Book Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Ruin and Rising
The Grisha #3
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: June 17th 2014
Review Source: Purchased

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

I cannot express how much I love the first two books of this series. I freaking adore them… which is rare because this is a high fantasy series and I am not a fan of fantasy. And as a fan of the characters, I was freaking out because the end of the second book didn’t end on a good note. Well, for all those Mal’s fans. So when I say that I didn’t enjoy the third book as I did with the first two, well it’s shocking. WHAAT?! YES! I still can’t believe it. Don’t get me wrong, I did love how the book ends, which I will not spoil since I know some of you haven’t read it. Anyways, the third book felt so different for me.

Leigh Bardugo is a master of actions. This is why I adore her books. The woman can write a book like movie script! This is what I was expecting in Ruin and Rising... but for some reason, I felt this book slow. It had some actions, but compare to the other books, it was slow. Either way, the story take such a turn and it had me turning pages. I wanted to know what Alina would do next and if she was ever going to complete her search or fail. In which she did succeed… with some unexpected arising issues. The Darkling didn't let go her go easy... And if you have read the books, you know he's a fighter.

As a fan of Leigh, I was thankful that she made the end right. I feared how she would take the end of this series. Thankfully, she eased my pain and I was glad I kept reading. For those of you that haven’t read the series, I recommend that you do. Leigh is gifted, when it comes to writing actions, she's a master.