I think that it’s safe to say that I STAN Sarah J. Maas.  Be ready to buckle up for this series. Unlike her other novels, Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood is an urban, modern fantasy romance. Complete with mysteries, drugs, sexual escapades, and war.  Bryce Quinlan is a 23-year-old half-human, half-fae who works as an assistant at Griffin Antiquities. She lives in an apartment with her best friend, Danika, granddaughter to the Werewolf Prime, and alpha to the Pack of Devils. Two years after Danika and the Pack’s brutal slaying, Bryce finds herself in the heart of the investigation-  alongside Hunt Athalar, a notorious Fallen Angel. Together they must find the murderer. Part one is slow- Maas takes her time building the world and introducing us to a snippet of what Bryce and her friend Danika's relationship is like, and their daily lives

“Stars flickered around us, sweet darkness sweeping in. As if we were the only souls in a galaxy.”

In A Court of Frost and Starlight, the fourth book and first novella of the ACOTAR series, Sarah J. Maas shifts the focus to Feyre and her friends as they attempt to heal their city and themselves. With Feyre facing her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, the story explores the challenges of her new role through multiple points of view. While the book doesn’t add significant depth to the main plot, it provides valuable character development, particularly through Cassian’s perspective. His unique voice stands out among Maas’s characters. Overall, the novella offers a satisfying prelude to the next chapter in the series.

Feyre returns to the Spring Court after Tamlin’s betrayal, but the shadows of war loom ever closer. Now a High Fae, she must navigate a treacherous path, balancing her newfound power, her love for her family, and her duty to her court. As tensions rise, Feyre and Rhysand face difficult choices, unsure of which High Lords they can trust.

This quick light fantasy is perfect for those who are diving into YA fantasy for the first time. I’m not a huge fan of fantasy novels, but I watched parts of the show and found it interesting. When I realized it was a book I just had to read it. After the first couple chapters I was hooked. Leigh Bardugo’s writing style was simple and easy to comprehend. Bardugo’s worldbuilding was straightforward and manageable.

Ruin and Rising is the third installment of the Shadow and Bones trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. I don’t recommend skipping of the novels in the trilogy, unlike the Twilight series there’s not a lot of recap that happens. So if you haven’t read them, I would probably not read this until you do so there’s no accidental spoilers of the first two books.

Ruin and Rising is the third installment of the Shadow and Bones trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. I don’t recommend skipping of the novels in the trilogy, unlike the Twilight series there’s not a lot of recap that happens. So if you haven’t read them, I would probably not read this until you do so there’s no accidental spoilers of the first two books