#empireofstorms

this one is so long im so sorry i could rant forever about this one probs

then proceeded to go to three different book stores to find kingdom of ash because apparently everyone and their damn mom wants to read it RN

barnes + noble never lets me down

i talked to the ladies working behind the counter about the EXISTENTIAL DREAD that i feel with the last book in my clutch

not ready

not okay

NOT PREPARED

honestly honestly honestly

i sighed in relief when i saw that KoA is almost 1,000pgs (at least my version is 😙)

like okay good it'll last me a while but honestly seriously legitimately wtf do you do afterwards

OKAY LET'S DO A QUICK - IF POSSIBLE - RUN DOWN ->

★★★★

Rowan + Aelin 💖💖💖

i dont wanna say it but also,

i may be in love with them even a little more than feyre + rhys

I DONT WANNA SAY IT BUT

but

god. no words. these 2 have swallowed me entirely

and thank gods they finally fucked!!!!!!!!!!! i felt the heavens singing during all those steamy scenese

SIDE NOTE: so many steamy scenes in EoS !!!! worth the slow build !!!!

they love each other so deeply, so viscerally

god it makes me nauseous 😭

AND SO MANY parallels between tog and acotar !!! especially with mates! i see your patterns sjm

i love them; i love rowan and his undying, obsessive need to be with aelin and protect and love and claim

favorite, favorite, favorite part of the book (i think...) at least one of my favorite scenes:

pg 240 - when aelin surprises everyone by showing up in Rolfe's office and rowan is shook asfffffff and the teasing, flirtatious, extremely FUN AND EXCITING exchange between the two 😏 basically this whole page gods i love them

THEY ARE SO CRAZY

AND

they are into some of that exhibitionist kinky bs 😏 and i am happily *eating up the content*

here's my one critique of the entire book: i find it really really really hard to believe that sex on the beach - full ass in the sand AND salt water - i'm sorry idc WHO you are, that is not comfy

pls

like you definitely have some type of rash now, guaranteed! sand-flea bites on places that sand fleas should never bite....

😃

okay whatever aelin

i respect it

get your freak on ig...

BUT

how they bite each other

ahhhh how he fucking put salt in the scratches she left on his back... the bite marks on her neck so they'd stay

physical + obvious claims to one another

gods

that is so sexy to me and i think that reveals a lot about my current mental status !! 😃😃😃😃

ALSO !!!!! OFFICIALLY DECLARED MATES!!! LETS GOOOOOO!! SOUND THE ALARMS!!!

OH OH OHH-

and they're MARRIED!!!!

letttssss fuccckkiinnngg ggooooooo

knew it

but i think it was pretty obvious

my prediction in QoS when he could feel dorian stabbing her stands true - (context: i assumed they were mates bc of acotar + rhys and feyre under the mountain and amarantha...)

amazing storytelling on SJM's part - i thank her 100000000x over

BUT FUCK maeve and her evil valg ass!!!!!!!! she is so miserable i want to rip my own hair out!!!!!!!!!!!!

★★★★

maeve 🔪🔪🔪🔪

FUCK HERRRRRRRR

not even just with aelin + rowan - but yes, believe me i am enraged by her taking aelin. enraged. BROKEN.

but with fenrys. no no no noooon no no noooo. no.

i actually am so heartbroken for him. SHE KEPT HIS BLOOD OATH INTENTIONALLY. as his greatest punishment would be enslavement to her forevermore

NO

she is the worst mf ik

gods.

and the way she dropped lorcan + gavriel

which i fully believe will end up biting her in the ass eventually

but she did it so ruthlessly

i hate her forever for it

i hate her forever for all that she's done

LYRIA and rowan )))): you have to be another level of demon to do what she did to all of them

she doesn't get a single additional bullet point - i hope she BURNS

★★★★

lysandra + aedion 🐉

ugh gals, gays, and theys - these two play with my heart strings! 🤧

LYSANDRA in this book!

wow she was on fireeee without having the power of fire LOL

she is so unbelievably powerful

i was so nervous for the entirety of EoS that something seriously damaging would happen to her

still worried that it'll be her that sjm takes

or aedion

equally worried about aedion

BUT

i feel like he is unjustly taking it out on lysandra - i think his anger is actually more directed at aelin for forming all these plans without him

i think he blames himself for her being taken

and not being able to do anything

and because aelin isn't there and because they have to maintain a specific image for their allies, his frustration is wrongfully put on lysandra

"if lysandra had told me then i would've known to watch out for her/would've been there..." blah blah blah

bUT i have hope for the two

that they'll rekindle

that aedion's "hunt" will actually be over

and tbh that he'll get over the ego

that lysandra and evangeline will find a home in him (": i hope i hope i hope

tbh i'm gonna go out on a limb here and dare say there are mates

aedion pretty much his entire life has breathed every breath for the sake of aelin; to protect, serve, etc. we know this. she was perfect... until lysandra had to fight the sea wyverns

in which case aedion "...for the first time, [he] hated his cousin" (Maas, 334) - lol hello mla format.

he is unbelievably attached and i am here for it 👏🏽

★★★★

manon + dorian 💋

this book did them so much justice

and thank god for that

i feel like it's wildly appropriate for their relationship that the physical intimacy is as fire-y and passionate and intense as it is

i think they will both find a balance in one another

AHHHHHHHH i could scream forever i love them

pg 426 for some good manorian cheeky goodness

dylan o brien fans 👀 i hear u i recognize u i see you

but gods MANON yes!!!! yes!! i was so scared for asterin after the attack on rifthold and i felt myself get angry at manon in fear that she wasn't gonna do anything to stop it!!!

but of course she did!!!

and of course the bestest boy, abraxos saved her life and found her 13

i could cry cry cry cry (i am a cancer moon all these tears are normal)

also, okay slay crochan queen

sorry u killed ur sister... /:

lol

but glad you tried to kill ur gma! maybe one day manon girl

no joke, i would fall to my knees for manon she is the fucking coolest

and dorian too

he is hot asF in this book. and for me, he was kinda flying under my radar until this book and i was like holy fuck he is hottttt!!!! sexy!!!! being possessed does things to a man LOL

they r mates too, guaranteed

no way they're not

★★★★

elide + lorcan 🎡

elide and aelin's reunion made me sob

i cried so hard

i love them both, im grateful to elide for her love and determination towards aelin

and i so respect aelin for being so real and humble, her gratitude towards elide and her true grief for marion

elide, lady of perranth

HELL YES GIRLFRIEND

SLAYYYY ALL DAAAYYYYY

aint no man gonna lay a hand on you because u r a badass bitch

sigh and lorcan

such a wish-washy male

i am still SO angry at him for calling maeve

i am curious about them (cadre - rowan, gavriel, lorcan, and fenrys) all gravitating towards aelin and her power

(because aeline really is that GIRL - IMMORTAL !!!)

but he is definitely bonded with elide

100%

and you know, maybe some people are bored of SJM's mating usage

and the build up: enemies to lovers, change of heart, blah blah blah

let me stop you right there - I EAT IT UP.

each time it is exciting and exhilarating

sigh this is getting to be too long

my summary on elide and lorcan: elide is a definite YAY... lorcan has potential

we shall see

★★★★

HONORABLE MENTIONS!!!

YAYAYAYAY ansel!!!! she's backkkkkk hip hip hooray. and she is lighter (: less grief, less anger. so happy to see it. and her armadas HAH

also the silent assassins

god all of the allies showing up had me covered in goosebumps

...

aelin is so fucking powerful its unreal

i love asterin still!!!! she is so fun and empowering

...

wtf is up with aelin or dorian having to die because of stupid stupid elena

i feel like they'll figure a way out of it, a different way to stop erawan

OR

...well like rowan, i wont allow myself to consider that LOL

and omg lysandra knowing

how did she swallow that pill, i wonder

i bet it broke her heart just as much as everyone else's - and the burden of carrying it amongst her family

ugh she would have carried it all for aelin

sigh

so sad

...

i feel like there is SO much more i need to say but this is unbelievably long

if you are still reading...

wow i love you

thank you for being so curious into my brainwaves

it's a crazy ride in this noggin

thanks for joining!!!!

ONE MORE BOOK. 986 pages. and then my life will be a big fat ???????

ugh

i shall keep you posted

"Then that does not seem like love at all."

"And what do you know of love?" He was so close--had neared without her realizing it.

"I think love should make you happy," Elide said... "It should make you into the best possible version of yourself."

"Are you implying I am neither of those things?"

"I don't think you even know what happiness is."

His face grew grave-thoughtful. "I do not mind... being around you."

"Is that a compliment?"