These Books Among Us

The Tailor by Leigh Bardugo (18 pages) My Rating: 4 Stars Date Read: 2 September 2016 Synopsis: New scene from Shadow and Bone told from Genya's point of view. My Review: There are going to be spoilers not only for this story, but also for the Grisha trilogy, so if you haven't read either of those, please turn away now! I love Genya. She was one of my favorite characters in the Grisha Trilogy, so getting a story from her point of view is a gift! Oh my goodness, I forgot how much of an instigator she is. When she runs into the other Grisha, it's hilarious to see her push their buttons. Granted, this is really the only way she is able to interact with them, but still, it's great. She's such a perfectionist too! One thing I like about this story is that we get to see the reasons on why she acts as she does. We get to see the affects of the queen's constant abuse on her. How  the queen's betrayal from years before turned her into the soldier ...

The Witch of Duva by Leigh Bardugo (32 pages) My Rating: 4.5 Stars Date Read: 2 September 2016 Synopsis: There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls...or so the story goes. But it’s just possible that the danger may be a little bit closer to home. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s debut novel, Shadow and Bone. My Review: There will 100% be spoilers in this review, so read at your own caution. Um. I did not see that ending coming. Not by a long shot. Okay, Leigh Bardugo is a master wordsmith. This story was so creepy and foreboding, I just can't keep up with her. The writing style was kind of mystical and whimsical, but it a really dark way. I have no  idea how she does it, but holy crap, she does it so freaking well! I love how the ending was such a twist. I thought, in trying to "out-trick" Ms. Bardugo, that it was going to be Nadya who was the monster because that would be something weird, right? WRONG!! Wrong on every ...

The Too-Clever Fox by Leigh Bardugo (32 pages) My Rating: 4 Stars Date Read: 17 August 2016 Synopsis: In Ravka, just because you avoid one trap, it doesn't mean you'll escape the next. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s upcoming novel, Siege and Storm, the second book in the Grisha Trilogy. This story is also included in Some of the Best From Tor.com, 2013 Edition My Review: One thing I love about Leigh Bardugo is that she goes so in depth in the world she created! I absolutely love basically anything Leigh Bardugo will ever write, these short stories included! This story, like the others, gives the female characters so much agency and power!! There are spoilers in the rest of the review from here, so be warned! We, as both the readers and as the Fox, don't suspect this seemingly weak character to be able to do anything, but boy does she surprise us!! I loved how the fox was so trusting in this girl because how could a girl be dange...

The Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo (68 pages) Date Read: 12 August 2016 My Rating: 4 Stars Synopsis: Limited collector’s edition of the final book features an exclusive Darkling prequel story! Before he became the Darkling, he was just a lonely boy of extraordinary power. Get a look into the past that forged a brutal and brilliant leader. My Review: "Fear is a powerful ally, but feed it too often make it too strong, and it will turn on you." Can I just say that I love Leigh Bardugo for giving us all of these short stories to keep us in the world of the Grisha? If you read this, thank you so much for writing it!! Okay, now onto the review (which will include spoilers, so read at your own risk): This is a very interesting and kind of unexpected view into the Darkling's past and childhood. It's strange to see him any less than what he is painted as in the novels. Now, it has been a while since I read the Grisha trilogy, but I feel like I appreci...

Little Knife by Leigh Bardugo (32 pages) My Rating: 4.5 Stars Date Read: 30 July 2016 Synopsis: In this third Ravkan folk tale from Leigh Bardugo, a beautiful girl finds that what her father wants for her and what she wants for herself are two different things.  It is a companion story to the third book of the Grisha Trilogy, Ruin and Rising, and the stories “The Witch of Duva” and “The Too-Clever Fox.” My Review: This is one of the companion stories to the Grishaverse novels, and I loved it. I really respect when authors put together stories that would be in the folklore of the world they built. I can imagine Alina or Nina getting told this story when she was a kid. I loved how this story was so much about girl power and a woman's rights to her own personhood.  I enjoy any kind of fairy tale, but I especially love one that takes place in a world I adore. The language used was very mysterious and lyrical, much like the Grimm Brothers or Hans Christian Anderson ...