I read ACOTAR before reading this series (which I recommend) and when I started this book I was very thrown by the modernness of it. However after pushing through the first part of the book, the story and characters become much more intriguing and enthralling. These books are more adult than ACOTAR and are set in a very different setting as well. There are still Fae but there are also a number of other magical beings who live in this world so it's much more complex. There is a lot thrown out at you at first but if you just kind of squirrel the information away and keep reading it all becomes much easier to imagine and remember. There are also more mature themes in this series. There are quite a few graphic depictions of some pretty brutal stuff, one scene in the newest book (House of Flame and Shadow) had me gagging and I could barely read it. So far that's the only thing that's really had me cringing but there are definitely quite a few brutal depictions of the terror of this world. Overall I really enjoy this series. It doesn't seem fair to compare it to ACOTAR because it is very different but the writing is just as good as are the romance and fantastical components. But if you are looking for something new to read (or to take your mind off of finishing ACOTAR), definitely check out this series. You won't be disappointed!

This author is a stellar talent at plotting unexpected, interesting, and completely logical (once you find out about them) twists and turns. Her world-building successful in all of the senses. Crescent City smells bad, sounds cacophonous or sinister and quiet -- you can almost feel wind from an angel's wings.

The one concern I have is about bad language, but this a raw, intense, feeling narrative, so, readers, buckle up and put your foot on the gas! This is a drive through the subconscious that you will never forget.

This was the first book I read from Sarah J Maas, and it brought me to the universe of Fae, shapeshifters, angels. Such an amazing book. It hooked me to the romantasy genre and I knew I had to start over and do it the “right way” (if you know you know). Book is around 700 pages, but you don’t feel it. Once it “wraps” its hands around you, there is no going back. After you finish with the book you won’t stop thinking about it.

I know everyone loves this book but.... I couldn't do it. I can usually read an entire book in 3 days and after a week and a half I wasn't even past the 20 page mark so I decided to put the book down. For me it was way too much information at first which made it very difficult to follow and made me feel like I was studying for a research paper instead of reading for fun (which is why I read fantasy books). So maybe I'll try again one day but for now it's a no.