Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo

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.

-- Goodreads.com description --

Shadow and Bone was the first book I read by Leigh Bardugo, and even though I heard some mixed review, I was pleasantly surprised by this book! There were some plot twists that I liked and the world itself was amazing! Furthermore, I loved all the characters in this book, which is a big plus for me! The magic system and the mythology were pretty cool, and the setting is more Russian than any other fantasy I've ever read! Which, of course, made it original. I couldn't put this book down, and I read it in less than two days! I highly recommend this book to all young adult fantasy lovers out there!

Ultimately, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars! I loved it and I already started reading the second book in The Grisha Trilogy, Siege and Storm.