Six of Crows Blog Tour: Six signs you have what it takes to join Kaz's crew!

Today I am so excited to be hosting "Six signs you have what it takes to join Kaz's crew" as part of the Six of Crows blog tour. I'm sure a lot of you know that I am a massive fan of the Grisha trilogy and Six of Crows and it is always a pleasure to have Leigh on the blog! This is a joint tour so make sure you check out Reading Teen as well for the sister part to this post!

Here is a special message from Six of Crows author Leigh Bardugo herself about today's post...

"Hey, Jess! Thank you so much for being a part of the Six of Crows blog tour. I've been living with the members of Kaz's crew for so long that it's hard to remember exactly how they all came into being and developed their particular skills, but I can at least tell you who arrived first: Matthias, Nina, and Kaz. 

A few years back, my agent Jo and I were on a bus in Ireland (long story), discussing possible bonus content we could offer fans of the Grisha trilogy. I realised that I really wanted to write something from the point of view of a Fjerdan drüskelle, one of the deadly witchhunters who pursue Grisha. Because as frightening and brutal as they are, I could still understand the fear that would drive them. I wanted to put a Grisha soldier and drüskelle into a survival situation and see what might happen. But was it a short story? A novella? I wasn't sure. Then I got the idea for Six of Crows and I had my answer: Nina and Matthias, two people with some serious history and plenty of prejudice between them, would be part of the team forced to band together to pull off an impossible heist. 

As for Kaz, the leader of the crew, his story began with an idea for a character known as Dirtyhands, a boy for whom no deed was too low, no job too dangerous. He's the criminal you go to when you're out of other options, the person you don't want to be indebted to, the guy you never want to hear knocking on your door. As soon as I knew who would be leading the team, the rest of the characters began to take shape."

Six Signs You Have What It Takes To Join Kaz's Crew 

To join Kaz's Crew you need to be...Resilient 

A big theme throughout Six of Crows is resilience and to be part of Kaz's crew you need to have it in buckets. The crew is made up of characters with horrific pasts but what's important is that you bounce back from the horrors of the world time and time again and be stronger for it.
Most Resilient Crow: Kaz 

To join Kaz's Crew you need to be...Cunning

This crew has an impossible heist to pull off so you need to be ruthless and willing to do anything to see the mission through. Each crew member needs to be cunning enough to make sure that nothing stands in their way.
Most Cunning Crow: Jesper 

To join Kaz's Crew you need to be...Calm 

With all the craziness that comes with being a crow crew member you need to be able to keep your cool in situations where chaos is going on around you. You need to be able to stay calm and focused to complete what needs to be done.
Most Calm Crow: Nina 

To join Kaz's Crew you need to be...Intelligent

To be part of Kaz's crew you need to think outside of the box. Heist's take a lot of planning beforehand but you also need to be somebody who thinks on their feet to save yourself and your crew from tricky and unexpected situations.
Most Intelligent Crow: Wylan 

To join Kaz's Crew you need to be...Courageous 

Being a crow means willingly putting yourself in dangerous situations as part of the job but as well as risking your life daily you're also going to have to face and overcome some of your most personal demons.
Most Courageous Crow: Inej

To join Kaz's Crew you need to be...Strong 

Whilst it's good to have physical strength, as a crew member it's more important that you're mentally strong. To live life as a crow you need to have incredible inner strength in order to face a life of trickery, deceit and risk.
Most Strong Crow: Matthias 

Giveaway 
From 24/9 - 29/9, bloggers in the US and UK will be paired up to share their own Six of Crows-inspired lists, such as six tips for surviving the Grishaverse, six signs you do/don't have what it takes to join Kaz's crew, and more.

But wait. There's more! Enter to win a Six of Crows prize pack full of US AND UK swag by commenting on all 12 blog posts by 11:59pm EST Friday, October 2.

See Leigh on Tour!

For more of my thoughts on Six of Crows check out my review here.

Review for Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Indigo
Release: 29th September 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:

"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 
Six of Crows is like the hotter, maturer, dangerous older brother of the Grisha trilogy and boy did I love the Grisha trilogy! In Six of Crows Leigh Bardugo takes everything that I love about her first series and expands upon it making this her best book yet. This is the Grishaverse as you’ve never seen it before.

The book is told between five of the main characters as they try to pull off an impossible heist. I love books that are told from more than one point of view but I was a little worried going into this that I’d find five perspectives confusing. That may have been the case if told by a less accomplished writer but Leigh has created a group of distinct characters who are both sexually and ethnically diverse who are their own unique blend of good and bad and come with their own set of motives and desires. The different perspectives kept this book constantly moving and allowed us to view the heist from all angles. It allowed us to get to know these characters more complexly and also explore the backstories that made them who they are which was one of my favourite aspects of this book.

The way that this book is crafted is nothing short of extraordinary. It only gives you information about the world and characters as and when you need it which not only felt really natural but also provided a lot of surprises. Despite Six of Crows being a big book it’s fast paced and impossible to put down with heart stopping, jaw dropping moments laced throughout.

In short every aspect of Six of Crows was epic and faultless. Not only is this a strong addition to YA Fantasy but also to high Fantasy. It can certainly hold its own next to the likes of Game of Thrones and The Final Empire. This is easily a firm favourite of mine for 2015 – don’t miss it!

Blogging Break

Hi everyone, this is just a quick little update post to let you know that I won't be around for a while. I'm going on holiday tomorrow and when I get back my puppy is getting spayed which will take her a little while to recover from so she'll be needing more care and attention than usual for a few days after the op. I'll be returning to the blog towards the end of September. I hope you enjoy the last days of summer and some of the exciting September releases while I'm gone. I can't wait to return refreshed and excited for Autumn.

Review for Night Owls by Jenn Bennett

Night Owls by Jenn Bennett 
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release: 13th August 2015
Genre: Contemporary
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

"Meeting Jack on the Owl - San Francisco's night bus - turns Beatrix's world upside down. Jack is charming, wildly attractive ...and possibly one of San Francisco's most notorious graffiti artists.

On midnight rides and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who this enigmatic boy really is. But Jack is hiding much more - and can she uncover the truth that leaves him so wounded?"

Review 
Night Owls is a highly accomplished YA debut that fluctuates between sexy, sad and sweet and puts a new spin on everything that I love about Contemporary YA. It’s a book that tackles themes that I’m used to reading about but Night Owls delivers them in a fresh new way with art at the heart of the story.

Bex and Jack are two of the most edgy new characters that I’ve come across recently. Both of them love art but choose to express it in different ways. Bex’s heart lies with anatomical art (which was actually more cool than creepy to read about) and dreams of illustrating science textbooks someday. Jack on the other hand is a graffiti artist who has become infamous for his spray painted words that keep appearing all over San Francisco. I loved how passionate both characters were about their work and the lengths they would go to for it.

As well as Bex and Jack’s passion for art, they also have a passion for each other that burns slowly after meeting on a night bus. I have to say that this is one of the most accurate accounts of a teenage relationship that I’ve read about. The chemistry between Bex and Jack is steamy but also sweet and tender. This book also gets major props for portraying teen sex in a mature and realistic way that bursts harmful stereotypes about teenagers being “irresponsible” or “immature” and doesn't make teenage sex feel shameful or taboo.

I also loved the family relationships portrayed in this book, they reminded me so much of the relationships I had with my own family as a teenager. Jenn Bennett delivers these authentic feelings of that strange in between time when you’re no longer a kid but not quite a grown up and so everything is still under your parents control and the frustration that can bring.

Overall Night Owls not only was the perfect blend of everything that I love about this genre but it also went that extra mile in making this book read so authentically. If you’re a contemporary fan looking for something a little bit special that stands out from the crowd look no further than Night Owls.

Review for Darkmere by Helen Maslin

Darkmere by Helen Maslin 
Publisher: Chicken House
Release: 6th August 2015
Genre: Horror, Thriller, UKYA
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis: 

"A castle. A curse. A dangerous summer.

Leo has invited Kate and a few friends to spend the summer at his inheritance, Darkmere Castle: as wild and remote as it is beautiful. Kate thinks it will be the perfect place for her and Leo to get together - but instead, she's drawn into the dark story of a young nineteenth-century bride who haunts the tunnels and towers of the house. And whose curse now hangs over them all."

Review 
I’m loving the horror trend in UKYA at the moment and Darkmere was a summer release that I couldn’t wait to get my hand on! That cover and tagline was enough to sell me on it and Darkmere delivered that blend of summer contemporary and gothic horror story that I wanted from it.

The book is told in alternate chapters set in both the past and the present. It follows Kate in the modern day and Elinor in 1825 as they both come to spend time at Darkmere castle. Kate is spending her summer there with her crush Leo and his friends and Elinor becomes lady of the castle after marrying Darkmere’s master Mr St Cloud.

The girls’ stories are eerily similar and as you get to know Leo and his ancestor St Cloud you hope that Kate’s story isn’t destined to follow in the same footsteps as poor Elinor. Despite our two characters destiny’s being scarily intertwined the voices were very distinct and so it never got confusing to read.

I think that my favourite thing about this book was exploring Darkmere castle itself. At the start of the story Darkmere seems like an idyllic place to spend the summer with its private beach and remote location but you gradually learn that it’s not a place you’d want to stay in by yourself after dark! Darkmere castle felt very much like a character in its own right and like Kate I loved exploring the secrets and mysteries it held within its walls.

Darkmere is the perfect blend of gritty summer contemporary and intriguing historical ghost story and is perfect for fans of C.J. Skuse and James Dawson. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a different kind of holiday read – just don’t read it near water!