I seem to be the only person on earth that still hasn’t read ACOTAR so thought this was a fab start! First 6 chapters have me HOOKED so I can’t wait to read the rest!

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is like stepping into a world where every shadow has teeth, and every bloom is laced with secrets. The story—at once brutal and tender—pulls you into Feyre's journey with a hand that doesn’t just guide but binds. Feyre’s resilience echoes a primal longing to protect, to survive, to love—unabashedly, even when it’s dangerous. Maas writes with the kind of haunting precision that makes you ache for things you’ve never known, for battles fought in forests under ancient stars. The romance unfolds with a rawness that blurs lines between love and sacrifice, and by the end, you're left tangled in the vines of a world so darkly beautiful it feels like a memory you've somehow lost.

I normally avoid books with so much hype but several friends and acquaintances have recommended this book to me.
So when my daughter told me she really loves this series and wanted me to try it I picked up a sample on NetGalley.
And enjoyed the first chapters so much I couldn't wait to get hold of the paperback so bought the Kindle version.

Here I am people! I can hang out with the cool kids now that I’ve read the book. It felt like I was hiding in a cave until now, refusing to read Sarah J. Maas, thinking the hype is too forced. But to be honest, this book surprised me a lot. I enjoyed it with all my heart, and even though I wouldn’t cry and scream over it, I am very pleased that I read it, and I just can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
A Court of Thorns And Roses is a story about a young lady, Feyre, who is a huntress and goes out in the woods to hunt food. The more she hunts, the better her family can eat. And when one day she kills a wolf, she learns the hard way that killing a magical creature has its price…
She is imprisoned in an enchanted court and she is free to walk around, but not allowed to escape. The creature that captures her is a beast with fighting skills, with a mask on his face and piercing eyes that make her heart beat fast.
As Feyre starts to grow warmer about Tamlin, danger lies nearby and secrets are all over the place, and Tamlin and his kind might not be who she thought they were.
Fighting to break a curse that might make her lose her true love forever, Feyre must fight with all her forces, but she is just a weak human in this faerie world. Will she be able to make it?
I have to start with mentioning that the beginning was extremely slow and I was almost on the point of asking all of these people why they love this book so much. But once the plot started revealing itself, and a few twists happened straight away, I was glued to my sofa, reading page after page.
It gives us a slight resemblance of the Beauty and the Beast, even though the plot is quite different. There is a powerful beast who locks the girl, and they fall in love, but there is so much more twists, adventures and danger that I can’t compare them beyond that.
I loved Feyre, for the fierce woman she is. I loved the fight she had in herself, despite being a tiny human in a world of powerful magical creatures. I loved the fact that she would stand up for what she believes in, no matter the consequences, though sometimes, quite recklessly done.
I loved Tamlin, and his warmth despite his cold appearance. The way he cared for Feyre was so heartwarming and cute. The love they feel for each other, and those scenes that made me cry – I will cherish that!
I am not sure how I felt about the ending – it was a bit forced, and too soppy, but it opened a space for another book, which I will be reading soon.
A wonderful magical tale, a fierce woman, a fiercer love, and even fiercer danger, this one won’t let you sleep at night, and it will haunt you to find answers. A true masterpiece!
Let’s talk – Have you read A Court of Thorns and Roses? Did you enjoy it? Have you read anything else from Sarah J. Maas?

What can I say after all this time that hasn't been said before. A Court of Thorns and Roses is an emotional rollercoaster, magical, twisted and unpredictable; everything I could want from a fantasy. I loved all the characters, be it negative or positive - they delivered to the requirements of the narrative and story progression and everything tied in beautifully. The prose is gorgeous, I was transported into this fae realm, the plot was exhilarating and engaging but I guess my only quib would be this felt like two stories in one book - the first half being a complete contrast to the second half of the book but what I did enjoy was the character development in that duration. I also had no idea this was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and other than the very obvious and justified hype around this series, I went in blind and was not sure what to expect in terms of storyline which I am pleased about as it felt like I was in my own world and consuming every word and plot twist before me as it was with no preconceived notions. I have immediately ended picking up the next book in the series which is stoked to be a fan favourite. Thank you @netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest unedited review.

This is such a well written and captivating story. The characters feel so complex with rich backstories that made me fall in love with them. Even characters I disliked at the beginning, started to grow on me when I understood their motivations. I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing and how well timed certain reveals were. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. Such a page turner!! I'm excited to read more!

I’m probably way too late to the game but I’m glad that I joined.

After seeing this series over & over again on SM and review sites, I decided to give it a go. Thing is that I thought it would be for younger audience than for readers like me hence the reluctance of picking it up. I was mislead and now I’m hooked.

To begin with, I’m a sucker for a good fantasy world building and this series, especially book one that introduces the readers in the world, doesn’t disappoint in that part. The world itself is not super remarkable but it is its history, communities (different courts and their peculiarities) and people that make it super cool and interesting.

The characters are so distinctive between them that create a great appeal to the reader and provide variety. They are well thought and developed, and can be quite relatable especially in a romantic sense.

The story itself now, is so good! (In the next books it gets even better - hang in there!). Not that much the basics of it but the embellishments. The relationships dynamics swift and turn and create all those twists that make it worth reading.

Lastly, the magic system is well structured and flows through the book without being difficult to follow or understand that it is very important for me in a fantasy novel.

I have only recently returned to reading fantasy and really enjoyed this sample. I felt it gave me a good feel of what to expect. I may try the series.

I really enjoyed it, I didn’t think it was the best, a lot of lines were repeated but it was still enjoyable.

Readers will be fascinated by this book from start to finish because of its gripping story of magic, passion, and adventure. The story revolves around Feyre, a brave huntress whose life takes a drastic turn after she kills a wolf in the woods. It is set in a place where the kingdoms of the faerie and the human merge. After being forced into the perilous Fae realm, Feyre discovers that Tamlin, a powerful faerie lord, is actually her captor rather than just a beast.

The deep character development in this work is what really makes it stand out. You can't help but cheer for Feyre because she is a strong, dedicated, and fiercely devoted family member. Readers will be enthralled with Tamlin's alluring demeanor and profound depths with each turn of the page. Their relationship's development is masterfully described, with moments of intense sensuality, suspense, and heartbreak that will leave you speechless.

With each twist and turn, Sarah crafted a story of mystery and suspense which will have you on the edge of your seat. Every element of the faerie kingdom, from its gorgeous vistas to its sinister secrets that threaten to shatter everything, has been painstakingly designed tp hook you.

The book's examination of concepts like love, selflessness, and the strength of the human heart may be what really makes it unique. Feyre must face her own preconceptions and views as she makes her way through the complexity of her new world. In the end, she finds the inner strength to stand up for her convictions.

To sum up, this book is a fantastical literary work that will captivate readers from the first page. It is a must-read for lovers of the genre because of its captivating plot, amazing romance, and engaging characters.

Wow I kept putting off reading this as I didn’t want to be part of the hype but I have learnt that sometimes following everyone else isn’t such a bad thing.
There is a reason this book is as popular as what it is and I am so glad I have had the opportunity to read it. I went into this book feeling quite meh about it and was soon sucked into it. I am not a big fantasy reader as I struggle to picture things that aren’t “real” but I had no issues with this. The world building was excellent and the story has left me wanting more. I have the other 4 books on order and I can’t wait to get stuck into them.

This taster of A Court of Thorns and Roses was just what I needed to dip my toe into the world of Sarah J Maas. Her extensive catalogue of books makes it intimidating to take the first step as well as the hype her books receive on social media. needless to say, they have a point.

From just the first few chapters of ACOTAR, the world-building is impressive. The writing is stunning and really works to help imagine the setting we are in.

I'm intrigued to read the rest of the book and fully emerge myself in the Maas-iverse.

I never read fantasy but this has converted me. I binged the rest of the series in a week 😌 now I get the Sarah J Maas hype

Reading this, I totally get why Sarah J. Maas has gone viral. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

Thank you NetGalley for this book.

Do I read fantasy? No.
Do I read romance? Rarely.
Do I read series? No
Did I finish this in two days? Yes.
Am I now already on the second in the series? Yes.
Am I cancelling weekend plans to read it? Yes.

I have heard so many people obsessing over this series.. Book talk in my book group ends up being about this series rather than the book that we are supposed to be talking about.
I was feeling left out, but I'm not generally a lover if Fantasy books. This excerpt was a perfect way to see if I might want to read the books.
I really enjoyed reading the first few chapters and definitely want to read the rest of the book. It was well written and I liked the characters.

How could I not want to read more after this excerpt?! Very much get the hype and very much going out to purchase the whole series!

This was one of my first fantasy books and I loved this and I am so so excited to read the rest. I loved the action, the imagery and I loved Rhys so much. I love faerie men in this book. I’ve heard so much about this book and boy is it well deserved excited to read the rest of the series.

Holy poop. Why didn't I read this sooner? The hype is real with this one. This book has started a new obsession. I absolutely loved this. I've many to dodge many many spoilers over this series, thank god. I really liked Tamlin at first, but towards the end, I started to get bad vibes, so I shall have to see how I feel about him in book two. Rhysand, I liked him. The main character, Feyre, is a very strong, determined, and stubborn character throughout. She won't let noone tell her what to do regardless of the danger surrounding her. I devoured this. I needed this. I loved this. Late to the party as usual. I can't wait to dive into book two already. Excited. Highly recommend. A well-deserved five stars from me.

After reading chapter one I could have left it, and as it went on, I wasn’t grabbed by any characters, they are not very likeable, and the world building was not focused on, but the story was pulling me back. I wanted to know the true reason for the hatred and division between the fae and humans. Obviously, there was more to it than what the main character is repeating, and I wanted to know more, to also see why this series has such a big following. The first six chapters still don’t provide many answers but as it’s easy to read you can work your way through this quickly. Due to this I am still interested in finding out more, which I guess is part of its draw. It is intriguing at the very least.
I received a six-chapter sample through NetGalley.