House of Earth and Blood

This review is just to help me remember key points about the book. If you find it helpful or relatable that's cool too.
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Please work through your trauma instead of having sexual fantasies in the kitchen during breakfast.
– My thoughts while reading this.


2.5 Stars ⭐️
4 Spicies

I feet a bit ashamed. I had so many issues with this book, that it is hard to count. Characters, plot, world-building, literally about anything. And then you what I did? I stayed up till 5 AM because I just needed to finish this book.

What was good in this book:
- parts starting from around 70% of the book. That's where everything picked up speed and all the plot twists were were coming at the speed of a motor vehicle instead of the snail-slow pacing of the beginning. And it was even engaging.

What I didn't enjoy:
- Characters. I couldn't discern between them if not for the color of their hair. Here we have the most beautiful angel, there is a striking medwitch, somewhere over there is the most gorgeous wraith and so on. No matter how small mention of a character we got, it is always the same - He/She was the prettiest male/female ever seen and his/her power was unparralled to any other. Because had I mentioned that god save us the character wouldn't have a special superpower.
- Unnecessary swearing. Like for real. The book would've been a 100 pages shorter if the word “f*ck” was edited out.
- Bryce is such a Mary Sue. Despite being told throughout the whole book that her power level was low, but of course till the end of the book she had more power that any other being in the city. And I didn't even mention what a special beautiful and curvatios snowlake she is. And how every “male” was ready to take her right there.
- That scene where Bryce tried to take Hunt's place. OMG, I so waited for the reveal of some clever plan. I just couldn't believe the sheer stupidity of what she intended to do.
- Portrayal of drug use. Especially in the beginning. That was disgusting.
- No logic in acquainting readers with the world. It was either a blatant infodump (which for me is a preferable option) or we see something, it gets mentioned again in 15 pages, and again in 20 pages and after that it gets explained in the way we already had to understand what is going on. By the way, I still don't know how this planet of Midgard looks and what all the random names belong to, and the author already gone into establishing parallel words and realms.
- If this book had an editor - he did a poor job. This book is overlong but at least 300 pages. And so confusing.

At this point, I'm tired and have no inspiration left for this review.

But you know the worst thing? I will still read a next book.

DNF page 57. I was really excited to read a Maas book since she's so popular and this is her first adult book, but she's like a little kid who first hears a cuss word and wants be cool by repeating it over and over again. I swear I read “fuck” or “gods-damned” multiple times per page. My language is by no means clean but if you have to cuss a lot in your music or writing then that just shows lack of originality and skill.

I think this may be one of Maas's best books - or at least my personal favorite. As per Maas's style, the story follows Fae and humans - and a girl who is half and half. I liked Bryce as a character - in some instances she felt similar to many of the Mcs Maas writes, but I didn't quite mind since I still found myself engrossed in the pages - in the story. This world is more contemporary-fantasy oriented, and the setting is done very well. Crescent city is described beautifully, bringing about a world that is both similar to and different from the other worlds Maas has written.

Took me a couple of times to get into the story, but once I did, I really enjoyed it! I am pretty sure I would not rate this above Throne of Glass series, but not sure how I'd rate it against ACOTR, especially since I'm only on Book One, but we shall see...

This book played like a movie in my head. I could imagine everything so clearly, I had an absolute blast

The last 100 pages were absolutely insane, but I didn't expect anything else from SJM. Glued to the book

LOVE Bryce and Hunt. I think it will get even better with the 2nd book

Wrapping up the first installment in SJM's CC series, I'm reminded of a scene from The Last House on the Left (1972). The bad guys have just finished brutalizing a woman and have seemingly left her for dead, when they have this shared realization of what they've done - they look at their hands, covered in filth and blood, and then they look at each other. In a brief moment of humanity and disgust for both themselves and each other, you see regret in their faces.

This exact same thing happens to fellow fans of SJM - we all rode the high of ACOTAR, and we get to the point in the conversation where someone inevitably asks, “Oh, have ya read Crescent City yet?” Our eyes lock briefly. There's nothing but shame.

Wow I did not expect to love this book so much!
It is so well written and such a captivating story, cannot wait for the next book!
Clear 5⭐!

I did not fall in love with this the way I did ACOTAR. I think maybe urban fantasy doesn't appeal to me as much. If I didn't own the second book I'm not sure I would continue, but I'm not rushing to get to it.

This was a SLOG to get through. Supposedly Maas’ first series in ADULT fantasy and… man, it doesn’t read that way. This is a YA fantasy with a lot of juvenile writing, stilted swearing and an unnecessary amount of horniness. It’s like a hormonal teen’s fanfic about a bunch of different fantasy worlds shoved together with cursing thrown in left and right “Alphahole?” I cringed every time it was uttered. Second-hand embarrassment from beginning to end.

There’s no cohesion to the worldbuilding. There are so many species and mythological figures that she pulls from and yet there’s no real connective tissue between any of them.

This was so long for no reason. It easily could’ve been cut in half. Saying it gets better after page 500 is a bonker. The amount of infodumping is ridiculous, made worse by the fact that it was mostly shallow. I.e everytime a character popped up, it was followed by literally paragraphs of background info.

All the characters are often objectified, the female characters especially and the MC in particular. This whole book is oddly written so heavily from the male gaze. The MC can’t be in a scene without someone looking at, describing or admiring her ass/body. Why is she reduced to a body for most of the novel?? This book is filled to the brim with slut-shaming, ageism, and objectification.

Speaking of MC: Bryce is the hottest, most badass, smartest, best at everything Chosen One Mary Sue = BORING. As I understand it, all of Maas’ MCs are written like this.

There’s a weird admiration towards the oppressors in this society and blaming the oppressed groups and framing them as terrorists when they try to fight for their rights and freedom. I can’t believe that’s such a strong message behind this book.

Random side note: this kind of reminded my of the later Anita Blake books by Laurel K. Hamilton, who is incidentally praising the book on the back cover

Overall I enjoyed this book somewhat and specifically some of its side characters, but I found it super hard to get into and the plot was very predictable throughout. I found the visual world building much less fleshed out than some other SJM books which is usually the part of her writing that has me overlooking other more lacking aspects of her work. I don't super understand where the series is going to go from here and I'm not even remotely invested in the main romance plot line as much as I have been in the others series mostly due to the fact neither of them displayed a single personality trait outside of horny and stubborn. I was initially considering attempting to continue for the sake of keeping up with the multiverse, but have instead decided I deserve happiness and good literature so I DNF's the second book after 2 chapters and spent my braincells elsewhere.

These two stars are for Lehabah and SJM's ability to make me grieve a character from a world and plotline I dont give a third of a damn about

When I say I'm confused and pretty angry about this book, I'm not lying. I've just about had enough with characters who are handed powers that they do not deserve. But let's leave that for the next book

Is it weird I don't have much to say about this book? Good absolutely but didn't absolutely knock my socks off. This I felt was my first big girl fantasy read in length and plot complexity, and I'm left slightly disappointed? confused? I think mostly because of the end of the book, I was hoping for this great gigantic cliff hanger that made me want to immediately jump into the next book and this did not do that. I feel like I missed something?? I felt like this wrapped up everything but the standing of the government hierarchy?

I loved the romance and SJM truly does have a fantastic writing style. The plot was incredibly intricate and I felt not a stone was left unturned. I loved our huge group of characters and I think partially that is why I'll pick up the next book I just don't think I'm incredibly excited to?

this book deserves 6 stars !! Omg! The characters, the world, the storyline, EVERYTHING

this was such a drag of a book :'c
i need to read something good before i read the other 2 CC books lmao

This book would be perfect if it was like 200 pages shorter I'm sorry

5★
i went into this knowing next to nothing, and what i was left with was nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster of tears, excitement, love and friendship. this was impossible to put down and i had to stop myself from reading a few times just to take a breather. i didn't know what to expect but i sure as hell was not disappointed

Hated the beginning, the world building was so heavy and hard to get into. Totally invested by the end!

Yeah... nope.

 I absolutely adore Bryce and Hunt. The characters in general were all wonderfully written. This book did surprise me at every turn, though. House of Earth and Blood was nothing like I had anticipated. I cried, I laughed, and I had to put the book down in utter shock! It is basically a murder mystery set in a modern fantasy setting, which is something I've never read before. The magic system and political system were a little too complicated for me personally, but I was still able to understand what was going on even when I didn't understand small details.

Starts slow, but I was ALL IN by the end. 

House of Earth and Blood ,the inaugural novel in Sarah J. Maas's Crescent City series, is arguably her finest work to date, masterfully intertwining the worlds of fantasy and murder mystery. Maas, renowned for her captivating storytelling, elevates her craft in this novel, delivering a narrative that is as riveting as it is emotionally resonant.


Set in a richly imagined world where humans, fae, and other magical beings coexist, the story follows Bryce Quinlan, a half-human, half-Fae, as she seeks to unravel the mystery behind a series of brutal murders. The narrative is deeply engrossing, with Maas's signature blend of intricate world-building and complex characters. Each character is meticulously crafted, contributing to a multi-layered story that explores themes of grief, friendship, and resilience.


What sets House of Earth and Blood apart is how seamlessly it marries elements of urban fantasy and murder mystery. The plot is tightly woven, with suspense and surprises skillfully interlaced throughout, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Maas's world is both fantastical and familiar, making the exploration of its hidden depths and dark corners all the more thrilling.


Moreover, Maas's prose is vivid and compelling, with a pace that manages to balance character development with fast-moving plot twists. The emotional depth she brings to her characters adds a level of authenticity and relatability that is often missing in fantasy novels.


In conclusion, House of Earth and Blood is a testament to Sarah J. Maas's prowess as a storyteller. It is a novel that not only captivates with its mystery and fantasy elements but also resonates on a deeper emotional level. This book is a must-read for fans of the genre and stands as a shining example of Maas's extraordinary talent.

Para mi un 4,75/5⭐️ a pesar de que me ha ENCANTADO y a medida que iba avanzando en el libro iban pasando más cosas y me ha tenido enganchada desde principio a fin, hay algunas partes que se me han hecho pesadas, como el principio, o que me han parecido demasiado densas y podrían haber sido más cortitas, para mí 60 páginas menos y se queda un librazo perfecto de 5 estrellas, aunque entiendo el contexto de que es principio de saga y hay que explicar y contextualizar cosas pero si que me ha parecido bastante larguillo y pesado cuando había que explicar ciertos temas y escenas de acción. Aún así Bryce Quinlan se convierte en mi chica favorita de Sarah J Maas por que un personaje mejor desarrollado y carismático no puede existir

3,5/5⭐️
Het boek was voor het grootste gedeelte een 3 ster voor mij. De laatste 200 blz hebben voor de 3,5 gezorgd. Ik vond het niet zo geweldig als de andere series van Sarah J Maas.
Ik vond het ook veel te langdradig. Het had voor mij geen 900 blz boek hoeven zijn van mij.

4.5! Little long but really good, can't wait to read the next one.