Release Date: September 11th 2014
Published By: Bloomsbury Childrens
Pages: 562
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Rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis: Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

Review: I love the Throne of Glass series. I really do. But with series’ that I love, the longer they go on, I start to get nervous that they might lose “something”. Maybe it will start to drag out, maybe the character development will lack, maybe the world will start to become a little bland. If you are afraid of the same thing, do not worry - Heir of Fire is an amazing instalment to the Throne of Glass series! This series just keeps on getting better and better, and I am in awe of Sarah J. Maas’ ability to continue to bring even more tension, development, twists, power, pain, fierceness and hope to this amazing series. Heir of Fire does not just “move the story along”, it throws some more pieces into this amazingly detailed and complex storyline, and the world will expand and every character will be tested.

After the events of Crown of Midnight, we begin Heir of Fire with Celaena out for revenge. But our beloved heroine isn’t out for justice - she is fuelled by hatred. She is totally broken. She has one goal, and one goal only, and she has to face some very harsh realities before she can even begin getting close to achieving her vengeance. Heir of Fire is about Celaena finding herself. She is filled with rage, hatred and desire for revenge. She is lost, broken and she cannot move on - and she feels the only way to do this is to seek the revenge she tells herself she so desperately wants. She is so filled with grief that she cannot look past herself… or maybe she just does not want to. She is hollow, empty and completely alone.

Celaena’s plan is to go to Wendlyn, get the answers she needs and go on her merry way and seek revenge for the terrible action that has put her in her current state of mind. It is here that she finds that getting what she wants is not so easy. And it is here that Celaena meets Rowan: the cold, harsh, cruel, complex Prince of Fae. Rowan’s job is to train Celaena. Rowan pushes Celaena, baits her, fights her at every turn. She is afraid of her magic and Rowan does not sugar coat the fact that she must learn to master it. Actually, Rowan doesn’t sugar coat anything, and it is exactly what Celaena needs. He challenges her in every way possible. Their relationship is strained, but it is extremely interesting and absolutely enthralling.

So, that brings me to something very important - the boys in this series. I have always liked Dorian, but it has never gone past like. Chaol has always been my guy in this series… I just adore him. I totally ship Celaena and Chaol (and I never ship). I never thought another guy who could come in to it and sway my admiration for Chaol… but be still my beating heart, here comes Rowan! He nearly took Chaol’s place in my heart. Going into this book I would not have thought that there was such a possibility, but let me tell you, Rowan nearly did it! But I do say nearly. He hasn’t quite replaced Chaol, but he is certainly sitting there along side him. Well done Sarah J. Maas for bringing in a character to sway my feelings - this fearless Fae warrior with his tattoos and fealty took my breath away!

We also get introduced into some other interesting new characters and storylines. And to me, the most impressive of these was the introduction to the witch clans, Blackbeaks, Bluebloods, Yellowlegs. During this plotline, we follow Manon, a fierce and determined young witch, but she is intelligent and compassionate as well - and I am sure that she will bring some interesting developments later in the series. Oh, and did I mention wyverns? Well, every story is better with a dragon-like creature involved :)

Celaena’s character development was amazing during Heir of Fire! While she was initially broken and filled with despair, she slowly heals from her emotional wounds, and along with it, she starts to find herself again. But more importantly, she finds her true self. And while Celaena is being forced to face herself, Chaol and Dorian are also facing their own challenges. Chaol finds himself working with Aedion, and as much as Choal may not like to admit it, he and Aedion have more in common than either of them could have thought. And while Chaol and Dorian’s friendship is strained due actions in the previous book, Dorian soon befriends a healer, Sorscha. I think the relationship with Sorshca proves once and for all that the initial love triangle is no longer, but more importantly, it allows Dorian understand Chaol and his actions in a way that he probably could not have otherwise.

What can I say about the writing? It is AMAZING! In Heir of Fire we follow three different storylines, focusing on different characters and locations. We have Celaena and Rowan, Dorian and Chaol (although due to tensions from the previous book, they each have a storyline of their own), and Manon and the witch clans. And although I don’t normally jumping around so many different storylines, the writing was flawless and I was totally sucked in to each storyline and invested in every character and situation.

Heir of Fire is as strong as you could possible ever want it to be. It is an amazing instalment in this wonderful YA fantasy series. It is intense, filled with twists, action, secrets, discoveries, danger, loyalty and courage. Oh, and it has an absolutely amazing ending! It is fierce, powerful, hopeful, stunning! It will leave your heart racing and you begging for more.

Quotes:

“She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.”

“You collect scars because you want proof that you are paying for whatever sins you’ve committed.”

“Because I am lost,” she whispered onto the earth. “And I do not know the way.”

“It would not take a monster to destroy a monster - but light, light to drive out darkness.”

“I don’t care what you say and how much you protest. I claim you as my friend.”

“All she knew was that whatever and whoever climbed out of that abyss of despair and grief would not be the same person who had plummeted in.”

“You cannot pick and choose what parts of her to love.”