Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1)
by Leigh Bardugo

Hardcover, 358 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (first published May 17th 2012)

ISBN:  0805094598 (ISBN13: 9780805094596)

 

Rating: 4.5 Stars

 

Let us tell the tale.....

 

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.

 

  

 

Some ranting of my own.....


 “I'm sorry it took me so long to see you, Alina. But I see you now.”

 Let me start off with this book is nothing like what I expected.
I expected a poorly executed novel of female heroism with some romance in for a fair twist. I expected names that I don't usually see like 'Mal' and 'Alina' to be annoying and take away from the book. But, no, no ,no, no...It set the scene perfectly and made the book seem so real. I could feel the attacks and blows that she took. I could see The Darkling stealing her heart....and I could see Mal stealing it back.
“I'm not like you, Mal. I never really fit in the way you did. I never really belonged anywhere."
"You belonged with me.” And I loved it.
So much.
I thought Mal and Alina's past as cute: the whole best friends since abandoned in an orphanage it different.
I'm still in awe I guess. It's like nothing I've ever read. Yeah I love it. I guess y'all are wondering why I gave it four stars instead of five. And.....I don't know. It just doesn't feel like a five star book. *shrugs*  
“Mal,"I whispered into the night.
"What?"
"Thanks for finding me."
"Always.”
I thought the Stag was a nice thing to throw in...and the whole sacrificial love is pretty amazing.
 And when Alina is taken by the Grisha....dude that scene is intense and my heart was pounding. And Mal just stood there. Good thing he felt guilty for it later or I would have had to slap it. Hard. More than once. Upside his hard, hard head.
And, and----no wait I can't say that. That would be revealing too much. So sorry guys.

Hehehe

The Darkling

 

 “I missed you every hour. And you know what the worst part was? It caught me completely by surprise. I'd catch myself just 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 why we don't belong together," he said fiercely.”
And I think being a Tailor is amazing. But what she did in the end...what David did in the end. Sorry but even though Alina forgives them, I don't. Nope. No. Nada.
 It would do you well to read this book. Your life would improve. Drastically.
Buuuut.....what's The Darkling's real name. You know, the one his mama gave him?

Another thing that rather annoyed my (besides the whole The Darkling has no actual name thing) was that  ..... awh crap. I don't remember. That's what I get for listening to music, reading and typing a post.-_- grr

Hahahahaha

Well I have two more pictures then I'll show you the author's website and leave y'all alone.

Keep Calm and Join the Grisha

Fine, make me your villain- The Darkling

This is the brilliant woman responsible for my insanity....or at least some of it.

Say Yes to the

Book

-Jackie