Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - Thoughts

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 356
Genre: YA
Series or Standalone: Series (Grisha trilogy #1)
Rating: I loved it. Excuse me while I go all fangirl on it.

My Thoughts: I can sum up this book in one word: wow. And "wow" in the most spectacular way. I had read a couple of reviews of this and it sounded pretty good so I requested it from the library. I didn't really get that it was fantasy (I guess?) so I wasn't sure about it when I actually read a bit of the front flap. But I had it and I loved the cover so I thought I'd give it a shot. 3 hours later I finally got off the couch because I was really stiff. That's how much I didn't want to put it down.

I have nothing, not one single word, negative to say about it. Well, maybe one thing...it ended. And the next one doesn't come out until June.

S&B is the story of Alina and Mal who find each other in the same orphan house. When Alina shows a powerful gift, she is taken off to the Darkling to be trained as a Grisha. The Grisha are a group of specially trained warriors for the Darkling. The Darkling is both loved and hated throughout Ravka. Once she arrives at the Little Palace, Alina tries to fit in and learns that things might not be what she thinks. Is she a weapon or a good thing for the kingdom?

I have to say that I was crushing on the Darkling the whole time. I kept reading it as the "darling" and he sounds like he is quite easy on the eyes. The entire cast of characters was well developed. The dialogue flowed well and the plot was very good. Ravka was so well developed that I could picture it as if it were real.

I can't say enough good things about this book. I will be buying my own copy so that I can reread it before Siege and Storm comes out. Yep, that's how much I loved it! I am actually going to BUY a copy! Gasp. Plus, Leigh Bardugo, the author, replied to a tweet of mine on Twitter. I love that.

Thanks for letting me fangirl on this wonderful story! ;-)