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:

Etsy Finds: Magnetic Bookmarks - HappyHelloCo

I love looking for new fandom sellers on Etsy, there are just so many amazing creators making items from bookmarks to candles and everything else you can possibly think of. I've brought from a few of them over the last few years but for some reason I've never got around to reviewing the products here on my blog. I thought it was about time I changed that so keep an eye out for some random Etsy Finds posts over the next few months. I'll start by posting about products I've purchased but I'll probably branch out onto items on my wish list later on.

Today I want to talk about the store HappyHelloCo. This shop sells the most adorable magnetic bookmarks from a lot of popular bookish fandoms but also related to TV shows and movies and all sorts of other cute designs. They've branched out into selling cute enamel pins, stickers and keychains too but I've not purchased any of those yet so I'm going to focus on the magnetic bookmarks today.

I've placed several orders with HappyHelloCo over the last few years and have been thrilled with all of the bookmarks I've received from them. I love magnetic bookmarks because you don't run the risk of them falling out of the book and losing your place but to be honest the bookmarks I've bought are almost too cute to stick inside a book so I love using them as shelf decorations too.

Harry, Hermoine & Ron from the Harry Potter series (Purchase here)

Newt, Tina, Queen & Jacob from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Purchase here)

Kaz, Nina, Inej, Matthias, Jesper & Wylan from Six of Crows 

(Purchase a slightly updated version here)

Mister Kindly, Mia and Tric from the Nevernight Chronicles (Purchase here)

All of the main characters from The Lunar Chronicles series 

(Purchase slightly updated versions here, here and here)

Okay so these aren't bookish but as you can see I adore Pumbaa and Timon so I couldn't resist these!

(Purchase them here, now only available as part of a set with Simba and Nala)

I've included links to each item above but you can also just browse the whole HappyHelloCo store here, they have so many fantastic designs so I'm sure everyone will find something that they love.

In the interest of clarity this was NOT a sponsored post (I will always mention it when I receive products for review). I purchased these items for myself and did not receive a discount or compensation for reviewing them here.

Book Trailer: King of Scars - Leigh Bardugo

I know I'm not the only blogger who struggles to read all the books on their to read mountains, there are just so many amazing books out there and not enough hours in a day to actually read them all. Anyway, I want to continue highlighting a few that are on my radar but I haven't quite managed to get to yet.

One book I feel ridiculously guilty that I've not read yet is King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo. I'm such a HUGE fan of her Grishaverse and had this book on preorder the second it popped up on Amazon so why haven't I read it nearly 8 months after it was published? I think it's partly because I was heartbroken by a certain thing near the end of Crooked Kingdom and I'm really nervous about what might happen in this book as Nina is one of the main characters. It's also partly because I have such high expectations for Leigh's books and I'm scared that it might not be able to live up to them. Anyway, I keep looking at my beautiful signed edition and thinking I really must read it but then I always make excuses to put it to one side. Do you have any books like that on your to read shelves?

The much-anticipated first book in a brand-new duology by New York Times bestselling author, Leigh Bardugo.

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country's bloody civil war - and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka's coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren't meant to stay buried--and some wounds aren't meant to heal.

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information



If you've read King of Scars I really would love to know what you thought of it. Am I being stupid to keep putting it off? Leave me a link to your reviews to help convince me to bump it up my to read pile!

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:

Book & Nook Unboxing - July 2018 Monthly Candle Collection - Epic Adventures

This was my second Book & Nook candle box and I loved it just as much as the first one. I'm talking about the July box so I'm actually a little late posting this (it arrived at the beginning of the month!) but I wanted to spotlight these fab candles.

The July theme was Epic Adventures and knowing it was going to include candles relating to Lord of the Rings, His Dark Materials and Narnia made it a must buy for me. All of the monthly boxes include five 4oz candles, a bookish item and a bookmark and the current price is £21.99 + shipping so I think it's quite reasonable for what you actually get.

Here are the contents of the July Box:

Lets have a look at the candles first:

1. Cittagazze - inspired by the His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman this was probably my favourite scent from this month's candle collection Choca Mocha (it really smells good enough to eat LOL). I've been a fan of this series for years now so I was really excited to have a candle for this fandom.
2. The University - inspired by The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss the scent is Lemon Verbena, Bliss and Dark Fairytale. I've not actually read this series but I've heard a lot of great things about it so it's one I think I'm going to have to read soon.
3. The Magic Wardrobe - inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, a childhood favourite, and the scent is Snow and Berries.
4. The Shire - inspired by The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien the scent is Cedarwood and Pine. This is another series that I've been a fan of since I was a teenager so this really was perfect for me.
5. Dracarys - inspired by Game of Thrones by George RR Martin smells of Fireside, Leather and Night and is of course in honour of the dragons in the series (along with this month's other bookish item). I'm ashamed to admit I've not read these books but I'm a HUGE fan of the TV series and a dragon lover in general so I was really happy with this one!

These candles all smell gorgeous and I love how sparkly they are too. The tins are a nice size and make perfect shelf decorations when you're not using them.

Lets have a closer look at the other items included in this box. First we have this lovely bookmark which has a quote from Lord of the Rings on the back.

And last, but definitely not least, was my favourite item in the box - this absolutely adorable dragon keyring which is obviously inspired by the Game of Thrones series with the 3 really pretty dragon eggs as well as a lovely silver dragon.

Since I was placing an order I also treated myself to this 7oz candle jar inspired by Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows series. The scent is Sea Breeze, Oudh & Snow and it's topped with black, silver and holographic glitter.

If you've not bought anything from Book & Nook before I can definitely recommend them. The theme for their September box is Unique Leading Ladies with items inspired by the Grishaverse, Raven Cycle, Shatter Me and The Daughter of Smoke and Bone and I'm VERY tempted to order it! You can find their products on Etsy or buy directly from their website and they are also on Instagram.

Cover Reveal: King of Scars - Leigh Bardugo

So you've probably already seen this all over the internet but I'm so ridiculously excited for Leigh Bardugo's new duology in the Grishaverse that I just HAVE to share the cover for King of Scars even though it's not being published until January 2019 (and yes I do already have my copy preordered LOL).

So here's that cover in all it's golden glory:

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL! Just in case you're not already sold here's the blurb:

The much-anticipated first book in a brand-new duology by New York Times bestselling author, Leigh Bardugo.

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country's bloody civil war - and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka's coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren't meant to stay buried--and some wounds aren't meant to heal.

I know I already shared this trailer before but it's so fab I'm going to share it again for anyone who missed it the first time:



In case you hadn't already guessed I'm incredibly excited for this new duology and I can't wait to read it. I absolutely love the Grishaverse (even though I've still not forgiven Leigh Bardugo for things that happened at the end of Crooked Kingdom LOL) so this is sure to be a new favourite for me!

Fairyloot Unboxing - October 2017 "Villainous"

FairyLoot October Box "Villainous"

I know I'm really late posting my unboxings for both the October and November FairyLoot boxes but better late than never right? Even if nobody else is interested in reading these I like to keep a record of the subscription boxes I've purchased!

This was another lovely box from Fairyloot with lots of brilliant items included in it.

The first thing I found was this pretty Maleficient Candle from Meraki Candles. The scent is Jade Orchid & Lotus Blossom & it's gorgeous. Candles are definitely one of my favourite subscription box items so I love that Fairyloot include them regularly.

The next item was this Moriarty inspired Villain Coaster designed by Evie Seo. I always love Evie's designs and this one is no exception, this has already become my favourite coaster for my morning coffee!

I love this Death Eater enamel pin from House of Wonderland, I'm a HUGE Potterhead so of course I can never get enough HP merchandise!

This lovely mirror by Little Inkling Designs is so cute and it's perfect for carrying around in your handbag. The quote comes from Marie Lu's Young Elites series which is actually one I've not read yet but have been meaning to get around to for such a long time. I think I need to push it to the top of my to read pile!

This pretty print is another Evie Seo design, the quote comes from the poem The Aeneid by Virgil but you might recognise it from Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series.

I absolutely love Leigh Bardugo's Grisha series so I was really excited when I found out that this box would include a hardback of The Language of Thorns, an anthology of short stories and fairytales set in the world. This is such a beautiful book, not only does it have a pretty foil cover (I wish I'd been able to get that to show better on the photo!) but it's also illustrated throughout with such gorgeous images. I've already posted my review which includes pictures so you can read all about the book HERE if you're interested.

These gorgeous postcards with artwork from The Language of Thorns were also included in the box.

Last but definitely not least was Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C Dao, this book is described as a reimagining of the evil queen from Snow White based on Asian folklore and mythology which sounds right up my street! It was already on my wish list so I'm definitely looking forward to diving into my copy. As with all the Fairyloot boxes the main book comes with a signed bookplate and a letter from the author which just makes it even more special.

So that's everything that was included in the box, what do you think? I loved getting two books AND a bookish candle and all the other items were just lovely bonuses so I'm definitely impressed with this one. Thanks for another fab box Fairyloot!

Review: Wonder Woman: Warbringer - Leigh Bardugo

She will become a legend but first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning . . .

Diana is desperate to prove herself to her warrior sisters. But when the opportunity comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law to save a mere mortal, Alia Keralis. With this single heroic act, Diana may have just doomed the world.

Alia is a Warbringer - a descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery. Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies, mortal and divine, determined to destroy or possess the Warbringer.

To save the world, they must stand side by side against the tide of war.

DC Icons Series:
Wonder Woman: War Bringer - Leigh Bardugo
Batman: Nightwalker - Marie Lu (January 2018)
Catwoman: Soulstealer - Sarah J Maas (August 2018)
Superman - Matt de la Pena (January 2019)

Visit Leigh Bardugo's website for more information

Review:
After loving the recent Wonder Woman movie and as a huge fan of Leigh Bardugo's writing I was really looking forward to this book and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. This is an alternative version of Wonder Woman where Diana is a teenager in the modern day so the plot was different to the movie and other versions of the story but there were a lot of things that were familiar so it still had the right feel to it.

Diana loses her chance to prove herself to the other Amazons when throws a race to save the life of a mortal girl and bring her back to the island. Visitors have never been allowed but it turns out that Alia is more dangerous than most - she is the current incarnation of the Warbringer, a being who causes war and devastation wherever she goes, and who could destroy the world if she's allowed to live. Diana is desperate to fix the mistakes she has made but she can't let Alia die so when she finds out that there is one possible way to cure Alia's curse she knows she has to at least try to save her new friend.

This was such a fun story to read, with a wonderfully diverse cast of characters, a hint of romance and most importantly of all brilliant, strong female friendships. Diana and Alia are joined on their journey by Alia's brother Jason and their friends Nim and Theo. Each of them have their own skillset to bring to the quest and they all have a role to play in saving Alia and stopping the end of the world. I'll admit the beginning felt a little slow, mainly because it felt so familiar to the beginning of the movie, but once the story gets going the pace built up nicely and towards the end the action was nonstop. It wouldn't be a Leigh Bardugo book if she didn't throw a twist or two at you and I was definitely caught unaware by one of them. The story wrapped up really nicely but I can't help hoping that there will be more Wonder Woman stories to come, in the meantime I'm looking forward to reading other popular YA author's takes on their favourite superheroes - next up is Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu.

Source: Received from Penguin Random House 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: 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:
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