**I have received this ARC Excerpt from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

I was lucky enough to get to read the first five chapters of this highly anticipated book by none other then Sarah J. Maas. And what an exciting read it was. I am so ready to dive in to Crescent City and finish the story. I am very interested to get to know all the races and houses and the history of how this world came to be. I am so excited that I have pre-ordered my copy already and am anxiously waiting for it's release. March 3 cannot come soon enough.

I AM SO DANG EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK NOW! This excerpt was nothing but a giant tease that left me wanting for more, more, more! I am so ready for SJM to break into the adult fiction realm with this new series because I am here for it! From the first page I was sucked in and I seriously cannot wait to read more about these characters and this world!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for sending an excerpt of this book.
It's really difficult to give feedback on what is such a short section of the book (I believe the final draft of this book is 800 pages?), so I'm going to do my best, but I'm not sure that my star rating is really all that important, so I'll try to just lay out details here.

Plot: Half-human, Half-fae, Bryce lives a good life in Crescent City: a good job, good friends, and good parties. There are a lot of character names to learn in the beginning of the book: mostly Bryce's friends and coworkers, though I suspect that not all of them will be truly relevant to the story. Since this is more of snapshot, we really get more of a sense for Bryce than anything. She's sarcastic, often has a bad attitude, and is extremely loyal to her friends. At the end of the fifth chapter, an extremely brutal event sets off what I assume will be the central action and motivation for the book. Fans of her previous series should note that the setting and tone here is pretty different: though this is very much a fantasy world, it's much more modern and urban, and she certainly veers straight into adult territory (language and sexual content) right away.

I loved Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses Series, and I was extremely excited for this book (ok half of that is based on the cover but still), but I'm really not sure what to make of that excerpt! I have to be honest! I still recognize and love some of Maas's signature writing characteristics in this book: women who don't apologize for "bad behavior," brooding boys, etc. However, this was a lot to keep up with, and I was a little thrown by just how "adult" this was. Don't get me wrong: I don't really care about content. However, this almost felt over-corrective, as if Maas was going out of her way to make it clear that this is NOT Young Adult.

That said, the fifth chapter was far and away the most interesting, which makes me think that I would really like the rest of the book. The ending really had me hooked. So even though my "rating" for this is not super high, I don't think that will keep me from reading the rest of the book. It's really difficult to give a snapshot of an 800 page book!

I got to read five chapters and I'm hooked. Wow. SJM's storytelling and descriptions are unparalleled as usual, and I already love Bryce. And know Hunt is going to ruin my life. I knew SJM wouldn't disappoint and she didn't - her new world is brilliant and interesting and complex. I love the dynamics and dialogue that feel natural and real and funny like SJM's other works. Overall, I can't wait till 3/3.

I am even more excited to read this book now. I almost wish I hadn't read this excerpt. I love the characters that are introduced, and the world it's set it.

I am reserving further thoughts and opinions for the full novel, but I really love what I've read so far.

Such a promising hook! I can already get a sense of the extensive world building and it wasn't so heavy that it was hard to read. In fact it was peppered with enough light dialogue and action to simultaneously already get me invested in the characters, so where the excerpt cut off is brutal! Need more now and I cannot wait to dive in more!

3.5 out of 5.

I wasn't too sure what to expect from this, and I feel on the whole that I will probably pick this book up to find out what happens next. There were moments when it read quite immature, but there were moments, especially in the final chapter that was offered, Chapter 5, that really drew me in and made me fully invested.

I like the characters, the diversity of races. I feel that there is a lot of history and world building potential. And who doesn't love the prospect of a little bit of raunch?! The mystery and man hunt aspects also offer their own appeal. And if the story continues much in the same thread as Chapter 5, this could really be something great.

5/5 stars
Excerpt review

Holy heck. What did I just read? Oh, I know. My new favorite fantasy of the year.

This excerpt was decently long, five chapters, and such a good glimpse into this new series. It did start off a bit slow as you get to know the characters and the major world building that happened within the first two chapters, however this really helped you get a feel for the people and Crescent City. There were also several obvious indicators to the reader that you're reading an adult book (i.e. mention of drugs, clubs, curse words that read like turn back now if you thought this was a YA book).

I'm already so in love with the world hierarchy with the separate houses and amazing variety of paranormal characters. The main character Bryce is half fae/half human while her best friend and roommate Danika is a wolf shifter. I really liked getting to know both of these characters as well as everything they've been through in the past. I can already tell that the story is going to have a lot going on with their backstories as well as current events in Crescent City that will make for an amazing read! This excerpt did cut off on what felt like a emotional roller coaster leading up to a cliffhanger so I'm dying to read the finished book and the rest of the series!

*Thank you so much to Bloomsbury publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this digital ARC excerpt in exchange for an honest review.

I wish I had not read the first 5 chapters of this book. I wish I had not read them, not because they were terrible, but because I cannot stop thinking about this book and realized I have to wait WEEKS for it to be released. It seems that Sarah J Maas has done it once again and will continue to hold my imagination hostage in this new world she has created.

Crescent City is a story about a half fae half human female, Bryce, who loves dancing and her wolffish best friend, Danika. Without going into too much detail of these 5 chapters, Brice works for an Gallery for an enchantress who may or may not change people into animals just for annoying her. Danika is alpha of her werewolf pack and roommates and best friends with Bryce. Together they drink too much and have a solid female friendship, more like sisters. After a night of partying too much Bryce comes home to her entire life being changed. And that is where we stop and wait ever so patiently for the book to release.

Um hello?!?! This is SO good!! You better bet I'm going to find a way to get myself a copy of this because im so excited for it!

As expected Maas dives right into things and true to form, she excels in world-building and does a fabulous job setting up the story. The mash-up of ordinary real-world things like watching TV, texting, and bad dates mixed with the magical world of fae, wolves, witches, humans, criminals, and more make for fun reading. I'm already vested in the characters and I look forward to this journey! I liked Bryce and Danika so much. I always appreciate it when I see women as real friends. No jealousy or backstabbing. Mass also knows how to create that close friend circle successfully. You feel it. You want to be a part of that squad! The final chapter left me with such a shock that I can't wait for the entire book.

This excerpt of the book was great and left me wanting more. So far the characters seem interesting and I've always enjoyed Sarah Maas' writting style.

OKAY I AM EVEN MORE EXCITED AFTER READING THIS EXCERPT! SARAH J MAAS IS A QUEEN

HURRY UP MARCH 3RD

There's not much to review here but these first chapters definitely made me curious to read the rest of the the book even if it already destroyed my little heart.

I received the excerpt from NetGalley. It was fun to read, just a shame the rest of the book isn't there yet. I love the writing style. I was hooked from page 1 and can't wait to read more!

I can not wait for this one!!!!! I am so in love with the writing and it’s one of my most anticipated. Reading this made it even mote so

This snippet has me so excited for the rest of the novel, March 3rd can't come soon enough! I am very excited to see how SJM dives into the adult fantasy world. The first chapter of this excerpt had me hooked, the characters are already some that I love, and am very excited to see how their story unfolds.

I am a fan of the author’s and loved both of her previous book series so I have been excitedly waiting for this new series to debut. Unfortunately I am very disappointed in this sample. Unlike her previous world building and endearing heroines I don’t like this world and I was annoyed by this heroine. Bryce I’m guessing is supposed to be redeemed following the murder of her friends but she starts out the book pretty worthless as a character. This is a huge change from her other books that had compelling and strong protagonists. We only get small glimpses of this world as a whole but it seems very chaotic. The only characters who seemed interesting are the ones who are killed. This sample stops very much on a cliffhanger but I have no interest in reading anymore. Getting through five chapters of this was difficult and I would have given up if it hadn’t been by an author I’ve liked so much before. This effort seems very juvenile and so lacking compared to her previous books so I am very disappointed.

HOLY GODS. I already knew how that excerpt would end but I’m still so shocked. I’m so sad!?!? How was that the ending of chapter FIVE!? Is it March yet!? I need the whole book right now. Actually scratch that, can I get the entire series?

5 chapters is not even close to enough! I need more and I cannot wait for march 3rd. Sarah j Maas has undoubtedly done it again and I cant wait to see what happens in the rest of this book