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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Six of Crows in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I know. I KNOW. I SLACK A LOT LATELY. 😳
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I’ve finally read <em>Six of Crows,</em> the book that everyone keeps talking about and won’t stop talking about (now everyone keeps talking about <i>Crooked Kingdom</i>, among other books), and <i>hellooo </i>this is better than the <i>Grisha </i>trilogy. I didn’t even like Alina or Mal from the first series - if anything, I liked the Darkling (bless his dark heart) and Stormhound (I keep wondering if he’ll appear and he doesn’t seem to have despite the fact there might be mentions of him 🤔).
Yet with <i>Six of Crows</i>… I like maybe 85% of the main characters. I say maybe because my math might actually be off and I’m too lazy to actually pull out a calculator and punch in some numbers to get what might be 0.84999. And it’s 85% because I might hate them later. That’s more than who I liked from the <i>Grisha </i>trilogy. 😱
<i>Six of Crows</i> technically has six main characters: Kaz, Inej, Nina, Matthias, Jesper, and Wylan (the odd little bean with no spotlight and therefore no prowling in his mind). All of whom are outcasts sent on a suicidal mission to rescue the creator of a drug that increases a Grisha’s power exponentially yet kills them in the end.
Five of which all have POVs switching around every chapter. I’m not a <i>huge </i>fan of multiple POVs because it can easily get confusing, but Bardugo wrote all five in a way that I’m not confused and running around like a little hamster who lost hold of how to stop its wheel.
The group of six are <i>fantastic </i>as a group - despite their differences, they get along pretty well and have a great dynamic together. They’re even better as pairs: Kaz and Inej, Nina and Matthias, Jesper and Wylan. I am all for witty and snark and just great dialogue. 😍
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. “Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I’m going to get Wylan’s ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute just so that I can annoy the hell out of your ghost.”
Brekker’s lips quirked. “I’ll just hire Matthias’ ghost to kick your ghost’s ass.”
“My ghost won’t associate with your ghost,” Matthias said primly.</blockquote>
In case anyone wonders…. I ship Kaz and Inej. They are, simply out, badass and go well together perfectly (apparently my ship doesn’t sail in the sequel, which I’m extremely disappointed about). Kaz is a brilliant leader leading the Dregs with all kinds of tricks and plans up his cane and never backs down from a mission no matter how impossible it may be. Inej is a highly skilled assassin who has a knack for sneaking up on people without them ever knowing. Have I mentioned under their tough exteriors, they’re occasionally softies and it’s cute?
Onto ze world… <i>Six of Crows</i> brings us back to the world of Grisha, onto a small little island off the coast of Ravka and Shu Han, and into a little area called Ketterdam where criminals and misfits of society lurk together. I really loved the drastic change from palaces to a complete polar opposite where one has to constantly watch their back. Throughout the duration of the book, I really liked Bardugo’s descriptions of each place the six travel on their way, especially with how Fjerda has this ice court with a palace virtually impossible to break into with all the top notch security that they have.
<i>Six of Crows</i> can be read regardless of whether or not the <i>Grisha </i>trilogy has been read - there’s excellent character dynamics, great dialogue that might cause a laugh or two, and a cast that come from all kinds of backgrounds.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/six-of-crows-by-leigh-bardugo-review/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
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I’ve finally read <em>Six of Crows,</em> the book that everyone keeps talking about and won’t stop talking about (now everyone keeps talking about <i>Crooked Kingdom</i>, among other books), and <i>hellooo </i>this is better than the <i>Grisha </i>trilogy. I didn’t even like Alina or Mal from the first series - if anything, I liked the Darkling (bless his dark heart) and Stormhound (I keep wondering if he’ll appear and he doesn’t seem to have despite the fact there might be mentions of him 🤔).
Yet with <i>Six of Crows</i>… I like maybe 85% of the main characters. I say maybe because my math might actually be off and I’m too lazy to actually pull out a calculator and punch in some numbers to get what might be 0.84999. And it’s 85% because I might hate them later. That’s more than who I liked from the <i>Grisha </i>trilogy. 😱
<i>Six of Crows</i> technically has six main characters: Kaz, Inej, Nina, Matthias, Jesper, and Wylan (the odd little bean with no spotlight and therefore no prowling in his mind). All of whom are outcasts sent on a suicidal mission to rescue the creator of a drug that increases a Grisha’s power exponentially yet kills them in the end.
Five of which all have POVs switching around every chapter. I’m not a <i>huge </i>fan of multiple POVs because it can easily get confusing, but Bardugo wrote all five in a way that I’m not confused and running around like a little hamster who lost hold of how to stop its wheel.
The group of six are <i>fantastic </i>as a group - despite their differences, they get along pretty well and have a great dynamic together. They’re even better as pairs: Kaz and Inej, Nina and Matthias, Jesper and Wylan. I am all for witty and snark and just great dialogue. 😍
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. “Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I’m going to get Wylan’s ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute just so that I can annoy the hell out of your ghost.”
Brekker’s lips quirked. “I’ll just hire Matthias’ ghost to kick your ghost’s ass.”
“My ghost won’t associate with your ghost,” Matthias said primly.</blockquote>
In case anyone wonders…. I ship Kaz and Inej. They are, simply out, badass and go well together perfectly (apparently my ship doesn’t sail in the sequel, which I’m extremely disappointed about). Kaz is a brilliant leader leading the Dregs with all kinds of tricks and plans up his cane and never backs down from a mission no matter how impossible it may be. Inej is a highly skilled assassin who has a knack for sneaking up on people without them ever knowing. Have I mentioned under their tough exteriors, they’re occasionally softies and it’s cute?
Onto ze world… <i>Six of Crows</i> brings us back to the world of Grisha, onto a small little island off the coast of Ravka and Shu Han, and into a little area called Ketterdam where criminals and misfits of society lurk together. I really loved the drastic change from palaces to a complete polar opposite where one has to constantly watch their back. Throughout the duration of the book, I really liked Bardugo’s descriptions of each place the six travel on their way, especially with how Fjerda has this ice court with a palace virtually impossible to break into with all the top notch security that they have.
<i>Six of Crows</i> can be read regardless of whether or not the <i>Grisha </i>trilogy has been read - there’s excellent character dynamics, great dialogue that might cause a laugh or two, and a cast that come from all kinds of backgrounds.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/six-of-crows-by-leigh-bardugo-review/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Kyera (8 KP) rated Six of Crows in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Six of Crows is set in the world of the Grisha trilogy, but with an entirely new cast of characters. As the reader is already familiar with the world it only takes a few chapters to be hooked. The beginning of the book introduces us to the gang who we will accompany on a perilous journey.
Kaz is the mysterious leader with the gaze of a shark. He keeps more secrets than a diary and trusts no one. Kaz is never without his crow's head cane, gloves and willingness to do anything to get the job done. Inej is a wraith, able to make herself unnoticeable and get almost anywhere. She can scale walls, discover secret and have a blade in a man's back before he is any the wiser. Jesper is a good shot and prone to outbursts. He also has a gambling problem that has put him so far in debt that the only way out is to join Kaz on this likely deadly mission. Nina is the resident Grisha and a heartrender, although she must use her skills at times to heal or transform the others. She and Mattais have a history that is never far from either his mind. Mattias is Fjerdan and knows their target, but the only thing keeping him on this journey is the promise of a pardon at the end. Finally, it's Wylan the insurance and the son of the man offering them 30 million kruge to complete the job. He's also good with demolition and bombs, but not enough to warrant his place on the crew.
The mission is impossible or near to it, but they all have their reasons for needing it to succeed. Even though they're crooks, murderers and thieves you want them to succeed. They're strangely likable. All humans with flaws and backstories to show how they became the people they are and why. Leigh Bardugo's characters are wonderfully complex and well-developed. Each person's history is fluidly woven into the story and does not pull the reader out of the narrative or make them wish for a novella to help further flesh out the story or characters.
By the end, you love this misfit gang of hooligans and can't wait to read the stunning conclusion to this duology. Highly recommended to young adult readers who enjoy fantasy with great world building and character development.
Kaz is the mysterious leader with the gaze of a shark. He keeps more secrets than a diary and trusts no one. Kaz is never without his crow's head cane, gloves and willingness to do anything to get the job done. Inej is a wraith, able to make herself unnoticeable and get almost anywhere. She can scale walls, discover secret and have a blade in a man's back before he is any the wiser. Jesper is a good shot and prone to outbursts. He also has a gambling problem that has put him so far in debt that the only way out is to join Kaz on this likely deadly mission. Nina is the resident Grisha and a heartrender, although she must use her skills at times to heal or transform the others. She and Mattais have a history that is never far from either his mind. Mattias is Fjerdan and knows their target, but the only thing keeping him on this journey is the promise of a pardon at the end. Finally, it's Wylan the insurance and the son of the man offering them 30 million kruge to complete the job. He's also good with demolition and bombs, but not enough to warrant his place on the crew.
The mission is impossible or near to it, but they all have their reasons for needing it to succeed. Even though they're crooks, murderers and thieves you want them to succeed. They're strangely likable. All humans with flaws and backstories to show how they became the people they are and why. Leigh Bardugo's characters are wonderfully complex and well-developed. Each person's history is fluidly woven into the story and does not pull the reader out of the narrative or make them wish for a novella to help further flesh out the story or characters.
By the end, you love this misfit gang of hooligans and can't wait to read the stunning conclusion to this duology. Highly recommended to young adult readers who enjoy fantasy with great world building and character development.
Asiza Tait (139 KP) rated Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Bream Reading Club Reviews of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Total Stars out of 5: 3 Stars
The first book in the Grisha Trilogy was full of promise. Dynamic and different, full of interesting places and characters, it ended on a cliff hanger pulling the reader in to read book two. Unfortunately as it often is with cases like this, the first book was great and the rest was not.
We are introduced to Alina and Mal, orphans who are raised together in the same orphanage. Some of our members assumed their affection was more familial so their stilted and lengthy romance felt awkward and though the rest of us ‘saw it coming’ it still felt contrived. Their love story we assumed was supposed to be something truly epic, a love that overcome all odds, but by book three we were still left wanting, perhaps the author changed her mind half way, leaving the reader sadly unfulfilled.
Alina is discovered to be the long awaited for ‘Sun Summoner’ the one the Darkling has been waiting for. The Darkling is a very interesting character, one with depth and personality. For a little while one almost looks forward to the relationship beginning to form between Alina and him, but that hope is for nought. It felt as if the author was afraid to let these two characters have a night in the same bed, and veered away from it instead of facing it head on. The light and dark of their respective powers draw these two together, but any chance of them bonding is ripped away with an old lady called Bhagra compelling Alina to run away, revealing what the Darkling really is.
Alina made good her escape but not for long. The Darkling’s powers are overwhelming and she is soon back in his grasp. The books ends with Alina managing to take control again of her own power and saves Mal’s life while sacrificing other Grisha in the process.
If you’ve noticed how Mal is not spoken about a whole lot in this review it is because his character is undeveloped. He is supposed to be the ‘hero’ in this story but all we saw of him was a square. He is immature and all the members agreed that Mal was short changed when it came to putting him on paper.
For all its promise, it did not deliver.
Total Stars out of 5: 3 Stars
The first book in the Grisha Trilogy was full of promise. Dynamic and different, full of interesting places and characters, it ended on a cliff hanger pulling the reader in to read book two. Unfortunately as it often is with cases like this, the first book was great and the rest was not.
We are introduced to Alina and Mal, orphans who are raised together in the same orphanage. Some of our members assumed their affection was more familial so their stilted and lengthy romance felt awkward and though the rest of us ‘saw it coming’ it still felt contrived. Their love story we assumed was supposed to be something truly epic, a love that overcome all odds, but by book three we were still left wanting, perhaps the author changed her mind half way, leaving the reader sadly unfulfilled.
Alina is discovered to be the long awaited for ‘Sun Summoner’ the one the Darkling has been waiting for. The Darkling is a very interesting character, one with depth and personality. For a little while one almost looks forward to the relationship beginning to form between Alina and him, but that hope is for nought. It felt as if the author was afraid to let these two characters have a night in the same bed, and veered away from it instead of facing it head on. The light and dark of their respective powers draw these two together, but any chance of them bonding is ripped away with an old lady called Bhagra compelling Alina to run away, revealing what the Darkling really is.
Alina made good her escape but not for long. The Darkling’s powers are overwhelming and she is soon back in his grasp. The books ends with Alina managing to take control again of her own power and saves Mal’s life while sacrificing other Grisha in the process.
If you’ve noticed how Mal is not spoken about a whole lot in this review it is because his character is undeveloped. He is supposed to be the ‘hero’ in this story but all we saw of him was a square. He is immature and all the members agreed that Mal was short changed when it came to putting him on paper.
For all its promise, it did not deliver.
Becs (244 KP) rated The Demon in the Wood in Books
Aug 8, 2019
HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL THIS WAS GOOD!!
“Fear is a powerful ally, but feed it too often, make it too strong, and it will turn on you.”
TRIGGER WARNINGS: bullying, death, murder
Review:
This novella is a bit shorter than most novellas I’ve read, but that doesn’t take anything away from this wonderfully executed novella! It delves deep into the past of the Darkling, allowing the reader to glimpse a semi-sweet boy that was turned dark because of how people wanted to use him for the rare powers he possessed.
Holy mother of pearl! I really truly enjoyed looking into where the Darkling came from and what his past contained before the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. At first, I was a bit confused but it eventually picked up. I do wish there was a way to pronounce all of the names as I’m clueless on how they are correctly said loll.
This story of the Darklings past, was not only heartbreaking but also soul crushing. You get to see the multi layers of the Darkling forming and he begins to become the complex character he is in Shadow and Bone. The yearning for a place to live, the loneliness he felt of not being able to get close with anyone, and the suffering created a beautifully written and executed novella. The writing had a captivating presence and I was left with wanting more of who the Darkling was. Which I got a bit in devouring Shadow and Bone, but I wish this novella was longer!
“The Grisha lived as shadows did, passing over the surface of the world, touching nothing, forced to change their shapes and hide in corners, driven by fear as shadows were driven by the sun. No safe place. No haven. There will be… I will make one.”
TRIGGER WARNINGS: bullying, death, murder
Review:
This novella is a bit shorter than most novellas I’ve read, but that doesn’t take anything away from this wonderfully executed novella! It delves deep into the past of the Darkling, allowing the reader to glimpse a semi-sweet boy that was turned dark because of how people wanted to use him for the rare powers he possessed.
Holy mother of pearl! I really truly enjoyed looking into where the Darkling came from and what his past contained before the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. At first, I was a bit confused but it eventually picked up. I do wish there was a way to pronounce all of the names as I’m clueless on how they are correctly said loll.
This story of the Darklings past, was not only heartbreaking but also soul crushing. You get to see the multi layers of the Darkling forming and he begins to become the complex character he is in Shadow and Bone. The yearning for a place to live, the loneliness he felt of not being able to get close with anyone, and the suffering created a beautifully written and executed novella. The writing had a captivating presence and I was left with wanting more of who the Darkling was. Which I got a bit in devouring Shadow and Bone, but I wish this novella was longer!
“The Grisha lived as shadows did, passing over the surface of the world, touching nothing, forced to change their shapes and hide in corners, driven by fear as shadows were driven by the sun. No safe place. No haven. There will be… I will make one.”
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated Six of Crows in Books
Jan 9, 2018
Every so often a book will come along which will make you re-evaluate all the 5 star reviews you have given in the past. Six of Crows for me is that book. Set in Leigh Bardugo's "Grishaverse" it is the tale of an impossible heist where the rewards far outweigh the risk. Our main protagonist Kaz Brekker is fast becoming a legend in the bowels of the Barrel, the criminal underworld of Ketterdam. He is young, but a driven and ruthless trickster, with a team to match. They are tasked with breaching the heavily fortified Ice Court to rescue a scientist held hostage. It's a feat which has never been achieved, but with the promise of a reward that will take Kaz and his team out of the bottom of the Barrel it's risk he's willing to take, after all, just how many things could go wrong?
Six of Crows is told in multiple points of view, which can sometimes be confusing for me but there were only a couple of occasions that I found myself flipping back to the start of the chapter to remind myself who in the limelight. I felt that this was a style that worked really well with this story as the main six often found themselves in different places with different tasks and this way of storytelling allowed it all to come seamlessly together. Whilst it does majorly involve the Grisha, I found it was a world that I easily fell into pace with, without having read the Grisha Trilogy first. I'm told there are a number of nods which are present but I never felt lost or like I was missing out.
The characters are fantastic, my favourite by far was Inej, the wraith. Rescued from the oldest profession by Kaz, she is a force to be reckoned with, a silent assassin. There are no walls she can't climb or secrets she can't glean. I felt most for her, what she had been through before joining with Kaz and how it had driven her to become who she now was. I loved the sense of purpose that grew within her throughout the story. The others too though all have their stories to tell, a proper band of misfits all with their secrets and terrible histories that have shaped them. It's hard to remember that they are all teenagers, but then that makes them easier to underestimate.
The audacity behind Kaz's plan is immeasurable and it is through this that I am just in awe of the writing. At just shy of 500 pages there was not a single moment of rest for the reader, I felt on edge every step of the way. I felt fear for these characters, trepidation but also the good humour that only a rag tag bunch of forgotten teenagers could have in the circumstances they faced. I simply did not want to put this down, at all. The last of the six sections I tried to slow down as I knew it was coming to an end but it pulled me in and wouldn't let go. It's rare for a book to leave me breathless, but this one really did. It's the first of a duology and I can't wait for pay day to roll round so I can pick up Crooked Kingdom. If I could give this six stars I would, It's a truly amazing read and If you're a YA fantasy fan you will not be disappointed!
Six of Crows is told in multiple points of view, which can sometimes be confusing for me but there were only a couple of occasions that I found myself flipping back to the start of the chapter to remind myself who in the limelight. I felt that this was a style that worked really well with this story as the main six often found themselves in different places with different tasks and this way of storytelling allowed it all to come seamlessly together. Whilst it does majorly involve the Grisha, I found it was a world that I easily fell into pace with, without having read the Grisha Trilogy first. I'm told there are a number of nods which are present but I never felt lost or like I was missing out.
The characters are fantastic, my favourite by far was Inej, the wraith. Rescued from the oldest profession by Kaz, she is a force to be reckoned with, a silent assassin. There are no walls she can't climb or secrets she can't glean. I felt most for her, what she had been through before joining with Kaz and how it had driven her to become who she now was. I loved the sense of purpose that grew within her throughout the story. The others too though all have their stories to tell, a proper band of misfits all with their secrets and terrible histories that have shaped them. It's hard to remember that they are all teenagers, but then that makes them easier to underestimate.
The audacity behind Kaz's plan is immeasurable and it is through this that I am just in awe of the writing. At just shy of 500 pages there was not a single moment of rest for the reader, I felt on edge every step of the way. I felt fear for these characters, trepidation but also the good humour that only a rag tag bunch of forgotten teenagers could have in the circumstances they faced. I simply did not want to put this down, at all. The last of the six sections I tried to slow down as I knew it was coming to an end but it pulled me in and wouldn't let go. It's rare for a book to leave me breathless, but this one really did. It's the first of a duology and I can't wait for pay day to roll round so I can pick up Crooked Kingdom. If I could give this six stars I would, It's a truly amazing read and If you're a YA fantasy fan you will not be disappointed!
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I'm not as terribly fond of the <i>Shadow and Bone </i>trilogy as Rundus is – I wasn't fond of it since <i><a title="Shadow and Bone" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-shadow-and-bone-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shadow and Bone</a></i> – but while <i>Ruin and Rising</i> definitely isn't my favorite way to read the end to a series, it wasn't exactly bad to listen to.
In fact, it was a delight to listen to – there were no heavy accents and each of the characters had a different voice, almost as though this were a radio show. Lauren Fortgang might be my favorite narrator compared to all the narrators I've listened to (second being the narrator behind <a title="The Young Elites by Marie Lu" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-young-elites-by-marie-lu/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adelina from <i>The Young Elites</i></a>).
<i>Ruin and Rising</i> is the third and final book in the <i>Shadow and Bone </i>trilogy, with the Darkling taking over the Ravkan throne and Alina under the Apparat's protection underground. While the people worship her as a Saint, Alina is more worried about finding the third amplifier, the prince, and bringing down the Darkling.
The book starts out quite slow – Alina is trying to recover from the attack in <i><a title="Siege and Storm" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Siege and Storm</a></i> and there's a bit of tension among the characters. Alina and her companions spend literally half the book focusing on the firebird with very little going on – there's an occasional attack or two, or maybe running, but other than that, Alina is just obsessed with finding the firebird and unraveling Morozova's journals. Mainly she's just very obsessed with finding the firebird, and it sort of irked me a little that she spends a lot of time doing so (naturally I hate obsession, even though I'm obsessed with reading). That, and the very fact she has a temper that I'm not a huge fan of.
What kept the entire book entertaining, though, was the bantering between the Grisha. I found myself growing a little fond of Zoya (even though she's a little evil-minded), Misha is just absolutely adorable, Alina and Mal try to mend together the rough patches between them throughout the course of the book. With the amount of stalling going on, I figured Alina and her companions were amping up for the Darkling and the finale would be spectacular – it would be mind-blowing and mind-boggling.
I didn't exactly get the mind-blowing result that I would have liked (it was pretty much expected), but I'm pretty satisfied with the ending and have good hopes for the impending spinoff (definitely not as excited as Rundus).
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-ruin-and-rising-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
In fact, it was a delight to listen to – there were no heavy accents and each of the characters had a different voice, almost as though this were a radio show. Lauren Fortgang might be my favorite narrator compared to all the narrators I've listened to (second being the narrator behind <a title="The Young Elites by Marie Lu" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-young-elites-by-marie-lu/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adelina from <i>The Young Elites</i></a>).
<i>Ruin and Rising</i> is the third and final book in the <i>Shadow and Bone </i>trilogy, with the Darkling taking over the Ravkan throne and Alina under the Apparat's protection underground. While the people worship her as a Saint, Alina is more worried about finding the third amplifier, the prince, and bringing down the Darkling.
The book starts out quite slow – Alina is trying to recover from the attack in <i><a title="Siege and Storm" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Siege and Storm</a></i> and there's a bit of tension among the characters. Alina and her companions spend literally half the book focusing on the firebird with very little going on – there's an occasional attack or two, or maybe running, but other than that, Alina is just obsessed with finding the firebird and unraveling Morozova's journals. Mainly she's just very obsessed with finding the firebird, and it sort of irked me a little that she spends a lot of time doing so (naturally I hate obsession, even though I'm obsessed with reading). That, and the very fact she has a temper that I'm not a huge fan of.
What kept the entire book entertaining, though, was the bantering between the Grisha. I found myself growing a little fond of Zoya (even though she's a little evil-minded), Misha is just absolutely adorable, Alina and Mal try to mend together the rough patches between them throughout the course of the book. With the amount of stalling going on, I figured Alina and her companions were amping up for the Darkling and the finale would be spectacular – it would be mind-blowing and mind-boggling.
I didn't exactly get the mind-blowing result that I would have liked (it was pretty much expected), but I'm pretty satisfied with the ending and have good hopes for the impending spinoff (definitely not as excited as Rundus).
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-ruin-and-rising-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Dana (24 KP) rated Six of Crows in Books
Mar 23, 2018
Oh My Gosh!
Can we start out with this cover? It is absolutely gorgeous! And the dyed edges on the paper make me want to weep with joy. I love books that do that, but it isn't done enough in my opinion.
Okay, so on with the review.
I actually really enjoyed this book. It has been a while since I was able to actually read something for fun, so this was awesome to be able to pick up and devour.
I was kind of skeptical about it because there are so many spin-off series that don't work as well as the originals and make me start to dislike the series. This, however, exceeded all expectations. I actually think I enjoyed this book more than the originals!
The characters were well fleshed out and all had interesting quirks about them. I loved being able to delve into each character and their backstories when it was their turn to narrate. I do wish that some things were told a bit earlier, just to clear up any questions I had, but I think it still worked very well when those parts were told to the audience.
One thing that I really appreciate is that there are no love triangles!!! Yay!!! Also, bad ass females who don't need the male characters to validate them! And inclusiveness in sexuality!! Just, so much love for this book.
I enjoyed how I was able to root for the criminals who would, in all honestly, probably be seen as the villains in any other novel. It was refreshing for the characters to know they aren't the heroes, but are still able to be heroic in their own way.
Minor spoilers ahead!!! Turn back if you have not read the whole book!!!!
I loved that there were references to the characters in the Grisha trilogy!! When I recognized their names, I did a little happy dance.
There was a small reference (that may have been just me wanting it to be there) to The Breakfast Club on page 332.
My favorite passage from the novel would have to be from one of Inej's chapters on page 136 where she is thinking about true love. It was so interesting to see those feelings written out in a way that I would have never thought to see it as!
Overall, I absolutely adored this book and I can't wait for the next one to come out. I am mad at myself that I didn't read this sooner!
Can we start out with this cover? It is absolutely gorgeous! And the dyed edges on the paper make me want to weep with joy. I love books that do that, but it isn't done enough in my opinion.
Okay, so on with the review.
I actually really enjoyed this book. It has been a while since I was able to actually read something for fun, so this was awesome to be able to pick up and devour.
I was kind of skeptical about it because there are so many spin-off series that don't work as well as the originals and make me start to dislike the series. This, however, exceeded all expectations. I actually think I enjoyed this book more than the originals!
The characters were well fleshed out and all had interesting quirks about them. I loved being able to delve into each character and their backstories when it was their turn to narrate. I do wish that some things were told a bit earlier, just to clear up any questions I had, but I think it still worked very well when those parts were told to the audience.
One thing that I really appreciate is that there are no love triangles!!! Yay!!! Also, bad ass females who don't need the male characters to validate them! And inclusiveness in sexuality!! Just, so much love for this book.
I enjoyed how I was able to root for the criminals who would, in all honestly, probably be seen as the villains in any other novel. It was refreshing for the characters to know they aren't the heroes, but are still able to be heroic in their own way.
Minor spoilers ahead!!! Turn back if you have not read the whole book!!!!
I loved that there were references to the characters in the Grisha trilogy!! When I recognized their names, I did a little happy dance.
There was a small reference (that may have been just me wanting it to be there) to The Breakfast Club on page 332.
My favorite passage from the novel would have to be from one of Inej's chapters on page 136 where she is thinking about true love. It was so interesting to see those feelings written out in a way that I would have never thought to see it as!
Overall, I absolutely adored this book and I can't wait for the next one to come out. I am mad at myself that I didn't read this sooner!
The Thief (The Queen's Thief #1)
6.5
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Discover the world of the Queen's Thief New York Times-bestselling author Megan Whalen Turner's...
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Dreamstrider in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Every time the concept body invasion appears in a book, I regard it with absolute awe and creepiness (an odd combination, methinks).
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/11/supernatural_dudeyes.gif"; width="320" height="179" border="0" /></div>
Have I mentioned I feel really disturbed over the idea of someone a dreamstrider having the ability to take control of your body and access to your thoughts while unconscious, even for a short period of time?
The concept, however, is uber-cool. Smith brings us to a fantasy world where using dreams in the form of espionage is completely acceptable as a dreamstrider, Livia works for the ministry, and she inhabits another persons body while they are asleep.
If I placed Livia in a character category, she would be right next to Alina Starkov from Leigh Bardugos <i>Grisha</i> trilogy. Over the course of the book, shes on the downside; on the plus side, it fits so well with Livias character and past. Livia lived her entire life as a tunneler, trying to survive day by day until she meets Professor Hesse, where she is introduced to her potential as a dreamstrider and the good she can do for the empire for her citizenship and freedom.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/11/freedom.gif"; width="320" height="128" border="0" /></div>
Unlike Alina Starkov (Alina is too mopey over Mal, okay?), Livias mope is more realistic. She has big dreams and strives to achieve them, crushes over her best friend (its harder for males to be one of my best friends that circle is <em>elite</em>), secretly sweet, and insecure/cautious about many things.
But enough about Livia and how shes secretly awesome even though she will never <i>ever</i> admit it. I didnt feel very into <em>Dreamstrider</em> the passphrases in the Land of the Iron Winds are written in a very rhythmic style, but I didnt care too much aside from the fact it sounds poetic. But poetry and I dont get along, and this is why I will never read Ellen Hopkins. I have nothing against the author, though.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/11/I-Know-Nothing-Apparently-On-Game-Of-Thrones.gif"; width="320" height="179" border="0" /></div>
Ellen Hopkins aside, dreaming is a big deal it plays a part in almost everything in the Barstadt Empire, but it felt more like a cultural thing (like Greek myths are to Greeks). Im taking it all in, but the whole dreaming thing? Its just there, and the only big deal seemed to be using dreaming in detective work and finding out information. The whole point of the book is really just Livia becoming more confident in not just herself, but her abilities. By the end of the book, I felt satisfied, but I just wanted more from the book.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-dreamstrider-by-lindsay-smi/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Every time the concept body invasion appears in a book, I regard it with absolute awe and creepiness (an odd combination, methinks).
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/11/supernatural_dudeyes.gif"; width="320" height="179" border="0" /></div>
Have I mentioned I feel really disturbed over the idea of someone a dreamstrider having the ability to take control of your body and access to your thoughts while unconscious, even for a short period of time?
The concept, however, is uber-cool. Smith brings us to a fantasy world where using dreams in the form of espionage is completely acceptable as a dreamstrider, Livia works for the ministry, and she inhabits another persons body while they are asleep.
If I placed Livia in a character category, she would be right next to Alina Starkov from Leigh Bardugos <i>Grisha</i> trilogy. Over the course of the book, shes on the downside; on the plus side, it fits so well with Livias character and past. Livia lived her entire life as a tunneler, trying to survive day by day until she meets Professor Hesse, where she is introduced to her potential as a dreamstrider and the good she can do for the empire for her citizenship and freedom.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/11/freedom.gif"; width="320" height="128" border="0" /></div>
Unlike Alina Starkov (Alina is too mopey over Mal, okay?), Livias mope is more realistic. She has big dreams and strives to achieve them, crushes over her best friend (its harder for males to be one of my best friends that circle is <em>elite</em>), secretly sweet, and insecure/cautious about many things.
But enough about Livia and how shes secretly awesome even though she will never <i>ever</i> admit it. I didnt feel very into <em>Dreamstrider</em> the passphrases in the Land of the Iron Winds are written in a very rhythmic style, but I didnt care too much aside from the fact it sounds poetic. But poetry and I dont get along, and this is why I will never read Ellen Hopkins. I have nothing against the author, though.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.bookblog.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2015/11/I-Know-Nothing-Apparently-On-Game-Of-Thrones.gif"; width="320" height="179" border="0" /></div>
Ellen Hopkins aside, dreaming is a big deal it plays a part in almost everything in the Barstadt Empire, but it felt more like a cultural thing (like Greek myths are to Greeks). Im taking it all in, but the whole dreaming thing? Its just there, and the only big deal seemed to be using dreaming in detective work and finding out information. The whole point of the book is really just Livia becoming more confident in not just herself, but her abilities. By the end of the book, I felt satisfied, but I just wanted more from the book.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-dreamstrider-by-lindsay-smi/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
This is both a very unique and fairly faithful retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast fairytale. Hunted takes place in Russia and our main character Yeva (Beauty) is a huntress. She is headstrong, kind, caring, has a bit of a temper and can be vengeful - but overall I quite liked her character.
Like the classic tale, Beauty is the youngest of three sisters and daughter of a merchant. In some versions, she also has three brothers and her sisters are unkind - but that is not the case in this retelling. They live in a nice house until a shipping gamble costs them everything. They are forced to move to their father's old hunting cabin, which is a three-day walk from their current home. Her father used to be a hunter, but his wife believed that it was too dangerous and asked him to stop. Despite that, as a child Beauty was allowed to go hunting with her father and learned to love it. Unfortunately, as she grew her father decided that it was not the way a lady should purport herself and no longer allowed her to hunt.
After the loss of their fortune, Yeva and her family must learn to make due with less. Her father takes up hunting again and goes off to catch game for them to store for the winter. Unfortunately, when he returns he is distraught and swears that the Beast he saw when he was younger is stalking him. When he doesn't return from his second trip, Yeva sets out to find him and this is where the story adopts some significantly different elements from the original tale.
In the original, the father enters a castle and accepts his host's hospitality, but upon leaving takes a single rose for his daughter Beauty and is told he has a choice. He shall either be condemned to death for it or he must stay in the castle. While these are not the events that lead to Yeva's time in the castle, nevertheless she ends up imprisoned there. Over time, she and the Beast grow to know one another - but her treatment isn't as kind overall as the original.
I really enjoyed the tales that Yeva told while she was in captivity because they built the lore of the world and gave us a look into what the characters had grown up listening to. Although Yeva spent most of her time as the castle, I do wish that we were able to get to know the other characters like her sisters a little better. They seem very kind, but relatively one-dimensional. As a result of the Beast's curse, I don't feel like we got to know him as well as we could have. I would have loved to watch him grow and connect with him as Yeva does so that I could feel that </i>yes, they could fall in love.</i> I liked Yeva, but her dog Doe-Eyes was probably my favourite character. The dog was so cheerful and loyal that you couldn't help but love her.
The world that Yeva knows is not one we get to see very often in young adult literature. It is a melding of Russia, with its unique environment and folklore, with a more fantastical world. Yeva tells tales of the Firebird, sees a creature that is half dragon and half woman, and learns to listen to the music of that other world. The world itself reminds me a lot of the Grisha trilogy, although the plots and characters are nothing alike. I would love to experience more of the lore that built this enchanted world in the form of novellas.
I would highly recommend this to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytales and retellings, especially ones with a unique take on the tale that includes a lot of culture and lore.
Like the classic tale, Beauty is the youngest of three sisters and daughter of a merchant. In some versions, she also has three brothers and her sisters are unkind - but that is not the case in this retelling. They live in a nice house until a shipping gamble costs them everything. They are forced to move to their father's old hunting cabin, which is a three-day walk from their current home. Her father used to be a hunter, but his wife believed that it was too dangerous and asked him to stop. Despite that, as a child Beauty was allowed to go hunting with her father and learned to love it. Unfortunately, as she grew her father decided that it was not the way a lady should purport herself and no longer allowed her to hunt.
After the loss of their fortune, Yeva and her family must learn to make due with less. Her father takes up hunting again and goes off to catch game for them to store for the winter. Unfortunately, when he returns he is distraught and swears that the Beast he saw when he was younger is stalking him. When he doesn't return from his second trip, Yeva sets out to find him and this is where the story adopts some significantly different elements from the original tale.
In the original, the father enters a castle and accepts his host's hospitality, but upon leaving takes a single rose for his daughter Beauty and is told he has a choice. He shall either be condemned to death for it or he must stay in the castle. While these are not the events that lead to Yeva's time in the castle, nevertheless she ends up imprisoned there. Over time, she and the Beast grow to know one another - but her treatment isn't as kind overall as the original.
I really enjoyed the tales that Yeva told while she was in captivity because they built the lore of the world and gave us a look into what the characters had grown up listening to. Although Yeva spent most of her time as the castle, I do wish that we were able to get to know the other characters like her sisters a little better. They seem very kind, but relatively one-dimensional. As a result of the Beast's curse, I don't feel like we got to know him as well as we could have. I would have loved to watch him grow and connect with him as Yeva does so that I could feel that </i>yes, they could fall in love.</i> I liked Yeva, but her dog Doe-Eyes was probably my favourite character. The dog was so cheerful and loyal that you couldn't help but love her.
The world that Yeva knows is not one we get to see very often in young adult literature. It is a melding of Russia, with its unique environment and folklore, with a more fantastical world. Yeva tells tales of the Firebird, sees a creature that is half dragon and half woman, and learns to listen to the music of that other world. The world itself reminds me a lot of the Grisha trilogy, although the plots and characters are nothing alike. I would love to experience more of the lore that built this enchanted world in the form of novellas.
I would highly recommend this to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytales and retellings, especially ones with a unique take on the tale that includes a lot of culture and lore.