A review by noorandbooks
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

4.0

"I am become a blade" woah there buddy, spoilers!
Nikolai, Genya, Harshaw (and Oncat), and Zoya solo your fav!!! ESPECIALLY NIKOLAI I would have laid down my life for him. Can I? Do I have the option? Is there a form I have to fill out?

“Thanks for the rescue."

"Everyone needs a hobby."

"I thought yours was preening."

"Two hobbies."

S&B2 still is my favorite of the trilogy but some of the twists that I foolishly did not predict shocked me and I must give due credit.

Honestly, I ended up liking Alina at the end so!

Spoiler

I feel like the 'normal route' fits her and allows her to heal but I didn't want it to be complete isolation from her old life. More like an easing into it. Nope, they stripped the bird of her wings and told her to make a nest.

I hope she does have a good nest, I did become attached to her at the end.

He watches her the way Harshaw watches fire. Like he’ll never have enough of her. Like he’s trying to capture what he can before she’s gone.

Even the Darkling I felt some remorse for. But maybe that's just the graphic novel talking.

"Aleksander," I whispered. A boy's name, given up. Almost forgotten.

I feel kind of sad letting go of this trilogy. But I'm glad I don't have to deal with that love. Whatever that was anymore, it was driving me insane.

Goodbye Sankta Alina it was fun martyring with you