m-a-reads

[m-a-reads]

A little different from the books I’ve been reading, but a few days ago I started Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic by Tabitha Stanmore. Only a few pages in but it’s really interesting! Needed a small break from the YA/fantasy fiction I’ve been reading a lot of recently :)

[m-a-reads]

Shadow and Bone is now completed!

Thoughts below :)

I think the ending was interesting, hopefully it sets the next book up well. This book had some seriously slow parts, it was ~350 pages but if you took out all the unnecessary stuff (like them running around in the woods for 4 chapters) would probably be 200. It didn’t seem like much happened in this first book besides world building, so the next books better pick up the pace a little bit

As for the romance in the book, neither Mal nor the Darkling (whose real name we STILL haven’t learned (I’ve seen the show but still)) are right for Alina. I think Alina needs therapy and to be single for a while (why was Alina so ok with being with a guy whose name she doesn’t know?? what’s that about)

[m-a-reads]

[m-a-reads]

Ch. 20 Shadow and Bone

- Mal and Aline spent the last 150 pages running around in the woods, just for the darkling to show and take them back to where they started?? Leigh did your editor take a vacay at the end of this book or was this an active choice I need to know bc I’m going crazy bc I do believe Leigh Bardugo is a good writer this book is just wack

- also the darkling is not even a compelling villain. I’m all for rooting for the bad guy or whatever but he is so boring. “Darkling, why are you doing this?” “Cuz I want more power.” Ok??? And??? Why???

- anyway I’m 89 % done, so close yet feels so far away

[m-a-reads]

Sorry for the lack of updates on my reading, I was traveling! Just got back, hoping I can finish Shadow and Bone in the next few days.

[m-a-reads]

Ch. 19 Shadow and Bone

Mal and Alina kissed :/ I feel absolutely neutral towards it. She has no chemistry with anyone in this book (except maybe Genya)

And after all that farting around in the woods the darkling just appears like no time has passed SO WHAT WAS THE POINT

Also rip stag u were gone too soon

(86% of the way thru)

[m-a-reads]

You guys know that one Harry Potter movie (I think deathly hallows 1 or 2 but it’s been a while since I’ve seen the movies don’t sue me) where Harry Ron and Hermione are just dicking around in the woods for 3.5 hours???

That’s what the last 150pages of this book is. Just Alina and Mal wandering around the woods, like Ms Bardugo surely this wasn’t necessary to the plot

[m-a-reads]

78% of the way thru Shadow and Bone book 1! I might not be able to get the second book for a little while after I finish so I’ll have to pause YET ANOTHER SERIES before I can finish. Maybe I’ll start Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass 4) in the meantime 🥴

[m-a-reads]

Ch. 17 Shadow and Bone

(Haven’t been reading a lot this past week, work has been crazy and I have odd hours)

Mal and Alina are besties again

I understand why Mal is upset with her but also like… she’s the one that’s getting hunted rn I feel like Mal needs to just chill out with the aggression for a bit

Besides that, they are still just running around in the woods and not much is happening

[m-a-reads]

Ch. 16 Shadow and Bone

Alina’s on the run with Mal. How can she make something this life threatening seem to boring?

But I do think we are getting a bit more excitement soon, I’m not sure we really needed the first 3/4 of the book to be so slow. Maybe to lull the readers into a false sense of security, like the darkling did with Alina? That feels like giving the author too much credit lol no shade tho

[m-a-reads]

When it comes to reading a book, I have precisely 2 speeds:

I haven't touched a book in months

I just read a massive series of books in two days and don't remember what life is like outside of those books

And nothing in between

[m-a-reads]

Ch. 15 shadow and bone

The reveal of the darklings motives and ‘true identity’ was so anticlimactic

Maybe the betrayal/reveal would have been better if we had seen Alina + the darklings relationship develop at all. But all they did was kiss twice and had just as many conversations.

Mind you, I have seen the show so I’m familiar with the major plot points but I still am just feeling so indifferent to all this being revealed.

It’s also another case of Alina just going along with whatever the closest person is telling her (in this case baghra, but also baghra was correct so I’ll let it slide but still) (I’m nearly 70% thru this book and nothing has happened)

[m-a-reads]

Ch. 15 Shadow and Bone

- I’m not the biggest fan of Alina rn. I’m over half way thru the book and Alina hasn’t done nearly anything

- I’m gonna finish the book but I don’t know if I’m gonna finish the series 😅 Alina you’ve got to do some work to make me like u babe

-(tbh I don’t really like any of the characters except genya)

[m-a-reads]

Shadow and Bone ch. 13:

1. I feel like Alina and the Darkling’s kiss was super random . Obviously I knew it would happen at some point, but they’ve had like 5 conversations at this point…

1.5. Alina is gonna start developing feelings for a guy whose name she doesn’t even know.

[m-a-reads]

All Alina does is talk about Mal 😫

[m-a-reads]

Chapter 11 Shadow and Bone, we’ve finally been introduced to zoya!!

[m-a-reads]

Ch. 9 spoilers:

:(