Grisha Trilogy

3/5 ★

I can't tell if I love or hate this book. First off the way Leigh Bardugo writes is different than anything I've seen before, in a way that's harder to decipher. I feel like this book took all of my brain cells because the story starts regularly and we see the plotline thicken. But then one scene brings everything crashing down and I was so confused and angry at the book. We finally got something good and, look, it's all fake! Then, my favourite part of the book takes all of probably 20%, but it fueled all my rants to my friends who didn't care. The worst feeling though, is when the worst possible thing happens at the end of the book, with one chapter left, after THEY JUST CONFESSED. But don't worry, no spoilers. Anyway, I'm not saying this book is bad, but I need some more time to process what just happened. I want to read the rest of the series, but am not keeping my hopes up too high based on the neck-breaking, rollercoaster of a ride this book was. Don't get me wrong I love interesting plots, but I think this book was too confusing. Also the characters are so predictable it get's a little anticlimactic when they do something awful or stupid.

Recommendation

Although I wasn't thrilled after I finished reading this book, many of my friends encouraged me to finish the series and even go on to read Six of Crows. Therefore, even after hearing mixed reviews, I would still recommend you read this book. Maybe don't make it a priority, but if you're ever in need of a sword through your heart, this is a good place to start.

Shadow & Bone

3/5★

So. I'm not exactly sure what to say about this book; never mind I am. Not only did the ending fry my entire brain, but the beginning 70% of it was lost in my mind. I honestly cannot tell you the plot of this book in order, mostly because it develops so quickly and in so many different directions. At one moment we're talking about a character's inability to communicate and the next, what to do if an army of dementors cascades down the palace walls. Adding on to this confounding 'list', we have the vocabulary. Yes, vocabulary. Although I appreciate Leigh Bardugo's commitment to her writing style and rampant imagination, following along to the new terms thrown at me is a little difficult, to say the least. Now, I don't want to discredit the author or discourage anybody from reading this series, I just want to warn you that this book is not easy to read. I took breaks while reading this to fully process everything that went on; cause a lot happens in a quick succession. To be fair, I read this book online and fully thought I was 60% way through the book when I actually had 2 chapters left and then I read the last line and my brain broke when I realized that was the ending to the book. But you should definitely read this book.

Recommendation

I don't know how much there is to recommend after that, but I will say that this is a fun series to read if you feel stuck in a slump. It provokes your emotions and tests how patient you are with stupid characters. Not to mention if your friends have read it, they will confuse you with their hardcore beliefs that you will only understand after reading a certain part. And sometimes you still won't understand what goes on in their minds. However, I do want to suggest reading this book if you like fantasy, because it's heavily based on fantastical plot and tropes that might confuse or bore other genre readers. If you read this book and have other opinions, let me know what you think!

Siege & Storm

4/5★

This is the last book in the Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, and it certainly gives satisfaction at the end of the series. Although I wasn't too enthralled by the first two books, Bardugo pulled through with this one. The ending of this book made everything worth it because she tied up loose ends and somehow gave everyone an overall happy, but melancholy, end. I think she incorporated a much-needed theme of self-sacrifice and differentiating between what we need and what we want. Additionally, the character development of Alina (the main character) improved significantly. We get to see her battle/balance greed for power and trying to do her duty, which on a much smaller scale is relatable. Overall this book did a great job of wrapping up the series while portraying real-life problems at the same time.

Recommendation

Although I like this book way more compared to the others, the series is a bit slow. The plot is undoubtedly fast-paced, but it seemed to take forever to get through the series because of the amount of content that was stuffed between the pages. Not trying to discourage you, just warning you of the patience and courage you need to read this series. However, frankly speaking, I would skip this and read Six of Crows, a duology written by Leigh Bardugo that captures her talent way better than this series.

Ruin & Rising