See the cover for Sarah J. Maas' next Crescent City novel House of Sky and Breath

It's time to go back to Crescent City.

Bestselling author Sarah J. Maas is returning to the world of her first adult fantasy series with her forthcoming novel House of Sky and Breath. Though it doesn't hit shelves until Feb. 15, 2022, EW has your exclusive first look at the cover, as well as an exclusive What's in a Page Q&A with Maas.

House of Sky and Breath picks up right where the first novel left off, with protagonists Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar trying to back to normal. After saving Crescent City, they just want a chance to catch their breath and figure out what their future might hold.

So far, the Asteri have kept their word, but as the rebels continue to chip away at the Asteri's power, threats grow. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get entangled in the rebels' plans, they have to make a choice: stay silent while others are oppressed or fight for what's right. Anyone who's read a Maas novel can guess which option they'll choose.

EW said of the first book in the series, House of Earth and Blood: "The author's world-building skills have long been considered among the finest of her peers. And they're newly thrilling in Earth and Blood, intricately rendering Crescent City as a place that feels both familiar and wildly imagined. But it's Maas' sweeping feel for love stories, and particularly her essential take on female fellowship, that cast the real spell."

Check out the cover below and read Maas' Q&A after the image.

What is the first thing — ever — that you remember writing?

I don't remember the actual details of the story, but I loved making picture books in Kindergarten, where you'd fold the pages and staple them together before drawing the pictures. The act of creating a book was just so magical for me — and still is!

What is the last book that made you cry?

This summer I started listening to audio books (I know, I know — super late to the party!) and revisiting some classic stories in that format. I binged a bunch of Austen (confession: I listened to Rosamund Pike's reading of Pride and Prejudice like three times in a row). After that, I dove to Jane Eyre narrated by Thandiwe Newton, and it was so freaking good. Throughout the years, I've read Jane Eyre several times (I think I read it about five times across various college courses), and never cried before. But hearing Thandiwe read it aloud brought out so many new layers of detail and emotion. The part that hit me hardest were Jane's years at the Lowood School — the cruelty of it just destroyed me. I had to stop listening at one point just to have a good cry over Helen's death.

Which book is at the top of your current To-Read list?

Nalini Singh's upcoming Guild Hunters book, Archangel's Light. I just can't get enough of this series — Nalini Singh is writing some of the best paranormal romance out there!

Where do you write?

I wish my answer to this was more exciting! But I write in my home office. I like to be alone when I write. These days, I've found that putting on the local classical radio station on an actual AM/FM radio helps me keep focused.

Which book made you a forever reader?

To go way back to when I was a kid — The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch. It's about a princess who takes no crap from spoiled princes and outwits a dragon – that totally sealed my fate!

What is a snack you couldn't write without?

Is coffee a snack?

What is your favorite part of House of Sky and Breath?

The penultimate chapter — where a lot of major things come together for Bryce!

What was the hardest plot point or character to write?

There's a mystery running throughout the whole book, and lots of different POV characters trying to solve it, so keeping track of the different elements of the plot and who knows what at any given point was definitely the trickiest thing to juggle.

Write a movie poster tag line for the book:

"Now with 500% more sex!"

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