Author: Sarah J. Maas Pages: 406 Overall: 4/5 Setting: 4/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot and Themes: 4/5 Cheers Factor: 4/5 Pairing: The Assassin This is a really fun little drink with a fun little color that is dark and spooky. I also love using skull ice cubes especially for this because it’s so fitting for a teenage assassin. “We each survive in our own way.” Ingredients 1.5 oz of plain vodka (can use vanilla vodka if desired) 1oz Kahlua ½ oz heavy cream A dash of vanilla syrup (if vanilla vodka is used this isn’t needed) 3 dashes of black food coloring Skull ice cubes (molds from amazon) Instructions Combine vodka, kahlua and heavy cream into a glass and stir Add in vanilla syrup and food coloring and stir again Add ice on top Enjoy responsibly Take a Shot: Celaena Sardothien is the greatest assassin in all of Adarlan. That is until she was caught and sentenced to life in a grueling salt mine used as a slave encampment for slave labor. However, one day the Captain of the Royal Guard and the Crown Prince arrive and make her an offer to compete to be the King’s champion and the offer is too good she can’t refuse. However, what happens when she no longer thinks about escaping and starts to care about the potential evil that could be lurking in the castle walls.
“Sometimes the absence of him hit her so hard that she forgot how to breathe.” Setting It can sometimes be very difficult to write a fantasy setting. It can be hard to give enough detail without feeling vague or give too much and lose the reader. That is thankfully not the case with this title. I think a solid foundation is laid for the setting of where our characters are that we know the realm and the country while also leaving infinite possibilities for more to be added in future books. Plots and Themes I love a good fantasy romance series, but this one turns that trope on its head. All the characters are set up to where you feel satisfied at the end of the first novel with no real cliffhangers, but with your interest piqued enough to want to read more of the novels that come after. I also really respect the assassin plot line. It’s unique enough that you are interested, but more importantly it explains how Celeana is able to do all the fantastic things she does. I appreciate that a lot, that it’s not hard to believe the characters to be capable of what they are in the story of the novel. Characters I LOVE OLDER CHARACTERS. I say older, but what I mean is characters closer to my own age. It’s hard to read a book where all the characters are 16 and basically kids. I also love the age differences. I like that Celaena is 18 and Chaol and Dorian are a couple of years older. It feels authentic and real in that most people are not solely surrounded by people their same age after grade school. I also love the depth that each character is given. They are truly much deeper than meets the eye. Overall I really love this book. It has great pacing, good storytelling and really good characters. I also really liked that it motivates you to read the next one and find out what happens next to our band of characters. I also really want to applaud the world building. Fantasy is hard and it’s easy to lose someone, but this title does a good job of keeping you right with it. “We all bear scars, Dorian. Mine just happen to be more visible than most.” Reasons to Raise a Glass: map in the front of the book (we love maps), STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS, believably broken and human characters with amazing depth, FORESHADOWING! Too Strong: I can’t think of anything, but I can’t give it a 5/5 because I just don’t think I want to give it a 5 when there’s 6 other books. Warning spoilers ahead if you click read more. Proceed at your own risk.
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Cheers FactorEach book here at Cheers&Chapters is rated based off of certain categories that are genre specific, however every book will get a Cheers Factor. The Cheers Factor is how much we wanted to raise our glass while reading it. So get your glasses ready and cheers! Archives
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