Night of Cake & Puppets (Kindle Single) (Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy)

Laini Taylor is a brilliant author. She has created a massive world with incredible characters that command my complete attention. Normally with novella’s I can take them or leave them. Seriously, I’m not always DYING to read them and sometimes I find them disappointing because they seem like a filler in the series that’s pure fluff without any substance. I can count on one hand how many novella’s I actually like, let alone LOVE and this is one I adore!!!“His eyes are blue, and blue eyes up close are a celestial phenomenon: nebulae as seen through telescopes, the light of unnamed stars diffused through dusts and elements and endlessness. Layers of light. Blue eyes are starlight.”Zuzana and Mik’s story is absolutely magical, both are quirky but so perfect each other. It’s a sweet story about how these two fall in love with and their magical first kiss. I don’t often like sugary-sweet stories but in this case, it worked and it worked well because they aren’t your typical characters you would find in a YA story.“Around Mik, my powers desert me. I lose basic motor function, like my brain focuses all neural activity on my lips and shifts into kiss preparedness mode way too early, to the detriment of things like speech, and walking.”If you are a fan of Zuzana’s voice in books 1 and 2, then you will continue to love her in this book but what makes this short novella so fantastic is Mik’s POV. Everyone needs a Mik in their life. He’s the perfect mix of wit, humbleness, beautiful and self-assuredness (I made that word up) that makes him irresistible.“Milquetoast girls raised on princess stories might sit tight and bat their eyelashes in desperate Morse code–notice me, like me, please–but I am not that girl.”Don’t go into this story thinking you are getting a complex plot or a super long story because you aren’t. What you will get is the much-needed story of how Zuzana and Mik came to be and even though it’s 2.5, it should be read after book 1, The Daughter of Smoke and Bone. What you WILL get in this story are the colorful characters we’ve come to love in this series and beautiful prose that will make you laugh and move you all at the same time.

This review can be found on my blog, Reader Rayna, as well as Goodreads.This novella was everything I wanted between Zuzana and Mik and I’m so glad that it exists in this world.Zuzana and Mik are two of my absolute favorite side characters ever. They’re both so three dimensional, just like the rest of Taylor’s characters, and I felt like I got to know a lot more about them in this short novella.Zuzana is best described as she’s described in the novella: a rabid fairy. She’s fiery and sarcastic and witty, but she also has feelings and insecurities and I just. Love. Her. Anytime I read her sections and saw something witty or something, I’d be smiling like an idiot and laughing out loud. I never laugh out loud when I’m reading! This was big.I felt that I got to really know her and her thought processes, because even though we do get her POV in the main series, I thought that this really helped to not only show her rabid fairy personality, but it also allowed us to know more about her inner thoughts and her world (family, friends, lifestyle) in such a short span of pages.And then there was Mik and oh my God, I love him. He’s such a gentleman – even if his other guy side pops out every now and then; it’s still entertaining – and he really likes Zuzana! He doesn’t even really question or doubt that the “treasure hunt” to find her was anything but genuine, and I love that. Even he has some insecurities about the whole things, of whether or not Zuzana might actually like him, and I think that that fact is key and important because neither one was too cocky about that aspect of who they are. They don’t even deny that they don’t really know anything about the other except for a few simple (and sometimes biased) facts.Even his parts were full of witty banter, but not as much as Zuzana’s. But he still had several parts that made me smile like an idiot and laugh out loud. Best couple award goes to them because they are too adorable for words. I can’t even.I also enjoyed the fact that there was interaction with Karou in here and that we got to see more of their friendship – and even a time when they had just recently became friends at the beginning. I find that friendships are important, and healthy female relationships and friendships are so important because oftentimes it’s not enough for them to just be there or cause drama. These two stick together and love each other unconditionally as sisters and soul mates and they make my heart happy.If you’ve read the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy (at least the first two books) then definitely check out this novella because it will make you feel things, and most of these things will be swooning.I rate this novella 5/5 stars and absolutely recommend it!

I recently discovered Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke & Bone series, and I have been obsessed. I fell in love, and I devoured the books in the series one after the other, pouring all of my free time into Taylor's beautifully crafted story of love and loss and magic and war. After finishing the final book in the trilogy, I knew I wasn't ready to say goodbye to the story and its characters quite yet.Enter Night of Cake & Puppets, a short novella about fan favorite side characters Zuzana and Mik, and how they met and fell in love. This story really does feel like the "dessert" of the series -- it's short enough to easily finish in one sitting, and is much more lighthearted than the main series, especially the latter two books. This is a sweet, fluffy little romance that really does feel like a special treat for fans of the series.While Night of Cake & Puppets does work as a standalone, I recommend reading at least the first Daughter of Smoke & Bone book first -- it will give you much more backstory for the events of this book, and everything will make a little more sense.All in all, this is a cute, well-done YA romance, although I did find it a little less substantial than the main series, but that could just be because pure romance isn't usually my thing. There are several quote-able lines and a genuinely cute and compelling romance. A solid four-star reading experience, definitely recommend for fans of the series, especially if Zuzana and Mik are among your favorite characters.

I was late to the Daughter Of Smoke And Bone game, but when I finally read the trilogy I devoured it. I absolutely adored this world and Karou and Akiva stole my heart. But along with those two, I fell in love with Zuzana and Mik. They stole every single scene throughout the trilogy and brought so much light to the darkness and heartache that was that series. But when I finally finished binging the trilogy I just wasn’t ready to read this novella. I wanted to save it for when I wanted to visit this world again and I am so so glad I did that. Because little did I know, not long after I finished the series I would discover that this novella was getting the hardcover and illustrated treatment and so when I was finally ready to go back to this world I got to read this gorgeous edition of the book. The illustrations added so much to the story and I loved it. This novella was wonderful and I loved getting to experience something that was only referenced in the books. This was such a sweet story and I loved getting inside Zuzana and Mik’s head. It was sweet and fun and weirdly romantic and it was just SO Zuzana and Mik. I adored every single second of this novella and the illustrated pictures at the end were EVERYTHING. Fans of this series should not skip this novella.

Oh, this was so fun! I didn't even want to write the review yet because I wanted to leave the glow that this story left me in. I loved the whole series, but I think I loved this one little story the best. That's because Zuzana and Mik were my favorite people. They were so gutsy, smart, and vulnerable. Moreso, I think, than Karou, who was supposed to be the star of the trilogy. In fact, I don't think I have ever fallen in love with the secondary characters in such a way as I did these sweeties.Yet... this is a love story. Girl wants to meet guy, guy wants to meet girl, but neither know how the other feels. Rather than being full of angst as most teen romances are, this is full of confidence and imagination. Sure there are self-doubts, but these two find ways to rise above and make it happen in spite of themselves and because of themselves.This little book is so full of magic. Yes, Karou's magic but. also, the magic of spirit. I believe that the whispersync for voice with the narration of Khristine Hvam and Kevin T. Collins respectively playing for Zuzana and Mik. They both did marvelous jobs. And though this book has text-to-speech, if you can get the audio version to read with, do so.I hate leaving the series behind. I have so enjoyed every moment of it. It engulfs the reader and doesn't let go. I do plan to re-read these. Suggestion: If you are going to read this one either read it after number two or after the third book. It will make more sense that way. Oh, how I wish for more!

This novella doesn't follow the primary action of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, instead detailing the story of Zuzana, Karou's best friend, and Mik, the boy she loves. This novella is lovely, as are all of Laini's stories. There is magic in this story, and not just all the wishes Zuzana uses to create the treasure hunt. The magic is Laini and the enchanting world she has created and the gorgeous words she uses like paints to create it.Zuzana has always been a feisty character so I loved seeing her a little unsure. It...softened her, made her less intimidating and human. In Days of Blood and Starlight, she and Mik basically march up to a camp of chimera more or less fearlessly. It's amazing and totally relatable that a cute boy nearly brings her to her knees. At the same time, I absolutely admire and covet her bravery to go after Mik in such spectacular fashion. Meanwhile Mik, who is quite a small character in the main plot arc, shines as the winsome suitor. Mik is charming and sweet, which is a lovely change from the hardened and tough male characters who dominate Karou's story (not that I don't love them too!).The plot of this novella is quite simple: Zuzana creates a treasure hunt for Mik, and she is the prize. The real magic is the getting there. These two circle one another throughout the snow-silenced streets of Prague in a dance every bit as alluring and elegant as Zuzana's marionette dance for her school project. Zuzana makes good use of the wishes Karou left her, and she and Mik each add some of their own. The fact that Zuzana created the hunt and that Mik is so willing to play along–and even add a couple twists of his own–casts an intangible but very real spell over this story and the reader. I was entralled by this darling short story. I found myself gasping and sighing dreamily at all the good parts. This, and my reread of DoBS and Days of Blood and Starlight, are more than enough to tide me over until the conclusion of the trilogy with Dreams of Gods and Monsters, which is sure to be just as much of a magical adventure.

I love the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and when I got the chance to buy and read this, I wasn't disappointed! Milk and Zuzana are adorable! While Karou is off hunting for the wishes, you get to see a day in the life of Zuzana as she plans to ask out Mik and start their relationship. The whole treasure hunting she sets up for Mik and where the prize at the end is her is so cute! Though I usually hate romance stories because the majority of the characters are idiots, I couldn't help gushing like a little girl over this one! This short story is well written and is in exchanging first person POV of both Mik and Zuzana so you get to peek inside their heads. Though I would have loved a longer story with Zuzana as the main character (as she is just hilarious with how she thinks), this short one was suffice. I think it would be amazing if there was another little story, but this one around Zuzana's life and possibly about the time she pulled that joke on Karou that she mentioned in the beginning. As you can obviously tell, Zuzana was one of my favorite characters from this series because I could so easily relate to her, and I love that Laini Taylor didn't get rid of her like so many YA authors do so they can just focus on their character. Overall, this was a good purchase, even if the story was short and I wanted to read more. Now it's off to read Dreams of Gods and Monsters!

Funny - although I LOVE Zuzanna and Mik as side characters and was desperate to read more of them in the main books, I was surprised to find that when I actually got a story completely about them, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Maybe because they were taken out of context of the main story? Still a wonderful book and Laini Taylor is an amazing writer - the most beautiful prose that you just don't see in modern books anymore. If you're a fan of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, you won't be disappointed!

This is one of the most interesting books I've read lately. A whole different world that we don't know about where things are done quite differently. It explains a lot of what is said in the history of religion and fiction mixed together. I was up all night reading Laini's books that were related to these characters as well. I loved the exoticness of the book and the other related ones.

Toppen! I klass med andra böcker i samma serie av författaren.

This tale of love draws you into the night on a journey that is both complex and simple, and above all magical. If you've enjoyed daughter of smoke and bone then you simply must read this side story. It is a beautiful story.

Faz menos de uma semana que eu terminei de ler a trilogia Feita de Fumaça e Osso e esse livro já me fez querer reler! A Zuzana e o Mik sempre foram a melhor parte da história, porque, como a própria autora disse, eles eram como uma âncora para coisas boas mesmo nos piores momentos! Super aceitaria uma trilogia só deles, mas, como não tem, esse livro aqui se tornou um tesouro meu!A história é exatamente o que você espera dela e mais. Apesar de já saber um resumo de como Zuzana e Mik ficaram juntos, me surpreendi com os detalhes que a autora criou! E adorei poder ver os dois fora do universo da trilogia (ou seja, dos problemas que eles ajudaram a resolver), ao mesmo tempo que lembrava do quanto esses dois ainda passariam juntos. Esse livro só me fez amar ainda mais os dois e querer reler a trilogia.Eu comprei a versão em capa dura (inglês - Night of Cake and Puppets), que super vale a pena, mesmo que você não leia em inglês. Se você tiver amado a trilogia como eu, compre essa edição em capa dura. Leia o e-book em português, tanto faz, só compre essa edição. Porque ela é simplesmente maravilhosa!Tem ilustrações em praticamente página sim, página não, como se a história estivesse no meio de um caderno de desenhos da Zuzana! No final, também tem ilustrações do próprio caderno dela, algumas de polaroids dela, da Karou e do Mik. Além de algumas páginas de uma cena do primeiro livro da trilogia em HQ (juro que se eles lançassem a trilogia toda em HQ, eu compraria e leria loucamente!). A capa é rosa na frente, azul atrás, cheia de detalhes também!É uma edição tão linda, que não consigo acreditar que não é daquelas exclusivas ou que foram produzidas só umas cem para as pessoas mais sortudas (e ricas) do mundo. É uma edição quase de colecionador, que só vai aumentar seu amor pela trilogia! Aumentou o meu!

Laini Taylor has shown yet another beautiful glimpse into Karou's world!