Crooked Kingdom

When you can't beat the odds, change the game.

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world. - excerpt from book

Ending with much suspense, this book continues right where Six of Crows ended. Kaz and his crew have to fight for their life and freedom. The game is not in their favour as they were outplayed by Wylan's father. As they struggle to get out of the pinch, a new heist is planned. Leigh has done a good job capturing my attention and knowing that this is the last book, I was so excited to finish it. There were so many things that I did not expect at all. With multiple character viewpoints just like the first book, you never want one character's part to end just yet.

We're pretty set with who these crew of people are, but there were quite a bit of the past revealed and not to mention the notorious Kaz has more of his revealed. I absolutely enjoyed how each character look at the situation and how they perform the task needed without too much questioning portraying their trust and loyalty to Kaz. There's also some growth for the characters as the incidents slightly changes their fate. I love their interactions with each other, especially Kaz and Inej, Nina and Matthias. Their relationships really gets you emotional because you'll be rooting for them strongly. I can never get enough of the scenes between them and wished for so much more. I find that the one that surprised me would be Wylan as there's so much revealed compared to his mysterious background in the first book. Leigh really does an awesome job when it comes to tying all the characters together with their personalities that compliments the story.

Six of Crows

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price - and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager

A runaway with a priviledged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction- if they don't kill each other first. - excerpt from book

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is her latest in a new series that is set in the world of Grisha.  The timeline is after The Grisha trilogy where this band of characters are not related to the characters of the previous trilogy. I was so stoked to know that there is a new book from the author, I was totally mesmerized by The Grisha trilogy which made me want more. This time the story is about villains instead of the heroes and I was impressed yet again. I cannot stop thinking about the book for days after I finished and I desperately hoped I had the second book immediately. 

To say that the book was not a page turner, I must be insane because once the story starts you will not stop reading, you just want more and more. The plot of the book was fantastic, so many twists and turns, so many surprises!! The hype around the book was not a joke, it is indeed worth the hype. I cannot stress how much I enjoyed this book from the start till the end. The story is separated in parts and the chapters are point of views of the characters which is more than 2 of them. This format of writing is so pleasing for me as I am a person who loves reading many point of views. It is not annoying at all with the swapping because it reveals the personality of the characters not to mention the progress of the story too. I really felt like I was one of the characters while reading the book, it was like I am present in the story. 

Besides the plot being good, the characters are the essence of the story. I loved all the characters especially Kaz and Inej who are the main stars of the story. I loved their past because it strongly influenced their personalities. They are a pair of characters that can compliment each other really well, a very good team. The rest of the crew are just as important as their views of other characters will contribute to more personality revealed. They are all very unique characters with very interesting stories about their past. I secretly have a crush in Kaz and I'm sure he has more to him than this first book has revealed.

I read the book without expectations, without any predictions of the outcome. This book was full of action, excitement and mystery as to the execution of the heist. I totally fell in love with the book, no complains at all. Leigh Bardugo has written a masterpiece, the Grisha trilogy was fantastic, this book was one step above it. I cannot wait for the next book as the ending was left at a cliffhanger. Without a doubt I will recommend this to readers who loves fantasy, who loves a heist, and those who loves the Grisha world. This book is one of my favourite books of 2015 which is also my favourite out of the top 10 picks. I am so reading this book again when the next book is nearing it's publication date. 

Shadow and Bone

Alina Starkov doesn't expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, the one thing she could rely on was her best friend and fellow refugee, Mal. And lately not even that seems certain. Drafted into the army of their war-torn homeland, they're sent on a dangerous mission into the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling monsters who feast on human flesh.

When their convoy is attacked, all seems lost until Alina reveals a dormant power that not even she knew existed. Ripped from everything she knows, she is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. He believes she is the answer the people have been waiting for: the one person with the power to destroy the Fold.

Swept up in a world of luxury and illusion, envied as the Darkling's favorite, Alina struggles to fit into her new life without Mal by her side. Bust as the threat to the kingdom mounts, Alina uncovers a secret that sets her on a collision course with the most powerful forces in the kingdom. Now only her past can save her...and only she can save the future. - Excerpt from the book's dust jacket.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo is a high fantasy book under the young adult catergory. I absolutely love this book and I finished it within 2 days which I don't do often. The story is certainly new for the YA genre. When I was reading this book, I can't help but being reminded of another fantasy series which I love dearly which is The Black Magician's trilogy. I'm not saying it's the same but there are some similarities which I would not mention. I have been reading quite a number of contemporary books and so reading this book reminded me why I love fantasy in the first place.

The plot of the story is very smooth and twists was just fantastic and thrilling. By reading just the prologue, I was hooked instantly and I just kept reading. The characters of the books are also good especially the Darkling which made I kinda love. That character is just so intriguing and I know that there's more to him. Two quotes from him that I love are:

"The problem with wanting is that it makes you weak"- pg 221

"There are no Ravkans, no Fjerdans, no Kerch, no Shu Han. There are no more borders, and there will be no more wars. From now on, there is only the land inside the Fold and outside of it, and there will be peace"-pg 341.

For the main heroine, I just felt she had okay character development but I kinda wanted more from her. Other side characters were written essential to let the plot move forward which I felt it was good. Some russian is used in the book where I don't quite understand and I wished the author would put in a glossary at the back of the book with the meaning and pronunciation of the word. The world and magic that author created is good and unique which makes the book more interesting compared to other fantasy.

Overall the storyline and plots are the parts that captured me the most followed by one of the characters. I highly recommend this book to fantasy readers because this is one of a kind. It's a fantastic page turner which impressed me much and I will definitely treasure this story. This is one of those that I will read again and again. After doing some research I found that this book was taken on for a movie so I'm looking forward to hear news of it. There is also a wikia page for the book which shocked me that there were so many fans for the trilogy which was good. I can't wait for the last one to come out as I plan to order the second book along with the last one.