Book Review: Warcross by Marie Lu (Warcross Duology #1)

Book Title: Warcross

Author: Marie Lu

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Date Published: September 12th 2017 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books

Number of Pages: 353 (Paperback)

---

Synopsis

(From Goodreads) For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

---

Book Review

I originally read Warcross back in 2017—at the beginning of my reading journey—and I remember loving it. Fast forward to 3 years later, I suddenly remembered how much I love this book so I bought a physical copy of the sequel, Wildcard. But it wasn’t until six months later (July 2020) when I thought I’d re-read it again.

Warcross (Paperback Copy) by Marie Lu

And…I was disappointed. It wasn’t a big surprise, though, considering that it literally took me years to read this duology again. I was also a pretty simple and close-minded reader back then.

Now, I kinda understand why I wasn’t motivated enough to pick up the sequel even though I already had a physical copy with me.

---

Writing Style

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Warcross is the first book that I’ve read from Marie Lu. Upon researching her works, I found out that she actually wrote two successful book trilogies before this one. Nevertheless, I wasn’t expecting much from her.

To be honest, I find her writing style just okay. Nothing remarkable about it. I would commend her, though, because her writing is very easy to read and follow.

Unfortunately, I felt like she was spoon-feeding me as I read Emika’s story. Everything was kind of handed to me in a silver platter.

---

World Building

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I think Warcross’ strength relies on its world-building.

I love how Marie Lu introduced this amazing world of gaming through Emika’s eyes. As a gamer myself, I really appreciate the background, mechanics, controls, and almost everything about the game. How I wish I can play Warcross, too! It really reminded me of MOBA games.

Outside of the gaming aspect, I also love how Lu built futuristic New York and Tokyo. I really love how the technology evolved in this world, how the game—through the NeuroLink—affected everyday life. It’s quite eerie in a way! The point system reminded of an episode on Netflix’s Black Mirror. And reading Emika’s “adventure” on the Dark Web? It gave me chills!

---

Plot

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Warcross has a really interesting synopsis. However, I personally felt like the stakes weren’t enough until I read the ending.

The first half of the book was kinda dragged out. The only thing that made it redeemable for me is reading about the Warcross tournament and how the actual games were played. I didn’t care much about Emika’s goal and why it’s important for her to work for Hideo (other than the fact that she’s a big fan of him). I also felt like the romance sub-plot was forced, especially on Hideo’s side.

However, when I read the ending of this book, I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t see that plot twist coming, although a majority of people did. I don’t want to spoil things but I just love how it ended with moral ambiguity and an open-ended question about technology.

---

Characters

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

As previously mentioned on my post about how I rate my books, characters make or break a story for me.

I find Emika Chen to be a boring character. She’s not a one-dimensional character per se, but I don’t connect to her story at all. I don’t care about her goals and her relationship with Hideo. Emika falls short as a character for me.

On the other hand, I remember loving Hideo on my first read. However, after my re-read, I find him to be an okay character. I don’t hate him but I don’t love him either.

How I wish I read more about the Phoenix Riders and the other gamers instead of struggling with Emika and Hideo’s “relationship.” In particular, I would like to know more about Ren, Hammie, and TREMAINE! I’m very curious about the sexual tension between him and Roshan.

---

Overall Thoughts

Warcross is set in an interesting world but the characters disappointed me. I really feel like if Marie Lu built more on the stakes of the plot and the character development, I would have loved this book. Alas, that was not the case.

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3 out of 5.

So, I rate this book 3 stars. It was a nice and quick read. But there was nothing spectacular about it. It’s pretty forgettable.

I still want to read the sequel, Wildcard, but I’m keeping my expectations low.

---

Book Rating (Summary)

Writing Style: 3 stars

World Building: 5 stars

Plot: 3.5 stars

Characters: 2.5 stars

Overall Rating: 3 stars

---

Check out my Goodreads review of this book!

---

Let’s Talk!

Are you a fan of books about gaming? Any particular recommendations?

Book Review: King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo (Nikolai Duology #1)

Book Title: King of Scars

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Date Published: January 29th 2019 by Imprint

Number of Pages: 514 (Hardcover)

Date I Read: June 17-27, 2020

---

Synopsis

(From Goodreads) Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

---

Book Review

Nikolai is my favorite character from the Shadow and Bone trilogy! He brings life to an otherwise typical and boring YA Fantasy series. That’s why when I learned about his duology, I was beyond excited and I can’t wait to pick up King of Scars!

Plus, you really can’t ignore the beautiful golden cover! I mean, just look at this:

King of Scars (Hardcover Copy) by Leigh Bardugo

Basically, I came into King of Scars with high expectations because I know that Bardugo will go nowhere but up after writing the Six of Crows duology.

Well, I wasn’t a fan of the first 150 pages or so. I simply forced myself to finish it because I already bought a gorgeous physical copy.

However, when the plot finally picked up halfway through the book, I completely changed my opinion! I’m at loss for words. I still can’t believe how Bardugo comes up with these surprising twists and turns, each one grander than the last. And don’t even get me started with that ending!

Plot

King of Scars mainly follows three POVs: Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina.

Nikolai and Zoya’s storyline focuses on what’s happening in Ravka. On top of ruling a broken country, they are also facing a rising dark magic inside Nikolai that’s trying to control him. They both realize that this is a threat to the kingdom which must be stopped once and for all. Soon, Nikolai sought the help of a monk (much to Zoya’s dismay) in hopes of finding an answer and a cure.

On the other hand, Nina’s story revolves around her undercover mission in Fjerda. Working alongside Adrik (a Squaller who first made his appearance in S&B) and Leoni (a Materialki), she tries to help Grisha escape the country for a safer and better life without fear. However, she still mourns for the death of her lover and tries to make sense of her new power.

“Everyone mourns the first blossom.

Who will grieve the rest who fall?”

While I love reading how these two stories unfold every chapter, I wasn’t a fan of Bardugo’s decision to mix these vastly different tales. We go from one country’s situation to another in an instant. And I find it disappointing, not because I wasn’t keeping up, but because I was so hooked into another storyline then Bardugo abruptly cut that excitement.

As a result, the plot’s pacing suffered. Bardugo really took her time building the inner conflicts her characters are facing…which is good and makes up for great character development by the end. Still, I wasn’t thrilled about the first 150 pages of this book.

And again, I was expecting more. Since this was Nikolai’s story, I wanted to read political intrigue, a royalty scheming of some sort but what I mainly got was Saint’s talk and religion theories. (Sounds familiar? Well, it is. After all, the S&B trilogy primarily tackles the story of power, the making of the world, and so forth.) And I wasn’t happy with it.

I guess, it’s just a personal preference since I love trashy drama, scheming and conniving, royalty and their first-world problems, and sappy romances. Plus, I should’ve seen it coming as it was told in the blurb that the story involved a monk.

Finally, though, Bardugo pulled out her tricks by the second half of the book. The plot went from slow to exhilarating fast real quick. And I was struggling to keep up with the bombs she dropped left and right, my eyes reading from a sentence to another as fast as they can, desperate to know what’s about to happen. This continued until the end as I screamed “what,” “no,” and “you gotta be kidding me” several times while reading the last few chapters.

Characters

Like most books in the Grishaverse, I fell in love with the characters in this novel. Despite already knowing most of them, I was still pleasantly surprised and pleased at how Bardugo can add another layer to these perfectly-rounded characters.

They were all written so well—they all have complex backgrounds, motivations, desires, struggles, and demons. And I love unfolding their character development chapter by chapter!

However, I was kind of disappointed in how little Nikolai’s participation in this book. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading about the transformation and growth of both Zoya and Nina. But I still wish I saw more from Nikolai, considering that this is supposedly his story. I mean, the title obviously refers to him.

Overall Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading King of Scars!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

While I find the beginning slow and the separate storylines quite unappealing, I love how the story takes in a new direction halfway through the book. I love seeing the two women “eclipsed” Nikolai in his own book, although, of course, I was hoping for more of him.

I look forward to reading the sequel! However, this didn’t impact me the same way the Six of Crows duology did, so I’m only rating it 4 stars at most.

---

Read my book review on Goodreads where I talked more about the plot and character development (spoilers included!).

---

Let’s Talk!

Have you read King of Scars yet? Let me know what you think about that INSANE ending!

Book Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone Series #3)

Book Title: Ruin and Rising

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Date Published: June 17th 2014 by Indigo

Number of Pages: 350 (Paperback)

Date I Read: May 14-17, 2020

---

Synopsis

(From Goodreads) The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

---

Book Review

I know that most Grishaverse fans were mad at the ending of this trilogy. But I really have unpopular opinions about Ruin and Rising because I was so satisfied with the ending. Yes, it was bittersweet, but it tied things up pretty well, in my personal opinion. It turned full circle.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I honestly didn’t see some things coming. Okay, I might have.

If you didn’t know, what made me decide to pick up this book was the Six of Crows duology. I just LOVE that series so much that I made a decision to check out Bardugo’s other works. So coming into the Shadow and Bone trilogy, I was already a little bit spoiled of the events.

Having said that, I wasn’t expecting the ending that Leigh Bardugo came up with. It was just so fitting for Alina’s character arc.

Plot

Remember when I said in my book review of Siege and Storm that some parts were just fillers for this series? I felt the same way too at some aspects of Ruin and Rising.

It still dragged at times and the main plot somehow got tangled and lost with everything that’s happening. There’s that animosity with The Apparat (a character that I don’t talk about because he’s trash). Then there’s the mystery of Morozova and the amplifiers. And yep, there’s that love SQUARE which somehow, always gets into our main character’s mind.

It really gets overwhelming at some point, going from slow-paced to fast-paced in an instant. But as always, Bardugo successfully manages to weave these complex arcs.

I absolutely love the twists and turns that she came up with.

Characters

I really appreciate Alina’s character development throughout the trilogy. She’d seen too much, felt too much, experienced unimaginable things. She’s not the same dumb girl in the first book whom I hated. She became powerful yet still desperate. And most importantly, she finally accepted herself.

“I’m the Sun Summoner. It gets dark when I say it does.”

As for Mal, I still don’t get the hate for him. Sure, he’s annoying and whiny on the second book, but he’s nowhere near terrible! In fact, he was always loyal to Alina and followed her wherever she goes, despite wanting the exact opposite thing.

My relationship with the Darkling is complicated. At first, I hated him. Then I started to understand him in the second book. In the end, though, I just felt pity for him.

After the events of the second book, I know that Sturmhond/Nikolai wouldn’t just die like that. But I still whooped when he finally made his comeback! He’s still witty, charming, and brilliant as ever. I just love him so much that it hurts reading the second half of this book.

As for the supporting characters, I love most of them. For the most part, I was satisfied with their own respective endings.

Overall Thoughts

I honestly enjoyed reading this conclusion to the Shadow and Bone trilogy. I was glad to see how things tied up for our main characters and sets up the stage for the supporting cast.

Overall, the whole trilogy is a good introduction to the Grishaverse. However, this doesn’t really compare to the amazingness that is the Six of Crows duology.

---

Read my spoiler-filled book review on Goodreads for my unfiltered thoughts about Ruin and Rising.

---

Book Reviews of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy

Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone Series #1)

Book Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone Series #2)

---

Let’s Talk!

Do you love the ending of the Shadow and Bone trilogy as much as I do? Were you satisfied with how Leigh Bardugo tied things up?

Book Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone Series #2)

Book Title: Siege and Storm

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Date Published: June 4th 2013 by Henry Holt and Company

Number of Pages: 435 (Paperback)

Date I Read: May 9-13, 2020

---

Synopsis

(From Goodreads) Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

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

---

Book Review

Siege and Storm begins immediately after the events in the first book. It follows Alina and Mal’s journey across the True Sea as they try to hide from the Darkling in Noyvi Zem. However, the Darkling found and captured them.

I enjoyed reading this second installment on the Grisha trilogy more than the first book. It has a fast-paced beginning and a new set of interesting characters (most of which I love!).

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Writing Style

I have no complaints with Bardugo’s writing style. While I love her third-person alternating POVs in the Six of Crows duology, I also enjoyed reading Alina’s POV.

I think Bardugo did pretty well when it comes to the world-building aspect of this book…something that I think she lacked on Shadow and Bone as I stated in my book review. I really love how she introduced aspects of the plot. I can vividly imagine it on my mind’s eye, especially with the Saint’s theory and all.

It’s really refreshing to see the Grishaverse from the eyes of Alina. It’s not always the best (since she is inconsistent at some points—from insecure to sassy) but it leaves a lot more mystery.

Plot

In my personal experience, sequels almost always have faster pacing than the first book. And Siege and Storm was no exception.

I like how Leigh Bardugo begins the story, allowing us to glimpse the life Alina and Mal could have in Noyvi Zem. Then quickly snatched the illusion away as the Darkling shows up to “claim” and “use” Alina’s powers for his own gain.

The rest of the action scenes came naturally. I liked how the Darkling revealed his new abilities, a testament to his great power, so Alina (even with her Morozova’s Stag amplifier) couldn’t fight back. I liked how we are introduced to new characters (more on this later) and how they helped Alina get free from the Darkling’s grasp. Most of all, I was excited when Bardugo presented the second amplifier, the Sea Whip’s Fetter.

I was so happy with this action-packed plot that I was turning the pages too quickly. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.

The first part of this book was so exhilarating fast then…it came to a slump in the middle. The plot slightly picked up by the end but it was too late.

This book really had me confused. Just when I thought I was liking where the plot was headed, Bardugo turned 180 and slowed down. It drags on and on when finally, I was left with a barely-there ending.

Don’t get me wrong, Bardugo still came up with her signature twists and turns. I like how she build-up with the amplifiers and the theory behind the Saints. At some point, the book even showed a little hint of dark fantasy with all these eerie theories.

BUT the middle of the book was really lackluster. Maybe Siege and Storm was really just a filler novel, a mere build-up for the events in the third book.

Characters

If you’ve read my Shadow and Bone book review, you already know how much I hate some of the characters’ behaviors and motivations. Surprisingly, I grew to understand them in this book. As for the new characters, all I have is LOVE for them!

I was expecting major character development for Alina in this book after what she has gone through in the past. And while I did get to see her grow more powerful (thanks to the Sea Whip), it still fell short. She still has those annoying insecure moments (stop being jealous at Zoya because of her looks!) and she’s more undecided than ever.

I really love the way Mal’s character develops by the end of Shadow and Bone. However, I’m not quite a fan of him on this one. By protecting Alina, he became insecure and obsessive at times.

I didn’t like the Darkling’s character at all in the first book (which surprised me because I like mysterious guys) and I still don’t like him on this one. However, I did start to understand him. I’m beginning to see that maybe he’s not that evil, after all. I also started pitying him because maybe living so long (I still can’t get over this dude’s age!) had made him this way. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll decide to hug him by the end of the third book because he’s just so alone.

As for Sturmhond, where do I even begin with this clever privateer? He really carried this book on his shoulders! Without him, Siege and Storm is a forgettable YA Fantasy book. No words would be enough to convey my love for this guy! I just love everything about him—his wit, his humor, his courage, and his passion!

Overall Thoughts

I liked Siege and Storm slightly better than the first book because of the new characters and could-have-been-interesting storyline.

However, it took me longer than expected to finish this book because of that boring middle part. This really feels like a filler book to set up the future events in this series.

---

Read my book review on Goodreads for my spoiler-filled opinions about this book.

---

Book Reviews of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy

Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone Series #1)

Book Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone Series #3)

---

Let’s Talk!

Do you like Siege and Storm better than the first book? What are your thoughts about the new characters?

Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone Series #1)

Book Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Date Published: June 5th 2012 by Henry Holt and Company

Number of Pages: 358 (Paperback)

Date I Read: May 7-8, 2020

---

Synopsis

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

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

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

---

Book Review

I first read Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology and I’m so pumped to finally read this trilogy!

“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.”

Shadow and Bone is actually the first book of the Grishaverse book series. So, having read the SoC duology (#4 and #5 respectively on the Grishaverse novels) first, I’m already aware of some spoilers. However, I didn’t mind it that much as I was actually intrigued by how the story unfolds on this series so here I am.

First things first, my friend actually warned me that the Shadow and Bone trilogy is not as good as the Six of Crows duology. So, I trusted her own personal views and I kept my expectations low on this first installment. And I’m glad I did because I would have rated this so much lower…

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

The first half of this book was such a drag. We are introduced to Alina Starkov and Malyen Oretsev, both orphans of the ongoing war across Ravka, who grew up together under the care of a wealthy Duke. Now that they’re teenagers, they have enlisted in the army with Alina working as an assistant to a junior cartographer and Mal as an expert-tracker. Their ordinary lives changed when their regiment is attacked on the Shadow Fold (a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters) and Alina reveals her dormant power that saves her own and Mal’s life. She was then whisked away to train as a member of the Grisha (individuals with special powers) at the royal court.

Basically, this blurb (which was handed to us on a silver platter) comprises the first 150 or so pages of this book. Which means this book was so repetitive and bad. No offense, I love Leigh Bardugo’s compelling storytelling on the SoC duology but this…it’s like I’m reading something that I already know from the back of the cover!!! I was looking forward to a change of pace, a change of events but all I got is an extended version of the blurb. I guess this is the only way Bardugo can build the Grisha world. (More on the world-building later on.)

Fortunately, the second half redeemed it! I finally got what I wanted: exhilarating, fast-paced, and action-packed plot!

Unfortunately, aside from the slow and unforgettable first half of this book, I also didn’t like the way Bardugo handled a few other things. Let’s talk about the things I hate first before we get to the things I actually liked about this book.

Things I Disliked About Shadow and Bone

1. The World-Building

I feel like Bardugo’s ability to introduce the (amazing and well-thought-out) fantasy world she built is lacking. And since this was the first book of the Grishaverse series, the world-building was the only thing I looked forward to but I was disappointed yet again.

Like I mentioned in my book review of Six of Crows, I feel like Bardugo just thrown out random words in this book without any explanation up until 50 or 60 pages in. I already know what Grisha, Squaller, Shu, Fjerda means BUT I feel like I would be so confused by these terms if I have read it as an absolute beginner. The only thing that redeemed it for me is the fact it covered most of Ravka’s cities and towns pretty well.

2. The Cliché Tropes

The characters (and plot) of this book are based on very cliché tropes and I loathe it.

Alina is your typical main character who is insecure (a.k.a. annoying) about herself that she thinks she’s so ugly. But if she’s so ugly, why are two handsome guys are pining for her?! She also feels like she doesn’t “belong” anywhere so she wants to belong to a character named The Darkling (don’t get me started with this dude, just wait, I’ll get there). And the worst part? She’s the CHOSEN ONE.

The Darkling is, well, dark and brooding and apparently still handsome (despite being 150 years old?!) guy who is Alina’s love interest-slash-antagonist. If that’s not realistic enough, he also happened to be sexually aggressive, abusive, and murderous in a hot way that Alina couldn’t resist.

And, of course, we gotta love a good old best friend trope to make up the LOVE TRIANGLE. Mal is your typical good-natured, sweet best friend but thankfully, the love was kinda different, with Alina liking him instead of the other way around.

But apparently, Leigh Bardugo is a witch and she made these tropes work so well?!

Things I Liked About Shadow and Bone

1. The Characters

While I don’t get the hype for The Darkling (and I lowkey hated him), I enjoyed getting to know the other characters!

For the first half of this book, I got bored reading Alina’s insecure thoughts about herself. But Bardugo pulled a magic trick by the end and I ended up liking her character. Hopefully, I get to like her even more on the next books!

Mal was kinda meh at first (especially with the girls as gorgeous as Zoya pining for him) but I kinda missed his presence in the middle of the book. And like Alina, his character grew on me. I SHIP MAL AND ALINA, ALRIGHT?! I’m part of the 0.01% that do!

Genya reminds me of Nina Zenik from SoC. And as expected, I love her! I hope to see more sassiness from her in the 2nd book!

Baghra took me by surprise! At first, I thought she’s gonna be that annoying teacher who just likes to torture her students. Turns out she’s harboring a dark secret that I did not expect at all.

Zoya was kind of an annoying side character here in this book and I wish the sequels will do her justice!

2. The Plot Twists

I won’t say much about the plot twists Bardugo has come up with in this book—they are are simply brilliant and unexpected. And because of such dark twists and turns to an otherwise typical YA Fantasy plot, I really enjoyed reading the second half of this book!

Overall Thoughts

Overall, this book is a promising start to the Shadow and Bone trilogy but rather a weak one for the amazingness of the whole Grishaverse. Pick it up if you’re willing to read a bland first half of the book in order to get that twisted ending! Trust me, it’s worth it!

---

Check out my book review on Goodreads for my initial thoughts about Shadow and Bone!

---

Book Reviews of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy

Book Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone Series #2)

Book Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone Series #3)

---

Let’s Talk!

What are your thoughts on Shadow and Bone? Who’s your favorite character from the OG Grisha trilogy?