By Leigh Bardugo

After having read and loved Six of Crows I needed more from the world of the Grisha so I excitedly jumped into Shadow and Bone. This tells the story of Alina Starkov an orphan who grows up believing she is no one special until she saves the life of her best friend by unintentionally unleashing a power she had no idea she possessed.

After being ripped away from the only life she knows and sent to the royal court for training as a Grisha, Alina begins to realize how powerful she really is. Her insecurities, her sense of humor and her sarcasm made Alina likable from the very first page.

The Darkling himself, I found to be very interesting. I really liked his character. He's mysterious, charming, dangerous and incredibly powerful. I believe things are going to get even more intriguing in the next books.

Not once did I get bored or feel like this story slowed down. Before I knew it I was at the very last page. I love Bardugo's writing style. Even when things are looking bleak she manages to get an unexpected chuckle out of me. She is quickly becoming a new favorite of mine.

I can't say the story itself is a brand new concept. Girl suddenly finds she has powers and tries to save the world from evil. It's been done many times but the way it was done was very enjoyable. I didn't feel like it was on the same level as Six of Crows which is okay because Bardugo's writing just gets better and better it seems.

I'm happy that I picked this series up. So far it's a great read and it will keep me very entertained until Crooked Kingdom arrives.

Great Read!