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  • House of Earth and Blood

  • The Crescent City, Book 1
  • By: Sarah J. Maas
  • Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
  • Length: 27 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (2,137 ratings)

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House of Earth and Blood cover art

House of Earth and Blood

By: Sarah J. Maas
Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
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Summary

Half-Fae, half-human Bryce Quinlan loves her life. Every night is a party and Bryce is going to savour all the pleasures Lunathion - also known as Crescent City - has to offer. But then a brutal murder shakes the very foundations of the city, and brings Bryce's world crashing down.

Two years later, Bryce still haunts the city's most notorious nightclubs - but seeking only oblivion now. Then the murderer attacks again. And when an infamous Fallen angel, Hunt Athalar, is assigned to watch her every footstep, Bryce knows she can't forget any longer.

As Bryce and Hunt fight to unravel the mystery, and their own dark pasts, the threads they tug ripple through the underbelly of the city, across warring continents and down to the deepest levels of Hel, where things that have been sleeping for millennia are beginning to stir.... 

With unforgettable characters and suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by No.1 New York Times best-selling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom - and the power of love.

©2020 Sarah Wasserman (P)2020 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about House of Earth and Blood

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Amazingly boring, some technical isdued

Elizabeth Evans does a decent read. A few times I had difficulty separating voices. On occasion there seemed to be some muffled narration. Maybe it was technical.

The story is a kind of fantasy chicklit. Girlfriends discussing boyfriends and going clubbing. Sex in the City with werewolf and fairy. This is the start and set up for the book. Unfortunately it went on too long. So that when the supposedly adventurous part starts I didn't care.

The fights and damage scenes are graphic but unengaging. The emotions feel like distanced. The result was a book that's despite great detail and some gory action was boring.

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34 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Disappointing

I usually love Maas’ books but this one was a total let down. Any dialogue between the characters was irritating and too eye roll-y.

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24 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Can’t wait for more ....now a favourite

Was reluctant to start this as being such a Maas fan didn’t want to be disappointed..... but soooo glad did as yet again this was a fantastic read/listen. Different to start - like a fairy crime thriller - brilliant story line, characters, build - and left wanting more. Also loved narration - clear and pleasing to listen to Elizabeth captures each character beautifully - brings to life and at perfect pace. Couldn’t imagine listening to anyone else. Now just waiting for next instalment. Please hurry!
.... have read 3 times since - a favourite - if you’re not sure - do it!

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17 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Couldn't put it down

I absolutely adore Court of thorns and roses by Mass, so was unsure if I'd like this new series! I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end! A spiky protagonist who you grow to love and a story with so much twist and turns and thrills! Looking forward to the second in this series! Just hope Bryce and Hunt are still in it!

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13 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one! I'm rarely moved to tears, but I genuinely wept at parts of this story. Personally, I didn't find it "heavy going" & truly enjoyed the world building and character evolution. Elizabeth is one of my favourite narrators and I think she was a truly great choice to perform this fantastic story.

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Sarah j mass fans will love this.

The first part is quite hard going. Lots of information is thrown at you. But give it a chance, it is worth persevering. Looking forward to the next one

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10 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Wasted a credit

I usually really enjoy Sarah J. Mass, but this book was so dull, and the narrator was terrible. I couldn’t finish it. Really disappointed and I will always listen to the preview before buying from now on.

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9 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love sarah j mass

So I love all Sarah j mass books ,
This is another great one loads of action romance and a fab story that leads to more to come,
Although now I’m sad as gotta wait for her to write the next one!!!!!!!!

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8 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Captivating and enjoyable

I think this might be my favourite Sarah J. Maas book so far. Believable and relatable characters, exciting plot with twists and surprises, slow burn romance. I particularly liked the way the character’s struggle with trauma is portrayed, as well as the depth of love in friendship, and the difficulty in navigating sibling/family relationships. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

2/3

2/3 into the book it just got more a more eventful, you literally couldn’t stop reading without being left wondering what was gonna happen next. If your eyes do not water even a little bit then you might be heartless.

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6 people found this helpful

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  • Sarah Turner
  • 30-06-20

Cracking book!

One of the best books I’ve heard in forever, edged of seat & twisty AF - boy I hope there’s more to come in the series!

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2 people found this helpful

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  • AJ
  • 17-02-23

5 “Light it up” stars

Sarah J. Maas creates the most incredible fantasy worlds, and this time she’s delivered a contemporary urban fantasy full of magic, lore and mythical beings that I could not get enough of. Blending it effortlessly into the human world to create a complex but fabulously developed setting for a mystery/action/romance story that kept me captivated and stole my breath!

Bryce Quinlan is a half human/half fae woman living in thriving Crescent City. She has a solid (if boring) job, great friends, and well-earned reputation as a party girl, enjoying all the booze, drugs and men that she can handle. She’s happy with her wild life, until the brutal murder of her closest friends rips her world out from under her, and she is left reeling. Two years later, and she is a shadow of who she used to be, when the Governor taps her on the shoulder to assist in searching for the being responsible for a recent death in the city – quite possibly the same being responsible for the murder of her friends. Seeing it as an opportunity for the vengeance she craves, Bryce eagerly accepts.

She is teamed up with the mysterious Hunt Athalar, a powerful fallen angel with a tragic backstory of his own. He is a slave to the Archangels who rule the city for his role in a failed revolution, and he is feared city-wide as a legendary assassin. He is assigned to be Bryce’s partner and protection, with the promise of freedom from his slavery put firmly within his reach should they succeed.

Together, Bryce and Hunt traverse the city, following clues and meeting all manner of supernatural beings in their hunt for a murderer. Following a trail of mysterious demon summonings and brutal attacks, they uncover all kinds of nefarious goings on, and we are introduced to a wonderfully developed world of creatures along the way. With friends and enemies constantly intruding on their investigations, there’s a fabulous cast of side characters – some you will love, and some you will hate – who bring so much depth to the story. And with a missing magical artefact thrown into the mix, there’s a whole lot of mystery to be uncovered.

There are a whole lot of different dynamics at play between these characters, and I loved exploring them all. From Bryce’s friends and many enemies, to her strained relationship with a secret half brother, to the mythical beings that are a part of her daily life, I loved watching her interact with them with her trademark smartassery. And then there’s Hunt. Initially unhappy with his presence, the two of them grow to become friends, and then more. It’s a slow burn that only just manages to get off the ground, but the chemistry, the anticipation, and their ever-deepening feelings for each other make this an absolutely beautiful love story, with the potential for so much awesome to come.

“I've got you," he murmured. "Sweetheart, I've got you.”

The story builds in excitement and anticipation, and kept me guessing the whole way through. And then we get to one of the most intense climaxes I can remember reading. The final parts of the book twist and turn into so many unexpected places, keeping me on the edge of my seat, and through it all my heart was pounding, and I felt like a barely took a breath! I gasped, I cried, I laughed and cheered, and I could not put it down.

“That's the point of it, Bryce. Of life. To live, to love, knowing that it might all vanish tomorrow. It makes everything that much more precious.”

I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Elizabeth Evans (who also narrates the Throne of Glass series), and she does a phenomenal job! Each character has their own voice, and she brings so much personality to each and every one – from sassy, to evil, to spooky, to seductive, some of the lines in this book gave me shivers, and others brought me to tears with the way she delivers them, and it was an absolute delight to listen to.

A breathtaking, exciting, mysterious, suspenseful, adventurous, funny, emotional and romantic story, this is a really long read, but I was captivated all the way through. I loved losing myself in this world and cannot wait to continue on with the series.

5 huge stars!

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  • Louise Montgomery
  • 06-05-20

Another outstanding book! I cannot wait for the next book!

Sarah J Maas is just unstoppable! I have never read an author like her! Every series gets better and better!

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  • Anonymous User
  • 27-03-20

Brilliant!

None comes close to this masterpiece! Sarah 's best work yet! I am so sad that i finished it. It will be hard to read something as good as this again!

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  • Kat
  • 22-03-20

Another 5 star read for Sarah J. Maas

I have read all SJ Maas books and I think this one is the best! I love the characters and the story was captivating. Thank you for sharing your stories SJ Maas.

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  • Janine
  • 01-10-23

Enjoyed every second

I picked up Crescent City with some curiosity, being a fan of Sarah J. Maas's TOG and ACORAR series. After recently rereading those, I was eager to see what else Maas had written, and Crescent City didn't disappoint. It held its own with surprising plot twists, endearing and not-so-endearing creatures, impressive character development and romance, all set against an intriguing world. Admittedly, diving into this new universe felt a bit overwhelming initially, given the intricate world-building and unfamiliar concepts. However, a few chapters into the book, things began falling into place. Now, I'm eagerly looking forward to starting the next installment in this series.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 16-08-23

One of my favourite books and a great performance

Sarah J Maas outdid herself with this story. Despite its length, it's well paced and keeps your attention throughout. The performance of the novel was absolutely phenomenal as well.

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  • Jade E Moore
  • 06-04-23

Underwhelming

I read and enjoyed the Throne of Glass series. Moved onto the ACOTAR series and actually reread them several times so was expecting big things from the Crescent City series however was left feeling wholly underwhelmed and dissatisfied. The story line and character arc was disappointing and fell short of SJM previous works.

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  • Nisha (TinkerPad)
  • 18-04-22

Impressed

This is do much better than I thought it would be. It was weord at first, because I'm not used to my fantasy having such a modern twist, especially coming from aCoTaR and ToG. The tone was so different. It took me 5 chapters to get used to it and after that I was hooked. I'm impressed. I've already bought the second audiobook and I intend on buying the physical copies as well. Definitely something I want I want on my shelf.

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  • Amy H
  • 12-03-22

Epic

This book is brilliant, and the audible recording of the story kept me utterly captivated the entire time I was listening. The narrator did an amazing job of bringing the characters to life.

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