Shadow and Bone: Leigh Bardugo

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.
(Goodreads)

So let me begin by saying that I technically started this review THREE years ago.... And I never finished it because I couldn't remember the book as clearly as I wanted to.
So here I am in 2019, rereading all of Bardugo's books because of King of Scars.

Sooo lets get started.
When I first read this way back when, I honestly did not like Mal. Like AT ALL. I found him annoying and bland and just, I was so frustrated with Alina for liking him. When the Darkling was literally RIGHT THERE. Since rereading the book, Mal isn't that bad, he's not perfect. And I like that.
Considering this is Bardugo's first book, it is incredibly well written the way she created this world. The way she describes it, how immersive it is, without being over bearing.
Honestly the book starts off slow, the book has a lot of information to get there so at times it feels a bit dense, but the plot flows so well.
We see Alina grow and honestly face a lot of things in a short amount of time. Everything regarding the Darkling is just so perfectly execute. It doesn't seem fake, it's realistically done.
And Bardugo just has a way of writing that truly captures the audience with her dark and amazing characters.
Honestly this "review" is a mess... But I'm trying
Anyways!
Until next time readers <3

Love Kat 

The Language of Thorns: Leigh Bardugo

Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price.
(Goodreads)

So these are just short stories, but they are absolutely incredible. Bardugo has taken ordinary stories and made them her own. Honestly I bought this book because it was pretty, I didn't really know what it was about. But boy was this an amazing book. The art is absolutely incredible and it truly enhances the reading experience.
Honestly my favorite story was the little mermaid reimagined, it was just to rich. It was beautiful. And just so creative. They all had their own little "moral of the story" feeling. But it wasn't overwhelming. It was just perfect.
Honestly I loved these so much more that I had originally thought I was going to
So please, read these short stories. Enjoy the stunning art, and maybe you'll learn something from these stories. I certain did.

"We are not made to please princes."

Until next time readers <3 Love Kat