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5 stars!
So this isn't perfect, but gods damn it's Sarah J Maas. Take in to account, I'm a billion times more biased than the average person picking up her books, so I gave this 5 stars because I love her writing, I love her characters, and I love the worlds she creates. Not to mention this story really sucked me in from the first chapter (once I could grasp all the different factions and different names) and had me shooketh to the core multiple times. However, I can admit that there are a few things that nag at me that don't sit well with me.
Let's talk what I loved first. The female friendship, the fully fleshed out main characters and side characters, the wonderfully slow burn and steamy romance, the heightened emotions the characters feel and make you feel, the world full of all kinds of fantastical creatures and magic. MOST ESPECIALLY the twisting/turning mysterious plot with all its shocking reveals leading up to one action packed, edge of your seat, final fight sequence!
Obviously I will be continuing the story. I'm actively looking for as many editions of this book as I can find, so please message me if you're willing to sell or trade! I can't wait for book 2! I already know I'm going to reread Crescent City when the paperback is in my hands.
Now we go over the thing that is seriously nagging me about SJM books in general, but especially in this one considering this is now series #3.
I love SJM books and I could reread them multiple times over and over, but something I don't appreciate is her repeating whole plot devices, personalities, and even some quotes in wholly separate series. Like I'm picking up one of her new series to see something NEW she can create. Yes I love the old stuff, it worked well for me and I loved it, but I don't want to reread a carbon copy of a previous series in her new books just with different characters and a different setting. Repeating quotes with nearly the exact same words is definitely going over the line for me.
Two examples from when I was taking receipts:
- Bryce/Hunt have a lot of Aelin/Rowan early to mid Heir of Fire vibes
- There was a time Hunt said something super stupid, it was honestly so weirdly inserted that it didn't feel organic to the argument, and now Bryce gets mad. A common SJM tactic I'm learning she likes to use
Will I still pick up every single book she writes? Absolutely.
Will this continue to bother me if it keeps happening? Probably.
However, I guess a single reader can't complain when something works, why not keep using it. *insert shrugs*
PS -- 15 minutes into this audiobook and Sarah J. Mass has really outdone herself with the amount of fantastical names she had to invent for every object, nook and cranny, God and beast in this world. I'm gonna have to reread chapter one a million times to have them straight LOL.
PSS -- If you're not a fan of steamy scenes, this one surprisingly didn't have too many. They were actually tastefully inserted and well done. At least for someone trash for these scenes like me.
Buy it on Amazon! German Edition!
Check it out on Goodreads!