Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Short and Sweet: Set firmly on the line between reality and fantasy, [b:Daughter of Smoke & Bone 8490112 Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1) Laini Taylor https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338613368s/8490112.jpg 13355552] is a phenomenal story of star-crossed love, betrayal, loss, and hope against all odds. Characters are 3D, their motivations just as clear, all set against a centuries-long war with the two who seek to turn the tide for peace. One of the most well-written and engaging YA novels I've had the pleasure of reading, to date. I'm burned out on YA, I'll be honest. The insta-love, the ~tragic~ choices; I find myself pulling away from the genre despite some of my favorite novels originating in YA. So when [b:Daughter of Smoke & Bone 8490112 Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1) Laini Taylor https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338613368s/8490112.jpg 13355552] arrived on my doorstep - fueled by a flurry of glowing reviews and five star ratings - I dived in with some reluctance. Reluctance that, as I swam through the first part, deepened upon getting to know the main character Karou on a superficial level. The scent of a Mary Sue weaved faint upon the winds, and I was not pleased.As I read further, however, Laini Taylor brought her back down and turned her into a human like the rest of us, but with extraordinary circumstances - with an extraordinary love interest alongside. This ability to turn extraordinary things into something compelling and engaging is a theme through this novel, and will not let you leave feeling unsatisfied.[b:Daughter of Smoke & Bone 8490112 Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1) Laini Taylor https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338613368s/8490112.jpg 13355552], at its most basic core, a Young Adult love story. But, to reduce it to that singular point would not be doing the novel justice. Laini Taylor does a wonderful job of weaving the romance in such a way that, aside from serving as the catalyst, it also provides a richness and depth without sacrificing plot. No love triangles, no assholery from Akiva. It is romance as it should be written, with the butterflies and fiery touches and longing glances, but also with very real consequences. The world itself is one of the most unique ones I've had the pleasure of experiencing. Many other fantasy novels will pull from tropes or other books as reference, but [b:Daughter of Smoke & Bone 8490112 Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1) Laini Taylor https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338613368s/8490112.jpg 13355552] takes it to a new level. It presents not just one plot question, but many, and holds onto them up until the very last page. The ending, while satisfying in the questions it does answer, also leaves room for the next two novels in this trilogy: Days of Blood and Starlight and Dreams of Gods and Monsters. Both were immediately added to my to-reads list, as I will definitely be completing this trilogy in full. Truly, an absolute pleasure to read.