Ruin and Rising is the grand finale of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and if you haven't read Shadow and Bone (first book) or Siege and Storm (second book), I would highly recommend that you read them first.
Ruin and Rising describes Alina Starkov's journey in her search for the third and last of Morozova's amplifiers: the firebird. The firebird is her last chance at stopping the Darkling, once and for all--and the fate of the entire nation rests solely in her hands as the world's one and only Sun Summoner. She is weakened after her previous encounter with him, and recovers under the questionable protection of zealots who worship her as a saint. All the while slowly biding her time and waiting for the right moment to strike. To win this war, she must seize the power of a legend as old as time itself--but claiming the firebird may lead to her ruin.
This was yet another favorite of my book-loving friends, and was actually later gifted to me for my birthday by one of them. I had been meaning to read it for a while, as I had just finished Siege and Storm, but had never gotten the chance to start it--that all changed, however, when I got my hands on it.
Ruin and Rising was almost impossible to put down, and I ended up finishing it in just a couple days! It had the most shocking and heartwrenching plot twists, and its achingly sweet and heartbreaking ending was the perfect finale to a great series. I would rate this book a definite four to five stars. A noteworthy book for anyone ages 13+ who likes books with the perfect combination of action and fantasy.