House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, 2)

This was my favorite book in the Crescent City series. I felt like there was the perfect amount of plot mixed in with the day to day life of the characters (which I feel like we normally don’t see a lot of in fantasy novels ). I enjoyed getting to know more of the background characters and I thought that the beginning of this book did a good job setting up the relationships between each of the characters. I found it endearing that SJM included a little more whimsy in this book and I felt like we had a good balance between heartwarming and dramatic moments. This book was driven by both the plot and the characters which was another balance that I felt like SJM did a good job with. Ruhn Danaan, Crown Prince of the Valbaran Fae, stole my heart in this book. I’m a sucker for a good shadow boy and he was the perfect mix of some of my favorites. I enjoyed seeing the different sides of him - unserious, lonely, suffering, brother, friend, son - and the juxtaposition between each of these sides was beautiful. He was my favorite character and I hope that once everything is said and done he can live a peaceful life filled with love, laughter, and light. He deserves every bit that he can get. Bryce was my second favorite character in this book and the relationship between Ruhn and Bryce was my favorite. I love how they accept each other for everything that they are and offer endless support to one another, no matter how harebrained the scheme that - mostly Bryce - is concocting next. I felt like Bryce really grew into herself in this book and I loved how she approached her circumstances on her terms, and how she continued to make the best of a bad situation. She had everyone’s best interests at heart and this was showcased for her love and acceptance in those that became her family. She did what was best for her people but did so in a way that wasn’t self sacrificing, it felt like her journey was one of self acceptance. As always I adored Hunt and how he fit in with Bryce and those she loves. He was fiercely protective of everyone whom she cared about and I have the highest amount of respect for him because of this. The connections that were being made between characters - I’m looking at you Ruhn and Lydia - added an extra layer to the story and I loved watching everything unfold. The plot for this book was well thought out; SJM truly outdid herself with this one. The connections between events were intricate and well designed. Oftentimes I found myself flipping back and forth between pages that were 300 pages apart because of how many layers there were and how many triggers needed to happen to wind up where we did. The setup for the ending was incredible, I felt like it had to have been in her mind for years before actually writing it. I really loved how each individual storyline had its moment to shine and each one added to the plot without outshining or detracting from the other storylines. The exploration of new places also added another element to the dynamic plot. It felt like the story was woven into the fabric of Crescent City and with how detailed the city itself was I thought this created a cohesive relationship between the setting and the story. Overall I loved this book and would recommend this series based on this one alone.

🌃 House of Sky and Breath 🌃 By @sarahjmass ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌶🌶 I am loving Crescent City more and more as I keep reading it!!! The second book was even better than the first one and I loved it all! The political intrigue, the unexpected plot twists, characters' growth, everything is just done so amazingly well!! I loved the plot, Bryce and Hunt involvement in rebellion was timed well with the story progression and all the side characters and events added to the depth of it! Side characters, as usual, Sarah J.Mass simply outdone and I was swooning over the connection between Agent Daybright and agent Night! I love these two so much!! The ending left me with my jaw on the floor!! It was soooo good, it was delightful and shocking!!! But also, again, so well written, it was very much believable! Sarah J.Mass truly is a genius and a master of her craft!! I am in love with her ability to create very much flawed and unperfect characters, likeable and real! And that's something she's done both with ACOTAR and TOG, and I honestly think that is one of the main reasons her books are that good! Love, love, love this!! What to expect: ▪️mates ▪️forced proximity ▪️found family ▪️complex political rebellion ▪️slowburn

Let me preface this by saying that SJM’s novels pulled me out of a years long reading slump, and I absolutely adore the majority of her work. After the letdown ACOSF was for me, I was excited to get pulled back into one of her worlds and experience the emotional roller coaster most of her work takes me on. Spoilers lie ahead! Firstly, I was one of the unfortunate people who accidentally saw the massive spoiler of how the book ends a week before the release. While I was livid at the trolls who made that possible, it did allow me to go through my reread of CC1 with that knowledge, and I caught a lot of little details I likely would have glossed over. I’ve seen reviews say that the ending came out of nowhere, didn’t make sense, etc., but I can assure you that the intersection of their worlds has been hinted at since basically chapter one, book one. I did also think this book was an easier read than the first, but that’s likely due to less world building. Bryce and Hunt being mates - cool. I wasn’t mad about having to sit through another failed romance, but it wasn’t exciting to learn about. I hope that in future novels, SJM can give us a MC relationship where they simply choose each other. I correctly guessed who Agent Day was by her third interaction with Ruhn. I knew it wouldn’t be someone we liked, but I did originally think it would be Baxian. Once I learned they were female, I knew, and Ruhn becomes yet another victim of the enemies to lovers trope, despite having a perfectly good, healthy(ish) romance set up for him in CC1. It was also obvious that Celestina was not some secret double agent or would have their back; she was a pawn, who had no interest in fighting the system. Her “betrayal” wasn’t even really a betrayal as much as her just doing her job. Also, the closet scene was uncomfortable and unnecessary, and felt very much like it was just thrown in for the sake of it like Mor’s sexuality in ACOWAR. The things that really irked me - the rebel situation, Danika, and glaring plot holes. I truly don’t understand how the whole time they were actively working with the rebels, they didn’t think they were...rebels? Also, I don’t understand why any of them even got involved in the first place, the reason why was pretty weak and I wasn’t sold on it. And *why* did so much rely on Danika? Literally nothing about that made sense - it was very forced and unbelievable, everything from her meeting Sofie, tasking Sofie with this mission, and Baxian being her mate. It felt like a plot device to make Bryce care, and therefore make us care. But I didn’t, because I didn’t believe it. I think it could (and should) have come from Fury, since she’s the one who’s always off doing secret missions and the like, and top secret, world altering knowledge is something that should have come from her. We have yet to see what makes Fury so feared and powerful, and her entire plot in the book was just about her being protective of Juniper. I also didn’t really enjoy how often Bryce made a secret plan that no one knew about and then *perfectly* pulled it off (cough, Aelin, is that you?). I understand that Bryce also did these stunts in CC1, but that’s when she was still getting to know Hunt and didn’t trust him. Another plot hole - when they go to the Bone Quarter and start getting attacked, Bryce wants Hunt to fly them out. If he could fly them out, why couldn’t he fly them in? Why did they need two ultra-rare-but-here-they’re-yours-take-them tokens from Jesiba? I’m also upset that during the ending, Hunt (and presumably Ruhn and Baxian) seem to get the halo tattooed on? But isn’t it supposed to be witches ink? So that seemed like a pretty major plot hole. I also don’t understand how Rigelus appeared as Aidas’ cat form and fooled them. Aren’t they all supposed to have the best scent detectors? Wouldn’t they smell that it wasn’t him? How did he make it cold when that’s not his power? So many small plot holes like that with unanswered questions are why I docked a star from this review. Other things to note - Ithan being in love with Bryce felt cliche, Tharion’s POVs were meh (and the whole thing with the River Queen’s daughter and the queen herself is just weird), and Hunt was surprisingly my most liked character this time, since I wasn’t a big fan of his in CC1. I’d suspected since reading CC1 the first time that the Asteri were somehow frauds, but I thought they just totally lacked power, not that they stole/ate it. I’m also still thinking Amren is the 7th Asteri, but only the next book will confirm. Ruhn looking like Rhys has been his description since the first book, and his powers are very similar as well, so it was clear that they’re related, even before we knew Bryce would end up there - we knew that the species came from other worlds, so it was obvious. I’m sure Bryce will train with him (Rhys) in the next book and truly come into her powers. I bet we’ll also learn Rhysand’s last name is Danaan, since it’s never been revealed in ACOTAR. I also look forward to finding out who Hunt’s dad is - they referred to him (Hunt) as a prince several times outside of Bryce being a princess, and my bet is on one of the princes of Hel. I’m also *really* looking forward to finding out who Jesiba is (maybe Theia or one of her daughters?? Definitely someone very old, and important. Maybe joined HOFAS for Aidas?). Overall, I did enjoy the book, but I felt like it lacked some of the SJM pizazz that made me love ACOTAR and TOG so much. Or, maybe the pizazz is being recycled, and it’s just not as fresh anymore. I still very much look forward to reading CC3 when it comes out!

Wow. I don’t even know where to start, except to BEG you to run to your nearest book retailer and pick up this series. Pick up all of Sarah J Maas’s series, as every single one of them is excellent and I have yet to read anything by her that I don’t absolutely love with all my heart. I’ve been following her career since the early Throne of Glass days, and seeing her find so much success and such a devoted fan base (one I’m proudly part of) that enables her to continue creating these incredible stories and equally spellbinding worlds? It brings me so much joy, and also a deep sense of kinship with the rest of the fandom who love her characters as much as I do. I’ll preface this actual review by saying I had already very confidently figured out two of the major reveals that are spelled out towards the end of the book. I guessed them early on (one I had figured out midway through HOEAB) and I have to admit - I had the audacity to feel disappointed because it had all just seemed so OBVIOUS to me and it didn’t seem like a typical SJM ending for there to be nothing crazy for me to gush over. That being said - despite those two mysteries having been pretty clear to me, I still LOVED the book. I loved the characters, I loved the dialogue, the internal struggles, the power moves, the sense of adventure the book carried through it. The way SJM writes fantasy, as always, is divine. The friendships and relationships snd love stories, as always, were poignant and touching, and they elevated HOSAB from a story about different types of magical beings living in a fantastical world to a story about the human condition and what it means to survive, what it means to sacrifice for something bigger than yourself, and what it means to truly love someone. So, even with those two reveals at the end not really being reveals to me, this story was so gorgeous that it was still a 5 star read for me. Now it seems like those reveals were red herrings of a kind, in that they kept the reader focused on those specific mysteries instead of wondering what else could be at play. BUT - then the real ending came, something that I never saw coming even ONCE and turned everything on its head so thoroughly that I had to eat all of those “disappointed feelings” with a monstrous slice of oh so humble pie because HOLY CRAP. THAT IS HOW YOU END ON A BIG REVEAL! It was fantastic. The ending was so surprising and delightful that I immediately wanted to run to everyone I knew and beg them to HURRY UP so we could talk about what this means! So well done and just so enjoyable in every single way. If you have been holding out on reading SJM and haven’t yet discovered what the fuss is about, I urge you to open up one of her books and find out for yourself why so many people are such devoted fans. Thank you for this beautiful second installment. I simply can’t wait to see what happens next!

If House of Earth and Blood was the slow climb, this book is the moment the coaster crests and you feel the drop. I settled into the world faster this time. The pacing, the character growth, the brewing rebellion…it all had me completely strapped in. Bryce is still chaotic, loyal, and a little too self-sacrificial. Hunt is trying his best to be a functioning adult with wings and the tension between them simmered from chapter one. More secrets, more politics, more morally grey chaos. The friend group dynamics hit deeper. There’s humor and heat balanced with real-world themes like corruption, justice, and who gets to decide what freedom actually means. I love that the lines between hero and villain blur in a way that makes you question everything. So many threads! There were moments where I wished I had a conspiracy corkboard. Favorite Quote: “The world will try to break you, but you decide if it succeeds.”

The first book will steal your heart quickly and this one makes the journey addictive. And huge shock last sentence - “Hello my name is _______” 😭🖤🦇

Hold onto your bookmarks, fellow bookworms, because Sarah J. Maas has unleashed another literary beast upon us – "House of Sky and Breath," the second installment in the Crescent City series. It's like she took a sip of creativity potion and said, "Watch me conquer your soul with words!" First things first, if you haven't devoured the ACOTAR books, you might be wandering through Crescent City with a perplexed expression like a lost tourist. Trust me; you'll want to visit the Courts before taking this scenic route. And if you haven't feasted your eyes upon the Throne of Glass series, well, buckle up, because you're in for a royal treat. But hey, if you're feeling rebellious, you can jump straight from ACOTAR to Crescent City – just be prepared for a magical rollercoaster that might leave you questioning your life choices. Now, let's talk about the chokehold this book has on your emotions. If "House of Earth and Blood" left you gasping for air, "House of Sky and Breath" will have you clutching your heart, desperately trying not to spoil anything for your fellow readers. The Asteri have kept their word – mostly – but rebels are rebellious, and the threat of chaos looms like a storm cloud over a cozy reading nook. Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar just want to Netflix-and-chill their way to a normal life, but when you've got rebels stirring up trouble, staying silent is about as likely as convincing a cat to take up ballroom dancing. The choice is clear – fight for what's right or risk the wrath of fictional characters who've never been good at keeping quiet. Spoiler alert: They choose the epic battle route. In this 27-hour-and-42-minute epic audiobook experience narrated by the enchanting Elizabeth Evans (seriously, give this woman all the awards), Maas weaves a story so captivating, that it's like she's playing a symphony on your heartstrings. Move over, Netflix and Hulu – audiobooks are the new binge-worthy entertainment, and Elizabeth Evans is our auditory goddess. "House of Sky and Breath" isn't just sexy and action-packed; it's a literary explosion that makes you rethink your life choices. Maas doesn't just write books; she crafts immersive universes where love is the key, and everything – and I mean everything – is possible. The wait for the third book? It's like waiting for a magician to reveal their final trick – torturous and exciting all at once. This will leave you spiraling for all the theories you can get your hands on, I know I have. So, grab your headphones, dive into the world of Crescent City, and prepare to be mind-blown by the queen herself, Sarah J. Maas. Through love, all is possible, and through Maas, all is enchantingly unpredictable.

I would have given this book five stars but there are so many characters and it's hard to follow not only their names but their nicknames and their relationships with each other. I think we, as readers, would be better served to have a glossary at the end or some sort of character list that tells us who is who and where they're from. Secondly, we only have the map from the very first book. Well, there are a lot more places than just Crescent City in the books and it would be much better to know where exactly different scenes are taking place.

Perfecto

Mi sembra inutile fare una recensione per la storia scritta nel libro, perche ovviamente sarebbe solo un parere soggettivo, quindi lascio solo una breve descrizione oggettiva: le condizioni del libro. Arrivato nei tempi previsti, tenuto perfettamente nella scatola, neanche un angolino spiegazzato. Inchiostro ben stampato e contenente tutte le pagine (mi è capitato una volta di ricevere un libro a cui mancavano delle pagine), quindi direi acquisto consigliato a chi deve continuare la saga di Crescent city

INCREDIBLE

Bookup 10 de 10! Excelente servicio y productos, muchas gracias!

I love this hardcover! It’s beautiful! Very happy with it!