Letting go of a beloved book is no meager task. So, more often than not, I advocate foregoing the experience altogether. (Cling to that book! Cling to it!)

In late spring of this year, we were bombarded with a slew of anticipated releases in the YA community: Cassandra Clare's Lady Midnight, Morgan Matson's The Unexpected Everything, Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven King, and Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Mist and Fury.

Casual readers would have been mildly excited, read each as they came out, and moved on.

But we are no casual readers in these bookish circles, so... the clinging continues.

A Court of Mist and Fury was, simply put, a book I never knew I needed until I got it. Which isn't to say it wasn't highly anticipated - both Natalie and I speculated about it (on the blog and off) incessantly, the whole year long. But whatever our expectations might have been, and however high - ACOMAF demolished them in record time. I've raved about the characters, the setting, the plot and the world in my review here on the blog already. But when it comes to its themes - its addressal of freedom and consent, of the many forms abuse can take, of a loss of identity, of trauma and recovery... I will never, ever get tired of that praise. And in that name - I chose to cling to it some more through endless re-reads, an avowal to obtain the book in every medium available, and - naturally - fan art.



A spoiler alert might be in order for all who haven't read the sequel. I apologize, guys. The piece itself is mildly spoilery.

Much like Feyre herself at the outset of book, I haven't actually painted in a good, long while. Unlike Feyre, however, my break was not due to trauma or depression as much as it was about a lack of time. Take up blogging on top of fifty other passions and watch your free time wither into nothing. As this piece has clearly taught me, however - we can always find the time. It's just a matter of inspiration.

And if there's any place where inspiration is just waiting to happen to you - it's literature.

So here's to all the books that inspire us - and to written art breeding visual art, and vice versa.

And here's to the agonizing wait for book three.




To whom it may concern, pieces of me live in other online places, too. So you might be able to find this piece now (or in upcoming days) in one of my other virtual artistic retreats:


In the interim, let us know what you think of the piece, and feel free to share any and all bookish fan art you create (or which you love/collect/appreciate) in the comments below! In case I haven't made it abundantly clear already - I eat fan art like others eat chocolate. And I also eat chocolate. Best of both worlds.