Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

The Grisha #1

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Published June 5, 2012

Hardcover, 356 pages

Overview:

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.

Review:

Shadow and Bone is set in the Russian-inspired fictional world of Ravka, where people with magic have political power and deadly monsters run amok in the Shadow Fold. The entire world Leigh Bardugo has created is so unique--I can definitely say that I've never read anything like this before. I sat in awe through the whole book, constantly amazed with each new event that happened.

It's impossible for me to be able to put into words just how much I love Shadow and Bone. In addition to the fantastic world-building, the characters are incredibly complex--just like Alina, the audience is never sure just who we should trust. I adore the protagonist, Alina, who remains clever despite the terrible situations she has to face; and Mal, Alina's best friend from childhood. I'm particularly intrigued by the Darkling, the mysterious leader of the Grisha who appears to have Alina's best interests in mind--at first.

I was amazed by how much I enjoyed this book, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel to find out what happens next. Overall, Shadow and Bone is an enchanting read, and one of the best books that I've read so far this year. I would recommend this one to fantasy lovers or anyone looking to escape into a completely new, magical world.

Overall rating: 5 of 5 stars.

Review: Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
Publisher: Philomel Books
Published February 12, 2013
Hardcover, 346 pages

Overview: 

It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street.

Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.

Review:

I don't read much historical fiction, but I loved Ruta Sepetys's first novel, Between Shades of Gray, and that was reason enough to for me to read Out of the Easy. One thing that made Out of the Easy stand out for me was the 1950s New Orleans setting: Ruta Sepetys's writing is vivid and full of life, and I could perfectly imagine just how Josie's world is laid out. The characterization is fantastic as well: all the characters have depth, flaws, and real problems; they could easily be real people instead of just fictional ones.

One of my favorite things about Out of the Easy is how realistic it really is: the "bad guys" aren't all bad, and the "good guys" aren't all good. The story emulates reality in that not everything gets solved, and wrongdoers don't always get the punishments they deserve for their crimes. The end is left open, looking hopefully towards the future, just like real life.

Overall rating: 4.5 of 5 stars.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Summer TBR List!

This week for Top Ten Tuesday over at The Broke and the Bookish, the theme is books on your summer to-be-read list. Here are some books I'm planning on reading this summer!

1. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

I have to read this one before school starts in the fall, so it's #1 on my list! A lot of people (John Green, for example) have said some great things about this one, so I'm looking forward to it.

2. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

I read Throne of Glass last summer and have been dying to read this one ever since. I adore all the characters in this series, and I can't wait to be back in their world again. Crown of Midnight comes out at the end of the summer, so I'm hoping I'll be able to read this one before school really starts up again.

3. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

I just finished Shadow and Bone and I literally cannot wait to start reading this one.

4. Deception by C.J. Redwine

Another sequel coming out at the end of the summer. 

I can't wait to see where this story goes next.

5. Prodigy by Marie Lu

I loved all the action and suspense in Legend, 

and I'm sure this one will have much of that and more!

6. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

I have heard so many good this about this book lately! 

Aliens + the apocalypse? Count me in!

7. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

I feel like summer is never really complete without reading something by Sarah Dessen. Her books always seem to capture the true essence of summer: sandy beaches, 

late nights, and teen romance.

8. The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

I was intrigued by the original title (Severed Heads, Broken Hearts), 

so I'm interested to see what this debut is like!

9. 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad

A horror story set on the moon? Bring it on!

10. Days of Starlight and Blood by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is one of my favorite books, but for some reason,

I haven't gotten around to reading the sequel yet.

What books do you want to read this summer?