Sign in with Facebook
“No one knew his name to curse or extol, so I spoke it softly, beneath my breath.
“Aleksander,” I whispered. A boy’s name, given up. Almost forgotten.”
― Ruin and Rising
“Aleksander,” I whispered. A boy’s name, given up. Almost forgotten.”
― Ruin and Rising
“He reached up and brushed his knuckles over the wetness on my cheek. The smallest smile touched his bloodstained lips. "Someone to mourn me." He dropped his hand, as if the weight were too much. "No grave," he gasped, his hand tightening on mine, "for them to desecrate."
"All right," I said. The tears came harder. There will be nothing left.
He shuddered. His eyelids drooped.
"Once more," he said. "Speak my name once more."
He was ancient, I knew that. But in this moment he was just a boy- brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.
"Aleksander."
His eyes fluttered shut. "Don't let me be alone," he murmured. And then he was gone.”
― Ruin and Rising
"All right," I said. The tears came harder. There will be nothing left.
He shuddered. His eyelids drooped.
"Once more," he said. "Speak my name once more."
He was ancient, I knew that. But in this moment he was just a boy- brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.
"Aleksander."
His eyes fluttered shut. "Don't let me be alone," he murmured. And then he was gone.”
― Ruin and Rising
“I'll tell you a story-
one that I used to tell a little boy with dark hair, a silent boy who rarely laughed, who listened more closely than I realized. A boy who had a name and not a title.”
― Ruin and Rising
one that I used to tell a little boy with dark hair, a silent boy who rarely laughed, who listened more closely than I realized. A boy who had a name and not a title.”
― Ruin and Rising
“You were meant to be like me. You were meant . . . You’re nothing now.”
He dropped his hands. I saw realization strike him. He was truly alone. And he always would be.
I saw emptiness enter his eyes, felt the yawning void inside him stretch wider, and infinite wasteland. The calm left him, all that cool certainty. He cried out in his rage.”
― Ruin and Rising
He dropped his hands. I saw realization strike him. He was truly alone. And he always would be.
I saw emptiness enter his eyes, felt the yawning void inside him stretch wider, and infinite wasteland. The calm left him, all that cool certainty. He cried out in his rage.”
― Ruin and Rising
“For a life of the kind you and I have never known and will never know— quiet, peace, the surety of love.”
“There is nothing sure about love. Do you think love will protect you when the Fjerdans come to capture the Stormwitch?”
She didn’t. But maybe she wanted to believe there was more to life than fear and being feared.
She yanked down the shade and tapped the roof. The coach travelled on, up the cramped cart track in slow switchbacks. At last, they rattled to a stop.
“Stay here,” she said, hooking his shackles to the seat. She descended from the coach, closing the door behind her. Mal and Alina stood on the sanatorium’s stairs, but when Alina saw Zoya, she smiled and raced down the steps with arms open. Zoya blinked away an embarrassing prickle of tears. She hadn’t known how Alina might greet her, given the circumstances. She let herself be hugged. As always, Ravka’s Saint smelled of paint and pine.
“Is he in there?” Alina asked.
“He is.”
“You bring me the worst gifts.”
The tabby had returned from its sojourn and was twining through Misha’s legs. It padded over to Zoya. “Hello, Oncat,” she murmured, hefting the cat into her arms and feeling the comforting rumble of its purr.”
― Rule of Wolves
“There is nothing sure about love. Do you think love will protect you when the Fjerdans come to capture the Stormwitch?”
She didn’t. But maybe she wanted to believe there was more to life than fear and being feared.
She yanked down the shade and tapped the roof. The coach travelled on, up the cramped cart track in slow switchbacks. At last, they rattled to a stop.
“Stay here,” she said, hooking his shackles to the seat. She descended from the coach, closing the door behind her. Mal and Alina stood on the sanatorium’s stairs, but when Alina saw Zoya, she smiled and raced down the steps with arms open. Zoya blinked away an embarrassing prickle of tears. She hadn’t known how Alina might greet her, given the circumstances. She let herself be hugged. As always, Ravka’s Saint smelled of paint and pine.
“Is he in there?” Alina asked.
“He is.”
“You bring me the worst gifts.”
The tabby had returned from its sojourn and was twining through Misha’s legs. It padded over to Zoya. “Hello, Oncat,” she murmured, hefting the cat into her arms and feeling the comforting rumble of its purr.”
― Rule of Wolves
Our Shared Shelf
— 222844 members
— last activity May 05, 2026 10:03AM
OUR SHARED SHELF IS CURRENTLY DORMANT AND NOT MANAGED BY EMMA AND HER TEAM. Dear Readers, As part of my work with UN Women, I have started reading ...more
The Feminist Orchestra Bookclub
— 4575 members
— last activity Mar 11, 2026 05:04AM
Discover and recommend more feminist reads here: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/96419.The_Feminist_Orchestra_Potential_Reading_List We're also o ...more
Goodreads Librarians Group
— 322799 members
— last activity 3 minutes ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more
Francesca’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Francesca’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
2,061 books
|
4,477 friends
3,483 books
|
5,075 friends
1,723 books
|
5,704 friends
3,771 books
|
5,085 friends
203 books
|
5,790 friends
667 books
|
5,112 friends
1,353 books
|
7,154 friends
369 books
|
13,279 friends
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Francesca
Lists liked by Francesca
