Tower of Dawn - Sarah J Maas

I don't know what it is about SJM's books, but I devour them faster than any other. Granted, I listen to the audiobooks, and Elizabeth Evan's is nothing short of an artist in weaving the characters and giving each voice their own quality. After Empire of Storms, when I read the blurb for Tower of Dawn and say it was Chaol's story, I will admit I hesitated. Not because I dislike the character, but because of the cliffhanger that EoS left us hanging on. But I knew I couldn't skip ToD, so charged on, and I'm glad I did.
I know a lot of readers dislike Chaol, but I honestly don't. I get part of why he acted as he did, but chalked it up to SJM's habit of taking the original love interest and making them the villain to force readers to love the new love interest (case and point, Tamlin in ACOTAR). I had a feeling the story would bring in important twists that were essential for the final book, and I was right. Yrene is fiesty and strong, and I loved her character. I never really jived with the Nesrin and Chaol relationship, so wasn't too upset to see them each find someone better suited fairly early. The court intrigue and sibling rivalries of the new characters made for excellent forward motion, as did the mystery of who the valg had infiltrated. I'll admit, I never thought of that character when it was revealed, but in hindsight, it was brilliant. 
Chaol's journey was spectacularly done, giving his character the depth and emotional growth that was lacking in the previous books. The inclusion of new characters rounds out the cast well, and the reveal that changes the game was one I'm kicking myself for not realizing sooner.
Bascially, another win for SJM, and I can't wait to get my next Audible credit so I can start Kingdom of Ash. 

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