Review: Crooked Kingdom: Collector's Edition - Leigh Bardugo

A glorious Collector's Edition of New York Times bestselling, epic fantasy novel CROOKED KINGDOM, featuring:

*Intricate gold iconography from the world of the book*
*Seven pieces of full-color character artwork from Monolime*
*A new and exclusive letter of introduction from the author*
*Deep black sprayed edges*
*Endpaper maps*

This beautiful hardback is a perfect gift for fans, or to discover the unforgettable writing of Leigh Bardugo before the Grishaverse comes to Netflix soon with Shadow and Bone, an original series.

Welcome to the world of the Grisha.

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.

As gripping, sweeping and memorable as the Grisha trilogy - SHADOW AND BONE, SIEGE AND STORM and RUIN AND RISING - this novel is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Laini Taylor, Kristin Cashore and GAME OF THRONES.

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

The Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Review:

***** I've already posted most of this review before but I wanted to update it to include pictures of the absolutely GORGEOUS new Collector's Edition Hardback! *****

It's taken me a long time to write my review for Crooked Kingdom, probably because even though it's been over a month since I finished reading it I still can't quite decide whether I loved it or hated it. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, I reread Six of Crows in anticipation and I dropped absolutely everything the second that Amazon delivered my copy so that I could dive back into this world. I know putting such incredibly high expectations on a novel isn't necessarily fair to an author but I loved Six of Crows so much that I just couldn't help myself and if you'd asked me at any point in the first 90% of Crooked Kingdom what I thought of it I'd have told you it was an absolutely phenomenal 10 star read. Up until that point it was everything I could possibly have hoped for and then some and I was utterly convinced it would be my favourite book of the year.

The plot was as twisted as you'd expect it to be, Kaz has plan inside plan inside plan until you have no idea what to expect next or how they're going to get out of their latest fix. The pace of the story is fast, everything that could go wrong did go wrong and half the time I was on the edge of my seat desperate to see how things would turn out. The character development was wonderful, we get to know Jesper and Wylan better which made me fall completely in love with both of them and there are some brilliant scenes between Kaz and Inej but it was Nina and Matthias who totally stole the show. I ship those two so hard and I just adored seeing how much Matthias has changed since the beginning of the first book. I had so many expectations about where their story was going and could almost write the spin off myself because I knew exactly where I wanted it to go.

Then it happened. I can't go into details because of spoilers but I'm pretty sure anyone who has read the book will know exactly what I'm talking about. You might say it's just one thing but it's a MAJOR thing, one that felt like a complete and utter betrayal based on everything that had happened up until that point and it destroyed me. Actually, I tell a lie because the first time I read it I was so utterly convinced it was one of Kaz's tricks that would end up being resolved over the remaining few chapters that I felt absolutely no fear and had no emotional reaction to it at all. It wasn't until several chapters later when other events confirmed things that it all became horribly real and at that point I had to skip back and start rereading. That was when the tears came and they took a long time to stop. I'm still heartbroken and that one thing has coloured my memories of both books in the duology. I don't think I'll ever want to go back and reread Six of Crows because I'll always know what is coming and that just ruins everything.

I can still picture that spin off but now it doesn't go anywhere I'm interested in following. I just don't see how Leigh Bardugo can make certain things work after that major event that I can't talk about. She could find a way to backtrack on what happened and if she did then I'd probably love her for it but it would also make me feel like the ending of Crooked Kingdom was just a very nasty trick she played on her readers to get an emotional reaction out of them. Admittedly that option is better than if she leaves things as they stand but either way I'm not impressed. Whatever happens I'm going to be wary of her books in the future because she's started to erode the trust I had in her and that's heartbreaking because I've always been a superfan of hers (I have multiple copies of all of her books - even this one!). The first 90% of Crooked Kingdom was a 10 star read but that last 10% makes me want to give it minus figures so I'm really lost about how to rate this book. I guess since Goodreads and Amazon work on 5 stars I'm going to go straight down the middle and call it a 3 but you could say that to get such a strong reaction it deserves much higher, especially considering how much I loved the majority of it. I'm just so sad that it ended like this.

Now let's have a look at the gorgeous new Crooked Kingdom: Collector's Edition published in the UK by Orion Children's Books. I'm still angry about the way this story ended but I absolutely love this new edition with the pretty gold foil on the cover, beautiful endpapers and the amazing character art at the back. Pictures say a thousand words though so don't take my word for it, have a look at these and make your own mind up!

It's hard to get a good pic of foil but hopefully this 

shows just how pretty and shiny this book is!

and look at those black sprayed edges!

The front endpapers show a gorgeous map of Ketterdam

When you can't beat the odds change the game artwork

Kaz and Inej

Nina and Matthias

Jesper and Wylan

We even get this bonus Kuwei character art that wasn't 

included in the collectors edition of Six of Crows

The back end pages show a fab world map

Then even the back cover has this gorgeous gold foil logo

This really is a stunning edition and a great addition to my Grishaverse collection.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback / Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Six of Crows: Collector's Edition - Leigh Bardugo

A glorious Collector's Edition of New York Times bestselling, epic fantasy novel, SIX OF CROWS. Beautifully designed, with an exclusive letter from the author and six stunning full-colour character portraits. This covetable hardback with red sprayed edges is a perfect gift for fans, and a perfect way to discover the unforgettable writing of Leigh Bardugo.

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a chance at a deadly heist: break into the Ice Court - a military stronghold that has never been breached - and retrieve a hostage whose knowledge could change Grisha magic forever. To succeed would mean riches 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.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Together they might just be unstoppable - if they don't kill each other first.

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

The Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Review:

***** I've already posted most of this review before but I wanted to update it to include pictures of the absolutely GORGEOUS new Collector's Edition Hardback! *****

I've been a fan of Leigh Bardugo's ever since I discovered her Grisha trilogy so of course I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of Six of Crows. I had high expectations going in but I was blown away by how amazing this book was. It's set in the same world as the previous books but if you're new to the author you can definitely start here. Fans will recognise a few nods to the other series but in general this is completely separate and it's actually a very different kind of story to anything we've had from Leigh Bardugo before.

Six of Crows is a heist story, one in which six characters have come together to attempt the impossible. Not only do they have to break into an impenetrable fortress but they also have to release a hostage and get him safely back out again. If they can pull off the challenge they'll earn more money than they could get in a lifetime of honest work but it will mean putting their lives at risk and trusting the rest of the team to each play their own vital role. Kaz may be the leader but he can't do this alone and only Inej, Nina, Jesper, Matthias and Wylan have the unique skills needed to help him pull off the heist of a lifetime.

It's been a long time since I was quite so invested in such a diverse bunch of characters. Kaz is a great anti-hero, nothing with him is quite what it seems and he is constantly at least ten steps ahead of everyone else. His planning skills are second to none and I loved the way he was constantly pulling off the unexpected even though the number of secrets he was keeping was incredibly frustrating for the rest of the team. Nina and Matthias have a very complicated history and it makes things more than a little awkward between them, they're more likely to kill each other before the mission is complete than to actually have each other's backs but I really enjoyed the way we got to learn about their pasts through various flashbacks. They have both done things they're not proud of and they have good reasons not to trust each other but they're going to have to find a way to work together, at least temporarily, if they want to achieve their goals. Jesper added a lot of humour to the group, he's probably the least conflicted character in the bunch but he's loyal and is trusted by everyone. Wylan is a bit of an unknown quantity, as the newest member of the group and someone that none of them have ever worked with before he has to prove his loyalty before he can gain their trust.

As much as I loved all of the characters it was Inej who quickly became my favourite - she's just absolutely brilliant and I couldn't get enough of her. Nicknamed The Wraith, Inej is an expert at sneaking around, her acrobatic skills mean she can get anywhere and you'll never hear her coming. If Kaz needs a silent assassin Inej is the one he sends but she's best at spying and an expert at gathering the secrets of his enemies. Inej puts all other badass women to shame and I don't think there is anything she can't achieve but she's also one of the sweetest characters who has been through some horrific things and I desperately want to see her dreams come true.

I was a little worried at first that it might be hard to keep track of who everyone is, books with this many different points of view can get incredibly complicated, but Leigh Bardugo has given them all such unique voices and made all six of them so three dimensional that I had no problems at all keeping things straight. The same definitely can't be said of Kaz's plans for the heist because that was twist, after twist, after twist and I swear I was on the edge of my seat for the entire second half of the book. You never had a clue what would be thrown at the characters next and I was genuinely concerned that not everyone was going to survive the mission. The first half was a little slower as it introduced each of the characters and laid all the groundwork for what was to follow but I was never bored and I loved every minute of it.

Speaking as a Leigh Bardugo fan girl I would definitely say that this is her best book yet, I love the Grisha trilogy but this is on a whole new level and epic doesn't even begin to describe Six of Crows. It was marketed as Oceans Eleven meets Game of Thrones and it lives up to the hype, it's fast paced, witty, clever and the characters are absolutely fantastic. The first instalment of a duology Six of Crows doesn't answer every question but it doesn't end on a cliffhanger and you will find out if they can pull of their heist or not. The sequel, Crooked Kingdom, is now at the top of my wish list for 2016 and I can't wait to spend more time with these characters!

Now let's have a look at the gorgeous new Six of Crows: Collector's Edition published in the UK by Orion Children's Books. I absolutely love this new edition with the pretty red foil on the cover, beautiful endpapers and the amazing character art at the back. Pictures say a thousand words though so don't take my word for it, have a look at these and make your own mind up!

It's hard to get a good pic of foil but hopefully this 

shows just how pretty and shiny this book is!

and look at those pretty red sprayed edges!

The front endpapers show a gorgeous world map

No Mourners, No Funerals artwork

Kaz and Inej

Nina and Matthias

Jesper and Wylan

The back end pages show a map of The Ice Court

Then even the back cover has this gorgeous red foil logo

This really is a stunning edition of one of my favourite books so I would highly recommend it to fans of the series!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback / Paperback / Kindle:

Review: The Language of Thorns - Leigh Bardugo

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, no. 1 New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.

Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.

Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price.

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, no. 1 New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.

Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange - to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.

This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them featuring a stunning illustration by Sara Kiplin, as rich in detail as the stories themselves.

The Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Original Review:
The Language of Thorns is a collection of six short stories set in Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse. Three of these stories had already been available to read on the Tor website for free but I'm thrilled to see them in print for the first time, especially in such a beautiful book. I'm still waiting for my hardback copy to turn up (I read the kindle version) but you only have to look at the photos posted on Amazon's description (see below) to see jut how gorgeous it is and I love the stunning illustrations by Sara Kiplin that can be found throughout.

Leigh Bardugo talks about the fairytales that inspired her stories in her author's note at the end of the story and she's definitely captured that feel to her fables so anyone who is a fan of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson will love these. Although the stories are set in the Grishaverse they aren't linked to any of the previous books in terms of timeline so this book can be read as a standalone. I'm sure you'll fall in love with the author's gorgeous writing though and I'd highly recommend all of her books.

Here's just a brief rundown of the stories included:

1. Amaya and the Thorn Wood - This story is kind of a mash up between Beauty and the Beast and A Thousand and One Nights with a sprinkling of the Minotaur in his labyrinth. It doesn't end how you'd expect it to and this was probably one of my favourite stories in the book.

2. The Too-Clever Fox - This is one of the stories that has been available to read on Tor's website so it was my second time reading it. There are tiny hints of Red Riding Hood but that's more to do with the feel of the story than the plot, I loved Koja's character and didn't spot the twist coming on my first read.

3. The Witch of Duva - The second of the stories I'd already read online this story is definitely inspired by Hansel and Gretel, it has everything you need for a good fairytale - a witch, an evil step-mother and missing children - but comes with a brilliant twist at the end. I'd completely forgotten how this story ended so it shocked me just as much on a reread.

4. Little Knife - Last of the stories from Tor's website, this is about a father setting impossible tasks to his daughter's suitors to decide who should be her husband. A good reminder to be careful what you wish for, if you get too greedy you may end up with more than you bargained for but it'll probably be what you deserve.

5. The Soldier Prince - Inspired by the Nutcracker this was a really creepy story full of clockwork toys that are magically bought to life that raises questions about what it's like to be real. It has a great twist at the end and I kind of want to read a sequel!

6. When Water Sang Fire - This is the only story that includes a character from the Grisha trilogy and I think a lot of fans are going to be excited when he puts in an appearance, I won't say who because of spoilers but he's a popular character. I will warn you that he's not the main character in the story so don't expect it to be all about him but it was fun to spot a familiar face. Anyway, this was a Little Mermaid retelling and it was brilliant, a very fitting final story for the anthology.

Some of the illustrations from inside the book (copied from Amazon):

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback / Paperback (preorder) / Kindle:

Review: Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off the most daring heist imaginable.

But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're fighting for their lives.

Double-crossed and badly weakened, they're low on resources, allies and hope.

While a war rages on the city's streets, the team's fragile loyalties are stretched to breaking point.

Kaz and his crew will have to make sure they're on the winning side . . . no matter what the cost.

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

The Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Review:
It's taken me a long time to write my review for Crooked Kingdom, probably because even though it's been over a month since I finished reading it I still can't quite decide whether I loved it or hated it. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, I reread Six of Crows in anticipation and I dropped absolutely everything the second that Amazon delivered my copy so that I could dive back into this world. I know putting such incredibly high expectations on a novel isn't necessarily fair to an author but I loved Six of Crows so much that I just couldn't help myself and if you'd asked me at any point in the first 90% of Crooked Kingdom what I thought of it I'd have told you it was an absolutely phenomenal 10 star read. Up until that point it was everything I could possibly have hoped for and then some and I was utterly convinced it would be my favourite book of the year.

The plot was as twisted as you'd expect it to be, Kaz has plan inside plan inside plan until you have no idea what to expect next or how they're going to get out of their latest fix. The pace of the story is fast, everything that could go wrong did go wrong and half the time I was on the edge of my seat desperate to see how things would turn out. The character development was wonderful, we get to know Jesper and Wylan better which made me fall completely in love with both of them and there are some brilliant scenes between Kaz and Inej but it was Nina and Matthias who totally stole the show. I ship those two so hard and I just adored seeing how much Matthias has changed since the beginning of the first book. I had so many expectations about where their story was going and could almost write the spin off myself because I knew exactly where I wanted it to go.

Then it happened. I can't go into details because of spoilers but I'm pretty sure anyone who has read the book will know exactly what I'm talking about. You might say it's just one thing but it's a MAJOR thing, one that felt like a complete and utter betrayal based on everything that had happened up until that point and it destroyed me. Actually, I tell a lie because the first time I read it I was so utterly convinced it was one of Kaz's tricks that would end up being resolved over the remaining few chapters that I felt absolutely no fear and had no emotional reaction to it at all. It wasn't until several chapters later when other events confirmed things that it all became horribly real and at that point I had to skip back and start rereading. That was when the tears came and they took a long time to stop. I'm still heartbroken and that one thing has coloured my memories of both books in the duology. I don't think I'll ever want to go back and reread Six of Crows because I'll always know what is coming and that just ruins everything.

I can still picture that spin off but now it doesn't go anywhere I'm interested in following. I just don't see how Leigh Bardugo can make certain things work after that major event that I can't talk about. She could find a way to backtrack on what happened and if she did then I'd probably love her for it but it would also make me feel like the ending of Crooked Kingdom was just a very nasty trick she played on her readers to get an emotional reaction out of them. Admittedly that option is better than if she leaves things as they stand but either way I'm not impressed. Whatever happens I'm going to be wary of her books in the future because she's started to erode the trust I had in her and that's heartbreaking because I've always been a superfan of hers (I have multiple copies of all of her books - even this one!). The first 90% of Crooked Kingdom was a 10 star read but that last 10% makes me want to give it minus figures so I'm really lost about how to rate this book. I guess since Goodreads and Amazon work on 5 stars I'm going to go straight down the middle and call it a 3 but you could say that to get such a strong reaction it deserves much higher, especially considering how much I loved the majority of it. I'm just so sad that it ended like this.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he'll have to pull of 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 might just be unstoppable - if they don't kill each other first.

A stunning new fantasy epic set in the world of the Grisha, from the best selling author of Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo.

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

The Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Review:
I've been a fan of Leigh Bardugo's ever since I discovered her Grisha trilogy so of course I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of Six of Crows. I had high expectations going in but I was blown away by how amazing this book was. It's set in the same world as the previous books but if you're new to the author you can definitely start here. Fans will recognise a few nods to the other series but in general this is completely separate and it's actually a very different kind of story to anything we've had from Leigh Bardugo before.

Six of Crows is a heist story, one in which six characters have come together to attempt the impossible. Not only do they have to break into an impenetrable fortress but they also have to release a hostage and get him safely back out again. If they can pull off the challenge they'll earn more money than they could get in a lifetime of honest work but it will mean putting their lives at risk and trusting the rest of the team to each play their own vital role. Kaz may be the leader but he can't do this alone and only Inej, Nina, Jesper, Matthias and Wylan have the unique skills needed to help him pull off the heist of a lifetime.

It's been a long time since I was quite so invested in such a diverse bunch of characters. Kaz is a great anti-hero, nothing with him is quite what it seems and he is constantly at least ten steps ahead of everyone else. His planning skills are second to none and I loved the way he was constantly pulling off the unexpected even though the number of secrets he was keeping was incredibly frustrating for the rest of the team. Nina and Matthias have a very complicated history and it makes things more than a little awkward between them, they're more likely to kill each other before the mission is complete than to actually have each other's backs but I really enjoyed the way we got to learn about their pasts through various flashbacks. They have both done things they're not proud of and they have good reasons not to trust each other but they're going to have to find a way to work together, at least temporarily, if they want to achieve their goals. Jesper added a lot of humour to the group, he's probably the least conflicted character in the bunch but he's loyal and is trusted by everyone. Wylan is a bit of an unknown quantity, as the newest member of the group and someone that none of them have ever worked with before he has to prove his loyalty before he can gain their trust.

As much as I loved all of the characters it was Inej who quickly became my favourite - she's just absolutely brilliant and I couldn't get enough of her. Nicknamed The Wraith, Inej is an expert at sneaking around, her acrobatic skills mean she can get anywhere and you'll never hear her coming. If Kaz needs a silent assassin Inej is the one he sends but she's best at spying and an expert at gathering the secrets of his enemies. Inej puts all other badass women to shame and I don't think there is anything she can't achieve but she's also one of the sweetest characters who has been through some horrific things and I desperately want to see her dreams come true.

I was a little worried at first that it might be hard to keep track of who everyone is, books with this many different points of view can get incredibly complicated, but Leigh Bardugo has given them all such unique voices and made all six of them so three dimensional that I had no problems at all keeping things straight. The same definitely can't be said of Kaz's plans for the heist because that was twist, after twist, after twist and I swear I was on the edge of my seat for the entire second half of the book. You never had a clue what would be thrown at the characters next and I was genuinely concerned that not everyone was going to survive the mission. The first half was a little slower as it introduced each of the characters and laid all the groundwork for what was to follow but I was never bored and I loved every minute of it.

Speaking as a Leigh Bardugo fan girl I would definitely say that this is her best book yet, I love the Grisha trilogy but this is on a whole new level and epic doesn't even begin to describe Six of Crows. It was marketed as Oceans Eleven meets Game of Thrones and it lives up to the hype, it's fast paced, witty, clever and the characters are absolutely fantastic. The first instalment of a duology Six of Crows doesn't answer every question but it doesn't end on a cliffhanger and you will find out if they can pull of their heist or not. The sequel, Crooked Kingdom, is now at the top of my wish list for 2016 and I can't wait to spend more time with these characters!

Source: Received from Orion in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Ruin and Rising - Leigh Bardugo

The Darkling pressed a kiss to the top of my hair. "I will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no other shelter but me."

For Alina, time is running out. To destroy the Darkling, she must find the elusive firebird, and she must find it soon.

The Darkling's power is growing. And so is his connection to Alina. Can Alina escape the hold he has over her? Does she want to?

Mal is the one person Alina can rely on. But could giving in to the bond between them be the most dangerous decision of all?

The Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Review:
I completely fell in love with this series from the moment I picked up the first book two years ago and I've been captivated ever since so I was both excited and nervous about reading the final book Ruin and Rising. I was so invested in the lives of these characters but I had a very definite opinion about how I wanted things to turn out and who I wanted Alina to end up with. It's really, really hard to review the final book in a trilogy without giving spoilers though. There are so many things that I want to talk about but I can't because I want everyone to have the chance to going into this story blind, I want you to be able to discover the plot twists on your own and I don't want to ruin the surprises that Leigh Bardugo has in store for you.

Therefore I'm going to keep this review deliberately short and vague and instead focus on how reading this book made me feel. I think I must have gone through every single emotion possible at one point or another but one thing I couldn't do was put the book down. This is definitely a story you need to clear your diary for because once you start you'll be completely hooked. I laughed, I cried, I was shocked, horrified and outraged one moment only to find myself grinning and cheering the next. There were moments that broke my heart and others that made me sigh happily. I'm not going to say it was all a bed of roses, there were moments when I was unsure about where the author was taking us and when I was almost too scared to look at what was happening on the page but even though she took me places where I didn't want to go Leigh Bardugo ultimately left me feeling satisfied and with a huge grin on my face.

I know that not everyone will be happy with the way this series ends, the trouble with having more than one love interest (although to me there was really only ever one contender!) is that not everyone will be happy with the way things turn out. However, I personally thought the ending was perfect, it was everything I'd hoped for and more. The whole Grisha trilogy has a special place in my heart, I'm sad it's over and would love to revisit these characters in the future but I'm also excited that the author is planning further books set in the same world but introducing new characters for us to fall in love with. I was at an event with the author a couple of days ago and she read an unedited passage from the first spin off book, The Dregs, and trust me it was amazing. I have a feeling I'm going to love the new characters even more than I loved these ones and I've already pre-ordered my copy! If you're a fantasy fan then I really don't think you can go wrong with these books.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Quick Review: Little Knife - Leigh Bardugo

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.”

The Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Review:
Little Knife is the third free short story that Leigh Bardugo has written for the Tor website (you can find it here) and it's just as good as the others. These stories don't feature characters from the Grisha series but are in fact Ravkan fairytales that would be told to young children by their parents.

This is the story of a young girl who is so beautiful that everyone who looks at her face falls madly in love with her. Even when she was a baby servants tried to steal her but now she is a teenager men are willing to fight to the death for the chance of winning her heart. I'm not going to say much more but the story has great themes and remind readers to be careful what they wish for!

These little freebies are a great way of testing out the author's writing style and for fans of the series they just add even more depth to the world building in the main books. This is one of my favourite series and I can't recommend it highly enough but you can read the short stories (The Witch of Duva, The Too-Clever Fox and Little Knife) in any order whether you've read any of the full length novels or not.

Source: Read online at the Tor website here

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Siege and Storm - Leigh Bardugo

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, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But 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.

The Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Review:
Shadow and Bone was one of my favourite books of 2012 (and I loved it just as much when I re-read it last month!) so Siege and Storm was one of my most anticipated releases for 2013. When I have such high expectations for a story it can be incredibly hard for an author to live up to them so I always feel a little nervous picking up the sequel to a much loved book. Thankfully I had no need to worry in this case and Leigh Bardugo has delivered another captivating tale set in Ravka, it didn't quite match up to the first book but it was still a very strong instalment to one of my favourite series.

I don't want to say too much about the plot of the story because, as with the first book, I think you're better off going in not knowing what to expect. What I will say is that if you enjoyed Shadow and Bone then I'm sure you'll enjoy the sequel just as much. Alina has already been through a lot but she is going to find herself tested more than ever before, so many things are thrown at her in such a short space of time and she is struggling to come to terms with the changes in herself since she unlocked her powers. People look at her differently now and she is under a lot of pressure from all kinds of directions about how she should proceed. Most of Ravka believe she is a saint and is the only one who can save them from the Darkling but that is a lot for her to live up to. I have to admit I was sad to see her struggle to open up to the people around her and the strain that put on some of her personal relationships but it was completely understandable and just made her character feel even more real.

I loved Mal in the first book but I found myself getting a little irritated with his actions some of the time in this one. He is letting Alina's powers drive a wedge between them and while I can understand how out of place he feels around the Grisha because he lacks their abilities I expected him to be more supportive of her rather than someone else who was trying to put pressure on her. There are moments when I love them together but others where I want to shake the pair of them and tell them to grow up. I guess the fact that they can make me so angry just goes to show how much I care about them though and I'm still really hoping they'll be able to find a way to work things out. The Darkling is as intriguing as ever, in the first book he was a much more seductive character though and this time I found him much less appealing. His actions at the end of Shadow and Bone left me reeling and he continued to shock me with how power hungry he has become and the lengths he will go to to get what he wants.

Along with the characters we already know and love (or love to hate!) we are introduced to some fabulous and memorable new cast members. A particular favourite was the Privateer Sturmhond but I also really liked the twins Tolya and Tamar. Siege and Storm had everything I loved about the first book - the fantastic characters, fast paced action, fabulous world building and some brilliant plot twists. I am desperate to know what happens next so Ruin and Rising is already at the top of my wish list for 2014 (why oh why do we have to wait so long?? LOL). If you haven't started reading this series yet then you really are missing out and I can't recommend it highly enough!

Source: Received from Orion in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Quick Review: The Too-Clever Fox - Leigh Bardugo

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 Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Review:
The Too-Clever Fox is a short story by Leigh Bardugo that can be read online for free at the Tor website here. The story is set in the same world as Shadow and Bone but can be read completely separately as there is no cross over of characters. It's actually a folk tale that would be told by parents to their children rather than part of the ongoing story with Alina, Mal and the Darkling although I do see a lot of similarities between Sturmhond and Koja!

This is the story of a clever fox called Koja and how he goes up against a skilled hunter who has been killing all the creatures in the forest. Koja was a great character, he was born the runt of his litter and could never be called beautiful but he uses his intelligence and charm to talk himself out of some very difficult situations. I enjoyed getting to know the other creatures of the forest too, particularly the bear. Although I had guessed the major plot twist before it was revealed that didn't stop me from enjoying the journey.

I really appreciate the fact that Leigh Bardugo has written so many free short stories that are set in Ravka, they just increase my love for this series. Each story adds more depth to the world and I hope she plans to write lots more of them because I can't get enough of the world or the characters.

Source: Read online at the Tor website here

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo

This review was previously posted on my blog in 2012 when the book was published in the UK with the title The Gathering Dark. It has now been re-released with the US title Shadow and Bone so I'm re-posting my original review with the new cover image. You can read the previous version of this review here. I've actually recently finished re-reading this book before picking up the sequel, Siege and Storm, and I loved it just as much the second time around so I stand by my review 100%!

"I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina," he said. "You and I are going to change the world."

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the world of the kingdom's magical elite - the Grisha. Could she be the key to setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a man of seductive charm and terrifying power. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina's childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can't she ever quite forget him?

The Grisha Trilogy:
The Witch of Duva (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Shadow and Bone (Originally published in the UK as The Gathering Dark but now re-released as Shadow and Bone as per the US)
The Tailor (Short Story) (Can be read online on Leigh Bardugo's Facebook page here)
Siege and Storm
The Too-Clever Fox (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Little Knife (Short Story) (Can be read online on the Tor website here)
Ruin and Rising
The Language of Thorns (anthology of fairytales set in the Grishaverse)

Six of Crows Duology:
(spin off series set in the same world but featuring different characters)
Six of Crows
Six of Crows Collector's Edition
Crooked Kingdom
Crooked Kingdom Collector's Edition

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

You can also watch the UK Shadow and Bone book trailer:



Original Review:
I read The Gathering Dark (otherwise known as Shadow and Bone if you're in the US) a month ago and I still can't get the story out of my head. Leigh Bardugo's debut novel had me captivated from the very first page and I didn't want to put it down for a second. This is without a doubt one of my favourite books of the year and bearing in mind that I've read over 300 books since January that is high praise indeed. I loved the world that the author has created, the Russian influence to the story adds depth to the world building and I loved the magical abilities of the Grisha.

Alina was the kind of heroine I found it easy to relate to, raised in an orphanage with only her best friend Mal to rely on she has never fully felt like she fitted in anywhere. All she really wants is to find a place where she belongs but when it is discovered she has a rare magical ability she finds herself taken away from everyone and everything she knows. Thrust into a new life amongst the Grisha Alina feels lost and alone, she doesn't understand the rules and is struggling to make sense of her power and how to harness it. Thankfully she makes a new friend in Genya but she misses Mal more than anything and is hurt when he doesn't reply to her letters. Her powers have drawn the attentions of the Darkling, the enigmatic leader of the Grisha and most powerful magic user in the kingdom of Ravka. Their country is torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a dark and desolate place where monsters rule and no human is safe, and the Darkling thinks that Alina could be the one person who can save them all.

I don't want to say too much more about the story line because I would hate to give you spoilers, this is the kind of book that you're best of picking up without knowing too much about so that you can thoroughly enjoy the journey you are taken on. I'm going to tell you that I loved Alina, the way she grows up as the story progresses and the strong young woman she has become by the end. I loved her friendship with Mal, the history they had together and the way they always look out for each other. I adored Mal, he has a quiet strength about him and proves himself a wonderful support to Alina. I also loved the Darkling, he was mysterious and secretive and I never knew quite what was going to happen around him but he has an appeal that is hard to resist.

The Gathering Dark is the kind of book that I wish I could wipe from my memory just so I could have the pleasure of reading it again for the first time. The pacing was perfect - a fast paced beginning to get you hooked, a beautifully written middle with layers of world building and character development followed by an explosive ending with plot twists that will make your jaw drop. I honestly can't recommend this book highly enough to fantasy fans so please ignore my gushing and read the book for yourself to discover just how amazing it is. I can't wait to read the next instalment - I'm just gutted that I have to wait a whole year to find out what happens next!

Source: Received from Orion in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle: