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doomfaery's reviews
90 reviews
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Fortunately, CC #3 is way more action packed than CC #2. There are some parts that drag on a little but overall the story is pretty fast paced.
This book would make an excellent ending to the CC universe. The biggest of the bad guys have been taken care of, the main plot point is finished, there really isn't much else to go on. But I know SJM can't help but beat a dead horse and suck the joy and integrity out of any series she does, so I fully expect more to come in the series, likely from the POV of a much less interesting couple, with lukewarm romance and a watered down plot. Ya know, like the Cassian/Nesta book.
I've said it before: SJM is a clumsy writer, unworthy of the downright worship people throw at her. She can't help but stray from her characterisation, until the entire cast all speak and act the same. I wish she'd give it a rest with the Stephanie Meyer-est mate thing, and instead focus on developing her cast more and fleshing out plot ideas.
The backbone of CC is good, that's the thing. The world building is excellent. The plot points aren't even terrible. But instead of focusing on how to develop all that and truly make it shine, she focuses instead on unrealistic sex scenes (magic aside, no woman comes that fast from a penis alone, sorry), and which main character to kill off and then revive at the last minute.
Seriously, if you know her tricks, then very little in these novels will surprise you, because she does the same shit over and over and over. Eventually you stop worrying about the fates of the main cast, because you know she's going to heal them and imbue them with insanely OP magical powers. Lady needs to take a writing class and really practice.
She's not a bad writer, just a clumsy and downright lazy one. Someone needs to tell her that making it up as you go along only works in action movies and shouldn't be applied to writing novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I feel that this book could have been about 500 pages, as most of it is slice of life and pals palling around, with only thin threads of a deeper plot to keep the reader interested.
Unfortunately, the first books plot was so epic that there isn't much to follow up on. I see this happen time and time again: the first book/movie/season is so epic that there isn't a way to one up. The plot becomes a tried and true but basic trope of overpowering the government.
There are the usual faves of J. Maas:
- uncontrollable and mysterious magic powers
- enemies and to friends and lovers
- secretly a good guy!
- secretly a bad guy!
- love that is so important that it's actually pre-destined (seriously, I could do without the mate crap)
There were a couple of minor twists that got me, and the ending that mixes CC with ACOTAR is interesting but also kind of messy and seriously encroaching on MCU territory. The biggest 'twist' I saw coming from a mile away because she never changed anything up and it's broadcast from the beginning LOL.
That being said, the characterisation is a smidge better, and I do think there is some great world building at work here. I can tell J. Maas really wants to be the next Cassie Clare, with worlds and characters that spand centuries and interconnect with each other. I get it, and I think she could do it, if she'd learn how to stretch a plot over more than one book and a romance, too. She has a tendency to rush everything, creating a dull narrative with little promise for reward. Seriously I was bored until about page 500!
Maybe the next one will be better :)
Unfortunately, the first books plot was so epic that there isn't much to follow up on. I see this happen time and time again: the first book/movie/season is so epic that there isn't a way to one up. The plot becomes a tried and true but basic trope of overpowering the government.
There are the usual faves of J. Maas:
- uncontrollable and mysterious magic powers
- enemies and to friends and lovers
- secretly a good guy!
- secretly a bad guy!
- love that is so important that it's actually pre-destined (seriously, I could do without the mate crap)
There were a couple of minor twists that got me, and the ending that mixes CC with ACOTAR is interesting but also kind of messy and seriously encroaching on MCU territory. The biggest 'twist' I saw coming from a mile away because she never changed anything up and it's broadcast from the beginning LOL.
That being said, the characterisation is a smidge better, and I do think there is some great world building at work here. I can tell J. Maas really wants to be the next Cassie Clare, with worlds and characters that spand centuries and interconnect with each other. I get it, and I think she could do it, if she'd learn how to stretch a plot over more than one book and a romance, too. She has a tendency to rush everything, creating a dull narrative with little promise for reward. Seriously I was bored until about page 500!
Maybe the next one will be better :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual content, and Violence
All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Somehow this book manages to be way, way better than anything in ACOTAR, even though she was writing them around the same time, wasn't she? Honestly, my mind is boggled by how much better this book is than anything in the aforementioned series.
I'm not wild on mixing so many mythologies into one, but the world building was pretty strong here. Excellent urban fiction/fantasy. There is a focus on romance, but not as much smut.
There are a couple of the usual J. Maas standbys: hella power given in a time of great need, female bad guys, love that brings people back from depression, inanimate objects with great power, a big ordeal in front of a crowd. There are also a couple of her usual pitfalls, but not many. Honestly, even the characterisation is better. Characters have their own habits, quirks, vocabulary. Some pitfalls remain: her ambiguous and powerful females all have similar personalities and sleek, black, bobs for some reason lol. She clearly likes archetypes and is still working on breaking that habit.
All in all, I genuinely enjoyed this. J. Maas learned to hurt people and utilize that pain for the good of the story, an unfortunate habit she had not broken for ACOTAR. Some of the twists even genuinely surprised me.
Not sure what to expect from the 3 sequels, as I think this would have done exceptionally well as a stand alone, but I'm eager to find out.
I'm not wild on mixing so many mythologies into one, but the world building was pretty strong here. Excellent urban fiction/fantasy. There is a focus on romance, but not as much smut.
There are a couple of the usual J. Maas standbys: hella power given in a time of great need, female bad guys, love that brings people back from depression, inanimate objects with great power, a big ordeal in front of a crowd. There are also a couple of her usual pitfalls, but not many. Honestly, even the characterisation is better. Characters have their own habits, quirks, vocabulary. Some pitfalls remain: her ambiguous and powerful females all have similar personalities and sleek, black, bobs for some reason lol. She clearly likes archetypes and is still working on breaking that habit.
All in all, I genuinely enjoyed this. J. Maas learned to hurt people and utilize that pain for the good of the story, an unfortunate habit she had not broken for ACOTAR. Some of the twists even genuinely surprised me.
Not sure what to expect from the 3 sequels, as I think this would have done exceptionally well as a stand alone, but I'm eager to find out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Violence
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
As an individual book, it's not very good. The plot is thin, most of it centered around Nesta & Cassian and the terrible reality that is living with PTSD.
The smut, while not always realistic, is actually not half bad. Idk why she doesn't just write erotica and be done with it.
As part of a series, this book suffers tremendously, and does the original 3 books a disservice in sacrificing plot and characters for an exciting romance to entice young readers.
J. Maas' writing has not improved from the first book. The prose is repetitive and tired, the grammar mistakes glaring. The characterisation is especially poor; everyone has the same vocabulary and habits.
As far as lore goes, there isn't any. This series is a far cry from The Modern Faerie Tales. There are brief mentions of suriels, kelpies, and nixies, but that's as close to real lore as it gets. Fae have taken the place of vampires and werewolves for which mysterious / potentially dangerous creature young girls want to read about and therefore the faeries in this book are just kinda magical humans lol. They would have made better witches.
It's clear that J. Maas wants to keep this world going for as long as she can. The fourth book in the series is basically a slice of life fanfic devoid of any plot (though it is a cozy read), and this book could would have made a much better spin off.
There's some cool stuff with the girls fighting and the Dread Trove, but the rules of this universe grow increasingly ridiculous, with a made up on the spot kind of vibe. J. Maas favors writing a specific kind of romance and smut, which is fine, I guess, but she tends to lose the thread of the actual plot in order to cater to a spicy romance, which should be a subplot and not the main focus. This mistake shows itself over and over, but never moreso than with Feyre's pregnancy. Rhysand respects her right to choose in every situation except if she's carrying his child? And Feyre, who shut down an entire kingdom in revenge for such treatment, is just totally chill about it? Makes no sense. It also made no sense that she got pregnant at all, with how careful everyone is with the danger of war on the horizon. I mean, what?
One of the main plot points is learning to live with PTSD and not let it consume you, which admittedly is great, but it would have made more sense for this book to be split between Feyre, Nesta, and Elain, with the sisters finally coming together like they always should have been. It would have also given the readers a chance to get some insight on Elain/Lucien/Azriel, and Feyre more of a storyline.
But I digress; the story has some good bones. All the war and riddle shite is great. I'll probably read the next one, too, but people act like this series if everything and frankly- while it's very entertaining, like bad fanfiction-the writing is clumsy and reeks of bad planning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Ehhhh...
It's a cute slice of life, likely to tie up Feyre's storyline so that the narrative can focus on other characters. It's cute, but also kinda empty and frustrating, because there is obviously more story to tell yet the author wants to focus on a new romance since the main one is now established and not providing as much of a thrill for the reader. Her storyline is sloppily tied up with a promise of an attempt at conceiving -- which feels rushed and unnecessary to a seasoned reader.
The mistakes are obvious, and it is a nice cozy read, but kind of a cheap transition, if you ask me.
It's a cute slice of life, likely to tie up Feyre's storyline so that the narrative can focus on other characters. It's cute, but also kinda empty and frustrating, because there is obviously more story to tell yet the author wants to focus on a new romance since the main one is now established and not providing as much of a thrill for the reader. Her storyline is sloppily tied up with a promise of an attempt at conceiving -- which feels rushed and unnecessary to a seasoned reader.
The mistakes are obvious, and it is a nice cozy read, but kind of a cheap transition, if you ask me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.75
The first book is mid, but this? This I couldn't put down.
The purple prose is improved and the characterisation is much, much better. I will note that Tamlin's character shift felt a little out of left field, but in a really enjoyable way. A lot of things I complained about with the first book was addressed in this one, and yeah some of the magic is a little goofy, but for me that is part of the fun.
One thing I will complain about is it's a wee bit Twilight-y with all that mate business, and the twist with Elain and Nesta felt too convenient for me, not to mention the stuff with Lucien and Elain.
Excuse me while I devour the third installment.
The purple prose is improved and the characterisation is much, much better. I will note that Tamlin's character shift felt a little out of left field, but in a really enjoyable way. A lot of things I complained about with the first book was addressed in this one, and yeah some of the magic is a little goofy, but for me that is part of the fun.
One thing I will complain about is it's a wee bit Twilight-y with all that mate business, and the twist with Elain and Nesta felt too convenient for me, not to mention the stuff with Lucien and Elain.
Excuse me while I devour the third installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Rape
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Honestly... The writing isn't amazing. It's clumsy and a little rushed, and the same could be said about the romance. Descriptions are repetitive. However there are some well thought out moments. Things especially get interesting around the 230 page mark. It's got potential to get better and the story itself isn't horrible.
However, the feather so black series is similar enough and much better written for anyone looking!
However, the feather so black series is similar enough and much better written for anyone looking!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Animal death and Sexual content
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
I can forgive the repetitive narrative, and the writing isn't even terrible, but the MC is unlikable for me. I'm not big on authors that feel like they need to humble brag to show how hot the MC is.
Example: MC boasts that she's 22 and 30 feels "a thousand years away" or something to that effect. Later she mentions that she loves food but don't worry, you can't tell because it all goes to her biddies and her booty. Gimme a break lmao.
Example: MC boasts that she's 22 and 30 feels "a thousand years away" or something to that effect. Later she mentions that she loves food but don't worry, you can't tell because it all goes to her biddies and her booty. Gimme a break lmao.