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A review by cece_rants_raves_reviews
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
3.0
This gonna be a review about Crescent City as a new urban fantasy book and a rant about it as the next Maas series
I ADORE paranormal detectives and ubran fantasies. I love the twisted plots, the dangerous characters, the desperate situations…it provides a rush that few other genres can match.
And this book definitely was a fey-orientated series that blends crime, action, and interesting characters.
꧁The Characters꧂
Bryce Quinlan our MC. Half-fae and half-human, full partygirl who works as antiqiuities dealer
When we first meet our heroine, Bryce, she the accumulation of everything I hate. She’s naive. She’s immature. She in complete denial about developing her powers.
Her partygirl sassy attitude defines her character as she works through trauma. Part of me wanted to shake her to be lili more mature, and other part just say eyyy new entertaining POV
“Which left Bryce with enough time to either really, truly get into trouble, or face what she’d been avoiding for an hour now.
She opted for trouble.”
Looking back now, I see that Bryce was just starting out naive. But by the end of book, she has become a fully realized character, capable and cunning, ready to fight.... Just why did we have to wait fucking 800 pages for that *tears*.
꧁Worldbuilding꧂
was pretty unique for Maas in that we stayed prominently in one vibrant city. This setting really emphasizes the urban fantasy/ paranormal detective vibes she was going for. I loved the variety of creatures and magic in this world via secondary characters such as the hella long list below:
Fury Axtar: infamous assassin, kinda shitty friend
Juniper: Faun Dancer... in relationship with ^^
Aidas: ???
I really enjoyed our sneak peak into this character that I am dying to know more. He absolutely Lord of Cats character just cloaked in mystery and shadows while also helping our MC in the most dickish way possible via mysterious vague clues.
I just wanted him to be more part of the actual danger and plot. He only really appeared on the sidelines or infodumps. He definitely gonna be a reoccurring character who gonna be in the middle of trouble * ya know how cats be but the question remains whether he on Bryce's side
Lehab: Fire Sprite with a personality to match, indentured servant
Ruhn: Crown Prince of Valbaran Fae, half-brother to Bryce
Danika: BFF alpha shapeshifter that was pretty awesome girlpower but clearly limited by the ... amount of pages they actually interact together
Hunt Athalar: hottie with an angel body. He was the sulky bodyguard of our crime-fighting duo that was funny to read and very much the iconic alpha-asshole that Maas writes... is he gonna have a Tamlin/Chaol character twist tho??
“Hunt stormed toward Bryce
Bryce had the nerve to push back the sleeve of her leather jacket, frown at her bare wrist as if she were reading a gods-damned watch, and say, “You’re two minutes late.”
Hunt’s eyes practically glowed as he said, in full view of those cowering along the street, “I am going to kill you.”
Syrinx: chimera
Micah: Archangel and Governor of Lunathion
Isaiah: Malakim warrior
“Thank the fucking gods,” Isaiah said when he heard Hunt’s voice.
Hunt smiled at the male’s uncharacteristic relief. “What’s happening on your end?”
“My end?” Isaiah barked a laugh. “What the fuck is happening on your end?”
Too much to say. “Are you at the Comitium?”
“Yeah, and it’s a gods-damned madhouse. I just realized I’m in charge now.”
See!! This accumulation of really interesting characters !! But sadly it felt really overwhelming where I didn't feel like I connected with them. Especially as most of them didn't interact DIRECTLY with Bryce, most of them were just in actions that involved her
꧁Writing Style ꧂
I really kinda struggled to write this review. Looking back, I had saved all these great quotes reflecting the fun characters, worldbuilding and great writing !!
Shapeshifting, angel empire, heroine learning powers, plots of overthrowing tyrannical kings, and did I mention demons?
But I remember how I felt while reading this. Disappointed.
I've read a lot of paranormal detectives in urban fantasy books. And this book doesn't really compare to them. It was only the development and intricate detail that was *finally* revealed in the last couple chapters that made me feel like this was ACTUALLY a Maas book.
Quite honestly, this book could’ve been cut down by 200 pages. That beginning was just a basic ass murder mystery within a vibrant city with dynamic characters.... until the last 100 pages that suddenly made you feel like you were on crack because of how fast everything finally developed
“It was catastrophic.” She swallowed against the memory. “When the Oracle looked into her smoke to see my future, she screamed. Clawed at her eyes.” There was no point hiding it. The event had been known in some circles. “I heard later that she went blind for a week.”
It has great elements but sometimes failed to actually engage the readers in it DURING the book itself. Looking back, it honestly feels like a Prequel with meeting the heroine and world because it isn’t till those last couple chapters that we gloriously get thrown into the middle of an amazing book adventure... only to be told TO BE FINISHED LATER
At first, I was quite excited about this book being aimed towards adult content. I was picturing Kate Daniels style swagger: Where the perfect additions of some curse words, sexy sexy fun times and darker actions would've made this book alllll the more delicious that her previous books usually couldn't *quite* commit because of the limitations of YA genre.
Yah no.
Maa’s version of adult content is basically nonstop swearing and more sex.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I am very excited to see where it goes. I think it's just been a while since I've read the FIRST of a series in that it really involves a lotta of info-dumping, character introductions, and worldbuilding. And I just wanted to be entertained. And a couple chapters in the middle were pretty slow moving that I had to work through though I do appreciate that great payoff in the end.
If you enjoy paranormal detectives and fey then I definitely recommend checking out this book!
If you are a big Maas fan... then I recommend toning down your expectations before trying it
I ADORE paranormal detectives and ubran fantasies. I love the twisted plots, the dangerous characters, the desperate situations…it provides a rush that few other genres can match.
And this book definitely was a fey-orientated series that blends crime, action, and interesting characters.
꧁The Characters꧂
Bryce Quinlan our MC. Half-fae and half-human, full partygirl who works as antiqiuities dealer
When we first meet our heroine, Bryce, she the accumulation of everything I hate. She’s naive. She’s immature. She in complete denial about developing her powers.
Her partygirl sassy attitude defines her character as she works through trauma. Part of me wanted to shake her to be lili more mature, and other part just say eyyy new entertaining POV
“Which left Bryce with enough time to either really, truly get into trouble, or face what she’d been avoiding for an hour now.
She opted for trouble.”
Looking back now, I see that Bryce was just starting out naive. But by the end of book, she has become a fully realized character, capable and cunning, ready to fight.... Just why did we have to wait fucking 800 pages for that *tears*.
꧁Worldbuilding꧂
was pretty unique for Maas in that we stayed prominently in one vibrant city. This setting really emphasizes the urban fantasy/ paranormal detective vibes she was going for. I loved the variety of creatures and magic in this world via secondary characters such as the hella long list below:
Fury Axtar: infamous assassin, kinda shitty friend
Juniper: Faun Dancer... in relationship with ^^
Aidas: ???
I really enjoyed our sneak peak into this character that I am dying to know more. He absolutely Lord of Cats character just cloaked in mystery and shadows while also helping our MC in the most dickish way possible via mysterious vague clues.
I just wanted him to be more part of the actual danger and plot. He only really appeared on the sidelines or infodumps. He definitely gonna be a reoccurring character who gonna be in the middle of trouble * ya know how cats be but the question remains whether he on Bryce's side
Lehab: Fire Sprite with a personality to match, indentured servant
Ruhn: Crown Prince of Valbaran Fae, half-brother to Bryce
Danika: BFF alpha shapeshifter that was pretty awesome girlpower but clearly limited by the ... amount of pages they actually interact together
Hunt Athalar: hottie with an angel body. He was the sulky bodyguard of our crime-fighting duo that was funny to read and very much the iconic alpha-asshole that Maas writes... is he gonna have a Tamlin/Chaol character twist tho??
“Hunt stormed toward Bryce
Bryce had the nerve to push back the sleeve of her leather jacket, frown at her bare wrist as if she were reading a gods-damned watch, and say, “You’re two minutes late.”
Hunt’s eyes practically glowed as he said, in full view of those cowering along the street, “I am going to kill you.”
Syrinx: chimera
Micah: Archangel and Governor of Lunathion
Isaiah: Malakim warrior
“Thank the fucking gods,” Isaiah said when he heard Hunt’s voice.
Hunt smiled at the male’s uncharacteristic relief. “What’s happening on your end?”
“My end?” Isaiah barked a laugh. “What the fuck is happening on your end?”
Too much to say. “Are you at the Comitium?”
“Yeah, and it’s a gods-damned madhouse. I just realized I’m in charge now.”
See!! This accumulation of really interesting characters !! But sadly it felt really overwhelming where I didn't feel like I connected with them. Especially as most of them didn't interact DIRECTLY with Bryce, most of them were just in actions that involved her
꧁Writing Style ꧂
I really kinda struggled to write this review. Looking back, I had saved all these great quotes reflecting the fun characters, worldbuilding and great writing !!
Shapeshifting, angel empire, heroine learning powers, plots of overthrowing tyrannical kings, and did I mention demons?
But I remember how I felt while reading this. Disappointed.
I've read a lot of paranormal detectives in urban fantasy books. And this book doesn't really compare to them. It was only the development and intricate detail that was *finally* revealed in the last couple chapters that made me feel like this was ACTUALLY a Maas book.
Quite honestly, this book could’ve been cut down by 200 pages. That beginning was just a basic ass murder mystery within a vibrant city with dynamic characters.... until the last 100 pages that suddenly made you feel like you were on crack because of how fast everything finally developed
“It was catastrophic.” She swallowed against the memory. “When the Oracle looked into her smoke to see my future, she screamed. Clawed at her eyes.” There was no point hiding it. The event had been known in some circles. “I heard later that she went blind for a week.”
It has great elements but sometimes failed to actually engage the readers in it DURING the book itself. Looking back, it honestly feels like a Prequel with meeting the heroine and world because it isn’t till those last couple chapters that we gloriously get thrown into the middle of an amazing book adventure... only to be told TO BE FINISHED LATER
At first, I was quite excited about this book being aimed towards adult content. I was picturing Kate Daniels style swagger: Where the perfect additions of some curse words, sexy sexy fun times and darker actions would've made this book alllll the more delicious that her previous books usually couldn't *quite* commit because of the limitations of YA genre.
Yah no.
Maa’s version of adult content is basically nonstop swearing and more sex.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I am very excited to see where it goes. I think it's just been a while since I've read the FIRST of a series in that it really involves a lotta of info-dumping, character introductions, and worldbuilding. And I just wanted to be entertained. And a couple chapters in the middle were pretty slow moving that I had to work through though I do appreciate that great payoff in the end.
If you enjoy paranormal detectives and fey then I definitely recommend checking out this book!
If you are a big Maas fan... then I recommend toning down your expectations before trying it