A ​Court of Silver Flames

I wasn't sure I was gonna read this yet, because Nesta has never been a favorite of mine. But this was a perfect fit for my readathon this month, so I decided why not; because I knew I would definitely read it someday. This still has some of the best parts of SJM's writing - engaging and entertaining with great female friendships. The bond between Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie was definitely the highlight of this novel for me.

But everything else felt like a letdown. The whole idea of the hero helping the heroine get through her trauma seems like a predictable trope for every novel of the author, and while I understand it's an important topic to explore, it becomes boring when you read it multiple times in the same series. Nesta is also mostly insufferable and despite whatever redemption arc she got, it wasn't enough for me to like her. And because of that, the romance didn't make me feel much. The plot of a looming war and the story arc of the villain also had a very underwhelming resolution. And as this series and the author's writing has gone by, the excessive use of “male” and “female” have started to grate on me even more.

Overall, this was an okay read and probably those who love Nesta's character will enjoy it more than me. It's also probably SJM's weakest works in terms of plot and that left me slightly disappointed despite keeping my expectations low. However, she does end the book on an interesting note and I would be fascinated to see where the story goes next.