Book Review: Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

My Thoughts:  I picked up this series at the beginning of this year.  I am so glad I waited because, to be honest, I don't think I could have waited for the other books to come out.  I am so sad this is the last book in what has quickly become one of my favorite series (trilogies).

Just a warning...this review will most likely have spoilers for this series so if you haven't read the books then don't read this review yet...

Alina is recovering from her showdown with the Darkling.  She is under the very watchful eye of the Apparat in the White Chapel.  She has people worshiping the ground she walked on.  She is the Sun Summoner.  She has a lot at stake however as the Darkling is still stalking her.  She knows she has to find the last amplifier and do her best to ruin the Darkling.

I loved all the characters in this trilogy.  Alina is strong despite having to deal with three men who all want her (although for different reasons).  Mal has finally overcome his jealousy and has come to terms with the fact that he and Alina have no future together.  I am still a major fan of the Darkling too though.  He is just one of those characters that you love and hate at the same time.  He did some things that made me truly want him dead (Nicolai, Keramzin) but I still wanted a somewhat happy ending for him.  Nicolai is still funny and I was very upset with what happened to him.  Zoya was my least favorite character in the first two books as she was obnoxious but she grows in this book and while she can still be obnoxious, she is also funny and loyal.

I absolutely was thrilled that we finally got the whole story behind the Darkling and more importantly, Baghra's story.  It was fascinating to learn about them both and also about Morozova and how they all tied in with Alina and Mal.  

I loved the ending...and I've read a lot of reviews where people hated the way it ended but I thought it was perfect.  It was heartbreaking but so perfect. I loved what happened when Alina wore all three amplifiers.  It was completely unexpected.  

This book takes off from page one and is full of excitement.  You come to love all the characters and you can't help but feeling at least a little bit sorry for the Darkling.  Although I am sad to see this trilogy end, I am happy to say that I thought it ended well!

 

Book Review: Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Thoughts:  I just finished Shadow and Bone and was extremely happy that I had Siege and Storm ready to read.  I jumped eagerly into it and devoured the story and now I have to wait four long months for Ruin and Rising.  Four.  Long.  Months!  This will be torture!

We left Mal and Alina escaping on a whaler boat at the end of Shadow and Bone.  Siege and Storm picks up shortly after the have left the boat (with a "Before" chapter explaining, briefly, their time on the boat) and have hidden out in a small village.  They are just normal people living at a boarding house and working in the factories.  This book starts off with a bang as Alina feels something is off one day as her and Mal return home from their jobs.  Sadly, her feelings were correct and Mal and Alina were caught by the Darkling.  Now they have to fight for their way to safety and try to defeat the Darkling again while trying to save Ravka.

I was a little annoyed with Alina several times throughout this book but at the same time, I still loved her.  She definitely figured out how to embrace her power (maybe a little too much?) and proved that she wasn't the meek little orphan she had been.  However, there were times (I can't really describe when because I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it yet) that I thought Alina should just suck it up and let Mal know what was going on.  Maybe he could have helped her figure it out.  I also thought she was a little too obsessive about the Firebird at times.  I couldn't decide if she was turning "dark" or really trying to do the best for Ravka.

I liked Mal more in this book than I did the first one.  He obviously does not belong at the Little Palace and while he makes it known to Alina that he is unhappy, he deals with it the best he can.  It might not be the best way to have dealt with it but he tried.  I absolutely did not blame him for the way he treated Alina sometimes.  I was just as frustrated with her!  Mal proved to be loyal but he didn't take crap from Alina.  

The Darkling, while a bad, bad man, was still seductive and I still found myself liking him (for a bad guy).  He still knows what to say to get you to fall for him but his little "friends" made him seem a lot more unlikeable.  I struggled with him because I know he's bad and I don't want to like him but I feel for him a little bit.  

Sturmhond was awesome and by far my favorite character.  Again, I don't want to say too much in case there is anyone out there who hasn't read this book but I did not predict who he was and loved that twist in the story.  I think he truly has Ravka's best interest at heart and I didn't feel like he was using Alina.  I liked their relationship throughout the book and I am anxiously awaiting for the next book to see what happened to him.

Rarely can I honestly say that I enjoyed the sequel more than I enjoyed the first book but in this case, I did.  I thought Shadow and Bone was amazing but Siege and Storm kept me captivated and amazed me even more.  I am very anxiously awaiting the third and final in this series to see how Alina's story ends.  Did I mention I was going to have to wait FOUR long months??  

 

Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

My Thoughts:  I took my time getting to this book because of all the hype when it came out.  I didn't want to be disappointed.  So I finally picked it up and guess what?  I was not disappointed in any way at all!  I finished this book within a day and a half.  For some, that might not seem like a big deal but I have three kids that I homeschool and my oldest is in 5th grade.  Have any of you done 5th grade math lately?  It's ridiculous...so, for me to finish it that quickly means that I put off the housework and maybe even some of the schooling (my kids were thrilled) and I stayed up late to read it because I simply couldn't put it down!

Ravka has been torn in two by the shadow fold, a dark void filled with horrible monsters called Volcra.  The shadow fold was made by a Darkling gone bad.  Alina and Mal are in the army that is getting ready to cross the shadow fold.  Alina and Mal have been friends since they were in the same orphanage together in their youth.  Once the army is in the shadow fold, they are attacked by the vicious Volcra and Alina uses a power she never knew she had to save Mal from them.  

Now known to be a Grisha, Alina is sent to the Darkling.  Alina is whisked away from everything she has ever known...Mal, the army, her work as a map maker, and sent to the Palace to practice her powers.  While she meets new friends and enemies, she constantly thinks of Mal and misses him.  However, despite the letters she sends him, Mal doesn't seem to care.  Alina decides to put Mal out of her mind and once she does that, her power blooms.  Everything is going great until Mal shows up at the Palace and from there, Alina's world is turned upside down again.

I liked Alina even though she wasn't that strong at first.  She continues to grow and strengthen throughout the story and that is what I really enjoyed.  I loved that she didn't whine a lot or feel sorry for herself too much.  She overcame emotions and problems and she showed the Darkling what she was made of!

I liked that there wasn't a big love triangle between Mal and the Darkling.  I knew there was something up with the Darkling from the beginning but even I started to fall for him.  He said all the right things to Alina and really made you believe what he said. 

The ending completely surprised me too and I love an ending that I don't predict.  Honestly, I was so involved in the story that I didn't even really have time to predict an ending, which is even better, in my opinion!  
 
This book was certainly not at all what I was expecting!  It grabbed my attention from the first page and I couldn't stop reading it.  I loved every bit of it!