Book Thoughts: Shadow and Bone

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Grisha #1

After the first chapter of this one, I was reeling trying to keep track of all of the Russian-influenced words and place names. I’ll give it one more chapter, I told myself, and then I will put it down for the night.

The next time I bothered to check anything, I was several chapters and 53 pages into the book. I just had to know what would happen to Alina, what the Darkling’s secrets were, and whether they really could brave the Shadow Fold.

Leigh Bardugo creates in this series a fascinating world, obviously influenced by Russia but something entirely its own. And the Grisha are just a fantastic new twist on elemental magic. I thought I was going to be super confused trying to keep the details straight, but the writing makes it actually very easy to keep up. The story is unabashedly honest, dark, and twisty — and also beautiful. I put it down only to sleep. After the first chapter, I didn’t think I was going to like it, but keep going, because by the end of the book? I was turning pages hungrily and waiting desperately for the sequel.

Book Thoughts: Unspoken

Title: Unspoken
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Series: Lynburn Legacy #1
*Imported from tumblr.*

I loved this book. Also I am a little bit fuming with outrage that I have to wait until the end of August to read the second one.

Kami Glass is a pretty normal girl, except for her imaginary friend. So when a new family that no one will talk about moves back to down, animals start dying, and her imaginary friend is suddenly a real person? Burgeoning investigative journalist Kami has her work cut out for her.

Unspoken is clever and funny, with Sarah Rees Brennan’s fabulous serious-yet-comical voice. (I think I would read a phone book if she wrote it the way she writes novels.) And you never want to put it down because you just have to know what’s coming next. The cast of characters is absolutely fabulous (I want Holly to be my best friend, and Angela kind of reminds me of someone I know). Also, I super duper love that Kami is focused on the mystery at hand like a sane person rather than on “ooh which of the steamy male leads shall I fall in love with?" There is a love triangle and some romance, but it definitely takes a backseat to the plot and Kami handles it rationally. And, just, *flails because I loved this book.*

Long story short: go find this book and read it, now.

Book Thoughts: Magic Under Glass

Title: Magic Under Glass
Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Series: Magic Under #1

This was such a good book. Beautifully written, like Jane Austen infused with sorcery, and it's so poetic and magical and it's a wonderful love story and it's so great.

Nimira is a dancing girl in a poor city, seeking her fortunes after her father's fall from grace. She gets the opportunity to go live with and work for a sorcerer, Mr. Hollin Parry, and sing with his automaton. But the automaton is more alive than anyone realizes, and Nimira may be the only one who can save him. MAGIC UNDER GLASS is a beautiful love story about a girl torn between "a man she does not love and a man she cannot have" (from the jacket cover) and it was so good and so sweet and oh my goodness everyone should read it because it was fantastic.