Take a photo of a barcode or cover
diary_of_a_hobbit's reviews
28 reviews
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book cradled my heart and then tore it apart in the best way possible. It hurts so much, but that's because I absolutely loved the characters.
Throughout this duology, I could really sense the improvement in writing compared to the Shadow and Bone trilogy and I would like to applaud Leigh Bardugo for writing this masterpiece. Both Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom are quite thick and yet I managed to finish both in about a month which, for me, is great progress considering that I am generally a slow reader. Once I started, I was instantly glued to the pages and I would have probably finished a lot sooner if I wasn't constantly occupied with other tasks.
Aside from loving the prose, I also felt really connected to the characters, each in their own way. I cheered with them when they came out victorious after a fight and worried for them when things went wrong.
Crooked Kingdom made me laugh, hold my breath when the protagonists were in danger and want to tear my heart out at times.
I am incredibly sad that this adventure is over and that even if I reread this gem of a book, it won't feel the same way. Who knows though, maybe Leigh Bardugo will write a third Six of Crows book someday, afterall.
But for now, new journeys await and King of Scars duology is calling my name.
CW: violence, swearing & torture
Throughout this duology, I could really sense the improvement in writing compared to the Shadow and Bone trilogy and I would like to applaud Leigh Bardugo for writing this masterpiece. Both Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom are quite thick and yet I managed to finish both in about a month which, for me, is great progress considering that I am generally a slow reader. Once I started, I was instantly glued to the pages and I would have probably finished a lot sooner if I wasn't constantly occupied with other tasks.
Aside from loving the prose, I also felt really connected to the characters, each in their own way. I cheered with them when they came out victorious after a fight and worried for them when things went wrong.
Crooked Kingdom made me laugh, hold my breath when the protagonists were in danger and want to tear my heart out at times.
I am incredibly sad that this adventure is over and that even if I reread this gem of a book, it won't feel the same way. Who knows though, maybe Leigh Bardugo will write a third Six of Crows book someday, afterall.
But for now, new journeys await and King of Scars duology is calling my name.
CW: violence, swearing & torture
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Torture
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
What a thrilling ride this book has been! I am generally quite a slow reader but I finished it in a little bit over a week and considering that it's quite chunky, I think it's a good indicator of just how much I enjoyed this book.
I knew almost nothing of the plot before plunging into Six of Crows because I miraculously managed to dodge spoilers over the years and I am so glad about that because the less you know beforehand, the better you'll enjoy the journey.
I've read the Shadow and Bone series before starting Six of Crows, and while I did enjoy it too, I did find quite a few faults with it, especially regarding writing and world-building. So it was amazing to see just how much the author's writing improved. That also contributed to the improvement of world-building (at least in my opinion) since unlike Shadow and Bone, we didn't see it from one character's point of view. The story is told from a third person's perspective but each chapter focuses on a single character's point of view, a style that I like a lot.
Speaking of the characters, it was very enjoyable to see each of their individual stories unfold because that's precisely what gave depth to their development.
All in all, this book had me glued to the pages from start to finish and I couldn't get enough of it. I didn't get bored by a single part of it, which is a rare occurrence for me.
I actually felt sad when I finished it earlier today because it was such an adventure, but it's not over yet as the sequel is still waiting on my shelf.
Definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, heists, well-written characters and gripping plots.
CW: violence (it was quite graphic at times), swearing & torture
I knew almost nothing of the plot before plunging into Six of Crows because I miraculously managed to dodge spoilers over the years and I am so glad about that because the less you know beforehand, the better you'll enjoy the journey.
I've read the Shadow and Bone series before starting Six of Crows, and while I did enjoy it too, I did find quite a few faults with it, especially regarding writing and world-building. So it was amazing to see just how much the author's writing improved. That also contributed to the improvement of world-building (at least in my opinion) since unlike Shadow and Bone, we didn't see it from one character's point of view. The story is told from a third person's perspective but each chapter focuses on a single character's point of view, a style that I like a lot.
Speaking of the characters, it was very enjoyable to see each of their individual stories unfold because that's precisely what gave depth to their development.
All in all, this book had me glued to the pages from start to finish and I couldn't get enough of it. I didn't get bored by a single part of it, which is a rare occurrence for me.
I actually felt sad when I finished it earlier today because it was such an adventure, but it's not over yet as the sequel is still waiting on my shelf.
Definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, heists, well-written characters and gripping plots.
CW: violence (it was quite graphic at times), swearing & torture
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Torture
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Oh my gosh, where do I start? This book really took me by surprise. After the absolute disaster that was Siege and Storm, I totally didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. There are definitely things about it that I think should have been done differently, but overall I thought that it was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
I must admit that I don't really like the protagonist, Alina, even if there were a few instances when I started to warm up to her. But I felt that out of the three books, I liked her the most in this one.
On the other hand, I found the antagonist's plot line very interesting to follow as he's one of the most well-crafted villains that I've encountered.
The world-building in this series was generally not done very well and eventhough Ruin and Rising did answer some of the remaining questions, there are still loads more left. And as I've mentioned in my review of Shadow and Bone, I really wish that the author did more research into Russian culture as it would have helped in this aspect.
Another thing that I would like to mention is that I think that narrating the story from a first person perspective was a bad move as it really hindered the development of the world.
As for the book itself, it was quite fast-paced in my opinion (especially compared to the previous book in the trilogy which was very slow) and filled with action. I also loved the fact that there was a sort of quest and journey involved which is one of my favourite tropes. The ending was quite bittersweet but I can see why the author choose to end the book that way.
I am actually kind of sad that this journey has ended for me but I still have two other duologies to read that are set in the same universe so hopefully I'll be back to the Grishaverse soon! Until next time!!
CW: violence, mention of rape, death of characters
I must admit that I don't really like the protagonist, Alina, even if there were a few instances when I started to warm up to her. But I felt that out of the three books, I liked her the most in this one.
On the other hand, I found the antagonist's plot line very interesting to follow as he's one of the most well-crafted villains that I've encountered.
The world-building in this series was generally not done very well and eventhough Ruin and Rising did answer some of the remaining questions, there are still loads more left. And as I've mentioned in my review of Shadow and Bone, I really wish that the author did more research into Russian culture as it would have helped in this aspect.
Another thing that I would like to mention is that I think that narrating the story from a first person perspective was a bad move as it really hindered the development of the world.
As for the book itself, it was quite fast-paced in my opinion (especially compared to the previous book in the trilogy which was very slow) and filled with action. I also loved the fact that there was a sort of quest and journey involved which is one of my favourite tropes. The ending was quite bittersweet but I can see why the author choose to end the book that way.
I am actually kind of sad that this journey has ended for me but I still have two other duologies to read that are set in the same universe so hopefully I'll be back to the Grishaverse soon! Until next time!!
CW: violence, mention of rape, death of characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Rape
When Traitors Rise by Kate Callaghan
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
[I recieved an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
My journey with Klara and her friends has come to an end and while I am eager to see where my next bookish adventures will take me, I can't help but feel sad about saying goodbye to these characters.
This book was a rollercoaster of a ride –full of twists and turns.
The only thing that I was kind of unsatisfied with was the ending as I felt that it was a bit rushed.
CW: violence
My journey with Klara and her friends has come to an end and while I am eager to see where my next bookish adventures will take me, I can't help but feel sad about saying goodbye to these characters.
This book was a rollercoaster of a ride –full of twists and turns.
The only thing that I was kind of unsatisfied with was the ending as I felt that it was a bit rushed.
CW: violence
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Where Traitors Fall by Kate Callaghan
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
[I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
This book was so good! I got completely engrossed in the story and eagerly devoured every page.
The plot was very well done and the characters didn't disappoint either. I loved seeing the bond between Klara and Lottie develop further as it was one of my favourite things in the first book.
There was this one quote that I particularly liked: "Tragedy should breed compassion, not more tragedy". I think that the message it relays is relevant, especially in current times.
The book ended with a cliffhanger and I am very excited to find out what happens next!
Content Warnings: violence & torture
This book was so good! I got completely engrossed in the story and eagerly devoured every page.
The plot was very well done and the characters didn't disappoint either. I loved seeing the bond between Klara and Lottie develop further as it was one of my favourite things in the first book.
There was this one quote that I particularly liked: "Tragedy should breed compassion, not more tragedy". I think that the message it relays is relevant, especially in current times.
The book ended with a cliffhanger and I am very excited to find out what happens next!
Content Warnings: violence & torture
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
For whatever reason, I've expected that I will like this book less than the first one, but I severely underestimated how much worse it would be.
The world-building was very messy. The pacing was too slow most of the time. There was only one character who's storyline I actually care about.
All in all, it was very underwhelming.
CW: violence
The world-building was very messy. The pacing was too slow most of the time. There was only one character who's storyline I actually care about.
All in all, it was very underwhelming.
CW: violence
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I got to say, this book really surprised me. I totally did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did, though I still have some issues with it that I will discuss later on in this review.
The plot is very fast-paced, engaging and keeps you on your toes pretty much through out the whole book. Some of it was a bit predictable but still good.
To be honest, I did not like Alina, the protagonist, at the start because I found her annoying but as the story progressed I grew more attached to her.
With all that being said, I found the world-building lacking mainly because it seems like the author didn't do her research well. It was clear for me from the very beginning of the story that the setting is heavily inspired by Russian/Slavic culture, ranging from names of the characters to descriptions of their clothing.
I felt that because the author wasn't well informed on the subject, the details were off course here and there and that made the foundation shaky and hollow.
All in all, I did find this book enjoyable and will be continuing on with the series.
CW: violence, torture, death of an animal
The plot is very fast-paced, engaging and keeps you on your toes pretty much through out the whole book. Some of it was a bit predictable but still good.
To be honest, I did not like Alina, the protagonist, at the start because I found her annoying but as the story progressed I grew more attached to her.
With all that being said, I found the world-building lacking mainly because it seems like the author didn't do her research well. It was clear for me from the very beginning of the story that the setting is heavily inspired by Russian/Slavic culture, ranging from names of the characters to descriptions of their clothing.
I felt that because the author wasn't well informed on the subject, the details were off course here and there and that made the foundation shaky and hollow.
All in all, I did find this book enjoyable and will be continuing on with the series.
CW: violence, torture, death of an animal
Crowned A Traitor: A Hellish Fairytale by Kate Callaghan
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
[I received an e-ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
This was a fun read but unfortunately didn't quite meet my expectations.
I found the concept of the story very intriguing and full of potential. However, there wasn't enough world-building in my opinion, though to be fair this is the first installment of the series so there is a high chance that the world of Malum, Hell, Kalos and beyond will be further explored in the sequels.
What I liked the most was the part where the main character, Klara, set off on a dangerous journey with her companions. It was interesting to see them gradually grow close and start working as a team in order to reach their destination.
The ending was unsatisfactory and just did not click with me at all. Generally, I like plot-twists and there were many of them in this novel. Most were pretty good but the ones at the end felt overdone. The battle scene was underwhelming as well. Honestly, the last 100 or so pages felt very rushed.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the sequel.
If you are into YA Dark Fantasy and are looking for an easy and engrossing read, I recommend checking this book out.
[I would also like to thank the author, Kate, for giving me this incredible opportunity to read and review her work.]
Content Warnings: violence, child neglect & abuse, implied cannibalism, torture.
This was a fun read but unfortunately didn't quite meet my expectations.
I found the concept of the story very intriguing and full of potential. However, there wasn't enough world-building in my opinion, though to be fair this is the first installment of the series so there is a high chance that the world of Malum, Hell, Kalos and beyond will be further explored in the sequels.
What I liked the most was the part where the main character, Klara, set off on a dangerous journey with her companions. It was interesting to see them gradually grow close and start working as a team in order to reach their destination.
The ending was unsatisfactory and just did not click with me at all. Generally, I like plot-twists and there were many of them in this novel. Most were pretty good but the ones at the end felt overdone. The battle scene was underwhelming as well. Honestly, the last 100 or so pages felt very rushed.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the sequel.
If you are into YA Dark Fantasy and are looking for an easy and engrossing read, I recommend checking this book out.
[I would also like to thank the author, Kate, for giving me this incredible opportunity to read and review her work.]
Content Warnings: violence, child neglect & abuse, implied cannibalism, torture.