want a real life adventure? come to Australia we have spiders bigger than your hand.

What a quick easy read. I smashed this book out in a few hours.

I've actually been meaning to read Shadow and Bone for ages. I've seen many excellent reviews raving about this 'spectacular' book and maybe my expectations were to high, because unfortunately this book didn't quite meet them. I think some of the issues i had with Shadow and Bone is that it starts like an epic fantasy, it dumps you into this magical world that you know zero about and you have to try and stay a float in this new knowledge and figure out whats going on or drown under the flood of confusing information. The main character did help with this, while she knew some information, she overall wasn't very knowledgeable. So we both learnt as we went along.
The main character, Alina started off as a major wuss, she was absolutely terrified of everything, Alina was also sick and weak, it was by far an interesting start to a main character introduction, unfortunately something amazing happened and she became pretty much the most powerful person ever and our hero. sigh. it would be nice if our main character for once was more...ordinary. yea odd request i know. lol.

Shadow and Bone while good wasn't what i'd call remarkable. The world was incredible, nothing like I've ever come across before. The darkness was a brilliant idea. Shame the rest of the book let it down. The same old politics, the same old court back-stabbing, the charismatic good-looking ones where the evil guys and the ugly ones slightly less so. The good guy finally realised he loved the ugly duckling once she turned into a swan. The 'swan' is concerned the handsome villain is right, that her 'good-guy' will never fully accept her like he can, only he can fully understand her. never mind the fact he's heartless and utterly evil, a good face and charm is all one needs to draw a nitwit.

So yea, beyond the world its the same old trope. maybe i wouldn't of noticed it so keenly if the start hadn't been more unique. I usually enjoy a good ole cliche now and then, and i suppose i did sort of enjoy this one too... i just have a few complaints as well.

Ahhh well, I suppose all that matters is i found the book good enough to read the next.

here's hoping to new and exciting things.