ARC Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Published: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Pages: 432 (Hardcover)
Series: Throne of Glass #2
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

Oh that was painful. Not the kind of horrible book painful but the heartbreaking type of painful.

Crown of Midnight was a step up from the first book. It was easier to get sucked into the world because I was already invested in some of the characters. Plus I love the idea of a female assassin and in this book Celeana is being an actual assassin instead of trying to become the king's Champion. In the first book, to me she didn't feel much like an assassin but in this book she was completely badass!

I especially enjoyed the magical part of the book. It's mysterious and very interesting because there isn't always a reason for why something happened or how something happened (or there isn't yet). This part of the book just keeps me guessing. What is Maas going to pull out of her magical hat next?

There was a love triangle in the first book and it's still kind of there in this book, but it's very obvious who Celeana loves romantically and who she loves as a friend. I loved Chaol in the first book and after reading this book I love him even more. He really develops as a character and I had been waiting for something to happen between him and Celeana for so long. They are so perfect and cute together. What happens between them is so heartbreaking and horrible.

The downside is that the beginning was a bit slow for me and it took awhile before I was completely hooked and the ending was predictable. I guessed the twist as soon as Celeana had doubts about the rebel movement. But other than that it was very good.

This sequel is very action packed and isn't without its fair share of bloodshed. The next one can't come out soon enough!