Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo → Start Date: February 1, 2016

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Ritu and I will be reading this. Feel free to join us!

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Glad to have you join us, Ang. =]

[Kaylee]

Can I read this with you? I think I already own it.

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Absolutely! We'd love to have you join us. =]

[Matty]

I'd love to join(: I've had this book sitting on my shelf for awhile lol

[Maxx]

I'd love to join. I actually started this 2nd week of January but I can't get past first chapter so does it count? :)

[Ritu]

I ll join in tonight too :)

[dianis.]

Can I join you?

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Glad to have all of you joining us!

[Kaylee]

Have any of you started this yet? I'm about 1/4 through already.

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

@ Kaylee - I started this morning, but I'm still on the first chapter since I've not had as much time to read today as I would have liked. I will have more time tonight though so I will post once I get several chapters in. =] How are you liking it?

[Kaylee]

I've been reading a bit at a time while doing homework. I like it so far! I just finished chapter 5. I'm not sure if I like the main character yet but the story is really interesting.

[Ritu]

Read about 5% and i am really liking this . I love the fact that unlike most YA book Alina doesnt seem to be oh-so-pretty with all boys vying for her attention because that seems really clichéd now . I also like the slavic influence to the names .
I am really curious about the darkling though . I am expecting him/her to be a main character .

[Ritu]

Gosh Genya is like a photoshop come alive :D

[Ritu]

Chapter 10: Alina seems really down to earth and its so funny that i ve read like 40% already and the name of the darkling isnt revealed yet !

[Ritu]

Chapter 15 :(view spoiler)[ dayum !!!!i am so taken aback !the darkling is the villain !omg (hide spoiler)]

[Kaylee]

I just finished this last night! I've been busy so it's been hard for me to read.

Alina (view spoiler)[I'm still not sure how to feel about her. I mostly like her, especially towards the end. She felt a bit too focused on appearences though which got a bit repetitive for me after a while. I agree with Ang that I wish she had more self-confidence. Her powers seem awesome! (hide spoiler)]

Darkling: (view spoiler)[I'm glad they made him into a bad guy to be honest. It felt too cliche to have him as he was before the big reveal. I also didn't understand his motivation. Is it just power? I don't like him though I am curious about how far he'll go. (hide spoiler)]

Mal: (view spoiler)[I like him so far! I hope it does turn out that he has some sort of tracking power. I hope nothing bad happens to him... (hide spoiler)]

Genya: (view spoiler)[I still kind of like her to be honest. I hope she gets some sort of redemption arc. (hide spoiler)]

Other thoughts: (view spoiler)[This world is so interesting! I can't wait to read the next books. I'll need to check them out from the library since I'm on a book buying ban. I hope Bagha isn't dead which I suspect she isn't since we didn't see her death and it hasn't been officially confirmed. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

I've been so busy, but I finished this today!

Alina: (view spoiler)[I really liked Alina. I agree that she was a little short on confidence. The only thing about Alina that I did not like was when she abandoned all of those people in the Fold. It seems out of character for her. It was so disappointing in my opinion. I was hoping that she would find a way to save them, apart from the Darkling, and then escape from the Fold with Mal. I just have so many mixed feelings about the way it went down. (hide spoiler)]

Darkling: (view spoiler)[I confess that I loved the Darkling! I know he is the bad guy and that he stands for everything that most would oppose, but he is just so damn likable! A part of me thinks that he believes that what he is doing is truly noble. Technically, if he gets the lands to submit to him then he is bringing an end to the wars that have been going on for so long. It would be out of fear, but the wars would end nonetheless. However, I do think that a part of him craves power. The King seems incompetent and fixed on the fine things that he is used to. The people of the court seem to look down upon all others, even the Grisha to an extent. It seems like the Darkling resents this. It also seemed to me that he initially wanted Alina for genuine reasons, and not only because of her power and what he could get out of it. When he was with her at the palace during their make out session he mentioned that wanting lead to weakness. It seemed like what he felt for her was real, but he hated himself for it because it was a weakness. Deep down I kind of wish that he is redeemed somehow, although I find it unlikely. (hide spoiler)]

Mal: (view spoiler)[I really loved Mal, too. Mal, Mal, Mal. He really was so adorable. The talented ladies man, so full of charm. He cares so much for Alina. It was so darling the way that the grew up together totally inseparable and fell in love...even if Mal didn't realize his feelings for what they were until Alina was gone. It was touching that he tracked down the stag to help her, not really knowing how it was going to help her. I'm so glad that he tracked Alina down after she ran away. They are so clearly meant for one another, and I don't think that it is only because of their long history together. It seemed that Mal had a curious power of his own when it came to tracking. I am anxious to see if that fleshes out to more as the story continues. (hide spoiler)]

Genya: (view spoiler)[During the fist scene with Genya, when she came busting through the door bossing Alina around, I instantly hated her. I did warm up to her after that though. I don't think that she is bad or necessarily has an allegiance to the Darkling. I do think that she does what he demands out of necessity. At least, that is what I am hoping. I truly hope to see her join Alina's side in things. I think that they became true friends during Alina's time at the Little Palace. I would so love to see their friendship redeemed. Although, I can see how the Darkling could use Genya from the aspect. (hide spoiler)]

Other thoughts: I really loved the world building in this. Some of the terminology tripped me up at the beginning, but not so much so that I couldn't follow the story. Everything really flowed magnificently. I seriously cannot wait to begin Siege and Storm! Let me know if any of you want to read it with me! =D