Crescent City is set in a world fueled by magic and ruled by the most powerful beings in the realm. It is a world reaching a point of demise from endless wars instigated by those trying to overturn the hierarchy that controls them all. Even those with incredible magic at their fingertips (Angels, Witches, Mer People, Fae and Shifters) are governed by the hierarchy of the archangels and the Asteri. Those with little to no magic (mainly humans) struggle to survive and do their best to duck their heads and avoid the wrath of those that control them. Except for the few who chose to fight back. Enter Bryce Quinlan.

Bryce is a half-human, half-Fae girl introduced to us in the very beginning of the series. We meet Bryce when she is a young adult, freshly graduated from college, and enjoying life to its fullest. Bryce continues to live with her college roommate, who is more sister than friend. They party, they drink, smoke and everything in between.

Bryce’s life of a party-girl comes to a quick and dreadful end on a night of multiple murders that seemingly takes away all she has ever loved. Now Bryce must fight to learn the truth about what led to the turmoil of that night; what were her friends involved in that would lead to such an atrocity? We watch Bryce learn not only the truth about that night, but also the truth about her past, the true power she possesses from her Fae heritage, and what that might mean for her future (and the future of all those she encounters).

As Bryce works through the mysteries engulfing her past and present, we see her build relationships with some dazzling characters. I particularly am fond of Ruhn and his triage of partying friends. Ruhn is Bryce’s half-brother and a Fae prince, although he certainly doesn’t act like royalty or particularly want the title. He is charismatic and offers a bit of lightness to counter some of the dark tragedies in the novel. Bryce and Ruhn’s tumultuous relationship is highlighted through the entire novel, and we understand a bit more of their history and relationship with each chapter.

When the Governor of Crescent City officially asks Bryce to take the lead in the investigation of the murders and the events surrounding it, she is paired with Hunt Athalar. Hunt is an angel and royal guard, but also a slave. A result of his part in a rebellion to overthrow the government centuries ago, Hunt has been in the control of Micah (the governor) for decades; and his attitude, bitterness and anger to the world show every bit of the torture he has endured. But we grow to like him as Bryce and he develop their relationship. Sarah slowly peels back the layers of Hunt’s icy exterior to reveal a much warmer center than we imagined would be at his core.

Hunt and Bryce chip away at the investigation, slowly pulling more information together with the help of a small band of reliable resources and friends. They soon begin to uncover a dark and disturbing truth about the origin of their world and those who control it.

Books 1 and 2 rolled together nicely and worked together to build a world of intrigue, suspense and action.

The Crescent City Series hit the mark for me – I loved the story line, the magic, the characters and their relationship archs (I haven’t mentioned Lele and Sryinx yet, but they are amazing characters, I love them both). There was the right amount of good vs. evil, interesting magic and a good balance of action.

There were a few instances when some of the sex scenes were a bit too heavy for me. I did end up skimming through a few of these, as they became a bit repetitive and took away from the overall story (others might feel differently, but it was a bit overdone for my liking). Other than that, I give it a fantastic rating. I’ll definitely be pre-ordering the 3rd novel that will be released in January of 2024.