Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, 1)

Amazon Best Teen Book of the Month, August 2012: Adarlan’s Assassin was the most feared killer in the world--until she was captured and sent to a prison labor camp to rot. But when the Prince needs a skilled fighter to battle in the royal court and become the King’s Champion, he pulls the assassin out of prison only to find she is a blonde 18-year-old girl. Celaena is as beautiful as she is deadly and she jumps at the chance to earn her freedom. Her mission seems straightforward: be the last (wo)man standing at the end of the competition. What she doesn’t expect is to develop feelings for the two men protecting her and to make an unlikely ally in a princess. Sarah J. Maas’ debut is stunning from beginning to end. Throne of Glass stands-out because of its memorable setting (there is actually a castle made of glass), strong characters, and continuous heart-stopping action sequences. Celaena is a heroine as memorable for her fighting abilities as she is for her quick wit and large heart and I can’t wait to see her grow and change throughout this exciting new series. --Caley Anderson