★★★☆☆ (3/5)

After finishing A Court of Thorns and Roses, I was curious to continue the series, mostly because everyone kept saying that A Court of Mist and Fury was the book that changes everything. And honestly? I can understand why so many readers love this one more.

From the beginning, I found myself more interested in the story than I was in the first book. Even though the pacing felt slow at times, with a lot of back-and-forth between courts and long moments inside the house, I still enjoyed it more overall because the characters finally started to feel more developed.

One of my biggest issues with the first book was Feyre and Tamlin’s relationship. I never truly felt their chemistry or emotional connection, and unfortunately, that feeling continued here. Their romance often felt empty to me, and the intimate moments between them lacked emotion and depth. I never really connected with Tamlin as a character either.

What truly made this book more enjoyable for me was Rhysand.

Getting to know Rhysand better completely changed the reading experience. I loved seeing more layers to his personality and understanding his motivations, especially through the way he protects and cares for his people. The more the story progressed, the more interesting he became. I also really enjoyed the growing dynamic between him and Feyre. Instead of an instant romance, their relationship slowly builds through trust, friendship, understanding, and emotional support, and that felt much more believable to me.

I also appreciated Feyre’s personal growth in this book. Compared to the first novel, she feels more human, more emotionally developed, and more aware of herself. Watching her slowly reclaim parts of herself was probably one of my favorite aspects of the story.

That being said, I still had mixed feelings while reading.

Around the middle of the book, there were moments where Feyre’s behavior felt immature to me, especially during some of the more sexual conversations and scenes. At times, it pulled me out of the story instead of adding to it. There were also a few fantasy/action sequences that I struggled to visualize clearly.

Overall, I can absolutely see why this is the fan favorite in the series. The character development is much stronger, Rhysand brings a completely different energy to the story, and Feyre becomes a much more compelling protagonist. Even though I still wasn’t fully obsessed with the book, I enjoyed it significantly more than the first one.