Bound by blood. Tempted by desire. Unleashed by destiny. Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths. Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach. As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it. With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.
5 Stars
"There are worse fates than death, you know."
Maas is back at it! This is the start of an epic fantasy series, I can just feel it. I was sucked in from the very first page, and my attention never wavered. We have worlds and universes to explore, deadly mysteries to solve, and all different types of creatures filling the pages. But most importantly, we have a cast of characters that are all complex and developed, one that I cared for. I devoured this novel, and I cannot wait to get more.
This world Maas has created has an urban-fantasy feel. There is all this magic, but also a city with museums, bars and music, too. There is a lot to learn about the workings of Crescent City, but the parts that felt familiar gave me some stability when learning about the magic side of things. We have four houses that people are placed in, ruled by an archangel Governor for that specific region, and the Governors only answer to the Asteri, all-powerful beings that rule this world. The Asteri claim that this is a republic, but it's clearly is more of a dictatorship. Maas really sets the scene and setting for us.
Our main character is Bryce, a half-fae half-human who is looked down upon by magical creatures because of her half-breed status. Bryce is a party-girl, but one tragic night changes everything. Suddenly, she is alone, unable to move past what happened. I feel like she is a very relatable character, and what she felt at times cut to the bone. But she's also a strong, smart, daring character, one who will do anything for her friends, and that kind of loyalty is extremely admirable.
We also have Hunt, a Fallen angel who is now a slave after failing in the rebellion to overthrow the Asteri's system 200 years prior. Hunt's life has been far from easy, and now he is the personal assassin for the Governor of Crescent City, the Archangel Micah. There are some decisions Hunt makes that I don't agree with, but I understand the reasoning behind his actions. What would you do for freedom?
Besides for our main two, I love the rest of the characters as well. Ruhn is definitely one of my faves, right after Syrinx! I love how Maas always incorporates some kind of dog-like pet into her novels, this always makes me smile. And can't forget Lehabah and Danika, our little fire sprite, and Bryce's best friend. I also can't wait for all the big baddies to start making their moves.
I really enjoyed the mystery part of this novel. A murderer on the loose, a magical artifact that has to be found, and our duo determined to solve the case. There was a lot I didn't guess about this novel that I probably should have, but I blame not figuring stuff out because I couldn't put the book down long enough to even guess. That's how much I enjoyed this. Maas always has some hidden twists up her sleeve, and it's so much fun when everything gets tied together. And I mean fun as in super dangerous and deadly and will our heroine survive??
As with any Maas novel, the romance and action are on point. The romance feels natural, a slow growth from friends to something more. It's not forced, and the banter is always such good fun. But there's heavy stuff too, sharing of emotional heartache, and acceptance between these two that I think everyone hopes to find. And then there's the action, which always has my heart racing. Maas is damn good at those fight scenes.
Fair warning, this is a best of a novel. Did it need to be 800 pages? No, probably not. But did I enjoy every gritty second of it? Hel, yes.
I am so excited for this series. This is the same level of excitement I had over the Throne of Glass series, which I loved. Except now, we have an even more experienced Sarah J. Maas writing, and I can't begin to imagine how everything is going to become more complex and twisted. God, that ending was crazy too! Didn't see any of that coming. There is just something about these stories Maas creates that I cannot get enough of. Bryce and Hunt are going to have their work cut out for them in book two, and I am here for it.
About The Author
Sarah J. Maas is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series and A Court of Thorns and Roses series, as well as a USA Today and international bestselling author. Sarah wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in thirty-five languages.
A New York native, Sarah currently lives in Bucks County, PA, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much tea, and watches an ungodly amount of TV. When she's not busy writing, she can be found exploring the historic and beautiful Pennsylvania countryside with her husband and canine companion.