Is HOFAS SJM's Worst Book? 😭 HOUSE OF FLAME & SHADOW SPOILERS 2024
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ก.พ. 2024
- All of my thoughts and feeling while reading my most anticipated book of 2024, House of Flame & Shadow by Sarah J Maas.
This video contains spoilers for Crescent City, ACOTAR and Throne of Glass
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The ending with the black hole and the suit is sooo funny too me like what 💀💀
I think everyone was so overwpowered villains and heroes included that everything ended up underwhelming… I agree the last few books don’t have the sjm magic and that’s sad.
I’m an SJM stan, but I rated this one 2 stars. I’ve never been actively mad after reading a book like it was after this one. It felt like a huge waste of time….especially considering this had the potential to be my favorite series of hers. I loved House of earth and blood so much. 😢
I feel like SJM needs someone to tell her no. She is just out here doing whatever she wants and nobody is making her touch grass
My biggest issue with this book was how ‘powerful’ they all were. If you’re all the most powerful people ever, none of you are! Why the hell was Bryce so bright as well, if this was a show I would be blinded the whole time 😂
remember when everyone leveled up on every other page in the last 30%? 💀
@@_alissawithani I know! I actually wish they all had lost all of their power so they were essentially human and then had to kill the asteri using only cunning and strategy between the groups. The payoff would have been so much sweeter 👌🏼
Omg yes! Exactly! Everyone is the absolute most intimidating and most beautiful.
Why was it harder to kill Micah than the Asteri? 😂
I have been waiting for this video, especially after being quite disappointed by this book. I guess my main problem was that it lacked emotion. SJM has always been so good at making you FEEL what the characters were feeling and in this book it was almost like no one had any emotions at all. The reunion between Bryce and Hunt has to be the most underwhelming scene that I have ever read. 😢
Girl I'm so glad you brought this up. I especially hate the fact that during his enslavement to the asteri FOR THE SECOND TIME!! He spent every waking moment thinking about Bryce, and hoping that she's safe. Meanwhile, she took a few days just sitting around in a dungeon before she got up to look for answers. Then she finds him, but doesn't even really acknowledge him like she should, even though he's witnessed unimaginable pain. Then has the audacity to complain about him not wanting to continue with the mission, and about him feeling guilty. My gawd!! Just that alone ruined Bryce's character for me. I know SJM is all about strong females ruling the world, but she didnt have to disrespect Hunt by reducing him down to Bryce's lapdog. Smh.
I was absolutely done when I read that Hunt could don Nesta's Mask, because Bryce's "Made essence" was all over him because they slept together the night before..... I laughed out loud, and just stared into space for a few minutes😂All throughout the book, random things kept happening that I felt didnt make sense. I felt that SJM was making and breaking her own rules, and that just sealed the deal for me. This book was good but kind of all over the place.
"Are you high" litetally me through the whole book. 😂
YES - I told my bf the other day that the first CC book is the last book SJM wrote in the style that I loved so much. I refuse to read any of ACOTAR past the original three. And I loved the first CC book so I'm sad that I won't really have a reason to ever read it again, since I have no desire to read the second and third book ever again.
not reading past the og ACOTAR is so valid
@aagszn2828 I refer to the two following books as the books that shall not be named. I won't even let my friend talk about them to me rofl.
I just don’t understand how this was suppose to be so epic and no one died.
I really enjoyed the mix of spoilers and regular vlog content in this! simultaneously chill and very engaging.
This video was so validating for me. I also gave this book 3 stars and I thought I was crazy lol
Also, your vlogs are my favorite, so the more content (lifestyle, etc) the better.
YEEESS I have been waiting for this video!
I’ve been waiting for this video🤩
I'm still processing it! Really don't know what to think. Loved the video though and so glad you got to the gig! Xx
Loved this vlog ❤
Me coming to this video with no plans to read any SJM books for a fun time and all the tea on your behalf 😂 Do I have any idea what you're talking about for half the video...nope! Am I having a good time...yes 😂😂😂😂 NO WAY YOU MADE IT TO THE SHOW!!!!
totally agree about sjm's last three books. idk what it is about them but the quality is just not the same as her other books
Girly, this has been my most anticipated video of the year!!!
I finished this earlier today, perfect time for tea time😍
It amazes me how well our thoughts always align! I shared the same opinion about most, if not all, of what you said. I felt the same about Nesta and Azriel feeling wrong, too.
Loved this style spoilers/vlog! I agree with all your thoughts 100%. When I realized I have really not loved her last 3 books, I started to wonder if it's me who changed or SJM. Your similar thoughts, and other comments here, have validated mine. 😂 There were just so many moments where I said, 'That's it? There has to be more.' It ended up being a super low 4 for me, but I keep debating changing it to a 3.
Your black hole description had me hysterical (it was so true, and just so awful).
I’ve been struggling to finish it since release day. I agree with almost every point you made!
Your thoughts on the book closely mirror mine and I also feel that HOEAB is, if not my favourite book, it is up there at the top. I would only add to your thoughts at the end that I also found the final larger battle (outside of what Hunt & Bryce were doing) and the addition of the Hel princes underwhelming as well.
Regarding the vlog format: it was really nice! It was entertaining en funny, and nice to not just be on the book but others things in your life!!
I also was glad that Bryce leaves early ACOTAR world. It makes sense regarding the reasing capacity of each serie (can you read each serie individually)
I’ve never read Cresent City or ACOTAR but I still loved this 😅 Really engaging and the format worked well for me.
This is the first tour that I've missed The 1975 in Manchester since I moved to the US and I couldn't fly back, I was devastated. The US audiences don't compare & I can't believe I missed seeing Milk live for the first time in ages! So glad you were able to make it despite the car drama 🖤
I feel so validated 😭
I think I liked the book slightly more than you, but you're totally right the new books haven't felt the same! HOEAB especially had this grittier urban fantasy vibe that's completely gone in HOSAB and HOFAS.
I deadass thought Bryce was on a villain arc, with her not telling us things and absorbing dark powers and shouting at Hunt! What was the point of all that Sarah???
Lidia being a mum was endearing to me. (It's somehow still a fresh take in fantasy to have an action heroine be a mum...)
I wish Ithan and Tharion got together and that was their moment, I feel like it would've rounded out the relationship parts of the book instead of the random marriage subplot... Also what is SJM gonna write for their spinoffs since they killed their boomer villains?
HOEAB was almost like a crime mystery fantasy which was amazing. And personally HOSAB is my favourite, I could live in it, I love the politics. But yeah HOFAS.. the first half anyway. But the last half I liked a lot more.
I’m with you that nothing has hit since HOEAB (a solid 5 star, one of my favorites from her)! Here’s to hoping something changes with the next one!!
I'm so glad you made it to the 1975 show! I was supposed to see them in Detroit on Halloween but I wasn't able to go because I got covid 😭
I 100% agree and had A LOT of the same issues you did. I am leaning toward a lower 3 star rating, but it literally hurts my heart to do that. It took me 26 days to read this book bc I couldn’t be bothered to pick it up.
same! it took me 2,5 months! yesterday, I powered through 6 hours of the audiobook because I wanted to just be done with it :D
I agree with you very much in this review. Except I did want to Rhysand to be in the book more. But I really had way more rants than likes in the book. And I hated that I didn't like or love the book like I did for the first one which I loved and the hype was so high that the let down was so big. 😢
This isn't related to the book at all, but one of my favorite parts of your reading vlogs is seeing your dog laying with you while you read. So wholesome 🥺
Not me watching this vlog because I DNFed Sky & Breath at 78%. I want to know what happens, but I don’t have it in me to read 800+ pages to find out 😂 thank you for this
I saw the show in Birmingham. Seeing Mayday Parade made my 15 year old self so happy. 27 year old me was suffering from severe backache though 😅
I am currently about half way through this video and I had a lot of similar questions or thoughts and knowing that a lot of these still don't have answers makes me think 'What was the point of this book again?' I am eagerly awaiting your final thoughts expecting them to be ragey 🤣
You know you are making some points and I may knock a star from my original rating for HoFaS. I really need to stop rating books right after I finish a book, but it is compulsory at this point to rate book right after I finish them. 🙃
I gave this one 3 stars. Felt bored during most of it, the end fight scene I wasn’t worried about any of the characters as I knew they would survive it. And I’m getting bored that every relationship in Sarah J Maas books they are ‘mates’. Why can’t they just be in love with each other? I’m pretty sure I read in one of the ACOTAR books that finding your ‘mate’ is meant to be very rare.
I still have to finish crescent 1 😤
I didn't see you talk about the Asteri in the ACOTAR world, I feel like it shows there are more of them out there possibly?
Okay im at the end now, SARAH DOESNT LEAVE LOOSE ENDS? GIRL, where is VAUGHN??? xD But no seriously, I think its the pacing issues, the character development issues and its was just underwhelming. I was never attached to Nesta or Cass so I honestly didnt really care much for the "cross over". ALSO, its called HOFAS...... Aelin is the Queen of flame and shadow and it was kinda weird to see such a major reference not amount to anything. JMO
Hey Becca do you really think this is the end of the Crescent City series or will it go beyond the trilogy that was initially planned or do you think a new series will merge from this?
This multiverse thing only works if the author is a really good planner and can stick with it. Hence Cosmere of Sanderson who started it with his very first novel, Elantris and never stopped following it. Those books are all in the Cosmere and perfectly fit in. Or Stephen King who didn’t use this strong multiverse but he is an excellent character writer as everyone knows so when his characters show up in other books and their faith concluded there it’s very satisfying. Sarah J Maas just made up this running with the flow and because of it it’s not planned up as it should be. That’s the thing. She is far from being a good world builder.
after finishing i completely agree this was underwhelming!! altho i was really invested in Ithan’s storyline bc i thought it was so batshit that i couldn’t stop reading. he and RuhnLidia carried this for me!
I enjoyed the book but it isnt her best by any means. There are a lot of questions left. I really wanted to know more about Fury but it felt like ahe was just forgotten about...
I was so underwelmed as well. Everything felt way too simple and convenient. I hated the info dump, I thought it was really lazy. Some character were useless and OMG Ithan, they should throw him in the sea ! Plus, she wasted Lydia !
The thing is, I love Bryce soooooo much and CC1 is so freaking good, I want to cry just thinking about it. So I gave CC3 a 3 stars but really, it doesn't deserved better. The book could have been half the size it is...But I will still read a spin off because I love CC that much ;)
This is going to sound horrible, but the characters didn't struggle that much in that book (apart from the torture at the beginning) all the answers were almost served to them. Bryce just had to follow the light. Anyway....I want to re-read ToG now ;)
BTW I loved the format !!
I have absolutely no interest in CC... but I love your vlogs so I'm here lol
im so glad you made it to the 1975!! i saw them twice last october it was life changing haha
Oh my god I thought I was the only one who got anxiety and don’t want to start because then it will be finished 😂😂😂
loved this review! I think the combination of feeling underwhelmed by the storyline/how everything turned out in the end, coupled with the major money grab with the bonus chapters being included within book from several different retailers has just left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth😑
bonus chapters? do you know from which characters?
I was confused by the ending for Sathia and tharion what happened to them?
This took me forever to finish, and the only thing I cared about in the book was Ruhn
I was very underwhelmed and thats SO sad... SJM books pulled me out of a really dark time in my life and I LOVED HOEAB and I liked HOSAB but this was a major let down.
I'm thinking that Rhune is related to Rhys - or a throw back to that magic....both with shadows...
I reread HOSAB and ACOSF right before reading HOFAS and it was the best decision of my life !
The real question is WHAT is missing with the last three books we’ve gotten because i 100% agree 🤪
If I figure it out I'll let you know 😭
Same feelings as you on a whole. I gave it a 3 star and I have thought that a 3 is too generous. I got angry reading this book, it felt like a completely different author and was it just me or was the inner monologues really excessive? They drove me insane!
I dont read sjm so Im just no stakes watching this😂😂 love the zoom in on Bries lil sleepy head ❤❤
Sorry for every9ne that this book didnt seem to deliver 😢
I was so disappointed by a lot of elements in this book. I just had such high hopes and the boom fell flat. I gave it 3.75 stars because I ended up having a fun time during part 2 and most of part 3. The final battle was freaking weird and I still don't get what SJM was doing lol. I hope we get a HOMW with a storyline of figuring out the firstlight thing. I feel like I need to reread ACOTAR to renew my faith in SJM haha.
I liked this style of video! This might feel more "complete" than only spoilers of the book and no context of your life :D
I really didn't like the crossovers. I read the entire ACOTAR series after HOSAB only to now not understand the TOG references. I'm annoyed. I'm also annoyed that they just swapped the mask between worlds and characters so easily. To me it felt like she didn't have any good writing ideas left for her third series so she had to bring the good ideas over there :(
in the first Crescent City book I loved all the characters so so much and now by book 3, Bryce as character is ruined after the way she treated her mate. Constantly like "no, I'm not telling you" or even the "well, you didn't specifically ask so I didn't have to tell you", like come on!!!
And about the court of silver flames: that's my favorite from the acotar series I think because the plot is so small :D it didn't feel as overwhelming as others and maybe like finally, the characters weren't in over their heads.
Overall, I'm disappointed in the book and I have to say, when I finished it yesterday, I was kinda glad it was over ;(
Same feelings here- this book was underwhelming and disappointing and it pains me to say that 😫 loved this vlog!
I equal parts loved and was mad at house of flame and shadow if that makes sense lol.
So excited!!! I’ve been waiting for this. I was so disappointed by this book. Like it had its moments and I cared about like maybe 2 characters but I would for sure say that it’s my least favorite of her series 😔
Same here. This book disappointed me so much. I could sum it up by 'all this for that'?! So many things didn't make any sense or were conviennently resolved or so underwelming. Hell was hyped up and it ended up being a blink and you miss it cameo, you don't see them do anything really. Tharion and Ithan storylines wasted soooo much pages for nothing, their plot could have been way shorter. Sigrid serves no purpose, you erase her from Ithan storyline,we end up at the same conclusion and cherry on top, she disappears so what her point ? Bryce was annoying and pulling secrets like Danika though she resented her friend for doing it. Hunt's parentage logistic makes no sense, how is that possible?! XD the killing of the asteri soooo underwelming and convenient. The acotar crossover was boring, i'm sorry but rhys plan made no sense xD and bryce alienting her potential allies left and right instead of gaining their trust is the stupidest plan ever. And then she had the gal to come and ask more help?! Are you for real?! And not even talking about her attitude towards Hunt...Ruhn.and lidia were the only saving grâce of this book for me. The more I think about this book, the more angry I am😢
I hated House of Sky & Breath so much I went into HoFaS with such low expectations I ended up enjoying it! Even though I agree that the plot was a hot mess 😅 and agree with all your problems with the book. It’s a shame books 2 and 3 were so downhill compared to how amazing HoEaB was!!
I was pretty disappointed in the book. One of things (for me) was I went in expecting TOG to come into play as well and other than mentions they didn't. I felt the crossover was hyped up way too much 😢
I got halfway thru the book and just lost the desire to finish it, and I’m a huge Nesta stan so you’d think her being in it would’ve kept me hooked but it just…didn’t.
Honestly (and we’re not surprised) I feel the exact same when I read this. SOMETHING is missing from her newest books and it’s not very Sjm with all the loose ends. Too many complicated feelings to put into words 😅 I also gave it a 4 because i just CAN’T go any lower
I gave it 2 stars. Massive disappointment and I agree with everything you said!
Wth happened to Ariadne?
And why did rhysand look like ruhn?
Also made me laugh so much, world is ending, epic battle… but real estate agents are still hustling and found ruhn a furnished apartment???!
Honestly, I felt the same way about the cross-over and the books feeling lackluster. I genuinely expected to see more ACOTAR and TOG characters pop up and was disappointed when SJM once again threw her favorite boy into the mix. Like okay, great, but focus on other characters please. Rhys doesn't need to be in everything. It also felt like the characters in CC, especially in HOSAB and HOFAS were just.... weaker? Like they weren't written as well as previously, there were too many characters to try to pay attention to at once, and it was difficult to remain invested in the characters. Also, according to an interview with Today, there is a 4th CC book coming, but not for a while
I really disliked the first book and don't plan to continue, but I'm here for your content always!
I was so sad to rate this 3 star but overall it just wasn’t good. It felt rushed and convenient and just off. Plus yes…..ithan drove me nuts!
I have been on the fence about reading this because of how much I hated the ending of HOSAB...
I'm all for reading trash for fun, but I can't even bother to pick this series up after how much I detested Silver Flames. Couldn't even make it past 70 pages, lol. Fight the good fight! Lol
I felt it was messy and a bit everywhere ithan and tharian annoyed me I didn’t see the point in introducing the dragon and then she didn’t do anything with her. I felt that half of it could have been cut out. Lidia and Ruhn saved the book for me. But the bonus chapter where some of the best chapters 😂 I feel it her weakest book and I feel that the hype pre release was built around acotar cross over it was totally underwhelming
I gave it 3 stars, and I was sad to do it, but I felt the same way as you. It was so disappointing and underwhelming 😔
More proof that Lidia must be related to Aelin: In addition to Brann's name, the other son's name, Actaeon, is based off a character from Greek Mythology who was turned into a stag! To pinpoint why I think HOFAS suffered.... Other than everything seemed to happen easily and conveniently (even the deaths were simple and quick compared to SJM's standard, drawn out epic battles), HOFAS suffered extremely in terms of character and its romance/relationships, which is usually SJM's biggest strength. Like how Rhysand was portrayed in ACOSF (i.e. kind of insufferable and really out of character), I feel like the characters in HOFAS were not portrayed accurately or with the same care as SJM showed with past books. The relationships didn't hit the same emotionally and the romances were oddly paced, developed unnaturally, or were underwhelming... Compared to the standard of SJM's past characters, who had impressive depth, this book just destroyed what she built in HOEAB in my opinion 😭
I also loved the first book, but honestly, I didn't feel emotionally attached to any of the characters in this installment, it just felt flat. I teared up more at the sacrifice of Jesiba than at Bryce's initial death. Disappointed, this now rates as my least favourite of her series and this one volume is definitely my least favourite of her books.
100% agree with you. Sarah’s usual style isn’t working on this book for some reason, although it’s hard to k or exactly why. It’s like we are seeing everything happen from the wrong angle?…and aside from the Phoenix thing and Pippa, other things were also pointless, like Sigrid…her entire story was pointless and added nothing. Ithan is a dumbass and can’t do anything right. He will be a terrible prime 😂 you have to have more than “he’s a good person;” decision making is important 😂. I still loved being around someone of these characters and being in this world, but eek 😬 very underwhelming
I agree with all your thoughts. This series was not as good as her other series. So disappointed with the crossover.
Also, Horizon Zero Dawn!!!! YES!!!
Spoiler for it so:
Did you reference when we mearn of what Zero Dawn by seeing Elisabeth hologram, and when we go to the Mother mountain and learn Aloy is made by Gaia based on Elizabeth? Because these scenes of lore perfectly adds emotions and I always tear up or gets breathless when I see them!!
I did indeedy!
@@BeccaandTheBooks yay!! I wanted to NG+ HZD and HFW these last days and you make me want it more 😭😭
I was so disappointed in this. Soooo many things that were hyped that didn't pan out or were lackluster. I loved Ruhn and the Hind they saved the book for me. 100 agree about Bryce being super immature and callous towards Hunt. Overall it didn't feel like a final book to me.
Your feelings are almost the exact same as mine! So many plot holes, conveniences and the plot was meh. I gave it 4 stars, but the end made me cry so much (Lehabah) that it could scrape a very low 5
I have zero interest in reading SJM, but ill watch a film of Becca's thoughts on anything.😂
If only Tharion had died... 😒