Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

In the bustling city of Ketterdam, a magic-infused version of 17th-century Amsterdam, 17-year-old gang leader Kaz “Dirtyhands” Brekker has made a name for himself as a criminal wunderkind who’s willing to do any job—if the price is right. So when Kaz is offered a shot to pull off the heist of a lifetime (rescuing a scientist imprisoned in the neighboring country of Fjerda’s impenetrable Ice Court) in exchange for a tremendous reward, he must choose his crew carefully. Accompanied by acrobat-spy Inej, sharpshooter Jesper, engineer Wylan, magical healer Nina and former Fjerdan soldier Matthias, Kaz sets out on a deadly mission that could change the course of their world forever. In Six of Crows, young adult fiction phenom Leigh Bardugo returns to the Grishaverse, the expansive setting of her critically acclaimed Shadow and Bone trilogy, to launch a new duology. The bestseller infuses fantasy storytelling with social commentary on real-world issues like classism, oppression and human trafficking. —Megan McCluskey

Buy Now: Six of Crows on Bookshop | Amazon

Contact us at letters@time.com.