Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

138 reviews

cheseliz's review against another edition

3.0

I will say that this book had a lot more intriguing moments and fun action sequences than the other two. However, there were still way too many characters (who were each referred to by multiple names and titles, making it more confusing at times) and a lot of info dumps that slowed down pacing. Some of the POVs I enjoyed following, but there were a few I could have done without or had brief overviews of their plotlines given to other character POVs. I’m uncertain if this is supposed to be the final book or not… a lot happened, but not everything seems to be tied off, like SJM might have left an opening for another book.

Contains:
-Sexual Content
-Violence
-Torture
-Abuse
-Language

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

aloveh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail

livist's review

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Overall I liked this book. At this point, I will generally enjoy anything this woman writes haha. There are definitely some issues and even potentially plot holes.

I liked the idea of Ruhn & Lidia having some back and forth. But I didn’t understand her gripe regarding him being caring after finding out she had kids. He stayed by her side night and day even before she woke up and ran to them. Why he didn’t mention that to her I have no clue. It was clear that it was only upon the idea that he was going to lose her and that she risked everything for him that he accepted her love. The kid thing was kind of ancillary. Also, she says having the kids was what changed her own motivations/outlook. So, she mad that the kids humanized her to Ruhn but also they humanized her to herself. It’s wild.

I feel like Pollux should have been the dad. It would mean so much more for Ruhn to accept them and care for them. And make Pollux that much crueler if he was willing to sacrifice them to get to her.

Up until the last part I was pretty on board with things. But the ending felt so hastily written. Regarding the smut, there was so much tension and back and forth with Ruhn and Lidia that when they finally physically get down and dirty, it ends up being a short 2 page thing. Like what??? 

The beginning of the book I enjoyed even though it was like 3 different television shows for a while. Always down for a trials and tribulations journey. Nesta & Az willing to be cruel to Bryce at the end that journey, specifically after beating the Asteri together made 0 sense to me. Like…while they had been bamboozled by her, she was clearly telling the truth as evidenced the little video thing. So I don’t get why they went back into over defensive bad guy mode there. 

Also Hypaxia said they would get reinfected if they drank the water again, or maybe it was just a high likelihood? Either way, how was Tharion not immediately affected when he jumped into the Istros???

Lidia also got OP’d which seemed random/came from nowhere. Her powers seem to mimic Nesta’s which was confusing since Nesta was, “made,” and that’s why her powers were special.

Also, while I can appreciate a good ending, it felt a little weird for Danika, Connor & Pack of Devils to basically be revived in the afterlife. It sort of belittles their sacrifice. I guess taking solace in that they didn’t know this could become their eventual fate (which like wouldn’t that already have been the case for Danika?) is how we’re supposed to appreciate their sacrifice but again it just feels a bit hollow.

I was able to ignore most of these gripes and keep it moving. There were lots of things I liked, Jesiba being sacrificed and her whole back story (although at the end her confrontation with Apollion seemed lackluster after 15,000 years of being cursed but it is what it is).

Not sure if SJM felt like it was getting too long and had to make cuts or if she was pressed against a deadline. Either way, in comparison to the other ones if felt a bit rushed and a bit all over the place.

Since CC4 has been confirmed, I’m interested to see where it goes and if it will land on the seemingly standard if ~800 pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Violence and War

Minor: Sexual assault

ipharra's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

booksalacarte's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

First read- 4.25⭐️ 3🌶️

Adult High Fantasy

Multi POV

Fantasy Romance

Magic

Found family

Journey

Secrets

War

Rebellion

Tech/sci-fi elements

Tw: torture on page, language, 

This was a Crescent City book. It wasn’t an ACOTAR or TOG book. It was crescent city through and through with the quick POV shifts and 

This large cast of characters has always been the messiest. They are completely flawed and full of contradictions and harder to completely stand behind. There wasn’t a lot of self reflection for anyone in the cast. There were a lot of really brash decisions, even from seasoned warriors and politicians, that I rolled my eyes at. There just wasn’t the character growth that I had hoped to see… if anything, some of the characters, a main character even, seemed to get worse… some character growth and revelations that were foreshadowed in the other two books seemed to have been completely tossed out the window. 

The plot was A LOT… and all over the place. There were moments of world-building that was just gigantic info dumps. There were times where we went into sci-fi elements. Many things were concluded and tied up prettily. I’m having a hard time thinking of how this is going to be extended into any more books… 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

_meganrose's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

This teetered between 3 and 5 stars for me throughout the book. Settling on 4 stars. This was by far my favorite book in the Crescent City series. The series is my least favorite in the 16 book SJM universe, but I loved how many dots were connected in this one. Had me on my toes! The varying POV/storylines within a chapter drove me crazy though - please, for goodness sake, just start a new chapter if you’re changing POV/storylines! Or consolidate them! It annoyed me so much. Bryce also annoyed me a lot, but I feel like that’s just how her character is. We learned so much in this book! Ahh! Excited to see which book she releases next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

sierrabowers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This was the best in the Crescent City series! I highly recommend to those who have already read ACOTAR. This book truly made everything come together and so much makes more sense. It ties up loose ends but also makes room for some new storylines. Was different than I thought it would be but also somehow better? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kayceeisbookish's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

jessicarenz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

All of the cut scenes and POV switches were annoying (seriously, going from an action-packed scene with one character to a dull by comparison single paragraph of another scene about a different character, then to yet another character’s completely different scene was not fun). But the third Crescent City book wasn’t bad like I’ve heard some people say; it was a pretty good ending for the characters and overall story while leaving room for spinoffs or additional books down the line. And of course I loved the ACOTAR tie ins. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, and Classism

rorireads33's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail