THE REAPPEARANCE OF RACHEL PRICE by Holly Jackson

“18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness. Rachel is gone, presumed dead. The case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agrees to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for her life to go back to normal. But them Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again… Lights. Camera. Lies.”

What is the book about?

16 years ago, when Bel Price was barely 2 years old, her mother, Rachel, disappeared. One minute the two of them were walking around the mall together and the next Bel was found alone in the car on the side of the road, the door closed and no sign of Rachel, other than a few of her belongings. The sudden disappearance has haunted the Price family for years, especially the first year when Bel’s father was the police’s prime suspect. Rachel is presumed dead; however they never found any clues as to where she went or what happened to her. For the past few years Bel has been able to pretend that nothing was wrong and that there was never a time when it wasn’t just her and her dad, but now that her dad has agreed to a true crime documentary on Rachel’s disappearance, everything is resurfacing. Bel doesn’t want anything to do with the documentary but she made a promise to her dad and is not about to go back on it. All she wants is for the documentary to be finished, the camera crew to go back to where they came from and her life to go back to normal, with Rachel no longer the topic of everyone’s conversations. However, when Rachel suddenly reappears in the middle of the street, back from the dead and looking just like she did 16 years ago, Bel realises her life will never go back to normal again. Especially as she doesn’t believe a word coming out of Rachel’s mouth and in order to find out the truth she will have to uncover all the deadly secrets her family have kept hidden since that fateful day her mother disappeared…

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

The second that I saw that Holly Jackson was writing another book I added The Reappearance of Rachel Price to my Amazon basket, before it even had a front cover. I have absolutely loved every book that Holly Jackson has written and have always been surprised by the plot twists and the secrets that come out so I knew, before I had even looked at the blurb or bought the book, that I was going to love this book just as much. I didn’t know exactly what to expect because the stories are always so shocking, keeping me on the edge of my seat and making me sacrifice all sleep just to be able to uncover the truth, however I knew that it was going to be amazing. When the book finally came out and I bought it I was so excited to start reading, however I wanted to wait for the perfect opportunity to read the book, when I could give it my full attention and do nothing but read the whole day (as I had done when I read Five Survive in one sitting). When I finally read the blurb it excited me even more and within seconds I was started the book anxious to find out what shocking things would happen. Initially I found it a bit hard to get into the book, possibly because I had been reading fantasy books all summer and a mystery was definitely a big jump. However it didn’t take long for me to fully get into it and soon I was flying through.

Who was your favourite character and why? 

I don’t really have a favourite character in this book and I really don’t want to have to decide so I just won’t. It isn’t because I liked so many characters that I can’t decide because there were only a few characters that I actually liked because in the end the majority of the main characters were keeping terrible secrets. If I really had to choose I would probably choose one of the side characters (like the ones part of the camera crew) who seemed to be quite sweet, especially Ash who was the only one who really believed Bel and who saw through the wall she built up and how she tried to push people away before they could leave her. I did like Bel but I found her to be a bit annoying at times, and the same thing happened with a few of the other characters. All the characters had their strengths but they also had some weaknesses that deterred me from picking a favourite character.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part was probably near the end when all the secrets came flooding out and suddenly everything made sense. I love this part in most mystery books because I get to finally have the answers to the multitude of questions that have been plaguing me throughout the whole book and I usually get to see if parts of my theory are correct, which always makes me feel like such a wizard when I get something right. Although I wasn’t able to see any of the things in this book before we were told, I still really enjoyed this part of the book because of how it made me feel. The tension and the suspense had me clinging to the book at 1 am desperate to get answers before my eyes stopped working. I was on the edge of my seat for this whole part and the surprise that I got when I found out the truth is the thing that makes me love mystery novels. Since I was little, this has been one of my favourite genres and I am glad to see that I still love them just as much and can still be shocked. 

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and am just waiting for the next Holly Jackson book to come out so I can buy it and hopefully once again fall in love with one of her books. One thing that I really enjoyed about the book was how the mystery of Rachel’s disappearance and reappearance was being sort of solved by a teenage girl. This was one of the things I also loved in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and I loved seeing it here. The reason I enjoyed it is because in this book in particular it was quite realistic because the further Bel dug the more confused she became and the more she realised she was getting nowhere. It was mainly because she had a theory that she didn’t want to give up and because if she admitted something it would mean losing someone who had never left like her mum. It was so realistic because what teen is going to be able to uncover the truth supper easily when the police couldn’t and it also made the book so much more interesting because there were so many clues but none really started to fit together until the end. Although I really enjoyed the book, I do feel like at the beginning it felt a bit slow and uneventful. I found it a little hard to love it in those first few chapters and at first I was disappointed. Later on it started to pick up and I realise now that I was just impatient, however I do think The Reappearance of Rachel Price is my least favourite of Holly Jackson’s books (though for a least favourite I still really enjoyed it).

Would you recommend this book?  

I definitely recommend reading this book and I think it is perfect for readers who love mystery, suspense and secrets. It is best for over 13 and fans of Holly Jackson will definitely love it, though I think her other books are definitely better (so read those too). 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

An unputdownable, compelling mystery that will leave you shocked for days. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

ONE OF US IS BACK by Karen M. McManus

“‘After all, what’s one more lie?’ Life hasn’t been easy for the Bayview Crew. First they had to prove they weren’t killers. Then a new generation had to outwit a vengeful copycat/ Now, it’s beginning again. At first the mysterious billboard seems like a bad joke: ‘Time for a new game, Bayview.’ But when a member of the crew disappears, it’s clear this ‘game’ just got serious – and no one understands the rules. Everyone’s a target. And now that someone unexpected has returned to Bayview, things are starting to get deadly ‘Simon was right about secrets – they all come out in the end.’”

What is the book about?

The Bayview Crew are all back in Bayview, together for the summer. A summer they were hoping would be a nice time to all be together before everyone goes off on their own separate ways again – but it seems like whenever the crew are together bad things happen and Bayview is never the boring town they all hoped it would be. After Jake and Simon and Jared, it’s clear that things will always be interesting. At first everything seems fine, but then a random, mysterious phrase appears on a billboard, one that everyone fears is the start of something new – TIME FOR A NEW GAME, BAYVIEW. After some panic, everyone dismisses it as a strange ad or a mistake, but when a member of the crew disappears at a Fourth of July party, and is found mysteriously unharmed with a single word written across their arm, it’s evident that it’s not a coincidence. Then, when someone else disappears and is found dead, it is clear things are escalating and this person isn’t scared of a little blood. Everyone believes the person responsible is someone who created many problems when they were first in Bayview and has somehow managed to crawl their way back to this dreadful town. But everything leads back to revenge and there is someone new who wants to make someone pay for their sins. 

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I didn’t even hesitate when I saw that Karen M. McManus had written another book and I clicked pre-order before I had even registered what was going on. When it finally arrived I added it to my collection, where it gathered dust for several months before I finally managed to read it once I finished my exams. I was really excited to begin with, to read the final instalment of a series that I really enjoyed by an author whose books I have always enjoyed and I am glad I was not disappointed. I read the blurb and was immediately intrigued to find out what new secrets would come out (because really how many more secrets could there be after the past 2 books) and knew that I would be pleasantly surprised just like all of Karen M. McManus’s books (which I was). I didn’t quite know what would be in store for me because there are always twists that I can never see coming, which is one of the things that made me so excited to read this book because I always love a good surprise. Once I finally opened up the book and started reading, I was delighted to find that I fit into the world of the Bayview Crew as if I had never left and was so quickly sucked into a story that I had left more than 3 years ago. The book had me wrapped in its pages within only a few chapters and I am glad that my initial expectations were correct and that another McManus book didn’t disappoint.

Who was your favourite character and why? 

I would have to say that, although I liked many of the characters in One of Us is Back (and there were certainly many to choose from), my favourite character was probably Addy. From all the other characters’ perspectives, Addy was a kind, caring and lovable person, always willing to lend a hand. She was someone they all wanted to protect and be there for, but they didn’t realise that she was one of the strongest of them all. It wasn’t these qualities that made me choose her as my favourite character but actually what I read through her POVs was what convinced me. Whenever something happened and everyone was worried at how she’d deal with it, the only thing on her mind was her friends and making sure they were safe. There was this one particular scene where Addy herself was in trouble and danger, but her only thoughts were that one of her friends was injured and needed help, so instead of sending a message to let people know where she was, she used her only opportunity to type as a way of helping her friend. She was completely selfless and in the situations where she was most likely to break down, she kept going in order to help her friends in whatever way she could. She was so brave and the perfect friend anyone could ask for, I just wish that I could have a friend as good and strong as her.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part (unsurprisingly) was the ending. It was absolutely perfect and I have no comments. I devoured all books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed the ending in all the books; however they felt somewhat incomplete until now. The ending of One of Us is Back felt like a true ending, one where there would be no more mystery in Bayview and finally the characters could be at peace. The best thing about it was the fact that all the characters were together, even if it was only for one brief moment before they all went in different directions. However, I liked that the characters were finally moving on, because after all the terror that they experienced, it was finally their chance at a happy ending. It was a comforting ending and one which I won’t soon forget.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and finished it far too quickly. There were so many things that made this book the perfect ending to this trilogy and one of them was simply the fact that it existed. I didn’t even know that there was going to be a book after One of Us is Next and was truly surprised when I saw it on Amazon. The previous 2 books had had endings that could have easily been the real ending and there was truly no need to continue the story, however, I am glad that McManus did finish the trilogy. One of Us is Back is a book I didn’t know I needed until I finished it, because at that point it was clear that there was no way the series could have been concluded without it. Another thing I really enjoyed was the flashbacks to when Simon and Jake were friends (before the events of One of Us is Lying and before Jake even met Addy or Cooper or anyone else). They really helped me to understand why Simon and Jake did everything they did and how this whole story started. Each of these flashbacks helped to tell the story that nearly no one would have known other than Simon and Jake (and one was unable to tell it and the other unwilling to). It was a gradual unveiling to the true reason why Jake chose to help Simon and risk everything and it helped clear up some questions that I had carried with me for quite a while. One other thing I loved was hearing from a wide range of people. There were several different points of view and that helped me see things through different eyes and get the full story, not just parts of it. Although I was sometimes confused as to whose eyes I was seeing through (even though it literally said it at the beginning of each chapter), I still really enjoyed it and know I will always love books with multiple POVs. This book was amazing and I just can’t believe I’ll never read more about these amazing characters that I learned so much about.

Which is your favourite book in the One of Us is Lying series? (1, 2, or 3)

All three books (One of Us is Lying, One of Us is Next and One of Us is Back) were absolutely amazing and so is everything else Karen M. McManus has written (she is a great author) and if I’m being completely honest, I have forgotten too much of the first 2 books in the trilogy to be able to honestly answer this question. All 3 books were very different and had very different mysteries that had to be solved, however the quality of the writing, and characters, and storyline was consistently amazing in all books. This is why it is so difficult for me to make a decision. However, one thing that makes One of Us is Back stand out to me is that it completed the series and it created a full circle. Everything came back to Simon and secrets in the end and it really emphasised the main message that I think the series was trying to portray: all secrets come out in the end. 

Would you recommend this book?  

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, drama and thrillers. I enjoyed it so much and it is perfect for over 14s who love mysteries where the main characters take over the job of the police and choose to investigate themselves. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

The thrilling last instalment to a mystery-filled series you will never forget.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell

“‘She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.’ Ten years on, Laurel has never given up hope of finding Ellie. And then she meets a charming and charismatic stranger who sweeps her off her feet. But what really takes her breath away is when she meets his nine-year-old daughter. Because his daughter is the image of Ellie. Now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back. ‘What really happened to Ellie? And who still has secrets to hide?’”

What is the book about?

Ten years ago fifteen-year-old Ellie Mack left her house to go to the library and never came home. She had her whole life ahead of her, was about to do her GCSEs, was predicted the highest grades, and within moments she was gone and no one knows what happened to her. Since her disappearance, her mother Laurel has never given up on finding Ellie, however everyone else appears to have completely forgotten about it and have moved on with their lives. Since that moment, Laurel changed and lost the life she had and the things that made her happy no longer had any effect. However, one day, she unexpectedly meets a charming, charismatic man who appears to be perfect in every way and he slowly starts to bring happiness back into Laurel's life. However, when she meets his nine-year-old daughter, she starts to once again ask the questions that haunted her since Ellie left and never came home. Because his daughter is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. Something clearly happened that night when Ellie disappeared and all the unanswered questions come flooding back. What happened to Ellie? And what does this young girl who looks just like her have to do with her disappearance? Who still has secrets to hide and what do they have to do with that fateful day 10 years ago?

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I had never heard of Then She Was Gone or even the author, Lisa Jewell, until my only reader friend (which is who I always get new book recommendations from) sent me a book list of suggestions of what I could get her for Christmas and Lisa Jewell’s The Family Upstairs was on it. In order to decide which book to get her I did what I usually do, which is to search all the books up and pick the one that I like best for myself (as I know I will be able to borrow it from her rather than buy it again), so I read the blurb of this other book by the same author as Then She Was Gone and was immediately in love. As a result, I spent around an hour searching through Amazon and adding all the books I could find by Lisa Jewell and then I put them all on my own list for Christmas and the one I got was Then She Was Gone. The blurb left me completely shocked with more questions than I ever thought were possible and even a few theories that I had started puzzling out before even opening the book. Once I opened the book I completely forgot I was reading and within what felt like seconds I had finished the book in tears. I had known from the second I read the blurb that this book was going to be one of the best mysteries I had ever read and I have never found that my initial thoughts have been more right than they were for this book. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character was definitely Ellie because of how she dealt with what happened to her and how much I feel for her and everything she lost. I can’t really explain much because I don’t want to ruin the whole mystery but what Ellie went through was something that no one should ever have to experience, let alone a fifteen-year-old girl. However, despite the fact that she had gone through all of that she never lost the qualities that had made her the golden girl, the perfect daughter, the one who brought light into her family’s lives. Through the flashbacks to her experience, I got to read Ellie’s thoughts and she barely thought about losing hope and never gave up and became depressed as one would in her situation. She stayed strong, brave and brilliant (which was made clear in the epilogue, which made me cry so much) and she thought of her family and how much she loved them every moment of the day. Ellie’s attitude was admirable and it was only made more impressive when I thought of everything she lost because of what happened. She had had her whole life ahead of her and I know that she would have had the most promising future ever, but she didn’t get any of that and that completely breaks my heart. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be in that situation and though I hope that nothing like that ever happens to me but I would like to believe that I would be strong enough to be like Ellie and not lose myself in the process. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part of the book was 100% the ending because it was the most beautiful ending in the world. The story and everything that Ellie and Laurel and everyone else went through was completely devastating, however the ending helped make everything beautiful again. The main part of the book follows Laurel and how much her life was completely changed when her youngest daughter disappeared. Her family was pulled apart because of the tragedy that happened to them and as a result they lost any connection they used to have. The book follows Laurel as she tried to put her family back together and prevent them from losing complete contact with each other. In the end all she needed to do was uncover the mystery and stop punishing herself and her family for what happened to Ellie. The book ending shows a complete circle where Laurel finds herself in the same position she was before the tragic day when her daughter never came home and the beauty of it is that the family found themselves reunited because of Ellie once again. I love when books are circular and every piece makes sense once again. This book was absolutely incredible and I can’t wait to read another one by this author.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, Then She Was Gone was the most heart-breaking and devastating yet completely amazing book I have ever read and there was absolutely nothing that I would change about it. One of the things that I really loved about the book were the flashbacks to Ellie’s life after the disappearance and also another person’s life at that time as well (if you read the book you will understand why I can’t tell you their name). While we were being told Laurel’s story and trying to help her solve the mystery of her daughter’s disappearance, we also heard from these characters’ points of view which helped tell the story of what happened to Ellie. These flashbacks really helped because in reality only person knew the truth about what had happened and that person wasn’t present in Laurel’s story so without having these flashbacks I would never have known the truth. I also really loved them because flashbacks are something that I always enjoy because of the little glimpses to the past that they give you and the deeper understanding they help you develop. Another thing that I enjoyed about the book was the story and the writing in general. This story was one of the most shocking, heart-breaking and disturbing stories I have ever read and there was a strong chance of everything going wrong with the book and it being too devastating and dark to be able to be read. However, Lisa Jewell used some incredible writing to turn this dark story into a masterpiece that left me in tears every few chapters and left me wanting to go back in time just so that I could read the story once again for the first time. I cried so much reading this book and felt so much for these characters and their tragic story. This book did its job – it made me feel something – and I will never forget reading it. One last thing I would like to mention that I really liked about the book was the way that I was slowly able to piece the mystery together. Before I had even started reading I had a general theory and overall I was sort of right, however as the book moved along I was able to adapt my theory. It was a slow-burn mystery that was uncovered piece by piece and each time a new piece of information came to light I adapted my theory and had a clear idea in my mind of what I knew to be true and the possibilities of what could have happened afterwards. In the end I knew the whole story and was shocked by it but the gradual understanding made the book even more interesting and impossible to put down. This is a story that will haunt me forever and I will never stop recommending because this experience is one which I believe everyone needs to experience at least once in their life. Then She Was Gone was one of the most amazing books I have ever read and as soon as I finished reading it I went and bought every other book by Lisa Jewell that I could get my hands on and I can’t wait to have my heart crushed once again. 

Would you recommend this book?  

I would 10000000% recommend you go and read this book right this very second as it is a completely incredible novel filled with suspense and mystery. It is devastating, dark and amazingly well-written and I know that anyone who picks it up won't be able to put it down. However, I think it's best for those over 17 as there is some strong language, violence and it can be deeply disturbing.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A dark, devastating and disturbing thriller that will leave you in tears and completely shocked.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES by Suzanne Collins

“‘Ambition will fuel him. Competition will drive him. But power has its price.’ It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmanoeuvre his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute. The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined – every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the area it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute…and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.”

What is the book about?

After the districts rebelled against the Capitol and lost the war, the Capitol started the Hunger Games, an annual competition where a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 picked at random from each of the 12 districts would fight to the death in an arena until a sole victor remained. However, the Hunger Games is not having the impact the creators were expecting and in order to increase the interests of the public each tribute in the tenth Hunger Games will have a mentor, who will be one of the top students from the Academy. Coriolanus Snow is one of the mentors and his only goal is to do everything in his power to beat the other 23 mentors and end up with the winning tribute because, since the war left his family with nothing, he has no other way to get the money he needs to go to university and make a name for himself, possibly even become the president. However, when he is given the most humiliating position as the mentor for the female tribute from District 12, he believes there is no hope for him until he finally sees the girl on screen and realises that Lucy Gray Baird may still win him a money prize. Their fates are now intertwined – every choice Coriolanus makes outside the arena will determine Lucy Gray’s chance of survival and his own academic future and every move Lucy Gray makes inside the area could lead to her own death and determine Coriolanus’s chance at a real future. Coriolanus must do everything he can to help himself and his tribute, but how far is he willing to go to win and is he willing to give up his integrity and need to follow the rules in order to do so?

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I honestly had completely forgotten I had bought the book and had it on my kindle for at least a couple of years and I think it would have remained unread for another couple of years if I hadn’t had seen it on my friend’s bookshelf and been reminded of the fact that I still hadn’t read it. This still wasn’t enough to get me to read it as I got home and once again forgot about it, but when I found out the movie was in cinemas I was desperate to start reading it so I could watch the movie (as there is no way I ever watch a movie before reading the book). Once I made up my mind that I would read the book I was so excited to start reading it as I had loved reading the Hunger Games trilogy and was so excited to read the prequel and find out what led President Snow to become the tyrant leader Katniss was determined to destroy. Reading the blurb only fuelled my interest in the book as I grew even more intrigued by the development Hunger Games and the mentoring by students that I hadn’t seen in the original trilogy. However, when I started to read I found The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was not nearly as interesting and well-written as the main series books were, which may be due to the 10 year gap between the publication of this prequel and Mockingjay (the third and final book in the trilogy) and also the trilogy was in the first person (in Katniss’s point of view) and the prequel is written in the third person, making it more difficult to really understand Coriolanus and really get involved in the story as it felt less personal and more like watching from the side-lines. But, after the first several chapters, when there started to be more violent and dramatic events taking place in the book, things started to get more interesting and the book as easier to read. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character would probably have to be Sejanus because of how much I admired his actions. He certainly wasn’t perfect and a lot of the time I thought he was a gullible idiot who didn’t know what he wasn’t doing. His actions destroyed his future and the whole time he thought that Snow was his best friend, he was really alone. However, despite these flaws (which were really just things that we are all guilty of doing from time to time) he was really brave and was willing to stand up to the Capitol when no one else would. He did and said things that no one else would ever even think of doing and definitely not for the reasons he did it. He never wanted anything more than to get them to stop torturing the districts and to get to go back home to District Two and the fact that he never got to do that broke my heart. I admired him throughout the whole book and will always hate Snow for not seeing how much Sejanus needed him and how much he needed Sejanus. If he had never done what he did to Sejanus maybe he would have seen that some things are more important than power and money, however he never trusted Sejanus who only ever wanted to help and that was his biggest mistake. Sejanus was the first person to speak his mind to the people in charge of the Hunger Games and he never even though about the repercussions because he just wanted them to know what they were doing was monstrous and because of that I will always admire him and his courage. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

I didn’t really have a favourite part of the book as the whole book kind of blurred into one and wasn’t the easiest thing to read. But I will say (mainly to fill in this space) that I did like a lot of the parts where Sejanus did something stupid and rebellious because it showed me that not everyone living in the Capitol was corrupt, only thinking about power and how to get more money. I always thought about how idiotic it was for him to do some of the things he did because, if the Capitol was willing to kill 24 innocent children every year, they wouldn’t even blink an eye at ordering him to be killed for his rebel sympathising acts. However I also admired him deeply because he was willing to do what no one else would, to speak out when no one else would and to show these people that what they were doing was wrong. They may not have listened to him and it may have taken them another 65 years to change but things will never change unless we let people know we aren’t happy with them as they are and are willing to do something about it, which is what Sejanus was willing to do. 

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, I found that the book was a bit of a disappointment and wasn’t nearly as good as I was expecting, however it was still rather interesting and I enjoyed learning more about Snow and how he became the villain of the trilogy. One thing I enjoyed about the book was the fact that I got to read about Snow’s story and learn how he ended up becoming the tyrannical president Katniss was so intent on defying in the trilogy. He was truly evil – I read the books and there is no point trying to argue in his defence – however, evil is made not born and I was always interested in finding out Snow’s story and discovering why he because the psychotic man I was familiar with. Reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes helped me understand him a bit and how his fear of becoming insignificant and not living up to the Snow family name led him to believe that the only way out was to betray those closest to him. He went crazy for power, which can happen to any one of us, and he let that ambition drive him away from the love, friendship, loyalty and integrity he had been so proud of at the start of the book. He was just 18 – barely an adult – and yet he was expected to do so much and he let himself become corrupt and as a result he lost everything that made him good. I loved seeing this and, though I may feel sorry for the guy, I know that what he did can never be forgiven. Another thing that I liked about this book was seeing the development of the Hunger Games. I found it so interesting that the extravagant spectacle that I had read about in the trilogy and saw on the TV through the movies started out as 24 tributes fighting for their lives in a dirty, collapsed arena in the Capitol, barely being fed and not being treated as well as Katniss and Peeta were for their games. Right at the end of the book you see how Snow was the one to propose several of the changes to the games that we saw in the other books, such as Victor’s Village, the series of grand houses saved for the victors and their families. The fact that someone so young could suggest something to make people more willing to be involved in the killing of young children is just shocking and when I found out that the Hunger Games were initially suggested (not really intentionally)  by another young man horrified me. It was so intriguing and disgusting to see young people willingly suggesting ways to torture children just because they come from the districts who rebelled many years before. Although all of this was very interesting and I did like this information, I didn’t think the book lived up to my expectations. I loved reading The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay and found them so easy to read and I had been expecting the same for the prequel however it took me far too long to get into the book and I never fully did because it was nowhere near as good as I thought it would have been. Maybe it was the years between the books, or the change in perspective or the new characters but I was very disappointed in Suzanne Collins writing and really expected more from her. It felt like the book really dragged on (which it kind of did as it was rather long), however I do understand that there was a lot that needed to be covered, though it could have been done in a more interesting manner. The writing could have been much better, however I did like learning about Snow and I know that if I got a chance to go back in time and pick up the book for the first time again I would probably make the same decision (though I definitely won’t be reading the book a second time).

Would you recommend this book?  

If you enjoyed reading the Hunger Games trilogy, I definitely recommend reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as it is a good book that gives you a detailed addition to the events that led to Katniss winning the 74th Hunger Games and leading the rebellion. However, on its own it isn’t the best book and, although I think anyone over 14 who loves dystopian fiction, action and adventure will enjoy it, I wouldn’t recommend reading it unless you are willing to stick through the more difficult moments. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

An interesting addition to the world of Panem and the Hunger Games, full of love, friendship and betrayal, 64 years before the events of The Hunger Games. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

FIVE SURVIVE by Holly Jackson

“Red Kenny is on a road trip for spring break with five friends: Red’s best friend, her older brother, his perfect girlfriend, a secret crush and a classmate. When their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere, they soon realise that this is no accident. They have been trapped by someone out there in the dark, someone who clearly wants one of them dead. With eight burst until dawn, the six friends must escape, or work out which one of them is the target. Buried secrets will be forced to light and tensions inside the RV will reach deadly levels. Not all of them will survive the night…”

What is the book about?

Red Kenny and five of her friends are off on a road trip for spring break in a cramped RV. They all think that this will be a fun and relaxing trip, but, after a few wrong turns, they soon find themselves trapped in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. They think they have found a way to get back to civilization, however they realise that they didn’t end up stranded by accident – everything has been planned by a killer who is watching their every move and will kill them all if they run away. They only way out is to find out which of the 6 of them has a secret that the sniper wants, a secret worth killing for. As they try to find out the truth of what this person wants from them, Red and the others start to fight and turn against each other as tensions rise. Soon the RV won’t be any safer than the sniper and the darkness they’ll find outside. They must reveal their biggest, deepest secrets and find the truth or they will all die…but it is clear that not all of them will survive, but the question is which one of them will be the one to step into the unknown.

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I first found out about Holly Jackson and her books one day when I was in the Works in town and spotted A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder on the shelf. This title attracted me more than I care to admit and I soon found myself in possession of the whole trilogy and the short prequel to go with it. After reading the first book I already knew these books were going to be strong favourites of mine. As soon as I finished all of the books I began to search for other books by the same author and soon I found Five Survive and just knew I had to have it, so I literally purchased it in that exact moment. Before I started to read I had been scared at what I would think of the book. I knew the writing and the plot were going to be incredible, but I had just come off reading the Grishaverse books, which left me feeling like I could never read any other books those. I was in a crazy bad reading slump, but I decided to give this book a try because if any book could get me out of a slump it would be an exhilarating mystery novel. Of course, I was correct and as soon as I started to read I knew I was going to love the book. It was impossible to put down and I finished it in one night, reading until 2 in the morning because I needed to find out what happened next.

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character would probably have to be Red because I didn't really like any of the other characters in the book as they all had some very clear flaws or I didn't fully know them or what they were like. Red also had some flaws and had an extreme lack of self-confidence that meant she didn't really think she was ever doing anything right or that her ideas were ever good, however I also really liked her for this because she was able to get past all of that and help her friends and other people that might've gotten hurt. My favourite thing about her was how kind-hearted she was despite all that she went through and how, after seeing certain people in danger, all she thought of was how no matter what she wasn't going to let them be in her position and end up suffering like her. She put herself in danger many times all because she was worried about someone else and what would happen if they were hurt just like the people she lost. I also loved how smart she was and how she used every bit of knowledge she had to try to help her friends and try to get out of the terrifying situation they ended up in. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

If I’m being entirely honest I have no clue what my favourite part is and I seriously couldn’t pick one if you put a gun to my head. This is mainly because of how fast I read the book (I mean I literally read it in one sitting and most of it was in the middle of the night when I was ridiculously tired), however it’s also because of how I really loved the whole book and enjoyed every part. If I had to say something I suppose my favourite parts were those that made me hold in my breath as I tensed knowing that something big was coming, like a secret or another round of bullets. I loved those parts because they made me truly forget I was reading and I actually believed I was in the story and that my life was also at risk. Five Survive had a lot of those parts and I always knew something more was coming and I would once again end up on the edge of my seat, rushing through the pages wanting to know what happened next. Most of the time I read pages so fast I was pretty much just skimming the book and I usually had to go back and reread certain parts as I realised that I missed something. I just loved this book so much and I can’t really say there was a specific point I could call my favourite.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, I loved Five Survive and found every second of it thrilling and exciting. One thing that I specifically loved about the book was how easy it was to read and how the plot was so intriguing that I couldn't put it down. I honestly finished this book in one night and kept telling myself just one more chapter as it quickly got later and later and I then realised it was 2 in the morning and I had finished the book. The main reason for this was Holly Jackson's incredible writing and plot. She managed to make a story so interesting and so full of secrets that it was impossible to put it down because I always had new questions that needed answering. I had experienced the same thrill when reading her other books and was so happy to find that I had once again fallen in love with one of her books. Five Survive kept me on edge for the whole time I was reading and I was always holding my breath, just waiting for the next big secret to reveal itself. Another thing that I really enjoyed about the book was the ending. So much happened at the end in so little time and yet it was so easy to follow. I still had questions when I got to the end and didn't know for sure what had happened, however the last few pages managed to not only answer those questions but also give me some information about what may happen to the characters in the future. My favourite bit about the ending was how the ending was told through a letter from one character to another and I got most of the answers I needed through that correspondence. I really liked this because it was something that the author also did at the end of As Good As Dead, where I was able to see what the relationship between the characters was like and what their future had in store for them through only one text message. This was so similar and so emotional because it changed from me only being able to see things through Red's point of view to me being able to understand someone else's experience. It was such a nice ending and I know that Holly Jackson is one of those authors who I can trust with a great ending. One last thing I enjoyed about the book was the fact that, despite it being told from the perspective of the person with the biggest secret of all, nothing was ever revealed until the end and I didn't see any of the secrets coming. As a whole, Five Survive was an incredible read and I devoured it in one sitting. I just loved this book and I know that as soon as Holly Jackson publishes a new book I will be ordering it and reading it instantly. 

Would you recommend this book?  

I think this book is perfect for readers over 14 years of age who love mystery, thrillers and a bit of horrifying death. I definitely recommend you read this book, but I warn you: you will not be able to put it down and it will steal your time away. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A thrilling mystery that leaves you on the edge of your seat and is impossible to put down.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

The Grishaverse: A Summary

I know that I have talked a lot about these books for the past couple of months in the 7 reviews of the 7 amazing books that Leigh Bardugo wrote that are set in the amazing world of the Grishaverse. I am sure you are all sick of me talking about the magical world-building and plot, but I honestly feel like I didn’t describe it in enough and that my love for these books didn’t fully come across. 

I started reading Shadow and Bone near the beginning of July and I didn’t realise that I was going to be discovering a universe and characters I would never want to leave. Now 7 books later I know that these books will always hold a very special part of my heart and my love for them will never be fully expressed in the words I can use in this blog. These books are now probably my absolute favourite ones and I know I will be returning soon because they are my new comfort books and characters and I know I will never be able to live without them. 

Leigh Bardugo created a whole world with 4 different, but equally incredible, countries: Ravka, Fjerda, Kerch and Novyi Zem. She created a different culture, language, tradition, religion and more for each of these locations and I felt like they were so real that I would look out of my window and see the dirty, cramped streets of Ketterdam in Kerch or the vast, cold land that made up Fjerda. I am honestly amazed by the talent this woman possesses because how is it that she is able to imagine up an entire world and I can’t even write one decent literary sentence. Her writing was beautiful and she brought the places and people to life for me. I feel like I actually travelled to these places and lived with these characters and I can’t believe it was actually all just in my mind. 

The plot was also so incredible and it was nothing like the predictable young adult fantasy novels because nothing ever went the way you expected. I just cannot believe that Leigh Bardugo came up with these plots because she had to make up all of Kaz Brekker’s crazy plans and then she had to come up with a way to have them go wrong (which was probably the easy part as they were so insane that there was no way they would work) and finally she had to do it all over again and get her characters out of another mess. I was constantly on the edge of my seat and devoured these books as I kept wanting to read on to the next chapter because of how she always left them on shocking cliff-hangers in order to leave her readers craving more. 

Another thing she did incredibly well was the way she told the story from multiple points of view and knew exactly how each character would think and talk like in order to make them all come alive. I was never confused about who was speaking because I could always tell with the way they thought and the things they spotted. There was also never a single character’s perspective that I hated and I always enjoyed each viewpoint because Leigh Bardugo always kept each side of the plot alive and didn't abandon a single one. 

One other thing that I know I need to say is how Leigh Bardugo  was able to make me feel that certain characters were in love without ever saying that they loved each other. Her writing was so talented that the feelings just radiated off the pages and she never once had to say it, it was just clear from the very beginning. She pursued so many different romantic couples in such different ways, and I shipped nearly every single one of them and always will. She never let a single one go dry and each one was different, some left me screaming, others squealing and others in tears, but none was boring and I was always surprised by how she able to show the characters loved each other without ever saying it. I swear I have never read anything quite like her books and she is one of the most talented authors I have ever known. 

I also want to sent out a quick shout-out to the amazing characters who will never just be characters to me - they are friends, family and I will always love them like that. They may not be real, but they didn’t feel like a part of my imagination. I cried with them, laughed with them, suffered with them and went on adventures with them that I will never forget. Readers go places that other people will never even know of and I am so grateful to be one of the lucky readers to have travelled to the world of the Grisha. Leigh Bardugo made these books come alive and that is something that I will never be able to thank her enough for. She managed to make me feel things that I had never felt before when reading and I know that I will probably never feel that way again. I have cried, laughed out loud, had second-hand embarrassment and more when reading many books, but one thing I have never done before is found myself crying days after the book, still mourning the death of a fictional character or the ending of a book. I have never found myself zoning out in the middle of a lesson weeks after the book, thinking about the adventure I went on and the characters that I feel in love. Leigh Bardugo manipulated my thoughts and emotions and I know for a fact that this will continue on for years because these books have left a mark on me that I will never forget, especially after the perfect ending of Rule of Wolves. 

I can’t thank Leigh Bardugo enough for these books and the experience she gave me, however I also can never forgive her for killing off certain characters - specifically 2 certain young men who deserved more. I mourned the loss of these characters more than I have ever done before and not just because they were great characters and I really liked them, but also because of how she left my 2 favourite characters without their soulmates. I know she gave one of them another love interest and gave the other a kind of happy ending, however it isn’t the same and I can never ship these girls with any other person than their first lovers. 

The Grishaverse is now my comfort place and in my mind I will always belong there because if I’m honest I think I was born in the wrong universe as I would much rather be saving the world than studying towards my A-Levels. These books are amazing and I strongly recommend, though I do hesitate when recommending them because I feel like they are mine and these characters belong to me because they are honestly a part of me know and I don’t want to share them. 

Also in case anyone is worried about what order to read these books here is my suggested reading order, which is the way I read them:

The Shadow and Bone trilogy:

    1. Shadow and Bone

    2. Siege and Storm

    3. Ruin and Rising

The Six of Crows duology:

    4. Six of Crows

    5. Crooked Kingdom

The King of Scars duology:

    6. King of Scars 

    7. Rule of Wolves

Please note this is only a suggestion and you can read the trilogy and duologies in any order, however the King of Scars duology should definitely be read after the other 2 series. Also you can read books in between the different series, which is what one of my friends, if you are intimidated by the length of the series. 

RULE OF WOLVES by Leigh Bardugo

“The wolves are circling, and Ravka’s time is running out. The Demon King. As Fjerda’s massive army prepares to invade, Nikolai Lantsov will summon every bit of his ingenuity and charm – and even the monster within – to win this fight. But a dark threat looms that cannot be defeated by a young king’s gift for the impossible. The Stormwitch. Zoya Nazyalensky has lost too much to war. She saw her mentor die and her worst enemy resurrected, and she refuses to bury another friend. Now duty demands she embrace her powers to become the weapon her country needs. No matter the cost. The Queen of Mourning. Deep undercover, Nina Zenik risks discovery and death as she wages war on Fjerda from inside its capital. But her desire for revenge may cost her country its chance at freedom and Nina the chance to heal her grieving heart. King. General. Spy. Together they must find a way to forge a future in the darkness. Or watch a nation fall.”

What is the book about?

Ravka is surrounded by enemies, and all are stronger and richer. They have run out of time, and it doesn’t seem like there is a way out this time. Fjerda is ready with an army bigger than anything Ravka can even imagine, and they are not going to back down. Not only that but an enemy they all thought was long gone has returned and it seems that this time he is back for good. Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for making the impossible possible, but it doesn’t seem like his charm, ingenuity or even the demon within him will be able to help win this fight, but there is no way he is giving up and he will do everything and more if it means he can help his country, even if that means risking his life. Zoya Nazyalensky is also prepared to do anything to help her country. She has lost to much to war and isn’t ready to bury another friend, but it doesn’t matter what she wants and there is more loss coming unless she is able to stop it. Now she must embrace her newfound power and become the weapon her country needs to defeat their enemies, even if that means becoming something not completely human. Nina Zenik is in the perfect position to discover all of Fjerda’s secrets and give Ravka a much needed advantage in this war. However, being in the Ice Court means she is constantly risking discovery and death as she tries to break Fjerda from the inside. She may hold all the answers her country needs, but she is still grieving and revenge may cloud her judgement and ruin her chances of saving her friends. It’s all or nothing and the stakes are much higher than anything imaginable as Ravka’s fate hangs in the balance.

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I was left in pure shock after finishing King of Scars and I immediately needed answers about so many things. I was literally left on a cliff-hanger about a lot of things, so I knew I needed to read this book and was so desperate to start that it was instantly in my hands. I was pretty confident that Rule of Wolves was going to be an incredible book and that I was once again going to be amazed by Leigh Bardugo’s writing, as if I hadn’t read 6 other books by the exact same author. However, there was a lot riding on the book because it was the last book of the whole Grishaverse (the universe the Shadow and Bone books, Six of Crow books and King of Scars books are all set in) and I knew that it would have to be the perfect ending in order for it to live up to the expectation I gathered along the way. I was so scared that this book wouldn’t be all that I wanted it to be and that the ending wouldn’t be as good as I wanted, but I soon forgot all my worries when I started to read and was brought back into the world that I have lived in for the past month or so. I’d like to say Rule of Wolves grabbed my attention from the very first page, but Leigh Bardugo tends to start her books with a random new person’s point of view and, though I have gotten used to it, I did find it hard to follow as I had no clue who was speaking and what relevance they had and what was going on because the first chapter always leaves me with questions. However, by the second chapter I was a goner and had been happily trapped in the book, never wanting to leave and feeling like I really belonged. Rule of Wolves was incredible from the very start and I knew my initial thoughts about how glorious it would be were right as soon as I started to read. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

Trying to answer this question was a lot harder than I would have thought, but it’s all because of how many amazing characters there were and how much I liked them all. However, after much consideration I think that my favourite character has got to be Nikolai Lantsov. I knew I liked this charismatic, handsome young boy as soon as he appeared on the page in Siege and Storm because of how he brought a certain happiness to all the characters and really relaxed them all with his charm and charisma and his gift for always knowing what to say and what to do. But, reading King of Scars and Rule of Wolves made me realise that there was a lot more to this young king and that, although he may be able to fix everything around him, he himself was broken beyond repair. The ending just helped to solidify my love for this man as he sacrificed the one thing he had been fighting for since the very beginning because he knew it was the only way to help Ravka. He even tried to sacrifice himself more than once for his country when he thought there was no other way, but somehow he always found another way out of it and always had some hidden ally that appeared at the perfect moment. He really helped me see that there is always hope and nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it (though I guess impossible means something different in a world full of magical Grisha). Nikolai is a survivor and he managed to get past everything his enemies threw at him and maintain and steady smile and impeccable looks through it all. He also helped me realise that I most definitely have a thing for handsome, tortured fictional men who like to use humour as a mask for their real feelings. I loved getting to learn more about Nikolai and other characters in this book and I just know that there is more and there always will be more problems and secrets I don’t know (it is Ravka after all!).

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

I did put a lot of thoughts in this decision but my favourite part has to be without a doubt the ending of Rule of Wolves. I had been so concerned that this ending wouldn’t live up to my expectations and would ruin, not just the King of Scars duology, but all the books set in the Grishaverse. But I know better now than to doubt Leigh Bardugo who is my new favourite author. This ending was so well written and was just beautiful. I cried, laughed, screamed, squealed and threw the book across the room all throughout the book, however somehow I did all of that all over again in just the ending. The characters lost a lot of good people along the way and Leigh Bardugo did some unforgivable things, but after reading this ending I know that, despite the fact that they will never recover from the losses they have endured, the characters will get to be happy and all of them will find the ending they deserve, even if it takes longer than expected. I also love the cyclical structure of the books: Grishaverse started with people conspiring for the Ravkan throne and ended with someone new on the throne. 

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, reading Rule of Wolves was like living a dream and I wish I hadn’t sped through it because now that it’s ended all I want to do is read it all over again for the very first time. One thing I loved about the book was the romance. I can’t even begin to describe the frustration I had with Nikolai and Zoya but the slow burn was definitely worth it because the ending had everything I wanted for them. These two idiots had me screaming and squealing every couple of sentences and I literally started dancing around at one point. It was so obvious how they felt about each other, but as usual neither of them thought the other would feel the same way. I wanted to slap them and force them to kiss, but I loved every moment they had together, no matter how frustrating, and lived for the little tender scenes. Another thing that I loved about Rule of Wolves was the plot (and of course the world building). This book wasn’t thicker than the average book however somehow Leigh Bardugo was able to fit so much into one book and not have me feeling overwhelming. I can’t emphasise just how much happened in the book but it was a lot more than you would think. Normally in this situation I would be so overwhelmed and wouldn’t be able to follow everything that was happening, but Leigh Bardugo is so skilled that this book just felt like any other book. The plot was incredible and it made the book unable to put down. I seriously felt like if I left the book and the characters for even a second they would go off and do something without me, and I didn’t actually want to leave as the world felt realer than anything on Earth (how does Leigh Bardugo do it?!). I was constantly on the edge of my seat and I don’t think a book has ever made me feel as many emotions as I have felt reading Rule of Wolves. If I’m being honest I finished reading the book in 2 sittings (and the only reason I stopped was to sleep because it was a ridiculous hour and my eyes were burning – but it was worth it). I do wish I had taken my time, but I know that it would have felt the same and my real wish is to be able to read it again for the first time. One last thing that I really want to mention is the ending. I know I mention it above as it is my favourite part of the book, but it was so good that I have to give it another moment to shine. For the past month or so the Grishaverse has consumed my every thought and I have lived in one of the most magical worlds to ever exist on paper and I had been dreading the moment the books finished and I would no longer be able to spend my days in Ravka, or Fjerda, or Kerch, or with the amazing characters who I went on thrilling adventures with. I tried to delay finishing this book, but in the end Leigh Bardugo’s incredible writing stopped that from happening and I was soon reaching the end. However, once I started to read this ending I knew that I would have regretted not reaching it because I was one of the most heavenly things I have ever read and it even gave me hope that there would one day be more books. I cried, laughed, screamed, and more reading this ending and when I finished I cried more and hugged the book that concluded the best adventures I have ever been on. Rule of Wolves was a book I will never forget and I know that all the Grishaverse novels will always hold a very special place in my heart and I will be back again to go on these adventures again. 

Which is your favourite book in the King of Scars series? (1 or 2)

I loved King of Scars and Rule of Wolves so much, but there is no doubt in my mind that Rule of Wolves was the better book. I know that sequels tend to be worse than the first book, but somehow none of Leigh Bardugo’s books had any hint of sequel syndrome and I loved them all. However, Rule of Wolves will always hold a special part of my heart and I know that I will never read a book like it again. Despite there fact that there was a ridiculous amount of death in this book and there was specifically the loss of someone who had been there since Shadow and Bone, Rule of Wolves still outshone King of Scars. The main reason for this is probably the plot and the fact that there was so much packed into one book. I literally was on edge for the whole book and couldn’t put it down as I felt like something would happen in the time I left and I didn’t want to miss a thing. Within a single book, I travelled around countries, formed treaties and found my way out of a huge amount of problems with the characters I have spent ages with. This book had so many twists and turns and I still can’t believe what happened at the end because honestly nothing worked out for these characters. But I guess the worse it is for the good guys the better because then the more tense and on edge you are and the more you feel like you are actually a part of the book. Another thing that did make Rule of Wolves better than King of Scars was the romance which I had spotted since the start of the first book in this duology and had been waiting for ever since. I swear Rule of Wolves had everything I love in a book and it was perfect, just like every other book set in this world that I can’t believe isn’t real, but at least I know that these characters and this entire fantasy world will always be there for me, as a comfort place for any moment I need an escape from reality. And that is why I read.

Would you recommend this book?  

Rule of Wolves is an incredible Grishaverse book and, even though you have to read 6 other books to get to it (the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Six of Crows duology and King of Scars) it is most definitely worth it. I absolutely recommend this book and I know anyone will like it, but I think it’s specifically for over 15s who enjoy fantasy, romance, adventure and a thrill they will never recover from.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

The most thrilling and perfect ending to a duology that will have you crying, screaming, laughing and squealing all in the same chapter. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

KING OF SCARS by Leigh Bardugo

“Face your demons… Or feed them. The people of Ravka don’t know what Nikolai Lantsov endured in their bloody civil war and he intends to keep it that way. Yet each day a dark magic in him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. Zoya Nazyalensky has devoted her life to rebuilding the Grisha army. Despite their magical gifts, Zoya knows the Grisha cannot survive without Ravka as a place of sanctuary – and she will stop at nothing to help Nikolai secure the throne. Far north, Nina Zenik wages her own kind of war against the people who would see the Grisha destroyed. Burdened by grief and a terrifying power, Nina must face her past to have any hope of defeating the dangers that await her. Ravka’s king. Ravka’s general. Ravka’s spy. They will risk everything to save a broken nation. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried, and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.”

What is the book about?

Nikolai Lantsov’s subjects don’t know what he endured at the hands of the Darkling during the civil war, and he intends to keep that secret for as long as he lives. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried and this one certainly doesn’t want to. The dark magic within him just keeps getting stronger, and he must find a way to destroy it once and for all…or it will destroy him and everything he has spent the past 3 years building. Zoya Nazyalensky took her role as general of the Second Army (an army of powerful Grisha from all 3 orders) and she set to rebuilding it after it was destroyed by the Darkling. Her aim is to make Ravka a safe place for people like her, but that’s not her only problem – she also has to help Nikolai secure the throne before it gets taken from him. In Fjerda, Nina Zenik is working undercover to help all the Grisha she can escape from the people who would stop at nothing to see their kind destroyed. But she is burdened by her grief and a new, terrifying power, and if she doesn’t get past this it won’t just be her life she puts at risk. Ravka is struggling and it’s up to its king, general and spy to save it…or sink it.

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

After finishing Crooked Kingdom I was beyond ecstatic that there was a whole other duology set in the same world and from the point of characters I already knew and loved. I had absolutely adored the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology and I was more than ready to dive into a third series. I knew I was going to love King of Scars just like the previous 5 books by Leigh Bardugo that had already ensured their places as some of my favourite books. So, when I finally started to read, my opinion was already biased. After reading the blurb I was even more excited because it was going to be a book that included my favourite characters from both previous series and I was soon feeling desperate to dive back into the Grishaverse (honestly these books are like a drug!). Once I started to read I knew that I had been so right and that it was going to be another magical read. However, initially I had found a little hard to get into the book and found the first chapter a little confusing – though I shouldn’t have been so dramatic since everything was explained in the next couple of chapters and soon I was sailing through the story, forgetting where I was and just loving every second. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

Honestly, I loved all three of the main characters and enjoyed all of their perspectives. Nina Zenik had been my favourite character throughout Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom with her selfless nature and her strength. I particularly liked her now because of the new anger she had within her, which somehow she managed to see past in order to still dedicate her thoughts to others. I seriously don’t know how a girl who has lost everything can continue to think only of others. I know she was more ruthless in King of Scars and she sometimes acted just because she was angry and wanted to hurt someone, but I liked her even more this way because it was clear to me that she was even stronger than ever because she was able to see past it all and continue being kind and trying to help everyone she could. Another character I liked was Nikolai Lantsov. I had enjoyed every scene he was a part of since he appeared in Siege and Storm and delighted in the comic relief he brought. His personality honestly radiated calm energy from the pages and somehow he always knew exactly what to say. I especially loved seeing things from his point of view in this book because it made me really understand that he used his personality as a mask to hide his real feelings and keep everything hidden. It enlightened me to the truth and made me like him even more. The third main character, Zoya Nazyalensky, really surprised me. It wasn’t that I had disliked her once I got to the end of Ruin and Rising (though I had hated her in Shadow and Bone, like Alina had), but she had been nowhere near my favourite. But seeing things through that person’s eyes always makes you realise that there is more to them than meets the eye and sometimes even the cruellest people have a soft interior. In this case, Zoya’s interior was just as cold as her exterior, but for a good reason: she had trained herself to be that way because she didn’t want anyone to ever hurt her again. When I got to the end of the book, I was actually rooting for her to get what she wanted and was feeling for her when she lost it before she even got it. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

This question was extremely difficult for me to answer, which was a surprise seeing as I loved the book so much. Every part was amazing, but none really stood out to me. I suppose there is one part that will live in my heart forever: when Nina finally let go of the person she had been dragging along and grieving since Ketterdam. It was probably one of the most emotional scenes of the book and until that scene I was tearing up at every mention of what had happened and every time Nina heard the voice in her head, which she would do anything to hear come from the lips of the person she lost. I don’t think I have ever cried for such a huge chunk of a book, and I even cried when I wasn’t reading. These two characters will live in my heart forever and I will honestly never forgive Leigh Bardugo for taking their future away. The burial was a scene that broke my heart and Nina’s little speech stole the show, leaving me breathless and feeling like I had been drowned by my tears. It was such a strong and emotional scene, and, even though I didn’t like that it was happening, I loved how well written it was and how it tugged at my heart and made me forget that the characters I was mourning weren’t real (though I suppose it’s not my fault as our brains don’t understand the difference between fiction and real life).

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, King of Scars was an incredible book and I loved reading just as much as all the other books that I have read by Leigh Bardugo. One thing that I loved was the switch from Kerch to Ravka. I had missed the original country from the first books and loved going back to the familiar walls of the Little Palace. I had also missed the main characters from the Shadow and Bone series and had been so happy to see them all again, and also to see that the couples who had started to fall in love were now married and together. I loved Ketterdam and all the characters from the Six of Crows series, and if I’m honest I liked these books more than the original trilogy, but the characters I meet in Shadow and Bone were the ones that started this adventure for me and this newfound addiction with the Grishaverse, and I was glad to get to go back to them. Another thing that I really loved was seeing Fjerda in more detail. It really shocked me that this country could literally share a border with Ravka and yet they couldn’t be any more different. They hated the Grisha and wanted to see them all destroyed whilst the Ravkans literally had a palace and an army dedicated to these magical beings. However, I believed, like Matthias had, that the Fjerdans could change their way of thinking and understand that maybe the Grisha weren’t witches but gifts from God and that maybe they could save the world rather than destroy it. I really liked that Nina decided to make this her mission and help Fjerda see the truth about her kind – she was giving them mercy like Matthias had asked. One last thing I loved was the cute little dynamic between Nikolai and Zoya. It was very surprising and I wasn’t expecting it, but it was so cute and refreshing. The way they were constantly teasing each other and the way that they had to see past their feelings because of their jobs as Ravka’s king and general. I don’t think either of them understood what it was they were feeling and why tiny things bothered them, like when one of them was being hit on or the other was in danger. Also the fact that they saw each other at their worst and that they were able to share things they couldn’t with anyone else (it was so cute!!). I know this might be nothing, but I’m hoping it isn’t and that one of them will act on it, though I am very doubtful as they both always put their country before themselves. King of Scars was incredible and after the cliff-hanger that I just got left on I know I will be reading Rule of Wolves in a day or less, hoping for answers. 

Would you recommend this book?  

I absolutely recommend reading King of Scars, though you really need to read the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology first, as it does contain a couple spoilers for them and it would be beneficial. I think King of Scars is best for over 15s who love magical fantasy books full of adventure, romance and thrilling action, but I’m sure anyone who reads it will love it. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A shocking, magical adventure in the familiar world of Ravka that is unable to put down.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

CROOKED KINGDOM by Leigh Bardugo

“Kaz Brekker and his crew pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies and hope. As old rivals and new enemies descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of jurda parem – a dangerous substance capable of altering the very fabric of Grisha magic – Kaz’s cunning and is team’s fragile loyalties are tested to their limit. A war will be waged within the city’s dark and twisting streets – a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the future of magic and the fate of the world.”

What is the book about?

Kaz Brekker and his crew managed to pull of the biggest and most daring heist imaginable where there was no guarantee that any of them would make it out alive. Somehow they all managed to survive and make it back to Ketterdam, but they didn’t get the 30 million kruge they were promised as a reward. Instead they were turned on and are once again fighting for their lives and aren’t sure if they will all make it. The situation is even more precarious than the previous one because now they are surrounded by enemies from every country and gang as they all seek out the secrets of jurda parem, the dangerous substance capable of altering Grisha magic that started this adventure to begin with. There is a war within the city and Kaz and the others are the main targets. They have to fight back for what they rightfully deserve and they are once again trying to defy fate and it is not guaranteed that they will all make it, but they have to try or else they lose everything.

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I almost didn’t even pause after finishing Six of Crows and immediately grabbed Crooked Kingdom ready to begin reading and finish the duology. Six of Crows ended in one of the most shocking cliff-hangers I have ever read and I needed answers, so I knew that no matter what I would read this book and get what I needed from it. After reading the previous book in this series and the Shadow and Bone trilogy I knew I was going to love Crooked Kingdom just as much, but I still had some very minor doubts, which I always have with the last book of any good series. I was initially so hopeful for the book and had extremely high expectations that I was confident it would surpass, however I was also worried that the ending wouldn’t be what I wanted and that it would ruin the book series. But, I put those concerns away and went rushing into the book, prepared to face the end when it came to it. Once I started reading I knew I had been right and that this book was just as incredible as the others, if not more and I was soon reaching the dreaded ending, gripping the book so tightly it was almost like part of my body.

Who was your favourite character and why? 

I think my favourite character in this book was Nina. After what she did at the end of the pervious book I knew that she was a strong contender for my favourite character, but what she continued to do in this book really solidified that. She risked everything for her friends when she chose to take jurda parem in Six of Crows and she didn’t even doubt herself in that decision. Nina was the definition of selflessness in the way that every thought in her mind was dedicated to others and she was always trying to find ways to help her friends and she wasn’t going to let anything get in her way. When her powers changed, she didn’t let the thoughts and worries that now plagued her mind get in her way and she was able to embrace the changes without any complaints, even though on the inside she worried for her role in Ravka and what this would mean for her future. Another thing that I admired was her self-confidence and how she knew she was strong, smart and beautiful. She deserved so much more than what she got at the end and that is something that I will never forgive Leigh Bardugo for. I’m sure she will find happiness in the end, but not the kind I wanted for her.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

This was a very difficult decision to make as I really did love the nearly the whole book, but once I put a little thought into it I decided that my favourite part of the book was when they got Inej back from Van Eck. They were nowhere near getting to the end of their battle and still had a long way to go before they got what they wanted, but I liked this part because they were all together and they had hope and a plan. Of course, their plan was the most absurd and ridiculous thing ever and it was dependant on a lot of things and, as usual, their planning was pointless because the fates were most definitely not in their favour. But, at least they had hope in that moment that there was a way out of their situation and, although it would have clearly appeared impossible to anyone else, for these 6 crazy, talented criminals, it needed to seem possible or they had no other way out of it. They had hope, which is the most important thing, and thought that there was a way they would all make it to where they wanted to go.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, Crooked Kingdom was a really incredible conclusion to this duology and enjoyed a lot of it. One thing that I loved was the amazing world building and the continued amazing plot. I know that I have mentioned this in every review of Leigh Bardugo’s books so far, but I honestly cannot help but repeat myself. How in the world did a human being manage to create an entire universe using only a pen and some paper? How does this world now live on in the minds of millions of people? How am I one of those? The Shadow and Bone trilogy and now this duology have been able to introduce me to the most amazing world ever and this book just came alive in my hands through this world building. The plot was also so much better than I had anticipated. It was very different to the Shadow and Bone books, but it still worked so well and I think I actually enjoyed it a lot more as I loved the contrast between all the characters and the interesting mix they were and yet how powerful they were together. I also loved how similar and yet so different it was from Six of Crows. Once again they were planning something that seemed impossible and yet they thought they could manage it using the combination of their skills. It was a very tense plot full of twists and turns and no matter how much they planned nothing ever seemed to work out and they were nearly always working to make a different impossible plan. It was exhilarating and exhausting to read (I can’t even begin to understand how tired they must all have been!) and I was always on the edge of my seat unable to put it down. Another thing that I really enjoyed was how the book was told in the third person and also from the point of view of not just 5 of the 6 main characters like Six of Crows, but all 6.  I know that an author telling the book from the point of view of multiple characters means that none of them are safe from death because it is easy to kill a character off and have the others continue the story, which became clear to me once I got to the end. However, despite this, I loved how easy it was for me to move between points of view and how there was a single one of them that I disliked. The third person perspective made it easier to follow whose point of view and also gave me more information than I would’ve gotten from a first person viewpoint. One last thing I wanted to mention was the ending of the book. I can’t say much or else I may ruin something but I need to say something or I might burst. This was one of the most heart-breaking endings ever. I know that a happy ending is anything but realistic, but it’s what I want for the characters. It wasn’t a bad ending and I can’t say that I didn’t like it because it was very well-written and I know that death is necessary for a good book and I always love some tears, but did Leigh Bardugo really have to tear out my heart like that. After all the characters went though and all I went through with them and I don’t get my happily married characters. Are you kidding me!! I don’t think that I have cried that hard for a book ever and I know that I haven’t mourned a character that much ever. Honestly just thinking about it sends me to tears again. The ending wasn’t what I wanted, but it didn’t ruin the book and I do think that it was a good ending, but that doesn’t mean I will ever forgive Leigh Bardugo for what she did. As a whole, Crooked Kingdom was amazing and I can’t wait to read more of Leigh Bardugo’s books and dive further into the Grishaverse through the King of Scars duology.

Which is your favourite book in the Six of Crows series? (1 or 2)

Although both Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom were amazing and I loved them both so much, I think that my favourite book was Six of Crows. Both books were so similar and had absolutely everything I love in a book. However, I think that the ending of Crooked Kingdom has just kind of pushed me away. It wasn’t bad but it ruined some of my hopes for the romance that had begun in Six of Crows and I honestly wish I could go back to when I was naïve and ignorant and thought all the characters would end happily and get married and have cute little miniature versions of themselves in a few years (though it is still possible for some – I hope). There were two things I loved more in Six of Crows: the plot and the romance. Thought the plot of Crooked Kingdom was amazing, it could get a bit confusing, whereas Six of Crows was never confusing and always kept me on my toes as I knew the plan could change at any time and the characters could get into trouble at any moment and have to improvise or end up dead. It was amazing and I literally couldn’t put it down and still can’t believe they made it out of there alive. The romance was another thing I loved. 6 characters meant 3 possible couples and I was thrilled to see that Leigh Bardugo did entertain my ideas in the first book, and later really solidified (and crushed them) in the second one. The enemies to lovers trope with Matthias and Nina was my absolute favourite and I loved when it got to the lovers part. I also really loved the other romances and honestly Six of Crows was just amazing.

Would you recommend this book?  

I would 1000000000000000000000000% recommend reading Crooked Kingdom, especially for anyone over 15 who loves a book full of magic, fantasy, adventure and romance. You most definitely need to read Six of Crows first and I do think that it is beneficial to read the Shadow and Bone series before this duology, to get some context, but it isn’t necessary.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A shocking, magical and thrilling ending that will steal your breath, heart and time. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego