I don’t think I have ever feared walking into a store that sells books more than on the days a new Sarah J. Maas book is released. This newest release was no exception, as I watched a very angry fans harass a Walmart employee over an exclusive copy of the book… Like the other books in her series, I ended up devouring this book over the course of 48 hours and I went through quite a few emotions as I was reading. The most recent installment in the Crescent City universe hints at some epic battles as everything that Bryce Quinlan is fighting for comes to a head.
Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this review, please know that there will be spoilers of the previous two books. If you haven’t read them, please click away, but I encourage you to try them out. In the previous book, Bryce Quinlan ended up doing what few that was possible. She has travelled between worlds to save Midgard, but has not ended up where she thought. Stranded in a new and unknown world, she’s going to need her strength and wits about her in order to survive. Meanwhile, Hunt Athalar finds himself in the Asteri dungeons once more, being tortured and stripped of his freedom while his mate’s fate remains shrouded in mystery. The future rests upon the shoulders upon them, but only if they can make it out alive.
Okay! After that very exciting summary, I can honestly say that this book attempted to deliver on a lot of promises, and in my opinion, fell a little short of the expectations. The story had left us in suspense, and with an opportunity to connect the ACOTAR and CC worlds in an amazing way. I will endeavour not to spoil anything about this, but what I will say is that I was a little disappointed in the way that this was executed. It felt like something was missing from Bryce’s interactions with the characters that were featured, and while I understood part of why it was done that way, there was an opportunity to create a deeper connection with some of our favourite characters. What was even more upsetting is that there are bonus chapters within the exclusive editions that give you glimpses into some meaningful moments between certain characters, but you’d have to buy several copies of the book in order to be able to have access to them. This felt more like a marketing opportunity than an actual plot point.
There are some characters that really shined within this book. Ruhn and Lidia was the storyline that I was most excited about. One of them did feel like it came out of nowhere, however, it made sense for the character (won’t say which one because of spoilers). Tharion was another character that had a fascinating story line within House of Flame and Shadow. The romance was great, as usual. It’s a little more interspersed within this book than it was in previous books, but makes sense for the pace.
Although the spice was a little more spaced out, there was a lot of relationship work between characters. I really appreciated that readers got to have more time seeing the development of the relationships, because it helps us understand Bryce and Hunt’s motivations to protect their loved ones, but also establishes a bond between the reader and the characters. I know I’m being deliberately vague, but I am also actively trying to avoid spoilers, despite this review being a couple months past the release of the book. While there was a lot to love about this book, there were also some things that made me love it less than some of the other books/series that I have read by Maas.
The biggest bone I have to pick with this book is the amount of loose threads that were left. We were introduced to several new characters in this book, which had fascinating stories beginning, but ultimately left unfinished. In theory, this is fine because we’ll likely see them come up in future stories…however, it could be years before those stories see the light of day. There were also things that came up within the book that weren’t resolved or seemingly forgotten about. I won’t get into them here, but certain bits about Hel, certain character inconsistencies, and small little plot points that made it feel like something was off. This review is getting quite long, so I’ll stop, but ultimately, this was not my favorite book within this series.
I picked up the first book that Sarah J. Maas wrote (Throne of Glass) when I started college back in 2012. I’ve been a fairly loyal reader since then, and while I have enjoyed each and every one of her books, I have to say that I was a little let down by House of Flame and Shadow. Sometimes, there are books that are trying to be everything for the reader and they fall just shy of that, and in my opinion, this one did not grip me the way that I thought the others would. Perhaps it was over-hyped, but I felt like something was missing from the story and there was some development that was missing that would have further tied everything together. Don’t get me wrong, I ended up devouring the book, which was quite the feat considering I had a very early morning with a toddler looming. If you’re a loyal fan or reader, of course you won’t want to miss it, but for me, this was a 7 out of 10.
What did you think of House of Flame and Shadow? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The stunning third book in the sexy, action-packed Crescent City series, following the global bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath.
Bryce Quinlan never expected to see a world other than Midgard, but now that she has, all she wants is to get back. Everything she loves is in Midgard: her family, her friends, her mate. Stranded in a strange new world, she’s going to need all her wits about her to get home again. And that’s no easy feat when she has no idea who to trust.
Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he’s in the Asteri’s dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce’s fate. He’s desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri’s leash, his hands are quite literally tied.
In this sexy, breathtaking sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt’s world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.
