Books to Buy – Page 8 – Zakiya N. Jamal

Book Review: The Sun is Also a Star

Posted on November 15, 2016November 14, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

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Review

*I received a free advanced reader’s copy of this book from First in Line and B-Fest. This did not influence my review of this book in anyway. This is an honest review of the novel as I saw it.*

Nicola Yoon knows how to make me feel all the feelings. At first I wasn’t sure I would like this novel because it’s written in an interesting way. Not only do we get the first person perspectives of Daniel and Natasha but we also get the history and future histories of other characters. We learn what’s to come for Daniel’s brother, Charlie, and Natasha’s father’s history of regret. Yoon not only gives us insight into almost every character that Daniel and Natasha come into contact with but she also gives us the history of African-American hair care, the meaning of fate and love, and many other things.

In the beginning I wasn’t a fan of these extra little side stories and histories and just wanted the Natasha and Daniel parts of the novel but then I ended up actually loving those sections that weren’t about Natasha and Daniel. I started worrying about Irene, the security guard, and Jeremy, the lawyer. I wanted to know how their stories would end and what their future histories would look like. Yoon made me become invested in characters that weren’t even main characters and that’s what’s truly remarkable about this book.

Yoon expertly weaves a love story that’s also an exposé on how our actions, whether they’re big or small, can affect the lives of the people around us. How one moment or one day can alter someone’s life forever. The Sun is Also a Star takes place within the span of a day but we see so much more than just what happens in this one day. We see what led to this one day in Natasha and Daniel’s lives and what comes after and it’s beautiful and heartbreaking to read. This novel deals with not only romance but immigration, racial tensions, a lot of science, and poetry.

If you’re looking for a love story that will make you swoon Natasha and Daniel definitely give you that but The Sun is Also a Star isn’t just a romance novel. It’s so much more than that. It’s a story about people, and how despite our differences we’re all connected in some way. Definitely give this book a read if you haven’t yet. It’s worth every penny.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Love always changes everything.”

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"This Girl" by Colleen Hoover Book Review

Book Review: This Girl

Posted on November 13, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

There are two sides to every love story. Now hear Will’s.

Colleen Hoover’s New York Times bestselling Slammed series has brought countless readers to their knees with a whirlwind of love, passion, and heartache. Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from his point of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.

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Review

*Warning: There will be minimal spoilers about Point of Retreat in this review. Read at your own risk.*

I was nervous to read this book because I didn’t really like Point of Retreat but surprisingly I loved This Girl. It turns out a lot happened in Slammed that we (and Layken) didn’t know about it and it was interesting learning these new things. I really loved how Colleen Hoover wrote this novel. Unlike Losing Hope where she just started from the beginning of the events in Hopeless it was like we were learning about Will’s past with Layken.

We began with them in their hotel on their honeymoon and Layken is asking Will questions about their past and what he thought about all the things that happened between them. Then we got the answer to these questions in the form of little short stories, some of which we’d already heard from Layken but other’s that we’d never heard before. It was also nice getting to see Layken’s mom again and my heart was broken once again over Layken’s loss.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and thought it was the perfect ending to Layken and Will’s love story. I also really liked how the title played into the story as well. Still, I definitely skipped/skimmed the poetry as I did with the other two books in this series. I just wasn’t into it, especially the poems we already read in Slammed. Besides that though I thought this book was great and I recommend it.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Sometimes two people need to fall apart to realize how much they need to fall back together.”

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Book Review: Queen of Shadows

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire-for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

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Review

*Warning: There will be spoilers about Heir of Fire in this review. Read at your own risk.*

Queen of Shadows is my favorite book in this series so far. I haven’t read The Assassin’s Blade but I feel confident in saying Queen of Shadows is my absolute favorite. Everything about it was great. There was a lot of action, drama, romance, and there were a lot of twists and secrets revealed. The novel began with Aelin back in Rifthold to start making moves to take back her kingdom and ultimately save the world from the dark clutches of the King of Adarlan. Unfortunately a lot had changed since Aelin was last in Rifthold.

Dorian was under the control of a Valg prince do to the nice little choker his father put on him after Chaol escaped from the castle. Aedion, Aelin’s cousin, was imprisoned in the castle awaiting his execution and people kept disappearing in Rifthold while the rebels in the city tried to save them all. Not to mention the fact that Aelin also needed to pay the Assassin King a visit because he had one of the Wyrdkeys. Needless to say Aelin had a lot of work to do in this novel and as per usual she handled it with a high degree of sass and swagger. Her plans continued to surprise me (and the other characters in this novel) and I never knew what to expect, which made this novel so fun to read.

It was heartbreaking to read the chapters about Dorian and his enslavement. I wanted to cry every time we had one of those chapters but I pushed through. This novel also contained some new characters that I fell in love with, mainly Lysandra and Nesyrn. I love all the bad ass women we get in this series and these two were an amazing addition to the growing cast of characters in these novels. We also learned more about Manon and the witches in this novel but honestly I didn’t really care all that much about them. Although I do love Manon’s wyern, Abraxos. He’s the best.

Like I said I absolutely loved this novel and I think you should buy it immediately if you haven’t already. It’s worth every penny and I’ve already reread it because I have no self-control. Sorry not sorry.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“You make me want to live, Rowan. Not survive; not exist. Live.”

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Book Review: Everything, Everything

Posted on October 25, 2016October 24, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

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Review

I had to renew this book twice from the library before I finally got around to reading it. What can I say, YA contemporaries aren’t typically my thing. But after much persuasion from my friend and the fact that the due date was coming up again I figured why not give it a chance. I finished it in a day. Literally started it Sunday morning and finished it by Sunday night. Needless to say I loved it.

Maddy is my heart and soul. She was sweet, funny, and much more forgiving than I am. Seriously she is goals for me. I hope to be able to love people and forgive people the way she does. Although I loved Maddy I fell in love with Olly. He was cute, funny, wears all black, and is just the perfect person for Maddy. Their love story sucked me in hard but what really kept me on the edge of my seat was Maddy’s illness and how it affected her life. I can’t imagine not being able to leave my house, not being able to touch people, not having a “normal” life. What I could understand though was Maddy’s love for books and her little reviews cracked me up as did her definitions.

I loved the drawings in this book as well, which were done by Nicola’s husband, David, which I thought was super cool. Overall I think what I loved most about this book was really just the plot. The romance between Maddy and Olly was perfect but the story that Yoon weaved left me speechless. I was shocked, enraged, and saddened with the last 100 pages of this book. I didn’t know what to feel and had to let my friend know that I was emotional wreck. Truly I did not sign up for all these emotions but I loved every second of it. If I could shove this book into everyone’s hands I would because it’s absolutely marvelous. It also makes me happy that Maddy’s biracial and her nurse, Carla, is from Mexico (diverse characters!). Speaking of Carla she was amazing and I absolutely loved her. I typically don’t care for the “grown-ups” in YA novels but Carla was the best.

In summary, if you’re like me and have put off reading Everything, Everything please rectify this problem immediately and read it. Honestly it’s so great and it’s also a pretty quick read. This is definitely one I need on my shelves.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“In my head I’ve been in love before, but it doesn’t feel like it. Being in love with you is better than the first time. It feels like the first time and the last time and the only time all at once.”

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Book Review: Throne of Glass

Posted on October 24, 2016October 27, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass–and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

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Review

After reading A Court of Thorns and Roses everyone told me I had to read Throne of Glass. Well after waiting for the latest book to come out I’ve decided to binge read the whole series and I’m loving it so far. I just made it to book three and I’m so hooked. For now though I’m just going to discuss the first novel, which was a great start to the series.

The novel follows Celaena, an assassin that was enslaved after being betrayed. Now she’s made a deal with the Crown Prince, Dorian. In exchange for her freedom she will compete to become the King’s Champion and if she succeeds she will work for the King for a few years and then finally be really free. Of course nothing comes easy and living in the castle along with the nobility and the other criminals and warriors competing for the Champion title is difficult for Celaena. Especially when Dorian sees her as more than just his Champion and her friendship with the Captain of the Guard, Chaol, is so tumultuous it’s difficult to tell how he actually feels about her. Worse than anything, though, is the mysterious secrets the castle holds and the evil that’s lurking around every corner. Celaena will have to keep her guard up at all times to face off against threats but to also keep her own secrets.

Like I said I’m totally hooked. I couldn’t put this book down. There was romance, hilarity, mystery, and adventure. I absolutely love Chaol and he’s definitely my favorite but I also really liked Dorian and Nehemia, who befriends Celaena. This book made me laugh a lot but also made me swoon and a little concerned for my favorites. I was on the edge of my seat throughout this book and never knew what would happen next.

I’m excited to continue this series and see where it goes from here. I know I’m in for a lot of despair and crying but thankfully I’ve been warned enough that I feel emotionally prepared. At least I hope so. The point is you should really read this series if you haven’t already. As my friend once said, it’s never too late to join the bandwagon. So hop on my friends! It’ll be a wild ride.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“You could rattle the stars. You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most.”

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Book Review: The Midnight Star

Posted on October 18, 2016November 13, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

There was once a time when darkness shrouded the world, and the darkness had a queen.

Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows. The darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy all she’s gained.

When a new danger appears, Adelina’s forced to revisit old wounds, putting not only herself at risk, but every Elite. In order to preserve her empire, Adelina and her Roses must join the Daggers on a perilous quest—though this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger.

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Review

*Warning: There will be minimal spoilers about The Rose Society in this review. Read at your own risk.*

I don’t think I’ve ever been so satisfied with the conclusion to a series before. The Midnight Star was the perfect end to this trilogy. It was everything I wanted and more. Literally when I finished it I cried because it was absolutly amazing and I was so sad it was over. I truly want to read it again right now but alas there’s so many other books I must read. Seriously though, I need to everyone to read this trilogy; it’s truly a work of art.

Okay, now that the fangirling is out of the way let’s get down to it. I had the opportunity to go to the NYC launch of The Midnight Star and meet Marie Lu, which was amazing. At the event she said this book was the darkest one in the trilogy and the hardest for her to write and I can believe it. This book went dark. Adelina’s mind is totally corrupted, both from her actions but also from her abilities. Her visions/illusions are out of control and it’s kind of heartbreaking to watch, despite all that Adelina has done.

Differently than The Rose Society, The Midnight Star jumps ahead a year from where The Rose Society left off. This kind of threw me off a little bit but the time jump kind of made sense. In this novel we got a lot of point of views including Adelina, Maeve, Raffaele, Teren, Magiano, and Violetta, however all of these were necessary for a reason and we got some POVs more than others. My love for Magiano only grew with this novel and he’s my absolute fave. The romance in this book was perfect but the plot itself was also fantastic. There was great action, mystery, and we learned a lot about the Elites and where their powers came from. What made me the most happy was the explanation behind the title. At the launch event Lu said she couldn’t explain the title without spoilers and I’m so glad she left it a mystery because finding out the truth behind it was so worth it. That’s partially why I cried, to be honest.

This story was so well done and I’m happy with how this story ended for all the characters. Please read this series if you haven’t yet. It’s so worth it!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“You cannot harden your heart to the future just because of your past. You cannot use cruelty against yourself to justify cruelty to others.”

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Book Review: The Rose Society

Posted on October 11, 2016October 11, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.

Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she and her sister flee Kenettra to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her.

But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good, when her very existence depends on darkness?

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Review

*Warning: There will be minimal spoilers about The Young Elites in this review. Read at your own risk.*

As much as I loved the Legend trilogy I love The Young Elites trilogy even more. Marie Lu has created a dark fantasy that completely sucks you in and won’t let go until the very last page. The Rose Society is once again told in different perspectives but only Adelina’s is told in the first person. In this novel we also hear from Teren, Maeve, and Raffaele, which gives us a lot of interesting perspectives.

We also met new characters like Sergio and Magiano and Magiano is my new fave. In this novel we learned a lot more about the Elites and their abilities and got to see new ones at work. More importantly though we got to see more Adelina’s power and how’s she really becoming a villain. In the first novel I really sympathized with Adelina and even though I knew she did bad things I didn’t see her as a bad person.

In The Rose Society, however, Adelina seems to take a step further into the darkness and honestly I kind of loved it. This book was really dark and kept me on the edge of my seat. I never knew how far Adelina would go with her plans and I was so conflicted in rooting for and also hoping she failed. Also, the battles and fight scenes in this novel were amazing. We really got to see a lot of the Elites powers go to work but also swords and daggers were put to good use.

Overall, I absolutely loved this novel and I cannot wait to get my hands on The Midnight Star. I need to know how it all ends and what happens to Adelina and my favorite Elites. As much as I want a happy ending for Adelina I’m not sure she deserves. I’m really interested to see how Lu ends this trilogy because I have no idea where it’s heading. Definitely pick up this trilogy if you haven’t already. It’s worth a read!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“But true rulers are not born. We are made.”

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Book Review: The Young Elites

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.
Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

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Review

I absolutely loved the Legend trilogy so I was excited to dive into Marie Lu’s latest trilogy and it didn’t disappoint. I couldn’t put this book down. This novel is told in three point of views but Adelina’s point of view is the only one told in first person narration, which I enjoyed because her mind is a very interesting place. Going into this novel I knew that it was about a villain and yet I struggled to see Adelina as a villain and instead saw her as a victim of her circumstances. She definitely has some questionable morals and a dark power that can’t seem to be controlled but I’m not sure I believe that means Adelina is a bad person, which is what I love about this book. Even though Lu tells us Adelina’s a villain, Lu has developed this character so well that I still find myself asking, But is she?

Besides Adelina, Raffaele is my favorite character. Teren annoyed me but I liked having his perspective and honestly I had very mixed feelings about Enzo, which I won’t go into because I don’t want to spoil it. I will say there is a bit of romance in the novel but it’s definitely very minimal and not at all a driving force in this novel, which I found very interesting, in comparison to the Legend trilogy. It’s clear this series is very much about the characters own personal journeys about what constitutes as right or wrong.

For Teren that comes with his religious beliefs, for Adelina it’s choosing between fighting the darkness inside her or embracing it, and for Enzo it’s the question of how far he’s willing to go to take back what’s rightfully his. I really liked how complicated these characters were and how I never knew who I wanted to root for because they’re all so flawed. That’s why Raffaele is my favorite. He’s the least problematic character in this novel to be honest.

Overall, I was really drawn into this story and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. I’m really interested to see where Lu takes this story. In most novels you typically want to see the villain defeated but I don’t want a bad end for Adelina. I’m not sure if a happy ending is possible for her but I kind of want it anyway.

Have you read The Young Elites? Let me know you thoughts about it in the comments below.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Be true to yourself. But that’s something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.”

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Spoiler-Free Book Review: Crooked Kingdom

Posted on September 29, 2016September 29, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

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.

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Review

*Warning: There will be minimal spoilers about Six of Crows in this review. Read at your own risk.*

I went to the NYC launch for Crooked Kingdom so I got the book a day early, which was awesome. As soon as I got it I dived in and loved it immediately. Crooked Kingdom begins pretty soon after the end of Six of Crows and the main mission is obviously to save Inej from Van Eck, which of course is easier said than done but if anyone can do it it’s the Dregs. Right? Naturally Kaz has a plan up his sleeve but what I really liked about this book and Six of Crows is Bardugo doesn’t just tell us what it is, she just let’s it unfold in front of us. Also, if you were hoping this book would begin in Kaz’s point of view, with him being totally distraught over Inej’s kidnapping then you don’t know Kaz or Bardugo. We don’t even get to Kaz’s point of view until part two, which let me tell you, almost killed me. But it’s worth the wait.

I won’t go into the plot because I promised no spoilers but I will say Bardugo wove this story together perfectly. I was excited, nervous, proud, a little sad, and swooning. There are so many swoon worthy moments in this one but still not so many that it was overkill and seemed out of character for the Dregs. Everyone was still their typical selfs and though it was frustrating at times (I’m looking at you Kaz) I’m glad that Bardugo made us work for the swooning because in the end it was worth it.

My favorite part about this novel was we learned so much about everyone’s pasts, particularly Inej, Jesper, and Wylan. We really got to know the Dregs in this novel and that was awesome. I think Six of Crows was really about establishing the team but Crooked Kingdom is about really getting to know them and what brought them to where they are now. I also thoroughly appreciated the throwbacks to the Grisha trilogy that appeared in this novel as well as the little Hamilton references.

The dialogue was great and I loved how the Dregs all interacted with each other and play off each other. There friendship is simple but it’s filled with love and trust. As with Six of Crows, Kaz’s schemes always surprised me, which made this novel really fun. The writing was superb and I couldn’t skim because every word was worth something. Overall, I loved this novel and I stayed up until 4 a.m. reading it because I just couldn’t put it down. It’s now filled with post its because I found something to love on almost every single page of this book.

Even though this is the lsat book in this duology I desperately need more of this world. In particular there’s one of the Dregs that I’d love to see more of but I won’t say who because I promised no spoilers. So I’ll leave you with this: read this book! It’s so good and I’ve been resisting the urge to pick it up and read it all over again. This is definitely a contender for my favorite book this year and that’s saying something because I love A Court of Mist and Fury with all my heart. But Crooked Kingdom is amazing. Definitely give it a read immediately!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“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.”

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Book Review: Six of Crows

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

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 privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction―if they don’t kill each other first.

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Review

I don’t even know how long I’ve had Six of Crows on my bookshelf but it was too long. I could’ve read this book ages ago. I could’ve fallen in love with these characters so long ago. Why did no one force me to read this book? For why? Seriously, Leigh Bardugo has truly outdone herself with this novel and I loved it so much more than the Grisha trilogy.

First of all, the cast of characters in this novel is amazing. Kaz gave me serious heart eyes and I fell for him almost instantly and I don’t know what that says about because to be quite honest Kaz is not a good person. He has some great qualities, don’t get me wrong, but overall he’s not a great person. Still, I’m able to see past his hardened exterior to his nicer interior that he tries to keep buried but unfortunately for him keeps rising to the service.

Besides Kaz, there’s Inej, also known as the Wraith. She’s probably my favorite character, although Kaz is a very close second. Then we have Nina who’s such a badass and I love her. She’s so fierce but also really cares deeply about her people and just wants a better world for them. There’s also Matthias who I had mixed feelings about but grew on me. I absolutely loved Jesper even though he’s got a lot of problems he needs to work through. Finally there’s Wylan who I just wanted to hold close and protect at all costs. He’s too sweet and precious for this world. #KeepWylanSafe2016

More than anything I just loved how diverse this group of characters were. Besides just racially, there’s a character with a physical disability and a character with a mental/learning disability. Characters deal with sex trafficking, PTSD, addiction, and so much more. It’s truly amazing!

Not only were the characters great, this book’s plot was also amazing and fast paced. I always wanted to know what was going to happen next and loved that I was never really quite sure. Kaz schemes surprised even me and the end left me a bit stressed but in the best way. That’s one of the only benefits of waiting to read this book; I literally finished it as I was waiting in line for the Crooked Kingdom signing. Talk about perfect timing.

This book was way better than I thought it would be to be honest. Not that I thought it would be bad I just didn’t love the Grisha trilogy as much as I thought I would so I didn’t want to go into Six of Crows with high expectations. Thankfully Six of Crows is definitely worth all the hype and I’m already making my way through Crooked Kingdom and loving it. Make sure to grab both books as soon as possible. You won’t regret it; trust me.

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