Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows 2
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full length (546 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

Kaz is not a man to be crossed.

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Kaz and his band of thieves have pulled off a nearly impossible heist only to be double-crossed by the man paying them, Jan Van Eck. Not only did he refuse to pay them the money they deserve from completing their mission, but he has the audacity to kidnap Inej. Van Eck couldn’t have made a graver mistake. Inej is the heart and soul of the team. Though the crew’s ties were fragile in the beginning,  they all rally without hesitation to come to her rescue. I absolutely loved seeing Kaz’s crew bond in this tale. They worked together well in the first book, but a few of them never completely clicked with the others for various reasons. However, they are truly united now. Not only do they have common goals, but they genuinely care for each other and will stop at nothing to rescue Inej.

Kaz continues to be an extremely compelling character. He manages to seem simultaneously unbreakable and incredibly fragile. The more I read, the more I could see the tiny cracks in his tough exterior. Despite his larger than life reputation, Kaz is an incredibly damaged young man who never got over the trauma of his brother’s death.

Kaz and Inej continue to inch toward a relationship, but they are both so wounded that the gap between them seems impassible at times. As I predicted after reading Six of Crows, their relationship is about to change. Kaz finally makes a powerful and moving declaration that puts to rest any doubts Inej might have about his feelings for her.

Ms. Bardugo has again outdone herself with the elaborate plot and quick pacing of this novel. Kaz’s gift for planning and scheming never ceases to amaze me! Even when I thought I knew what the plan was, Kaz was never completely reveals everything. At times his crew own is never entirely sure what his ultimate plan is. Even when things go horribly wrong for his team, Kaz is somehow able to spin it toward their advantage. I feel sorry for anyone who gets in Kaz’s way.

I must warn readers that one member of the crew does not survive. My heart was absolutely crushed, especially when this character’s death seemed so pointless and avoidable. I keep asking myself why this character died. Was it simply to prove that the team wasn’t invulnerable? Kaz and his crew have suffered so much, it broke my heart to see them lose one of their own.

Crooked Kingdom is an excellent sequel to Six of Crows. I highly recommend both books to anyone looking for a fast-paced tale with an intriguing cast of characters.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows #1
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (462 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Enter the Grishaverse with the #1 New York Times–bestselling Six of Crows.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.
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A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

The fate of the world rests in the hands of one of Ketterdam’s most notorious criminals.

Kaz and his band of thieves are a motley crew, but they grew on me rather quickly. I couldn’t help but like them in spite of, or in some cases because of, their faults. Kaz is particularly interesting. He is dark, ruthless, and seemingly untouchable. He has an uncanny ability to predict people’s actions. It is extremely impressive. However, Kaz is very harsh, even to those closest to him. Despite his prickly attitude, Kaz does care about his odd crew. Unfortunately, Kaz views caring for others as a weakness. The more I learned about his devastating past, the more I understood why he thinks and behaves the way he does, including the tragic reason he never takes off his gloves.

Inej is definitely the character that binds the crew. She has a way of putting everyone at ease. Some members of the crew can barely stand each other, but everyone likes Inej. I especially enjoyed watching her friendship with Nina grow. Kaz and Inej have a strange chemistry. It is clear they both care for each other deeply, but have never been able to express it. There are so many emotionally charged moments between them. I held my breath wondering if this moment would be the one that changes everything. Unfortunately, Kaz lets these moments slip away. I couldn’t help but be a bit frustrated. However, I do believe their relationship is on the cusp of a change.

Nina and Matthias are also a very odd couple. Their personalities clash quite a bit. He is so serious and she is so vibrant and full of life. Despite the stark contrast in their natures, I actually think they could be very good for each other. They have a lot of good and bad history. Yet, underneath it all they have simmering chemistry. It is going to take a lot of work to overcome their differences, but I think it will be worth it in the end.

Aside from having wonderfully rounded characters, Six of Crows has excellent pacing. Once the crew is assembled and begins planning the heist, I couldn’t put the book down. Kaz’s plan is crazy and yet plausible given the talents of each member of the team. Of course, nothing goes quite how it was planned. I raced through the pages wondering what would happen next and was consistently amazed at how they improvised and adapted to each changing situation. Even when things looked bleak, they still managed to find a way. Sadly, there will be serious repercussions for a particular member of the crew.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Six of Crows. The ending is satisfying, but the story is definitely not over. Kaz and his crew have a new mission of a much more personal nature, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!