em_chata's review against another edition
- 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
Spoiler
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. 🥺Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Death, and Slavery
Moderate: Sexual violence, War, and Murder
Minor: Infertility
anjasshelf's review against another edition
- 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
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
bookishbakesco's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Full disclosure: I should have just looked it up on the internet.
Look, I am a massive fan of both ACOTAR and TOG. But this series makes my brain melt.
CC2 is even more bloated and convoluted than the first. There are subplots that have no purpose in moving the narrative forward, the two main characters are the worst in all her series, and I am so over the Bond Villain style evil plan reveals at the end.
There are also so many phrases used in this book that make me cringe. Particularly when it comes to the spicy scenes
Spoiler
(ie. balls tightening? For arousal? Someone, please tell her that, anatomically, that is just NOT a thing 🫠)That being said, I’m giving this 2.5 stars because I didn’t feel the need to DNF, I liked the fact we got to see from other (better, more rounded) side characters’ perspectives, even if they were ALL male, and ultimately, because the ending will make me read on.
I have zero willpower.
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Drug use, Addiction, and Cursing
Minor: Gun violence
kylarenea_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Torture, Colonisation, Cursing, Drug use, Genocide, War, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence
maggies's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Gore, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Slavery, War, and Murder
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The second book in the Crescent City series and follow-up to House of Earth and Blood.
There isn’t much I can say in this review with spoilers, so I’ll just say this was SO good! I’m simultaneously thrilled and heartbroken to officially be caught up with every published SJM book—thrilled because it means I don’t have to dodge spoilers on bookstagram (which is HARD, friends, let me tell you) but heartbroken because, well, I have no new SJM books to read (until January, of course). Either way, I feel like a true fan now!
As for this series, I’m so glad I saved it for last, because I do think it has much more impact if you’ve read both ACOTAR and TOG first. But, if you love SJM’s other works and you’ve been dragging your feet on reading Crescent City (yes these are CHUNKY books), please take this as your sign to dive in!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: urban fantasy; so many Easter eggs; super complex plots
CW: Violence/blood/injury/war; mentions of slavery/torture; mentions of misogyny/sexism
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Violence, and War
jesshart8's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
cady_sass's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
5 stars. Can’t wait for the next one. SJM if you fumble this as hard as ACOSF I will never recover.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Sexual content, Torture, War, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Blood, Classism, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, and Gaslighting
bookbuyingwithkatie's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, War, Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
molly_love's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book should be written in the history books all over the world.
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Child abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and War
Minor: Murder, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Slavery, Stalking, and Suicide