Alicia's Word Haven

Crooked Kingdom was AWESOME! It was full of all the best elements of storytelling and ended in a way that did all the storylines justice. It has twists and turns and was un-put-down-able. Even though there was always something going on, I never felt lost or confused which can sometimes happen with a novel that is so jammed full of content. I LOVE this book and the more I read by Leigh Bardugo, the more excited I am to read what comes next. Bardugo makes you feel as though you are right in there, and part of the gang. And as criminal as Kaz may seem, I would follow him and his brilliant mind into even the most impossible situations, because loyalty is a language he speaks and understands. I would trust Inej to have my back in all situations because she is principled and deadly. All of the main characters are relatable, which makes you more invested in what happens throughout the story. If you get the opportunity to read this book, do it. It would be a mistake not to.

Leigh Bardugo does an awesome job painting the picture of life in the criminal underbelly of the Grishaverse. Unlike the Shadow & Bone Trilogy (which is a great read), this story focuses more on a colorful crew of miscreants who are trying to pull off the ultimate heist, which would allow them each the opportunity to change their fate.

I really enjoyed the story (first in a duology). I was thrown a bit at first because unlike the Shadow & Bone Trilogy which was written from the first-person point of view, Bardugo chose to switch to the third-person point of view for Six of Crows. Additionally, each chapter focused on an individual character versus meshing the characters all together in one chapter. I find this so intriguing because when I started the novel I am currently writing, I struggled to decide which point of view to use. I wonder why Bardugo decided to change it up, but I can say that she did an excellent job of it.

For me, each author I read had a certain voice and even if you read different stories by that author, you can still hear or feel their unique voice. It feels different for me with Bardugo and the multiple points of view, but it definitely opens up the idea to me that as an author it is possible and even sometimes necessary to switch things up. Leigh Bardugo is one of the greats, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this duology, Crooked Kingdom.

Leigh Bardugo, if you ever see this review, as an aspiring Fantasy/Sci-Fi author, I would love to know why you chose to switch points of view, which one you found easier, etc.

Definitely read this book. It’s great!

I really enjoyed this book and I thought it wrapped up the story well. I have really mixed emotions about how it all ended though. It was certainly a clean and tidy ending. I wanted so many things to happen that didn’t which is why I can’t give it the full 5 stars. As far as the writing itself goes, it was entertaining and exciting and I couldn’t put the book down. I read the book in one day. I really noticed how Bardugo’s writing improved throughout the series.

There were a few surprises that I didn’t predict, or kinda predicted but didn’t get exactly right. I loved all the characters, how they were developed, and even found myself laughing at some of their interactions that I feel really brought it all to life.

Having said all that though, I really wished for something that I can’t quite put my finger on, and I never got it. I am left wanting…

My first read of 2022 was the second in Leigh Bardugo’s series, Siege and Storm. I really loved this book. Even more than Shadow and Bone (Book 1 in the series). I read the whole thing in one day (432 pages, a new personal record), I could NOT put it down. The world is rich and while based on Tsarist Russia, still incredibly unique. Even with all the magic and fantasy, the story is relatable and covers elements of the human experience that we have all felt at some point. The characters are wonderful and I love where the story is taking them. Definitely a must read! I am starting the final book of the trilogy today!

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Book 1 in series) was book 31 and my final read of 2021 (Dec 28th, to be exact)!

I gave it a rating of 3.5 stars. I had wanted to read this book for a long time (and definitely before watching the Netflix Series). I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting but it was an entertaining read. A richly imagined world of magic (I would have liked to see more), the characters were relatable and helped the story come to life. I know very little about Russian folklore and mythology, but this story has peaked my inner historian’s interest. I can wait to see where the story takes Alina next!