Six of Crows (Six of Crows book #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Six of Crows

                                                                    Author: Leigh Bardugo

                                                                    Published: September 29th 2015 by Henry Holt and Company

                                                                    Series: Six of Crows book #1

                                                                    Genre: YA books

                                                                    Stars: 5/5

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. 

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

This book was absolutely amazing!!! It deserves all its stars.

I was very surprised at how good this book one, especially after my dislike at Leigh’s previous books on the Grisha novels (which you can read the review for book 1 here and book 2 here). However, boy is the Six of Crows something different altogether.

As the blurb shows, it is about a criminal heist (reminds me soooo much of Ocean’s 11...or 12....or even 13.....well minus the whole magic/dark background but you know whatever).

Each character has some sort of secret/hurt/dark past that they want to escape. Leigh has given each character great depth and personalisation by their past, despite them being criminals. It just makes you root for them. 

Kaz’s past, the leader of the group, has made him become who he is. He’s 17 years old and literally runs a gang. He is feared, ruthless but yet so lovable. He is the anti-hero of the story and I can’t stop loving him! Especially when he tries so hard to show his feelings to a particular girl. But yet he’s so stubborn on improving on his ways. He is quite literally, a broken man, but one who is very clever and conniving.  He reminds me so much of Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders. His cartoon caricature actually looks like him too. 

The plot line was thrilling from beginning to end. There definitely were times where I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, especially the ending. And I still don’t! It left the readers wanting to know what happens next (I know it certainly left me like that!). The poor misshapen group is plunged into another heist and they didn’t even get what they wanted from the first heist! All I know if that you do not want to make yourself an enemy of Kaz. There is a lot of unopened secrets and questions, which I hope will be revealed in the second book.