Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

     I recently reread the Throne of Glass (books 1-3 & the prequel) so that I could read Queen of Shadows for the first time. I bought the book back in September on my Nook & then for Christmas my folks bought the hardcover copy. That was all the motivation I needed to re-immerse myself in the series that I love. 
     So this book picks up where Heir of Fire leaves us. Aelin Galathynius (aka Celaena Sardothien) has accepted who & what she is & is returning to Adarlan after training with the Fae in Wendlyn. But the kingdom she returns to has radically changed... and not for the better. Her captain of the guard is a fugitive. The prince, her friend, is a collared monster bent on doing the King's bidding. Her long lost cousin is to be executed before they can reunite. And her old master is up to his old tricks. Her support system, that she came to depend on so much in Wendlyn, is an ocean away & her magic is gone once more. She'll have to fight her battles as Celaena Sardothien one more time. 
     We meet new friends & old ones. Nesryn is a loyal city guard, but helps Chaol lead the rebel forces that are saving the lives of many Rifthold citizens. Lysandra is an old pain in Celaena's side. She always vied for the full attention of not only Sam but Arobynn. But things have changed dramatically since they were young rivals, & so has Lysandra. Elide is a blast from Aelin's past. Her mother was Elides nursemaid & saving grace. Now she finds herself in a dark & dangerous place where evil is growing. Her only hope is to be reunited with her once queen, but how can she do that as a slave for the enemy? 
     Aelin has a list of things to do, and only a short time to do it. Evil henchmen of the Kings are taking magic wielders & either enslaving them or executing them, at an alarming rate. There are monsters from other worlds running rampant under the city of Rifthold, aiding in these captures. She needs to rescue her cousin before he is executed as a traitor to the crown. She must find the magical heirloom Arobynn took from her when he saved her life 10 years ago, as well as pay him back for the wrongs he's done to her & those she loves. She must save Dorian from a fate worse than death, even if that means ending his life. All this while trying to release magic so she can have a fair fight. But things are going on that even she doesn't know or yet understand. Things that can turn the tide of a war in the enemies favor. 
     This book brings in a new element that the other books didn't have. It has the feel of a classic epic fantasy novel. I personally found it reminiscent of a Wheel of Time. The character development, the overwhelming odds, the plot... so much of it made me feel like I was in a world so much like the Wheel of Time or Lord of the Rings. I highly recommend this book & the rest of the series to any lover of fantasy novels. While this book is classified as Young Adult, it strikes a cord in so many other genre's. Go get this series! It is a must read!

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