The formulaic writing of Sarah J Mediocrity | HOEAB REVIEW

[@bigsiskrishere]

Funny thing about Olive Garden: I and some friends all went there for the first time about a week ago and didn't realize the thing about the cheese on the salad. The lady didn't say "say when" and we didn't know we were supposed to say something, so we all just watched this poor middle-aged lady work up a sweat grinding parmesan until the salad was under a little blanket of parmesan. Like we're all awkward mid-20s kids too polite to say anything, watching her go thinking "Wow that's a fuck ton of cheese" and she keeps going probably thinking "these fucking kids sure like cheese" 😭 I think she assumed we'd been before and it was very awkward lmao

[@ReadswithRachel]

I am DECEASED

[@jamesmeow3039]

Say when is a common restaurant term. I would also be confused why you weren't saying anything.

[@Tareltonlives]

Meanwhile I'm the one happy when there's a blanket of parmesan.

[@Nancy-ff5tr]

@@jamesmeow3039 people come from different places. It's definitely not common where i live

[@emackenzie]

​@@jamesmeow3039 they said she _didn't_ say "say when" so they had no idea they were supposed to tell her to stop

[@RebaMedia]

One of her character smells like stars? So Sarah J Maas out here telling me her character smells like a giant ball of gasses? Her character is gassy? LOL

[@ReadswithRachel]

I WILL NEVER NOT THINK OF THIS NOW WHENEVER I READ HER BOOKS THANK YOU

[@ignaciorlimon1]

Maybe she was going for seared steak, BBQ, gasoline…or possibly raspberries? 🤔😂

[@shammydammy2610]

And since helium is a major stellar component, does it mean everyone around this character sounds like the Chipmunks?

[@amberanthony883]

If you eat at Olive Garden too much, that’s possible

[@Writercatloverbakonn]

I'm dying with this 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@nalcarya]

To be fair, lightning actually leaves a very strong, recognisable and mostly not very pleasant smell, if you are actually close enough to call it "the smell of lightning". It's close to a thousandfold condensed version of the smell in the air before a summer rain. I assume "the smell of a thunderstorm" is probably much closer to what she actually meant.

[@eleanordecker2810]

Correct. That lightning scent is actually called ozone, which usually stinks like a burnt wire. It's also *very* aromatic, since humans are sensitive to it. The "smell of lightning" is pretty much an overpowering metallic tang. I'm also assuming she meant "the smell of a thunderstorm" or "the smell of rain", called petrichor.

[@koshmareq]

guy smelled of ozone

[@AnkhAnanku]

@@eleanordecker2810 that actually makes it very important which one she means, as petrichor is widely found to be pleasant while ozone is the smell of a strange and unnatural pollution.

[@BinturongGirl]

Thing is, the smells of rainstorms or petrichor are pleasant smells in context. That doesn't mean that a person smelling like that would be attractive. I love the smell of the forest after rain, but if a person smelled like that in a bar, I'd assume they hadn't dried their laundry properly and it had gone musty.

[@AnkhAnanku]

@@BinturongGirl -petrichorperfume- ✍️noted

[@gennyfer8]

The ease with which “to defeat the Huns” flew out of your mouth is admirable

[@MeMyshelfAndI]

"Shadow magic, necromancy, and creepy forests-- those are my shit" yessss. cottagegore is my _jam_

[@ReadswithRachel]

Oh shit you’re right that is all basically cottagecore

[@MeMyshelfAndI]

@@ReadswithRachel Cottagecore + make it spooky = Cottagegore 😉👻

[@ohshit4860]

Cottagegore.. i love that term SO MUCH :)

[@adrasthe314]

"Can an author plagiarise themself?" I know you said it's a joke, but, at uni (and in academia at large as far as ik) if you can if you don't cite your previous papers. So like yeah, technically, an author *can* plagiarise themself lol

[@KateeAngel]

well my thesis had huge chuncks copied from my previous thesis, mostly methods and literature review, cause it was basically the same work but with new objects

[@GemAndMoth]

Wow, I haven’t read the book (given my experience with her others) but I’ve seen a lot of fan art and I wouldn’t have known that Bryce wasn’t supposed a red haired version of feyre…aka a skinny model that wears leather and low cut dresses. The same thing happens with the Cruel prince protagonist, I remember the author went out of her way (it felt like) to describe her as “normal” looking and the majority of the fan art draws her as Giselle Bundchen.

[@sageheath3808]

the amount of people i've seen draw bryce as skinny is SO upsetting, because in the books she's described as having a similar body type to mine. i see so little of that kind of rep in booktok recs and its so disheartening to watch people actively make characters skinny because to them thats beautiful

[@jilianh]

Even in Holly Black's newer book "The Book of Night" it is clearly mentioned multiple times that the protagonist's body type is NOT skinny, but I think even with HB trying to make characters not fit the factory mold people just glaze over it and think heroine = supermodel

[@lidaw.5145]

we are truly being robbed of art of a gloriously ripped jude duarte

[@BecauseImGabbi]

I'll never forget the scene where Rhys and Cassian literally have to fight it out because Rhys is so hrny. CRACKED ME UP!! Or when SJM couldn't stop using the word "resplendent" to describe the Night Court's outfits. I was like please!!! And I totally agree that SJM's best characters are her side ones!!

[@rose_and_thorns]

I've never read any SJM and have no desire too, but am I still watching this video, after watching Marines' hour-long video recapping it chapter by chapter? YES. Because for some reason, people tearing her books apart is my kink, I guess. Also, her descriptions of how people/things smell reminds me of the way Stephanie Garber did that stupid emotions-as-colors thing in Caraval. FRUSTRATED GINGERSNAP.

[@ReadswithRachel]

DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON CARAVAL

[@lisak8492]

Man I hated caraval

[@hannahhannah7002]

...can you drop vid link?

[@korviscapetrova5269]

@@hannahhannah7002 I would like the link to the vid as well

[@rachelr6464]

You know that is actually a thing? It's called Synthesia.

[@bethhick6764]

As a former “reads until 3 in the morning at the behest of my mum and dad” child, I fell out of love with reading when I got a bit older and life stuff got in the way. I struggled picking up books for years, and I found ACOTARtok and thought, why not, it might respark my interest. And it did! For me my experience with SJM books is different, and as trashy or frustrating as some of her writing can be, I’ll always be grateful for the kick up the arse it gave me to start reading again. I even started a book journal and a book club with my friends! So yes, I’m very grateful to her, but her writing can definitely be repetitive and flawed in places.

[@ReadswithRachel]

Glad to hear this!

[@bethhick6764]

@@ReadswithRachel I am completely envious of your bookshelf btw! And fantastic content as always!! 💖

[@ReadswithRachel]

Thank you so much 🥹

[@laurabohlander5985]

yes omg she got me out of my reading slump too!

[@SarahAbramova]

Fun fact about lighting strikes, there's actually 9/10 survival rate for being struck by lighting! It usually leaves scars called Lichtenberg figures!

[@ReadswithRachel]

I love fun facts like this

[@standdownrobots_ihaveoldglory]

Do not mess around with it, even with 90% survival. I had a colleague who survived a strike but never recovered and died 2 years later, from related causes. It's also horrific for witnesses & can leave brutal survivor's guilt behind.

[@pinkpigeons9016]

@@standdownrobots_ihaveoldglory i’m late to this, but what were the related issues if you’re aware ? i’m just curious because i really like researching health related things, super okay if you don’t know or aren’t comfortable

[@NazoPureChaos]

@@ReadswithRachel Roy Sullivan has a Guinness World Record for getting struck seven times by lightning over a period of twenty five years.

[@mcjordie]

The making up names for authors is one of my favorite bits of yours; makes me laugh every time 😆

[@mcjordie]

"Sarah jigglypuff Maas" 😂

[@ReadswithRachel]

Fun fact: jigglypuff was the only Pokémon card I owned 🤣

[@sleepy.timaeus.arts.]

same. i loved every new name for sarah aha

[@cecillbill]

Because SJM sells, and Barnes & Noble spotlights her, hard, she could write a 2K page book and it'd be a bestseller. Her fans and haters live for her words.

[@bobbitworm8184]

Surely to smell like lightning you'd have to smell like an awful combination of something burning & ozone? Like that would be a really interesting character trait but I feel like she meant it more like "He smelt striking in a sexy way" than "he smelt like weird burnt gas". Honestly I feel that authors such as Sarah J Maas keep using how a character smells when what they're actually trying to describe is the *presence* a character has. Using lightning to describe a character makes me picture someone who is flashy, impulsive, and possibly dangerous, which I think is what she was going for. But specifically saying he *smells* like lightning just leaves me wondering what lightning smells like.

[@AnkhAnanku]

I really like incorporating smells as a way of describing a person’s aura but taking it literally can definitely backfire. For example a person might smell like vanilla because they are simple, inoffensive, and warm. OTOH a character that canonically stinks of vanilla is the BDSM paraphilia demon Pinhead from the Hellraiser franchise.

[@lua_ferraz]

Wow, I agree with EVERYTHING you said! Also, "she no longer edits", to be honest I don't think she ever did 😅 My main take of the books I've read of her is that they could easily go through at least two more rounds of revision. And I also really like the things I like about her stories, which tbh only makes everything 101x more frustrating because WHY won't she put in the work to make it the best book it can be? I mean, I know why, but still.

[@Chicken-lv7or]

Reading SJM is like watching Riverdale

[@amara560]

Truth

[@shreeyamalgunde593]

Riverdale wasted my time

[@TeenieTinyTina]

Lmao

[@Meganlonadon]

Bad reviews of SJM books are my guilty pleasure. I'll never understand why she's so popular.

[@Meganlonadon]

Also may I suggest a character (or multiple characters) baring their teeth for the next bingo board?

[@artakhas3005]

Plus, she copies The Blsck Jewel series by Anne Bishop.

[@sofresa127]

Watching you and @Withcincy review SJM's books has become my favorite thing!

[@ReadswithRachel]

I love cindy!

[@SofieLoaf]

Lightning actually has a smell! Right before it strikes(if you're close enough) it'll smell like ozone. Which can smell either metallic or "clean" etc.

[@obi-wan-pierogi]

My toxic trait is I like Sarah J Maas’ books for the same reason I read other trash books. I wanna know how not to write romance and I need some tips on how to not write characters lol

[@blissclair9743]

fair enough!

[@pendragongameart]

cheers

[@TheFran2555]

Don't torture yourself so much hahaha

[@keepuwu-ing7653]

I only read these types of books just to rant about it later

[@wootwoot5486]

My toxic trait is that I like the Throne Of Glass series cause most of it wasn't smut.

[@sydmmetry]

The alternate names you call the author are SENDING me >

[@ReadswithRachel]

Sarah jinglebells Maas will continue to get new names from me in every video

[@inkayork]

Today I learned that this book isn't called Crescent City.

[@Sully0182]

"Is global warming being effected by the fumes of arousal in the air" 😂😂😂😂😂 this is hilarious. I am currently rereading ToG and totally agree with your Bingo cards! Lol I still enjoy her books but they DEFINITELY have the same patterns and tropes. This is hilarious, love your videos and, girl, absolutely make this a series to get that ad $$, hope you're preschool dreams come true lol

[@ReadswithRachel]

I will continue to read her books and enjoy some parts of them lol i even got my husband to read the entirety of throne of glass

[@Sully0182]

@@ReadswithRachel I got my best friend to read ACOTAR because we too cannot refuse a friend when they tell us to read something 😂🤦‍♀️ at least I know who to come to for the honest reviews!

[@hoppystar439]

Every time SJM describes a weird scent I just assume her characters have an obsession with Yankee candles. It's the only way it makes sense to me.

[@novembermedusa]

looove your humour 🔥❤ i think sjm should maybe write romance and/or erotica, it seems those aspects interest her the most. i think she should not write any more fantasy/futuristic fantasy bc yeah she likes certain things and does it over and over and over and over and over again. i guess there are people who find comfort in that. she also does not care about worldbuilding(it's always full of random, convinient stuff, or some plot devices used for retcons etc.) and for people who love worldbuilding her books can be so frustrating. sadly, it seems to me that she thinks she writes perfectly and does not try to improve her writing, or experiment. and omg her books need editors so bad 😭

[@ReadswithRachel]

I agree like babe JUST WRITE EROTICA there’s no shame

[@Av-fn4ol]

she doesn't like worldbuilding? Have you read throne of glass 😳

[@novembermedusa]

@@Av-fn4ol yes, i've read all of her books multiple times. tog is really basic worldbuilding - an empire inspired by western europe, magic is gone, there is a bunch of fantasy races that are not different from the same races in other/better fantasy books, an evil king, portals, an evil race that for some reason wants this world, a lost princess that will rule her kingdom despite not having any education needed etc... i think maybe if the books ended with qos i could've forgive them a lot bc i liked the final confrontation as an ending, buuut from eos everything got just worse, and kos is simply very bad/lazy. so many tolkien ripoff scenes. things from game of thrones and harry potter as well. she also recycles herself a lot, sadly. so much from tog is in hoeab, like she says in this video. in acotar too. i think sjm likes aesthetics and ideas, but never makes it into something unique or hers. acotar is really bad with this(borrowing púca, firebird, koschei etc., naming things/people without rhyme and reason, making the world basicaly modern - leggings and sweaters, malls and restaurants, lingerie shops, travel mugs, fae are supposed to be different from humans but their world is so mundane it hurts, hybern soldiers are nameless/faceless barbarians like orcs, king of hybern/ireland doesn't have a name, the list goes on...). she can write a good action scenes if she feels like it, but no, worldbuilding is not her forte. she just puts a bunch of "cool" stuff in there and does not work with it any further. she reads fairytales and watches ballet, so she transfers those things she likes there directly, without much alteration. however i loved her story with the witches in hof and qos, and i think she should've put it into a separate book and expanded on it(even tho again ironteeth are from slavic folklore etc.) these are just my opinions, i get that tog books are loved and i have nothing against that, but they are not unique by any means.

[@andiman44]

@@novembermedusa The accuracy 👌🏾

[@Frogface91]

@@novembermedusa I'm not interested in reading her books, what did she do with witches that was good?

[@sarahroussel400]

Love your review! You made really great points. The artist who made the fanart you used is artbysmashley and she's an amazing artist advocating for body diversity in fanart. Would be great to link her work

[@ReadswithRachel]

Thank you so much for bringing this up. I apologize for not having it in the description already. I just fixed it. Thank you again!

[@autumnalrains9019]

I am less than three minutes in and I love this video already. Your humor is delightful, and I must admit to chuckling constantly

[@ReadswithRachel]

Thank you so much!

[@rin55]

I have tried a couple of her books, and the effect it had on me was, the annoyance built up until I rage quit not that far from the end. But you are right, it's a comfort read for many people. And I also like to check out reviews, when I come across some. Although, some of the fans of her earlier books were dissapointed in this adult series. I think the grind to read this huge book was not worth the payoff anymore, for some.

[@InkyCakes]

Lightning does have a smell, it's called ozone. The particles gather up in the air after a strike. It's kinda hard to describe until you've smelled it yourself, but the feeling of smelling it is kinda the same as sucking helium up your nose tbh. Which is fitting cause smelling it is pretty bad for your lungs. I got an immediate headache lol.

[@nobody4248]

In my experience it has a metallic smell, that reminds me of blood.

[@SloanePaoPow]

Smelled like lightning? So ozone? He smells like the really unpleasant tang of ozone. Lovely 😒

[@BookmarkChronicles]

Y’all better like and comment! Let’s get this kid to daycare!🥰

[@BookmarkChronicles]

The middle names 😂

[@BookmarkChronicles]

Jiggly puff 😂😂😂

[@sadpendragon]

this review is hilarious x) i have yet to read a sjm book but the duality of people loving it and people being tired with her mediocre writing is so interesting idk if i should or not tbh

[@amelia_mimi6153]

The "muscle feathered in his jaw" thing makes no sense to me. Who has a muscle in their jaw that twitches whenever they're annoyed or whatever??

[@ReadswithRachel]

i truly do not know

[@kiamaria331]

It's because the person is clenching their jaw, which people DO actually do when they're annoyed XD

[@AnkhAnanku]

But “feathered?” Are these avian fairies wtf?

[@aberdeen0107]

@@AnkhAnanku it means it pops up for a sec

[@sike7770]

Random but lightning kind of has a smell? When it strikes, it basically burns the particles in the air, which can lead people to smell that something’s burning. Depending on the account, lightning can smell like burning plastic, sulfur, or chlorine 🥴 how sexy

[@salorarainriver7278]

i look at the bingo card and genuinely begin to wonder if there's a connection between maas' works and smut fanfiction, bcs THERE'S TOO MANY PARALLELS

[@claiternaiter446]

The descriptions of people smelling like things that don’t have smells also made me think of bad fanfic tropes.

[@lovecinnamonxx]

So I only read that in a secondary source, so idk if its really true, but apparently she used to write fanfics before starting on her own novels. So that would check out.

[@azurekutella3812]

I thought she started as a fanfic writer.

[@YinYangAngel55]

6:49 "smells like stars" so sulfer, or rotten eggs

[@taylorgayhart9497]

Omg I feel the same way about the lack of editing!! And I liked other SJM books!!! I honestly could not finish Crescent City (the first book, idk what it’s actually called, I’m calling it Crescent City), and I’ve tried MULTIPLE times, both physically and via audiobook, and I can’t even get to half way.

[@rachelcdmatthews2891]

“Sarah Jigglypuff Mass really had me” ahahaha.

[@sadirasturdevant4128]

Not to out myself here, but I was JUST talking with my roommate who loves ACOTAR about that series, and SJM has absolutely read QUITE a bit of alpha/beta/omega fanfiction and I am convinced that I could have a long long conversation with her about Mr. Dean Winchester (the original omega) SO much of her personal tropes are staples of a/b/o fanfiction

[@SvrakaMagpie]

Say it louder for the people in the back! 😂

[@matthew1882]

"Sarah Johannesburg Maas" *Me watching this from Joburg: "Ha Ha Nice"

[@philisiwenzimande1343]

Me too 😂

[@kosmic100]

fellow South Africans🗣

[@RobinReads]

lmao jamba juice 😂😂 i laughed so hard during this whole video. can't wait for the second video so we can get that kid to day care!

[@ReadswithRachel]

The love I feel 😩💕🥺

[@laurennunes1800]

Yeah I realized this after reading the Cresent city series. All her main characters are basically the same person and the love interest dynamic is also basically the same. With every one of her series I usually like one or 2 books. But Cresent city I literally could not get through.

[@sentientstarz]

ALSO WHEN YOU CALLED IT "kingdom of ass" IM DEADDD

[@kylascottage]

My dad is called Bryce so everytime you talk about the FMC I'm imagining him in a dress and idk why that has me in stitches. For context he kinda looks like the bad military guy from the first Avatar (the blue people, not the airbender) 😂

[@nazimelmardi]

Love this review! Absolute slay of these books! (And not just SJM, with a bit change all fantasy smut, and that’s unfortunate, why exactly the target audience deserve less creativity…). Also congrats for your work. This needed a lot of attention for details.

[@sleepy.timaeus.arts.]

the sex-scenes-bingo grossed me out 😭 some of these descriptions... why... just why.

[@sleepy.timaeus.arts.]

9:23 to me, she looks fairly skinny on the cover, or at least "top thin", which doesnt help the fanart. easily couldve been solved by making her fat all around

[@flower_girl4983]

I loved crescent city books. I'm so excited for the mutliverse stuff. I can't wait

[@ReadswithRachel]

Cool!

[@OfWebsAndChocolates]

the "scentless smell of winter" took me out!!! like girl, surely she meant something like "distinctive scent of winter"? at least that sort of whimsy i can parse as i am one of those people that the insist the outside smells all crisp and clean after a snowfall.

[@user-zi9fq7bz5q]

Nah but the drop scene with Danica actually made me cry; im pretty impressed that sarah managed this since I rarely cry over books

[@NativeLadyBookWarrior]

HAHAHA! Love ya Rachel, this was so much fun to watch 😂💕💕

[@ignaciorlimon1]

Please don’t commit felonies for us. 😂💚 I’m under the impression fae are like trees in pollen season instead of global warming…

[@ReadswithRachel]

but iggy this begs the question if there are people taking antihistamines due to a fae arousal fume allergy

[@ignaciorlimon1]

@@ReadswithRachel oh totally! 😂 Doctor: ma’am you have seasonal faeasitus. Take some fluticasone and azelastine…and keep you feet covered, you’ll thank me later.

[@kiralynx]

SJM is my non-guilty guilty pleasure, but I *love* your reviews of books and this one is no different LOL! 💙

[@dopex89]

One time I was too lazy to make a drawing in art class so I redid an old one and glued the sheet to another one because it had my teacher's signature on the back. Obviously he caught me and gave me an F. It ruined my grade for the year, but SJM gets fame and fortune, I guess...

[@mareikeschaufele6741]

Hating on Sarah J. Maas is my love language

[@ReadswithRachel]

fair enough lmao

[@eshitasahu]

Seriously? Why though ? I’ll never understand people who feel the need to belittle other people’s interests in order to feel better about themselves……like why do you do it? To feel superior than other people…Is this some sort of narcissistic behaviour?English is not my first language….i started reading fantasy because of SJM, and her books acted as a gateway for me to read Brendon Sanderson and RF Kuang….I’ll never get people who think it’s fun to hate on things just because girls like it

[@sageheath3808]

i have never read another sjmaas book but hoeab is one of my favorite books ever. apparently this says a lot about my taste in books, which is hilarious, and also this is a spectacular review and i love it almost as much as i love bryce quinlan

[@Kalleron]

It sounds like this author read a lot of the old Inuyasha fanfiction on ffnet back in the day and never learned to not write like it.

[@sandid1826]

Having read several of her books because people keep recommending them and I am gullible, I keep a list of what authors she has ripped plot ideas off of.

[@ReadswithRachel]

I’m intrigued 👀

[@saiikik2727]

What books are you saying she ripped off of?

[@happybeauty5771]

I've noticed that, too. Check out Kresely Cole - very similar characters and plots. Kresely is the O.G.

[@sakurablossoms94]

@@happybeauty5771 Yeah! Her books are amazing.

[@happybeauty5771]

@@sakurablossoms94 Yes! 🙌🙌🙌

[@Viteaification]

she has favorite words and phrases and just cant let em go

[@redcoin2249]

It's formulaic and it works. Even annoying pop songs are formulaic and they keep selling

[@blissclair9743]

SJM single-handedly ruined YA Fantasy for me. I had the misfortune of reading two of her books and after I was done, the genre just hasn't been the same! I just can't read any more YA Fantasy. She ruined it for me.

[@Faerieshimmer]

No please keep reading YA Fantasy! 😢

[@natatatm]

Ah yes, "Bryce Adelaide Fuck", my favorite fictional character

[@ReadswithRachel]

LMAOOOOOO

[@spcbnd1087]

“Sarah Jokey Joke Maas” LMFAOOOO i love you

[@briarbramblerose]

I've never read an SJM book. On the surface, they sound like something I'd love, but every review I've ever heard of them makes me uninterested. Your rant on the scents made me laugh. Mostly, because it made me very aware of just how differently we all experience the world. Lightning has a smell, I can't put it into words, but when you said that, what the air smells like after a lightning storm came to mind. I live in the middle of nowhere surrounded by forest, and it likes to storm here. The night was another one that here has a distinct smell. It changes depending on the time of year, and right now everything has the tang of rain and swamp water in it because of our recent weather and the changing seasons. I imagine all of this is very different if you live in a city, or the desert, or in different parts of the world.

[@eneyavorodecky]

I assume she means the specific smell that lingers after a storm with lightning? Ozone?

[@aaatt268]

Why are Maas's characters all so entitled, arrogant and self absorbed with no empathy 😭??? Why does she only write rich, gorgeous people as her main characters and why are all of the MC's friends also rich, privileged and gorgeous (and kinda colonialist) 😭?? It's hard not to ponder about what type of person she is when she unironically writes these people and idolizes them.

[@sentientstarz]

this review is so real ty for your service

[@ReadswithRachel]

Lol happy to help

[@MK-hs9pl]

Your review hit the nail on the head. This SJM series was especially exhausting. HOEAB was fucking Zootopia and my head was hurting from the insanity of it all. It was made worse by the fact SJM was copying ACOTAR's formula and sending everyone on a healing from thy trauma arc. But you become so exhausted and confused trying to only digest the worldbuilding, you don't have it in you to then sit down and analyze the realistic and heavy themes of sexual assault, slavery, racism, etc. Something else I wish SJM would consider, if you write such long series, eventually you get to the point where you start running out of and repeating ideas. She has 3 very long and popular series (from my recollection) and all of them have the same exact character, themes, worlds, etc. Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse is my favorite execution of a series. I loved how she built her world, and from there, wrote spin-offs. For example, 6 of Crows could easily be read as a standalone, focusing less on the Veil, magic, or being the chosen one, but rather it was about a heist. Her execution was brilliant and it's very noticeable in the Netflix adaptation.

[@KelseyAMadas]

Living, laughing and loving this 💛

[@TheElvenWitch]

Hahaha omg I'm dying. Literally her sex scenes are so uncomfortable and just weird I found myself skipping them.

[@allyssametcalf671]

I’m literally plus sized and didn’t realize Bryce was plus sized whaaa? Reading comprehension whooo

[@miakirilova7255]

Just pausing at 17:00 -something to point out: Nope, there was ALWAYS foot f*tish in Sarah's books. On top of my mind - we had Lorkan, like Lorkan and Elide's relationship, he talked about her hurt foot half the time, and then, in ACOSF, we had Nesta, wraping her legs around Cassian and stroking his wings with her feet, whitch I don't even know why I remember it, somebody please send help, I clearly need it TT

[@kelsey225]

Let’s get down to business to defeat the Huns 😂❤ I say this almost everyday. 🤣🤣🤣

[@janeslibrary]

as the olive garden employee that has to grate that cheese....I felt that statement in my soul

[@ruththinkingoutside.707]

5:04 😂 omg I know this is 2 years old.. but it’s hilarious to me, especially since the ‘jaw feathered’ crap were in all of bodice rippers I read in the 80s and 90s It has BEEN around a loooong time..😂😂

[@non-existent_charlie]

Yknow, I've been wanting to write romance, and I think that I might have to compile book reviews of romance and read romance to figure out wtf is wrong with modern romance

[@AuthorViaGonzalez]

As someone who lived in New Orleans for over a decade, it annoys the CRAP out of me that “Crescent City” is now so heavily associated with Sarah Jokey Joke Maas (😂 you had so many good ones I struggled to pick)

[@BigTxGravy]

The smell of lightning would be rain and ozone right ?

[@Pharm2be]

People who like sjm should try fanfic. No shade (I enjoy fanfic) I think genuinely they would like it. That’s p much what sjm writes anyway

[@darkmatter9651]

Honestly I was waiting for people to talk abt this honest

[@g0ry_gh0stie_gutz]

Yankee candle HAS to hire SJM like she would be naming candles like crazy

[@ChocolatexCherries3]

Wow, I love the honesty about needing ad revenue !!!!!!! You are wonderful ❤️

[@topazcoyote5482]

Wasn't there a guy that survived being struck by lightning eleven times before he died of a heart attack?

[@sciencefixion]

Lightning has a smell it’s actually ozone and you probably know what ozone smells like! Ozone is produced by things like electronics and cars. If you have ever smelled the vents of your laptop, TV or gaming console (just examples) while they’re running you will smell ozone. It does not really smell all that good and actually is a hazard for human health. Part of air quality measurements is measuring ozone. More ozone causes irritation to the lungs and is part of air pollution. My point is “he smells like lightning” = he smells like air pollution.

[@ellendallanora7404]

The protagonist of my WIP is a clockwork automaton powered by an eternal lightning storm trapped inside a glass sphere. Wanna know what he smells like? really burnt wire.

[@gupdoo3]

21:56 Sarah Jigglypuff Maas made me smile

[@flower_girl4983]

The first time I was reading this story, at the beginning, it was hard. I pushed my way thru it. But I loved it

[@mirahemmingway3000]

I love your reviews! I’m curious-as a book critic/lover why do you think Sarah J. Maas’ books are so popular? I stopped reading her books after ACOSF. I just couldn’t anymore. I think there are so many better authors. Especially if you are looking for smut. I think hers is so poorly written. What I liked was her world-building but then that went out the window.

[@maggiewinnike7309]

Lightning does have a smell, I know because I've been within 5 feet of being struck by lightning 3 times. lol I am honestly mad I'm somewhat defending Sarah J Maas with this comment.

[@kilian-one-l]

7:00 - according to google: '“It smelled like something inorganic burning, like wires or plastic.” Others have compared the odor to chlorine, cleaning supplies or, unsurprisingly, electrical sparks. Odds are, you've smelled lightning-produced ozone before. You know that clean, crisp smell ahead of a springtime rain? That's it.' but I doubt SJM actually looked that shit up

[@HelloKittyfouronesix]

Ok. This was hilarious!! I just calmed across you on my recommendation from YT. So if you did this already, just ignore it, but do a Mad Lib and use SJM adjectives she like to over use. I think that would be hilarious!

[@malikapollard3618]

Bryce and Nesta i know. The only two i stuck with. I was wiping snot during the light it up scene. It's actually my favorite scene in all the smj's i have read.

[@ReadswithRachel]

I am definitely a Nesta apologist lol she’s so mean and I’m like go girl, be meaner 💕😍🥰

[@malikapollard3618]

@@ReadswithRachel True. Vicious, but i rooted for her all the way.

[@ReadswithRachel]

Amen

[@jmmiller0517]

"Its like how i like buttered noodles" 🤣 😂 💀

[@k.g.7591]

I’m losing my mind thinking about it. Rhysand smells like salt and citrus. I know that because a friend pushed me into reading all the ACOTAR books and Sarah Jeanjacket Maas writes about his smell at least two times a book

[@vlad_ussr8390]

Maybe it's because I am still a teen, but I believe her books are good. I mean I have only read Throne of Glass series (still reading it), and it's decent.

[@ReadswithRachel]

Your thoughts on books are valid no matter what your age is, even if our tastes are different. I’m just glad you read!

[@generous1star]

nothing but facts!!!

[@liamartin2817]

I love Sarah J Maas....I have no shame. This review made me laugh so hard. Nothing is perfect.

[@ReadswithRachel]

Lots of my friends are lovers of SJM books and I have nothing against anyone who is in that boat. Glad to have you here

[@squigglemonster2634]

Lightening would likely smell like ozone as it can produce small amounts. Thunderstorms also smell like ozone.

[@DeathbyPixels]

Minor point but we actually do know what lightning smells like. I personally don't, but it's the smell of ozone, which I'm told is very distinctive and also smells very bad.

[@larkhaven1582]

"a muscle feathered in his jaw" a muscle did what now

[@DisneyWinxHeart]

So, i liked Throne of Glass series and loved it same with Court of series but Crescent City was one of those books that made me feel really uncomfortable that i had no desire to read the sequel. It ws just more...sexual than the others to me. Like one of the scenes that i was like "ew" was when the male character just got out of hospital and is healing and they just decided to aggrisvely make out. like what?! also agreed the beginning was so boring!

[@erintoney7137]

Lightning actually smells like ozone. It’s like a sharp and sweet smell. Think of how it smells right after it rains. That’s lightning. I logged in just to say this 😅