Queen of Shadows!!!! {Yomna's Review}

Aelin, slay on bitch.

Warning: this post contains huge plot spoilers!! Please leave right now if you haven't read the book yet! Leave and then you can come back to discuss!!

I have about three pages of notes to go through and I'm so excited!!

My rating: 5/5

Okay let's get to it. 

First of all; Manon.

I really liked her in Heir of Fire, but when her chapter came in Queen of Shadows, I was just a teeny tiny bit annoyed. I was in the middle of something with Aelin, and she just interrupted. However, I do admire her character endlessly. Give a heartless witch a heart, and suddenly she's not so heartless anymore. She's just a bitch. And I like that. I like her. 

I loved her dynamic with Elide and Abraxos, it's so beautiful. She's not perfect; god no, by any measure, but she's learning, and that's what's important. Okay, I don't know if this is weird, but I totally ship her with Dorian. I loved that part where she asked Asterin about love and I just really hope she finds love with Dorian, especially since Dorian is now heartbroken too, because of Sorsha's death. Which brings us to our next topic; Dorian.

To be honest, I was never Sorsha's biggest fan. I definitely didn't hate her, but I didn't love her either. I just didn't care about her because her character didn't get that much attention (it was more about the dynamic between her and Dorian) and we never knew her that much. I was glad she died, her job in the story was done. And the stuff about Chaol telling her this kingdom needs a healer queen was bullshit. This kingdom need a witch bitch as a queen. No kidding.

Anyways, so so glad Dorian got saved. He's such a genuinely good person and he deserves to be happy and get married to a witch bitch and make witch babies. Yes! Also I feel like Dorian has such a gentle personality and Manon's personality is a bit (a 'bit' is a bit of an understatement) more dominant and they would offset each other well. He would melt her iron heart. I know psychology proves that in love and friendship opposites don't attract, but I DON'T CARE OKAY. Let them be TOGETHER.

“Behind them, across the hall, the dancers shattered their roses on the floor, and Aedion grinned at his queen as the entire world went to hell.”

Goodness, I was so scared when Dorian was having that battle with Aelin. 

I don't know when I started talking about her and calling her Aelin instead of Celaena but now she's Aelin to me. Celaena is just as good as dead. Aelin is fantastic. She just keeps on getting better and better in every book. I mean the whole books just keep getting better and better and it's so spectacular. I thought that after Heir of Fire it could not get better but damn, it did. 

There was a page in the book (I can't tell you the page because I was on an e-reader, but it was when Aelin went to hunt some Valg people, and they came and attacked her and they're all jokey and cocky because she's a woman and they don't think a woman can beat them and Aelin just says "Hello gorgeous" and slices into them. SLAY. Aelin, you're my kind of woman. So glad she's done with Chaol. Not that I don't like Chaol, but when she was with Chaol I was team Dorian, and now I'm honestly Team Rowan. Although I would not mind at all if she ended up with Dorian. 

Now about Rowan. I LOVE his relationship with Aelin, it's so sexy. The biting her neck part was incredible. Especially since I came into Throne of Glass after reading ACOTAR and then I read it and was kind of disappointed because there was no steamy romance but this book was perfect in that sense. And I love how they can communicate without talking. I loved the part where they talked about the fact that seventeen year old Rowan would've been scandalized by seventeen year old Celaena, and then she tells him she's not wearing underwear. Love it. I think after that he just has this moment where he's thinking why the hell do I like this woman. It's so great with Aelin and Rowan because I feel that they just understand each other so much. 

 “Fire-breathing bitch-queen.”

I want Rowan and Aelin to be endgame and I hope SJM doesn't throw us back and forth a bit more.

The Aedion rescue was legendary and fantastic. It was so unpredictable because when you don't know the plan, you don't know if it's going right or wrong and it's exhilarating for the reader. I loved it when that dancing woman teacher said "Give the king the performance he deserves". I think I actually laughed out loud. I mean, it depends of course on what kind of performance you mean. *Winks*. I love Aedion and I really like how he was this huge fan of Prince Rowan at first. And Aelin was so chill about Rowan because Rowan was just her asshole fae friend. It was hilarious. I think even us as readers did not realize the extent of Rowan's strength, I mean not that I think he's modest (god no) about it or anything.

Also I just wanted to note how freaking useless the queen (Dorian's mother) is. I mean she legit just does nothing and I feel like she doesn't care about her kids. She's kind of annoying. 

Now Arobynn dude. Oh god. So stupid. Aelin played him so well and took his money. I have to admit I fell for her being under Arobynn's command when he gave her the ring. I was so relieved when I realized it was just a ploy.  

“They joined hands.

So the world ended.
And the next one began.” 

Okay, we've gotta talk about the Manon x Aelin showdown. Manon and Aelin are so similar with so similar attitude issues so I was afraid one of them would die (Manon) but it's good. Showdown was spectacular. Definitely one of the biggest moments in the book (besides that gold nightgown scene). 

I love all the female supporting characters in this book. Lysandra, Nesryn, Asterin and the other thirteen, Evangeline, other people.... Anyways, my point is, wow. I mean Lysandra was the bomb. Ghost leopards are now my spirit animals. I ship Nesryn with Chaol so hard. Asterin's story with the human honestly made me cry. It was so so very lovely. See bitch, I knew you all had hearts. ALso, Katlain's end was so amazing. No, I'm not a sadist but till the end she was so strong and bold and wonderful and that is something to admire. I'm so glad Aelin gets to now have another Wyrdkey!!! 

That's it for this review!! This book was spectacular, brilliant, and incredible!!

I will be likely doing a predictions post closer to the release date of Empire of Storms to discuss the cover and what will happen so watch out for that!

My next read (that I am really really excited for) is A Court of Mist and Fury. Yes, I am reading more Sarah J Maas. I will eat up the words. 

Just kidding that's gross.

Love,

Yomna