Welcome to Litsy!

3✨ Some say this should be the first book, some after the third book. Wherever it is placed it hurts. It‘s shows us the depth of our main characters hurt.

I hadn't known that I needed a collection of novellas in my life.

#TurnthePage @Bookwormjillk 2 out of 5
#LitsylovesSJM @StayCurious

#LittensLoveSJM @StayCurious, thanks for hosting this #BuddyRead. Some of these novellas were hard because we knew the end, but we got a clearer picture of the characters. #Read2025 @DieAReader #TurnThePage @Bookwormjillk

#LittensLoveSJM #ToG Novella 5: the assassin and the empire: Well, we did it. We read it and got through it. We knew the ending and we were…sort of…prepared. And honestly, I‘m glad I read these novellas after getting to know Celaena a bit. A lot of people find her unlikeable. I think that yea, she can be difficult at times, but man-she could win an Olympic gold medal in trauma. This girl has been through it. ⬇️

I found some of the stories to have a lot of filler. I can see why the reading order is so controversial with that ending, ultimately I‘m glad for where we read AB with #littensloveSJM because I don‘t know if I would have thought much of Celaena if we‘d read it 1st & that ending is bleak with no real inkling of what‘s in store. The best part for me was the little things we had heard about in the 1st 3 books getting fleshed out.

It‘s a reading and floating day - finishing the last part of The Assassin‘s Blade for #LittensloveSJM I didn‘t love it, I miss the witches but I do look forward to seeing some of the characters from these stories in Celaena‘s travels and seeing Arobynn die a horrible death

#LittensLoveSJM #ToG Novella 4: The assassin and the underworld: Celaena is back in Rifthold and after all the talk of Arobynne we get to meet him in the flesh. I think he‘s such a piece of work. Poor Celaena and poor Sam, growing up in that world. And now Celaena has seen that there could be something better for her and Sam. ⬇️

#LittensLoveSJM #ToG The Assassin and the desert: Celaena is sent to train with the master of the Silent Assassins in the desert as punishment for defying Arobynne - after he beat the crap out of her and did god knows what to Sam. Celaena meets a girl named Ansel who has had a difficult traumatic life, just like Celaena - and she makes a friend.⬇️

An afternoon fire and reading session. Jumping back into this series! I have no idea when I‘m supposed to read this, but I get why people read it after the second book, so that‘s what I‘m doing.

#LittensLoveSJM #ToG The Assassin and the Healer: this was a great story and another example of Celaena finding a way to help someone and do something for the greater good. She meets Yrene, a wannabe healer who is adrift and feeling lost in the wake of Adarlan‘s conquest. She teaches Yrene some valuable lessons and gives her the means to become what she is destined to be. I have a feeling we will be seeing Yrene again. ⬇️

#WeekendReading

#LittensLoveSJM The Assassin and the Pirate Lord: What a wild swashbuckling ride this was! We get to see 16-year-old Celaena, brash and reckless, sent with Sam on a mission by Arobynn. They are supposed to make a deal with Rolfe, the Pirate Lord, but Arobynn wasn‘t completely forthcoming in the reason for their mission. We see elements of Arobynn‘s corruption and Celaena starts to lose trust in her Master. She also grows closer to her rival Sam⬇️

#wdncw we don‘t care that it is 2 pm, we are flying to Thunder Bay ( to take oldest to teachers college) and we paid good money for this wee bottle of white wine with our Air Canada ticket price 😉 ( John was aghast at the day drinking 😂 and we don‘t care about that either) #littenslovesjm

repost fpr @StayCurious

#LittensLoveSJM #ToG Next is to go back to the beginning with the prequel novellas. B/c they‘re broken up by book, we‘ll read one per week and I‘ll post on Saturday: Aug 30, Sept 6, 13, 20, finishing on Sept 27. I‘ve heard reading these novellas gives information that is valuable for the rest of the series. If you‘re not able to join, let me know and I can remove you from my main SJM tag list or save you for the next book.

#bookspinbingo stack for September! #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

#LittensLoveSJM #ToG Next in our journey is to go back to the beginning with the prequel novellas. B/c they‘re broken up by book, we‘ll read one per week and I‘ll post on each Saturday: Aug 30, Sept 6, 13, 20, finishing on Sept 27. I‘ve been told reading these novellas gives information that is valuable for the rest of the series. If you‘re not able to join, let me know and I can remove you from my main SJM tag list or save you for the next book.

I suppose I should have read this series before ACOTAR, but I didn't. And here we are. I'm feeling a bit like this one won't catch me the same way that did it, but im interested, so I'll continue. I'm glad I started here. #40-2025

A bit of a slow start, but then I really got invested. Celaena is an appealing, if somewhat frustrating, mix of accomplished and naive, snobby and self-assured, yet vulnerable. Her quest for independence is a brave one, when I remembered how young she is. Her trials are engaging and the story is pretty gripping. I saw all the pitfalls coming miles away, but I think you‘re supposed to? Even though she does not. Great lead-in to a series.

The Assassin & The Empire - anyone else want to absolutely destroy Arobynn?

The Assassin and the Underworld. 2nd favourite of the five novellas so far.

The Assassin and the Desert. This one hurt. Well told and interesting but made my heart hurt a little.

The Assassin and the Healer. Short and sweet.

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord - Pretty good but it left me not lifelong young Calaena much, even with the good deed she did. #tog

4.5/5 ?????

“My name is Celaena Sardothien," she whispered, "and I will not be afraid.”

#fantasy #assassin #throneofglass

Here we go! Read this one first— I have so much more respect for the main character now!

This is the only TOG book I‘ve struggled through so far.

I got the Throne of Glass box set so of course I need to do a reread 🥹❤️ I still fell inlove with the story and cried as much as the first time ❤️ Last time I listened to all the audiobooks so it‘ll be fun reading the physical copies 📚#catsoflitsy

So now I am starting on the Throne of Glass series. I enjoyed reading the novella bind up. It was an easy read and an interesting way to start the series. I rated this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

Each novella‘s fine, and overall the book works fine, but I spent the entire time thinking about how awkward it is to read a set of novellas in the middle of a series of “regular” novels, even though I can‘t defend the argument that it should be read first…because if you read it first, you‘ll know too much to be surprised about the ending of the 2nd book. So, in the wise words of my old lit professor, this book is [AWK].

Well, finished this today. Another entertaining read. Do I just keep going with the series or take a break and read something else? We‘ll see what I‘m feeling tonight when I go to bed and want to read.

Just finished this!! Not sure how i loved an assassin, but she (the assassin) was sooooo likable! 👏🎉

I enjoyed this book so much. It gives a great lookout into what Celaena endured before she was sent to the Salt Mines and then to the Glass Palace. The horrors of what happened to Sam. This book has so much going on and will give you lots of the feels.

Full review: https://lsmoore49.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-assassins-blade-by-sarah-j-maas.html

5⭐️ I think I gave this a lower score, though, not by much, the first time I read it. But going back and re-reading it, I realize that for me, it is a five star. I feel that I was truly with the FMC throughout the entire book. Maybe this is because I read the whole series and have already made a connection with her. I don‘t know why, but I love the story, and it ripped my heart out every time. 😭 If you know you know.

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! 🥳🎉🎉🎉 It is an absolutely gorgeous day, with lots and lots of sunshine! Currently, I am at the park with a little picnic lunch, and of course a book! I couldn't ask for a better day! 💕📚

I can‘t wait to read the rest of the series

I really love being a librarian! 💕📚 Some days are better than others, obviously, but on days like this I am just filled with bookish joy! ☺️ The Throne of Glass series is super popular, and I'm always replacing the library copies with new ones, usually one at a time as they get worn out - so I just ordered a brand new complete set for the library! They arrived today, and I'm so excited to see them! Now they all match, and look so lovely! 😍

4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 #throneofglass #fantasy #romance #sarahjmaas

I sobbed like crazy.

FULL REVIEW: https://abookandateacup.blogspot.com/2019/01/review-assassins-blade.html

Reading this book 3rd is the definition of dating someone who you know will break your heart. I still don‘t regret reading it third though, otherwise Idk if I would have had it in me to like other new characters and continue on with the series. This is a great book. You get to know Celaena and what led her to become who she is in book 1. I do not think I will forget its last chapters any time soon. It made me appreciate my life and those I love.

I‘m on the very last story of The Assassin‘s Blade novella; I‘ve heard I‘m about to have my heart ripped out. Even though I know how it ends, I‘m not sure reading the details will be enjoyable 🥲

Starting this one. Hope it lives up to the hype.

Go through all these novellas that made up the Assassins Blade. I can see where it said to read this prequel after the third book. Yet - YET - these would have been such a better introduction to Celeana‘s story in the Keep. This explained her plight more than “book 1”.
Underground novella was not a favorite of them, but it still showed quite a detail in who Celeana is as a person.

“‘My name is Celaena Sardothien,‘ she whispered, ‘and I will not be afraid.‘”
#January2024

My library has almost all the short stories separate. Or at least, with less time as the whole book of all has a 24 week wait. So no issue reading these #sjm
Desert: I liked this one. The idea of the silent assassins and the Mute Master… incredible mystery at the end. Also, HORSES!!
Empire: wasn‘t too into this, as I already knew where it was going. Yes, it ached to know that. But it also didn‘t let it really sink in. Until the end. Just damn

I started another novella from THE ASSASSIN‘S BLADE after I finished tonight‘s novel. I‘ve been rereading one every time I finish another book this month. Hopefully I‘ll manage to do a full series reread by the end of the year. Throne of Glass is uneven, but when it‘s on it‘s ON.

Starting a buddy read with @Kaylaapps to begin reading the TOG series -finally! 🤩

Let‘s just say it was so good I immediately grabbed the next one in the series. 10/10

2.5⭐️s

I‘ve only read the first two books so far before trying out this prequel. I‘m struggling with the series. I have book 3 in print but haven‘t been able to get through it, so placed a hold for the audiobook at my library.

Current #weekendreads:
Listening to the #audiobook of The Assassin‘s Blade
The Only Plane in the Sky is a #buddyread w/ a friend
Just started the #arc of The Taken Ones and I‘m devouring it.

@rachelsbrittain