#059: This week on A Novel Bunch, we’re kicking off Crescent City House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas—and BUNCHIES… we were not prepared.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

We meet Bryce Quinlan: party girl, art dealer, and absolute IT girl of Crescent City—living her best life alongside her ride-or-die, Danika Fendyr.

And then… everything is ripped away.

What starts as a lush, chaotic world filled with Houses, angels, Fae politics, and ancient power quickly turns DARK when a brutal, inhuman massacre wipes out Danika and the entire Pack of Devils in a single night. And Bryce? She comes face-to-face with the horror that did it.

From there, we spiral into grief, mystery, and a city that feels anything but safe.

Enter Hunt Athalar—Umbra Mortis, enslaved assassin, and walking weapon—assigned to watch Bryce as a new murder surfaces… identical to Danika’s.

Coincidence? Absolutely not.

Now Bryce is pulled into an investigation she never asked for, forced to confront the truth about that night, Danika’s secrets, and the chilling reality that the killer never stopped hunting.

We’re breaking down the emotional devastation, the insane world-building, Bryce and Hunt’s tension-filled dynamic, and all the early clues (because you KNOW SJM is planting seeds).

Because one thing is clear already:

This wasn’t random.
And it’s far from over.

Let’s get into it, Bunchies!

#058: This week on A Novel Bunch, we’re diving into the FINAL chapters of Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros and BUNCHIES… we are not okay.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

We’re breaking down chapters 50–66 AND doing a live reading of chapters 65 & 66—and yeah… it’s as chaotic, devastating, and jaw-on-the-floor as you’d expect.

It all starts with Violet’s second signet fully emerging—dream walking—which opens up a terrifying new layer of power (and danger). Because if she can enter dreams… who else can? And more importantly, can she change them?

From there, everything escalates. The Irids return, Andarna makes a shocking choice, and we uncover major truths about Dunne, devotion, and the gods themselves. Violet’s past? Not what we thought. Her future? Still unwritten, but very much in play.

Meanwhile, the war explodes. Losses hit HARD. Loyalties are tested. And Violet is forced to lead in ways that cost her pieces of herself along the way.

Then we hit chapter 64… and everything snaps into place.

Aaric is a precog. Not partial. Not limited. He knows. He’s been knowing. And Violet? She’s been walking straight into fate this entire time.

And then… Xaden.

Chapter 65 changes everything. The betrayal. The bond. The “new brother.” The moment he finally breaks, and the reason why? Gut wrenching.

We’re spiraling over the venin reveals, the Irid power hierarchy, Violet’s connection to both Dunne and Malek, and the terrifying realization that power—true power—always comes at a cost.

And that ending?

Yeah... “Don’t look for me. It’s yours now.” Absolutely shattered us.

Let’s get into it, Bunchies!

#57: This week on A Novel Bunch, we’re diving into chapters 33–49 of Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros and BUNCHIES… we are officially in emotional warfare.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

We land on Hedotis expecting wisdom and instead get manipulation, mind games, and XADEN’S MOM?? Yeah… enter Talia. But it also unlocks something deeper—because now we’re not just seeing his power shift… we’re seeing why.

And that shift is getting worse.

From poisoning plots to political alliances, every isle tests the squad in a new way, but the real tension is internal. Xaden is fighting himself. Hard. The control is slipping, the instincts are darker, and when he says he’d rather feel nothing than risk hurting Violet? Yeah. We’re spiraling.

Meanwhile, Violet is stepping UP. Like… full command energy. Strategy, leadership, sacrifice, she’s becoming exactly what everyone needs… even if it costs her everything.

Then we hit Zehyllna and things go from chaotic to devastating. Losses stack up (Trager?? Sila??), the “gifts” feel more like ominous setups, and Violet starts piecing together something massive: fate isn’t random here. It’s calculated.

And then… the Irids.

SIX of them. Watching. Judging. Refusing to help. Confirming our worst fear: there is no cure for venin. Not a clean one, at least. The soul is stripped piece by piece… and once it’s gone? It’s gone.

Except… Violet doesn’t believe that. And neither do we.

Because now the secret is out. Xaden is turning, and Violet finally tells her squad. The fallout? Surprisingly loyal. But the question shifts from if they can save him… to what happens if they can’t.

Back in Aretia, everything starts collapsing. The wards are failing, venin are infiltrating leadership, and the war is no longer coming—it’s HERE. And just when we think Xaden might hold the line… another shadow wielder emerges.

Yeah. Magic is rebalancing. And it’s not in his favor.

But the most terrifying part?

Even after everything—the fear, the distance, the literal countdown on his soul—Xaden still chooses Violet. Still comes back. Still fights it.

73 days without channeling. 73 days of control.

And when they finally give in to each other… he doesn’t lose it.

Which means one thing:

Maybe he’s not too far gone.

We’re breaking down Xaden’s unraveling, Violet’s rise to power, the Irid revelations, the “no cure” debate, and the growing theory that fate, love, and war are all tied to the same irreversible force.

Because if love changes the soul…

What happens when that soul is already breaking?

Let’s get into it, Bunchies!