― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

(Guess which path Show!Jesper went with?)

Gia Carides as Cousin Nikki in My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

It's not even a joke... I just prefer the 2005 Pride and Prejudice.

Everything else is the same.

"It's a trick," said Van Eck. "It's another one of Brekker's tricks." He broke away from his guards and rushed at Wylan, but Jesper stepped in front of him, grabbing him by the shoulders and holding him at bay with straight arms. "You'll destroy everything I've built, everything my father and his father built. You-“

Jesper leaned in and said, quietly enough that no one else could hear, "I can read to him."

"He has a very soothing baritone," added Wylan, and then the guards were hauling his father down the aisle.

― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

"I am grateful you're alive," he said. “I am grateful you're beside me. I am grateful that you're eating." She rested her head on his shoulder. "You're better than waffles, Matthias Helvar."

A small smile curled the Fjerdan's lips. "Let's not say things we don't mean, my love."

― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

Reading Crooked kingdom and…

“I’d like to make a down payment.” Should be our fandom code over on ao3 for when things get spicy.

They'd been two farm boys, missing their father, lost in this city.

That was how Pekka got them. It wasn't just the enticement of money.

He'd given them a new home. A fake wife who made them hutspot, a fake daughter for Kaz to play with. Pekka Rollins had lured them with a warm fire and the promise of the life they'd lost.

And that was what destroyed you in the end: the longing for something you could never have.

― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

"Fate has plans for us all,” Inej said quietly.

"And sometimes fate needs a little assistance."

― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

Wylan lifted his head wearily. "I'll say whatever you want, Father. Just don't let them hurt me anymore."

A gasp went up from the crowd. The members of the Merchant Council were looking at Van Eck with open disgust.

Matthias had to stifle a snort. "Has Nina been giving him lessons?" he whispered.

"Maybe he's a natural," said Kaz.

― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“I didn't raise you to be a gambler, Jesper. I certainly didn't raise you to be a criminal."

Jesper released a bitter huff of laughter. "I love you, Da. I love you with all my lying, thieving, worthless heart, but yes, you did."

"What?" sputtered Colm.

"You taught me to lie."

"To keep you safe."

― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

Reading King of Scars…

I’m only two chapters in, and guys, I don’t know if I’ll make it. The Zoyalai trope (pretend relationship to save the kings’ reputation) plus their banter is an immediate hit directed at my feelings. I knew they would be my favorite ship. They already were my favorite people by themselves.

Plus! Bone bridge you say? Chapter 3 and Nina is here b*tches. I just finished crooked kingdom, I… let me survive, please?

Wylan summoned every bit of bravado he'd learned from Nina, the will he'd learned from Matthias, the focus he'd studied in Kaz, the courage he'd learned from Inej, and the wild, reckless hope he'd learned from Jesper, the belief that no matter the odds, somehow they would win.

"I won't talk," he said.

The first punch shattered two of his ribs. The second had him coughing blood.

"Maybe we should snap your fingers so you can't play that infernal flute," Van Eck suggested.

I'm here for her, Wylan reminded himself. I'm here for her.

In the end, he was not Nina or Matthias or Kaz or Inej or Jesper. He was just Wylan Van Eck. He told them everything.

― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“But when someone does wrong, when we make mistakes, we don't say we're sorry. We promise to make amends."

"I will."

"Mati en sheva yelu. This action will have no echo. It means we won't repeat the same mistakes, that we won't continue to do harm."

― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

Read this article: https://www.newsweek.com/shadow-bone-six-crows-spin-off-season-3-villain-plans-eric-heisserer-1787601

For everybody that is a bit confused with the showrunners' decision to adapt Crooked Kingdom, and also to know what they are thinking going foward.

Basically, they would like a SoC spin-off AND a Shadow and Bone Season 3 with our Ravkan people aka adapting King of Scars and continuing Alina's storyline. Will see what they'll get. They themselves admit the audience needs more time with the characters.

To me, my main problem with season 2 was editing (peppered flashbacks, not fully blown ones, hated it; the fight scenes just looked wrong), otherwise, yes it felt weird at first that they were already adapting Crooked Kingdom and Pekka was already being dealt with when in the books he's this far away figure that Kaz can barely glimpse in the distance. But, his own kid watched him go to prison. And, like they said, they felt they had to do something with Pekka to advance the rest. May main guess is... Pekka is actually a small fish, especially with that "Thanos" comment.

All in all, let's hope we get BOTH the spin-off and the next season. It would be so good!!! And! I don't think it's impossible. It's true that SAB needs a big budget for effects... but I don't think SoC would need one as big. Grisha they only have Nina (heartrender, they only need the actors emoting, no special effects), and Jesper (ok... well... a durast isn't exactly sun summoner level, and what he did seems simple and actually mostly practical effects). I think we could possibly get it... It would be so good, for the shows and characters being able to actually have time to exist as their own standalones. We'll see.

Reading Crooked Kingdom and…

The fact that I’m pretty sure that the first time Jesper calls Wylan “Wy” is during the “visiting” chapter… makes me want to punch a wall.

"You can only sharpen a blade so far," Kaz said as he joined them at the front of the church. "In the end, it comes down to the quality of the metal."

― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom