I think ACOTAR is the perfect first book but I think ACOMAF is probably the best book in the series. It is my absolute favorite for so many reasons. Maas does this amazing job of showcasing just how much Under the Mountain impacted Feyre. We have her clearly struggling with some serious PTSD... and Tamlin... well.. per the norm is oblivious. Ianthe, a new character, and a Priestess becomes an annoyance. Lucien... well he seems less like a friend and more like Tamlin's lackey. I think it's all these things... and watching Feyre beg to be let in and be a part of things that just makes you hate all of them.

However, it's okay because all of this causes Rhys to enter the narrative in the most dramatic way humanly possible. We then get her visits which are a requirement of the bargain she made. Rhys begins to show us a side we didn't get before and quickly works his way into the reader's heart. Especially with the stark contrast to Tamlin in this one. We get the back and forth between Night Court and Spring Court, a dramatic shift for Feyre, and then an intense narrative. One in which romance is important, but like now we have the threat of war from Hybern.

I adore this book because I think it has amazing character development and even shows us parts of characters we were blind to before. Feyre slowly goes from this broken creature to this powerful Fae. It's a beautiful transition to watch happen. Not to mention the found family vibes in this one. I think Rhys has a court which works so well together and one in which Feyre easily fits in. I have to say the Night Court is probably my favorite part of this story. Even as a reread this book had me in my feels. It turns out it was almost like reading it again for the first time.

Maas really knows how to play on the emotions and she has the uncanny ability to hold it all until the end. I think this one is probably one of my favorites though because we get a lot of big reveals throughout and then the end is just this masterpiece where you are constantly ready to scream, cry, laugh and throw things. I think this one is high on my list of books I wish I could read for the first time again. I think it has all the elements you want in a romantasy.