My last 5 books: All about that YA!

1. Norra Latin, av Sara Bergmark Elfgren. Jag har hört så otroligt mycket om den här boken. En del besvikelser och en del förälskelser. För min egen del är jag inte helt övertygad. Jag gillade uppbyggnaden av historien, innan magin introducerades och Erling inte var mycket mer än ett spöke på en gammal skola. Sen kändes det som om hela historien balanserade på ett hår från att totalt spåra ur. Riktigt bra böcker brukar få mig att känna något som påminner om ett adrenalinsug när all action i klimaxet sätter igång, men här var det väldigt lugnt. Just för att klimaxet i sig var väldigt lugnt. Jag gillade Tamar och såg mycket av mig själv i henne och Clea var en riktigt övertygande karaktär, men Tim kändes mest överdriven i sin karaktär som en tonåring dramaqueen med attitydproblem. Ingenting i boken överraskade, utom möjligtvis avslöjandet av vem Rut egentligen var. När jag väl satt och läste så ville jag bara läsa vidare, men när jag la ner boken för paus så kunde det ta dagar, t o m en vecka, innan jag plockade upp den igen. Den skapade inget sug efter mer. Den gjorde mig inte nyfiken på vad som skulle hända sen. Den hängde sig inte kvar i tanken efteråt.

2. Crooked Kingdom, by Leigh Bardugo. When I finished Six of Crows I immediately ordered the sequel and I loved it! Even though there was no grand adventure type och thing happening in this book it was still enough action to keep me on my toes trying to figure out Kaz's schemes before they happened (I rarely succeeded). The book was an emotional rollercoaster. The highs from watching the schemes play out like expected and the lows from seeing the schemes averted when it becomes obvious that their enemies had anticipated their every move. This book was an amazing ride and I couldn't have asked for a better ending concerning Kaz and Inej. I couldn't have asked for a better ending overall, with just enough heartbreak but mostly happy ends all around.

3. Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo. I loved the Six of Crows duology so much that I went and got the original Grisha trilogy. This book didn't do much for me until the very end. I think I've been reading too many fantasy YA in a court-life setting recently. I used to think fantasy court-life was dazzling to read about, but in this book it mostly bored me, and I didn't like Alina much at all. Too mousy. And Mal was just out to misunderstand every situation and every word ever. So annoying. The Darkling was what kept me reading. Every scene he was in was brilliant and I loved his combined menace and sadness. The Darkling alone is what made me give this book three stars rather than two on Goodreads.




4. Siege and Storm, by Leigh Bardugo. Things start to heat up and this book is slightly better than the previous one. Every scene with the Darkling is what gives this book life. But as much as I loved reading about the Darkling it was Nikolai who stole my heart. Alina doesn't deserve him. None of the characters in this book does. While the Darkling as a character is amazing imho his power gets a bit over the top in this book. It gives him an edge, but it also makes him virtually untouchable and seemingly unbeatable. I want to feel like the protagonists have a chance while still feeling the threat from the antagonist. It's a delicate balance and I feel like she tipped it over.

5. Ruin and Rising, by Leigh Bardugo. This book was amazing all the way until the ending. Alina finally stops being a mouse (thank you!!!), the Darkling's backstory is revealed along with Morozova's story and the truth about the amplifiers, and my heart broke for Nikolai. I expected an epic battle between armies with Alina and the Darkling at the centre. What I got was a complete anti-climax from the third amplifier and the Darkling's ultimate defeat. The final scenes and the epilogue were disappointments and not at all how I would've preferred the story to end. The ending is what made me give this book four stars rather than five on Goodreads.