// Quick Review // While I had been looking forward to reading this novel, I was ultimately disappointed by the slow pace and could not get interested in the book. I didn’t finish reading Sofi and the Bone Song, but perhaps that’s because of a recent book slump.
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// Other Information // Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books Page Count: 416 pages Release Date: April 19, 2022 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, Lesbian, Music, Magic
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// Review // Recently I have found it very difficult to enjoy reading, so my thoughts on this novel may not be typical. I’ve heard great things about Sofi and the Bone Song and was very excited to receive an ARC. I looked forward to reading this book, but as I started to read it I became very disinterested in the story. The characters and plot did not necessarily hold my attention and I was very bored. However, it would not be fair of me to condemn this novel when I didn’t even finish it. This is why, unlike my other DNFs, I gave this novel two stars rather than one. It was very promising, I was just unable to get into the novel.
It is noteworthy that the setting and world that Tooley created are magnificent and clearly well put together. As I said, this book just did not hold my attention.
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// Wrap Up // I recommend this to people who enjoy fantasy. Just because I wasn’t able to enjoy this book doesn’t mean you will be unable to.
// Quick Review // Think Harry Potter but with a female main character and a mixture of many different tales from that of Percy Jackson and the Olympians to the Tales of Pixiehollow.
The Crowns of Croswald is a nostalgic yet new spin on magic, mysteries, and chosen-ones.
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"Trust the magic in you and know I will forever be in the shadow of its light."
--- // Other Information // Publisher: Stories Untold Press Page Count: 249 pages Release Date: July 21, 2017 Series: The Crowns of Croswald #1 Genre: Fiction, Middle grade, Children’s, Young adult, Adventure, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery
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// Book Description (via Goodreads) // This is a page-turning fantasy in the tradition of fairy tales, whimsical worlds, and coming-of-age stories.
The Crowns of Croswald invites young readers to explore themes of stepping into their own magic, discovering their true selves, and battling evil head-on. Hailed by Kirkus Reviews as “an action-packed treat […] with a relatable heroine facing challenges in a vivid world of magic and mystery,” and called a new classic by readers, The Crowns of Croswald series is a magical romp through a fully formed universe with dragons, magical quills, potions, and mythical creatures.
Ivy Lovely is 16 and she has no idea who she is—or what her powers could be. When she crosses a magical boundary, she discovers a whole new world of enchantment and mystery. Making friends that will last a lifetime—and save her life—she steps into her own abilities and discovers more about her hidden past, magical blood, and the power of Croswald’s mystical stones. But all is not well: a dark history and an evil Queen threatens all that is good. Will Ivy’s bravery and wit be enough?
Curious and whimsical, both shy and brave, Ivy is a hero that connects with readers of all ages. For those who wished that Narnia, Harry Potter, and Alice in Wonderland could go on forever, Croswald opens a whole new world of magic. Recommended as a read-aloud for families and a first middle-grade fantasy read, The Crowns of Croswald is a four-part series that will carry readers to a whimsical world that they won’t want to leave.
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// Characters // The Crowns of Croswald boasts a moderately sized cast of characters, most of which I liked.
The main character, Ivy Lovely, is a girl whose life is less than fortunate. Living as a scaldrony maid for Castle Plum, Ivy is unable to do what she loves most, draw and read. Ivy dreams of attending the Halls of Ivy, a school where royals learn to control the magic stones in their crowns and where sqwinches practice to receive quills as scrivenists. I found Ivy to be a very powerful and unique main character.
One of my favorite characters was Humboldt, the dragon (mini-one, I believe) that Ivy is forced to take with her when she is fired from Castle Plum. Adorable and always there for Ivy, Humboldt is just one example of the fantastic creatures that The Crowns of Croswald exhibits. If I had to choose a creature from the novel as a pet, I would most definitely choose a dragon.
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"You are she, the one all of Croswald has been searching for. Waiting for, whether they knew it or not."
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// Writing and Setting // A large issue that I had with the novel is that while its content is most definitely juvenile/middle grade, the information and writing is more young adult. As an older reader, it was difficult for me to keep track of information and storylines at some points, so I can only imagine how frustrating that would be for younger readers.
Nevertheless, I did love how D. E. Night brought their novel to life; it was vibrant, magical, and thrilling.
I admired how much homage The Crowns of Croswald seems to pay to Harry Potter. For example; a magical boarding school; the main characters don’t realize yet that they’re the chosen one; an evil magic being. All of these aspects were things that the series had in common with Harry Potter. I loved the nostalgia this novel gave me, but only to a point. About halfway through the novel, there were a lot of similarities between the two series, and I began to see the novel as a Harry Potter fanfiction type novel. This eventually changed for me, but I can only imagine that this might be off-putting for many.
Still, I did love the magic and world that Night created, no matter how similar it might be to Harry Potter.
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// Plot // I thought that the mystery aspect of this novel was perfectly executed. As Ivy attempts to navigate her newfound life, she stumbles upon various fishy things that the school’s headmaster (the Selector) attempts to hide. Odd occurrences change Ivy’s outlook on the Halls of Ivy and cause her to investigate.
The one criticism that I have of the plot is that it was very slow-moving for me in the beginning. Some of the most perilous and dramatic scenes occur in the last few chapters of the novel, while the rest is primarily buildup and backstory. It’s just a personal preference of mine, and I know not everyone will agree, but I generally like novels that have an equal spread of action, mystery, etc. over the entire story.
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"You’re alive… You are Croswald’s only hope. This is your destiny."
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// Overall Review // The Crowns of Croswald is perfect for tweens who love Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Tales of Pixiehollow. I adored the nostalgia and magical feeling of finding a world to escape in. This novel brought me back to my childhood and my discovery of my love of reading.
// Other Information // Publisher: Henry Holt & Company Page Count: 465 pages Release Date: September 29, 2015 Series: Six of Crows #1, Grishaverse #4 Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, Adventure, Magic, High fantasy, Dark fantasy
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// Review // I was very excited to re-enter Bardugo’s Grishaverse by reading Six of Crows. As always, I was late to the game but after finishing the Shadow and Bone trilogy, I was almost unable to hesitate reading the Six of Crows duology.
As always, Bardugo’s writing is straight-up magic. She has a way of transporting the reader to the fascinating worlds she creates. Ketterdam, though far different from Ravka, was just as intriguing.
I was absolutely in love with this novel’s characters. Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Jesper Fahey, Wylan, Nina Zenik, and Matthias are all flawed, deep, and clearly thought-out characters. I had no trouble distinguishing them from one another—though I did watch the Netflix show prior to reading this, so maybe that helped. Bardugo truly has a gift for creating lovable yet humanly flawed characters that drive the story forward. The depth of her characters is something I admire. I cannot even choose which character was my favorite.
While Six of Crows is primarily a fantasy novel, it has an air of mystery that left me in awe at every turn. Kaz’s aptitude for mysteriousness is undeniable and incredible. Six of Crows was the perfect mixture of action, darkness, and fantasy. I felt most of the pacing was well done, although it did take me a while to read this book. Alas, it was not the book that was lacking… it was my free time.
// Content Warnings: ableist language, body shaming, suicide attempt by self-sacrifice, alcohol consumption, blood and gore depiction, murder and attempted murder, physical and psychological torture, knife and gun violence, kidnapping, hostage situation, war themes, emesis, airship accident, death of a loved one, physical assault, animal death //
// Quick Review // While I didn’t enjoy Siege and Storm as much as I enjoyed Shadow and Bone, I loved the new characters and the exciting new information gained about the Grishaverse series’ world throughout the novel.
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// Other Information // Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Page Count: 435 pages Release Date: June 4, 2013 Series:Shadow and Bone #2 Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Adventure, Magic, High fantasy, Dark fantasy, Dark, YA fantasy
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// Review // I thoroughly enjoyed the sequel to Shadow and Bone. I cannot believe that I waited this long to read a series this entertaining and brilliant. Although I did not enjoy Siege and Storm as much as the first novel in the series, I loved re-entering the rich world that Leigh Bardugo created.
Fair warning, there will be spoilers for Shadow and Bone in this review. Leave now or forever hold your peace.
The novel takes place after the events of the first. Mal and Alkina have escaped the Darkling—for now—and are staying low in the hopes of retaining their freedom. The book jumps right into the action with the discovery that the Darkling did survive the ending of Shadow and Bone… and he has a new power that has made him supposedly stronger than ever before. Alina is thrown back into the dangerous ambitions of the Darkling, who won’t rest until he is able to control all of Ravka—and the world.
Just like the first book, the setting is magnificently built and described. The world-building of the entire series is excellent, but I do wish that Bardugo would delve more into the other countries besides Ravka. Perhaps this will happen in the last novel or the other series (I am currently reading Ruin and Rising… wish me luck).
Though showcasing characters from the first book, Siege and Storm also introduces us to the characters of Sturmhond/Nikolai, Tamar, and Tolya. Nikolai quickly became my favorite character of the entire series so far, and I cannot wait to see what happens with his character. As always, the characters were deep, realistic, and compelling.
With the introduction of Nikolai came another love interest and struggle in Alina’s life. Personally, I am still here for Mal and Alina’s relationship. I think that their history together makes their relationship truly important, and Mal does not wish to use Alina for political gain unlike Nikolai or the Darkling. However, I would not be entirely upset if Nikolai and Alina do end up together… he’s Nikolai, I mean, come on!
The plot itself was fantastic and moved at a quick pace, though there were some parts that felt slow and drawn-out. I enjoyed the new discoveries that were made along the way and cannot wait to find out the next piece of the puzzle.
My favorite part of this book was Alina’s character development. In the first novel, she is hesitant, weak, and kind. She hesitates to kill an animal despite what her hesitation puts at stake—her life and those of many others across the entire world. In Siege and Storm, she becomes much more powerful, ruthless, and quick to take control. I honestly hope that she becomes a villain somewhat. I think it would complete her character arc and really drive home the point that is brought up many times throughout the series—“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.” – Leigh Bardugo, Shadow and Bone
Overall, Siege and Storm is a solid sequel and build-up to the finale of the Shadow and Bone trilogy. I hope to be reviewing Ruin and Rising soon because I cannot wait to find out what happens to Alina Starkov and her friends.
// Content Warnings: classism, victim blaming, facial difference discrimination, persecution for witchcraft (mentioned), rape and sexual assault (recounted), parental abandonment (implied), trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide attempt as self-sacrifice (recounted), alcohol consumption, blood and gore depiction, dead bodies, eyeball trauma, branding, physical sickness and scars, death of a brother, son, girlfriend, and friend (recounted), murder and attempted murder, explosions, knife violence, physical assault, poisoning, captivity, blackmail, hostage situation, exile/banishment, war themes, animal death (recounted), and hunting //
// Quick Review // Ruin and Rising is a stunning yet bittersweet conclusion to the Shadow and Bone trilogy. Filled with shocking and saddening moments, the final installment to the dark fantasy series had me absolutely entranced and wanting for more.
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// Other Information // Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Page Count: 422 pages Release Date: June 17, 2014 Series: Shadow and Bone #3 Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Magic, High fantasy, Dark fantasy, YA fantasy
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// Review // Fair warning, there will be spoilers for Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm in this review. Leave now or forever hold your peace.
Ruin and Rising starts right after the end of Siege and Storm with beloved characters far below ground under the Apparat’s watch. The previous two novels build up to the key moments in this novel and much—but not all—of Ruin and Rising lived up to my expectations.
Leigh Bardugo’s writing is almost magical, transporting readers to a chaotic and dark Ravka on the brink of destruction. The stakes are high in this conclusion, and I was constantly aching to know what would happen next and which one of my favorite characters might not make it out. The setting was absolutely stunning. Bardugo was able to paint a hopeless, gritty scene that made me hold my breath.
I fell even more in love with all of the characters throughout this story. Most importantly, I loved Mal and Alina’s character development. I was not crazy about Mal as a character in the earlier novels, though I did enjoy his and Alina’s relationship. Ruin and Rising shows them at their lowest, but also shows the growth of their connection. Alina’s evolution throughout the novels is truly brilliant. Alina is the perfect example of the human hunger for power and how quickly it can corrupt those who defiantly oppose it in others. I was in support of Alina becoming a villain, but I think that Alina’s development here is a perfect juxtaposition to the Darkling and adds more to both of their characters.
The plot focuses mainly on politics and the war, which I thought would become tiresome. However, Ruin and Rising is just as entertaining as others. There were many twists and turns that took me completely by surprise but thankfully didn’t come out of nowhere. They made sense but were also intriguing and unexpected.
Unfortunately, I am somewhat disappointed with the ending of the novel. The final battle between Alina and the Darkling was very underwhelming and rushed. There were some shocking moments, but overall I was frustrated with the pacing and the events. The results of the battle seemed to completely undermine the excellent character development that took place throughout the entire series. However, I also understand the need for some of the events. My main issue is the handling of Alina’s power, which I dislike completely and feel is totally ridiculous considering her struggle to utilize them and let them not take control of her. It is especially frustrating since Alina is the main character.
The ending of the novel does accomplish some good things. It would have been completely unrealistic had there been an entirely happy ending. The bittersweet ending that occurs felt real, saddening, yet understandable. It is the one part of the ending I enjoyed besides Mal and Alina’s relationship.
Overall, Ruin and Rising is a good conclusion to the Shadow and Bone trilogy that I had fun reading. Books hardly ever make me emotional, but I did almost shed a tear or two during the final battle. Didn’t think I would feel bad for the Darkling in this book, but here we are.
// Content warnings: classism, ableist language, fatmisia, slavery (mentioned), kiss without consent, blood and gore depiction, dead bodies and physical injuries, death of a friend and parents (mentioned), murder, attempted murder, kidnapping (hostage situation and blackmail), war themes, violence, graphic animal death //
Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some in my review.
// Quick Review // Shadow and Bone has been popular for quite some time, but it wasn’t until recently that I bought the trilogy and Six of Crows duology. Now, I am finally reading the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and next, I will read Six of Crows, hopefully. I guess you could say I am gearing up to watch the Netflix series. As always, I am late to the game. But my hesitation to read popular series had no effect on the fact that I loved this novel.
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// Other Information // Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Page Count: 369 pages Release Date: June 5, 2012 Series:Shadow and Bone #1 Tag: Fiction, Young adult, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Adventure, Magic, Enemies to lovers, High fantasy, Friends to lovers
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// Review // I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about Shadow and Bone. For those who are like me and hesitate to read popular series for fear of being let down, fear not… for the first novel in this series is phenomenal. I’ll be reviewing the rest of the trilogy soon and doing an episode on my podcast on the entire Shadow and Bone trilogy within the week.
Shadow and Bone is hands-down one of the best fantasy novels that I have read in a long time, if not ever. It has quite literally everything I love about books: magic, good antagonists, amazing characters, complex world-building, romance, action, adventure, mystery, twists and turns. I cannot get enough of this book, its world, and its characters. I am utterly obsessed. I get the hype now; it is truly deserving of it. I don’t think I have been as obsessed with a book series since The Hunger Games.
Shadow and Bone follows the upheaval of Alina Starkov’s life as she discovers she has magical powers. She is thrust into a life completely unlike that she is used to. Separated from her best friend since childhood, Mal, she feels hopeless as she tries to navigate her new life and the powers she just became acquainted with. Ever present in the background is the Darkling, one of the most powerful Grisha (the magic users of the series). All of the characters have depth and distinct personalities, making them worth reading and caring about. This level of depth assisted in making the love interests actually interesting. The love triangle was set up beautifully. I could envision Alina with both Mal and the Darkling. And while I will not spoil anything, I can say that I completely get Alina’s mistakes in choosing who to be with at first… I am not stronger than the Sun Summoner, okay?
Leigh Bardugo has a way of writing that makes the words leap off the page and become true before you. The world-building itself was fantastic, rich, and lively. But Bardugo’s talent for description perfectly accentuated the unique and interesting world she created. Shadow and Bone features Ravka, a country torn by war and separated by the Shadow Fold, a place of darkness almost impossible to survive. Not only was the setting and world-building perfection, but the magic system was too. Instead of being forced to just accept the way that magic works in the novel, Bardugo allows the reader to become acquainted with the unique magic that Grisha can possess.
I have to mention that I loved the character development that Alina undergoes throughout the book. I was happy to see that instead of immediately being able to control and use her powers, Alina struggled with everything for a good portion of the novel before being able to truly step into her role as a Grisha. It was refreshing to see something realistic, especially since one must suspend reality to read any fantasy book, let alone one as rich as this.
The story maintained a perfect pace for every part of the book. By not focusing too much on slow-moving details and focusing on important parts of the plot, Bardugo created a masterpiece. I was captivated by the progression of Shadow and Bone and its twists and turns. I’m usually pretty good at guessing the outcome of novels/movies—a gift I inherited from my mom, who is always spoiling things for everyone without having even watched/read anything—but I was absolutely in the dark for this book and was shocked by the major reveals. Nothing is as it seems, which I appreciated.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Shadow and Bone and cannot wait to explore the rest of the Grishaverse. I highly recommend that you read the series, even if you are a scaredy-cat like I am.