Book Review: The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges

Title: The Unfailing Light

Author: Robin Bridges

Series: The Katerina Trilogy #2

Genre: Paranormal YA, Historical Fiction YA

Amazon | Goodreads

Publisher: Delacorte BFYR

Release date: October 9, 2012

Source: ARC from the publisher via NetGalley

Summary: Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She’s about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia’s arch nemesis–who she thought she’d destroyed–is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She’ll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina’s horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in.

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Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leah Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leah Bardugo

Series: The Grisha Trilogy #1

Genre: Fantasy YA

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co

Release date: June 5, 2012

Challenge: Debut Author Challenge, YA/MG Fantasy Challenge

Source: NetGalley

Summary: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.