Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Six of Crows
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Six of Crows #1
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Release Date: September 29, 2015

Summary from Goodreads:
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

Review

Is it a surprise to anyone that I loved this book? "A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who had became a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse" - this cast of characters is like my dream come true. And a plot involving an impossible heist with lots of deception, trickery and power-plays in a world that I've already fallen in love with couldn't be more perfect. I devoured this book and I cannot wait for me.

Leigh Bardugo's execution of this story was pretty flawless. We learn more and more about these characters and their pasts - explaining who they are and why - with each turn of the page. New layers to the heist unfold with each new chapter read. It was like peeling an onion and and with each layer I became more and more invested, more and more enraptured.  By the end of the story I didn't want to say goodbye.

I loved how different these characters were but how perfectly they fit together. I loved watching the dynamics within the group evolve and deepen. I loved the strength of the female characters in this story who are beyond inspirational. I loved how Kaz Breaker was always one step ahead. And I loved how, despite their occupation which breeds distrust, they had become a little family and cared for one another. They were fearless, daring, and compassionate when it came to protecting their own but dangerous, merciless and calculating to those who dare cross them. It was the perfect combination. And I rooted for them every step of the way.

I loved the exploration into the other lands in the Grishaverse. I loved that the plot centered around  enhancing Grisha power. I loved every time Nikolai's name was mentioned in passing (maybe this was just me). For fans of the Grisha trilogy, it was just the right taste of a world we knew while being something entirely new and exciting. You do not need to read the Grisha trilogy to enjoy this book.

Everything about this book just worked for me. It was adventurous and unpredictable and so, so easy to love. This book was completely satisfying and yet that ending left me thirsting for more. I can't wait to go on another adventure with this gang and to watch them beat the odds again. Book two's release honestly can't come soon enough.

This book released on Tuesday and if you haven't picked it up already/don't pick it up soon, you are making a mistake a mistake. It was an easy 5 stars. An easy favorite. Leigh Bardugo rocks my world.