Throne of Glass

A book of pure enjoyment. Throne of Glass is perfect for young readers and adult readers who can appreciate a story with a quick pace, a clear plot with enough intrigue for more, characters with so much possibility for growth, solid world-building, and a strong female lead.

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Celaena Sardothien was once known as the kingdom's most prolific assassin, but her capture over a year ago landed her in one of the most brutal places on the continent. In the salt mines of Endovier, the workers usually only live for about a month, but Celaena is stubborn and stronger than most. When she is recruited from the slave camp to compete in a tournament that will name the King’s Champion, Celaena doesn’t have much of a choice, but she’d do anything to gain her freedom. Set to train and compete in the king’s tournament, the young assassin is taken to the glass castle where she must fight to the death for her survival and freedom. 

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Fans of Cassandra Clare, Rick Riordan, Christopher Paolini, and J.K. Rowling have come to the right place! Young adult series, similar to Throne of Glass, are so enjoyable because they tend to begin with a strong premise, the stakes are high, and the opportunities for character development are endless. Sarah J. Maas did not disappoint. I love this YA series because setting the scene felt effortless and the characters slowly evolved in a natural, relatable way. 

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Celaena is my favorite character. Maas does an amazing job balancing the young girl’s trauma and lively spirit. She’s not perfect, by any means, but is strong-willed and brave enough to fight for those she cares about. Survival has been her way of life for so long, but given the opportunity, she has room for growth even though her past is always lurking.