Crooked Kingdom: A Sequel to Six of Crows (Six of Crows, 2)

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.”

Let's all bow down to Leigh Bardugo because she truly outdid herself with Crooked Kingdom. There are very few authors that could write such an amazing, meticulous story such as this, and seriously it's a mind-blowing experience to be able to see a book so beautifully written. While I did have some ups and downs with the book (literally this makes up less than 2% of my feelings with this book), overall (aka the other 98%) this novel is truly extraordinary and I wish there were more to come. I honestly don't want to say goodbye to these characters yet, but it's better this way...at least that's what I'm trying to convince myself. It's better that this amazing series is only 2 books so that we can be left to imagine the future adventures our beloved characters are having.

“Maybe there were people who lived those lives. Maybe this girl was one of them. But what about the rest of us? What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns. We learn to wring magic from the ordinary. That was how you survived when you weren’t chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway.”

Let's start with the teeny tiny thing that bothered me with this book: the pace. There were times at the beginning of the novel that felt super slow to me. I didn't have this problem in the first book, but I noticed it a lot in this one. I don't know if I just was too excited to find out what was going to happen next or if I just was in a mood the day I started this, but when I first started reading, I felt the pace was entirely different. There were parts that kinda seemed unnecessary to me and there were times where the scenes seemed to go on for a bit too long. However, after the first part/part and a half, this resolved and the story really took off. That's why I can't complain too much about this because it really only was a small part of the book. Otherwise, after this slow start, the story really was nonstop action and chaos. I never knew what was going to happen, and Leigh definitely kept me on my toes! There were so many twists and turns that it left my head spinning. With every heist or new trial the group undertakes, your adrenaline skyrockets, and you feel you are right there with these characters risking your own life.

“And that was what destroyed you in the end: the longing for something you could never have.”

One of the best parts of this book though is the character development. The reason I said that not many authors could write a book such as Crooked Kingdoms is because not many authors could balance 6 different character POVs, each with an intricate backstory, and make them sound like individual characters. Heck there's authors that can't even do dual POV (and I'm not trying to offend anyone when I say that because in my opinion dual POV is an extremely difficult task to undertake and I give major credit to authors that can write it successfully)! But Leigh does an absolute brilliant job at making sure every character is heard and we as readers feel connected to every single one of those characters. We get so much more into these characters that were introduced in Six of Crows, and things are revealed that you will never see coming. And if it's possible, Leigh makes the connections that we have with the characters (as well as the connection between the characters themselves) stronger and deeper. Emotions are definitely at an all-time high in this book when any of these characters are involved, and I loved every single second of it.

“We meet fear. We greet the unexpected visitor and listen to what he has to tell us. When fear arrives something is about to happen.”

I will say that at first Kaz seemed a bit too disconnected to me, but over the course of the book we come to see more and more inside his mind and understand prior actions while also keeping us guessing for what he's cooking up next. Inej is still one of my favorite characters in the story. She's so strong and brave, and I loved her tenacity. There were times I was truly terrified for her because it takes a lot to break a character such as Inej, and she was slowly crumbling around the edges during the first part of this book. Nina is like my soul sister, but we definitely see a different side to her due to her withdrawal from that terrible drug. It makes her question everything, including using her own powers. However, I also loved how fierce she was in this book. Nina stuck to her guns and didn't let anyone tell her she couldn't do something. Matthias perhaps has the greatest transformation of all the characters, and seriously I can't even begin to explain my love for him while I was reading this book....after all, he's greater than waffles ;) I really did like the addition of Wylan's POV to the story as well because it added yet another raw, realistic element to the plot that propelled the novel forward.

“Why do you guys say that, anyway? No mourners, no funerals? Why not just say good luck or be safe?” “We like to keep our expectations low.”

There are many aspects of this part that made my heart break, but there was one in particular that involved a certain character's death that absolutely broke me. I didn't see it coming and I'm still not over the character's death, but I will say that it fit with the story and that's why I can't totally be upset at Leigh for killing them. Let's face it, the Dregs and Ketterdam is an unforgiving place and not everyone makes it out alive. This is a sad, but true fact. I think we should just count ourselves lucky that Leigh didn't kill off more people haha!

“They don't know who we are. Not really. They don't know what we've done, what we've managed together. So let's go show them they picked the wrong damn fight.”

Everything about this book is perfection, and I can't even begin to emphasize how much you need to read this book. Leigh does an excellent job at writing an evocative story that sweeps you away and leaves you longing for more. The conclusion of this book is every bit as epic as you imagine it would be, and I will not be forgetting this book anytime soon. The Six of Crows duology is going to be a series that I read over and over again, and it's definitely something you don't want to miss out on!

Happy reading :)

Crooked Kingdom. I am not even sure I can put into words how much I love this duology. They are just in a league of their own in the YA fantasy world. The characters are all so well developed, diverse and relatable. The heists they pull off are clever, planned out and always keep you guessing. And the world itself is amazing, with its rich detail, Ketterdam becomes another character in the plot because of the significant role it plays in Crooked Kingdom and we also get a map of it at the beginning of the novel which I found myself turning to constantly to see exactly where the characters were.

Crooked Kingdom picks up right where we left off in Six of Crows, with Kaz and crew trying to get Inej and their money back. It is the same format as well, switching points of view to get a well-rounded story and different aspects of each scheme as it is being pulled off so you can see it from all angles which I loved. It is very Ocean’s Eleven with almost a steampunk element thrown in which was just fascinating to me. There were several jobs pulled off throughout the duration of this 500 plus page novel and while I figured out some aspects of the jobs, I was left amazed at Bardugo’s ability to write such excellent twists into each one. She does an amazing job of having you look one way, when the real action is happening somewhere else. You would think I would have figured out their tricks by now, but they still had a couple up their sleeves every now and then that I did not see coming at all and I love that about this book!

I also enjoyed how the backstory of the characters continues to expand and the way it was interweaved in to the jobs themselves as they were being pulled off. Inej might be in the middle of jumping from rooftop to rooftop and we learned about her family and how she learned to start walking on wires. It was done so brilliantly that I did not feel a lull in the story, I was eager to learn more about the characters and found myself wanting more from each one. That is what I will miss the most about these books, the people in them. I loved each person so much, I want to know more about their lives in the future and in the past. I am hoping that Leigh will come back to this world someday so we can dive even further into their lives once more.

The only element that I did have a small issue with were the references to the Ruin and Rising series. In Six of Crows, those references are there, but it was very easy to navigate through that book even if you did not understand some of the characters they were referring too. In Crooked Kingdom, I felt like I was missing things because I had not finished that other series by Leigh. I read the first book, so I had some understanding of that world, but I have not read books two and three and I felt like if I had I would have been less confused at some moments in the story. I will eventually go back and read the other books, but I wish I did not feel like I needed to in order to follow along with everything that took place in Crooked Kingdom.

Kaz Brekkar. Let’s be honest here, he is the biggest draw for me to read these books. He might just be one of my favorite characters in any book and the best written one. He is simply amazing. I loved the way he thinks, his sense of humor, his loyalty (even though he would say he had none) and just everything about him. I wish I could take him out of the book so we could be friends, although I do not think I would be of use to him so he might not care to be my friend, ha! Either way, I will miss being inside his head and in his world. This quote is my favorite one from this book describing Kaz’s character:

“Everything is a negotiation with you, Brekker. You probably bartered your way out of the womb.”

The ending of this book was nothing short of spectacular, it had everything I have come to expect from this world and many twists that kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it would all play out. I will truly miss being with these characters and the ending was left open enough that Leigh could easily come back and add more to this world, and I sincerely hope she does. This book may be classified as YA but it could (and should) be read by adults as well. Very well written, great characters and great heists. If you don’t like these books I will secretly judge you because they will forever be on my favorite lists. Leigh Bardugo is an amazing writer and I will definitely be keeping an eye on her to see what she decides to write next.

Rating: 5 Stars

I previously reviewed Six of Crows and I LOVED it! I was so devastated by the ending. Inej was taken and I just couldn’t believe that ending after everything they went through being beat down at the very end. Now our crew is beat down, separated, and tired but they are not out for the count. They have to regroup and come up with more plans. Their lives are more dangerous than ever and old allies could just as easily be enemies these days. When you go up against the more powerful in Ketterdam you need to have more than luck to save you.

I didn’t listen to the first book I read it through but having listened to this one I really enjoyed the narration and how each character had a different narrator. As we see the story from different POVs hearing a different person with a different accent and style was really rather thrilling. I now picture certain accents with the characters that I didn’t before but now seem so natural. The multiple POVs is something I loved because it gave us all the information we needed but seeing things from different views you see how everyone can hear/see the same things but take away different things from it. All of their prospective are important and play off one another. They each have something to bring to the table, the same thing that made them special in the first book we just know and love them more. Each of our characters has a special place in my heart. Kaz and his cold and clinical way of looking at things in terms of what they do for him or how they can be used in the future. Inej and her ability to blend into any shadow and disappear yet despite her life she still has a kindness and good heart to her. Nina who is far from her home but will risk her own life for those she loves. Mathis and his turbulent inner battle between what he was raised to believe and what he has seen and felt to be true. Jesper in his flawed and self-destructive nature full of charm and good intensions. And Wylan the son who has always felt less than and flawed for his inability but has found a home and people who see his abilities rather than flaws.

“Crows remember human faces. They remember the people who feed them, who are kind to them. And the people who wrong them too. They don’t forget. They tell each other who to look after and who to watch out for.”

All of my crows were in my heart and I couldn’t wait for them to save Inej because they had to. I had no other option in my head. Well that is the start of the plan, save Inej and get revenge on Van Eck. He has no only betrayed them and tried to have them killed after they upheld their side of the plan but more he did that and took one of theirs and when you have so many enemies your reputation is important in helping fend off the wolves. I loved all the different plots and schemes from the first page to get Inej and the revenge they deserve. To get what is owed and set things right because no monster like Van Eck can be left standing. There is a difference between being a criminal and being a criminal with no value behind your word. Some things are sacred.

Things don’t go as planned. Oh so many beautifully crafted plans and of course wrenches thrown into the mix. I am struggling so hard to review this book without spoiling things because there is so much happening. So many little subplots that take place and all the little details that are just amazing. Like seeing characters from the original Grisha series come into play and go toe to toe with Kaz and crew. One of the best moments. Inej, some of her chapters just broke my heart. Her captivity, the flashes back to when she was forced to work in the menagerie before Kaz saved her. So powerful. Bardugo has really captured so much emotion within the story. Things are in chaos all around them but still even between the plotting, scheming, running, and fighting they were able to have such deep moments between one another. They care for one another deeply even if they fight. Even if they don’t always show it. A few lines in particular that just hit me in all the feels….

“I would come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were we’d fight our way out together—knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.”

I was rooting for my characters and rooting for others to get what was coming to them because they are just so dang vile. Seriously. Nina is struggling with her addiction and how it has changed her and her power. While Mathis sees just how wrong he was and his hope to try and help others see like he did. Oh but his time with Nina being there for her through it all…I adore him. Kaz and Inej are both so different but they are so good together and understanding one another in a way that no one else can. Both damaged. Both strong and weak. Both with baggage. I love this and shipped them so hard! And of course we had a bit of a spark between the wild card Jesper and our shy and quite Wylan which is adorable how they come to count on one another and support one another in times of need. Each of them have their own journeys to work through and I enjoyed being there as they went through them. They knew the odds for the life they chose to lead.

No mourners, no funerals. Another way of saying good luck. But it was something more. A dark wink to the fact that there would be no expensive burials for people like them, no marble markers to remember their names, no wreaths of myrtle and rose.

The story and pacing of this book was so well done for me. With the larger overall story but full of side stories and little inner stories that just made a more developed adventure. The pacing was on point and it felt like you were there with them rushed and escaping death one moment then having a few moments to regroup. It never let you fully off the edge of your seat but kept you leaning there ready to go. My poor heart was a mess keeping up with it.

This book was everything. One of my favorite series by far. I loved everything. Even the end that had me sobbing. Okay several parts of the book had me choking back tears for several different reasons. My heart raced through it all and even though I took my time reading it fearing the end and while I wish I had more and parts made me sad I love it. It is such a fitting end (minus one part I don’t think I’ll ever get over) for this story and this crew. It started with one job and ended with so much more. I love this book and I would highly recommend this series to anyone and everyone.

So if you read my review of Six of Crows, you already know that I was very impressed with Bardugo's story of the Dregs as they try to protect the world from a lethal drug that could potentially weaponize and destroy Grisha. If you didn't read it -- SPOILER ALERT, I was impressed. Also, you should check it out -- but you do you, baby boo. 

Getting back to my point, having read the Shadow and Bone trilogy, I enjoyed the Grisha-verse but I had some issues with the character development and ultimate ending to that trilogy, so I did not go into this duology with the highest of hopes. Bardugo made some excellent choices as an author that sold me on her ability as a writer, but also as someone able to grow within her own fictional world. Surprised as I was, I did not expect to continue to be surprised as I continued into book two, but man oh man -- Bardugo blew. it. up.

Literally -- there are explosions, shoot-outs, enhanced magical abilities, stake-outs, more robberies and plot twists than you could imagine, and just when you think that you know where the story is going, you are left shocked to discover there is an element you never considered. This was the perfect ending to an exciting and no-holds-barred story of the mobster-mentality of the Barrel. What is so impressive is that Bardugo doesn't make the easy choice in almost any aspect of this book. There are moments when readers could feel things leaning towards an inevitable outcome, only to be ripped from the breath of what could of been to slam hard into the reality of what is. 

One thing I always love and hate about fantasy is that amidst all this chaos, there's always a love story forming/storming/exploring/boring/another -ing word here; I'm hooked because as a reader I want to believe in love and I want to fall in love with the characters, but as a human I am also frustrated because in many ways it feels too far away, too unbelievable. Now, in a world full of magical Grisha who can stop someones heartbeat with a swish of their hand or pull metal shards from the earth and kill someone with them, is it so unrealistic to assume people would find the time to fall in love and share romance? --- uh, yeah. 

Maybe it's me, but I am always slightly more impressed when the author chooses to acknowledge the reality of the situation instead of just giving us readers the inevitable conclusion we desperately crave. We want the characters to kiss as much as THEY want to, but it's easy to build us to that point and give us what we want. What's harder, is giving us a realistic and vulnerable moment that not only captures the affection we know is lying buried beneath these characters, but honors the fact that someone who's experienced these horrors couldn't realistically move past those experiences quickly enough to fall in love and give themselves to another person. 

This is where I appreciate Bardugo the most. By telling the story through the eyes of each character, we see the reality of what is; there is love, there is pain, there is vulnerability, there is strength, there is fear, there is longing. Each character experiences emotions we can all connect and identify with. We also see the reality that these characters have incredibly complicated and haunting pasts that live presently with them as they work through these impossible scenarios to stay alive and complete their mission. Are they capable of love? Yes. Do they want love? Yes. Do they give pieces of themselves to other characters? Yes. Can they devote themselves entirely to someone else? No, not yet. 

The dynamic between Kaz and Inej really brings the brillance of Bardugo's writing to life because she could have easily given readers the ending they all dreamed of; Kaz would change and devote himself to Inej, telling her what she longed to hear and how he really felt. He would trust her enough to be able to touch her, love her and be with her. She would trust him and together they would be unstoppable. That would have just as easily fit into this story line and the build up between the two of them in the first book set the tone for that type of relationship to form and it would have worked. That approach would compromise the character development that is so crucial to this story and would have made it a 4 star read. What makes this book great, rather than just good, is that these characters give what they can, rather than what we, as readers, desperately wish they gave.

I won't go any further into detail because I don't want to completely ruin this for anyone who may have yet to read it. Overall, the character development in this story and the dynamic between the Dregs crew is what carried this excellent plot along and allowed readers to fall in love with the Grisha-verse. The mobster-mentality was not something that I was particularly excited about when I first began these books and I was so fully invested in this world thanks to the talented writing. 

On a more fun note, I loved the nods to Shadow and Bone with the introduction of Genya, Nikolai and Zoya! I always enjoy when books crossover like that and that brought me so many feel-good moments while reading! 

Overall, this book was filled with amazing plot twists that will leave you at the edge of your seat, but I was most impressed with the relationships and the dynamic between the crew. The realism present in these stories made it such a wonderful reading experience and showed that Bardugo is a force to be reckoned with as an author. Definitely a must-read for any fans of fantasy and fictional worlds. (Just make sure you read the Shadow and Bone trilogy first!)

I had heard that Crooked Kingdom would be absolutely incredible, but I didn’t realize how freaking mind-blowingly awesome it would be too! This is it people! This is the end and Leigh Bardugo isn’t going to leave you disappointed! Granted, she might tear your heart out and crush it to bits but all’s fair in love and war I guess! LOL!

We pick up pretty much where we left off. Van Eck has Inej held hostage and Kaz isn’t about to play by Van Eck’s rules to get her back, which is namely give up Kuwei to him. It’s going to take a lot of planning in order to pull off everything that needs doing and he’s going to need his Wraith back in order to get the revenge he’s been wanting for years now. And he also needs to exact revenge on Van Eck for the con he pulled over on Kaz. Basically, lots of people need to pay.

Once again, I found myself lost in the pages of this story! So many awesome characters, we get to see more of Jesper this time, plus Wylan gets chapter time as well. As I might have mentioned before, it’s INSANELY hard to choose a favorite character! I love them all sooo much! They all have their strengths and weaknesses, so trying to pick just one doesn’t compute for me when I love them all!

I felt like in this one we see a lot more tension! The pacing was done incredibly well, for Kaz and Co. have a series of missions they need to complete. First rescue Inej, then exact vengeance. But they go through a series of plans with some failures before the right plan comes along. Needless to say it was an intense read!

I really enjoy how Leigh incorporates the flashbacks! They’re well timed ones and I really enjoy getting to learn more about our characters. What drives them to do what they do and such. And then after the flashback we get back to the present in an equally well timed manner. There’s no misplacing the flashbacks for what they are. Unless you stop in the middle of one and don’t return for a day or so. Which is not recommended! I encourage you to read this one and don’t put it down unless absolutely necessary!

What I also enjoyed more in this one was the romance! Sure there’s no actual love-dovey scenes or whatnot. But we do see some stolen moments and kisses between some of the characters. And I’m sure you can guess who those particular characters are! But you might actually be surprised by some things! And that’s all I say there!

Again, I have to mention my love for these characters! They are just so freaking incredible! I can’t get enough of them! But sadly, this is it folks. We’re at the end of the story! I love Kaz for his ruthlessness, Inej for her loyalty and positivity, Nina for her snark and determination, Matthias for his devotion to Nina and willingness to change, Jesper for his snark and thoughtfulness, Wylan for his thoughtfulness and cunning…they are all just soooo amazing! I love them all! And yet sadly…something happens. I remember hearing brief rumors about this, in the sense that Leigh is prone to doing such things if her previous trilogy was anything to go by. And yet, I still wasn’t prepared. I had asked myself to try to see things like Leigh would and yet…I didn’t want any of those things to happen. Yes, I’m being vague and going all over the place with said though pattern here, but I am trying to warn you without warning you. So think on that and be prepared for…feelings.

As you might know from the start of this epic and incredibly thrilling and amazing duology, Kaz has plans for revenge. He has his eyes on the target and plans to exact vengeance for what was done to his brother. And I can I just say, that I absolutely loved how he did things? Yes, he comes off cruel and cold and he kind of is, he has to be. But what I loved sooo much about this is how it reminded me of a certain classic that I absolutely loved as a teenager, and that is The Count of Monte Cristo. Had I finished this before I met Leigh, I would’ve asked if she used any of this classic as fodder for her story writing here. As you may or may not know, in the classic story, Edmund Dantes plans a long haul of revenge over the handful of people who wronged him. And let’s just say that Edmund knew that death wasn’t always the answer. So basically, I friggin loved this book to pieces!!

The ending to Crooked Kingdom was so, so perfect. And yes, I am overusing the word “so” in this review, but I can’t think of a better word at the moment! LOL! It’s the ending I would have expected out of Leigh. She’s set very high expectations for me after the Grisha trilogy. And while we don’t know exactly what she’s writing next after her Wonder Woman book is coming out, I can definitely say I will be buying it asap! But as this series has proved, I may try to binge read whatever she throws at us next because cliffhangers can be brutal!

If you’re looking for the next amazing and incredibly awesome read than it should definitely be the Six of Crows duology! It’s a heist fantasy duology packed with action, liars, betrayals, scams, cons, a sprinkling of romance, and endearing friendships—though the characters may not exactly use that word, or Kaz may not use that word—that makes it one of the best reads I’ve read this year! So I highly encourage you to read this for yourself, because words cannot explicitly do it justice!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Crooked Kingdom is the stunning conclusion to the Six of Crows duology. It is one of those books that is so close to perfection that you desperately don’t want it to end because you are so attached to the characters but also know that it ended with the perfect amount of conclusion and speculation. The story picks up immediately where it leaves off with Inej captured by Van Eck. The crew, now hunted by most the city, retreats to an island where they hide out and plan a new scheme to take down Van Eck.

One of the first things I noticed about this book was the welcome addition of Wylan chapters! I grew very attached to Wylan in Six of Crows so seeing his point of view was a great addition. The story is told in the same format with the alternating points of view. Leigh Bardugo expertly weaves in the alternating points of view to help us simultaneously learn more backstory for each character and move the plot forward in a seamless fashion.

In terms of the plot, there isn’t much I can say without giving anything away! The crew creates a plan to rescue Inej and continue to scheme against Van Eck and Pekka Rollins. It is more of the brilliant scheming from our favorite anti-heroes. While the book is certainly action-packed, it is the character development that makes this story special. All of the characters are far from perfect, and they don’t try to be. At times they do despicable, immoral things and yet I am cheering for them the entire way.

For all of you shippers, I wanted ALL of my ships to happen. All I will say is, I think you will be pleased. I think Bardugo will definitely satisfy readers with her ships, but they all stayed true to character which I appreciated more than anything else.

Kaz continues to lead the dregs in his ruthless manner, although now we have a little more sympathy for Kaz because we know about his past. His relationship with Inej definitely develops in this installment, but it stays realistic and true to Kaz’s character.

” ‘I would come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together- knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.’ “

Inej is definitely one of my favorites in this duology. We learn some heartbreaking things about her past, but it really just highlights what a strong character she is. We also get to see some of her more impressive acrobatic skills in action.

Nina has survived her encounter with parem but her Grisha abilities don’t seem to be the same. She struggles with her addiction and changed abilities as she still helps the crew. Matthias is also very supportive of her and they have some lovely moments! Despite her struggles, Nina is the same fierce Grisha Heartrender we know and love. She’s sarcastic, witty and would do anything for her friends.

Matthias continues to struggle with his conflicting view of what is right and wrong but we do see a significant shift in his attitude. When previously he was quick to judge the Grisha, he now stops and really works through his previous beliefs. Not all Grisha are bad. He also dotes on Nina and I loved their dialogue. Matthias is much stiffer and more ‘proper’ than Nina so I loved watching her try to loosen him up. Of course, at times he still thinks he is in league with a bunch of criminals and never fails to remind us, although in this book he expresses his exasperation with more affection.

“Matthias rolled his eyes heavenward. These lunatics all needed a solid six months in boot camp and possibly a sound beating”

Jesper is still our favorite sharpshooter with a serious gambling problem. Bardugo sheds more light on Jesper’s character in Crooked Kingdom and I loved the backstory she gave regarding his parents. It explained a lot more about his behavior and why he does not seem proud of the fact that he is Grisha. He also becomes closer with Wylan and oh my goodness are they adorable! I love how Jesper constantly tries to fluster Wylan. Even though they are often in life or death situations throughout this book, they always seem to have funny moments.

“People point guns at each other all the time in Ketterdam. It’s basically a handshake.”

Wylan. Wy! I am so happy we finally saw Wylan’s point of view in this book. Wylan grows so much as a character. With his father, he is ashamed of what he considers to be faults. With the dregs, he is valued for what he does well and he finally feels welcomed. And of course him and Jesper are the best.

While the book certainly had non-stop action, the plot is so character driven and their relationships, interactions and backstories make them all so special and unique. I was sad to see this duology end, but I am happy it ended where it did. We got our adventure. We read as our crew fought, stole and deceived and we cheered them along the entire way. This is a duology I will always think fondly of and it only gets the highest praise from me.

“No mourners. No funerals.”

Holy mother of pearl this book was intense and funny and heartbreaking and beautiful and definitely gets a whoppin' 5 stars without hesitation.

First off I want to point out that this series overall, was far darker, in my opinion, than the Grisha Trilogy. This could be considered a pro or a con depending on who you are but I am personal glad for it. Leigh Bardugo does an incredible job to give you just enough without pushing it too far to the point that the book loses its beauty. The things these kids endured made what they had learned to do to survive more real and made their struggles, in a lot of ways, more relatable.

I loved the relationships that she continues to cultivate between characters in this book, romantic and platonic alike, was so beautifully done. I loved the way the romantic relationships did NOT take over the story line. Don't get me wrong, I am a hopeless romantic and I LOVE great romance but the atmosphere that Bardugo created for the characters was not realistic for constant make out sessions or even lovemaking. She created a slow drip that made you ache for the characters as they struggle to fight the human desire she so richly paints with each of them as they try to keep their minds fixed on the main objective, to stay alive. Every little gesture is worth ten lengthy make out scenes or hot and heavy almost sex scenes because it means so much more within the desperate realities of the crew. Sure there was down time that Bardugo could have made things happen, instead she chose to weave deeper connections that weren't purely physical and she didn't stop creating stronger bonds between friends for the sake of more steamy romance.

Even though Leigh Bardugo followed the rules she had set forth for herself in the Grisha universe, she still managed to constantly keep me guessing with everything Nina and Jesper experience. I am glad she didn't suddenly change the rules to facilitate the excitement and novelty but she expounded on the rules she already had in place. Often times, it seems, fantasy authors will create a rule then break it with a lackluster explanation just so they can drive the story forward. Bardugo doesn't do this and I respect the heck out of that.

Like I said in my Six of Crows review, I am extremely glad that I read the Grisha Trilogy before I read this book. You don't HAVE TO but I would strongly suggest it. The cameos of the crossover characters are much bigger and knowing exactly who they are made it so much more enjoyable than if I had no history to put to them.

I was so pleased that they let Elizabeth Evans reprises her roll as Nina and Lauren Fortgang as Inej. These two narrators are a great example of what audiobook narration should be. They both have lovely voices for the baseline narration as well as have a good grasp on how to do different pitches and accents for different characters.

Jay Snyder also returned reprising his roll as Matthias and like in Six of Crows he killed it. His voice is deep and smooth and fits the Fjerdan soldier/rebel. He also does a good job with pitch and accent shifts for characters which is so important for a good Narrator.

Brandon Rubin comes back as Jesper and I do like the cadence of his voice and his base narration style. However, I noticed something in this book that I didn't notice in Six of Crows and that was the fact that Rubin tries to give Jesper an extra accent and sadly it was more distracting than helpful. The biggest reason it was distracting was because it was so inconsistent. Certain sentences had a thick Aussie/southern accent while other places were only southern while others didn't seem to have an accent at all. Like I said, I didn't notice that in Six of Crows (possibly because he had so many less chapters) but in Crooked Kingdom it detracted from his good narration.

For the very small Pekka Rollins part Peter Ganim did a good job. His accent didn't distract me nearly as much in this book, perhaps because I was expecting it, and I was able to get into his chapter more because of it.

Now for the newcomers:

Fred Berman took over the parts of Kaz from David Ledoux and I hate to say it but the book was better for it. Ledoux just didn't fit into this cast or the character of Kaz. Berman, on the other hand, does a marvelous job as Kaz and like all good narrators he adjusted his pitch and accent for the different characters.

Last but not least Kevin T Collins was brought on to voice the chapters of Wylan. He did a good job at making Wylan sound younger and more green but his reading rhythm was a bit jerky and the change in pitch and accent for different characters was decidedly less varied than many of the other narrators. All in all he was a decent addition to the cast.

I needed to wait a little while after reading this to write a review because I was so emotional.

Rating Roller Coaster:

While Reading: ★★★★★ (For 85% most of this) After Finishing: ✰✰ (I was/am upset) After Calming Down: ★★★★

*** Non-Spoilery Section of the review. ****

This was one of my most anticipated books this year. That is always a blessing and a curse because it leaves a really high bar to live up to. That said this book delivered in a lot of ways. All of the characters were broken in their own ways and all of them overcame some portion of that in this book. It was fun to root for them overcoming their demons.

Where Six of Crows was a heist Crooked Kingdom was the long con full of intrigue, betrayals and surprises.

Jesper tapped his fingers restlessly on his thighs. “Has anyone noticed this whole city is looking for us, mad at us, or wants to kill us?” “So?” said Kaz. “Well, usually it’s just half the city.”

There are plots and plots within plots as Kaz doesn’t like to put all of his eggs into one basket. There were the things that you loved from the first book. The humor of the dialogue, the small inklings of romance and the backstories that made you feel even more connected to the characters.

In addition to that I was happy to see a few characters from the Grisha series. No worries if you haven’t read that everything will still make sense but if you have read it like me I think it was just fun to see what they were up to now and get a hint of the happenings in Ravka. I for one was totally happy to see my favorite character Nicoli aka The Snarkling thrown into the mix.

The con was fantastic and I really loved how it played out. I was genuinely surprised by quite a few things throughout and Bardugo really kept me on my toes.

So why the conflicted rollercoaster rating…well for that you will have to see the rant below. But I will say that the story overall was really well planned and executed. I was sad and book-hangovery when it was done since I was not ready to say goodbye.

Totally Spoilerific Section I will not be tagging anything extra proceed at your own risk

Spoilers in

5

4

3

2

1....

Gah….she had me and I was loving it all and then the ‘thing’ happened and I was inconsolable and pissed and couldn’t even think of writing a review as I would have been really mean. But I’ll get back to that.

One reason I loved Six of Crows so much was because of the characters. They were all awesome and the little band of misfits really made this great little makeshift family.

Kaz was Kaz. He is brutal and broken and that isn’t something that was going to be fixed in a single book. Even though I thought that he was maybe a little nicer in this one since we didn’t see him cut someone’s eye out he still was brutal when it was necessary.

“I’ll tell you a secret, Hanna. The really bad monsters never look like monsters.” Now the little girl’s lip trembled. “Did you come to eat me? Da says monsters eat children who don’t go to bed when they’re told.” “They do. But I won’t. Not tonight. If you do two things for me.” His voice was calm, almost hypnotic. It had the coarse rasp of an over- rosined bow. “First, you must crawl into bed. And second, you must never tell anyone you’ve seen us, especially your da.” He leaned forward and gave Hanna’s braid a playful tug. “Because if you do, I’ll slit your mother’s throat and then your father’s, and then I’ll cut out the hearts of all these sweet slobbering hounds. I shall save Duke Silverhaunch for last so that you will know it’s all your fault.”

Inej might be the wraith and a strong confident girl with a plan for her future but she was still a girl who liked a boy but had her own intimacy issues since she was once held as a sex slave at a pleasure house and that has definitely left a mark on her. But Kaz and Inej have trust and so maybe just maybe they will find a way to each other.

. “I would come for you,” he said, and when he saw the wary look she shot him, he said it again. “I would come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together— knives drawn, pistols blazing.

I like that Inej knows exactly who Kaz is and what he is capable of and accepts him. She isn’t trying to make him a better and kinder person. Because that isn’t who Dirty Hands is and if he cares about you he will rip the world apart for you. I was really glad the entire book wasn’t focused on getting her back, that was just step one of Kaz’s epic plan of revenge.

Wylan gets way more page time in this and we get more and more of an insight into his past. Let’s just say that his father was a complete ass and that carries through the entire story but he was an even bigger one than I had initially expected. Still he has a few brilliant ideas and those go a long way to solidify his place in the crew.

Jesper the guy that always feels just a little more alive in a gun fight than anywhere else probably grew up the most in this. He is trying desperately to get back into Kaz’s good graces after his mistakes of the prior book. But is his recklessness all his fault or just a symptom of trying to hide who he is??? It was an interesting theory since he is a weak Greisha. He and Wylan get a little one on one time together and I could see how they would complement each other well. Jesper and Wylan get quite a bit more page time in the book and while I liked there additions to the story I was really more interested in the other characters.

❈❈❈❈Nina and Mattias❈❈❈❈

I love them, I ship them I will not accept what happened to them. Look this is the part of the book that I was enjoying the most. Every conversation that they had I have highlighted the crap out of. They are adorable together, perfect for each other. I loved them together so much.

Nina is dealing with the after effects of Parem the drug that gave her enormous power to save her friends in their escape from the Ice Palace. The withdrawals are much like that from a drug addiction and they are taking a toll on her. I thought that Bardugo did a great job at capturing how something of this nature can make you say or do things that you normally wouldn’t.

He’d groaned slightly. “The others—” “Everyone is asleep.” Then he’d seized her hands. “Stop.” “Matthias—” “I don’t have it.” She yanked herself free, shame crawling over her skin like fire over a forest floor. “Then who does?” she hissed. “Kaz.” She stilled. “Are you going to creep into his bed?” Nina released a huff of disbelief. “He’d slit my throat.”

It was just heart-wrenching to watch Nina’s struggle and to feel the helplessness that Mattais felt because there really wasn’t much he could do for her accept to be patient.

But then Nina finds out that maybe she has been altered a little by the drug and I really liked the direction that took in the story. I liked having the fun and flirty Nina back and the way she played with Mattias.

“The first day you showed up at my house for this proper courtship, I would have cornered you in the pantry,” she said. “But please, tell me more about Fjerdan girls.” “They speak quietly. They don’t engage in flirtations with every single man they meet.” “I flirt with the women too.” “I think you’d flirt with a date palm if it would pay you any attention.” “If I flirted with a plant, you can bet it would stand up and take notice. Are you jealous?” “All the time.”

Gah….Mattias feels everything so deeply. He is almost a zealot in his love for Nina and I couldn’t get enough of his words.

“Meeting you was a disaster.” She raised a brow. “Thank you.” Djel, he was terrible at this. He stumbled on, trying to make her understand. “But I am grateful every day for that disaster. I needed a cataclysm to shake me from the life I knew. You were an earthquake, a landslide.” “I,” she said, planting a hand on her hip, “am a delicate flower.” “You aren’t a flower, you’re every blossom in the wood blooming at once. You are a tidal wave. You’re a stampede. You are overwhelming.” … “I… There is no one I want more; there is nothing I want more than to be overwhelmed by you.”

So I was loving every minute with them and the con is almost done and then…THEN…Mattias is killed. I’m not okay with it….I’m actually still completely heartbroken by it and refuse to accept that is how Nina and Mattias end.

You know when you go into a book and you are pretty sure that not all the characters are going to make it out and you’ve thought about the ones that you’d totally be okay with dying? Or is it just me that does that? So going into this I thought maybe Jesper would do something brave and stupid to get himself killed, or Wyland would kill his father and die doing it to save his friends. I even had a possible scenario in my head where Kaz died to protect Inej the only person he truly cares for. But in all of those scenarios I ran in my head I never could accept that Nina or Mattias would die. BECAUSE I LOVED THEM THE MOST. Mattias is pretty much killed by the boy he was at 14 after he had accepted Nina and Griesha and everything that went with it. It was just awful to read and my heart was left squished and bleeding too.

If just seemed so pointless. I was waiting for Nina’s new found connection with death to take affect and for her to be able to pull his spirit back somehow but then it never came. Nina was supposed to work with Mattias to free his people. Sure she gave her word that she would go to Fjerda and help his people but I don’t like that story without Mattias. I actually hate the thought of reading that story without Mattias so I’ve made my own beginning to said story….Sorry LB

So during one of Mattias’s back flashes to his past we learned about his Wolf and how he got him and what happed to the wolf after Mattias was presumed dead. I was totally waiting for the wolf to show up in the story after that but it never happened.

Still so I can end feeling good about the entirety of this book and be able to move on my thought for the new beginning to Nina’s story goes along with returning Mattais to the ice of Fjerda in the way she knows to preserve the body. Along the way she is befriended by the wolf that was once Mattias’s because the wolf finds her struggling to get Mattias to the land he wanted to be in for his resting place. Djel is so moved by the sacrifice that Mattias made and the promise that he solicited from Nina that he make a bargain with them. Djel with the help of Nina’s power will shift Mattias’s soul into the wolf who has also agreed to said ‘bargain’. He will be Mattias by day and the wolf by night. They must go on a quest for something Djel needs and if they can complete this impossible quest he will return Mattias for good. And YAY he is back. Now I just need LB to create the beautiful story that includes Mattias in it.

I think it might be possible since it seems the Ice Court was made by Grisha power and Mattias made this observation. He had. An uncomfortable thought. Through Jesper and Kuwei, he had wielded Grisha power. And yet, Matthias did not feel tainted or somehow marked by it. He remembered what Nina had said about the construction of the Ice Court, that it must be the work of Grisha and not the work of Djel. What if both things were true? What if Djel worked through these people? Unnatural. The word had come so easily to him, a way to dismiss what he did not understand, to make Nina and her kind less than human. But what if behind the righteousness that drove the drüskelle, there was something less clean or justified? What if it wasn’t even fear or anger but simply envy? What did it mean to aspire to serve Djel, only to see his power in the gifts of another, to know you could never possess those gifts yourself?

Also there was this….

I have been made to protect you. His duty to his god, his duty to Nina. Maybe they were the same thing. What if Djel’s hand had raised the waters the night of the wrathful storm that wrecked the drüskelle ship and bound Matthias and Nina together?

Yes, what if….Then wouldn’t Djel want to help them in order to save his people. crosses fingers

I NEED a story where Nina finds her way back to Mattias.

Overall:

This was an entertaining and exciting story. I was personally invested in most of the characters…maybe even a little too much. I liked were the story ended for most and I have heard an unconfirmed rumor that LB is writing a Nina book. So if you read my spoiler you know what I’m hoping for. But now that I’ve had time to process and calm the writing was wonderful, the dialogue great and the characters interesting and complex.

A great conclusion to this duology. Leigh Bardugo can really craft a story and manufacture a realistic plot that pays dividends to the main cast of characters. I thoroughly enjoyed entering the Grishaverse once again.

It did feel a bit too long, and that was compounded by each chapter following a different character. Granted the plot was moved forward with each chapter, but it needed to re-establish the character, surrounds and frequently indulged in a flashback. It is all valuable and important information, but did bog down the pacing somewhat. I also would have had no idea who was controlling the narrative if it weren’t for the chapter headings identifying who we were following as there wasn’t much difference in the voice of each character.

There is a lot that goes on in this novel, which isn’t a surprise given a length of 536 pages. It’s all wheeling and dealing, out-smarting foes, plotting, while forming a family between this band of thieves and thugs. So there is plenty to enjoy.

We get some great representation: able-bodiedness. Of Kaz with a physical impediment and needing to rely on a cane most times. Wylan, dealing with dyslexia... and body dysmorphia to an extent, as well as identifying as gay. Jesper, a bisexual. And all of them representing different races and persons of colour and religious beliefs. It really lets the reader walk in someone else’s shoes different from their own.

As much as I loved reading these characters and their exploits, and they are dear to my heart, I don’t necessarily like all of them. But it’s a result of the lives they’ve lives and the sacrifices they’ve had to make. ‘Crooked Kingdom’ delivers a realistic masterpiece of facing overwhelming odds to achieve the impossible.