King of Scars, Leigh Bardugo – Readalong

Hello Humans! It’s finally time for me to read a book that has been sat on my shelf since release day, which is an embarrassingly long time for something I preordered. This year I managed to finally finish the Grisha trilogy and therefore I feel like I can now properly enjoy King of Scars. We shall see…

Goodreads Summary:

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

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Chapter One – Five

I forgot how much I enjoy Leigh Bardugo’s banter. It’s a lot. This lady can write dialogue (cough…flirting).

Yeah, just starting out but so far I’m really enjoying it. I’m definitely glad I read the Grisha trilogy first even though I didn’t actually like them particularly. But I am loving the start of this book. I mean there’s a lot of angst, I am excited for Nina to pull herself together and start being a badass again because for the moment I kind of want to hug and then slap her…

Chapter Six – Fourteen

I’ve hit the halfway point and boy am I loving this. Nina is getting her mojo back, Nikolai is dealing with stuff that’s pretty difficult but he isn’t being a wang about it – it’s good writing.

If you didn’t like six of crows or crooked kingdom I’d say you’re unlikely to enjoy this because it is that similar writing style.

But yeah, genuinely not sure where the second half of this book is going to go but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to find out.

Chapter Fifteen – Twenty-two

OK. New POV alert – which is something I would never have expected this far through a book but it actually works incredibly well. This is definitely two shorter books smooshed into one, the split at the halfway point is exactly where a film or TV show would stop and say ‘to be continued’ and the audience would groan.

Having said that, other books can’t pull off the ‘smooshing two books’ but in this case, there was enough action in the first half to carry it and there is (so far) enough new stuff in the second half that I haven’t got bored. I need a good kiss soon I think – rarely do I feel a book needs romance but maybe I’m just in the mood.

Chapter Twenty-three – Thirty

Aaah so good. I kind of don’t want to stop reading ever. Things are getting dramatic and I remembered this is a duology and if there is a cliffhanger ending I am going to be pissed.

Chapter Thirty-one – End

Ok, a bit of a cliffhanger ending but not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Enough to make me want the next book now. I forgot how lucky I was that I could binge read the six of crows duology – waiting is the worst.

But yes, not enough kissing but that’s a me problem not a problem with the book.

Final Verdict

I loved this. I kind of knew that I would but something about reading those original three books and not liking them had me doubting. This, however, was a pleasant return to what I love about Leigh Bardugos writing. That woman can craft characters and write dialogue and just make your heart break for fictional individuals in a way that few others can. Just wonderful. When can I read the next one?

My rating: 4/5 stars

I bought this book myself, all opinions are my own.

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What will the TBR jar choose next?