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Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows
Leigh Bardugo
Henry Holt & Co./MacMillan
Published September 29, 2015

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Six of Crows

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

My Review

This book is a bit longer than my usual read, I’d heard so much buzz about it that I couldn’t resist giving it a shot. It’s also the first book by Leigh Bardugo that I’ve read.

Now, after I’ve recovered from sleepless nights huddled in my bed reading far too late, I can say it was absolutely worth it. Not since reading THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak have I read a novel that has affected me so.

The characters immediately hooked me. Each one of the heist members is unique and has so much to lose if the job goes wrong. I loved the way Bardugo set up the romantic tension. I was absolutely dying for the couples to find their way through the conflict to at last reveal their true feelings for one another. Totally swoon-worthy. Wow.

At its heart, SIX OF CROWS is a pretty simple story about a team who get hired to steal something valuable. What makes it so truly spectacular is the complex story world in which the characters exist and the relationships and experiences that bind the characters together or drive them apart. The narrative is also fantastic. Fantasy lovers absolutely need to give this a read. Even if you didn’t enjoy Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone Trilogy, trust me and give this one a go. This was my first experience with her writing, and afterward I went back to read the first in the Grisha series. The style and the story are so different. It took me a lot longer to get into SHADOW AND BONE. Not that it isn’t good, I just feel like it’s a mistake to compare them.

Now I’m off to scratch another mark on my wall counting down to the release of CROOKED KINGDOM next year. Must. Have. More.

Content Notes

Language Content
Infrequent use of profanity.

Sexual Content
While there’s no explicit sex, there are some intense moments. Nina and Inej both have a history working in a brothel, though very few details are given about that, and Nina uses her Heartrender gift to soothe and calm the minds of her patrons. Inej was trafficked as a sex worker. Nina and Matthias have a history and she makes a couple of crude comments about his arousal, but there is no description of sex.

Spiritual Content
SIX OF CROWS includes some fantasy story world lore, especially Fjerdan traditions.

Violence
Fight scenes, references to torture, some moderately gory battles. Also, one character has a bit of a gruesome backstory in which he was trapped among dead bodies.

Drug Content
Grisha are vulnerable to a highly addictive drug which grossly amplifies their power. Exposure to even one dose can turn them into desperate, terrorized addicts.

What’s the last book you read that left you totally breathless?

When I finished this book, I just sat speechless for a few moments. Then I honestly had to stop myself from turning the book over and starting again! I loved loved loved it and cannot wait for the sequel.

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The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship: Because You’ll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Because You’ll Never Meet Me
Leah Thomas
Bloomsbury USA Children’s

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Unusual circumstances lead two remarkably different boys to become pen pals. They’ll never meet, as Ollie is severely allergic to electricity and Moritz relies on his pacemaker to keep his weak heart pumping. Ollie lives in an isolated cabin deep in the woods, longing for people and things he can never have. Moritz lives in a crowded city and longs for nothing more than solitude. As they compose autobiographical letters to one another, each discovers that what he needs most is a true friend.

Don’t be fooled by the mild-mannered premise. This book explodes with sci-fi-esque drama as the boys explore the secret genetic experiments which connect them. Bring your willing-suspension-of-disbelief and be prepared for the reward of a wild ride. What tops the story, though, are its central characters. Thomas has created a distinct voice for each boy. As the letters progress, each boy grows. They challenge one another. They wrestle with the obstacles and losses that life throws at them. They draw us in and move our hearts.

I read somewhere recently that one of the benefits of reading for children (indeed for us all) is that it inspires us to have empathy for those different from ourselves. Thomas succeeds in this venture. Through her words, we share in and sympathize with Ollie’s desperate optimism and Moritz’s fragile first rays of hope. We find ourselves reminded about the power of honesty between friends, about the vital truth that we are all valuable, all human. It’s a powerful, ultimately inspiring story.

Language Content
Profanity used with moderate frequency.

Sexual Content
Brief kissing – boy/girl and once boy/boy.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Moritz and another boy suffer at the hands of a bully. Descriptions are short but disturbing. The bully ends up severely injured later.

Drug Content
None.

Soundclip from Audiobook (available at Audible.com)

Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

WE WERE LIARS
E. Lockhart
Delacorte Press
Published May 13, 2014

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About We Were Liars

Since she was a little girl, Cadence has been spending summers with her Sinclaire cousins and family friend on a private island. In the infamous, wealthy Sinclaire family, emotions must be kept in check. Addictions and criminal behavior are not allowed.

But the summer after Cadence’s grandmother passes away, her perfect family falls into turmoil, and Cadence leaves the island with a mysterious head injury she can’t remember receiving.

When Cadence begs to return to the island to be with her family again, her mother relents. Still no one will discuss Cadence’s injury with her, and she is forced to uncover the truth on her own.

My Review

Okay, so… full disclosure. I started reading this book one morning while I was waiting for my then-boyfriend to wake up and be ready to meet up for lunch. The chapters are short, and the story is so intense that I may have left him waiting for me for over an hour while I scrambled to read one more chapter after just one more chapter.

I couldn’t get enough. I had to know what would happen. The writing is beautiful and sort of haunting, and it’s the kind of story that gets inside you and won’t let go.

WE WERE LIARS is packed full of stark, beautiful prose and gut-wrenching emotion. Cadence experiences the fullness of love and loss, and through Lockhart’s phenomenal storytelling, readers can’t help but share in those moments. The relationships between family members feel so real and sometimes so toxic. Every chapter uncovers new questions. And the ending left me completely breathless.

Needless to say, I read this book in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down at all. It’s been one of the books I talk about over and over, and certainly one that stayed with me since I’ve read it.

Content Notes

Language Content
Extreme word choice, moderate frequency.

Sexual Content
Cadence’s cousin claims to have had lots of “sexual intercourse” with a boyfriend back home. She promises details, but shares nothing graphic or specific.

Spiritual Content
Cadence and Gat briefly discuss whether or not they believe in God.

Violence
None.

Drug Content
The cousins sneak wine from their parents and drink it.

Disclaimer
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

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Review: Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Tension of Opposites
Kristina McBride
EgmontUSA
Available May 25, 2010

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Two years ago, Tessa’s best friend Noelle disappeared, leaving behind only her red bicycle and shattered memories. Tessa forces herself to accept the likelihood that her friend is dead. Then, in a shocking revelation from Noelle’s brother, Tessa learns that her friend is alive. That she’s been rescued from her captor. That she’ll be coming home.

Desperate to revive the kinship she once shared with Noelle, Tessa calls and visits, trying again and again to see her friend, only to be told Noelle isn’t ready. When she’s finally able to confront her, Tessa finds Noelle – who now insists on being called Elle – to be a stranger, aloof and hateful. Tessa won’t be deterred, nor will she sit idly by while Elle follows her new destructive path.

Tessa focuses so much on saving Elle that she pushes away everyone else around her, including the handsome new guy and his romantic hopes. Max challenges Tessa to reach beyond her comfort zones, to make her own needs a priority and to have confidence in her talent as a budding photographer.

While not overly graphic in its rehashing of Elle’s abduction, this isn’t a neat and tidy story, with a clear A-to-B plotline. Just as the reality of returning from horror would be twisted and messy, Elle’s re-acclimation into her family and school is raw and difficult. Her decisions reflect her turmoil. Tessa’s choices reflect her feelings of guilt and helplessness. The deep drama sucks the reader in and doesn’t let go until the last page is read. McBride strikes a good balance between darkness and hope.

Language Content
Moderate profanity, mild frequency.

Sexual Content
Brief references to what happened to Noelle after her kidnapping. No graphic details. Kissing between Tessa and her boyfriend. Elle talks frankly about planning to have sex with a boy she knows is only seeing her for the attention.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
No graphic descriptions of violence. Very brief references to things which occurred during Noelle’s captivity.

Drug Content
Teens attend parties and drink beer. Some smoke pot. Main character is seen as a “goody-goody,” though she does drink a beer at one of the parties.

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