Review: House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J Maas
Series: Crescent City #3
Published by Audible Studios, Bloomsbury on 2024-01-30
Length: 951 pages
Length: 29 hours and 42 minutes
Listening Speed: 2x
Reviewing Audiobook, Hardcover from My Book Shelf, Audible
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2024 Audiobook Challenge, 2024 Finishing the Series Reading Challenge

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.

In this sexy, breathtaking sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, Sarah J. Maas's Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt's world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J Maas is the explosive conclusion to Bryce and Hunt’s story in the Crescent City series. If you haven’t read the previous two books, read this review at your own risk. Spoilers ahead to the previous books. This one picks up right where Maas left us hanging with Bryce in another world, more specifically the Night Court of Prythian and the home of Rhysand and Feyre. After disappearing through a portal in the Asteri court, Bryce is desperate to return home. She thought she was going to the demon princes who had offered her help, but instead found another world in Midgard. Hunt and Ruhn are left behind, caught, and tortured by the Asteri. While Hunt despairs and worries over Bryce, the torture he endures he finds easier to handle than the first time around. This time he isn’t alone and he has something to fight for.

Ummm…can I just say that I FREAKED over the ending of House of Sky and Breath?! I feel like I should have caught on to the fact that Maas was planning a crossover of epic proportions after seeing Rhys and Feyre and Crescent City in Kingdom of Ash, but I thought it was just a cute little Easter egg for fans to fawn over. I LOVED this crossover and wish I could have had more of it. It served two purposes. It let Bryce learn more about the creatures who call themselves the Asteri while also teaching her more about her magic, AND it sets up the next ACOTAR book (at least that’s my opinion). ACOTAR fans, don’t get super excited though. Rhys and Feyre are barely there. Bryce mainly interacts with Nesta and Azriel which was still fun to see.

Back in Crescent City, Bryce’s friends are working to find a way to free Hunt, Ruhn, and the Hound with Agent Daybright. Her identity is now revealed to everyone, including Ruhn who is a little heartbroken and trying to understand her double life. There is so much to unpack here that I could write multiple posts on the subject, but I won’t. I’ll highlight my favorite stories. Clearly, Ruhn and Hunt’s story takes centerstage. With Bryce missing, they are on their own to find a way out. Lucky for them Daybright cares enough to risk her life for them. With the help of Ruhn’s friends, she hatches a crazy scheme to get them out of the castle. It’s exciting, breathtaking, and heart-stopping all at the same time.

The plot of this one moves at breakneck speed, so if, like me, you found the first two books slow to start, this one doesn’t have that problem. The only downside I found was the multiple points of view and switching so much. It was hard to focus on one problem when we were constantly being shown what was happening in other parts of the city. But in truth, I loved all the side plots as well. I truly believe that while Bryce and Hunt’s story concludes in this book, Maas can easily revisit this world to focus on other characters: Ruhn, Tharion, and Ithan for a start.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed House of Flame and Shadow. I loved following Bryce and Hunt’s adventures separately in this book as most is spent apart. The world-building, the foreshadowing, and imagery…I loved it all. If you are a fan of fantasy romance, I highly recommend it.

Audiobook Note: I decided to alternate between reading my hardcover copy and listening to the audiobook. This was partly because I love Elizabeth Evans’s narration. She is fantastic at bringing this series to life. I listened at my normal 2x speed.

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