Reviews tagging 'Torture'

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

142 reviews

daniofthewood's review

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adventurous funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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amypalmer's review

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adventurous dark funny mysterious slow-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? Yes

3.75

I'm a little perplexed over what to rate this book and have settled on 3.75. Firstly this book is good, it is still very much heavy on the mystery and clues so be aware it isnt streight up romance or even fantasy but a combination. This has a lot more spice, was a little cringy at times for me personally but it depends if it floats your boat.

I think I preferred the first one. This one I find has too many pov's and one I particularly didn't care for (Tharion). However the plot is good and very thorrough. The first book I feel had more solid plot events to keep us going especially with the murders. This one however in the middle is a little slow for my liking. The last 100 pages really kick off in true SJM fashion, the last 100 pages really had me excited and make me eager for the next book which I can tell is gearing up for a big event. I did really like the story however this book is very exposition heavy which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I do really like the world and think what is to come is interesting.

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barbarianmissy's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Hoooooooly shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit….. that last chapter….. whoa man…… just…… whoa…. I was not expecting that! I’m so hyped for book 3!

This book was a rollercoaster start to finish. I loved seeing everyone’s personalities truly unfold and the relationships build. I really loved the scooby gang camaraderie between all the main group.

Also, SJM seriously knows how to turn out a PLOT TWIST! I gasped “WHAT?!?” In happiness, anger, surprise, and disgust multiple times!

Although, I was quite pleased with myself that I was able to figure out a big twist in who Day was pretty early on!

A few new favs worth honourable mention:

- I will always and forever be obsessed with fire sprites, they’re my girlies. The triplets have taken my whole heart.
-Ithan, you sweet little man, you. I hope you and no-name-dunk-tank-alpha-mystic-wolf-lady are mates, I’d love that for you.
-Baxian, don’t die even though I feel like you will. I want you to find happiness again pls. Don’t make the next book a puppy snuff book, SJM (I’m aware it’s already written, but I’m manifesting)

I want to put Cormac on my list but I honestly never took to him. He was meh. Tamlin vibes are never good vibes. Glad he took about Pippi Longstocking though, she was a BEEEEYOTCH!

Side note: Danika was not a good friend??? Like Bryce didn’t even know her in the least bit. She didn’t even share that she had a friggin mate with Bryce in idle girl talk???? Like???? I feel bad for Bryce who literally told her absolutely everything, her deepest, darkest secrets, and loved her so much and she pretty much got a hollow party girl stranger who didn’t trust her in return.

IN CONCLUSION! I can’t wait for book 3!!! I can’t believe all of my old imaginary friends may be becoming friends with my new imaginary friends. We should all have a sleepover!
🕺💃

Anywho! HOUSE OF FLAME AND SHADOW IM COMING FOR YOU!

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picaresquedreamer's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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jackiepreston's review

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adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

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readbyjaimes's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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? Yes

4.5

Binged this before the release of HOFAS and it just put me into a book slump, cheers! 🥂

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amartin48's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.75

I honestly had more moments during this book than the first of being annoyed with characters and their poor life choices. It seemed messy and I felt Maas wrote the plot twists in this book rather predictably.

That being said, I REALLY loved the world and lore expansion in this book. And I’m a huge fan of crossover series! This book left me satisfied with our FMC/MMC relationship, hopeful for new relationships, and SO excited to revisit old favorites.

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kayanoelle's review

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adventurous funny mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

I love the characters and relationships but why is this so long😭 My biggest criticism is that a lot happened but nothing was actually relevant to the plot (what even is the plot in this series? I haven’t figured it out yet). The ending though🤯 (I already knew this was gonna happen ever since Sarah posted the bonus scenes for HOFAS on her instagram🤩🤩)

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amy_in_the_city's review

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This book felt unfocused, constantly switching between too many plot threads and POVs. I feel like we could have done without a couple of the POVs, like Tharion's. He was just strange and kind of unlikeable (with the condescending nickname for Bryce and the creepy obsession with her underwear; wtf was that?), and I just didn't care about him.

As a result of trying to cram in the various plotlines and other character POVs, I feel like Bryce and Hunt got lost in the shuffle. I was hoping to learn more about the main couple and see more of their relationship, but they were mostly in the story to serve the plot instead of the plot serving them. I missed seeing cute relationship moments like we had in the first book, and I don't feel like we really learned any more about Bryce and Hunt's pasts or struggles. I was hoping to see Hunt working through his emotions about the awful things he's done as the Umbra Mortis, his trauma from being enslaved, etc. but it seemed like all of that mostly went away or got brushed aside.

I loved seeing more of Ruhn and enjoyed his storyline of

falling in love with a spy sight-unseen

. I'm still not sure how I feel about who his lover ended up being and think he deserved better. Maybe I'll learn more about the love interest in the third book that will make me like her more.

Ithan seemed like an OK character, but I'm just tired of every guy in this book being in love with Bryce for some reason, and I wish that wasn't part of Ithan's character. I have hopes he'll be better in the next book as they seemed to be setting up some interesting storylines for him.

Everyone seemed to be making stupid decisions in this book. They're

constantly talking about their rebellion plans while walking down the street and while in public bars and cafes. They all know they live in a surveillance state, so why are they risking talking so openly in public places?

They also

send the kid everyone is looking for to go live with the main character's parents. Nobody thinks it will look suspicious that these people suddenly adopted an older kid who fits the description of the kid everyone is looking for?

Tharion decides to

break up with the River Princess without having a plan in place for escaping from the angry River Queen.

This guy is supposed to be the Head of Intelligence?

I really didn't like that the book ended on such a cliffhanger. I get that it's a series, but when I finish reading a romance book, I don't want to be left feeling worried for characters who <spoiler are in mortal peril and are going to be tortured for who knows how long. If I wanted that, I'd go read a normal fantasy series, not a romance fantasy. The only solution I can think of for how to avoid having such a stressful ending for the readers while still having plenty of stakes for Bryce in the next book is if

after Bryce disappears through the gate, somehow Ruhn and Hunt escaped or were rescued and went into hiding. Then Bryce could still be out of her mind with worry for what her brother and mate are going through, but the reader would know they're fine for now.

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amateur_bookworm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

My summary: Sophie Renast is half-human and half-Vanir, and with assistance of the Ophion human rebel group, breaks her brother, Emile, and last surviving member of her family out of a death camp he’s been in for three years. Sophie is a Thunderbird and has the ability to command any kind of energy, which means the Asteri have found and killed them all. But Sophie and Emile’s escape goes wrong. Bryce Quinlan, newly revealed as the Starborn Princess, and Hunt Athalar, recently released from slavery as the Shadow of Death under the Archangels, are soon pulled into the search for Sophie and Emile, and also into the human rebellion against the Asteri. Assisting the rebellion equals certain torture or death at the hands of the Asteri, a fate Hunt barely survived once. But Bryce is committed after finding ties to Danika and dares to dream of Midgard being free of the Asteri control one day.

My thoughts: Incredible. Yes, this book is very long, but, wow, what a story Sarah J. Maas weaves through it. I love Bryce and her intrinsic nature to do what is right, no matter the cost to herself. And her relationship with Hunt—swoon—it is so primal and, just, right. I love the other characters that we learn more about through this book too. And although I knew there is crossover between this series and the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, I was somehow not at all prepared for it. I’m so excited to start the next in the series now to see how Bryce’s story continues to unfold. It is really fantasy heavy and I still have a bit of a hard time keeping it all straight, but the whole thing is just so mesmerizing that I’m again blown away by Sarah J. Maas’s ability to write such complex storylines with such depth to each character—and then tie it into seemingly unrelated worlds of hers.

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