Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Grisha #1
Publication Date: June 5, 2012
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.

Rating: êêêêê

Review

I was sucked into this book right away. I loved the way we were introduced to the characters and the world; it was like a light dream that slowly became reality. I loved the world that this book takes place it, yes it took me a little while to understand some of the language, but I was always intrigued and never overwhelmed. I loved the characters, they were well developed and consistent. The plot moved at a perfect pace, it kept me wanting more and kept my brain thinking. There were unpredictable twists that thickened the plot and made me hungry for more. This book has everything that a good quality fantasy novel needs. Literally, I finished the book and struggled to come up with words to describe how much I enjoyed it and how badly I wanted more. I am still speechless, hence the short review.