Review to come! 
 Update 11/14/15: 
 See more reviews on my blog Novels and Necklaces 
 I'll admit it, I've never read the Grisha Trilogy...I know, I know, it's terrible. Suffice to say, I'm definitely reading the entire trilogy as soon as I'm able. With all the hype surrounding this book, I was a bit afraid to start it. It's happened to me before where everyone is loving and raving about a book and when I read it, I don't see what everyone is talking about. But, if you couldn't tell by my rating, this book is AMAZING! 
 This story has 6 main characters and 5 different POVs, which for some readers might seem daunting, but Ms. Bardugo's writing is absolutely perfect and these different POVs are handled in an expert way that doesn't cause any confusion. In the hands of a less skilled author, this book could have easily been a complete mess, but Ms. Bardugo made each character so unique and flawlessly flawed that you loved reading from every perspective. I actually didn't have a favorite perspective because I loved all of these characters equally! Each of the 6 main characters has their own voice, personality, and wicked traits that you can't help but fall in love with. While some of the characters you don't want to like, you find yourself loving them anyway. It takes an extraordinarily talented author to do this, and Ms. Bardugo definitely has this talent. 
 This is set in the same world as the Grisha Trilogy, but if you're like me and never read the original series, you need not worry at all as there is no confusion. Things are well explained and while I might have missed some extras thrown in for fans of the first series, I still loved every aspect of this world. It is so intriguing, and is very dark and gritty. The one thing I greatly enjoyed was how well Ms. Bardugo blended real world elements with the supernatural. There's plenty of exciting action with street gangs competing for territory to breaking a convict out of prison, all mixed with sweeping, epic fantasy. Every scene is well described and the book plays out like a movie in front of your eyes. 
 While I'm not always the biggest fan of third-person (I think it takes a certain story and a certain type of author to be able to pull this off well), this story was perfect for the third-person-POV. I honestly completely forgot it was in third-person because I felt such a immense connection to each character. My problem with third-person is that you sometimes can't get that connection with the character and don't get to know them that well. But one of the reasons it worked so well in this book is that it allowed you to constantly be surprised by what was going to happen next. It also allowed almost every main character to be represented equally. 
 Definitely check this out if you are looking for an epic fantasy that is fast-paced and action-packed. You will not regret reading this, and this will easily become one of your favorite books of 2015. I can't wait for the next book in the series, Crooked Kingdom, and I can't wait to check out more from Ms. Bardugo!! 
 Happy reading :)