Review: House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas

House of Earth and Blood
(Crescent City #1)
by Sarah J. Maas

March 3, 2020
803 pages

Goodreads      Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas launches her brand-new CRESCENT CITY series with House of Earth and Blood: the story of half-Fae and half-human Bryce Quinlan as she seeks revenge in a contemporary fantasy world of magic, danger, and searing romance.

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.

Review

House of Earth and Blood is a brick of a book at over 800 pages. Yet, it did not feel like a long read. I flew through the story and wished it was longer!

The first half of House of Earth and Blood was definitely slower given we needed to be introduced to the world. And what a vast world it was. So many characters with so many potential arcs. Some terms took more time for me to absorb but I totally applaud SJM for the complexity and thoroughness. The last third of the book was my favourite. It was nonstop intensity and insanity with so many plot twists and so many emotional moments. I bit my nails in anxiety, I ugly cried and I whooped hard for the surprises.

I liked Bryce a lot. Her unapologetic attitude and fierce personality made her a badass. Every hardship she endured made her that much tougher. But Bryce was not totally without vulnerabilities. Following the ups and downs of her life was truly a wild ride. One thing was for certain though- Bryce was a force to be reckoned with.

Hunt was a fair love interest for Bryce. Both a little broken they were a good match. With Crescent City I actually enjoyed the friendship and familial bonds a lot more than the romantic pairing. Bryce and Danika were heart-wrenching. Bryce and Ruhn were complicated but important. Bryce, Lehabah and Syrinx were plain adorable.

Crescent City is marketed as a new adult series but House of Earth and Blood was tame on that front. There were a ton of suggestive remarks and sex talk but not a lot of actual actions. I was anticipating more but I also didn't mind the lack thereof. What we got of Bryce and Hunt was sufficient. Knowing SJM's style though I fully expect her to take things all the way and further in the next book ;)

House of Earth and Blood is such an incredible introduction to the Crescent City series. Full of emotions and intensity it was one hell of a read. I cannot wait to see what other tricks SJM has got up her sleeves!

*I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the ARC I received.