Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Throne of glass bk 2. Bloomsbury, 2013. ISBN 9781408834947.
(Age: Teenage - Adult) Recommended. Celaena Sardothien is firmly
ensconced as the King's Assassin in this sequel to Throne of
Glass and she is as invincible as ever. Every deadly
assignment ends in success but whose severed heads are being thrown
at the King's feet? While Celaena's wealth and fame swells in the
service of a King she despises, she is secretly trying to discover
the source of the King of Adarlan's power. Her kindred spirit,
Princess Nehemia, helps her to decipher Wyrdmarks, riddles and
genealogies in order to explore the ancient Fae Queen's Tomb and the
catacombs under the castle for answers. The King's son and her
admirer, Dorian, has problems of his own, trying to conceal his
newfound magical powers, years after his tyrannical father has
supposedly eliminated magic from the realm.
When her closest male counterpart Chaol, the captain of the guard,
returns her love, Celeana's sexual awakening distracts her from
guarding the princess with dreadful consequences for the four
friends and the kingdom of Eyllwe.
Grief stricken, Celaena must re-assess her plans for freedom in
order to continue Nehema's legacy but not before Chaol discovers his
sweetheart's true identity when once again Celaena clashes with the
King's dark forces.
Fans of fantasy will continue to be awestruck by the clashes between
these fanciful ancient realms through the eyes of such a capable
heroine.
Deborah Robins