Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Published: September 27th 2016 by Orion Children’s Books

Book Depository

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.

After finishing Six of Crows, I absolutely HAD to read Crooked Kingdom! I needed more from the world and the characters – especially after the ending of the first books! I absolutely loved this instalment and I am actually really sad that this is only a duology!

This book started basically where the previous left off. You could definitely feel the tension in all of the characters after the ending of the previous book and the predicament they were left in! I feel like it was extremely convincing and I could feel everything the characters were feeling! I loved each and every single voice and I had absolutely no troubles remembering which character I was reading at the time because every character had their own, distinguishable voice.

I was so happy about getting our Wylan voice in there! I felt like his voice was missing in the first book and I am so glad that we managed to see more of him and things from his perspective in this instalment. I was slightly upset that we didn’t get as much Kaz time as I hoped! His chapters were a little lacking, which I think is a shame because he was one of my favourite characters in the book. I absolutely love the way his beautiful brain works and I would have loved to have seen more of it!

The plot definitely kept up with the character development. It kept me on my toes and the pages turning to see what crazy thing was going to happen next!! I described the first book as the Italian Job being run by Captain Jack Sparrow and this book was basically Captain Jack Sparrow doing his thing and picking up the pieces of the previous book! I loved the way Kaz’s plans were brought to life and the way he altered them if necessary – Scheming Face!

THE THING!!! OMG THE THING!!!! I just was absolutely not expecting it and I was actually so emotional about it! It was not supposed to happen and I just… ugh. I don’t want to even think about it right now…

I definitely feel like this book was left open ended – in which the author could definitely revisit this world and any one of the characters and wouldn’t feel forced in anyway. I would love to see Bardugo revisit this world and the characters and for them to come back together and do something crazy!

Can I just mention that I definitely ship the ships! Especially the ship that never sailed – but ended with so much potential for the future! I would love to go back and revisit them in the future and see them together because I definitely feel like they deserve it! Also, the other major ship that happened was so. frickin’. ADORABLE!!! I just wanted to adopt them both! (omitting the names of the ships here because I don’t want to spoil anyone!)

All in all, I adored this book and I would be more than happy to revisit this world again and the characters. I am so upset that it has ended! I gave this book 5/5 stars.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! First of all, happy valentines day to everyone who celebrates it! I hope you all have an amazing day with loves, both old and new! This weeks TTT is sticking to the theme of valentines with the theme of romance tropes! There are so many things you can do with this, but I am going to go with my top ten ships! I love reading books with the right ships with slow burning romances and I want to share my favourite ships with you guys this week! There may be a couple of ships in there that either sunk or are still not so clear because the series is still going! So, in no particular order…

10.  Feyre and Rhysand – I think that Rhys is completely dreamy and I absolutely love the relationship that Feyre and Rhys have and I am SO looking forward to seeing more of them in May

9.  All of the ships in Six of Crows, but especially Kaz and Inej – So, I totally shippity ship all of our tropes in this book, but my major ship is Inej and Kaz because I feel like they deserve it the most after everything they have been through in life and I feel like the deserve it most because of everything they still have to go through before they get there…

8.  Hugo and Diamond – I adored their relationship from the very beginning and it gets so much more intense in the second book! I absolutely cannot wait to see more of these two in the future!

7.  Aelin and Rowan – These two are one of my favourite ships of ever because of everything that happened! I also think that, after the ending, it completely cemented the ship in my mind!

6.  Henrietta and Blackwood – Ok, so, this ship hasn’t actually happened… but I have a really good feeling about it and it is the ship that I am on for this series… I am hoping it goes that way!

5.  Mare and Maven – I am actually currently reading King’s Cage (at the time of writing which is Sunday evening), and I have, and continue, to ship the idea of Maven and Mare. I definitely feel that there is room for redemption in there and I am hoping that my ship does not sink! #TeamMaven

4.  Darkling and Alina – Ok, so this ship sunk. I rode the ship of hope the entire way through the book and I was really upset with the ending! I definitely feel like these two had a much better connection than the ship that was followed…

3.  Alyssa and Morpheus – This was my favourite ship throughout this entire series! I was dissatisfied with how things were figured out at the end, but I am glad it sort of worked out!

2.  Juliette and Warner – These two!! I was #TeamWarner from the very beginning and this is and will always remain one of my favourite ships!

1.  America and Maxon – I loved watching these two interacting and I did really enjoy the romance within this book – despite the mixed opinions!

What do you guys think of these ships? Do you agree with them or did you have different ships? 

Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme hosted here. In order to participate, choose a random book from your TBR and show it off! Don’t forget to link up below and don’t forget to link back here!

Hey guys! I am back with another Goodreads Monday for you guys and this weeks book is a sequel to a duology! I absolutely loved the first book and I actually have the second book on my shelf and it is my next read after I finish my current read! I have heard a lot of amazing things and I can’t wait to check out myself…

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Published: September 27th 2016 by Orion Children’s Books

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

As mentioned, I absolutely LOVED Six of Crows and I am really looking forward to the conclusion of this!! Have you guys read it? Did you enjoy it?

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Published: September 29th by Henry Holt and Company

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone…

A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes 

Kaz’s crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

This book was basically the Italian Job run by Captain Jack Sparrow – AND I LOVED IT!!! This book was a “just one more chapter…” kind of book which ended up with me 250 pages later questioning everything I know! I absolutely loved this book!

I think my favourite part of this book was the mix of flashbacks and current time. I loved the way it intertwined with everything they were doing and it showed the reasons as to how and why they ended up where they were (aka the Dregs). I also think it definitely helped with characterisation and understanding them much better – because it creates the reader/character bond, which I think is essential to any book! Kaz’s back story was my favourite  and I totally understood the gloves thing and I felt so sorry … can we just wrap  him up in some bubble wrap?!?

The plot was also AMAZING!! As I mentioned in the opening, its like the Italian Job being run by Captain Jack Sparrow. When we find out what the job is, and things begin to unfold about just how impossible success seems… It will take a mad man to pull it off!! I never normally do this… but I feel like this occasion calls for it…

Kaz’s plan to achieve the impossible seemed just as impossible as the heist itself! I loved it! I loved the way his mind worked and the way that his plans kept developing as things started unfolding at the Ice Court. The events had me turning page after page and I literally could not put the book down! Losing sleep was totally worth it.

Another thing I think made this book stand out was the fact that, despite having multiple POV’s, each and every character had their own voices. If I put the book down to do something, and came back to it, I didn’t have to go back and see whose perspective I was reading. It was easy to tell from the prose itself and I loved each and every individual voice. Each character brought something different to the book and nothing was there unnecessarily.

Can I also just mention that I ship everyone!! I got all the feels with our different couples and I totally want everyone to work out just fine! Also, that ending!! OMG!!! I was left speechless and I literally couldn’t sleep afterward because my mind was just reeling…

I absolutely adored every aspect of this book and I cannot wait to start Crooked Kingdom! I am hoping we get to read from Wylan’s perspective as well, because I would love to get inside of his head! I am absolutely looking forward to continuing this series! I gave this book 5/5 stars.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! It is time for another TTT and this weeks topic is new-to.us authors we read in 2016! I have so many different authors in mind for this it is crazy! Without further ado, and in no particular order:

10.  Leigh Bardugo – So, I recently read the Grisha trilogy and I absolutely loved it! I cannot even believe that it took me so long to jump on that bandwagon. Now, I am all set to read Six of Crows when my copy turns up from The Book Depository…

9.  Merrie DeStefano – I recently read her upcoming Lost Girls (approved via Netgalley) and I just can’t even describe the feels I had for this book… You guys all need to be adding it to your TBR’s and I need to be checking out more of her books!

8.  Candy Atkins – I adored The Lost Knight and to say I am excited for book 2 would be an understatement…

7.  Louise O’Neill – I gobbled up both Asking For It and Only Ever Yours and I need more from this author!! Please, someone tell me she is planning something fantastic!

6.  Elise Kova – I actually only read the AA series this year and I absolutely loved it. Whilst I did enjoy her upcoming The Alchemists of Loom, I wasn’t as blown away as I was by her first series!

5.  M. R. Carey – Because who doesn’t love themselves some zombies?? I am so glad I decided to read The Girl With All the Gifts!

4.  Luke Taylor – This author is extremely friendly and I am so glad I requested an ARC copy of his Vault of Dreams because I fell in love with it immediately!! I cannot wait for more of his upcoming books and to check out the ones that he has already released!

3.  Morgan Rhodes – After seeing all the hype, I obviously had to check out Falling Kingdoms! I am so glad I did because I loved it! I have the second book waiting on my shelf for me to read as well! 😀

2.  Betsy Schow – Spelled is one of my all time favourite retellings! I was crying, it was just that funny and I cannot even begin to tell you guys my excitement over Wanted!

1.  Karen Tomlinson – Ok, so technically she is a debut author, however, A Bond of Venom and Magic was my favourite read of 2016, so I just had to include her! I absolutely love this author, plus she is extremely friendly! 😀

That’s it from me! These were all new to me authors this year and I am so glad I picked up books from all of these authors! I look forward to reading more from them!

Which authors are new to you? Feel free to let me know in the comments below!

November Wrap Up!!

Hey guys!! Can you believe that Christmas is around the corner?!? Time to slowly start panicking about presents and food and I don’t even know what else! However, before all that, time to wrap up my reading month of November!! I’m actually writing this and I have no idea how many books I read in November… so, I will be just as knowledgable as you guys by the end of this post! Without further ado:

Read: 

Crystal Crowned by Elise Kova – 4/5 Stars

The Crown’s Dog by Elise Kova, ARC copy – 4/5 stars

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake, 2.5/5 stars

Lost Girls by Merrie DeStefano, ARC copy – 4/5 stars

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – 4.5/5 stars

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo – 4/5 Stars 

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo – 4/5 stars

The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury – DNF

Acquired:

Physical:

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry – A fellow Tower Guard member was unhauling and I decided to request this one! I can’t wait to read it!

Ebooks:

Lost Girls by Merrie DeStefano, ARC copy from Netgalley

The Firethorn Crown by Lea Doue – I saw this on another blog and I decided to grab a copy from Amazon! It looks so good!

The Angel Knight by Mary Ting, Review copy – I requested the first book from the author in exchange for a review and she was kind enough to gift me the prequel novella too!

The Chosen Knights by Mary Ting, Review copy

The Judgement by Melissa A. Craven, ARC copy – I received an ARC copy of this from the author! I absolutely loved the first book and I cannot wait to dive into this one!

Special posts:

Cover and Synopsis Reveal: The Crown’s Dog by Elise Kova

Meraki Candles: October Villainous Box

Cover Reveal: The Lost Girl by Candy Atkins

*Phew* That’s it!! I think I had an ok reading month and I really didn’t buy that many books – so, my husband should be happy! 😛 I guess it is time to start panicking about Christmas!

 

Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme hosted here. In order to participate, choose a random book from your TBR pile and show it off! Don’t forget to link back here and link me up so I can see what you guys picked!

Hey guys! Before I launch into this, for those of you who participate, would you guys be interested in a link up bit So that others can also check out what you guys picked, even if they don’t take part themselves?

Anyway, this weeks pick for me is a fandom that I need to join. It has been hyped up so much and people absolutely love the books! I recently read the Grisha trilogy in preparation for this book because it was set in the same world! I ordered it the other day from the Book Depository and I cannot even wait for it to arrive!

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Published: September 29th 2015 by Henry Holt and Company

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone…

A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes 

Kaz’s crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

I have heard a lot about this duology and I can’t wait to check it out for myself!!

What did you guys pick? Have you read this? What did you think?

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.

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Published: June 4th 2013 by Henry Holt and Co.

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. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I had a couple of issues with it like any book, but I was so hooked! It took me a little longer to read this book then it really should have and that was my fault, but I am so glad that I have this book in my life! Bardugo has created such an amazing world and characters that, whilst I have already started the last book, I don’t want this series to end!! Although… Six of Crows I’m coming for you soon!

I loved Alina’s strength in this book. She has definitely come into her own in a way that she wasn’t in the first book. She begins to accept who she really is and she begins to love the fact that she is a Grisha. She also becomes stronger in the sense that she becomes a leader and she owns it! However, she still had her moments of weakness in private and that is what kept her relatable to the readers as a whole, I think. You could still tell that the old Alina was still in there somewhere, despite being hidden by a really strong face.

I wanted more from the Darkling!!! I know he is supposed to be evil and whatnot, but I actually missed him. We did get him for the first part of the book and sometimes he showed up to Alina (which was kinda creepy), but I wanted more from him. I definitely could have used a POV from his side to see what he was getting up to. I do think that, whilst Alina is getting stronger, the Darkling is getting weaker. I think he cares in his own way for Alina and that blinds him to what she is going to do next.

Mal was my other issue with this book. I get that he is supposed to be the love interest with Alina, but I literally don’t get it. I don’t feel any spark or connection between them and I actually find him really irritating. I just want to punch him in the face. I’m hoping that they don’t end up together by the end of the last book because I would be really disappointed if they did – particularly because there are better people who are better suited to Alina than Mal. I think he would make a great best friend, just not love interest!

Can I also say that I loved Nikolai!! He was witty and extremely funny – but he used that to hide who he really was. I felt really sorry for him throughout the book, especially because his brother was such a douche. He was another character that I literally wanted to punch in the face. So many Punchable characters…

Can I also just mention THAT ENDING!!!!!!!!! Seriously… I was shocked and I still don’t even know how to begin processing that ending! I’m hoping for some major battle between Alina and the Darkling because it would be EPIC on a huge scale!

I absolutely loved this book and I cannot wait to carry on reading the last book! Im excited to see where these characters will go next and how it will end! I gave this book 4/5 stars.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Published: June 5th 2012 by Henry Holt and Company

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

I feel guilty for not having read this book sooner! I have had it on my kindle for months now and I kept putting it off for other books. #Problemsofabookaholic!! However, I am now currently kicking myself because I really should have read it sooner because it was just that AWESOME!!! I am so glad I have all three books on my kindle so that I can binge! I wanted to read this series first, because Six of Crows is set in the same world. So it made more sense to read this first, to get a feel for the world, before finally catching up to that series!

Alina was amazing in this book! I loved her! It was very easy to watch her growth as a character throughout the book because the changes she makes are huge. At the beginning she is this quiet character who usually keeps what she is feeling to herself, whereas, by the end of the book, she has definitely become that much stronger. I loved her interactions with Mal and the Darkling – although more with the Darkling until her revealed his true colours! Can I just say, I wish I had her gift!! It sounds so cool…

The Darkling… Where do I even begin with this characters. It’s characters like these that create trust issues. Seriously. We as readers have so many trust issues thanks to you authors. I knew that the Darkling was a villain. I knew it. I have the candle from the villainous box! However, with his interactions at the beginning, I was holding out hope. He seemed genuinely nice and caring and I really thought he was cute. Clearly I was mistaken. I still think he is pretty redeemable and he seems to be a misunderstood character. I think he has his own reasons for being the way that he is, we just don’t know them yet. I also loved the way that Alina, where others would just do as he says without telling him their opinions, told him what she was thinking and whether he was being a bit stupid. There is definitely a spark between them!

The world that Bardugo created was also extremely rich! I could have totally been there… despite the fact that I was in my living room for most of it! I loved the descriptions of the different places and activities! Can someone please transport me to this world??

The only real issue that I had with this book was probably Mal. I didn’t feel any particular connection to him and I didn’t feel any kind of spark between him and Alina. I wanted to because they do have a history together and they can be pretty cute together… but it just wasn’t there for me. I do not ship them, I’m afraid… I think we all know who I ship!!

All in all I really enjoyed this book! As I mentioned earlier, I have all three books on my kindle, so I have actually already jumped into book two! I am loving it so far! I gave this book 4.5/5 stars.