I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. I ended up putting my life on hold to find out what happened next.

Lots of ambiguous motivations and a well crafted universe combine to create a compelling tale of magic and mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

A beyond fantastic start to a trilogy! The main character is so complex and real that it made this magical world feel normal. Also the Darkling is such a clever villain as you can't help but start off adoring him. Overall a brilliant book, and I wholly think the new cover set really suits the series and reflects the magic inside.

I wasn't hugely enamoured with this book. Alina was quite relatable and I was intrigued by the Darkling until it turned out he was evil. I haven't been this disappointed with a book since Wonder. I was just about to let slide quiet, unattractive Alina being all powerful and amazing but this was one cliche to far. Her friend who was a dick and then decided he'd die for her was also nonsense. There were nice moments, the petty bitching of the court should have bothered me but actually made it all the more believable, and the Russian influences added an unusual air to things. I'm loathe to read the sequel but as I already have a copy I expect I probably will (I'm informed it's better!)

Where to start with this one? Well firstly it is nowhere near as long as Six of Crows. Don't read that the wrong way, I'm all for a weighty tome, but it's nice to have a quicker read every now and then. What I appreciate is you don't feel like any of the plot has been compromised for the sake of length. There are some books that feel like they are missing half the information you need, others where they bore you with endless description (yes I'm still bitter about Those Above). This, by contrast, felt like a happy medium, the perfect length for what it needed to achieve.

Character-wise I was sold. I couldn't help but be reminded of those many YA novels where someone 'discovers a unique power' and how it is so often SUCH a cliché.* In this case it never feels that way. Certainly there are a lot of aspects to this book that you can find in many a YA fantasy novel. However, in the unique world Bardugo creates they somehow don't feel as irritating.

*For an interesting take on the 'strong female character' cliché you can check out the blog tour for Firestorm that was up earlier in December.

It was interesting to have read Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom before reading this book. Obviously I already had a handle on the basics of the magic system in this world. However, seeing it from another perspective is a wonderful way of fleshing out your worldbuilding. I'm impressed that Bardugo has managed to write a set of books in the same universe where it wouldn't matter in which order you read them. They certainly enhance one another but you're not missing anything by reading them in a non-specific order. It's kind of like Discworld in that sense - though who could compare to Discworld?

I loved the characters, I was obsessed with the story, I wanted to know more but I wasn't left feeling unsatisfied. I'm looking to add to my Leigh Bardugo shelf with the rest of the titles in this series (right after I finish Wonder Woman: Warbringer).

My rating: 5/5 stars

I cannot believe how long it has taken me to pick up this series. Like many others the mixed reviews had put me off. Also the rave reviews for the Six of Crows Duology put me off. I don’t always do well with hyped series but this was a breath of fresh air. Our lead characters’ tale from rags to riches and the intrigue around court life had me hooked and I now want to read all of this series and the next. The authors writing in engaging and well written. If you are looking for a solid, well written fantasy than I highly recommend this book and series.

I enjoyed the book although I wasn’t blown away I found it a good read. Wouldn’t hurry to read the next ones but they will be on my to read list.

Book Review:

So this book is weird. I actually read this book years ago but when I saw it on NetGalley I couldn't help but pick it up as not enough people have read this book so hopefully, this review will inspire you. I love Shadow and Bone and hope you do too.

The weird thing is that I kind of feel like I was early to the party because I hear so many people talking about the Six of Crows duology but not many discussing this one but I've always liked this more than that book. I feel like because it is based on Russian mythology and the first time I read it I was studying Russian history.

I just feel like Leigh Bardugo sets up the world so nicely in this book that I was grabbed in. I feel in love with Alina and Mal. There relationship and just the whole adventure that takes place. I definitely do need to reread it but my TBR is massive and I know if I start I would want to reread the series so...

Basically, this review is telling you how great this series is and that you need to read it!

The Verdict:

Shadow and Bone is a book that shows what Leigh Bardugo does best. It is a masterclass in YA fantasy and is a book that everyone should read.

I really wanted to like this book and there are things to like. The opening paragraph is great and the first chapter really does set the scene of the book. The descriptions of The Fold are well done and add menace to the situation and the pace is fast moving. However, I can’t help but compare it to other YA fantasies I have read recently and unfortunately for me it doesn’t quite match in quality to some recent reads.
The main character Alina bothers me, I want to like her, I want her to turn into a confident young woman but she leaves me feeling rather flat. She never seems happy with her situation and is easily manipulated by those around her. I preferred the character of Mal, but again I don’t feel he was ‘fleshed’ out enough. The whole love triangle seemed very unlikely and left me feeling rather cold.
The book is fast paced and there are some lovely descriptions of the palaces but it did lack a little world building for me. I love a fantasy were the world comes alive, I felt more could be made of the world that Alina and Mal are in. The whole book came together a little fast and although I don’t like padding for paddings sake, some of the story could have been made more of. I did love the way the book came full circle, the last few paragraphs written in the style of the first chapter pulled it together nicely.
Having said all of this I probably will give the other books a go, this was a quick read for me. I am hoping that the world will be ‘built’ and I would like to know where the journey goes. If you are new YA fantasy this is probably a good jumping off point. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy to review.

I love Six of Crows, and I want to be able to read King of Scars when it comes out without getting confused. These are the reasons why I’ve now decided to read this series.

I liked this book. It was a solid start to the trilogy, and I’m interested to see where it goes next. I really liked seeing the world that Leigh Bardugo has created.

However, having read Six of Crows already, I know that Bardugo is capable of so much more than this. The characters here weren’t anywhere near as compelling as the ones in Six of Crows, and the first person narration just wasn’t as interesting. The prologue and epilogue were written in third person, and were by far the most engaging chapters in the whole book. I’m glad that the switch to third person became permanent for later books in this world.

There are very few love triangles that don’t annoy me. This isn’t one of them. I’m annoyed. But I knew that it was going to happen, so it wasn’t a horrible surprise or anything. I just really wish that it wasn’t there.

This book wasn’t bad, by any means. It just felt kinda generic, even despite the rich world. But, as a stepping stone to the rest of the Grishaverse being able to exist, it’s a perfectly acceptable first book.

I have managed to find a book that I have really enjoyed where I didn't have the need to put it down and come back to it at a later date to see how I felt about it. I could not put this book down until my husband shouted at me because the light off my Kindle was annoying him while he was trying to sleep and "I have to be up at 4:30 in the morning." If it wasn't for that I would have easily finished it at about 2 am this morning.

The characters and character development for that matter were brilliantly written. The landscape with the Shadow Fold seems immense and try as I might I'm not quite sure I can still quite picture the horrors of the Volcra. They really do seem terrifying. Not quite as terrifying I think as getting on the wrong side of the Darkling no matter how smooth he thinks he is.

I love that Alina and Mal were ordinary children, running around and getting into places they shouldn't and being genuinely troublesome for their carers. Yes, they were orphans from the same place but in comparison to other stories I have read these two did the kind of things I have expected from my own children and it was nice to read. The fact that they were separated due to the circumstances on the Shadow Fold wasn't exactly heartbreaking but it was sad when you think that these two have only ever had each other.

Once we get to the Little Palace I thought the book was taking a completely different direction. I love that the different Grisha wears different robes to distinguish themselves from each other. Also, the fact that Alina didn't want to stand out by wearing a different colour robe to everyone else just made me think of how much she's always been in the shadow of other people and how she doesn't know how to be the centre of attention. For years she was an ordinary girl who in a roundabout way caved under pressure because she needed to save the only family she's ever known.

I am really impressed with the way this book was written from the world down to the characters like Genya who is one who stands out in a crowd. Leigh Bardugo has done a marvellous job with this and I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

I accidentally read Ruin and rising (the third in this series) first. But I loved it so much that I really wanted to know the background story; especially why the bookstagram community loved the Darkling so much when he seemed like just another villain to me.

Shadow and Bone was a brilliant and quick read. I liked Alina's character much more now that I know more of her backstory. I'm still not so keen on Mal. Perhaps that will change after I read book two, though. One character that shone for me in this read was Gena. She's super awesome and a refreshing side-character.

Overall, this first book is a great intro into the grishaverse and in setting the scene and intriguing the reader about what happens next. The ending was fast paced and had me on the edge of my seat and I cannot wait to read book two (and then re-read the final in this trilogy!)

Fav quotes:
"An orphan!" exclaimed the Queen, sounding delighted. "How marvellous!" I wasn't sure that I would describe my parents being dead as "marvellous", but at a loss for anything else to say, I mumbled, "Thank you, moya tsaritsa."


"I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina," he said. "You and I are going to change the world." I laughed nervously. "I'm not the world-changing type."

"This is a waste of time."
"Is it? What else do you have to do with your days? Make maps? Fetch inks for some old cartographer?"
"There's nothing wrong with being a mapmaker."
"Of course not. And there's nothing wrong with being a lizard either. Unless you were born to be a hawk."

"Well?" She said, turning this way and that.
"I loathe you," I said with a smile.
"I do look remarkable," she said, admiring herself in the mirror over the basin.
"You'd look even better with a little humility."
"I doubt that.."

I was so curious about this series, I kept hearing amazing things about it and anfter reading it I can’t express how much I loved it!! Very rich and original world

I read this book super fast because the plot was so compelling! It tells the story of Alina, a young girl who discovers magical powers and is swept into a lavish court as she trains to become a Grisha. Firstly, this is a fascinating world that draws heavily from Russian folklore and is incredibly well realised. The basic plot is fairly standard YA fare, with a vague love triangle and a voyage of self-discovery, which in lesser hands, could have been a little dull. What Bardugo does so well here is take these building blocks and just throws up a great big palace with fantastic magical touches. The structure of the Grisha society is intriguing and I hope that we will learn more about them in future instalments. Similarly, the Darkling is a fascinating character and I would love to know more about his past. Alina is well rounded, albeit fairly ordinary in her motivations and character beats. She is a great window into a world that is terrifying and fabulous by turn. Overall, this is a book that sets up the Grisha Verse very well and I will definitely be reading the rest of the trilogy.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I actually come to this after reading her fabulous Six of Crows and I am not disappointed! As always Leigh has amazing writing and her character development is wonderful. Six of Crows is still my favourite however this has got me eagerly awaiting King of Scars because Nikolai was the highlight of this trilogy and absolutely deserves a series. Anyone looking for a world a little different to the YA fantasy norm should absolutely dive into the world of the Grisha

Maybe I am not cut to read YA fantasy. Everytime I see other people so excited about these books I try one and I end up in despair.
Sadly this didn't work for me.

Thank you to netgalley.co.uk for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I had heard so many good things about this series, and I was dying to read them myself when netgalley.co.uk sent me an email advertising the new cover designs and a chance to read the first book, I clicked on that link so fast, it would have made your head spin. And I'm happy I did, I honestly don't know where to start with this review.
The book had a good beginning, and I was immersed right away, I felt like I knew exactly what was going on. I loved the characters, I thought they were well written and developed throughout the novel, and the writing was fantastically done. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

really liked the main character, Alina, I thought she was head strong and she dealt with her new surroundings and situation extremely well, even though she’d just been horribly separated from her soul mate – we will talk about the ultimate cuteness of Mal later, don’t you worry. I loved being in the Little Palace, despite the Dark undertones (intentional pun.) Genya was also a wonderful addition, because when you lose one best friend then someone has to be there to fill in the slot.

The Grisha powers, although slightly hard to keep track of, were interesting and unique, and the concept of amplifiers kept the story going. I love it when protagonists are actually willing to learn new things, so Alina ticked that box for me. It was very reminiscent of Poison Study by Maria. V. Snyder, especially with the fight training and the alluring but dangerous love interest. I imagine Alina and Yelena being close friends, the similarities between these girls do not stop at the ‘lee-na’ suffix. I’m interested to see where the King ends up at the end of this series because treasonous talk was everywhere. I love some good forSHADOWing. (That one was unintentional.) I’m looking forward to the sequel immensely, and hope that it isn’t just going to be an ‘on-the-run’ sequel, as that could be mildly disappointing, but if necessary then so be it.

Mal. Where to begin? He was wonderful, and I’m so sad that he only had a cameo role in the first half, but was relieved when he was there full force in the final third. I’m quiet partial to a love triangle that is executed well, and liked this one even more because it wasn’t bittersweet as I do not like the Darkling. Well…maybe a little bit. I’ve prepared myself for the likely probability that Alina ends up with my less preferred candidate, but I still hold out hope for Mal. Maybe if he can’t be will Alina then a lovely secondary character will be introduced to pose as his new love interest. Or he dies. But I’d rather not think about that unfortunate scenario.

With such a raving review it might come as bit of a surprise when I say that my star rating is only 3.5 out of five. This is because there were moments were the plot got a tiny bit dry and I had to encourage myself to continue, this was made up by some plot twists and some plot gems that I was not expecting. Overall, I love the characters and am invested enough in their story to continue. Also, the 3.5 was a tactical decision as I have a feeling that the series is only going to get better so rather than saying the series plateaued at 4 stars I can say it was a beautiful journey of a rising incline in the star spangled rating system.

I thought this book was pretty good. It was a little slow even though you start in the action but as it progressed I was hooked and I now can’t wait to read the second book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know what to make of this book when I started reading but my goodness this is a great story! I just couldn't put it down A definite must read.

I had been meaning to read this for a while although I am glad that I missed all of the hype that surrounded it back when it was released in 2012. Giving how much I loved this I would say that the hype was probably justified. I have become a huge fan of YA fantasy and this is one of those books you simply have to read if you are a true fantasy fan. I am pleased to add that it was well worth the wait!

Right, let's get down to the nitty gritty. This story follows mapmaker, Alina, an orphan her whole life, who grows up and falls in love with her best friend, Mal. Both Alina and Mal are part of the King's first army. There are many things to fear in this world, not least the Fold, which is filled with darkness. Inside the Fold is where the merciless beasts known as Volcra reside. When her regiment is attacked Alina unleashes dormant magic that even she had no idea she possessed, showing that she is no ordinary girl, but a Grisha, and saves Mal's life in the process. This event captures a lot of attention including that from the Darkling who is surprised by her talent and wishes to send her away to train as a Grisha so she can become part of the King's second army led by the Darkling himself.

"Shadow and Bone" not only met my expectations but surpassed them. There were so many great elements that it's almost impossible to remember them all! The world is creative and exciting, the characters are realistic and have flaws that us humans can relate to, the story is fast-paced with action aplenty and plot twists that make you read on and on until you reach the conclusion and then feel sad that it's over. I loved how connected I felt to the characters which is thanks to Ms Bardugo making them as believable and relatable as possible. In particular, I loved our protagonist, Alina, because she is a strong female lead, full of wit and wisdom and has a kind heart. My standout character though would have to be the inimitable Darkling, and even though he is the villian here, I found that the way he was written was pretty special. I appreciated that although he did have villianous qualities, he also had some noble ones. This complexity is often lacking in YA fiction characters but is much more reflective of real life, which is one of the reasons I liked the Darkling so much. Another aspect I admired was that the author defined the rules and limits of the Grishaverse from the outset but managed to do so without the reader feeling overwhelmed or as though they were swimming in a sea of information. This is a tricky task to undertake and it is done impeccably here - there is enough detail so that you understand how everything works but not such an amount that it bamboozles you.

This book came at the perfect time for me - it's summer and although i'm based in the UK the weather is unusually hot right now. This was the ideal antidote to the heat, lying in a cool room reading this from beginning to end in one sitting made me incredibly happy. All the tasks I was supposed to be doing were left until after I finished and even then I didn't want to carry them out as I quickly purchased "Siege and Storm" and continued to read until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I will not be leaving it as long to dive into another Leigh Bardugo book, that is for certain! I've also added her to my rolecall of favourite authors. From what i've seen she is vastly underrated, she certainly shouldn't be though as her writing is as beautiful and magnetic as that in some of my all-time favourite books. Oh, and her one liners are simply majestic! I cannot forget to mention those.

All in all, this is an authentic, emotional and drama-filled adventure that is well worth investing a few hours in. If you haven't already read this, I urge you to give it a go! Especially those who enjoy the fantasy genre, magic, well-developed characters, a world that is built spectacularly, and last but by no means least, an intriguing and engaging story. I would say that this is one of those titles where the best reading experience can be gained by knowing as little as possible about the book beforehand.

I am going to order myself a copy of this new version of the book with its beautiful cover art and the addition of exclusive bonus material such as a Q&A session with Bardugo, this would make a stunning addition to any book buff's bookshelf. Also, I am now so excited for her new book "King of Scars" that is set to be published in January 2019. Bring it on!

Many thanks to Orion Children's Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.