Gr 10 Up-In the third book of the series, Celaena knows she cannot kill the king and crown prince of Wendlyn, the task given to her by the King of Adarlan, and she knows that the price will be the lives of those she loves. Her only hope is to find Maeve, queen of the Fae, and find out how to undo the power of Adarlan's king. Forced by Maeve to prove her worth, Celaena must train with Rowan, a Fae prince, and learn to harness her magical powers if she has any hope of saving the world. Love, loss, and loyalty collide and Maas has created a believable world and flawed characters; the combination will leave listeners eager for more. Elizabeth Evans conveys Celaena's temperament and mood perfectly and gives life to Maas's large cast of characters. Fans of the past books in the series will not be disappointed with this installment and teen fans of George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" and Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series will be captivated as well. VERDICT The latest entry in this engaging series is highly recommended.-Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Magic, painful truths and dangerous military escalations characterize this series continuation. Celaena Sardothien's in Wendlyn, ordered by the villainous king of Adarlan to assassinate Wendlyn's royals, or he'll execute her ex and the family of her dead best friend, Nehemia. Celaenathe presumed-dead rightful queen of the conquered Terrasenplans on finding a way to destroy the king of Adarlan's sources of power, in fulfillment of a vow made on Nehemia's grave. Celaena seeks out the Fae Queen Maeve for information; cunning Maeve refuses until Celaena proves herself (with the help of a prickly, elite warrior Fae trainer) by embracing her hated demi-Fae heritage and magic. Celaena, grieving, goes through dark emotional times and must confront her scarred psyche in order to return to the unapologetically awesome heroine readers know and love. Meanwhile, there's a lot going on: A witch deals with clan politics (Adarlan's king makes them his wyvern-riding airborne cavalry), Chaol attempts to protect Dorian from his own magic, a healer falls for Dorian and more. The jumps from narrative to narrative initially detract from the story's momentum, but multiple perspectives on Adarlan's grotesque schemes and tactics eventually pay off. Despite the slow beginning, tension snowballs into devastating twists and an absolutely riveting ending. Maas' usual hallmarksan epic fantasy setting and the little-exploited truth that platonic relationships can be more intense and compelling than romanticare present in force. Will leave readers ravenous for more. (Fantasy. 14 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In the last installment of Maas' best-selling series, Celaena discovered long-held secrets not only about her heritage and destiny but also her immense inborn power. Almost all of the tantalizing questions posed in that volume are answered in this hefty follow-up, and it doesn't disappoint. After wallowing in hopelessness while on the run, Celaena is scooped up by a gruff fae warrior who helps her shape and control her terrifying power, a power great enough to crumble the tyrannical regime she served as King's Champion. Meanwhile, Celaena's friends secretly work together to undermine the wicked king's unspeakable cruelty, and a legion of witches perhaps the most fascinating characters so far lie in wait to make their own power grab. Though the novel is occasionally overstuffed, Maas has a screenwriter's eye for plotting, and for the most part, the pages fly by. Series fans will be relieved to hear that this installment is only the halfway point, and thanks to Maas' adroit plot maneuvers, well-wrought characters, and immersive world building, they'll be positively hooked for the forthcoming volumes. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: How could Game of Thrones meets The Hunger Games not be a gold mine?--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2010 Booklist