I didn't think SJM could shake me anymore. I thought I could predict even the most outlandish twists.
I. Was. Wrong.
[MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD SO WATCH OUT]
In all honesty, I wasn't too crazy about House of Earth and Blood, the first novel in the Crescent City universe.
I didn't really have too many feelings about Bryce, the main character. She was okay, but in all honesty, I don't always like SJM's main characters. I felt for her the same I feel for Aelin from the Throne of Glass series: I'm here, I'm reading, but really I just care about the side characters.
That rings true here as well. I only read the second novel for one character: Ruhn Danaan.
And y'all. That man. He could get it. All the time.
If there's one thing I love, it's a morally gray bad boy with a heart of gold. Ruhn is that AND MORE in this novel.
So the main plot has to do with locating a missing kid believed to have special thunderbird powers, which is all and good, while trying to avoid political interference from the higher ups who have questionable morals. There are a lot of side plots, involving multiple characters, including the younger brother of Bryce's initial love interest, who is, unsurprisingly, in love with Bryce (yuck, let's stop doing this. not everyone has to love the main character).
So the romance from the first novel, Bryce and Hunt, is still going strong, even though they never had sex in the first novel. There was a very, very hot moment on a couch, but still, no payoff. That may be part of my dislike for the original. Who knows? They've made some sort of pact that they won't get physical until months later. Which, lets be real, that never sticks.
So while plot shit is going on, Ruhn has been tasked with reaching out to an undercover agent of the rebellion forces. He doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know who he is. But, over a period of weeks and months, the two find themselves attracted to one another.
Let me just say, SJM did a wonderful job redirecting our attention. I spent three-quarters of the book thinking it was one character, and when she showed that it wasn't, I had a freak out. My poor friend Liz had to deal with my bazillion text messages as I was trying to figure it out.
So, it turns out. This person that Ruhn has fallen for, who he's also fucked in this weird mind-bridge-dreamscape thing---IS A VILLAIN.
Of course it is. Mwahahahaha that's my kind of twist.
Either way, more plot shit happens, and Bryce, Hunt, and Ruhn end up captured by the Asteri--basically the big bad guys. In the end, Ruhn finds out the woman he loves is bad, spurns her while also showing some male dominance bullshit. Hunt sacrifices himself. And Bryce then TELEPORTS OUT OF MIDGARD.
But... where does she end up?
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LAST SPOILER WARNING. I'M SERIOUS, EXIT NOW!
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PRYTHIANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
From the moment she's approached in this new world... I knew it. I KNEW IT. The way she described the person who found her, I was like... it's a bat boy. It has to be a bat boy. And it was. She's taken to a fancy manor house, which is Feyre and Rhysand's home in Velaris.
The book literally ends on "My name is Rhysand."
I was literally messaging my friend holy shit about ten thousand times because I was so shook.
This ending wasn't totally a surprise. If you've read the Throne of Glass series, you'll know that SJM hinted at crossing realities between her worlds when Aelin "fell" at the end of the series. She saw Rhysand and a pregnant Feyre, and Rhysand helped her coast the rest of way on her fall.
So. What happens next? Truly. Who the hell knows at this point.
I've heard the next release is Crescent City 3, which I'm torn about. Cause I really want my Azriel novel.
Highly, highly recommend to anyone who loves SJM's writing and her worlds. Even if you don't like her main characters, there really is something in all of her novels for everyone. I can't wait.
Thanks,
Abbie