Review: Ruin and Rising (Shadow and Bone #3) by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Ruin and Rising

Series: Shadow and Bone #3 | Grishaverse #3

Previous book in this series: Shadow and Bone (#1) | Siege and Storm (#2)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: YA, high fantasy

Publication date: June 2014

Published by: Henry Holt and Co.

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Soldier. Summoner. Saint. The nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

The Darkling rules from his shadow throne while a weakened Alina Starkov recovers from their battle under the dubious protection of the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Now her hopes lie with the magic of a long-vanished ancient creature and the chance that an outlaw prince still survives.

As her allies and enemies race toward war, only Alina stands between her country and a rising tide of darkness that could destroy the world. To win this fight, she must seize a legend’s power—but claiming the firebird may be her ruin.

My rating: ★★★★☆

It’s been two months since Alina last faced off against the Darkling and she is in rough shape.

Review: Siege and Storm (Shadow and Bone #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Siege and Storm

Series: Shadow and Bone #2 | Grishaverse #2

Previous book in this series: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: YA, high fantasy

Publication date: June 2013

Published by: Henry Holt and Co.

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Alina Starkov’s power has grown, but not without a price. She is the Sun Summoner—hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Shadow Fold. But she and Mal can’t outrun their enemies for long.

The Darkling is more determined than ever to claim Alina’s magic and use it to take the Ravkan throne. With nowhere else to turn, Alina enlists the help of an infamous privateer and sets out to lead the Grisha army.

But as the truth of Alina's destiny unfolds, she slips deeper into the Darkling’s deadly game of forbidden magic, and further away from her humanity. To save her country, Alina will have to choose between her power and the love she thought would always be her shelter. No victory can come without sacrifice—and only she can face the oncoming storm.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I really enjoyed this first part of the book. The ending of the last book was STRESSFUL with Alina and Mal managing to get away from the Darkling. This book picks up where that book left off, with them in hiding and being super cute together.

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone

Series: Shadow and Bone #1 | Grishaverse #1

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: YA, high fantasy

Publication date: June 2012

Published by: Henry Holt and Co.

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha... and the secrets of her heart.

My rating: ★★★★★

I’ve mentioned this many times, but I’ve never really been into high fantasy... until recently. I would read a book or two a year, but I think I have officially entered my high fantasy era and I’m honestly having a great time! I read the Six of Crows duology in January because I was wanting an action-packed high fantasy and I had heard that Six of Crows had a heist, so I obviously had to read it 😆 Well, I ended up LOVING it so much that I decided to come back and read the original series too! Going into Six of Crows, I had zero intentions of reading anything else in the Grishaverse—I just wanted the heist, to be honest. But I loved the world so much that I just needed more! And I’m glad I decided to continue on with the Grishaverse because I ended up enjoying this book too. I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t love it nearly as much as I did Six of Crows, but it was still good!