Bryce Quinlan is enjoying a mostly carefree lifestyle as a half-Fae party girl, hanging with Danika Fendyr and the rest of the Pack of Devils. The Pack of Devils is one of the most elite shifter units in Crescent City and no one can stand against them. That is, until a demon appears in Crescent City, and the whole world shifts for Bryce. Bryce finds herself reluctantly teamed up with Hunt Athalar, one of the most feared Fallen Angels. What dark secrets will Bryce and Hunt uncover in their quest for justice?

HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD is the first book in the Crescent City series and wow, what a start! I admittedly was overwhelmed at first by the complexity of the world-building but soon fell into the rhythm of this world. Unlike the Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series which are fantasy, the Crescent City series is more urban fantasy, and the initial impact can be a bit jarring. Stick with it, however, as HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD is only the beginning of the fun and I love it just as much as I do the other two series! And… no spoilers but trust me you’re going to want to read HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD if you love the other two series!

Part of the Sarah J. Maas magic is her characters. She can make the unlikable become likable and vice versa. This is definitely the case with Bryce, who started out appearing as a whiny, self-centered party girl. In fact, I was so angry when her friends were murdered because I liked them a whole heck of a lot better than her. I’m not sure when my opinion changed, but Sarah J. Maas sold me on her as I’m all in on Bryce as a strong female heroine who I want to see more of! Hunt, on the other hand, I loved from the start. His bad boy image only makes his appeal stronger, especially considering his back story of how he became enslaved.

HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD kicks off yet another emotionally charged series that will leave readers both weeping and cheering at various points. One of the most emotionally devastating scenes I’ve ever read is in HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD (and I’m not sure I’ve forgiven Sarah J. Maas for it yet either LOL) followed by one of the best moments of justice. If you haven’t read Sarah J. Maas, pick up HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD now. Immediately. You won’t regret it!