Review: Six of Crows

Six of Crows
Leigh Bardugo
Fantasy 

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. 

If you have never heard of her, please read Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy RIGHT NOW. Truly a piece of the best fiction out there.

That said, Six of Crows is a very different type of read. It's set in the same world, making it the same genre, but it's more of heist drama than a fantasy-world adventure. It's told from the different POVs of the six, making each chapter unique and fresh. Also, each of the narrators have a backstory that most of the others don't know about- it's fascinating  and never repetitive, also allowing you a window into tensions and dramas within the group. 

Kaz Brekker is your deliciously complicated, tormented and brooding, talented scheming bad boy. In another story he'd also be the sexy hearthrob, but in this novel the romance takes a backseat. What was amazing was that the plot alone was so thrilling that I did not find myself searching for more steam in the romances at all. 

As for the rest of them- they were diverse, dynamic, funny and intriguing. You'll love them. 

Setting:  Ketterdam was cool - the gangs, the entertainment houses, the ports, the fights... oodles of awesome. Surprisingly, in Fjerda where all the action happens, I wasn't all that enthralled. Hoping that in the next book (releasing soon!) we'll get to go back to our beloved and magical Ravka *insert heart-eyes emoji here*. 

Two more points of praise:

These days, successful authors will almost always write some spinoff of our favorite stories in their worlds. They'll make it about new characters and if we're lucky they'll up the stakes, but in the end they'll always  have our old friends come in and make a cameo. Leigh Bardugo, however, really gave us a new story, and didn't even have to force the Grisha characters from before into the book to make us excited. Color me impressed.

And one last thing- I read Six of Crows from a paperback edition, BUT DID YOU SEE THOSE BEAUTIFUL HARDCOVERS?? WITH THE BLACK ON THE PAGES?? I WANNNNTT

Rating:

Review: Ruin and Rising

Ruin and Rising (Grisha #3)
Leigh Bardugo
UNIQUENESS (but ya it's fantasy)

The capital has fallen.

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.

You can read my reviews of Seige and Storm and Shadow and Bone here.

As you can see, I regard this series as the most unique out there in fantasy today. I will also remark that the only reason this review is even coherent is because I had an entire week to collect myself. 

OH MY GOD. I JUST

Ok, Leigh Bardugo you have guts and heart and I SALUTE YOU. Alina was SO KICK BUTT in this book that I practically wept with pride. And the best part? So many authors try to market their heroine as strong and badass that everytime she does something halfway decent all the other characters are like 'wow omg you're so amazing' and the reader is just like, huh? 

WELL ALINA ACTUALLY IS. And there's no need to make a remark about it every five minutes. It is perfectly accepted and obvious to all involved. I LOVE HER.

I found the whole Darkling-Mal-Nikolai conundrum absolutely THRILLING. I couldn't decide who I loved more and I didn't have to. There was no wounded Jacob to attend to- yeah, Nikolai wanted to marry her, but he wasn't infatuated. And besides that I am still bursting from satisfaction that Alina liked Mal BEFORE Mal realized he liked Alina. HOORAY FOR SENSE AND REFRESHABILITY!!

On that note, WE GET THE DARKLINGS NAME!! *does victory dance whilst melting*

I would also like to note that I have Bronchitis and read this while sick in bed. Picture this: 

Nikolai/Mal/Alina/Pretty Much Everybody: *makes a crack*
Me: *busts up laughing*
Me: *coughs up lung*

Rinse and repeat.

The beginning was a little slow, but it picked up fairly quickly. The end broke me in that it was happily ever after but not quite- just the way I HATE like it. 

What more can I say? It was emotional. I cried for the characters, and for myself because the end of the best series ever was in sight. 


All that's left is to cry that it's over. 



Love,
Esty

Feature and Follow Friday!!

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read to spread the Friday love, find new blogs, and gain followers! For the rules, head over to one of their blogs. This week's question:

Q:What books would you give to newbies in your favorite genre? 

Favorite genre for me is fantasy, no doubts or questions there. I know lots of people who don't like it and it makes me sad. Of course my first suggestion will forever be Harry Potter, but that makes the typical anti-fantasy person balk immediately. So, barring Hogwarts, I would give a newbie:

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Yeah. This is as fantastical as fantasy gets. But that's exactly why I would suggest it to someone who doesn't usually read this kind of stuff- it truely embodies all the best traits that the genre has to offer. Amazing setting, character arcs and plot twists - I recommend this novel to everyone really. You can read my review of Shadow and Bone here. 

Welcome to my blog! It's been so long since I've done an FF and I'm so excited to see some new blogs! Leave your links in the comments, I'd love to hear from you(:

Review: Siege and Storm

Siege and Storm (Grisha #2)
Leigh Bardugo
EPIC FANATSY

Spoilers for both books.

Darkness never dies.

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.

You can read my fangirling review of Shadow and Bone here.  I realize now it wasn't really coherent and contained many grammar mistakes. In my defense, I was so blown away by the book I couldn't have been bothered. *apologies* I also kept most of my thoughts to myself wanting to keep the review spoiler-free. There is absolutely no point in that, therefore this review will be nice and spoilery(;

So, after the whirlwind of OH MY GOODNESS in Shadow and Bone, needless to say I had expectations for Siege and Storm. Dearest Leigh Bardugo, I applaud you for exceeding them.

I'll start with the fact that this book was HILARIOUS. Mal's and Alina's familiar banter had me laughing out loud and generated many a concerned glance from my roommates. You could just tell that they grew up together and loved each other, and that their love is now taking on a new romantic shape. It was truly beautiful to read.

After being SEVERELY MISLEAD in the last installment about the Darkling (I'm still reeling over that. One minute he's the resident hot guy, and the next he was the villain.  I was like, "IS SHE ALLOWED TO DO THIS?"- in regards to the author.) I thought I was prepared for anything. Ha ha.

When Sturmhond was introduced, I thought he was so great. At one point I was like, OMG THIS GUY SHOULD TOTALLY BE KING. Later, I thought, 'when they overthrow the Darkling and the king, I bet he'll be in charge.'

Then they get caught and he strips and viola, he's the prince.
Me: shut up
Me: JESUS OMG I WAS JOKING
Me: You're actually serious
Me: OMG
Me: YESSSSSSSSS

See. I told you I was prepared for anything.

The love triangle- took on a whole new dynamic. Now there's Nikolai in the picture, and tension and frustration in Alina's relationship with Mal. Not to mention the well-hidden but ever-present attraction to the Darkling. I'M SO CONFUSED. I LOVE IT. 

SO MANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS. Genya. The Apparat. Vasily. Mal going nuts. Three amplifiers. Plot-wise, Siege and Storm is a feast.

I can't wait to order Ruin and Rising and The Tailor. This series has quickly become one of those that I shove in the face of everyone I know. I suggest you do the same.
Rating:

Review: Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1)
Leigh Bardugo
Fantastic Fantasy(:

Alina Starkov doesn't expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, she is sure of only one thing: her best friend, Mal--and her inconvenient crush on him. Until the day their army regiment enters the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. When their convoy is attacked and Mal is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power not even she knew existed.

Ripped from everything she knows, Alina is taken to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. With Alina's extraordinary power in his arsenal, he believes they can finally destory the Fold. Now Alina must find a way to master her untamed gift and somehow fit into her new life without Mal by her side. But nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. As the threat to the kingdom mounts and her dangerous attraction to the Darkling grows, Alina will uncover a secret that could tear her heart--and her country--in two.

To quote a book reviewer I admire very much (link to her review)- "Have you ever read a book that starts out on a familiar path and then veers off it so completely that you're left slack-jawed in the dust? That's Shadow and Bone in a nutshell." 

There is soooo much I want to exclaim about but I can't spoil you- of course, you've probably read it already. I'm fully aware that I'm the last on this bandwagon. Not to worry, I've already ordered the rest of the series(:

Wow. Shadow and Bone is comprised of all the familiar elements an experienced fantasy reader has known and loved since forever. So naturally, I automatically enjoyed the beginning of this novel. But then never did I DREAM that it would take me where it took me.

Love triangle- not in any conventional way. And that's all I can say. You'll see.

Characters- Alina was more real than most heroes I usually read about. She had her tough and her weak moments, but ultimately was brave and true and smart. More importantly, she was complex, which will forever be the most prized trait for me in literature. Mal- I judged him in the beginning, but in the end loved him. He too was another example of a realistic character. A typical guy, one like many of your real guy friends, but incredibly lovable all the same. The Darkling- I just. Woah. 

Plot- Leigh Bardugo, congratulations. You are the first author in many years to utterly fool me. I don't mean throw in a surprise betrayal. I mean, seriously mislead me in regards of where the plot was heading. Absolutely superb!

Setting- In stark contrast to the last book I completed, Deep Blue, where the names and terminology seemed silly and completely made up, Shadow and Bone's system is based on Middle Ages Russia. It made for an amazing set up.

Writing and Pacing- L-o-v-e-l-y. All in all? I HEART THIS BOOK. READ IT NOW. 
Rating: