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Rating: 4.5 STARS & 5 STARS!   Genre: YA/Fantasy Standalone/Series: Six of Crows Duology How I got this book: Bought
So, I finally got my head out of the sand and picked up these two books. Holy crap! Why did it take me so long to read these?!? I'm reviewing both books together because: 1 - I literally read them back to back with barely time to breathe between them. 2 - These two books belong together. So, let's start with Six of Crows! I finished this book a lot quicker than I expected to when I started. It's the first book I've read with quite so many POV's (there's 8 in total I think, although 2 are fleeting) and so at first, I found myself longing for more time to get to know each character. However, I think this flitting POV gives the book a fantastic pace, I was half-way through and wondering how I'd got there so quickly and after a short while, I'd really started to bond with the characters. I love them all, some more than others 💓INEJ💓JESPER💓!! I also love the pairings, the ships in this book are some of my favourite - EVER!! "I have beguiled you with my Grisha wiles!" 😂❤️" The characters are fantastic: Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina and Mathias. They each have fantastic personalities, wit, drive, passion and fears they need to overcome and work through. “They're all survivors. They adapt.” The world building here is amazing. The character building is even better. Six of Crows has intrigue, mystery, danger, friendship, misdirection and a whole hell of a lot of badass! This really was like a much better, more fantastical and cooler teen version of Ocean's 11 crossed with the Breakfast Club - some of the plot twists were great and I loved the character development and backstory behind each character. I'm slightly annoyed that EVERYTHING I've read lately ends on a cliffhanger...I need the next book, like yesterday! So, I immediately picked up Crooked Kingdom after finishing Six of Crows because my love for this gang was burning and I needed more.
This book has destroyed me. The ending was so damn bittersweet it hurts. Six of Crows was amazing, but Crooked Kingdom was everything, and in my opinion it made the first book so much better. I love these characters. I love their skills, talents, flaws, secrets and most of all their fiercely beating hearts. I have favourites (Inej and Jesper) but it's a close call as each character is fantastic in their own way. The world building continues to be brilliant and the way the author (and Kaz) keep you guessing until the very last minute is sheer perfection. There were some truly joyous moments in this book that built from the last and were all the better for the buildup. I love that you literally never know what to expect from the plot and the characters (particularly Kaz who is a phenomenal character). The ending literally made me cry with both sadness and joy, and whilst I won't spoil it for anyone, just make sure you have tissues close by, and plenty of waffles! The book ended in a place that made me think there should surely be more. A few things were left in a place that I'm just not happy to leave but then maybe that was the intention as I can now stress dream over what happens next!!! If you haven't read Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom yet, just do it, you won't be disappointed. Leigh Bardugo is incredible and I NEED more! I guess it's only a matter of time now before I pick up the Shadow and Bone trilogy! "No mourners, no funerals."
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Rating: 4.5 STARS  Genre: YA/Mystery/Fantasy Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from Simon and Schuster UK Children's via NetGalley  Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow… Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town. Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under. Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into. Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters. But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself. This book was NOT what I expected....but in the best possible way.
The book intrigued me from the start; witches, a centuries old curse and a little town called Sparrow - sounds perfect, right? This book dragged me under really quickly. The story was quick paced and addictive. It sort of got under my skin in that I couldn't stop thinking about it even when I wasn't reading it. If I'd had the time I'd probably have devoured this in one sitting. What I did not expect was the mind blowing revelation towards the end of the book. It was exceptionally clever to the point where I thought I'd spotted something earlier on in the book but the author then convinced me that I was wrong until BAM, at the end I was just shocked. At his point I wanted to re-read the entire thing to see what I'd missed! Then all the unanswered questions were revealed and I think my poor brain may have melted by this point. This book has the perfect mixture of creepy, mystery and romance to make it really good and I loved the flitting narrative between past and present events. The main character is so compelling, she gets under your skin and then tears you up so you don't know what to think or who to root for. I'm giving this 4.5 stars because the characters and the plot twists were brilliant...I'm just a little torn about the ending. I can understand the author's choice, I'm just not 100% sure I'm happy with it! Overall, I can highly recommend this to lovers of fantasy and mystery! Rating: 5 STARS!  Genre: YA/Fantasy Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: Bought  Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns. Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price. Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love. Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse. This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves. Confession time! I completely bought this book because of it's cover. I mean, it's one of the prettiest books I've ever seen.
The hardcover and the illustrations inside are stunning! I particularly love the unique way in which the illustrations reveal new pieces of the story as you read before culminating in a large, completely gorgeous scene at the end of each short story. I don't typically enjoy short stories as I usually need more time to connect with a character but these stories drag you under in a matter of sentences. The world and character building is flawless, the morals are fantastic and the imagery, both visually and written is beautiful. I love the interwoven details and themes from the fairytales we grew up with, but I love how these stories explore darker themes that are skimmed over in the child-friendly versions. Don't expect handsome princes and helpful animals in these stories; although some do talk. Expect mystery, spine-tingling danger and difficult choices within fantasy worlds where our heroes have to battle against evil in all it's forms. I can't even begin to choose a favourite tale. I loved each and every one and I will most definitely be re-reading these stories for years to come. A running theme through these stories is strong, powerful women in one form or another, and I love it! This is my first Leigh Bardugo book and I'm chomping at the bit for more! A glittering 5 stars from me! Rating: 5 STARS!  Genre: YA Standalone/Series: Standalone (although I'd personally recommend reading Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda first) How I got this book: Bought  Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love-she's lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can't stomach the idea of rejection. So she's careful. Fat girls always have to be careful. Then a cute new girl enters Cassie's orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly's cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly's totally not dying of loneliness-except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie's new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny, flirtatious, and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she'll get her first kiss and she'll get her twin back. There's only one problem: Molly's coworker, Reid. He's an awkward Tolkien superfan, and there's absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right? Crush number 28 - Book of the epic feels, Molly of the so damn familiar it'd be creepy if it wasn't so awesome!
Reading this book was really surreal. Have you ever read a book and felt as though it was written just for you? That's what this book felt like. I felt like Molly every single day of my life growing up and now isn't that much different. I have serious body confidence issues, I'm anxious, self-doubting and really introverted. Reading about Molly took me right back to being an insecure teenager, to all those unrequited crushes, the feelings of not knowing who I was or where I belonged, feeling like the very last person in the race when it came to first kisses, first love and all the stuff that follows. Thankfully, when I was 17 I met my very own Tolkien obsessed, adorably geeky Reid-type and I'm also really close with my sister (much more so now than we were as kids). I love this author's work. The way she perfectly encapsulates a character and makes them relatable to you, makes you invest in them and care about what they're going through. On that note, if you haven't read Simon vs The Homo Sapien's Agenda, you really really should, especially before you read this, because even while it's a standalone it's set in the same 'world' and features some of the characters including Simon himself! I love how Becky Albertalli supports and advocates for the LGTBQ+ community in all of her work. It's refreshing, realistic and just pure awesome!! Molly is relatable (I think I've already mentioned that), she's sweet and compelling. Her relationship with her sister is tangible and develops throughout the story along with Molly's own character. This book is packed full of feels, and my face is tired from a whirlwind of expressions, mostly the goofy smile I couldn't shake for hours afterwards! I can't wait to read the next book in the series when it comes out and I know Molly and her story are going to stick with me for a very long time to come. Did I mention that I love this story?? |
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About KayleighBook addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, aspiring writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. Currently Reading:
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