Review: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

From Goodreads: Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets - a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world. 

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: After liking Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo’s Crooked Kingdom was a book that I was highly anticipating. Sadly, I was unable to read it right after its release because I was so busy, and have only been able to review it now.

Once again, I loved reading from the perspective of Nina. She continued to develop as an individual, and she and Matthias remained my favourite couple of the series. Surprisingly, I also ended up liking Jasper and Wylan as a couple. I didn’t understand why everyone was shipping them in Six of Crows, but I totally got it here! As for Kaz and Inej ... I just didn't believe in the chemistry between them and think that they'd be better off as friends; not everybody in this series needs to be paired up with each other.

Besides the romance, I also enjoyed the action and plot twists in Crooked Kingdom. I would have liked Kaz and his gang though to be a bit more vulnerable as I feel like they were able to get away with everything too easily. And yes, I'm aware that Matthias died! 

Crooked Kingdom was released in September 2016 by Henry Holt and Company. 

Comments About the Cover: I like the continuation with a crow on the cover.

Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

From Goodreads: Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price - and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone ...  A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction - if they don't kill each other first. 

My Rating: Somewhere between 3.5 and 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo was a book that I waited so long to read because I didn’t want to get sucked in by the hype for it and because I typically avoid reading novels where there are more than two POVs. I shouldn’t have doubted Bardugo’s ability to write an entertaining story, however, since I ended up enjoying Six of Crows.

Although I wish some of the characters were older – I find it hard to believe that a cast of characters that can break into highly guarded places only consists of teenagers – I did like the characters and the fact that we got all of their backstories, even though it resulted in the plot taking some time to get going. My favourite characters at this point are Nina and Inej because I love that they’re two strong girls that are just as capable as the guys they’re surrounded by. I also really like the friendship that developed between them - probably even more than all the potential romances.

Finally, I enjoyed seeing the expansion of the Grisha world. In The Grisha series, we learn about Ravka, but little about its neighbours. In Six of Crows though, we get to see how Grisha abilities are perceived in the other countries.

A great start to a new series by Bardugo, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to Kaz and his gang in Crooked Kingdom. Six of Crows was released by Henry Holt and Company in September 2015. 

Comments About the Cover: It kind of reminds me of the covers from The Grisha series because it too features a creature and a building.

Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

From Goodreads: 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. 

My Rating: Somewhere between 3.5 and 4 hearts 

*Despite trying my best to avoid overt spoilers in my review (which I've hidden), I'd suggest reading the following review with caution if you haven't read Ruin and Rising because it still alludes to things.*

Thoughts on the Novel: Though it took me a while to get around to reading Leigh Bardugo’s Ruin and Rising, it was one of my most anticipated reads of this year because I’d finally know the ultimate fates of the Darkling and Nikolai (and Alina and Mal, of course). It’s too bad then that Ruin and Rising wasn’t exactly the ending I wanted.

While the plot began nicely with Alina, Mal, and the other Grisha trying to escape from the Apparat's clutches so that they could engage in one last confrontation with the Darkling, I soon became a little bored because the story wasn’t as intense as I was expecting it to be. As well, there was a strong focus on a bunch of secondary characters, most of whom I didn’t really remember. Thankfully, one of those characters was Zoya, who I not only ended up liking, but also made up for the distinct lack of the Darkling with her witty lines.

Speaking of the Darkling, as much as I would have liked a different ending for him, I do think that the ending he got was probably the most appropriate for him. Over the course of Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm, all I wanted to do was give him a hug in spite of his villainy because Bardugo did such a fabulous job of making him so complex. Ruin and Rising finally revealed the Darkling and Baghra’s backstory, which just made me fall in love with him even more. I refuse to say goodbye to him!

Another character who didn’t escape unscathed was Nikolai. I wasn’t expecting what happened to him to occur, but I think it helps to make him an even better ruler for Ravka – not that I didn’t know that after the scene with his parents.

I wasn't too happy with the endings for Alina and Mal, however. As the series progressed, Bardugo had slowly transformed Alina into a stronger heroine; but I thought Ruin and Rising kind of ruined all that development. Perhaps it was the best fate for Alina, but as a reader, I felt like Ruin and Rising was saying that you shouldn't strive to be extraordinary.

Similarly, I had really liked the change in Mal’s personality since he became so much more supportive of Alina embracing her destiny. Although I knew there was more to him than met the eye, I was shocked by his connection to Morozova. So, I mentally prepared myself for what I thought would happen in regards with him, except that Bardugo then cheapened his sacrifice by bringing him back to life (through some lame reasoning). I just feel like if an author is going to commit to killing a character, they should do so 100%; I hate when characters are revived for the sole purpose of giving the hero(ine) their happy ending!

A book that might not please everybody but was still entertaining, Ruin and Rising was released in June 2014 by Henry Holt and Co.  

Comments About the Cover: It perfectly matches the covers of Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm!

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

From Goodreads: 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. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Having loved the fantastic world that Leigh Bardugo created in Shadow and Bone, I couldn’t wait to read Siege and Storm. Fortunately, it didn’t disappoint! 

After running away from the Darkling with Mal, Alina is physically feeling the effects of not being able to use her power on a daily basis. She’s also struggling to feel useful because unlike Mal, she can’t make herself fit in easily everywhere. Soon enough though, the Darkling manages to find Mal and Alina … and he appears to be even stronger than before! 

While I was disappointed that the Darkling wasn’t as present in Siege and Storm as he was in Shadow and Bone, I loved that his actions very much continue to influence Alina throughout the novel. That being said, Bardugo does incorporate a new character who manages to be just as enticing as the Darkling. Sturmhond is charismatic, cocky, witty, ambitious and unafraid to take risks. It’s impossible not to fall in love with him!

Another thing that I really liked about Siege and Storm was how Bardugo addresses the seductiveness of power. In Shadow and Bone, there’s a clear difference made between the Darkling and Alina. But in Siege and Storm, once Alina starts hungering for more power, you see how having a taste of it can begin to change someone and their motives.

With Sturmhond vying for Alina’s attention and the power differential between Mal and Alina, there’s admittedly some tension that builds in the relationship between Mal and Alina. It felt very natural though, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the two of them get over the issues that developed in this novel.

Although I didn’t love Siege and Storm as much as Shadow and Bone, I did think this darker installment was a worthy sequel. Siege and Storm was released in June 2013 by Henry Holt and Co.  

Comments About the Cover: I just realized that part of the cover design of both books in the trilogy alludes to which one of Morozova’s amplifiers the book will be dealing with!

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

From Goodreads: 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.

My Rating: 4.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: After reading all the positive reviews for Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone, I was a little hesitant to start it because I didn’t want to risk being disappointed by it. I can safely say after reading Shadow and Bone though that it was totally worth the hype (even if the plot was a tiny bit predictable)!

Bardugo’s writing sucked me in right from the start and kept me hooked until the end. I loved the way she was able to create such a detailed world that was unveiled slowly, allowing me time to understand all the terms used. I may not want to live in the fictional world of Ravka with its volcras and terrifying Shadow Fold that expands over time, but I was definitely enchanted with it.

I also thought the character of Alina was very well-developed. She really did seem like an ordinary girl who realized she happened to be extraordinary – which is why I could relate to her insecurities and feeling out of place at the Little Palace. It was even nicer that rather than becoming a pro right away after some Grisha training, it took Alina time to master her gift.

As well, I liked that Alina stayed true to her heart. Too often, I read books where the main character is torn between two guys and can’t make up her mind as to who to choose, thereby appearing wishy-washy. (Seriously, how often does this happen in real life?) Alina, however, continues to love her best friend, Mal (who I’m looking forward to seeing more of in the sequel), despite being tempted by the Darkling. This suited me just fine because not only did I find the romance between Mal and Alina sweet, but it left hope for me and the Darkling :) (Okay, so maybe he’s evil with a capital E, but I can pretend that he’ll redeem himself with me at his side ;) As you can see, I’ve been reading a little too much paranormal lately.)

The start of another fabulous fantasy series, Shadow and Bone was released by Henry Holt and Co. in June 2012.

Comments About the Cover: The cover suggests that the story will be a fantasy full of intrigue. I love its simplicity and the colours used since I think it captures the tone of the novel perfectly! 

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group) for free via NetGalley.