Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, 465 pagesSix dangerous (to varying degrees) teenage criminals team up and hatch a plot to infiltrate an impenetrable fortress and rescue (or kidnap? or murder?) a high-value prisoner, for glory and huge amounts of cash.
This ranks up there with The Raven Cycle as one of the best, most interesting YA series I've read - certainly the best ones still in progress. That's not to say that it's perfect, but most of my criticisms are minor and spoiler-heavy.
The characters are diverse and well-defined, the action is over-the-top and exciting, the world itself is creative and complex. It tackles themes of prejudice and unhealthy (to varying degrees) relationships with a deft touch. While it occasionally succumbs to a "Summer blockbuster" mentality, there's so much to like that even with my minor complaints, it's still a huge success. Highly recommended - I'm already anxiously awaiting the sequel.
