A House of Rage and Sorrow || Basically my feelings throughout this entire book

A House of Rage and Sorrow – Sangu Mandanna

Title: A House of Rage and Sorrow
Series: The Celestial Trilogy #2 (#1)
Author: Sangu Mandanna
Year Published: 2019
Publisher: Sky Pony
Genre: Young Adult ~ Fantasy ~ Science Fiction

Stars: 5
Links: Goodreads || Book Depository
Copy: E-arc

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc through Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. The image header and the quote edits used is my own and the link in the book’s details is to the book’s Goodreads’ page and stores to buy the book. All quotes given in the review are from the e-arc and therefore might not be accurate. The summary is my own (well, I summarised the Goodreads description). All opinions expressed are my own.

After the events of the previous book which shattered hearts, this sequel manages to somehow even further destroy readers’ hearts. 

Esmae Ray is no longer interested in helping her brother, Alexi, to win the crown. And that has sparked a war between the two. A war that reaches all across the galaxy.

Gods, kingdoms, lethal weapons, and secrets, what will eventually break Esmae?

This book. Just wrecked me and I was very happy to let it wreck me. Much like I know the third book will probably make me cry. As in actual tears. I will stand and recommend this series all the damn day because I need everyone to feel what I felt and go pick this series up!!

I just wanted Esmae to sleep and rest throughout the book. Like I literally have a note saying NO YOU NEED TO SLEEP. My girl has gone through so so much and she’ll be going through even more in the next book. Even I felt like sleeping for her during this novel. But she still remained one of my favourite characters. She remained strong and powerful and just amazing.

Titania had a POV and that’s everything I wanted. Once again, she is my favourite. And she cares so much about Esmae it’s so good. She wants the best for her and she knows secrets and things yet she can’t talk about them. There’s also a Dramatis Personae, created by Titania, in the beginning of the book and now I want more of that in every book. 

I didn’t actually mention this in the previous review – of the first book – but I loved Sybilla the first instance we saw her and my love for her doubled in this book. I definitely hope she has an even bigger role in the third book because I really enjoyed her character. They also mention Sybilla’s monthly bleeding and that’s what I want – casual talk of periods!!

Max was definitely a character that crept into my heart during the first book and that was the same in this book. He’s just so good? Same with Bear – I liked his character.

I’m not going to talk about something specific that happens in a book – but there’s something that happens on a Moon and it completely destroyed me. It was the right amount of perfect and also the right amount of heartache.

 

What are your thoughts on this sequel? Do you hold sequels to a high standard if the first book was amazing or do you decide to just go and read and let the chips fall where they may?