HOLY CRAP ON A STICK. This one is sooooooo worth it. It's a lot longer than I expected it to be, but it covered so much and by the time the ending came along, I found myself gaping at the pages over and over. The beginning took off slow for me, probably because of the super horrible (okay, awesome...) cliff hanger from Crown of Midnight, and I just wanted things to happen. Well, Maas takes her time staging everything just right to slap you in the face, trust me. 
 There were a lot of differences in this novel, as well, which kind of caught me off guard. Namely, the introduction of the man-eater/heartless/soulless/blood-thirsty witch whose point of view from which we see all of the Ironteeth clans uneasily gather together (remember how I described Manon? Yeah, they're all like that) to train for and compete in a competition for the King. Here, Maas introduces wyverns into the story. Since the witches are without their brooms to fly on, they're bribed with the animals to ride that I picture to be like Toothless from How to Train your Dragon. And they're just as blood-thirsty and vicious as the witches. I 
 hated 
 Manon and I abhorred her murderous introduction to the novel. However, I found myself coming to thaw once she chose her wyvern because holy crap does Maas throw you a curve ball and I'm such a freaking sucker for animals. (Really the whole novel isn't what you expect it to be so good luck hitting anything that she throws at you) I lovveeee Abraxos, mainly because I love underdogs, but he is such a loyal freaking beast and he suffered through senseless torture and I want him even if he's going to help the King of Adarlan. By the end, Manon had gained so much respect from me that I hope to hear more from her in the coming books. 
 Next, FREAKING ROWAN. Ugh, this man. I am completely in love with him and I totally appreciated Maas' deviation from standard plot lines with his character and Celaena. They completely hate each other at first, but they gain true friendship along the way and they don't resort to something stupid like falling in love with each other along their journey. (THANK GOODNESS BECAUSE HE IS MINE.) Ugh, though. They take so much out on each other and they both reveal true flaws to each other and their actions aren't excused by their past. (THANK YOU!!) Anyway, he is utterly perfect and (view spoiler)[I really really really want magic to go away so that he can go into Adarlan with Aelin. (hide spoiler)] 
 Ugh, Celaena's journey is so ridiculously good, too. She hurts and wastes away until Rowan helps her to crawl out of the darkness where she is able to find herself again. Holy crap does she fight him along the way, though. So many things happen that I don't want to spoil but it is just so good that you need to read it. Right now. The supporting stories from Adarlan, too, just keeps you from ever settling in. I'm literally never able to predict what's going to happen next no matter where I'm at in this book. I swear, even the last 10 pages have enough surprises in them to make me beg for the next one. Seriously, I don't want to review the plot because I don't want to even spoil one thing for you. Just scoot over to the nearest book store/library/amazon NOW and read this series.