Reading round up (22)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress and my thoughts on each book as I read it. *drops down dead* I'm not sure what my life even is at this point. I need another Rosamund Hodge book to read.

7th April

I don't know what I'm doing. I'm still hung over from DoSaB, and Gilded Ashes, and now The Winner's Curse. So I started The Gathering Dark (Shadow & Bone) by Leigh Bardugo (50 pages). I really like it so far, though I don't love it, which I expected to. The world building is great though.

8th April

Currently reading: The Gathering Dark | Leigh Bardugo

Current page/percent: page 127

# of pages/percentage read today: 77 pages

Thoughts: Love Alina, love the Darkling. But not as enamoured as I thought I'd be.

9th April

Currently reading: The Gathering Dark | Leigh Bardugo
Current page/percent: page 230
# of pages/percentage read today: 103 pages

Thoughts: Loving the Darkling's irredeemable evil. Hoping he doesn't turn good in the next two books!

10th April

Finished The Gathering Dark. It wasn't as epic or sweeping as I hoped it would be, but it was still pretty amazing and I can't wait to read the next book in series. I also started reading 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare again and it's much better now I'm patient enough to stick with it.

11th April

Currently reading: The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare | MG Buehrlen

Current page/percent: 29%

# of pages/percentage read today: 10%

Thoughts: I'm still not completely into this. Sensing a 3 star review. It's alright though, I like it well enough.

12th April

So I read Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor (100%) because I NEED DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS ALREADY. I'm so impatient. Can it be next week already? (or better yet: can I live in the US so I can have already got it? If with a sub-beautiful cover because ours are SO much nicer, but I'll settle!!)

13th April

I've lost interest in 57 Lives at 33%. I just don't think this book is for me right now. Maybe in the future, I'll read it and love it. But any time soon? Nope. So I carried on reading Proxy by Alex London to 70% (24% read). I like it but I don't love it right now.

Books finished this week: 2

The Gathering Dark, A.K.A. Shadow And Bone (Review)

The Grisha: The Gathering Dark | Leigh Bardugo

Published by: Indigo, June 7th 2012

Genre: YA, High fantasy

Pages: 310

Format: Paperback

Source: Bought

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

I have a lot of thoughts about The Gathering Dark but I don't know where to begin. I loved some aspects of it and was really underwhelmed by others. I thought that Leigh Bardugo's world building was second to none, that her imagination and craft was wonderful, but there was just something holding me back from being completely enamoured by it.

I loved the Darkling, liked Alina well enough, and tolerated Mal - which is to say, I had the same experience with a love triangle as I usually do. The plot was gripping, the stakes high, and I loved the way everything played out.

But I still didn't utterly love it. Not sure why. Hoping the next book will draw me further into the world of The Grisha.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★★★

Writing Style ★★★★☆