I'm kind of speechless? I don't really know what to say but ... I absolutely LOVED this book! I had no idea what to expect when I picked it up, never really knew what it is about and why everyone seemed so obsessed with it. Now I do.

Leigh Bardugo created such a fascinating world, mysterious creatures, fascinating and totally lovable characters and EMOTIONS. The book makes you feel something and I just love it when a book and an author can do this to you!

"The thought filled me with grief, grief for the dreams we'd shared, for the love I'd felt, for the hopeful girl I would never be again."

Alina Starkov is an amazing girl! She's down-to-earth, very likeable and relatable! I liked her personality a lot, her bravery and even that she always tried to fit in somewhere. Because that's what most of us want too. To be around people like yourself, people who understand you and won't judge you. That made me like her even more! She's also pretty badass and caring!

Mal is ... well, Mal. I liked him from the beginning although I wasn't sure about his relationship with Alina. I just didn't like it at first. But after everything they've been through and all that happened ... I kind of ship them, yes. He's protective, strong and brave but also lovely and funny and a really, really good friend. Who wouldn't want someone like him by your side? I totally understand why Alina fell for him!

"The problem with wanting," he whispered, his mouth trailing along my jaw until it hovered over my lips, "is that it makes us weak."

And yet my heart beats for The Darkling. Now I don't really know why ... maybe I have a thing for "bad boys" and mostly I blame Aaron Warner for it but yes, I LOVED The Darkling! Now at the end of the book I'm torn. Mixed feelings. I shouldn't like him but yet I do, I can't shake it, ugh. I want to find out more about The Fold and his powers and about HIM, his background and his life before everything happened. He's just so fascinating ... *sigh*

The plot was ... short? I feel like I could tell you about the whole book in a few sentences but that's okay. I loved the whole concept of it and since it's something new to me, something unique that I haven't really read before, I don't mind it. The ending was quite a cliffhanger and makes me want to read the second book immediately (which I'm DEFINITELY gonna do!), so I can find out what happens next.

For me it was an amazing opening to a promising trilogy with swoon-worthy, badass, lovable and mysterious characters and a fabulous world that just grips you and won't let you go until you discovered everything!

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