Review: House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time that I read Crescent City: House of Sky and Breath. This highly anticipated sequel managed to tear open the already massive world that had been introduced in the first book, and take it to a whole new level. New characters are introduced, and I feel like this book manages to combine the fantasy aspects of Throne of Glass and the romance of A Court of Thorns and Roses in a whole new story. Then there’s the ending because holy smokes, I’m sure I won’t be alone in this, but I just know there’s some incredible fanart coming over the course of the next year. However, readers be warned: you will need to find something fluffy to read, because this book is going to hurt you.

If you haven’t yet picked up the first part of the Crescent City books, you’re going to want to stop here. There will likely be some spoilers of the previous book, which I recommend you read if you don’t want to get lost in what’s happening.

Bryce and Hunt are doing their best to return to normal after saving Crescent City. However, their every move is watched by the Asteri, who are waiting for any misstep in order to take them down. Unfortunately, peace isn’t long-lasting, and soon Bryce, Hunt, and their friends are thrown into a rebel plot that could turn everything upside down. When faced with the choice of keeping their heads down or doing what’s right, there’s no doubt that they’re going to stare their oppressors dead in the face. The world is getting ready to explode and Bryce and co. will do their damnedest to save it.

Unlike House of Earth and Blood, this novel is well-paced from the very start, which is likely because there isn’t as much worldbuilding to do. Every chapter will leave you wanting to continue, which is hard considering the book is an 800 page monstrosity. However, I would have wept if it had been any shorter.

So much happens in this novel and all of it leads back to Bryce somehow. With all of our favourite characters back and some new ones are introduced, the branches within the story for each of our character perspectives made for an enjoyable read. My favourite character in this book had to be Ruhn, especially when he interacted with his sister. I loved that he and Bryce got to have a sibling relationship on page that isn’t toxic and even better, he treats his sister as an equal and isn’t offended by the fact that his sister’s strength might surpass his.

Of course, a lot of people aren’t reading this book for the sibling relationship, but for some Hunt and Bryce spice. Let me just say, you’ll get what’s coming to you, and you’ll definitely love it. On the other hand, there’s also some serious dialogue about their relationship and where it’s headed. I think readers will appreciate the route that the story is taking as there’s a lot of building trust within one another and acknowledging that they’ve gone through trauma and giving each other space to work it out. There’s exploration of themselves as individuals as well as a couple, which I appreciated.

Hunt and Bryce aren’t the only ones that are getting their romantic relationships. A few of our beloved characters are pulled into play, and it’s anyone’s guess where they are going to wind up. I did have one relationship pairing that I didn’t love, but I will hold off on judgment until the next book to see what will happen. I wish I could say more without spoiling anything, but this one is kind of big.

The plot itself is very engaging. The prologue leads into a much larger mystery for Bryce and Hunt to solve, and of course, there’s some extremely spoilery reveals that are setting things up for an intense next book. What is certain is that nothing in this book seems to be what it’s supposed to be. I won’t say I was surprised by the ending, because it had been hinted at by Maas before, but there will be some very happy readers at the turn of events, I think.

Between the two books, this was by and far better than the first book. I had trouble when I first started House of Earth and Blood because I felt like the pacing was off for around 200 pages, when it suddenly picked up and became quite a bit more engaging. This one was engaging from the start, but also eased readers back into things. I would definitely recommend that readers go back through and catch up on the last book’s events because I felt a little lost until I went back.

House of Sky and Breath is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up House of Sky and Breath? Tell us in the comments below!

---

Synopsis | Goodreads

Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.

The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.

---