#Leigh bardugo you broke me again | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

janeaustenluvr13 · 8 months

Text

Book recommendations for autumn

Although the temperature outside is shockingly high, I have already stepped into my autumnal state of mind. I can't think of a better fall activity than writing a Tumblr post with a list of books one can read while drinking a pumpkin spice-flavoured coffee while snacking on biscuits and listening to the rain.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (or any other criminal novel, preferably read by night while covering yourself in your favourite blanket.)

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (a brilliant parody of gothic novels and delusional teenage girls, perfect spooky vibes)

Dead Poets Society by N.H. Kleinbaum (gay teenagers study poetry under the most magnificent teacher in entire literature)

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (It's even more cringy than you remember it from your middle school years)

The Secret History by Donna Tartt (Obnoxious terrible characters study antiquity while losing themselves in the process)

If We Were Villains by M.L.Rio (The same as the Secret History but make it Shakespeare-obsessed theater kids).

Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone by Remus Lupin (A classic, as long as you don't live under a rock you've probably read it already, nonetheless it wouldn't be an autumn book list without this novel, although it's a love-the-franchise hate-the-author situation)

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (This book will make you regret not being a posh kid who can afford to go to YALE, it makes the idea of joining a secret society extremely appealing).

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (A broke law student kills a usurer, which is the beginning of an avalanche of disaster. Spoiler, The book ends with him becoming a catholic while dating an ex prostitute).

Little Women by L.M. Alcott (Watch Greta Gerwig's adaptation for an extra fall vibe, the book is wonderful as well. Makes me regret not having sisters).

Jane Eyre by the one and only Charlotte Bronte (Aka why romanticizing Victorian England is an indicator of idiocy).

Persuasion by Jane Austen (A novel that will gaslight you into believing that if you're twenty-seven your bloom is gone, you might as well never leave the house again if you're not married).

Frankenstein (This book freaks me out so much, it's gorgeously written.)

Macbeth (The moral of this drama is to never trust three witches you meet when strolling over Highlands).

Wuthering heights (I could write an entire essay about how superior Mr. Darcy is to Mr. Rochester, but Wuthering Heights still is one of the best novels I've ever read. The spooky vibes are immaculate, it made me want to travel to Haworth during fall).

The picture of Dorian's gray (Dorian Gray would've hated the "aged" TikTok filter.)

The invisible life of Addie Larue (The first line of this book is a summarization of its plot, for the entire novel "A girl is running for her life.", However, we grow to love her in the process).

That would be it. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons, and I can't wait to get the most out of it. I'm sorry in advance for the person I'll become after drinking Pumpkin Spice Latte for the first time this year. May the Christian Autumn Girls rise and sweaty, sun-burned summer preferring children fall.

#fall #romanticizing school #romanticizing autumn #fall books #bookish thoughts #booktok #books and reading #classics #classicalliterature #harrypotter #janeausten #dark academia #academia #aesthetic

13 notes · View notes

libertyreads · 1 year

Text

May TBR--

Thanks to my newly minted library card, this is not all of my TBR for the month of May. Just the books I currently physically own. I’m so excited for the reads for the month of May. I get to start my Murderbot Diaries reread and I get to check out some books that have caught my eye but not held enough interest for me to actually go out and purchase them for myself.

1. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (Library)-- This is a Murder Mystery set on an isolated island. Daisy Darker’s family has never been what one would call functional. After years of avoiding each other, the family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday at the crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. When the tide comes in, they’ll be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours. Each family member arrives while harboring secrets and then at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later the next family member follows. This is a retelling of sorts of the Agatha Christie story ‘And Then There Were None.’

2. Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen (Library)-- Leo Trevi has spent the last six years trying to do two things: get over the girl who broke his heart and succeed in the NHL. But, on the first day he’s called up to the show, Leo gets checked on both sides. First, by the team’s coach who has a grudge; second, by the team’s sexy, icy publicist--his former girlfriend Georgia Worthington.

3. Greenglass House by Kate Milford (Library)-- This one seems to be a Middle Grade Mystery/Fantasy novel about a place called Greenglass House. It’s a creaky smuggler’s inn that’s always quiet during the wintertime. While Milo, the innkeepers’ adopted son, planned on relaxing during his holidays, things get thrown off course by the ring of the guest bell. It rings again and again. Soon, Milo’s home is bursting with odd and secretive guests who each bring a strange story that’s connected to the old house.

4. Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo (Library)-- This one seems to be a graphic novel version of the Darkling’s history and backstory. I think it’s the only Grishaverse thing I have yet to read. I was never interested in buying it so I’m glad I finally have my library card and can read it for free.

5. Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl (Kindle)-- This is a YA Mystery following a group of friends a year after the death of their friend Jim. His girlfriend Beatrice has questions she wants answered and their meeting again gives her that chance. And then a mysterious man knocks on the door and announces the impossible: time for them has become stuck, snagged on a splinter that can only be removed if the former friends make the harshest of decisions.

6. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (NetGalley)-- A Fantastical Dark Academia novel that looks like it will be everything fans of Dark Academia could ever want. Since childhood, Effy Sayre has been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad--author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King and then destroys him. Effy’s tattered copy is all that keeps her afloat through her stifling first term at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myddin’s family announces a contest to design the late author’s house, Effy feels certain this is her destiny.

7. The Marriage Act by John Marrs (New Release)-- From the author who brought us the insanity that was The One, comes a new Mystery/Thriller. What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey? In near-future Britain, a right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills--the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage and punishes those who choose to remain single. But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honor, and obey.

8. All Systems Red by Martha Wells-- I’m finally starting my reread of The Murderbot Diaries! I cannot explain my excitement. I’ll just quote the GR synopsis since there’s so much I could just burst forth with already. “In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conduction surface tests, shadowed by their Company supplied ‘droid--a self-away SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself as ‘Murderbot.’ Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.”

9. The Beauty and the Beast (Minalima edition) by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve-- I’m so excited to read this interactive, illustrated version of the original story. The epic love story follows a beautiful young girl imprisoned in the magical castle of a monstrous beast.

10. The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas-- This is a standalone romance novel that is set after The Spanish Love Deception. But I’ve been reassured that I don’t need to read that one first. In this novel, we follow aspiring romance author Rosie Graham whose life is a little up in the air following her quitting her well paying job. But through a misunderstanding Rosie and Lucas both end up staying at her friend Lina’s apartment. They end up trying to break Rosie’s writer’s block in some unexpected ways.

8 notes · View notes

ecoamerica · 22 days

Text

youtube

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

6K notes · View notes

flowerprose · 8 months

Note

Books! 14 20 28 42 43

thank you! these were such thoughtful questions. 10/10 ask game.

14 - a book that made you trip on literary acid

lullabies for little criminals by heather o'neill. it's a heart-wrenching novel about a 12-year-old girl who's raised by her mentally unwell, addict father and later groomed and trafficked by a next-door neighbour. the prose is otherworldly and guiltless and everything i aspire to make a reader feel.

20 - a book that got you out of a reading slump

back in 2017, i hadn't picked up a physical book in over a year. six of crows by leigh bardugo broke me out of that slump. i don't care for the shadow and bone trilogy, but the soc duology has so much whimsy and character focus. imo, it's a great study on multi-pov done exceptionally well.

28 - a book you wish you could read as a beginner again

circe by madeline miller or autobiography of red by anne carson. i owe everything to these women for making me believe there was a place for namesake in this world. i love the style and prose they weave to make each retelling stand on its own. anything they write, i'll devour in a heartbeat.

42 - a book that made you want to scream by the time you got to the end

lock every door by riley sager. the protagonist makes the most foolish, incomprehensible decisions in order to advance the plot. utter letdown for me. i was so relieved to finish this book and write off this author completely.

43 - a book that you have read more than three times

i reread books all the time! i think my go-to comforts right now are fangirl by rainbow rowell, the princess bride by william goldman, poison study by maria v. snyder, and sharp objects by gillian flynn.

🌷 ask me about my book recs 🌷

#she answers

6 notes · View notes

wifeymakesgifs · 1 year

Note

Hi! Me again! If you liked the idea of the book Mexican Gothic but didn't like the book I'd recommend "What Moves the Dead" it has similar gothic horror ft mushrooms vibes with an enby mc and it's only 160 pages so everything happens fast! More questions: Fav tv character? Fav movie character? Fav book character? Fav any sort of media ship you've encountered? What streaming platforms do you have memberships to? What's a show/movie/book you think deserves more attention than it gets?

OH SHIT im going to add it to my Goodreads right now! Thank you for the rec and look, please keep it coming! here's hoping i'll have some time to actually read come the new year <3

FAVOURITE CHARACTERS UGHHHHHH:

okay, TV SHOWS: Amy Santiago (the love of my literal life) from B99, Ryan Shay from Suburgatory, Max Black from Two Broke Girls + so many more that I'm definitely forgetting because what is my MIND!!!

MOVIE CHARACTERS: fuck, i dont watch enough movies to have an opinion on this????? like i cannot remember anyone, except for Evelyn Quan Wang bc Michelle Yeoh means the world to me tbh <3

BOOK CHARACTERS: anyone Leigh Bardugo writes. So i have been a little obsessed with her new novel, Ninth House and every character in it is a love of mine. Especially Darlington (iykyk). and i have many thoughts about characters, but again, I remember none of it I just....

FAVE SHIPS: hmmmmmmm, im always such an anti-person bc like no ship is ever good enough for me lol!! But Peraltiago were cute (B99) and that's about it for me. Ask me what ships I hate, bestie (the answer will make many people angry :( sorry)

.....I have no memberships. I sail the dark seas cos im a broke bitch

MEDIA THAT DESERVES MORE ATTENTION: i swear i was talking about this with someone, but like Helstrom deserves so much attention. I think it's a well crafted story and WHEN WILL WE GET A SEASON 2!!!!! Also idk what anyone says, Forever was a really good show and I would have loved to see how the story truly ends because we got a shit 22 episodes and everyone hated on it idk why!

Books and movies, i don't have much of an opinion tbh

I hope this helps, my love!! im sorry im such a tough customer aaahhh

#rphservergifts

2 notes · View notes

meltotheany · 17 days

Text

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018! hello, friends! this month i realized that i have not done a top ten tuesday since january 2021! yes, 2021 lmao! i truly didn’t think it had been that long! so i went on the prompt page and saw that this week was a freebie week, where you can pick any past prompt, and i thought that that was pretty perfect for me, because i had been craving to do a little spring tbr anyways! 🌸🐰 🌷 ARCS TO READ ☆ An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson – february 13th ⤷ this sapphic dark academia is on this list, because i still have not read it. truly, i was so excited for it, but then early reviews kind of made me apprehensive, and now i’m two months behind with reviewing it! so hopefully i get to this one very soon! ☆ The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields – may 14th ⤷ i mean, just look at this cover! this is sapphic witches and then add in a cottage, in the woods, on a tiny isle… and that is really all i need to hear, ever. ☆ The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark – august 6th ⤷ okay, i know this has a summer date, but i already have an arc and there is no way i am going to be able to wait until the summer! necromancers, assassins, and a vow our mc isn’t supposed to remember, but does. i just know i am going to love this one. 🌼 SPRING RELEASES ☆ Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez – april 2nd ⤷ after falling so head over heels in love with Part of Your World last year, now i just want to read everything by abby! i think this one is about two people who think after they break up with someone, that ex will find their true love, so they come together and try to date each other… so that they can break up and find their trues. but something tells me, it’s not going to work out that way lol. ☆ The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo – april 9th ⤷ as you are reading this post, i will be reading this book! all i really know is that this is about immortality and desire with a fairytale historical backdrop and i am so ready to crack open this book immediately! ☆ Wild Love by Elsie Silver – april 9th ⤷ country 2023, and now country 2024 – i can’t believe! but truly no one does small town like elsie silver, and this start of a new spin off series follows the brother of willa (my fave character in chestnut springs) so i am really predicting to love this one. ☆ The Brides of High Hill (The Singing Hills Cycle, #5) by Nghi Vo – may 7th ⤷ cleric chih and their stories are some of my favorites of all time. each one always feels so different, but the storytelling always feels like coming back home and i cannot wait for this sixth installment. 🌻 BACKLIST BOOKS ☆ The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton ⤷ i’ve actually never read anything but this author before, but this murder mystery, set on an isolated island in a dystopian world where everyone has lost their memories, and only have a little over 100 hours to figure out who did it, sounded so good that i actually preordered a signed special edition. ☆ ASAP by Axie Oh ⤷ i really adored xoxo when i read it a couple years ago and i have a feeling i am going to adore this one just as much, if not more. this is a kpop romance, where we follow another character that we meet in book one! ☆ Heartless Hunter (Crimson Moth, #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli ⤷ this one recently landed on my radar, because so many of my friends started raving about it. all i really know is that it is about a witch and a witch hunter, but truly the way everyone is five starring this just has me so curious that i know i need to pick it up this spring you know, it was actually harder than i thought to narrow it down to only ten, but i am truly so excited for all of these books! and it really felt really happy to do a top ten tuesday again, after so much time has passed without my realizing! and if you’re wondering why Funny Story by Emily Henry isn’t on this list, it is because i alread...

View On WordPress

#2024 #Book Blog #Book Blogger #meltotheany #T10T #Top Ten Tuesday #TTT

0 notes

boredbookwormgirl · 3 years

Text

GUYS Y'ALL ARE NOT READY FOR THIS

So I was re reading King of Scars and ...

King of Scars : Chapter 6

And then

Rule of Wolves : Chapter 20

I have no words. David Kostyk has rendered me speechless. David you beautiful brilliant man 😭😭

3K notes · View notes

starburstfloat · 4 years

Text

He was on the ice once more, and somewhere he could hear the wolves howling. But this time, he knew they were welcoming him home (ch. 40, matthias)

/sobs in fjerdan/

#if you know then you know #this moment broke me but simultaneously gave me peace #he is reunited with his world with a new perspective and calm #it's almost as if he couldn't die before the fire within him had been settled #and now he can see his kingdom anew #with eyes untainted and nothing but love in his heart #ok I'm crying again #matthias helvar #soc matthias #six of crows #six of crows leigh bardugo #leigh bardugo #kaz soc #inej soc #wylan van eck #jesper fahey

32 notes · View notes

arsenicbruise · 2 years

Text

Books I read in October and my rating

1. Ninth house -Leigh bardugo -4/5

When I started reading this book I was so confused I didn’t know a single thing that was going on . Though after a while I got the plot and I loved it . Alex is an amazing strong main character . I’m upset about the cliffhanger miss bardugo needs to hurry her ass into releasing the second book rn.

2.Norwegian wood -murakami 4/5

This book was beyond amazing and heartbreaking, I was originally going to give this five stars but since it’s murakami the obscene language and sexism is always there . The ending was sad tho .

3.a clockwork orange - anthony burgess 3/5

well this book was really graphic and overall disturbing ( I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it but it was great ) main character was totally insane and so were his friends I mean the ending was ok .

4.daisy jones and the six -Taylor Jenkins Reid -5/5

i don’t think five stars are enough to describe how heartbreaking and amazing this book was , like truly a piece of art , when I tell you it had me sobbing and screaming , the ending caught me so off guard . Daisy was a strong and stubborn main character and I loved that . ( I loved all of the characters tbh ) daisybilly forreal broke my heart . ( I’m so exited for the tv adaptation the cast is just as good as the characters)

5.imagine me -tahere mafi (shatter me #6) -3/5

Im not going to deny that shatter me is one of my fave series and also my comfort series , however imagine me was quite disappointing, I didn’t like the dynamic between Anderson and Juliette , it’s like tahereh wanted us to feel bad for Paris which was ridiculous . I feel like they should’ve taken/ended the reestablishment differently. Though I loved the warnette wedding a lot the epilogue did justice to the book . KENJI AND NAZEERA THO they need their own books . ( ngl I cried w this book too lmfao)

6.the cruel prince -holly black -5.5/5

For a very long time I’ve known about the cruel prince due to booktok but I was never Interested on reading it . Well I did and I absolutely loved it , I originally only read it for jude and cardan but the politics are way more interesting it made me love the book even more ( it’s kind of like game of thrones but YA) again we have here anothe strong stubborn main character with shit loads of trauma which I loved , this book has all the hype it deserves tbh . Can’t wait to read the wicked king .

7. The white album -Joan didion -4/5

This is my first didion book . I cannot deny her talent she’s truly amazing , reading the white album did not only feel like a collection of experiences but it was entertaining and also super informative, it includes topics like Georgia O‘ keefe , Doris Lessing , the Manson murders , the Getty museum, the civil rights movement ( in general the whole 60s era ) cannot wait to read more of her work :)))

8.Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast-Oscar Wilde -5.5

This is like if oscar Wilde had tumblr which made it amazing , he’s arrogant and brilliant . I mean he has all the right to be .

#joan didion #tahereh mafi #shatter me #imagine me #warnette #the cruel prince #jurdan #judecardan #holly black #daisy jones and the six #daisybilly #ya books #book recommendations #haruki murakami #norwegian wood #leigh bardugo #ninth house #a clockwork orange

32 notes · View notes

isuckatreadinglol · 3 years

Text

Crooked Kingdom Review 🕰️

Holy shit.

(spoiler warning, duh)

Book: Crooked Kingdom (Book 2 of the Six of Crows Duology)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 5.5/5

The Plot

This book took me a bit longer to finish because I wanted to absorb as much of the plot as possible because of how much action there was. Every chapter had something going wrong (cough cough part 4) which made it impossible to put the book down. Some parts literally had my heart racing.

There were a lot of interesting moments and I would hardly say they were predictable. At some parts of the book I literally had to just...sit there and just think about how incredible the twists were. I never expected anything to happen, and the way things played out in the end were mind-blowing. I loved the way the plot expanded and it was very satisfying when the book ended.

The Characters

"Where do you think the money went?" he repeated.

"Guns?" asked Jesper

"Ships?" queried Inej.

"Bombs?" suggested Wylan.

"Political bribes?" offered Nina. They all looked at Matthias. "This is where you tell us how awful we are," she whispered.

I fell in love with every single character and watching them grow made me so happy. I think personally I loved Kaz Brekker the most in this book because you really got to see how his trauma left him scarred, as well as how skillful he really is when it came to the missions. The smallest details of Kaz's character just built him into such an awesome character. His backstory expanded, explaining so many things that I didn't even think I needed to know until I read them. Plus the fact that he basically wrote the book. Leigh made up the idea for the plot and Kaz said "I'll take it from here".

"I don't hold a grudge. I cradle it. I coddle it. I feed it fine cuts of meat and send it to the best schools. I nurture my grudges, Rollins"

And that was what destroyed you in the end: the longing for something you could never have.

Inej stole my heart again and again and for what. She really is such a well-built character with amazing determination. The beginning literally had me shaking (It was also the part of the book that had my heart-racing) because I really felt for Inej. Leigh also wrote Inej's kidnapped chapters perfectly, it felt so real. Her showdown with White Blade was so beautifully written and honestly Dunyasha was such a cool character I almost wish she was developed into something more rather than killed.

Anyway, Inej holds a place in my heart and it was refreshing to have such an in depth character, from her history at the Menagerie, to her references of her culture (which were so beautiful). It really made her stand out from the rest of the crew and she was just an incredible character.

"That was how you survived when you weren't chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway."

"The Suli believe that when we do wrong, we give life to our shadows. Every sin makes the shadow stronger, until eventually the shadow is stronger than you."

Her heart was a river that carried her to the sea.

Jesper was the character I resonated the most with. His backstory was so interesting and structured, but simple. I did enjoy the appearance of his father because it added an element of Jesper's character we didn't see much of before. We got to learn his backstory and learn about his relationship with his father. His unhealthy habits was also something I resonated with so it comforted me to be able to understand this character and connect with him. Also, I love the fact that his ADHD was given more attention to show how and why he dealt with situations the way he did. Also, when he bent the direction of the bullet at the last part...chills. He's my ultimate comfort character and I loved getting to know him.

Guilt and love and resentment were all tangled up inside him, and every time he tried to unravel the knot in his gut, it just got worse.

There's a wound in you, and the tables, the dice, the cards--they feel like medicine. They soothe you, put you right for a time. But they're poison, Jesper. Every time you play, you take another sip.

Nina was definitely one of my favorite characters to see grow. The creativity that was put into her powers was amazing and she was just such a badass. She could literally raise fuckers from the DEAD????? That shit made me lose my mind like how powerful can she GET. She was definitely an awesome character and I really wished we got some more on her powers and her story after they got their money.

She was the Queen of Mourning, and in its depths, she would never drown.

Wylan...sweet Wylan. I love him so much it hurts. He was such an entertaining character and his courage was awesome, he really stood out from the rest of the characters because of how different he was from all of them. He also admired all of the crows and was treated like a little brother by all of them which was so cute. The character development went from "Why am I here?" to "How can I help?" and I loved seeing him become a part of the crows. Also in that last scene where he's just leaning against the wall, beat the fuck up, was so good SAINTS.

Wylan summoned every bit of bravado he'd learned from Nina, the will he'd learned from Matthias, the focus he'd studied in Kaz the courage he'd learned from Inej, and the wild, reckless hope, he'd learned from Jesper, the belief that no matter the odds, somehow they would win.

But they were his first friends, his only friends, and Wylan knew that even if he’d had his pick of a thousand companions, these would have been the people he chose.

Matthias back with his long ass chapters (until chapter 40 LOL) (i'm so sorry that was outta pocket). Anyway, I still had meh feelings for him but I loved him and Nina's relationship. Yes, I shed a few tears when he died that shit hurt come on now. I did like to see his protective side and him overcoming his fears and past beliefs. The character development in him was immaculate.

He was on the ice once more, and somewhere he could hear the wolves howling. But this time, he knew they were welcoming him home.

The Ships

Kanej: cries. literally in tears. bawling my eyes out. throughout the entire book. THEY HELD HANDSSSSSS, HE OPENED UP TO HERRRRR, THE SHIPPPP AND THE PARENTSSSSSSSS AHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY HEARTTTTTT

I would come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together--knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.

Wesper: adorable adorable adorable. my favorite gay mfs in the world. Jesper is such a fucking flirt though he had ME blushing. Also when Jesper kissed Kuwei HAHAHA WHATTT, the way Kuwei was like 😏 had me gone. Anyway, the chemistry between these two was something else (so much better than in the first book) and the ending with them was wholesome I'm so happy they got the happy ending.

Wylan shrugged. “Maybe. Not all poisons have an antidote.” Jesper snorted. “That’s why we call him Wylan Van Sunshine.”

This was the kiss he’d been waiting for. It was a gunshot. It was prairie fire. It was the spin of Makker’s Wheel. Jesper felt the pounding of his heart—or was it Wylan’s?—like a stampede in his chest, and the only thought in his head was a happy, startled, Oh. (<3)

Helnik: cries. again. sobs. This one hurt me so bad, I literally was just sitting in my bed staring at the wall, book in hand, crying. They had such a beautiful relationship and they grew so much together it HURT. The way Matthias was so protective of Nina and was always worrying about her. They planned their future together in their heads all the time. They were SO HAPPY WHY COULDN"T THEY JUST BE HAPPY.

They deserved the world.

I will always protect you, even in death, I will find a way.

You aren't a flower, you're every blossom in the wood blooming at once. You are a tidal wave. You are a stampede. You are overwhelming.

Final Thoughts:

My final thoughts are scattered throughout the review, but overall this book took everything from Six of Crows and made it better. It broke me, made me laugh, had me angry as fuck, but it also left me feeling like I knew these characters and they knew me. It really was so much better than the first book in so many different levels and I will never get over this book. Truly better than waffles.

41 notes · View notes

kumikoumae-archive · 2 years

Text

[ID: 10 images of book covers.

Image 1: The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector (original brazilian portuguese version)

Image 2: Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut

Image 3: The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

Image 4: The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh

Image 5: A República das Milícias by Bruno Paes Manso

Image 6: A Elite do Atraso by Jessé Souza

Image 7: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (spanish version)

Image 8: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (spanish version)

Image 9: A Vida não é Útil by Ailton Krenak

Image 10: Discourse on Voluntary Servitude by Étienne de La Boétie (brazilian portuguese version)

Tagged by @inanimatefeast to post the books I'd like to read this year. Thank you, dear! I was actually procrastinating on thinking abt books even though i promised myself i would start reading again this year, so when you tagged me I was kindly reminded of my own promise.

I still have to finish reading through Lord of the Rings, but I'm really looking forward to reading some of the books on this list, specially The Hour of the Star. I've already read Six of Crows but since it is an easy book I thought abt reading it in spanish to help me learn that language.

No pressure tags: @penqueen @broke-bruce-wayne @nonbinarizaki @milfmarthawayne @lesbianspikespiegel @batgio @stphn-brwn @honeyedhands @spidey-girls @sluttydarkmage @e-din @maarkles and anyone else who wants to do this! I would love to see what books my mutuals and followers are planning to read so I can get ideas for my own readings lol

#the only book i'm 100% sure I'll actually read is 'discourse on voluntary servitude' because that is a mandated reading for college lol #thank you so much for tagging me tanmai!! my final list at the end of 2022 will probably be very different but this was fun and motivating!#gi talks #tag game #tagged

6 notes · View notes

amandaklwrites · 3 years

Text

Top Ten Favorite Book Series

And here’s another Top Ten in my series! This one is about book series that I have read in the past, or have been reading over time. Of course, these can change over time, but I know all of these will be very important to me. So, here they are, in no particular order!

1. Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

I loved this series since I first discovered them. I know not a lot of people like them, or at least aspects of them, and I do understand some problems with them. But I had found the first two books when I had moved in with my boyfriend at the time, and I fell absolutely in love with them. The last book came out when during my last year in college and I didn’t complete any homework for like a week. I love these books because of the important themes she had written, and there were a few scenes that made me cry, especially in the last book. I loved the friendships and complicated characters she created.

2. Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Again, I found this series around the time I had discovered Throne of Glass. But they were all out already, and I actually met Leigh at a book event for the last book. I loved this series more so for the darkness of its tone, and the Darkling is my favorite fictional villain, hands down. But I remember being so amazed while reading this trilogy because I had discovered I could write dark, dark stuff if I wanted, and it fed that part of me.

3. Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray

I read this trilogy in high school, and I remember loving it so much. So I recently did a reread and I loved it just as much. I liked the tone, the characters, the settings and the magic. It has always been that stuck out to me, and I’m so glad I had found it when I did.

4. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

This series had changed my life, honest to god. Surprising to most, I hadn’t been a big reader growing up. I read some stuff (most Narnia, Spiderwick, Alice in Wonderland, etc), and I could never find the kinds of books I had always wanted to read. I was a sophomore in high school when I was looking through my local small bookstore, and I saw the cover of a young man in Victorian attire (my favorite time period forever!), and I remember reading the back and I was instantly intrigued. And I fell in love with it. Not only did it spark my reading as a teenager, helping me find the genres and stories I liked, but it had been with me through important times. When I had been through an awful depression that led to an attempted suicide my junior year, I was reading this series. I remember reading the second book that year in my yearbook class, and I read through class, which annoyed one of my guy friends that I sat with. When I finished the last book in the hidden classroom behind a class I was a tutor for, I cried. I sobbed as I read the epilogue, and I remember just staring at the wall for the rest of that time. This series broke and remade me, and I think it has huge influence on me personally.

5. Sands of Arawiya duology by Hafsah Faizal

I just read this series a couple of months ago, and my god, did I love it. I loved the world, the characters, the deep, meaningful friendships. This one surprised me in so many ways, and I didn’t want to stop reading it. I loved it so, so much and it’s important to my heart.

6. Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard

I see mix reviews on this series, especially the later books. But I personally loved them. I loved the adventure and magic system and my god did I love the twists. Maven Calore is probably one of the most interesting characters I have ever read. I loved how complicated and destructive it was, and the war tactics and plots were great.

7. An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir

My god, Sabaa knows how to make really, really complicated situations for characters. Talk about torturing your own characters. And I think that was what I learned from these books, as a writer myself. She made strong, powerful characters and threw them through hell, to see where they came out. But I loved the way they wrapped up, the arcs of the characters, the beauty of their closeness. It’s just a beautiful series.

8. Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas

This is just a fun series. It combines some of my favorite things—women detectives, Victorian England, mysteries, and Sherlock Holmes. But I love that Sherlock Holmes is actually a woman. They’re great books that put twists on the original books and I adore so much about them.

9. Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco

What a great series! I loved these more with each book. I love Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell, as lovers and as partners, so much. But they are both intriguing in their own ways. And I adored how Kerri used different historical/pop culture aspects in her books—Jack the Ripper, Dracula, Houdini, and the Devil in the White City. They are great mysteries with loveable characters and I love it so much.

10. Well Met series by Jen DeLuca

Now, I love this series for just dumb (but personal) reasons. First of all, I haven’t found many romance books that I like. I find most of them too silly and cheesy. But I didn’t have that case with these. I found them hilarious and fun and heartwarming. But second of all, they’re set a Renaissance Faire! We have a Renaissance Faire that comes every year about thirty-forty minutes away from where I live, and I have been going every year (you know, except for last year and probably this year) for thirteen or fourteen years. It’s important to me, and it marks time for me. So, that’s why I love these.

Runner Up: Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters

This is a wonderful series. It spoke to my love of mysteries, but also Egyptology (I almost went to school for archaeology/Egyptology!). I love that Elizabeth Peters was an archaeologist, that gives a real-life feel to these as well. Plus, like you know me, Victorian period! I think Amelia Peabody is one of the greatest female leads, and I think the romance/love between her and Emerson. It totally reminds me of Evie and Rick in The Mummy, so if you love those movies, check out these books. I haven’t finished the series yet, but I think I’ve gotten halfway through, and I love them so much.

I love all these books, way too much probably. They all have a special place in my heart and yeah... I love them. I’ve said that so much haven’t I?

#top ten favorite book series #throne of glass series #the Grishaverse #Gemma Doyle Trilogy #the infernal devices #sands of arawiya #red queen #an ember in the ashes #LADY SHERLOCK #stalking jack the ripper #well met series #amelia peabody #i love too many books

44 notes · View notes

kathyreviewsbooks · 2 years

Text

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 5/5

Summary: After pulling off a deadly heist, the crows should be celebrating. Instead they're fighting for their lives again. Having been double crossed and low on resources, the six crows have to figure out how to save One from the grasps of Van Eck. They also have to deal with figuring out what to do with Kuwei and how to get him out of Ketterdam safely. Away from the powerful forces seeking to use Jurda to start a full out war.

Review: This book moved slow, not slow enough to make me dislike it. It was slow paced though. However, that helped to build up the suspension and kept you at the edge of your seat. I really enjoyed this book a lot. My rating went from 4 stars to 5 stars as soon as it made me tear up. Iit is rare for a book to make me cry but this one accomplished it.

I love this book more then i love Six of Crows. It developed the characters so much more. Not just individually but as a group as well. If i wasn't attached to the characters before i certainly was driving this book. Wylan tore at my heartstrings, I got super attached to him. I loved how much more into the feelings of each character we went.

The group has a special place in my heart. The ending broke me. I was sobbing, hugging the book close to my chest in pain. And I loved it. I love when a book can make me feel that intensely.

The plot of this book was intense. It was slow paced, picking up near the end. The slow pace was great for this kind of book. One dealing with intricate plans and heists. It kept you on the she of your seat waiting to see it all go down.

I recommend this book to this who loved Six of Crows. To anyone who wants to have their heart tired out and made to feel. To any fans of Leigh Bardugo. And to anyone who wants a book

TWs: Ableism, abuse, attempted murder, brothels (discussed, not graphic), death, drugs, gore, loss of a loved one, murder, prosecution (not graphic), PTSD, torture, trauma, violence, withdrawal

Rep: Disability* (Main character walks with a cane), plus size main character, black main character, dyslexia, addiction (drugs, gambling), queer main characters, mlm relationship

#book reviews #book tumblr #books #kathyreviewsbooks #bookish #bookworm #book reviewer #leigh bardugo #crooked kingdom #six of crows

2 notes · View notes

thebigwhatif · 3 years

Text

Shadow and Bone: A Rant

With the new Netflix series coming out, my social media has been flooded with Shadow and Bone content. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for the show, and I like Leigh Bardugo as an author and I thought Six of Crows was phenomenal but Shadow and Bone was disappointing for me to say the least. And here is why.

Disclaimer: If you like the book and the story and I am all for that, and I am not trying to put down anyone that likes the series. I liked the magic system in the story and the world-building was really good.

But there were concrete things that as an individual who is of Russian descent and grew up with the culture, that just SHATTERED my suspension of disbelief and took me out of the story entirely. In the end, I couldn't finish the series. So without further ado, in descending order of what bothered me the most to least:

1) The character Privet.

So for a book that takes elements from the Slavic cultures and Eastern European languages using this was jarring. Privet literally translates to 'Hi' from Russian. So reading "Hello, Privet" in book two literally translated in my mind to "Hello, hi" which is ridiculous and just broke my suspension of disbelief. I tried reading through the part, but it was so jarring that I quit the book. Not even Nikolai, who I really really liked, could save it for me.

2) The Grammar of the Ravkan Language.

I can't speak for all Slavic languages, I only know Russian so I am going to speak mostly in reference to that.

So for context Russian, like French or Spanish, is a gendered language. It's a bit different from French in that it has 3 types of pronouns: the feminine, masculine, and ungendered. And depending on the gender of your object you would change the ending of the previous word (such as an adjective) to match it.

(So for example: Sky is ungendered in Russian, so if you want to say blue sky you would use the ungendered version of the word blue. )

In Ravkan, what ended up happening was that Leigh mashed different words of different genders together so it sounds grammatically incorrect. And you might say its grammar it's no big deal, but I'll counter with: "I am become a blade"

We all make fun of Mal for getting that tattoo because to an English speaker that is intuitively incorrect so it sounds bad. I got the same level of cringe every time I read Skanta Ilya Morozova.

To break that down:

Ilya is a male name.

Sankta: ends with an A so female-gendered

Morozova: ends with an A so female-gendered.

Russian last names change ending depending on if you are a male or female. So Morozov (male) vs Morozova (female); Volkov (male) vs Volkova (female) and so on.

So having this compound of Sankta (that's setting up my mind to expect a female name) Ilya (a male name. I'm thinking okay that's kind of weird but I'll go with it) Morozova (female again? So now I'm confused did Leigh think Ilya is a female name?)

Reading that kind of stuff over and over again is like getting hit with "I am become a blade" type grammar over and over again. It's cringy, it sounds wrong, just no. I ask that Leigh would take at least 2 seconds to do the basic research on this gendering system or ask a Slavic language speaker about this. It would have been a quick fix (just add or take away the 'a' at the end) and would have shown that she took the time to research and respect the language. And it would not alienate a whole group of readers like myself.

3) Kvas.

This is another thing that just took me out of the story, and considering that this happened in the first chapter that's pretty bad. In the book, Kvas was portrayed as an alcoholic drink that the soldiers were drinking to get drunk and to 'warm up' during the winter. And just...no.

Kvas is a real drink. Also, Kvas has an alcohol content of 1.5%. Sure if it stands in the heat for a while and ferments the alcohol content can go up to 2.5% but still, you would have to drink A LOT of it to get drunk and you sure won't be "warming up" from it like you would with whisky or vodka. To put this into context you can buy Kvas at grocery stores in North America without needing an ID and kids can drink it without getting drunk (kefir has an alcohol content of 2.5% FYI).

Kvas is a very popular drink in Russia, and people drink it in the summer. It's like the Russian version of America's Iced Tea.

So now she takes a real drink that exists that she had access to and just what? Makes it something else? Especially something that is so common in the Slavic countries that's virtually ubiquitous there?

This was also an easy fix: describe Kvas as it is. If you wanted them drunk have them drink vodka. If you wanted them warm to warm up but not be drunk have them drink tea (if you didn't know tea also a popular drink in Russia). Either of those would be more realistic alternatives that wouldn't shatter the suspension of disbelief for me because now I would have to take time and think "WTF? Did she really mean that or did I misread that?"

If you've read this far down, thanks for reading my rant. Once again I want to reiterate I have nothing against anyone that likes the books or the series. I think that Leigh is an amazing writer and I'm really excited for the Shadow and Bone show (but mainly because of the Crows lol). It's just that seeing these kinds of things in the Shadow and Bone book really upset me because, to be honest, Russia is always portrayed as the 'bad guy' in popular media. They are always the villain, Russia is always portrayed grey and cold and dirty and everyone there is a drunk, and growing up in North America being from Russia watching that really sucked because I identify with that culture, I'm from that country, I know the language, and often times what they show on TV is just wrong. I was excited to see a Slavic-inspired world because I don't usually see that in fantasy or other media and it was just handled so badly. So, I was a bit disappointed when reading the books. Hopefully, the show is better on that front but we will see.

#shadown and bone #six of crows #alina starkov #mal oretsev #the darkling #leigh bardugo #rant #nikolai lantsov #unpopular opinion #review #ravka

17 notes · View notes

the--art--of--reading · 3 years

Photo

book review | Crooked Kingdom

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Fantasy, YA, heist

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I. Am. Undone. Several late nights of being consumed by Crooked Kingdom and I still can't get over this.

Read on for the review (plus some extra content)!

Leigh Barudgo has really outdone herself with this (I haven't read the Grisha Trilogy yet, however, so that opinion might be premature). After finishing the first book in this duology, I found myself craving more of Ketterdam and the Crew so reading this felt like coming home oddly enough. While this sequel is a whopping 500+ pages, once you find your rhythm and really get into it you won't be able to put this down. Aside from a new heist for Kaz to play with, there is so much more in this. We get to go into backstories, themes of forgiveness and strength, and of course revenge. There's also more room for exploring relationship dynamics (Inej and Kaz have taken Day and June Iparis out of the number one spot for my favorite YA couples). So, if you're hesitating to finish the duology, I implore you--just don't. Getting to that last page is worth it.

So, initial review aside, I have to devote more to this book because it’s seriously competing for my favorite series of all time.

I never reviewed the first book (Six of Crows) so this will be a mesh of the two. At first I was hesitant to start this. Fantasy has never really been my thing (minus the Potterverse and Percy Jackson). I struggled to get through Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series so I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this novel.

Thankfully, I was so wrong. Leigh Bardugo’s writing is magic, absolute magic. Personally, I’ve never been one for shows with a crime or heist storyline, but this had a different feel to it. It’s very similar to Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series (hello, boy prodigy with a knack for scheming) and the world building is incredible. Ketterdam and all of its twists and turns were confusing at first, but by time I reached the second book it felt like coming home.

There is also the romance. Like I said, Inej and Kaz have beat out Day and June (from Marie Lu’s Legend series) for my favorite YA couple. What did it was the slow build. There was no meet cute, no insta love, no flirting that went nowhere. We had a girl and boy, both fighting their own battles, both fighting for each other. I get that’s a typical YA romance formula, but the way it was presented hit different.

We went from this:

“I will have you without armor, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all.”

to this:

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.”

I still can’t get over it. Maybe it was how Kaz worked the whole brooding, evil genius thing or Inej’s fierce independence and no nonsense attitude (she’d get along so well with Felicity Montague). Send fanart and fanfic my way please.

I didn’t forget Wylan and Jesper and Nina and Matthias. The “Kuwei mix-up” scene broke me as did chapter 40. These books also win the award for best character dynamics.

So yes, reading these books was a once in a blue moon experience. I don’t think I’ve felt this way since discovering Harry Potter as a kid. I’ve heard there’s going to be a TV series based on the Grisha trilogy and this duology (Shadow and Bone, streaming on Netflix). I don’t know if I’m too excited for this as I’m always wary of TV adaptations and casting choices, but it’s nice some of Bardugo’s magic will be brought to the screen.

So, that’s my spiel y’all. Like I said, this book undid me and I had to write about it. See you next year when I inevitably re-read this series again or try out the Grisha trilogy.

#books & libraries #reading #six of crows #crooked kingdom #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #leigh bardugo #YA #book review #booklr #ketterdam #artemis fowl #shadow and bone

45 notes · View notes

cloudseeker14 · 3 years

Text

ITS BOOK REVIEW TIME BESTIES

So I read a lot of books during my school vacation and I’m going to review them since my vacation has ended and school started today.

BOOK #1 SIX OF CROWS BY LEIGH BARDUGO (First book from Six of Crows duology) -

Ok so I LOVED this book. It had an amazing plot and pacing. I really admire how Leigh Bardugo made the characters neither good nor bad, but somewhere in the between. The world she made in her story is not black or white, but in shades of grey.

I enjoyed the action in this book a lot, especially in the last chapters where they were breaking out from the ice court.

And the tension between Kaz and Inej was really executed well. I was rooting for them the whole series. I seriously fawned over how the author expressed Kaz's inner thought and emotions.

And the backstory and dialogues between Matthias and Nina was so engaging.

I loved how we as the readers got perspectives from different characters because that showed different sides of the story.

When I saw Kaz‘s back story I literally cried. It was just so freaking sad how greed ended up ruining the life Kaz could have had.

My favourite character was Kaz since I found him really engaging and I loved the way he came up with ideas for his criminal activities.

However, when I first started the book, understanding all the new terms and places was a bit hard for me, but that didn’t affect my experience at all.

This story and the whole duology had diverse characters which I was so happy to see.

I also really enjoyed Inej’s character. She was strong and invincible as the Wraith, but a long time ago she was a scared little girl who had gone through a lot in the Menagarie, which still haunted her.

Inej was a breath of fresh air for me because usually when authors try to write female characters to make them empowering, they end up making the characters as “im not like other girls“ and literal Mary Sues with no weaknesses or basic character development.

Inej had her own demons she fought with, she had different sides to her, she was not afraid to protect herself but she was scared of her time at the Menagarie and missed her parents a lot. All these emotions made Inej feel human and real.

I really enjoyed the other characters to, but if I wrote about them this would become way to long. Overall, I loved the characters, action, place setting and plot.

I would give the book a rating of 5/5 stars, it deserves it.

BOOK #2 THE CROOKED KINGDOM BY LEIGH BARDUGO (Book 2 of the Six of Crows Duology) -

So first of all, THIS BOOK MADE ME CRY SO MUCH. LIKE BESTIE LET ME BREATH WITHOUT BURSTING INTO TEARS.

Second of all, I’m still not over the character death. This author broke my heart.

Third of all, this book was written so well and the writing was just immaculate besties.

So, The Crooked Kingdom had a lot of angst. Like a lot. It dove into the back stories of our characters and it left me crying looking like the ugly version of shrek.

The writing was so beautiful that I had to put down my book for a few minutes for my brain to process this masterpiece.

The way Leigh Bardugo wrote about the relationship between Inej and Kaz was literally perfect. I’m going to show you all a few quotes about these two from the book itself so you can understand what I mean.

~ “I would come for you.” He said and when he saw the wary look she shot at him, he said it again “I would come for you. If I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together - knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting. ~

~She smiled then, her cheeks red, her cheeks scattered with some kind of dust. It was a smile he thought he might die to earn again.~

HELP HOW DOES THIS AUTHOR WRITE EVERYTHING IN SUCH A PRETTY WAY.

There's also a gay ship between Jespar and Wylan (such cinnamon rolls) which was represented really nicely.

The characters backstories was written so well. They were all so unique and filled with emotions and really explained how the characters ended up becoming who they were. These backstories literally made me sob the whole day.

Leigh Bardugo, I would sue you for emotional distress if I had the money.

Leigh Bardugo explored each of the traumas of the characters and as someone with certain traumas, I felt that she wrote about such a sensitive topic in an appropriate manner.

As for the ending it made me smile and cry at the same time and I don't know if I can forgive Leigh Bardugo for the sudden character death she pulled of.

I would rate this book a 1000000000000000000000/5 stars. It was that good.

Would I sell my soul for another book in the six of crows series? Hell yes.

BOOK #3 A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC BY VE. SCHWAB

The plot of this book was nice. I enjoyed how Ve. Schwab portrayed magic as both a dangerous and wondrous thing.

I liked the concept of the various worlds she had going on. However, these various worlds were only of London and I would have preferred if it explored various other places to.

There could have been more diversity between the characters though. It didn't bother me that much, but I would have enjoyed that.

The main character Kell was likeable. I enjoyed reading his emotions and inner thoughts, like how he felt he was just a tool for the royals and seeing his inner turmoil with the mistake he felt he was making.

The Dane Twins (basically the villains) were so coldhearted which was cool and they gave me a bi panic from the way I imagined them lol.

However I had an issue with one character called Lila. I liked that she had a thirst for adventure and felt trapped in a small little word. But she always gave of the vibes of "I'm not like other girls" which was a little bit annoying. Lila looked at other women as a bunch of idiots who fawned and threw themselves at men. Now I understand this story took place in the 1800's but even then there were women working in factories and as nurses. Not all were just nobel women looking for suitors.

Ve. Schwab could have instead made Lila despise patriarchy and capitalism, how the rich rolled in lavishes while trampling the poor who struggled in the streets. It really sucked seeing a woman tear down other women.

So I would give this book a 3.5/5 stars.

--

Ok so I did read more books during my vacation, I'll post that as a part 2 cuz I'm to lazy and sleepy to type anymore.

Anyways I hope y'all enjoyed this besties, I'll try to post part 2 as soon as possible. Bye and I hope y'all have an amazing day/night.

#book review #reading #review #books #opinions and commentary #six of crows #leigh bardugo #the crooked kingdom #help this is so good #ve schwab #a darker shade of magic #could have been better

2 notes · View notes

probablytenderjourneys · 3 years

Text

SIX OF CROWS AND CROOKED KINGDOM-LEIGH BARDUGO

There is no secret to anyone that knows me that the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo is my favourite thing to ever exist. The books are my comfort books; there is no describing the comfort I feel whenever i talk about them or read them; but if you are a reader like me, I'm sure you understand. There are so many things in those two books that just make me feel so safe and happy although I always end up sobbing whenever i read them. I'll try to tell you a bit about the characters and why I absolutely adore all of them, without spoiling too much(or anything). First of all:

1. Kaz Brekker: 17 year old boy, dark hair, tragic past. Need I say more? Kaz is a morally grey character, extremely smart and gifted with lots of abilities. Although he is part of a gang, and has scammed and killed people, he isn't 'bad'. Everything he does has a purpose- and in a city like Ketterdam, is rare to find people who wouldn't do anything and everything for money. While he does love money(quite a lot) he is motivated by his need of revenge. It's pretty rare that he loses control and does things without thinking them through. Amazingly developed character with an incredibly cool name.

2. Inej Ghafa: did someone say the strongest girl I've ever read? 16 year old who went through a life time of trauma. She kills and helps Kaz with his schemes, but she never loses her faith or her good nature. She is vicious, dangerous, deadly-but never cruel. She is wise and smart and just overall has a good heart. She does what needs to be done to stay alive and to keep her friends alive, but never enjoys it. One of my favourite female characters ever because even though she has feelings for one of the other 5 people in her team, she knows she deserves better and she never settles for anything other than that. She puts herself and her dreams and plans first. Also incredibly skilled and brave.

3. Nina Zenik: 17 year old powerful queen, sarcastic, brave and confident. A soldier who fights for what she believes in and stands her ground. Loves food and isn't hiding it. 10/10 one of my favourite women.

4. Matthias Helvar: 18 year old bigoted prick but we grow to love him as he develops. Looks like he could kill you and he most definitely can, but won't because he's a sweetheart (after he overcomes the prejudices that were put into his head).

5. Jesper Fahey: 17 year old that loves his guns and his gambling. Comedic relief, smart, incredible sharpshooter, charming and just overall a lovely character. I love him and some of his scenes broke my heart. He sometimes deserves better than what he gets.

6. Wylan: 16 year old- the rich boy of the group. Smart and brave. Even tho he is sort of 'nerdy' I love that he wasn't stereotypical at all. He is sassy and stands up for himself and for those he feels are being wronged, even against Kaz when he's at gis worst-definitely shows the kid was some courage in him.

Positives:

I love that we get chapters from all 6 perspectives. This way we really get to know the characters on a personal level, really see inside each of their minds. They are all brilliantly well developed characters- they go through changes, they learn to adapt, they learn that some things are not as black and white as they thought. We really get enough insight into their past, and we learn why each character is the way that it is. Details are given in time, not all at once. It really feels as if we are literally inside their brains. Each chapter made me feel as if I was becoming the character. The only character that doesn't have his own chapters in Six of Crows is Wylan, but Leigh Bardugo makes up for it in Crooked Kingdom.

-What attracted me to this book in the first place was the gang aspect; it somehow reminded me of Peaky Blinders. Despite it being about a heist, there is romance, not as the main focus but more as a subplot I would say-just enough to make you enjoy it without taking away from the main plot. The books also have lots of funny, heartwarming moments. Not to mention the heartbreaking ones. I can't even remember how many times I sobbed reading the books. I still cry about it sometimes, years after I read it for the first time. This what tells me a book is good: I think about it months and in this case, years after I've first read it.

-another positive is the diversity in these books: we have characters dealing with addiction, disabled characters, characters of colour, plus sized characters, characters dealing with trauma, characters dealing with various mental disorders, characters of different religions(although fictional) and characters of different sexualities. There is something for everyone. It also deals with xenophobia and sex trafficking, forced prostitution and fetishizing of different traits such as skin colour, hair colour etc. It also keeps a pretty feminist approach- there is no rivalry between the two girls in the group( Nina and Inej) and they are incredibly supportive of each other( i LOVE a good female friendship). Even when talking about the girls who 'work' at the brothels, they aren't shamed if they are there by choice- they are supported, which was good to see; it is important to see a book where sex workers aren't shamed or judged, especially considering that there is still stigma around the profession.

-what i also enjoyed is that the plot is not predictable. It keeps you on edge, it challenges you to guess the possible outcomes of every situation. Even the plans and schemes are sometimes(most of the time) hidden- we don't really learn the purpose of something until after it is done. Leigh Bardugo's mind is incredible- she comes up with the most amazing plot twists and turns. You can't really get bored of it- because if you don't keep reading, you may never find the real plan, the real purpose, why the characters choose to do certain things. It is honestly so entertaining to try to guess what happens next.

Negatives: -it does take a while to get into the action. The beginning of Six of crows involves a lot of planning, scheming, secrets- which to me seems only natural. We follow these characters through their journey and their journey isn't action packed at all times(this said, the book is never boring; there are interesting things happening at all times, even if we didn't reach the main part of the plot). The actual heist itself is more focused towards the second half of the book and that's where it really gets intense. If in the first half you find time to relax and breathe, in the second half everything comes crushing down. For me the pace wasn't a problem but I know some people like to get into things right away.

-sometimes it's hard to believe that the characters are 16 to 18. They seem so much older, so mature at times but this again seems normal to me. They went through traumatic events that most people don't go and shouldn't go through at such a young age. They were forced to grow up and mature fast because otherwise they wouldn't be alive. It's not really a negative in my opinion, but thought it was worth mentioning.

Overall, this duology is a 10/10 for me, 5/5 stars. I read it so many times and will continue to re-read it. Each time I read it, I enjoy it the same as I did when I first discovered the books. Leigh Bardugo is an amazing author.

#six of crows #leigh bardugo #crooked kingdom #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #jesper fahey #nina zenik #mathias helvar #review #booklover #books

16 notes · View notes