House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas Book Review

Title: House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, Book 3)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre: Fantasy
Year of Publication: 2024
Date of Publication: January 30, 2024
Pages: 848
ISBN-10: 1635574102
ISBN-13: 978-1635574104

Our Rating of This Book

Summary of House of Flame and Shadow

House of Flame and Shadow is the third book in the Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas. It follows House of Sky and Breath.

At the start of the book, Bryce is not in Midgard, she is in Prythian. Yes, you read that right Prythian! She is somewhere in the night court (Hewn City) and is being interrogated by Rhysand, Amren, Azriel from the ACOTAR Series. The members of night court want answers as to how and why Bryce got to Pyrithian, and whether they should prepare for anyone else arriving. Bryce reluctantly tells them about Aidas, the Asteri especially Rigelus, and that it was not her intention to end up in the night court.

We learn that the Asteri are known by a different name in Prythian. They were known as Daglan and were presumed to have all died centuries ago. Bryce also lets them know that Rigelus considers their land as his enemy number one.

Meanwhile, Hunt Athalar, Ruhn and Baxian are imprisoned by the Asteri.

Main Plot & Characters

Bryce Quinlan, Hunt Athalar, and Ruhn Danaan: All three of them return in this book.
Tharion Ketos: A mer prince and River Queen’s emissary. He is allied with Bryce and is now entangled in her cause.
Ithan Holstrom: A wolf shifter from the Prime’s bloodline. He grapples with loyalty to his pack and his own path.
Celestina: She replaced Micah as governor.
Mordoc: He is a dread‑wolf and serves as the second‑in‑command to The Hind. He is also Danika’s father.
Cormac: A Fae prince and time-walker. His role becomes critical as the stakes rise. He is Ruhn’s cousin.
Morven Donnall: He is a Valbaran Fae king and the ruler of the Avallen Fae. He is also the father of Cormac Donnall.
Baxian: A member of the Asteri’s 33rd Legion, with hidden motives. He is also known as the Helhound.
The Hind (Lidia Cervos): She is a deer shifter and one of the dreaded Asteri agents. Her true allegiance is a major revelation. She also used to be part of Sandriel’s triarii.
Aidas: A powerful demon prince of Hel with mysterious interests in Bryce’s destiny. Aidas is also known as the Prince of the Chasm
Jesiba Roga: She is Bryce former employer and an antique dealer.
Hypaxia Enador: The Queen of the Witches, an ally to Bryce and Ruhn.
The Asteri: The ancient, immortal beings ruling Midgard. They feed on the power of others. Their true nature and goals drive much of the book’s conflict.
Lehabah: The fire sprite who sacrificed herself in Book 1; her memory continues to shape Bryce.
The Under-King: Ruler of the Bone Quarter, keeper of the dead.
Rigelus: One of the most powerful of the Asteri. He usually likes to appear as a young boy.
Polaris: He is one of the Asteri.
Pollux: He is nicknamed the Hammer because of how brutal he is. He used to be part of Sandriel’s triarii.
Apollion: Also known as the Prince of the Pit.
Declan Emmet: Tech genius in Ruhn’s inner circle.
Tristan Flynn: Ruhn’s loyal friend, one of the Fae royal circle.
Sandriel: She was an Archangel and Governor of the northwestern quadrant of Pangera. Her twin sister, Shahar was in a relationship with Hunt. Shahar was killed during a rebellion. She blames hunt for luring her twin into the rebellion. She was Hunt’s former owner before Micah.
Naomi Boreas: She is part of the triarii and the only one who is not enslaved.
Ephraim: He is an Archangel and appointed Governor of Rodinia. He chose to take over the northern Pangera territory once ruled by Sandriel.
The Harpy: She used to be part of Sandriel’s triarii but she later joins Ephraim’s group.
Sabine: Danika’s mother and the ruthless Alpha of all wolf shifters.
Ophion: A rebel organization fighting against the Asteri’s rule.
The Astronomer: He is a sorcerer who sells information and access to the dead.
Director Kagani: She is the head of the school on the Depth Charger.
Helena: She was the elder daughter who stayed back in Midgard. She was forced into a political marriage with Pelias. She inherited a share of Theia’s power and helped conceal it within the Cave of Princes.
Silene: She was the younger sibling. Silene fled back to Prythian with Theia’s Harp and Horn. She later married the High Lord of the Night Court and became the protector of the “Prison.”
Fionn: First and last High King of the Night Court. He was married to Theia. Truth teller belonged to his friend Enalius.
Theia: She wielded both the Starsword and Truth‑Teller. Bryce has Theia’s lights. Theia was the mother to Silene and Helena. After Fionn’s death, she plotted to conquer other worlds using the Dread Trove (the mask, harp, crown and horn) and split much of her power among her daughters. Aidas loved Theia.
Prince Pelias: Once Theia’s trusted general. He betrayed her by conspiring with the Daglan (Asteri), killed Fionn, seized the Starsword, and married Helena to legitimize his claim over Starborn power.

Back of Book House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

Writing Style

Who doesn’t love a cross-over! Especially when it’s with one of your favorite book series. Sarah J. Maas brings in characters from the ACOTAR series and we loved every second of it. It was nice to see Bryce go head to head with Nesta. The two characters definitely have something in common in terms of their personalities. It was also nice to see the “master of spinning bullshit” spin it and it not work on Azriel.

The book definitely keeps the story moving. The dialogue, humor, and the characters’ interactions all feel natural and believable.

Memorable Quotes

“And Rhysand is … your king?” Nesta snorted. “He’d like to be. But no. He’s the High Lord of the Night Court.”
“You’re my home, Hunt. Our love spans across stars and worlds, remember?” She smiled slightly. “I’ll always find you.” —Bryce
“Okay, let’s do a head count. If you’re disowned, disgraced, or both, raise your hand —Bryce, Tharion, Baxian, Lidia, Hunt, and Ruhn raised their hands
“I love you. I fell in love with you in the depths of my soul, and it’s my soul that will find yours again in the next life.” —Ruhn to Lidia
“Cassian’s waiting for you, Nesta,” Azriel said—tone gentling. “Take off the Mask.” … “He’s waiting for you at the House of Wind,” Azriel went on. “At home.”
“Dear Diary, today I made a list of all my enemies and how I plan to kill them. It’s so hard being king I wish I had a friend!—Bryce mocking the contents of the Autumn King’s journal to Morven
“When knife and sword are reunited, so shall our people be.” —Bryce remembering the prophesy
“Alphahole.” —Bryce
“Memento mori.” — common saying throughout the book. It is written on a lot of ancient art and means “Remember you will die.”
“I believe it all happened for a reason. I believe it wasn’t for nothing.” —Bryce
“Welcome to Hotel Horseshit..” —Baxian (The Helhound)

Impact of House of Flame and Shadow

This book brought characters from two of Sarah J. Maas’s best selling books together and is a must-read for fans of ACOTAR and Crescent City series.

What are your thoughts on this book? Have you had a chance to read it? Let us know in the comments!

Authors

Nathaniel Adebayo

Nathaniel is a Media Content Specialist at Verayea, where he specializes in curating content and gathering data for the company’s extensive book library. He is also dedicated to writing insightful reviews, offering thoughtful perspectives on a range of media. His work ensures that Verayea’s library is comprehensive, well-organized, and informative, providing valuable resources for its audience.
Ufuoma Akpotaire

Ufuoma Akpotaire is a passionate book, movie and music reviewer with a love for travel and culture. She combines her enthusiasm for storytelling with her experience exploring new places and stories. Through her reviews, she celebrates creativity and inspires readers to appreciate the connections between books, movies, music, travel, and global cultures.