is HOUSE OF FLAME AND SHADOW SJM's WORST book yet?? 👀🔥 || reading vlog

[@myselfctrl]

SJM wants to write books about war, rebellion, slavery, torture, etc without acknowledging that death goes hand in hand with those things, and the result is a book completely devoid of any real stakes or emotional impact. Like if she prefers to write happy endings, that’s fine, but maybe write cozy fantasy or something because what she’s doing rn just makes no sense

[@nazimelmardi]

That’s not the first one of hers that she can’t do a theme or representation. Trauma is also coming with a lot of things and she easily forgets that.

[@RealForUs]

@@nazimelmardiit bothers me that she seems to just want to write trauma porn but trauma is really only depicted one way by her. It’s exhausting.

[@samanghazvini9191]

100% yes! Also on the topic of trauma, it really bothered me how characters went from being extremely tortured and dismembered, to suddenly want to have crazy sex like horny teenagers? I think if you and your friends were tortured that badly you would not have a sex drive for a long time. It's like they recover so so fast not just physically but also mentally!

[@nazimelmardi]

@@samanghazvini9191 it’s true. That’s one of the reasons why fantasy fans DNF acotar on the first book.

[@monisolaolubuyimo6024]

@@nazimelmardii definitely stopped reading the ACOTAR series after the second book (mainly bc it’s supposedly the most critically acclaimed book in the series) after its subpar predecessor because the stakes were in the pits of hell. the antagonists were ALL written the same & literally by the end of the second book, every single character is immortal lol

[@chrishth]

I think the main issue is that SJM's audience has grown as readers, but she hasn't grown as a writer and that's why the last couple of books seem so off. She keeps writing in the same mold, with the same tropes and while ACOTAR and Throne of Glass have so much nostalgia for many people that they are willing to overlook their flaws (mostly), it's clear that the same grace does not extend to CC and even ACOSF.

[@taylorgayhart9497]

I read TOG and ACOTR back in 2016, and was *OBSESSED* but I just cannot get into this series. And ACOSF was a DNF for me. It’s weird because these are SJM’s first real “adult” books, and I’m definitely too old to be considered the YA demographic, but I prefer her earlier books! I feel like she isn’t getting her books edited enough anymore.

[@ravenhairedreader]

the longer i’ve sat with the book the more and more disappointed I am. I’ve given it a low 4 star and feel like i’m still digesting. appreciate your thoughts as always! 🌙

[@shayladiana]

Definitely her weakest series. I really felt like CC was just all the scrap ideas that SJM had that she didn’t use, only to Frankenstein it together to create this mess.

[@ThePetiteReader]

I adored CC1 but this series in a whole (and also the next new series she is starting) is piggybacking ACOTAR...100%. She is a business woman before she is an author..

[@andiekp]

I've been waiting for this! I rated this 1.5 stars and was so disappointed SJM desperately needs an editor, or a new editor 😂

[@isabellavalentine7268]

It’s the same for Clare- they “have enough followers that’ll buy anything” so they aren’t getting properly edited. They both need a few flops to so we can have real books again from them

[@stephg.380]

I love this review! I really appreciated Book 1 for what it was. I thought it was entertaining and I loved Lehabah. How we went from a female-focused story to (roughly) four hundred whining men is beyond me! I need a very, very long break from SJM's work because of all the sloppy crap you mentioned. Just filled with nope after this.

[@chandlerainsley]

ooo lemme grab the popcorn

[@chandlerainsley]

lmaooo the ithan & tharion stuff i cant

[@stephanieraylove]

The only one of this series I like was the first one. But this one felt so lazy. Idk why I hated learning all these things throw a damn home video in some caves 😂😂

[@gabbylikestoread]

yesss! Was looking forward to this. I gave up on SJM after I DNFd Silver Flames. No one is editing her stuff anymore and I don't want to wade through that if the plot is trash.🌙

[@jhayes0319]

I finished this book in two days and had yet to rate it because I was so blah about it. Watching this back I’ve solidified my rating of 2 stars. All the grievances you have I feel the same. For me personally, if an author is unwilling to kill off their characters in a battle heavy/war heavy story for the sake of a happy ending I don’t want it. Things were way too convenient and when bad things did happen, I didn’t feel the impact because I knew it would be explained away fairly easily. I’m questioning if i want to continue reading her as an author after this one.

[@Anna2187_]

I understand maybe 30% because I’ve never read this series lmao but you’re so great at explaining what didn’t work for you

[@Anna2187_]

Not her super special juices running through his blood 😭😭

[@aden.e]

@@Anna2187_i was screaming

[@Amy1437]

Totally agree with you- I think this is her worst book yet. It was so info dumpy & boring, it could not end fast enough. I really struggled to finish it.

[@samanghazvini9191]

I agree with everything you've said, but I also didn't really get why the Asteri were bad? Just because they at some point take the 2nd light? Who cares? The dead are dead, I don't care if their afterlife doesn't last forever. The asteri were just not as bad as everyone was convinced they were. Their society seemed pretty functional, nothing like the Hunger Games or anything where the villains are actually villains.

[@shelbyiswhere]

I’m almost 700 pages in and I wanna DNF so bad. I just do not care what happens but I’m so close to the end might as well. I just feel like she’s trying to do too much but isn’t doing it well.

[@ThePetiteReader]

Keep reading!! The last 30% has action and will be more engaging!

[@shelbyiswhere]

@@ThePetiteReader that’s what I’m hoping for!

[@jersosando1096]

I had to DNF this book because I could already tell it would be a MESS. And based off this and several other reviews …I was right lol.

[@ThePetiteReader]

🌙 🌙🌙OMG, I 100% agree with this!! This book was a flop...everything you said about Ithan, Hunt and Bryce, how she doesn't know hot to end a book, how the cure and the bullet were created etc, you are on point!! Before I filmed my review I tried to tone down my disappointment, but I couldn't. Now I know I am not alone...😘

[@ThePetiteReader]

Also, I might be the only one who doesn't like Rhysand 🤣

[@lisajenny9]

This vlog was so good. I have not read any of these books but I watched the whole thing.

[@kellynick408]

🌙i appreciate your synopsis. I agree the first book was the best. It had its issues but it was very entertaining. I struggled to get through the second book and the third book I DNF. I just couldn’t get through it. Based on your synopsis, I’m glad I stopped when I did. That ending… LOL no.

[@aden.e]

after watching i feel really embarrassed that i gave this five stars LMAO 🌙

[@claudiaw9925]

So I anticipated a lot as well and as I said in other platforms. I had high hopes and so my let down was very hard. I think with the complexity of the book she could have made this into more books and not spill all the secrets out in one last book like Jesiba had a vast library that was 15000 years old yet nobody discovered really much in any of the books!! It was just told to them. I mean it could have been much better but it was condensed in one book like the first 100 or 200 pages was in another world that really didn't do much for the book.

[@Robloxlegend49]

You’re right about Nesta … after reading Silver Flames I loved NESTA… but this Nesta is a stranger, but your right it could be Bryce’s perspectives Also.. I hope in book 4.. Sarah moves on from Bryce because I am tired of her …

[@Raven4Beauty]

I was waiting for your review on this book because I loved your review of the 1st 2 books, especially for CC2 you had me cracking up laughing. I actually really liked CC3, but I see your points of why you didn't like it. I really didn't like Bryce in this book, but to be honest I didn't like Bryce so much in the previous books. She's self obsessed. She only see's things from her point of view and everything in her mind revolves around her. Hunt deserves better. I also agree the end was a underwhelming and a bit convenient. What I LOVED about this book is that it was full of action and I love the ties to ACOSF, Nesta's book, which is my FAVORITE book by SJM. It's obvious there's going to be another CC book, because Tharion and Ithan have more story left, but do I really care? I think a lot of people are disappointed with this series. If you were looking for a great romance, it's not here. If you were looking for CC to 'join' the inner circle or Rhys and gang to come to Midgard and save the day... it's not this book. Is this series a great series, NO. I've read much better, but it was very entertaining and kept my eyes glued to the pages, which considering the fantasy romance genre nowadays that's saying a lot (I'm talking about you 'Iron Flame'). I was satisfied with this book. I feel this series was just a spinoff to open up another plot device for continuing ACOTAR, because obviously there's going to be another book in that series and I'm looking very forward to it.

[@BoosGaming1]

Not Bryce and Hunt special juices! 😂🌙

[@savagejazz4958]

I read house of flame and shadow n i agree with everything u said about bryce she was just so annoying in this one like couldnt stand her i liked her better in book one honestly and i felt like that battle scene was too easy i wanted more of struggle n more of this bloodbath i gave this book 4 star at first but then i lowered my rating to a 3 star

[@thebackpackingbookwyrm]

I think this was one of the most disappointing books I've experienced. I didn't expect a masterpiece but damn.. 🙃

[@andreaauzenne2656]

When I I found out TOG don't pick up fro ACOTAR should I ship TOG an go to CRESCENT CITY .. Cause I don't understand why TOG wasn't a fellow up ACOTAR

[@BookedandBusy]

Throne of Glass started before ACOTAR so that would have been impossible.

[@andreaauzenne2656]

I don't know TOG was first ..I started reading 2 yrs ago first book was ACOTAR .so do I start over wit TOG than ACOTAR than CRESENT CITY to get a better understanding

[@ArielAntenna]

Did i read this book? no. Do i plan on reading it? no. Did i watch this whole video anyway? yes…. thank you for reading this so i didn’t have to 🙏

[@sophiareagan6425]

🌙

[@laurayoung9418]

YES I also don’t like Tharion!!!

[@KatieColson]

🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙

[@fttoma]

🌙🌙

[@selenaoquendo5201]

Unpopular opinion, but I think Bryce should have died at the end of the book. And I’m not saying that just because I don’t like her. But I think that for me personally that it would’ve helped me regain the love that I had for her character in the first book to know that she died with Honor

[@lisajenny9]

🌜🌜

[@Whenshanreads]

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[@emilywheeler1655]

🌙🌙🌙

[@emilywheeler1655]

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[@domeicaleggett979]

🌙🌙🌙