Throne of Glass By: Sarah J. Maas

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• Title: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)
• Author: Sarah J. Maas
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
• Publication Date:  May 7, 2013
• Pages: 404
• Genre: Fantasy/ YA
• Recommended Age(s): 13 +
• First Read: 2017
• Source: Library
• Rating: 4.0 / 5.0 stars

In a land filled with the whispered remnants of magic and a king who will do anything to smash those who stand in his way, an assassin dwells. Celaena Sardothien, the land's most notorious assassin, has spent the past year as a slave laborer until she is summoned to the castle. If Celaena becomes the King's Champion at the end of the competition, she will win her freedom. But as a mysterious creature starts killing the other competitors, Celaena must not only win against her adversaries but also against the darker evil lurking just beneath the shining castle facade.

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When someone recommended this book to me, I wasn't sure about it since I usually don't gravitate towards fantasy books. But man, am I glad I gave this baby a chance because it was such a thrill to read!

So, I like Celaena, which, from reading other people's reviews, is not a *common* thing I guess. She's self-assured of herself, albeit more than a tad bit arrogant, incredibly smart, and does not put up with anyone's shenanigans. She also loves pretty clothes and food, but to be honest, who doesn't? It's so refreshing to read about such a complex character who does what she has to so she can survive and isn't totally caught in the throes of ~following her heart~ to the point that she makes dumb decisions. She isn't apologetic for who she is, and she is so strong- both mentally and physically. I love her.

I also liked this book because it has a pretty unique premise, and I liked immersing myself in Celaena's world. The whole love triangle with Chaol and Dorian and Celaena was cute I guess, but I like how Celaena didn't lose her head for the most part between the two guys. She always knew her own freedom was more important, and that some guy wasn't going to hand that to her. She had to work for it herself.

I didn't give this book five stars because, while I loved it by the end, it was a bit of a slow start. In the beginning, I felt that I was missing a huge chunk of information and felt like I was reading a book in the middle of the series instead of the first book. I was also a little annoyed how repetitively Celaena was referred to as "the assassin," which I know- that's what she is, but it was hackneyed to death as a pronoun for her.

I'm so excited to read the second book and see what Celaena does next! I know I'm pretty late to the TOG bandwagon, but I'm not going to get off until the very end.