The heat of the incinerator wrapped around Inej like a living thing, a desert dragon in his den, hiding from the ice, waiting for her. She knew her body's limits, and she knew she had no more to give. She'd made a bad wager. It was as simple as that. The autumn leaf might cling to its branch, but it was already dead. The only question was when it would fall. 
 Let go, Inej. Her father had taught her to climb, to trust the rope, the swing, and finally, to trust in her own skill, to believe that if she leaped, she would reach the other side. Would he be waiting for her there? Let go, Inej. Should she jump now or simply wait for her body to give out? 
 My mind is spinning. I tend to prefer simplicity in books. I hate a ridiculously complicated plot. I hate unnecessary characters. For the Young Adult genre, this book can best be described as epic, because. It. Is. Huge. It is complicated. It's like 
 Ocean's Eleven 
 for the YA fantasy crowd in the very best of ways. 
 There are 6 main characters. Typically, that's 4 more than I'd like. The book's downfall is also what makes it great, and it's why I docked a star. It's epic. Perhaps too epic. Too complicated books tend to confuse me and let's face it, a large cast with different POVs tend to make it extremely confusing for the reader - and it is, to an extent, true in this book. It is nonstop action with nary a moment to breathe. There is a cast of characters in the beginning, and by god, you'll need it. Sometimes I felt like I was memorizing things for a test. 
 But the good is that the characters are all bad-ass. The packleader is an anti-hero, which, in my opinion, is the best kind of character. 
 Kaz narrowed his eyes. "I'm not some character out of a children's story who plays harmless pranks and steals from the rich to give to the poor." 
 I like them dirty. And the book moves at a breakneck speed that'll guarantee the reader's interest. 
 There's magic - naturally. But a different kind of magic than such was found in the Grisha. The characters are well-written, they're a ragtag band of misfits, and not exactly friends, but all are united for a common mission, and most importantly, they each have a purpose. There are no redundant, extraneous characters, but each character is doing this for their own reason. 
 Four million kruge, freedom, a chance to return home. She'd said she wanted these things. But in her heart, she couldn't bear the thought of returning to her parents. Could she tell her mother and father the truth? Would they understand all she'd done to survive, not just at the Menagerie, but every day since? Could she lay her head in her mother's lap and be forgiven? What would they see when they looked at her? 
 The female characters are kick-ass. They're feminine, but not useless. They don't try too hard to be rebels to be bad-ass, to deny their own nature to prove they can play with the boys, they're just themselves...that's confusing, I know, but I can't describe it any other way. 
 There is romance, but so little of it, and what little there is felt natural and unobtrusive. A blossoming from grudging tolerance to like, to possibly something more. But I consider this a great book, because the romance is not intrusive in any way. 
 Every time she moved, the reindeer cloak parted, revealing a flash of round calf, white skin, the shadow between her breasts. It was deliberate. He knew it. She was trying to rattle him. He needed to focus on the fire. He'd almost died, and if he didn't get a fire started, he still might. 
 Nina snorted and lay down in the nest of pelts, propping herself on one elbow. "For Saint's sake, druskelle, what's wrong with you? I just wanted to be warm. I promise not to ravish you in your sleep." 
 "I'm not afraid of you," he said irritably. 
 Her grin was vicious. "Then you're as stupid as you look." 
 He stayed crouching beside the fire. He knew he was meant to lie down next to her. The sun had set, and the temperature was dropping. He was struggling to keep his teeth from chattering, and they would need each other's warmth to get through the night. It shouldn't have concerned him, but he didn't want to be near her. Because she's a killer, he told himself. That's why. She's a killer and a witch. 
 HALLE-FREAKING-LUJAH! Survival + rationality > romance!!!!!! *wipes away tear* I never thought I'd see the day.