The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo includes: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising.

Diving into the world of Grisha, the series follows orphan Alina Stargrov, who discovers she can summon the sun when she and her friend Mal are attacked by one of the Shadow Fold creatures, the Volcra. By doing this, she catches the attention of the Darkling, a powerful Grisha who can summon the dark. The Sun Summoner is on the run from the Darkling, who is the only person who can match her powers. On the journey, she continues to discover more about herself and her power, 

The novel features an old Russian-inspired world with political imbalances between the poor, the rich, and the hated– the Grisha. The characters are memorable and the world is well developed. The series includes a friends-to-lovers romance between her and her childhood friend, Mal, who does everything he can to keep Alina safe from the Darkling. Although romance is used to captivate the readers, romance isn’t the series’ main priority. The books focus on Alina’s struggle with her power and coming to terms with who she is or rather what she is.  The series involves a strong plot twist that gives a shock factor, engaging the readers in the series. 

The fantasy elements in the series can get complicated, therefore, if you are used to abstract fantasy worlds, the Grisha Trilogy is the series for you. That being said, I recommend this series to readers who have previously enjoyed high fantasy novels and novels like The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings.  

On April 23, 2021, The Grisha Trilogy will be adapted into a Netflix original series and will include characters from Bardugo’s connecting series, the Six of Crows Duology.