Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Published: June 17th 2014 by Henry Holt & Co.

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

To say I really enjoyed this book would be an understatement. I absolutely loved the world that was created and all of the plot twists in between! I was dissatisfied with the ending, but that is because it wasn’t the ending I was rooting for! It was still an enjoyable ending, however, just not what I wanted.

The book started where the previous one left off. They were stuck underground with the Apparat, who was refusing to let her go because she was too valuable and she couldn’t summon. I think within the first 10% of the book, I already wanted to kill the Apparat off because he was just such an annoying character. He literally bugged me half to death and he was a very roll your eyes constantly character because he was just that stupid. Plus, he treated Alina really badly, which just made everything worse!

I really liked Alina in this book. She definitely changed a lot from the previous book because she became a stronger version of her old self. I loved the ways that she developed her power and the ways in which it grew. I also loved her reactions with the other people around her. She became friends with some of the people she was with and it was a refreshing change from the way she was in the previous book when she didn’t trust anyone.

I still did not get the relationship between Mal and Alina. I’m sorry, but I just do not get the spark or any of those warm fuzzy feelings you’re supposed to be getting when you read two characters in love. I got them between Alina and the Darkling, but not between the two people that really matter. I guess this is where I didn’t like the way the story went. I was expecting something more – maybe some redemption somewhere, but I just DIDN’T GET IT!! ugh…

I loved all of the plot twists that came about!! There were so many moments where I was just left with my mouth dangling open and I just didn’t know what to do with my life because they were just that good! I was not expecting the Darkling to do what he did to Nikolai (Poor sock) and I was not expecting Mal to be what he was! PLUS THAT ENDING!!! That was probably the most heartbreaking bit, but also so clever!!

All in all I really enjoyed this book and this series as a whole! I cannot wait to get a copy of Six of Crows at some point because so many people have told me that it is even better than the Grisha Trilogy!! I gave this book 4/5 stars.