Whatever definition there exists of a bibliophile, I am it. Here's a collection of my favourite novels (series and standalones) with reviews and maybe rants.
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"What's the easiest way to steal a man's wallet?"
"Knife to the throat?" asked Inej.
"Gun to the back?" said Jesper.
"Poison in his cup?" suggested Nina.
"You're all horrible," said Matthias.
Kaz rolled his eyes. "The easiest way to steal a man's wallet is to tell him you're going to steal his watch."
***
"I will have you without armour, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all."
***
Since I started with my two favourite standalone books, I'm following them up with my two favourite series [I'm not going into Harry Potter just now, but that isn't just a series to me either]. My cousin sister made me (absolutely forced me) to read this series last time I came to stay at her place in Bangalore (ironically, I'm there right now as well) and I still thank her.
Six of Crows is a duology, 'Six of Crows' and 'Crooked Kingdom.' It is set in the Grishaverse; imagine Grisha to be sort of witches and wizards in Harry Potter who possess special powers. Grisha receive a lot of hatred from countries like Fjerda (loosely based on Germany--Nazism, anyone?), yet they are invaluable soldiers.
The series has six main characters, though you might call their leader, Kaz Brekker, a little more important. Kaz, mastermind of crimes, Inej, the girl who used to be forced to work in a brothel, now their crew's spy, Jesper, the sharpshooter who sometimes loses his way due to his love for gambling despite the best of intentions, innocent, naive Wylan and the tumultous Nina and Matthias, 'witch' and 'witch-hunter', denying their feelings for each other. All six are absolutely unique, flawed (except Inej, maybe), lovable and unforgettable.
Kaz is the most marvellous anti-hero I've found. Inej is my favourite female character in fiction (yes, to me she's even better than Hermione). Jesper, the comic relief; Wylan, the adorable geek...Maybe I like Nina and Matthias a little less, but the Crows will stay with you forever.
In the first book they go for an impossible heist for an impossible amount of money. In the second book stakes rises and they're drawn into a bigger and more impossible heist.
But the Crows, led by the brilliance and ruthlessness of Kaz Brekker, are all about doing the impossible.
Warning: The first time you read the series, you'll understand only about 40% of the heists, so detailed are they. You need to read it at least a couple more times to get the hang of it. Also, there's a new Netflix series on Grishaverse called 'Shadow and Bone,' named after the first series written by the same author. The Crows play an important role there, and the casting and acting, I must admit, has been totally on-point.
