Reviews tagging 'Torture'

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

158 reviews

carolinesoverbooked's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Death, Murder, and Grief

Moderate: Slavery

Minor: Body shaming, Torture, Drug use, and Alcohol

ladylaelae's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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

4.0

4.0 stars to improve on my rating from the first book, House of Earth and Blood, because this one gripped me even more than the first one did.

With the pains of worldbuilding now behind us from the first book in this series, House of Sky and Breath is able to expand on the world through plot and character story. Bryce ascended to rival my love for SJM's other female protagonists - Aelin and Feyre - while Hunt, the primary male character, ascended entirely past almost all other male protagonists in her books for me, taking the top spot alongside Lucien Vanserra from ACOTAR. 

As I said in my HOEAB review, if you manage your expectations when reading SJM's books and others like them, you will find it much easier to immerse yourself in the world and enjoy it. This book boasts a mountain of tropes: enemies-to-lovers, touch-her-and-die, morally ambiguous characters masking a softer heart inside, the idea of fated mates, and powerful magic and skills being given to main characters. It also boasts a larger cast of side characters that steal the scene when they are in it

(looking at you, Lidia)

, and has an ending that gripped me in iron claws and had me frothing at the mouth for the next installment of the series - now coming early 2024!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Sexual content

Moderate: Violence and War

Minor: Torture, Drug use, and Alcohol

sierrabowers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

This book was even better than House of Earth and Blood! Definitely had to push through to get to the good parts but like any SJM book, the last 100 pages HAD ME HOOKED and made the entire plot building up to it WORTH EVERY PAGE. I CANNOT WAIT to read CC3 in January!!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Physical abuse, War, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Torture, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual content, Violence, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, and Slavery

eabecker05's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, and War

Moderate: Slavery, Death, Torture, and Child abuse

Minor: Addiction and Bullying

jlyles_177's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Blood, Torture, War, Cursing, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Slavery, and Violence

elledanie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Sexual content

Moderate: Death and Violence

Minor: Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Murder, Slavery, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Grief, Rape, Torture, Vomit, War, Child death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, and Pregnancy

cryosphinx's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

What a freaking GREAT read. The plot is a bit thinner than the first one but without the slog of the world building. There is still more learning about the characters and the world but I found it a lot less info dumpy. I love every character and did love that this book and more POVs and more back and forth. Bryce and Hunt may have moved up to be my favorite SJM couple and they're are just so delightful with the banter and the growth and love they have. And like everyone says...THAT ENDING. I had the very, very end spoiled for me but the build up and the twists and turns still made it one hell of a ride.
 If I had to make ken complaint it's that

Danika is dead and SJM seems to just hand off anything to her and her lil' secrets club. She's gone so we don't get to hear anything from her about her motivations and can only speculate. But how many damn secrets was she walking about with??

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Violence

Moderate: War and Torture

Minor: Grief and Confinement

em_chata's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

4.25

I can’t believe the fucking ending of this book. Sarah J Maas really said “ima just do a crossover, why not?” After making Feyre a baby machine in ACOTAR. Goddamn it. I hope my poor baby Ruhn is okay. 🥺

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Death, and Slavery

Moderate: Sexual violence, War, and Murder

Minor: Infertility

anjasshelf's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Death, Grief, Sexual content, Violence, Child abuse, War, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Classism, Colonisation, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Slavery

viireads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? No

4.0

RHYSANDDDDD?????!?!/?!?/?)/!/?:!?/!/?!!???!!/?/?!?/?!?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, War, Torture, Violence, and Colonisation

Moderate: Misogyny, Slavery, and Blood

Minor: Grief