The Shadow and Bone

[Safa]

Hey guys! Anyone interested in buddy reading The Shadow and Bone with me?

[Courtney {Catching feelings for me pup?}]

If the book is free online I'd love to. Wait actually they might have it at my school. Either way I'd love to.

[Bella]

I'll read it with you!! It's been on my tbr for a while now and I really want to read the book before watching the series.

[Safa]

Coco_Bush_Lightweight wrote: "If the book is free online I'd love to. Wait actually they might have it at my school. Either way I'd love to."

It is. I can show you how to download the epub version of it.

[Safa]

Great! When do you guys want to start?

[Bella]

I'm fine with starting whenever because I can download the book for free on my computer if I don't end up buying it at the bookstore.

[Safa]

Then let's begin from first June.☺️

[Bella]

Great! That works for me

[Shantanu]

Hey guys ,
i would like to join this read along as well , someone has been bugging me non stop to join so here I am

[Safa]

Hey guys! How much reading did you get done today?

[Safa]

As for me, today was terrible, I completed the first chapter and I'm loving the chemistry being depicted between Alina and Mal (shipping them). Apart from that I've only just read the first chapter and it's already making me feel anxious.

[Bella]

I just finished the first chapter but I'm probably gonna read more later. I also love the chemistry between Alina and Mal but I don't think they're gonna end up together at the end (I just have a feeling and also it would show character development if they didn't end up together?? idk). Besides all the names I cannot pronounce for the life of me, I like it so far.

[Courtney {Catching feelings for me pup?}]

Safa wrote: "Coco_Bush_Lightweight wrote: "If the book is free online I'd love to. Wait actually they might have it at my school. Either way I'd love to."

It is. I can show you how to download the epub version..."


Wonderful that'll work perfectly!!

[Safa]

Hey guys! Firstly, I need to apologise for not being regular enough but I'll try to be from today onwards. So how much reading did you get done today?

[Safa]

I'll begin, so I've read 22% of the book by now. And I totally agree with you Bella, the names are too hard to pronounce, they're Russian right?

[Bella]

Yeah, I think so. I'm 28% done, and I'm starting to like the Darkling more. I feel like he's one of those people who looks tough on the outside but is actually pretty chill on the inside.

[sidra]

hey guys!! I know I am a bit late but I'll be joining this buddy read too. looking forward to it !

[Shantanu]

Well i am at 7 percent , not much to say right now , only covered the first chapter , looking forward for 93 percent more goodness

[Safa]

Hey guys! So, I read just 1% of the book today, trying to slow down a bit so that the other still joining reader can catch up.

[Safa]

And in that 1% I too, just like Bella, have developed a certain liking for the darkling. I too think he's a gentlemen hidden behind the mask and it is starting to look like my Alina and Mal ship is starting to sink before it even left the dock.

[Bella]

I read another 7% today, I can slow my reading down so everybody is on the same page. I won't share my thoughts until later because I don't want to spoil it for anybody.

[sidra]

I've read 25% last night. I had caught an instant liking to Mal at first but as the story progressed, now I'm more into darkling. He seems to be sort of mysterious and acts tough on the outside but is pretty chill on the inside, as said by Bella in a previous comment.

[sidra]

Actually I have been listening to the audio book and I'm trying catch up with you guys asap

[Bella]

I agree, I really both like Mal and the Darkling, but I have a feeling Mal might change once he learns what Alina is. Also, no rush in trying to catch up! I usually speed read through most of the books I read, and it feels nice to go slower and actually savor each part I read instead of rushing.

[Safa]

Hey guys! I totally agree with you Bella, it actually does feel nice to be able to savour it. I've read like 38% of it and I think we're all almost on the same part so we should go ahead and start reading at our usual pace, otherwise, this book won't be coming to an end at the end of this month or year.

[Safa]

Don't forget to put in updates. : )

[Bella]

Since we're at about the same part, what do you think of Alina insisting on wearing a blue kefta instead of a black one? Would you have done the same? I think I would've done the same if I was in her shoes because she's still unsure about her powers and I would feel weird committing to something I don't know the full extent of.

[sidra]

Personally I think black kefta would have looked more appealing and cool but your point Bella cannot be undermined as the colour of kefta created differences among the grisha. Even though her powers were equivalent to darklings, she chose to wear the blue one.

[sidra]

AND NO. I would have gone for the black one just because it was appealing.

[Safa]

I think blue kefta would've looked just as appealing but I agree it creates differences among the Grisha and somewhere Alina is trying to change that. If it's just about colours I would've chosen the black one but as Bella said it wouldn't have been wise to commit to something she doesn't know the full extent of, keeping that in mind I would've gone for the blue one.

[Safa]

Another question that I had in mind was that 'Do you think Genya and David the fabricator would end up together?'
I hope so! Another ship to set sail!

[Bella]

I feel like there's a good chance they will end up together; I know that there is definitely something between them because of the way the author described Genya's facial expressions and dialogue when her and Alina went to get her discs.

[Bella]

Also, I'm 51% done with the book! You know how the Darkling asked Alina during a conversation whether Mal was a good tracker? Now, since they're searching for Morozova's herd for Alina's amplifier, I'm predicting that the Darkling's going to bring Mal to help search for it. It makes sense to me, and it would be a good way to bring him back into the story.

[Safa]

I just got done with 51% of the book. Firstly question at hand: Why is the stupid boy not replying to the poor girls letters? (any assumptions?) What you say Bella also is a great possibility but I would feel more certain about this statement when the boy replies to the letters.

[Safa]

Just realised that the Darkling's name hasn't been mentioned by now! Have YOU googled it? I haven't, holding myself back. Certain someone told me that it won't be mentioned in the first two books, maybe the third book.

[Bella]

Maybe Mal's hurt because Alina never told him about her powers (that's obviously not Alina's fault though, cause even she didn't realize)? I agree with you though, if Mal had replied to the letters, it would make more sense. I also haven't googled the Darkling's name, and right now it doesn't seem that important to me, I'm fine with finding it out when it's mentioned.

[Safa]

Okay so I just got done reading 70% of the book. Gotta say the story's taken a steep turn, something I wasn't expecting at all and now I am tied to it. Trying to not give out spoilers. Just a quick question: do YOU believe Baghra? Because i can't think right now, I mean everything that is happening is the last that I expected to happen.

[Shantanu]

So i am still stuck at 51 percent , thats the only update you will have from me .

[Bella]

Right now I do believe her, but I totally agree with you I was not expecting that at all. The snippets of the Darkling's dialogue from previous conversations make it seem true, but I just got used to the Darkling being a good guy, so I'm not sure. But if Baghra is right, HOW DARE HE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALINA--

[Bella]

Also I'm shipping Malina so hard right now, maybe I'm too attached to the childhood best friends to lovers trope but I love it.

[Safa]

So, I am at 74% for now and Mal saves the day! I've been shipping Malina from the start but WHY WON'T MAL MAKE THE MOVE? I mean why are they not confiding in eachother? It'll be hard to say if it will be Alina and Mal or Alina and darkling, unless Mal does something to make it obvious that he has the same feelings for Alina.

[Shantanu]

I am pretty sure this lovers dilemma will go on until the end of the book where (i am 80% sure) Mal kisses Alina or something like that and confesses to her , seems like it has the same plot as other YA or romance books.

[Safa]

Well, it is getting quite interesting! apart from the love triangle thing. And I want to find out who Alina ends up with......

[Bella]

I'm 84% done, and YES FINALLY MAL U MADE THE MOVE! I'm not liking the Darkling right now, he interrupted their little moment😡. Also, I'm in the middle of a chapter so I'm probably going to stop for today after I finish the chapter.

[Bella]

93% done today!!! If it's okay with you guys I'm probably gonna finish the book tomorrow since there's only like 20ish pages left. In case you haven't read that far I'll put a spoiler tag for my thoughts (view spoiler)[ IM GONNA CRY IF MAL DIES and I HATE THE DARKLING SO MUCH LIKE HE RUINS EVERYTHING also that moment with Mal and Alina in the jail during his last night was soooo cute like Malina <3 (hide spoiler)]

[Shantanu]

I am Done! , the story was interesting ! (view spoiler)[although i do hope that the darkling hasnt died yet (hide spoiler)]

[Safa]

*Spoiler Alert*
Okay, I just completed the book too. It was good. And I have developed a certain hate for darkling unlike any. Also it was too contemplated for Alina and Mal to end up together. It was as if the author just presented darkling as the villain destined to stand as a wall between Mal and Alina's happy ending (typical friends to lovers troupe). Though the characters and the set were honestly very great and portray something that is perfect to be made into a movie, the plot was not very original. Otherwise the book was great, not thrilling but very suspence full (something I'll keep as one of my comfort reads). I loved the fact that Alina and Mal ended up together but I wasn't a big fan of the process it took.
Inspite of this, I am very eager to read the second book because I want to see what the author brings up next to keep the readers spell bound.

[sidra]

At the end of the book I realized that Alina and Mal were bound to get together from the start but the author decided to give us a ride by throwing darkling in the chaos of Alina's love life (just for the fun of it ). But at the end, everything resolved itself and she ended up where she was supposed to be. I think that could've been achieved without the mess being created.And as for the adventure she went through, that was way out of the blue and something I loved about this book. As for Mal, personally I don't like that character much and am more inclined towards darkling. At least darkling knows what he is up for while Mal seems totally off the road to me.

[Bella]

I liked the book and I also really hate the Darkling right now (I know he's gonna appear in the other books, so I will have to mentally prepare myself to actually give him a chance). I thought Alina and Mal's relationship was cute, and I liked how it was more of a subplot, and it didn't overpower the whole story. The worldbuilding was amazing though and I'm excited to read the rest of the trilogy and the rest of the books in the Grishaverse.