Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, 5) Paperback – February 14, 2023

This is a great episode in the series, though it does end with a sad cliff hanger. It leaves screaming for more, the characters are real and vivid. The story line is first rate and heart felt. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

OMG! If you are planning on reading this book be prepared with lots and lots of kleenex for the ending. First I will just give you and overview opinion of the book and series and then I will get to the spoiler so you know when to stop reading.First I just have to say that I enjoyed the first two books when Celeana was described and the story began to unfold but the last three books have really gotten me hooked on this serie. The books are just so well written and I love all the complex caracters and the whole world that Sarah J Maas has created. It is truly The Fellowship of the Ring meets Twilight (romance wise) meets the Avengers :-) It is just amazing how this world is created and how one gets involved with the caracters. Since Rowan appeared I was totally in love, I loved how Rowan and Aelin had to struggel to finally open up and eventually fall in love.This fifth book I was really looking forward to reading, I did not know that it was not the final instalment. I thought this would be the final book. I am glad I have one more book to look forward to. As to the erotic part, I would say this book is more for YA between 17-19 to start with (or older :-)), it is not for a younger reader since there are som very explicit scenes in this book. I for one loved this but I am an adult so I am comfortable with these descriptions. I really enjoyed how the relationship between Rowan and Aelin evolved and how their love grew. I was also very happy to find Dorian matched with Manon, good choice there :-) As to Aedion and Lysandra I just really want these two to get it together.....NOW. I for one did not miss Chaol, but that's me.If you like fantasy, romance and strong heroines, then this is the book for you. The ending is devastating and was a bit to much for me, I cried like a baby reading the final chapters, but now I am hoping for an EPIC final with Aelin and Rowan side by side at the end. I really hope the final book will have a Happy Ending and an Epilogue describing 10 years later (with lots of babies/children and happiness).SPOILERS COMING NOW:After having invested so much time and feelings on these caracters, I for one was devastated by the ending. I also fell cheated when it was just mentioned that Rowan and Aelin had been married in secrecy, I was really looking reading about there weeding and their commitment to eachother. I hated that nothing happened between Aedion and Lysandra (it is about time now). I also love how I have come to admire and like Lysandra with each new book. Lorcan and Elide have to end up together and Lorcan has to get his act together. I also really love all Fae warriors (Gavriel has grown on me as well as Fenrys). I am so looking forward for these males together with Rowan to kick som ass once they come to rescue Aelin. The action and the battles were very intense in this book so I am hoping to get some Peace time in the final book, because there will be a lot of battles in the final book and that really is a bit too intense for me (not wanting our beloved caracters to die).All in all I hope for an EPIC, romantic and happy FINAL book, the main caracters have to survive and I want to read how their life turn up after the final battle.MAEVE and EREWAN really have to GO (disappear)!Thank you Sarah J Maas for these amazing book!!

It shouldn't be any surprise that this was one of my most anticipate releases of the year, since I am absolutely gaga over this series. Sure, it's somewhat problematic (but we're not going to talk about that in this review) and that aspect of this series should see the light of day, but overall it's one of my favorite series' of all time. Not only does it give women emotional agency and power that I don't see replicated everywhere, but it delivers the full force of escapism and good storytelling.There won't be any spoilers in this review for this book, but there may be SPOILERS for previous books in the series, so read on at your own risk.I had no idea what to expect going into this book. I mean, how could I? The way Queen of Shadows ended was crazy and while it closed a bunch of plot lines it also opened even more. And this book did not fail to deliver on any of them. It was nearly constant action and motion on every page and it flowed smoothly. Many questions were answered and the whole story is finally starting to fall together- as heartbreaking as that is.The characters were the shining point in this novel, as always. I love Aelin, Rowan, Lysandra, and Aedion, don't get me wrong. In fact, they're some of my favorite characters among all the characters I love. But this book was easily stolen by Elide and Lorcan, and also Manon and Dorian. First of all, I adore Dorian as much as ever (he may be my favorite character in the history of characters, so that's no surprise) but I've often had swaying thoughts about Manon. This book, not at all. She was awesome! I see why people have loved her all along. During the first half of the book the Manon chapters were some of my favorite and I was on the edge of my seat. As for Lorcan and Elide: they are my new favorite ship. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give it away, but they went from being two of my least favorite characters to me wishing they had a series all about them.One of my favorite things about this book was finally seeing characters and plot lines from Assassin's Blade coming into play. I don't want to say exactly how or who shows up, but it did not disappoint. Another thing I loved is that the characters seem to be settling or are settled into the roles that they're going to play in the final book.TL;DRI loved it (no surprise) and still recommend this series. Things are beginning to tie up and certain characters I disliked have now wormed into my heart.

Sarah J. Maas never disappoints — Empire of Storms is another thrilling installment in the Throne of Glass series. The writing, pacing, and characters kept me hooked from start to finish. My only issue wasn’t with the book itself, but with how it arrived.Pros:✅ Engaging story: Fast-paced with plenty of twists that kept me turning pages.✅ Beautiful edition: Crisp print and nice cover design (before shipping damage).✅ Essential for fans: If you’re invested in the series, this is a must-read.Cons:❌ Packaging: The book was shipped in a soft mailer, which led to bent edges and creases.❌ Would have preferred a sturdier box for better protection.Overall:The book itself is excellent — easily a 5-star read. The 4-star rating reflects only the shipping and packaging experience, which left the book looking a little rough around the edges. Still highly recommend the series, just wish Amazon used sturdier packaging for books.