*Grabby Hands* Review - Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Image and blurb from Goodreads

Title: Crooked Kingdom
(Six of Crows #2)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publication Date: September 27th, 2016
Category/Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

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 left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, 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 magic in the Grisha world.

Title: Six of Crows

(Six of Crows #1)

Review

I would

• Befriend: Inej
• Go out on a date & kiss: Jesper
• Take to a desert island and leave behind: Van Eck
• Travel to Vegas and let Elvis Presley marry us: Kaz

4.5 “Rip my heart out, why don’t you?” Stars

This series will be the end of me.

How am I supposed to go on with my life knowing that I won’t have anything new from Kaz, Inej, Wylan, Jesper, Nina and Mathias? OMG, I’m already crying.

I don’t know what Leigh Bardugo was thinking about when she chose to make this a duology. Woman, I need more. This gang is my jurda parem and I can’t be without them. Gimme more. Now.

Guys… this book. This book crushed me. This book made me laugh and cry. It made me desperate. It made me so angry. This book is everything.

So why not 5 stars, right? Six of Crows got 5 star, and this book is just as good as that one. But Leigh Bardugo did something unforgivable here. Something I’ll never get over. Something unnecessary, in my humble opinion. So that’s why I’m taking away 0,5 star. Think of it as my act of rebellion. It’s either that or blowing up something.

Since I’m not Kaz, I won’t get away with setting something on fire.

Kaz… My dear Kaz. The man I should not love because he is a little horrible and insane, but who can blame me? He’s a broken soul. A boy who can’t be touched because the feel of human skin against his reminds him of his brother. A boy who’ll stop at nothing to get revenge. A boy who tells you right away that you can’t trust him because he won’t think twice before conning you if necessary. A boy who cares for his team even though he won’t show them that. A boy who’s in love with an extraordinary girl, but fears what that love will do to him. Kaz is the smartest guy around, and I want him around me.

I know some people have a problem with Kaz because he always finds a way to make his plans work even when everything is against them, but this freaking fantasy, people. Just deal with it. I love how Kaz’ plans are brilliant and completely insane, just like him. I love watching every play, every move, every character do what they do best following Kaz’ instructions.

I love Kaz. His sense of humor. His sarcasm. His everything. I’ll miss him so much it’ll hurt AF.

I also love who Kaz loves. Inej. My beautiful and strong Inej. The girl is perfection. Inej and I are best friends. She just doesn’t know that yet. But she’s exactly the kind of person I’d want by my side all times. She’s got a heart of gold and sharp knives ready to tear through those who threaten her people. She acknowledges, accepts and overcomes her fears. She’s the freaking Wraith and you can’t stop her. Just deal with it – part 2.

When you put Inej and Kaz together, you have my favorite couple. My OTP. My “I will go down with this ship”. You know what you also get? This:

He was going to break my legs ,” she said, her chin held high, the barest quaver in her voice. “Would you have come for me then, Kaz? When I couldn’t scale a wall or walk a tightrope? When I wasn’t the Wraith anymore?” Dirtyhands would not. The boy who could get them through this, get their money, keep them alive, would do her the courtesy of putting her out of her misery, then cut his losses and move on. “I would come for you,” he said, and when he saw the wary look she shot him, he said it again. “I would come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together—knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.

I’m not okay, you guys. I’m not. I need more of them. I need so much more. Because while that ending was perfect is so many ways, it still didn’t give me enough. *SPOILER* I want my kiss! GIMME MY DAMN KISS, LEIGH! And yes, chapter 26 was the death of me, I still need more. MORE. MORE. *END OF SPOILER*

*breathes*

And then there’s Wylan, the boy who was the closest to us, the readers, because he didn’t have any super developed special talent. He was ordinary when compared to the rest of the gang, but he made himself indispensable by learning to accept himself and work his strength. Wylan is probably the easiest character to love, and loving him was a great experience.

Wylan also loves Jesper, and I ask you, who doesn’t? After Kaz, Jesper is the character with the most troublesome personality. He’s a gambler, a boy who will lose control of himself and put the lives of the people who matter most to him in danger. But he’s also the easygoing, flirtatious and funny guy who’ll make you laugh out loud. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s father is adorable.

And when you put Jesper and Wylan together? We have perfection because they’re just THE CUTEST. OMG, that scene with Kuwei? *dies* It was so, so funny and awkward and Jesper. I LOVED that Leigh waited until the moment she did to have Jesper and Wylan become a thing. Perfect moment for the perfect couple.

*takes a deep breath because what comes next will hurt*

Nina, my dear Nina who deserved better than what Leigh reserved for you. Nina who is the life of a party and the life of this group of crazy, talented and dangerous teens. I want to hug you and be your BFF because you’re also Inej’s BFF, and the three of us together would rock the world. In her struggle to fight her addiction to juda parem, Nina became a much stronger (and more interesting) character, if any of that is even possible. I loved how she never gave up on her true mission and how she fought Kaz and convinced him to include her people in his plans. How she never stopped teasing Matthias until he finally gave in to their love. How…

I’m crying now, and I’ll never forgive you, Leigh. Nina deserved better.

Oh, Matthias. The strong Matthias who was at war with himself. The boy who fell in love with his enemy. The soldier who became a criminal. Matthias, you were the voice of reason this group so often needed and not often enough listened to. My heart cannot take this anymore. *SPOILER* Why did you have to do this to him, Leigh? Matthias didn’t have to die. He simply didn’t. His death, especially the way it happened, was pointless and cheap and… I can’t accept this. I can’t accept all the tears I dropped. What the heck happened to “no funerals”???? Chapter 39 was awful. You should’ve never written it. Except it was also beautiful. But you still should’ve left it alone. I can’t forgive you for ruining this part. *END OF SPOILER*

Nina and Mathias together is life. That’s all I’ll say.

Matthias gave Nina the barest warning glance. They could fake a pregnancy test. They couldn’t fake an actual birth. At least he didn’t think they could. He wouldn’t put anything past Kaz at this point.

I loved the plot twists and turns and new twists. I loved the scheming and the plans. The running, the revenge, the fights. But I loved the characters SO MUCH MORE. This is what this book is about for me: Inej, Kaz, Matthias, Nina, Wylan, Jesper. All of them as a group. Them as my favorite ships. This is what I’ll remember years to come. The talks about fights, scheming and plans; the moments they sat together at a hotel room or a shelter or anywhere else and brainstormed, all while teasing each other.

Jesper Llewellyn Fahey, that is enough!” Colm roared. (...)

Then Nina giggled. “You are in so much trouble.”

Jesper scowled. “Matthias, Nina let Cornelis Smeet grope her bottom.”

Nina stopped laughing. “I am going to turn your teeth inside out.”

“That is physically impossible.”

“I just raised the dead. Do you really want to argue with me?”

Inej cocked her head to one side. “Jesper Llewellyn Fahey?”

“Shut up,” said Jesper.“It’s a family name.”

Inej made a solemn bow. “Whatever you say, Llewellyn.”

“Kaz?” Jesper said tentatively.

But Kaz was staring into the middle distance. Wylan thought he knew that look.

"Is that—?” asked Wylan. “Scheming face?” said Jesper.

Matthias nodded. “Definitely.”

“I know how to do it,” Kaz said slowly. “How to get Kuwei out, get the Grisha out, get our money, beat Van Eck, and give that son of a bitch Pekka Rollins everything he has coming to him.”

This, you guys, is what this book… this series…is about. This is why I’m holding myself, rocking back and forth and trying to convince myself it’ll be okay. This is over, but it’ll be okay.

*If you liked this review (or not), if you read the book (or not), come say hello and leave your comments bellow.