Series Sum Up: Six of Crows

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Books: Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom
Spoiler-free for both books

In Ketterdam, nothing speaks louder than cold hard cash. From the upscale merchers making trades in the Exchange to the flashy gang members hustling marks in the back alleys of the Barrel, money is the key to unlocking the world. No one is more aware of that than Kaz Brekker, who has built the foundation of his criminal empire on being willing to take on any job, earning himself plenty of cash and the nickname Dirtyhands. So when a job with impossible stakes and an astronomical payout arises, Kaz knows he’ll need a very special crew to pull it off.

Uprooted

Author: Naomi Novik

Everyone who lives in the valley knows to fear the Wood. Any food taken from it is contaminated. Strange, brutal creatures drag innocents in and creep out to destroy crops and livestock. People who pass the Wood’s borders come out vilely corrupted, and the Wood is always looking to expand its borders.

To keep the corruption in check, the people of the valley have a long-standing deal with the wizard known as the Dragon. He uses his power to keep the Wood in check and, in exchange, every ten years a new young woman is chosen to serve him in his impenetrable tower.

T5W: Liar Liar

You see the cover. You read the inside flap. Maybe an author you really like is quoted on a back cover blurb. The book sounds great – and maybe it is! Or maybe it isn’t, and you’ve fallen victim to a misleading synopsis. This week’s Top 5 Wednesday is about bad synopses – they can glam up a boring book, dumb down a fabulous book, or make you think that a plot element is more relevant than it actually is. Either way, they can be dicey. Here are 5 “liar liar pants on fire” synopses I’ve experienced.