Series: King of Scars #2, Grishaverse #7
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Orion Children’s Books
Released: March 30, 2021
Received: Own

Guys, words cannot express how excited I am/was for the release of Rule of Wolves. Being rather late to the party, this is the first time I was part of the fandom waiting for a new release. It was so exciting!

Rule of Wolves is the second novel in the King of Scars series and the seventh novel to exist in the Grishaverse world. It’s a world that I know I will never tired of. And I personally can’t wait to see how it’s going to affect the Netflix series (don’t get me started on that, though! You’ll never hear the end of it).

War is surrounding Ravka, and there are days when it feels to be on every border. If not for the efforts of king Nikolai Lantsov, it would be. He has given everything to his kingdom to keep his people going, despite the rumors and nicknames he has picked up along the way.

While he is busy plotting and being brilliant, his general, Zoya Nazyalensky, is keeping them all alive. Her first priority is, naturally, the king. A challenge in and of itself. She’s gotten more powerful, and she’s learning of the responsibilities that come with her power.

Worry not. Many other fan favorites make their appearances in this novel, though I refuse to spoil them by listing them all out.

“Maybe the gift of being human is that we do not give up – even when all hope is lost.”

Oh my god. Rule of Wolves made me feel all the feels. Sorry, that is a painfully simple sentence, but it is also the truth. It was a powerful read, that much is certain. I loved reading about many of my favorite characters and seeing the latest changes to the world.

I tried my best to let this book stretch out, reading it only in pieces here and there (not even remotely my typical reading style). I wanted to savor it. So, was the savoring worth it? Yes, I think it was. At least now I have slightly less time to wait for the sequel. Though even so, I’m already pretty anxious for any and all news. Here’s hoping for a Crows announcement! That would make my year.

“This is what love does. In the stories, love healed your wounds, fixed what is broken, allowed you to go on. But love wasn’t a spell, some kind of benediction to be whispered, a balm to cure-all. It was a single, fragile thread, which grew stronger through connection, through shared hardship and trust.”

There is so much to love about this book. The characters. The world. The thrills. The challenges. All of it, and so much more! The world-building has always been what captivated me, though it’s the characters who buried their way into my heart.

I’ll admit that before King of Scars, I didn’t love the Ravka cast as much as the Crows cast. Now I can safely say that this is no longer true – I love them both equally. More than that, the Netflix show has made me desperate to see both casts interact more. Please.

I’ll end my rambling here, I hope. Rule of Wolves is a fantastic read and the perfect ending for this duology. While I’m sad to see this part of the story end (I was always very partial to Nikolai, admittedly), I am eager to see what Leigh Bardugo will choose to cover next from this world.