Review by ashadow - House of Earth and Blood

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ashadow 's review for:

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative mysterious sad 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: Yes

This book broke me just as much as it made me smile.

Secrets, mysteries, untold truths, suspense… How can one book make you feel so many emotions at once? I’m still wondering. 😩✨

The first part of the book is quite hard to get into. There’s a lot of information about the characters, their surroundings, and the world-building, which makes the text feel dense and slow. But you need to push through—it only lasts for the first eight chapters (thank the gods for that!). 🙏 It took me some time to process everything, to the point where I had to take a break because my brain was about to explode. At first, I thought I was the only one struggling, but when I talked to my book club, I felt reassured—they also found the first part challenging.

The second part, however, is much smoother and more captivating. The pages turned effortlessly. This section marks the beginning of the quest: the characters are forced to investigate the truth behind Danika’s death. And that’s when my inner detective woke up! 🕵️‍♀️ Plus, the information from the first part—while overwhelming—finds its place here. It’s developed and explained throughout this section, making it much clearer and easier to retain.

But while the first two parts are relatively calm and steady, the third and fourth parts completely change the game. If you haven’t read this book yet, brace yourself—these sections will turn your emotions upside down and twist your mind into knots. 😵‍💫 Pro tip: Grab tissues because you’re going to need them, especially in the fourth part. For me, I cried six times in a row. Every time I thought I was done, the tears came back. 😭

Nothing is as it seems. Forget everything you thought you knew. Truths are revealed. Characters show their true colors. Sacrifices are made. Theories are confirmed—or crumble entirely.

Is it possible to love a book as much as you hate it? For me, the answer is yes with this one. 💔 I love it for its wonderfully constructed, fluid, and harmonious story. But I hate it for the emotional rollercoaster it put me through. By the time I turned the last page, I had felt every emotion possible: confusion, clarity, surprise, anxiety, frustration, heartbreak, joy, jubilation, and even disappointment.

All I know is that I’ve never loved a book this much before. 🌟✨

Content Warnings