Queen of Shadows

Throne of Glass series is another win for Sarah J Maas! Can’t wait to get started on the next book!

The rich detailed story held me captive. I love how this author makes me see, hear, smell, hear, and taste everything.

Fast paced, thrilling, heart warming, I literally shed tears, can't wait to hear what happens next! I loved how everything started to come together

This book is by far one of the best books in the collection and I’m obsessed. Can’t wait for the rest!

Each book in this series surprised me and left me so anxious to get to the next chapter to see what was going to happen.

I read the whole book in less than a week. Loved everything, the different storylines and character development, the unexpected twists in every few chapters. Really smart, couldn’t put it down

Just love the adventure and friendships , as well as the romance in this book. Sarah Maas has think ability to help me escape into a land beyond and make me feel like I am part of the adventure.

This story had come sooooo far. I love the addition of new characters, and how Ms.sarah J Maas takes her timeeee bby. The character development of everyone is just remarkable and realistic. Aelins court makes me remember how pure and powerful love is. Not jut romantic love, but friendship as a foundation for everything. You know im already onto the next one, but gosh I ad to leave a review for this masterpiece. I LOVE YOU SARAH thank you for bringing forth these worlds and characters from the depths of your soul. I have never found so much pleasure in reading before your books.

Whiplash. I feel as though I have whiplash. I don’t know if it’s emotional or information overload. Likely both. This series has been really tough for me to get into but has exponentially improved between HOF and this book. At some point during this book my opinions of certain characters shifted drastically as well and I can’t even tell you when it happened. But by the end of the book I was pleased overall. On to book 6! (Or 5 if you don’t count Assassin’s Blade as book 3).

I read this a while back and honestly it's the one that really pulled me deeper into the series. Aelin finally feels like she's owning her role, the whole tone of the book shifts in a good way. There's more strategy, more weight to her choices, and I actually liked her a lot more here than in previous books.Also, I didn't expect to care so much about Manon and the witches, but that storyline totally grew on me. Her character arc is one of the best surprises in the series. There were a couple parts in the middle where I got a little lost or felt like it slowed down, but by the last quarter I couldn't stop reading.Overall, this one made me want to keep going with the series. Definitely not a filler book-it actually felt like a big turning point.

Some books entertain. Some engage. Queen of Shadows consumes. This fourth installment in Throne of Glass isn’t just a turning point—it’s a blazing rebirth. Aelin Galathynius returns to Rifthold not as Celaena the assassin, but as a queen reclaiming her city, her past, and her power.From daring rescues to magical battles, the plot moves with relentless precision. Every choice feels earned, every confrontation crackles with emotional weight. Aelin’s arc is no longer about survival—it’s about sovereignty. She doesn’t shed her past; she fuses it into the foundation of who she becomes.The women in this book own the narrative. Lysandra’s transformation is both literal and revolutionary. Manon begins to question everything she was raised to believe. Kaltain seizes back her agency in one of the most unforgettable acts of defiance in the series. Each of them rises—not unscathed, but unbroken.Aelin and Rowan’s romance burns slow and steady, grounded in respect and recognition. But just as powerful are the bonds of sisterhood, loyalty, and redemption woven throughout the story—especially between Aelin and Lysandra, and between broken, struggling friends like Dorian and Chaol.Queen of Shadows doesn’t shy away from the cost of power or the complexity of healing. Aelin is sharp, strategic, and deeply human. Her strength lies in her contradictions—and her ability to rise from ruin without forgetting it.This is where Throne of Glass comes fully into its own: epic in scope, intimate in emotion, and unflinching in its honesty. The fire doesn’t just destroy—it forges.Rating: ★★★★¾For the women who rose. For the names reclaimed. For the fire that cleansed instead of consuming.

I thought that Book Three of this series kept me on the edge of my seat! Man, oh man, is Book Four a great follow up to that series. It is a hefty book, I won’t lie. It has over six hundred and fifty pages, but you won’t regret a single page.I promise.In this book, we see Celaena finally being replaced by Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. Oh, don’t be disappointed, Celaena makes a few surprise appearances as her assassin skills are still needed from time to time. Aelin though… Aelin has to think of Chess moves five in advance to stay ahead of the trials and tribulations coming her way.Aelin will call upon her alter identity, Celaena, whenever she needs to keep the fact that she truly is the rightful Queen of Terrasen. Celaena is her ruthless side that does whatever it takes to get the job done. Aelin is the constant thinker and organizer of the two women. They both are extremely capable women who are unafraid to do what it takes to get things done. Aelin just uses a bit more class and subtlety to accomplish her goals. Aelin has grown a lot over these past four books. She is no longer that child who is afraid of her natural magic. Not that she could use it at the present time since the King has obviously done something to make sure that magic wielders were unable to reach their powers. What did he do? You will have to read on to find out.I love the little tidbits that come out regarding Aelin’s past. They show how much she has grown and just how far she has yet to go. There are so many vital people in this book that you might think it impossible to keep track of them all. All I can say is make sure you pay attention to the smallest of details. They are important in their own way.We get to reflect upon Celaena’s relationship with her old Assassin Master, Arobynn Hamel. If there is a bastard in this book, he could rightfully own that title. He is a character we all love to hate. We learn more about their history as well as get to see how they both interact with one another. Does he love her, or does he only want to own her… or both? Will he betray her yet again, or will he prove himself useful during this leg of her journey?Along with Arobynn, we still have Aelin’s relationship with Chaol to contend with. He is so hardheaded. There were times I genuinely wanted to shake him by his shoulders and tell him to be a man, talk to Celaena, and stop being so stubborn! Did he ever listen to me? No, he didn’t. The author did a fabulous job showing the internal struggles Chaol endures every step of the way. She kept him realistic while still making him enduring to her readers. Some hard decisions will have to be made for not only Chaol, but their relationship status.We see parts where Nehemia, her best friend, comes into play once again. I won’t elaborate too much on this situation because I don’t want to give away any spoilers.Prince Dorian is still very much involved with this book. He has some upcoming trials and tribulations that are going to make his life extremely difficult. Will he be able to remember the friends that stood by him through thick and thin? We shall have to see, won’t we?Aedion, her faithful cousin who has been searching for her for the past ten years. So much was promised to him yet now his future is filled with tons of questions. Which side will he fall on when the dust settles?Rowan Whitethorn, Prince of Faes. He will test Aelin in ways she didn’t think were possible. He will push her to her outer limits all in the name of teaching her how to harness and use her magic efficiently. He gives no quarter while constantly questioning everything Aelin does. Will he break her or eventually get her to see through her stubbornness and pride? He pushes her endlessly to the brink of exhaustion. Will she forgive him for all of his ruthless taunts and comments? Will they ever learn to trust one another in this battle of wills?Manon Blackbeak, apparent heir to the Ironteeth witches. What will her destiny be? How effective will she and her thirteen witches be as Manon fights to become Wing Leader? Will Manon continue to blindly follow her grandmother’s orders, or will she start questioning everything she has ever known? I will tell you that Aelin and Manon have a chance meeting that will leave you breathless. Pay attention to this encounter. It sets the table for more interesting things to come in the future.There are so many other vital characters that you are going to encounter: Lorcan, Elide, Lysandra, Evangeline, Fenrys, Gavriel, the King of the Vlags, and so many more. I could spend all day giving a tidbit of information for each one of these amazing characters, but then my review would be enormously long.I would be lying if I didn’t admit that my heart gets torn out with this installment in the series. Sarah J. Maas is an incredible author who shows no mercy with her characters. I love it when writers do this. I get tired of the predictable stand...

I.Am.Not.Okay 😭😭 QoS was so good. So so good!! The storytelling, the action, the love, the build-up, the betrayal, the loss, the connections...just so good!What can I say without spoilers? 🤔Aelin/Celaena is a baddie. Plain and simple! At such a young age, she's gone through so much loss, love, and betrayal, yet is still so loyal and has such a big heart! I am so excited to see what the Queen, alongside her court, will do next!Rowan *sigh* What a dream, what a dream! I love me some Rowan. Buuuut...the age gap is a bit much, right? Anyone else? No? Okay cool lol I really appreciated his loyalty to Aelin and his promise to her. His overbearing ways were comical at times. What was with the unspoken convis between them, though?! I hope there are answers down the line.Aedion...another hunk! I love him! His protectiveness, loyalty, swagger, but also humbleness. I think he and a certain ghost leopard may have a thing later on, and I'm all for it!Lysandra...maaaaan how I could NOT stand her and really hoped Aelin would rid the world of her. But dang her for turning it around and proving to be a baddie in her own right! I can't wait to see what role she plays also.Chaol, Dorian, Nesryn, Monan and her 13, Elide, and so many others that were introduced or continued throughout this book from the previous one(s), I have so many questions about what is going to happen with them. What will their roles be in the pending war? Who will be allies and who will be enemies? I can't wait!I HIGHLY recommend this book! Onto the next 🫠

Aelin Galathynius, previously known as Celaena Sardothian, has returned to Rifthold to confront her old master and save her cousin, Aedian, from the clutches of the evil king and a death sentence.That's about all I can summarize without spoiling anything.And because I'm probably not the best at not spoiling things, if you haven't read Crown of Midnight yet, you probably shouldn't read this. Just fyi.It's been a week or so since I finished this and I am still struggling for the words to say. All I can really do without giving too much away is gush about this series. I flippin' love these books. I cannot believe that I waited so long to start Throne of Glass but I'm honestly glad because it allowed me to read the first four books one after the other (with a week or two between depending on when I got the next book). I think if I had started Throne of Glass when it first came out I would have probably lost interest from the year long wait before the next book came out. This way I was able to get a huge portion of the story. Now I only have to wait six months before 'Empire of Storms' comes out and that is going to kill me. And a year or so after that for the final book!Let's talk a little about the characters.- We have all our lovely favorites from the first book; Celaena/Aelin, CHAOL (I think it's mandatory to put his name in CAPS because CHAOL), and Prince Dorian.- Then we have Rowan and Aedian from Heir of Fire, as well as Manon and her Thirteen. I'll admit that I wasn't a huge fan of Rowan in the beginning but he has grown on me. And Manon? I have a wicked lady crush on Manon. I know, it's weird. I've seen nothing but hate for Manon but I loved her chapters in Heir of Fire and couldn't wait for the next. She totally appeals to my dark side. She's like Harry Potter's 'Snape'. Evil but still redeemable. (I'm not sure if that's a good comparison but I'm going with it.)- And then we have a few new and very important characters: Arobynn (we've at least heard of him in previous books), Lysandra, and Nesryn Faliq. We were in need of a couple more badass female characters and we got them. Oh, and Elide. I didn't like her character much but am eager to see what happens with her in the next book.'Crown of Midnight' is my favorite in this series so far but 'Queen of Shadows' is a close second despite there being a few things that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.- I thought that Rowan was a bit disappointing in this book. He went from being this badass warrior fae prince to basically just a love interest drooling over Aelin. I swear he took more hits and got hurt more than anyone in this book (well, excepting one person but I'm not going to spoil anything too much). He seemed like such a weakling towards the end of the book and that bothered me. I guess it's easier to deal with that since he pretty much heals any wound super quickly, but still.- I felt like most interactions with Chaol were just a subtle way to come to some sort of closure between him and Aelin so he is no longer needed in future books. BUT CHAOL! I know. We all love him and it's hard to deal with that. [CROWN OF MIDNIGHT SPOILERS!!! READ AT OWN RISK!!!] I knew that Aelin wouldn't be able to look at him the same no matter what after their big 'break up' and he isn't truly gone but I can see how he could possibly be just a passing mention in future books and that is hard to deal with. While Nesryn Faliq seems like a pretty cool character, she is obviously just there for Chaol's character development.- Another small problem I had with QOS was with Manon. She has quickly become my favorite in this series but when I started reading about her in HOF, I was thinking, "Hurray! We get a badass VILLAIN and get to read from her perspective for once! Woohoo!" We still get that, but on a much less evil scale. We're not really reading from the villain's point of view now. Just another supporting character.- And the king? Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Why give us someone to hate for FOUR books and then take that away?! Why, Sarah?! Are we supposed to just magically pull some hatred out of thin air for someone new-ish this close to the end of the series?!And because that's actually a lot of things to dislike about this book, I feel like I need to list some of the things that I loved about it now.- Agree to disagree if you must, but all that tension between Aelin and Rowan was kind of hot. Some of it was cheesy but there's definitely something building there.- Hints at Lysandra and Aedian becoming a thing. Or a tease thing. Whatever. I ship it.- That Manon and Aelin showdown! I think that was my favorite part of Queen of Shadows.- Lysandra being a total badass babe! Can't really give details on that...- Kaltain (I hope I'm spelling that correctly...). We all hated you in Throne of Glass but I want to hold you like the precious little wicked thing that you are.- That's probably enough. I don't want to give anything away!Overall, while there are a few things to dislike about this book (...

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!I can’t possibly think of ONE reason of why it took me SO FREAKING LONG to read this series. What the hell was I thinking? If you have someone in your life that has recommended the Throne of Glass series, YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO THEM. If not, here I am, telling you to READ IT NOW. You won’t regret it, trust me.Note: this is the fourth book of the series, so if you haven’t read the previous books, maybe you should skip this one out. I’ll do my best to keep this review spoiler free, but it might give some stuff away from the first 3 books.My god, this book was AMAZING. Sarah J. Mass managed to make me love these characters even more than I thought was possible. In this book we have our main girl back in town, only she’s no longer Celaena Sardothien. She’s an assasin, a warrior, a queen. She’s fire, she’s strength, and now she’s come back to take back what’s hers, what was taken away from her ten years ago. She’s come back to fight those who wronged her, her family and her people. With the help of her friends and allies, she must face the face of evil. Although, that face might not be what she expected.We have blood everywhere, deceitful bastards, vengeful warriors and consuming darkness. We also have passionate love, eternal hope and a lot more blood. All these things made the story such an interesting one.By now, I’ve gotten the chance to know Aelin so much more. After you understand her story, you get to see that yes, in fact, there was something off with her in the first two books, like something was missing. She keeps being the sassy badass we’ve known, but in this book, she’s no longer that selfish child we saw before. God. The girl in this book is no longer a girl, she’s a strong woman who will fight with nails and teeth and fire. No holding back. To whatever end. She’s become one of those characters you end up admiring, because you know that everything she does, it’s done for a reason. There are no coincidences here.“She was fire, and light, and ash, and embers. She was Aelin Fireheart, and she bowed for no one and nothing, save the crown that was hers by blood and survival and triumph.”Now. I mentioned Rowan on my review of Heir of Fire, but do you guys really know how deep my love goes for him? I mean, if you’ve read the books, you probably do, because seriously… How could you not fall deeply, madly in love with him? The fierceness of his feelings and the depth of his knowledge. I just can’t talk about him without sighing. I missed Rowan. I missed his sincerity, his strength. The loyalty he’s shown to his queen is just beyond what I expected. There’s so much respect and so much love and so much of everything. He’s part of the reason our queen has grown so much and you can’t not love him for that.“I spent centuries wandering the world, from empires to kingdoms to wastelands, never settling, never stopping—not for one moment. I was always looking toward the horizon, always wondering what waited across the next ocean, over the next mountain. But I think … I think that whole time, all those centuries, I was just looking for you.”Then there’s Dorian. Jesus Christ. I want to hold him and hug him and never let him go. I’ve always loved Dorian. I see the goodness in him and his heart. He’s the king Adarlan needs. He’s incorruptible. He’s loyal. He’s dedicated. But beyond all that, he’s pure, raw kindness. And he’s had to see evil first hand and my heart just ached for him. But I love this character so, so much. He represents weakness and strength, evil and good, despair and hope and somehow, he manages to inspire good.“They joined hands.So the world ended.And the next one began.”Then we have Aedion and Lyssandra. These two are incredible. Aedion with his need to protect his queen, his sassiness, and his bravery. I love everything about him. The love he has for Aelin is something beyond this world, and I admire everything he’s willing to do to get her home, to give her what was taken away from her, even though he knows she can get it herself. He knows what Aelin is capable of and I understand his need to protect her. Then there’s Lyssandra. She was such a nice surprise. I wasn’t expecting to find in her a loyal friend.We do have a couple of new characters and returning characters and with them, we get new points of view. In the previous book I felt them a bit off and I dare call them a bit boring because I was so invested in the main characters, but now… Everything has changed. These new characters have been growing and giving something new to the story, something that I wasn’t aware was missing until I finished the book, now I find myself wondering about them and what’s going to happen to them.This book was perfectly written. I’ll say it again, I don’t know why it took me this long to read this series. I’m 100% in love with the characters and their stories. Each give something completely unique to the story and make it all the more interesting. As if that was even possible. I am incredibly ...

QUEEN OF SHADOWS was just utter, utter perfection for me. I was a bit of a late-comer to the Sarah J. Maas fandom having just started the Throne of Glass series last year (I binge read the first three books right as HEIR OF FIRE came out) and I absolutely fell in love. Even though it’s been a year since I’ve been immersed in this world, picking up QUEEN OF SHADOWS just felt so comfortable and I easily fell back into all of the magic that this series has to offer. It’s hard to review the 4th book in a major series without giving plot points away so I’m going to stay off of plot (for the most part) and try to talk about more about specific elements of the book that I enjoyed as well as how the book seems to be standing up to criticisms (yes, people have them and I don’t understand them).One thing that I’m always incredibly impressed with is Sarah’s ability to really make this series one long story. Even though it’s broken up into six books, each novel relates back to another in the series and I’m always so impressed with not only how they tie in to one another but also how they are constantly connected right from the beginning and we only get to find out those connections as we dive further into the series.I also really just love how this book feels like “coming home”. Reading QUEEN OF SHADOWS gave me that feeling of “Yes, I love this world. I know this world. This is where my heart belongs” and I feel that each time I read the next book in the series. Sarah J. Maas does a fantastic job of making these books come alive in every possible way. The settings and world building are incredible and I really do feel like I’m experiencing the novel as I’m reading it — I’m fully immersed. The characters and their personalities really just come to life and I feel like I’ve really come to know these people and places.I’m constantly impressed with the character growth throughout this series as well. If you look at Celaena/Aelin from THE ASSASSIN’S BLADE or THRONE OF GLASS and Aelin in QUEEN OF SHADOWS, she’s a totally different person and I love seeing how much she’s grown throughout the course of these books. She went from arrogant teenager into blossoming queen and it’s been amazing to witness that slow and subtle transition. She’s really grown so much and she’s starting to own this queen-business and I am 100% behind her!I was actually surprised that character growth seemed to be a negative thing in some reviews… I did a rather silly thing and read some one and two star reviews because I couldn’t fathom why people were so put off by the this book when I felt so in love with it and some people said that Aelin was totally different and where is old Celaena. But… YES! Of course she’s different! If the whole series had been about arrogant and cocky Celaena, I wouldn’t have liked it. There would have been no character growth at all. She’s been growing and changing this whole time and I think most of that happened in HEIR OF FIRE so I was kind of shocked that this — what I felt was slight — change in demeanor was so surprising and so many people were taken aback. I think Aelin has been growing up this whole series and I’ve been so impressed with the changes she’s made! I think she still has the same personality but because of her goals, because of what she’s been through, and because of what she’s learned, she’s changing from a girl into a young woman and handling herself differently. You can’t be a spoiled and arrogant queen.The way the romantic feelings have evolved and changed have also been handled extremely well. Personally, I was never a Chaol/Celaena shipper. I would have been happy if they ended up together (hey, they still might — series isn’t over yet) but I was never fully invested in it for some reason. Things really start to change in QUEEN OF SHADOWS and as these characters grow, they start to explore their true romantic feelings and pulls even more and in some cases, they’re not quite what they used to be. It sort of felt like growing out of your old high school crush or boyfriend — what you had in common when you were younger may no longer be applicable and as people grow, they tend to change and refocus their goals, what’s important in life, and who a perfect match for them might be. I felt like that’s what happened with Aelin and Chaol. Maybe Celaena and Chaol would have worked well together but I don’t think Aelin and Chaol are meant to be. They’ve both been through a lot throughout the course of this series and their end goal is still the same but their paths may not be quite identical anymore. I think both characters started to realize this, especially in QUEEN OF SHADOWS.Of course, the story itself was just amazing. QUEEN OF SHADOWS was a hefty book at over 650 pages and there was so much that happened… and none of it ever felt unnecessary. I never tired while reading QUEEN OF SHADOWS and wished I could stay within these pages long after the book ended. I was constantly captivated and didn’t want to ...

I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this book is. I'm sure you've heard this by now, but it truly is. At first, I was a little worried because this is a whopper of a book, coming in at 656 pages. I was very concerned that the book might drag, or...and I would hate to say it...be boring. But I had nothing to fear, as this was 656 pages of thrills, adventure, pain, love, and growth. Sarah J. Maas has delivered yet another astonishing novel that you will want to get your hands on as soon as possible. Every single scene blew me away, and I relished every word on the page. Sarah J. Maas has such a unique talent, a talent that allows the reader to become so immersed in the world that she has created that it feels that they are part of the book. I feel like these characters that I have read about over the past 3 books and collection of novellas, have become part of my life. Their heartbreaks are my heartbreaks, and their joys are my joys. Quite simple, every time I pick up a book in this series, I feel like I'm coming home. And very few authors are able to achieve this.Celaena is gone, and Aelin has finally accepted her past and her role in becoming a leader and a Queen. While she is the same, she is different, and this is a very important thing to note. Even though she is no longer the "assassin," she still has no problem killing or getting rid of those in her way. Aelin is not as ruthless as Celaena was, but still a badass woman that takes no prisoners. She is out for revenge, and no one will prevent her from doing just that. The one thing that was absolutely fascinating for me while reading this book was to reflect on just how far Aelin has come in this series. The amount of character development for her is quite simply something of beauty and something to admire. In some ways, you actually feel like you aren't reading about the same person anymore because she is so different and has come so far since the first novel. She fully embraces her role as Queen of Terrasen, but she remembers and respects her past and those who have played a role in getting her to where she is today. Many people have shaped Aelin into the person she is now, and while they might not all have been the best of influences, they have all made her into a strong leader that is willing to fight until her very last breath for her people.The other aspect of this book that I absolutely loved was how much of her past came back into the spotlight. Not just things she did in the past, but also the people. Arobynn Hamel is a very prevalent character in this novel, and I loved every scene between Aelin and him. He has played a major role in shaping her into the fierce warrior she is now, and I can see why Celaena loved him in her own way.I was very interested to see where Sarah J. Maas would take Aelin and Chaol's relationship. Let's just say I went through a couple of stages of anger, disbelief, and then fury when Chaol came onto the scene. Not because of how Sarah J. Maas wrote it (in fact I thought it was so realistic and the perfect way to go about their relationship), but because of Chaol acted. I knew that he wouldn't be happy, but by God Chaol, man up a bit! I seriously wanted to smack him for a good majority of this book, and kept wanting to tell him to get over himself. However, this being said, I understood why he acted the way he did. I admire his dedication to Dorian, and I can't blame Chaol for wanting to try every possible way before doing the worst thing he could ever imagine. Have no fear though, he and Aelin finally come together, and make amends. I think that both of them are in a better place now in terms of their relationship, and fully understand each other. They have a loyalty and bond to each other that is hard to break.Dorian, my beloved Dorian, goes through so much in this book. I can't say too much on him because I don't want to spoil anything in regards to his character. However, I will say this...Sarah J. Maas did an excellent job with his character, and set his story up very well for the next book in this series. Dorian is going to be facing some major struggles in the fifth book in this series, but with Chaol and Aelin at his side, he'll be able to conquer anything that comes his way.And finally there is Rowan. Let me just tell you, I was extremely excited when I heard that Rowan was getting his own POV in this book. I think his perspective was crucial to the story, and it let us in on how his head works. I love him even more after this book, and from the very moment he enters this book, your love for him just escalates. There are some truly breathtaking and beautiful scenes between him and Aelin and they brought a tear to my eyes sometimes. The protectiveness that both Rowan and Aelin have for each other is yet another admirable aspect of this book, and they have quite the development towards the end of this book. I'll just let your imagination run wild with the possibilities ;)While I wasn't the biggest fan of...