u/Defiant_Stable_344

I devoured Shield of Sparrows and I think it was one of the best books of 2025.

And now I come to Rites of Starling and ....what IS THIS? Based on the hysterical, glowing, worshipful reviews I was prepared to have my mind blown.

I am at 50% of this boring mess and we do not have any male characters for a supposed 'romantasy'. Where is the romance in romantasy? Give me someone with a penis! Where is the longing? the worry? the desire? the yearning? For the love of god. How much more of riding on a horse can we take? Everything is so boring and so convenient. Oh, look, there is a monster! No problem, someone will conveniently take care of it.

Even the fundamentals of the book are confusing. What is Odessa's journey? What is she trying to accomplish? She is going back to her homeland to do what exactly? Convince her father who doesn't give a crap about her of something? To stop the infection? To start the infection? (also, >!Lyssa is already spread all over the continent. !<So again, what is Odessa trying to achieve? What's her dad going to do?)

The second storyline with Cassia--i already guessed who she is--but it's also boring?

None of these side characters seem to matter or are interesting. They pop up and then disappear. I don't understand what the stakes are with any of them.

Did anyone else feel the same about this book or am I missing something?

There are all kinds of things happening with Gwyn as a character--she is a Priestess, she is a Valkyrie, she is Nesta's friend, she is a Carynthian. She potentially has a story related to her background. She may or may not be a Lightsinger. Whatever she is, she has some interesting powers.

Her romance with Azriel isn't guaranteed though. If there is no romance, does that impact your interest? and who (realistically, not headcanon) could be a romantic partner for her, if SJM decided to go that way? Tarquin? Emerie? Balthazar? Mor? A new character? A crossover character?

We know that Rhys gave House of Wind to Nesta and Cassian as a gift. Very nice. Very generous.

The problem, as I see it, is that Nesta cannot fly or winnow. Which consequently means that Nesta cannot get inside her own house???

This wouldn't bother me normally, but this point has been the literal foundation of ACOSF. Basically, it's 10,000 steps up and down, or staying put. This was the reason why Nesta was in HoW for months. The reason for her training. The reason for her dependency on Cassian. This isn't supposed to be a trivial note in the book.

So, first of all, how do you think Nesta gets in and out of HOW? Is she just waiting for Cassian or Az every time she needs to go out? Does she climb 10,000 steps? Is she still virtually a prisoner?

And second of all, is anyone else annoyed by this? Because SJM sold 70 million books and has 6 editors. And NONE of them caught this? None of them questioned her on the logistics? None of them demanded an explanation? She herself hasn't thought of this?

So I've been struggling with this for the past 2 ACOTAR books, and the addition of HOFAS hasn't helped.

I don't know if I am alone in this, but I feel like I don't really know what these books, what ACOTAR is about right now.

After we were finished with the main trilogy, with Feysand's story, does anyone feel like SJM has been floundering?

>!Because it's weird that we got a therapy book, haven't had a real villain for 2 books, because what is even Koschei at this point? then we jumped to HOFAS, we got the whole history of Prythian told in a different series! and then we had the FMC of another series come and 'revive' a Court IN PRYTHIAN, and then we have these other villains, who are...are they gone? dead? or are we supposed to think that the Asteri would show up in Prythian? And then we have Nesta and Azriel who are straddling TWO series now, and Elain's been under wraps like she is Fort Knox, and I don't even understand what is happening to Bryce in relation to ACOTAR.!<

Between all the stupid shipwars and the length of time that's passed, I am fining it difficult to even know what the story is. Because it feels like there are 12 separate stories happening right now.

I think it's frustrating me. I don't know if anyone else feels kind of un-anchored when it comes to ACOTAR as a whole? And yes, the promise of these huge books is good, but without even knowing the FMC, and we are nearly in May now, I think my frustration is increasing. WHAT IS THE GODDAMN STORY THAT I AM SUPPOSED TO LOOK FORWARD TO??

Going into book 6, I am operating under the assumption that the Dusk Court and its potential revival would be a huge part of the book(s).

However, right now, I am kind of struggling with who'd be responsible for it? and who'd rule it? and who'd inhabit it?

CC spoilers below

As it stands right now, we have 2 people who are of direct line to Theia, and that's Bryce and Rhys. Rhys through Seline and Bryce through Helena. Rhys is also native to Prythian, and has a closer connection to all the Courts, not to mention that he is a High Lord.

However, we also have Mor, who might be Theia's Heir too, because her family were the OG rulers of Night Court. So she is a possibility too. She is also described as a 'queen'. But she is also technically an Heir to Hewn City.

(Hewn City is a whole other different beast which I have so many questions about)

In addition to the direct lineage, we also have Nesta and Azriel. And Elain.

So Nesta and Elain were directly Made by the Cauldron. Which potentially makes them Starborn. Just like Bryce, and maybe Rhys? But the question I've been asking myself is whether Feyre is also Starborn, and her glowing during sex actually has nothing to do with Helion, but is an indicator of her Starborn connection.

Which potentially makes all three sisters Starborn. Starborn power is Theia's. The only other person we know of right now who is starborn is Bryce.

And then there is Azriel, who is a dark horse in all of this. (I'll preface this by saying that I dont believe that Azriel is just some random Illyrian bastard who had too many siphons).

it would seem that the Dusk Court and Avallen in CC are connected. Cormack, who is the Crown Prince of the Avallen Fae is also a 'shadowsinger'.

• Avallen Magic: As the son of the High King of the Avallen Fae, Cormac had the ability to manipulate shadows. This included summoning and walking through them, and cloaking himself and others in darkness. (wiki)

So Azriel who is a shadowsinger also carries a Made dagger which was immediately recognized by Vesperus the Asteri.

Not to mention that Azriel dropped 'the sentries know me in the Prison' comment back in Acomaf. (we dont know if Rhys has to let Azriel into prison himself or if Azriel just goes there, which he technically shouldn't be able to do).

Even darker horse is Elain. We don't know enough about her and her connection to Dusk at this point (even though I believe that when she heard that heartbeat and assumed that it was Lucien's was in fact Vesperus).

So. Thoughts? Theories? Ideas?