Tag: Fantasy (Page 17 of 118)

BOOK REVIEW: The Beautiful (The Beautiful #1) by Renee Ahdieh

March 24, 2022 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

The Beautiful (The Beautiful #1)
by Renee Ahdieh
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.

My Disclaimer:

Before Reading Book Two: Highly Recommend (I literally insist)

After Reading Book Two: What are you talking about? There is no book two. This is simply a wonderfully charismatic, dramatic ending standalone. Do with that information what you will.

Nothing good ever came from succumbing to madness.

I read this over a month ago, yet I am no less breathless when I randomly begin thinking about it. I think it says something when you have read probably ten books post said book and your mind still randomly jumps back to it randomly, dumping you back into that time and moment when you wholly immersed yourself and said ‘I’ll never forget this’. But we always forget. Always.

It drove me to where I am now. But I am not ungrateful. For it brought to bear two of my deepest truths: I will always possess an errant young soul, no matter my age.
And I will always be the shadowy creature in darkened alcoves, waiting . . .
For you, my love. For you.

That’s not to say we NEVER remember it again, or can’t relive that feeling when we do think back to it, but we all move on, us readers, because we make room for so many more amazing books, if we are lucky. I think I’ve been very fortunate, as I have read no less than 40 amazing 5 star books just this past year (maybe more) and I loved them all fiercely for each individual story, each with its own merit-sometimes for the same reason, the same trope, the same male characteristics, the same strong, bold heroine, or a shy blushing MC. Maybe instead it’s witty and sarcastic, or dramatic and tension-filled, rife with peril or romantic delusions leading to a huge-but oh so amazing-misunderstanding that makes or breaks the book (but almost always makes the book, for me).

But if a monster takes a life, what kind of creature refuses to save one?

So why this book? What was so individualistic about it that it pops in my mind so much when it wasn’t without many flaws? Well. Perhaps that bias comes from book two which doesn’t even exist so why I even mentioned such an asinine thing is beyond me, but whatever. I. Don’t. Know. I just know that when I picked this book up, it felt right. I know I say that now and again [a lot] but it makes it no less true. And that just makes me a good reader, a smart reader, a very altruistic (I looked this up and legit this is not the correct word but I like the way it looks and sounds so…it stays) and enthusiastic fan. And this was no exception.

No matter where she went, danger followed.
And it horrified her. Just as it thrilled her.

I think part of the reason I fell so strongly in love with this story was that, TO ME, it felt different. New. Exciting. It’s not-not really-but it was such a mashup of so many things I felt a kinship to it, a pull unlike anything I’d felt in a while. It wasn’t my normal ‘Oh I’ll love this forever’ stint, nor did it just jump off the page and become an instant favorite. Much like the slow burn of this novel, this book grew on me in a way I’m not accustom to and…I definitely didn’t hate it.

In that instant, Celine thought she had an inkling of what it must be like to be a monster. To commit monstrous deeds. To wish for monstrous things to come about.
To revel in the dark.

Celine was a heroine I wholeheartedly enjoyed with her curiosity and fierce nature (it was a while ago I read this, so bare with me on describing her-I just know I LOVED her for simply being her and she was a fun heroine to follow, even if I don’t wholly remember everything). She knew what she wanted, and she also knew what she could and couldn’t live without-her friend was of utmost importance to her, so she did what she felt she had to. She could not put her friend in danger as she was sought after by the killer. What she could live with endangering her life for…well. Same.

Was this love then?
If it was, Celine wanted to bathe in it. To luxuriate in this feeling of knowing—without being told—that someone saw her, amid the beautiful decay. Saw her and stood by her side, against the very world itself.

Bastien. Let’s not pretend he is anything new in the male lead department…but it doesn’t mean I didn’t squee when he came on the page, morally gray as ever yet as sweet as a cinnamon roll to those he loved and cared about. I wonder who he grew to care about? Hm. Puzzler. That all being said, their love is forbidden for too many reasons to name, and he knows that. Yet as the book progresses, we begin to see his facade crack, his attitude change, and his motives become perhaps no less pure, but far more misguided.

“Ask him.” His smile turned punishing. “I have no doubt what his answer will be.”
“Mon cher, you don’t know him as well as you think you do.” Odette’s retort was pointed. “That’s the thing about beautiful fiends like Sébastien Saint Germain: they always do what you least expect them to do.” She brushed a speck of nonexistent dust from his shoulder. “And in the end, they always wear the crown.”

I cannot say why misguided, as I wasn’t quite sure what he was or wasn’t until a certain point in this story-I still raised an eyebrow when ‘proof’ was shown, but no matter. It all came to a head, in the end. Just know this: If a tortured hero (for actual good reason, this time) with forbidden love and mystery is what you fancy, I’d go for it.

“…Rage is a moment. Regret is forever.”

So. I don’t know. Without continuing to ramble I don’t know how I am supposed to express why you should read this when I can’t quite pinpoint why it felt different to me. Set in an eerie New Orleans, with unidentified creatures and Celine’s quest to figure who or what is targeting those around her, this book was just a breath of fresh air. I loved following her through the streets not knowing what was following her, who was around (not all bad, ya know), what might happen (as there really wasn’t a set formula, it just flowed), and what would eventually transpire when it all came to a head and Bastien had to make a choice-I won’t say it was right up my alley, not outright, but, okay, I was laying in said alley basking in the darkness, starlight, and forbidden lovers as they raced to survive against an unknown wholly evil force and I literally could not breathe. But, like, make your own decision, ‘kay? Don’t take my word for it.

******

The way I loved this so much 😭😭

RTC

BOOK REVIEW: House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas

March 14, 2022 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2)
by Sarah J. Maas
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.

The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.

“…I did that to him. With my lightning. With a blow a fraction of what I unleashed on the Starsword.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re the tough, smart male who knows best and I’m an impulsive female whose feelings get her in trouble—”
“For fuck’s sake, Quinlan.”

This is the farthest thing from an easy review to write, but that doesn’t make it any less important for me to purge the thoughts from my mind. To say I am shocked to be doing anything less than fangirling, anything less than screaming my love from the rooftops-from the mountains-anything less than cooking up theories with friends….is an understatement-yet here we are.

I literally won’t make this long, but I will say what didn’t work for me and what did. It’s only fair and the only way to get this thing off my chest. For one, I just am clearly not an SJM follower so I didn’t understand the assignment. I thought that, ya know, for once this story was just about Bryce and Hunt and that whoever surrounded them did just that…surrounded them. I was okay with other POVs, I mean who cares, but when they kind of began to overshadow what I really came here for-for my ship to sail and deal with their shit-it just struck me dumb.

That’s not to say I don’t like more of Ruhn. Ruhn is probably now my second favorite character only under HUNT [duh]…so to see him finding a thread to follow, it was refreshing. I like having more stakes, more to root for…more to lose. But that came at a price, in my opinion, when he and Tharion seemed to almost be doing more than Bryce and Hunt. I know that’s not the case, but it did feel as though we barely got any of Bryce and Hunt. I assume that’s the aftereffect of me assuming that the book would be centered around them.

So yeah…I was bummed to not get exclusive and unending Hunt content. That should come as a surprise to no one. That butt hurt aside, probably my second-or maybe first, if I’m being completely honest (or maybe it’s a tie in to the characters?)-issue is that I am a creature of habit and I do. Not. Like. Change. Book one was literally grit and action and desperation and loneliness and finding love through heartbreak and rising above betrayal and-most importantly for my psychotic ass-peril.

There just was something so unnerving about everything being the same yet different. Evolved yet not evolved. Hunt and Bryce ended in a tentative relationship and with the understanding they would lay low but of course they CANT lay low and then we enter book two and it all just…it seems so different than what I envisioned. And there, I suppose, inlays the problem: me. Well. I have always been my own worst enemy; overhyping, overthinking, overanalyzing, playing out what I want the end to be like, wanting only what I expect…

But I fear that, while yes, a lot of this rating has to do with lack of anything happening, it’s definitely not wholly my fault. Look, this is a long ass book . For conversations to be 80% of the story-that’s absurd. Well, at least to someone who doesn’t want a million new characters and threads to tug on. So I guess that leads to my third and final issue: Maas has always been too big, too grandiose, too all inclusive of her own worlds and ideas for me.

So why did you even read this series, then, you ask? Who the hell DOESN’T want to become apart of such a big fandom with your friends? I LOVED and adored book one and was SHOCKED at how amazing it was-truly. It was dead set on searing it’s own path and I blazed alongside Hunt, Bryce, and all involved. I was trash for it-still am. So to say I can’t look away from minor inconveniences and flaws and overlook past biases is both untrue and unjust. I simply just did not see eye to eye with the paths this story took. IE: Farther away from Bryce and Hunt and their tentative domestic bliss.

“Even if **** or **** told Emile it was safe to hide out, if I were a kid, I wouldn’t have come here.”
“You were a kid, like, a thousand years ago. Forgive me if my childhood is a little more relevant.”
“Two hundred years ago,” he muttered.
“Still old as fuck.”

Now here is where my positives start flowing in: Boy do I love Bryce and Hunt together. They are the epitome of one of my OTP couples. I will never not root for Hunt to find true peace and happiness-and I AM SO GLAD this was not a cakewalk for them. Bring on the pain. Bring on the hurt. Bring on any and every big bad that is trying to tear them apart. I. Am. Down. For. That. Maas wouldn’t and couldn’t and shouldn’t

make them an easy couple and that’s okay-divine even. Domestic bliss is boring and lack of tension after a couple gets together drives a book to Boring Town in less than 5 pages. So the fact that we all knew book two wouldn’t send our main lovers sailing into the sunset is a given-Maas certainly delivered. Perhaps a little too thoroughly. I’d say I have more on that alter, but I’m past being upset and negative and it holds no place among Maas fans so what is the point-I stand by the fact that this book was far from perfect but it had so many perfect elements laying within it that I cannot hate it. Will not. My heart may be shattered that this wasn’t a masterpiece in my eyes but that doesn’t blind me to the fact that Maas gives me so many things I crave.

“Not sexy enough.”
“Lover?”
“Does that come with a ruff and lute?”
He swept a wing over her bare thigh. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re a pain in the ass?”
“Just ye olde lover.”

And then she can so easily taketh away: (view spoiler) I thought we avoided that but clearly not. I didn’t say this to start down that path (though what long, winding, desolate road that would be), but to implement the fact that so many amazing elements were presented within it: Pain. Desperation (though a far tamer desperation than I wanted and needed which was delivered in book one). Longing. Loss. I love these moments above the rest, and to see them given to me in a different way I didn’t expect (though Arielle had mentioned this when I read it over a year ago as a possibility) was refreshing, though unwelcome at times.

All this being said, I am still in shock I even have to think about how I’m phrasing this and that I’m not 5 more paragraphs in blasting to the cosmos with how enraptured I am and that I am now forever an SJM fan, not lost in the throes of book slumpdom alongside my ride or die bitch, but I can’t be that person and I guess I never will. I would be remiss if I didn’t say that, of course I will still pine to know what happens in book three and I will still try with my whole heart to love book three, but am now far more unsure if that’s possible. Why bother, you’re probably asking, if you don’t like SJM. Well-what a sad world we’d live in if we gave up on our favorite characters and what will inevitably become them. What a sad world that I’d let a few things I don’t like kill the love and fire in my torch I have for Hunt and his journey for peace and happiness. My hope cannot be killed, no matter how little I felt for most of this novel. So onto three and wishing for nothing but the best in the final installment of a series I plan to die still loving.

****

Oh God the way I’m terrified to rate this candidly

Don’t tear apart my carcass please

RTC

****

ARIELLE. CASSIE. LET’S DO THIS THING.

View all my reviews

The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1) by Samantha Shannon

March 10, 2022 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1)
by Samantha Shannon
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

With many books that I’m not sure of, I hold them back, watch…and wait. I can’t pinpoint precisely what it was about this series that always tugged on my heartstrings

(har) but it was never far from my mind, nor was it something I wanted to delete from my tbr, no matter whether negative reviews or claims of lengthy, unnecessary info-dumping invaded my feed or the review page for said book when I stalked it every once in a while. For whatever reason, I wanted this one to succeed. I wanted it to not fall prey like many fantasy series and lose steam and go nowhere. I wanted to be part of this world. Period.

It should come at no surprise that one of my closest friends mentioned one of their closest friends (and a friend of mine, as well, inadvertently) reading it, that it was getting better and better as it went…And that was literally a hair trigger. I was done. Ready to go. And I picked it up immediately. That simple. What does that tell you?

The folly in this, though, was that I thought SURELY after all these years that the series would be complete? But no. Alas, I will be in for a very long wait if I make it through that far (I see no issues as in book two it’s even better, in a way). But some of the best things are worth the wait.

Look, nothing I say about this book will be new-if you have been on GR at all for any amount of time in the fantasy scene, you’ve seen and/or heard about this book. What I can confirm is:

A) Why yes, it is extremely difficult to understand, especially the beginning
B) Why yes, it is long
C) And yes, some do not like the forbidden romance because of it’s nature (view spoiler) Though, I found this to be very loosely based as far as he is involved. Other people in this group? They are the real deal, though

I’d be lying if I said it didn’t have some highly disturbing scenes and I wasn’t triggered in the ‘child’ sense once or twice…but, other than that, I found this book to just be so addictive and, dare I say, wonderful. I was obsessed the moment this book picked up steam. Which, actually, didn’t take long if you can push past those first two chapters or so!

Is it a bit depraved? Absolutely. But as it turns out, my favorite books tend to be quite frightening in intense, disturbing scenes. For example: I LOVE when the hero/heroine get the snot beat out of them. There. I SAID IT. This happens frequently in this book (and the second, to be frank) and I am not ashamed to admit I found immense pleasure in it-and no, not because of the act of it [never the act of it], but because of what comes after between heroes and heroines.

Whatever. Call me sick, but I am who I am and I like scenes that draw the baser person out of all of us.

So, there you go. I am so happy to admit that my wait was not in vain and that I was ecstatic to continue to book two. And, really, what else can you ask for?

****

Oh gosh, I literally cannot believe how good this ended up being?

RTC, if I can form some coherent thoughts!

****

I am trusting a certain *someone* with this one

Candidly, though, it’s my own sense of undeniable attraction of needing these hardbacks on my shelf that led me to never delete them off my tbr

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

March 4, 2022 / Jen / 2 Comments

The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash #4)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
War is only the beginning…

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book four in her Blood and Ash series.

From the desperation of golden crowns…

Casteel Da’Neer knows all too well that very few are as cunning or vicious as the Blood Queen, but no one, not even him, could’ve prepared for the staggering revelations. The magnitude of what the Blood Queen has done is almost unthinkable.

And born of mortal flesh…

Nothing will stop Poppy from freeing her King and destroying everything the Blood Crown stands for. With the strength of the Primal of Life’s guards behind her, and the support of the wolven, Poppy must convince the Atlantian generals to make war her way—because there can be no retreat this time. Not if she has any hope of building a future where both kingdoms can reside in peace.

A great primal power rises…

Together, Poppy and Casteel must embrace traditions old and new to safeguard those they hold dear—to protect those who cannot defend themselves. But war is only the beginning. Ancient primal powers have already stirred, revealing the horror of what began eons ago. To end what the Blood Queen has begun, Poppy might have to become what she has been prophesied to be—what she fears the most.

As the Harbinger of Death and Destruction.

Review:

A War of Two Queens was a stunning continuation of The Blood and Ash Series! Within the pages swirled hope, love, friendship, death, trials and so much more. And while this story is within the From Blood and Ash Series, the ties into A Shadow in the Ember intensified my emotions even more. It is a must read before you dive into this book! With tears, laughter, heartache and joy mingled together, this book was impossible to put down. If you’re a fan of this series, fantasy, JLA or romance, you definitely need these books in your life!

Together.
Always.
And forever.

From the very first page, my heart was in my throat. I was elated that we got chapters in Castel’s pov, but it hurt at the same time. The pain and suffering we watched him go through gutted me to the core. I wanted more than retribution, I wanted to watch those who hurt him burn a slow and painful death. The Blood Queen had to be stopped! And while Poppy had the draken and wolven behind her, she needed to solidify the Altlanians to join her battle. To take down the Blood Queen and free her King. The paths Cas and Poppy took throughout this story were an action packed, emotional ride!

If I screamed, if I gave in to all the pain and rage, the sound of desperation and anguish would become wrath and fury. The scream choking me, the power building inside me, tasted of death.
And a small part of me wanted to let it out.

I loved watching Poppy became even more confident in herself and her decisions. I wanted to stand up and cheer for her. She was so strong and someone to look up to. Yet at the same time, her hurt bled from the pages. The trials she had to go through and the heart wrenching lessons she learned continually pulled on my emotions. And Poppy’s heart wasn’t whole. She ached for Cas. For knowing the horror that he must be going through. But through it all, thank the gods she had Kieran. I loved how he stood by her in her time of need. I loved that he had her back without any hesitation. Kieran was a beautiful soul and the truest of friends. It was so easy to love him.

“Two hearts. We’re two hearts.” I brushed my lips over her brow, closing my eyes. “One soul. We’ll find each other again. We always will—”

Cas is my top favorite book boyfriend. The things he would do for love and those he cared for?! He was everything. I felt all of his emotions right along with him, but for parts of the story, I didn’t even know what to feel at times. Rage, sorrow, loss? I didn’t even know. It all blurred together. But even when he was backed into a corner, I knew Cas would persevere. Just like he always did. No matter how dire the situation. And with Cas there was also elation, hope and so much love that warmed me from the inside out. I couldn’t wait until I could see him joking around with Poppy again. For them to touch. For the passion to burn between them. I needed them back together and whole.

His hand tightened in my loose braid of hair. “He is still yours. You are still his.”
Tears stung my throat, my eyes. “Always,” I whispered hoarsely.

Even through the heartache and pain, we were given so many moments that made us laugh and smile. They helped heal my heart and allowed me to breathe. Reaver, Delano, Netta, and so many more added to that. The friendships that wove throughout this story were breathtaking and real. It added the lightness that was desperately needed in the moments of darkness. And I for one can’t wait to see where some of them go! Although I have to say that Reaver was definitely one of my top favorites. He could be such a grump and it almost seemed like he could antagonize others without any effort at all lol, but I absolutely loved him!

I knew what I would feel if I let my senses stretch. Horror. Horror so potent, I would never be able to wash it away.

With questions answered that made me scream I knew it out loud, there were others that made me second guess everything I knew. The twists and turns in this book were heart-stopping! I never knew what would happen next or who would be safe. I was kept on the edge of my seat trying my best to keep my emotions in check. But it never worked. Tears silently streaked down my face. And other times I couldn’t stifle the gasp or sobs this story invoked from me. Thankfully there were happy tears mixed in their also. But hold on, because there were so many emotions within these pages!

My Queen. My soul. My savior. Poppy.

The War of Two Queens consumed my every waking thought and this story easily became an instant favorite. The series continued to unfold in a way that was not only intricate but had me beyond fascinated! And the characters easily owned my heart. I was so happy to see that the ending left us at a spot where we could somewhat relax, yet I’m beyond ecstatic to pick up that next book! I absolutely loved this book and this series. I can’t recommend them enough!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

***Coming back on release day to share some of my favorite quotes and one thought I had. There are LOTS of spoilers so please don’t click unless you have read this book***

View Spoiler »

Reading Order & Links:

Amazon (click on covers) & iBooks (click on titles)

From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash Series) #1 Review: Jen	A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Blood and Ash Series) #2 Review: Jen	The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and Ash Series) #3 Review: Jen
A Shadow in the Ember Ash (Flesh and Fire Series) #1 Review: Jen	The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash Series) #4 Review: Jen	A Light in the Flame (Flesh and Fire Series ) #2 Review: Jen
A Soul of Ash and Blood (Blood and Ash Series) #5 Review: Jen	A Fire in the Flesh (Flesh and Fire Series) #3 Review: Jen	Visions of Flesh and Blood (Blood and Ash Series) #5.5 Review: Jen

BOOK REIVEW: House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J Maas

March 2, 2022 / Arielle / 0 Comments

House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City)
by Sarah J Maas
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Sarah J. Maas's sexy, groundbreaking CRESCENT CITY series continues with the second installment.

Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.

The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.

Review

*Spoiler Alert* While I will be putting any straight up spoilers in spoiler bars, please be warned that I may still infer things in my normal review that could still spoil things for you. Proceed with caution!

Hunt’s voice was a thunderclap as he said behind her, “Light it up, Bryce.”

I was just telling Chelsea that I had opened up a document to review this beauty and that it was such a daunting task because for as much as I am A COMPLETE STAN for SJM, I hardly ever, properly review her books. I love them so much but SO much goes on that all that is in my head afterwards are these threads of jumbled flailing that I can hardly untangle so far as to get a coherent thought that isn’t just straight up screaming out.

But I’m here. I have written down very specific points I want to talk about. Wish me luck.

This book….may have topped ACOMAF for me. *Gasps in a huge breath* There I said it. ACOMAF has held my top favorite book spot since it came out and not even ACOSF (Cassian and Nesta are still my OTP) had superseded that. HOEAB is the only book that I have EVER read that consistently makes me cry and gives me physical reactions (goosebumps, aching chest LOL, etc.) in the exact same spots during every re-read, even when I already know exactly what’s coming. While I still didn’t hold it up on as high as a pedestal as I did ACOTAR and ToG, that might honestly just be because I had YEARS to fall in love with those characters over multiple books, whereas until now we had only had one Crescent City book. Besides that, the fact that this is FIRMLY in the adult fantasy/ adult urban fantasy genre has really set it apart. It’s in an entirely different league and Sarah has found. Her. Fucking. Element.

“Boyfriend sounds weird for you. It’s so … young. But what else is there?”
If he had a star on his chest, Hunt knew it’d be glowing as he asked, “Partner?”
“Not sexy enough.”
“Lover?”
“Does that come with a ruff and lute?”
He swept a wing over her bare thigh.“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a pain in the ass?”
“Just ye olde lover.”

Let’s start with the OG stars of the show. Hunt and Bryce. Sarah had been hinting that she was going to be holding these two back from one another since hey, they only have known each other for about five months before going through some super traumatic experiences together to top off all of the other trauma shit that each had previously individually experienced. Fun times. I do love that they wanted to try to explore a “normal” relationship with one another first, even if I myself felt blue balled and let’s be real, these two were NEVER going to have a normal relationship/life.

To keep things simple though, I love their relationship. I love their banter. I love how horny they are for each other’s power. I love how they both stand up for one another only to turn around and roast the hell out of the other person in the next minute. So many one liners in this book that I highlighted and that had me straight CACKLING. Even their sexy time banter=UNPARALLED. Gods so fucking hot I can’t even stand it. These two are so perfect for one another.

And let’s talk about the –FOLLOW ME TO THE SPOILER BAR MY FRIENDS – View Spoiler »

In short. I love them and am obsessed with them and as I told Chelsea, I will eat a fucking cactus if they don’t wind up together for all eternity.

Hunt growled, low and deep.
“I’m going to fuck you senseless.” Her nipples were hard as pebbles, and she squirmed against him. Nothing but those little lace panties separated her sweetness from his bare thighs.
But then Holstrom shouted, “That sounds medically dangerous!”

On to the rest of the cast. GUYS. Guys. GuYs. I love this ragtag group of loveable idiots. I know some people might not like that they added more POVs but I LIVE for that. Loved and both cried getting to know Tharion and what he was dealing with in the Blue Court (spoiler alert a bunch of BS). Ithan– SARAH WERE YOU TRYING TO DESTROY US MORE THAN USUAL?? HUH WERE YOU???? Loved Dec and Flynn AS ALWAYS and even the Cormac bits were interesting/enlightening in certain ways *wink*. The one person I found myself missing the most at first was Hypaxia but she does come into play eventually and I was so glad, especially when she and Bryce had some girl time. Queens need to stick together (and no I am not calling Bryce a queen in the literal aspect….yet anyway). Who is going to come up with a new squad name for me because I really think we need one.

AND NOW, FOR THE BEST BOY OF ALL. RUHN DAAANAAAANNNNNNNNNNN. *the crowd roars* Yallllll. My love for Ruhn in book one pales in comparison for what I feel for him now. We learn more about his past AND just see more of him as a friend and Bryce’s brother and boy was my heart working in overtime. He deserves SO SO much and I am so fucking glad that his TRASH father didn’t suck all of the joy and kindness out of him. Autumn King is #1 on my shit list let me tell you. And after that Pollux and Rigelus tied. ANYWAY we DO get a new ship in this book involving Ruhn that….well, I’ll go ahead and say it. I am fucking obsessed you guys. There are quite a few bad-guys-or-are-they in this book and I was MOST DELIGHTED when both were uncovered as GOOD. I seriously have been internally screaming since I found out about one of them in particular. Anyway not going into detail but just know, this new ship is my everything and I can’t wait for more.

Ithan said slowly, “Hel is our enemy.”
“Is it?” Aidas laughed, ears twitching. “Who wrote the history?”
“The Asteri,” Tharion said darkly.

I feel myself winding down so I had better go out with a bang here. This wouldn’t be a Sarah book or even series if it didn’t have a BILLION twists and turns that you never saw coming. We learned so many more things about Danika (which I honestly hadn’t expected her to STILL be playing such a big role) and I’m not going to lie, I was very pissed off FOR Bryce. I can only hope she had at least PLANNED on telling her best friend someday. Sighhh

One thing that I had expected out of this book was the talk of rebellion and the looming war on the horizon. What I didn’t expect was to learn exactly what we learned. That even though we hate the Asteri and know they are wrong, there are also plenty in the human rebellion that are almost just as awful. The question of WHO might be the best people to rule if the Asteri are dethroned comes into play a lot and it was actually very interesting to think about. I think a LOT of realllly big changes and power plays are going to be made in the final book.

And finally. Yes. I think you all know what’s coming. Dive into that spoiler for some really fun flailing.

View Spoiler »

WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to re-read all my favorite parts over again.

Bryce faced her father. The Autumn King said in a voice so low no one else could hear, “You little bitch.”
Bryce smiled broadly. “It’s ‘You little bitch, Your Highness.’”