Tag: leigh bardugo

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Crooked Kingdom

Title: Crooked Kingdom

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Ya Fantasy

I love these Crows. Each and every one of them are just so perfectly written. I read Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows before watching the Netflix series, but instead of finishing Alina’s story, I just wanted to see what happened to those rapscallions. And what I love about the book is that Bardugo does a fantastic job giving each characters his/her own voice. The way each person speaks, each mannerism, each ability is unique. When writing a large cast with 7+ important characters, differentiating them for the reader can be daunting. But Bardugo did this with ease.

From Goodreads: Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts 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 badly weakened, 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 the Grisha world.

This story picks up immediately after Six of Crows, so reading them back to back is a good idea. The crew has to fight off one enemy after another, and then turn around and befriend some enemies to gain favor. But, nothing can break Kaz Brekker. You know he has a trick (or ten) up his sleeve. Watching the plot unfold and come together is work of art. Time and time again, I was in awe of how Kaz managed to escape. Bardugo left me guessing, but every plot turn was one that made perfect sense and was set up brilliantly. I can’t wait to finish Alina’s story, but I will miss the crows.

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books and reading

Six of Crows

Title: Six of Crows

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: YA fantasy

I’ve been meaning to enter the Grishaverse for awhile. Once I saw it was a Netflix show, I consulted a friend who told me that the show covers both Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows, sort of. She recommended reading both before the show just to avoid small spoilers. I recommend this as well, because enough of Six of Crows’ characters are in the show that meeting them in the book is a lot more fun. And while I enjoyed the plot of Shadow and Bone more, maybe because it was my entry into the books, I LOVE the characters in this one. Every single crow is fantastic, but Jesper is hands down my favorite.

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 is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

This book is actually a prequel of Shadow and Bone, so it’s perfectly fine to read it first. Either entry into the world would work. They both explain what Grisha are in a way that assumes the reader is unfamiliar. The events in this book are entirely unrelated to those in S&B, also. Now, the Netflix show puts them on the same timeline and gives the crows something to do in regards to the plot of S&B. I didn’t mind the change because it was so delightful seeing the crows. The person cast as Jesper is PERFECT, which just increased my love of the character. I’m always skeptical when it comes to YA fantasy, because it’s just not my thing, but these are excellent, and I will be reading more.

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books and reading

Shadow and Bone

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: YA fantasy

Obviously, I’m way behind on the Grishaverse. But with the new Netflix show, I’m making a point to get through a few of the books. I’ve been told the show covers this and some of Six of Crows, so that one will be up next. I have a love hate relationship with YA fantasy. Some are just great and I end up loving them. Some just bore me to tears. So, I’m usually reluctant to try the genre, even if it gets good reviews. Because most people like it, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I will. I loved The Broken Earth trilogy (The Fifth Season review), and the Lunar Chronicles (Cinder, Winter, Fairest, Cress sorry Scarlet for no review on your book), although this is a bit more sci-fi. But I’m happy to say so far so good on this one. I flew through it.

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, Mal, 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.

Alina was a lot of fun as a character. Smart, snappy, sarcastic, but still vulnerable. And although the book is mainly about Alina, Mal plays an important role as well. He’s also pretty great, loyal, and kind. As Alina is pulled from one person to another, she realizes how strong she really is deep down.

I was a bit shocked when the book ended at 58% complete on my kindle, but it had a couple excerpts from other books after that. I think this is brilliant marketing, by the way. I couldn’t believe I had finished the book in just a couple days. I couldn’t put it down and really got sucked into the world. I can’t wait to visit the Grishaverse again.