Back in the swing of things

Yes hello, I have returned!! I know it has been quite a long time since my last blog post. Between school, life and a myriad of other reasons, I just haven’t had the opportunity to write the reviews. That is not to say I haven’t read any books. I have read quite a few books that I would love to review. And so, with the quarantine of a fair number of people, including myself, I figured it was time to restart the reviews. And with my favorite author Sarah J. Maas having just released her new book, it’s a perfect excuse for a first review back.

For those of you who are new, I have extremely high praise for any book written by Maas. Both her Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series’ are amongst my all time favorites. Her world building, storytelling and character development are second to none.  Her writing is fabulous, especially for the YA genre that she writes in. So imagine both my excitement and hesitation when it announced that Maas would be bumping up to the adult fantasy genre with her new series, Crescent City. Her writing was already bordering on the adult style anyway, so it seemed like the next logical step for Maas. So after nearly three years and three pushed back release dates, I was finally able to read House of Earth and Blood and I must say it was ENTIRELY worth the wait.

For starters, House of Earth and Blood is a large read that starts off on the  slow side. The first couple hundred pages are full of backstory, setup, character introductions and world building. But, if you make it through the slow first part, the rest of the book is a well paced, action packed, wonderfully written book. The book is exquisitely written in Maas’ traditional style, that is also expertly updated for the adult style. The book is perfectly paced, while at the same time leaving you breathless throughout its full length. You’re allowed to learn about the characters, digest the well crafted and full bodied world and not lose anything from the wonderful story itself.

As for the story itself, Maas sticks to her traditional story style, while also going into uncharted waters with this story. The story varies between the fast paced action sequences and slow paced mystery scenes. The story plays out with political intrigue, a well thought out mystery that leaves you guessing right up till the very end and deep secrets that aren’t revealed until the final pages. Steamy romance that is a trademark of Maas’ writing also makes an appearance. The romance plays out slowly across the length of the book. It’s typical Maas in how it plays out and yet, despite the hype that the book builds up, it doesn’t go the full way, though it does comes pretty darn close.

The world of Crescent City is beyond exquisite. A rich, lavish world that is chalk full of detail. Maas goes above and beyond when it comes to the detail of this world. From the various houses and their leaders, to the political structure that governs the city. The city itself is vibrant and full of life which gives the book a rich fullness unlike any book that I have read before. The history is deep and the lore is incredibly well defined. It adds to the fullness of the book and gives added depth to the characters and to the story.

As for the characters themselves, they are uniquely wonderful in their own way. Our main heroine Bryce shares many similarities with Maas’ previous heroines. Incredibly headstrong, yet also haunted by the trauma of past events, Bryce is not someone who is willing to let things stand in her way. She harbors a deep hatred for one side of her life and will do anything to avoid acknowledging it, which causes some issues. She is supplemented by the male lead of the story, Hunt, an angel who works for the Archangel of the city. Hunt tries desperately to hide the violent part of himself while at the same time achieving the mission laid out before him. Hunt is your traditional dark, brooding male lead that  we have all come to expect in a Maas story. And yet, he becomes something more by the time the story ends.

These two share the story with some incredible secondary characters. There is Ruhn, the Fae Prince who must confront both his destiny and his father, while also protecting the ones he cares about. Ruhn is the primary secondary character, but there are loads others, with stories that I will not spoil. But suffice to say, there is bound to be characters to everyone’s liking in this book.

I could go on and on and on with this book, but honestly this is just one of those books that you need to read for yourself. Maas has outdone herself in spectacular fashion. House of Earth and Blood is one of the finest books I have ever read. Its busy, it’s emotional, jam packed and will leave you on the edge of your seat right up until the very last page. The world is exquisite, the characters are phenomenal and the story is impressive.  This book has to be my new favorite book and it is a MUST read for anyone interested in fantasy novels or is just a fan of Sarah J. Maas in general. Go out and read it. You won’t be sorry.

Verdict- The highest 5 stars I can possibly give. Seriously, go read it. It’s a must.