The Procrastinators Book Club discussion

Welcome to the Ruin and Rising Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on April 19th and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each day we will be reading by chapters or page numbers. Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 04/19
April 19: Prologue/"Before" - Chapter 2
April 20: Chapters 3-5
April 21: Chapters 6-9
April 22: Chapters 10-11
April 23: Chapters 12-14
April 24: Chapters 15-16

Week of 04/25
April 25: Chapter 17-Epilogue/"After

PARTICIPANTS
~ Sophie
~ Amanda

I'm looking forward to reading this book after seeing how the last one ended. That being said, we're off to a pretty depressing (but not unexpected) start.

I didn't know what to think of the Aparat in the last book, but I was suspicious. He's proven to be a bit of a problem for Alina and her people. They may have survived their last ordeal with the Darkling, but I'm not so sure how much of an improvement their situation underground was.

Their escape plan (or at least the start of it) was pretty spectacular. It was interesting to see Tamar and Tolya as a part of the crowd on Alina's side.

What are your thoughts on the Aparat and that situation? The escape plan so far? General thoughts?

I agree! I didn't see the escape plan coming, I initially thought it was just some misunderstanding, but I'm glad it wasn't. I like that we're seeing this darker side of Alina and that she's become more comfortable taking control, we saw it in the last book, but it's really coming full force now.

The Apparat seems to want control. To me he's very sneaky, jumping to kind of play the role of the 'lieutenant' to both the king and the Darkling until he has the control himself. I am stuck wondering where Nikolai is though.

I believe that Tolya and Tamar are very loyal in nature, and in the last book, most of that loyalty was towards Nikolai and a little bit of Alina. Now that Nikolai isn't with them, I think they're putting all their trust and loyalty into Alina.

So it would seem that life has gotten in the way of me posting. I've had nonstop classes and reviews for finals so while I have been keeping up with the reading for this, I've fallen behind on posting my thoughts. I'll try to sum them up here, but it has been a few days since I've read some of the chapters and my memory is a bit fuzzy.

First off, they made it out of the White Cathedral... yay? I didn't find the journey to the outside overly exciting. I did notice that Sergei is acting a bit weird, but I couldn't really imagine what was going to happen until today's chapters. He betrayed Alina's group to the Darkling. I just kind of felt something in him had cracked, but I didn't necessarily think he would go so far when Alina had done what she could to get him out of immediate danger. The end of today's chapters was exciting, but I wasn't left feeling confident that they escaped danger.

As a romantic, I actually really liked Mal's new tattoo. It's clear he can't give Alina up completely, but he knows that he has to allow Alina to make the best choice for her even if that means Nikolai gets to have her. Mal is willing to do what he can to help Alina and stay by her side, and that's pretty romantic despite it being sad. I'm glad Nikolai is back and I like the role he is playing in this book, but Mal and Alina just seem to fit better so... yeah.

I really liked that the king got what he deserved. I may not like Genya much, but she definitely came across as strong and for once justice for abuse of power and sexual assault was served.

I didn't see Baghra's story about being Morozova's daughter coming, but it does make sense in a way. I was happy she had such a role in this book, and while I kind of saw her death coming I wasn't expecting such drama surrounding it.

That's an overview of my thoughts. Any feelings? Thoughts?

It loks like we're in the same boat, I've been busy with school too and not had the time for updates.

My initial theory was that Morozova was the Darklings father, but I wasn't far off considering he was his grandfather. I'm glad we finally got to hear the truth abut what actually happened with Morozova, because with all the prior theories, I didn't know what to belive. However, I would at some point in the book like to know whether he did survive, as well as Baghra's little sister.

Alina's theory of possibly being an ancestor of Morozova alongside the Darkling would be a very interesting twist, however, I'm not sure if that's actually the case considering it was so blatant that she brought it up. If it turns out she is, I would've preffered it to be more of a plot twist. I am hoping that even if she isn't realted to Morozova, the Darkling etc, we do find out who her biological family is as it's something that has played on my mind as well being brought during the series frequently. I'd like the same for Mal too.

I don't think Baghra is dead. She made a point of telling Alina not long before jumping that she belives Morozova may have survived. It's just a question of whether the nichevo'ya get to her before the Darkling can.

I hop that there will be a way for Nikolai to return to normal, especially because he was fighting it so hard. I'm sure David or Genya may be able to come up with something. I really like the pairing of David and Genya which was hinted at in S&B. I also am glad that Tamar and Nadia are together. Now there just needs to be someone for Tolya lmao.

You were right about a betrayl from Sergei, which as the series continued, I did see it becoming more and more likely.

I hope you're getting some time to relax even with school being hectic.

I thought Morozova was the Darkling's father too, but I feel like I got close enough to the truth. Small satisfaction. I'm not sure that I believe Alina is a descendant (primarily because that would make the Darkling her cousin and I don't think even the Darkling would have crossed those lines). I do think the descendant is out there, but what side they're on... I don't think I can put a guess out there with any confidence. For Alina's sake (and the world's sake I guess), I hope they aren't part of the opposition. I would like to know more about Mal and Alina's families though. I think part of my issue with the characters in these books is that I don't know much about their pasts and families. That isn't to say I dislike the characters, but I feel they are lacking the elements that make them more 3-dimensional (such as a past and family life).

I do hope that Nikolai will be able to return to normal because I really do like him. That being said, I don't think that will be in his future any time soon. They don't even understand what happened yet, so until they do...

I like the pairing between David and Genya too. David just accepted Genya and didn't shy away when she came back to them maimed. He's sweet and nerdy... kind of adorable and a good counter to Genya's personality. I hope we get more of them.

I do think that Baghra is actually gone, but I don't have much of a foundation for that stance.

Well, good luck with school! I'll be back at some point with further thoughts. Happy reading!

Thank you!!! :) :) :)

Reading chapters 12 and 13 , I was like ok, we're at the filler chapters section of the book, but when I got to chapter 14......

I honestly did not see that twist coming, like at all. I am glad we got some family history for Mal at least. I do wonder if his mother (or father) are still alive though. His tattoo really does make a lot of sense now. I do wonder if the Darkling is yet aware that Mal is the third amplifier. I hope Alina and the others find a way to alter the possibly inevitable ending.

But that also leaves Alina's family history a mystery. They must be someone powerful surely if she is the Sun Summoner. I have changed my mind and I do think Baghra is dead.

Mal and Alina have got my heart, especially when Tolya said "He watches her the way Harshaw watches fire. Like he'll never have enough of her. Like he's trying to capture what he can before she's gone." My heart <3

I feel some chemistry between Zoya and Tolya...I honestly see them being a good match.

The Darkling invading Keramzin, to me, seems a very peronal and spiteful attack towards Alina, hitting her where it hurts. Again, I think now wuld've been a very good time to have dual pov's, not only to get inside Mal's head and see how he's dealing with the news of him being the amplifier, but also to see what the Darkling is thinking, how he truly feels about Alina and how he's dealing with the death of his mother.

Any thoughts?? Happy reading :)

So chapters 12 and 13 lulled me into that sense of security that comes with filler chapters, but Mal being the amplifier definitely threw me through more of a loop than I was expecting. Honestly, I'm kind of horrified. If amplifiers have to die... I really like Mal! I don't want Alina to wear him like a bracelet!

On a more serious note, I think that Mal being the third amplifier was a good twist in the plot (I definitely didn't see it coming and it obviously evoked a strong reaction). His tattoo also makes sense in this context as well (he can be made into a weapon for Alina to use herself), but I think it made sense before too. He was going to become a weapon to protect Alina in a less... literal sense. I really do hope there is some kind of loophole that Alina and the others find because I really don't want Mal dead. That would be a terrible end and I don't think it would leave me feeling satisfied.

I don't think the Darkling knows the third amplifier isn't the firebird yet. He seemed so sure of the firebird that I don't think it would have been an act and I don't think he would have thought there might be some other option. The Darkling was studying Morozova's journals, and they didn't have anything about the third amplifier that would suggest, well, anything.

Finding out more about Mal's lineage was interesting, but I feel like I would have liked to know more about Baghra's sister (you know, more than just that she died and was resurrected as the third amplifier). I'm not really sure if I believe Alina is descended from anyone powerful. Like in Baghra's case, she was born powerful but her sister was powerless. I think that it's a 50/50 chance with any parent who has any power whether or not their child turns out under or overpowered. That's just my theory. I'm also not sure when the author would fit in more about Alina's family. I hope we get something, but I'm not holding out a lot of hope, to be honest.

Tolya's quote gave me... feelings. I really do like Mal and Alina as a couple. I think what really sealed it for me was actually toward the end of Siege and Storm when Alina brings down the chapel around her and in the end Tolya lets Mal get her despite her orders because he said he wasn't going to be the one to keep Mal from going to her. Tolya... gotta love him. Mal and Alina are a good pairing. Probably my favorite.

I do see Tolya and Zoya being a good pair, but I'm not sure Zoya would see it that way. She's got a bit of a taste for the extravagant. Remember when Alina was sharing the clothes and things Nikolai had gotten for her back at their base? Zoya was all for marrying a prince-soon-to-be-king. I think Tolya would be too common(?) for her, but I can see them being good together if Zoya was able to overlook Tolya's social and financial status. Chemistry is there but not all experiments have expected results (science reference anyone?).

The Darkling's attack on Keramzin definitely felt personal, especially because Alina went through the trouble of sending Grisha children there for safekeeping. I would have loved to see what each person thought (the lack of multiple POVs is really a pretty significant flaw).

A lot happened in these chapters and I feel like I should take more away from them than "oh no... Mal...", but that's where I'm at.

Happy reading!

I think I might just finish the book tomorrow. It's pretty easy reading and Monday's reading isn't that long. If you're up for it, let me know. If not, that's fine. I'll make sure if I do finish that I'll mark the final section as a spoiler.

I'm not sure if I'll finish today, so maybe if you do, hide it as a spoiler.

Making them all invisible so they can blindside the Drakling was a really smart move on David and Genya's part. However, I do have the feeling that it's going to backfire in some way and become a problem. I think this is probably because they've had so little time to prepare.

I really do hope that if everything goes to plan, David and he others will find a way to cure Nikolai. The scene with him placing the ring on Alina's finger and the regret he had when he almost ate her made my heart wrench. It's very obvious that he's still in there fighting.

Towards the end of chapter 16 with Mal and Alina.....ouch, my heart. They love each other so much so it hurts to see them having to say 'goodbye' and spend one last night together, confessing their feelings to each other in a way they never have before.

Mal dying definitely would be an unsatisfactory ending. Because not only would he not be here, Alina would have the power of all 3 amplifiers, and there is no telling what she'd do with all that power. If I had to guess, she'd go dark, but not as dark as the Darkling. I only think that because Baghra mentioned that he had been an odd child from the beginning.

Happy reading :)

I hope I've marked where the spoilers start correctly. I really should have written this in two parts so I knew for sure... Well, here goes!

I feel like the bending of the light thing is a bit... far-fetched. It's grounded in science, so I can't argue too much (it's a pretty cool trick, to be honest). I just think it would be too hard for Alina to keep that trick going on so many moving targets... It sounded interesting, but I was too stuck in my own disbelief to really get into that plan.

So Nikolai realizing he was trying to eat Alina right after putting the ring on her was heartbreaking. He was in there and fighting which had to be super hard on him. I think this is another example of a place where multiple POVs would have been nice; I would have liked to know what Nikolai was thinking. (view spoiler)[... (hide spoiler)]I'm glad he came back to himself in the end, but I feel bad that he will wear the scars of that experience forever (or until they figure out how to get rid of the marks he still bears).

Mal and Alina in this book just keep tugging on my heartstrings. Their "goodbye" was well written and fit well in the book, but I had so many feelings... (view spoiler)[I felt a whole lot more when Mal actually did die though. If I was Alina, I don't think I'd ever recover from having to kill the man I love. It was pretty horrible until he came back to life, and even then I felt really sorry that Mal lost his tracking ability which had been a real part of him for all of his life.
He must have felt so empty...

I don't really know how I feel about most of how the book ended.
I didn't see Alina's power disbursing in the way it did, and I don't really understand it (but maybe that's just me overlooking something?). I don't know how that works going forward.
Alina got so attached to her power in such a short time that I'm not surprised she feels a bit bereft at the loss of it, but I didn't feel as bad for her as I did about Mal losing his tracker abilities.
I think that Alina faking her and Mal's deaths was a good move for them; they needed to not have expectations thrown on them.
I liked that Alina honored the Darkling's wishes despite everything he did to her and to the world.

I have to say, I enjoyed the end of the book right up until the "After" chapter. I get that it was supposed to wrap up the story and give them a "happily ever after" but I just felt like it was a half-hearted attempt. If the book had ended with chapter 18 I think I would have been satisfied with the ending. I can't even explain why I feel so unsatistied... I just do. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I don't know which of the books I thought was better, but I had fun reading them. I'd probably still rate this a solid 3 or maybe a 3.5. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did. I had fun discussing both books with you.

Now I just have to find time to read the King of Scars duology (and maybe the two extra books)...

I will agree by saying that Mal and Alina's ending in the after chapter was unsatisfactory. It definitely could've ended at chapter 18. I'm glad that Mal did ressurect, because permanently killing him off for shock factor would've been disappointing. Maybe I missed it (idk), but in the after chapter I don't recall reading anything more about Misha, and I kinda thought he would become a staple in Mal and Alina's family. Also, I want to know what their new names were! (I don't think it was mentioned).

I am happy that Alina honoured the Darkling's wishes. His story had so much potential. There is a prequel story in the back of my copy so I may read that later. I'm also happy with Zoya's character development, that she and Alina had some form of a friendship towards the end.

How we ended with Nikolai definitely left me intrigued in his story, so maybe I will read his duology.

Overall, I'm probably going to rate similar, around 3-3.5

I'm closing and moving threads that are finished to not confuse the old threads with the new ones for the upcoming game.. so I'm gonna close this thread.

I'm glad you enjoyed the books, and I loved reading your discussions.