Crooked Kingdom (Six Of Crows #2), by Leigh Bardugo - Restarting June 5th 2021

[CallMeSensei]

Kim at Divergent Gryffindor wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Kim at Divergent Gryffindor wrote: "@Jordan (part one): That's what I'm afraid of as well!"

I don't like when authors hurt my faves! :("

With this book though, I can..."

My favorite is definitely Inej. But I really love all of them in their own ways. <3

[Eesh]

Chapter 3
(view spoiler)[His father's here?! Man, I am SO not looking forward to him finding out how Jesper's education is going. (hide spoiler)]

[Eesh]

End of part 1
(view spoiler)[By the end of this book, if Kaz doesn't make a speech declaring his undying love for Inej, I'm going to murder him. (hide spoiler)]

[Eesh]

Chapter 14
(view spoiler)[Van Eck is seriously ducking messed up. What kind of person does that to his own wife and son.
I can't wait to see Kaz destroy him. (hide spoiler)]

[Eesh]

Chapter 18
(view spoiler)[Oh fuck! I thought Van Eck was onto them. But it was Rollins. Kaz really should have left him in the prison to rot. (hide spoiler)]

[Eesh]

End of Part 4
(view spoiler)[At this point, my excitement knows no bounds, because this is going to be AWESOME! (hide spoiler)]

[Eesh]

End of Part 5
(view spoiler)[Nikolai is here!!! And it's awesome.
What's not awesome is that I have no clue what is planned and what isn't. Kinda freaking out over here. (hide spoiler)]

[Kim at Divergent Gryffindor]

End: (view spoiler)[ It's a good thing that Kaz always has a plan up his sleeve or they'll all be dead. There were so many close calls!

Why the heck did Leigh have to kill Matthias? I really loved his dynamics with Nina, and that was just starting to have progress! UGHHHH eternally crying for a fictional character because he was just starting to realize that Grisha are not bad and everything, and then he just had to die. UGHHHHH :(((

OMG so there's a reason behind Kaz' constant encouraging of Wylan in having his father's fortune, as well as building a business for himself! So many hidden agendas, Kaz!

Overall, this one was the same with the first book in the sense that the mystery and the twists were still there. Everything Kaz did came as a surprise, as usual. Dunyasha was definitely an interesting addition to the story. I feel like there's still so much of this world that has yet been explored, and sometimes I wish there could be a second book. The ending was fucking superb, but I'm curious about what happened to Nina. However, I didn't love this one as much as the first one. For some reason it just didn't grab me like the first one did. I'm not sure if it's because this book has less or more excitement than the first one. (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

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Reading from the 16th of May 2017

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[Dannii]

1/4: (view spoiler)[This had a slow start but was no more compelling as Six of Crows, because of it. Just a different pace. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

2/4: (view spoiler)[The main story is interrupted with the character's individual histories and it is making this even more intense and emotional reading (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

3/4: (view spoiler)[I honestly don't care what he does, I absolutely love Kaz Brekker!

I'm also loving the return of characters from the original series! (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Quirks wrote: "End of part 1
[spoilers removed]"

I'm currently experiencing the same feelings!!!

[Dannii]

CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Kim at Divergent Gryffindor wrote: "CallMeSensei (Jordan) wrote: "Kim at Divergent Gryffindor wrote: "@Jordan (part one): That's what I'm afraid of as well!"

I don't like when authors hurt my fave..."

They are all so lovable in their own unique ways, but I love Inej and Kaz the best!

[Dannii]

4/4: (view spoiler)[Ahh, this ending is so tense! I knew not all of them would make it out alive (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth Emily]

Do you guys mind if I join in with this on the 16th? Please:)

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

@Elizabeth Sure that's fine. I won't be able to start till the 16th anyways.

[Natalie]

Hoping to be able to start this shortly (for the 16th) but I have several that I'm currently in the middle of o.O;

[Natalie]

7% (Ch 1-2)

(view spoiler)[So I know I read Six of Crows earlier in the month... but I've completely forgotten who Retvenko is. Unless he's a new character...
---
Wylan! A name I recognise!
---
Nina's okay! She's not cowering in a cave somewhere fighting off withdrawal or anything! :D
---
They (potentially) know where Inej is!
(hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth Emily]

Natalie wrote: "7% (Ch 1-2)

So I know I read Six of Crows earlier in the month... but I've completely forgotten who Retvenko is. Unless he's a new character...
---
Wylan! A name I recognise!
---
Nina's okay! She'..."

I'm pretty sure Reventko is a new character.

Upto Chapter 12: (view spoiler)[ This is ballsy.. even for Inej.. (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Well if Retvenko is a new character it definitely makes sense that I didn't recognise him! XD;;

[Natalie]

28%

(view spoiler)[
Part 2: A Killing Wind
Well so much for a wholesome chat with his father. What better way to reveal that you're no longer studying than with a gun fight? ;D
---
...Did the parem give Nina more abilities? o.O
Ones unrelated to her initial skills?
---
I knew Kaz couldn't be beaten so easily by Van Eck. Take THAT a**hole :|
---
I can't help but love Alys. She seems so sweet and innocent... and yet is so irritating to all the "Six Crows" XD
---
The costumes for everyone and the "Mister Crimson" thing is genius :|
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

49%

(view spoiler)[
Part 3: Brick by Brick
“Isn’t that how things are done around here?” asked Wylan. “We all tell Kaz we’re fine and then do something stupid?”
Yep.
---
So another insane plan, just like in the previous book? This'll work fineee - though likely with some hiccups.
---
...okay, what just happened?
---
Yikes. Wylan's father is horrible. I didn't realise that the attempted murder of his son was so premeditated, and had been decided so early on o.O
---
Wylan's mother is ALIVE?
---
Well. Looks like the druskelle are aware that Matthias is alive. That's not good.
---
Dun dun dunnnn
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

62%

(view spoiler)[
Part 4: The Unexpected Visitor
The memories of Inej's past are beautiful and melancholic ;u; <3
---
Whoa o.o
Nina's essentially got necromancy powers now ._.
---
...Why is Kaz acting like a martyr? He's not the martyr type :|
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

70%

(view spoiler)[
Part 5: Kings and Queens
So Kuwei is going to auction himself off as a trap? o.O
---
Kaz has (kinda) given Jesper's father the identity of his own brother . Yikes. That must be hard for him.
---
Kaz bought out Inej's contract? ;u;
---
Kaz is taking over the Crows (ALL of them)
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

73%

(view spoiler)[
Yesssssss. Wylan & Jesper <3
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

83%

(view spoiler)[
How can max have so many plans upon plans upon plans @_@

Seriously, he saw all that coming?
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

91%

(view spoiler)[
Matthias is dead? One of the "six crows" is gone? THAT I did not expect o.o;
(hide spoiler)]

[Bhavik (Semi Hiatus)]

(view spoiler)[ I was sceptica but this started strong!
Damn that Van eck plot was goddamn good!Lmao the way they captured ALys! (hide spoiler)]

[Bhavik (Semi Hiatus)]

(view spoiler)[Damn all these grisha and fjerdans battle and hate is so strong.
I am shipping Matthias and Nina and Inej and KAz and I believe Wylan and Jesper like each other too! (hide spoiler)]

[Bhavik (Semi Hiatus)]

(view spoiler)[ DAMN DAMN DAMN ALl these countries together and PEkka Rollins and Van Eck together! What Will my fav people do now? (hide spoiler)]

[Bhavik (Semi Hiatus)]

(view spoiler)[ Move out Sherlock...Kaz is the baddest strategiest ever! Duck so many plot changes...I am biting my nails and my heart is having a rollercoaster trip.
This book is nuts! (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

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Reading from the 31st of January 2018

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[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Joining!

[RoarOutLoud]

Sasagawa wrote: "You guys still up for the buddy read?"
I am! I'm starting tomorrow (the 31st)

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Sasagawa wrote: "RoarOutLoud wrote: "Sasagawa wrote: "You guys still up for the buddy read?"
I am! I'm starting tomorrow (the 31st)"

Awesome, btw I'm not sure how buddy reads work this is my first one on a thread,..."]

So BRs here are simple. You start reading the book at the start date. Then you make comments as you go and people comment on each other's thoughts. Just make sure you have spoiler tags.

A post usually looks something like this:

Chapter 1 (view spoiler)[ sample (hide spoiler)]


You can also make chapter, pages or section arrangements with you buddy but most people do not do this because of monthly challenges and they like to go at their own pace. However, I like doing this with specific books or friends on here to get longer discussion of the book. Also, it makes me feel like I'm dissecting the story lol.

Either way is fine. Me and RoarOutLoud are reading 3 chapters a day. He's starting on the 31st and I'm starting on the 1st. You can join us if you'd like. If you prefer to read at your own pace, then go ahead. We will comment when we get to the chapters you are at.

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Chapters 1-3 (view spoiler)[ Okay so it’s been a while. Give or take a couple of months or a year.....since I’ve read this book. So Inej is captured and Kaz is trying to get her back while getting revenge on Van Eck. Nina I’m guessing survived the parent? But she has to do certain things to survive? I thought it was addictive and that it would make her crave it more? And sooo Jesper’s father is now here? Oh this should be interesting. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4-6 (view spoiler)[ Well this book doesn’t waste time. I like it though. Much faster than the first one. Poor Inej. That was intense. Her almost poor leg! Hopefully she can come up with another argument next time. I don’t like Bajan. So Nina is still craving parem but it’s not killing her. Yet. I love their lie train. Everyone helped to make a grand believable fib. These people are astounding. (hide spoiler)]

[RoarOutLoud]

I know I'm late, sorry! Life came up (>_<)

[CHAPTER 1 - 3] ::: (view spoiler)[
Finally a chapter from Wylan's POV!

Kaz is actually terrifying me right now. Sh!t, I didn't think it was necessary to add the part where he would slice her parents and her dogs' throat if she didn't do as she's told. Scary. But I now learn that he's good with puppies.

Poor baby Wylan, he's as terrified as me. I just want to hug him all the time! Be nicer to him, Kaz! But what a d!ck his father is, all that estates under Wylan's name just to keep mocking him. WTF. I hope we'll get our sweet revenge on him.

I laughed when Matthias's jealousy was clearly shown. Also in Chapter 3, he's head over heel for Nina (not that we didn't know), and was constantly keeping himself in check whenever he realized he's lusting for her. Oh! And lol at "Leave my grandmother out of this." So funny!

Uh oh. . . Jesper's dad's looking for him.
(hide spoiler)]

Replying to Nicole (Chapter 1 - 3): (view spoiler)[
Yes, Ven Eck double-crossed them and captured Inej in exchange for Kuwei. Nina took the parem but only once, Kuwei said that she would be able to survive it but she would have to go through a bad withdrawal (which mostly happened towards the end of Six of Crows). Now I guess she's recovering from that. But she has to not attempt to take another dose, or for sure she won't be able to come out of it.

Right? I wonder if he's a good man like Inej's father or a d!ck like Wylan's father. (hide spoiler)]

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

@RoarOutLoud you’re fine. I had a busy weekend too. I’ll post up my other comments either tonight or tomorrow night but I am reading. What chapter are we supposed to be on? I’ve just been reading 3 every night. I think I missed one night but I can probably catch up.

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Chapter 7-9 (view spoiler)[ Haha Alys is an interesting character. This team can handle criminals, deceit and all the terrible horrors of the The Kerch but they can't handle singing and sobbing Alys. Well maybe Matthias can. I'm glad they got Inej but would it kill Kaz to call her Inej just once instead of The Wraith? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10-12 (view spoiler)[ Well I'm glad they go Inej back safely. Those Shu experiments are crazy and scary! Hopefully they'll get all the Grisha out. I'm glad they're all back together. I love all their bickering and teasing. It shows how close they've grown. Like their own little family. (hide spoiler)]

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Okay it is impossible to stop reading this book and write comments on the side. But I'll try to address all my thoughts in the finished section.

Chapter 26 (view spoiler)[ OMG Kaz!!! That scene between Inej and Kaz just helping out with the bandages was intense! I want more of it! And it's so sad too! He's been through so much. He's sold so much of his soul that he can't even prioritize love anymore. And omg he gave her the contract back!!! (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Okay yeah after the first half of the book, I just needed to read it. They definitely had me on edge when Pekka Rollins showed up and messed up their first plan. I'm glad Kaz was able to get his scheming face up and come up with something. It's hard to put out all my thoughts because I'm still coming down from the euphoria of what I just read, so I can't really remember them all. But honestly, this was a beautiful, amazing book. I wouldn't say it was perfect. First of all, I was really mad that Matthias died. I just don't understand why he had to die. He survived an insane, pretty much lawless prison, then survived the Ice Court and pretty much everything that happened in Kerch. But he died from a fledging soldier's shot?! It just seemed so anti-climatic. I really don't understand why this had to happen. I didn't like how he kept admitting that he was at fault and that he did betray his comrades. After everything he's been through and learned from the crew, I felt at this moment that he regressed for his character development. Yes, he did technically betray his people, but he followed his heart and he learned that the Grisha are not what was taught to them. He learned that maybe the Grisha are just well understood by the Fjerdans. Yet, at this moment, he just seemed to throw it all out the window. After the skills he provided for the crew, you'd think he would have been able to disarm that inexperienced soldier with no problem. But nope....he died and I was really sad. And even more sad for Nina :(

Sorry about my rant there!

Anyways, some other stuff I didn't like was the Shu creations and parem. I thought it was really interesting to introduce the Shu creations but we never heard about them again and I wish this concept was explored more. Then there's parem. We really did not learn much more about parem in this book. You'd think that Kuwei would have been able to shed more light on parem but not much else was revealed other than what Nina was experiencing with her powers.

BUT it was still a really great book! I loved Kaz and Inej! Especially Kaz's development. We see so much more of his human and darker sides at war. If there was ever any man that could define the phrase, "actions speak louder than words," it would be Kaz. What he did for Inej (and I guess his crew too) was just touching. Especially when he gave her back her contract and found her parents. He didn't need to say how much he cared for her. What he did and what he was willing to do for the people he cared for was immeasurable. Then of course there's Wylan and Jesper. Wylan is still a baby but he grew up a lot in this book. He was a lot more exposed to the darker side of the truth, especially when it came to his parents. I felt so bad for him for how his father treated him and what his Van Eck did to his mom. I'm glad Jesper will be there for him. Despite what Van Eck thinks of him, he's a brilliant kid. Oh and Wylan and Jesper....so adorable <3. Then there's Jesper and his father. Their relationship was just touching. Period.

Other stuff that I liked included Zoya, Genya and well we all know the Sturmhond is. But yeah, I enjoyed seeing them again and I definitely look forward to seeing them in the next series!

Overall, amazing duo-logy here! (hide spoiler)]

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Yeah sorry it took so long to read this, my life just got super busy all of a sudden!

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting October 27th 2018. Happy Reading ☺

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[Shav]

I'd like to join in on this buddy reading if that's okay :)

[izzy]

Part 1
(view spoiler)[
Hmmmmm, here we go again, Kaz and His gang going about their business, Inej trying to set herself free

Kaz cannot completely admit that he needs Inej personally not just for the team sake (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Part 2
This book is amazing
(view spoiler)[from Jesper father visit, to the epic strategy of rescuing Inej, I didn't see that coming (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Part 3
(view spoiler)[ quite long I must say, but very nice, there is progress, I'm just bothered if this mission will be successful
From finding Wylan mum, to putting a ransom on Kaz and Mathias head (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Part 4
(view spoiler)[ wow! This is becoming tensed and with everything against Kaz and his little crew, I really don't know how this will need

Pekka Rollins is a dirty game player (hide spoiler)]

[izzy]

Part 5 and6

Kaz is a genius
(view spoiler)[ why Matthias, why, they would have all survived (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[ I'm glad Kaz is looking for Inej at least, even though he pretends like he's not totally concerned about her. I hope when they reunite he can admit to himself and her that he loves her. (hide spoiler)]