4 stars.

It took me a while, friends, it took me really a while. On my goodreads updates, you can see that I first started King of Scars on March 31st, 2021. A year ago. However, I had a hard time trying to connect with Nina again.

Warning, my review has spoilers!

I've always loved Leigh's writing and her way to tell a story. I'm a goddamn sucker for Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom and I must admit that Shadow and Bone wasn't her best job, but Nikolai saved the trilogy tbh. I was really excited to start King of Scars because Nikolai is my favorite boy ever.

Yes, this might be a review of me drooling over Nikolai Lantsov, and I'll fight anyone for him.

This book follows Nikolai, Zoya and Nina after Ruin and Rising and Crooked Kingdom, 3 years after the War in Ravka. I honestly thought this book was gonna be more focussed on Nikolai, well... I'm your local clown. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, but the more I think of this book, the more I find flaws on it.

The main reason why it took me a while it's because of Nina. She's one of my favorite female characters but what Leigh did to her here... I just can't. What the fuck was this? I mean, I was excited to see her grief process and everything and I cried so so so fucking much when she let go Matthias because it hurt me so bad in Crooked Kingdom. Leigh, I will never forgive you for this. But the moment Hanne stepped in, everything went to trash. I like Hanne, but since the first moment I knew who she was and who're gonna be endgame. It pissed me off because I felt that Nina's grief was gone in 0.1 seconds. Idk if she stills thinking and grieving Matthias, I skipped her chapters and I'm not ashamed of it. If it hadn't been for that, I would have put this book again in my "on hold" shelf or dnf'd.

Nikolai is the king of my heart (iykyk) and my everything. He's the main reason why I stopped liking the same dark haired and badboy dudes. I mean, they're okay, but a blond king, a charming and funny boy who's arrogant but sweet and romantic and a fucking gentleman who fight with his own demons? That's hot af and what drew me to him.

I was really really really in love with the Darkling when I first read Shadow and Bone (and Ben Barnes feeded my obsession, lol) and then I ended up ditching him when I met the handsome Nikolai Lantsov. Holy fuck, I fell for Nikolai really hard and at this day, my standards are really high just because of him.

Zoya's development was great. I was expecting to see and know more about her for a while, and knowing more of her background and past helped me out to understand her more and to reassure her 1st position of my favorite female characters, along with Jude Duarte. Her friendship with Juris was okay, but a bit short and rushed if you ask me.

Now, talking about Juris... What the fuck, Leigh? That's what I was asking myself constantly while reading this book. I get that you need a plot and everything, but bring back the saints? What was the purpose? Bring back the Darkling? As I said, I was in love with the Darkling a while ago and I also felt betrayed, lol, but please, let him rest, the dude was okay burning on that pire with that whole dramatic thing of Alina saying his name.

But the most important thing is... Are you fucking telling me that Alina stabbed him with a butter knife and they had this dramatic-ass last scene for nothing? That Nikolai had a fucking demon inside him just like a vessel for the Darkling? Ugh, no, this makes and doesn't make sense at the same time. Look, once more, don't get me wrong, I like Leigh's books, but I don't understand this (perhaps I will get it on Rule of Wolves, idk).

Juris and Gregory were okay. Juris was very cool and he was good with Zoya. Gregory and his little bear with wheels made me cry when he died, haha. But Elizaveta? I should have known that the Darkling was still very popular, even after his dead... Sigh.

Also, where the hell Isaak came from? It was really random and unexpected, and he fucking died. JAJAJKSJDHJDFH I was laughing so hard because it didn't make any sense.

I didn't care a lot about Genya, Tolya, Tamar and David... they were just there. Does it make sense? I don't actually know. But it says a lot about me feeling weird toward this book.

Unfortunately, I won't pick up Rule of Wolves anytime soon because I have tons of books that I'm currently reading haha, but I definitely will in a future.

See ya nextime, bookworms!