Kingdom of Ash (Miniature Character Collection) (Throne of Glass Mini Character Collection)

I’ve had the Kingdom of Ash on my bookshelves since it was released in 2018. I know it’s been four years, but I finally got the courage to read it. I knew that Sarah J. Maas would rip out my heart with the last book in the Throne of Glass series, which is why it took me this long to read it. Well, I finally finished it, and yes, Sarah ripped my heart into threads in certain parts of this book. Some more than others. I’m happy I finished it and sad at the same time. I told myself I would read it slowly to savor the story and characters, which I did. All I wanted was for a happily ever after. It did take some time to get there, but it finally happened. Thank you, Sarah J. Maas, for writing these characters and world. I’ll cherish the Throne of Glass books forever. This is one world I can’t get enough of, and I definitely plan on re-reading them again in the future. My Thoughts: Here are things I enjoyed about the last book in the Throne of Glass series: I love reading several points of view in a book, and Sarah J. Maas gives readers several angles to what is enfolding in her books. I felt the pain of what was happening to Aelin and Fenrys when she had been chained, bound, and taken away with Maeve and her sadistic friend, Cairn. I also felt the pain of Aelin’s mate, Rowan wanting to save her. He was determined to find her and get her back. Yes, it was hard to read, but it made me root for Aelin to fight back and Rowan to find her. The biggest tearjerker to me was when Aelin and Rowan are reunited. Knowing what she had to endure with Maeve and Cairn broke my heart. Carin’s fate came too quick in my eyes. Don’t even get me started with what happened to Fenrys’s brother. Aedion, on the other side of the world, is dealing with fighting Erawan’s forces with Lysandra. He’s livid on Lysandra and Aelin betraying him. Lysandra is doing everything to keep up the charade that she’s Aelin to the people. Unfortunately, things come to light, and the truth comes out. I felt terrible about how Lysandra was treated, especially with Aedion, but I knew he was frustrated. His queen and cousin didn’t want him to see the truth. It wasn’t easy for them at all in this book. In this book, there’s one scene between Aedion and his father Gavriel after they reunite, and then it all goes to hell. I had to put the book away for a while and come back and reread the scene. I couldn’t believe Sarah had done that to me. Yrene and Chaol. I loved these two in Tower of Dawn and was happy to be back with them, even when battling Erawan’s forces. I also loved when Yrene finally reunited with the woman who had helped her so many moons before to get her to where she needed to be to learn her healing abilities. If you didn’t read Assassin’s Blade, I highly recommend you do because you’ll find out how Yrene and Aelin met the first time. Aelin is a favorite female protagonist in this series, but Yrene is a favorite, too. I adored Yrene and what she did in this book. She kicked butt, and she’s going on my list of favorite kick-butt females characters. She even did with sharing a secret. =) Dorian. What can I say about this damaged King? He has grown since book one. He did go through a great deal. He’s still broken, but he’s getting there. He proved himself in this book and that he could deceive enemies and assist Aelin in retrieving the keys. I was worried about him when he faced Maeve and how he handled himself. I loved when he reunited with Chaol and met Yrene. Manon. Manon will always be a morally grey female character that grew on me in this series. I was devastated by what she went through in this book. Yes, another scene broke me. I had to step away from the book to regain my composure. I’m glad that Dorian and her didn’t really get together at the end. Manon was too independent, and Dorian still had issues. Lorcan and Elide. Lorcan tried to prove himself to everyone, even to Elide, the most in this book. I felt Lorcan because no one trusted him. Elide even couldn’t trust him. What she did, though, towards the end to save me, almost broke me, too. Maeve. After finding out the truth about Maeve in Tower of Dawn and what she put Aelin through, I was ready for someone to end her. The person who ended her was epic. I’ll never forget the scene of Maeve meeting her maker. Erawan. He was the biggest issue in the series when the truth came out on what he had been planning. The person who ended him was another epic scene. Yes. He deserved every bit of what happened to him, and I’m happy with who did it. Aelin and Rowan. These two. I love them together. The ending with them together will forever be one of my favorites to read. To whatever end. Aelin proved herself in this book as a true Queen with everything she went through. I was pissed with what the Gods did to her, though, and will never forgive them. Fenrys. Readers don’t get his point of view, but I wish we had gotten it. He won me over in this book, and he has a special place in my heart, maybe even over Rowan. I’m glad I finally finished the Kingdom of Ash. Am I upset that the series has ended? Yes, definitely. I’m happy, though; they all got a happily ever after in their own ways. Sarah J. Maas managed to suck me into this world, and I’ll never forget it. The action-packed scenes, the adventure and danger the characters went on to get to where they needed to, and a lost princess/assassin who finally claimed her crown back. It was an epic journey, and it’s worth so many re-reads in the future. Thank you, Sarah J. Maas, for sharing these characters and the world with us. Five stars for this fantastic ending. Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Throne of Glass series, and I highly recommend reading these books in order. Would I recommend this book/series? Yes. If you are a fan of Young Adult Fantasy that takes you on a epic adventure to claim a crown and defeat enemies that want to destroy everything, then yes, read this book.

Kingdom of Ash is the eighth and final book of the Throne of Glass series. By this time there are so many threads to the story that it is difficult to keep up with them, and next to impossible to summarize. I think Sarah J. Maas does a good job of wrapping everything up satisfactorily. There may be a small thread left hanging here and there, but nothing significant has been left out. And this time there is nothing left hanging that is going to lead to another book. Of course, things will continue in Erilea after the end of the book. Most of the book consists of several massive battles, to the point where it’s surprising that there is anyone left alive at all, let alone enough people to populate multiple countries. Obviously, some places and governments need to be rebuilt after all this fighting. But this is just going to be mundane everyday work. No doubt songs and legends will be made of what has gone before. But it isn’t going to be enough for another book. At least for a while. Throughout the series so far, we have already lost a lot of people well before we even reached this final book. As the various battles progress against the ever-increasing armies of Erawan and Morath the number of deaths only escalates. I felt particularly sorry for Aedion Ashryver who, as the acting commander for the armies of Terrasen and their allies, has to keep their dwindling armies from being completely wiped out with no end, rest, or respite in sight. Aelin, meanwhile, begins this part of the story shut up in an iron box, being periodically tortured. I was never sure exactly what she expected to do by allowing Maeve to carry her off this way, but I don’t think it went exactly how she expected it to. Interestingly, as in several other cases scattered around the action, it is a less powerful character who turns out to be the key to saving the day for the forces fighting the evil demons. Elide is able to locate Aelin so that Roland and his friends can find and free her. Dorian proves to be awesome this time. When we first met him long ago, he was not a powerful magic user at all. Now, traveling with Manon Blackbeak and her Ironteeth Witches, he meets up with a Stygian Spider who teaches him how to shapeshift. As a shapeshifter, he infiltrates Morath where he meets Maeve and learns her secrets, finds the last of the Wyrdkeys that Erawan has been hiding, and weakens the fortress so that it collapses. Unfortunately, it does not manage to kill Erawan and Maeve when it falls. None of the most main characters (except for the bad guys) dies in this book, but several of the second-tier main characters do not survive all the battles. And several of even the main characters are severely injured. The most heart-wrenching part was when Manon’s wyvern, Abraxos, was severely injured during one of the battles and it looked as if he might not make it. And then shortly afterward, Manon’s thirteen, who had just been instrumental in caring for Abraxos, as well as fighting their former Ironteeth colleagues, sacrificed themselves to take out a really dangerous Morath weapon called a Witch Tower, that the leadership had feared would give Erawan an unstoppable advantage in the battle. And then there’s the rather long scene of the forging of the Lock and the sealing of the Wyrdgate. Aelin had been expecting this process to kill her. And even having read it, it’s still a little mysterious to me how she managed to outwit it after all. But this time the heroine doesn’t die. Ok, so when the smoke has cleared and the demons have all run screaming into the night, there are people’s lives to sort out. Some of the couples that have been forming over the months do get together in the end, although it is tougher for some than for others. But surprisingly, some choose to take longer to settle down; they have other responsibilities, or they aren’t ready yet, or something. And finally, the rebuilding can begin. Hope it works out well for them.

What can I say about this massive novel other than OH MY GOD WHAT A MASTERPIECE. I loved EVERY SINGLE PAGE. With this end to the Throne of Glass series being 980 pages – there was A LOT that happened, and I obviously will not be able to capture everything in this review. This review will most likely be spoiler free for the first half and then the second half will contain spoilers that I simply HAVE to talk about, but I will be sure to put a disclaimer warning everyone not to proceed unless you’ve read it or like me absolutely love spoilers. You do you. (although I managed to not be spoiled at all!) First and foremost, I know a lot of people are talking about the length of this novel and the fact that its nearly 1K pages. I’ve read several reviews saying that the length was unnecessary and that AT LEAST 200 pages could have been cut. Honestly, I thought the length was perfect. Yes, it is long. Yes, it is a commitment to read it and get through it. But this book is written so well, and the story is so fantastic that I flew through it and it was over before I even realized I was close to the end. Also, to those that feel it should have been shorter I just want to say I hear you, but to someone that absolutely LOVES this series (and I consider it my favorite) I would have been fine with it being even loner if that’s where Sarah felt the story needed to go ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ A major point I want to talk about with a lot of Sarah’s books is that she portrays mental health/illness/awareness incredibly well. Without spoiling anything there are a lot of parts in this book that speak indirectly on something tragic happening to a character and how they handle it. I think she does a wonderful job portraying that it is OKAY to NOT BE OKAY. It is okay to need time to deal with the pain and suffering in your own way and on your own time. I love how some of the characters in this book deal with situations like that. The world building in this novel and in Tower of Dawn was tremendous, and such an improvement from her earlier books. I can see her growing as an author and I love where she is headed. We were able to see so many new and even various places in Erilea and I loved every word of it. I was happy we got to experience more of this world outside of Adarlan. Another way Sarah has grown as an author is by showing us the amount of character development she puts in to these novels. I thought Kingdom of Ash in particular showed how characters have changed and grown throughout the whole series and I loved seeing it all come together and how it impacted their role in everything that happened. Okay, on to the SPOILER section! So, if you have not finished and don’t want to be spoiled TURN BACK NOW! The first thing I want to cover is Aedion. He seriously bothered me throughout the ENTIRE book. He was being such a self-righteous, pompous ass towards everyone but especially Lysandra for shifting to Aelin and impersonating her (WHICH IS LITERALLY WHAT AELIN INSTRUCTED HER TO DO), and Aedion just couldn’t get past the fact that his Queen didn’t “trust” him enough to tell him. That wasn’t the case at all, we all know how Aelin operates and it’s a “you don’t need to know until my plan is revealed to the world” scenario. Because of this he was bitter and cold towards Lysandra for most of the book and took until she was knocking on deaths door for him to realize how terrible he was being. Thankfully she is a strong woman and all but told him to f*** off until she was ready to deal with how awful he was towards her. Again, with Aedion (I swear most of my issues with this book revolved around him) his anger towards his father was SO DAMN DRAMATIC I could not handle it. He is so angry towards his father for, in my opinion, no valid reason. His father didn’t even know Aedion existed until Queen of Shadows and all he wanted was to be with him, protect him, be a father towards him. All Aedion did was be bitter and aggressive with him. Well, what goes around comes around and Gavriel ended up dying in the last battle and now Aedion will never get to have his father. Only then, only when Gavriel put his life on the line for Aedion did he finally see how mistaken he was. I cannot roll my eyes hard enough at that. I know that there quite a few people out there who straight up won’t even read Sarah’s books anymore because of some insensitivities portrayed throughout her stories. The one that irritates me the most is in Empire of Storms Aedion makes a comment about loving men and women and that it’s more about who they are as a person rather than whether they are male or female. But I am also bothered by the fact that this was a one sentence in another massive book and then it is literally never brought up again. I was truly hoping it may have been explored a little in this book. Okay, can we talk about Dorian for a minute? Just a minute? Because holy god did Dorian show some serious character development and an unholy amount of power all of a sudden. I feel like his power was seriously amplified in this novel compared to the previous books. Suddenly he was able to “absorb” other powers? He killed the spider that could shape shift and then he taught himself how to shape shift? I don’t know if I should be impressed or terrified. I think his power exceeded even Aelin’s and definitely went unchecked. But even with that I am happy that him and Aelin together tried to forge the lock and seal the Wyrdgate but in doing so Dorian’s power was diminished and Aelin lost the majority of her fire-bringing abilities. I loved this part of the story because to me it showed that they are still flawed, they are not all powerful but even without their power they can still lead and rule with conviction. The saddest part of this book to me and I’m sure many others was when the Thirteen (minus Manon, because main character ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) gave up their lives to the yielding to ensure the Witch tower would be destroyed. The sacrifice they made, and the heartbreak Manon went through was absolutely heart wrenching. I did not see it coming at all, which made it an even more fantastic and emotional plot point. When that chapter was over, once I was done sobbing I had to put it down and walk away for a while to collect myself and return my heart rate to a resting pace. I know this review was wordy and long (the longest I’ve ever written!) but I felt it was necessary to convey my feelings toward this book and the series as a whole. I thought the ending was absolutely perfect and I wouldn’t have changed a single thing. The last page alone had me crying like a baby curled up in the corner (the flowers guys, the flowers). I thought the end of this series was more than I could have ever hoped for these characters that have become my friends. Even though I won’t be able to read these books for the first time again I am happy I will be able to thoroughly enjoy them in my rereads, because this series deserves nothing less than being read and loved all over again.

After my frustration and disappointment with the previous book, Kingdom of Ash was a breath or fresh air and satisfying conclusion to an epic series. Instead of feeling like a fanfiction of her first three books, we finally see Aelin facing impossible stakes with real humility. Dorian is given a true arc and chance to step out like he hasn’t since the beginning. I loved to see his love for and friendship with Aelin brought full circle here. I still believe Manon and the Thirteen should and could have had their own spin off series. And much as I love Dorian, I much prefer Manon apart from him. Side characters I became surprisingly invested in besides Yrene and Nesryn were Fenrys and Aedion. Both “males” had been hit and miss for me before this, but I honestly wasn’t sure if either would get a happy ending. Depending on the ending, I would have been okay either way. On a side note, Erawan was finally an interesting villain rather than the ominous Big Bad. And as awful as she was to out heroes, part of me also wanted more for Maeve. Something I loved in this book (which is so long it was like reading a concluding trilogy) was that Maas brought in wonder for the magic of her world. Much like Tower of Dawn, we see glimpses if other kingdoms and other worlds in a fun nod to my favorite Maas series. And while I still feel like too many characters survived the fantastically epic battles they constantly fought, while I hoped for a little but more tragedy with certain romances, I am satisfied. There us something to be said, after all, for a conclusion that reminds you why you loved a long-winded series in the first place.

I have put off reading this book for years. Mostly, I put it off due to how long it is. But when I have been in the mood to read here in 2021 after giving birth to my 3rd child, I have wanted to read something I know I will enjoy. Also, I originally read the series on Holly's kindle. But her 1G kindle stopped syncing. So I put KOA on hold with the e-library. I finally got my loaned copy, but of course, you only have two weeks to read a book from the e-library. And 900+ pages is going to take me a bit longer than that these days. My library copy expired, but by that point, I was hooked on the story. So I bought it with my birthday gift card money. The first thing I want to say review wise about Kingdom of Ash is how very far we've come since Throne of Glass. Oh, my word! It almost doesn't even feel like these two books belong in the same series to me how far apart we've come. I remember thinking, and even commenting in my review, that Throne of Glass not focusing on the assassin competition more was a missed opportunity. Boy, I was completely ignorant about the overall arc of the series story and conflict. Aelin being an assassin was such a small (yet still important) part of the story. I intend to re-read this series from the beginning, and I'm sure I will be just as impressed by the distance from the beginning to the end as I was finishing Kingdom of Ash. There is so much to discuss and unpack in this book, but with a series ender, I'm always hesitant to spoil anything. I found it difficult to get back into the story because I put off reading this book for several years. There are so many narrators and so many pieces to this puzzle that it is hard to keep everything straight sometimes. But one thing is for sure, Sarah J Maas has crafted this series like a pro and even the smallest pieces and interactions are remembered for future use and crafted to tie back together. I truly love when a series is like this. Each piece is meaningful and important in some way or another. Multiple times I found myself thinking that Kingdom of Ash had a JRR Tolkein and The Lord of the Rings vibe. Dorian's quest to find the 3rd key by going into Morath reminded me of Sam and Frodo going into Mordor. Dorian and/or Aelin needing to forge the Lock while war is going on in other areas of the land and story reminded me of the quest to destroy the ring. All of the dark, evil creatures Erawan created of course reminds me of all of the Orcs and creatures from The Lord of the Rings. The battle that Aedion is fighting in Terrasan reminded me of the big battle in Return of the King. Of course, I don't see the religious symbolism throughout Kingdom of Ash like The Lord of the Rings. If anything, maybe there is an "anti-religion" theme throughout Kingdom of Ash. I want to discuss Aelin and Dorian's mission to destroy the key a little more, but I know that will likely stray into spoiler territory for sure. I'll just say that the self-sacrifice that was touched on in this area felt a little cliche. I was rolling my eyes a good bit through this section. Yet when I analyze it, I'm not sure I can come up with another way things should have gone down. In some ways, I might even say this section could have been skipped altogether. Sarah J Maas has so many couples going in this book. Each couple has conflicts to overcome. Aedion and Lysandra aren't in a great place. Rowan, of course, has to reunite with Aelin. Lorcan and Elodie are also at odds when things begin. And Dorian and Manon have an impending separation coming. I'm probably even missing someone. Oh and Aedion and Gavriel...not a romantic relationship, but I had to shed a tear at this point of the story. I really feel like this review has not done this book or this series justice. But there's so much to wrap my head around and so much that I don't want to spoil. Kingdom of Ash gets 5 Stars. And I believe this is my only 5 Star read from 2021 (at least so far). Have you read Kingdom of Ash? What did you think? Let me know!

Whew! That was a wild ride! I've been following this series for five years. Preordering the books and rereading countless times. This is the series that really brought me into blogging. My own personal Harry Potter, if you will. I love this series and this ending is nothing but bittersweet. Mild spoilers for the beginning of this book and major spoilers for the rest of the series. 1. The characters. This last installment was a MASSIVE undertaking for Maas. Throughout the previous six books, we've been accumulating characters and backstories. Aelin, Chaol, and Dorian forming the backbone with Rowan, Nesryn, Yrene, Sartaq, Elide, Manon, Ansel, Rolfe, Gavriel, Lorcan, Fenrys, Dorian's father, Maeve, and Erawan all playing major roles. This series would make an absolutely fabulous reread with all of the character interactions that you can trace from book to book. I loved each and every one of the characters. They each had their own complex backstory that propelled their choices incredibly. Something I wish Maas had payed a bit more attention to, however, is their own unique voices. When I see a specific character from another's eyes, their unique voice is absolutely there, but once we merge into their POV, it becomes difficult to distinguish them by voice and tone alone. Moving on to Aelin, she went through such a character arc in this installment. I'm sure y'all remember that amazing arc she went through in HoF as she truly accepted her magic and her birthright. This is a little like that but scaled down and taken in a different direction. As I'll talk about in the next section, there are so many full circle moments that really caused her character to grow. 2. The plot. As I said above, there are SO many full circle moments and I loved it! I'll be repeating this throughout my review, but this series would make for an excellent reread in order to catch all of the individual strands that Maas mapped out so wonderfully. More practically speaking, this is 980 pages which is longer than any of the others in the series (it's a contender for the longest-books-I've-ever-read list) which means that keeping the tension levels right throughout is a task in of itself. Maas does a very good job of this throughout the book, allowing small breaks in the tension for the reader to stop for a breath. Something that always irks me about any fantasy that involves a war and a chosen one is how easily and quickly the wars are won through some special power of the chosen one. There was none of that here as each of the members of Aelin's squad contributes in a major way. As I'm sure many have seen, there are some very striking similarities between the ending battles in LOTR and the ending battle in this novel. Personally, this doesn't bother me too much but it is something to consider if you're a LOTR fan. Worth a quick mention: the symbolism associated with Aelin's torture and physical journey. Suffice to say there is an ample amount of circling and implied character self. Going along with that, there are so many reoccurring motifs that really enriched the writing and the plot in general. 3. The romance(s). There are so many relationships happening here. Aelin and Rowan, Yrene and Chaol, Lysandra and Aedion, Nesryn and Sartaq, Elide and Lorcan, and Dorian and Manon. I don't mind the large cast of characters in general (in fact, I prefer it to the alternative) but I do think that this many romances is a bit too much. I love each of the romances individually, in a vacuum (excepting one which I'll talk about in a minute), but collectively, it's a lot. Some of the romances are well-established (Aelin and Rowan for example), and some are more fledgling relationships only introduced in the most recent books (#5 and #6 were really books for relationship development). I love the overall timeline (this series takes place over a good three or four years including Assassin's Blade) and it's entirely realistic but I could have lived with one or two fewer romances. The one romance I'm unsure about is Dorian and Manon's. Granted, while Dorian is a major part of the series and has been from the beginning, he isn't given too much character development (I loved Chaol's arc and I wish Dorian's followed suit) so his evolution from Sorcha to Manon was a bit whip-lashy for me. One other issue I wanted to bring up: the heterosexuality. I don't mind all of the romances being 100% heterosexual in books (author's choice, after all) but in previous books, Maas introduced several LGBT+ reps (most notably Aedion and Manon) but they promptly melded into the heterosexual atmosphere. In the southern continent, there is some great representation, but they're all mostly side characters and none are allowed to have the spotlight. Overall, there are just so many relationships in this final installment and there definitely should have been at least one that was not heterosexual. 4. The world. I love this part. In the book, there is an extended map at the beginning and it's so interesting to look back at ToG and see how far it's expanded as we've been acquainted with more of the world. During the war, I loved how Maas moved the armies around on the map, paying careful attention to routes, climates, and opposing army positioning. I could really see them all moving around the continent and the consequences of their choices. I would have loved more detail on how the different peoples of different cultures interacted with each other (other than the Crochans and Manon). There are so many different peoples all converging for this cumulative war on Morath (there's another LOTR reference for those of you keeping track at home) all for the promise of a better world (side note, I LOVE how quotable this book is) and I would have loved more cooperative scenes. The Final Verdict: A massive culmination effort that soars a bit too close to the sun. Rampant heterosexuality and the muddying of voices kept it from it's true potential. 4 stars

** spoiler alert ** Kingdom of Ash was the epic conclusion to the Throne of Glass series. I don’t know if it is possible to talk about it without giving away spoilers, so you’ve been warned. There were many intense scenes throughout the book. Action packed, this story had me on the edge of my seat every hundred pages or so. Aelin’s escape was pulse pounding, heartbreaking, and impactful in equal measure. Aedion leading the battles in Terresan was stressful and epic. The battle of Anielle kept the hits, both emotional and physical, coming. Elide’s desperate search of the battlefield had me glued to the page. Dorian’s assault on Morath had me totally fooled and confused until the end. I shouldn’t have fallen for it. It turned into one of the smartest parts of the book. When Lysandra fights as Aelin my heart was racing. When Manon shows up to Terresan just as Morath is approaching had me in tears. The hope they offered when all hope was lost was beautiful. Then the fate of the 13 had me wrecked. For me this was the emotional pinnacle of the book. No other part moved me as much as this sacrifice, going out in a blaze of light. For being 980 pages long, I didn’t feel like it was too long. Everything had purpose and direction. There are some 600 page series finales that could have been 300 pages shorter, so for this many pages to be merited is quite an accomplishment. I did find the big moments with Aelin to be more predictable than usual. When they mention the dam in Anielle, right away they tell you about what would happen if it came down. So your first thought is “Well, obviously, that’s coming down.” So when it does, it’s not as surprising. How Aelin had been tunneling her power that whole time was surprising but the big moment of the dam coming down was not so. Additionally, later when they read about that wrydmark that can open portals to move from place to place, it is once again obvious that it is going to be utilized. What I can’t figure out is why they didn’t use it to move the army when they agonized again and again about how they were never going to make it to Terresan in time. Did they want to save that trick as a final surprise? I know it is written as she doesn’t think of it until later. But they still traveled for days after that. So the use of the portals was a nice final surprise for Maeve, but I thought it could have been utilized sooner. The timeline of the story was a little confusing for me as well. I think I would need to go back and write down every movement in time and see how the days add up, but while reading it seemed like things were being told to build the suspense and the drama and not necessarily as they line up specifically day by day. The ending for me wavers between love and okay. On one hand, it was epic and beautiful. It built to a final battle and left us with the satisfaction of seeing the demise of all that was evil. Good triumphed and all of the characters we loved, lived to fight another day and live in peace. Everyone goes off to rule their specific parts of the world and make a better world there. It was heartwarming, witty, and hopeful. There is a lot to love about seeing the characters you adore live on in the peace they worked so hard to achieve. The bit with Rhysand and Feyre was so amazing I read it like three times in a row. On the other hand, toward the end I got a little sick of it being the end of everything and then they get saved by another random army of people coming to save the day just in time. I like the incorporation of all of the different kinds of people, but it was a few too many times of this is the end, see you in the afterlife, ope just kidding, here’s another army to save the day. I liked Aelin and Rowan’s final plan, but maybe was a little sick of everything being built up as the final moments only to have that rewritten a few sentences later. So maybe shaping that part a little differently would have resonated with me more. Additionally, in the nicest way possible, I was expecting more important people to die in the end. As I said, I am torn because I’m really happy that most everyone ended up alive. But for such an epic battle with such a dark presence to overcome, I was waiting for more loses. Not that I could pick anyone to put in that position, but it seemed a little too perfect that all of the couples ended up alive together. A strange thing to be torn about but that it what I observed while reading the book. The most wonderful part though was that after finishing such a favorite series, it made me want to go out and read more so I could try to find another series that would grab on to my heart the way this one did and take me on a memorable journey.

I love this series, but dude. The shot for shot recreation of gondor calls for aid? Also, like a true Disney fairy tale, RIP parents. Feel like there's a shout out to every fantasy film in the western canon, from game of thrones, to labyrinth, to princess bride, never-ending story, all of it. Shoot, even that terrible snow white and the huntsman. (Still calling mononoke hime for the stag though) The bulk of it remains lord of the rings, if for nothing else [but also, so, so much else] if not the 30 thousand moments it could have wrapped up already, but TWIST didn't. Ouuf. Fun though.

I finished this book a couple of days ago, and had to think on it a bit before writing this review. I've seen a lot of 5-star ratings for it already, and while this series overall is a 5-star read for me, I found this last installment to be a bit disappointing - it was a good book, not a great book, in my opinion. And it actually made me sad while reading it - this time not because it was the last book in an outstanding series (and there is usually sadness when bringing such a series to an end) but rather because of just the sheer misery our characters suffered throughout the entire book. Please note I do have spoilers in my review below. Let's start with Aelin, who has been my favorite character from the start. I still don't understand why she allowed herself to be captured by Maeve and after reading this book, I still don't get it. For literally 25% of the book, Aelin is being tortured. And since this is almost a 1000 page book, that's a lot. I kept thinking, is it almost over? And also, what was the point of all that? And the only answer there possibly was, was that she had been drilling down into her power that entire time, which she did to be able to defeat Maeve and Erawan, but instead she used that power to save Anielle - which was an awesome scene and I loved that - but it seemed like all that torture Aelin suffered was for the purpose of that one shot, which she wasn't able to use against her intended targets - Maeve and Erawan. And then since Aelin was later robbed of most of her powers, we never do get that scene later of Aelin going toe to toe with them with her powers, which I felt like I was cheated out of that. And that Lock scene with Aelin and Dorian, which left their powers greatly reduced, really infuriated me. After all those two have suffered, this is their result? And for what? I get it that closing the Lock kept Erawan from bringing over his two brothers or additional Valg, but killing Erawan would have done the same thing, so I still don't get what ended up being so purposeful about them sending the gods away and closing the Lock. Seems kind of pointless to me other than as a tool for those two to become less powerful in the story. I will say that the best thing about the Lock scenes was the interplay between Rowan and Aelin - Rowan is a wonderful character, and any scene he was in throughout the book was made better for it. The battles - I know this is a war, but the battles were non-stop in this book, and depressing. Literally everyone in Aedion's army was slaughtered and almost no one was left by the time help came at the very end. And the Thirteen - wow, that was crushing in the book, did not see that coming. Gavriel - he pretty much had the opportunity to have a conversation with his son, and then was brutally killed off. As I was reading all the battle scenes (hundreds of pages), it just continually got worse and worse, and at some point I just wanted it to be over because I couldn't take all the death and suffering anymore, and the lack of any hope. Most of the allies that Aelin had gathered throughout the various books ended up being pretty much decimated, except for the Little People. Everyone else seemed like fodder. I loved Tower of Dawn, and rated it 5-stars. So I am a fan of Yrene, but thought it was odd that a character that we met only in the last book ends up being the big hero - I liked that Dorian was a part of the showdown with Erawan, but ultimately it was Yrene that saved the day. So again with everything that Aelin had done to help save their world throughout the entire series, and all that she had sacrificed and suffered in doing so, and it's Yrene and her healing powers that save them all in the end and has everyone cheering her name. I still can't quite wrap my mind around that since Aelin had been built up throughout the series - her assassin background, her incredible powers, her return as Queen, and I felt like she was shown up by a healer we met last week. The Maeve showdown was fine, but not what I had been anticipating throughout the books. So ultimately I rated this book 4-stars. I could not put it down, and that's a testament to the author's writing and also my investment in this series. And there were other things that I highly enjoyed, such as when Dorian went to Morath, or the incredible Lorcan and Elide scene, when she rode out onto the plains to find him before the dam broke. And the characters are all ones that I truly loved and connected with, which is why I had such high expectations for this book. So overall I loved this series and would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone, but when I think of books I'll reread, this installment will not be one of them, though.

The whole series was amazing, and Kingdom of Ash was no different. I love and am invested in all of the characters (some more than others, but still adore them all) and the plot was riveting. I looked forward to reading it everyday and cried at multiple times near the ending. I’m hopeful that maybe there could be another book about everyone’s future… wishful thinking I’m sure. Keep an eye out for a description of Rhysand as he helps Aelin as she falls through worlds. Made me cry! I love love her ACOTAR series as well. Such a good author! I’ll be reading Crescent City next!

I’ve had the Kingdom of Ash on my bookshelves since it was released in 2018. I know it’s been four years, but I finally got the courage to read it. I knew that Sarah J. Maas would rip out my heart with the last book in the Throne of Glass series, which is why it took me this long to read it. Well, I finally finished it, and yes, Sarah ripped my heart into threads in certain parts of this book. Some more than others. I’m happy I finished it and sad at the same time. I told myself I would read it slowly to savor the story and characters, which I did. All I wanted was for a happily ever after. It did take some time to get there, but it finally happened. Thank you, Sarah J. Maas, for writing these characters and world. I’ll cherish the Throne of Glass books forever. This is one world I can’t get enough of, and I definitely plan on re-reading them again in the future. My Thoughts: Here are things I enjoyed about the last book in the Throne of Glass series: I love reading several points of view in a book, and Sarah J. Maas gives readers several angles to what is enfolding in her books. I felt the pain of what was happening to Aelin and Fenrys when she had been chained, bound, and taken away with Maeve and her sadistic friend, Cairn. I also felt the pain of Aelin’s mate, Rowan wanting to save her. He was determined to find her and get her back. Yes, it was hard to read, but it made me root for Aelin to fight back and Rowan to find her. The biggest tearjerker to me was when Aelin and Rowan are reunited. Knowing what she had to endure with Maeve and Cairn broke my heart. Carin’s fate came too quick in my eyes. Don’t even get me started with what happened to Fenrys’s brother. Aedion, on the other side of the world, is dealing with fighting Erawan’s forces with Lysandra. He’s livid on Lysandra and Aelin betraying him. Lysandra is doing everything to keep up the charade that she’s Aelin to the people. Unfortunately, things come to light, and the truth comes out. I felt terrible about how Lysandra was treated, especially with Aedion, but I knew he was frustrated. His queen and cousin didn’t want him to see the truth. It wasn’t easy for them at all in this book. In this book, there’s one scene between Aedion and his father Gavriel after they reunite, and then it all goes to hell. I had to put the book away for a while and come back and reread the scene. I couldn’t believe Sarah had done that to me. Yrene and Chaol. I loved these two in Tower of Dawn and was happy to be back with them, even when battling Erawan’s forces. I also loved when Yrene finally reunited with the woman who had helped her so many moons before to get her to where she needed to be to learn her healing abilities. If you didn’t read Assassin’s Blade, I highly recommend you do because you’ll find out how Yrene and Aelin met the first time. Aelin is a favorite female protagonist in this series, but Yrene is a favorite, too. I adored Yrene and what she did in this book. She kicked butt, and she’s going on my list of favorite kick-butt females characters. She even did with sharing a secret. =) Dorian. What can I say about this damaged King? He has grown since book one. He did go through a great deal. He’s still broken, but he’s getting there. He proved himself in this book and that he could deceive enemies and assist Aelin in retrieving the keys. I was worried about him when he faced Maeve and how he handled himself. I loved when he reunited with Chaol and met Yrene. Manon. Manon will always be a morally grey female character that grew on me in this series. I was devastated by what she went through in this book. Yes, another scene broke me. I had to step away from the book to regain my composure. I’m glad that Dorian and her didn’t really get together at the end. Manon was too independent, and Dorian still had issues. Lorcan and Elide. Lorcan tried to prove himself to everyone, even to Elide, the most in this book. I felt Lorcan because no one trusted him. Elide even couldn’t trust him. What she did, though, towards the end to save me, almost broke me, too. Maeve. After finding out the truth about Maeve in Tower of Dawn and what she put Aelin through, I was ready for someone to end her. The person who ended her was epic. I’ll never forget the scene of Maeve meeting her maker. Erawan. He was the biggest issue in the series when the truth came out on what he had been planning. The person who ended him was another epic scene. Yes. He deserved every bit of what happened to him, and I’m happy with who did it. Aelin and Rowan. These two. I love them together. The ending with them together will forever be one of my favorites to read. To whatever end. Aelin proved herself in this book as a true Queen with everything she went through. I was pissed with what the Gods did to her, though, and will never forgive them. Fenrys. Readers don’t get his point of view, but I wish we had gotten it. He won me over in this book, and he has a special place in my heart, maybe even over Rowan. I’m glad I finally finished the Kingdom of Ash. Am I upset that the series has ended? Yes, definitely. I’m happy, though; they all got a happily ever after in their own ways. Sarah J. Maas managed to suck me into this world, and I’ll never forget it. The action-packed scenes, the adventure and danger the characters went on to get to where they needed to, and a lost princess/assassin who finally claimed her crown back. It was an epic journey, and it’s worth so many re-reads in the future. Thank you, Sarah J. Maas, for sharing these characters and the world with us. Five stars for this fantastic ending. Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Throne of Glass series, and I highly recommend reading these books in order. Would I recommend this book/series? Yes. If you are a fan of Young Adult Fantasy that takes you on a epic adventure to claim a crown and defeat enemies that want to destroy everything, then yes, read this book.

Kingdom of Ash is the eighth and final book of the Throne of Glass series. By this time there are so many threads to the story that it is difficult to keep up with them, and next to impossible to summarize. I think Sarah J. Maas does a good job of wrapping everything up satisfactorily. There may be a small thread left hanging here and there, but nothing significant has been left out. And this time there is nothing left hanging that is going to lead to another book. Of course, things will continue in Erilea after the end of the book. Most of the book consists of several massive battles, to the point where it’s surprising that there is anyone left alive at all, let alone enough people to populate multiple countries. Obviously, some places and governments need to be rebuilt after all this fighting. But this is just going to be mundane everyday work. No doubt songs and legends will be made of what has gone before. But it isn’t going to be enough for another book. At least for a while. Throughout the series so far, we have already lost a lot of people well before we even reached this final book. As the various battles progress against the ever-increasing armies of Erawan and Morath the number of deaths only escalates. I felt particularly sorry for Aedion Ashryver who, as the acting commander for the armies of Terrasen and their allies, has to keep their dwindling armies from being completely wiped out with no end, rest, or respite in sight. Aelin, meanwhile, begins this part of the story shut up in an iron box, being periodically tortured. I was never sure exactly what she expected to do by allowing Maeve to carry her off this way, but I don’t think it went exactly how she expected it to. Interestingly, as in several other cases scattered around the action, it is a less powerful character who turns out to be the key to saving the day for the forces fighting the evil demons. Elide is able to locate Aelin so that Roland and his friends can find and free her. Dorian proves to be awesome this time. When we first met him long ago, he was not a powerful magic user at all. Now, traveling with Manon Blackbeak and her Ironteeth Witches, he meets up with a Stygian Spider who teaches him how to shapeshift. As a shapeshifter, he infiltrates Morath where he meets Maeve and learns her secrets, finds the last of the Wyrdkeys that Erawan has been hiding, and weakens the fortress so that it collapses. Unfortunately, it does not manage to kill Erawan and Maeve when it falls. None of the most main characters (except for the bad guys) dies in this book, but several of the second-tier main characters do not survive all the battles. And several of even the main characters are severely injured. The most heart-wrenching part was when Manon’s wyvern, Abraxos, was severely injured during one of the battles and it looked as if he might not make it. And then shortly afterward, Manon’s thirteen, who had just been instrumental in caring for Abraxos, as well as fighting their former Ironteeth colleagues, sacrificed themselves to take out a really dangerous Morath weapon called a Witch Tower, that the leadership had feared would give Erawan an unstoppable advantage in the battle. And then there’s the rather long scene of the forging of the Lock and the sealing of the Wyrdgate. Aelin had been expecting this process to kill her. And even having read it, it’s still a little mysterious to me how she managed to outwit it after all. But this time the heroine doesn’t die. Ok, so when the smoke has cleared and the demons have all run screaming into the night, there are people’s lives to sort out. Some of the couples that have been forming over the months do get together in the end, although it is tougher for some than for others. But surprisingly, some choose to take longer to settle down; they have other responsibilities, or they aren’t ready yet, or something. And finally, the rebuilding can begin. Hope it works out well for them.

What can I say about this massive novel other than OH MY GOD WHAT A MASTERPIECE. I loved EVERY SINGLE PAGE. With this end to the Throne of Glass series being 980 pages – there was A LOT that happened, and I obviously will not be able to capture everything in this review. This review will most likely be spoiler free for the first half and then the second half will contain spoilers that I simply HAVE to talk about, but I will be sure to put a disclaimer warning everyone not to proceed unless you’ve read it or like me absolutely love spoilers. You do you. (although I managed to not be spoiled at all!) First and foremost, I know a lot of people are talking about the length of this novel and the fact that its nearly 1K pages. I’ve read several reviews saying that the length was unnecessary and that AT LEAST 200 pages could have been cut. Honestly, I thought the length was perfect. Yes, it is long. Yes, it is a commitment to read it and get through it. But this book is written so well, and the story is so fantastic that I flew through it and it was over before I even realized I was close to the end. Also, to those that feel it should have been shorter I just want to say I hear you, but to someone that absolutely LOVES this series (and I consider it my favorite) I would have been fine with it being even loner if that’s where Sarah felt the story needed to go ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ A major point I want to talk about with a lot of Sarah’s books is that she portrays mental health/illness/awareness incredibly well. Without spoiling anything there are a lot of parts in this book that speak indirectly on something tragic happening to a character and how they handle it. I think she does a wonderful job portraying that it is OKAY to NOT BE OKAY. It is okay to need time to deal with the pain and suffering in your own way and on your own time. I love how some of the characters in this book deal with situations like that. The world building in this novel and in Tower of Dawn was tremendous, and such an improvement from her earlier books. I can see her growing as an author and I love where she is headed. We were able to see so many new and even various places in Erilea and I loved every word of it. I was happy we got to experience more of this world outside of Adarlan. Another way Sarah has grown as an author is by showing us the amount of character development she puts in to these novels. I thought Kingdom of Ash in particular showed how characters have changed and grown throughout the whole series and I loved seeing it all come together and how it impacted their role in everything that happened. Okay, on to the SPOILER section! So, if you have not finished and don’t want to be spoiled TURN BACK NOW! The first thing I want to cover is Aedion. He seriously bothered me throughout the ENTIRE book. He was being such a self-righteous, pompous ass towards everyone but especially Lysandra for shifting to Aelin and impersonating her (WHICH IS LITERALLY WHAT AELIN INSTRUCTED HER TO DO), and Aedion just couldn’t get past the fact that his Queen didn’t “trust” him enough to tell him. That wasn’t the case at all, we all know how Aelin operates and it’s a “you don’t need to know until my plan is revealed to the world” scenario. Because of this he was bitter and cold towards Lysandra for most of the book and took until she was knocking on deaths door for him to realize how terrible he was being. Thankfully she is a strong woman and all but told him to f*** off until she was ready to deal with how awful he was towards her. Again, with Aedion (I swear most of my issues with this book revolved around him) his anger towards his father was SO DAMN DRAMATIC I could not handle it. He is so angry towards his father for, in my opinion, no valid reason. His father didn’t even know Aedion existed until Queen of Shadows and all he wanted was to be with him, protect him, be a father towards him. All Aedion did was be bitter and aggressive with him. Well, what goes around comes around and Gavriel ended up dying in the last battle and now Aedion will never get to have his father. Only then, only when Gavriel put his life on the line for Aedion did he finally see how mistaken he was. I cannot roll my eyes hard enough at that. I know that there quite a few people out there who straight up won’t even read Sarah’s books anymore because of some insensitivities portrayed throughout her stories. The one that irritates me the most is in Empire of Storms Aedion makes a comment about loving men and women and that it’s more about who they are as a person rather than whether they are male or female. But I am also bothered by the fact that this was a one sentence in another massive book and then it is literally never brought up again. I was truly hoping it may have been explored a little in this book. Okay, can we talk about Dorian for a minute? Just a minute? Because holy god did Dorian show some serious character development and an unholy amount of power all of a sudden. I feel like his power was seriously amplified in this novel compared to the previous books. Suddenly he was able to “absorb” other powers? He killed the spider that could shape shift and then he taught himself how to shape shift? I don’t know if I should be impressed or terrified. I think his power exceeded even Aelin’s and definitely went unchecked. But even with that I am happy that him and Aelin together tried to forge the lock and seal the Wyrdgate but in doing so Dorian’s power was diminished and Aelin lost the majority of her fire-bringing abilities. I loved this part of the story because to me it showed that they are still flawed, they are not all powerful but even without their power they can still lead and rule with conviction. The saddest part of this book to me and I’m sure many others was when the Thirteen (minus Manon, because main character ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) gave up their lives to the yielding to ensure the Witch tower would be destroyed. The sacrifice they made, and the heartbreak Manon went through was absolutely heart wrenching. I did not see it coming at all, which made it an even more fantastic and emotional plot point. When that chapter was over, once I was done sobbing I had to put it down and walk away for a while to collect myself and return my heart rate to a resting pace. I know this review was wordy and long (the longest I’ve ever written!) but I felt it was necessary to convey my feelings toward this book and the series as a whole. I thought the ending was absolutely perfect and I wouldn’t have changed a single thing. The last page alone had me crying like a baby curled up in the corner (the flowers guys, the flowers). I thought the end of this series was more than I could have ever hoped for these characters that have become my friends. Even though I won’t be able to read these books for the first time again I am happy I will be able to thoroughly enjoy them in my rereads, because this series deserves nothing less than being read and loved all over again.

After my frustration and disappointment with the previous book, Kingdom of Ash was a breath or fresh air and satisfying conclusion to an epic series. Instead of feeling like a fanfiction of her first three books, we finally see Aelin facing impossible stakes with real humility. Dorian is given a true arc and chance to step out like he hasn’t since the beginning. I loved to see his love for and friendship with Aelin brought full circle here. I still believe Manon and the Thirteen should and could have had their own spin off series. And much as I love Dorian, I much prefer Manon apart from him. Side characters I became surprisingly invested in besides Yrene and Nesryn were Fenrys and Aedion. Both “males” had been hit and miss for me before this, but I honestly wasn’t sure if either would get a happy ending. Depending on the ending, I would have been okay either way. On a side note, Erawan was finally an interesting villain rather than the ominous Big Bad. And as awful as she was to out heroes, part of me also wanted more for Maeve. Something I loved in this book (which is so long it was like reading a concluding trilogy) was that Maas brought in wonder for the magic of her world. Much like Tower of Dawn, we see glimpses if other kingdoms and other worlds in a fun nod to my favorite Maas series. And while I still feel like too many characters survived the fantastically epic battles they constantly fought, while I hoped for a little but more tragedy with certain romances, I am satisfied. There us something to be said, after all, for a conclusion that reminds you why you loved a long-winded series in the first place.

I have put off reading this book for years. Mostly, I put it off due to how long it is. But when I have been in the mood to read here in 2021 after giving birth to my 3rd child, I have wanted to read something I know I will enjoy. Also, I originally read the series on Holly's kindle. But her 1G kindle stopped syncing. So I put KOA on hold with the e-library. I finally got my loaned copy, but of course, you only have two weeks to read a book from the e-library. And 900+ pages is going to take me a bit longer than that these days. My library copy expired, but by that point, I was hooked on the story. So I bought it with my birthday gift card money. The first thing I want to say review wise about Kingdom of Ash is how very far we've come since Throne of Glass. Oh, my word! It almost doesn't even feel like these two books belong in the same series to me how far apart we've come. I remember thinking, and even commenting in my review, that Throne of Glass not focusing on the assassin competition more was a missed opportunity. Boy, I was completely ignorant about the overall arc of the series story and conflict. Aelin being an assassin was such a small (yet still important) part of the story. I intend to re-read this series from the beginning, and I'm sure I will be just as impressed by the distance from the beginning to the end as I was finishing Kingdom of Ash. There is so much to discuss and unpack in this book, but with a series ender, I'm always hesitant to spoil anything. I found it difficult to get back into the story because I put off reading this book for several years. There are so many narrators and so many pieces to this puzzle that it is hard to keep everything straight sometimes. But one thing is for sure, Sarah J Maas has crafted this series like a pro and even the smallest pieces and interactions are remembered for future use and crafted to tie back together. I truly love when a series is like this. Each piece is meaningful and important in some way or another. Multiple times I found myself thinking that Kingdom of Ash had a JRR Tolkein and The Lord of the Rings vibe. Dorian's quest to find the 3rd key by going into Morath reminded me of Sam and Frodo going into Mordor. Dorian and/or Aelin needing to forge the Lock while war is going on in other areas of the land and story reminded me of the quest to destroy the ring. All of the dark, evil creatures Erawan created of course reminds me of all of the Orcs and creatures from The Lord of the Rings. The battle that Aedion is fighting in Terrasan reminded me of the big battle in Return of the King. Of course, I don't see the religious symbolism throughout Kingdom of Ash like The Lord of the Rings. If anything, maybe there is an "anti-religion" theme throughout Kingdom of Ash. I want to discuss Aelin and Dorian's mission to destroy the key a little more, but I know that will likely stray into spoiler territory for sure. I'll just say that the self-sacrifice that was touched on in this area felt a little cliche. I was rolling my eyes a good bit through this section. Yet when I analyze it, I'm not sure I can come up with another way things should have gone down. In some ways, I might even say this section could have been skipped altogether. Sarah J Maas has so many couples going in this book. Each couple has conflicts to overcome. Aedion and Lysandra aren't in a great place. Rowan, of course, has to reunite with Aelin. Lorcan and Elodie are also at odds when things begin. And Dorian and Manon have an impending separation coming. I'm probably even missing someone. Oh and Aedion and Gavriel...not a romantic relationship, but I had to shed a tear at this point of the story. I really feel like this review has not done this book or this series justice. But there's so much to wrap my head around and so much that I don't want to spoil. Kingdom of Ash gets 5 Stars. And I believe this is my only 5 Star read from 2021 (at least so far). Have you read Kingdom of Ash? What did you think? Let me know!

Whew! That was a wild ride! I've been following this series for five years. Preordering the books and rereading countless times. This is the series that really brought me into blogging. My own personal Harry Potter, if you will. I love this series and this ending is nothing but bittersweet. Mild spoilers for the beginning of this book and major spoilers for the rest of the series. 1. The characters. This last installment was a MASSIVE undertaking for Maas. Throughout the previous six books, we've been accumulating characters and backstories. Aelin, Chaol, and Dorian forming the backbone with Rowan, Nesryn, Yrene, Sartaq, Elide, Manon, Ansel, Rolfe, Gavriel, Lorcan, Fenrys, Dorian's father, Maeve, and Erawan all playing major roles. This series would make an absolutely fabulous reread with all of the character interactions that you can trace from book to book. I loved each and every one of the characters. They each had their own complex backstory that propelled their choices incredibly. Something I wish Maas had payed a bit more attention to, however, is their own unique voices. When I see a specific character from another's eyes, their unique voice is absolutely there, but once we merge into their POV, it becomes difficult to distinguish them by voice and tone alone. Moving on to Aelin, she went through such a character arc in this installment. I'm sure y'all remember that amazing arc she went through in HoF as she truly accepted her magic and her birthright. This is a little like that but scaled down and taken in a different direction. As I'll talk about in the next section, there are so many full circle moments that really caused her character to grow. 2. The plot. As I said above, there are SO many full circle moments and I loved it! I'll be repeating this throughout my review, but this series would make for an excellent reread in order to catch all of the individual strands that Maas mapped out so wonderfully. More practically speaking, this is 980 pages which is longer than any of the others in the series (it's a contender for the longest-books-I've-ever-read list) which means that keeping the tension levels right throughout is a task in of itself. Maas does a very good job of this throughout the book, allowing small breaks in the tension for the reader to stop for a breath. Something that always irks me about any fantasy that involves a war and a chosen one is how easily and quickly the wars are won through some special power of the chosen one. There was none of that here as each of the members of Aelin's squad contributes in a major way. As I'm sure many have seen, there are some very striking similarities between the ending battles in LOTR and the ending battle in this novel. Personally, this doesn't bother me too much but it is something to consider if you're a LOTR fan. Worth a quick mention: the symbolism associated with Aelin's torture and physical journey. Suffice to say there is an ample amount of circling and implied character self. Going along with that, there are so many reoccurring motifs that really enriched the writing and the plot in general. 3. The romance(s). There are so many relationships happening here. Aelin and Rowan, Yrene and Chaol, Lysandra and Aedion, Nesryn and Sartaq, Elide and Lorcan, and Dorian and Manon. I don't mind the large cast of characters in general (in fact, I prefer it to the alternative) but I do think that this many romances is a bit too much. I love each of the romances individually, in a vacuum (excepting one which I'll talk about in a minute), but collectively, it's a lot. Some of the romances are well-established (Aelin and Rowan for example), and some are more fledgling relationships only introduced in the most recent books (#5 and #6 were really books for relationship development). I love the overall timeline (this series takes place over a good three or four years including Assassin's Blade) and it's entirely realistic but I could have lived with one or two fewer romances. The one romance I'm unsure about is Dorian and Manon's. Granted, while Dorian is a major part of the series and has been from the beginning, he isn't given too much character development (I loved Chaol's arc and I wish Dorian's followed suit) so his evolution from Sorcha to Manon was a bit whip-lashy for me. One other issue I wanted to bring up: the heterosexuality. I don't mind all of the romances being 100% heterosexual in books (author's choice, after all) but in previous books, Maas introduced several LGBT+ reps (most notably Aedion and Manon) but they promptly melded into the heterosexual atmosphere. In the southern continent, there is some great representation, but they're all mostly side characters and none are allowed to have the spotlight. Overall, there are just so many relationships in this final installment and there definitely should have been at least one that was not heterosexual. 4. The world. I love this part. In the book, there is an extended map at the beginning and it's so interesting to look back at ToG and see how far it's expanded as we've been acquainted with more of the world. During the war, I loved how Maas moved the armies around on the map, paying careful attention to routes, climates, and opposing army positioning. I could really see them all moving around the continent and the consequences of their choices. I would have loved more detail on how the different peoples of different cultures interacted with each other (other than the Crochans and Manon). There are so many different peoples all converging for this cumulative war on Morath (there's another LOTR reference for those of you keeping track at home) all for the promise of a better world (side note, I LOVE how quotable this book is) and I would have loved more cooperative scenes. The Final Verdict: A massive culmination effort that soars a bit too close to the sun. Rampant heterosexuality and the muddying of voices kept it from it's true potential. 4 stars

** spoiler alert ** Kingdom of Ash was the epic conclusion to the Throne of Glass series. I don’t know if it is possible to talk about it without giving away spoilers, so you’ve been warned. There were many intense scenes throughout the book. Action packed, this story had me on the edge of my seat every hundred pages or so. Aelin’s escape was pulse pounding, heartbreaking, and impactful in equal measure. Aedion leading the battles in Terresan was stressful and epic. The battle of Anielle kept the hits, both emotional and physical, coming. Elide’s desperate search of the battlefield had me glued to the page. Dorian’s assault on Morath had me totally fooled and confused until the end. I shouldn’t have fallen for it. It turned into one of the smartest parts of the book. When Lysandra fights as Aelin my heart was racing. When Manon shows up to Terresan just as Morath is approaching had me in tears. The hope they offered when all hope was lost was beautiful. Then the fate of the 13 had me wrecked. For me this was the emotional pinnacle of the book. No other part moved me as much as this sacrifice, going out in a blaze of light. For being 980 pages long, I didn’t feel like it was too long. Everything had purpose and direction. There are some 600 page series finales that could have been 300 pages shorter, so for this many pages to be merited is quite an accomplishment. I did find the big moments with Aelin to be more predictable than usual. When they mention the dam in Anielle, right away they tell you about what would happen if it came down. So your first thought is “Well, obviously, that’s coming down.” So when it does, it’s not as surprising. How Aelin had been tunneling her power that whole time was surprising but the big moment of the dam coming down was not so. Additionally, later when they read about that wrydmark that can open portals to move from place to place, it is once again obvious that it is going to be utilized. What I can’t figure out is why they didn’t use it to move the army when they agonized again and again about how they were never going to make it to Terresan in time. Did they want to save that trick as a final surprise? I know it is written as she doesn’t think of it until later. But they still traveled for days after that. So the use of the portals was a nice final surprise for Maeve, but I thought it could have been utilized sooner. The timeline of the story was a little confusing for me as well. I think I would need to go back and write down every movement in time and see how the days add up, but while reading it seemed like things were being told to build the suspense and the drama and not necessarily as they line up specifically day by day. The ending for me wavers between love and okay. On one hand, it was epic and beautiful. It built to a final battle and left us with the satisfaction of seeing the demise of all that was evil. Good triumphed and all of the characters we loved, lived to fight another day and live in peace. Everyone goes off to rule their specific parts of the world and make a better world there. It was heartwarming, witty, and hopeful. There is a lot to love about seeing the characters you adore live on in the peace they worked so hard to achieve. The bit with Rhysand and Feyre was so amazing I read it like three times in a row. On the other hand, toward the end I got a little sick of it being the end of everything and then they get saved by another random army of people coming to save the day just in time. I like the incorporation of all of the different kinds of people, but it was a few too many times of this is the end, see you in the afterlife, ope just kidding, here’s another army to save the day. I liked Aelin and Rowan’s final plan, but maybe was a little sick of everything being built up as the final moments only to have that rewritten a few sentences later. So maybe shaping that part a little differently would have resonated with me more. Additionally, in the nicest way possible, I was expecting more important people to die in the end. As I said, I am torn because I’m really happy that most everyone ended up alive. But for such an epic battle with such a dark presence to overcome, I was waiting for more loses. Not that I could pick anyone to put in that position, but it seemed a little too perfect that all of the couples ended up alive together. A strange thing to be torn about but that it what I observed while reading the book. The most wonderful part though was that after finishing such a favorite series, it made me want to go out and read more so I could try to find another series that would grab on to my heart the way this one did and take me on a memorable journey.

I love this series, but dude. The shot for shot recreation of gondor calls for aid? Also, like a true Disney fairy tale, RIP parents. Feel like there's a shout out to every fantasy film in the western canon, from game of thrones, to labyrinth, to princess bride, never-ending story, all of it. Shoot, even that terrible snow white and the huntsman. (Still calling mononoke hime for the stag though) The bulk of it remains lord of the rings, if for nothing else [but also, so, so much else] if not the 30 thousand moments it could have wrapped up already, but TWIST didn't. Ouuf. Fun though.

I finished this book a couple of days ago, and had to think on it a bit before writing this review. I've seen a lot of 5-star ratings for it already, and while this series overall is a 5-star read for me, I found this last installment to be a bit disappointing - it was a good book, not a great book, in my opinion. And it actually made me sad while reading it - this time not because it was the last book in an outstanding series (and there is usually sadness when bringing such a series to an end) but rather because of just the sheer misery our characters suffered throughout the entire book. Please note I do have spoilers in my review below. Let's start with Aelin, who has been my favorite character from the start. I still don't understand why she allowed herself to be captured by Maeve and after reading this book, I still don't get it. For literally 25% of the book, Aelin is being tortured. And since this is almost a 1000 page book, that's a lot. I kept thinking, is it almost over? And also, what was the point of all that? And the only answer there possibly was, was that she had been drilling down into her power that entire time, which she did to be able to defeat Maeve and Erawan, but instead she used that power to save Anielle - which was an awesome scene and I loved that - but it seemed like all that torture Aelin suffered was for the purpose of that one shot, which she wasn't able to use against her intended targets - Maeve and Erawan. And then since Aelin was later robbed of most of her powers, we never do get that scene later of Aelin going toe to toe with them with her powers, which I felt like I was cheated out of that. And that Lock scene with Aelin and Dorian, which left their powers greatly reduced, really infuriated me. After all those two have suffered, this is their result? And for what? I get it that closing the Lock kept Erawan from bringing over his two brothers or additional Valg, but killing Erawan would have done the same thing, so I still don't get what ended up being so purposeful about them sending the gods away and closing the Lock. Seems kind of pointless to me other than as a tool for those two to become less powerful in the story. I will say that the best thing about the Lock scenes was the interplay between Rowan and Aelin - Rowan is a wonderful character, and any scene he was in throughout the book was made better for it. The battles - I know this is a war, but the battles were non-stop in this book, and depressing. Literally everyone in Aedion's army was slaughtered and almost no one was left by the time help came at the very end. And the Thirteen - wow, that was crushing in the book, did not see that coming. Gavriel - he pretty much had the opportunity to have a conversation with his son, and then was brutally killed off. As I was reading all the battle scenes (hundreds of pages), it just continually got worse and worse, and at some point I just wanted it to be over because I couldn't take all the death and suffering anymore, and the lack of any hope. Most of the allies that Aelin had gathered throughout the various books ended up being pretty much decimated, except for the Little People. Everyone else seemed like fodder. I loved Tower of Dawn, and rated it 5-stars. So I am a fan of Yrene, but thought it was odd that a character that we met only in the last book ends up being the big hero - I liked that Dorian was a part of the showdown with Erawan, but ultimately it was Yrene that saved the day. So again with everything that Aelin had done to help save their world throughout the entire series, and all that she had sacrificed and suffered in doing so, and it's Yrene and her healing powers that save them all in the end and has everyone cheering her name. I still can't quite wrap my mind around that since Aelin had been built up throughout the series - her assassin background, her incredible powers, her return as Queen, and I felt like she was shown up by a healer we met last week. The Maeve showdown was fine, but not what I had been anticipating throughout the books. So ultimately I rated this book 4-stars. I could not put it down, and that's a testament to the author's writing and also my investment in this series. And there were other things that I highly enjoyed, such as when Dorian went to Morath, or the incredible Lorcan and Elide scene, when she rode out onto the plains to find him before the dam broke. And the characters are all ones that I truly loved and connected with, which is why I had such high expectations for this book. So overall I loved this series and would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone, but when I think of books I'll reread, this installment will not be one of them, though.

The whole series was amazing, and Kingdom of Ash was no different. I love and am invested in all of the characters (some more than others, but still adore them all) and the plot was riveting. I looked forward to reading it everyday and cried at multiple times near the ending. I’m hopeful that maybe there could be another book about everyone’s future… wishful thinking I’m sure. Keep an eye out for a description of Rhysand as he helps Aelin as she falls through worlds. Made me cry! I love love her ACOTAR series as well. Such a good author! I’ll be reading Crescent City next!

This series changed me as a person. This book in particular was the best book I’ve ever read. I was fully immersed every single second. It made me laugh, it made me gasp, it ALMOST made me cry. (Incredibly I did not). Truly truly truly I wish I’d not waited as long to read this series. It’s so beyond anything else I’ve ever read.

*spoilers for the previous books in the series* Where do I even being. This was my most anticipated book of the year. This book has been six years in the making and it truly built to something phenomenal. I first read Throne Of Glass as an ARC, so I’ve been with this series from the beginning and it’s so bittersweet having to say goodbye. I was dying to see how this all finally ended. How an assassin built her way up to Queen, but I also didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters. Sarah J. Maas is probably my favorite author and I love her books, but this series is my favorite of them all. At the end of it all, I am emotionally spent, but man was it worth it. Aelin. Oh man. Aelin is such a force and I forever love her. Waiting these two years with Aelin in that gods forsaken box has been killing me and the journey Aelin goes through in this one is not easy. Aelin has been through so much already, but the world just does not seem content to let her be. I’m forever in awe of her determination and her strength. She gives so much and never asks for anything in return. I have loved watching her grow over the course of this series and she'll forever be one of my all-time favorite characters. And then we have Rowan. We all know how much I absolutely love Rowan. It’s always crazy when I remember that he wasn’t even around until the third book and even then it takes him a while to get his act together. But man I can’t even begin to imagine what this series would be without him. He’s become so integral to it all and he’s just wonderful. And the way he just adores Aelin is heartwarming. I love those two together and it’s just abundantly clear that this was where they were always meant to be. And now where do I even go. I guess Lysandra. Lysandra is probably my favorite character in the entire series (aside from Aelin and Rowan). She’s just so strong and fierce and will not cater to others. And her friendship with Aelin is one of my favorite things. Another character who didn’t become a real presence until later in the series, but I can’t imagine it without her. She does so much and deserves so much more appreciation. Then there is Dorian who has held my heart since the first book. Another one who has come so far. I love him. He’s become such a good man and King. And when one mentions Dorian, you also have to mention Chaol. He and I went through a rough patch, but I love the man he’s grown into. In so many ways this all started with Chaol and Dorian and Celaena and while the cast has grown quite a bit, none of this could have happened without a Prince, a Captain, and an Assassin. And I can’t forget Yrene. Oh how do I love Yrene. And Elide! So many strong women and I love how they each bring their own strengths to the table. All of the women in this story truly shine and get to show their dynamic personalities and different kinds of strength. Oh and I can’t forget Fenrys who just…I love him so much. And Lorcan and Gavriel and Aedion and Evangeline and Nesryn and Sartaq and Manon and Abraxos and Asterin and Ansel and The Thirteen. I just love them all. I even love the villains for the evil they bring. Both Maeve and Erawan are chilling. This book was everything I hoped it would be and more. This book is long and there is so much that happens, but I still could have kept reading and reading. These books never go the direction I think they are going to go and they somehow wind up better than I could ever guess. I will never get tired of the twists and turns and all the secret planning. I live for Aelin’s scheming and surprises. But really, all of these characters excel at surprising the reader. Gosh this book, there’s a lot that happens and it’s not all easy. This book is emotionally draining and I cried through a good portion of it and man did it devastate me in parts, but I also loved it with all my heart. It’s just so good and this series built to such a stunning conclusion. Kingdom Of Ash was everything I could have ever hoped for. It’s always daunting going into a conclusion for a beloved series, but this delivered in every single way. I know this is a series I will continue to revisit again and again.

Before I begin, I should preface this review with how much I love SJMs writing style & creativity. That anything in my review that is negative is coming from a place of love-- love for reading, writing & adventure. Any criticisms are just my opinion as an avid, life-long reader of many genres, and are hopefully constructive (sometimes passion is an unruly beast). *****SPOILERS***** Honestly, I had pretty low expectations for this book after finishing book 6. Because book 6 was a departure from the main plot that broke the series pacing. And, I knew going into book 7 that there were still 2 villains, a kidnapping, the lock, & the reclamation of a throne to be addressed. This meant that there was a high likelihood that book 7 would either be very long, or it would be rushed because book 6 did nothing to advance the main plot. I was hoping I would be proven wrong. Well, after reading book 7 I feel, somehow, that both positions are applicable. At times the book felt interminably long & boring because of (a) repetition in how the torture scenes were portrayed; (b) the long pages devoted to various groups of people traveling around; and, (c) a few characters acting in ways that felt untrue to themselves for no explicable reason (here's looking at you especially, Aedion-the-unflappable-badass-who-weirdly-loses-his-faith-in-himself-&-Aelin-and-we-aren't-given-a-reason-as-to-why-he-does-this). I did find myself sometimes contemplating whether I should just skim ahead, but my more patient self won out. At the same time, the book felt unnaturally truncated in other ways. Particularly with regards to anything involving Aelin's estranged Ashryver family, Rolfe & the Mycaenians, and the two biggest baddest villains. In this book, the biggest baddest villains (Maeve & Erawan) lack that ever-present sense of danger that you would want them to impose. Their minions are more fearsome because they are a constant source of conflict for the good characters. We never see Erawan himself do anything memorably evil before he is dispatched (yes, I know there was the King & Kaltain but those things had little emotional impact as one was a tangential character the readers knew very little about whose exit was more memorable than her trials & tribulations, and the King was mostly a one-dimensional plot device). Some of the "gods" felt more evil to me, than Erawan. As did Maeve. And when we finally get to the final showdown it felt forced & strange. Suddenly, Erawan can't control himself around healers? And Maeve's defeat felt too easy. There was no real cost involved. Finally, the book left the reader with many questions. What is Asterion steel (besides something fae-made)? Why describe the Asterion weapons when they were found but never do anything or saying about them being used in battle (except by the missing fae who lived with wolves)? Was it a red herring that missed the mark. What was the big deal about Asterion fae? Why does Dorian learn Maeve's portal magic but never use it? It seems absurd that he wouldn't try to get the reinforcements to Orinth quicker. What happened to Rolfe? Why did it take so long to gather his people? If Aelin's humanity was burned away, does that mean that she "settled"? Or would she continue to grow and gain more power since she wasn't supposed to settle for at least 5yrs more? If fae children are rare why did Rowen get a sort of premonition of them having many children? Why wouldn't the fae go fight beside the humans once they learned how Maeve had tricked them all into subservience making a mockery of their traditions? I feel like almost all of the problems with the last book stem from the problems with book 6. That book should not have been entirely about Chaol & Nesryn & their new love lives. There was a missed opportunity to dive deeper into other characters & situations that tied more directly to the main plot. Had book 6 been better, book 7 wouldn't have suffered for its flaws. Okay, that said, let's get into my favorite parts of this book. SJM has a real talent for writing colorful, complex characters. Manon & Dorian are standouts. Some of the best parts of the book centered on Dorian's internal struggles with life after the collar was removed. Manon was one of the few characters in the book to experience true growth/ evolution with only her own wits & strengths to guide her. The ending, despite being a little too neatly packaged, was appropriate & enjoyable. In all, I could take or leave the 4 novellas; I loved & devored the books 1-5; extremely disliked book 6 & would recommend that readers skip it; and, found book 7 to be as good as was possible for a 1 book resolution after the book 6 issues. In short, I would recommend books 1-5 & 7.

I’ve been submerged in the TOG series for weeks and let me say that this ending was one of the best I’ve read. I did have some trouble in some parts of the book but this was worth it. The love I came to develop for the characters… I am not ready to let them go. I can even say I liked it better than ACOTAR, just in a different way. It’s been such a long journey, so many stories, so much character development that leaves me a little hollow to know that it ended. I must say the writing is nothing special, but the characters and the world building makes it so worth it.

When i say i cried like a child while reading this book i mean it! This final book is so beautiful and utterly perfect in every way possible!

I need more from Manon! Please! Loved her character. This book was amazing

A great conclusion to a great series. Brilliantly written with a satisfying end. This is now in my top favorite series.

I'm writing this at nearly a quarter past 1 AM, having just finished the book in one long, unbroken sitting and have more feels than I can process anytime soon. But I wanted to get all this down while it was still fresh in my mind, and in line with the overall impression the series has left me with. As someone who aspires to be an author, I know the struggle to juggle characters' development, flow of plot and organic, unhurried development of the world and its lore is a tumultuous one, regardless of what genre you write in. I can also safely say that it is a juggling act Sarah J. Maas has in her own ways performed to beautiful and lasting results. Young adult series are often overlooked or brushed off as being trope fodder for teenagers, despite some of the most acclaimed and memorable amongst them like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and A Series of Unfortunate Events gaining world-wide renown and even enjoying some of the better (and some of the not so great) efforts of cinematic adaptation. Part of what makes them and others like them some of the best and received to such popularity stems from not treating their target audience as young or naive, not sugarcoating or omitting the darker or more mature aspects of life and the worlds the stories create for themselves. The Throne of Glass series shares this trait, but expands on it in tandem with the way Maas works to create her characters and let them grow as much as the world around them unfolds and develops with the story in turn. While the first book did have some growing pains to it, from the second onward it was clear Maas knew what kind of story she wanted to tell and wasn't afraid of pouring as much humanity into her characters or lack thereof to craft it as best she could, and in a world packed with enough organic detail to see it as the living, breathing thing that it was. Aelin Galathynius is as much a strong, driven and cunning character as she is human, emotional and vulnerable, and falls into exactly none of the numerous tropes and literary pitfalls that can plague many female protagonists, especially in fantasy fiction. And she isn't the only one, Maas shows no qualms about filling her world with female powerhouses that could all viably headline their own sagas with ease, and even then she doesn't short the male characters at all in terms of their own intrigue and development in the short or longer term plot. This series has garnered a major following in the years since its initial release for good reason. While the romance angle is indeed a central aspect, the medieval era political struggles, fantasy action and magical combat have always been strong supporting aspects throughout each book as well. The characters feel real and their struggles genuine, the relationships they have with eachother reflecting bonds many readers can empathize with on many different levels. For me, it was a fantastic example of a series that took itself seriously but with enough awareness of its genre to let the characters be people and have fun with who they were instead of just being swallowed by their roles and the drama of the plots' darker aspects. These characters felt real, their stories and struggles felt like a proper series of adventures and the way they suffered and grew as people throughout the span of the series felt memorable and significant. This ending installment itself is a fitting and heartfelt example of that in its entirety, and without going into spoilers, any happy endings involved are as bittersweet as they are heartwarming for many of the characters in as many ways. I will miss this world, will miss these characters and can still easily see the potential for so much more that could lie ahead for them. Part of me hopes Maas will return to them sometime in the future, but even if that isn't the case this last installment stands as a testament to the series as a whole and a fitting conclusion to the adventure Maas began years ago with the story of a smart-tongued young assassin girl coming into a royal past she'd thought left far behind her. As an avid fantasy fiction fan, I heartily recommend this series to any and all comers, and can say that making it to this ending will be far from disappointing.

This book. Oh this book! The feels. The heartbreak, the love, the growth, the loss, the redemption and the action! I am still thinking about this book and I’ve finished it a few weeks ago. You cry you laugh you love and you want to be right there in the field with them too! I was frustrated with what they to to Aelin but I found solace in her rescue. This book still has a hold on me. But read it. You’ll love it!!

What do I even read after this? Lol, I'm so sad it's over. Sarah J. Maas is just so absolutely wonderful at storytelling and bringing her worlds alive.

I began this series on a whim. I don't typically go for the more "historically worded" books. I kept reading because of Aelin. The brash and broken woman. The heart of gold and fire. I kept reading for the surrounding characters. They became real and I rode along with them through their insane journeys. I ended the series with tears and a snotty nose. I only wish it wasn't over. Even if they have no further great adventures, no more evil to battle, I feel almost as though I've said good bye to friends. That, my friend, is the mark of an excellent story teller. The ability to make a fictional character real. The ability to make you laugh, cry, cringe and worry. So I end this series with remorse. No longer will I be able to visit my friends and see what is new. I can only reread the journeys we've already had. This book is the last of the Aelin adventures. All of the characters, great and small, converge in this book. They each face their own battles and meet up to face the final battles together. Strong alone, unbreakable together. Aelin has an insanely difficult start as you can imagine. We last saw her in book two being carted off at the mercy of Mauve, the fae queen. Of course you knew it wasn't going to be tea parties and dress up dates. No. She endures so many things that should break anyone. She endures. Some are with her, some search for her and some play their part not knowing how the rest of them fared. I don't want to go into detail because I'm afraid I will spoil something. I will leave it with saying she does what she does best. Plot, execute and rally. Through it all, love carries her. Love for her mate, her home, her friends and strangers. With this book being the final battle between the forces that have destroyed so much and those who seek to build a better land, some people will fall. Those parts left me in tears. Of course, it didn't take death for me to cry either. Some parts were so full of brokenness and longing that it also made me cry. Some of the realizations, the battles within themselves, the loss and reigniting of hope....all left me bawling. So needless to say, I spent a great deal of time in tears. Two sets of death hit me particularly hard. Both a result of sacrifice for someone they loved more than themselves(I'm tearing up again!). I don't want to say more and give out any hints as to who it is, but ugh those parts really got to me. It ends nicely and wraps up most things. The plot lines are all finished. The questions all answered. As I said before though, it does feel like a friend has moved away and I'll never get to know how their family is, what their wedding is like, what they name their first child, and so on so that was sad for me. It was bittersweet for sure. Obviously it must end at some point and this was a good ending point story wise. Of course the editing is very well done. The writing style follows the previous books. All of the books are fairly long and well worth the price I paid for them. There are some minor sex scenes, nothing graphic. There are also scenes of torture and a lot of violence, which probably should be expected in a series about an assassin and war. If you've already read the first three books, I would strongly suggest getting the final book of course. If you haven't started the series yet and just happened upon this one while browsing for something new, grab book one. Start now. Just be warned that you may end up bingeing on the entire series after you get hooked into book one. This series will take you on an adventure. Not only within the pages, but also within yourself. A rare 5 stars from me.

One of my favorite series! This is the second series from Sarah J. Mass that I have been obsessed with! Couldn't put them down!

It was a good end to the series but I did get tired of all the page after page of battles.

Love these books

There is a lot going on in this final chapter of Sarah j Maas Throne of Glass series so the book is longer than most of the others but does not feel as if it is full of fluff but rather a great meaty book with just enough pages to to tie up the plot points and subplots neatly and leave the reader happy but wanting more. For those who read the last book review before deciding if they should read the series I will say that this epic fantasy will satisfy almost any reader of the genre. While the series itself starts out geared more towards young adults and those who love epic fantasy the last three books do up the ante up yet with the romantic scenes that have a romance bin feel to it in the love scenes. Out of this book which is 1000 pages you might have a handful of pages that are more steamy but I do think it is enough to take it from a PG-13 to closer to a rated R. So the series does swing a bit but the quality of writing remains high. Overall this book like most of the series is high-quality fantasy in the world building plot and setting. The characters come to life and have a depth to them. In this last book there is quite a bit of jumping around between the chapters two different points of views and for those who only read a little bit of a Time this might be a problem in keeping track of what's going on. Still the story is pretty straightforward for the most part. There is little to complain about and it was a joy to read. They were a few editorial mistakes very few considering the length of the book itself. I do think that that there is a bit of continuity error in the strength of the bad guys. In their introduction the Valg princess pretty hardcore individuals could barely be harmed outside of our main protagonist is magic. They had magic that could overwhelmed and blanket and entire area and who's magic could not be countered buy those of wind and such. However in this book we see that their magic is countered by magic that previous could not stop it and they are taken down by fairly easy means compared to there unstoppable nature in their introduction. Lol but the truth is part of the reason this disappointed me a bit was because they have been built up to be that awesome... Or terrifying. this can also be applied to the two main antagonist of the series in the final confrontation that was still exciting but left a little to be desired in my opinion from what was promised. Again this is a good read particularly when it comes to the action and pacing of the story itself. There is real emotion connected to the characters and when crap hits the fan the reader feels it. The relationships arcs between the characters grow and shift he weighs that while a bit predictable are nonetheless interesting. From beginning to end the story flows in such a way that it feels like you've read an entire book series in one book. Some of the side characters that seemed more time in previous works do feel slightly neglected but not enough to really complain about because when we do see them it is impactful. that is the glorious problem with having a book with such great characters is that side characters are still Side characters and have to give away to the main protagonist and such. in the end if you read this book series you will not be disappointed but you will be tired because it will keep you from sleeping because it's always just one more chapter.

Emotional. I cried probably 10 times reading this book. Characters were continuously amazing and the lessons underlying the text throughout this book was pure gold.

I've been following this series and recently finished Tower of Dawn after I had originally decided to skip that one. I've given most in this series 4 or more stars, but this one was a disappointing end to the series. 1. Same problem as I've encountered in the other books in this series is that there is simply too long of a wait. Not completely the author's fault because many series only release one per year. However, this series, especially towards the latter half, has too much going on. Chapters are not long, but there are over 60 chapters. And too many characters with converging story lines. Too, too many characters. And then you throw in the Assassin's Blade or whatever that novella was called (and, yes, you must read it to understand what's going on), and there are just too many to keep track of after one year. 2. I feel like this author sort of lost her path on this series after she started the ACOTAR series. I know there are fans of that series, but I wish she had finished this one and just concentrated on this one to give it the attention it deserved. 3. I still think that the way that Yrene heals and destroys the Valg is bs. Flesh that out more, instead of just throwing it out there. 4. No cohesion to overall theme. So the book starts with Caleana having the weight of the world. She then transforms into Aelin, the heir of fire, who still has the weight of the world on her shoulders. But, she learns that she's not alone and that she has her own group of supporters and followers who will fight with her for a better world. Not just blindly follow her, but support her and fight next to her. And yet, she seems to forget that. There is something about Aelin in this last book that seems as though she has regressed back into a child. Why didn't she learn from her captivity with Maeve? That happened because she was keeping secrets until the very end and didn't reveal that it was Ansel of Briarcliffe and not the ilken that were sailing toward them. Had she not kept that secret (for it's shock value), then Lorcan would not have signaled to Maeve. She survived Maeve and Cairn because Fenrys was with her and Rowan and the others continued to search for her. She found Chaol and Nesryn. She knows that Aedion and Lysandra are holding the North. And yet, she still keeps secrets. Like a stubborn child who ultimately thinks that she knows best, even when she is surrounded by people who are years older and more experienced (the Fae), have better experienced leading battles (the Fae, Aedion, and everyone else), and yet here she is thinking that she knows best. It's like she never got over sulking about the sacrifice she is asked to play. Yes, it sucks, but then stop talking about how much she loves her people. And don't throw your life away because of it--make it count. 5. I do not understand the "vote" that was taken to form the lock and destroy the keys before battle. Aelin's fire (and Dorian's raw magic) were one of their greatest weapons. And yet, they were all willing to destroy that on the hope that destroying the keys would make the Valg just disappear? Dumb, just dumb that these rulers and warriors would just come to that conclusion. And again, just dumb and disappointing of Aelin that she just forces this "vote" on them last minute with no real discussion. Sure, she had months to think about it, but what about everyone else? And what of Rowan? 6. Again, just sort of disappointed in Aelin's character in this book. She was a symbol of hope. She was the symbol that so many rallied and fought for and died for. And she just didn't live up to it in this book. No trust in even her mate, no lessons learned from her mistakes other than to just steep deeper into her lack of trust (which means no character growth). 7. I know people die in war, but some of the deaths made sense. Such as the Thirteen's sacrifice, and Murtaugh. But Gavriel? Why? When the book itself says that it was unnecessary as he could have shielded behind the barrier. So what was the purpose of his death? And Darrow? He just suddenly becomes reasonable? Not buying it. These sloppy details added to the sense that the author did not give this final book everything that the series deserved. 8. Finally, I have a problem with Aelin no longer being the fireheart and her mortal self dying. That's who she was, who she forged herself to become to lead the war. That fire that she was so afraid of, and then learned to control. And then to lose it all, just fell flat to me.

I really liked the amount of story that was packed into this book. So much happened! The converging of stories was really good and the ending a little cheesy but good. I feel satisfied having finally finished the whole series. On to crescent city!

Finally a series that takes you away to another world with engaging characters, epic story line, and an actual ending! I am an avid reader and this is the best series I have read in decades. Well done!

I enjoyed this final book of the series. I found the large scope of everything coming together well done, with each of the sub-areas resolved. In the end, everything is brought together to a good culmination. It capped off the entire series in a believable and satisfying fashion. Some spoilers below: The two points why I dropped it one star. There was a lot of inner dialog for characters that kept going over things. It drew out a lot of their inter-personal conflicts, which was probably the authors goal but it did drag on some aspects. Also, Aedion's father's end didn't make sense to me. I can see how it was used as a tool for Aedion, but this was one of the best Fae warriors for centuries, a destroyer of entire cities and armies. It didn't make sense to me that he'd just walk out there and die like that as Aedion himself noted, his father could have just stepped up a bit to give them room to work together. One aspect that I absolutely loved was the final battle. Aelin defeating both Mauve and Erawan in her condition would have made no sense. Splitting the two apart and having their group battles take down each foe worked really well to wrap up the saga. We knew Aelin was the series heroine, and she didn't need to become a super hero at the end to finish the story. Her and her friends are how they got there and how they finished it.

It isn't very often that an author weaves a tale over so many books and keeps the readers attention great tale

¡Que historia tan más hermosa! Reí, como también lloré y todas la emociones por en medio. ¡Esta serie es una de mis favoritas! ¡Gracias a la autora Sarah J. Maas y todo su equipo por este libro y serie! ¡Fue tan genial! 😁

Let's dig right into this... In many ways, the narrative style of Kingdom of Ash reminded me of Avengers: Infinity War. We have a cast of characters that have developed a loving, witty rapport. We have characters that have developed such realistic bonds that bring laughter, joy, romance, and tension. Then we rip them all apart. With the war against Erawan threatening all of their lands, not just Terrasen, our well-loved characters are cast to opposite ends of their world to gather forces and try to find a way to save their world. However, to accomplish this, we have to deal with a story that bounces around. Three chapters spent with Aedion and the Bane then two with a focus on Nesryn & Sartaq, and so on. The moment that I would get invested in a scene, we'd led to a cliffhanger and then ripped away to someone else's story. While the chapters were well-written and engaging, action-packed and sorrowful, I did feel a little cheated at times. This is something that I can deal with, but it's not for the faint of heart or memory. It's a lot to keep track of, so you need to make sure that you're reading with your brain fully energized and ready to retain. Otherwise, you're going to find yourself needing to go back and reread. Now, if you're one of those people who has avoided Tower of Dawn because you hate Chaol, or you don't want to miss our usual cast of characters, I'd really recommend you check it out before reading Kingdom of Ash. The characters that we meet in TOD, and what Chaol and Nesryn learn, are a centerpiece of KOA. I think you're cheating yourself a little bit by missing out on that part of story arc. Regardless of any little complaints, I enjoyed Kingdom of Ash. The action is even and well-paced; dispersed throughout each of the character's stories, so that no one is dealt all of the drama or bad luck while others are faced with an unrealistically smooth journey. Aelin, Rowan, and Aedion continue to steal my heart. I don't feel bad to admit that I have favorites. Aelin remains fierce despite the torture that she's been through. She remains self-sacrificing, heroic, and passionate. I loved that she kept her fire even when it seemed like she'd be justified to never produce a spark again. I was a little sad about Rowan's role in KOA. He's there: supportive, argumentative (when needed), loving, and patient. But he really doesn't get to do much talking. I still love his character, and Maas stays true to his strengths and powers, but he just didn't get as much page time as I would've liked. Aedion, on the other hand, has the chance to go through some fabulous growth. He DOESN'T stay the same, and that's totally for the better. He's going through a rough time: feeling betrayed by both his queen and the woman he was ready to take a risk on. It brings out some of the ugly in him, but ultimately, the Aedion I love is changed into a better man (male, as Maas would say). Overall, I liked Kingdom of Ash. I was satisfied with the ending, and I loved that Aelin doesn't need to save their world alone. There's some tragedy, but I think that's a realistic price for what the gang is trying to do. You can't save the world without incurring some losses along the way. I'll be honest though, I'm definitely going to reread others in the series more often than I'll revisit KOA. With the characters being so far apart, there's just a little bit of that magical chemistry missing.

10 Reasons Why I Loved Kingdom of Ash Manon - Manon is an absolute goddess. I remember early on in the series when she was introduced, I didn't really care for her. I thought she was harsh and would be a character I'd love to hate. Instead, I just love her. In Kingdom of Ash, Manon really takes a beating physically and emotionally and proves that she's a gritty character with a soft underbelly. All the feels - I can't remember the last book that I read that had me crying throughout. I wasn't just blubbering like a baby towards the end of the book, Kingdom of Ash got me several times! This book was so emotional. I've become so attached to the characters in this series, that I couldn't help but tear up through their triumphs and their pain. Girl power - This book has so much girl power that it needs its own female rock group power ballad. Seriously. The girls in this book kicked butt. Aelin is a badass - No matter how many times you knock Aelin down, she gets back up again. Her sense of justice and desperation to save her homeland fuels her flames. She overcomes incredible odds and does it all with the typical Aelin swagger. Chaol is happy - To be honest, I didn't care about Chaol much until the last book, Tower of Dawn. Tower of Dawn really set the stage for who Chaol is as a character. In previous books, I wasn't all that attached to him, but in Kingdom of Ash, I wanted to see him happy. He was happy. That made me happy. War is brutal - The war and battle scenes were intense. Nothing was sugar coated. It felt real, and the tipping point of victory versus defeat felt razor thin as it swayed back and forth precariously. I had no idea how it was going to turn out. With so much death and destruction, the book could have taken the war in so many different directions. Lysandra and Aedion - There was so much tension between Lysandra and Aedion! Some good, and some bad. I loved watching these two characters grow and develop, sometimes drifting together, sometimes drifting apart. I was rooting for them every step of the way! Mauve and Erawan are the ultimate bad guys - Mauve and Erawan are so terrible, and I mean that in a good way! They're awful, atrocious people who make amazingly awesome bad guys. I cringed and raged at some of the things they did. But man, they're good at being bad. Dorian does amazing things - Dorian is a character I've always had a soft spot for. Like most of the characters in the series, he's had a rough life, but with each book, Dorian continued to grow into an amazing character, and in Kingdom of Ash, he really shines. In Kingdom of Ash, he does some pretty amazing things. Great ending - I didn't want the series to end. I would have happily read about Aelin for the next 40 years, but alas, all good things must come to an end, and wow, what an ending! I thought the ending did a wonderful job bringing this series to a close. And yes, I cried.

I stumbled upon this author and this series. I started book one none the wiser; moved to book two then on and on to the last. My husband complaining along the way that I had deserted him as my nose was always buried in a book. Worthy. I laughed. I cried. With the finite amount of time we have on this earth, this book was worthy of the time spent. Worthy of the late nights. Worthy of the published price. Start with buying book one but have the others available as you won’t want to stop.

I'm glad it's finally over, the trauma and grief. I'm happy with how the book ended. To a better world.

Book: Kingdom of Ash Author: Sarah J Maas Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Well, this is the end of yet another good series. I really have enjoyed reading these books and I have loved going to all parts of the world. I know a lot of people have complained about the length and how it is nothing like the first book, but I really enjoyed it. I thought it was great that Sarah gave everyone a great ending. One of my favourite thing about these books was how the characters aged, very similar to Harry Potter. I know people have complained about this throughout the series, but it’s good to change. This is something called character development, which is what a lot of you complain about many books lacking. I loved how the aging brought out so many different levels of the characters. I was like a lot of you. I was 20-21 when I started reading the series. Now at 26, I find myself still relating to the characters. I just love the growth, I guess is what I’m getting at. So, with a large cast of characters all trying to have their own time in the spot light, it does get a little choppy at first, but once you get used to it, you can see the magic. I really did like how instead of forgetting about some of the characters, Sarah extended the page length. In case you didn’t realize, this book is almost 1,000 pages long. I was really happy with the way everything was presented and how we got to see an actual end for most of the characters. The best moment of this book was the Aelin, Dorian, and Chaol reunion and the fact that it took place where it all started was just magical. I was really afraid that we would not get to see these three together again, but we did! I also really like how they have gone their own ways, but they still have each other. The bond of friendship between those three has really been what has carried me through this series. There were times that it wasn’t the greatest, but in the end, I’m glad that they all found each other. I loved all of the battle scenes and how Sarah really made it so we got to see them from more than one characters’ point of view. She also didn’t make things always go so great for the characters. We get to see what war is really like. A lot times fantasy novels present war as something to celebrate and we don’t get to see the loss. Here we do. We get to see just how much of an effect that war has on people. Now, like I said, it wasn’t all bad, but we still get that very real element. So, now, we have to say goodbye to this series. It’s hard, because I am really attached to it. There will be other series, but this is like Harry Potter, it will always have a special place in my heart. I just want to thank Sarah for giving us these series and these characters.

This is a very hard review for me to write, so I think it will be short. I am still emotional about this series ending. Though some of the books I didn't enjoy and some I absolutely loved. This one was a bit of both. The beginning had me bored and impatient. Since I just recently read the whole series I just didn't feel like I needed hundreds of pages basically recapping the danger everyone was in and seeing all the character yearning. I was rolling my eyes at the constant arguments between Aelin and Rowan over things that I thought were already settled (and believe me they had some things they needed to hash out, but some of it just got repetitive). I just didn't believe that Aelin needed so much reassurance still that Rowan loved her. He did everything in his power to save her and she still wasn't confident in her husband and mate. There were some positives in the beginning; specifically with Aelin and Manon. It hurt my heart to read about the torture Aelin went through and the desperation she felt. It made me claustrophobic and sick to my stomach at times. I think SJM does a really amazing job sometimes at showing the desperation of this world and these characters and this is one of those situations. And Manon struggling with who she is and throwing away everything she has always believed to try and do what is right, no matter the cost. She is my absolute favorite character and she shows how not everyone is good or evil, so much has changed within her. When all the action finally started, that's when I was hooked. Everything was fast paced, but well described that I felt all the anxiety of these different characters. I loved how they were spread out, all with the different dangers and plans to try and save this world with their unique positions and abilities. The ending had me on the edge of my seat and I just didn't think there was any hope for this world to survive. SJM definitely still has her touch for dramatic twists and turns and can write an amazing villain. The thing that will always shine for me and this series are the characters. They are what hooked me and kept me reading. They are all so complicated - every single one has struggled and battled and given up and risen from their own ashes. They have all grown so much that I don't know if I will recognize them if I started the series over. They are the reason I both laughed and cried during this book. They are the reason I didn't give up on this series even when I found the action dull. They are the reason this series is the triumph that is it and I WILL MISS THEM SO MUCH.

Honestly, I'd stopped reading the 1st book about mid-way through. I really hated the main character 's attitude. But then one day, I happened along some reviews and decided to try again. I am so glad that I did! This has been a really enjoyable series. This final book kept me on edge. I had no idea where it would lead the characters I'd fallen in love with. Throughout the series, I've felt love, pain, heartache, fear, anger and need for revenge. Sarah J. Mass did an excellent job.

This series was everything I had wished. I am sad to be done with the story of Fireheart, but really I think I will always keep a piece of each character with me. To whatever end ….

I loved it. The ending….. I mean. I’m so sad the story is over but yet maybe not…. Maybe not

Hands down best series I’ve read in a long time. So much emotion in these pages. I’m sad that this journey has finally come to an end but will have to share it with others so they too can know the story of Fireheart.

I love this series so much! I never wanted to put it down! Love, war, magic! My imagination sores. Amazing!

I absolutely loved each book in the series! Couldn’t wait to finish it. The audible version was great too! Such vast world and character building, conflict, and friendships. I could go on and on, but I’ll simply say YOU NEED TO READ THIS SERIES!!! It will be a forever favorite for me.

Let's start with stating that this is a VERY long book. Like George RR Martin long, almost 1k pages. I think that a lot of chapters could have been whittled down. Like the sieges chapters, and multiple chapters about Aelin's torture. I skimmed through most of those to speed things along. Also because I don't want to read a.bunch of sadistic torture stuff. The question that drives most of the character development in this book comes from the question posed by Gavin to Dorian : "Who do you wish to be?" Dorian and Manon have the best stories in this book. Manon's relationship with her Thirteen will give you ALL THE FEELS. The other character that makes huge strides in development is Elide. Aelin is, well, Aelin - making a bunch of secret plans and never asking for help until it is almost too late. Like the decisions she makes when she goes to reforge the Wrydgate Lock - seriously, I wanted to smack her and yell "Stick to the plan!" There is even a quote that sums up basically all of Aelin's actions from book 2 on: "She had not wanted to ask, to plan this. Had not wanted to drag anyone else in." Basically her biggest weakness is that she always tries to do everything by herself. I freely admit that Celeana / Aelin has never been my favorite character in this series, even though technically it is about her. The battle for Orynth tries too hard IMO to be like the Battle of Pelennor Fields. There's even a Rohan moment. I think a huge chunk of this book could have been whittled out by reducing the tedious battle chapters. I read her other series first (Court of Thorns and Roses) and I feel like there is a lot of overlap and borrowing of character types and plot devices between the two series. Although since I haven't looked at dates, I'm not sure which series borrowed first. Eg: Evil queens enslaving Fae males, an OP female protagonist, an evil king with a secret evil weapon intent on destroying the world, the male that starts out as a jerk and ends up being mates with Female Prot., the similarities between members of Aelin's court and members of Rhysand's. And PS. For the COTAR fans, Rhysand and Feyre make a brief appearance. Not mentioned by name, but of you read the other series it's clear that it's them. I was like, "Well played SM, well played." Overall a decent fantasy series, although I think Queen of Shadows was the best book. Best relationship: Dorian / Manon Best Bromance: Dorian and Chaol, 2nd place to Ren and Aedion Squad goals: The Thirteen Most sensible: Gavriel Best witty comebacks: Elide Saying what we're all thinking: Yrene Best Frenemies: Fenrys and Lorcan Best make-up scene: Elide and Lorcan Recommended for: people who like strong female protagonists, teenage/YA girls who think they are BA and aspire to be like Celeana/Aelin, people who like drawn out fantasy battles, fans of SJM's Court series.

I just finished Kingdom of Ash (KOA) and I’m a little lost for words right now if I am honest. I feel like a huge part of my life is over. I was soo entirely, wholeheartedly encompassed by this series, it crept up on me and I didn’t even realise it. I have been reading this series for soo long, it feels like I can just go and pick up another but there isn’t any more!! I spent the entire last third of the booking crying!! I have never cried soo much over a book ever!! It was like an endless stream that didn’t stop. The sadness, joy and awe all wrapped in one, had me a blubbering mess. I’m currently staring at the pile of tissues on the floor. It would be one minute of sadness, followed by sheer happiness that had the tears flowing yet again. Watching all our favourite characters coming together and meet again after there adventures apart; felt as though you were standing beside them embracing with ferocious intensity. There was not one single character in this eight book series, I did not find myself grappling for with excitement!! Sarah J Maas took my breath away with this series, I thought Cassandra Clare was the master of all things interworld and dimensional. Sarah gives her a run for her money with this one, she may even take the crown! Every single character you ever meet has an integral part!! (lets completely disregard Vaughan there – Vaughn who – that’s right not only did we never meet him, I will always wonder what had him tied up while the world hung in the balance). I’m in awe of the world she created and the large volume of characters that all fit in with equal gravity of relevance, never doubting why there are over 10+ main characters apart of this journey. Half way through KOA I was worried we were going to have a very very unhappy ending!! It certainly strays from the stereotype where everything happens to go right for our leading characters. The end felt well and truly nigh at one point. I unintentionally spoiled it for myself knowing who wasn’t going to make it to the end of the series and on top the spanner that was thrown in the works (I’m talking about the Gods/Erawan situation going astray). I finished that chapter with a loss for how they were going to pull through.

“𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜,” 𝙁𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙮𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙝, 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬. “𝙊𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙩𝙚.” “𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙮𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙.” ❤️🔥 Sooo… this book sent me into emotional turmoil. Almost 1,000 pages of war, torture, identity, love, friendship and more. I think this series is amazing and this book really ended it in a satisfying away. I agree that it was a little rushed at the end, but it truly was an experience. The beginning of this book wrecked me, I love these characters so much. I can’t really talk about anything without giving stuff away, but this is a really good series. Just keep in mind the rollercoaster you will go through if you decide to read it. I will say I still like ACOTAR more 😬 but I can see why people pick this one.

There's nothing to dislike about this series, just wanting more of the character's future in happiness. I am in awe of Sarah J Maas. It was a very long extraordinary series that I love very much. In each book, you learn more about the story unfolding and how the characters from the beginning to the end are intertwined. The author has a fascinating. mind.

I would love to see more of this series. I truly loved it and to see the characters come alive and grow. I cant say enough amazing things.

It took 10 years and 7 books for Sarah J. Maas to finish writing this series. I know, you're telling yourself, 7 books is a lot to read for one series. But, it is well worth your time & money to buy & read. I have never been sucked into a series as I have with this one as though I was one of the characters within it, part of Aelin's court, living it. The author brings everything and anything into your realm of believing. The way she writes makes you feel like you are there for every moment. At the end of each book, I couldn't wait to read the next one. It is the best series I have ever read... EVER!! BEWARE!! SPOILERS! Don't read any further if you havent read the series. STOP! There are so many parts in this book where I laughed out loud or bawled my eyes out. But a few below are noteworthy: Such as Abraxos, Manon's wyvern, sticking his head in a bunch of wildflowers, happy as can be, sniffing them. And Manon's scowl. Ha! I laughed so hard! Or Abraxos and Asterin's wyvern, Narene, becoming mates. So adorable, even though they were breed to be vicious. And, don't even get me started on the Little Folk! They were always there in the most dire of situations to save the day or help Aelin out of a tough situation. Always turning up at the most opportune time. And, when Aelin stole every cent and property of Arobynn Hamel's, it was poetic justice. I cheered! Even though his death should have been slow...so very, very slow... And, when Dorian brought Morath down, it was beautiful. But, I cried like a baby when Iskra's wyvern slammed into Manon and had Abraxos by the neck. Manon's pleading, "Please" totally undid me. I happened to be reading this section in my car while stuck at a train track crossing. The tears were rolling down my face and I literally could not read any further because I was shaking. I outright bawled when the Thirteen, or twelve, witches gave their lives to take down the witch tower. When Asterin slammed her wyvern into the tower and they all "yielded" to explode it and the Blackbeak Matron into oblivion. I cried and cried, even my dog was worried for me. The magical Lord of the North and Aelin riding him into battle or the thousands of Crochan witches flying, with red capes flapping, to Orynth. All of it takes my breath away. To Sarah J. Maas, Thank you!! I loved this series so very much. You are gifted, my friend.

Kingdom of Ash is definitely a fitting conclusion to the ToG series. I have enjoyed this story and the characters for many years, and find myself currently going back to read favorite chapters/perspectives. By no means a perfect read, I still felt that the overall completion of the series was handled well. I read a few reviews/spoilers before completing the book, and although I did agree with some criticisms, overall I really liked KoA. Some particular irks of mine - I cared more about some characters more than others, but not getting enough of their perspectives. So, big fan of Chaol and Yrene as well as Elide and Lorcan. I am specifically re-reading KoA for their chapters. I understand all characters played a role in this final story, but I became more invested in those characters than the rest (even Aelin and Dorian). Not a fault of the author's really, but just my preference. Also, recycled jokes made through the book and some banter meant as humorous was to me kind of lame. Again, that's just on me and my personality, but felt cringey when I know it was intended to be funny. Also, reuse of certain phrases or explanations - everyone's romantic partner "felt like home", "you are mine; I am yours", etc. A shared criticism of other reviewers is that it was almost too happy an ending for the main characters. I'm not saying the author should have killed off half the cast, and those that were definitely pulled on the heart strings. It's just for several wars and an epic final battle, it was just kind of "meh" and didn't seem totally plausible. In the end, I would still recommend this series to fantasy lovers. Again, I overall loved the series and really enjoyed this book.

I have followed this series.... for years. I have cried and laughed in equal measure. I have lost myself in the world SJM (and everyone who assisted her) expertly crafted. My heart is broken that it is over but, if it must end, this book ended it superbly. I cannot find a speck of anything to feel disappointed about. I will praise this series, this author, to my grave. I took my time finally reading this last installment. I'm late to the punch, I know. But I wanted to reread the story from the beginning. So, here I am, not 5 minutes from devouring the last words to a series I will repeatedly bless myself with again and again. So to conclude my review: What do I like about this book? When you allow yourself to be fully swept into a story such as this, it tears at your heart and heals it. It leaves an impression that you can't forget, and if your memory of the events, the world, and the characters starts to fade? You have the glorious ability to experience it all over again. And enjoy every word countless times. Would I recommend this book? I have recommended this series to anyone who would listen since I first devoured throne of glass. I will continue to rave and recommend its, now completed, entirety as I always have. I wish I could end my lengthy review here, but at the off chance that SJM ever sees this, I want to congratulate her on her new addition to the family. I saw in the acknowledgements that she has a baby Maas (maybe not such a baby now, but all the same). Congratulations!! I sincerely hope you continue writing incredible stories for the world. For yourself. I would like to take this opportunity to say I love everything your write. You're a gift. You're a master craftswoman. My favorite author. And also.... I greedily wait for any installments to ACOTAR. I wait. Patiently. However much time is needed, I respect the process. I hope you and your family are well (:

My new favorite series. This final book was AMAZING! Sarah J Maas has a way with words. There was action, romance, comedy and more throughout the whole series, but the way she strung it all together is truly incredible! I love Aelin and Manon!

“Once upon a time, in a land long since burned to ash, there lived a young princess who loved her kingdom…” I had a good time reading Kingdom of Ash. And there are no words I have to describe the feeling that I get while reading a book with what feels like the entire book community. All of us updating, crying, and swooning at the same times all over social media. It reminds me of reading Harry Potter with my friends back when I was little, and there really are no words to even begin to describe that feeling, because it truly transcends words and language. Here is the thing – if you have loved this series from the start, you are probably going to love this conclusion and be very happy upon turning that last page. I’ve had a rocky journey with Throne of Glass even before it became “cool” to dislike this series and even before the stans thought it would be “cooler” to ignore all the gross, problematic elements. I’ve just never loved this series. And I always feel like the characters I do end up liking from this world, get the bad end of the stick. And Kingdom of Ash was no different. And, in true Sarah J Maas fashion, the book was ungodly longer than it truly needed to be. This review isn’t going to be a drag or a gush, it’s just going to be my thoughts and feelings on what I did love and what I did hate. I’m not looking to hurt anyone’s feelings; if you have been hurt by SJM - you are valid, and if the book means more than words to you - you are valid. These are just my thoughts about a series I never really loved, and a conclusion that I thought was a little too convenient (and a lot too straight and white). And if you are new to the book world, or just never bothered to actually look up the synopsis, Throne of Glass is a series about a young assassin that is enslaved. A prince from a royal kingdom, and his best friend who is also the captain of the king’s guard, rescue her from slavery so that she can compete to become the king’s assassin. But after a few books, you realize that this world is also full of magic, and Fae, and demon-like creatures called Valg who want to conquer everything. And this assassin, this prince, and this captain of the guard, get way more than they ever dreamed to bargain for. “The threads of fate weave together in strange ways…” But if you’re reading this review of the concluding and seventh book of a series, you probably already know this. And you probably want to know my thoughts on this conclusion. Overall, I feel like my favorite character got done really dirty, where everyone else got a happy ending. Also, a lot of people said really horrible things to their friends/lovers and then didn’t care that they said it until they were about to die. Like, I’m not here for any kind of abuse, and some of the actions of some of these characters to the people they are supposed to “love” was really gross and unacceptable. Plus, I feel like this series ending was way too clean, and that SJM really didn’t listen to the complaints about A Court of Wings and Ruin! The deus ex machina was very abundant at the end, in my opinion and seemed to happen back to back to back in the last 150 pages instead of giving us more substance in the 800 pages before it. I also feel like SJM was really setting up for her new series, Twilight of the Gods, too, maybe? But again, if you love this series, you will probably love this ending. I’ve always felt like this series was just alright, so I felt like the ending was just alright, too! Also, this book got very dark in the first 25%, so please use caution while reading! Content and trigger warnings for captivity, graphic torture, threats of sexual assault, talk of past sexual assault, murder, death, self-harm, talk of suicide, blood depictions, PTSD depiction, depression depiction, animal abuse, animal death, very severe physical abuse, verbal abuse, enslavement, sexual content, and war themes.

Yes yes yes! I am a Sarah J Maas Dan all of the way. I have been 3 books behind in the series for several years and finally just finished them from the 1st book till this last book over the last few months. Where to begin?! If you’re not a fan of Sarah, then why are you even reading this, LOL. I’ve always enjoyed her writing style and they way to built her characters, their relationships and stories, also love her way of world building. Occasionally I would get ahead of myself and try to skip through some world building but I also catch myself and re-read the section I tried to skip. Lo I was anticipating this conclusion for quite some time, and yes I even managed to not read ANY spoilers! Gasp! This gave me all the feels in all the right places. I laughed, I cried, and I got severely angry. Besides the Percy Jackson books, this was my first YA FANTASY series that really pulled me in from the start. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for this series and her ACOTAR series. I do consider them the gateway books to YA FANTASY for me personally. Now for the spoilers section*** OMG, Manon and the thirteen... can you say tear jerker. I had tears streaming down my face during that entire scene. Every time it was mention later in the story and knowing how Manon felt, ripped that tiny wound back open and I’d tear up again. So sad, and didn’t see that coming honestly. Gaverial, sweet Gaverial and Aedion, Enough said.. tears fell then too. Yrene is a badass, and so is Lysander. HELL all these female and male characters are just badass. Stubborn, emotional, sexy Badasses’ lol This will be one of those conclusions I’ll never forget and will always hold dear to my heart. Thank you Sarah for such a beautiful story, flaws and all, it was a joyous ride to watch your style unfold and watch the story unravel. Bravo!

I started this series from the beginning, when there was only Throne of Glass and the novellas were posted separately and not within a bound book. I began this series as a child, not even in high school. Now I’m in college and this story still hangs with me. Sarah J. Maas is and forever will be my favorite author. Every step you take, ever page turn brings you further and further in this world she’s created. Every small detail cumulating to an overall major shock, every spoken word important in some way. SJM flawlessly weaved details within this story, leaving no string frayed or knot untied. This series has sent me flying with joy and sobbing with pain. I’ve laughed with characters, I’ve screamed bloody murder with them. I’ve grown with them. Every single one. In series this long, it’s so easy to take easy writing choices. To let the battle be won by the heroes every time, to kill without reason for the shock factor, to ignore the emotions your characters are feeling at the time in favor of actions. But SJM doesn’t do this. Every single book matters. Every battle ends and our heroes don’t win them all. But the heroes that don’t make it out, they die with purpose. They die for the world they believe in, the one SJM has so carefully created. And best of all, the characters are so relatable, so REAL, because SJM Let’s is know how each character feels. Lets us feel the grief they feel. Lets us know what weighs their souls. These characters are so real, because there’s not a single person who can read this series, and not find at least one, if not twenty, characters they relate to. And for this, for so much. For this amazing story that I have spent years of my life living, loving and learning from: I thank you Sarah. J Maas. I thank you, for every single page. For every line strung together. Every word typed out. Every character of this story. This is my favorite series, will likely be for a very long time, and I have had the time of my life, living in Erilea for all of this time. I’ll miss every second of it, but I know I can always return home to Erilea, always re-read another page, revisit stories I love. For Sarah J Maas has provided to me what so many readers desire. Another home to cherish, for all time. Thank you Sarah. Thank you.

I'll get what I don't like out of the way and it's mostly this: the lusty/sex scenes are really cringe. They mostly feel out of place and awkward for me especially when they're in the middle of war. It doesn't make sense and mostly serves as fan service. It also irked me how the terms immortal, beautiful, male, and royal titles (and muscle toned men or something like that) are thrown around that it started to lose its meaning for me and... I can't even put it into words. So basically this book, and the series in general, has problems but despite all that I really enjoyed the journey I had with it. This is one massive book with about 1000+ pages I think and it was not daunting at all to read because I have "bonded" with the characters from the very first book to this last one. I am satisfied with how things ended despite all the loses. Well done. It's not easy to end a series that has spanned 8 books (including Assassin's Blade) in 6 years (2012-2018) and have it end that would satisfy readers. The twists I didn't see coming, the deaths and the near deaths, the revelations and the red herrings; starting this really long series was a blast and concluding with this final book was worth it all. Very satisfying end definitely that had me in tears from the middle to the end. 1000+ pages and not a boring chapter even for the chapters that were central on the fighting which was a bit difficult for me because I struggle with imagining that kind of action. I am glad Maas didn't fall into the trap of shortening this book to please publishers. This needed to be this long and its length is worth it. Shortening books because of the publishers and etc have happened and I don't know if it happened to Maas but I can only assume. (view spoiler) I have to write this about this book too for future me's reference: This books is thick because it is divided into 3 (or maybe more) different instances/point of views? that would slowly converge into 1 epic conclusion. I really like how this arrangement builds up hype for the inevitable convergence. They're separate but they did not feel fractured at all.

Wow! More then I could of thought possible! Sweet, dramatic, unexpected! Enjoy the ride it’s beautiful! Already sad it’s over, but completely satisfied!

I loved this series! It was fantastic and I'm sad it's over. The characters and story are fantastic. Great read.

10/10 - I’ve never cried so much in a book before

I absolutely loved this entire book series. The ending of the book was absolutely beautiful but I would've liked there to be more. It was an unfulfilling ending, leaving the reader wondering about what happened in the future...

A lot of people seem to dislike Aelin but I have to say, I love her. She's only 19 in this series and most 19 year olds I know can't figure out what clothes to wear on a night out never mind how to help save the world. This series was amazing I think. The plot, the writing, the characters all excellent. I loved how Aelin thought. Her way of planning things. Yes she should have shared her thoughts more, at least with Rowan but she is the way she is. Afraid of disappointing anyone so keeping things to herself incase it didn't work out. Not necessarily a bad thing. I cried when the 13 died, that was horrible but their sacrifice wasn't in vain, still, I loved Astred but thinking of her finding her hunter and child again was a bitter sweet thought. Gavriel, I agree with most, I hated his ending. He died to show Aedion he loved him but he could have lived and shown him the same thing. I really wanted Darrow to die but alas, no such luck. I hated that everytime Aelin and Meave faced off Aelin ended up on her knees in pain, that she never had her full power against her, it was frustrating. I wish Aelin didn't lose her power. One thing is I would have loved is if the Epilogue showed us maybe 5 or 10 years into the future and maybe that family Rowan glimpsed was in the making, and maybe Elides ankle was completely healed. I thoroughly enjoyed this series and thoroughly loved the characters. I'll miss them now that I'm finished it. Well done SJM

• 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 • 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Kingdom of Ash 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Throne of Glass #7 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Sarah J. Maas 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5 This book is longggggggg and what an ending. This book wrecked me, broke my heart, I laughed, I cried, I am sad, but happy as well that this story has come to an end. All the puzzle pieces finally found their place. I love how all the storylines and people came together and everything just clicked. I do wish there was some kind of epilogue, that said, I am at peace with how this book ended. Even though, I feel like there were some people I wished that they did not die. Yes, people will die, since there is a war, so that’s not surprising. And no, I will not tell you who… The pace of this book was soo soo good. I did not want to stop reading. Only towards the ending I found a bit of the story dragging (loads of action and fighting), but in the end it did not really matter if I look at the whole picture: I loved this book and the series as a whole. I highly recommend reading this series, i'ts complex, intriguing and emotional.

This one, this final chapter was so hard to read. I have never cried so much whilst reading a book. It has left me gutted and in pieces unable to do anything else today. Every blow still reverberates in my heart and the joy that sits alongside it is hard won, the pain never really forgotten. The words that I want to write are hard to put down here through the tears, but I will get the down while they are raw and true. The journey of these characters has been long and ardorous. They have all been forged by pain and heartbreak, broken and bleeding, they have been changed, brought together by a young girl with many faces who just wants a better world. A world where the life and light will not snuffed out by darkness and unending pain. Where love and friendship mean everything and old wounds can be healed. I have felt every blow, every lash and flame and shard of ice with them, every raging heartbeat on paper is felt in my own heart like the beat of the warrior drums. I am utterly devastated, even through the joy at all that has transpired. The lose and the pain of everyone who was lost along the way, who will be honored and remembered by us all. Through every page of every book in this saga, I have felt Sarah's words and talent, her soul and heart poured out on every page, worthy of praise equal to the storytelling masters who came before her. I am grateful to have been able to share this tale with my daughter, my sisters and my mom, one day sharing it with my other children and their children after. A tale to be cherished and past down through generations, treasured by all. That is what I think a writer hopes and dreams of, their tales to live on in our hearts long after they have moved on from this life, always to be remembered. You will be remembered Sarah J Maas, and your characters will always be cherished be me and mine, to whatever end.

I am not even a fan of the fantasy genre, but at the suggestion of my daughter I read. I laughed I cried I CARED. such compelling characters and a story to sink into and enjoy.

As with all of the books in this series, I could not get enough!! The right amount of action, laced with romance, and wrapped in beautiful stories of friendship and strife. Amazing!

The perfect book to end the series. Seller ensured the book came fast and in perfect condition. The story itself is very intricately weaves together and has you holding your breath nearly the whole time

This was the ending that this series deserved. I was not dissapointed in this at all. I dont think any other book series in the world has ever made me or will make me feel so attatched to the characters as throne of glass. I cried 5 times while reading this and if that doesnt say enough about the book then i dont know what will. This is the only thing that could give this justice and I can't wait for World of Throne of glass hopefully coming out next year. The book follows 5 story lines to start, Chaol and the khagans army, Lysandra and Aedion in Terrasen, Dorian and Manon, the cadre and Elide searching for Aelin, and finally our queen Aelin. At first it is a bit hard to follow all of the story lines since you get so hooked onto one POV and then it switches. Rowan: I absolutely loved Rowan in this book. In my opinion Rowan was my favorite character to read and watching him and Aelin made me love him even more Aelin: the whole time i was reading her I just was begging for a happy ending because this girl has gone through so much and I felt so much love for her the whole time Manon: manon has grown so much since heir of fire. In this book you really see manon humanize even more than you do in empire of storms and it made her a character that you really root for and really love. I didnt love manon in empire of storms but in KoA she was definelty in my favorites list Aedion and Lysandra: once again, Koa made my favorites even more loved and you see a lot of growth in Aedion and really see him for his true selfless brave self. The list could go on and on but basically all of the characters had so much growth and lovability even though it does drag a bit with war and battle after war. It does also get a bit confusing with the names off all the people in Tower of dawn so I suggest rereading that before this if you havent read it in a while.

It’s incredible . It was worth the wait and I loved it. I love all her books and this series was amazing

Series Recap 1. Throne of Glass – 5/5 2. Crown of Midnight – 4/5 3. Heir of Fire – 4/5 4. Queen of Shadows – 4/5 5. Empire of Storms – 5/5 6. Tower of Dawn – 5/5 7. Kingdom of Ash – 4/5 What is it about? Kingdom of Ash is the ending to the story that started with a young but determined assassin who refused to be broken by a seemingly endless parade of hardship. It's the story of how that assassin finally grew into her destiny and also the story of all the friends who helped along the way. I took my 4 year old to the book store the other day and we saw Tower of Dawn near the Young Adult section but these books feature a lot of romantic couplings that may not be appropriate for young minds. I got him a Richard Scarry picture book, instead. Was it good? Yes, friends, it was very good. I was completely enthralled by everything that was going on and the final confrontation was beautifully done. It has been a long time since I cried while reading a book, but that scene that I don't want to spoil for you just ripped my heart out. It was both beautiful and horribly sad. There were, however, a few things that prevent me from all out loving this story. The timelines on the different perspectives intersect but flow at different speeds and you just never know where one person is going to show up next. This has the effect of leaving you hoping for that miracle but also makes you feel like you know what that miracle might be. Still, all the characters keep secrets and I ended up being surprised several times. The actual wrapping up after the big finale took about 2 hours for me to read. This book is 980 pages long, but it really could have ended before 900 and left more things to our imagination. The whole book flew by except for the ending after ending after ending. I highly recommend this series for any lovers of fierce warriors, fierce women, fairies, wolves, and epic battles. This was a fitting conclusion to a fantastic series.

I don’t normally write reviews, mostly because I am not very good at expressing what I want to say. However, I am having such a book hangover, I found myself coming back for 2 reasons...1. Just to skim and reread parts this phenomenal conclusion to one of the best series I have ever read. Secondly because I wanted to voice my opinion to the few reviews I read. To the comments that this was too long..I don’t agree b/c there are so many characters in this series and I felt she wanted to give each character (couple) their storylines and conclusions. I can imagine with her heart and soul in this series for so many years; it must have been extremely difficult for her to wrap it up.....and let’s face it, if she didn’t write a long conclusion then so many would have complained that they “waited all this time and that was it??” SPOILER....POSSIBLY IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE WHOLE SERIES UP TO THIS ONE. A few reviews commented negatively regarding Maeve being a Valg Queen, saying it shouldn’t have been thrown here, as it wasn’t needed...after which one reviewer then turned around saying they didn’t read ToD. Well, If they had, they would have realized this is when we learned Maeve was Valg... I believe it may have been eluded to earlier in a previous book too, if I’m not mistaken? Not sure about that. A few reviews said that KoA was confusing to read. Each time I read this; it was mentioned had not read all the books or had been waiting for 2 years for this to come out....i finally has to quit reading the negative reviews ....because I was getting defensive. Lol..... But come on...one shouldn’t blame it on the writing/author for their confusion and lack of understanding if you did not read the whole series or did not go back to refresh your memory if it had been such a lengthy time between books. Personally......My hat’s off to this talented lady for such an amazing series!!! I have a great amount of respect and admiration for SJM!!!

I enjoyed this entire series. This last book ties up all of the loose bits well. I only wish the original bite of grey-area characters & time allotted them, stayed consistent throughput the series.. For example, Lorcan -- one of the most powerful & mysterious characters , introduced earlier with such dark secrets ~& promise-- neatly falls in love with a mortal & we never really learn anything more about his long dark life. This might have been as much following odd editing trends as writing choices -- such as dedicating an entire earlier book to one of the least likeable characters ever, Chaol. At least, that decision gave us the wonderful stories of the southern continent & the court siblings there. . Many of these fascinating riders of giant war- birds & even the sleek former city guard who won a prince & the spirited rival betrothed riders ,return here.....yet, once again, the time is focused on boring Chaol & Yrene. This is my biggest problem with a series I otherwise very much enjoy, the last couple of books tend to linger a bit much on less interesting storylines to the loss of filling in information on fascinating relationships like that of Dorian & Manon ( for example). It also would have been nice to see the Queen retain a bit more of her assassin side. The torture of the Northern battlefield seemed far worse than a fairy torture that you might or might not fully remember. In truth, the push backs from the Northern front were truly tense & gut churning. These are personal ticks. I understand every writer & reader has their own favorite characters. Also Mass had many threads to tie off. I keep expecting these to be adult fantasy & am reminded by general's who have tantrums with powerful allies, odd dialogue from the main character to incredible enemies & horrible events all through the series that are fixed with unlikely marriages.... & I know it is YA. Yet the stories are addictive. I enjoy them. I keep reading. Fans will be pleased.

Loved the series enough to buy it and im cheap 😂😂 you can read them free on libby but i wasnt waiting that long lol Cheaper to purchase on amazon with kindle snd audible

Absolutely love it

This is the second time I’ve read through the whole series. The characters and plot lines are compelling and Sarah’s masterful storytelling makes the imagination soar! Highly recommended!

Loved this book this series, third time now for all eight now and will probably again. Wished there was a follow or short story to see how it's going like a reunion 10yrs been

Kingdom of Ash. What can I say? If you're a fan of the series and you're curious if this final chapter is worth a read; it is. This book is without a doubt the best of the series. It is a true masterpiece of storytelling, filled with emotion. While at almost 1,000 pages long, I found myself thinking she could have made this into two 600 page books; there is that much going on. All of the characters you've grown to know come together in this final, epic battle that has been building like a pressure cooker and it just explodes. I found myself tearing up way too much, and I got a real Lord of the Rings final battle vibe here. Very heroic. Very tragic. Very satisfied. If you've not read any of the series but you enjoy magic, fighting and intrigue, then you should give the series a try. Seven books and it's done. Whew! What a ride.

I have absolutely loved the journey all have taken to get to the finish, I smiled, I laughed, I cried....more tears than I thought I would. It is well worth taking the time and reading this amazing series!

Absolutely loved this series! So much so that I own the hardcovers as well as digital! Once I started I could not put them down!

Loved the whole series. Can't wait to own it In and add it to my bookshelf. Wish there was more to read.

This was everything and so much more! The tears were flowing! Like a rushing river! I'm equal parts sad and relieved that this has ended. I could never ever get enough of these characters! The farewells were indeed heartbreaking and memorable. I feel as if I'll forever think on certain events. This was surprising and so well concluded! I'm pretty sure that my heart stopped quite a few times along the way and I was absolutely freaking out more than once. I was giddy with pure excitement when I realized that Feyre and Rhysand were in this, though they are not named. I do feel like some things are left hanging in the wind. Please one day Ms. Maas give me more Manon and Dorian! I want to bask in their happily ever after and see their story told! I need more Abraxos in my life as well! This was a huge series and took me months to read, but it was time spent with my besties, and one day soon I'll gladly begin the adventure all over again. If you love fantasy, true love, overcoming the odds and the deep bonds that friendships forges, read this!!! You'll never read anything comparable to this. See why her readers have dubbed her Queen Maas!!!

This series has been a roller Coaster. There were parts of the book where my heart swelled up and had me rereading parts over and over, then there were parts where I wanted to throw my book across the room. Spoilers**** I so love how all he characters ended up tying together. Like lyssandras uncle and the spiders and yrene. I also like how Yrene became the hero.It wasn't all Aelin defeating Erwan. And even little Evangeline is a hero. ALso love how this series didn't just end. I have read many books where the ending felt rushed. But the pace was perfect. I mean I do wish they had a few more pAges (or chapters) on the future as her being Queen. But don't we all? Also, can we talk about how Rhys and Feyra were briefly in the series for like half a page? It took me a day and it randomly hit me!! I do think it's little weird how Rhys "slowed" down a girl shooting through the sky, but loved the connection! I have always wondered when they talked about the realms of that was the case haha, and it was conencted! (Subtlety) It's amazing the character development Sarah has created.... I look back on the first book and I'm just amazed, everyone has grown so much. Though I got a little bored with all the talk of war and the battles.I feel like all that sorta took me out of it a little. I would have loved to see more relationships develope. Little more of living then planning. I mean I understand that they were planning wAy to live, but something that isn't all war. OverAll, this series has taken me over. I will be rereading it over and recommending it to anyone I know!!

These mini books are the best thing ever! I have the full size collection too, but these mini books are amazing for putting in my purse for on-the-go.

I found this book series when I was broken. I had been homeless for two years, dating a man who let me work 2 jobs at 18 to support him while he did nothing with his life, and I was miserable. I am a writer too, an artist, but I had none of that left after him. And then I met Aelin in Throne of Glass--also broken, also homeless, also aching for freedom and peace. I didnt know then how far it would go. How much Celanea Sardothian would change my life, with Nehemia and Dorian and Chaol. They suffered and grew and triumphed, and every book that came after I devoured and explored and reread until the lessons the characters learned melded into me and I understood them. I found this series 2 years ago, going to high school, getting my associates degree in college, and working myself to the bone cleaning homes and selling shoes for 72 hours a week. I am 20 now, engaged, happy, and at peace. I am 20 now, the same age as Aelin, and I am crying as I write this review in gratitude to Sarah J Maas. I learned to never stand down, that this is not the end, that the right person will never try to change you, that monsters are taught, that iron and ice can melt, that darkness is fearful of the light, that sacrifice can change lives, that the love of the family you choose is just as strong as the family you're born too, and that above all others you do not yield. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for helping me realize the best version of myself, and giving me these 7 books that have given me the courage to fight for a better world.

I have been hooked on this series since I read the first page of the first book. I have cried, I have laughed, frowned and smiled, laughed and been mad. Every book has been a page turner. For the first time, I can honestly say that I think the last book was a masterful way to finish out this series. Kudos to Sarah J Maas for being a true artist in the field of writers. Now, I am going to spend an evening with my husband. I have been more than a bit distracted for past weeks to months reading this entire series. I am excited to see what the next series I start by her brings!

This whole series was fantastic. I just couldn't put it down. Thanks to my daughter katelyn for introducing me to such a great story.

It has been a roller coaster ride of emotions with this final book, which I knew it would be. I honestly did not expect to cry as much as I did though 😂😂😂 Sarah's writing is just so raw...so real...you experience what the characters are going through. It's easy for me to get completely lost and caught up in her writing. My favorite thing about this series?? All the beautiful, strong, independent and powerful women who had mates standing beside them and supporting them...not hindering them. Absolutely LOVED this. I rarely read fantasy before. Then I met a great group of ladies, one of which reads almost nothing but fantasy. So of course we started reading what each of us likes to read. Thank goodness I branched out and tried a different genre because a whole other world is now at my fingertips 😂😂 But for now, I'm just going to sit here a while and reflect...and slowly come to the realization that man...this series is over. What do I do now?

I first want to say that this is one of my top favorite series, with Heir of Fire being my absolute favorite in the series. I found Kingdom of Ash to be fast-paced, a lot of action and closure. It was awesome to see the entourage separated out in the 3 groups interact and work to fight and find each other. There were a few giggles mixed in with the lighter moments. CAUTION POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD--- YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!!!! Now there were some aspects to the book that I was disappointed with, one being Aedion as he just annoyed me so much with his attitude and grudge holding. I will give him credit he probably had the worst time in the book 2nd to Aelin. But how he handled Lysandra give didn't work for me. Aelin and Rowan - Ugh I hated what Aelin went through, but she is one strong and badass chick! The rescue scene was amazing but I didn't get the feels I did with Sarah's other book "A Court of Wings & Ruin" - I went into reading KOA thinking I was going to have a lot of crying and anxiety moments but never did shed a tear.... Dorian - I think he stole the show in this book, his actions and character really came out and I started to love him even more. He was always secondary in the earlier books but I would say this was his book. We even got to see a bit more of a funnier side to him which was great. The ending was nice, a bit predictable but brought a nice closure with some room to expand and bring in more books focused on the other characters.

The physical exhaustion comes from staying up way too late reading into the night like I haven’t done in years. The emotional—well I can’t get into that without spoilers. One of my granddaughters begged me to be at the bookstore the minute it opened to get this book for her the day it was released. I hadn’t started reading the series at that time—was already involved in a couple of other series but two of my grandkids finally persuaded me to start in with Assassin’s Blade. So I didn’t have to wait for the sequels. I will say characters I didn’t care for in the beginning became my favorites by the end! And losing some of them, as my granddaughters put it, hurt my heart. My only complaint with this finale, as I constantly told my husband, was the endless battle scenes. Looking back at them, I can see how each was a necessary progression to the end, but as I was wanting the story to speed along, they sometimes dragged on me. This series has infiltrated my dreams and I think I will need to let it settle a bit before I start a new read.

I’ve finally finished this series, and my heart is aching. A long journey has finally come to its end lol. If I were rating only on enjoyment, my rating would be much higher. Unfortunately, I have several issues with this book and the series as a whole. My main issue with Sarah J. Maas’ writing is it is repetitive and plot lines are often recycled, especially in the later books. I remember reading the fifth book in this series and thinking a scene felt familiar only to remember that the exact same scene happened in A Court of Mist and Fury. This happens multiple times between different books. People also seem to like to profess their love right before an assumed death using the line “I have loved you since ___.” Lastly, I’m not sure how many times and how many people reassure someone that they will do things “together” and for “all of it.” Aside from the repetitiveness, like many people have already stated, for a large cast that spans over a large map, there is not much diversity. Everyone in the main cast is white. While I don’t necessarily think an author has to write about POC characters, I also don’t think a huge world with a large cast of characters from all over the map would consist of only white people. I also felt uncomfortable whenever someone did something that was described as “all male.” But despite this series’ problems, I admit I still enjoyed the reading experience. Sarah J. Maas is really good at creating anticipation, and that’s what kept me reading!

This series has moved me in so many ways, more than many books ever have. Filled with so many strong characters and a plot that stands upon personal growth of, not just the main protagonist, but many well loved and well built characters. The journeys that this book brought to a conclusion brought me to tears no less than three separate times. There are laughs, and moments of heart-swelling pride. Moments of utter joy and excitement. But there is also pain, and loss, and the reality that happy endings do not always come without a price. This final book brings about a conclusion that certainly wrapped up the main story and gave the characters the closure that they worked towards for so long. More than just a fairy-tale, this book shows that even when it feels as though there is nothing but pain and strife, it is not the end. It is not the end, and you can keep fighting, keep trying, and you will find your path. Without spoiling anything, I can only say that though it is long, that I do not feel it drags or leaves you skipping bits to get to something more interesting. Each page includes facets and tidbits about this stunning conclusion and everything that had to happen to bring this story to its glorious finale. Though they may no longer be fighting monsters, I hope that we may one day get a tid-bit or epilogue for all of the friends we've made among these pages. For I, for one, would love to read in stunning detail the wonderful world as it is built anew, and the joy they have all found in the aftermath.

I waited to read this book for many years. The empathy and sorrow at the end of the prior book for Aelin’s plight made me somewhat fear this story for the pain she would more than likely endure under Maeve. I’m glad that I finally read this. I cried, laughed, and swore. I also had to put the book down a few times and walk away. All of the major players from the series were there. Battles were noteworthy and the losses soul wrenching. Even though I had to reapply my eye makeup more than once, I loved this epic story and ending.

The great culmination of a fantastic story. I loved how it ended. Cried for the loss and smiled at the happy endings. I will read it again and again and again. I will miss all the characters and would love to hear more about their individual stories.

Wow! OMG! IKR! ( INSERT ANY AND ALL CURRENT EXPLICATIVES HERE!) It took me a while to finish this series not due to a lack of enthusiasm but because there are simply not enough hours in the day 5o dedicate to curling up and reading. I weeded, laughed, gasped, and raged with these marvelous characters throughout the whole series. I weeded and cried at the end like a sappy teenager! You must simply start at the beginning of the series to achieve the full epic effect. These characters will enthrall you. The imagery and words will transport you! Please read the whole series! It is worth all the star⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'s!

It's always sad to have the last book of a series in your hands, but exciting at the same time. This is the end, but... how will it end? What will our heroes do to defeat the bad guys? Who will survive? How will they reshape the world after their victory? I've often found that the last books of series seem rushed, with easy victories that sometimes are unsatisfying. This book... was NOT like that. At all. Our heroes went through A LOT. They went through a lot before they were able to face Erawan and Maeve in that final battle (and what a battle it was!). Our heroes had hard times, losing people close to them, then finding small victories along the way, and definitely felt fear and heartache as they kept fighting to survive. I liked that everyone had their own missions, their own goals, and that we got to be with them all every step of the way until they finally came back together. This book did an awesome job of covering everyone, not making it bothersome that we were switching POV again. I really don't want to give anything major away, so I'll just say that this was an awesome series, and this was an amazing end to it. I kind of hope there might be some novellas in the 'verse, just so we can get some more of that Aelin attitude.

Sarah Maas has crafted a very good series with the Throne of Glass. It is full of action, suspense, surprises and crazy plot twists. The Kingdom of Ash didn't slow down until the very end. You will enjoy it!

Great condition, love the miniature versions. Can’t wait to add to the collection !

It was a brilliant end to a wonderful series. I was in tears so many times reading this series and especially this book, but the ending was joyful and beautiful.

Overall the series was good. This last book was a lot to get through. It just had to many characters / storylines and it took the whole book almost to get them to all come together -- and the reuniting was a bit lackluster. I prefer the ACOTR series over the ToG series, primarily because it focuses on a main character and keeps you invested. With so many storylines. I didn't feel as invested in any of them at the end. Rowan and Aelin just fell flat. I won't go into any spoilers. But just know going in that you may not be 100% happy with how it all ends. Saying all that, I'm glad I did read it.. but will not be a re-read for me. I just love Rhys more ;)

This story is absolutely incredible, and if made into a movie, would be unbelievable, better than Harry Potter! Wow is all I can say. Now that I’m finished I’m going to start the whole series over again.

Wow. How do I even after reading all of that. The Throne of Glass series has been such a big part of my life the past couple years that it is going to be weird to not have a new book to look forward to next year. After all of the books and storylines we finally saw everything and everyone come together. The armies from all across the continent joined forces to crush Erwan, and that bitch Maeve. The witches, oh the witches. [I have never cried more than I did when the Thirteen died. I still have the feels when I think back about it. Poor Manon. She had to live but did they all have to die??? Aelin. I feel like in Empire of Storm people were saying Aelin wasn't the same. We fell in love with Cealana and Aelin isn't her. Cealana was a mask to keep the weight of the world off her shoulders and Aelin lets it all affect her. I loved Aelin in this book. [RIP my soul when she was screaming to take the mask off her. She did what she had to do. [ Why did she try to save Elena and ruin everything though? That was dumb! I'm going to miss these characters. [The feels when all the main three were hugging at the end. All the tears! Maybe down the line we will see a spin off with Manon. This world is too rich to leave behind.

Whelp, once again Sarah did not let me down!! I will admit that I was frustrated for the long wait but it was worth it!! This book had me on an emotional edge and lived up to my expectations as an Author from Sarah Maas!! I loved that it didn’t read like it was rushed (as she clearly, & for good reason has absolutely no reason to worry about who rushes to drop a book before hers because she’s an actual writer with different styles of writing & knows that her writing will likely dominate most others in this category regardless as to how long it takes to drop her book LOL) and the ending was just like.... WOW!!! I really RRRREALLY hope that this & “A Court of Thorns & Roses” (which I’m anticipating that final book as well :) is not the last of your Fae Stories!!! As NONE ONE does or writes Fae like Sarah Maas! & there would be an empty space is every Fae Kingdom is she did (stop writing about them)!!!! I’d never even thought that I’d enjoy anything like these stories but again.... WOW! Still my #NumberOneAuthor & yes, I’ve read or have just about every series in this Category and only two others come close to this, but these Series (& a court of Thorns & Roses) are number one. Oh & who was the guy on the “Snow capped Mountain” with the pregnant woman??????!!!! :) (not a spoiler... esp if you haven’t read ALLLLL of her books)

This series is one of the best I’ve read in my life. I’ve come to love these characters and it will be hard to let this story go. Amazing work!

Loved the entire series! The last book wrapped up the series nicely, tying up all the story lines. I'm sad I'm done!

Best fantasy romance I have read in a very long time. Story telling at its finest. I am in love with all the characters.

I’ve been following these books since Throne of Glass first hit the shelves and have pre-ordered every book in the series as soon as they are available. I rarely leave reviews but I can’t express the joy I get from reading one of Sarah’s works. I’ve read this series more than I could even count, on the good days and the days when I just want to escape to another world. Aelin’s story will always have a place in my heart. I can’t recommend this book enough. What an amazing, wonderful end to a beautiful and royal story full of tears and hard-fought victory.

It was amazing. There are so many characters in this world and I think she tied them together beautifully. There were some problems for me I'll state in the spoiler section below. She changes perspectives throughout the book...a lot, and I really liked it. I love seeing different POVs and since my mind bounces from topic to topic normally, this way of writing was great for me. It's a great ending for a series...although I wish there was more - like a 5 years later kind of thing (but that's just my obsession with future epilogue type things. SPOILER: i loved Lorcan Lochan lol Manon and Dorian's relationship Fenrys - bless his soul SPOILER: issues i had with the book there was a random nameless soldier perspective that didn't make much sense (although it could be to show how desperate the war is for the soldiers) the fact that Aelin missed the majority of the war (like 90% of it) and there was dissent but all the leaders/soldiers/citizens welcomed her back seamlessly - it's a bit unrealistic. and i wish she was there for more and where did Ren go at the end, during the coronation? Didn't he accept the blood oath? Gavriel...that was unnecessary....i love him. and i wanted the big honoring of him that Aedion mentioned that we didn't get. loss of power...lol that's just me and loving the big displays of power that Dorian and Aelin could do Rowan's cousins were barely featured, i have no idea what their personalities and looks and powers even are.

An amazing and captivating series. Loved it, and I'm sad it's come to an end. I need more.. There's going to be more right?

I absolutely loved the conclusion of this series. I cried, nearly vomited, cried some more, laughed,... I loved how the different storylines came together, the different characters with their flaws and strengths. All loose ends tied up in this grand finale. I rated this book 4 stars because I loved it and will definitely reread the entire series. I'm not a big fan of war and battle-scenes which is why I do not give 5 stars, since there are quite a few battles. SPOILERS AHEAD: The beginning of the book was heartwrenching. I felt the pain Rowan felt while being parted from Aelin. The Aelin/Cairn/Fenrys parts left me sick to my stomach. Aelin's strength through it all was amazing. Elide proved to be as strong and courageous as they come. I expected some kind of Nessian-moment (Nesta - Cassian in ACOWAR) and I was not disappointed. Dorian's development throughout the series was probably my favorite. Key-moment for me was when he found out the name of his father. There are quite a few battles in this book, for me it was a bit much (but that is very personal, because I'm not a big fan of battle scenes). I did like the stories of the different characters. I bawled my eyes out when Yrene met Aelin. Cried some more with the sacrifices that are being made for 'a better world'. Thank you Sarah J. Maas for this amazing series!

Pages 187-234 are missing, and pages 235-282 are printed twice instead. Hard to believe ours is the only copy like this. My son reports the book is excellent so far, eagerly waiting for a replacement.

I loved this series; the characters, the plot and the world the author created. Being a fan of fantasy, I’m always amazed by the writers ability to create a world that seems so real and that I can travel through with the protagonist in the books. I loved the way the characters lives were intertwined and that you were never quite sure how it would ultimately end. This keeps you reading and hungry for more as you move from book to book in the series. The first few books are great for any age, but as a middle school librarian, I had to hold back the last few due to some pretty graphic descriptions of intimate scenes. I’m sure high school students would love them all. Definitely a series for millennials and adults.

Like an escape from daily struggles...like yoga for the mind... I remember 30 hour work days, where at the end...i would just want to fall asleep to “friends”...light-hearted and silly... This series was the friends literary equivalent of escape for me a decade later...but dangerous in the way that I would stay up too late to read. I adore the characters...and the writing..l mourn that they are over. Thankfully, it’s been long enough...i may be able to restart T the beginning...as I did so many time with the tv show that got me through residency. Thank you Sarah, for imagining and sharing this world. Please know, it matters. You are great at what you do...and you deserve to feel very proud. I envy your imagination. Your kid is lucky. I bet your bedtime stories are so much better than mine were!😂

I plowed through the 980 pages of this book in less than a week. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but there are a few things that made the read a little bit aggravating. The shifting viewpoints was a little frustrating as they would happen right as the scene was getting to a climax. I found myself skipping pages to get back to the storyline I was interested in. I enjoyed each character but there were so many characters and storylines that I couldn't remember things that seemed necessary to understand the gravity of situations and/or resolutions of said storylines... I'm sure it was necessary to not re-hash previous plotlines due to the already enormous amount of pages but it would've been helpful. I grew weary of all the battle scenes that I feel could've been condensed. I won't give any spoilers, but I feel 2 crucial resolutions to the book happened in the wrong order making one completely anticlimatic. When you read it, you'll know exactly which resolutions I'm talking about. A character dies that is completely unnecessary, but I can see why Sarah Maas felt the need to kill him off to appease those readers who think it is ridiculous that a series should end with everyone being happy/alive in the end (I'm not one of those.) Overall, it was a satisfying end to a great series. AND I thoroughly enjoyed the cameo of Rhys & Feyre...it made me start pining for Nesta & Cassian's upcoming story in the next ACOTAR book.

I’ve always been one to love reading all kinds of books, especially fantasy books that are very visual. I tend to see all the stories I read very graphically as if I’m watching real life unfold in front of me. (LOL) I guess this is why I prefer reading the book first to watching the movie cause I tend to choose better choices for the characters. This book however was so visually stimulating to me that like I said, the story just unfolded in front of my like life itself. Not too many authors have the ability to show me a story in this fashion and this author not only did this but the story itself was something that I’ve never heard of or read before. It kept me glued to the story and was able to relate to all the characters. So it was a very wonderful ride for me I was sad to see it end. But thank you for the series it was awesome and awe inspiring.

What can I say? I loved it. Such a great story. I cried. I laughed. I stressed. I hoped. Loved it. Now that I have some time to process, here's my review. KoA is a very well written book. A lot of the issues I had with ACOWAR were resolved here. The battles (yes, plural) had a nice grittiness to it. The book was very emotional and the timeline not always clear - which were done on purpose in order to build tension. We begin our journey with our wonderful Aelin still stuck in a box. Seriously, there are about 100 pages of this book I would skip in future re-reads. I just don't need that level of suffering. In the first 150 pages, all we do is catching up with our different pairings and POVs - Aelin, Rowan, Manon, Dorian, Elide, Lorcan, Aedion, Lysandra, Chaol, Yrene, Nesryn, and Sartaq. Did I leave anyone? So it takes a while to get the action going. This book is not for the faint of heart. There are some crazy decisions and some characters are dealt in very interesting ways. Once we are all caught up, the book has a nice flow to it. Building and building, until I was a blubbering mess of tears. I am so glad this journey is done. I will miss these characters and perhaps I could see a spin-off or two. Only time will tell.

I read every book wherever and whenever I could and was entertained and invested in the characters. Thank you, to Sarah 👏🏼🙏🏼.

If you watched the wretched, flimsy, hastily thrown together disaster that was the finale of Game of Thrones and would rather not be disappointed by a finale- FEAR NOT! This finale to the series still manages to dig deep, to bring together characters and plot twists that will keep you up into the wee hours before dawn. This IS the series that HBO should have taken on and followed- this is the series that comes with a finale so well done that it places the cobbled together hodge podge of the Game of Thrones into the place it belongs- at the bottom. In this every single character has depth and tangles of purpose-riveting.

Good gracious. I just finished this book and I can already *feel* the hangover coming. Seven books. Character arcs that rival (in my opinion) some of the most popular series in YA. I was sobbing throughout this book and I have no doubt that if y’all are as in love with Rowan, Lysandra, Dorian, Aedion, Manon, Asterin (😩), Fenrys, Lorcan, Nehemia, and literally every other character (not choal — he’s been annoying me since book three) that you will undoubtedly find this a fitting end. I really felt all the pieces come together. All the little bits and bobs throughout the series came to a close in a finale that I will remember for a long time. It is not a question: the Throne of Glass series has cemented itself in my top three YA genre series of all time (and I read A LOT OF YA). welp. time to go deal with the aftermath of Sara J Mass ripping my heart out ~yet again.~ wish me luck :)

I never would have guessed where the series was headed when I picked up and finished the first book. Lovable characters, intriguing character development. Timeless story.

I loved this entire series. Fell in love with the characters...I'm so sad to be saying goodbye but so grateful I went on this journey. Sarah, thank you!

Oh did I love this series and this final book resolved so much appropriately with characters; it made my heart happy. I will so miss these characters but I do believe I could read this series again; I loved the characters; they became like family- genuine, tugging at my heart with their sorrow, losses, and the pure evil that was Maeve and Erawan who threatened to tear apart the world with their evil domination plans of Princess/spiders, in addition to their enslaved Vlag princes/soldiers, etc. I enjoyed so many of the characters- female and male. They inspired me with their hope, courage, determination to see a better world---and their whole hearted support of Aelin. I loved Elide, Lysandra, Evangeline, Yrene, Manon, and Asterin. Their supporting male characters were just as supportive- I am in love with Rowan, Lorcan, Aedion, Chaol, Dorian, Gavriel, Ren, Murtague and Gavin. Even though I really really despised the evil characters; Maas created empathetic characters along the way which helped me as a reader not to lose hope. I love Maas' characters, worldbuilding, and fantastical/magic worlds- her plot in this final book hit all the points created in the series and hit them all to resolve many questions, mysteries, and give a very satisfactory ending to this sumptuous epic tale of an assassin who becomes so much more. Highly recommended!

Love this series

The Throne of Glass series ends as it has been throughout its entirety—battles with swords, catapults, magic and dangerous creatures from a world other than our own. Romance, discord, and surprises between the main (and not so main) characters keep readers engaged and even a bit titillated as the sex between young lovers is well-documented. Readers of this series will be on the edge of their seats wondering about that 3rd Wyrdkey, the Lock, resolution to Aelin’s torture/capture by Mauve and Cairn plus a host of other unresolved and dangling threads. Twists and unexpected turns abound, but for me, I did begin skimming more than reading at about page 500 and do feel like this final installment could have been about 150 pages shorter and still retained its complete and satisfying conclusion. Readers looking for an epic, magical war with strong characters and plenty of action must start with Book 1, Throne of Glass, and continue in order. Any of the extra novellas can be read after book 1. Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy who do not mind some PG profanity and a fair amount of sex will love this one and those new readers will have the pleasure of reading the series without the gaps forced to endure by those of us who have been there since the beginning. Thanks for the experience, Sarah Maas!

A good ending to this amazing series! Wow! Maas's writing was fantastic. I still cant get over the fact that this thing was nearly 1,000 pages! But still amazing! I really want a Dorian Manon series to follow this. I just feel there is so much more to their story still untold, and it could he great! I remember not being a fan of Manon when she was introduced in Heir of Fire, but she has become a favorite character of mine. Esspecially with Dorian. And Aelin! Wow!!! Seriously. I just cant get over what she had to do in this book. Absolutely amazing. I dont want to spoil anything, but Aelin doesnt disappoint! This might be a small spoiler: I was slightly disappointed in the very end battle. Barely anyone important died. I'll admit this battle was better than the one on A Court of Wings and Ruin, but I wanted more. I really don't wanna spoil, but one "group" sacrifices themselves and another somewhat important person dies. Idk. Maybe it's just me, but a battle to save the world, and just those few die? You're telling me all the main characters survive everthing? Idk. But nonetheless, it was a fantastic series and cant wait for Maas's next series she has coming out!

I kinda hate to say this since I'm an ardent admirer and fan of SJM and all her writing but this book was a study in agonies and frustration for me. I'd say the major issue I had with this was the extremely poor editing. If you're gonna have the balls to write a 1,000 page book, then every chapter had better be vital. That was not the case. For example, the first 200-300 pages could have easily been reduced to half or at least a third- we saw mostly redundant scenes with people repeatedly doing the same thing (usually with the same results). The separate story lines (which are usually somewhat chaotic in TOG) were done surprisingly sloppily. And too be quite honest, the forced in "twists" revealed in ToD wormed into this book and rotted it for me as well. I'm not really sure why she felt compelled to ruin the beautiful story she was telling with extraneous nonsensical (but quite dramatic) twists. IT MAKES NO SENSE! By adding Maeve as a Valg queen, SJM split the readers focus while diminishing both- and Erawan was plenty villain enough for a 700 (hint hint) page book. You can see in several scenes that SJM didn't know quite what to do with her 2-for-1 villains. I know she has a tendancy to write from a place of emotion with a flair for the dramatic and this is not always a bad thing (beautiful things have come from it) but in this I felt like even basic logic had taken a vacation. After a two year wait, this was somewhat disappointing to me, although to be fair I'll admit that I'd probably take a more lenient view if I hadn't had to wait. Now there were several good parts to this- brief glimpses into SJM's former writing brilliance that I enjoyed, and I think you will too. The ships were all pretty well done if somewhat similar in how they unfolded (lots of wink wink nudge nudge). There was a very cool cameo around 70%- keep a look out! I really hope since she finished this series that, SJM will have more time and give more consideration to future books because this just didn't feel totally like her. Please SJM, Get a new editor! For all of us...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were still many laugh out loud moments, other moments where you were on the edge of your seat with worry for a character and then a nice conclusion where you finally see this long held dream of Aelins coronation happen. While it is a fun and engaging finish to the series, it does have its down falls. Areas where the movement of the book lagged and made for some slow reading, Gavriel’s seemily totally unnecessary death just for the sake of killing off a named character, and then the seemingly inconsequential forging of the Lock, which we were lead to believe in earlier parts would be a HUGE world shaking event. Literally NOTHING happened after it was done. The seemingly rushed moment where a totally random third army of Fae swooped in through portals and saved the day? It felt like that took the victory away from those who had fought so long and hard to win the war. But I am just nit picking, which all people who didn’t write this book can do, lol. But overall, I definitely enjoyed this final book and wished the prolog had gone on longer to show us more of their bright future they were building. Though the final line did make me tear up.

I've loved this series and many of these characters. I was glad, finally, for the resolution of this story. However, I do think that this last book could have used better editing. It is the first book by this author where I ran out of steam reading and asked myself when was it going to end? The various crises seemed needlessly prolonged and some of the "saves" unbelievably contrived or sad. The author is obviously in love with her characters and wanted to drag out every last second of their final bow. A good editor should have helped her tighten this last story more in my opinion. Although I know there are fans who have hung on every single word. I have absolutely adored Manon, Abaxos, and The Thirteen. I thought their story arc was wonderful. I came to love Dorian, and I adored some of the Fey males. I was a little disappointed with Aelin. She's grown in many way but she still seems very much the same character as she was when the series started. I would have wished to see her be more a wise and tempered ruler by the end. Not to say that she won't be great, but she came off as more wink and swagger than gravitas to me at the end and I wanted more gravitas.

I would actually give this book 4.5/5 stars if I could, but I will round it up to 5. I'm not sure that any review could do this book justice. And while I am sad this story is over I have to say that I was completely satisfied with how it ended regarding the battle with the Vlag. I don't want to post any spoilers, but I will say that the only thing I wasn't a big fan of was what happened withe the Key after everything. It seemed a bit anti-climatic after it was such a huge focus for so many books...but I can see why it could play out how it did. Still I would have liked for it to have been dealt with different. As I was reading the series I was never a fan of Dorian, but by the end of this book he grew on me. Chaol's development as a character really shone through in KoA, as did Lorcan's. ***Small spoilers/complaints*** What happened to the other guy in Rowan's cadre? He is seen in book 1 and mentioned in this one but he never shows up. And what the heck happened to Nox?! He finally shows up and then just disappears...what the heck? I can't wait to see what Maas writes next.

This series had me on a rollercoaster of emotions, I was laughing and crying with the story. The author goes so in depth in the lives of the characters. I enjoyed all the little details and how smart the main character is. I loved the ending, and how everything was tied up. I'd love for an epilogue book to come out taking place in the future. All in all great series!

I enjoyed reading this series. The author worked hard on these books and it shows. She is an excellent writer. That being said, I think I have grown a little weary at the end reading this book. The beginning of the book which describes Aelin's torture was endless. I got the point. I was ready to move on, especially having to wait to read it after the previous book which was an interruption to the story line. I'm giving this 4 stars because the war scenes seemed to drag on forever and ever and ever, which I found boring, and when they finally face Erawan, it was over in just a few pages. That was a little disappointing since the whole series built up to that moment. I think that there was just too much happening and too many loose ends that needed to be tied up to give the attention to detail there. Other than that it was nice to finally conclude this series and have some closure of the characters and their fates.

I'm in the camp that found it hard to stomach an entire book about Chaol when I was dying to know what happened to Aelin. So I was psyched when I finally made it to Kingdom of Ash, and I loved seeing how all the various story lines played out. I'll admit that I found it tiresome to have so much of the book dedicated to battle scenes, but I mean, that is what was going on... a long, draining, gruesome, and very hopeless-seeming war. Ultimately, I was satisfied about things ended, although I think there were definitely a couple resolutions that didn't live up to their hype (the books C&Y lugged from the Torre Cesme is the first to come to mind...). But I really don't need every single thing to end exactly the way I would choose in order to enjoy it, and I truly enjoyed this story. So crazy to think about where things ended up relative to the first book in the series.

This was a perfect ending to a great series. I shed tears on more than one occasion. I’m sad that it’s over but I know these characters will stay with me for a long time.

So much happened in this book which is also why it is so long. it is well worth it and ties everything up beautifully. I love the action, the twists, and surprises that happen in the most unexpected places.

I am usually wary of series finales. Sometimes you can get a rushed kitchen sink type thing where almost everyone in the whole series makes an appearance to wake and say 2 lines before dying or riding off into the sunset. In those books the plot can seem kind of frantic and rushed. On the other hand, there have also been final books that have so many cliffhangers that fans are left angry because they have followed a character or five for so many books waiting for some resolution to their story and they don't even appear in the final book or there are so many loose ends it seems like a fringe rug. THIS book is not one of those. There is quite the ensemble cast in these books but if you are just realizing it in Kingdom of Ash, you haven't been paying attention. Despite the number of people who get time on the page and despite the battles that take place in so many locations, I don't feel like the story telling is rushed nor too neatly tied into a perfect bow. Mind you, the book is a monster work of fiction. There are over 700 pages in the hardback version... But it's well worth the read.

Between the character development, the intricately woven storylines, the stunning world she's created, and the constant battle between good and evil (sometimes even within the same character), Maas has written one of my favorite book series. I can't wait to re-read it. And I sincerely hope that HBO decides to make a series of this epic story one day!

The only thing I wanted was the series not to end. I have read multiple series and have found non of them as good.

Wow, that's all i can say! The story, the plot twists, the character development! What a beautiful ending to such an incredible series! Though it leaves me wanting more! Ha. These characters feel like part of my life and family now. Thank you for such an amazing series Sarah J Maas!

ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. This book, this series, left me feeling so full, so full of life and wonder. I felt like I grew as the characters did. I wish it wasn't the end. This book is a MUST read for sure!

I have been reading this genre for over 30 years. Starting back with Piers Anthony and the Split Infinity series to Robert Jordan and the Wheel of Time. I am blown away at how compelling and consistent this series has been. With 7 books you have to assume there will be some drop off with at least one or two. Absolutely not. The characters, the creativity, the balance...its truly a remarkable experience to read this series. Im passing it to my 13 year old son and Im sure he is going to love it as well. What a great past few months its been to have this series available and in my hands. Flat out one of the best series I have ever read.

...I...I need time to process...my brain, my heart, MY EMOTIONS KINGDOM OF ASH concludes this truly phenomenal saga of the lost Queen of Terrasen and Faerie Queen of the West. A girl dead then reborn, shackled then raised in blood, broken then forged in fate…ghost, assassin, rebel, Fireheart, Queen. But more than that it is a saga of unity as a world allies together to defend their home for it takes more than just one feisty royal to save this world and she would be the first to admit so. Emotion will well in your eyes as you behold the final threads of this tale and watch each trial that wrenches at the souls within it. Yet when comes that final page all you will be left with is a sigh, a soft smile, and an accepting nod to the hope that blooms in the blood-fed battlefields that cry out no more. Well done, Maas. Well done.

And wow, what a ride! I am still in tears. The entire second half of this book my eyes just kept leaking..lol. What an emotional and heat warming end to an amazing series. I can't recommend it enough. Read them all, you'll not be disappointed. Bravo Ms. Maas!

I honestly can’t believe this series is officially over. The series as a whole will forever stay locked in my heart. I knew this finale would be an emotional heavyweight, but even knowing that, I wasn’t and could never have been prepared for where Maas took this story. The level of raw emotion she’s able to pull us through left me astonished at every turn. Where something as simple as blinking can come to be something deeply meaningful and memorable. I stayed up reading this long enough to see the sunrise because I could not put it down. My entire face hurt from crying so much. That epilogue will forever remain one of the most beautiful pieces of literature Maas has ever blessed us with. And if you really want to make yourself sob uncontrollably, go to the acknowledgments and read Maas’s note to her son Taran.

Good ending - certainly not great. Four stars is mostly for the Thirteen, the epic battle scenes and Lord Lorcan Lochan. Not overly impressed with the end “battle”, I think the battle of Aelin vs the three princes in Heir of Fire was much more dramatic, thrilling, and full of suspense and heart racing action, and would have been better suited as the final battle at the end of the series. But alas. It made sense how Maas ended it, threads came together, plot made sense, it was just a bit... underwhelming. The first three books I have read four times, these last three I feel like I will read only the once. I feel like I lost a lot of the emotion attached to the characters towards the latter half of the series, especially with Aelin. She became the most unreliable narrator and I found myself my interested in the supporting characters than the main. I can only imagine how hard it is to write a finale, especially to a series this long, but I still feel let down. Worth the read to finish the series and for some of the characters I still cared about, but not the ending we deserved.

I've read this entire series and all the spin offs. I was anxiously waiting for this novel to be released, nervous, excited. I had high expectations and I wasn't dissapointed. Such a beautiful ending to a great story, a true adventure. This is series is by far one of my all time favorites. The plot has so many twists and turns, the characters are easy to relate to which often isn't the case. The world the author created was brilliant, diverse and engrossing. I can't say enough wonderful things to describe how much this series meant to me, as a reader, as a person. I was in tears by the end, both happy and sad ones. I'm sorry that this is the end but I know that I'll be reading this series again and again, it's really that good. I encourage you to read it in its entirety. There are so many little details, so many little secrets to find and new things to learn and understand about the characters and their world. Truly a brilliant series, an epic adventure. This series will always have a special place in my heart and I'll be eagerly sharing it with anyone and everyone!

This was an epic conclusion for a fairly epic series. I do wish I had re-read the earlier books in the series - I had a lot of trouble initially getting into the book, I felt like I was trying to rehash too many characters. But once I felt readjusted into the world of Throne of Glass, I was hooked. Maas cleverly brought together all of her loose ends and characters. It showed an amazing array of strong females (& men too) who show that love and hope can solve a lot of problems (& magic helps a little too). My only real complaint is the believability of the timeline - I realize this is a fantasy world of magic and such, but for the entire series - with all of its large plots, character growth, relationships, map orientation - to have occurred in a little over a year seems a bit of stretch. Making the timeline just slightly longer (by adding only a year or two), wouldn't have changed anything in the storyline and would have flowed even better. Timeline aside, I will definitely highly suggest this entire series.

The Best book by far!!! I laughed and cried. Alot. There was some really exciting battles and setups. Some really happy endings. And some sad ones. The Thirteen!! Gavriel!! That being said Aedion ticked me off the whole book. The Whole Book. He was an butt. A total freaking butt. I always seem to have someone I loved in the previous book that I am disappointed in the next one with. Chaol first, for a couple books. Then he got his junk together. Then Manon, I really didnt like her at first or the Witches at all first. Then they grew on me. Then the sacrifice of The Thirteen DESTROYED ME!! Now it's Aedion in this book. He was a pathetic little butt. Never Aelin though, she is a Freaking QUEEN!!! From the beginning she has been a badass, completely. But what happened to Nox? Did I miss that somewhere?

I don't even know where to begin with this review. I have never felt so invested in a group of characters since reading Harry Potter. Kingdom of Ash exceeded my expectations. Throughout the Throne of Glass series we have followed Aelin's journey from assassin to Queen and met new characters we have come to love along the way. I was so excited and a little sad to read this book knowing it is the last one but it was an excellent, fast-paced, thrilling, tear-jerking (both happy and sad tears), and all around an amazing finale. Sarah J. Maas is a gifted writer and the ability she has to fully engross you in her story is incredible. I was reading this book as often as I could until I realized I was getting closer to the end where I started to slow down as I watched my Kindle showing me inching closer and closer to 100% read. Even though this is the end, I am so satisfied with the conclusion of the story. I hope perhaps in the future there might be some spin-off series with other characters because I'm not yet ready to let go of this world just yet. 😊

Since I came late to the SJM game I didn't have to wait on any of the books except KoA. While it was worth the wait.. it's a hefty book. There were several points in the book where I really just wanted to skip the pages because it got a little repetitive. I kind of felt the array of emotions through this book - excitement, awe, panic, anxiety, depression.. the whole gambit. It mostly tied up stories in a bow, but not all. I know she had plans on a follow up book set like 10 years in the future to check in on people. Hopefully that's still in the works because I'd like to see how some characters stories played out. Overall I definitely recommend the series. I love SJM and these worlds she's brought us.

The title says it all. 2 months I followed the characters, chasing them across oceans, discovering their deepest fears. This book makes you feel as if you are traveling with the characters, one of them, experiencing the world as they do as all they love is threatened. All of the small details, even from the first book, are entwined into a big reveal, bringing people together and tearing them apart, stripping them of their shells and revealing their inner selves. From starting with one to five, then 10, to quite possibly 50 characters of interest. You get to meet everyone, and learn to love them like family, triumphing when a torch of hope is lit and crying when one dies. You feel all their pain, their triumphs, their hopes. This whole series feels as if it were planned from the beginning, elaborate strings tying it all together. Praise for Sara J. Maas. This is the series of a lifetime. If I ever get to read anything even half as beautiful, well written, or thought out again, I will be the luckiest person alive. Thank you for the read. I am sad that it is over.

What a great series. How the ending tied everything together was superb. I will miss reading about all the adventures Aelin and her friends.

The whole entire 7 books was really good. I enjoyed these books very much. Would recommend this book. So sad it’s over.

One of the best series I’ve read in a while! A life changing masterpiece with all the best fantasy points! Love this series and it’s stayed in my #1 spot!

I finished the book about a month after it released and I've put off righting a review because I hoped my original feelings of disappointment would fade... I found so much joy in this series as a whole. The world building and the character development are sensational. This final book was so disappointing that I wanted to just forget I read it and make up an ending of my own... Honestly it was tiring and so frustrating to read. I understand a writers vision and all that.. but how could this possibly be the path to getting there? This was the ending she imagined? I'll admit that I had high expectations for this book but this was such a departure from the feelings invoked by reading the other books. Aelin's strength and the characters ability to come out on top is one of my favorite themes throughout the series. This book was an endless loosing battle. Battle after battle the characters known for being bad asses were just pathetic... It felt like every battle was about to be their last. AND **spoiler alert** the ending SUCKS!! Wouldn't it be nice if all the characters had a final moment? If their direction forward was clear? Whats happening with Aedon & Lysandras story? And WHY did they need to have pointless fights throughout this book that just tore them apart instead of brought them together?! (which BTW doesn't seem characteristic for either of them). Does Dorian end up with Manon? What happens to Manon and her story to find the Wastes???? ugh to say this book was a disappointment would be an understatement. 3 stars given out of respect for the series as a whole but this book was cringe-worthy.

I had this book since right after it came out and put off reading it because of reviews. They were not bad but very emotional and left them heart broken. I found parts to be emotional but not in bad ways. I hope there is a book that ties a few more loose ends together. I have love the series and plan to read again.

I'm a huge fan of the series, and I've gotten lots of my friends to read it. I was definitely looking forward to this final book and I had a lot of really great moments but I feel like there were a lot of missed opportunities and some of the character points felt like cop outs. I know it must be hard for an author to create characters that think and feel differently than they do, but when all of the female characters have the same quirky little personalities and all of the male characters have the same quirky personalities, it gets fairly tedious. I feel like the author did a better job in past books, when focusing on are primary characters' pasts, at making the individuals. In this last book, I felt the effort to give each character their own personhood was lost. Lorcan, Rowan, Gavriel, Chaol, Dorian, Aedion - they were all the same guy by the end. Similarly, Elide, Manon, Lysandra, Yrene - the differences between them faded away and they all became the same person. They each had different plot points, sure, but their core character just somehow seems to all end up as "strong woman, tough on her man, tough in a fight." As far as pacing, I also felt like the book both dragged and rushed. I have my own complaints about the plot events surrounding the lock, but I don't claim to write novels, and I understand that those kind of major story decisions are probably brutal. And as always with Aelin it all worked out to set up like five surprises later on, so fine. It's not that I didn't tear through the book and enjoy reading it. I guess I just would have liked to see some of the characters retain more of their original selves. I know it was about a journey that transformed them, I'm just not sure why it had to transform them all into the same thing.

I'm in tears. Such an amazing series, amazing story and amazing writing. I feel as if I joined an adventure that will forever be apart of me though it's come to an end. Maas needs more recognition. Absolutely astounded by her fantastic work

I cried so many times in this book...so many times. There wasn’t damn near one dull moment in this book. I felt like I read 3 books in one and I mean that in the best way possible. I absolutely loved this final book. I’m so so so sad it’s over. 989 pages and I still want more, that’s saying something. The characters, the world building, the subplots, the ENDING. Just wow. SJM continues to just grace us with her amazing writing. She is the GOAT & definitely knows her reader. She’s definitely my most favorite fantasy author of all time. A close second is Cassandra Clare. ***lays in bed crying wondering if SJM will ever consider doing a spin-off of TOG*** ****A book to film/tv series would also be greatly appreciated****

This series is truly amazing, but it is also extremely repetitive. Maas tends to use the same sentence or phrase a LOT, and many of the scenes are similar. One other thing bout the book is that no one sort of important dies. I mean, Gavriel dies, but was it truly necessary? I was thinking maybe if chaol, or Lysandra died, it would create a more dramatic effect. I also feel like Maas is a little too over powering. -Aedion was too mad at Lysandra -Dorian seems a litte OP (he can shape shift, isnt that Lysandra?) -Chaol seemed a little rude in Queen of Shadows, look at what Aelin was doing. She saved your butt more than once now. *Everything ends up basically perfect. Cant you add a slight hook? **But the good things completely over power the bad things :)

(Series as a whole) love the story, it’s well thought out and has a lot of unexpected twists. SJM is an amazing writer! But I prefer ACOTAR honestly. In the throne of glass series it bounces between characters way too much and honestly it was hard for me to stay interested. Absolutely love the main characters (Celena, aelin, and Rowan) wish would have been more focus on them and less on every side character that came along. Most of the point of views didn’t really add anything to the story. By the time I got to the last 2 books I just wanted to be done with it. Characters are very likable, its well thought out, and it’s an amazing story if you have the patience to get through it. Can’t wait to read more from this author but this particular series just didn’t do it for me.

“Once upon a time, in a land long since burned to ash, there lived a young princess who loved her kingdom...” So I literally finished this book and I just cried about how many things this book made me feel so hard that my boyfriend had to hold me for five minutes. I really hope you all enjoy this book as much as I did. I just started this series this year so I can only imagine how much those of you have been reading for years feel. I can’t remember the last time I felt this strongly about the end of a series. It had to be at least ten years ago. There wasn’t a single thing about this book that I wanted done differently aside from all of the sacrifices that has to be made. In a perfect world the good guys wouldn’t have had to endure so much loss. Unfortunately this isn’t a perfect world. But I’m so happy to say they created A Better World. I’m gonna go back to crying now. Thank you so much Sarah J Maas for once again giving us something so beautiful.

Read all her books! You won't be disappointed! Sarah J. Maas is an incredible writer and builds one of a kind fantastical realms full of love, adventure, magic, action, and drama! Her stories evoke the entire spectrum of human emotion and will have you fully immersed in her enchanted journeys! Experiencing her characters as they grow, evolve and overcome incredible hurdles, will leave you feeling as though you've made true friends that will be with you long after the last chapter ends!

This book had my tears flowing as I was reading as Aelin’s court lost, and we see Manon lose her own and go through so much character development. The Queen of the Crochans and Queen of Terrasen. Unfortunately, all the books, this was was my least favorite. I loved the huge role Yrene played in saving Erilea, however, I just wanted more for a finale for such a series that I had grown with and loved.

Will forever read and reread this entire series. The length of this book was perfect- letting myself slowly come to terms with it being the last. When the book was up, I had accepted it (with tears rolling down my face of course). The emotional toil Maas puts you through is just, to me, another mirror into myself, letting me learn from all the troubles and mistakes that the characters go through in the books. Kingdom of Ash was wonderful, and I plan to name my first child as Aelin💗 Thank you, Sarah, for your hard work and for having such an influence on my life. After reading the series (many, many times), I think differently about the world, and really take time to cherish the happy moments. I started this series when I was going through my first major breakup with the love of my life, at the time. Celaena and Aelin have pulled me through these last years of my life and have helped shape me into who I am today. And I am proud of who I am today. Thank you, for everything. To whatever end!