Showing posts with label leigh bardugo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leigh bardugo. Show all posts

Monday, 14 August 2017

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

11:49:00 0
Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he'll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:

Break into the notorious Ice Court
(a military stronghold that has never been breached)

Retrieve a hostage
(who could unleash magical havoc on the world)

Survive long enough to collect his reward
(and spend it)

Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done - and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable - if they don't kill each other first.

Reading the Riot Act Blog
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Published June 2nd 2016 by Orion's Children's Books
Paperback 491 Pages

Behold! A book I read months ago and then proceeded to forget to review. I know, that might suggest I didn't like this book - well, you are hella wrong. Is this thing a beast? YES! Did it take me almost a month to read? SUPER YES! Will I read the next one? Eventually...

Seriously, this thing was good but it was a slow read - I wouldn't dare try and smash through this bad boy for a read-a-thon.

Six of Crows follow a rag-tag group of brutal criminals, trying to make it large in Ravka. (You know, the Russian-esque country from Bardugo's Grisha series?) There really is nothing like old friends,  but unfortunately they are all dead. Set many years after Ruin and Rising, Alina and Mal and the Darkling are history. Sorry Ladies. Instead, we get a whole new crew to obsess over- and personally. I like them better. (Tell no one.)

Being Grisha is now taboo, far more than some of the segregation we'd come to recognise in Ravka. Some of them have been captured, and a drug produced that gives them unholy powerful gifts but then drains the life out of them. The man who invented it, is locked away inside an ice fortress. Guess who is hired to break him out? and/or assassinate him? Why! It's our rag-tag group of brutal criminals! Can they do it? PROBABLY NOT! Will I have fun watching it all go tits up? HELL YEAH!

The cast of this book is phenomenal. Each of them is vivid with rich backgrounds and startlingly diverse personalities. It can be hard to write a group dynamic, but damn has Bardugo got it down. The only issue is, with so many interweaving stories -the thing can drag a little. Every detail is painstakingly recalled, each different from another characters eyes and they feel so important and tense and crucial, that you find yourself spending 10 minutes on one page. Yeah, I'm not exaggerating. The writing is so beautiful and enthralling that is almost impossible to get sucked in because you'd hate to miss a second of the syntax. That, honestly, is my only complaint. It was so well-written, I couldn't ignore the words and just imagine. #firstworldproblems

Kaz is the leader of The Dregs, and in his criminal gang is Inej -his right hand ninja lady. Jesper, the gun slinger, Wylan - a politician's son who's out for a little rebellion and Nina, a Grisha who kind of fucked over her ex-lover. And...of course they are gonna need to bust him out of prison for the job. Enter Matthias, the Grisha hater - and then our group is complete. All of them have these intensely complicated relationships with each other. They are all burdened by their singular baggage and the baggage of the group. Yet, somehow, they all come together and what at first glance seems like a business arrangement, is engraved with golden lines of love and affection and loyalty. The Dregs make this book, it would be entirely different without them and it would be far, far worse.

I'll say it now and forever hold my peace. Inej is my favourite. It's like having a boy band full of hunks and everyone in your friend group gets to choose one. Inej is mine. She is this perfect mix of totally badass. I mean, she's so effing cool! But also has this beautiful vulnerability that she fights with. She worries about the way the world sees her and simultaneously wants to be feared. I love it - I don't know why I just do.

Six of Crows totally lived up to it's hype. I will eventually get around to Crooked Kingdom when I have a spare month burning a whole in my life - but until then, I'm pretty satisfied. There were twist's at every turn, obstacles, complications and mess ups. This, in essence, is a heist book - and we sure as hell heisted! This book get's a solid 5 STARS!

You can find me on Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads and Facebook. Until then...Happy Reading.



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Tuesday, 6 October 2015

My Book Kryptonite

09:24:00 0

There are some books, you think you're above. You snort at "tweens" reading twilight or roll your eyes dramatically at the thought of Shakespeare, but then there are those other books. Those books that you have a weakness for. If your reading ability was Superman, these books are your Kryptonite. You are defenseless against them and as soon as a book presents itself in that way, it is immediately in your basket.

 For me, it  Fairy tale re-tellings. I want to pretend I'm above it, silly little genre with barely any originality - but I don't. Fairy tale re-tellings are some of the most outstanding literature I have read. They are so original and it is so interesting to have people take the same story and twist and manipulate it into something completely new. So to honour my book kryptonite, here is a list of my favourites, and if that's not enough, you can find more of the genre here.

 1. Angela Carter

 Angela Carter was an English Novelist. She wrote Angela Carter's Book of Fairy tale and The Bloody Chamber and other stories. These are by far her most popular books and they aren't like regular re-tellings. Often seen as feminist literature, Carter's writing is violent and terrifying and really takes a good look at the female position within fairy tales and society. She looks at the impact of fairy tales on our society and flips them on their head. I would highly recommend any of her literature to any human person ever.

 2. Leigh Bardugo

 If you have not read Leigh Bardugo - do it now. Don't even bother with finishing this article. Just go. For a little context Bardugo's fairy tale stories are all companion novellas to the Grisha Series:
The Witch of Duva
Little Knife
The Too Clever Fox
Little Knife is my favourite and all of them are so mystical and amazing. The world she builds in these tiny little stories are just stunning.

 3. Marissa Meyer

 Cyborg Cinderella? Moon-person Rapunzel? NUFF SAID! Lunar Chronicles are amazing.
4. Sarah  J Maas

 Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses, do seem far away from a fairy tale, but in fact TOG was originally based on Cinderella and ACOTAR is based on Beauty and the Beast. These series are both amazing representations of the ways authors interpret different stories. It is one of my favourite aspects of this genre. One of my all time favourites.

 5. ONCE UPON A TIME

 I'm afraid I am about to be a cheater. This series is not a book, but it is still a masterpiece of fairy-tale makeovers. ABC'S Once Upon a Time is one of the most enjoyable shows I have watched. I adore the series and Emma and the way it uses contemporary life and society in order to highlight the characters past lives. Evil Peter Pan? Whhaaaatt? I love it. I love it so much, it has snuck it's way into my book blog. DAMN YOU EMMA SWAN!

 So that's it, a few of my favourite book kryptonite. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this quick little bit and I urge you to let me know in the comments, what your kryptonite is.

 Happy Reading



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Friday, 2 October 2015

Fall Haul

08:50:00 0
I have gone book crazy this September onward. I moved house to Bolton and so the Arndale Waterstones has been within my reach. Safe to say my student loan now lives only in history books.

 I have been heavily into Kingdom themed novels since reading Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas. I knew I would have a bad book hangover, so I prepared thoroughly. Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker declared that fans of Maas would enjoy this. Naturally I trust everything the yellow font on the front of a book says.

 Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.

 Kick-butt heroine caught herself in a pickle. Sounds right up my street.

 Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine promised me medieval-type adventure with the included literature love of The Book Thief. I love purchasing the first book in a new series. It always sort of feels like a promise, like something great is yet to come and knowing their is more of the adventure out there, really matters when I'm choosing material to read.

 Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden. Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

The Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal is my favourite buy for fall. I have read nothing of it other than the blurb. The blurb and the title though, it sounds amazing, I have high hopes for this book, especially seen as the author has won several very impressive awards, this book even being shortlisted for the Printz prize.

 On the eve of Princess Sophia’s wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches: brocade and satin and jewels, feasts of sugar fruit and sweet spiced wine. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the throne’s heirs, and a courtier’s wolfish hunger for the king’s favors sets a devious plot in motion.

 Next on the agenda were the books I'd be waiting to buy or that weren't available in bookstores in my hometown. Naturally after reading Fairest by Marissa Meyer and eagerly waiting for Winter, I had to buy it in paperback and it was so worth it. The cover is even more beautiful in real life. It's like shiny and fiery and just breathtaking. 

 In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?
Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 


 Then, I returned to the Grishaverse, with Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. This book is a monster, it is huge, only 500 pages but has a good inch in height more than the other books. Cannot complain though because I have been waiting for this for over a year since Bardugo announced it via tumblr.  I already knew I was buying this book as soon as it was published. The Grisha series was amazing, I loved it and  I'm praying for a Darkling  character who turns out not to be completely bonkers. 

 As I am a fan of Frozen by Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston, I purchased the sequel Stolen.

 Months after Nat and Wes said good-bye on the shores of the Blue, Nat is learning how to control and use her new power. She and her drakon are the last of their kind—and she’s risked her life for their reunion. When she receives a mysterious distress call, she races to help, soliciting the guidance of her new friend, the beautiful and aloof Faix Lazaved of the Blue. Still heartbroken over losing Nat, Wes is racing cars on a New Vegas racetrack while his team is scattered and lost. When he finds out that his sister, Eliza, is being held in the golden domes of El Dorado, he does what he’s best at—running to her side—and gambles on luck to see him through one more time.

 As I'm also a lover of Disney, I couldn't help by help myself to The Descendants by Melissa De La Cruz. I went to Cuba in the summer and Disney Channel was all about The Descendants Movie and to an extent the book. I like Melissa De La Cruz's easy to follow pace and I like Disney. So what's not to like - nothing that's what. 

 Twenty years ago, all the evil villains were banished from the kingdom of Auradon and made to live in virtual imprisonment on the Isle of the Lost. The island is surrounded by a magical force field that keeps the villains and their descendants safely locked up and away from the mainland. Life on the island is dark and dreary. It is a dirty, decrepit place that's been left to rot and forgotten by the world. But hidden in the mysterious Forbidden Fortress is a dragon's eye: the key to true darkness and the villains' only hope of escape. Only the cleverest, evilest, nastiest little villain can find it...who will it be?

 Another book I purchased on a whim simply as it had an authors name on,  is Silence is Goldfish by Annabel Pitcher. I have read every book Pitcher has written and she is a very talented British writer. Sh has this impeccable way of writing each of her books the same but also different. Ketchup Clouds was written in letters to a murderer and My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece was directly focused around the London Bombings. She is a very contemporary style and I have never regretted reading one of her books, so here is to this one. *Raises mug of Irn Bru, clinks like it's champagne.*

 My name is Tess Turner - at least, that's what I've always been told.
I have a voice but it isn't mine. It used to say things so I'd fit in, to please my parents, to please my teachers. It used to tell the universe I was something I wasn't. It lied. It never occurred to me that everyone else was lying too. But the words that really hurt weren't the lies: it was six hundred and seventeen words of truth that turned my world upside down.
Words scare me, the lies and the truth, so I decided to stop using them.
I am Pluto. Silent. Inaccessible. Billions of miles away from everything I thought I knew.

 Another favourite author of mine is Sarah Crossan, of whom I will be seeing at Manchester Literature Festival later on in the month. Crossan's novel The One, is based around two twins who are conjoined. Much like The Weight of Water it is written in verse and I loved that book so I think I will love this just as much, maybe even more. 

 Tippi and Grace. Grace and Tippi. For them, it’s normal to step into the same skirt. To hook their arms around each other for balance. To fall asleep listening to the other breathing. To share. And to keep some things private. The two sixteen-year-old girls have two heads, two hearts, and each has two arms, but at the belly, they join. And they are happy, never wanting to risk the dangerous separation surgery.

 The last few books I purchased were spur of the moment. For the most part, I judged a book by it's cover. The Catalyst by Helena Coggan is just stunning looking. Almost like an iris with the shadow of people walking inside it. It really captured my interest and I picked it up. This year's Divergent? We shall see. 

 Rose Elmsworth has a secret. For eighteen years, the world has been divided into the magically Gifted and the non-magical Ashkind, but Rose's identity is far more dangerous. At fifteen, she has earned herself a place alongside her father in the Department, a brutal law-enforcement organisation run by the Gifted to control the Ashkind. But now an old enemy is threatening to start a catastrophic war, and Rose faces a challenging test of her loyalties. How much does she really know about her father's past? How far is the Department willing to go to keep the peace? And, if the time comes, will Rose choose to protect her secret, or the people she loves.

 The next stunning cover was The Night Owls by Jean Bennett. The gold spray paint, the golden map lines behind. My eyes were just in love instantly and I had to buy it. 

 Meeting Jack on the Owl - San Francisco's night bus- turns Beatrix's world upside down. Jack is charming, wildly attractive...and possibly one of San Francisco's most notorious graffiti artists. But Jack is hiding a piece of himself. On the midnight rides and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who this enigmatic boy really is. 

 Last but not least, The Jewel by Amy Ewing  I bought not because of the cover, which is kind of The Selection by crapper. I got this because it reminded me of Only Ever Yours by Louise O'niell. In which I loved the concept but the narrative didn't go where I hoped. This book seemed to follow much more what I expected from Only Ever Yours. 

 The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

 So that is my Fall Haul, I really did go a little crazy but then again, I will never run out of anything to read. I hope  you enjoyed this and I would love to here what you have been reading this Autumn, so keep in touch. 

 Happy Reading.
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Thursday, 6 November 2014

The Tailor and The Little Knife by Leigh Bardugo

14:06:00 0

Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)


New scene from Shadow and Bone told from Genya's point of view.

This was by far my least favourite of Bardugo's short stories. It's a scene from Shadow and Bone following Genya. The problem is, I didn't really need to see any of it because I already knew everything and seeing it, in no way affected the way I read the books. It was kind of pointless and I didn't feel excited or really anything when I was done. I just kind of shrugged and cracked on. 
In this third Ravkan folk tale from Leigh Bardugo, a beautiful girl finds that what her father wants for her and what she wants for herself are two different things. 

It is a companion story to the third book of the Grisha Trilogy, Ruin and Rising, and the stories “The Witch of Duva” and “The Too-Clever Fox.”

I think this folk tale was my favourite from the three. I couldn't predict how this would end and it wasn't kind of tragic or sad at the end. The girl was free and that made me really happy. These stories are so charming and very well structured. 

The covers for these three stories are also absolutely stunning, it's really hard not to love them just because they are so beautiful. I don't think a collection of short stories has deserved to be published in paperback rather than Ebook since The Assassin's Blade. I really hope they publish it as such rather than online. 

Absolutely delightful. 
Happy Reading. 
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Friday, 10 October 2014

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo.

07:49:00 0
Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

 The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for
 What an ending to the series. I really struggle to think of other trilogies that are consistently as good as the other books. I can't think of one book in the series that stands out as the worst. And the fact the ending was satisfying is even better.

 I think what really grounds this series is Alina. The 1st person perspective is so perfect because she really leads the way. Its her journey, her emotions and relationships that we care about. It's her emotional struggle that drives the narrative and what really gives this series a really well round, touching but fun feel. 

 Another really strong force behind these books is the character development. Mal changes dramatically throughout the series, he starts incredibly self-involved. He let Alina take punishments for him and never even bothered to notice her until she was gone and then finally we get to this point where he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. He gives up anything he can and that is a really tremendous journey to be a part of. Then we have the Darkling, we learn about his and Baghra's past. To say it added new layers to the character is an understatement. It completely changed the way I saw him. I had a lot more empathy and understanding for everything he did and  even got his thought processes. Genya and David and Zoya all have these wonderfl B-story transformations. But then we get to Nikolai. 

In the second book Nikolai enters and he doesn't change much in terms of character development until the latter part of this final book. After being transformed into one of the Darkling's creature. He finally becomes a king. It was accepted that he would not be able to properly rule without Alina, he never understood torture or sadness or feeling completely hopeless, although he sympathised, he never understood. Then when he is cured and returns, he has this level of understanding and you can finally see him become a king. Not the happy go-lucky, it will work out in the end king. But someone respected, feared and someone who understands his people. I thought this was a beautiful narrative, I mean, its really horrible to read terrible things happening to characters you like, but there's nothing more reassuring than seeing trials and tribulations and seeing them become exactly who they need to be. That really stuck out for me. 


I wasn't too keen on the Morozova storyline. I understood the ties and thought it was a great twist that Mal turned out to be the firebird. But I also just didn't care. I was assured enough that Mal would survive and they would be together blah, blah, blah. But I really loved the epilogue. Bardugo has these Before and After chapters that are written in third person. And the ending was just beautiful. It made me feel the way Mockingjay made me feel . Everything wasn't okay, people had died and they had both lost things but life still had the capability for beauty. It was a simple and elegant ending but just the way it was written was so endearing and charming, like finally the world was at peace and you could feel it. Not because she said so but just because the writing was so poetic and calming. 

 I adored this book and this series and I cannot recommend it enough. I demand you give it a read and join The Grisha!

 Happy Reading.
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Friday, 3 October 2014

The Witch of Duva & The Too-Clever Fox by Leigh Bardugo.

01:10:00 0
Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)
There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls...or so the story goes. But it’s just possible that the danger may be a little bit closer to home. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s debut novel, Shadow and Bone.

 I had no idea what to expect from this short story. I have to admit I am glad that it is merely based in the world of Grisha rather than following the characters in there. This story started off as a very fairytale like in a village in which girls are being eaten by a mysterious force in the woods. It is basically a re-imagined version of Hansel and Gretel. I was not expecting that ending though, its incredible though because there were so many clues and I didn't even catch on, such wonderful writing.

 The story follows Nadya (In 3rd person), after her mothers death, girls begin to get eaten in her village, soon her father remarries, to a woman she is convinced is evil and behind the attacks. A series of unfortunate events (ha) lead her straight to the door of the Witch of Duva. There is an incredible twist on who is killing the girls and I won't spoil it for you because that is the best part of this story. The thing about this is that it just shows that Leigh Bardugo can write, no matter what the length and even with new characters, she can still create exciting, touching stories that lead you somewhere then throw you on your ass halfway through. Just genius. 
In Ravka, just because you avoid one trap, it doesn't mean you'll escape the next. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s upcoming novel, Siege and Storm, the second book in the Grisha Trilogy.

 The Two-Clever Fox is another rewritten fairy tale  short story from Bardugo, only this time is loosely based around Little Red Riding Hood. Bardugo is really good at plot twists, I cannot describe enough how I can never tell where the story is going and yet she drops clues and lays it out so it all makes sense. This time we find a hunter who is believed to have the power of a witch, in order to let him be silent through the trees and leave no tracks. The Too-Clever  Fox befriends the Hunters sister who is forced to wear a grotesque, patchwork, cloak of furs, and they plot to take him down. Once again I will not reveal the ending because as always that is part of the fun. I could read these forever. They are so ingeniously written and such an original take on the fairy tales that it just blows my mind.

 I was however expecting a little bit of information on Nikolai as Alina does describe him as a Too-Clever Fox when she first meets him, but maybe there was something underlying I just didn't get. Anyway I highly recommend and on with more books.

 Happy Reading
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Thursday, 2 October 2014

Seige and Storm by Leigh Bardugo.

00:29:00 0
Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

 Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.
Every well read Word Nerd knows how a series goes. We  read second books with trepidation, not getting our hopes up due to the dreaded 'Second Book Syndrome.' 

 With every second book we can make some assumptions. A love connection made in the previous book will fall to tatters. The protagonist will doubt his/her power and one character will have a complete and incredibly sudden personality overhaul. Admittedly all of these happen in Siege and Storm but then again, it works.

 I feel like all these 'Second Book Syndrome' constructions authors use over and over until readers are so tired of them, we beat ourselves in the face with the book (hopefully it's a paperback.) are all used because this is what they hope to achieve. They want to clinging to the edge of my seat, is everything going to come together? jump up and down with excitement feeling that we get when this structure works and goddamn does it work!

 Naturally Mal and Alina struggle to make there relationship work but to be fair even in the first book I didn't feel like their relationship would be easy. She starts off too insecure, too grateful that he would want to be with her and he enjoys being the powerful and attractive one. No relationship can work without both people having the opportunity to grow and change. So of course once Alina becomes incredibly powerful and sought after and busy, Mal stamps his feet about it. There's this beautiful scene where they argue and he asks her to go back to who she was before everything happened she says she can't and he says if she could,would she give it up?...and she refuses. This doesn't seem like a beautiful scene but there is a certain elegance for standing up for yourself and this really marked a crucial moment for them I thought. After that and the kiss with Zoya, their relationship will never be the same, who knows for better or worse?

 Speaking of Zoya, personality overhaul anyone? She very much the Celeste (The Selection by Kiera Cass) of this series. She stunningly gorgeous and of course all the men want her but she also a raging anti-other women bitch...apparently. I feel that woman have a tendency to be demonised by other women in fiction and it annoys the crap out of me. And then suddenly that character has to have some "development" and stops being a total A-Hole. The girl who always followed the Darkling wasn't even invited to join him and so he just murdered her family by expanding The Fold? It all just seemed a little unbelievable for me but then again it was also nice to have someone to fight against Alina in this book. Not in the same way the Darkling does but someone on her side who won't put up with her crap and Zoya definitely fit the bill.

 Then we have the visions Alina keeps having of the Darkling that make her doubt her power. She takes a second amplifier,  from an awesome Water Dragon might I add, and starts seeing him everywhere and feeling him and basically begins to doubt her own abilities to own all the amplifiers and still, control her powers without losing her mind. You wanna know why this worked? because it wasn't the main plot, this was no Spiderman 2, all based around doubt. This was Alina getting ready to go to war and feeling scared, worrying about letting people down and failing. It was a small narrative within the larger narrative and it really, really worked. 

This second book also came with what might be some of my favourite new characters. We have awesome fighting, sun saint warriors Tolya and Tamar. I've always been a sucker for a really badass girl who just shows up to beat the crud out of people, but pair her with a smart Hodor-esque twin and I'm in. You had me at Hodor. Then we have Nikolai who is just utterly the most charming character I have ever read. I adore him and ship him and Alina so hard I may burst a blood vessel. The only problem is I don't trust him, with the whole Darkling switch up in the first book I'm now looking at everything about new characters and seeing them as signs they are evil. This book has given me serious trust issues. 

 Now, because this plot was so good I am not going to tell you what happens, I know without a doubt that people read these reviews even when they haven't read the book and I so don't want to spoil you on how it all turns out, just dear god read them, they are really incredible pieces of literature and my heart was pumping so hard all the way through. This is a very exciting series and it takes you in so many directions and just throws emotion and world building and beautiful, real characters at you in one 300 paged shot to the brain. Read it.

 Happy Reading.
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Friday, 26 September 2014

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

04:47:00 1
Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

 Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

 All hail Leigh Bardugo. Honestly I adored this book. It has had many mixed reviews, mostly for every four 5 star reviews, there is one 1 star review. This is a 5 star review!

 This book really reminded me of The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon but a much more accessible version. High fantasy can be really hard to get into and Bardugo makes it look easy. 

 Alina is a delightful protagonist, she can be a little annoying at first with her weakness and moaning about Mal but once her powers become clear and she becomes determined not to fail or let herself down, she becomes incredibly refreshing. Shadow and Bone takes all the great things from other YA, Dystopian and Fantasy books and mixes them together in a really fantastic, fresh way. It uses Russian Folklore and a huge twist to make itself stand out. 

 When we first met the Darkling, I admittedly was taken in by his charm, just like Alina. He seemed to really be a good guy if not a little driven and bossy. I never saw the change coming, I was honestly just thinking he was a little dark and mysterious and then it was like BOOM! Bad Guy!


Naturally once he was evil, my attraction faded. Prior to this though I had experienced nothing of Mal besides him ignoring her and sleeping around with girls. So the moment he came for her I was just overcome by gushy-loveyness. The Mal and Alina relationship became incredibly beautiful from that point and there were moments where I had to sit back and just take in such beauty.

Though the book was not only about the love triangle. There was a lovely friendship between Alina and Genya, and I thought her betrayal really helped highlight the hard decisions of a war. You could see her reasoning but also to betray her friend like that was just devastating and I had so many feels.

Overall the storyline was great, the world was so wonderfully built, we were just thrown in and yet everything still felt great and I could tell what was happening. The world was so easy to understand, it was incredibly vibrant and visual and was just so well written. The characters were beiaveble and they all had this great inner self awareness, there were subconcious parts of them which is really hard to achieve through writing and I adored it.

I can't fully explain my newfound passion for this series but I already bought to sequels and pre-ordered Bardugo's new series that comes out in 2015. Maybe that will help show how much I loved this series.

Happy Reading.
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