup were to happen in reality? Or would enough sane and rational people step up to oppose by any means necessary? Would it even be possible with modern technology? (Maybe, if the government upped their tech game.)
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 562
Format: Hardback
Genre: Fantasy
Dates read: February 4, 6 – 8, 10
My rating: 3 stars, would recommend
The final events of Crown of Midnight send Celaena south to Wendlyn, a territory removed from the reaches of Adarlan — and one that retained its magic.
I read Heir of Fire while in Vienna — the only time I’ve read consistently while traveling for work. I couldn’t put it down. Without giving too much away: In this book, we finally begin to uncover who Celaena is and what she is capable of. On her journey south we meet a host of new characters and watch Celaena face truths that she’s ignored for most of her life.
Heir of Fire also introduces us to the witch Manon, and the witches’ involvement with the King of Adarlan. And, we keep in touch with Chaol and Dorian as the evils in Rifthold continue to develop.
One thing I liked most about this book was the steps backward (and eventually forward) that Celaena’s character must take in order to make it through the challenges at this point in the story.
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 645
Format: Hardback
Genre: Fantasy
Dates read: February 10 – 16
My rating: 3 stars, would recommend
How many more ways can I say that the story continues? (Hopefully three, because this is the midpoint of the series). In Queen of Shadows, Aelin returns to Adarlan with new friends and a plan. She has finally embraced her history and identity, but now must find a way to live without the skills she developed in Wendlyn. She also must navigate the changes that occurred while she was away — including a certain ally’s removal from the castle.
This book took me some time — I think Manon’s story felt a bit slow, as did Aelin’s. (Maybe not. I’m a while removed at the time of writing, so this could change upon a reread). That being said, the crew does a lot of digging in Queen of Shadows, and a lot is revealed.
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 689
Format: Hardback
Genre: Fantasy
Dates read: February 17 – 20
My rating: 3 stars, would recommend
Wow, I do not envy those that read this series as it was published. Empire of Storms was a wild ride, only to end on an insane and completely unexpected cliffhanger. Where Queen of Shadows ended with hope, Empire of Storms picks up with an immediate blockade, and the cast is forced to change their plans.
If you didn’t read The Assassin’s Blade before the series, read it before tackling Empire of Storms.
I honestly don’t even know what to say about this book without giving things away. Aelin’s character showed her growth and maturity through this phase of the story. I also thought that Maas created a realistic narrative for the world-saving heroine: namely, she’s tired. She wants to spend time with her love interest. Life is hard. Like, really hard. This was refreshing; all too often, we have heroes and heroines that never stop, never tire, and who aren’t impacted by the gravity of their situation. I liked that Aelin was not impervious to the demands of prophesy.
Empire of Storms is action-packed — which is an adjective that I kind of hate. It’s relentlessly engaging. With so much that happened in this book, it’s impressive that the series still has two more after this. Relationships and characters evolve, motives change, and histories are revealed. We learn more about the forces driving current events. So much comes together in Empire of Storms and so, so much falls apart. (Please just read it already.)
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 660
Format: Hardback
Genre: Fantasy
Dates read: February 21 – 25
My rating: 3 stars, would recommend
Given the cliffhanger in Empire of Storms, I absolutely would have thrown this book across the room if I knew that there was another year+ of waiting for EoS’s resolution. Obviously, luckily, I only had to wait as long as it took to finish this — Chaol’s book.
I really enjoyed Tower of Dawn. I actually preferred Nesryn’s story to Chaol’s, even though I think Maas did a fantastic job narrating Chaol’s recovery and character development. Tower of Dawn was also interesting in its display of a different culture in the TOG world — I almost wish we could have spent more time in Antica. Okay. That’s all on this one.
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 980
Format: Hardback
Genre: Fantasy
Dates read: February 25 – 28
My rating: 3 stars, would recommend
Reading Kingdom of Ash is bittersweet. It’s a massive conclusion, but by the final (few) hundred pages, a certain sense of dread settled over me. Having read all of Throne of Glass in about a month, I felt like a citizen of Erilea at this point, and had a serious book hangover by the end.
Anyway — the actual review. What a book. The conclusion was… good. I almost expected worse outcomes for many of the characters, and was partly relieved, partly disappointed (because let’s be realistic, it probably should have been worse). That’s all I’ll say.
Kingdom of Ash is revelatory and exciting the whole way through. I loved Dorian’s story and evolution in this book. A lot happened. The battle scenes were long, which felt appropriate. I did cry, though not for any of the main characters. Anyway. This conclusion is hefty and does not disappoint. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.