Drawing inspiration from classic Faerie lore, A Court of Thorns and Roses is an encapturing retelling of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. The story follows Feyre, a 19-year-old huntress, whose only goal is to provide for her family. However, everything gets turned upside-down when her cottage door gets ripped down by none other than one of the High Fae themselves, demanding retribution for the wolf she killed in the woods.

Swept into a world of magic that she’d only known in myths, Feyre must navigate the world of the Fae with caution all while keeping her hunting instincts alert- there are secrets that the Fae are keeping from her, and a blight that creeps towards her homeland – will she find out what lurks beneath the rose gardens and golden chalices, or succumb to the beauty of the magic around her?

Honestly, my hopes for this book weren’t very high, but I was pleasantly surprised! While it definitely isn’t a complete 5/5 stars in my book, I loved reading it and it had me turning pages well into the night. As Beauty and the Beast retellings go, I loved being able to connect those parallels but also see what the author changed or mixed with Fae lore to make it her own. There’s a very colorful cast of characters and strong worldbuilding, which I especially appreciated.

Another thing I liked was that while the romance between Feyre and her love interest was a main point that drove the plot forward, espeicially towards the end, it didn’t seem to overpower the other aspects of the book, which was refreshing. That’s not to say the romance was bad, though; it was well-paced and filled with heartfelt moments.

Overall, I would say that this book is definetly worth the read! It’s also a series, so if you’re like me and tend to speed through books pretty quickly (and have a small obsession with romantic fantasies) this will be perfect for you!

-Luxy B.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.