Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5) — Sarah J. Maas

TITLE: Empire of Storms
AUTHOR: Sarah J. Maas
SERIES: Throne of Glass, #5
RELEASED: September 6th, 2016; Bloomsbury
GENRE: Fantasy
AGE RANGE: NA

SYNOPSIS:
The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

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Sometimes, stories teleport us to these warm, happy other lands where we can go on adventures and rest easy knowing that the good guys will win, our beloved characters will ride happily off into the sunset, and everything will be fine. This is not one of those stories. I am a complete wreck, I have no tears left in my body, I don’t have a clue how this is all going to turn out, and I feel like curling up in a hole in the ground and hiding from the travesty Sarah J. Maas has turned my emotions into. And I loved every damn second of it.

“I’m going to call in old debts and promises. To raise an army of assassins and thieves and exiles and commoners.”

Queen of Shadows was my favorite in the series so far (and it still might be, but Empire of Storms surely gives it a run for its money) because, underneath all of the action, suspense, and world-building, there was so much warmth and happiness and love. I realize now that this was orchestrated perfectly to lull me into a false sense of security, because Empire is nothing but bloodshed, betrayal, agony, and heartbreak (with a little bit of smut thrown in).

A court that wouldn’t just change the world. It would start the world over.

I have grown to love and cherish these characters so much that I can’t stand to see anything happen to them, and frankly, the last 150-200 pages of this book was a nightmare that I couldn’t look away from, because no matter how much this series has made me weep, it has become one of my favorite series of all time and my masochistic self can’t seem to get enough.

“War is sanctioned murder, no matter what side you’re on.”

There’s honestly not even much I can say, because so much happens in this installment that I feel like I need to tread lightly to avoid spoilers here. What I will say is that I adored seeing everyone slowly come together (including a few old faces I’d nearly forgotten—I am such a sucker for Sarah’s “rallying” moments, where old allies reappear), and it was genuinely incredible to watch all of these little, seemingly insignificant moments of past books weave together into a tapestry I somehow never saw coming. Just… wow, Aelin. Wow. ♥

“I love you. There is no limit to what I can give to you, no time I need. Even when this world is forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.”

Throughout this entire book, I kept thinking that I was heartbroken that the next installment, Tower of Dawn, won’t focus on my faves, but after that ending, honestly, I could probably use a breather. I can’t believe how I have flown through this series or the fact that it’s all coming to an end soon, but I can’t wait to see what Sarah comes up with to tie it all together.

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