Court of Frost And Starlight 5 stars

Sarah J Maas's "A Court Of Frost And Starlight" a wonderful little morsel to last til Our next installment " Oh How I Loved It" #bookreview #sarahjmaas #acourtoffrostandstarlight #bookblog #reading #bookmark #bookish #homelibrary #loveofreading #books

Spoiler Alert***************

The book started out with the first snowfall of the year in Valaris, It is Winter Solstice time and everyone is in the holiday spirit. Almost everyone. There are people in town who didn't have loved ones come home from the war and they are finding it rough and there is rebuilding going on but it takes time. Feyre is having flashbacks of when Rhysand died and she almost lost him and how everyone came forward to help him even Tamlin. She is thankful to Tamlin but she is content if she never sees him again. She wants him happy but away from her.

Enough thinking about that, Rhys was long gone when she woke up this morning beyond Valaris. Turns out he is checking on the Illyrians soldiers and making sure they are training the women like the are supposed to be doing and of course there is nothing but excuses. Cassian ends up squaring off against Devlon and Devlon wont budge until Rhys tells him to listen to everything Cassian says.

Cassian ended up making a trip to visit where he was born in a freezing, lone tent. They had thrown a young, unwed mother out into the snow only days after giving birth, her babe in her arms. And then they had taken that babe mere years later tossing him into the mud at Devlons camp. Only cinders and debris remained her anyway, he'd made sure of it. No one came back here, he made sure of it.

Feyre met a Faerie named Ressina while she was out, a painter and she was admiring a house that belonged to someone who died in the war and was getting really rundown. I dont think Feyre knew what to think of her because she is one of the few who didn't bow to her all the time and looked her in the face when she talked to her. Ressina asked Feyre to comes to painting class with them one day a week. She thinks on it but she never gets around to going though. On the way to one of those painting sessions she realizes whats in her she doesn't want anyone else to see right now so she winnows into that shop that belonged to that one artist who died and spent hours in there just letting herself go and she ended up painting, well, herself! In the Ouroboros. The rage and joy and cold, all of her. What lurked beneath her skin! She didn't lurk from it then and she wont now.

And there was Morrigan who is fighting her own demons. She hasn't told anyone else her feelings since she told Feyre and is scared too. And Resend is having to work with all kind of Fat to protect their realms and that includes Keir and Eris. Eris who left her for Dead that one day so many years ago. The spiked nails into her abdomen for what she did. Was it worth that, Hell No!! 3 Spiked Nails! And Eris out on patrol ordered his men to leave her alone to die if that is what is to happen. Oh she hates him so bad and her father Keir, she will never call him her father, ever! Rysand, Feyre, Amren, Cassain, and Azriel, those are her family now and thats that.

Everyone is having problems it seems finding the perfect gifts for each other except Amren, hers are always easy, she loves Gems and the bigger the better. Elain seems to be doing a little better but Nesta is a no-show until toward the end of the book. Feyre goes to see her and has to track her down at a seedy club where she is playing poker and about to take a gentleman home to share her bed for the night (she hasn't talked to Cassian since the war). She has lost alot of weight (as much as Elain has gained). Feyre tried to beg her to come to solstice dinner and I think she might have gotten somewhere if she would not have mentioned her father but when Feyre did Nesta blew up at her and Feyre knew to take her leave.

As the days grew closer to Solstice Ryhs makes a trip to the Spring Court on Tamlin since his land borders the human side. Feyre did not want to go understandably. Tamlin was basically a shell of himself. Nothing bloomed at his estate, no one was there at all but he did say Lucien was out hunting (Lucien came out of pity I believe). But Rhys didn't get anywhere with Tamlin at all. He didn't have any of his wards up so anyone could have come at anytime and attacked him.

Lucien ended up coming to the townhouse and brought a gift for Elain and Feyre but would not stay. He did not feel comfortable there under Rhys thumbs so he left and stays with Vassa and Jurian at Graysons old family estate.

Feyre and Elain went shopping for last minute presents and Feyre went into a weavers shop and came across a hauntingly beautiful tapestry that had been woven from fabric so black it seemed to devour the light, so black it almost strained the eye. The insignia however, had been rendered in silver thread, no not silver, a sort of iridescent thread that shifted with sparks of color, Like woven starlight and Feyre bought it. For whom she did not know, for her self most likely. The weaver was high-fat, full figured and pale skinned. A sheet of black hair braided back from her face over her shoulder. Very simple clothes, What Feyre might wear while painting. Despite her pretty smile her eyes were quiet. Turns out she lost her husband of 300 years in the war. The fabric Feyre bought came from the ache of her loosing her love. More to come of that later.

Feyre asken for Amrens help in getting Nesta to come to Solstice. She came across Amren doing a very big jigsaw puzzle. Varian was out doing more shopping for her, evidently what he brought from home was not enough. Amren is very protective over Nesta, she understands Nesta and what she is going through but wont tell Feyre what that is. If Nesta wants her to know she will tell her. Amren says to give her time.

Solstice Eve has come and the party has started. Everyone is in the sitting room with the wine opened and flowing. Neither Lucien or Nesta has shown up but everyone was in a good mood. Rhysand was enjoying just looking at Feyre and just knowing she was his mate! Varian with Amren looking very happy himself and Rhys thinking how weird it is that he is in his house on Solstice. Azriel and Cassian enjoying the wine and looking very happy also. Mor plopped on the sofa between Azriel and Cassian her curls bouncing. Elain refused the wine just taking a spot by the windows in a wooden chair, Typical. But other than that they had a wonderful night eve.

Freye's birthday and Solstice day was met with her waking up with gifts and Rhys sitting there giddily waiting for her to wake up (dont we all wish our husbands had this one trait ladies?) The first gift was a beautiful notebook bound in black leather, supple like velvet. A sketchbook! Next was a Sky-blue scarf of softest wool. Third was a satchel for her painting supplies had various pockets and straps. A set of pencils and charcoals already lay within and it had been monogrammed with her initials along with a tiny Night Court insignia. And now of course Feyre had to spend several hours drawing Rhys in all his glory!

Rhys, Cassian and Azriel had their Solstice snowball fight and Azriel won of course! His 199th victory! That night everyone was in their finery at the townhouse that night. They had cake and all told Feyre Happy Birthday. Now to presents.... I'll let you people who read the book find out the presents. But next came a knock and Feyre knew before she got there who it was, as did everyone else. It got completely silent. Nesta. Feyre told her they were in the sitting room and in they went. She watched everything like through a it was a spectical. She did not understand how Elain got involved with the "family" and she felt out of place. She got one gift from Elaine because no one else thought she'd be there. She was rude to Feyre when she was leaving and Cassain had enough of that. He went after her.

Cassian could barley hear over the roaring in his head. When he reached her he realized he had nothing to say so he told her he was going to walk her home, she said she was fine and to go back to the house. He said he will after he drops her off at her front door. He handed her a small gift and she asked what is that? He told her it was her Solstice present and she said "I dont want anything from you!" and he said you'll want this. She said "I've made my thoughts clear enough on what I want from you." He told her "I'm tired of playing of playing these bullshit games." She kept her chin high and said "I'm not." Needless to say it did not end well and he chucked her present into the Sidra.

When Nesta got home she sealed the 4th and final lock on her apartment door and slumped against it. He followed like she knew would. He kept high in the skies and was waiting on a rooftop nearby to see her light kindle (are they talking about Cassain???) instincts tell her to leave the fanlight untouched and make him wait in the freezing dark or to ignite that bowl and just get rid of his presence. Get rid of everything he was. (so it has to be Cassian) She opted for the latter.

Everyonewent to bed by three. When Rhys and Feyre went to bed they were talking and he told her that she looked nice that evening and that all those clothes were made by his mom for his future bride. And she got really choked up about that. She asked him if he would please change the eye tattoo on her hand to the mountain and three stars and he said when he did that they cannot be changed again and she said yes so he did it. Her present to him for Solstice was a future with a child.

The next morning Feyre and Rhys went to an estate along the river, the building in ruins and the garden a tangle. "You never asked about your solstice present," Rhys said after a little bit while walking along the gardens by the Sidra "This?" Feyre asks. "Consider it a Solstice and birthday present in one." He gestured to the house, the gardens, the grounds that flowed to the rivers edge. With a perfect view of the Rainbow at night, thanks to the land's curve. Its hers to turn into a family home for all of them. ALL of them. Rhys, Feyre, babies, Elain, Cassain, Azriel, Morrigan, Amren and hopefully Nesta. And Feyre said Of course I will.

Morrigan told;Feyre a lie she was going to the Winter Court to see Viviane. They've been exchanging letters for months now but More still hasn't told even the Lady of the Winter Court where she would be between Solstice in Velaris and her visit to Viviane and Kallias's mountain home. She didn't like telling people about this place. As More galloped over the hills on her favorite mare Ellia she pulled her to a stop and let her rest and Ellia's ears went flat on her head. More stiffened, following the mare's line of sight to the tangle of wood to their left, little more than a thatch of trees from this distance and she seen There, between a snarl of thorns, A patch of darkness. It did not move, did not seem to do anything but linger, and watch. Familiar and yet foreign. Something in her power told her not to touch or go near it, even from this distance. More obeyed. It was watching her in return. Best left undisturbed she turned and took the short route back .

Two days later Feyre stood in the doorway of Polina's abandoned studio. Feyre was in shock because Polina's family gave her the studio, she tried to buy it but they said no and insisted on giving it to her and Feyre asked Ressina to be her business partner.

A month later Feyre and Ressina were standing by the front door waiting to see if anyone was going to show up for their first class. They were super nervous but excited too. Feyre hung the tapestry she bought at the weavers shop in her studio. Right on time they came in and some of their parents too. Its going to work out!

Rhys was waiting for Feyre an hour and a half later as the last of the children flitted out some laughing and some still solemn and hollow-eyed. He looked at their paintings and loved them but there was this one that was done by a young faerie whose parents had been killed in the attack. It was hard to look at. The two figures in it, the red paint, the figures in the sky, their vicious tech and reaching claws. She doesn't want her painting when it dries, she said to throw it out but Feyre has decided to hand it in her future office. "So we don't forget."

"This feeling, this excitement to wake up every day. To see you and to work at just be here." I Love You, Feyre said down the bond. What's not to love, said Rhys, To the stars who listen, Feyre. "To the dreams that are answered, Rhys." said Feyre.

***I know that was long but there was so much to tell you guys, this was hard to sum up in just a few words.

j