BOOK REVIEW: SHADOW AND BONE

  After more than one year, I can finally come back to my precious blog and say, "Hello, my ever so wonderful and energetic readers", so this is what I'm going to do. 

  Hello, my ever so wonderful and energetic readers and welcome back to my blog. 

  I know it has been so long since I last posted, but my schooling days are officially way passed behind me right now, so that means I get to post more articles more often. As you can see, I have updated my blog by adding my Instagram page and Twitter page, so be sure to go check those out and follow them. I will also be doing some change in the articles that I have posted, so it's a fresh new start. 

  Now, without any further dilly-dally, let's get straight to the official book review on the first book in the Grisha trilogy, "Shadow and Bone" by Leigh Bardugo. I recently finished this book and I thought what better way to stage my comeback than posting my first book review on my first book of 2015. 

Book Synopsis provided at the back of the book: 

"'I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina,' he said. 'You and I are going to change the world.'

"The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the world of the kingdom's magical elite--the Grisha. Could she be the key to setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a man of seductive charm and terrifying power. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him. 

But what of Mal, Alina's childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can't she ever quite forget him?" 

(*Spoilers Alert! I will not be doing a brief summary on this book. This book review might give away some things that are not mentioned in the brief synopsis of the book, so you have been advice.)

OFFICIAL BOOK REVIEW: 
+ The story really drew me in from the beginning and immediately held my heart. I was holding my breath on several scenes; I was kicking and almost threw my book against the wall on several scenes; I swooned on several scenes. This book did take me on this emotional-filled roller-coaster ride. It was just that good. 
+ I also enjoyed Leigh Bardugo's writing. In my perspective, although the storyline is being controlled by the author, but the readers are still allowed to have different perspectives and different opinions that sometimes might differ from what the author originally had in mind, and that is what I like particularly about Leigh Bardugo's style of writing. It's always brief, but detailed, so it gives you the opportunity to go free roaming with your creative ideas. 
-Now, for the characters. I would say Alina, the main protagonist of the story, isn't my favourite in the book. From early on in the book, you can definitely sensed that Alina is a damsel in distress, only the fact that she has extraordinary powers of her own, she knows how to hold a knife, but definitely a damsel in distress. However, that doesn't begin to cover up what I'm about to say. What really got me disliking this character is when she first arrived in the Little Palace and especially during those training scenes. I mean, if it were up to me, knowing the fact that I have so much responsibility on my shoulders, I would definitely step up my game and try twice as hard as everyone else. I mean, come on, the lives of the entire nation of Ravka sets on my shoulder. But no, Alina just complains and how she would always say that she can't and how she needs a break. I mean, seriously? A break when the entire nation is depending on your powers, which you still need much more training on, to be finally freed of the fear of the Shadow Fold and you need a break? Yeah, it was just that frustrating. However, by the end of the story, Alina still had some redeeming qualities. At least, by the end of the story, she no longer views herself as the lonely and weak orphan anymore, but someone who finally has the power to help the people she cared about and hopefully, the entire nation of Ravka. 
- As for the Darkling, I was in love with him in the beginning. Too be honest, I was really pining for his appearance and when he finally came out in the story, he just captivated me and made me swoon right from the beginning. However, when he revealed himself to be the main antagonist, that was when I don't like him anymore, especially after he recaptures Alina and Mal. The Darkling literally went from dark and powerful guy to some really immature guy. I just didn't appreciate those conversations he made with Alina and to his soldiers because they were just plain meaningless. Leigh Bardugo, the author of the book, just stopped portraying his "the most powerful Grisha, who lived for over a hundred years" aura, but instead, gave him a childish and immature personality, so I was definitely disappointed. I mean, even though Alina is the main protagonist of the story, but really, we have been pining for the Darkling's appearance, so it definitely let me down a little bit. 
+ The only main character that I really liked in the entire story was surprisingly...Mal. He just reminded me a little bit of Gale from "The Hunger Games" trilogy, but with a better sense of judgement, he always think before he acts and he doesn't yell at Alina for doing something right through a totally crazy and insensible way. I just felt like Mal was the only one, who was really in control of his own destiny and his own goals. Instead of being jealous over Alina's relationship with the Darkling, he uses his love for her to be better and to get ahead of himself. He was also constantly focused onto the mission, like he doesn't allow his love for Alina to be a distraction for him. I just really like his character's personality establishment and he is the only one I am really looking forward to see in the sequel. 
+ My two other favourite characters of the entire book is actually Genya and Fedyor. I just love these two characters so much (even more than the main characters of the story). I just want to cuddle them to sleep, especially Genya. In the beginning of the book, there was just something about Genya that got me wondering when I'm reading scenes with her in it, like who is she really? Is she on the good side or is she on the bad side? Is she on Alina's side or is she on the Darkling's side? If she's on Alina's side, just how far will she go to protect her from danger? If she's on the Darkling's side, will she approve of the methods he is using to gain power? But that's only the beginning, it was by the end of the book that I was really intrigued by the character. She literally threw me under the bus and that was when it got me thinking: If she has been on the Darkling's side this entire time, was she faking the friendship she had with Alina? Or was there never a friendship, but merely a way for her to be on the Darkling's good side and to finally get what she has always wanted--Power? 
+ As for Fedyor, I just enjoyed all the scenes with him in it, especially the scene he shared with Alina in the carriage ride to the Little Palace. I just felt like he was a humorous soldier with a good heart. And for that, his appearance in the book was just not enough. I was kind of hoping he would appear at the end of the book, but he didn't. I really would have wanted to know the outcome if Fedyor was there when the Darkling's treachery has been expose because there was something about Fedyor's personality that resembles to Alina, so I think he would not have approve of the Darkling's methods, but will he fight against the Darkling for Alina? If he will, I got a vision those scenes with him and Alina joining forces with each other won't be pretty for the Darkling, but it will be pretty for the book and the readers, especially in my mind (*creepy laugh). However, if he did not appear by the end of the book, does that mean he knew of the Darkling's plan the whole time and opposes his idea of destroying their enemies for power and control? Regardless, I still feel he is going to be Alina's new best friend in the sequel...if he appears.
+ Last but not least, Ivan. Ivan was a good supporting character in the story. In this book, I just felt like there were two different perspectives; one is from Alina's perspective and one is from Ivan's perspective. Through Alina, she sees no difference of the Darkling enslaving the innocent lives beyond Ravka like how they have been living for years, but through Ivan, he sees the Darkling's method as a way to stop all future wars and really start a new era of peace. So, I definitely felt through Ivan's perspective, the reader is left conflicted with these two freedom-fighting ideas because the truth is, there is no wrong in the Darkling's idea of stopping all wars and start a new era of peace, but it's really how he did it that makes it wrong. 
-Then, there was this whole love triangle between The Darkling, Mal and Alina, which I absolutely hated because it made Alina appeared exactly like a typical teenager. I just feel like she is the Sun Summoner, so her responsibility should be big and she should be focusing onto the problem, not conflicting her romantic feelings between these two guys. However, I understand that every author needs to add in a love triangle to make things more interesting, but I just felt like the entire love triangle is just so unnecessary. I mean, Leigh Bardugo, the author, did a great job with the story, but the love triangle kind of ruined it...a bit. 
-However, maybe I anticipated much more than what this book has to offer. When it first got released, this book immediately gained lots of recognition and this book really got me up hyped up. Don't get me wrong, this book definitely drew me in from the beginning and it was just so captivating...until the winter fete, which is also halfway across the book. My feelings for this book just went straight down to the sewer. After the winter fete scene, the story just shifted off to something different and it was not exactly a good different because I definitely anticipated much more after that. 

The book cover of  "Shadow and Bone" by Leigh Bardugo.
(I decided to shoot my own copy of books now, instead of taking it from the internet, so I hope you guys enjoy it.) 

Another book cover version of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.

Another book cover version of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.
However, this is called "The Gathering Dark", instead of Shadow and Bone.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SEQUEL:
* Hopefully, there will be improvement in the characters' development, especially Alina and the Darkling.
* More Mal, Genya and Fedyor scenes.
* Maybe even a kick-a*s scene with Alina and Fedyor joining forces with each other. 
* More a*s-kicking fighting scenes.
* More mature conversations. 

CONCLUSION: I rate this book a 3.9/5. 
  I felt connected to the story right from the beginning and through Leigh Bardugo's AMAZING style of writing, but as you get to the ending, the suspense and all your hopes for a better chapter just kept declining. The main characters were too underdeveloped, even though there are still pretty AWESOME supporting characters. 
  Overall, if you are a Russia-inspired Fantasy fan, I highly recommend this book, but don't say I didn't warn you, the characters might set your fire a little bit off. 

For more information on the Grisha trilogy or Shadow and Bone in particular, click this link to the author, Leigh Bardugo's page: http://www.leighbardugo.com/index1.html

I am currently reading "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Mass and I'm already halfway through and I'm already loving it. I should be able to post another book review article by the end of this week, so keep an eye out for that. 

Like always, if you find my blogs, (My Little Book Affairs and Le Blog de Nicole), interesting, do subscribe them by clicking on the buttons beside my blog or you can also read it through your email just simply insert your email address on the column beside this blog. You can also follow me on Twitter (@NicoleWong1998), Instagram (CameraStyleMe), Pinterest (Nicolette 'Nicole' Wong) and Tumblr account (NicoleTheGirlNextDoor) for more updated information. I also signed up for GoodRead. You can search my name (Nicole Wong) to follow me there. You can also add me on Snapchat with the username: QueenieNicoleWong and on Vine: Nicole Wong.

 That's all for now. Thank you for reading this blog post and I'll see you soon.