Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - Empire of Storms

Crying, screaming, throwing up!! Second time reading this book, and it hit me right in the gut. I hate Elena with all my being and my heart is shattered. I dont know when I’ll dare to reread KOA, my heart cant </3

Content Warnings

dmatson21's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

sarahmichaelward's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

samileobooks's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Spoiler

I love how at the beginning of the book we are brought back to the war that trapped Erawan. We saw Elena making her decision to use the key to trap Erawan. Her knowledge of knowing he would one day awaken and this war would be left for someone else to finish. Then towards the end of the book we learn the consequences Elena faced, the consequences her bloodline would face, and the Knowledge of Brannons plan with the key & the Gods to destroy Erawan completely. There was a awareness and plan on how to stop him. Then Elena Got in the way and ruined the hidden plan. Then at the End we learn of Maeve’s Plans and Intentions and her role in all of this. Without Knowing Aelin had all these bigger forces pushing her into all of these events without her even realizing how manipulated she had been. I enjoyed that between these three moments we finally get the full story of this Destiny for Aelin. We learn everyone’s part in it, these events no longer a mystery.

Manon is one of my favorite characters and I enjoyed her continued Character Development.
Spoiler
I enjoyed the role she played in this book during the second half. Now…. The way Aelin behaved in the second half of this book towards Manon had my blood boiling. She was being the biggest hypocrite, sitting on her high horse, no restraint on her anger and acting like a Tyrant. This happened not just during interrogation but, throughout the rest of the book.
Aelin was a Fire Breathing Bitch Queen who really made me so mad. Which is why I gave this 4 stars I’m so angry at her.

Lorcan and Elide was a very enjoyable storyline in this book. I loved how it was written and I really look forward to the completion of their story and how it all plays out. I also enjoyed the other storylines and characters as well.

The ending did not surprise me because there is always a moment like that in these types of stories. It felt less like a cliff hanger and more like a completion of a phase in the full story.

Phase One: Assassins Blade, Throne of Glass, and Crown of Midnight.

Phase Two: Heir of fire is our transition into this phase, Queen of Shadows, and Empire of Storms.

Phase Three: The completion of the series and big Finale Kingdom of Ash.

I am not reaching quickly for The Final Book just like needing to know what’s next and not being able to wait. I’m excited to get back to Tower of Dawn and settle down my rage a bit. I really love this book and it’s such a comfort read. Then after that I can’t wait to jump into the final book.

Tower of Dawn will get its own review on how it fits into this for me.

Content Warnings

megreadsbooks's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Reading this book was a labor of love. I set out to tandem read but as I progressed through both this book and Tower of Dawn, I struggled more and more to put down one book and switch to the other.

SJM has such a devastating way of writing and she excels at keeping secrets from the reader without the reader having a clue they’re missing a thing. In the last 200 pages, my heart did not know peace. All of my most beloved characters, after 400+ pages of separate events, wound up together and against the odds.

Reading this book had me hooked, just like many other SJM novels. Although it’s not similar to ACOTAR- TOG is a knockout series by it’s own right. All of the characters have depth and aspirations, the world is well developed and detailed. The world building continually grows and never feels clumpy or fabricated. Rather, the lore of the main characters is so specific and real that you feel as if their lineage is your own.

This doesn’t mean this book was perfect: the use of the word “boyo” as a nickname although brief was awkward. The same goes for the single use of the word “swagger”.

Content Warnings

mollydollydoodah's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Spoiler

So like, I literally don’t even know what to say right now??????? That ending was… a lot. I’m in a stunned silence, because I can’t (but can) believe how everything just ended.
Okay, first of all, there were SO many things that happened in this book, and so many of them were happening at the same time. I would get so invested in one point of view, only to get interrupted by another and be disappointed to abandon the first pov, only to forget all about everything else happening as I became once more enthralled with whatever plotline I was reading about at the moment. Every time the pov switched, it felt as though I had been surprised, as I kept somehow forgetting about what was going on despite it all being thrilling and exciting and so action-filled.
First up, let’s go to Elide. I loved getting to know her more, to learn her strength and determination and brilliant & cunning ways. I really enjoyed her character development, and I loved that we were experiencing Lorcan’s through her story as well. It was fantastic getting to see how they grew, & how Lorcan changed because of her. It was so interesting to watch as they started out with him hunting her, only to become begrudging allies as they worked their way to their goals, & I really liked the caravan subplot and how it changed their views on each other. I especially liked how when Elide originally told Lorcan they were to pretend to be married, he refused, wanting to portray her brother instead, only to later wind up with him insisting that she’s ‘still his wife.’ I really appreciated how he took up the role without complaint once she mentioned how horrid men are, and about how protective he was of her & the other women, and how absolutely livid he was when she told him about the horrors of Morath she & others had experienced. It was so necessarily badass (for Elide at least) when Elide used that hatchet to kill those creatures, & I just really enjoyed their plotline and how everything converged— at least until the end. What in the fuck would make Lorcan believe that Maeve would save Elide, especially without using it to benefit herself?! That was such a regression of character, as it was to have him crawl after Maeve on the sand. I know that his character was in ‘love’ or whatever the hell with the bitch forever, but he had just watched her order a knife to Elide’s throat & dangle her life in front of him & Aelin as punishment! I feel as though SJM made a wrong call with his reaction, because despite his horrible obsession/love/loyalty to Maeve, she is a monster, & he’d just witnessed all of that first-hand as she forced them all to watch the horrors struck down upon Aelin after she sacrificed herself to save Elide. Like, where on earth did all of his character development go?! I agree with Elide’s decision to walk away from & scorn him, at least until he gets his fucking act together, because that was not fucking cool and I’m so pissed at him for calling Maeve directly to them. Hopefully he gets his shit together and works endlessly to right his endless list of wrongs.
Let’s move onto Manon. Manon’s character development has been so amazing throughout these past books, and I am so happy for her that she finally stood up against her gods-awful grandmother. Defying the orders to kill/take Dorian and instead saving him was such a power move, and then to turn the sword onto the Matron instead of her Second was brilliant. I feel for her & those startling realizations her grandmother dropped onto her, but I’m so grateful that she was able to get away w/ Abraxos & then do all that fancy flying maneuvering against the Yellowlegs. Thank the heavens for the amazing, gentle, fierce, warrior soul of Abraxos, because he did literally so much to help everyone oh my god. Without Abraxos, not only would Manon surely be dead a million times over, but the Thirteen never would have been able to find her or help save everyone in that last battle. He is glorious, and everyone owes him a million bouquets of flowers. I loved the relationship between Manon & Aelin as it grew, and how they are so alike in their ferocity & cunning plans & badassery & loyalty. They make for a fantastic team of Queens, and it was so well done as they started out with such disdain for each other & how they ended up having each other’s backs and fighting alongside each other like they’d been doing it forever. I loved how Manon was so worried about Elide & how she cares so much for her, as if she is one of her own Thirteen. And I loved how when Elide finally made it, everyone fought to claim her, how Aelin not only didn’t forget Elide, but at how emotional their meeting was because she’d done the opposite of forget her as she carried that guilt & grief & burden of being the cause for her mother’s death as she fought to protect little Aelin. Manon looked at it all and saw that hope for the future that everyone had been clinging onto, and I’m so happy she didn’t flee them and how she’s willing to go take on her lineage as a Crochan in order to provide help for them all, despite all her wariness & fears & guilt & thoughts on the matter. And I’m excited to see how Dorian will fare going with her on this adventure. Speaking of Dorian, I knew all throughout the book about his little fascination or whatever for Manon, because the way that he would describe her hair as snow & whatnot was so obvious. You only go out of your way to notice & remember & describe such details as ‘fallen snow hair’ if you’re intrigued about and interested in someone. He’s grown a lot through this book too, just as each of them have. I enjoyed his little friendship building retreat he took with Rowan, if you can call it that. I’m glad he’s learning how to properly use & hone his powers, because holy shit it will be so important (and has already proved to be) in these upcoming battles. I like his little relationship or whatever they have going on with Manon, because I think it’s important for both of them to have. I’m interested to see how this all goes down, with the King of Adarlan and the Crochan Queen.
Onto Aedion & Lysandra, I am so intrigued with what happens between them, as well. Aedion realizing his feelings for her throughout the book was a great experience to watch as they tentatively navigate it as she slowly started to do the same. Aedoin’s dealings with his father are very interesting, and I hope he forgives the man or at least gives him a chance, which I think the tentative beginnings of were displayed as they fought these battles. But Aedion has to deal with his own demons, & accept the fact that he is not a failure or anyone to be embarrassed about before he can let his father in, and I’m glad Lysandra is helping him to see that. Lysandra has made me so nervous in these past battles, risking herself over and over again in order to help out. The sea dragon scene when all went to shit & she was their only hope was so scary, and I was right on the edge with Aedion, figuratively biting my nails in nervous anticipation. I was certain she was going to die in that battle, and I am so glad that it didn’t happen and SJM instead displayed Lysandra’s cunning wit, quick thinking, strength, and determination. I’m so scared for her, because I get the feeling she’s going to end up dead one of these days, and I’m dreading it. Also, what on earth is her plan for playing Aelin’s role?! She doesn’t have fire, or any kind of powers, and although she can look & talk like her, can she really portray Aelin for long? I hope & pray she doesn’t have to, but their plan was and is bonkers!! The whole thing about siring heirs with Aedion despite not discussing any of it with them, and just filling the role of her dead friend, their dead queen for the rest of her life?! How in the hell would that work?! Everyone needs Aelin back, especially to right this trickery and take her rightful spot once more.
Oh, Aelin. She did it, she gathered up her armies through all of those life-debts and whatnot, and I am so proud of her for the mass of people she was able to bring to that spot in Ellywe. But for her not to lead it?! That is insanity, especially as she did so many things specifically because she knew she wouldn’t be there to lead it. Her cunning, conniving plans were crazier, more desperate and foolish and self-sacrificing than ever this novel. The whole thing with Rolfe, with displaying her power to the world, that was horrendous how terribly that plan ended up. Of course, SJM had to make one of her plans fail at some point, but what the hell was with her getting possessed?! Everyone is so desperately lucky that Rowan jumped in front of her at the last moment, preventing her from destroying the Pirate Lord’s lands & everyone she cared about and had worked for!! That was insane, she was insane, and it was horrible. And her sneaky, self-sacrificing ass had set all of this groundwork for everyone to take over & keep living while she could not, either because of Maeve or after she gave herself up for the Lock. That is bonkers, the whole thing with Elena and how at the end of it all, after everything, Aelin will have to die to save everyone?! And of course she’ll do it, she’s been willing to do it a million times before, and this sacrifice more than anything will accomplish what she & everyone have been working so hard for. I hope & pray that there is another way, because this is all bullshit and they deserve happiness and an immortal life of joy and love, but at this point I have legitimately no idea how this is all going to end, but I can guarantee I’ll be shedding tears before the end of it all. My heart breaks for them all, especially Rowan, who was tricked and lied to and broken by that evil bitch Maeve about a mate that was not his, who has waited his whole life for the light that is Aelin only to have her ripped away from him so quickly without him ever acknowledging to her that they’re mates. And of course they are, of course they’re mates, we’ve known this deep down for a long ass time, as it’s been endlessly hinted about as others described their intertwined scents & how Dorian even said he assumed they were mates and keep it a secret & how perfectly they match each other, but it’s never been said. And now it has been, when they are against all odds once more, and incredibly separated. I am so grateful for the lovey dovey moments that we’ve gotten though, and I think my favorite scene between them this novel was when Celaena snuck into the Pirate Lord’s office and was playing with those emeralds, teasing Rowan about his lover. I love how they comfort each other, how unafraid of the other they are, and their intensity of feelings. I love their adventures and plans and how well they work together, how much they match. I love their little goofy, teasing conversations, especially when they’re just reading each other’s thoughts or whatnot. I so desperately want them to be happy, and I fear they may never have peace together, but I will continue to hope. And I’ll continue to read, of course, and wish that Aelin could have seen the little fleet of allies Rowan was able to get himself, wish that she had never been taken by that bitch, wish that they could just find a bit of peace before it gets ripped from them. I am very interested in seeing how this next book plays out, and what ends up happening with everyone, but especially Aelin, locked in that horrible box with those horrible wounds with that horrible bitch.

Content Warnings

More...