But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her-who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves-Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she 'like-likes' but who had pined for Ellis instead. Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. The ending leaves readers poised for the next installment.Īfter surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself. At times believability is stretched (fugitives travel around the city freely, one or two heroes defeat large groups of enemies), but character motivations and interactions-friendships, romances, and others-are always nuanced and on point, especially as Aelin’s growing maturity offers her new perspectives on old acquaintances. Meanwhile, Wing Leader Manon, head of Adarlan’s wyvern-riding witch army, finds growing dissent at the commands she is given, leading to tough choices. As for Dorian, he’s imprisoned in his own body by the Valg controlling him-Chaol holds hope that he can be saved Aelin knows how unlikely that is. (Chaol fans shouldn’t worry-while he and Aelin may not see eye to eye, he has prominent storylines and character growth.) Aelin’s most pressing priority is the rescue of her cousin Aedion, slated for execution at Prince Dorian’s birthday as an obvious trap for her.

She seeks out her former master from her assassin days, the charismatic and devious Arobynn, and also finds Chaol, but there’s no happy reunion between the two. Leaving Rowan behind after Heir of Fire (2014), Aelin arrives determined to stop the king’s deadly demons, the Valg.

Having cast off her Celaena identity, Aelin returns to Adarlan to reclaim her crown.

Queen of shadows by sarah j maas