#not even read crooked kingdom and i know this. pretty sure we get more insight to her bg in soc than we did jesper to start with

[archiephd]

kinda sus to have everyone hallucinate integral although rushed insights into their backstories and motivations except for inej who, despite also having an integral backstory and motivations still to tell just like every other character locked in the poisoned room, hallucinates uhhhh [checks notes] kazekage. nakedhands. kaz baker. about to kiss her. it's whatever though

[probablytenderjourneys]

SIX OF CROWS AND CROOKED KINGDOM-LEIGH BARDUGO

There is no secret to anyone that knows me that the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo is my favourite thing to ever exist. The books are my comfort books; there is no describing the comfort I feel whenever i talk about them or read them; but if you are a reader like me, I'm sure you understand. There are so many things in those two books that just make me feel so safe and happy although I always end up sobbing whenever i read them. I'll try to tell you a bit about the characters and why I absolutely adore all of them, without spoiling too much(or anything). First of all:

1. Kaz Brekker: 17 year old boy, dark hair, tragic past. Need I say more? Kaz is a morally grey character, extremely smart and gifted with lots of abilities. Although he is part of a gang, and has scammed and killed people, he isn't 'bad'. Everything he does has a purpose- and in a city like Ketterdam, is rare to find people who wouldn't do anything and everything for money. While he does love money(quite a lot) he is motivated by his need of revenge. It's pretty rare that he loses control and does things without thinking them through. Amazingly developed character with an incredibly cool name.

2. Inej Ghafa: did someone say the strongest girl I've ever read? 16 year old who went through a life time of trauma. She kills and helps Kaz with his schemes, but she never loses her faith or her good nature. She is vicious, dangerous, deadly-but never cruel. She is wise and smart and just overall has a good heart. She does what needs to be done to stay alive and to keep her friends alive, but never enjoys it. One of my favourite female characters ever because even though she has feelings for one of the other 5 people in her team, she knows she deserves better and she never settles for anything other than that. She puts herself and her dreams and plans first. Also incredibly skilled and brave.

3. Nina Zenik: 17 year old powerful queen, sarcastic, brave and confident. A soldier who fights for what she believes in and stands her ground. Loves food and isn't hiding it. 10/10 one of my favourite women.

4. Matthias Helvar: 18 year old bigoted prick but we grow to love him as he develops. Looks like he could kill you and he most definitely can, but won't because he's a sweetheart (after he overcomes the prejudices that were put into his head).

5. Jesper Fahey: 17 year old that loves his guns and his gambling. Comedic relief, smart, incredible sharpshooter, charming and just overall a lovely character. I love him and some of his scenes broke my heart. He sometimes deserves better than what he gets.

6. Wylan: 16 year old- the rich boy of the group. Smart and brave. Even tho he is sort of 'nerdy' I love that he wasn't stereotypical at all. He is sassy and stands up for himself and for those he feels are being wronged, even against Kaz when he's at gis worst-definitely shows the kid was some courage in him.

Positives:

I love that we get chapters from all 6 perspectives. This way we really get to know the characters on a personal level, really see inside each of their minds. They are all brilliantly well developed characters- they go through changes, they learn to adapt, they learn that some things are not as black and white as they thought. We really get enough insight into their past, and we learn why each character is the way that it is. Details are given in time, not all at once. It really feels as if we are literally inside their brains. Each chapter made me feel as if I was becoming the character. The only character that doesn't have his own chapters in Six of Crows is Wylan, but Leigh Bardugo makes up for it in Crooked Kingdom.

-What attracted me to this book in the first place was the gang aspect; it somehow reminded me of Peaky Blinders. Despite it being about a heist, there is romance, not as the main focus but more as a subplot I would say-just enough to make you enjoy it without taking away from the main plot. The books also have lots of funny, heartwarming moments. Not to mention the heartbreaking ones. I can't even remember how many times I sobbed reading the books. I still cry about it sometimes, years after I read it for the first time. This what tells me a book is good: I think about it months and in this case, years after I've first read it.

-another positive is the diversity in these books: we have characters dealing with addiction, disabled characters, characters of colour, plus sized characters, characters dealing with trauma, characters dealing with various mental disorders, characters of different religions(although fictional) and characters of different sexualities. There is something for everyone. It also deals with xenophobia and sex trafficking, forced prostitution and fetishizing of different traits such as skin colour, hair colour etc. It also keeps a pretty feminist approach- there is no rivalry between the two girls in the group( Nina and Inej) and they are incredibly supportive of each other( i LOVE a good female friendship). Even when talking about the girls who 'work' at the brothels, they aren't shamed if they are there by choice- they are supported, which was good to see; it is important to see a book where sex workers aren't shamed or judged, especially considering that there is still stigma around the profession.

-what i also enjoyed is that the plot is not predictable. It keeps you on edge, it challenges you to guess the possible outcomes of every situation. Even the plans and schemes are sometimes(most of the time) hidden- we don't really learn the purpose of something until after it is done. Leigh Bardugo's mind is incredible- she comes up with the most amazing plot twists and turns. You can't really get bored of it- because if you don't keep reading, you may never find the real plan, the real purpose, why the characters choose to do certain things. It is honestly so entertaining to try to guess what happens next.

Negatives: -it does take a while to get into the action. The beginning of Six of crows involves a lot of planning, scheming, secrets- which to me seems only natural. We follow these characters through their journey and their journey isn't action packed at all times(this said, the book is never boring; there are interesting things happening at all times, even if we didn't reach the main part of the plot). The actual heist itself is more focused towards the second half of the book and that's where it really gets intense. If in the first half you find time to relax and breathe, in the second half everything comes crushing down. For me the pace wasn't a problem but I know some people like to get into things right away.

-sometimes it's hard to believe that the characters are 16 to 18. They seem so much older, so mature at times but this again seems normal to me. They went through traumatic events that most people don't go and shouldn't go through at such a young age. They were forced to grow up and mature fast because otherwise they wouldn't be alive. It's not really a negative in my opinion, but thought it was worth mentioning.

Overall, this duology is a 10/10 for me, 5/5 stars. I read it so many times and will continue to re-read it. Each time I read it, I enjoy it the same as I did when I first discovered the books. Leigh Bardugo is an amazing author.

[fuwafuwamedb]

Dodging Death Pt 6 (Hakuno, Caster Gilgamesh)

Previously: 1 2 3 4 5

____

Ah, of course.

Magic retainer to lover.

Hakuno stared at the man a moment before she averted her gaze to her drink.

There was nothing to fear here. No, there was a more obvious explanation, one that would explain why Cu hadn’t fully listened and why she wasn’t really reacting strong enough to someone suddenly appearing where her cat had just been standing: she was drunk.

It wasn’t a big deal.

Whatever bottle she’d been partaking in, even though it was such a small amount, was no longer going to be drank in her home. In fact, she was going to go completely and one hundred person sober from here on out. She’d eat right, no more sweets-

…Okay, like one dessert a week.

She’d have one dessert a week instead of indulging in the daily sweets. She’d exercise and train from here on out. She knew Emiya was doing archery with Sakura. Rin did boxing a bit and sojutsu with Cu Chulainn. She could do one of those things. Or maybe she could become a boxer. She could get some serious arm muscle and start really working out.

That’d be cool.

Yeah, she’d learn to box.

“Hakuno…”

The point was, she was going to be a better person. She’d finally lost it. She had imagined her cat transforming into an obnoxiously attractive guy. She was no doubt panicking because, on some level, she’d had unprotected sex with a guy who-

“Shit,” Hakuno breathed.

The man stared at her.

“…How many women do you sleep with?”

If there was a man in her house, which her hand on his chest said there was, then she had slept with someone and not somehow bruised and bit herself. That meant she’d had sex with someone with no regard for consequences.

The man’s jaw dropped, his coughing and pulling back making her feel no better than before.

“Woman, I am not explaining this to you-“

“Are you tested?”

He just stared as though she’d asked something entirely ridiculous.

“Are you tested for diseases? It’s a simple yes or no question.”

“Hakuno, there’s no testing for diseases. One asks their gods to ensure that they are not struck down by illness.”

She cursed, climbing out from under him and onto her feet.

Great. So she’d slept with a guy who didn’t know the first thing about diseases and she’d had that great sex without any regard towards her own wellbeing.

“I could be pregnant with our luck.”

Another big absolute no in her mind. They weren’t doing that. She had classes to attend. She had friends to make and friends to fight with. If someone was going to date her, it would be after they became friends and became close. Emiya had been as close to acceptable as someone had ever become. Since he was a big no, there was no one else.

So, tomorrow morning she’d go and visit the doctor. It was a Saturday. There’d be a few hours at the doctor’s office that she could sneak in during to get a complete workup. She’d ask for some medicine to help prevent this panic from happening again and-

The man’s hand took hers, the blond nearby holding it as though he’d just grasped the most fragile piece of glass in the world.

“…I was not aware that your fertility was so great…”

She shook her head.

“I’m sure I’m probably not,” she told him, pulling her hand away.

They were tabling this conversation. Yes, they weren’t going to be considering that kind of thing when there were bigger problems.

“What’s your name?”

A name would let her know who to look up the next time he came whisking into her home and then scurrying out with the sun. If he was real. She was quite determined to keep that idea far, far from close to mind.

The man nodded, clearing his throat a bit.

“I suppose that this is all quite sudden for you. I hadn’t considered, since you had taken most everything so well, that you would become a bit concerned about a proper introduction. Since I am technically courting you and intend to claim you for myself, it is only just.”

It was only just. The man helped her to sit beside him on the couch and smirked, pressing a hand to his chest.

“I am Gilgamesh, Mage King and son of the god Utu’s child Lugalbanda and the goddess, Ninsun. I rule over the kingdom of Uruk, a kingdom of great prowess and insight. We are the luminaries of the world, the keepers of the great knowledge of the ancients. I defeated the great bull of heaven. I slaughtered the great monster of the Cedar Forest, Humbaba. I partook in the bounty of Uruk’s splendor and rose the kingdom to immense heights to such a level that the gods themselves weep in envy.”

Arrogant.

He was Gilgamesh and he was extremely, unerringly arrogant.

He’s worse than his story.

Hakuno stared at him for a moment, watching him turn that gaze to hers once more as he rattled off his accomplishments. He leaned in closer, that fine face just mere centimeters away from her own.

“I’m Hakuno Kishinami. Student. Librarian. Ancient Studies amateur researcher in the making.”

“Researcher… like on the television?”

Like on…

Hakuno shook her head, “Those researchers are for solving crimes. The only crimes I solve are in artifacts and ancient times. Like- What kind of meaning comes from these old texts,” she motioned at the epic.

“Hakuno.” The man snorted, covering the smirk on his face that said she’d said something incredibly stupid. “If I had my court here, I would forever record the absurdity of your words. Despite your metal horses and your finer technology, I’m afraid you must get your head out of your books and realize that Uruk is just a mere ride or so away from here.”

“The remains of it, maybe.”

She wasn’t dumb. She knew that the remains were out there. They’d made it a historical site and one in need of preservation but-

The man leaned in closer, his frown etching deep lines upon his face.

“Excuse me?”

“Uruk. Its remains exist.”

“What are you talking about? I came from there a mere month or two ago.”

No, she’d plucked her cat off the street a mere two months ago.

“Hakuno,” Gilgamesh moved closer yet. “Uruk cannot be destroyed so easily in two months’ time.”

“This isn’t funny. You can stop this and just tell me your real name.”

The man glared at her.

“Uruk’s been gone for centuries. Millenia. It’s… Hold on.”

She grabbed her laptop, against her better judgement, and turned it on. While it was booting up, she went for her drink, but the man downed it on her, setting her glass down harder than it needed to be set down.

She pulled up a selection of images, opting for the visuals since words probably wouldn’t mean much.

The man simply stared at it.

“…What is this?”

“Uruk.”

“My Uruk has the center ziggurat. There are channels running through the districts to ensure flowing trafficking of goods from one area to another. I have districts with smithies and breweries…”

“You may have had that at one time.”

But he didn’t have that now.

The man pulled the computer into his hands, looking at the keyboard and the mousepad in a strange manner. His fingers pressed to the screen, jumping a little at the fact that she had a touch screen.

“It’s ah… Let me show you,” Hakuno offered.

The man was either a brilliant actor or insane.

As she navigated the sights, showing him the images on the screen, she found him pulling her into his arms. Anything they’d discussed before was permanently tabled. His eyes were running over the images. His face was paling to the color of bleached sheets. Those red eyes were looking at the words, his voice barely getting out the question of what everything said.

“Uruk fell.”

He felt so still.

Hakuno glanced up at him as she read through the downfall of the kingdom. She could feel those fingers digging into her person as she described what she read.

“You should know some of this. There’s a large excerpt on the death of the advisor, Siduri and about the blasphemous clay being, Enk-“

“Don’t.”

Hakuno felt him reach in front of her, closing the laptop and setting it on the floor. His arms pulled her closer to him.

“Don’t speak of this right now. You are a maiden and you allowed me the comforts of your body before. I simply need the feeling of your person against my own. I require your silence and your arms holding me right now.”

That face nuzzled her own. The man holding her shivered and nuzzled her, pulling blankets over their bodies and murmuring softly to her.

“It is always so damn cold in your home.”

“I can’t afford…” Her words stopped at the sight of the king’s eyes closed. There was a wetness that hit her face underneath his.

He’s…

The man could have done anything.

Rage, threaten, scream, grow violent, try to come onto her; all of those things would have had simple answers of calling the police and sending him out of her home. She would have had a drink, called up Rani, complained about the asshole that had come into her home, and gone on with her life. It would have confirmed that the man was insane.

Seeing someone who’d just proudly declared that he pretty much could rule a kingdom and defeat the biggest of enemies begin to look like this…

Hakuno wiped at his face, murmuring for him to release her a moment.

She cranked up the temperature in the house, grabbing the blankets from the bed and bringing them to the living room. She pulled the coffee table closer and, after making a pot of coffee, she wrapped herself under the blankets with the king.

“What is this?”

“Coffee.”

“You enjoy your coffees,” he murmured.

There was nothing not to enjoy about her coffees. She sipped at them, grateful for pouring an ungodly amount of sugar into her drink. The man at her side sipped at his black version of the drink, humming appreciatively.

She set the television to one of those music stations, where it would just play soft music and let them see something just visually pleasing. Her body ended up atop his, nestled into his arms.

“I should find you clothes,” she murmured.

“I have no need for such things right now,” the man murmured to her, burying his face into the crook of her neck. “I have dreamed about holding you for days. Allow me my indulgences.”

“You are not my cat,” Hakuno argued.

“I have seen your naked body more times than I can count on these hands, Hakuno,” the man replied, smirking into her skin. “I know every curve, every dip and inch… I’ve nuzzled this chest you have so many times when I wished to rest.”

The man purred like a cat as he said that last bit.

“Had I possessed you in my time, I would have surely been harassed less about the task of seeking rest. I would have come to my bed far more easily.”

“Mhmm.”

“I know that you don’t like if there’s too much pressure on your chest,” he continued. “You are especially weak to someone moving anything light against your belly and chest though.”

As though to prove his point, he stroked at her stomach lightly, watching her squirm and nearly knock their drinks out of hand.

The mugs were abandoned.

The king pulled her deeper into his arms, kissing lightly at the top of her head.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to argue about his being a cat part of the time. He didn’t seem all that eager to bring it up either. Without that, they were left in a moment of silence, listening to the soft music playing in the background. His hand not holding her close began to brush back her hair gently.

Those lips of his pressed lightly to her forehead, then to the top of her head.

“I found my way here,” he murmured, taking his time to move those hands of his to her back. The man was working miracles on her back, making her sink into his embrace. “I will simply need to recall the magic I used before when we resolve this transformation problem of mine and we can return to my time. We’ll save Uruk.”

“You will,” she corrected, yawning lightly.

“We. Will.” The man tilted her chin up, pausing from his ministrations to look her in the eye. “I cannot promise you that your life will be simple. I cannot promise you that I will senselessly spoil you until you can want for nothing. I learned from a young age that such things cannot satisfy a person.”

That hand stroked her cheek softly.

“What I can promise you,” he continued, “is that there will never be a moment in your life where you are without option. I can promise you the joy that you showed to me upon having your magic freed. I will spend all the time that you wish teaching you how to use that power of yours. I will show you what the ancients, what your ancestors in particular, took great pleasure in while you were forced to live as a mongrel amongst mongrels.”

“You have a kingdom to look after,” Hakuno countered.

“I do.”

“I don’t need to know how to use my magic.” Despite how fun it would be to know, she could always just take pleasure in the fact that she could be lazy about turning off light switches. “Just take care of your people.”

“We will,” he pushed again, pulling her up his person a bit, delving one of his hands into her hair and tilting her face towards his. “I have seen what you are capable of. Harnessing winds to dry my hair, changing the temperature of a space without magic knowledge, harnessing the world’s information into the device you used before; your qualities are endless.”

She had no idea what he was talking about, but it sounded nice when he said it. She leaned into that hand, finding him stroking his thumb across her cheek.

“I thank you for the coffee.”

“Coffee always helps. At least, for me it does.”

She fell asleep, deep enough that she didn’t register anything until the sun started to stream into the room. The body beneath hers began to shake, pulling out from under her and waking her up in time to see the shaking of a light golden coat and the soft mewl of her cat.

Gilgamesh was once more G.

“It was too good to be true that you’d stay human, huh?” Hakuno asked, yawning lightly.

The cool air hitting her chest made her look down.

“…Really, Gilgamesh?”

When had he taken her shirt off? Why had he taken her- But there was a bitemark on her chest, showing just off to the side of her aching chest. Shifting merely told her that she was going to be taking a shower to simmer down this morning.

“We’re having a talk about what can and can’t be done when I sleep,” she warned the pet, stalking passed him with her comforter wrapped around her person. “You can forget about any coffee privileges if you become human at all in the next week.”

She showered.

She dressed.

Taking an extra few minutes, Hakuno found herself looking in the mirror.

Other than a bit of fatigue and a couple bruises she’d need to tuck her turtleneck over, she didn’t look that bad. Perhaps magic helped…

Magician Hakuno.

Now if she could just magic some knowledge into her head.

Wait…

Can I?

Hakuno moved into the living room again, finding G swaying gently to the sound of the music on the television. Those eyes opened lazily, regarding her with mild interest as Hakuno sat down.

Wasn’t this always the dream: to simply press your head to a book and gain all the knowledge through an osmosis kind of thing? The book was filled with translations and grammar rules about Sumerian. If she managed it, then she could really talk to Gilgamesh. She’d never have to study again.

A light, inquisitive mewling came from nearby.

“Just a second, Gil.”

She had to check this out.

She pressed her head to the book lightly.

Memorize.

The rush came like the crack of a whip, like a surge of burning heat speeding through her veins. Words and sentences flashed through her mind’s eye. She could feel her mouth and her throat aching for some reason, like she’d been talking for hours and had groan hoarse. The more she tried to breathe, the more it all hurt.

She could hear G meowing nearby, but she couldn’t fully see what was going on. Opening her eyes just made the piercing migraine increase.

Her body grew dizzy.

The floor was coming up to meet her.

And the world grew black.

[unicorns-bookshelf]

Title: King of Scars

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 4/5

Beware! Spoilers to all of Grishaverse ahead!

I have to admit – I binged the whole Grisha Trilogy just so I could start reading King of Scars with a full picture. And I’m glad that I did because it made reading this book so much better. I was excited to see all the characters that accompanied Alina on her adventure. It was so refreshing to see them without being a background to her story and the relationships in the group were absolutely wholesome and made me so happy.

But off to the review we go!

King of Scars takes place three years after Alina defeated the Darkling and destroyed the Shadow Fold. Ravka, like always, is in a bad place financially and surrounded by neighbors who are ready to start a war. Not to mention the winged Shu soldiers who abduct Grisha to experiment on them with the use of parem. If that wasn’t enough bad news, Nikolai’s closest friends and guards need to make sure no one knows that the monster The Darkling had put into their king started acting up and now our favorite monarch spends his nights either sedated and in chains or relieving local farms of their livestock. 

Good time? In Ravka? Yeah, I don’t think so.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Fjerda, Nina along with two other soldiers of the Second Army is on an undercover mission to smuggle Grisha from the country to Ravka and also find a proper place to lay Matthias’ body to rest. Because we didn’t need our hearts anyway. 

I am sad to say that the one lacking star in the rating is for the plot. It was really amazing until half of the book, the political intrigue was shaping up nicely, there was the curious mystery of the miracles happening around Ravka and it was fascinating to watch how Alina’s and the Darkling’s legacy shaped up the country and what was the aftermath to the war. Zoya and Nikolai were on their way to get rid of the demon in his body and everything was shaping up so nicely. Things on Nina’s end were getting spicy too as she and her team worked to discover the mystery of a factory in a Fjerdan village and why was it poisoning the local river. At least in this end, the plot didn’t disappoint until the end.

But in Zoya’s and Nikolai’s POVs… The Saints happened. 

Oh boy. I can’t even express how random and confusing this subplot was. 

Let me get this straight - the Saints are important to the Ravkans. They’re a huge part of their beliefs and religion. Their martyrdoms and actions shaped the nation and sure, in The Grisha Trilogy we see Illya’s direct legacy have a huge part in the story, his actual descendants, the results of his experiments with merzost and it is hinted that maybe he’s even alive someone out there, kept young by his Grisha power but the whole point is that he’s not directly involved in the story. He doesn’t just appear out of nowhere in front of Alina being like “Hey girl, let me tell you about those sweet amplifiers I’ve been working on” and suddenly solving all her problems and giving her a super boost in power. He stays an element of Ravkan history and mythology, even if his past actions are crucial to the plot and behavior of certain characters. That’s what the Saints are and what they should stay. 

But no, apparently three of them picked by a random generator are locked in a pocket dimension on the fold and just chilling there until Nikolai and Zoya get somehow sucked in. Ones with the powers and knowledge that could obviously benefit the characters. It was just so… Unreal and random and we just got a half-assed explanation for it that sounds like a story made up in five minutes without any deeper consideration for the world’s lore and magic system. And I get that the Darkling’s experiment destroyed the world’s balance but this had absolutely nothing to do with anything the Darkling was trying to accomplish. It felt like something written by a completely different author with little knowledge of the source material. And if this were means to an end, I feel like it could have been accomplished in a much more plausible way.

I didn’t hate everything about the Saints subplot. I’m happy it gave us some background on how life as a Grisha was in the past, the origins of the name and some amplifier lore too. I love that Zoya got a power boost and I would love to see her change into the dragon in the second book because let’s be honest that would be absolutely awesome. I also hope that the second book will elaborate on the topic, making it more believable and incorporate it into the world’s lore in a logical way. Maybe even show more Saints so that those three wouldn’t feel like special snowflakes chosen just to achieve the ending and give the characters a power boost. I could really just roll with it if we get a more thought-out explanation in the future because as soon as they entered the Saints’ little realm I felt like I was reading about Zoya and Nikolai experiencing a mass hallucination. 

And that brings me to the ending. I know a lot of people hate it and honestly, I kind of share that sentiment. However, I must admit - it had me curious. The Darkling’s situation is completely different than it was in the Grisha Trilogy. I trust the author enough to give her a benefit of doubt in this case and see how she handles this situation in the next book. I’m curious about the Darklings interactions with other characters, as in TGT he was pretty much only focused on Alina. On one hand, I wanted a new villain or no villain at all, just a good political intrigue with some magic. On the other, I’m curious to watch the whole situation develop. 

Now it’s time to talk about the characters because they’re exactly what made this book enjoyable, even when the plot went south. 

I know most people came here for Nikolai and I have to admit that so did I. And don’t get me wrong, I absolutely wasn’t disappointed. We could finally see Nikolai outside of Alina’s POV and it was a feat. The prince seems a little more mature than in TGT but his sense of humor and charming attitude stays the same. We get to learn about his childhood, his insecurities, and concerns both regarding the monster that is inside him as well as ruling his country. His POV allows us to see him as a more wholesome character than in TGT as back then our opinion on him was influenced by Alina’s thoughts and narration. I was very happy to see more of him and I still love him to bits.

But it’s the girls that take the spotlight in this book.

When I read the Crooked Kingdom, I had a certain picture of Zoya which didn’t exactly line up with what I saw after reading The Grisha Trilogy. Of course, from the first book to the last, Zoya went thought some character development, growing out of her mean girl phase but all we’d known about it was that she lost her aunt when the Darkling used Alina to expand the Fold. King of Scars gives us an insight into her past, more information about her relationship with the Darkling and it’s all glorious and shes glorious and ruthless and I love how she’s not softened in any way as a part of some questionable character development. I want to see this girl turn into a dragon.

Nina’s POV made me love her even more than in Six of Crows. She’s still fabulous and ready to stir trouble wherever she goes. Her goodbye with Matthias was heartbreaking but I’m glad her whole storyline wasn’t based on moping after him. I loved that Matthias’ wolf was incorporated into the story and I hope we’ll see more of him. We also got a bigger display of Nina’s powers twisted by parem and I enjoyed it so much. Nina is always ready to help other girls and women and all I can say is… Icon. 

There was also a fourth POV introduced half into the book, one of a completely new character - a royal guard called Isaak. I did love him and he was shaping into a great character but the things happened and, well… We won’t be seeing any more of him and I was really looking forward to the part where he wouldn’t be playing Nikolai and we could see him as his own person. I feel like it was quite a waste but on the other hand, I didn’t grow to care enough to be bothered by it.

When it comes to relationships, both romantic subplots are a big yes in my book. When I started King of Scars I was very not on board with the whole Nikolai and Zoya thing but this book made me love it. Let’s just wish we don’t get some crappy love triangle in the second book. When it comes to Nina and Hanne, I was so excited to see Nin with a girl and Hanne is a great character who has a huge potential for development and the fact that she’s Brum’s daughter makes these dynamics even more interesting. Those two are going to conquer Fjerda together. 

Platonic relationships in the book are also delightful and heartwarming. I especially loved the Grisha Triumvirate and Nikolai acting like one big family and also Adrik being done with Nina starting drama in Fjerda and disobeying his orders like the Dreg she is and Leoni just applauding her? Absolute feast.

All in all, would I recommend King of Scars? Yes, I definitely would to all the Grishaverse fans and if you’re a new fan quickly go grab the Six of Crows duology and either The Grisha Trilogy or just a recap article on it since not everyone has enough nerves to go through books that have such annoying characters as Mal or Mal. Oh and also Mal. Sadly knowing at least basic stuff about the Grisha Trilogy is crucial for understanding this book so you can’t just avoid it like with Six of Crows. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book because I can’t wait to see where all of this goes.

[myselfinserts]

❝ Lions and tigers and bad taste, oh my! ❞

The rise of quirks and heroes in society had cause a great deal of change since their birth. One great change, the resurgence of arranged marriages. Quirk marriages to create powerful offspring.  Most countries have now outlawed them. Others have simply reworked them into a new way of making it seem appealing. Rather than matching people by quirk, they were also looking into rank, family, and so on. At a quick glance, it felt almost like an arrangement you’d find in a dime store romance novella. Everyone got dressed up, and were presented to the public as both suitor and savior.  Marriages would be arranged by both the couple and their respective associates. 

And thus, Reginald Gladstone found himself at the front of the new social season. Despite not wanting to be. 

Lucky for him, this year’s first major event was a diplomatic ball held in Paris. 

"Okay,” Regi said, “so I think I have a solution to this whole arrangement ball debacle."

"And that is?"

"Marriage."

Étienne rolled his eyes, not taking his attention off the stove. "Reginald, I already told you, I'm not going to marry you so you can get out of your responsibilities. I'm a happily married man already, and I'm not going to serve Ceri divorce papers just to-"

"Not what I meant!" Regi groaned. "I don't have to marry you specifically. I just have to find someone else who'd be willing."

"And then what? Break some poor sap's heart when you're finally free of this? That's low Gladstone."

"Not if this person also wants out of the situation."

Étienne turned around, shooting him a look. "…You're seriously dumb enough to try and cheat the system like this?"

Regi smiled, leaning against the counter playfully. "How long have you known me?"

"Too fucking long. Now get out of my kitchen and go set the table."

“I’m serious, E!” The technonaut did as he was instructed, though he refused to let the conversation drop. “I just need to find someone to keep the public off my back!”

“You mean to keep McMiller off your back.”

Regi winced. Before the start of this year, the two had been inseparable. Him and Mary had made Elspie’s biggest news story. Everyone was certain they’d get married. But Regi broke it off not long after encountering Étienne at a conference with an acquaintance of his. The lovely lady was of sharp wit and had great insight on many things. Including when it came to boundaries. Something, he realized, Mary lacked. 

“Look, Étienne, I’m serious.” Regi sighed, setting down the last utensil. “If I don’t find someone, the EHA is going to insist on me and Mary becoming a match. And unless you know someone who’s in need of a beard, I’m at a loss as to what else I’m supposed to do.”

Étienne set the lasagna pan on the tray in the center, staring pensively at the set up. “...Perhaps I might know of one or two people in attendance tomorrow. I could introduce you, at least.”

“Really?!”

“I’m only doing introductions, Gladstone. How you humiliate yourself in front of everyone is up to you.” 

Regi smiled brightly. “That’d be more than enough. Thank you.”

Étienne pinched the bridge of his nose, trying hard to ignore the oncoming migraine. “I really don’t want to attend, but L insisted. Ceri is excited. Might as well try and do some networking.” He narrowed his gaze on Regi. “Just don’t do anything stupid like get stuck like a stray cat.”

“I won’t do anything stupid, Étienne. I promise.”

Étienne raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing more and continued finishing up preparing dinner. Regi hurried in to grab the drinks, smiling widely from ear to ear to the point where his cheeks hurt. 

There was no doubt in Étienne’s mind. 

That man is going to get himself into all kinds of trouble.

They tried hard not to laugh. They really did. But L and Phoenix couldn’t stop looking at each other in between the photographs of all who would be in attendance. Most were in casual attire, but some were photos of what the guests would be wearing that night. The costumes and arranged dresses for some of the VIPs were the most gaudy, unflattering things they’d ever seen. Bright colors in sickly shades that would no doubt cause even Regi to flinch back in horror. 

“Can you believe some of these things?” Phoenix asked, snacking on the deli platter. “I mean, really.”

“Well, you know how it goes,” L giggled. “When in Oz, find a house of a different color?”

“Pretty sure thats not how it goes.”

“Oh you’re right. It’s more ‘Lions and tigers and bad taste!’”

“Oh my!”

They burst into laughter, nearly spilling their food. The two almost regretted having to be there on the job. A party like this would have been a great time to relax and just enjoy the night air. Sadly, they’d been offered a gig that was too good to pass up. The King of Estmund, King Davis, was to be in attendance with his heir, Prince Mirakel. As well as the island kingdom’s only hero, the Peaceful Shepherd Hero; Amaryllis. And they were to help the Estmund hero guard the royals. A decent enough assignment on its own with a high payout, and if the gossip surrounding them were true, the Prince was supposed to be a delight to be around. 

What really sold them on this job was the perks. Phoenix and L were both offered, along with the usual payment, a two week vacation to one of the manor houses by the coast. They’d be waited on hand and food, have free range of the grounds, and of course, they’d be allowed to spend time at the castle. A building infamous for being filled with cats. 

More than worth a few days babysitting a prince. 

A knock at the door brought the them to their feet, and they straightened up to meet the young prince at last. The doors opened, and the Peaceful Shepherd walked in, face partly covered with their mask and hood up. With a bow, their hand held out, gesturing to the person walking in as the doors closed quickly behind them. Dressed in lovely shades of navy, with bright bubblegum blue hair and soft spinel eyes. 

“Introducing their Highness, Prince Mirakel of Estmund.” Amaryllis motioned for the Prince to step forward.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” the Prince said. “Phoenix, Lady Lazarus. I understand you are to be my guards tomorrow evening?”

L and Phoenix exchanged a look, turning their attention to the Shepherd and in eerie unison, “We are, your Highness.”

Amaryllis and the Prince stared at them in shock. “I’m sorry?”

“Cut the act,” L said gently. “It’s not going to do us any good if you want us to actually do our jobs.”

“What, is this a parent trap situation?” Phoenix grumbled. “Really not up for that kind of gig.”

“No, I assure you, it isn’t anything like that.” Amaryllis sighed, removing their hood and mask. “Lucien Adaire is the name I go by legally. You can call me Luci. I only take on the Mirakel name when doing royal duties.”

The ‘Prince’ shrugged, moving a hand over his face, changing his eyes from spinel to snow white. His other hand reached up, removing the wig he’d been wearing and shaking out his long, tawny hair. “Count Gossamer, at your service. Lauris will suffice. I’m the prince’s body double.”

“Please don’t tell anyone about this.”

“Please do tell us how you figured it out.”

Phoenix paid them no mind, simply looking at L with a cocky smirk. “Alright, pay up.”

L let out a huff, reaching into her pocket for her wallet. “How much?”

“Enough for a five gallon tub.”

“Really? Would have thought it enough for ten.” 

Luci stared at them, slack jawed. “How...what?”

L looked over at them, her mask perfectly reflecting their bewilderment. “Oh, Phoenix and I had a bet going. She thought that trick would be enough to get you both to drop the ruse. I said it wouldn’t. My mistake.”

Lauris bit his lip, trying not to laugh. “Sneaky indeed.”

Phoenix laughed. “Yep.” She wrapped an arm around L’s waist. “Don’t worry. I’ll share.”

“Wait,” Luci insisted. “How did you-”

“Oh, it was a guess,” she said. “Based on some news footage of the Helsinki incident. Where you instinctively did the reach for that crook of yours when the embassy got attacked and ‘Amaryllis’ was trying to drag you away.”

“....Ah.”

“I warned you that I should have taken over for you that day,” Lauris chided. “Let’s hope no one else is as smart as these ladies.”

“Don’t worry,” L assured. “Only about five of the people on that guest list would qualify. We won’t tell anyone.”

Luci smiled softly. “Thank you.”

“No sweat.” Phoenix sat back on the sofa, picking up a copy of the newspaper. “Now, how about some ice cream and we discuss how we’re getting you both out of the marriage debacle?” She held up a finger to silence them. “You’re as obvious as a romcom movie to us. Silence and we shall save your ass.”

L curled up beside her, humming contently. “They really are as predictable as one of Ceri’s novels, aren’t they?”

“You love a good romance.”

“That I do.” She leveled her gaze on their charges, smirking. “I’m guessing you are in a desperate state to find true love but don’t want to both trap your potential partner in such a responsibility and want the freedom that comes with being Amaryllis, not Mirakel.”

Luci looked over at Lauris. “Am I really that obvious?”

Lauris smirked. “No comment, your Highness.”

Phoenix flipped the page of her newspaper, not even looking up. “And you’re not interested in marrying because you both don’t like it in concept and also because you’re not able to be with the person you want to be with. Political obligations?”

The cheerfulness in Lauris vanished completely. “Not everyone is lucky enough to find someone and stay with them.” He narrowed his eyes warningly. “You certainly do your research.”

“No, you’re just really easy to read. Much more than this newspaper.”

“You’re enjoying this.”

“Far too much. Now about that ice cream?”

“Do sit down,” L insisted. “Look, we’re not going to blab about this to the tabloids. We just want a full understanding of the situation before we go forward.” She reached over, picking up a glass of juice that had been left for her. “Makes our jobs all the simpler. You both want what’s best for you, right?” They nodded. “Then just leave it to us.”

Luci put their hood back up, sighing in defeat. “Very well. We are in your care.”

“Excellent. Now, let’s discuss your plan for escape, shall we?”