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| Categories | Fantasy |
| Author | Sarah J. Maas |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing (January 30, 2024) |
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 848 pages |
| Item Weight | 2.35 pounds |
| Dimensions |
6.45 x 2.25 x 9.45 inches |
I. Book introduction
House of Flame and Shadow is the third installment in Crescent City, a New York Times bestselling adult urban fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas. Previous novels in the series, which follows the investigative efforts of half-human, half-Fae protagonist Bryce Quinlan to survive in a world where humans must coexist with more powerful demons, angels, and other magical creatures, are House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath. In House of Flame and Shadow, Bryce Quinlan allies with the Night Court to defend her world and her friends against the despotic conquerors, the Asteri.
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.
Editorial Reviews
- “The mystery element presents a stunning twist, and the emotional depth of Bryce’s relationships with both Hunt and Danika is incredibly moving. Fans will eagerly await the next installment.” ―Booklist, starred review (House of Earth and Blood)
- “A dizzying, suspenseful whirl that surprises at every turn.” ―Entertainment Weekly (House of Earth and Blood)
- “A richly imagined tale spiced with snarky humor and smoldering romance.” ―Publishers Weekly (House of Earth and Blood)
- “With a twist that will leave readers breathless (if those steamy love scenes don’t), House of Sky and Breath is a sequel that continues to be an action-packed, page-turning urban fantasy romance which readers will devour.” ―Booklist, starred review, on House of Sky and Breath
- “A master class in world-building adventure. Don’t miss it.” ―#1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris (on House of Earth and Blood)
About the Author (Sarah J. Maas)
Sarah Janet Maas, known as Sarah J. Maas (born March 5, 1986) is an American fantasy author known for her fantasy series Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City. As of 2024, she has sold nearly 40 million copies of her books and her work has been translated into 38 languages.
Sarah Janet Maas began writing what would become her debut novel, Throne of Glass, at age sixteen. After writing several chapters of the novel, then titled Queen of Glass, Maas posted them on FictionPress.com, where it became one of the most popular stories on the site. It was later removed from the site when Maas decided to publish the novel. The story line of the series is based on the story of Cinderella, with the premise of “What if Cinderella was not a servant, but an assassin? And what if she didn’t attend the ball to meet the prince, but to kill him, instead?” In 2008, Maas started sending the story to agents before signing with Tamar Rydzinski of The Laura Dial Literary Agency in 2009. Throne of Glass was purchased in March 2010 by Bloomsbury, who later purchased two additional books in the series. The series is available in 15 countries and 35 languages. While four prequel novellas set two years before the first novel were also published, these were later condensed into one book, The Assassin’s Blade plus an original novella. The second book of the series, Crown of Midnight was a New York Times young adult best-seller. The final book in the series, Kingdom of Ash, was released on October 23, 2018; the finished series comprised seven books plus the novella collection.
A Court of Thorns and Roses, Maas’ second fantasy series, is a loose retelling of the traditional Beauty and the Beast. The first book of the trilogy was written in 2009, but was not published until 2015. Due to the success and popularity of the original series, it was extended and a spin-off series was announced which would feature stories of other popular characters. The fifth book in the series and the first of the spin-offs, A Court of Silver Flames, was published on February 16, 2021.
On May 16, 2018, Maas announced her first adult fantasy series, Crescent City. The first book, titled House of Earth and Blood, was released by Bloomsbury on March 3, 2020. It was ranked one of the top twenty Science Fiction & Fantasy books of 2020 on Kobo. The sequel, House of Sky and Breath, was released on February 15, 2022 and won the Best Fantasy award for Goodreads Choice Awards in 2022. The third installation of the series, House of Flame and Shadow, was released on January 30th 2024.
The A Court of Thorns and Roses series was announced to be adapted into a television series for Hulu in 2021. In an interview with The New York Times, Maas confirmed that she was developing the project with the writers and the showrunner as executive producer.
In May 2023, The Verge reported that the cover of the UK edition of House of Earth and Blood uses an AI-generated image.
The banning of many is her books in Utah public schools has led to a surge in their popularity.
II. Reviewer: House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
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1. SK reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
When you manage your expectations by being realistic and enjoy tf outta this masterpiece 😌🤭
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
I honestly feel so emotional finishing this book, saying goodbye to Bryce and Hunt’s story. I was thoroughly entertained, invested and satisfied with the way this book was written. I would say that when you go into this book, please keep in mind you’re reading Bryce’s story, simply put you are going in for Captain Marvel and not Avengers Endgame 🤷♀️
I also see people disappointed with the way Bryce was in this book. Even though she had few moments where I felt frustrated with her, I fully understood her. In a strange environment, she is not going to or supposed to act calm. She will be paranoid. Meeting new people whom SHE doesn’t know and acting suspicious, trying to escape makes ABSOLUTE sense. Even in her irrational actions, there were rational intentions 👀
Coming back to the book which is divided into Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 like any other Crescent City book. Part 1 explored more folklore, history, new places and people (for Bryce) and setting up a much more powerful world building. I found myself loving it, there were some big reveals and connections. I was also shocked to see one of the creatures back in the world and it brought intense memories. It also ends on a brutal note. Iykyk.
Part 2 was more hands on action, it built on to the reveals made in part 1 brilliantly. I see MANY people saying that this part bored them and dragged on. On the contrary, I found it to be much more intense and mind blowing. Lidia and Ruhn carried it beautifully. Part 2 ends on a very nerve wrecking note, and you’ll immediately want to binge the rest of the book.
Part 3 was simply put- Binge worthy. Big reveals happen here, characters in this world get what they deserve and I ate it up. Ithan and Bryce were my favorite here, and surprisingly Jesiba too. It ends on a satisfying note and I just can’t wait to see how it’s going to add up to the future books.
Onto the characters-
❤️🔥Bryce- Although a bit erratic her actions are completely justified imo. She is the same Bryce we have grown to love- smartass, funny, badass, always standing up for the right and calculating. The sacrifices she’s willing to make was emotional to see. But like any other, she does have flaws and is imperfect.
⚡Hunt- My man. The way he cared for Bryce was everything. Even while getting tortured to the point where he is close to death, all he cared about was Bryce and his friends. He would do anything to protect them, even if it means he’s gonna end up hurt. His big reveal was one that I was never expecting and I was shook. I loved seeing him unleash and put Celestina in her place.
🔥Lidia- I LOVE her. She did so much for literally everyone good in this book, such huge sacrifices. She did not put herself first once and I loved her. I swear I just want to give her the biggest hug.
🖤Ruhn- Loved seeing the way he felt for Lidia. Man’s had me gasping, crying, emotional for more. His bond with Hunt and Baxian was intense and so loyal. The way he was protecting Bryce was everything. Tho that one scene made me dizzy (you know which one).
🐺Ithan and 🧜♂️Tharion- Although different paths, I found them to be quite similar with the way they deal with their struggles. Before anyone gets frustrated with these two- Have you ever made a mistake and in order to correct it desperately, you make more bad decisions and more mistakes?? That sounds pretty relatable to me. Not all of us are perfect. Living in self loathing, guilt, and anxiety isn’t easy. Tharion and Ithan thinking that they don’t deserve anything good happening to them after making so many mistakes is real and it’s a mental health representation at its best. So many people acting like Tharion and Ithan were annoying breaks my heart cause I found them to be so endearing and loving, so loyal, so worthy despite what the two thought. I just wish to hold them and talk to them about it all.
Baxian- All I’ll say is he has strong teeth 😭
Jesiba and Hypaxia- I appreciated so much what these two did, especially Jesiba. Without giving too much away, am sure you’ll like them more.
The romances-
Bryce and Hunt- Honestly, after Feyre and Rhys these two are my favorite SJM couple and they are immensely underrated. Even in their arguments, they know when to support each other. They’re the couple who will support each other in public even if they are wrong and correct the other in private.
Ruhn and Lidia- So angsty. It’s like they broke my heart multiple times and mended it to complete perfection. Literally everything about them is PERFECT. I loved how they communicated and bared themselves to each other.
Also, did SJM throw in the marriage of convenience trope? 👀 Y’all gotta find out for which couple, no spoilers here. 🤭🤭
I believe people have forgotten that this is Bryce’s story. In order to enjoy this book, you gotta keep that in mind. I can already see that SJM has foreshadowed a lot of multiversal possible scenarios. Hopefully she’ll explore them on an Endgame level someday.
But for now, am excited to see where the Crescent City series will go from here 😉 I highly recommend reading this series after ToG and ESPECIALLY ACOTAR.
I did not want this to end, I could still read another 500 pages of this beautiful book and world. Already can’t wait to reread 😭❤
•~•~
IT’S FINALLY HERE 😍😍 In all it’s glory 🥹🥹
~•~•~
Am so ready for Jan 2024
2. COURTNEY reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
★5 stars
800+ pages in 3 days, I swear all I did was eat, sleep, and breathe this thing. And when a book consumes me that much in that amount of time, regardless of any issues I have with it, it’s automatically a 5 star read for me. Seriously, WHAT A RIDE!!! I loved every second, even though every one of those seconds I was a constant, spiraling ball of anxiety. I’m shook, I’m exhausted, I’m devastated it’s over 😭 SJM has done it again, imo, I honestly don’t know what I’m supposed to do with my life now lmao. NEED THE NEXT ACOTAR ASAP (wishful thinking) 🫠
╰┈➤Maybe a full rtc??? Idk I’m still reeling–the book hangover is so real!!! 😫💔😭 Finding me that Walmart edition online, smh in what world does Walmart get a better bonus chapter than B&N???
—————–
Pre-review:
Okay I know I’m so late to the party on this one (let’s be real tho this thing is equal to the weight of a small child and the motivation has not been motivating 😩), but tbh still impressed I managed to evade any and all spoilers like the freaking plague 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️ My bffs have been waiting for me to finish this so we can immediately rant with all the drinks 🍹
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Happy March my lovelies, cheers to a weekend with nothing to do but inhale this!!! 🥰🙌
3. BELLA P reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
4 stars
I will say this book was a little bit of a letdown with all the POV switches but overall, I really enjoyed the plot more than HOSAB. I do still have more questions than answers, I hope to see another book in the future.
–
Buddy Read with my girl Noi 🫂💗
I’m ready to shove an old lady out of the way for a copy 😂
If Daddy Shadow Hands Dorian doesn’t make an appearance somehow, I may sue 🫣🤭
4. VLADA reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
Dare I say, it was the best book in this series! The plot was very good, i couldn’t tear myself away from this book.
Bryce, as always, was a badass. She got some powers, stole some things, made a few friends and a lot of sarcastic comments, that’s why we love her. Hunt was somewhere nearby trying to stop her.
Lidia is my new favourite character, i was rooting for her so much. She deserves happiness like no one else. She has some secrets and it was shocking when they unfold.
Ruhn Danaan, Crown Prince of the Valbaran Fae, well HANDS OFF ladies, he is not available anymore. He and Lidia are the couple TO DIE for!! They are my fave in this book.
So, we only have House of Many Waters book left (maybe???), but that won’t be soon i guess.
Do i have more questions than answers? Yes. Did i enjoyed it anyway? For sure!
(me when i found any minor detail that might be important)
5. DIANA reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
If you read these series, you will want more of it. Focus of the story has a nice conclusion.
First of all, I absolutely love how Sarah tells her stories. Her writing is great, and she has enough descriptions to picture the world and the characters without taking up crucial storytelling space.
I read A Court of Thorns and Roses first, and I fell in love with her style, which is why I’m here now after 15 books, craving more of her writing. This type of book is not for everyone. If you like the world of fantasy, mythical, and shifter creatures, this is for you; if you don’t, you might not be in for the hype.
You will not need to read all the other SJM books to understand this one, but there are Easter eggs that make more sense when you know 😉
There’s also a little bit of a crossover from A Court of Thorns and Roses that I appreciate. It was not big enough to shift the focus of the main story, which I liked, but unfortunately for me, I was left wanting even more from the A Court of Thorns and Roses world.
The whole Crescent City series was wonderful. From the beginning, I was hooked. I will not talk about anything specific to spoil the story for anyone because I despise spoilers. With that, I can safely say and assume there are enough paths with some characters to continue their story, but I did not feel I was left with a cliffhanger, so if you choose to read these series, you will want more of it, but the focus of the story has a nice conclusion.
The main character is definitely the typical special, not like the other girls, who have a lot of figuring out to do. I personally don’t mind that when there’s character development, and you will find a lot of it in this story.
One of the things that I love about this story and SJM writing is how it brings emotions with the characters; you are able to feel with them as the story progresses, and to me, that is a fantastic quality in a book. I truly enjoyed this story, and I’m sad that it’s over because even if we know there’s plans for more books, it’s not confirmed when SJM will release more, so it’s a waiting game now.
6. PRETTINESS reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
Surprise, surprise, Book mingling and Supreme Series Ender
The third book in Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City series delivers an epic conclusion that solidifies it as the best of the series and introduces characters from her A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Who doesn’t love Nesta and Azriel?
While the first two books may feel slow to some, the payoff in this action-packed installment is well worth it. Much of the plot revolves around the characters coming into their purpose. Readers are met with character development while trapped in the dungeons, including Hunt, Baxian, and Ruhn, and others 👀 facing impossible odds until Lidia, the Hind, makes a pivotal move to save them. The intensity of their time in the dungeons adds a gripping layer to the story, making it impossible to put down.
Without giving too much away, fans will be thrilled by the return of the Pegasus, the Flying Horses, and the islands near the end, hinting at even more surprises to come. This book is full of heart-stopping moments that keep you turning page after page, especially as you approach the final chapters. It’s a stunning continuation that raises the stakes and delivers a truly satisfying adventure—one that many readers may miss out on if they don’t push through the slower start to the series.
7. S.EVANS reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
This last one of this series is the best
It took me a while to get into the Crescent series books especially after devouring A Court of Thorns series.
Some said to read the Crescent series next, which I did, but almost wish I had read the Glass series before this one.
This series takes place in a more modern day setting with recent cellphones, video gaming and TV. The Roses series didn’t have any of that-and I have a distinct feeling that the Glass series won’t have the modern flare-
My suggestion would be to read the Thorns series, then the glass series then give yourself a break to reset the brain before you dive into the Crecent series.
It is however, important to read the Thorns series prior to the Crescent series because Mass weaves in characters from the Thorns books.
So, you’ll need to understand the characters to understand how they play a role in this series.
I enjoyed it, especially book three but you have to understand booked one and two before you can dive into three.
8. ROCHELLE CHANDLER reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
standing ovation!!
Holy WOW! While this series is my least favorite out of A Court of Thorns and Roses and GoT, this book of this series is sooo good! House of flame and shadows action packed front start to end.
What Jesiba does for Bryce at the end, OMG i bawled my eyes out!
When Bryce sees Danika and the pack of devils and Lahaba, or sweet Lahaba!!
If you are a SJM fan, you MUST read these books! I promise you won’t be sorry.
It’s a lot of world building, so commit and stick with it, i promise the payoff is more than worth it.
Only thing, you MUST read A Court of Thorns and Roses first, if you don’t, this series will spoil A Court of Thorns and Roses ending.
9. GILLIAN reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
“Through love, all is possible.”
This book was great! I became immersed in this book from the beginning, although the pacing in the middle was slow. The plot was very interesting, but it did drag a bit in the middle. There was one aspect of the plot that was disappointing, but I did enjoy being back in the fantasy world. The world building was great, I enjoyed learning more about the past and the fantastical creatures. The writing was descriptive and cinematic, a was able to picture many scenes in detail in my head. There were several reveals and plot twists that were shocking to me. The ending was so exciting and beautiful. I cried a few times at the end, it touched my heart and soul. This book had several lessons that I took away from it especially courage in the face of challenges, finding strength in yourself, and the meaning of love and family.
“I love you. I fell in love with you in the depths of my soul, and it’s my soul that will find yours again in the next life.”
The characters were all complex and relatable. I liked Bryce, she is resilient, brave, stubborn, fierce, although there were times when she was rude and didn’t make good decisions. I love Hunt so much, he is strong, brave, protective, sweet, persistent and charming. I loved Hunt and Bryce’s relationship, they understand each other and will always find each other no matter what happens. I loved that Hunt was there for Bryce, but let her be herself and make her own decisions. I love Ruhn, he is caring, charming, resilient, strong, and protective. Ruhn’s character development was excellent, he faced many challenges and was able to face each with strength and grit. I really liked Lidia, she is caring, selfless, fierce, brave and will do anything for the people she loves. I loved Ruhn and Lidia’s relationship, they were there for each other during difficult times and learned to understand one another. The chemistry and tension between them was great! The side characters were great too, especially Ithan, Tharion, Flynn and Dec. Ithan and Tharion both had to make difficult decisions that had many consequences but were able to make it right and find the strength within themselves.
Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, romance, great characters and excellent writing.
10. DESTINEY BOMBERRY reviews for House of Flame and Shadow
Let the bags under my eyes be proof that this book was SO UNBELIEVABLY GOOD, PLEASE INJECT IT INTO MY VEINS!! I literally couldn’t put it down for a moment and had to use any waking moment to consume every part of this!!! This may be my favourite book out of the crescent city series! The plot, story line , characters (I LOVE THEM ALL) and pacing was so phenomenally done!! From the very start It was page turning for me and it never felt clunky, not once did I feel like I was bored and I was honestly begging secretly that it would never end!! I didn’t know what to exactly expect with this and I’m not disappointed at all, I feel so well fed and UGH Sarah does it again for me!!!!!
God I can’t wait to just freaking gush with other people when they finish it :)!!!!
III. House of Flame and Shadow Quotes by Sarah J. Maas
The best book quotes from House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
“They were Fae like us, but not. The ears, the grace, the strength were identical, but they were shape-shifters, all of them. Each capable of turning into an animal. And each, even in their humanoid body, equipped with elongated canine teeth.”
“Showing a masked queen, a crown upon her head, bearing instruments in her hand and standing before an adoring crowd.”
Azriel said softly, voice tinged with pain, “She looks like Rhysand’s sister.”
“The friends they’d made were what mattered in the end. Not the enemies. Through love, all is possible.”
“You’re my home, Hunt. Our love spans across stars and worlds, remember?” She smiled slightly. “I’ll always find you.”
“I love you. I fell in love with you in the depths of my soul, and it’s my soul that will find yours again in the next life.”
“A world where people loved and valued books and learning so much that they were willing to die for them. Can you imagine what such a civilization was like?”
“Okay, let’s do a head count. If you’re disowned, disgraced, or both, raise your hand.” Tharion, Baxian, Lidia, Hunt, and Ruhn raised their hands.”
“The gods know what would happen if all us females were unsupervised. Absolute anarchy. Cities would crumble.”
“Cassian’s waiting for you, Nesta,” Azriel said—tone gentling. “Take off the Mask.” Nesta stayed silent, Ataraxia ready in her hand. One swipe, and Azriel would be dead. “He’s waiting for you at the House of Wind,” Azriel went on. “At home.” Another blink from Nesta. The silver fire banked a little. Like whoever Cassian was, and whatever the House of Wind was … they might be the only things capable of fighting the siren song of the Mask.”
“Now I don’t fucking care who you are, so long as you’re mine.” Her eyes shot to his, again full of surprise. “Because I’m yours, Day. I’m fucking yours.”
“Why she had named Brannon after the oldest legends from her family’s bloodline: of a Fae King from another world, fire in his veins, who had created stags with the power of flame to be his sacred guards.”
“It is on Avallen, and females are not allowed beyond the lobby of the archives.” “Yeah, our periods would probably get all over the books.”
“I’m sick and tired of people using girl as an insult.”
“Who’d you piss off to get sent to retrieve me, anyway?” She could have sworn Nesta’s lips curved into a smile. “On a good day, too many people to count. But today … I volunteered.”
“And you saw me. For the first time, you saw me. I could talk to you as I hadn’t spoken to anyone. You reminded me that I was—I am—alive. I hadn’t felt that way in a very long time.”
“But what is eternal, what is made of love … that can never be destroyed.”
“Honor is all I have,” Irithys said, the heat of her indigo flames strong enough to warm Lidia’s chilled hands. “Honor, and my name. I will not sully or yield them.”
“And I’m your motherfucking executioner.”
“Flynn threw up his hands. “Am I the only one who feels like they’re on a bad acid trip?” Tharion scrubbed at his face. “I’m still on one, I think.”
“I’m assuming you have some plan up your sleeve that you’re going to spring on us at the worst possible moment.” “I think you mean the coolest possible moment,” Bryce said,”
“What is it you want to know?” Nesta asked carefully.
Bryce glanced between them. “How’d you two meet?”
“There was a war,” Nesta said shortly.
“Between who?” Bryce asked.
Azriel answered this time. “Between an evil Fae King and us.”
“You two, or like . . . everyone?”
Nesta gave her a withering look, “Yes, the King of Hybern declared war on just me and Azriel.”“The world seemed to hold its breath as the elegant doe walked up to Ruhn and gently, lovingly, nuzzled his neck.”
“An otter in a bright yellow vest leapt onto the quay, dripping everywhere. It rose onto its hind legs in front of Tharion, whiskers twitching, spraying droplets of water. Sathia grinned. “Stop it,” Tharion muttered. “It only encourages them to be cuter.”
“I’m with you. All of me. You and I, we’ll finish this.”
“I yield my crown, my title, to the queen.”
“All right. Let’s ring Hel’s doorbell.”
“You brought so much joy into my life, too, Ruhn.”
“And Rhysand is … your king?” Nesta snorted. “He’d like to be. But no. He’s the High Lord of the Night Court.”
“That is what I want on my new business cards. Bryce Quinlan: Better than Expected.”
“I fell in love with you in the depths of my soul, and it’s my soul that will find yours again in the next life.”
“And for the first time in her life, as she walked through that sea of death … she might have lifted her chin a bit higher. Might have felt a mantle settle on her shoulders, a train of starlight in her wake. Might have felt something like a crown settle upon her head. Guiding her into the dark.”
“Gods, what did he do to you? Anger and grief filled the question as it came from all around him, from inside him. Ruhn managed to say, Nothing you haven’t done a thousand times yourself.”
Excerpted from House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
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