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Honor Is All I Have

  • The Book Lover
  • Feb 4, 2024
  • 5 min read


I recently finished reading House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas. This is book #3 in the Crescent City series.


For my reviews on books #1 and #2 check out the following links.


*POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT*

  Rating: 4.75/5 stars


"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."


I want to start by saying that SJM never fails to completely capture my heart. Some books I may love just a tiny bit more but there is no doubt that I have loved everything she has written. 


With House of Flame and Shadow, I was pulled in immediately and in a complete chokehold. I did not want to move! Like, hello. Leave me alone, I'm in Midgard right now. 


Often I find that there's a slow build with SJM books. Not with this one. From page one it is off to the races I had to actually steal moments to catch my breath and stare at the ceiling for a little bit. Do my best to collect myself and then just jump right back in. It is so addictive and fast paced!


In the first two books, there was a lot going on but with HOFAS I felt that the story was very clear and concise. No murky or confusing plot points. No need to get out of your legal pad to take notes. The pacing was fast for a good amount of the time but slowed when necessary letting you breathe for a moment to take in all that is going on.


I had a love-to-hate relationship with Bryce from HOSAB forward, and it continued in HOFAS too, unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, she is a badass and relatable character, but to a certain point. I wished some of the Bryce from HOEAB was still in her, as she would go on with her plans, reckless to a point that even her mate with trauma would recall and she passes it with a mere shrug.


Hunt is great, but I kind of hated the relationship between him and Bryce. I felt like all they did was have the same argument over and over again. I kind of wished that Hunt would have turned out as a bad guy. I most definitely also expected a soul-shattering, emotional reunion after the whole "our love spans across time and universes" as SJM loves to do that in her books (ACOTAR and TOG included) but I felt underwhelmed with what I got given one of them was in another universe and the other was being tortured.


On the other hand, I devoured all of Ruhn and Lidia's chapters. Lidia's chapters especially are just Chef's Kiss. SJM really wasn't kidding when she said you should be WORRIED for Rhun. But she didn't mention LIDIA alongside and I was hit after hit by Lidia's chapters. There were a lot of surprises about Lidia that I did not expect them (and I found myself hesitant at first) like the way my jaw dropped when I found out she had kids. It came out of nowhere and while reading I didn't know how to feel about it...but it makes you understand her motivations more which adds another whole layer to her character.


Ruhn was and is my favorite CC character and loved him here. Sure we had the betrayal scene, but I knew it deep down he couldn't hold that grudge against her. The dungeon scenes had me wailing but when they finally truly reunited, it was all so worth it. The way I was laughing when Flynn begged them not to have sex in the stables. They're my babies forever obsessed with them. And mates!!


And finally the Asteri...I feel like they were defeated too easily. I expected it to be a Kingdom of Ash level war (my fault for raising my expectations) but still. It felt too easy considering the way SJM built them up as the biggest baddest villains. I was more scared when Bryce, Nesta, and Azriel fought Vesperus than when Bryce faced Rigelus...I'm glad they're gone though. The way the Asteri and The Fae Kings' deaths were unsatisfactory and too rushed. I felt like every villain was eliminated way too easily and way too conveniently. I'm glad that we saw Aidas, Apollion, and Thanatos but I was hoping for an epic battle between them and the Asteri. 


All in all, SJM delivered, she put in the work on this one. This book was one hell of an emotional ride and I'm not joking when I say I debated on rating it 4 stars for a time, and while I have to sit on this book for a long time as of now, I think I'm sort of satisfied with it overall. 


The ACOTAR segment was just enough and amazing, I'm glad the crossover did not take over a big chunk of the book because it is a Crescent City book. Nesta and Azriel being the major characters from there were so well plotted. Loved them being their own-self yet so different than what they already were. 


1. Nesta still kept some of her silver flame, and she wore the mask again and this was one hell of a badass scene!!!


2. That Valkyrie and Illyrian training really paid off. I love how Nesta and Az are working together as a duo during the fight


3. THEIR FRIENDSHIP IS EVERYTHING!!!! He held her to his chest after mentioning everyone she loves to push through the Mask's hold on her and calm her down


4. And Sarah J. Maas reminding us once again who has the biggest wingspan casually


There are of course still some questions and lore being unanswered and some stories left just open there, like things with Ariadne and Sigrid, but I guess if CC4 is happening after ACOTAR5 maybe that'll be a possibility to answer. Bryce and Hunt's story is finished here and I'm so glad to be able to experience this amazing series from start to finish. I don't think we need a Crescent City 4 book. Will I still read it when it comes out, heck yes, but I like where the story ended.


That being said, we are officially in ACOTAR 5 ERA Y'ALL.


A big Thank you to Sarah for another incredible journey. I'm forever grateful for the stories and the characters she always gifts us


Check out House of Flame and Shadow, and take on the journey of traveling between worlds, and batting the Asteri.


Happy Reading :)

 
 
 

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