Jaclyn’s Review: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City Book 1)
written by Sarah J. Maas
published by Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Apple Books, Target, Kobo, Book Depository, Goodreads

Did I enjoy this book? There are a few authors who have me completely smitten, and Sarah J. Maas is one of them. I will read any book that she writes, so naturally I had to read this one. I love that she is able to create a world that is completely different in each of her series. That being said, it is disappointing that each of her heroines look and act exactly the same. Each of her main males is interchangeable. That doesn’t make me love them any less, I just wish there was more variety. I really struggled with the world building in this book. There’s a city, but it’s part of some type of empire (?). Within the city there are multiple districts. There are a bunch of different fantasy creatures: angels, wolves, faeries, humans, miscellaneous others. Each of these fantasy creatures is supposed to live, and mostly stay, within their districts, but they also move around. And then there is a whole dynamic of this ruling class that I don’t understand at all. I spent the first 10% of this book trying to map everything out in my head and make sense of everything. I quickly realized that I had two options: give up on figuring out all the layers of structure or give up on the book entirely. I forged on, completely ignoring the politics and physical barriers, and confusing dynamics . . . and didn’t miss out on a single thing! There were plot twists and heartache and some more plot twists! I was so disappointed when this book ended because I simply wasn’t ready to be done. I am eagerly waiting for the next book in the series to be written.

Would I recommend it? This is a LONG book, so buckle up for a pretty big time investment. But if you like young adult fantasy, this is the book for you!
 

 

About the book – from Goodreads: Bound by blood.
Tempted by desire.
Unleashed by destiny.

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.

 

 
 

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** This post first appeared on Every Free Chance Books (everyfreechance.com) on June 16, 2021.