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Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone, #1)

Leigh Bardugo

Start date: April 1, 2019

Finish date: April 30, 2019

Discussion: Book of the Month

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What Members Thought

Jun 15, 2018 Ari ☾ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2018-reads, owned, fantasy-romance, favorites

5 Stars

Wow, Shadow and Bone was amazing! I loved this book so much!

It starts off with Alina and company trying to cross the Fold, which is just pitch black and evil and full of monsters. But while they are crossing their regiment is cut off by the monsters. Strong emotion causes Alina to explode magical sunlight (the monsters, volcra, don’t like the light) Which marks her as the only Sun Summoner.

She is then taken to Os Alta to be trained as a Grisha. The people look at her as a savior because 5 Stars

Wow, Shadow and Bone was amazing! I loved this book so much!

It starts off with Alina and company trying to cross the Fold, which is just pitch black and evil and full of monsters. But while they are crossing their regiment is cut off by the monsters. Strong emotion causes Alina to explode magical sunlight (the monsters, volcra, don’t like the light) Which marks her as the only Sun Summoner.

She is then taken to Os Alta to be trained as a Grisha. The people look at her as a savior because she would be the only one who would be able to cleanse the Fold. The Darkling also believes this. Or does he.

The first half of the novel is Alina trying to get accustomed to Grisha life. Also trying overcome her extreme lack of self confidence and self worth. I really enjoyed reading about Grisha magic systems and the political structure of the Grisha. Genya was literally the best throughout the book.
After Alina has a super epiphany. (view spoiler)
So then it is her mastering her magic, and boy let me tell you. I wAS SO PROUD OF HER THROUGHOUT THIS PORTION OF THE BOOK. Like I was like you go girl get that self confidence.
Then a bunch of shit hits the fan, that would be too spoilerly to talk about.

Okay so loved Alina, loved The Darkling (he was such a good antihero, like please give me more of the dark brooding evil guy), and hated Mal. I wanted to hit him over the head with a tree. Like he comes in being all jealous about the off chance that Alina and The Darkling could have had a thing. Like bitch, please. At the beginning of the book all you cared about was scoring.

The writing in this book was fucking qualityyyy. Pro ass world building, although gotta admit at the start had to look at the map. Thank heck for that map at the beginning.
Cannot wait to read the second one. ...more

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Jan 20, 2017 Melany rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015, own, books-reviewed, 2017, own-physical, own-kindle

Original Review
I almost can't believe how much I loved this book! I can't believe I waited so long to read it. It has a such an interesting world and characters, and it such a quick read that it was hard to put down. Overall I like Alina, I feel there a lot she could in improve on but if the next two stick to the pace set in this book she'll develop into a very strong character. Is it bad that after it all said and done I like kinda like the Darkling?

Reread Review
This is a reread. While I stil ...more

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Apr 20, 2019 ❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Oh. My. God. Holy shit that ending!!!! I literally thought she was gonna lose Mal. Ugh at the same time I’m so mad at myself for falling into the Darklings trap. I mean as if his name the Darkling is net enough of a sign of a bad guy what else is smh. I’m usually one for a badass heroine and I can’t really say Alina is one, at least not yet. This poor girl really has a lot of problems with herself, believing she’s worthy, pretty or even meant for anything meaningful. It’s so sad considering she ...more

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Jun 07, 2017 ⋆☆☽ Jen ☾☆⋆ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, faves, ebs

《The problem with wanting, is that it makes us weak.》

Why did I wait so long to read thisssss? WHYYYYYYY? 😍
I was almost skeptical because I think 95% of the most hyped books are ~~garbage~~ not worth the time to read them, but this. THIS. Oh God.
The Witch of Duva sounded like a good premise and it was totally right!! 💜

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Apr 24, 2019 Kim rated it really liked it

Whoa I thought I was halfway through and then it was done!

Great storyline, I’m pumped for the second book slash whole series. Alina is a great MC. Échos of other dystopian books I’ve read but in a good way. Definitely suggest it!

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Nov 08, 2016 Tânia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Dear Leigh Bardugo,

I met you for the first time this year and you just became one of my favourite writers. I felt ashamed of not having read your beautiful stories before. After reading Six of Crows, I plunged into the Grisha world and I fell in love with it. Shadow and Bone is the beginning of Alina's adventures and can't wait to know how her story ends.

Writing: Maybe I shouldn't be comparing the writing style, but I can't avoid it. I read Six of Crows back in January (I know, I always do eve Dear Leigh Bardugo,

I met you for the first time this year and you just became one of my favourite writers. I felt ashamed of not having read your beautiful stories before. After reading Six of Crows, I plunged into the Grisha world and I fell in love with it. Shadow and Bone is the beginning of Alina's adventures and can't wait to know how her story ends.

Writing: Maybe I shouldn't be comparing the writing style, but I can't avoid it. I read Six of Crows back in January (I know, I always do everything backwards) and I confess it took me sometime to go through the pages of Shadow and Bone because the writing was not as fluid as in Six of Crows. But it's a good thing, right? Because Leigh Bardugo's writing evolved a lot since her debut novel.

Characters: I may have had a love-hate relationship with Alina. Why? Sometimes she was strong and not afraid of speaking her mind, but sometimes she acted as a damsel in distress for no reason whatsoever (I understand she had jut learned she was Grisha, but she was a powerful Grisha that could kick ass without anyone's help). Sometimes Alina was able to see what was right in front of her, but then she doubted herself (and this is probably what annoyed me the most). But, at the end, Alina was relatable. Her little imperfections (such as, the dark circles under her eyes) and her search to find a where she belongs, made Alina a lot more real to me.

Now, about the love interests ([LOVE TRIANGLE ALERT] yes, sadly there is a love triangle, but by the ending of the story I felt the triangle came to a closure and maybe, just maybe, it will be over by the next novel). The Darkling, the most powerful Grisha, was very mysterious and it was never easy to understand what his intentions were. One moment he was viciously murdering someone, but then all of the sudden he was all soft words and kind smiles. Mal was Alina´s best friend. They met in the orphanage and then they joined the Second Army (all of this made their strong friendship/bound a lot more credible). He was loyal and would do anything for her - but now that I think of it, the Darkling would also go through hell to protect Alina; but both of them had very different reasons to do so...

Worldbuilding: I loved the world created by Bardugo, but I must say I felt disappointed when I finished reading the final page. I wanted to know more about Ravka (Six of Crows mentions Ravka, but it's a lot more about Ketterdam and the Ice Court). Apart from the Little Palace and the Shadow Fold there wasn't much more worldbuiling. Hopefully, the following sequels will weave this a world to a little more detail because I felt there were so many possibilities and I got stuck between a court intrigues and a terrifying and full of secrets dark sea.

This review is part of Twelve Days of Christmas Challenge - http://mylovelysecret.blogspot.pt/201... ...more

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