#aelin is a badass and we are here for it

[leiawritesstories]

Summary: Aelin Galathynius had a hand in just about every illegal dealing in all of Terrasen. Weapons, drugs, organized crime, the black market, blackmail, assassination, coercion, bribery–you name it, she was almost definitely connected to it. The only problem? Nobody could prove it. 

Rowan Whitethorn, fresh out of Terrasen’s elite special forces academy���known only as Doranelle for secrecy–was convinced he could unmask Aelin Galathynius. So convinced, in fact, that he’d managed to obtain special orders from his commander to do just that. The only problem? He had exactly three hundred and sixty-five days. If he couldn’t prove Aelin Galathynius guilty in one year’s time, he’d be booted down to corporal in disgrace. 

Something neither Aelin nor Rowan could have expected, though, was each other. When their paths cross–and oh, their paths will cross–who will come out ahead?

CW: violence, swearing, crime, drugs, death, lots of illegal activities, NSFW

Masterlist

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PROLOGUE: CONCRETE PROOF

Word count: 2.8k

Warnings: swearing, mentions of violence, crime scenes, weapons, drugs, references to homicide

Enjoy!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At precisely eight o’clock a.m. each morning, the polished chrome elevator doors swished open with a ping, and a pair of patent-leather stiletto heels so shiny you could see your reflection in the material clicked with brisk, deadly efficiency across the hardwood flooring of Galathynius, Incorporated. 

Located on the top five floors of one of downtown Orynth’s most prestigious office buildings, the technology company had risen to the top percentile of its field quietly, its success largely thanks to years of hard work by the late Rhoe Galathynius and Evalin Ashryver. Upon their passing, their only daughter–Aelin Ashryver Galathynius–inherited the whole company. 

Less than six months after she took over, Galathynius, Inc. was the uncontested leader of its field, perhaps the head of all the businesses in Orynth, perhaps even in all of Terrasen. Her employees, to a person, were either completely terrified or completely starstruck of her. Aelin took that as a compliment. She’d worked hard to build her image; she wasn’t about to break it for some sniveling intern who couldn’t take a word of criticism. Besides, who ever heard of a crime boss that was all sunshine and rainbows? She had an image to uphold, both professionally and…well, less professionally. 

Better the innocent, unsuspecting employees of Galathynius, Inc. think her an unapproachable CEO than a cold-blooded criminal. 

Galathynius, Inc. was a perfectly legitimate business, despite the foul rumors that claimed it was nothing more than a facade for criminal activity. Aelin snorted every time she read a new theory in the news or the tabloids, each claim somehow more outrageous than the last. In the four years since she’d become CEO, she’d seen them all: nepotism, daddy’s money, buying out the competition, bribery, affairs, selling her body for prestige, and more. She even had a few of the funnier ones tacked to her corkboard, blocky headlines about “GALATHYNIUS CEO CAUGHT AFTER MESSY NIGHT OUT!!!” paired with grainy, badly edited photos that were obviously not her making her laugh each time she saw them. 

Aelin kept her personal office on the top floor, a floor reserved specifically for her and her board of trustees, all of whom were close associates in both businesses. She had a work office on the floor below and used that for all the mundane workday things–endless meetings, strategy sessions, presentations, and the like–but her top-floor office was her personal one. The only people who came to see her there were Elide, Lysandra, Ansel, and anyone she needed to…impress. 

There was a reason that the boss’s office had tile flooring.

As always, Aelin stepped into Galathynius, Inc’s offices at precisely eight o’clock, her five-inch stiletto heels clicking over the hardwood flooring. She was greeted, as usual, with a ripple of “good morning, ma’am” and other similar greetings from her employees, and she offered her usual small nod as she strode to the private elevator at the back of the office, ascending to the second floor for the Monday morning planning meeting. 

“Talk to me,” she commanded, sweeping through the sliding glass doors of the conference room. Elide, the chief of operations, nodded, tipping her head at the director of marketing, who stood up and tapped on her tablet, projecting the quarter’s projections onto the screen. 

“We’re completely on track for this quarter, expected to turn a profit at…” 

Aelin mostly tuned out the woman’s monologue, focusing on the numbers on the screen and the few details she picked out that sounded most important or interesting. “And the Cortland acquisition?” 

“The Cortlands and their attorney will be meeting you tomorrow at eleven to finalize the terms of the merger,” Ansel replied. The redhead was Aelin’s attorney, and a kickass one at that. 

“Excellent.” Aelin stood. “Thank you, everyone.” She strode out, got back into the elevator, and went up to her work office, leaving a trail of huge-eyed employees in her wake. They tended to get that look whenever she passed close by. 

After confirming that her schedule for the day was clear, Aelin picked up her dark brown leather briefcase and walked across the hall into the upper-level meeting room, a much smaller space that was used mostly for random storage. All the better for her to conceal the top-floor access door there. She slipped behind a row of file cabinets, touched a button on the remote hidden in her pocket, and pressed her thumb to the small black screen that slid out of its hiding place in the wall. The screen flashed green, and with a soft mechanical whirr, the hidden door slid open, and Aelin stepped through. At the top of the secret stairs was another thumbprint-locked door, this one opening into a short, well-lit hallway with a single mahogany door at the end. 

The bronze plate on the door simply read Galathynius. One name. One hell of a reputation. 

Dropping her briefcase on one of the cushioned chairs in front of her desk, Aelin dropped into her seat, opened her personal laptop–heavily encrypted, of course–and clicked through a maze of innocuous folders before locating the file she wanted. It took her a minute and a half, but she hadn’t clawed her way to this position by taking risks. She let her cursor hover over the file for a few seconds before clicking it.

Opening <Spicy_Romance_Recommendations.xlsx>

Aelin didn’t often consider herself prideful, but she had to admit, that was one of her most clever moves. Nobody who tried to break into her computer would open a file with that name, primarily because it was public knowledge that Aelin Galathynius was a big fan of smutty romances–the less plot, the better. She knew full well that everyone she worked with would likely rather die than read her indecent thoughts about her favorite romance novels. 

This file, though, was hardly romantic. It contained several encoded lists of Aelin’s most important not-entirely-legal dealings–shipments, targets, and the like. Needless to say, if anyone other than herself or her inner circle ever got their hands on this file, she would probably be completely screwed. Hence the encoding.

Right on cue, Elide’s distinctive knock sounded on the other side of the door. 

Aelin snapped her fingers, disarming the door’s protective protocol. “Come in, Ells.” 

Elide Lochan, who was probably the smartest person Aelin knew, strode into the office, her six-inch-heeled boots making her almost as tall as Aelin naturally was. “Mornin’, boss.” 

“What’s new around town?” 

Elide smirked and took a seat in the comfortable armchair across from Aelin. “Hmm, nothing much. There’s a delivery for Kingsflame today at 14:20, Cortlands are meeting you tomorrow–you knew that–and oh, PD’s after whoever so graciously sprang a certain Mr. Allsbrook from prison the other night.” She raised a perfectly plucked brow at the blonde. “I don’t suppose you have any intel about the prison break, do you?” 

Aelin pressed her left hand flat against her chest. “My dear Miss Lochan, I have absolutely no idea what happened! Who could possibly have had the skills, time, and influence to slip such a criminal as Ren Allsbrook from national prison?” 

“I swear, you could bullshit the gods themselves,” Elide chuckled. “Right, then. He’s safe?” 

“Laying as low as low can get,” Aelin confirmed. “I have my reasons, Ells.” 

“Of course.” Elide swiped across her tablet. “Oh–one more thing.” 

“Yeah?” 

The petite woman’s eyes glittered with dangerous cold. “Do you have room in your schedule for a night meeting–say 20, 2100–at the plant?” 

A serpentine smile that had made innumerable people piss themselves crawled across Aelin’s scarlet-painted lips. “The boss always has room for that.”

~

The siren’s blaring screech jerked Rowan Whitethorn rudely from his deep sleep, and he cursed filthily, swearing at the gods-fucking-damned alarms for going off at this gods-fucking-damned hour of the morning. Night? He couldn’t say. Too damned early. On autopilot, he shoved himself out of bed and into uniform, sliding his handgun into his thigh holster and grabbing his Kevlar vest, then splashed some freezing water on his face to shock him into wakefulness and hurried off to the briefing room. 

A hum of conversation, most of it pocked with muttered curses, filled the large space. 

Rowan dropped into a chair next to his close friend and squad partner, Lorcan Salvaterre. The dark-haired man, who was even taller and grouchier than Rowan, barely spared him half a glance. 

“The hell’s all this?” Rowan asked. 

Lorcan shrugged. “Damned if I know.” He flicked a look around the soldiers close by and leaned closer to Rowan’s ear, lowering his voice. “Rumor is they found another body.” 

Rowan swore. “Same M.O.?”

“Yep. And,” Lorcan shot Rowan a very significant look, “I’ve heard it showed up at the dead guy’s own property. Surrounded by a shitload of–” 

“Attention! Now!” The commander’s order cut off whatever Lorcan had been about to say. 

Two hundred of Terrasen’s deadliest special forces, each soldier highly trained and capable of several thousand ways of killing a person, snapped to attention, facing the front of the room, where the squadron commander stood. His hands were clasped behind his back and his face was tight, a barely noticeable flicker in the corner of his jaw marking how hard he was clenching his teeth. 

“This won’t be long,” Commander Gavriel Ashryver said once the room had come to complete attentive silence. Gav had been Rowan and Lorcan’s captain when they were in training; he could be damn demanding, but he was an excellent leader. He’d been named commander a couple of years ago when the former one died. “As I’m sure most of you know, we’ve found another body.” He grimaced. “More accurately, Orynth PD has found another body. Same M.O. as every other one we’ve discovered in the last year or so.” He pressed a button on the tiny remote in his hand. 

On the projection screen, a series of images flared to life. Rowan’s sharp gaze scanned the photos, picking up all the details of the man who’d been found dead. Red hair, gray eyes, six foot one, a hundred and eighty-seven pounds, lean build, a handful of characteristic scars. Fifty-two years old at time of death. 

“Name’s Arobynn Hamel,” Gav continued. 

No amount of training could have kept down the ripple of shock that raced through the room. 

Arobynn Hamel was a known gangster, drug trafficker, smuggler, and otherwise notorious criminal who’d been evading law enforcement for years, if not decades. The oily bastard had been linked to a rather thick file full of crimes during his lifetime; special forces hadn’t been the only ones trying to get their hands on him. 

Gav allowed the shock to die down, then went on. “His corpse was found at his own warehouse at approximately 0500 this morning. Orynth PD reports they discovered the body surrounded by multiple large containers of cocaine.” He clicked the remote again, bringing up the police images of the crime scene–which was, in one word, brutal.

“Fuck,” Rowan murmured under his breath. 

“According to PD reports, Hamel had been dead for at least three hours when his body was discovered. We’ll have the morgue’s full report by this afternoon, but initial inspection showed bruises, lacerations, lesions, and burn marks on the body, with the fatal wound undoubtedly being the severed jugular veins and carotid arteries.” Gav paused, waiting a moment for the news to settle. “As for the cocaine found with the body, it’s definitely Hamel’s. Identical bags were found on the property when PD swept it, and at least one of the bags by the body bore fingerprints identified as one of Hamel’s close associates, a criminal known as Graves.” 

Why the hell would he have been stupid enough to leave prints? Rowan asked himself, turning over the details in his mind. 

Gav swept his gaze over the room, probably noticing the calculation in Rowan’s face. “As of now, this remains an Orynth PD case. However, the most recent communication with the PD chief confirmed that we may be asked to join if–” 

“Sir!” A soldier burst through the briefing room doors, a small red slip of paper in his hand. “An urgent message from Orynth PD, sir. Pardon the interruption.” 

“Excused.” Gav snatched the paper and read the brief message. “Fuck.” He snapped his attention back to the room. “You’re all dismissed.”

The soldiers streamed out of the briefing room, most of them probably headed back to the barracks to catch another few hours of sleep before the day actually started. Rowan was almost out the door when his itch to say something got the better of him and he stopped, turning back to approach the commander. 

“I said dismissed, Whitethorn,” Gav said when Rowan approached. 

Rowan saluted. “Yes, sir, you did. I have something to suggest though, sir.” 

Gav exhaled sharply. “Speak.” 

“Sir, I believe the murders are connected–”

“We already knew that, soldier.” Gav’s jaw was locked. “Say something useful or I’ll have you on patrol for the next eight hours.” He headed out of the briefing room, stalking towards his office.

Rowan followed. “It’s Galathynius, sir. I know it is. Behind the murders.” 

“Show me some proof,” Gav returned. “I’m not discrediting your theory, soldier. But it’s nothing more than conjecture until you have concrete proof.” 

Rowan scratched the back of his neck. “That’s the problem, sir. I…I don’t have concrete proof.” He raised his hands before Gav could dismiss him. “But I can get proof, I swear. I just need time, sir.” 

Gav raised a brow. “You want me to assign you to this case?” He walked into his office, gesturing for Rowan to follow him.

“I, uh–”

“When we’ve only been asked to be quietly involved?” He closed the door.

Rowan said nothing.

Gav shook his head slowly. “I admire your eagerness, Whitethorn, but at this moment I can’t send anyone headlong into this mess.” 

“Then when, sir?” Rowan pressed. “If not now, when will I–we–be able to prove that it’s Galathynius behind the murders? Hell, probably behind the whole damn crime ring.” 

“You’re verging mighty close on insolence, Whitethorn,” Gav warned. 

Rowan clenched his fists behind his back and shut up. 

Gav sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose like he always did when he was working through a shitload of information in his mind. “I’m telling you this as your former captain, Whitethorn, and if word of this gets out, I’ll have you flogged and on KP for the next damn decade. Clear?” Rowan nodded. “I’ve just received word that Graves has also been found dead.” 

Rowan gasped sharply. “Same M.O. as Hamel?” 

Gav nodded tightly. “Severed throat, battered body. Pretty nasty crime scene, too.” He fixed Rowan with a piercing stare. “PD officially requests one special forces officer for the investigation.” 

Not daring to hope he’d be chosen, Rowan just nodded. Please trust me, he screamed internally. 

“Against my better judgment–” Gav sat down at his desk and scrawled his signature onto a document that he passed to Rowan. “I’m assigning you to the investigation.”

“Thank you, sir,” Rowan breathed, folding the document neatly and tucking it into his vest. 

“Whitethorn.” Gav’s voice was steely. 

“Sir?” 

“You have one year.” The words were absolutely final. “One year, Whitethorn. If you can’t prove Galathynius is guilty, I’ll have your ass busted down to corporal and shipped off to Eyllwe. Clear?” 

“Yes, sir!” Rowan saluted sharply. 

“Good. Dismissed.” 

Rowan turned on his heel and left Gav’s office, heading quickly back to his room in the barracks, where he stripped off his gear and took a good look at the letter Gav had given him. It was a simple clearance document, identifying him and his position with the investigative team should anyone ask too many questions and need proof that he was supposed to be there. Good. All in order. 

Kneeling on the floor, Rowan reached underneath his mattress and pulled out a manila envelope full of news clippings, photos, images, screenshots, and his own scrawled notes, a year’s worth of info collected from the string of brutal murders that kept cropping up. Each new murder was a known criminal or gangster, someone the law had been trying to capture for years without success. Each followed the same pattern–brutally beaten (probably tortured), throat slashed, body found on the dead man’s property, surrounded by cold hard evidence of his crimes. According to what Rowan knew and had found from the media, only one person could possibly have any motive to take out every notorious criminal in Terrasen. 

Aelin Galathynius.

Rowan knew–he just knew–Galathynius was the one. The CEO had charmed the public into believing she was just a particularly savvy businesswoman, which she was. But rumors, gossip, and other, darker sources whispered about her ruthlessness, her cunning, her willingness to do anything to see her business at the top. Those sources also whispered about another business–a much less legal one. 

Rumor had it Aelin Galathynius led a criminal organization of her own, and she was taking out her rivals with a heartlessness that even Rowan had to admit was impressive. Either way, the woman was guilty. 

And he, Rowan Whitethorn, was going to prove it. 

~~~

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[nikethestatue]

I finished ACOSF a few months ago and seeing this fandom has been so confusing to say the very least. Nesta is my favorite character and I loved the Valkyries but .... I just don't see this Gwynriel ship happening. I think they'd be cute together and I wouldn't be opposed to it obviously - but I just don't see it happening given where we left off in ACOSF. I also am confused about the personality difference in Gwyn & Elain and Azriel.

Gwyn didn't even kill anyone in the BR and was knocked out and carried to the top - so why are people acting like she is some great warrior and will destroy legions of armies and lead the Illyrians into war!? She saw a mini Pegasus at a sleepover and through it was cute and now all of a sudden people think she's going to ride one in the skies while she paints Prythian with the blood of her enemies? What enemies even?? She's not tied to any of the IC's plot?

Elain didn't really stand out to me in ACOSF, which makes sense because it was NESTA's story. I didn't really have an opinion on her and Azriel or her and Lucien. I get that Lucien makes her uncomfortable but SJM writes her pairings that way it seems so I could see them ending up together tbh. But then I read the BC and - wtf ?? I am firmly team Elriel now because what do you mean Azriel's out here dreaming about how elain TASTES . I see you freaky azriel 👀 goddamn I Definitely was not expecting that from him but now that I have seen it I can't go back. There's no way SJM wrote that and plans on making Elain then end up with Lucien. Like I thought it would be fine but after that BC - there's no going back.

Either way - it's weird that people have such a strong opinion on Azriel and Elain because I think combined, they've said maybe like 200 words total? I like the idea of them but we dont know much about them? Why are people forming such harsh steadfast opinions on what either of them want or need or desire when we don't know much of anything? They're both kind of mysterious.

Idk I feel like I just missed a book with how strongly everyone is arguing about these guys.

Elain - had some badass moments but barely mentioned on the page in ACOSF

Azriel - even more mysterious than Elain but the dry humor makes up for it.

Lucien - he's not been in the past 2 books?

Gwyn - is great but not the Aelin type of warrior people online are making her out to be

Where is all this coming from I am very confused??

Honestly, most of this is coming from TikTok, Headcanons and fan art on Insta.

You have NO IDEA how many asks i've received over the years with people saying the same thing 'i saw so many Gwynriel arts on Insta and I thought that there will be some amazing romance in ACOSF. THEN, I read the book. And I kept waiting for something to happen and nothing ever did."

I think the key word for a lot of GAs is 'then'--they first saw the art, watched the tiktoks, got themselves all jacked up on theories and headcanons, and then, THEN they read the book. So now, the problem is that they have a hard time separating reality/canon from all that stuff that brought them to the fandom in the first place.

They are digging their heels and arguing that it WILL HAPPEN!!! absolutely will. Gwyn will become a great warrior and will ride a Pegasus into battles. Azriel will fall madly in love with her. They'll have kinky sex and she'll 'heal' him.

ALL of it comes from fan art. Literally, look at 99% of Gwynriel fan art and it's all 'fake'--imagined scenes that never happened.

I think many of them either left the fandom or can't accept that they've been duped and are incorrect in their assumptions.

It will be interesting to see what the fallout will be once the book is released.

[shadowqueenjude]

Lorcan and Elide's relationship: A summary

Lorcan: jeez that bitch smells funny she must be a monster in disguise *decides to follow her for days* Elide: Dude I'm just trying to get to my queen I'm a normal human being leave me alone pls. *ilken show up* Lorcan: Oh dear what's the point of stalking her if she dies now? Let me kill those ilken for you. Run girl. Elide: *runs* Lorcan: Damn this bitch slow af. *ilken split up and catch Lorcan and Elide separately* Lorcan: *kills ilken* Elide: *tricks ilken* Lorcan: Jeez wtf she survived? Smartass. She must be a monster. Elide: I'm literally not. I'm escaping Morath Lorcan: Whatever, let's go. *scoops Elide up like a sack of potatoes and runs* *once they're safe* Lorcan: Yooooo you came from Morath? I'll protect you and in exchange you tell me everything about the place. Elide: Deal. Later on... Elide: So let's sneak into that tavern in disguise. Follow my lead. Lorcan: ...fine *overhear a carnival group discussing how to get across the plains* Elide: So you're my husband now. Lorcan: Are you crazy, woman? Do I look like a male who can be tied down? Elide: To me, yes. Lorcan: ...Yes ma'am. Elide: Hey circus babes! Do you have any availabilities? My husband here is an expert sword-thrower and I'm an oracle. Circus troupe: What a coincidence! A sword-thrower is exactly what we need! Lorcan: 👁️👄👁️ later on... Elide: Actually fuck you I don't want to tell you shit. Lorcan: ... *washes her clothes, draws her a bath, brings her dinner* Elide: My uncle locked me in the dungeon in Morath and abused me in Perranth long before. Lorcan: *cracks knuckles* Somebody has a death wish *repeatedly saves Elide from ilken* Lorcan: Not my wife you dicks! Later on... Elide: *picks up his axe and starts wielding it like a badass* Lorcan: 😍 Later on... Lorcan: *shields Elide from the might of Aelin, Dorian, and Rowan's magic* Elide: Damn, my queen and her court are terrifying. Lorcan is just my smol teddy bear. Lorcan: I aM nOt I aM lItTeRaLlY dEaTh HiMsElF- *proceeds to put a tiny shield over Elide to keep ash from clumping in her hair* Elide: Uh huh. *Gavriel and Fenrys try to kill Lorcan and Elide jumps in between* Lorcan: I'm going to kill BOTH of you assholes. Gavriel: Let me heal the girl at least. Lorcan: ...fine. Elide: NO- Lorcan: I wanted to go to Perranth with you. *random army approaches them* Lorcan: DUDE WTF WE JUST ESCAPED 500 ILKEN I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS SHIT *tries to help Elide escape* *turns out Aelin had called for that army but she was too stupid to tell anybody and it was too late because Lorcan had instinctively called for his queen* Elide: I choose you, Lorcan. *Aelin gets kidnapped by Lorcan's queen* Elide: ...nvm *proceeds to destroy Lorcan's will to live over the next few months* Lorcan: I'M SORRY ELIDE! I SWEAR! Elide: Actually die, monster. Lorcan: *about to die* Elide: ExCuse me, he's MY emotional support monster. *proceeds to save him in a legendary scene* Lorcan: I LOVE YOU ELIDE! Elide: *quietly* I love you too. Lorcan: WHAT WAS THAT? Elide: I SAID I LOVE YOU LORCAN SALVATERRE *fade to black sex* Later on... Lorcan: Ask me to marry you. Elide: Will you marry me? Lorcan: I'll think about it. Elide: *doubles over laughing* Lorcan: What? Elide: Is it truly worth it to become Lord Lorcan Lochan? Lorcan: I will marry you, Elide Lochan. And proudly call myself Lord Lorcan Lochan, even when the whole kingdom laughs to hear it. And when we are wed, I will bind my life to yours, so we will never know a day apart. Never be alone, ever again.

[checkoutmybookshelf]

I Beg Your Pardon...WHAT Was That Cliffhanger!?

Sarah J. Maas is seriously going to make me sit through Chaol's Desert Adventure before she resolves the cliffhanger of this book, and quite frankly? That is just RUDE. Let's talk Empire of Storms.

This is your SPOILER WARNING and I'm going to spoil the end in like the first sentence after the cut, so if you're not through this book, this is your last chance to scroll by.

Holy gods Aelin is good at 4D chess and thinking on her feet in a clinch, because despite Maeve putting her in an iron box, she kept the wyrdkeys, Elide, and Terrasen's future safe. (I told you I was going to spoil the end.) Girl figured out that because Elena screwed up, she would have to die to keep the world safe from Erawan and the Valg, so what does she do? She secures her kingdom's future, gives Aedion and Rowan and army with which to win the war, and even gets Lysandra involved to give Terrasen a royal bloodline. Like...I am seriously impressed by what Aelin managed to pull together. And she did it without help or input from her court because she's so tied up in it only ever being her who pays the price.

A price that Maeve is bound and determined to add one hell of a tax to...Faerie Queens are historically somewhat fraught figures, but this Maeve is one hell of a stone-cold bitch. She is also damn good at identifying wounds and applying pressure to them, so pretty much everyone who loves Aelin is absolutely devastated at the end of this book. There is an impending war, a deception to uphold, a rescue to enact, and a Valg king to destroy. And yet I still have to sit through Chaol's book before ANY of that and I am so salty about it. (Yes, I was aware of the tandem read option. I chose not to because that is so much unnecessary effort.)

Empire of Storms was super plot-heavy though; SO MUCH happened in this book. So let's dig into that a bit, and try to take it peice by peice.

Elorcan

Ok, so if I thought Elide was a bit damp in the last book, she got BADASS this book. This poor girl was abandoned, locked away, and finally given a chance to escape at the cost of Kaltain's life.

And I'm just going to take a second here to say that Kaltain got one hell of a raw deal. Girl was a bit of a bitch and out for money, but she absolutely did not deserve to end up at Erawan's mercy like that. Kaltain absolutely deserves justice. It's not just the stabby and stubborn girls who deserve to be treated with respect and care.

But Elide runs into Lorcan early in this book, and the two of them sort of...quietly accidentally fall into a relationship. It's one of those where you kind of have to tilt your head and squint, because its just...I mean if it works for them, then fine, but wow these are two deeply traumatized people and the trauma bond to relationship pipeline is SUPER odd.

We have Lorcan ceding authority right off the bat and letting Elide lead, he uses his magic to brace her bad ankle, she is giving him crap every five minutes, he's tearing up his shirt to make her pads, and ultimately they work to keep each other safe. Right up until Lorcan fucks it all up by summoning Maeve and handing Aelin over. Which Elide is taking SUPER personally because her mother died buying Aelin time to get out when Terrasen fell. And also because Lorcan lied to her. It's really fucked up in the BEST way, because it's clear that Lorcan and Elide are down BAD for each other, but Lorcan still thinks he's in love with Maeve. Who then immediately kicks him yo the curb because she can see what's plainly out in the open in front of her eyes, even if Lorcan can't.

I actually really enjoyed watching Elide and Lorcan figure out crossing paths with Aelin. He's grumpy and traumatized AF, and pretty much against his will and better judgement, he gloms onto this little lost girl. And his confidence and support gives her the courage and feeling of safety to actually grow into her own badassery. It's adorable, which makes his betrayal make me want to headdesk into oblivion. Like...Lorcan. SIR. You put all your plans on hold, walked into danger, and killed multiple people to keep Elide safe and happy. You seriously think Maeve is still the most important woman in your life???

Lorcan desperately needs therapy, but my god it's fun to watch him ruin his life.

Manian (and Also the Witches Generally)

Dorian and Manon are in the running against Aedion and Lysandra for best couple in Throne of Glass, especially since they're both deeply prickly, deeply wounded, and deeply ready to hop into bed with each other instead of dealing with the prickles and wounds.

Dorian is already protective as hell over Manon, despite his all-too-recent losses, trauma, and the fact that he's currently a king in exile. Which actually I think he's handling decently well--his little chat with Rowan about losing a loved one worked beautifully, and he is smart enough to ask for help with his magic. Although if the bigass battles with the Ilken and Maeve's fleet at the end are any indication, he's fine. He's just a fire hydrant of power, similar to Aelin.

Manon is...having a ROUGH TIME this book. Her grandmother keeps trying to murder Asterin, she keeps having this really inconvenient conscience, and it finally comes to a head when her grandmother disowns her after coming within about a quarter inch of disembowling her. It's really lucky that Abraxos is as smart as he is darling, because finding Aelin is pretty much the only reason Manon survives. And Abraxos gets all the wildlflowers he wants for being the goodest boi. He not only saves Manon's life, he also tracks down the thirteen and reunites everyone.

These parts of the book were honestly just delightful to read, and I am a fan of Manon and Dorian.

Aedion's Daddy Issues

Hoo boy, ok. Aedion has every right to have a METRIC TON of trauma, given his life. So to add daddy issues to his childhood, teenage, and adult trauma, his stress about not having an army or allies, and some feels for Lysandra is a LOT. And even Aedion is surprised by the depth of the emotion of his reaction to Gavriel showing back up in his life.

Thing is, though? Even if it's largely background and subtextual, we do get Gavriel and Aedion getting...if not reconciled, then accustomed to each other, and they work well together. I'm actually massively curious to see how their relationship continues to evolve now that Maeve has severed the blood oath to Gavriel and Aelin has been captured and Aedion has found out that she volunteered him to make babies with Lysandra to pass off as the Terrasen heirs and royal family.

Which...I get why she did it. But AELIN. DARLING. Guys have bodily autonomy too, and you can't just VOLUNTEER your cousin and your best friend as stud and brood mare, respectively.

My guess is Gavriel has some experience with serving a powerful, capricious woman who doesn't always tell you the whole plan, so if we don't get that conversation at some point, I will riot.

Lysandra Being the Best Ever

Lysandra is the best secondary character in these books, full stop. Our girl has really come into her own with her shape shifting, as we see in both Skull Bay and the battle with Maeve's fleet. She has to figure out a truly unique magic basically on her own, she is asked to go into battle in shapes she hasn't had a whole hell of a lot of time to practice with, and yet by the end of the book, she is MIXING AND MATCHING TRAITS to create an effective murder form that is capable of taking out fae ships.

And this is WHILE she is backing up Aelin's 4D chess shenangins, periodically messing with Aedion, supporting Aedion emotionally, and getting over her own trauma. Lysandra is the unsung queen of this series, and frankly she deserves 1000% of the credit for everything she does. Especially the popping up over random people's shoulders as a ghost leopard. Because I too would use that ability to scare the ever-loving shit out of people for funsies. We have to find our fun where we can during a war.

NOT TO MENTION that Lysandra is entirely willing to take not one, not two, but SEVERAL for the team. Aelin fully asks Lysandra to 1) impersonate her for the rest of Lysandra's life, 2) be fake married to Rowan and help rule Terrasen, 3) let Aedion impregnate her multiple times with children she will have to pass off as Rowan's to give Terrasen a legitimate bloodline, and 4) deal with Rowan and Aedion's lifelong grief and trauma over losing Aelin. That's a SIGNIFICANT ask, and Lysandra is full-on over here like, "Yeah, I'll do that, and sure, I'll also keep this plan secret from Rowan and Aedion until you're dead or as good as dead." Lysandra does not get enough credit for her role in this book, and this is me giving her all the credit.

Aelin Playing 4D Chess

Aelin gets so much credit for being stupid competent as an assassin. She gets weirdly less credit for her ability to play 4D chess. Because the LITERAL MINUTE she realizes that she's doomed to die to win the war and yeet Erawan back into whatever void he came from, she is calling in every chip and favor she can to get Terrasen an army that has a chance of winning the war. But she's also thinking long-term. She knows that for Terrasen to survive, it needs a royal family and legitimate bloodline, and she wrangles that too by legally marrying Rowan, and roping in Lysandra and Aedion to produce the crotch goblins that will pass as "hers" and Rowan's.

In addition, she is clocking Lorcan's betrayal and planning around it, ensuring that she can keep the wyrdkeys safe, and getting her people out of a REALLY Bad situation. Quite literally, Aelin's competence is just insane and I love that she is allowed to be this competent. It should get talked about more.

Seriously, That Ending

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the last 200 pages of a Sarah J. Maas book will contain approximately 70% of the plot and 85-95% of the emotional angst of the story. That holds EXTREMELY true for Empire of Storms. The entire showdown with Maeve and its aftermath was devastating for everyone, reader included. I full-on got teary when Aelin told Elide that her mother would be proud of her, and wanted to deck Lorcan SO HARD. Gavriel is going to need SO MUCH THERAPY after that nonsense, and I think Aelin and Aedion are going to need to literally just fight it out once she's safely retrieved.

Also, the "Rowan and Aelin were married for like two days" reveal was...a whole thing. Like...it potentially could feel a little contrived, but honestly I'd be lying if I said I wasn't invested and kicking my little feeties in joy over the angst. So as an ending, HELL YES. As a cliffhanger with a WHOLE OTHER BOOK before I get resolution on the Maeve and the iron box thing? JAIL. JAIL FOR SJM FOR 1000 YEARS.

We Just Briefly Need to Talk About Ripping Off Tolkien and Robert Jordan

Siiiiiiiiiiiiigh. Y'know guys... The bare amount of credit I am willing to give here is that clearly SJM has done her reading. You can't rip off the giants of the fantasy genre without READING the giants of the fantasy genre, and she's clearly read Tolkien and Robert Jordan. I just... she didn't even bother RENAMING the dead marshes. It's just...hotter and missing the phantom bodies. It's almost like she mashed up the dead and midgewater marshes but make them tropical.

And then we come to the box. The iron box in which the bad guys keep the super magical chosen one. Which is quite literally what happens to Rand Al'Thor in Lord of Chaos. Which like...I'm low-key over here going "WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY????" Because now I'm just expecting the last book to be Dumai's Wells in Throne of Glass drag.

I realize that homage and allusion are standard in literature. And honestly it's fine. Except that I have been around the block with SJM enough to be DEEPLY SUSPICIOUS of this. So we'll see.

[darkbananaaaz]

Lidia, in HOFAS.

Read on at your own risk.

ALL 🎨 IG :: @ mftfernandez

I saw a post on here saying now there's two Fire Breathing Bitch Queen's, and I haven't agreed to anything more in my life. (Post I saw was by @waywardbella can be found HERE) Though I love Lidia, no one owns this title more than the Aelin Ashryver Galathynius

Is it just me, or did anyone else feel like when Lidia went all Fire Badass in the final battle? That it was what was planned for Aelin in the final battle. We would have seen it then, but this was Sarah showing us what we didn't get to.

But Aelin had her own plans, and used up her built up magic when she did, because that was what needed to be done at the time, the only thing to save people, so she made the choice.

Because if I am remembering right, and correct me if I'm wrong, Aelin stood above and let her fire go, too protect Elide as she rode on a horse through Ilkin(? or was it Valg?) to go save Lorcan, bring him back to where everyone else was.

This feels like an Aelin decision that would have surprised Sarah. She did just mention on the Today Show that her characters will do that type of thing, and thinking way back, Sarah replied on Facebook to a comment saying Lucien and Elain being mates was something she didn't even see coming.

So Aelin doing this would mean she did not have that power, that much fire left for the final battle of the book.

So, after taking the antidote to the parasite and turning Pollox and those two guards to ash, Lidia walks out into the field. She then burns and melts many enemies, and bombs, and just, so many things, just as she's walking past them.

Does anyone else think this was, yes part of Lidias character as written, but also a tiny nodd, a small wink if you will, by Sarah, showing us that this is what Aelin would have been like if she didn't use up her fire before she reached her own final battle?

[pearblossommina]

ToG Read-A-Long, Kingdom of Ash, day 7

Ch 51 “because I’m trying to understand. How you could come to love a monster.”

ELIDE BABY DID YOU JUST PROFESS YOUR LOVE FOR HIM

YOU SWEET BABY BEAR CUB

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

lol I cannot COMPREHEND why they’re still fighting the reason feels so convoluted at this stage. If they could just make up I think I would be very happy.

Ch 52

“Do you think the Ironteeth are capable of change?”

I think everyone is capable of change. It doesn’t happen instantly and it doesn’t happen without effort. But yes. I do. I believe in change. ILU Manon.

Dorian bird ~ you got this baby ~ bird up

Ch 53

Ah Lysandra. At least you’re alive - all hope is not lost!

This breakup makes more sense to me. They’re both at fault for being cruel to each other. And it’s hard to see the loving, tender side of their relationship when they weren’t really given that much time to explore it before the shit hit the fan.

Aedion getting discharged as General, that’s rough buddy. And Aelin still isn’t recognized as Queen by Darrow. Probably it was a bad choice to do this whole Lysandra charade… lol… even if Aelin comes back, guns-a-blazing, ready to rule, he’s probably gonna hold this against her for this show of irresponsibility. It was partially her plan, so… he’s not wrong…. Darrow’s an asshole but he also kind of knows things and I respect him for some reason

Ch 54

I don’t think I know what’s going on with Father Westfall. Are we supposed to hate him, or is he on our side? He seemed to be getting along with Chaol at last, and now Aelin is like “please do rot in hell” lol

(I guess even if he’s on our side, he can still be a prick)

(Chaol one day you’ll be a father too)

(So be careful not to carry on the tradition of being terrible to your children)

(The generational trauma stops here)

Aelin is the true Queen of the faeries, maybe having this title will make her want to live. To see that peaceful future for all the faeries who want to come and join her kingdom on her continent.

Ch 55

Omg Dorian you’re literally the best 😂 please explore your gender, I love everything about this

“He'd thought he'd known everything about the female body. How to make a woman purr with pleasure. He was half-tempted to find a tent and learn firsthand what certain things felt like.”

OMG PLEASE GO FIND MANON AND HAVE LESBIAN SEX!!!! Do it!!!! Do it for meeeeeee!!!

“Manon had nearly passed his training area when she went rigid.

Slowly, she turned, nostrils flaring.”

If Manon and Dorian decide to have kinky shapeshifting lesbian sex I take it all back. I’m going to become the world’s biggest Manorian shipper

Lolllll I am living for this. Yummy, yummy feelings. FEEL FOR HIM MANON. You feel so many feelings right now you don’t know what to DO.

Aw. Here come the big bad Witch Matrons, here to spoil my fun

Ch 56

“Dorian did not look away this time at the head that tumbled to the ground. “

UGH YES Manon is so badass 😍

God I love her

“Manon watched as the wyvern rose higher and higher.

Her grandmother did not look back before she vanished into the skies.”

Manon - WHY

You had her! You could have ended her. What a disappointment.

Queen of all Witches - yaaaas queen!!!!

Ch 57

(This marks the place I took another extended three-day reading break)

(Which felt good but also ahh omg I’m far behind again)

(I love Warrior Aelin)

(She’s so badass)

(Go get ‘em girl)

(You got this)

[tothestarsinvelaris]

(please no spoilers if interacting w/ this post. i have somehow avoided all TOG spoilers and know nothing more than the lil blurb on the back of the book and what i have read so far. thx <3)

{just finished chapter 14 in Kingdom of Ash}

some random thoughts so far

Gavriel having such dad behavior makes me so happy omfg. the way he takes care of Elide is adorable. We love daddy Gavriel.

Rowan is on a fucking rampage to get his girl back and I am all here for it. kill the gods to spend forever with your wife, prince, lets fucking go

I will never give up on Lorcan idc idc idc idc. I wish he could just explain it all to Elide and make it better :(

Aelin's chapters are honestly so fucking hard to read. the torture is gut wrenching. The way Fenrys has to sit there and watch, but gives those little blinks to Aelin to help her stay strong ugh. Maeve is the worst. to make Connall kill himself in front of Fenrys.... ohhh my heart... I just want to hug them both...

Aedion being so stubborn with Lysandra breaks my damn heart omfg boy put your pride aside and get your girl back omggggg!!

Dorian is so fucking sexy I cannot get over it wtf. The way that he and Manon are in a little dominance war, the way she loves it when he uses his king voice (girl same). how Dorian is so powerful with his magic, but he's surrounded by the most insanely badass war-trained women ever oooh man

I fear my heart will be ripped out and stomped on before this book is over...

[sofiasjornal]

A Court of Wings and Ruin Review

Let me start by saying this was definitely my favorite book of the series so far! I just couldn't put it down!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half

I don't know how Sarah can describe war the way she does. She did in KoA (TOG) and here she proved it again she really is the master of fantasy! And her take on trauma from previous books is really... look, the woman is a genius, there are no more words!

I really enjoyed the focus on the plot of the war and less romance in this book. I think the balance was perfect.

I almost died of a heart attack when Rhys died. I just didn't see it coming. I thought something my happened before Hybern died or even before Amren was unbound. But when that passed I really thought we were out of the woods, and we weren't. I felt Feyre's scream in my bones and I swear I can still feel it. I actually dreamt of the whole thing. Those deserve all the peace in the world, with no more sacrificing! We had enough sacrificing for a lifetime! (but doesn't Rhys's constant sacrificing remind you of Aelin's? I keep saying it, but he could totally be her son!) I hope we get to see some glimpses of them with their son!

Now, my girls! Was I surprised by Mor's confession? Not really 😂 but I loved it all the same! I love a warrior and I love her temper and her love for her family! It's just amazing! And Amren! Oh, Amren! Something about her supposed "betrayal" didn't fit well with me and I'm so glad I was proven right! Amren would never betray any of them. She would die for them, just like she did! Thank god she came back too! And how cute is she with Varian?! Let us see more of that!

Nesta has been a badass from the start and when she killed Hybern I was so incredibly proud of her! I hope we get to see the trauma she's been dealing with. I think that would be a very interesting take on her character. And Cassian? Well, I'm guessing, Cassian and Nesta will end up together in some way or another.

Elain... I don't know about her. I get that she's cute, she's the fragile one. But I'm just not feeling her... Maybe in future books that's change. And I'm curious to see how the whole thing is going to play out with Azriel and Lucien because Elain obviously cares and accepts Azriel help, but Lucien is supposed to be her mate... It's a mess, guys!

And the guys? I love them! I hope we get more moments of the three just hanging out and laughing!

But now that Hybern's gone, what's going to be the plot for the last book? I know ACOFAS is a novella (I'm still reading it!) but what does Silver Flames focus on? The Queens? Freeing Vassa from her curse? Something different altogether?! I'm really excited to see it!

[abbababbasblog]

I wanted to post my old theories on here about the Sjm universe and connections. A lot of what I wrote was fresh after I finished CC2, so there is most definitely plot holes, but I’d like feedback. I just recently discovered @emilystheories on tik tok so I might go back and try to make connections/changes to my theories to make it fit. Anyways here are the theories and I’d love to have feedback!

This first one is more opinionated on the book mixed with some theories:

——PART 1——

⚠️SPOILS TO TOG, HOSAB, AND ACOTAR ⚠️also this might be hard to read because my brain is fried and I’m getting a bunch of ideas all out at once, so I apologize if what I’m saying is too all over the place

Honestly at first glance I really enjoyed HOSAB , I thought it was interesting. But after reading the opinions of other people, it does bring me to the realization that in regards to character depth and development, a lot of the characters didn’t have the elements that I normally love. What I mean by that is there wasn’t enough backstory or explanations that truly made us attach to a character (that’s my opinion/experience though). With Acotar I got SO invested with Feyre and her interests. Painting was what she loved to do, and it was a part of her and expressed many times. Same with Aelin and music. I feel like Bryce loved to dance, but it didn’t have the same effect as Feyre and Aelin with the things they love. The book definitely felt like it lacked the three demential characters we are so used to when it comes to Sarah’s writing, and I feel like that’s why a lot of people feel that Hunt and Bryce’s love story became flat and rushed. Look and Rhys and Feyre. Although their story is different, things still took time and they learned a lot about eachother before falling in love (and ultimately mating). Same with Aelin and Rowan, a lot of things went down in order for them to have a relationship and back it up. There were events that just made Feyre/Rhys and aelin/rowan unique and attention grabbing. But with Bryce and Hunt, it just doesn’t feel that deep. That’s why I don’t think hunt is end game. Don’t get me wrong, I do like them (especially their cute little moments in the first book with selfies and watching tv), but I think Sarah is truly just trying to mess with us. At the end of HOSAB hunt gets the halo put back on directly from an asteri, and we know his mind gets messed up. I feel like there will be a fight between him and Bryce in the next book and being mates will over power it…but I’m low key hoping hunt dies. DONT GET ME WRONG I LIKE HIM!! I promise I do, but think about it. Bryce has not gone through as much as either Aelin OR Feyre. I’m not saying she can’t be badass without mountains of trauma, but it’s not Sarah’s style to give us a more simple character. Aelin with through losing her parents, her first love, slave camp, death over and over and over, but pulled together and came out strong. Feyre went through poverty, bad relationship with Tamlin, and trauma under the mountain. These women were to the point of breaking but came out stronger. I know the argument can be made that everyone has different lives at that they shouldn’t be compared to the pain of others, and Bryce almost committed suicide in the first book because of her depression and everything else along with losing her best friend. But it just doesn’t feel like that’s all she’s going to go through. I think since Bryce doesn’t have as much trauma as Feyre or Aelin, it makes people like her less because there’s not enough to back her actions up. ANYWAYS I KNOW I KEEP LOSING MY POINT…but what I’m trying to say is although Bryce has gone through heavy stuff, I think she has GOT to be in for a lot more trauma in order to live up to the character development and expectations we all have. I THINK Bryce will lose her mate. Which sounds crazy, because Bryce lost her best friend and it took 2 years to pull herself out of it. Losing her mate would be devastating, but with ruhn saying she should be queen, and the whole asteri mess, I think she will have to pull through and win the war FOR hunt. I don’t know, and I haven’t done enough deep diving into Easter eggs in each book, but I just finished HOSAB today and SO MANY THOUGHTS CROSSED MY MIND. I plan to reread all her books and pull out Easter eggs to help come up with a more solid theory to how things will work out ( and how this crossover will workout)

Speaking of the crossover, I feel weird because I like Feyre more then Bryce, so it’s like, UGHH that I’m reading from Bryce’s point of view. I’d LOVE to see how the inner circle is dealing with the situation. But that brings out another point that people made, that ACOTAR characters will kinda overshadow CC’s story. I do think it’s awesome that the crossover happened because across all three books there has been world walkers(idk if that’s the official name or not but that’s what I call the beings that travel to different worlds), and it’s great that the books are in the same universe, I think it could be amazing if she intertwined all three books into this dope war between the asteri and the three worlds we came to love (and also Hel). It all depends on how she approaches it. I’m confident in her abilities to write this story beautifully, but she’s walking a very dangerous path in regards to how she exactly brings acotar and tog into CC

Anyways that’s all I’m gonna say right know, my mind is all over the place but if you made it this far then please lmk what your theories are, and please fact check me too because I’m going to do research on the books to come up with a solid theory on everything.

❗️And as for the relationship comparison at the beginning^ bottom line is that I think Bryce and hunts relationship got flat because I think she will lose her mate, so maybe her relationship isn’t supposed to be as deep as the other two books, because Bryce’s story doesn’t finish with a mate. Maybe Bryce’s story is about freeing the worlds from the Asteri, losing her best friend and mate in the process, but bringing peace back to her world and others. Who knows though? Maybe it’s a long shot but it’s an interesting theory. She’s always commented how she doesn’t need a male and is and independent baddie, maybe that’s a hit that she will truly not have a male by the time the series ends.

Okay I’m done for real this time, but let me know what you guys think

[tschulijulesjulie]

thank you for tagging me!

isn’t it a bit early for 2024 predictions? but anyway here we go:

Jan: the Archer (oh goodness it smells like seasonal depression)

Feb: Haunted (Acoustic) (i think the acoustic is a very important addition. sounds a bit depressing this far... still seasonal depression??) (but at least then we'll already have Haunted TV so im totally fine with that)

March: Death by a Thousand Cuts (live from Paris) (three very depressing but also incredible bops so far... i dont even wanna say it, but it almost seems like i will be going through a breakup - but for that i would need to find someone to date first lmao)

Apr: I think he Knows (oooh and now we're having a crush 👀 - that feels a bit backwards but whatever, ill take it)

May: Blank Space (in my player era lmao)

Jun: Bad Blood (well, that took a turn)

Jul: Holy Ground TV (i really am lost with the progression here)

Aug: Never grow up (wait, i hopefully graduate around that time, that actually feels like a good sign)

Sep: I did something bad (in my badass era)

Oct: Breathe TV (IF i actually graduate i will move away around that time so that feels right)

Nov: this is me trying (mood, always. also, thats my birthday month and i will be 25...)

Dec: Babe TV (and another breakup bop - who will hurt me????)

well that was... fun... im actually a bit scared now, because that sounds like a rough year ahead of me (but its also full of bops so i guess theres that)

tagging @longlivethatlookonyourface @amelie-isnt-french @aelin-s and whoever else wants to do it

letting taylor swift predict my 2024! (inspired by @stargirl._- on youtube!)

basically you just put on a random taylor playlist of all her songs and put it on shuffle and each song you get explains the particular month!

january: dress (OK SO WE STARTING 2024 OFF WITH A BANG)

february: fifteen (awh)

march (aka my bday month): i know places (am i becoming a criminal HUH??)

april: right where you left me (oh no. april is going to be rocky)

may: our song (OOH I LIKE MAY)

june: the other side of the door (AM I GOING THROUGH A BREAKUP OR SOMETHING???)

july: betty (DID I CAUSE THE BREAKUP? the tea.)

august: high infidelity (oh god wtf)

september: state of grace (NICEEE, SEPTEMBERS GOOD TOO)

october: sparks fly (looks like im falling in love in october)

november: the last time (NEVERMIND LMFAO)

december: style (ok we ending 2024 with a banger)

tags bc i wanna see some of y’all do this but no pressure (btw anyone can do this): @internetsfavoritedaughter @weeping-in-the-willows @bettyrightnow @tschulijulesjulie

[leiawritesstories]

Summary: Aelin Galathynius had a hand in just about every illegal dealing in all of Terrasen. Weapons, drugs, organized crime, the black market, blackmail, assassination, coercion, bribery–you name it, she was almost definitely connected to it. The only problem? Nobody could prove it. 

Rowan Whitethorn, fresh out of Terrasen’s elite special forces academy–known only as Doranelle for secrecy–was convinced he could unmask Aelin Galathynius. So convinced, in fact, that he’d managed to obtain special orders from his commander to do just that. The only problem? He had exactly three hundred and sixty-five days. If he couldn’t prove Aelin Galathynius guilty in one year’s time, he’d be booted down to corporal in disgrace. 

Something neither Aelin nor Rowan could have expected, though, was each other. When their paths cross–and oh, their paths will cross–who will come out ahead?

CW: violence, swearing, crime, drugs, death, lots of illegal activities, NSFW (marked with **)

huge huge thank you to Chloe @house-of-galathynius and Maria @mariaofdoranelle for beta reading 🫶🫶🫶

Read on AO3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prologue: Concrete Proof

I: January

II: February

III: March, Part 1 // March, Part 2

IV: April, Part 1** // April, Part 2**

V: May**

VI: June

VII: July

VIII: August

IX: September**

X: October, Part 1 // October, part 2

XI: November

XII: December

Epilogue: Until Proven Guilty

Artwork of Aelin scheming by @fauna-flora11

[bookishfeylin]

Speaking of YA books (in general, not just fantasy) and romanticizing 'problematic' relationships, I feel like this is another convo that needs nuance but isn't being given the nuance it deserves. On the one hand: it's fiction, you don't have to apply real world morals to it. That's obvious. On the other hand, these books are being marketed to an impressionable audience who can and will internalize the messages these books tell them. Remember that post I reblogged from that person who, as a teen, worsened their anorexia while reading Throne of Glass to be thin just like Aelin? That's why representation matters is a whole movement? That's why we want more POC in media? Why people are screaming for well-rounded and "strong" female characters? Or women who are feminine AND badass? Because the media we consume and the portrayal of people in it does affect us and our views on the world, like it or not, and that's arguably more true for the 12-18 year olds YA is for because they are, again, more impressionable than adults. And as a sidenote--I don't see as big of an issue with this is adult books? Because adults aren't as impressionable the 'it's fiction, you don't have to apply real world morals to it' idea is pretty much a given and is why I don't see anyone out here attacking, say, dark romance books, or trying to put Game of Thrones out of print.

So it's a nuanced convo that needs to happen, but people are either fully 'do not criticize or analyze or critique the portrayal of characters and relationships in YA ever' or 'nothing dark or problematic can be in YA ever' with no in between. And it sucks.

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Now THAT IS How You Wrap a Series

Wrapping up a series is hard in generally, but when you have as large and well-developed an ensemble cast as SJM does in the Throne of Glass series, it's even harder. That said, I think SJM stuck the landing. It's not perfect, but overall I had a blast with this series and this book. Let's talk Kingdom of Ash.

I'm putting a SPOILER WARNING here, but this is the seventh book in a seven-book series, so if you weren't expecting spoilers...I don't know what to tell you.

Ok, so wrapping a series is SUPER hard, but in general, I thought this did well. Because this book is also HELLA chonky, we're going to go ahead and go simple with this, and divide the review into two categories: Stuff I Liked and Stuff I Didn't Like.

STUFF I LIKED

Aelin's Everything

Aelin has never been anything less than a murder Barbie and trauma on wheels, and all of that is cranked to 11 in this book. We get everything Maeve and Cairn do to her, her lovely little ritual and communication with Fenrys, we get "take it off take it off take it off," and we get that rescue. AND THEN we get Aelin holding herself together with her goddamn fingernails to be ok enough to lead.

We also get her willing to let it all go and never see Terrasen again to close that portal--and save Dorian in the process. And she STILL gets screwed over by the gods because of Elena's mistake. It's honestly such a kick in the teeth but she rolls with that blow.

She also manages to keep her people together in the face of overwhelming odds and more or less certain death and defeat. She is deeply impressive as a person and leader, and frankly? Girl needs a BREAK. And cuddles with Fleetfoot.

Aelin was never less than a compelling character throughout the series, and that we get to see her succeed and take her throne and do what she's spent seven damn books coming to terms with is so damn satisfying. I'm also a proponent of torturing your darlings to make sure that the victory hits, and SJM nailed it with Aelin.

Aelin Stabbing Maeve in the Goddamn Face

This one is exactly what it says on the tin. After everything Maeve did to Aelin personally, Aelin's loved ones, and the bullshit feuding with Aelin's mother, and finally the whole *hiding being a Valg queen* thing, Meave absolutely deserves it when Aelin ends her. I also gave a crooked smile of approval at Aelin's "let's pretend my last words to you were suitably epic" final quip. Ungenerous readers might call that a cop out, but I choose to read it as Aelin understanding how stories and histories warp on retellings. Not to mention that it's a GREAT fit for her general swagger and cheekiness.

Maeve didn't deserve to go out on a badass last line. Maeve deserved to go out unceremoniously and brutally.

Manon's Arc

Ok, the witches in general went from "why do we caaaaaaaaaaaare?" to "Oh my god these are my baby witches and they must be allowed to badass witch their way throughout the world." And that goes TRIPLE for Manon, heir to the Blackbeaks and last Crochan Queen. Like...our girl was raised to be brutal and have no feelings. And then she is put in position after position where she has to use emotional intelligence and empathy and compassion instead of brutality to get anything done.

It starts with Abraxos, and then extends to Asterin, the Thirteen (rest in peace, Queens), Dorian, Aelin, and all of witchkind. Manon arguably goes through a ringer as rough as Aelin's, and she comes out standing tall, if very, very bruised. Finding her personal balance between how she was raised and her softer heart was a RIDE, and honestly watching her learn that her grandmother was a grade A sociopath and abusive jackass was so compelling and so interesting.

Leaving her bereft of her thirteen but with Dorian and all of witchdom is...a hard thing. She won. She won the war, broke the curse, reunited her people, and will create alliances and a better world. But she had to lose so much to get there, and her ending is deeply bittersweet. I wouldn't call the win pyrrhic (just barely), but it came at a high cost.

Abraxos

Abraxos watching the battlefield for his mate who would never come back actually made me cry. Get this brave, wonderful wyvern all the wildflowers he wants. He should never, EVER have to go into battle again. Give our best flying boi a break!

But seriously, Abraxos might be my favorite creature in the entire series. He is the perfect partner for Manon, he love wildflowers, and he is brave and honorable. We LOVE Abraxos.

Lysandra

Lysandra might actually be my favorite character in Throne of Glass, full stop. Girl went through a very different kind of hell from Aelin and Manon, but she still manages to be kind, compassionate, protective as hell of Evangeline, and a total badass--especially once she really leans into the shifting power.

The sheer power, intelligence, and willingness to put everything on the line and on the field for Aelin and the dream of Terrasen are admirable, but its the little moments of joy, of smarts, and of brightness mixed in with that that make me really and truly love Lysandra. She deserves her happy ending with Aedion, and frankly a whole hell of a lot more.

Pacing and Tone

This was a CHONKY book, and a heavy one. But it never once felt slow (even if Aelin getting to Orynth took approximately 14 business years) because the pace served to ramp the tension and the sense of hopelessness in Terrasen. Like...you FELT every setback, every defeat, the slow creep toward a seemingly certain doom. It is painful in the best possible way, and the tone is strengthened and reinforced by the pacing in a super effective way.

It also makes the final victory that much sweeter and more emotional, and so when we take those quiet moments to acknowledge that this victory was deeply painful, they hit perfectly. It's painful, but it's a much needed release from the slow turning of the tension screw for the entire second half of the book.

Rowan Being Low-Key Tortured Because Aelin is Hell on Wheels

Poor Rowan just has one hell of a time this book. He has to kidnap his wife from a Valg queen and her pet sadist, knowing that the very gods are going to ask for her life to defeat Erawan. He rescues her and has to watch her panic when they can't get the mask and gauntlets off. He has a moment where he is worried he cannot get through to her, and the last thing he's going to do is get physical after what she's been through. He's there when she wakes up with nightmares. He's there when she forges the lock. He's there when she stabs Maeve. He stands beside her the whole time.

We love our territorial fae bastard.

STUFF I DIDN'T LIKE

Gavriel's...weird semisuicidal waltz out into the enemy

This got its own post on my blog but...MY DUDE. You did a whole-ass monologue about holding the gate together. Aedion is correct that you could have stayed inside the gate and helped them hold it. This was such a weird, unmotivated decision that the book itself (from Aedion's POV) was questioning the logic of it, and the book was RIGHT. I hate hate HATE when the book itself questions a character decision, because it means even the author didn't think it made sense, but we rolled with it anyway.

This was really dumb, y'all. The father-son bonding and relationship rebuild was worth letting Gavriel live. If I'm being honest, this was a fridging. The whole point was making Aedion sad, and frankly, Aedion was ALREADY THERE. It wasn't one more thing, it wasn't the straw that broke the camel's back. It was just...this is war, I guess SOMEONE has to die. This character choice does not make sense on a writing level and I wish it had been revised in developmental edits.

Aedion and Lysandra's Third-Act Breakup

Aedion Ashryver pissed me the HELL off, and Lysandra was correct in reading him for filth. I get that the kind of war and siege they're experiencing would be hard on a relationship, but Aelin would have lit a literal fire under Aedion's ass for throwing Lysandra into the snow wearing nothing more than a blanket.

These two had been adorable for like three books at this point, and they did not need a third-act breakup. Especially not one that was entirely centered on Aedion's man pain and trauma around Aelin. He was misplacing his fury and grief with Aelin onto Lysandra--which makes sense in context. However, he went CRUEL with it in a way that, for me, went from understandable to unforgiveable. It was immensely frustrating, and I would have been fine with missing this romance trope.

Dorian Havilliard was Criminally Underutilized

As a character, specifically. As a plot device Dorian was great, but character-wise he was kind of all over that map and every time something interesting about him came up (his relationships with people who were not Chaol or Aelin, his relationship with his magic, his method of kinging), it was perfunctorily nodded at and then we moved on. We absolutely did not get the same level of depth with him and his personality as we did with other characters, and I was so interested in Dorian.

I have been told that there was originally a plan to write a Manon/Dorian series, but that has not manifested. As things stand at the end of Kingdom of Ash, Dorian was...just kinda there in a way other characters weren't. He was plot convenient before he was a character, and that was disappointing.

And no points for Dorian shape-shifting into a female witch and immediately thinking "I should find a tent and see if I'm actually that good at fingerbanging or if every woman I ever fingerbanged lied to me." That is one of those things we're if you think about it for five seconds it gets weird and ethically dubious, and I just cannot even right now.

What Do You MEAN Aelin Didn't Take Out Erawan???

Whatever the Hell the Bait and Switch with the King of Adarlan Was

Soooooo... I'm an Emglish major. I understand that wording is key in prophecies and interpretation can skew meaning. But the whole "Nameless is my price" thing? Oh that irked me. That was actually too dumb for words and could not POSSIBLY have been the intention of the original text. Plus, that kind of nonsense technicality level bullshit loopholery drives me CRAZY. It made sense that Aelin and Dorian should have been able to split the load when the original spell was meant to take a single life. That made sense as a way out and a decent, "ain't life just a bitch sometimes" caveat that felt simple and effective. It would also have given Dorian something meaningful to do.

But no. The forging is like six layers of bait and switches that feel unnecessarily convoluted and fucky, and for the King of Adarlan to show up and go "Erawan wiped my name from existence, so I can show up and die for this so Aelin can live" felt...bad. It wasn't clever, it wasn't well integrated narratively, and I was actually mad about the subversion of something that felt more interesting. Dorian helped Celaena so much in the first two books, and letting him help her save Terrasen AND herself would have given him a platonic version of the rescue Rowan performed earlier in thw book. Instead, we undermine that for the guy who destroyed Terrasen and killed Aelin's family to...have a redemption arc? Sorta???

I am no more here for a King of Adarlan redemption arc than I was for the Dain Aetos redemption arc.

So...in The Return if the Jedi, Luke doesn't get to take out the death star, and he isn't even the one who kills Palpatine, and that's fine because Luke's arc is about being a jedi and redeeming Vader--nission accomplished. The fact that Aelin--Murder Barbie extraordinaire and arguably the protagonist with the closest personal connection to Erawan except maybe Dorian--isnt even THERE when Erawan is exorcised from reality was as unsatisfying for me as her stabbing Maeve was satisfying.

I did not enjoy Tower of Dawn all that much. I wasn't terribly invested in Chaol and Yrene. For her to just...do her thing and have it not even faze her as much as the times she healed Chaol was so deeply unsatisfying. I love that Yrene can heal people of their valg demons. That is amazing and honestly feels restorative. Bit for Erawan to have been dispatched so relatively easily and with little more than a "Pathetic" felt abrupt and just weirdly deflated the stakes for me.

Overall

So overall, I enjoyed this book and I was mostly happy with how it wrapped the series. It's not flawless, but for a debut series, it gets major kudos for ending generally well and for getting me that invested in my favorite characters.

[tomtenadia]

Thicker than blood - 12

Hello ya’ll 😍

Here we are with another chapter. It’s mostly fluff. we have a few chapters before all hell breaks loose so enjoy for now. CW: some smut... oh yes, they are horny.

Rowan woke up late in the morning and groaned. He turned at his side and saw Aelin. She was still sleeping but her complexion was far better and the cuts had finally healed fully. Hopefully she’d wake too. He rolled out of bed and grabbed his phone from the nightstand and saw a text from the only guard inside the deviation centre who knew and liked him They executed him last night.

Rowan had no need to ask who. That guard would only text him if it was related to Connall. He stopped and read the text again. Why? He had ben in the centre for thirty years? Why now?

He tried to calm down and went to grab some clothes and then realised he could not leave Aelin alone so he did the only thing he could do. He called Lysandra. The woman had been elated to help and arrived half an hour later.

He drove like a mad man to the deviation centre and got his visitor’s pass and stormed the office of the chief. The man in charge was a Duke Perrington.

Rowan burst in the office without even announcing himself “I have been told that prisoner 871, Connall Moonbeam has been executed last night. Why? He has been a prisoner for thirty years.”

The man looked at him with a bored expression “and it was his time to go. We are getting a bit overcrowded here.”

Rowan restrained himself “So first you starve him, play with him, test on him and then once you are bored just get rid of him like he is yesterday’s trash?”

“You friend should have been eliminated a long time ago. He killed humans while on drugs. Lasting this long was something he did not deserve.”

Rowan stormed out and ran out of the compound, then drove to a quiet location and let out a savage scream until he felt better. 

Then with a burst of courage he went back to his car and drove to Fenrys. He had to know.

Before he pressed the buzzer he gathered all of his courage. That was going to destroy the young man and he was afraid of what he might do. 

“Hey Ro, early bird are we?” The man had opened the door in his boxer and smelled like sex. Damn, did he just interrupted something?

“I am sorry for… stopping your morning activities.”

The man laughed “it’s fine, we were finished. Come in.”

A red-haired woman stepped out of the bedroom completely naked.

“Fen darling, come back.”

Rowan cleared his voice and the woman ran back to the bedroom.

“Can we talk?”

“I don’t like that serious tone.”

Rowan took a deep breath “They executed Connall last night.”

The man in front of him lost his smile.

“I confronted the head of the centre and he told me it was time.”

Fenrys still did not speak.

“Fen…”

“Maybe it’s for the best…” he said very quietly “I finally went to visit him. I could feel he was in pain. He did not recognise me. He just stared into the void,” his head hung heavily “am I a horrible person to be relieved my brother is finally at peace? Thirty years Rowan. He’s free now.”

Rowan pulled his friend to him “You are not horrible. You loved him and you are right. He was in pain. I could tell from last time I was there.”

Fenrys pulled back “I will be fine, Rowan.”

He looked at the young vampire “do not do anything stupid, please.”

“Hey, I love a steady pay-check far too much.”

Rowan was worried. Fenrys was taking it far too well and was terrified he might do something reckless.

“How’s the wife?”

“Recovering.”

“She is a badass.” He explained “we looked at the cameras and she confronted them after they came out of the house after killing the family. She held out on her own for a while against those brutes.”

Rowan felt a deep tug of pride.

“Go back to her,” he said to Rowan and patting his thigh “and don’t worry about me. You Gav, Vaughan and even Lorcan will keep me right.”

Rowan left his friend’s house and still could not shake his nagging feeling about Fenrys. He really hoped he was wrong.

He drove back home and was eager to be back with Aelin. He parked his car and ran up the stairs and in the house he found the living room empty, when he got to the bedroom he found Lysandra sitting at Aelin’s side and reading romance novels. And from the short part he had heard it was a smutty one.

Lysandra slammed the book shut when she spotted him “I am sorry… I was just finishing it and,” she hesitated “Aelin and I love to read dirty romance novels together. I started this one last time I was at her place.”

Rowan roared with laughter.

“Was your errand okay?”

Rowan’s smile fell “yeah.” He went to Aelin’s side “thank you for looking after her.”

Lys stood and grabbed her bag “I am glad she found you.” And she walked out.

Rowan changed in house clothes and lay down at her side “so, you read smutty books? You really are an interesting creature,” his hand brushed her hair “Fen told me how you dealt with those three guys. It was crazy but I am so proud of you.”

He was silent for a second and rolled on his back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling and his hand pillowed behind his head “They executed Connall last night. I confronted the man in charge of the deviation centre and talked as if Con was just a piece of trash that could finally be disposed of.”  He let his anger simmer down “I need to know how he died but we have no access to the body or even to his records.”

She felt her hand twitch and he turned abruptly “Aelin?”

His mate groaned and her blue eyes finally met his.

“Hey…” his voice soft as with the back of his hand he brushed her cheek “how are you feeling?”

“Thirsty.”

Rowan lifted his arm and placed his wrist in front of her mouth “drink.”

Aelin kissed gently the spot near the hand where all the nerves were and he moaned lightly, she licked it once and then her fangs pierced the skin and she drank all the while Rowan held her tight.

Once she felt okay she detached and he stooped to kiss her lips and taste his blood on her tongue. Aelin’s hand landed on the nape of his neck and pulled him closer for a sizzling kiss. Rowan rolled over her as his hips pushed against her. In a matter of second he was already hard for her and he felt like a pig. She had just woken up after almost dying but having her feed from him had woken up all sorts of urges.

“I am not made of porcelain,” she whispered as soon as she had an inkling of his intentions.

Rowan’s hands disappeared under her t-shirt and pulled it over her head in a second leaving her naked from the waist up. His head collapsed on top of her left breast and his mouth kissed a precise spot. There was a vein there. The blood was meant to taste divine. It was also a spot reserved to mated pairs. It created a powerful connection.

Aelin’s hands landed on his head and pushed his face down as an encouragement. Rowan deposited a few reverential kisses and then he bit her and Aelin gasped in pleasure.

Rowan saw images of a younger Aelin strapped on a bed and screaming in pain. He saw her with Aedion running free in the Galathynius estate. He saw her the first time she tasted spiked blood. Her happiness at getting the job at the morgue. The fights with her father. Images flashed before his eyes and the more he drank the more the connection with her deepened. And rumours were true. Blood from that spot tasted better than anything he had ever drank. He looked up at Aelin and her thumb brushed a drop of blood from his lips. Then he flipped them over and Aelin landed on top of him. She tilted his head in a question and he removed his shirt “Only if you want. It’s powerful but so fucking amazing,” his breathing was still laboured and was still reeling “I have no secrets, Aelin.”

Aelin lay on his chest and with her finger she traced the right spot and saw Rowan shiver at her touch, then she used her tongue and Rowan groaned hard. “It’s called left subclavian vein and for some reason it’s a powerful spot,” she kissed his skin “I mean, I wish my fangs could go deeper and drink from an artery, the blood is fresh and pure.”

Rowan chuckled at the brief anatomy lesson.

While she started brushing her fangs against his skin, her hand slithered down and disappeared in his boxers were she found him ready for her. When her thumb bushed the head Rowan let out a curse and that’s when she bit him. A barrage of images hit her. Rowan in a land that was not Terrasen surrounded by other people with hair as silver as his, Rowan during his dark time feeding, Lorcan shoving him in a police cruiser handcuffed. She saw his pain while in the cell of the rehab centre screaming as his body adjusted. Saw him the night Lyria died. She drank and when she stopped she felt a desperate need to kiss the man under her. Her mouth searched his almost in desperation then she pulled his boxers down and she sat up to remove her clothes. Once both naked Aelin straddled him and sat on him and moaned in deep pleasure as he filled her.

*

It was a lot later when the frenzy finally calmed down and Rowan was positive he had never experienced something like that. She rode his face and while his fingers were buried in her he drank from her femoral vein and she came hard shouting his name to the skies.

Aelin had used her medical knowledge of the most sensitive spots of the body to bite him and have him shout her name like a prayer.

Now they finally lay exhausted in each other arms, Aelin tucked against him while his fingers traced imaginary lines on her back. Her face was turned to his left side and gently she caressed the marks she left near his heart and he shivered “still very sensitive.”

“Yeah,” he said while kissing her head “I had heard that it was powerful, I just had no idea how much.”

Aelin looked up at him “I can feel you now. Really feel you,” she paused “and it’s wonderful,” another chaste kiss on his pec “now we are truly married. Still no regrets?”

He tilted his head down to look at her “None. You have become all of a sudden very dear to me.”

Aelin chuckled “such a sappy old man,” with her arms she pushed herself up to kiss him “you are very dear to me too, agent.”

“Menace,” he whispered in her ear then he flipped her over and started tickling her. Aelin’s laughter was a ray of joy in the shitty morning he had.

*

After another tumble in the sheets, they were both sitting on the sofa watching a hockey game when Rowan’s phone pinged.

“Shit.”

He stood and took her hand “get dressed, quickly.”

“Where are we going?”

“The morgue.”

“Another death? No one called me.”

Rowan shook his head “I’ll tell you in the car.”

“What do you mean Connall’s body is in my morgue? How did it manage to leave a maximum security facility.”

Rowan sighed “I’ll strangle him. I told him not to do anything stupid.”

“His brother was killed, he has the right to know.”

Rowan’s hand went on her thigh “I know. I am more worried at him being caught.”

Once at the hospital Aelin waltzed in with Rowan at her side and headed for the morgue. No one was meant to be around as all the autopsies had been done.

They reached the examination room and saw Rowan’s team waiting.

“All of you? Really? Lorcan is going to kill you.”

“I had to.”

“It’s a fucking maximum security centre.”

Fenrys grinned “the woman I was with yesterday? She works there and helped us in and out.”

“I hope for you she keeps her mouth shut.” Rowan was raging, that was stupid even for Fenrys’ standards.

“Oh Ansel is awesome and hates those bastards. She kinda works with a rebel group to try and bring down these places.”

Aelin ignored the males and went to get ready to perform the autopsy.

She looked at Fen “you might want to wait outside. Seeing your twin cut open is not something I recommend.”

Vaughan took him out with Gavriel in tow and Rowan remained with her.

He nodded and she grabbed the sheet and pulled it back.

“Holy mother of all fucks.”

TAGS:

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[pearblossommina]

Last night I finished Kingdom of Ash (🥳)

I had a physical copy, but for a good portion of this read, I was reading an ebook I checked out from the library. Unfortunately, too many people were waiting for this book, and Libby automatically returned it when I only had about 30% left, so I had to lug around my gigantic dictionary-sized copy with me everywhere to finish. (😵‍💫)

I apologize for doing a bad job of taking notes, i literally stopped doing it about 20 chapters before the end, but if you’re interested, here’s some raw thoughts up until that point.

IT WAS QUITE THE JOURNEY.

And what a fulfilling end to an epic series!

ToG Read-A-Long, Kingdom of Ash, Day 11

Ch 79

I think Yrene and Elide are so compatible as friends, I like this combination actually. I definitely want to see Yrene work her miracle magic on Elide’s leg. Yes, girl! Get healed! Form new bonds and friendships!

Ch 80

Lol, Elide’s uncle is such a piece of shit. I love how rutheless Aelin is. She’s the best. And true to her word!

It’s all starting to come together. This fear, this hype, the whole adventure coming to its final conclusion. I’m very excited for when Dorian shows up like a total badass with all three wyrdkeys. I’m very excited for the demolition of Erawan, and maybe Maeve too if Aelin can find it in her.

Let’s go. Let’s win the war against evil, and save the whole world.

Ch 81

The scene with Evangeline and Aedion and Lysandra is so cute. My heart! Aw.

Um, I also really like Darrow; lmao, he’s such a shitty person but he’s not evil, he’s just a jerk.

and hell yeah

Hell yeah, Manon is here, to honor a promise made to a friend

Hell yeah, queen of the Corchan’s

Hell yeah, let’s kick some ass

Ch 82

“Freedom - freedom from the Matrons who had forged them into tools of destruction.”

I would have liked to see Manon take over ALL the witch legions, the crochans and the Ironteeth both, but if they won’t follow her, then they have to die. This is war! And we’re gonna win!

For a better world!

Aedion and Lysandra are finally declaring that they love each other. It’s about time for those two. No one’s ever asked Lysandra permission to kiss her before? Girl, my poor heart. You should let him, Lysandra! Just go for it! Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy something consensual at least once before you die?

Ch 83

Dorian you’re so sweet, aw.

I don’t want anyone to die!

I want to find another way. Why can’t we just be Elena, and seal Erawan away without dying to forge the lock?

I know it supposedly pisses off the gods - but - I can’t stand these gods - I’m pissed off that everyone’s talking about dying all the time

I’m sick of sacrifice

I just want to be happy

And I just want the characters to be happy, too

Ch 84

Building to another battle

Lysandra’s up to something fishy (har har)

Day 12

Ch 85

Right into it

It does make me sorry to see Manon killing Ironteeth witches. But not everyone can be saved. This is war.

Lysandra is a dragon again

Love her

Aedion is fighting the good fight! Love him.

Ch 86

Um!

Is Ren okay!

Aedion got knocked out - by something - but is Ren okay?

I think I said before how much I love Evangeline. It’s good to have diversity of characters, and someone like her, who is a literal child, getting to have perspective on some of these big moments, it makes the world so much richer.

I also like Darrow for part of the same reason - even though he’s extremely unlikeable, personality wise.

The combination of Darrow and Evangeline isn’t something I knew I needed, but I actually like it a lot.

Aedion will be alright, honey. We have to have faith.

Ch 87

Elorcan my whole heart!!!!

Do I hate the fade to black? Yes, actually, how dare you SJM, she worked so hard for this virginity loss moment, how dare you cut away!

I wanna be in there, I want to feel my heart fill up with feelings while Elide gets to experience sex for the first time and learn how good it feels!

Boo

Aelin having nightmares, boo

I love Rowaelin, tattoo me up, baby, let’s be lovers forever.

And yay!!!

Dorian’s finally back!!!!

We’re all together now, the happy ending is at hand, we can get there, I KNOW we can get there, it’s not far now!

Ch 88

I told you Aedion was gonna be alright. 🥰

It’s the kind of fight that just keeps going - but don’t worry friends. Aelin and Dorian are on their way, and it’s gonna be amazing.

Abraxos is gonna be just fine.

Ch 89

Manon bared her teeth. “I am.” She pointed at the shape-shifter. “You can carry me.”

Aedion snarled, “No.”

But Lysandra shook her head, sorrow and despair in her green eyes. “I can’t - the magic is drained. If I had an hour -“

Am I the only one hoping for Dorian-as-a-wyvern to dramatically turn up and give Manon a ride to the witch tower?

Omfg Asterin

All of them?

Ow

No

I want you to live, too.

Don’t do this to me

Ch 90

NO this is the WORST

Manon :(

Ch 91

YAY

DORIAN AND CHAOL, TOGETHER AGAIN AT LAST

That flicker of sorrow in Dorian’s eyes, when Chaol introduced him to his wife, I know it was probably just brotherly sorrow that he couldn’t be there for the wedding day, but I absolutely believe he was sorry that Chaol is off the market and he’ll never get his chance to make out with him now.

(I’m going down with this ship, toot toot, Dorian x Chaol, sinking beneath the surface)

Why! Why do we have to die! It’s so dumb!

I don’t want either of you to do it. I vote, we anger the gods, and do what we want, and live long happy lives and fall deeper and deeper in love. I vote we die of natural causes, at the ripe old age of 200 or whatever.

Ch 92

The issue of dying in place of your friends is so selfish. I especially love Rowan right now for fighting to keep Aelin’s heart beating.

She wouldn’t let him die to save her, so what makes her sacrifice any better?

I like the idea of both Aelin and Dorian giving “half” of themselves. Maybe they’ll only die a little bit. Only mostly dead, like in The Princess Bride. And what could be a better reason for living than true love!

Day 13

Ch 93

Ok you are kidding me

This is nuts

They’re gonna come back, right?

Right?

Ch 94

I’m sorry but I actually laughed out loud when no one knew Dorian’s dad’s name

[bookofmirth]

sometimes i sit back and wonder how sjm has made acotar into such a shitshow 😭

we’ve got the elriels vs the gwynriels. one of the most embarrassing fandom fights i’ve ever seen. we’ve got sjm taking the powers away from a female character yet again while still establishing everytime rhysand is on page how powerful and strong her is. we’ve got feyre’s almost teen pregnancy HALF WAY THROUGH THE SERIES. which pregnancy? fine. not going to complain. every woman should choose what path they want. but half way through a fantasy series? a couple months after she said she wanted to wait? when she’s a 20 year old immortal? when there is WAR coming and now we are all going to be forced to care about a child when we’re here for badass fantasy 😭 we’ve got rhysand becoming high king which is going to bring so much hate for sjm. one way or another shes going to take the thrones away from POC and LGBTQ characters and have them kneel to her white male character and his very young wife who has no education or experience being a queen and who’s first act as high lady was destroying a court?

i love acotar but it’s just so all over the place. i feel like she sacrificed so much plot to just haphazardly sow things together to make the crossover possible and ugh worst decision ever.

we’ve got the elriels vs the gwynriels. one of the most embarrassing fandom fights i’ve ever seen.

LITERULLY the most fucking embarrassing, I have never in my life seen this fandom act so fucking juvenile and that's a huge reason why I've been scarce the last couple months. I am constantly flabbergasted at how ridiculous people are acting in public, as if it fucking matters. They must be bored 😭

But yeah the other stuff you said, I'm honestly not as excited for acotar anymore either. I hate the crossover. Fully, enthusiastically, I am not a fan. If/when Az gets a book, it will be the Tower of Dawn of acotar for me (I don't like Chaol, I didn't care about ToD, I've never reread it because 😴, ToD only served to delay the plot lines I actually wanted to read with Aelin).

And on the one hand, it's not that deep. Really it's not. We have great characters, great ships, and that's always been the strength of acotar in particular. I can't remember a time we haven't been ripping on her magic system and worldbuilding in acotar in particular. It's not like we didn't know.

But now it's like, it's to a point where those things really matter a lot more than they used to, and so it feels weird and incongruous to what the series started off as.

Luckily there are thousands of other books on my tbr and tons of other authors I love!