Edit: February 2020:
After sitting on my re-read, I'm bumping my star rating down to a 4/5. For me, this book felt really unique because it was the first YA fantasy book I truly loved. Though Leigh Bardugo has really evolved as a writer, this is very much feels like a debut novel. It actually fat-shames a couple times, and theres some weird comments about the value of beauty, and this all couples with what went on in YA fantasy at the time this was published. Though Bardugo has grown since, I was kinda using that as an excuse to keep my rating high, and I decided I'm not gonna do that!
so 4/5, but maybe a 3.5/5.

Re-read: Jan 4th, 2020:
I really loved this! I was a little bit scared going into ti, just because it's been so long since I've read it. I'm actually feeling a similar way to 2014 Emily in the review below. I love it a lot, which warrants a 5 stars, but there were a few things that left me feeling unsatisfied. I could give examples, but most of them are spoilers. I can also really tell this is a debut; there are things that I've now come to expect from Bardugo, and this didn't really do all of them.
The thing I've changed my mind the MOST about this series, though, is the Darkling. Mal stans, I'm so sorry you've felt this way the whole time. The Darkling is actually manipulative and abuse as FUCK.
I'm gonna settle again for another 4.5/5 stars. I think this will always be one of my faves <3

July 27th, 2014:
I'M NOT GOOD AT THE STARS
SHOULD IT BE 5?
MAYBE 4?
OKAY HOW BOUT A 4.5?
OKAY SURE 4.5
BUT GOODREADS DOESN'T DO HALF STARS
SO IT LOOKS LIKE 4
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY 4.5
BUT I REALLY LOVED IT
MAYBE I SHOULD GIVE IT 5
AHHHHHH

Review on my blog!

Discussion of the trilogy on my YouTube channel!