About a year ago, I read A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, and if you haven’t read that one or my review of it yet, I recommend starting with my previous review [here] to avoid any spoilers, because today I’m talking about its sequel, A Court of Mist and Fury.

First of all, I’ve made a point of going into this series as blind as possible (literally knowing only that it’s an immensely popular fantasy series, with new installments continuing to generate excitement). I intend to go into each of these books as spoiler-free as I possibly can.

That being said, considering where the first book ended, I never would’ve expected we’d end up… here.

The first book seems to end on a very happy note, with all its loose ends tied up neatly with a ribbon, and I was left wondering how that was going to lead into an entire series. With the way the second book opens, Maas answers that question by completely obliterating Feyre’s seemingly perfect relationship with Tamlin, showing how differently the two have been affected by the trauma of their time Under the Mountain in ACOTAR.

While Feyre suffers from night terrors stemming from her guilt over the things she had to do not only to survive but also to save all of Prythian, Tamlin turns into an absolute control freak who refuses to let her out of his sight unchaperoned, essentially stripping her of her independence entirely. Their relationship becomes increasingly toxic, and on their wedding day, Feyre finds herself wishing that someone would save her from making what she now realizes is a terrible mistake. And in comes Rhysand.

Before the ceremony can commence, Rhys invokes the bargain he made with Feyre in the previous book, allowing him to take her away to the Night Court for one week each month. Just like that, she’s freed from the burden of getting married that day. Feyre still resents him for keeping her from the Spring Court, but she soon begins to discover that his reasons for intervening might be more benevolent than she initially believed.

Meanwhile, tensions are rising throughout Prythian as it becomes increasingly apparent that the King of Hybern is preparing for an invasion. Now it’s up to Feyre, Rhys, and the other high-ranking members of the Night Court to protect Prythian from the growing threat.

Ultimately, I liked this book a lot better than the first one. Feyre’s love story with Tamlin in the first book was mushy and almost “too good to be true” (on the outside, at least) by comparison. In this installment, she truly reclaims her sense of self and discovers freedom through her newfound powers. It’s a story that demonstrates how the damsel in distress doesn’t necessarily need someone else to save her; sometimes, she can save herself.

I have the full series in paperback, and I initially started reading this one that way, too. However, I discovered that Spotify Premium also offers a dramatized audiobook with a full cast, and it was absolutely worth listening to! The accompanying soundtrack was fantastic for setting the atmosphere, and the production made it much easier to get through the entire book while multitasking with everything else I’ve been working on this week. (I’m 31 weeks pregnant now, so there’s been a LOT to get done!)

I already can’t wait to dive into the next book because, without spoiling the plot, this one leaves some pretty big questions unanswered. This series almost gives me Baldur’s Gate 3 vibes, so if you’re into action-packed fantasy, I’d definitely recommend giving it a shot!