"My name is Aelin Ashryver Galathynius... 
 And I will not be afraid." 
 ___________ 
 Empire of Storms was, quite possibly, my favourite book of this year, almost topping Lady Midnight and Nevernight. The Throne of Glass books are purely astounding; all of them add to Aelin's storyline and it brings such joy to my soul to see my favourite characters grow up and mature as things go on, as Erawan's dark army builds upon book by book. This instalment in the series was a particularly emotional one, and frankly, I am ruined by heart and broken soul by the last few chapters. 
 You know a book is good when your head is stuck in it for the whole school day, cutting off all social interactions with those things called humans. You know it's a good book when it's all that you're thinking about. This was Empire of Storms for me, especially during the middle and the ending of the book. Both those parts stood out to me so well and I absolutely loved it. 
 The characters, as always, were the basis of this book. Apart from the steady storyline, all the characters wove into each other, a blend of stories and tales and mighty heroicness. All the POV's (Aelin, Dorian, Rowan, Lysandra, Aedion, Elide, Manon, Lorcan, even some huge characters like past!Elena) were so interesting and I was captivated by each one. 
 The progression of the journey kept its head forth on a steady path and that, may I say, was an absolutely beautiful representation of the high-fantasy scale that is now the Throne of Glass series. Sure, the first three or so books were just the usual fantasy but... this? It is now high fantasy, LOTR-style. The bloody WORLD-BUILDING is stunning. How Sarah J. Maas weaves together such an amazing story and then proceeds to add such detail into the world (religions, cultures, races, politics, kingdoms, hierarchies, ruins, pasts, historical events); she is honestly a goddess at writing and I aspire to become something on the likes of her, but I know it is never possible with the talent she possesses. 
 This book is quite lengthy. Coming in at a whopping 689 pages (at least with my UK edition), you can definitely say it's a great size. People say that these books tend to drag on. I think Empire of Storms was perfectly paced. The battle scene at the end in particular; it was absolutely beautifully written, if not emotional (it made me cry when a specific thing happened in that battle I need to sit down help this pain omg the pain help pls) and I was weeping at Aelin's progression before "everything had gone to shit. Everything." as Manon had said. 
 "The world will be saved and remade by the dreamers." 
 Many characters from The Assassin's Blade appeared in Empire of Storms, which I wasn't surprised by. However, how they were represented as individual characters with their personalities was just strikingly surprising. Especially the female counterpart of the characters from The Assassin's Blade. (You guys know who I'm talking about. Yeah, sass overload.) She was literally the embodiment of everything this book needed, apart from the rest of the amazingness that was Empire of Storms. 
 I can say this now: the climax of this novel left me shocked, shivering and quivering in tears when I got home from school. I tried to hide in my tears, no joke, and then I just cried when I got home because my god thAT ENDING RIPPED ME INTO A THOUSAND PIECES OH MY GOD MY BABIES. So, yeah, you can see from the professional aspect of this review (ahem, yep so not professional) that I loved this book. 
 The writing style was amazing, as always, and Sarah's writing has improved so much over the course of this series, it's actually so amazing. I want to rant on and on about it but I don't want to leave you crying tears of utter boredom. 
 Some of my favourite quotes include: 
 "Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will always love you." 
 "A storm is coming. A great storm." 
 "War is sanctioned murder, no matter what side you're on." 
 "Aelin had raised an army not just to challenge Morath, but to rattle the stars." 
 And then, as we all know it, this is where the spoilers begin after I say one more thing with four words which will hit you to the heart in a punch so powerful: 
 "Nameless is my price." 
 /someone please message me in private message about this book I need to discuss right now tbh about particular things ok thanks bye fam/ 
 (view spoiler)[The prologue, Nightfall, was one of my favourite chapters in this entire fucking series. It was so pure and beautiful and described the time before Throne of Glass so well. Gavin and Elena had tried to hard to prepare themselves against Erawan but Elena had plans for Aelin to come along, or just any warrior but her in particular, to take back the crown and show the whole of fucking Erilea who's boss. 
 She hopes that the scions of the night would "forgive her for what she was about to do." ...Let me just say that, frankly, this was so grand to the series and added so much and I loved it. Amazing. Amazing amazing amazing. 
 Then there's Elena at the end when she showed Aelin the past when she was tossing and turning and thrashing in the waters at the creek or riverside or whatever. That broke me I don't feel what is even what. AND THEN MAEVE. FUCK. She was all "yeah, I've been preparing for you and Rowan; I knew you two would end up together and that I could use that against you." What a fucking rutting bitch. Who would even think of doing such a thing? 
 Then we have the whole Rowan-finding-Aelin-fuckin'-being-whipped-and-whipped-and-whipped-by-Maeve thing and when they got married, and he's all "my wife" and "my wife" and I'm just sitting here like wait hold up buddy what the fuck YES GOALS FOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP AND I JUST <3 THEM SO MUCH UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH. 
 Okay okay okay, but Aelin being boxed up in a coffin sent away to gods-know-where with Maeve in her possession? That is not okay and I need my Queen of Terrasen back by the end of book 6 or I'm going to have to go all Wyrdkey-power on Maeve's HIGH FAE ASS. I'LL WHOOP YA GURL. 
 Oh, and our ships? Yeah, Rowaelin are going beautifully in the way of progression except for Rowan crying in his hawk form when he's trying to find Aelin fuck me I want them together again my god I'm crying halp pls. Then Elide and Lorcan. YES YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT. ELIDE. AND. L.O.R.C.A.N. They honestly blend so well together. Especially when those ilken bitches were hunting them (which was described amazingly btw Sarah well done) and then the whole situation of them having to go on a carnival tour thing with Lorcan and Elide in the tent. God, that was some intense shit. Sexual tension amirite. 
 Manon. And. Dorian. Bitch. Yes. that fucking sex scene was everything I needed in my life. They go so well together oh my god I knew my babies would make it in the end that was just pure amazing. Aedion and Lysandra, too. I ship them. It's going to happen I just know it; in book 6, they better be all official because EoS hinted at it but didn't clearly suggest it happening. We'll see, we'll see... 
 Unfortunately we didn't get any of Chaol or Nesryn in this, which I was disappointed by but y'know what I don't mind because the rest of these characters were just purely amazing and it left me in such heartache for some of their experiences and struggles they go through. 
 Chapter 65, though. That was some intense shit and such good world-building. Elena and the three-faced one (who was that by the way, someone please message me about that I need to discuss) were in the Obsidian Passes. I couldn't locate this on the map. I'm assuming it's somewhere hidden deep in it or it will be added to the map in book 6, but we'll see. Also, GAVIN WAS IN IT KMS. These historical characters are a beauty. In that chapter, too, Nehemia was talking to Elena at the Temple of Sandrian (I'm assuming somewhere near the Stone Marshes, which means in Eyllwe). AND YES I SAID NEHEMIA. SHE'S NOT BACK FROM THE DEAD OR MAYBE SHE IS I'M SO CONFUSED WHAT IS GOING ON HELP IT'S LIKE AN EPISODE OF LOST. 
 If someone could help me understand this too, "Nameless is my price" is the brand that Brannon gave Aelin in saying that he was preparing her for the events to come? I have a bit of trouble understanding that part because IT'S ALL HIGH FANTASY NOW. 
 The last scene I'm going to talk about is Lysandra's Big Thing. Yes. Yes yes yes. When she turned into sea dragon form, wiping out the Valg ships and armadas and fleets and then taking out the three sea-wyverns with their adults and that was just fucking awesome. When they visited Rolfe in Skull's Bay (god that bitch hadn't changed with his land rights aye) and then meeting Ansel again when Aelin reunited with her oh bless my heart and sOUL THAT WAS SO GOOD SASS QUEEEEENS). 
 Finally Erawan. We all are ready for his war. Or not, you know. But this thing... how he came out of that guy's chest with eyes like embers... oh, I'm so fucking pumped for book six. (hide spoiler)]