Confessions of a Book Stalker

Plot Summary

Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.

The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

Trigger Warnings: Death/ Death camps/ Murder/ Sexual assault/ Sexually explicit scenes/ Slavery/ Violence

My Review

My mind is twirling after reading this book so, if my review doesn’t make sense, blame Sarah, not me.

After the hurricane that was House of Earth and Blood, Hunt and Bryce finally have some peace in their life. They agreed to keep things platonic for a few months, just to make sure their feelings are genuine before they dive into bed together (more platonic?! Wasn’t the torture of the first book enough Sarah?!). But calm and Bryce Quinlan don’t match and soon Bryce finds herself being dragged to yet another mystery regarding Danika, one she won’t rest until she unravels. 

This will lead her, Hunt, Ruhn and other friends into a dangerous “game”.

This story genuinely stressed me out. Sarah J Maas is the queen of plot twists but damn she stresses the hell out of me. The writing keeps you forever engaged until you finish the book (which can be a problem since the book is HUGE!). I loved the story and the plot. 

Ruhn continues to be one of my absolute favourites and I was so glad for his part in this book.

I love Hunt but I liked him more in the first book. I didn’t feel his presence, his power as much as in the first. And when he spends a lot of time just shaking and growling, that annoys me a bit.

I didn’t guess ONE SINGLE plot twist. So disappointed with myself but on the other hand I’m so glad I didn’t. For every twist there was a gasp and slowly walked across the room.

For those of you who haven’t yet read the book, I won’t talk in detail about that ending. Let’s just say it’s a bloody nuclear bomb! Oh my God, how the tears fell through my cheeks as I slowly figured out what was happening in those final pages. I couldn’t believe it! I read that chapter three times. It’s torture for the book to end like that. I’m so worried for the characters I grew up to love, it’s a brutal ending. I quickly need to find out what is going to happen to them but I feel the next book won’t arrive in a long while.

I “survived” another Maas destruction, but I swear this woman is slowly killing me.

I can’t give this book a whole five stars because I couldn’t put it on the same pedestal as the first one, but it’s really close to it.

Highlight Moments

– Agent Daybright and Ruhn interactions

– The many twists (I really want you to discover them as I did, so I won’t write a single one in here)

– The romantic scene (finally!)

– That brutal, heart-wrenching, tears-rolling-through-cheeks ending

Quotes

“I can go after her on my own.” Tharion smirked. “Not while you’re stuck down here.” Ithan sized him up. “Really? You’d trap me?” “For your own safety, yeah. You know what Bryce would do to me if you wound up dead? I’d never get to fondle her underwear again.”