KERRI, HOW DARE YOU END THIS BOOK LIKE THIS???! HOW. DARE. YOU!

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Get your grimoires, candles and salt out - because we need to summon a demon Prince.

If you‘ve been a fan of Emilia and Wrath already in [b:Kingdom of the Wicked|52735921|Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked, #1)|Kerri Maniscalco|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578938260l/52735921._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73119188], buckle up because these two are here to let the world burn. I already knew that Emilia and Wrath‘s banter was here to build up for what has yet to come, but I wasn‘t prepared with everything that happened in Kingdom of the Cursed. And an ending like the one you‘ll get here should be illegal.

Similiar to Kingdom of the Wicked, I wasn‘t as invested in the plot or the mystery still remaining around Vittoria‘s death. I understand why the death of her twin, still strongly impacts Emilia’s life and her choices, but I lost some of my interest in solving that puzzle. Up until the end, I didn’t really care much who of the demon Princes might be responsible for it, or if there was another reason for the witches’ death at all. However, this changed during the last part of the book as things got an interesting turn of events that I haven’t seen coming, and therefore, I am excited to see where the plot will lead us in the upcoming book. I do have to admit I loved the setting of the sequel a lot more, than I did in the first book. Opposed to the first installement, we find ourselves in Hell instead of Italy, and I have been curious about that realm ever since I saw the glorious map in the first book. I truly enjoyed being in this other world, learning how the demon Princes rule their Houses, and to see more of them. Also, I developed a need to taste demonberry wine, and ask myself to which House I should sell my soul to to get a glass of it.

The main focus of this book, however, was what kept me going, and turning those pages like a mad woman: the relationship between Wrath and Emilia. Wrath had a lot of book boyfriend potential in Kingdom of the Wicked, but he ran up that ladder to rule from the top in Kingdom of the Cursed. I enjoyed to see more of this wicked demon, and I didn‘t not expect to fall so hard for him - but here I am, ready to sell my soul to the ruler of House Wrath. Generally, I enjoyed both characters more in this book. We get to see much more of them, and it was much easier to love them both seperately as individuals.

There has been a lot of confusion and issues with the fact that while Kingdom of the Wicked was marketed as YA, they changed the sequel to be a NA. But let me tell you: I‘m glad this change happened. From the get-go, the tension between Emilia and Wrath was almost unbearable, and leaves you panting for more. Now that Emilia finds herself in the realm of the Wicked, the inclination to sin is stronger than ever before - and lust is a very strong sin in this realm that doesn‘t seem necessarily tied to only one of the Princes. Wrath definitely knows his share of that sin too well. This book gets hotter and hotter with each following scene. If you ever find yourself in need for a spicy book, then make sure to cancel all your plans to read this sexy sequel because you won‘t want to stop. You will just keep turning those pages. *inserts a billion fire emojis here*

Despite the fact that the plot couldn‘t convince me for a hundred percent, and I saw one or two twists coming, I had a hell of a ride with this book thanks to Emilia and Wrath‘s irresistible tension. Aaah these two!! *chef‘s kiss*

After reading Kingdom of the Cursed, my only question is HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE UNTIL THE NEXT BOOK IS OUT?!! That ending was not only cruel, but left us with so much potential for the third book, and I‘m ready to see these two burn what remains of Hell. Don‘t mind me as I will spend my time only thinking of these two and hunting down fanart until I get the next installment.

Damn, I might do a reread of both books now. And you all better IMMEDIATELY PICK UP this book!!

Once again, I curse 2018-Aleksandra for not writing proper reviews back in the day when I first read this book. Because unlike with [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325] and [b:Siege and Storm|14061955|Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #2)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1362166252l/14061955._SX50_.jpg|19699752], I do believe my opinion for the final installement fo the Grisha trilogy has drastically changed.

Rereading Ruin and Rising was an odd experience. First, I had to read it differently than I would have as the Grishaverse books are part of my bachelor thesis. Second, I had forgotten many things of the plot over the years that it felt odd to see how I regarded certain things differently than when I first discovered this series. And last, by now, I have developed a nostalgic feeling regarding these books that I find myself all over the place emotionally. To sit here and try to form the right words proves to be a harder task than I could‘ve imagined. And then there‘s the matter of [b:King of Scars|36307634|King of Scars (King of Scars, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525110825l/36307634._SY75_.jpg|57978319] and [b:Rule of Wolves|36307674|Rule of Wolves (King of Scars, #2)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598133584l/36307674._SY75_.jpg|57978381] - two books that have brought more depth into the world, and have added to the chaos of the Grishaverse to which I only can respond by viewing things differently than before.

Ruin and Rising is the last book focusing on Alina‘s journey as the Sun Summoner and counterpart of the Darkling. We have witnessed her discovering her powers, finding out the truth about the Fold and the Black Heretic, trying to come at terms with her powers, and lastly becoming a living Saint. I strongly believe that despite the stereotypical tropes we encounter in this series, Alina‘s journey is a special one. Maybe it‘s because I love how her story was embedded in the beliefs of the country, maybe because we get to witness an orphan who thinks of herself as invisible become the most powerful Grisha, lightning the path for others - or maybe it is because I‘m very nostalgic.

Alina‘s character development was always something that was beautiful on the one hand, and incredibly bothered me on the other. As I have mentioned above, her journey from a First Army soldier, a cartographer to a living Saint and the only opponent worthy of the Darkling is beautiful. There is so much care put to the fact that Alina constantly walks the fine line between staying good and trepassing to something like villainy. She often finds herself in that grey area, and I must admit I wished Bardugo had explored that place more. The ending of Siege and Storm offered so much potential that just was left aside in this book. Not necessarily because I think her relationship to the Darkling could‘ve become interesting, but because that step could‘ve been made so easily - and Alina‘s inclination was right there. I, as much as everyone else, crave to see the hero win. But sometimes I would love to see that the hero takes the wrong turn at their path, to learn the consequences at firsthand. In the end, Alina had to face the consequences of her greed. And this will - after all this time - still remain an issue to me.

Spoiler

I will never be a fan of the trope where the character loses all of their powers. Never. But I can safely say it never bothered me as much as it did with Alina‘s case. There is a certain beauty in the way Bardugo wrapped up the story, and ended it where it had began, I have to admit. One thing I always loved about the books was how each „Before“ and „After“ chapter connected the story. As an example, the way Shadow and Bone stars by calling Alina and Mal malenchki, and ending it with them being called fantomen in the epilogue. So to end the story where it started off gave the story a whimsical touch, left us off with a bittersweet ending that seemed fitting. I think I now realized that what bothered me was never the fact that Alina did lose her powers, but how quickly she faced this fate. She still was in the process of becoming who she needed to be. She was ready to die in order to save the world, but she would have died as the person she longed to become, she had fought to become. Instead, everything was ripped off from her, leaving her to confront who she is without her powers. For a story, where we watched Alina not only coming to terms with her life as a Grisha, but accepting and finally loving herself, it was and will always be an unsatisfying ending. As beautiful as it still is. As much as that aspect of the ending still bothers me to some extent, I have to admit I appreciated the Darkling‘s fate more. Maybe it‘s because after reading Rule of Wolves I see things differently (without going into spoilers here), or maybe it‘s because this was the only way to end things right. The moment Alina loses her powers is a vital turning point. Not only for us, but for the characters themselves. Alina faces a version of herself that seems familiar and strange at the same time. The people around her have to see their beloved saint not being their light and guidance. And the Darkling lost his last hope to find someone that could understand him. His ending is probably one of the most emotional ones I’ve read. Maybe because at this point, I‘ve never felt as much for a villain as I did now. Maybe because we see him giving in the despair he had brewed up inside himself. But in that fine act where Alina thrusts the knife into the Darkling‘s chest, we feel that all of this happened because a child had been alone on their journey. A theme that constantly plays a role throughout the trilogy. The funeral scene will remain my favorite scene of this book. It holds so much emotion, so much thought, and such a strong message in every possible way. And just leaves us with this bittersweet feeling we can‘t shake off. Do I still wish for it to have ended differently? Maybe, to some extent. But I can‘t deny the raw beauty in this one. Something I did come to appreciate more this time around.

The Darkling, Alina‘s counterpart, is a tragic character that I will always love for his complexity. Do I agree with the choices he made throughout his life? No. But is there a part of me that understands why he turned the wrong way on his path? Absolutely. I don‘t regard the Darkling as the villain of the trilogy. More, I think the evil remains the system these characters find themselves in. A constant theme throughout this story is the lonely child. A constant question is the one of belonging. It starts with Alina growing up as an orphan, and not finding her place until she has to face the fact that she is the Sun Summoner, to Mal trying to find his way when the one thing making him stand out gets taken away - his position as a tracker -, to Nikolai trying to earn that throne despite the rumors, to Genya wanting to find her place among the Grisha order, to at last the Darkling who only wanted a safe place for him and people alike. What we witnessed in this story is how one reacts to the system. And how easily it gets to make the wrong decisions.

What I didn‘t remember was how little we see of the Darkling in this story. In my mind, he was constantly there - but he wasn‘t. Generally, I have to say that this book lacked the intriguing events of the previous books. Mostly, we see them on their journey to retrieve whatever they need in order to fight off the Darkling. While Siege and Storm lacks the action-packed events as well to some extent, the focus was on Alina accepting who she is. In Ruin and Rising, we don‘t see much of a development during the middle part. And I would‘ve wished for more to happen.

What I didn‘t expect to happen was that my hatred for Mal has passed. He still isn‘t the most likeable character if you ask for my personal opinion. But he definitely has grown from the ass we see in the second book of the trilogy. His character development is rather subtle, but it makes sense. And as much as he was holding Alina back in Siege and Storm, we see him coming to terms with the situation. I guess, over the past years the picture of Mal acting jealous, possessive and desperate was what stayed in my mind. I‘m happy this had changed. Even if I still can‘t call myself a fan of him, and definitely will never become a fan of Malina, I‘m glad that I finally can let go of my dislike of the character.

Something that kept me entertained rereading Ruin and Rising were remarks done by Nikolai and Zoya. As you can imagine, my love for the privateer remains strong, and it was once again fun to see Nikolai before the events of King of Scars. However, one thing in particular stood out that I found incredibly funny. I‘ll hide it behind the spoiler-tag, but if you‘ve read the King of Scars duology go for it:

Spoiler

Not once, not twice, but three times we can see some foreshadowing of Zoya and Nikolai‘s romantic development we witness in the latest Grishaverse duology. While the pairing doesn‘t seem very obvious, it was fun to see Zoya telling Alina to break Nikolai‘s heart so she can tend to him because she would make a great Queen. Or Nikolai mentioning how his principle is never to date someone prettier than him when Zoya was suggested. Or Zoya saying that it‘s almost impossible to resist his charme. I don‘t know if these little sprinkles were intended to develop into the pairing all along, or if Leigh Bardugo ran with it when she stumbled upon these remarks during her prepartations to write the King of Scars duology, but I‘m glad they were there. It‘s an easter egg for everyone who attempts a reread, or read this series after discovering Nikolai‘s story.

This review has become long enough already, so I don‘t want to add more even if I know I could.
It was nice to be back with Alina, the Darkling, and the Grishas. To rediscover the world of Ravka. To witness an orphan becoming a living saint. I definitely have managed to grasp more of the story this time around, and I‘m suprised and glad about the change of thought I have. While my rating doesn‘t seem to change at all, the reason for it did. I was able to appreciate the ending more during my reread, I understood there was more hidden in Alina‘s story than just becoming the Sun Summoner and defeating the Fold and the Darkling, and in the end, despite the issues I have found (which weren‘t out of selfish reasons this time around), I enjoyed this journey and its bittersweet conclusion.

Thus, my journey back in the Grishaverse continues, and I have made the one thing I sweared I would never after the heartbreak I suffered thanks to [b:Crooked Kingdom|22299763|Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456172607l/22299763._SY75_.jpg|42090179]: I‘m rereading the Six of Crows duology. And what can I say? It‘s good to be back home.

At this point, I feel it‘s redudant to once more mention how much I hate that I didn‘t write any reviews back in 2018, but here I am doing it anyways. Why? I have no idea. Maybe it‘s a way of stalling for I have absolutely no idea to put down all I feel into words. Maybe all I want to do is write down quotes from this book because they‘re perfection. Or maybe I know the moment I hit „publish review“, I‘ll have to face the reality of actually rereading Crooked Kingdom, and I fear to be transformed back to that fragile, ugly-crying version of myself.

Honestly, though, what can I say aside of how much this book is a masterpiece?
From the way Bardugo perfected the world-building, and showed us more than Ravka, to the incredible plot that keeps you seated on the edge, to the absolutely perfect characters - everything just works in this book.

I, once again, was reminded of how much I love this story and the characters. The crows just have a special place in my heart. Usually, when I read books that feature multiple POVs of characters, I‘m bound to find a favorite and often one I like the least. With Six of Crows, there is no such thing. Each character has found a spot in my heart, each character I cherish and love, and each character keeps me excitingly turning the pages - even now that I know what will come next.

What I can add is how much I enjoyed being on this ride now that I already knew the characters, their backstories and what will happen to them. The magic of rereading is that one can pay attention to the small details or just hold on to special moments longer, knowing what will happen next.

This time around, I was able to appreciate Bardugo‘s writing and carefully crafted worldbuilding more. Sometimes excitement and the need to get to the next page halts me to pay attention to how authors build the story, despite the fact that I‘d like to say I still catch enough. I loved to see how beautifully Bardugo extended the world by introducing us to new places and characters from everywhere in the Grishaverse. We‘ve seen bits and pieces from Novyi Zem, met characters from Shu Han, and knew about the brutality from the Fjerdans, but there‘s beauty in how this time around, we get to see different views from different people. I also loved how she carefully took her time to tell the stories of the characters by not only transporting us to the past with flashbacks, but allowing the characters to take us with them while they have to fight with their inner demons. Nina and Matthias‘ past will remain a favorite backstory of mine, and the fact that we got to see that in the Shadow and Bone Netflix adaptation had me feeling all sort of things. Same goes for Inej. Watching her face her demons, choosing her path and letting her father‘s voice guide her through dark moments was just so beautifully done that no flashback felt unnecessary or too much. And then there‘s Kaz. Oh, Kaz Brekker. The legend. The myth. The Bastard of the Barrel. As with the rest of the crows, I also always have had a soft spot for the infamous Dirtyhands. And once more, I loved how this story was as much his as it was of the crows. Generally, I love how Bardugo took care to not only tell the story of the crew going on an impossible heist, but how she gave each of the characters room to reflect and grow. While Jesper and Wylan‘s big moments are yet to come, they still outshined many situations, and I was also so happy to see these two yet again.

What can I say? There‘s a reason why these books have been loved so deeply by so many readers, and why they still are. Six of Crows is simply phenomenal, and a must-read. Now, someone tell me how I shall survive the reread of Crooked Kingdom and say good-bye to the crows ONCE MORE?

All I have left to say is: No mourners, no funerals.

If this series isn't going to give me what I have been craving for years, then all my hopes will die.

Ever since I was pretty much bullied into reading the [b:Captive Prince|9305362|Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1)|C.S. Pacat|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356028113l/9305362._SY75_.jpg|14188292] trilogy by my dearest friend, I have been a fan of C.S. Pacat's writing, and therefore, was really excited to read Dark Rise. But it wasn't just the author that compelled me into reading this, I also was very eager to read a tale about Darkness vs. Light as it has been a long time since I've done so. (And let's be real ... my Darklina heart still craves some of it) Unsuprisingly, that dear friend who pretty much shoved the Captive Prince books into my face, was also the one who decided that we pick up Dark Rise for our monthly readalongs #BookTalkWithWifey over on Bookstagram. And this was the moment when the journey into historical London began.

Dark Rise is pretty much your classic fantasy story, where we got the darkness threatening to rule the world and enslave everyone and everything, and the guardians of Light who have dedicated their life to stop this from happening. In the mids of it all, we meet a cast of characters of which each plays a different, but significant role in the battle of light against darkness. What makes this, however, stand out is that despite the fact that the book plays with a classic theme of good vs. evil and uses common tropes such as the Chosen One, it diverts from those as we keep making progress with the story, and reveals twist after twist making us question if the things are not what they seem to be.

As much as I love the worldbuilding now, I have to admit the book started off with a slower pace, taking its time to set everything up which sometimes had a feeling of some infodumping. We get thrown into the world of the Dark King and the Stewards pretty quickly from the get-go, and then slowly learn all the truths and history. Now this is something that had been needed. Especially since it takes place in historical London, and the story very much wants to keep things realistic. You should believe that this secondary world is a truth, that there had been magic a very long time ago. With many things in this book, I came to appreciate details and aspects more when I reached the end, where everything clicks into place, and promises a wild ride with the upcoming books.

The heart of the story are the characters we get introduced to. Some took a bit more warming up, some I loved immediately *cough* James *cough*. They carried the story on their shoulders, and gave us a hell of a time as we followed them, trying to fight a recurring battle that has been fought centuries ago. I appreciated to see each character finding themselves on an journey of their own which allows for a lot of character development. Most characters don‘t find themselves where they were in the beginning of the book, and the potential for their development in the future installements still keeps me on the edge of the seat. Similiar to the worldbuilding, many things clicked during the end of the book which made me less irritated than during reading this story.

While I really enjoyed this book - especially when we passed the slower pace of the beginning, and the twists were being revealed - I have to say since this book takes its time to introduce us to the world and characters, I wish I could‘ve binged the entire series than having to wait so long for its sequel. The ending offers so much potential that I just can‘t wait to dive into the next book, and find out in which direction this story is heading … and it better be somewhat how I‘m imagining it, because I‘m very very intrigued. And if I have learned anything from the time where I obsessively devoured the Captive Prince trilogy, then this: I‘m not ready to read whatever will happen. And I‘m pretty sure it involves ghost hands, and more of James.

What does it take for Aleksandra to pick up a romance contemporary? A movie trailer where one characters stranglers the other before we see sequences of hot kisses exchanged in an elevator!

After The Hating Game was all over my Instagram feed where everyone kept raving about it, and the release of that trailer, I decided it‘s about time to read the book. The timing couldn‘t have been better as I had a free Sunday (which I could have used to work, but instead decided to recharge) and the binging began. I finished the book within a day, and here I am now, anticipating the movie, and having lots of thoughts about Lucy‘s and Josh‘s, and their games.

We immediately get introduced to Lucy‘s workplace, the B&G publishing company, and to the nemesis that sits across of her, Josh, with whom Lucy loves to hate. A lot. Just as their Staring Game, where one mirrors the others, these two characters mirror each other. Even if aside from their job positions as assistants to the CEOs of both publishing companies that merged, it might not look like it. Lucy loves her job, and is probably the kindest soul in the company. She helps out where she can, even if she can‘t. She tries to see things positive, and her personality is as colorful and bright as her wardrobe and lipstick. On the other side, there‘s Josh whose desk is clean and organized (opposed to what Lucy wants hers to look like), and who knows numbers and finance, and overall is hard shapes and lines - like that mouth of his that never seems to smile. One reason maybe why all the co-workers are afraid of him. At first glance, Josh and Lucy are two opposite poles of a spectrum, and they clearly despise each other for that. On each occassion, they try to outbest each other, and things get to a new level when the position to COO is being offered, and only one of them can become the boss of the others. Seems like these two‘s worst nightmare, right?

As the story moves forward, we get to see these two characters interacting, whether they‘re being forced to or because they play another How You Doing game. Since I knew these characters hate each other, I knew I would appreciate the banter, but I really loved how much tension was filled in each remark, each comment, and each threat to report the other to HR for being inappropriate. When one day, Lucy decides to be extra daring - by putting on that sexy black dress, talking about a weird sexual dream she had and a date she‘s looking forward to -, things escalate pretty quickly during a hot moment in the elevator. And I was all here for it!

I pretty much welcomed the Or Something game these two started playing, and I must say I enjoyed their banter and bickering so much. The fact that they were both still competing for the same position kept things interesting as there was mistrust mixed into the pot of hate, attraction, getting to know the other person, and lots of sexual tension. I fully understand why people have been raving about this book so much, and I must say, I do see myself rereading this somewhen in the future.

However, as much as I liked this book, there were few aspects that didn‘t just click with me. And I‘m not counting the cheesy moments, because I fully expected such to happen. This book had a strong start with the little games and the bickering between these two in the office, the hot makeout session and other events following such as the paintball day and the weekend following that. But then it becomes sort of repetitive, and I rolled my eyes at some scenes. For once, I didn‘t like how clingy Lucy became at some point. And I mean … literally clingy. Lucy, sweetheart, you‘re a woman, not a koala bear. Then there was the fact that this story takes place in the span of a couple of weeks. I just wished Sally Thorne would have extended that a little bit more, as everything started to feel rather rushed at some point. And as much as I liked the ending, that one reveal was too much for me. I guess I wouldn‘t have minded it as much if I didn‘t know how early on Mr. Josh redecorated his apartment, and that‘s all I‘m saying.

Generally, if you‘re in need of a quick and sweet rom-com that will occupy you for a day or night, then go and grab The Hating Game. It‘s got hate-to-love, amazing banter, hot moments in an elevator, intriguing moments during a paintball game, and some sexual tension that will keep you wanting to turn these pages.

You better read this book, or I'll send a spirit your way to possess you AND MAKE YOU!

Vespertine was a must-read for me as I have enjoyed Margaret Rogerson's previous novels, especially [b:Sorcery of Thorns|42201395|Sorcery of Thorns|Margaret Rogerson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541621322l/42201395._SY75_.jpg|61425757] which became one of my all-time favorite standalones in this genre. I was very excited to be finally able to pick this up, but despite the promising blurb, I had no idea what to really expect from this story. Nuns? Demons? Possession? Sign me up for those elements - but what exactly is going to happen?

Well, let me tell you: a hell of a time!

Artemisia is a nun who has dedicated her life cleaning the dead bodies of deceased in order to prevent them to become evil spirits that will try to possess and kill everyone. She is content with her life at church, and doesn't want to pursue a career within it. However, as things go in books, one's plans quickly change. And that change happens for Artemisia when she awakens a dangerous spirit tied to a relic in order to defend her convent from an attack by possessed soldiers. From this moment on, the revenant is inside her - and quite shockingly, it is able to speak, to talk, to think. Like a real person and less like a blood-thirsty monster. Due to the lack of training, Artemisia doesn't know how to abandon the revenant back to its relic. Not that the spirit is eager to return there. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is where the fun begins. Oh yes, I'm calling it fun. But the kind of fun you have when things get dark and twisted and ... fun? Get it? Okay, let's move on.

Let's speak of the setting first which I loved. As a fan of worlds with lore based on saints and belief, I'm always eager to find more books with them. However, they can either be a hit such as the world we have been presented in [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325] or a miss like it was in [b:Wicked Saints|36118682|Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy, #1)|Emily A. Duncan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539378101l/36118682._SY75_.jpg|57709985] for me. In Vespertine it was a hit. a massive hit. A world full of lore, history, and potential to grow bigger. And this was mainly due to the fact that we had Artemisia and the revenant taking us through the world.

Which leads me to my favorite aspect of this book: the relationship between Artemisia and the spirit. From the first conversation, these two's dynamic reminded me so much of Eddie and Venom from the movies Venom (which by the way, I can highly recommend you to watch!). Both are wary of each other, not trusting the other, but end up having to work together to find out what is happening. The world Artemisia knows is the one we are presented first. Evil spirits, old magic that is forbidden, and the nuns' duty to prevent and save the people from it. And as we get deeper and deeper into the story, it's the revenant who is showing us different parts of history that makes Artemisia and us question everything we know so far. Where are the spirits coming from? What did the saints exactly do to bind those evil spirits to their bones so their relics could be wielded? And had the old magic really been banished?

Slowly, their distrust turns into an allyship and soon has potential to grow into one of the best friendships ever. I loved their banter, their bickering and the development Artemisia and the revenant went through so so much that in fact, I didn't even realize there wasn't a romantic subplot until to the point where we were presented with the slight potential of one that could happen in the sequel. In fact, a romantic subplot would have been totally misplaced in this book. Artemisia is a character that wants to stay to herself due to the horrific past she endured, and is only slowly understanding the value of friendship and opening to the people as we follow her and the revenant through the story. While there are other characters in the story that I enjoyed, and other bonds of friendships and trust are being created, my favorite bond remains the one between Artemisia and the revenant. I simply loved them so much. I'm missing them like crazy already.

Overall, this story is just fantastic and if you're a fan of the concept of two "souls" sharing the same body in the way we see it in Venom or Stephanie Meyer's [b:The Host|1656001|The Host (The Host, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1318009171l/1656001._SY75_.jpg|3328799] (which is, by the way, a great story - so don't let Twilight be the reason not to read it!) and settings with lore based on belief and sainthood, then you need Vespertine. On your shelf. In your hands. In your heart. Trust me on this one. Just read it.

I can't wait to finally hold the sequel in my hands to a) be reunited with Artemisia and the revenant, b) have all my questions answered, and c) see where this story is leading us! The excitement is real.

Now can someone tell me where I can find myself a revenant? Yes, I want to be possessed. Thank you. (Though, considering the other spiritis ... maybe not.)

Did I love this book just as much the second time of reading it? Absolutely, if not even more.

Crooked Kingdom probably remains the best book of the entire Grishaverse for so many reasons, and the crows are are six of them. This book just makes me feel everything: love, joy, angst, rage, pain, excitement, fear, more pain, love, and some more pain before it leaves me in this bittersweet state where I want to hug it close to my heart and throw it against the wall at the same time.

There's not more I can add to this that hadn't already been said a million times before. I strongly believe this book to be Bardugo's masterpiece. Everything works well within the story. The world-building, the characters, the plot. It already did so in [b:Six of Crows|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628438817l/23437156._SX50_.jpg|42077459] but the difference is that we get to explore these aspects on such a deeper level in this installement. Six of Crows established the characters, took us on a heist, and expanded the Grishaverse world. Crooked Kingdom let us sit back and understand everything better, while it still took us on an adventure, still made us fear for our characters (and proving our fear was right), and challenging them as much as us. The pace seemed slower to me compared to the first book of the duology, but that's exactly what allowed us to dwell longer with the characters and to love them more than we already did.

Because as much as I loved the plot that kept suprising and shocking me, this time I was able to enjoy the much slower moments between the characters more. Their relationships progressed to such a deeper level, we see them more connected, this is now a found family that would do anything for each other. Not the price or the heist are the main focus. Not even for Kaz. But the revenge, them finding their place in the world, them being able to find peace - within the story and within themselves. Crooked Kingdom is despite its thrilling plot more emotional, but in a way where one as a reader can grow and heal with them. By learning to question our beliefs like Matthias, by learning to accept a new version of us like Nina, by learning to embrace who we are like Jesper, by learning to accept our faults like Wylan, by learning to not accept anything less than we deserve like Inej, and by letting our armor fall away for the right people like Kaz.

I just love everything about this book.

No mourners. No funerals.

A thought: includes spoilers for [b:Rule of Wolves|36307674|Rule of Wolves (King of Scars, #2)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598133584l/36307674._SY75_.jpg|57978381]

Spoiler

PS: Now having reread the duology, I don't know how I should really feel about another Crow installement (see here: [b:Untitled|40228844|Untitled (Six of Crows, #3)|Leigh Bardugo|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|62480640]) as I believe these books did what needed to be done, and that's tell the crows story. I truly was excited at first, but now I just think we should let them rest. While I enjoyed their cameos in Rule of Wolves, I'm not so sure if another book is necessary. We have seen them in Rule of Wolves, we know what they're doing, and we know they're okay. And that's more than we can ask of other book characters. I'm just afraid another installement could ruin the beauty and magic of these books. Just as it partly ruined The Darkling's (and Alina's) character for me in the King of Scars duology. This doesn't mean I won't be reading it, because the ending of Rule of Wolves promised a great story, and I would love to return to the Grishaverse. But maybe telling a different, complete new character's story would be more exciting than returning to the same characters instead of letting them rest.

I love how much this book suprised me!

Have you ever postponed finishing a series because your excitement decreased or you were uncertain if you'd like it as much as the previous installements? That was why Finale had been sitting on my TBR not for months, but years. The reason was simple. I loved [b:Caraval|27883214|Caraval (Caraval, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465563623l/27883214._SY75_.jpg|45697227] and the whimsical magic we encountered in that book so much, but when I picked up its sequel [b:Legendary|36329818|Legendary (Caraval, #2)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506803153l/36329818._SY75_.jpg|54501288], I wasn't able to see that same magic anymore. I didn't feel as excited reading it, and I didn't grow much on Tella as the protagonist. I knew Finale would tie the loose strings together, and this time, tell Tella's and Scarlett's story. But somehow, I wasn't convinced enough to pick it up.

Now though that [b:Once Upon a Broken Heart|55987278|Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615486938l/55987278._SY75_.jpg|87627402] had been released, I knew it's now or never in regards of finishing this series, and picked it up - with zero expectations for the story itself. I just wanted to finally be able to spot the books on my shelves and say "Oh yeah, I've read that series!" That was my whole motivation. And thankfully, I had a wonderful time in reading it.

The third book of the Caraval series is the only one that's story isn't set during the wonderful game the series was named after. This is why I didn't know what exactly to expect, and hoped that I wouldn't feel any sort of disappointment as I did when we returned to Caraval in Legendary where the magic didn't taste as wonderfully as the first time we witnessed the game. It suprised me how much I enjoyed the Fates in this installement compared to when we were introduced to them in the previous sequel. I must admit, I don't remember much of the details and events that occured in the books before, because it had been some years. But as I was reading Finale, this finally read itself like a sequel (and final installement) where we get deeper into the story, and see more of the world. Caraval was a beautiful first introduction, and I enjoyed seeing Scarlett face her fears in order to save her sister, but now I realize what exactly didn't catch me in Legendary: it felt like an introduction as well, with lots of repetitive elements. While it was Tella's turn to tell the story, we witness the same game, no matter how different it was, and it did focus on introducing new elements that just couldn't excite me as I wish they had. Now knowing how the series ends, I think I would be much more in the position to fully enjoy Legendary than I did during my first time.

But let's focus on Finale. If I'm being honest, I was just hoping Scarlett's story would keep me entertained enough, because - as I've mentioned - Tella wasn't able to completely grow on me. However, this had changed in this book. It took me much longer to enjoy Scarlett's storyline than Tella's. I loved Tella's chapters, adored her banter with Legend and Jacks, and was rooting for that girl. I wished for her to find happiness, and she ended up growing on me so much that I miss her - and wouldn't mind another book following her. Which is one of the things that took me by suprise as I was not expecting that.

As did the plot. While I didn't find myself as enthralled by it as when I was reading Caraval, I enjoyed seeing this magical and whimsical world from a different perspective than the game offers. However, sometimes I felt certain aspect have been resolved way too easily, and I wished for some others to show some more impact on the story and the characters. Very often, the consequences they face didn't last nearly as long as they should've, and often, the characters were moving on too quickly by shocking moments that I barely felt the impact of those at all. This is why I never really could feel the danger they were facing, or the backlashes they exeperienced. What I did appreciate though were the moments of interaction woven into the events of the plot. Most of the times, the characters found the time and place to either face a conflict or find a solution to one. So in the end, I wasn't minding the fast-paced events too much because they still allowed the characters to grow, individually or together. As I wasn't driven too much by the story, but the characters, I can overlook that aspect but still feel it's worth mentioning.

Generally, the characters were the best part of this book. What most of them lacked in the sequel - including Scarlett and Julian as well - wasn't an issue at all in the final book of the series. We are able to see them each grow individually as much to see them form stronger bonds with each other. In the end, I got way more attached to them all than I ever had before, and I found myself hoping the book wouldn't end so quickly because I wanted to spend more time with them.

Overall, I'm very happy I finally made the decision to pick up Finale and thus finish the Caraval series. Looking back now, I have a much better feeling about the series compared to when I was reading Legendary, and I'm both satisfied and joyful about how much the story, and especially the characters have grown on me.

What I do want to add as a sidenote is that I'm aware, authors can't sell series as such in the beginning of their publishing story, and therefore, they are hoping to sell the books as standalones that give enough new plotlines that an audience and the market will be interested in reading further. I think this was the case with Stephanie Garber's Caraval series. Especially because book one and book two read themselves like first books, whereas Legendary already does more of a job in featuring new elements that will need another installement to be dealt with later. I guess, back in the day, this was why I wasn't able to fully enjoy that experience because both books read themselves like introductions. However, I do have to say Finale was a worthy final installement that ties everything of the previous books neatly together, and deals so much better with the extension of the world.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

While the [b:Caraval|27883214|Caraval (Caraval, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465563623l/27883214._SY75_.jpg|45697227] trilogy made us question if the game is real or not, Once Upon a Broken Heart makes us wonder which fairytale is or isn‘t.

Set in the same world, Stephanie Garber decided to take us readers a little bit up north, to explore how magic works when there‘s not Legend at its works. As a fan of her whimsical worldbuilding, I knew that Once Upon a Broken Heart would be up high on my list, and I‘m so glad I was able to dive right into it after finishing Finale, and thus the Caraval series. Despite the fact that one can read this easily without ever picking up Garber‘s trilogy, I‘d recommend you to finish that one first if you are interested in reading it as there are minor mentions that could otherwise spoil the ending of that book. If you aren‘t interested in the trilogy, buckle in and be ready for a very different type of fairytale.

Although, we don‘t face another round of the infamous Caraval game in this book, the whimsical world and atmosphere remains, and gets even more magical in this world. Stephanie Garber knows how to describe her worlds so vividly that you start to taste and hear colors. Yet again, I fully fell in love with the way she introduces the readers to the world, and how magical everything gets. I mean, little dragons that roast your apples? Count me in. I‘m packing my suitcase to visit the Magnificent North. Everything in this book just reads itself like a fairytale, and just as the Northerns don‘t know which story belongs to history or is part of a fairytale, you‘ll find yourself asking if the stories could be true or if they‘re just stories. I could have expected anything to be part of the history of the North, no matter how magical it sounded. And just like Caraval enthralled me years ago, asking myself if the game is real or not, I found myself enthralled with the North, wondering if all this might be real.

And this is something that we get to share with the protagonist of Once Upon a Broken Heart: Evangeline Fox. I immediately fell in love with her, her love for fairytales, her awe for her father‘s curiosity shop, and her big brave heart. Oh, and let‘s not forget her rose-gold hair! Evangeline fits perfectly in the whimsical setting that is Valenda, and the Magnificent North. Just like Scarlett and Tella have been on their journey to find their one true love, this is also what drives Evangeline. After her heartbreak, and a terrible deal, she hopes to begin anew by finding the one person she could love at first. Although, a theme such a one true love usually is something that tires me, I must admit it fits the world and stories that Garber writes. Where a different book would make me rant about the character‘s determination to find true love, I feel like Garber‘s whimsical worldbuilding and magical stories allow me to just wrap myself in candy cotton as I read these stories. However, I do admit I sometimes just wanted to shake her and tell her she‘ll be alright. What makes up for it, is the bravery and determination this character has. Evangeline would do about anything to find her happily ever after, but at the same time, she would do about anything to save others from not getting theirs. Her hope and belief is driving her forward, and I adored her so much.

While Evangeline is a completely new character in this world (that might have had a mention in Finale), her counterpart is one guy readers of the Caraval trilogy are very familiar with: The Prince of Hearts. Jacks is one of these characters that the readers are bound to end up loving, no matter how hard they try not to. To be able to see him now as a protagonist as well instead of just a secondary character was so refreshing and fun! With all of his sharp edges, trickery bargains, and cold attitude, I couldn‘t stop grinning whenever he appeared on the page. His distressed and heart-warming moments were just the cherry atop the icing on the cake! Without getting into details of Jacks‘ past in the Caraval series, I have to say that this time around I‘m rooting deeply for this guy‘s own happily ever after. His and Evangeline‘s relationship is one that just makes sense. From the mistrust that is between them, the little games and bargains they make, and their fantastic banter - I adored every scene with these two.

Apart from Evangeline and Jacks that are phenomenal protagonist, we also meet many new characters that I loved, among them some new Fates that we haven‘t seen before. Generally, we have a bigger cast of characters that make their appeareances throughout the book, and I truly enjoyed meeting and getting to know them - even if some seemed to be a bit too much, and others caused me to mistrust them. Oh, and you might have to expect some vampires, too. Yes, this book‘s got everything. (Let me mention the little dragons again. Thank you.)

As much as I loved this book, there are a few aspects that I wished would have taken more time to get resolved. Sometimes the pace was just too quick for the fact that certain things demand more time, and this is something that had slightly bothered me in Finale. However, I can‘t list them here without spoiling the book. Also, I had some trouble fully enjoying the beginning. It takes some time until we reach the plot, and a lot of the beginning felt like a quick introduction and overview of the characters, their relationships and goals that still felt too long, as the plot didn’t seem to have started yet. I didn‘t really know what to expect, and was only able to fully enjoy the plot itself when Evangeline set foot in the Magnificent North. Another thing that I wished would have taken more time was the ending. When I reached it, I didn‘t even realized that … that‘s it? It felt a bit anti-climatic, and I would‘ve wished for some additional pages to really feel the impact. Now, I‘m counting the days until September, when The Ballad of Never After releases, because I‘m seriously in need to see more of Evangeline and the Prince of Hearts.

Overall, this book holds Stephanie Garber‘s signature in regards of presenting us a whimsically magical world where everything tastes and sounds like colors. I love Garber‘s beautiful writing, and vividly descpritions. The story feels like a brand new fairytale of its own with an interesting set of characters, and two wonderful protagonists that will make you beam. If you love feeling like you‘re wrapped in cotton candy, and want to enjoy a story that has cute little pet dragons, mystery, enchantements, fairytales, magical beverages, cookbooks containing spells, vampires, prophecies and magical characters, then Once Upon a Broken Heart is the spellbinding book you‘ve been looking for!

PS: Since the book was heavily promoted as Jacks‘ story, I do want to mention that this feels more like Evangeline‘s story, in which Jacks happens to find his place. I can imagine that this could bother some readers; however, I have to say I preferred to read this story in Evangeline‘s POV, and to try to see the Prince of Hearts from a different perspective. Still, I hope we get to see more of him in the sequel soon.

Oh, when the moment you come across a specific scene or line in the book makes you understand the symbolism on the cover, and the experience becomes even more painful! Will I ever look at a lighter the same way again? I don‘t think so.

Before I even begin to tell you how much I have loved this book, and thus the duology as a whole, I want to remind you of the source of this retelling because damn me for believing it might end differently, and damn Miss Chloe Gong for making me fall in love with this story and its characters so much.

These Violent Delights had been one of my highlights of 2021, and I was eager to read its sequel and be back with the characters that had their hold on me ever since their first appearance. I was initially hoping that just as I started last year with These Violent Delights, I could finish it with Our Violent Ends. However, instead things played out differently and I was able to end last year with the most beautiful scene (the pinkie finger scene for those of you who have read it), and start this one with bawling my eyes out and scolding me for why the hell did I expect something different from a story that is based on a freaking tragedy. This doesn‘t change anything about the fact though that this duology has become a new favorite of mine, and that I will find myself holding it in my heart forever.

Our Violent Ends picks up several months after the events at the end of the first book, and we follow the characters as they face the consequences of the events at the end of the first book. One of the beautiful things Chloe Gong has mastered with this duology is the tension filled romance between the two heirs Roma and Juliette. Once more we find these two at a similiar position of hate as Juliette tries everything in her might to keep her distance to Roma after her faking the murder of Marshall, and tries to stay focus on the task before her: the potential return of the madness and its monsters. Roma, on the other hand, is filled with the need for vengeance and tries as hard to put his former feelings for Juliette aside while fully taking his place as the heir of the White Flowers. The tension of hatred, the feelings of betrayal, loss and love can so strongly be felt between them, that one has no other choice than to feel everything they do and turn those pages in hopes for a moment of release. And when those moments come, they are so beautifully sprinkled between pages of action and risks that you cherish them all - and often come back to reread them just because they‘re so utterly wonderful. I mean … the scene in the theatre? The scene in the train? The scene in the brothel? The scene in the alley? The scene in the safe house? The scene in the lab? Just. Every. Single. Scene. With. These. Two!! Utterly perfection.

Then, there‘s Benedikt who is filled with grief for his friend‘s death and almost blindly walks the streets of Shanghai, fueled by the need of revenge, while said friend, Marshall, keeps his promise to Juliette to stay hidden while he looks after the one person he loves. These two had already multiple times stolen the scene in These Violent Delights, and them being seperated due to Mars‘ fake murder was just as painful to watch. Every time I asked myself when will the moment happen of seeing Ben and Mars reunited again? How will Ben find out about Mars? And not only of him being alive, but also of them finally saying what they feel for each other. These two own my heart just as much as Roma and Juliette.

But there‘s also Kathleen. A character I love, and who finds herself between two paths and has to decide which to follow. I loved that Kathleen gave us a different insight to the politics of Shanghai, and had her own conflicts to face. As a Scarlet gang member and loyal friend to Juliette, it was refreshing to see a secondary character like Kathleen telling us her own story and I love that the secondary characters in this duology all had their own agendas to follow. There were many more who play a role on the streets of Shanghai, but these five will forever stay with me.

My love for the characters already says a lot, as they were what made this duology so perfect and kept me turning and inhaling those pages like they were oxygen. But aside from the amazing cast of characters, it is also the setting and events of this book that make this one epic page-turner. From the blood feud between the two gangs, to the political changes that are not kindly knocking on the door, to the threat of monsters coming back and infecting everyone with the madness - everything put the characters at risk and one could never have been sure of what twist might happen next!

Overall, everything of this book was perfect even the ending after it cruelly hit me in the face with a reminder I wish I hadn‘t forgotten or dared to avoid of thinking about. But even that was worthy of the story, and in the end, it was the hope that fueled the story and my heart that also concluded this beautiful duology, letting us readers think of a possible „what if maybe…“ that makes the ending and its ambiguity so panifully bittersweet.

Chloe Gong has become a new favorite author just as this duology has become a favorite, and I am excited to see what this talented genius has in store of us. If there‘s one person allowed to break my heart again, it‘s Miss Gong.