2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Crooked Kingdom, the second book in the Six of Crows series by Leigh Bardugo.

Pages: 561 pages

Length: 1 month (June)

Participants: SarahKat, Carmen

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

I envy those of you currently reading this book for the first time. I read this after watching the series on Netflix and found the two mutually exclusive.
I definitely prefer this series to the Shadow and bone trilogy.

The author does not pull any punches andI read it in several hours in one sitting. It's one of those novels that will stay with me and be the comparison to other books in the genre.

I hope you all enjoy.

I'm looking forward to it! Carmen, let me know when you want to start. I own it so I'm flexible.

Can I still join? This one is on my tbr list!

Of course! Welcome Jade!

Thank you!!

I will be starting this tomorrow I think

Has anyone else started this?

Through Part 3: (view spoiler)[I like how cunning Kaz is, but Van Eck is giving him a run for his money which is a little concerning.

I love that we are getting more Jesper and Wylan in this one. I wish Wylan would go back to his normal look. I don't know why I care. I guess it just feels awkward. I don't understand how he didn't think his father was evil until he finds out he had his mother sent to an asylum (she didn't die like he told his son). He ALSO tried to have Wylan killed. He's obviously evil!

Jesper's father is there which adds another level to his story. I feel so bad for him that he feels so guilty and full of shame for gambling and getting involved in the Dregs. Like Nina said, Jesper is really the only one of them with any caring family left.

Nina is interesting just because the parem messed up her power and now she controls... dust and bones? Maybe she's a necromancer now. I don't really like how much page-time her and Matthias are getting with their relationship. They have some issues to work out, but they are mostly solid. I'd rather have more Inej/Kaz time. They have WAY more issues to get past!

As for the plot itself, a ton is going on. Kuwei, Nina, and Matthias are all going with the Grisha to Ravka. I have a feeling that may not work out very smoothly. Maybe. Inej is going to put the weevil in Van Eck's sugar and they will all get rich on the other sugar. Very simplified. (hide spoiler)]

I will be reading this one at the weekend!

SarahKat wrote: "I'm looking forward to it! Carmen, let me know when you want to start. I own it so I'm flexible."

I totally forgot we have this buddy read this month, I don't know why I thought it was in July...
Sorry, I'll start with it as soon as possible

I just finished the first part, and I loved meeting the gang again.
Intriguing and interesting beginning, where Bardugo lays the pillars upon which she will build the rest of the plot.
(view spoiler)[My heart bleeds for Inej, I think she's my favorite character. I wish Kaz was more open, less cold...(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Glad you made it Carmen!

I'm through Part 4: (view spoiler)[Things are not looking good for our heroes...

Looks like I was right about Nina being a necromancer! I'm not sure it's exactly the same. As she says she doesn't really "raise" the dead, she can just... use them. It was pretty cool how she was able to save Inej with the dead on Sweet Reef. However, that skill doesn't seem as helpful as heartrending because you would have to have something dead within range at all times. Still cool.

I still want more Inej/Kaz. I think they are 2 of the most emotionally damaged and I just want them to be happy together! Inej meeting someone who could best her was sad. I missed if she got the weevil in at least the first silo? But maybe it doesn't matter anymore since everything went to crap anyway.

I liked Matthias being able to lead Jesper and Kuwei out of the graveyard using their Grisha talents. That was pretty cool. I liked seeing him in action away from Nina for once.

Kaz is really not doing well. Pekka Rollins helping Van Eck to bring him down is very bad. I think he'll come up with some insane scheme to get them out of it but right now it looks pretty hopeless. And the fact that he and Jesper had that fight and Kaz called him Jordie. He's really affected by not being able to protect his loved ones. Even if he won't admit he loves his little crew. (hide spoiler)]

Through Part 5: (view spoiler)[Genya, Zoya, AND Sturmhond! Yay! I'm glad he made an appearance in this one. It makes me more excited for King of Scars. I am also glad Genya changed Wylan's appearance back.

Jesper accidentally kissing Kuwei instead of Wylan was shocking. I had been thinking Kuwei was just a kid, but I guess they are all just kids. It's easy to forget.

The whole plan right now is kind of a lot to follow. I know Kuwei is auctioning himself and I think the whole plan is to have Ravka (Sturmhond) buy him so they can take him back, along with all the Grisha. Kaz has a bunch of jurda farms in another name he uses to make this all happen.
At the end of the section the Council of Tides shows up saying it's a sham. I'm not sure if this is what they wanted to happen? Kaz is too smart for me obviously.

The chapter where Kaz and Inej have their moment was very sad. I wish he could touch her without having flashbacks. Maybe he'll magically be healed from all his trauma when he bests Pekka Rollins.

Wylan is potentially in trouble as well, but again, that might have been part of the plan all along. He's in his dad's clutches being beaten for information. I'm thinking and hoping he probably gave them the wrong info. (hide spoiler)]

Finished!

(view spoiler)[I had a feeling the Council of the Tides was fake and it was Grisha Tidemakers that showed up. That whole section was intense. There was so much going on. They "killed" Kuwei so he could go live in freedom. They got framed Van Eck for doing all sorts of illegal things, and Kaz got Wylan the Van Eck fortune.

I'm glad Kaz is making an effort for Inej, and as much as I would have been okay with a lovely magical trauma-healing and being able to touch her, I am happy it wasn't that. Just a simple effort. Baby steps. (hide spoiler)]

I really liked this, maybe more than Six of Crows. I'm very excited for King of Scars

This is hands down my favourite book of all time. I hope you guys enjoy/ed it :)

I'm reading this one today!

SarahKat wrote: "Has anyone else started this?

Through Part 3: I like how cunning Kaz is, but Van Eck is giving him a run for his money which is a little concerning.

I love that we are getting more Jesper and Wyl..."

Hi!
I've just finishid part 3, and I totally agree with you.
(view spoiler)[I loved all the glimpses into the "previous lives" of some of the members of the gang.
I guess it's normal for the author to complicate things a little for the protagonists to make the final success more epic.
I hope Van Eck gets what he deserves in spades. He's the devil incarnate. (hide spoiler)]

SarahKat wrote: "I'm through Part 4: Things are not looking good for our heroes...

Looks like I was right about Nina being a necromancer! I'm not sure it's exactly the same. As she says she doesn't really "raise"..."

It never rains but it pours...

Carmen wrote: "It never rains but it pours..."

That chapter was intense!

I am only on page 92 oops. Work has been hectic, so I am a slow reader at the moment. I missed the Crows so much! I'm loving it so far.

I finished it right now, and I loved it, not my favorite book ever, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
All's well that ends well, but somehow some ends were not tied so well...🥹 (view spoiler)[I hope Mathias' death helps Nina with her new power, and that Kaz overcomes his traumas and becomes the great man that only Inej seems to foresee. (hide spoiler)]
Call me ignorant, but I didn't know that this series is set in the same world as the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Grishaverse... 🤦‍♀️, that I haven't read yet, so I will try to correct this blunder as soon as possible, and then I will go for the King of Scars.

Carmen wrote: "I finished it right now, and I loved it, not my favorite book ever, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
All's well that ends well, but somehow some ends were not tied so well...🥹 [spoilers removed]
Call m..."

Glad you liked it! When I first read Six of Crows years ago I didn't realize it was part of a bigger "series." I'm glad I came back to this duology after reading Shadow and Bone. I think it helped round out the world.

Just finished this one. I did not like this book very much. It was a bit boring and too detailed. There is just too much information. For me, the book did not have to be 500 + pages long.

Chapter 40 made me ugly cry. Why, Leigh Bardugo? Why him???

I loved the ending, though. Kinej and Wesper are adorable!

Jade. wrote: "Just finished this one. I did not like this book very much. It was a bit boring and too detailed. There is just too much information. For me, the book did not have to be 500 + pages long.

Chapter..."

That's how I felt about Six of Crows when I read it the first time. I enjoyed both this time around though. There is a lot going on!