Stranded in Wendlyn, Celaena is barely recognizable as the girl who used to be the toughest assassin. After the death of her friend, she is broken and doesn't know what to do. When the Queen of the Fae summons her, she will be forced to confront the destiny she has been burying inside her for ten years: her rightful claim to the throne of her fallen kingdom.

For some reason (maybe just the popularity of trilogies), I thought HEIR OF FIRE was the last in this series, and I read the vast majority of the book like that. This is definitely not the last book, and I absolutely recommend not going into the story thinking it is. With that said, HEIR OF FIRE is an amazing continuation of the series Sarah J. Maas has spun.

While this book has plenty of action, the heart of the story lies in the character growth of Celaena, Chaol, Dorian, and a new character, Manon. Celaena has once again faced heartbreaking tragedy with the end of Crown of Midnight, and her sorrow really takes its toll on her. She isn't out and out suicidal, but she definitely doesn't have much care for her life anymore. When Rowan (a prince of the Fae court) is assigned to train her in her magic, the two put each other through quite a bit, but their growing friendship is absolutely beautiful. Meanwhile, Chaol is struggling to let go of Celaena, and his parts made me just want to hug him. He also has to face how far his honor will take him and who he will actually be loyal to. I've always loved his character, and he certainly doesn't have it easy in this book. Dorian finds a new romance with a healer named Sorscha while he tries to control his own magic. They are so cute together, and it's nice seeing his character happy again. The new, more central character of Manon is also a treat. She is a cutthroat witch part of a fearsome coven that the king has summoned. I'm extremely curious to see what happens with her in the next book.

For fans of this series, HEIR OF FIRE is definitely one you want to read. Sarah J. Maas packs this installment with plenty of punches and kinder moments, and the suspense leading up to the next book is completely breathtaking.