House of Earth and Blood

!!!Spoiler Warning!!! If you haven’t read this book yet, I give away some key spoilers!

House of Earth and Blood

by Sarah J. Maas

Synopsis: A murder mystery with a difference. Bryce is a half Fae living in a city that’s populated with every kind of creature you can imagine, from shifters to witches to angels to mer. When a series of murders rock her world she’s given the opportunity to try and solve the crimes, unaware that the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger everyone she’s ever loved is in. It’s a beautiful urban fantasy with so much pure storytelling that it’s hard not to love.

The Good:

1) A plot that kept me interested from start to finish. It was enthralling and brilliantly composed. I loved every second. The whodunnit atmosphere was perfect.
2) Twists and turns galore. I never saw a lot of things coming. At one point I had to put the book down to deal with my shock. I think I needed a Hot Cocoa to get over it.
3) The characters were incredible. I really felt the heartache and pain that Bryce was in. Grief, Depression and PTSD are written perfectly into this story in a way that was sensitive but hard-hitting and difficult to read on an emotional level.
4) Steamy hot scenes. Need I say more?
5) The need to know more. In 803 pages I feel like I’m barely scratched the surface of how much I want to know about this world. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

The Bad:

1) If you’re not a fan of Sarah J. Maas’s other books, you’re not going to like this. It’s a simple case of write what you know. This is very similar to all the other book Maas has written. We have males and mates all over the place. I kind of like it, but there are plenty that don’t.
2) There was one instance I didn’t like where Bryce was incredibly negative about some sort of creature called a Hoptoad. Apparently this species are known for eating smaller creatures like sprites, but I feel like Bryce condemned the entire species on an assumption. In a city where all the creatures are imbued with unnatural intelligence, this is tantamount to racism. Okay, okay, I’m being super persnickety, but there’s really not a lot to pick apart in this glorious book.
3) I think Bryce might have forgiven Hunt too easily. Just saying…

Conclusion: Loved it, loved it, loved it. I really enjoy Sarah J. Maas’s writing style and the way her characters become people you care about. I can’t wait for the sequel to be released. I think Bryce might be one of my new favourite characters.

Villain Rating

Huge, Huge, Huge Spoiler Warnings Ahead!!! I know the picture has nothing to do with the villain here, I didn’t want to give anything away, but doesn’t it remind you of Syrinx?

We start off thinking the Kristallos demon is the baddie here, probably summoned by someone with some nefarious scheme in mind. But, it turns out this demon is just a byproduct of what’s really happening, and certainly isn’t responsible for the murders of Danika and the Pack.

Finally, we discover our villain is none other than Micah, the archangel that asked Bryce to investigate in the first place. Turns out he was looking for an incredibly powerful artifact that Danika had hidden from him and believed that Bryce would be able to find through her history with the wolf.

His plot was to open portals to Hel and let the demons come through. He wanted the power that would grant him, so he could lord over every other being in Midgard. In other words, this guy is smart, cool, cruel and bad news. He even tries to kill Syrinx! How could he? For a brief interval, I thought he might be a potential love interest if Hunt turned out to be a alphahole, but he turned out deliciously evil. 9/10

Happy Reading,

Claire