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Crescent City [Dramatized Adaptation] #1, Part 2
House of Earth and Blood (Part 2 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation]
Sarah J. Maas's CRESCENT CITY series begins with House of Earth and Blood: the story of half-Fae and half-human Bryce Quinlan as she seeks revenge in a contemporary fantasy world of magic, danger, and searing romance.
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.
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.
12 pages, Audiobook
Published April 18, 2024
About the author
Sarah J. Maas
121 books561k followersSarah J. Maas is the #1 bestselling author of the Throne of Glass, Court of Thorns and Roses, and Crescent City series. Her books have sold millions of copies and are published in thirty-eight languages. She lives in New York City with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 374 reviews
September 2, 2024
This was damn emotional
May 7, 2024
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I can honestly say this was casted soooo well.
I loved it, I loved the book and the graphic audio was amazing i actually cried at some points when I didn’t when I read them.
There was so much emotion and Bruce come across just as sassy as the physical book
*chefs kiss*
Perfecto
Just perfect so excited for cc2 and cc3 on graphic audio.
I can honestly say this was casted soooo well.
I loved it, I loved the book and the graphic audio was amazing i actually cried at some points when I didn’t when I read them.
There was so much emotion and Bruce come across just as sassy as the physical book
*chefs kiss*
Perfecto
Just perfect so excited for cc2 and cc3 on graphic audio.
July 26, 2025
OMG, I didn't see that plot twist coming, nor did I see all that possible heartbreak on the horizon by the end. I was a blubbering, anxious mess by the second half of this book. This book has blown ACOTAR out of the water. This is by far the best SJM book that I've read so far. Sure, it had a bumpy start, but ever since it got put into gear, it's been smooth sailing!
I am very much invested in Bryce and Hunt's story, and I'm hoping for the best with the next book!
The Graphic Audio Narration:
SOSOSOSOSO GOOD! No notes. Simply amazing. They outdo themselves with every release ᥫ᭡
I am very much invested in Bryce and Hunt's story, and I'm hoping for the best with the next book!
The Graphic Audio Narration:
SOSOSOSOSO GOOD! No notes. Simply amazing. They outdo themselves with every release ᥫ᭡
February 20, 2026
All of the stars❤️😭
✅✅ Great characters
✅ So many feelings!!!
✅ Complex world-building
✅ Compelling plot
✅ Action and pace
✅ Mystery to solve
✅ Magical creatures / Powers
✅ Love interest / Sexual tension
✅ Hate-to-friends-to-love
🆗 Info-dump in the first chapters
❗️❗️ Be sure to have Kleenex near you when you read this book
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: suicide ideation, depression, alcohol, drug use, torture, gore, and deaths
_______________________
Third read:Every time.
Every. Single. Time.
I cry.
Listening to the book this time was a whole new level of pain.
_______________________
Bryce Quinlan lost everything 2 years ago when her best friend’s pack was slaughtered, along with her best friend, in their apartment. Now, as she is trying to move on, without much success, she is forced to dive back into those painful memories when she is asked by the governor of the city to team up with one of his angels to investigate a murder that seems to have the same signature as her best friend’s. Only, the more they investigate, the more complicated it becomes, as the murders seem to be connected to a theft that happened 2 years prior, and to a new drug that hit the street and could have disastrous repercussions for the city.
Welcome to Crescent City, where shifters, fae, angels, witches, sprites, and any other magical creatures that you can think of coexist in relative peace and order.
Now, the world-building of this story is complex, I do like the fact that there are details about the government, the history, the structure, and the functioning of the city, but honestly, it felt like a big dumping of information for the first 4 chapters. I had to re-read the first chapters and take some notes about the Packs, the Aux., the Imperial Legion, the Asteri, the Triarii, Midgard, Pangera, the FiRo, the heads of the city, etc... The information about these new concepts (and new words or abbreviations) was just casually thrown in the story without any real explanation as if we were supposed to know right away how everything was organized. I do complain when everything is painfully explained over and over and over again, but in this story, I would have appreciated a few more details in the first few chapters.
Here is a quick recap of what you need to know about the structure of Crescent City:
- The Asteris are ruling over all the Republic, they are untouchable.
- Crescent City is part of the Republic. The Republic is divided into 10 territories.
- There are 6 lower Heads in Crescent City, each one controlling a specific part of the city:
The Prime of Wolves in Moonwood
The Viper Queen in the Meat Market
The Fae Autumn King in Five Roses (FiRo)
The Under-King in the Bone Quarter
The Oracle in Old Square
The River Queen beneath the Istros River
- Micah, the Archangel, is the 7th Head and rules over the 6 lower Heads. He is also the Governor of the city.
- The City’s Auxiliary (Aux) is made of packs and groups that patrol and protect the city.
- The 33rd Imperial Legion is the Governor’s personal army of angels, also part of the Auxiliary.
- Humans in the country of Pangera are oppressed by the magically gifted and the Vanir (magical beings such as shifters). It’s not as bad in the City, but there are definitely tensions.
But if you can push through these first 3 chapters, it gets better and it is so worth it! The main intrigue is a mix of murder, theft, and a drug-selling scheme to solve, and even though this book is almost 800 pages, it doesn’t drag on. There are fight scenes and action, especially for the last 200 pages. There are also some plot twists (no secret wedding yet though... iykyk) and just enough mystery to keep us guessing about the identity of the person behind it all until the end and it honestly kept me at the edge of my seat. I know that some people are sick and tired of Sarah J. Maas's style and I admit that Bryce reminds me of Aelin (yes she is super pretty and sassy and ends up being quite powerful), and her relationship with Hunt is a little similar to Feyre and Rhys's relationship at their beginning or even similar to Aelin and Rowan's relationship (banter, sarcasm, love/hate), but I still liked it and I really enjoyed reading this book.
Bryce is a sarcastic and "gorgeous-and-I-know-it" half-human half-fae girl and Hunt is the sexy fallen angel, the ex-general who's now a slave to the republic after leading a failed rebellion. They have to work together to solve the murders and stay alive because of course people are also trying to kill them. Add to that a few Fae (and an awesome half-brother that I wish to see more of in the next book), some angels, proud shifters, a funny sprite, and a cute chimera and you are ready for one hell of an adventure! I got really attached to the characters and I cried more than once (and I mean ugly sobbing), especially while reading the last 200 pages.
Bryce lets the world think that she’s a lazy, dumb party girl, but she is so much more than that. She is sweet, kind, caring, and fiercely protective. I really enjoyed watching her defend Hunt and doing all these little gestures to show him that he was worthy of love and that he was not alone anymore. Every time I reread this book, I fell more in love with her brilliant, cunning, sassy, and selfless ass and now I am utterly in love with Bryce Quinlan.
Bryce and Danika’s friendship is so beautiful and inspiring. They set the ultimate friendship goal. How devoted they are to each other, how they always have each other’s back, and the way Bryce still thinks about her friend every day as she tries to go on with her life… It was beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time.
I admit that I was not the biggest fan of Hunt the first time I read this book (don’t ask me why, I can’t even remember), but I have to say that he grew on me the second time around and I adore him now. So many times I felt heartbroken because of his story and I wanted someone to just hug him and tell him that everything would be okay. He is this tough, intimidating angel, and people are scared of him, but all he wants is to be free to live a long, normal, and boring life.
The relationship between Bryce and Hunt is so cute. It was everything.
I would qualify this as a hate-to-love type of romance since they started off wanting to punch each other in the throat. Honestly, though, it’s not even the romance part that got me all mushy, it’s the friendship they developed that was just SO FREAKING SWEET. They were both alone and lonely in their miserable life, and they realized that maybe they could find some kind of solace and peace with each other. His cooking for Bryce and her telling him that he could stay with her even after their investigation was over are the types of cute and heartwarming moments that made me smile like a deranged person way too many times. I am totally jealous of their relationship.
The characters are definitely a strength of this book. They are well developed, have their voice, and made me feel so many emotions.
- Ruhn is such a sweet big brother. Even though faes are all about power and selfishness, he does not give a shit about it as long as he can keep Bryce safe and be involved in her life.
- Tharion is a great secondary character, even though he is only there for a few pages. I really like him, I hope we get to see more of him in the next book.
- Aidas is super intriguing and mysterious and I can’t wait to know more about him.
- Hypaxia has the potential to be a great character and we’ve only seen her for a few pages in this book.
- Lehabah and Syrinx were the cutest friends for Bryce, they are both the cutest, sweetest, most perfect and I LOVE THEM with all my heart.
- Ithan seems like an interesting character too, I wonder if he will have a more important role to play in the next book.
They all made me cry. Many times.
Even though it was a re-read and I knew what was coming, I cried ugly fat tears and I am not ashamed of it. Also, talking about crying, I have to say that I love the fact that the males in this book do cry and are not ashamed of it. Ruhn and Hunt cried and they did not try to hide it or downplay it, they owned it because men (or males in this case) are allowed to cry.
As I said, the story is a little confusing at first, but you quickly get sucked into the universe of Crescent City. I know that this book will not be appreciated by everyone, but I found it amazing! It was different from Maas' other book because it was more focused on an investigation and resolving a crime instead of defeating a big evil villain threatening to destroy the world, and it was a nice change.
On a side note, this is also officially Sarah J. Maas's first adult fantasy novel (or so I've read...), but honestly, the main difference is the main characters’ age (25 yo), and the swearing, but it's not over-the-top. Get ready to read a lot about Alphaholes though (Alpha-assholes), if ACOMAF had a lot to say about busybodies, House of Earth and Blood is the domain of Alphaholes, I lost count of how many times this word was used.
1. House of Earth and Blood (Part 1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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✅✅ Great characters
✅ So many feelings!!!
✅ Complex world-building
✅ Compelling plot
✅ Action and pace
✅ Mystery to solve
✅ Magical creatures / Powers
✅ Love interest / Sexual tension
✅ Hate-to-friends-to-love
🆗 Info-dump in the first chapters
❗️❗️ Be sure to have Kleenex near you when you read this book
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: suicide ideation, depression, alcohol, drug use, torture, gore, and deaths
_______________________
Third read:Every time.
Every. Single. Time.
I cry.
Listening to the book this time was a whole new level of pain.
_______________________
”Light it up, bitch.”
Bryce Quinlan lost everything 2 years ago when her best friend’s pack was slaughtered, along with her best friend, in their apartment. Now, as she is trying to move on, without much success, she is forced to dive back into those painful memories when she is asked by the governor of the city to team up with one of his angels to investigate a murder that seems to have the same signature as her best friend’s. Only, the more they investigate, the more complicated it becomes, as the murders seem to be connected to a theft that happened 2 years prior, and to a new drug that hit the street and could have disastrous repercussions for the city.
Welcome to Crescent City, where shifters, fae, angels, witches, sprites, and any other magical creatures that you can think of coexist in relative peace and order.
Now, the world-building of this story is complex, I do like the fact that there are details about the government, the history, the structure, and the functioning of the city, but honestly, it felt like a big dumping of information for the first 4 chapters. I had to re-read the first chapters and take some notes about the Packs, the Aux., the Imperial Legion, the Asteri, the Triarii, Midgard, Pangera, the FiRo, the heads of the city, etc... The information about these new concepts (and new words or abbreviations) was just casually thrown in the story without any real explanation as if we were supposed to know right away how everything was organized. I do complain when everything is painfully explained over and over and over again, but in this story, I would have appreciated a few more details in the first few chapters.
Here is a quick recap of what you need to know about the structure of Crescent City:
- The Asteris are ruling over all the Republic, they are untouchable.
- Crescent City is part of the Republic. The Republic is divided into 10 territories.
- There are 6 lower Heads in Crescent City, each one controlling a specific part of the city:
The Prime of Wolves in Moonwood
The Viper Queen in the Meat Market
The Fae Autumn King in Five Roses (FiRo)
The Under-King in the Bone Quarter
The Oracle in Old Square
The River Queen beneath the Istros River
- Micah, the Archangel, is the 7th Head and rules over the 6 lower Heads. He is also the Governor of the city.
- The City’s Auxiliary (Aux) is made of packs and groups that patrol and protect the city.
- The 33rd Imperial Legion is the Governor’s personal army of angels, also part of the Auxiliary.
- Humans in the country of Pangera are oppressed by the magically gifted and the Vanir (magical beings such as shifters). It’s not as bad in the City, but there are definitely tensions.
But if you can push through these first 3 chapters, it gets better and it is so worth it! The main intrigue is a mix of murder, theft, and a drug-selling scheme to solve, and even though this book is almost 800 pages, it doesn’t drag on. There are fight scenes and action, especially for the last 200 pages. There are also some plot twists (no secret wedding yet though... iykyk) and just enough mystery to keep us guessing about the identity of the person behind it all until the end and it honestly kept me at the edge of my seat. I know that some people are sick and tired of Sarah J. Maas's style and I admit that Bryce reminds me of Aelin (yes she is super pretty and sassy and ends up being quite powerful), and her relationship with Hunt is a little similar to Feyre and Rhys's relationship at their beginning or even similar to Aelin and Rowan's relationship (banter, sarcasm, love/hate), but I still liked it and I really enjoyed reading this book.
Yeah, Quinlan had balls. She was stupid and brash, but at least she had nerve. The combination, however, would likely see her dead before she completed the Drop.
Bryce is a sarcastic and "gorgeous-and-I-know-it" half-human half-fae girl and Hunt is the sexy fallen angel, the ex-general who's now a slave to the republic after leading a failed rebellion. They have to work together to solve the murders and stay alive because of course people are also trying to kill them. Add to that a few Fae (and an awesome half-brother that I wish to see more of in the next book), some angels, proud shifters, a funny sprite, and a cute chimera and you are ready for one hell of an adventure! I got really attached to the characters and I cried more than once (and I mean ugly sobbing), especially while reading the last 200 pages.
He swallowed hard, but she merely fitted the gun to her shoulder, each movement as comfortable as he’d expect from someone raised by a legendary sharpshooter. She clicked off the safety and didn’t bother to use the scope as she said to none of them in particular, “Allow me to demonstrate why you all can kiss my fucking ass.”
Bryce lets the world think that she’s a lazy, dumb party girl, but she is so much more than that. She is sweet, kind, caring, and fiercely protective. I really enjoyed watching her defend Hunt and doing all these little gestures to show him that he was worthy of love and that he was not alone anymore. Every time I reread this book, I fell more in love with her brilliant, cunning, sassy, and selfless ass and now I am utterly in love with Bryce Quinlan.
Bryce and Danika’s friendship is so beautiful and inspiring. They set the ultimate friendship goal. How devoted they are to each other, how they always have each other’s back, and the way Bryce still thinks about her friend every day as she tries to go on with her life… It was beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time.
Hunt wondered how much trouble he’d get in if he chucked Bryce Quinlan into the Istros. After the morning he’d had, any punishment from Micah or being turned into a pig by Jesiba Roga was starting to seem well worth it.
“That's the point of it, Bryce. Of life. To live, to love, knowing that it might all vanish tomorrow. It makes everything that much more precious.”
I admit that I was not the biggest fan of Hunt the first time I read this book (don’t ask me why, I can’t even remember), but I have to say that he grew on me the second time around and I adore him now. So many times I felt heartbroken because of his story and I wanted someone to just hug him and tell him that everything would be okay. He is this tough, intimidating angel, and people are scared of him, but all he wants is to be free to live a long, normal, and boring life.
Ember frowned. “Why,” she asked Bryce, “is Hunt Athalar your roommate?”
“He was booted from the 33rd for his questionable fashion sense,” she said, munching on the croissant. “I told him his boring black clothes don’t bother me, and let him stay here.”
“You’re my friend.” The words hung between them. His head dipped again, as if he could hide the expression on his face as he amended, “If you would like me to be.”
For a moment, she stared at him. The offer thrown out there. The quiet vulnerability. It erased any annoyance still in her veins.“Didn’t you know, Athalar?” The tentative hope in his face nearly destroyed her. “We’ve been friends from the moment you thought Jelly Jubilee was a dildo.”
“You look how I feel,” she whispered, her throat tight. “Every day.”
He blinked, his only sign that he’d heard.
The relationship between Bryce and Hunt is so cute. It was everything.
I would qualify this as a hate-to-love type of romance since they started off wanting to punch each other in the throat. Honestly, though, it’s not even the romance part that got me all mushy, it’s the friendship they developed that was just SO FREAKING SWEET. They were both alone and lonely in their miserable life, and they realized that maybe they could find some kind of solace and peace with each other. His cooking for Bryce and her telling him that he could stay with her even after their investigation was over are the types of cute and heartwarming moments that made me smile like a deranged person way too many times. I am totally jealous of their relationship.
“I don’t care if I’m called Prince or Starborn or the Chosen One or any of that.” He grabbed her hand. “The only thing I want to be called right now is your brother.” He added softly, “If you’ll have me.”
The characters are definitely a strength of this book. They are well developed, have their voice, and made me feel so many emotions.
- Ruhn is such a sweet big brother. Even though faes are all about power and selfishness, he does not give a shit about it as long as he can keep Bryce safe and be involved in her life.
- Tharion is a great secondary character, even though he is only there for a few pages. I really like him, I hope we get to see more of him in the next book.
- Aidas is super intriguing and mysterious and I can’t wait to know more about him.
- Hypaxia has the potential to be a great character and we’ve only seen her for a few pages in this book.
- Lehabah and Syrinx were the cutest friends for Bryce, they are both the cutest, sweetest, most perfect and I LOVE THEM with all my heart.
- Ithan seems like an interesting character too, I wonder if he will have a more important role to play in the next book.
“Then let the world know that my first act of freedom was to help my friends.”
(...)
“My friends are with me and I am not afraid.”
The jackals joined them. The coyotes. The wild dogs and common dogs. The hyenas and dingoes. The foxes. It was who they were. Who they had always been. Defenders of those who could not protect themselves. Defenders of the small, the young. Shifter or true animal, that truth lay etched in the soul of every canine.
They all made me cry. Many times.
Even though it was a re-read and I knew what was coming, I cried ugly fat tears and I am not ashamed of it. Also, talking about crying, I have to say that I love the fact that the males in this book do cry and are not ashamed of it. Ruhn and Hunt cried and they did not try to hide it or downplay it, they owned it because men (or males in this case) are allowed to cry.
Through love, all is possible
As I said, the story is a little confusing at first, but you quickly get sucked into the universe of Crescent City. I know that this book will not be appreciated by everyone, but I found it amazing! It was different from Maas' other book because it was more focused on an investigation and resolving a crime instead of defeating a big evil villain threatening to destroy the world, and it was a nice change.
On a side note, this is also officially Sarah J. Maas's first adult fantasy novel (or so I've read...), but honestly, the main difference is the main characters’ age (25 yo), and the swearing, but it's not over-the-top. Get ready to read a lot about Alphaholes though (Alpha-assholes), if ACOMAF had a lot to say about busybodies, House of Earth and Blood is the domain of Alphaholes, I lost count of how many times this word was used.
1. House of Earth and Blood (Part 1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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March 13, 2025
not this half of the book making me ugly cry at my desk at work
December 22, 2024
This book is one of my favorites of all time.
While I do think this was one of the better Graphic Audio performances, I consider myself SO lucky to have done my first two read throughs of this book as a regular physical/ebook read because some of my favorite parts fell flat. I sobbed through the scene when I read it and the vacuum cleaner part was quite literally one of the best things I've ever read. I felt like that sequence was criminally underwhelming.
Story: 6⭐️
Romance: 5💕
Spice: 0.5🌶️
Audio: 4🎧
While I do think this was one of the better Graphic Audio performances, I consider myself SO lucky to have done my first two read throughs of this book as a regular physical/ebook read because some of my favorite parts fell flat. I sobbed through the scene when I read it and the vacuum cleaner part was quite literally one of the best things I've ever read. I felt like that sequence was criminally underwhelming.
Story: 6⭐️
Romance: 5💕
Spice: 0.5🌶️
Audio: 4🎧
April 6, 2026
Doing a re-listen of SJM’s best series (in my opinion). It’s a total mystery to me why some people are still sleeping on this !
Bryce Quinlan is an absolute icon.
"Memento Mori." - Crescent City Vacuum Service will take care of you!
P.S. Aidas is daddy. That is all
Bryce Quinlan is an absolute icon.
"Memento Mori." - Crescent City Vacuum Service will take care of you!
P.S. Aidas is daddy. That is all
May 12, 2024
I love this story so much, listening to the graphic audio was amazing and was quite literally like listening to a movie. I can’t wait for book 2 ❤️
June 7, 2024
2024: I read the book, but still the graphic audiobook hit me emotionally. A must read/listen. Well do both, I recommend reading and then listening to it.
December 19, 2025
reread.
light it up, b!
light it up, b!
October 27, 2025
I cried so much during this part (not surprising). Bryce is one of the best FMC’s of all time and no one will change my mind. She gave everything for a city and people that wouldn’t do anything for her. She is such a badass I love her. I sob every time I hear that phone call where she’s saying her goodbyes it’s so gut wrenching. I also sob every time I hear Lehaba give her life for her friends “My friends are with me and I am not afraid.” Ugh heartbreaking so many damn emotions with this book I will always love it!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2026
The ending of this book was sooooo good! I was crying, laughing, suprised! Really picked up the second half. Excited to read the next book in this series.
May 19, 2025
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas ❤️🔥🐺🧚🪽
Join Bryce Quinlan & Hunt Athalar as they navigate the neon-lit streets of Crescent City—a world where magic and technology collide, where angels walk among mortals, and where one brutal murder unravels a conspiracy far greater than anyone imagined.
Smoke curled through the streets, the hum of magic like a second heartbeat. This was a world of skyscrapers and ancient power, of angels with bloodstained wings and fae who ruled from glittering thrones. A world I should have loved.
And yet, for years, I couldn’t find my way in.
I tried reading House of Earth and Blood three times, only to set it aside, unable to fully immerse myself. Throne of Glass rekindled my love for reading, and ACOTAR fueled my obsession with romantasy—so naturally, I expected to fall for this world just as easily. But the urban setting threw me off, the pacing felt slow to start, and I struggled to connect with the story.
Then, on my fourth attempt, everything changed.
Experiencing the book through Graphic Audio completely transformed it. The voices, the sound effects, the raw emotion woven into every scene—it was like unlocking a door I hadn’t realized was there. Suddenly, I was in Crescent City, swept up in a tale of grief, vengeance, and destiny.
And then came the final quarter.
It was an onslaught of twists and revelations. Some I predicted; others shattered me. If the first half was a slow burn, the last was an inferno, unraveling at lightning speed. There were moments that left me breathless, heart racing, eyes burning with tears.
Looking back, I see now that Crescent City isn’t Throne of Glass or ACOTAR—and it’s not supposed to be. It’s something entirely its own: a bold fusion of modern life and classic fantasy, where cell phones exist alongside ancient magic, and where love and loss carve deep, aching wounds.
I almost gave up on this book. I’m so glad I didn’t.
Join Bryce Quinlan & Hunt Athalar as they navigate the neon-lit streets of Crescent City—a world where magic and technology collide, where angels walk among mortals, and where one brutal murder unravels a conspiracy far greater than anyone imagined.
Smoke curled through the streets, the hum of magic like a second heartbeat. This was a world of skyscrapers and ancient power, of angels with bloodstained wings and fae who ruled from glittering thrones. A world I should have loved.
And yet, for years, I couldn’t find my way in.
I tried reading House of Earth and Blood three times, only to set it aside, unable to fully immerse myself. Throne of Glass rekindled my love for reading, and ACOTAR fueled my obsession with romantasy—so naturally, I expected to fall for this world just as easily. But the urban setting threw me off, the pacing felt slow to start, and I struggled to connect with the story.
Then, on my fourth attempt, everything changed.
Experiencing the book through Graphic Audio completely transformed it. The voices, the sound effects, the raw emotion woven into every scene—it was like unlocking a door I hadn’t realized was there. Suddenly, I was in Crescent City, swept up in a tale of grief, vengeance, and destiny.
And then came the final quarter.
It was an onslaught of twists and revelations. Some I predicted; others shattered me. If the first half was a slow burn, the last was an inferno, unraveling at lightning speed. There were moments that left me breathless, heart racing, eyes burning with tears.
Looking back, I see now that Crescent City isn’t Throne of Glass or ACOTAR—and it’s not supposed to be. It’s something entirely its own: a bold fusion of modern life and classic fantasy, where cell phones exist alongside ancient magic, and where love and loss carve deep, aching wounds.
I almost gave up on this book. I’m so glad I didn’t.
May 8, 2024
When i told my mom this was my 3rd re read of this book she said omg thats so much effort, but reading this good is EFFORTLESS, or listening in this case
10/10 soo good the end had me in TEARS multiple different times
10/10 soo good the end had me in TEARS multiple different times
October 14, 2024
Let’s just say my heart is still recovering before I will be listening to House of Sky and Breath in the future
June 6, 2024
The voice actor for Hunt had me swooning. 😍🥵
July 30, 2025
2.75⭐
While the plot did keep me entertained to a certain extent, the story was just VERY slow paced. And I literally do not get the hype. The cast was okayish but I disliked the way the narrator for Bryce portrayed some of the emotions. Felt like she was trying too hard.
Also, the fact that both main characters have past loves doesn’t sit right with me:')
While the plot did keep me entertained to a certain extent, the story was just VERY slow paced. And I literally do not get the hype. The cast was okayish but I disliked the way the narrator for Bryce portrayed some of the emotions. Felt like she was trying too hard.
Also, the fact that both main characters have past loves doesn’t sit right with me:')
March 26, 2026
This was a re-read, but my first time listening to the dramatized adaptation and the story was so much more powerful! So many tears 😭 I have a new appreciation for this book
September 9, 2024
I whole heartedly loved the part 2 graphic audio of CC1. The entire scene with Bryce facing off again Micah and having the whole committee watch was SO FREAKING WELL DONE. I don’t have enough words.
Although, I am still heart broken. I will never ever, not in a 100 years get over Lehabah’s death. I thought reading it was hard but, listening to it… oh my gosh I freaking lost it. When she says… “Let me do this for you Bebe”. I was uncontrollably sobbing, it was so gut wrenching but, so well done. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive SJM for her death.
And then of course, when Bryce is defending the city against the demons coming through the gates and trying to figure out how to close them and she’s begging for help… and Ithan comes on the line and says “I’m coming Bryce”. Ugh, I just couldn’t help it I cried so hard.
I can’t say enough good things, I loved it so much and I highly recommend it. It was amazing.
Although, I am still heart broken. I will never ever, not in a 100 years get over Lehabah’s death. I thought reading it was hard but, listening to it… oh my gosh I freaking lost it. When she says… “Let me do this for you Bebe”. I was uncontrollably sobbing, it was so gut wrenching but, so well done. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive SJM for her death.
And then of course, when Bryce is defending the city against the demons coming through the gates and trying to figure out how to close them and she’s begging for help… and Ithan comes on the line and says “I’m coming Bryce”. Ugh, I just couldn’t help it I cried so hard.
I can’t say enough good things, I loved it so much and I highly recommend it. It was amazing.
March 17, 2025
[5hrs8mins 3x]
I'll give the whole book 1.5 stars. the last 150-2oopgs really saved it, but it's still way too long and overly sexualized for no reason, and every single character is written the same with the same personality.
I'll give the whole book 1.5 stars. the last 150-2oopgs really saved it, but it's still way too long and overly sexualized for no reason, and every single character is written the same with the same personality.
November 24, 2025
When SJM focuses on the fantasy and not on the smut it’s so so good 🙌🏼
December 13, 2024
I told myself I was going to take Crescent City slow since HOFAS isn't out yet and well, I just don't think it's going to be possible. 🤣
I thought I sobbed reading this the first time? Well with the dramatized audio performance I cried even harder.
"My friends are here. And I am not afraid." 😭
So many moments where I'm just like, 👀 oh shit I didn't catch that the first time around. And especially since I re read Silver Flames right before this, there's soooo many hints I missed the first time around. I'm absolutely thrilled with how these audio re reads (or rather listens) are going!
I thought I sobbed reading this the first time? Well with the dramatized audio performance I cried even harder.
"My friends are here. And I am not afraid." 😭
So many moments where I'm just like, 👀 oh shit I didn't catch that the first time around. And especially since I re read Silver Flames right before this, there's soooo many hints I missed the first time around. I'm absolutely thrilled with how these audio re reads (or rather listens) are going!
May 24, 2024
Always blown away by the quality of Graphic Audio productions!
Listening to this after finishing House of Flame & Shadow made me realize just how much foreshadowing SJM strategically places throughout her books. Also, how many things I missed when reading through the first time 😦
Love love loved!!!!
Listening to this after finishing House of Flame & Shadow made me realize just how much foreshadowing SJM strategically places throughout her books. Also, how many things I missed when reading through the first time 😦
Love love loved!!!!
March 11, 2026
5.0 stars for sure!!
This book was so good. After reading the other books in the SJMverse i am struggling to understand why this book is not hyped up more than it should. They way that i was on the edge of my seat for most of this book wondering was what going to happen next was VERY unexpected. the twist and turns it took caught me by surprise. Maybe I went into it with low expectation because I didnt think it would compare to ACOTAR but (dare I saw it) this might be even better than ACOTAR 🫣. The world building was amazing and even if you guess they things that were coming, they way that they actually happened was so good! I just hope that the next two books don't let me down, because this was so good! Also, I am struggling with understanding why so many people complaint about the beginning of this book being confusing? I mean, yes, there is alot of world building and new names but, what fantasy book doesnt have that?
This book was so good. After reading the other books in the SJMverse i am struggling to understand why this book is not hyped up more than it should. They way that i was on the edge of my seat for most of this book wondering was what going to happen next was VERY unexpected. the twist and turns it took caught me by surprise. Maybe I went into it with low expectation because I didnt think it would compare to ACOTAR but (dare I saw it) this might be even better than ACOTAR 🫣. The world building was amazing and even if you guess they things that were coming, they way that they actually happened was so good! I just hope that the next two books don't let me down, because this was so good! Also, I am struggling with understanding why so many people complaint about the beginning of this book being confusing? I mean, yes, there is alot of world building and new names but, what fantasy book doesnt have that?
October 25, 2024
Holy crap. This book hit me hard in all the best ways. I am a Sarah J. Maas fan across the board but this first book in this series has been the most impactful for me. The world building was a bit hard to get into at first, but once we really dove into the characters, especially when Hunt entered the scene, I was hooked. An emotional roller coaster that I could not get enough of nor did I want to off of. I enjoy all fantasy flavors, but this modern fantasy with angels and demons captivated me, especially when I am a sucker for a strong female protagonist. The elements of action, mystery, thriller, and romance were absolutely addictive….I loved it. I cannot wait to read the next one and find out what’s next for our lead duo!
October 15, 2024
I enjoyed it, just so many names and lore to pay attention too makes it a little difficult when listening (I used this book as my work out motivation, which worked). I was not l prepared for the big ol twist of ~whodunnit~ so that was fun.
Battle at the end was a fun listen.
I was promised some 👉 👌and that did not happen ugh. I know there's more to the story BUT STILL.
I'll be continuing the series. Thank you, graphic audio.
Battle at the end was a fun listen.
I was promised some 👉 👌and that did not happen ugh. I know there's more to the story BUT STILL.
I'll be continuing the series. Thank you, graphic audio.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2025
Read some mixed (and funny) reviews about this book but decided to just see, or rather hear, for myself. I had a good time listening to it; I liked the story, and I loved this GraphicAudio adaptation. I really enjoyed the ambience of the story and I think the voice actors matched the characters well and did a very good job bringing them to life. Would definitely recommend.
June 12, 2025
3.75 stars
I recently described this as if ACOTAR and TOG had a baby. So far seems to be equal parts romantasy with an emphasis on character development like in TOG. I definitely teared up a few times, however I feel like I would have had more of a connection/appreciation if I’d been able to physically read more of the book.
I recently described this as if ACOTAR and TOG had a baby. So far seems to be equal parts romantasy with an emphasis on character development like in TOG. I definitely teared up a few times, however I feel like I would have had more of a connection/appreciation if I’d been able to physically read more of the book.
December 30, 2024
I quite enjoyed where this took me in regards to trying to figure out what was going on.
February 18, 2025
4/5 ⭐️
Much more action in the second book. SJM has gotta be a masochist or something, I swear. Her books are the slowest of slow burns. It’s hardly even enjoyable.
Much more action in the second book. SJM has gotta be a masochist or something, I swear. Her books are the slowest of slow burns. It’s hardly even enjoyable.
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