June has been so busy that I've fallen behind on my reading and blogging. But the best book I read this month was so good that I had to jump in and rave about it. My best book in June was Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.
Adapted from Goodreads:
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. When Alina Starkov's 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 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.
I picked up Shadow and Bone not because of the blurb, but because of the online buzz. Several agents, authors, and bloggers I respect had mentioned how amazing it was, and they were all right.
Shadow and Bone has everything I look for in a book. The writing flows effortlessly. The world is unique and captivating. The pace and plot are well balanced, even though the story takes place over many months. I also loved that it felt complete as a novel by itself, even though it's the first in a series. But the characters are what make Shadow and Bone great.
I connected with Alina immediately, and I felt her struggles and insecurities. I might normally say that I'm tired of love triangles, but this one kept me emotionally invested all the way through, with the perfect payoff in the end.
I highly recommend Shadow and Bone, and I know I'm not alone.
Music for today: The Pit by Silversun Pickups
