Sarah J. Maas will be at Changing Hands on September 2 to discuss her latest novel, "Queen of Shadows."

Photo by Ben Moffat and Ben Moffat | The State Press 'Queen of Shadows,' a novel by Sarah J. Maas, is pictured on Monday, Aug. 31, 2015.

By Danica Barnett | 08/31/2015 8:18pm

When Sarah J. Maas introduced the world to a fiery teen assassin named Celaena Sardonthien in “Throne of Glass,” we read in awe as she was forced to use her killing talents to take down the foes of her enemy, the King.

Maas now has a new novel in the "Throne of Glass" series hitting stores Tuesday called “Queen of Shadows."

At the beginning of the novel, Celaena has come to terms with her identity as a queen that can control fire. She returns to a place where magic is gone and the King has joined forces with a breed of nasty demons that cause nothing but trouble for our beloved protagonist.

Celaena teams up with her former lover Chaol and King of Assassins Arrobyn to rescue her cousin from his execution at the hands of the King.

If you’re a fan of powerful, badass female characters, Maas’ books are must-reads. Celaena, whether she is battling her past or her future as the rightful queen of the throne known as Aelin, fights with a vengeance for her crown and the lives of everyone she loves.

“She was fire, and light, and ash, and embers,” Maas writes. “She was Aelin Fireheart, and she bowed for no one and nothing, save the crown that was hers by blood and survival and triumph.”

From Elide, the crippled servant girl, to Lyssandra, the former courtesan, none of the women in this novel will disappoint you. Using their flirtatious tones and the hope for a better future, they fight alongside Celaena to stop the King from bringing darkness to the world.

Maas packs action, multiple story arcs and plot twists into a 656-page book. Told from the perspective of multiple characters, it’s easy to get confused reading “Queen of Shadows,” but the epic fantasy is worth the read.

At the end, you’ll be cheering, swearing and crying until you fall into a book hangover that will last until the sequel to her much steamier fantasy series “A Court of Thorns and Roses" is released next year. While you wait, check out Maas’ novel playlist and “Throne of Glass” Pinterest board to go deeper into the world of Erilea.

Maas will be at Changing Hands bookstore in Tempe on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. to discuss her teen fantasy series with local author Rae Carson and sign copies of her books.

Disclaimer: An advanced readers copy of this book was received from a publicist at Bloomsbury Publishing.

Related Links:

Book Group gives exposure to ASU authors

Literally Speaking: New Changing Hands Bookstore Location

Reach the reporter at dlbarnet@asu.edu or follow @danicalbarnett on Twitter.

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