I'm reading Shadow and Bone and the rest of the Grisha trilogy after finishing Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, and I would not recommend doing that because you're gonna get spoiled for what happens in the Grisha Trilogy.
I wanted to read the original trilogy because I loved the world I read in Six of Crows and I was interested in hearing more background about the Grisha and the events leading up to Six of Crows. (And there's a Netflix show coming up soooo, gotta read the books first.)
I read Shadow and Bone so fast, the pacing is definitely way faster than Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, in my opinion. But I think I like the Crows more than these characters.
So I like both the friends to lovers and the enemies to lovers tropes and from what I'd heard about the love interests in this book it could go either way. Seems like everyone loves the Darkling so much but I don't understand the appeal, he did nothing but lie, manipulate and use Alina the whole book. I'm really hoping that the friends to lovers trope will pull thru in the rest of the series, Alina deserves to be happy with her best buddy Mal. Also, Genya deserves better too.
Overall, this book was so hard to rate, but I ended up giving it 3 stars, it was enjoyable, I flew through it, and I got more Grisha content. But did not enjoy the Darkling manipulating Alina and confusing her feelings and making her think that he cares about her.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual assault
I'm reading Shadow and Bone and the rest of the Grisha trilogy after finishing Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, and I would not recommend doing that because you're gonna get spoiled for what happens in the Grisha Trilogy.
I wanted to read the original trilogy because I loved the world I read in Six of Crows and I was interested in hearing more background about the Grisha and the events leading up to Six of Crows. (And there's a Netflix show coming up soooo, gotta read the books first.)
I read Shadow and Bone so fast, the pacing is definitely way faster than Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, in my opinion. But I think I like the Crows more than these characters.
So I like both the friends to lovers and the enemies to lovers tropes and from what I'd heard about the love interests in this book it could go either way. Seems like everyone loves the Darkling so much but I don't understand the appeal, he did nothing but lie, manipulate and use Alina the whole book. I'm really hoping that the friends to lovers trope will pull thru in the rest of the series, Alina deserves to be happy with her best buddy Mal. Also, Genya deserves better too.
Overall, this book was so hard to rate, but I ended up giving it 3 stars, it was enjoyable, I flew through it, and I got more Grisha content. But did not enjoy the Darkling manipulating Alina and confusing her feelings and making her think that he cares about her.
Now for some quotes;
' "Did you miss me, Alina? Did you miss me when you were gone?"
"Every day," I said honestly.
"I missed you every hour. And you know what the worst part was? It caught me completely by surprise. I'd catch myself walking around to find you, not for any reason, just out of habit, because I'd seen something that I wanted to tell you about or because I wanted to hear your voice. And then I'd realize that you weren't there anymore, and every time,every single time,it was like having the wind knocked out of me.I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again just to be with you, just to starve with you and freeze with you and hear you complain about hard cheese every day. So don't tell me we don't belong together," he said fiercely. He was very close now, and my heart was suddenly hammering in my chest. "I'm sorry it took so long for me to see you, Alina. But I see you now."
He lowered his head, and I felt his lips on mine. The world seemed to go silent and all I knew was the feel of his hand in mine as he drew me closer, and the warm press of his mouth.' Pg.298
'"Fine," he said with a weary shrug. "Make me your villain." Pg. 325
(Bro you do nothing but lie and manipulate everyone for your own gain if you're not a villian then what are you??)
'(..) "So maybe I don't believe it yet either, not completely, but it's the truth." He clutched my hands more tightly, holding them close to his heart. "I don't care if you danced naked on the roof of the Little Palace with him. I love you, Alina, even the part of you that loved him." I wanted to deny it, to erase it, but I couldn't. Another sob shook me. "I hate that I ever thought... that I ever--"
"Do you blame me for every mistake I made? For every girl I tumbled? For every dumb thing I've said? Because if we start running tallies on stupid you know who's going to come out ahead."
"No, I don't blame you." I managed a small smile. "Much."
He grinned and my heart flip-flopped the way it always had. "We found our way back to each other, Alina. That's all that matters."
He kissed me through the bars, the cold iron pressing against my cheek as his lips met mine.' Pg. 331