Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Grisha Trilogy Book 1)

    Alina has never felt wanted by anyone. She was an orphan and is now serving in the King's First Army with the only friend she has ever had, Mal, as a mapmaker while he is a tracker. All of that changes when "sticks" vanquishes the volcra while crossing the void. It couldn't have been her, she just wanted to do anything she could to save the man she loved. But, the darkling seems to think that she is Grisha and a Sun Summoner. Now, at the little palace she must learn how to control her powers in order to save the kingdom from the void, created long ago by an ancient and power-hungry man.
     The more Alina fights who she is becoming the harder it becomes. It seems that the pressure that everyone around her has put on her shoulders is too much and she may never be what the Kingdom requires of her. That is until a dark secret is revealed to her and she must do everything in her power to save the Kingdom from the darkness that is descending upon it.
     I managed to start this book one day and finish it just a few short days later. When I began this book I was not aware that this is being released on Netflix in 2020. It simply came up on my list of suggested audio-books and I liked the cover. I have hopes for the TV series now, but will have completed the other two books in this series by November if I have my way about it.
     Before we get into who Alina is and how much I enjoyed this book I just want to say that the strong Russian ties, along with the choice of the last name Starkov is one of my favorite things in this book. My favorite children's movie is Anastasia, with my favorite character in it being Demitri Starkov. So, a character with that same last name made me overly pleased. Leigh will take you into her world and make you feel everything that Alina feels. Every disappointment, betrayal, and flash of anger shall become your own.
     I do not want to give anything away, but this is a fantasy book that will leave you on the edge of your seat. This promises to be an amazing series and it will be very hard for me not to immediately begin book two on this series. If you see this book anywhere, no matter your age, please grab it. Especially if you are a fan of fantasy!
This book is available on Amazon for $7.80 at https://amzn.to/3cLttrx.