5/5

For fans of: Sarah J. Maas, ACOTAR, urban fantasy, romantasy, paranormal fantasy, insurrection, spies, crossovers

The Big Questions:

• What genre is this in? Fantasy, romance, urban fantsy

• Are there any swoon-worthy characters? ALL OF THEM

• Is it spicy? Spicy!

• Is it violent or gory? Definitely violent and fantasy gore, probably the most bloody of SJM’s books

• Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? BUY!

Synopsis: The stunning third book in the sexy, action-packed Crescent City series, following the global bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath.

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.

Review: Straight up, I loved it. What a ride. If you’re this deep into SJM, the best advice I can give you is to manage your expectations. Throw out all the theories and connections you have read/thought about/watched and just let Maas take your hand. It has all the hallmarks we love about SJM’s worlds: sexy banter, complex characters who make infuriating decisions, histories stretching tens of thousands of years, feisty FMCs who keep things close to the chest for reasons you will agree and disagree with, stressful romances that are worth it all, friendships forged in fire, and of course, the last 200 pages will leave you breathless. Savor it all. We have a while until ACOTAR 6.