Siege and Storm (The Grisha Trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo (2013-06-04)

Rating: 3.75/5

Here's the summary of how I feel about these books so far: Alina is super dumb and makes me want to punch her, but the magic system is really unique, and the plot has drawn me in.

**spoilers for the first book in the series**

This will be a quick review since it's the second book in a trilogy.

In this book, Alina and Mal are dragged back to Ravka, which we all knew was inevitable because Alina obviously has to save the world and stuff. Even more of Morozovas secrets and even more of the Darkling's power are (at least partially) uncovered, and their path forward is made more clear. That path is, of course, going to be dangerous and exciting and its wisdom is questionable at best. The ending was really, really exciting and absolutely made me want to pick up the last book immediately.

But I've said this before, and I'll say it again: the problem with writing naive first-person characters is that they have to notice everything but never put any of the pieces together on their own. This makes me want to throttle Alina, but still keep reading to see everything come together in the end, which I really hope it will.

This book starts out a little slow, and continues to be a little slow. It reminds me very much of The Red Queen series (WHICH I DESPISE) but not as bad. Not bad at all. It took me a little longer than normal to read it just because of how much down time is in this book. It’s like a book of waiting. The whole time its just suspense on when the Darkling is going to make his move and if they’ll be ready.

From the beginning Alina is still very unsure of herself. She is starting to evolve as a character but in my opinion she doesn’t fully evolve until the last chapter. Now she sees her worth and now I’m flipping excited to read Ruin and Rising. YES. But where did her power go???

I DON’T LIKE MAL. There I said it. I like the Darkling. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I also loved Rhysand from the beginning (ACOTAR reference), so maybe the Darkling reminded me a little of him? Minus the wings and minus the whole actually having a heart thing? I love how she sees him and he comes to her when she needs him. Still kinda twisted and all that, don’t get me wrong, he’s not a good guy. But lovveee him.

I wrote myself notes while reading so I could come back and base my review around them. For those of you who are like me and were wondering why the Apparat was mentioned so many times and why he mattered, don’t worry. You’ll see. He’s still creepy but it all makes sense.

Can we have a moment for Vasily though? Nikolai is probably one of my FAVORITE characters. He has so much depth to his character and Strumhund and yaaassss. I enjoyed him all the same in Crooked Kingdom so I’m excited to see how his character evolves in this series.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

Overhyped and Overrated.
I was very disappointed in this book. This was a huge downgrade from the first book. The problems I had with the first book still existed here but this book had far more problems and things that I did not like. The characterization became such a big let down here. First, you turn one of the strongest characters (The Darkling) into a ghost-like non-existing character that is only being talked about in every single page while he hardly makes an appearance! The same thing goes for interesting secondary characters like Genya and Baghra. The main protagonist Alina is almost crying all the time or about to cry! She was not that irritating in the first book. Mal from being an OK character in the 1st book became an annoying one with one layer only, he is always in a bad mood and the relationship between him and Alina was getting on my nerve all the time that I was wishing one of them would die so the story would deviate a little from their weak and annoying love story. As for the new characters, Tolya and Tamar were just twins and there was nothing distinctive in their character that many times I could not differentiate between them. The only saving grace in terms of the characters in this book is Prince Nikolai. I think he was funny, well written and very interesting.

Without talking about the story and spoilers I can say this book has no events going except for two things only. First is obtaining the second amplifier and then what happens in the last two chapters. Other than that nothing important is going on. The whole book could be summarized into one single chapter and added to the first book.

I liked the first book and rated it 4 stars out of five. I thought it was overhyped but not overrated. To me, this one is overhyped and overrated as well. My opinion might be unpopular among my friends but I think many other readers might agree with me that it is overrated. I will be getting into the third book soon with zero expectation and I hope it is better than this.

I feel a 2.5 out 5.0 for this book is very fair.

Siege and Storm is the second novel in the Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo. When we left Alina Starkov, the Sun Summoner, she’d just escaped the Darkling with Mal after the Darkling put Morozova’s collar, a power amplifier, on Alina and used their combined power to destroy a town and expand the Shadow Fold. This book opens with our heroine and her love across the True Sea from their home country of Ravka. They are in hiding with Alina wearing a scarf around her neck no matter the weather to hide the collar around her throat, since it cannot be removed and is likely one of the descriptors the Darkling is using in sending out his spies to find her. Too bad it’s all for nothing. Within a few chapters the Darkling arrives and takes both Alina and Mal away to hunt the Sea Whip, a mythical sea dragon that is the second of Morozova’s amplifiers. He is helped by a privateer named Sturmhond who betrays him once they capture the sea whip. Alina is fitted with a fetter of the Sea Whip’s scales, increasing her power again and violating the idea that there is only one amplifier per Grisha. Alina also discovers that there was a third amplifier for Ilya Morozova when she discovers a correlation between him and Sankt Ilya. Can they find the third amplifier before the Darkling does? Who is Sturmhond really? Who is he working for? And what are his plans for Ravka and Alina? Will Mal and Alina’s love survive the increase in pressure she gets from all sides to be Ravka’s savior?

The second installment of the Grisha Verse, Alina Starkov and Mala re on the run from the Darkling who survived the attack in the Fold. They flee the country, but to little good as they are tracked and hunted down, the Darkling once again making them his captive. He uses them against each other, getting Mal to hunt another amplifier down, this one a sea dragon. Mal and Anika escape, but the sea dragon is dead, and another amplifier added to Anika’s body. They return to their realm in hopes of helping establish peace, but are again trapped, hunted down, and targeted by the Darkling who kills hundreds in his path, surviving all manner of onslaught, and then takes the throne with his dark and unliving army.

Siege and Storm is even more captivating and alluring than the first book of the series. The characters continue to develop, their characters evolve, change, become more true or more corrupt, and the plotlines thicken. More individuals are added into the storyline as others die off or fall away, but they only add to the colorful array of characters and differing cultures that are created through the Grisha Verse. The plot is continuing to darken as the fight for their world heightens and more and more magic is exploited. The amount of violence, abuse, and intensity of scenes also grows as the plot begins reaching new peaks and higher stakes. The books are becoming more and more like the haunting fairytales of the past and the rough spun histories of humanity that have been smoothed over the years and retellings. The battles are brutal, the scars are horrendous, the accounts and reality of pains far beneath the flesh are exposed and the realities of a world torn asunder are captured. Overall, a fascinating and horribly compelling second book to the Grisha Verse.

Siege and Storm is the second book in the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. (You can find my review for the first book here.) I have mixed feelings about this one, but let’s dive in.

During Siege and Storm, Alina has found herself more powerful than she had ever imagined but is somehow still not as powerful as she wants to be. The book centers around her game of cat-and-mouse with the main antagonist, known only to the reader as the Darkling, an appropriately named master of dark magic. In her pursuit to beat him at his own magical game, Alina seeks out a series of amplifiers that will increase her power exponentially, all while trying to stay out of reach of the Darkling, who wants to capture her (again) and use her as a weapon (again). As a result, we’re taken on an adventure crisscrossing here there and everywhere across the Grishaverse.

While I really enjoyed following Alina and her friends, most notably her best friend and quasi love-interest, Mal, through this book, it read at a slower pace to me than the first and was full of internal dialogue and drama to the point that I started skimming since so many of the internal moments were repetitive. Alina is caught in an unbearably tough situation that might very well end in the death of not just her but those who love her and fight alongside her. It is understandably an difficult predicament and is worthy of so much inner turmoil, but it felt like half the book was her battling with herself over her choices. I tend to get weary of this, because it slows the action down so much.

Speaking of choices, there are a few potential love interests weaved into this story, including Mal of course, the Darkling (sort of, in a drawn-to-you-but-hate-you kind of way), and a surprise character named Sturmhond. However, none of them really felt full of spark and romance. Her banter always felt better with Sturmhond, and to me their chemistry read better than hers and Mal’s, who continues to be a rock by her side, despite ever-growing differences. Romance is politically advantageous with Sturmhond, ridiculously dangerous with the Darkling, and should be more natural with Mal (although that relationship takes a serious nose-dive during this book) but it never really clicks with me for any of them. I can’t even say that there’s some weird kind of love triangle, because Alina never really pursues any of the men. Why? Because she’s trying to save the freaking world and doesn’t have the time or mental capacity to deal with it.

If you’re looking for a book that’s primarily romance, this is not it. There are romantic elements, but Alina has bigger issues to deal with (saving the world and all that), and I appreciate that about Bardugo – that she can tell a story about a young heroine who, while aided and influenced by her love, isn’t completely wrapped up in it and can lead the charge in a story without constantly getting weak in the knees over a boy.

On the other hand, I did frequently wish Alina would be less frustrating when it came to everything else she was dealing with. She’s a character on a pendulum, swinging from too flaky to too serious fairly often. Thankfully, though, the supporting characters are always there to bring some much needed humor and humanity into the situation.

In the end, I would definitely recommend this book. It’s full of adventure, new loveable characters, and excitement. Bardugo’s writing continues to impress and inspire, and I’m anxious to see where the story goes next, especially after such an intense ending to this installment! 4.5 out of 5 stars to Siege and Storm!

***Spoilers ahead, you have been warned***

You’d have to read Shadow and Bone to read and understand Siege and Storm. Otherwise you’d be pretty lost as events follow up right after the first book.

The first half of the book was at a great pace and filled with lots of action, bombs, explosions, fighting, magic, all sorts of goodness you would expect for the second book to follow up for an excellent start in the first. It slows down in the second half of the book where preparations for encountering The Darkling are made and you have this whole drama with Alina and Mal going on;

Okay I was wrong about The Darkling. I was torn apart when he ended up being jackalope of the year and I was holding a banner of love for Alina and Mal.

Then Nikolai steps in.

Handsome, charismatic, swashbuckling, people sway to his beat Nikolai. I loved reading about him whenever he came into the picture. It’s like when your school crush comes into the classroom and you realize you’re going to share a table with him. That kind of giddiness is what Nikolai brings to the book.

I saw the chemistry with Alina and Mal in the first one, and it just falls apart here in Siege and Storm - understandably so as the dynamics have changed a lot and Alina has climbed up in the ladder of importance and Mal has suddenly fallen off the grid and is just considered a lowly guard of Alina the Sun Summoner. Which is pretty good right? You’re near the person you love and care about, you’re standing guard and you’re close by.

No. Can’t be that easy right? First Nikolai steps into the picture and is suddenly looking like a much better prospect and the drama with Alina looking for the Firebird to amplify her powers even more - the point where she becomes obsessed with it changes her personality and makes her more darker, assertive, and she’s not the girl we all once knew in the first book. I really love this personality change in her. There’s a slight whiny voice to it but she really steps up and grows exponentially as a character.

So I can see the romance aspect of the book falling apart, but at the same time you ask yourself is it really necessary? I can see the attempt at a love triangle with Mal and Nikolai with Alina in the middle but from what I see, she gets along fine with both of them, but does she really need one or the other as a love interest? I don’t see the chemistry there with either of them.

Sure, Alina still cares a lot for Mal but everything’s changed and it just seems like she doesn’t need romance..not yet anyway. Instead, the attempt at the romance is seen as two whiny people who can’t get their own way and they take it out on each other by indulging themselves on the road to self destruction. Again, that’s a very human trait and good on portraying that. The whininess though, I could do without. It caused unnecessary drama in the book, and endless of pages in the second half where the plot doesn’t seem to be moving forward or anywhere. It feels like an unnecessary filler.

The last third of the novel though did pick up the pace (did not make up for the whiny drama though) and provided a lot of the explosions and action you had in the first half. Not really featuring a cliffhanger ending, but it’s making me look forward to what I have to see in the third and final book of this series.

PS: My heart bled for Genya.

I was hoping for this book to be better than the first and I was gravely disappointed. It's asctually worse, because NOTHING really happens.

Alina is still her pathetic self.
She's suppose to be this fierce, badass saviour of the universe, the saint, Ravka's last hope. She's just an angsty teenager who doesn't know what she really wants.
"I want to leave normal life with you, Mal", "No I wouldn't give up my power if i could", "Yes, I want to leave", "No, I can't leave".
Just make up your mind already! You want Mal, or you want STEVE (yeah, I'm calling The Darkling Steve, because his name is ridiculous)? You want to be Saint Alina or Commoner Alina? Please, spare us your angsty inner monologues.

Mal. Oh Mal. I want to slap you across the face to kick some sense into you.
He's supposed to be this firece tracker (who tracked the sea whip by STARING into the water), brave soldier, love of Alina's life, blah blah blah. [Anyways, anyone knows how does sea whip look like? Because for my it's a hybrid between Smaug and Moby Dick.]
The only thing we get is a whiny boy, whose pride is hurt because the girl he likes is has great power and he's ordinary.
He constantly whines, drinks himself to sleep to forget about life, abandons his duties jus because, want something but he doesn't know what.

Steve.
Well he definitely is The Great Absent. He only appears at the beggining and at the end, yet he's somehow constantly present in every single conversation.
I don't feel the threat he's posing on Ravka, because he does nothing. It's not enough to tell us people are scared or that people are trying to fing a way to fight him. I need action, something more than talk.
Still, he's the only complex character in this book.

Talking about talking.
Mal and Alina doesn't really talk to each other. They had like ONE meaningful conversation, and mind you, it was around 70% of the book. As for people who have this eternal loooooooove this feels like not enough. Even when they aimlessly wander around the forest the never actually talk. I'm too old to be satisfied with brooding looks and understatements. I need communication!

Nicolai, a.k.a. Sobachka.
There was a potential in him, but it was wasted. There was opportunity to make him someone close to Carswell Thorne from Lunar Chronicles, but all we got is a comic relief. And a failed attempt to shove a potential love interest into Alina's face.
"I want to kiss you. But I won't. Not until you're thinking of me instead trying to forget him". Just so you know, I'm making vomiting sounds right now. I'm going to stab myself with a fork if those two get together in book 3.

Other minor characters are pretty pointless, they're there just to make a crowd.
Neither main chcracters nor secondary ones develop or mature. They're still the same which is pretty sad a disappointing.

The Language.
Remember when a had mini rant in my Shadow and Bone review about usage of Russian in this book?
Well, nothing really improved in this one.
Alina is still having man's last name, the words are not translated or even explained, they're still drinking kvas as an alcohol beverage.
Remeber when I said that Ilya is a male's name and it's impossible to be called "Ilya Morozova" because it's like calling a girl John or Peter? Well, mistery solved - Ilya Motozova WAS a dude! Well, bravo! But there is still problem with the last name - it's still female's. Ilya should be called Morozov and I'm actually surprised that using google is not as popular and easy as I previously thought.

I can't believe that after 95% od booooooooring we get like 2% of action and then again 3% of boooooring.
To be completly honest I skimmed through lat 30% or so and that's what I'm probably gonna do for the whole book 3. We'll see, maybe the third book will surpise me and be amazing

Yeah, right.

So.. I was pretty forgiving with the first book in this series. A large part of it, was that I know how much I love Six of Crows, and I knew Shadow and Bone would never live up to that standard. Alina Starkov can never be Kaz Brekker.

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot happening in this book. Which is fine, I don't need tons of action, but I do need the characters to be worthy of being read when they are doing mundane things like training and drinking tea. And these characters just aren't on that level. They are lukewarm at best and sort of forgettable. Nikolai is awesome but there just wasn't enough of him to carry this book. I also like the Darkling, but again, just not enough of him. Alina and Mal are keepin' it real mediocre. A lot of the time I felt like I was reading a romance novel where the whole of the conflict is based on the couple's inability to communicate. It just wasn't much fun.

I'm not even sure which of these couples I should be rooting for at this point. Alina and Mal? Alina and Nikolai? Alina and Darkling? As a general rule, I usually root for the couple that's been together the longest, in this case, Alina and Mal. But they have so little chemistry together I'm finding it next to impossible.

That being said, the beginning and the end of the book are awesome, and the only reason I didn't give it less than 3 stars. In the beginning we see Alina and Mal captured by the Darkling again. I won't spoil how they escape but it was a well written action scene. The end of the book is another well written battle between Alina and Darkling. It's disappointing that Bardugo writes action so well and wasted so much of this book on the romance.

I'm not incredibly hopeful for the third book. I have a sneaking suspicion I know how it ends and it will make me sad, but at this point it feels wrong not to see it through.

I've gotten so far be behind in my reviews, so I want to get something down before I move on. Bardugo was really hitting her stride here. There are so many things going on and Bardugo juggles them beautifully, in part by keeping the narration a simple first-person narrative from the perspective of Alina. Alina and Mal try to escape the Darkling but it quickly becomes evident that he's not that easy to lose. Besides the battle to save Ravka from the Darkling, Alina is faced with battling a darkness she feels growing within her. Is the Darkling right when he says that they are two sides of a unique coin and no one else will ever understand her? Is she destined to wear the mantel of queen, saint or martyr? And can Mal's and her love survive her changing identty and his loss of identity? So, yeah, that's a lot going on, but the pacing is superb and the writing perfection. No big pieces of exposition and what could have been a quickly contrived escape turns out to be a major plot point.

In Siege and Storm, the second book in Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy, the adventure continues. There’s plenty of action and romance.

There is a long section in the middle where the story and my reading slowed to a crawl. Of the three books, I had more problems with Alina and Mel in this book. For me, there is too much back and forth romance troubles that didn’t move the romance or the main plot forward, which detracted from the story.

She does come under the Darkling’s power, and I had to remind myself of that as I read. She takes actions that are questionable and reckless. A few of her actions seem to be choices rather than “under the thrall of” dark magic.

Mel becomes pouty, moody, and acts out more than I could buy. Knowing Mel from the first book, his actions didn’t go with what I knew of him.

The beginning and end of the book are action-packed, fast-paced page-turners. Those sections carry the book.

That said, we meet a pirate, who is a rake, unpredictable, and out for himself. Yay! He stole the show with personality and likableness. We also are introduced to Ravkan Prince Nikolai, and he’s a different kind of delightful. Can we trust him? Who knows? Can he be charming? Yes. He’s on my like list too. (If you’ve read the book, I’m going for few spoilers.)

I would like to give this 3.5 stars, but Bardugo’s writing carries a reader through those flabby parts.

I enjoyed Book 2 of The Grisha Trilogy even more than Book 1. Often the second book in a series feels like a holding place … the background book that the reader needs to get through before moving on to Book 3, which is the finale.

But Siege and Storm is a stand alone story on its own. Bardugo does an amazing job of weaving a tale about Alina, the Darkling, and Mal that builds on the first book but also could easily sweep any reader away without having Book 1 as a prerequisite reading.

Once again I was immersed in Alina’s story as she struggles to come to terms with her growing Grisha power, her shifting relationship with Mal, and the continued haunting of the Darkling. With a cast of new characters and some old ones, ranging from pirates to princes, I could not put this book down..

I’m moving right on to Book 3. If you are looking for a magical adventure laced in darkness, Siege and Storm will not disappoint.

Siege and Storm

Freedom is fleeting for Alina and Mal. They quickly draw back into the fight to save Ravka. Alina aligns herself with a charming, and talented privateer. They return to Ravka and prepare to take on the Darkling. Her powers have grown, and so has her desire to be powerful. Mal is disturbed by the changes in her but is determined to help her. Alina wants to fix things with Mal but doesn’t know how and must focus on the Darkling. His powers have grown too, and Alina knows that their preparations won’t be enough.

My Take:

Fun but suffers second book syndrome.

I’m still loving the Grishaverse. Magic, a fight between good and evil, a struggle for a throne, the fate of a nation hanging in the balance… There’s plenty to enjoy in Siege and Storm. I particularly enjoyed the privateer and the magical/tech inventions. I wonder why this isn’t done more in fantasy. Magic has its limitations, and nonmagic users are going to be developing some tech. It only makes sense that there would be some combination of the two eventually. In Siege and Storm, that combination makes some powerful weapons and gives our heroes the power of flight.

Character development is a bit hit or miss. I bet some people will like it, but it wasn’t for me. I like Alina and Mal. Her becoming more powerful was to be expected. That power becoming a wedge between her and Mal makes perfect sense, but that’s not their problem. Alina keeps secrets. She has her reasons, but Mal doesn’t know her reasons or what she is hiding. He jumps to the wrong conclusions, and she doesn’t correct his misconceptions. I’m not a fan of this method of creating drama between the main characters. Yes, it is realistic. Yes, it happens in real life. It’s just not a story trope that I enjoy, and I feel like it’s overdone. In this case, her reasoning was pretty solid, so it didn’t feel forced. It felt unnecessary. Alina being Grisha, becoming more powerful, and becoming something close to noble could have created the tension without the failure to communicate.

The ending was exciting, sudden, and does a lot to move the story along, but it did feel like this book was a needed bridge to the next book. It is fun and leaves the story in a good place for book three to start. I didn’t enjoy it as much as Shadow and Bone, but I liked it and am looking forward to reading Ruin and Rising.

Siege and Storm was quite an interesting book because it begins in how Alina and Mal are trying to escape The Darkling by traveling as far away from Ravka. Throughout the novel Alina is tormented by seeing images of the Darkling everywhere, thus thinking she is going insane. Mal is trying his best to create a new life together, but on its course encounters the enemy and brings their plans down the drain. You get introduce to new interesting characters that are going to become allies in defeating The Darkling. I got very interested in Nikolai, who is one of the princes in Ravka. He is clever at deceiving others, ambitious and is always creating gadgets. The ending got me thinking in how they are going to escape the clutches of the Apparat and his followers, after the battle that left her powerless.

That really has nothing to do with my review, but I just finished the second installment of the Grisha trilogy and needed a moment to gather my thoughts. Plus it’s Bardugo’s most blissfully random sentence taken out of context. Have a better one? Comment below!

As for the second story in the Grisha saga, Siege and Storm picks up after the could-have-been conclusion of Shadow and Bone. You know so it could have survived as a standalone if the series was never picked up. In fact, I suspect in some sad universe somewhere, Alina and Mal are off living “normal” lives together never speaking of their youth. This is the same universe where Brad Pitt finished his journalism degree and never moved to Hollywood and J.K. Rowling listened to the first 12 publishers. I call it the realm of unfulfilled potential.

Had Siege and Storm never hit the shelves we would have been robbed of a more thorough understanding of Ravka’s political landscape, a deeper look into the mysterious link of magic/power surrounding Alina and the Darkling, a charming batch of new secondary characters, oodles of foreshadowy goodness, and most importantly, my newest book boyfriend pirate privateer.

While I was never bored with the material, certain elements (read: war room meetings, training sessions, Mal & Alina’s “why won’t you change yourself in order to love me” melodrama) did drag throughout this 400+ page manuscript before coming to a sudden and rather jarring clusterf of an ending. That being said, I would gladly reread it all in order to experience the dingier parts of Ravka, a snarkier Alina, the grin-inducing quips of Nikolai, and the insta-camaraderie of the twins.

Seriously how do you not swoon with passages like this:

“The sign in the window advertised hot baths and tick-free beds in five different languages. Having sampled the bathtub ad the bed, I knew the sign lied no matter how you translated it.”

“He was cocky and brash, and always used ten words when two would do, but I was impressed with the way he led his crew.”

Alina: “What did you and Tolya play with?” Tamar: “The skulls of our enemies.”

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the journey so far, but similar to Alina’s plight for the firebird, I feel like a part of my understanding is missing, and I’m hoping I’ll find it in the final volume: Ruin and Rising.

P.S. Nikolai better be okay or I’m going to lose it.

This review can also be found on my blog, Reader Rayna, as well as Goodreads.

As this is a sequel there may be spoilers.

This was a solid sequel filled with so much action, character development, romance, snarky responses, hope, creepiness, and darkness.

I wasn’t expecting a lot of the twists and turns that happened at the beginning of the book, as well as at the ending. I thought that the way the plot progressed I would’ve been able to see more foreshadowing, but a lot of it was a surprise to me, which I enjoyed. I thought that the action sequence at the beginning with the Darkling and Alina, Mal, and Sturmhond’s crew were all very tense, but at the same time curious because there was something about what was happening that had me questioning the motives of several people. Then it progressed into an escape, political calculations, angst, and more unhappy darkness in the end. Honestly, I enjoyed this book more than the first.

Alina, I felt, is starting to really grow more as a character and she’s really trying her best to hone her skills as the Sun Summoner, to not let her powers or her amplifiers control her. I find it interesting how she has those glimpses of darkness within her and only at the end does she realize that it’s because part of the Darkling became a part of her when he claimed her with Morozova’s stag antlers. I wished she had spoken her mind more, had made more mistakes, more slips when in the political settings because I felt she was becoming a very bland person in those situations. And outside of those situations, she still didn’t seem to know what to do, but I think she just had a better understanding of where she belonged in that moment.

Mal was kind of a little overprotective in this book, in my opinion, but I could understand and see where he was coming from in those situations. He was frustrated at the situations, frustrated that he doesn’t understand Alina and what she desires, but also he feels trapped like an animal. I have a feeling about him that maybe he has hidden Grisha powers (no spoilers, please!), but I’m not entirely sure. I didn’t appreciate when he pulled himself so far away from Alina and just went in a small downward spiral. He had a lot of control up to that point, and I understand that their relationship got complicated, but I don’t know why he didn’t try to talk it out with her (and vice versa).

Can we just talk about Nikolai because he’s my new favorite and I need him in my life and I’m adding him to my Book Boyfriend List. He has many masks that he wears, different personas for different moments of time, so you never really know if he’s being sincere or not, but every time he’d joke or say something snarky I couldn’t help but laugh aloud. I personally much preferred seeing him as a Privateer, but as a Prince he was also very much in control of the situations around him and I think that was definitely a strong point for him. I just need more of him, that’s all.

The Darkling… Oh man, he got all kinds of dark and creepy in this book. New powers unfolded from him and his obsession with Alina and power just keeps growing. I can’t tell if he actually cares for her or just wants her power, but dang. He’s kind of scary. There actually wasn’t as much of him in this novel as the last one, which was fine, but it does make me wonder just what he was doing to prepare himself for when he’d return for Alina.

The romance in this book was much more apparent and actually I wished it had developed a different way, but that’s only because I was upset that years of friendship and trust could be so easily broken because of misplaced words and hurt feelings and egos. But the small bits of it that were in there were well placed and I think that we’ll see a bit more in the next book.

The action sequences and the descriptions of the creatures in the book were amazing. I think these were some of the strongest points of the novel because they were all very vivid and fast paced. I loved thinking up the world in my mind, about Sturmhond’s flying ship, about the lands and everything in between. I think that there’s some sort of dark secret behind the creatures that live in the Fold and I hope to learn more about it in the final book.

I definitely enjoyed this book more than the first and I feel that the plot is only going to thicken more now that Alina and the others are in the situation that they’re in now.

I rated this book 4/5 stars and I highly recommend it if you’ve read the first book in this trilogy.

I truly enjoyed this book and I am enjoying the series. I am happy that I finally decided to read it. I think Alina grows a lot in this book and she is trying to do the right thing for Ravka and it's people. I now dislike Mal. At first, it was just that I didn't think he and Alina were good together but now I do not like him at all and I hope he can redeem himself in the third book. I am very conflicted when it comes to The Darkling and again I'll have to wait to see how the series ends to give a definitive answer as to if I like him or not. I loved, loved, loved Strumhold! OMG, he was the perfect mix of sarcasm, charm, charisma, and handsomeness. He had me cracking up on more than one occasion. I think this book was so good and cannot wait to finish the series to see how it all ends!

I actually liked this book better than Shadow and Bone, which is impressive. Usually the first book in a series really captures my attention and draws me in, but I'm disappointed with the following books. Not this time, happily.

I really, really liked the characters and world building in this book. The plot and characters felt more fresh and original than the first book, and the dialogue flowed better in my opinion. The action was riveting, enough so, that I requested the third book from the library before I even finished it. I just have to know what happens!

I love Sturmhond. He's not perfect, but he's hilarious and so much fun to read about. And his lines are just great! (see the hilarious quote at the top about him being a pearl and his mother an oyster) And the Darkling . . . as much as he is a terrible, terrible person (okay, not a person really) there's still something about him that draws you in. I think it takes tremendous talent to write a character like that, and I applaud Leigh Bardugo for it. You want Alina to stay away from him, but you also want her to be with him at the same time. Thumbs up, Leigh.

I do still get serious Hunger Games vibes from Alina. Parts of the book read so much like Katniss in the Hunger Games: Alina's resistance to being a hero to the people, her assertion that she's "not a symbol," and her grooming into being a leader. Also, there's a love triangle, or maybe a love square. The plain Jane girl who the guys all want and is going to save the world trope gets a little bit tiring.

But still, it was a super fun ride and I'm thoroughly enjoying immersing myself in the Grisha-verse.

You know those books, when the sequels just aren't as good as the first one, or it gets redundant? This book is nothing like that, actually I found the sequel was so much better. Just as quickly I was brought back into the Grisha World. The plot actually got better, the story line.. BETTER, new fully formed characters, and Sturmhond? OMG. This entire book I was like, stupid stupid girl, don't pick him. I actually was rooting for someone other than Mal. This book did not disappoint me in the least. I did not like Mal, he seemed to be so insecure with every man Alina met. And the way he handled the things happening to her, was just... wrong. You could clearly see she had a lot going on and it seemed he didn't love her for who she was, just who she was before when he had taken her granted, this is just a rant of mine. I will stop now before I go off. lol

“I've seen what you truly are," said the Darkling, "and I've never turned away. I never will. Can he say the same?”

I did enjoy reading about the connections between the Alina and the Darkling and how they just weren't as different as she thought and the tie they had to each other, which also seemed to introduced in a new power we didn't know about-Astral Projection(it seemed to me). There is just so much to say but cant/wont because spoilers, I cant bring myself to spoil it for the person who hasn't read it yet.. This book has entranced me body and soul, the character development again was incredible and how the already existing characters evolved in this book was stunning. The ending was surprising and kinda blew up in my face, it was not what I was expecting. AT ALL. I loved this book so much, I highly recommend it. Could not begin the next book fast enough.

Alina Starkov is the Sun Summoner, able to wield tremendous powers of light. She wants to use this power to burn away the Shadow Fold and reunited the sundered land of Ravka, but is opposed by the Darkling, leader of the Grisha, a former ally turned mortal foe. Fleeing across the ocean to the continent of Novyi Zem, Alina hopes to find sanctuary. But the reach of the Darkling is a long one...

Siege and Storm is the middle volume of the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo and follows up on the ending of Shadow and Bone. The novel is divided into several distinct sections, the first set in Novyi Zem. I was looking forward to seeing Alina and Mal in a new environment where Grisha are rare and the rules of the land are different, but this lasts a bare handful of pages before we're scooting back across the sea to Ravka. One of the main appeals of this trilogy is that the author doesn't hang around and blitzes from plot beat to plot bear with impressive skill and speed, but this felt a little too abrupt.

After this point is a series of sea battles and some impressive use of Grisha powers to create new weapons and technology (such as Grisha wind summoners fuelling sky-skimming warships), as well as Alina gaining the power of a second amplifier to increase her magical powers. This also increases the risk of her being corrupted by her power the way the Darkling was by his, and the book manages to extract more tension than you'd expect from the notion that Alina might give in to her power and either turn evil or lost control of it. This is helped by the fact that the Darkling becomes more than a villain in this second volume, he also becomes a symbol of Alina's thirst for more knowledge and the power to do good.

It's a strong idea, but is undermined by the fact that Alina never really does anything too heinous with her enlarged powers and you never really buy that she's going to be slaughtering lots of innocent people.

The latter half of the book, in which Alina has to mobilise a Grisha army against the Darkling, is good fun as Alina recruits and retains Grisha warriors, has relationship angst with Mal and is drawn against her will into the political maneuvering for control of Ravka between two feuding brothers. It's all fun but played a little too safe. It's not until near the end of the book that we get some major moments of dramatic power and some action scenes. These scenes are certainly impressive, but they are set up in a rather contrived manner where one character doesn't tell the rest what's going on, because if he did the bad guy's plan would simply never work.

Siege and Storm (***½) is an entertaining and enjoyable read. Unfortunately the atmosphere of the book feels like it's taken a knock from the predecessor. The first novel, if only intermittently, channeled its Russian inspiration into the environmental descriptions and cultural details of the book. In this second volume it feels like it's been reduced to simple linguistic variations. In addition, the book feels like it's too fast-paced when it should slow down a bit (at the start) and then too slow-paced when it should pick up (in the latter part). The result is a book that's breezy and fun, but maybe a little bit more lightweight than it should be. The novel is available now in the UK and USA.

Leigh Bardugo has proven herself to be a hot new writer in the YA world, both with her "Grisha" trilogy and its excellent spinoff work "Six of Crows." I read and greatly enjoyed "Shadow and Bone," with its Russian-flavored culture and landscape and its magic system evocative of the powers seen in "Full Metal Alchemist," even though the main characters felt like the usual generic YA fantasy characters. Since "Shadow and Bone" ended on an ambiguous note, leaving much to be resolved in a later volume, I knew I had to continue the series, and so picked up "Siege and Storm." And while it still leaves many questions unanswered (and raises whole new ones) it remains an entertaining entry in a thoroughly enjoyable series.

In the wake of the Darkling showing his true colors -- and a valiant attempt to destroy him that cost hundreds of lives -- the fledgling Sun Summoner Alina and her longtime friend Mal find themselves on the run with prices on their heads. Their flight lands them in the arms of an unexpected ally, one who carries Alina back to the capital and finds her sanctuary with Ravka's royal family. But Alina is still struggling to control her powers, and finds herself being used as a political pawn despite all her efforts to assert her independence. As her relationship with Mal and with her fellow Grisha becomes more and more strained, she seeks out information on the legendary firebird, a creature who might help her control her powers... but the Darkling is not done with her, and he may exact a vengeance that will destroy Ravka and all Alina holds dear...

"Siege and Storm" is a strong continuation of "Shadow and Bone," providing further background for the setting and establishing just what's at stake should Alina lose. And it introduces several new characters that the reader will either love or just love to hate. I especially liked the twins, Tamar and Tolya, as well as Prince Nikolai, a secondary heir to the throne and a snarky, cunning soul with his own plans for both Ravka and Alina. The Darkling remains an enigmatic but oddly charming soul, and Baghra... bless her heart, I love her snark and her attitude.

Sadly, both Alina and Mal are rather thinly characterized, feeling like just another generic YA protagonist couple. The reader knows they're going to end up together by the end of the book, even with a love triangle (or even square) hinted at with the Darkling's continued presence and Nikolai making his own play at her. Alina in particular feels more like a plot device than an actual character, and I wish we could see more development from her.

The magic system of "Siege and Storm" is termed "small science" here, and is shown as less magic and more the alteration of matter on a molecular level. There is a secondary magic, however, the "making at the heart of the world," which is shown to be far more dangerous... though the consequences of messing with this magic are annoyingly vague. And then there's Mal's tracking ability, which seems to fall into neither category. I can only wonder if the next book will clarify his ability at all...

I find I prefer Bardugo's "Six of Crows" to this series, even though this one lays down the foundation for the world "Six of Crows" takes place in. However, this series is still quite enjoyable and readable, and will appeal to teens and adults who like their fantasy with a darker edge and a Russian flavor to its world. Hopefully the final book, "Ruin and Rising," answers a few more questions...

Alina may have escaped the Darkling, for now, but she’ll never outrun the memories of that night on the Shadowfold. Riddled with guilt, she tries to make a new life with Mal across the true sea. But the Darkling is never far behind, and his powers have grown to terrifying new depths. Can Alina keep ahead of him, can she protect the man she loves, and can she really turn her back on her country and the people who, even now, look to her to save Ravka?

Bardugo extends her fantasy world even further in this second installment of the Grisha series. Once again, her descriptions of the environment and the complicated workings of an integrated magical and normal society are fascinating, detailed and riddled with uncomfortable situations. I loved the underlying political games and the religious aspects because they are so radical and unlike anything in our own society. It’s easy to get immersed and lost in this wonderful world of mythology and magic.

Alina’s character evolves throughout the storyline and Mal’s own transformation makes for some interesting inter and intra personal conflicts, which contributes a much larger portion of the storyline than in the first installment. There’s a whole lot of adventure and some intriguing twists in this installment. I’m still hooked on this series!

So... Did anybody else wish for a different ending? I really enjoy this story but it's so broken up in so many pieces I just feel it's unnecessary. Alina gets power hungry in this one leading to a more epic ending that I felt like could have ended the series but still epic. Then Mal was just unhappy the whole entire story. Alina has the weight of her whole country on her shoulders and she's got to deal with this whiny baby bestie from back in the day. I know they love each other and it's really suppose to matter to the story but he just got on my nerves this book. I loved Strumhound and I remember her from the six of Crows series. I know it's suppose to be the other way around but I read them out of order, it's fine. I like him a lot and it brings an even deeper level to the Six series so I'm happy about that. I kind of ship Alina and the prince because he doesn't whine all the time. I'm being an unfair judge I know. Anyways I loved the fact Alina is taking charge and being the strong women she is and not denying herself the position she deserves anymore. Then again I don't want her to go overboard and become the tyrant the Darkling did. I enjoyed this story and want to finish it out. I really did like the ending though.

Siege and Storm picks up a small a few months after where Shadow and Bone left off. As I’ve come to expect from Leigh Bardugo, the world building in Siege and Storm is brilliant. This book expands upon the existing world building from the previous novel to deepen the immersive nature of the series.

The characters that carried over from Shadow and Bone also continued to grow and develop throughout this book and it was great seeing how the different situations and decisions affected them. The characters that were added to the story gave everything in the novel another layer as they developed with the storyline.

I had a lot of trouble putting this book down, which lead to not getting to sleep until around 3am. This is especially important because it means this book did not fall into the common “second book” dullness we often see in a series. The sarcastic and dark humor used through most of the story is the perfect contrast to the horrible things that happen. I love how at the end, while there’s a small sense of closure, it’s obvious the story will continue. I can not wait to read the final book in this beautiful and exciting trilogy.

For this review and more, please visit my blog at vicariousbookworm.wordpress.com

Maci's Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo is the second book in the The Grisha series. Alina is the Sun Summoner, a Grisha with the special power to summon sunlight. She is one of a kind and the Darkling wants her so she is on the run with Mal trying to escape Ravka. But she doesn’t make it very far before being capture once more by the Darkling, but the Darkling isn’t the only one that wants Alina. She is also attempting something no other Grisha has ever tried before, to claim a second amplifier (Grisha are only allowed one amplifier to help amplify their power). If she does this is will make her almost as powerful as the Darkling. In this sequel we meet new characters that are better then ever and fast favorites. I enjoyed this book more then the first one, and I felt the characters developed a lot more. I would recommend this book to people who liked Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard or Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas.

Zoe's Review: I really enjoyed the first book in this trilogy, but the ending was very conclusive and so I was not sure if I intended to read the next one. I am glad I did because this was really great. It did not have the second book curse that many other series and trilogies do. It was engaging and interesting always keeping me on my feet the whole time. As Alina once again struggles against the Darkling she also grows as a person, trying to figure out how she fits into her destiny and not just into the Darkling’s plans. At first I was wondering if it would just be a different version of the same plot from the first book, but even though it is similar, it was actually very different. I really connected with the characters differently then I did in the first book. I connected to their feelings of hopelessness and hope all in one creating a very riveting read. The ending was good and left me wanting the next one. Overall I would say that it is worth it to continue the series (especially as the next one gets even better!).

Two books in, I'm still pretty lukewarm on this trilogy. It's good enough to keep reading, especially for the extra background on author Leigh Bardugo's superior semi-sequel series Six of Crows, but far too much time is spent on the main character's love triangle with an evil abuser and a jealous sulking man-baby, neither of whom Bardugo has convinced me is anything special. The plot too is fine but not groundbreaking, without much to elevate it above its YA fantasy tropes. (One new character is a rare breath of fresh air, but he's not a major enough presence in the text to make up for the rest. And I'm not too excited about a love triangle becoming a love quadrangle, either.) Hopefully the last book will bridge the quality gap between the rest of the trilogy and Six of Crows, but at this point, I'm not exactly holding my breath.

This book missed a huge opportunity in the beginning to actually create a relationship between Alina and Mal. In a few short pages we get the idea that they have been traveling at sea and are attempting to escape and make a life together. Great! Except that it all goes by in a blur and the second book in “The Grisha” series becomes yet another “could have.” It could have been good. But it’s not. This book follows in the same footsteps as “Shadow and Bone” except it’s even more lacking in detail and description. I hate that these books are giving me such a sense of “something’s missing.” I tolerated it in the first book, but in the second one, I’m just annoyed. I desperately wanted Leigh Bardugo to show me why these two people matter. Why are they so in love with each other? There just isn’t enough here to tell. Mal has potential, he’s described as good-looking, athletic, and is a gifted tracker, but as soon as there’s another potential romantic partner for Alina, he becomes overly jealous, reckless, and angry. Alina on the other hand, is depressing, sickly, and just plain boring. The darkling really isn’t present for much of the book, and for the second time he has kidnapped and threatened Alina and Mal. Been there, done that.

The new romantic interest in this book showed some promise, but it seems Alina only has eyes for Mal. It didn’t really matter to me who Alina picked as long as there was some sort of spark between the two. Sadly, there is nothing. No excitement, no tension. If fact, after the first one hundred pages, the rest of the book is extremely dull and boring. It’s just a repeat of the first book. There’s some training, searching for the amplifier, and “politics”. But really Alina just whines on about all her insecurities, gets mad and jealous at Mal, and acts like it’s such a burden to have to dismiss romantic advances from another guy.

I’m done with “The Grisha” series at this point. It’s too predictable and I just don’t care enough about these characters to continue on. I can guess how the story ends, so I’m not even going to waste my time reading the final book. If you’re looking for excitement and romance, you won’t find it here.

This was an incredible sequel that followed up the incredible first novel, Shadow and Bone. The plot is just as engaging as the first novel as Alina struggles to be a leader, to fully accept her gift as a sun summoner, and to accept her connection to the Darkling. War is brewing in Ravka and the Darkling has gained some seriously terrifying abilities that break the laws established in the world of The Grisha trilogy. There is trouble between Mal and Alina as Alina’s gifts separate them into two very different worlds and they struggle to find a middle ground. The book expands and progresses without taking on too much or not moving forward enough. The story is the perfect mix and this novel doesn’t suffer from second book syndrome for even a second as it continues its incredible story line.

While the Darkling still remains shrouded in mystery, Alina grows and develops and both she and Mal struggle with very real and potent emotions. Several new and interesting characters are introduced, each with their own histories, agendas, and personalities. While Alina isn’t full confident in herself for most of the second book, it appears that she will have more or less come into her own by the end of the novel and in time for the third book.

The writing in eloquent and interesting and the dialogue believable and often times witty and very enjoyable. While many second books can fall flat or pale a bit in comparison to the first novel, Siege and Storm is never less than a thoroughly powerful novel on its own and just as fantastic as the first book. I love both Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm and read both in less than two days. I am very excited to get my hands on the third and final book and will be recommending these books to anyone looking for a unique and interesting high fantasy series.

Favorite Quote:
"I'm a prince," said Nikolai. "Being useful isn't part of the job description. But," he added, "when I'm not lazing about being handsome, I'll be trying to better equip the First Army and gather intelligence on the Darkling's location."

AND

"Princes bleed just like other men."
Nikolai plucked an invisible piece of dust from his sleeve. "Yes," he said. "They just do it in better clothes."

Siege and Storm was a book that I wish I'd read sooner, but at the same time I'm glad that I have Ruin & Rising already in my hands to start post haste.

Strangely enough, my favorite character was the new one introduced in this novel, Nikolai (if you couldn't tell from the quotes above). His attitude and sarcasm spoke to me. Haha. While I am still a rabid Darkling/Alina fan, I'm still pretty positive I'll be ultimately disappointed. While I'd also be happy if she ended up with Nikolai, I'm pretty sure the "childhood love" will win out in the end. Which is depressing. I liked Mal even less in this book than the first one. The romance itself was very well done and all I can say is I want more Darkling. Moar.

I did like what I got of the Darkling. *sigh* Though he was missing for a good chunk of the book as she was on the run from him. I liked how she did incorporate him though. I enjoyed her mix of old and new characters.

It was interesting to see how Alina was changing in the book, how her power grew and the consequences of those powers. There were times I was almost not sure if I should continue rooting for her. Hahaha. I was equally interested in the background politics surrounding the Ravka throne. Poor Nikolai. Hopefully it ends up in your charming hands. Considering how things left off at the end of this one, I can only wonder what will happen from here.

I'm also very curious what will happen next, other than the search for the firebird (obviously). I only want more Darkling and Nikolai. Maybe Mal will tragically kick the bucket. One can hope.

Bardugo did a fabulous job at pacing. I was never bored and she successfully built a lot of drama and tension for the action scenes. I also enjoyed the different places we went with Alina. Bardugo's writing is so fabulous and vivid. I can really imagine everything that that she paints upon the pages. I feel like I'm in the world right there with Alina and the Darkling. I can't wait to start the next one and read the epic conclusion...and hope Mal dies. Seriously. I think I'd rather see her end up alone than with him.

I feel like I didn't have enough to say in this review, but that may be because I'm itching to get on to the conclusion. Probably. I'd better get on that. Plus there is a prequel about the Darkling? I'm on that like syrup on pancakes.

man this series is so addictive. I read this 2nd installment within two days because I found it hard to put down. I'll admit I was concerned about whether it would live up to the excitement of the first one- but I had nothing to be worried about. Siege and Storm is another fast-paced adventure, and most certainly lives up the quality of its predecessor. However, that is where the similarities between the two books end. We get a few new characters in this one, most notably the pirate who has a thousand personalities. He was quite likable and I do hope he makes an appearance in the final book. What surprised me the most was the lack of the Darkling, who had been such a major character in the first book. While he does make an appearance at the beginning and end of this book, he is nearly completely absent for the rest of it. Someone who is constantly there (unfortunately) is Mal.

I get the feeling that the author wants us to believe Mal is Alina's true and epic love. And I do get that he's a good guy; he sacrificed a lot for Alina and (when it comes down to it), he has her back. But his constant insecurity, pettiness, and jealousy is such a turn off for the character. I don't know how Alina puts up with him, because I certainly couldn't. Something I should note, which was interesting: there is still no love triangle in this installment. As I mentioned, the Darkling is all but removed from this book, and in any case is certainly beyond any semblance of redemption. The pirate shows some passing interest in Alina, but nothing more. The book focuses a lot on politics and what it means to rule, to have people depending on you to save them from this great evil. The author does a good job of showing how Alina struggles between her duties and becoming this hugely powerful person. I can't wait to see what happens in the final book, especially given the cliffhanger.

I loved the beginning and end of this book! It was a lot "quieter" than book 1. I would still describe book 1 as quiet, but it was a lot more fast paced. The beginning and ending of this book was tension-filled and fast paced as well. However, the middle, for me, wasn't as interesting.

I expected to learn more about Alina's background during this book. Now, I'm expecting this in the final book. I loved how her relationship with Mal started so strong and crumbled along the way.

The beginning with them on the sea with the pirate crew was so interesting to me, but when they went to the Palace, not much excited me anymore.
It was just her day to day life at the palace and I wanted more. Although, I did like her relationship with Genya.

Mal got on my nerves in this book. He was whiny, insecure, and prideful. I know this was intentional, but it was still frustrating. Some of Alina's new personality traits irritated me as well, but I liked how it all led up to an action-filled ending.

My favorite character during this book was Nikolai. His character flaws were revealed slowly, and he was interesting throughout the entire book. I feel like I know more about him than Alina or Mal. The twins were a little flat, but I think this was purposeful. I loved the little hints that something was off with them and I was satisfied when I found out why.

The ending was my favorite part!! It did make me excited for the final book. I expect a lot of background as to who Alina is. I expect some deaths, some crazy, some evil, etc. I'm so ready to read the final book and then the second book to "Six of Crows," but I'm rating this book as 3 out of 5.

Summary : Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret.

Great Sequel. Alina and Mal were leaving everything behind and start new but the Darkling was still out there looking for them and he wasn't going to stop.

I really liked Alina and Mal together, they grew up together, are best friends and more. I liked how the book started with them living a regular life away from Ravka. But things changed between them. Alina was getting stronger, she wanted to save lives, she felt guilty for all those lives lost, and wants to stop the Darkling but Mal wants the old Alina back, when she was just a regular girl. I thought he was being to hard on her, he was putting to much pressure on her to choose between him or being the Sun Summoner. For a while I thought he was an ass. Alina was starting to get power hungry. You can see it in how she only thought about getting the next amplifier, so I see how Mal can feel left out or ignored, I think he just doesn't want her to change or get stronger.

In Siege and Storm we meet a couple of new people. Tamar and Tolya, I think they're twins. They are very good at what they do. We learn who they really are, which was unexpected, you don't see it coming just like with Sturmhond. There was more to this guy then just being a pirate. I liked him, he was entertaining but there were to many sides to him, I didn't know if he was being truthful, honest, sincere, it felt like he was also using Alina just like the Darkling was. But he was kind of funny and flirty. I didn't want Mal to see none of that cus we know how he can get, and it wouldn't be good. There were old characters too, some I didn't care much about but others I liked hearing about :)

Let's not forget about the Darkling. He wasn't really a main character in this book, but his presences was always there. He would appear like a ghost and freak Alina out. I always looked forward to those moments. I just want to see what happens, what he says, and does, it's so spoocky but I can't help it I like that he is on everyone's mind, messing with them, freaking them out and he isn't even there, he makes a very good villain :) am I wrong? Is there something wrong with me that I like this guy even though he is a terrible immortal being, what ever he is? There is more to this guy, is probably all bad but I'll be there reading it all :)

Alina, Mal and the gang hid and prepared for the battle of Darkness that was inevitable. The Darkling was coming and getting what he thinks is his. He wants all the power and nothing with get in his way, even if he has to kill innocent people.

I enjoyed reading this sequel, I'm always a bit skeptic when it comes to new characters, you've gotten used to the main characters and you don't know if you can trust the new ones, but surprisingly it was alright. They were good guys and were a big part in this book. They made the book better :)

I started reading this series with the hope that it would be a fantasy with romance mixed in, but there's really not a lot of romance in this series. There are a few kisses here and there, but the romance of this book is not the main focus of this book. So if you like more action than romance, then this series is definitely for you! I was sad that the Darkling was only a small part of this book and was missing from most of the book because I quite like his character. I was hoping he would turn out to be like Warner from [book:Shatter Me|10429045], but I don't think I'm gonna get my wish. We are introduced to some new characters in this book and my favorite is Nikolai. I could ship Nikolai and Alina! At times I had a hard time getting into this book and I think that's why it took me so long to finish reading it. This book was a lot of strategizing, making plans, and preparation, but apart from that, nothing really exciting happened. The first 50 pages were awesome, the last 50 were exciting, but the rest was pretty mediocre. However, I am interested to see what happens in the final book in this trilogy!

http://functioninginsanity.blogspot.com/2015/09/siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo.html

I read the trilogy back to back and I had some expectations for this one. Based on the last story I had an idea on how things would be paced and what would happen and boy was I wrong. This one started out with a bang and was just flying right along. When they realize they can no longer run from their problems Alina and Mal decide to search for the other amplifiers of legend. They get right on that second one much faster than expected.

But along the journey we meet some amazing new characters that I just adored. The most prominent being Nikolai. He was just hilarious. He reminded me a bit of Captain Jack Sparrow with his witty lines and comments. He was just adorable. I liked him as a character so much but as a possible love interest he never really worked for me personally. Though I did love every page he was on because his character almost always made me laugh. We also meet Tamar and other who really added to the eclectic cast of characters including returning characters including Genya and Zoya. Now I was never a fan of Zoya, she was an evil bitch from word one. But Genya, I just loved her for the majority of book one then I felt horribly betrayed and in Siege and Storm my conflicted feelings for her swayed back and forth but in the end I love her.

There is a lot of drama and things happening in this one. I will say one small thing was that the pacing seemed a bit back and forth, super fast and full of action then followed up with longer more character driven scenes, which I was okay with but it went back and forth at times. There was some unnecessary drama between some of the characters, but then again when do characters ever actually talk about their issues head on? No they never do and it causes issues that turn into so much more. But I was okay with this and I could see it from different sides and while I was shouting "GO TALK IT OUT!" at the book while reading I was also able to reason away the behavior. There is a war after all, personal drama seems like it should be put aside for that.

Overall I really liked the story and loved learning more about the world. This world of the Grisha is so beautifully built up and the ending was just 'on point.' I loved the part there in the end. It made me put it on my shelf and immediately pick up the next and final book. I had to know more and that to me is a successful sequel. What did you think of the sequel? Who was your favorite character to read about? Mine was Nikolai, he just stole all his scenes. Even when I wanted to smack him.

Actual Rating: 3.5 / 5

This second act in Leigh Bardugo's best-selling Grisha Trilogy brings us back to Bardugo's breathtaking Russian-inspired world on the brink of war. Alina and best friend / love interest Mal have escaped the Darkling and fled their home country of Ravka, and must keep Alina's true identity as a Sun Summoner (the rarest kind of Grisha) a secret. But they can't hide for long. Soon they're forced to return to Ravka as the Darkling unleashes a terrifying new power that pushes the boundaries of Grisha magic. But as Alina prepares to fight again, she finds herself caught between stretching the limits of her own powers and losing the people she holds dear. What is she willing to risk so she can save her country from her greatest enemy?

Siege and Storm starts off with everything I adored about its predecessor Shadow and Bone: vivid writing, flawed yet relatable characters, sarcastic humor when you least expect it, and a world that feels more authentic the deeper Bardugo dives into it. It's slower in pace, but comfortably so to allow room for newly relevant folklore and to steep Alina in Ravka's political quagmire. And I can't forget about Sturmhond, my favorite addition to the trilogy. Overly cocky characters usually turn me off, but this flamboyant, "abiding-by-my-own-rules" privateer who isn't what he seems is a riot.

Unfortunately things go downhill with 100-ish pages left. Too much angst develops in too many relationships at once, and the major characters (especially Alina) act in ways that got on my nerves. The climax also sweeps in rather suddenly - though I wonder if I missed the buildup because of the other issue I mentioned. All in all, I still enjoyed Siege and Storm, though not as much as I loved Shadow and Bone; and I'm eager to see how Bardugo will close things out in the finale.

Whew, lots of drama in this sequel! Still, I really liked it and sped through the last couple chapters because I needed to know what happened. We met new characters, watched old ones change, and were delivered a fierce finale. Alina was still pretty broody, but I enjoyed watching her make choices, struggle, and endure. Mal was still wonderful, even when he started driving me crazy from the halfway point on. I can't not love these characters, especially a particularly chatty "privateer." I enjoyed learning more about the world and how simple actions could lead to devastating consequences. There wasn't as much in terms of actual fighting action, but the wild-ride ending definitely made up for it. Honestly, I don't know how it's going to end, but I can't wait to experience the trials and danger of the finale!

This book immediately sucked me in and I had no desire to put it down. I loved the cast of new characters and I couldn't help but enjoy every scene with Nikolai. He is so full of wit and sarcasm. He quickly became a new favorite character.

Alina has grown so much since Shadow and Bone. Her desire for more power and all three amplifiers has me a bit nervous for her as well as incredibly curious as to what exactly will happen when/if she gets her hands on all of them. I'm dying to find out but at the same time I don't want this series to end. It has been such a fun journey.

The Darkling is back and has a few new tricks up his dark and devious sleeves. With Mal's insecurities, jealousy and all around irritating behavior in this book I almost found myself hoping Alina would ride off into the sunset with the Darkling and leave Mal to wallow in self pity. I know there is something special about Mal I just wish he would hurry up and figure out what it is.

The showdown at the end had me a nervous wreck. I knew it was coming and yet I still wasn't prepared for the explosion of action and surprises. I have to admit, I enjoyed this book even more than Shadow and Bone.

Originally reviewed at http://www.shaelit.com/2013/10/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo/

Ms. Bardugo exercises beautiful control over the pace of her story. The first chapter begins at a relatively sedate pace to allow us to settle back into Alina’s world, but then the tale kicks into high gear with the appearance of the Darkling and his new, unnatural powers. I won’t give away what exactly the Darkling learned when Alina left him to die on the Fold, but it gave me chills. If you thought he was nearly impossible to stop before, you haven’t seen anything yet.

To escape the Darkling, Alina and Mal team up with Sturmhond, a wily privateer with the swagger of (Captain) Jack Sparrow and the bright-eyed cleverness of Eugenides. Head of a ship manned by rogue Grishas, Sturmhond steals Alina and Mal in order to take them to his client. Who that client is, I can’t say, but I will say that I was intrigued and impressed by the plotline Ms. Bardugo wove together. Threads that were spun in the first book were woven in neatly to the second, and I suspect they’ll continue deftly into the third.

Really, everything that Ms. Bardugo did well in the first book she manages to do even better in the second. Characters from the first book reappear, and we get to see their backgrounds and personalities deepen. Along with some familiar faces, we also get to meet some lovely new characters in Siege. My two favorites, excepting Sturmhond, are the pirate Heartrenders Tolya and Tamar. Fast and fierce, they always manage to come out on top in any confrontation.

Oh, and the schemes! The political intrigue surrounding Alina deepens, and she struggles to find her footing. I love well-crafted political shenanigans, so I enjoyed watching Sturmhond, Alina, and their allies navigate the shifting sands of the Ravkan court. Even more exciting was watching Alina truly – finally! – grow into her power. Though she starts the book as the scared, sickly girl she once was, her strength, power, and ability to manipulate others grow as the story progresses. She becomes more confident, more willing to answer threats with firm consequences. In some ways, she reminds me of Elisa from the Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson. Both women wrestle with thorny ethical issues, and neither are promised easy answers.

I also love that Ms. Bardugo makes no promise of a happy ending. The characters we love are pummeled with all types of damage – physical, emotional, mental, relational. People die. Named characters that I have grown attached to completely bite the dust. Other named characters are viciously punished by the Darkling at various points, and while we aren’t shown the process of what he does (thank goodness), the end results are distressing to put it mildly. The pressures of her position and the influences of her power weigh on Alina, and she starts to lose her grasp on reality. (Or does she?) Worst of all, her relationship with Mal really goes to pot.

Let me take a moment to say that I appreciate the way Ms. Bardugo handled the bumps in Alina and Mal’s budding romance. Though I love Mal, he’s a human and isn’t always the most even-keeled boat on the pond. All his life, Alina has been the small one, the weak one, the frail one, the one in need of protection. That Alina disappeared in the first book for a time, influenced by the evil, scheming Darkling to become a beautiful, powerful woman that Mal barely knew. Mal gets a lot of flack from reviewers in this book for his oafish, domineering attitude, and I get that. He’s overprotective and surly and childish in many parts. And yet I feel for him. He has lost his lifelong role as Alina’s protector. What can a mere human offer to Saint Alina, the Sun Summoner? What can he give her that isn’t offered by others? Princes offer her the kingdom, the people offer her their worship, and the Darkling offers her a worthy companion for eternity. All Mal feels he can give is something she no longer needs. That’s not to say that Mal handles himself well. He is justified in his reactions, and yet it’s his very reactions that prove to Alina that he cannot be trusted with the burdens she wishes to share. Though Alina may be analogous to Elisa, Mal is not yet a worthy Hector. And that, to me, is fascinating, for it shows a willingness to let Mal’s character grow and develop organically.

Then again, any argument over who Alina will end up with may be moot in the end. I personally think Alina will end up with Mal, if she ends up with anyone. However, given how the second book closes, and given Ms. Bardugo’s willingness to maim her darlings, I’m not convinced that Alina will be able to save Ravka at any cost less than her very life. But whatever it takes, whatever the cost, Alina will free Ravka. As I wait anxiously for the third and final book, Ruin and Rising, I can’t decide which emotion rules me. Do I feel dread as I wait for Alina’s world to crumble? No, I stand defiant like the prisoners in The Dark Knight Rises, chanting for my hero to rise.

Points Added For: Sturmhond and his cleverness (and his rare tender side); Tolya and Tamar; the continuation of the David/Genya saga; great pacing; political intrigue; cool new gadgets; gorgeous Russian-esque language; the careful balance of despair, triumph, and hope.

Points Subtracted For: I wish Alina had been more open with her struggles, though I understand why she wasn’t.

Good For Fans Of: The Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson, Christopher Nolan’s Batman, tricky ethical conundrums and political machinations.

Notes For Parents: Some language, death, maiming, drunkenness.

4 Stars, Completed June 25, 2015

Siege and Storm begins with Alina and Mal on the run after the events of Shadow and Bone. At the end of the first installment, Alina makes a vow to leave the Grisha life. However, the Darkling’s advice about Mal never being able to understand her innate Grisha gifts and the loneliness that comes with immortality starts to settle in, and Alina is beginning to have doubts. Alina’s even more confused about her own feelings when she learns that another amplifier exists. She’s not sure whether her motivation to seek out the Sea Whip is fueled by her desire to stop the Darkling from controlling her and ruining Ravka further or whether it’s for her own avarice. And it troubles her that this possible greed ties her to the Darkling and his selfish endeavors. Siege and Storm is another story focusing on the battle to free Ravka, but this time Alina has to fight the war between right and wrong raging in her mind as well.

So I remember being plain upset by the time I finished. Mainly, for three reasons: there was so little of the Darkling, my gosh the bizarre pacing (LEIGH, WHY DO YOU ALWAYS PACK A BUTTLOAD OF PLOT TOWARDS THE END? MY HEART CANNOT TAKE IT.), and Alina’s angsty emotions (miserable characters can make miserable readers).

From my review of Shadow and Bone you guys may have been able to identify my absolute love for the Darkling. Yes, he’s manipulative and evil, but I have always had faith that deep down the Darkling is just a lonely, lost boy. Therefore I feel like if he could get past with his greed for power, Alina could be his healing companion. (YES, I AM A DARKLING/ALINA SHIPPER.) So you guys can imagine how disappointed I was when the Darkling made one* (ONE!) actual (you know what I mean if you’ve read S&S) appearance. So that is the main source as to why I’m deducting a huge star as petty as that sounds.

The weird pacing was there but it wasn’t a huge issue for me. Like Shadow and Bone, the beginning was entertaining but it was on the slower side and not much happened. It didn’t pick up until Sturmhond was introduced (but I may be a tad biased and just think that way because I happen to enjoy his scenes a lot), but when it did the story moved very fast. And as I mentioned in my S&B review, Alina wasn’t a special character or one that stood out for me. In this installment, she was much more mopey (for good reason though) but I wasn’t of fan of it.

What saved this book for me was the many awesome characters introduced. I loved Tolya and Tamar. And prior to starting this, so many readers (thanks, Miguel!) warned me of Sturmhond. So I went into it mentally prepared, and thank goodness that I did. Sturmhond is one of those characters that every reader loves and easily steals the stage presence of all the other characters if this was a drama. He’s clever, witty, and normal. It was really refreshing to have a mundane, non-Grisha character that was still strong in strategy and combat. He’s also really mysterious (in a different way from the Darkling) and it was interesting to learn all of his identities. And his suggestive and flirtatious nature was fun (I still remain a Darkling/Alina shipper though.)

So I would be lying if I said I enjoyed this book less than Shadow and Bone; it still was a fantastic adventure. I definitely recommend this to people that loved Shadow and Bone. As for those that thought Shadow and Bone was on the more meh side, I don’t think this installment, aside from the new, amazing characters, provided a uniqueness that will change your perspective on the trilogy. But it’s still worth a try if you’re curious or invested in the story.

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More reviews at xingsings.wordpress.com

It doesn't happen often, in my opinion, that a sequel is better than the first book. And no matter how much I loved Shadow & Bone, Siege & Storm was just on a whole new level. I haven't read many books that are this captivating.

Not only did I love the plot line, which changed so often, but the characters in this book were just out of this world. I loved most of the new characters that were introduced. In some sequels, when they bring in new people it can feel as if they have no reason to be there, as if they don't contribute to the story at all. But that was definitely not the case here. Stormhund, Tolya, Tamar, they were just surprising. They kept evolving and changing until it had become hard to imagine that the previous book didn't include them.

I can't believe I'll have to wait till June to read Ruin & Rising, but I guess I'll have to power through those months!

Siege and Storm picks up a small a few months after where Shadow and Bone left off. As I’ve come to expect from Leigh Bardugo, the world building in Siege and Storm is brilliant. This book expands upon the existing world building from the previous novel to deepen the immersive nature of the series.

The characters that carried over from Shadow and Bone also continued to grow and develop throughout this book and it was great seeing how the different situations and decisions affected them. The characters that were added to the story gave everything in the novel another layer as they developed with the storyline.

I had a lot of trouble putting this book down, which lead to not getting to sleep until around 3am. This is especially important because it means this book did not fall into the common “second book” dullness we often see in a series. The sarcastic and dark humor used through most of the story is the perfect contrast to the horrible things that happen. I love how at the end, while there’s a small sense of closure, it’s obvious the story will continue. I can not wait to read the final book in this beautiful and exciting trilogy.

For this review and more, please visit my blog at vicariousbookworm.wordpress.com

Maci's Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo is the second book in the The Grisha series. Alina is the Sun Summoner, a Grisha with the special power to summon sunlight. She is one of a kind and the Darkling wants her so she is on the run with Mal trying to escape Ravka. But she doesn’t make it very far before being capture once more by the Darkling, but the Darkling isn’t the only one that wants Alina. She is also attempting something no other Grisha has ever tried before, to claim a second amplifier (Grisha are only allowed one amplifier to help amplify their power). If she does this is will make her almost as powerful as the Darkling. In this sequel we meet new characters that are better then ever and fast favorites. I enjoyed this book more then the first one, and I felt the characters developed a lot more. I would recommend this book to people who liked Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard or Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas.

Zoe's Review: I really enjoyed the first book in this trilogy, but the ending was very conclusive and so I was not sure if I intended to read the next one. I am glad I did because this was really great. It did not have the second book curse that many other series and trilogies do. It was engaging and interesting always keeping me on my feet the whole time. As Alina once again struggles against the Darkling she also grows as a person, trying to figure out how she fits into her destiny and not just into the Darkling’s plans. At first I was wondering if it would just be a different version of the same plot from the first book, but even though it is similar, it was actually very different. I really connected with the characters differently then I did in the first book. I connected to their feelings of hopelessness and hope all in one creating a very riveting read. The ending was good and left me wanting the next one. Overall I would say that it is worth it to continue the series (especially as the next one gets even better!).

Two books in, I'm still pretty lukewarm on this trilogy. It's good enough to keep reading, especially for the extra background on author Leigh Bardugo's superior semi-sequel series Six of Crows, but far too much time is spent on the main character's love triangle with an evil abuser and a jealous sulking man-baby, neither of whom Bardugo has convinced me is anything special. The plot too is fine but not groundbreaking, without much to elevate it above its YA fantasy tropes. (One new character is a rare breath of fresh air, but he's not a major enough presence in the text to make up for the rest. And I'm not too excited about a love triangle becoming a love quadrangle, either.) Hopefully the last book will bridge the quality gap between the rest of the trilogy and Six of Crows, but at this point, I'm not exactly holding my breath.

This book missed a huge opportunity in the beginning to actually create a relationship between Alina and Mal. In a few short pages we get the idea that they have been traveling at sea and are attempting to escape and make a life together. Great! Except that it all goes by in a blur and the second book in “The Grisha” series becomes yet another “could have.” It could have been good. But it’s not. This book follows in the same footsteps as “Shadow and Bone” except it’s even more lacking in detail and description. I hate that these books are giving me such a sense of “something’s missing.” I tolerated it in the first book, but in the second one, I’m just annoyed. I desperately wanted Leigh Bardugo to show me why these two people matter. Why are they so in love with each other? There just isn’t enough here to tell. Mal has potential, he’s described as good-looking, athletic, and is a gifted tracker, but as soon as there’s another potential romantic partner for Alina, he becomes overly jealous, reckless, and angry. Alina on the other hand, is depressing, sickly, and just plain boring. The darkling really isn’t present for much of the book, and for the second time he has kidnapped and threatened Alina and Mal. Been there, done that.

The new romantic interest in this book showed some promise, but it seems Alina only has eyes for Mal. It didn’t really matter to me who Alina picked as long as there was some sort of spark between the two. Sadly, there is nothing. No excitement, no tension. If fact, after the first one hundred pages, the rest of the book is extremely dull and boring. It’s just a repeat of the first book. There’s some training, searching for the amplifier, and “politics”. But really Alina just whines on about all her insecurities, gets mad and jealous at Mal, and acts like it’s such a burden to have to dismiss romantic advances from another guy.

I’m done with “The Grisha” series at this point. It’s too predictable and I just don’t care enough about these characters to continue on. I can guess how the story ends, so I’m not even going to waste my time reading the final book. If you’re looking for excitement and romance, you won’t find it here.

This was an incredible sequel that followed up the incredible first novel, Shadow and Bone. The plot is just as engaging as the first novel as Alina struggles to be a leader, to fully accept her gift as a sun summoner, and to accept her connection to the Darkling. War is brewing in Ravka and the Darkling has gained some seriously terrifying abilities that break the laws established in the world of The Grisha trilogy. There is trouble between Mal and Alina as Alina’s gifts separate them into two very different worlds and they struggle to find a middle ground. The book expands and progresses without taking on too much or not moving forward enough. The story is the perfect mix and this novel doesn’t suffer from second book syndrome for even a second as it continues its incredible story line.

While the Darkling still remains shrouded in mystery, Alina grows and develops and both she and Mal struggle with very real and potent emotions. Several new and interesting characters are introduced, each with their own histories, agendas, and personalities. While Alina isn’t full confident in herself for most of the second book, it appears that she will have more or less come into her own by the end of the novel and in time for the third book.

The writing in eloquent and interesting and the dialogue believable and often times witty and very enjoyable. While many second books can fall flat or pale a bit in comparison to the first novel, Siege and Storm is never less than a thoroughly powerful novel on its own and just as fantastic as the first book. I love both Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm and read both in less than two days. I am very excited to get my hands on the third and final book and will be recommending these books to anyone looking for a unique and interesting high fantasy series.

Favorite Quote:
"I'm a prince," said Nikolai. "Being useful isn't part of the job description. But," he added, "when I'm not lazing about being handsome, I'll be trying to better equip the First Army and gather intelligence on the Darkling's location."

AND

"Princes bleed just like other men."
Nikolai plucked an invisible piece of dust from his sleeve. "Yes," he said. "They just do it in better clothes."

Siege and Storm was a book that I wish I'd read sooner, but at the same time I'm glad that I have Ruin & Rising already in my hands to start post haste.

Strangely enough, my favorite character was the new one introduced in this novel, Nikolai (if you couldn't tell from the quotes above). His attitude and sarcasm spoke to me. Haha. While I am still a rabid Darkling/Alina fan, I'm still pretty positive I'll be ultimately disappointed. While I'd also be happy if she ended up with Nikolai, I'm pretty sure the "childhood love" will win out in the end. Which is depressing. I liked Mal even less in this book than the first one. The romance itself was very well done and all I can say is I want more Darkling. Moar.

I did like what I got of the Darkling. *sigh* Though he was missing for a good chunk of the book as she was on the run from him. I liked how she did incorporate him though. I enjoyed her mix of old and new characters.

It was interesting to see how Alina was changing in the book, how her power grew and the consequences of those powers. There were times I was almost not sure if I should continue rooting for her. Hahaha. I was equally interested in the background politics surrounding the Ravka throne. Poor Nikolai. Hopefully it ends up in your charming hands. Considering how things left off at the end of this one, I can only wonder what will happen from here.

I'm also very curious what will happen next, other than the search for the firebird (obviously). I only want more Darkling and Nikolai. Maybe Mal will tragically kick the bucket. One can hope.

Bardugo did a fabulous job at pacing. I was never bored and she successfully built a lot of drama and tension for the action scenes. I also enjoyed the different places we went with Alina. Bardugo's writing is so fabulous and vivid. I can really imagine everything that that she paints upon the pages. I feel like I'm in the world right there with Alina and the Darkling. I can't wait to start the next one and read the epic conclusion...and hope Mal dies. Seriously. I think I'd rather see her end up alone than with him.

I feel like I didn't have enough to say in this review, but that may be because I'm itching to get on to the conclusion. Probably. I'd better get on that. Plus there is a prequel about the Darkling? I'm on that like syrup on pancakes.

I said I had hoped that the second book of this trilogy was better, which was a little risky because of its middle-book status, but for me it was so much better! I've seen this on some other blogs and I'm just trying out different structures so I'm going to do good and bad points instead of just text.

√. It was much more exciting than the first book. Where the first book was bogged down a little with explaining everything and Alina's time training up, this one was much punchier for me and made it much quicker to read.

√. Alina as a character was improved so much. In Shadow and Bone, I found her slightly annoying and flat as a character but I could see that she had matured after the events of the first book, and that she is also still recovering from it. Aline did a lot in this book that made me respect her more, especially how she coped with the new politics after the departure of the Darkling.

√. I'm usually wary of new characters being introduced in a second book because they can sometimes feel like they've just been dropped in for the sake of it but I didn't find that at all. In fact, I found a new favourite character in Nikolei. He was sharp and sassy but his responsibility made him a more 3D character that I really, really liked.

√. The writing was just the same as it was in Shadow and Bone. I think Leigh Bardugo has a great writing style and I really connect with it.

√. I enjoyed Mal and Alina's relationship and how it played out with the changing of Alina's role within the Grisha world.

There really wasn't a great deal that I didn't enjoy, I just think that it didn't have the wow that I need for a 5 star read. I would still definitely recommend and though I'm taking a short break before reading the last book to get to a few other novels, I'm looking forward to Ruin and Rising!

man this series is so addictive. I read this 2nd installment within two days because I found it hard to put down. I'll admit I was concerned about whether it would live up to the excitement of the first one- but I had nothing to be worried about. Siege and Storm is another fast-paced adventure, and most certainly lives up the quality of its predecessor. However, that is where the similarities between the two books end. We get a few new characters in this one, most notably the pirate who has a thousand personalities. He was quite likable and I do hope he makes an appearance in the final book. What surprised me the most was the lack of the Darkling, who had been such a major character in the first book. While he does make an appearance at the beginning and end of this book, he is nearly completely absent for the rest of it. Someone who is constantly there (unfortunately) is Mal.

I get the feeling that the author wants us to believe Mal is Alina's true and epic love. And I do get that he's a good guy; he sacrificed a lot for Alina and (when it comes down to it), he has her back. But his constant insecurity, pettiness, and jealousy is such a turn off for the character. I don't know how Alina puts up with him, because I certainly couldn't. Something I should note, which was interesting: there is still no love triangle in this installment. As I mentioned, the Darkling is all but removed from this book, and in any case is certainly beyond any semblance of redemption. The pirate shows some passing interest in Alina, but nothing more. The book focuses a lot on politics and what it means to rule, to have people depending on you to save them from this great evil. The author does a good job of showing how Alina struggles between her duties and becoming this hugely powerful person. I can't wait to see what happens in the final book, especially given the cliffhanger.

I loved the beginning and end of this book! It was a lot "quieter" than book 1. I would still describe book 1 as quiet, but it was a lot more fast paced. The beginning and ending of this book was tension-filled and fast paced as well. However, the middle, for me, wasn't as interesting.

I expected to learn more about Alina's background during this book. Now, I'm expecting this in the final book. I loved how her relationship with Mal started so strong and crumbled along the way.

The beginning with them on the sea with the pirate crew was so interesting to me, but when they went to the Palace, not much excited me anymore.
It was just her day to day life at the palace and I wanted more. Although, I did like her relationship with Genya.

Mal got on my nerves in this book. He was whiny, insecure, and prideful. I know this was intentional, but it was still frustrating. Some of Alina's new personality traits irritated me as well, but I liked how it all led up to an action-filled ending.

My favorite character during this book was Nikolai. His character flaws were revealed slowly, and he was interesting throughout the entire book. I feel like I know more about him than Alina or Mal. The twins were a little flat, but I think this was purposeful. I loved the little hints that something was off with them and I was satisfied when I found out why.

The ending was my favorite part!! It did make me excited for the final book. I expect a lot of background as to who Alina is. I expect some deaths, some crazy, some evil, etc. I'm so ready to read the final book and then the second book to "Six of Crows," but I'm rating this book as 3 out of 5.

Summary : Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret.

Great Sequel. Alina and Mal were leaving everything behind and start new but the Darkling was still out there looking for them and he wasn't going to stop.

I really liked Alina and Mal together, they grew up together, are best friends and more. I liked how the book started with them living a regular life away from Ravka. But things changed between them. Alina was getting stronger, she wanted to save lives, she felt guilty for all those lives lost, and wants to stop the Darkling but Mal wants the old Alina back, when she was just a regular girl. I thought he was being to hard on her, he was putting to much pressure on her to choose between him or being the Sun Summoner. For a while I thought he was an ass. Alina was starting to get power hungry. You can see it in how she only thought about getting the next amplifier, so I see how Mal can feel left out or ignored, I think he just doesn't want her to change or get stronger.

In Siege and Storm we meet a couple of new people. Tamar and Tolya, I think they're twins. They are very good at what they do. We learn who they really are, which was unexpected, you don't see it coming just like with Sturmhond. There was more to this guy then just being a pirate. I liked him, he was entertaining but there were to many sides to him, I didn't know if he was being truthful, honest, sincere, it felt like he was also using Alina just like the Darkling was. But he was kind of funny and flirty. I didn't want Mal to see none of that cus we know how he can get, and it wouldn't be good. There were old characters too, some I didn't care much about but others I liked hearing about :)

Let's not forget about the Darkling. He wasn't really a main character in this book, but his presences was always there. He would appear like a ghost and freak Alina out. I always looked forward to those moments. I just want to see what happens, what he says, and does, it's so spoocky but I can't help it I like that he is on everyone's mind, messing with them, freaking them out and he isn't even there, he makes a very good villain :) am I wrong? Is there something wrong with me that I like this guy even though he is a terrible immortal being, what ever he is? There is more to this guy, is probably all bad but I'll be there reading it all :)

Alina, Mal and the gang hid and prepared for the battle of Darkness that was inevitable. The Darkling was coming and getting what he thinks is his. He wants all the power and nothing with get in his way, even if he has to kill innocent people.

I enjoyed reading this sequel, I'm always a bit skeptic when it comes to new characters, you've gotten used to the main characters and you don't know if you can trust the new ones, but surprisingly it was alright. They were good guys and were a big part in this book. They made the book better :)

I started reading this series with the hope that it would be a fantasy with romance mixed in, but there's really not a lot of romance in this series. There are a few kisses here and there, but the romance of this book is not the main focus of this book. So if you like more action than romance, then this series is definitely for you! I was sad that the Darkling was only a small part of this book and was missing from most of the book because I quite like his character. I was hoping he would turn out to be like Warner from [book:Shatter Me|10429045], but I don't think I'm gonna get my wish. We are introduced to some new characters in this book and my favorite is Nikolai. I could ship Nikolai and Alina! At times I had a hard time getting into this book and I think that's why it took me so long to finish reading it. This book was a lot of strategizing, making plans, and preparation, but apart from that, nothing really exciting happened. The first 50 pages were awesome, the last 50 were exciting, but the rest was pretty mediocre. However, I am interested to see what happens in the final book in this trilogy!

http://functioninginsanity.blogspot.com/2015/09/siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo.html

I read the trilogy back to back and I had some expectations for this one. Based on the last story I had an idea on how things would be paced and what would happen and boy was I wrong. This one started out with a bang and was just flying right along. When they realize they can no longer run from their problems Alina and Mal decide to search for the other amplifiers of legend. They get right on that second one much faster than expected.

But along the journey we meet some amazing new characters that I just adored. The most prominent being Nikolai. He was just hilarious. He reminded me a bit of Captain Jack Sparrow with his witty lines and comments. He was just adorable. I liked him as a character so much but as a possible love interest he never really worked for me personally. Though I did love every page he was on because his character almost always made me laugh. We also meet Tamar and other who really added to the eclectic cast of characters including returning characters including Genya and Zoya. Now I was never a fan of Zoya, she was an evil bitch from word one. But Genya, I just loved her for the majority of book one then I felt horribly betrayed and in Siege and Storm my conflicted feelings for her swayed back and forth but in the end I love her.

There is a lot of drama and things happening in this one. I will say one small thing was that the pacing seemed a bit back and forth, super fast and full of action then followed up with longer more character driven scenes, which I was okay with but it went back and forth at times. There was some unnecessary drama between some of the characters, but then again when do characters ever actually talk about their issues head on? No they never do and it causes issues that turn into so much more. But I was okay with this and I could see it from different sides and while I was shouting "GO TALK IT OUT!" at the book while reading I was also able to reason away the behavior. There is a war after all, personal drama seems like it should be put aside for that.

Overall I really liked the story and loved learning more about the world. This world of the Grisha is so beautifully built up and the ending was just 'on point.' I loved the part there in the end. It made me put it on my shelf and immediately pick up the next and final book. I had to know more and that to me is a successful sequel. What did you think of the sequel? Who was your favorite character to read about? Mine was Nikolai, he just stole all his scenes. Even when I wanted to smack him.

Actual Rating: 3.5 / 5

This second act in Leigh Bardugo's best-selling Grisha Trilogy brings us back to Bardugo's breathtaking Russian-inspired world on the brink of war. Alina and best friend / love interest Mal have escaped the Darkling and fled their home country of Ravka, and must keep Alina's true identity as a Sun Summoner (the rarest kind of Grisha) a secret. But they can't hide for long. Soon they're forced to return to Ravka as the Darkling unleashes a terrifying new power that pushes the boundaries of Grisha magic. But as Alina prepares to fight again, she finds herself caught between stretching the limits of her own powers and losing the people she holds dear. What is she willing to risk so she can save her country from her greatest enemy?

Siege and Storm starts off with everything I adored about its predecessor Shadow and Bone: vivid writing, flawed yet relatable characters, sarcastic humor when you least expect it, and a world that feels more authentic the deeper Bardugo dives into it. It's slower in pace, but comfortably so to allow room for newly relevant folklore and to steep Alina in Ravka's political quagmire. And I can't forget about Sturmhond, my favorite addition to the trilogy. Overly cocky characters usually turn me off, but this flamboyant, "abiding-by-my-own-rules" privateer who isn't what he seems is a riot.

Unfortunately things go downhill with 100-ish pages left. Too much angst develops in too many relationships at once, and the major characters (especially Alina) act in ways that got on my nerves. The climax also sweeps in rather suddenly - though I wonder if I missed the buildup because of the other issue I mentioned. All in all, I still enjoyed Siege and Storm, though not as much as I loved Shadow and Bone; and I'm eager to see how Bardugo will close things out in the finale.

Whew, lots of drama in this sequel! Still, I really liked it and sped through the last couple chapters because I needed to know what happened. We met new characters, watched old ones change, and were delivered a fierce finale. Alina was still pretty broody, but I enjoyed watching her make choices, struggle, and endure. Mal was still wonderful, even when he started driving me crazy from the halfway point on. I can't not love these characters, especially a particularly chatty "privateer." I enjoyed learning more about the world and how simple actions could lead to devastating consequences. There wasn't as much in terms of actual fighting action, but the wild-ride ending definitely made up for it. Honestly, I don't know how it's going to end, but I can't wait to experience the trials and danger of the finale!

This book immediately sucked me in and I had no desire to put it down. I loved the cast of new characters and I couldn't help but enjoy every scene with Nikolai. He is so full of wit and sarcasm. He quickly became a new favorite character.

Alina has grown so much since Shadow and Bone. Her desire for more power and all three amplifiers has me a bit nervous for her as well as incredibly curious as to what exactly will happen when/if she gets her hands on all of them. I'm dying to find out but at the same time I don't want this series to end. It has been such a fun journey.

The Darkling is back and has a few new tricks up his dark and devious sleeves. With Mal's insecurities, jealousy and all around irritating behavior in this book I almost found myself hoping Alina would ride off into the sunset with the Darkling and leave Mal to wallow in self pity. I know there is something special about Mal I just wish he would hurry up and figure out what it is.

The showdown at the end had me a nervous wreck. I knew it was coming and yet I still wasn't prepared for the explosion of action and surprises. I have to admit, I enjoyed this book even more than Shadow and Bone.

Originally reviewed at http://www.shaelit.com/2013/10/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo/

Ms. Bardugo exercises beautiful control over the pace of her story. The first chapter begins at a relatively sedate pace to allow us to settle back into Alina’s world, but then the tale kicks into high gear with the appearance of the Darkling and his new, unnatural powers. I won’t give away what exactly the Darkling learned when Alina left him to die on the Fold, but it gave me chills. If you thought he was nearly impossible to stop before, you haven’t seen anything yet.

To escape the Darkling, Alina and Mal team up with Sturmhond, a wily privateer with the swagger of (Captain) Jack Sparrow and the bright-eyed cleverness of Eugenides. Head of a ship manned by rogue Grishas, Sturmhond steals Alina and Mal in order to take them to his client. Who that client is, I can’t say, but I will say that I was intrigued and impressed by the plotline Ms. Bardugo wove together. Threads that were spun in the first book were woven in neatly to the second, and I suspect they’ll continue deftly into the third.

Really, everything that Ms. Bardugo did well in the first book she manages to do even better in the second. Characters from the first book reappear, and we get to see their backgrounds and personalities deepen. Along with some familiar faces, we also get to meet some lovely new characters in Siege. My two favorites, excepting Sturmhond, are the pirate Heartrenders Tolya and Tamar. Fast and fierce, they always manage to come out on top in any confrontation.

Oh, and the schemes! The political intrigue surrounding Alina deepens, and she struggles to find her footing. I love well-crafted political shenanigans, so I enjoyed watching Sturmhond, Alina, and their allies navigate the shifting sands of the Ravkan court. Even more exciting was watching Alina truly – finally! – grow into her power. Though she starts the book as the scared, sickly girl she once was, her strength, power, and ability to manipulate others grow as the story progresses. She becomes more confident, more willing to answer threats with firm consequences. In some ways, she reminds me of Elisa from the Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson. Both women wrestle with thorny ethical issues, and neither are promised easy answers.

I also love that Ms. Bardugo makes no promise of a happy ending. The characters we love are pummeled with all types of damage – physical, emotional, mental, relational. People die. Named characters that I have grown attached to completely bite the dust. Other named characters are viciously punished by the Darkling at various points, and while we aren’t shown the process of what he does (thank goodness), the end results are distressing to put it mildly. The pressures of her position and the influences of her power weigh on Alina, and she starts to lose her grasp on reality. (Or does she?) Worst of all, her relationship with Mal really goes to pot.

Let me take a moment to say that I appreciate the way Ms. Bardugo handled the bumps in Alina and Mal’s budding romance. Though I love Mal, he’s a human and isn’t always the most even-keeled boat on the pond. All his life, Alina has been the small one, the weak one, the frail one, the one in need of protection. That Alina disappeared in the first book for a time, influenced by the evil, scheming Darkling to become a beautiful, powerful woman that Mal barely knew. Mal gets a lot of flack from reviewers in this book for his oafish, domineering attitude, and I get that. He’s overprotective and surly and childish in many parts. And yet I feel for him. He has lost his lifelong role as Alina’s protector. What can a mere human offer to Saint Alina, the Sun Summoner? What can he give her that isn’t offered by others? Princes offer her the kingdom, the people offer her their worship, and the Darkling offers her a worthy companion for eternity. All Mal feels he can give is something she no longer needs. That’s not to say that Mal handles himself well. He is justified in his reactions, and yet it’s his very reactions that prove to Alina that he cannot be trusted with the burdens she wishes to share. Though Alina may be analogous to Elisa, Mal is not yet a worthy Hector. And that, to me, is fascinating, for it shows a willingness to let Mal’s character grow and develop organically.

Then again, any argument over who Alina will end up with may be moot in the end. I personally think Alina will end up with Mal, if she ends up with anyone. However, given how the second book closes, and given Ms. Bardugo’s willingness to maim her darlings, I’m not convinced that Alina will be able to save Ravka at any cost less than her very life. But whatever it takes, whatever the cost, Alina will free Ravka. As I wait anxiously for the third and final book, Ruin and Rising, I can’t decide which emotion rules me. Do I feel dread as I wait for Alina’s world to crumble? No, I stand defiant like the prisoners in The Dark Knight Rises, chanting for my hero to rise.

Points Added For: Sturmhond and his cleverness (and his rare tender side); Tolya and Tamar; the continuation of the David/Genya saga; great pacing; political intrigue; cool new gadgets; gorgeous Russian-esque language; the careful balance of despair, triumph, and hope.

Points Subtracted For: I wish Alina had been more open with her struggles, though I understand why she wasn’t.

Good For Fans Of: The Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson, Christopher Nolan’s Batman, tricky ethical conundrums and political machinations.

Notes For Parents: Some language, death, maiming, drunkenness.

4 Stars, Completed June 25, 2015

Siege and Storm begins with Alina and Mal on the run after the events of Shadow and Bone. At the end of the first installment, Alina makes a vow to leave the Grisha life. However, the Darkling’s advice about Mal never being able to understand her innate Grisha gifts and the loneliness that comes with immortality starts to settle in, and Alina is beginning to have doubts. Alina’s even more confused about her own feelings when she learns that another amplifier exists. She’s not sure whether her motivation to seek out the Sea Whip is fueled by her desire to stop the Darkling from controlling her and ruining Ravka further or whether it’s for her own avarice. And it troubles her that this possible greed ties her to the Darkling and his selfish endeavors. Siege and Storm is another story focusing on the battle to free Ravka, but this time Alina has to fight the war between right and wrong raging in her mind as well.

So I remember being plain upset by the time I finished. Mainly, for three reasons: there was so little of the Darkling, my gosh the bizarre pacing (LEIGH, WHY DO YOU ALWAYS PACK A BUTTLOAD OF PLOT TOWARDS THE END? MY HEART CANNOT TAKE IT.), and Alina’s angsty emotions (miserable characters can make miserable readers).

From my review of Shadow and Bone you guys may have been able to identify my absolute love for the Darkling. Yes, he’s manipulative and evil, but I have always had faith that deep down the Darkling is just a lonely, lost boy. Therefore I feel like if he could get past with his greed for power, Alina could be his healing companion. (YES, I AM A DARKLING/ALINA SHIPPER.) So you guys can imagine how disappointed I was when the Darkling made one* (ONE!) actual (you know what I mean if you’ve read S&S) appearance. So that is the main source as to why I’m deducting a huge star as petty as that sounds.

The weird pacing was there but it wasn’t a huge issue for me. Like Shadow and Bone, the beginning was entertaining but it was on the slower side and not much happened. It didn’t pick up until Sturmhond was introduced (but I may be a tad biased and just think that way because I happen to enjoy his scenes a lot), but when it did the story moved very fast. And as I mentioned in my S&B review, Alina wasn’t a special character or one that stood out for me. In this installment, she was much more mopey (for good reason though) but I wasn’t of fan of it.

What saved this book for me was the many awesome characters introduced. I loved Tolya and Tamar. And prior to starting this, so many readers (thanks, Miguel!) warned me of Sturmhond. So I went into it mentally prepared, and thank goodness that I did. Sturmhond is one of those characters that every reader loves and easily steals the stage presence of all the other characters if this was a drama. He’s clever, witty, and normal. It was really refreshing to have a mundane, non-Grisha character that was still strong in strategy and combat. He’s also really mysterious (in a different way from the Darkling) and it was interesting to learn all of his identities. And his suggestive and flirtatious nature was fun (I still remain a Darkling/Alina shipper though.)

So I would be lying if I said I enjoyed this book less than Shadow and Bone; it still was a fantastic adventure. I definitely recommend this to people that loved Shadow and Bone. As for those that thought Shadow and Bone was on the more meh side, I don’t think this installment, aside from the new, amazing characters, provided a uniqueness that will change your perspective on the trilogy. But it’s still worth a try if you’re curious or invested in the story.

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More reviews at xingsings.wordpress.com

It doesn't happen often, in my opinion, that a sequel is better than the first book. And no matter how much I loved Shadow & Bone, Siege & Storm was just on a whole new level. I haven't read many books that are this captivating.

Not only did I love the plot line, which changed so often, but the characters in this book were just out of this world. I loved most of the new characters that were introduced. In some sequels, when they bring in new people it can feel as if they have no reason to be there, as if they don't contribute to the story at all. But that was definitely not the case here. Stormhund, Tolya, Tamar, they were just surprising. They kept evolving and changing until it had become hard to imagine that the previous book didn't include them.

I can't believe I'll have to wait till June to read Ruin & Rising, but I guess I'll have to power through those months!

Given this is the second book in a series, it’s pretty much impossible to review it without listing spoilers about what happened in the previous book.

Back away if you don’t want the first book ruined…

!!!!SPOILERS (For the first book)!!!!!

With the Darkling’s collar around her neck, Alina and Mal can only hope to be free by running across the sea. Unfortunately they’re easy to track thanks to the golden pins they’re selling to stay alive. And the Darkling has help in the form of a privateer named Sturmhond and the ability to create nearly invincible shadow beings from nothing. *takes a breath* That brings us up to…um about the quarter point of the book.

Like the first book, there’s a huge lull where not much action happens…well, except Alina becoming even more Grisha than Grisha (sorry, now I’m channeling White Zombie), Sturmhond wheedling his way into your heart, and Mal becoming a complete jerk. In Mal’s defense, Alina does keep some very important information from him. But the gal thinks she’s going crazy. I can kind of understand her initial hesitance. It just goes on far too long.

Besides Sturmhond, we meet some new characters. And since I listened to this instead of read it, I have no hope of spelling their names. They’re kickass twins who become Alina’s guards. We also get to see the cult devoted to Saint Alina start from a small group of hangers-on and build to an army.

Somehow I grew to like the Darkling in this book even more despite him being far, far worse and…not even present for the majority of the time! I know, I don’t even understand it. Except, well the evil stalker vibe kind of does it for me. By the end the author had me questioning if the Darkling even was a villain or if he was the only true hero. Amazing writing right there. *nods*

Again a heap of action happens all right at the end, and again I was left salivating for the next book. I made myself hold off so I’d have time to write this review, but that was the only thing holding me back.

Seriously, grab this if you like YA and want something fresh.

Siege and Storm is yet again a marvelous book. I loved it, but not as much as I loved Shadow and Bone to be honest.

Siege and Storm starts off around where Shadow and Bone ended. Alina and Mal are still on the run from the Darkling and his Grisha, who have now completely defected from Ravka. Of course it’s not long before the Darkling finds them again, takes them prisoner and drags them along to find the second Morozova amplifier, the ice dragon Rusalye. They also meet privateer Sturmhond, who at first doesn’t seem to care what the Darkling’s plans are, until he helps Alina and Mal escape.

Now after that most of the book is about Alina, Mal and Sturmhond aka Prince Nikolai Lantsov, the youngest son of the King of Ravka preparing for war. I think that revelation was one of the most exciting parts of the book to be honest. Though the ending of the book wasn’t bad either, we get to see the Darkling again and Alina showing she’s quite a powerful Sun Summoner.

The story is as beautifully written as the previous one, but like I said I loved it less than Shadow and Bone because of a lot of reasons. One of the biggest reasons (besides the whole endless reading of preparation for the coming war) is the constant conflict between Mal and Alina and occassionally Sturmhond as well. I got so frustrated whenever Mal and Alina got into another one of their fights, I just wanted to slap them both and tell to get their act together. It also didn’t help that Alina was being stubborn and keeping some big secrets from Mal.

As for the characters themselves, I’m not going to go into much details, all I can say is both Alina and Mal frustrated me, but while I still loved Alina … I am just not able to connect with Mal at all! In this book especially the only feeling I felt for him was annoyance. Sturmhond on the other hand was a breath of fresh air and I LOVE him! He’s smart, witty, nice when he wants to be and I jsut can’t get enough of him.

All that being said, Bardugo created a wonderful book even with it’s flaws and now I’ll be off to read Ruin and Rising and see how everything ends.

Fair warning: This review will probably contain spoilers.

4.5 Stars

Oh, where do I begin? So, the last time we saw Alina and Mal, Alina had just taken control of the stag collar and turned against the Darkling. She and Mal escaped to one of the towns bordering the True Sea, and they were making plans to get further away from Ravka.

Siege and Storm picks up pretty much where Shadow and Bone left off. Alina and Mal are on the run. They’ve crossed the True Sea, and are temporarily living in a boarding house while the work “normal” jobs in order to save for their journey further away. While in the boarding house they encounter the Darkling, and learn that he has acquired a new power. The Darkling captures Alina and Mal, and takes them aboard the ship of Sturmhond, a renowned privateer. I can’t say much about what happens next without giving away spoilers, so I’ll just say hijinks ensue, and Alina ends up finding herself back at the Little Palace before all is said and done.

I really appreciated this book. It moved a lot faster than I the first one, which if you can remember was one of my big hang ups from before. I also feel like something changed in the storytelling, but it was a good change. I truly had feels this go around. When I read Shadow and Bone I felt like I would just start having an emotional response, and it would be cancelled out by the drudging of the plot. That wasn’t an issue this time. I really loved Sturmhond/Nickolai. I’m hoping we will get to see more of him in Ruin and Rising, though judging by the way this book ended, that might not be the case.

Alina proved herself to me in this story, as well. In the first book, I was extremely turned off by her weakness and how naive she was. In this book, there was a lot of growth to her character, and she truly started to become a strong heroine. One thing that I didn’t care for was her constant hang up with Mal.

I don’t think it’s a secret that I wasn’t a fan of Mal in the first book. He had his moments, but overall he just didn’t do it for me. I started to warm up to him in the first half of this installment, but then…oh, then, we went back to the Little Palace. Mal is such a narcissistic, egotistical, pig-headed…UGH! I can’t stand him.

Alina is doing the best she can to save Ravka, and he’s whining because he doesn’t feel special enough. Get a freaking grip! And, while we’re at it, stop with the constant jealousy. I understand that Nikolai was testing him on this, but still…it’s obvious that Alina is completely head over heels for him. Why does he have to have a jealous fit anytime another man comes near here? Furthermore, how is he entitled to be mad at her for not telling him to stay at the Little Palace all those times, when he could have just as easily made the decision for himself? Clearly, she thought he wanted to leave, considering the fact that all he did was whine about being there. Ugh! Just ugh! I can’t stand him.

I’m really, really, really digging Nikolai, though. I hope beyond hope that he comes back in the third book, and that we get to see a romantic relationship evolve between him and Alina. I feel like they are much better suited for each other than she and Mal. Also, that part with the kiss/not kiss…feels. Feels everywhere!

I don’t think I can address this review without mentioning my feelings for the Darkling since I had such a strong reaction to him the first go around. I’m happy to say that I’ve snapped out of it. I think I wanted him to redeem himself and ride off into the sunset with Alina so badly simply because, I didn’t want her with Mal. I stand true to the last point, however, I no longer feel like there’s a need for the Darkling to redeem himself. After what he did to his mom and Genya…nothing can redeem him at this point. Plus, he now scares the poop out of me with this new power of his. There’s just nothing natural about it at all, and I feel like he’s practically soulless after the amount of times he has used it.

Overall, I gave this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I truly enjoyed myself, and I’m on pins and needles waiting to get my hands on the third book. This one ends not so much on a cliffhanger, but in a way that definitely has me begging for more, and I’m confident that it will you too.

I am so glad I waited to read this because now I can devour the series. This book was even better than the first book. It was so exciting.

I do not even think I mentioned the world building in the previous review, but I love it. I love the maps at the front of the book. It is so much fun when authors do that with worlds they have built. I really felt like I was living in the book with the characters. I could feel the darkness and despair they were feeling. I could feel how anxious the people were just waiting for The Darkling to appear.

I could feel my self blushing when Alina would blush. I use to make fun of my daughter when she did this..hehe. I have now realized that the more I read the more the world pops out in my head, and my emotions are linked to the books I am reading. It's fabulous. I cannot believe I hated reading as a kid. I missed out on so many fun adventures. Even if they would have been in my head. hehe.

There is so much tension in this book. Alina and Mal seemed to find a little place to live and be a "normal" couple. I knew in my head it wouldn't last long, but it was fun while it lasted. They are such a cute couple.

Alina gets another amplifier in this book and she is finding it harder and harder to hold back the power that comes along with it. Alina finds out that their may be a third amplifier, and wants to go seek it out. Meanwhile, Alina has taken over The Darklings place, and they are preparing for war with him.

We also get to meet a few new characters in this book. One, helped her and Mal escape from The Darkling again. Twin Grisha's who are to protect Alina. A few other characters show their nasty heads back in this book as well.

Alina is becoming more power hungry and in the process is pushing Mal away. Let me just say...they better end up together or I might cry.

This book was so exciting. I thought the first one was, and then I fell into this book. It was wonderful, every step of the way. I love the feelings the author brought out in me during my reading of this book. I love the writing...it's beautiful. I just all around loved this book.

I cannot wait to see what the conclusion brings! I am a little nervous to start reading it. I have heard so many great things, but ending a series is always nerve racking for me. I am one of those people that if the ending doesn't work for me it kind of ruins the whole experience for me. So, onto book three.....Here's hoping it is as fantastic as the previous two!

Source: I bought this series for myself. I was not compensated in any way for this review. These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

***WARNING..SPOILER ALERT**

I really enjoyed this book. So far I am loving the series. In Siege and Storm, Mal and Alina are in a place called Cofton trying to star a new life, but don't we all know life is never that easy. The Darkling has returned to get Alina. We are introduced to some new characters as well. One of my favorites is the Privateer Sturmhold who turns out to be the prince Nikolai. (Sorry If I'm spelling the names wrong). He was a funny character who always had a joke. Now I will say that in the middle, it got a little slow but that was only due to the planning of the war and so more backstories. I really enjoyed this read and starting the final book ASAP.

I’ve read my fair share of fantasies, but I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a novel quite like one of The Grisha novels. While the concept of light and dark has certainly been done before, the way Bardugo manages to make it her own is quite admirable. The way she tackles it in Shadow and Bone is fascinating, but the way that it’s developed in Siege and Storm was incredible. This novel took elements introduced in book one, and wove them into a story that was definitely more interesting and a whole lot stronger than its predecessor. I enjoyed it tremendously, if you can’t tell.

Alina may have experienced growing pains in the previous book upon discovering that she was Grisha. But that’s nothing compared to how she battles with herself in this novel. She mentally debates about everything - her magic, her feelings, her loyalties, her plans. While it’s certainly trying to witness her argue with herself repeatedly, I appreciated that it felt authentic for her to do so instead of just accepting everything or being led in one direction or another. In the end, her strength and her sense of right and wrong prevailed, and I admired her for that.

Mal has a much stronger presence in this story, which I absolutely loved. His relationship with Alina is sweet, in spite of the trials they face. His bravery and his strength come into play during this story, and his quiet resolve often felt like a good foil for Alina’s confusion. This is not to say that he didn’t have his own share of insecurity, because that was certainly present too. I loved that he felt more well-rounded to me in this one, with good traits and bad. And seriously, it was just hard not to swoon over him.

As for the Darkling, if I thought I loved him at all in the first book, that’s been (nearly) destroyed. It’s hard to fight the attraction to his commanding presence and his mysterious looks, however. Reading about him felt like a delicious, forbidden thrill, even though he doesn’t appear all that often in this book.

My new favorite is Sturmhond, a new character. He’s easygoing and funny, but strong and intelligent too. I enjoyed seeing him demonstrate his abilities in handling politics, and seeing him tease his friends. He added a lighthearted atmosphere and a sense of humor to the novel, and I really wish he existed in real life because we would totally be friends.

This book ran the gamut story-wise, going from really intense highs to surprisingly average moments. I mostly enjoyed the combination, though there were certainly times that I felt my attention would waver as I read. Still, the exciting, action-packed scenes really got my attention whenever they happened! Bardugo was able to craftily make it so that there was a balance of sorts between the action-heavy and dialogue-heavy scenes, though my favorite part has got to be the latter third. I adore that she was able to shock and delight me at many turns, and I totally did not expect how things would play out.

There are many questions left unanswered for me in this novel, and that leaves me eager for the next book. Bardugo’s development of this novel, and all the intricate, tenuous relationships in it, is very well-done. I won’t be able to tell you what will happen next, but I do know that whatever it is, it’s going to be a grand adventure. Bardugo has yet another strong novel under her belt; Siege and Storm has certainly proven that this series is unique, interesting and one that’s definitely worth taking the time to read.

To everyone who told me I would love Sturmhond, I state unequivocally 'YOU WERE RIGHT'.

Now that the formalities are out of the way, I have to say that I am even more in love with this series after Siege and Storm than I was after Shadow and Bone - which I thought was pretty much impossible. Bardugo just proved me completely wrong.

The biggest drawcard for me in this series is the writing. It's magical, visual and just completely sucks me in. As with Shadow and Bone, I read Siege and Storm in a day because I just could not put it down. It's a huge testament to this series' success that readers push this book relentlessly, and for readers like me, it's the writing that keeps me coming back once the initial peer pressure wears off. Bardugo for the auto-buy!

The world building in Siege and Storm is just as genius as in Shadow and Bone - the imagery is fantastic and the feeling of darkness and tension just seeps through the pages. Despite the fact that fantasy isn't my cup of tea, I can completely buy into the world that Bardugo has created - with more than a splash of Russian it feels so well-rounded.

OK let's get to Sturmhond in a little more detail. My opinion? Just throw away all the other male characters in the book, and keep Sturmhond. That is all.

To be fair, I feel kinda sorry for Mal though. He's like the puppy dog that no one wants - and he is kinda sweet in his own way. However the Darkling holds absolutely NO appeal to me at all and just gives me the jeebies.

I'll keep this short and sweet - I think you've probably gotten the hint on how much I loved Siege and Storm and now, onto Ruin and Rising!

I picked up the predecessor to this book, “Shadow and Bone,” a few months ago and hardly put it down again until I was finished. It wasn’t a perfect book by any means, but I sure liked it enough to seek out this sequel. I was pleased to find that not only did “Siege and Storm” meet the expectations set by the previous book, it surpassed them. “Siege and Storm” is a near impossible thing to find in the world of trilogies: a sequel that’s better than the original.

We start where we left off, with Alina and Mal sailing around Ravka and the surrounding lands, hiding from the Darkling. However, their safety doesn’t last long (and how exciting would it be if it did?); they’re soon back in the clutches of their enemy. Fortunately, they’re able to evade him with the help of a new pirate friend, Sturmhond, and his crew. When the group meets up with the few Grisha that have chosen not to follow the Darkling (since, of course, most people don’t know what he really is, i.e. the guy who created the Fold), Alina has to learn to embrace her influence as the Sun Summoner. She does this well . . . a little too well, if you ask Mal. Alina may be helping to save her kingdom, but what will she be giving up?

If you’re sweating it because “Siege and Storm” sounds like it’s way too focused on romance, don’t worry. Sure, there’s romance, mostly in the form of our old friend Mal and including a new contender, Sturmhond, as well. But Alina’s struggles with her newfound power and how she chooses to use it are also central to the book, along with her search for something that might make her even more powerful (hint: all good things come in threes). Although it’s only implied, there’s also the question of what’s to be done with the kingdom when/if it can be recovered; the current management has made quite a mess of things and the heir to the throne doesn’t seem much better. There may be a way to fix this problem, but it’s a little tricky . . .

Although that particular problem has yet to go away, the issues I had while reading the first book sure have; the characters were better fleshed out this time around, and no plot points were rushed or hard to follow. Although my favorite new character is Sturmhond (he’s quite an enigma, except when he’s not), I also liked Tamar and Tolya, a brother-and-sister team that joins up with Alina and Mal. Best of all, it looks like all of them have roles in the upcoming book.

But of course they do; this is a trilogy. That means Book 3 is going to finish up everything, and in a satisfactory manner, I hope. I suppose I’ll have to read it and see. Even though it’s sitting in my living room, fresh from the library, I can hardly wait.

It was so good. The lavish events, the romance, the broken hearts, the darkness, and the adventure. This book has it all.

Alina has turned into an entirely different person. She is no longer week and scared. She has become strong and wields her power wisely. However, her time with the Darkling has changed Alina in ways that I don't think anyone saw coming.

The relationships in this book is something else, I have no idea what to think, or even guess what will happen to everyone in the end. The relationship between Mal and Alina is totally different. It starts off as one thing and by the end of the book it's another. A new Prince pops-up out of nowhere and I must say that he does grow on you. Finally there is the Darkling. Let's just say it, that no matter how evil he is a part of you just swoons over him. He is evil, there is no doubt, but there is something about his character that kinda pulls you to him. And he is most definitely pulled to Alina.

So much s*** went down in Siege and Storm. There is political drama (2 princes vying for the crown), there is romance with evolving a whole lot of people, a crazy priest starting a cult and there is an undeniable evil that must be stopped at all costs. This is an incredible story.

I don't want to say any more for fear of spoiling it so the only thing I guess I can say is, it's time to find the firebird.

Oh wow, despite the number of days this book took me to finish, when I was reading I just blew through it like it was nobody's business.

I entered into the world of the Grisha with SIX OF CROWS, and I knew a bit of what to expect with some characters from finishing that duology. I wasn't prepared for how much I was going to love some of them though, despite that. COUGHNIKOLAICOUGH. But we'll get to that.

I think SIEGE AND STORM did a much better job at developing the conflict and the world than the book before it, if only because it began tackling small things. It left holes, certainly, but it also began to look at issues of history not providing the whole truth (beyond the Darkling, as we know) and how that affects the present. I expect, by the end of the third, I'll be seeing a lot of aspects of these events are unknown even to the characters of SoC.

Personally I felt the pacing was great for the story it told. This book was not action-packed, but it moved so quickly I didn't care. The conflict here was both inner and between Alina and others; this is not a book for outward events.

Speaking of Alina, I was just... amazed with how she was handled. The way her power changed her. And scared her. Her inner conflict was done really well. I never seemed to settle on an opinion of her and I think that's the point - she's all over the place right now.

The other characters!!! I love so many of them. Some seem little more than cutouts and haven't developed at all since SHADOW AND BONE. Others are showing their true colors and really beginning to... mmm, I can't say it nicely. Like Mal. I'm really angry at Mal. Boy has a lot of work to do in the next one.

I love Nikolai a lot though. I have a thing for his type, okay. Don't give me that look.

All in all, a very strong sequel, which I am always impressed to find. Someone told me each book gets stronger as the series progresses, and I can already see that happening. I can't wait to get to the next one.

In the first installment of the Grisha Trilogy, Alina and Mal both believe that the other doesn’t love them. Now, after admitting their feelings for one another and escaping the Darkling, they are on the run and traveling through small villages in an attempt to hide their identities. When an illustrious privateer aids them in their travel, now with a goal to defeat the Darkling and save Ravka in mind, Alina’s powers begin to grow beyond any of their imagination. As her new power corrupts her and sinks her deeper into the Darkling’s plan, she grows strangely distant. The darkness is more impenetrable than she believed, and she has to choose what is most important to her—love, her country, or the newfound power—before the shadows envelope her completely.

Alina had already learned a plethora of things about herself, and when new things are thrown her way, she has a less difficult time accepting them and claiming them as her own. The Alina presented is more sure of herself in some ways and more focused on the larger picture—saving others rather than herself. I loved the relationship between Mal and Alina told towards the end of the first book, but as they become more distant, Mal becomes more insecure about their love. It was difficult for me not to get frustrated with Mal’s behavior, especially with Alina trying to save the world and keep them close.

While my feelings towards Mal soured, the new character, the privateer Sturmhond, Bardugo adds to the story intrigued me. This story is completely different than the first installment and adding new characters weaves the progressing story beautifully. I hope that Strumhond will have more involvement in the last book, and I am curious how his story will coincide with Alina’s.

“’You’re a spectacular actor,’ I said drily.

‘Do you think so…I’m doing ‘humble’ right now.’”

Whereas Shadow and Bone made me long for fur blankets and snow falling heavily outside, the mood of this novel was completely different. Siege and Storm focuses heavily on battle strategies, defeating the Darkling, and the backstory of Ravka. While there are some love aspects, it is not the main focus and would be enjoyable to anyone who loves a substantial story. The ending was shocking, and I can’t wait to start the last book in this Russian fantasy trilogy. Because of Shadow and Bone’s slow beginning, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the trilogy. Although, as I mentioned in my review of the first book, I was glad I continued. Bardugo’s wonderful way of throwing shocking characters and scenarios that happened halfway through the first novel, also happened in the second. She eloquently takes seemingly insignificant characters and makes them consequential to the adventure.

Alina’s choices continue to weight heavily on her and following her journey thus far has been breathtaking.

“’I can’t go back!...you can’t take this power out of me.’

‘And what if I could? Would you let it go? Would you give it up?’

‘Never.’”

Review by Moriah

It’s been a while since I read Shadow and Bone and I can say that I did enjoy it enough to be curious about Siege and Storm. Despite also enjoying this book, there were still a few things that annoyed me with this one.

The plot was interesting to a point, but it seemed like 60-80% of the book was about Alina’s and Mal’s rocky relationship with other stuff going on in the background. Alina barely got to do or think anything without Mal rearing his precious (annoying) little head.

Is it me or is Mal way more annoying in this book? I don’t remember him being this bad. His overall attitude and everything. Mal wants Alina’s world to revolve around him. She wants to save her country, but he seems to only want his relationship with her to matter and he gets angry and irrationally jealous of anything that comes between them even when it may be darn well important. Pesky people needing rescuing and oh that foreboding threat of a certain Darkling, who cares? He doesn’t. He’s only there for Alina. Let the country sink into darkness as long as Mal gets his woman. That's what it felt like to me. I don’t like Alina and Mal as a couple. Save the world (the thing that actually matters) first and then deal with your relationship (the thing that doesn’t matter as much) issues later.

There wasn’t much Darkling in Siege and Storm, but I liked him (despite him being E V I L). I would rather hang out with him because Alina and Mal aren’t worth the company. I also liked the prince (I ship him with Alina because he has his own ship ;D ). So the Darkling and the prince were the best characters, at least I think so.

Overall, I still did like Siege and Storm. I will probably read Ruin and Rising, although I am a little nervous about how things will unfold.

I've been eagerly anticipating this book for a few months now. I decided to get aboard the Grisha train a little late, so the wait wasn't as excruciating for me as it must have been for those who read the book as it was immediately published.

I'm so glad it exists now. It was everything I could have hoped for. The story jumped straight into the action. Even when it let up, it didn't for too long. There was always some new discovery or bit of drama to keep the story interesting and the characters moving.

There are some new characters and I fell in love with every one of them. The new love interest has all the wit, sarcasm, charm, personability and ingenuity of Tony Stark. He's also deliciously royal. While I don't know yet how genuine he is, I approve fully with his addition. The brother and sister duo introduced kick all of the butt and are just sassy enough to love.

The romance has gotten out of control. Alina clearly has varying degrees of feelings for all the men involved as well as outside factors that interfere. Can she trust them? What do they really want to be with her for? Will they just try to murder her in her sleep? The important questions. Sturmhond is my new favorite, despite his obvious ulterior motives. Mal is a chain that has always weighed Alina down, and he continues to be flighty and run off with whatever available lady parts are thrown his way. The Darkling wasn't as prominent in this book. He creeps around like Slenderman, lurking around corners and doorways. His new powers are frightening, disgusting. Things he's done to influential, friendly characters are terribly visceral.

Alina is afloat on a river of circumstance. She's got to deal with the hand given her, but she really doesn't know how to do that correctly. There are plenty of missteps along the way, as she's not perfect in any sense.

It lives up to the first book, surpasses it. I cannot wait for the next installment. I will have to find a fawn jello mold to celebrate.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Book Two of the Grisha trilogy
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Copy won from a giveaway

Summary (from Goodreads):

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can't outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling's game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

What I Liked:

What. A. Sequel. Wow. It took me long enough to read this one, right? I needed a little push, but I read it and I'm reviewing it, so that's what counts, right? But seriously, I have the worst fear of sequels - especially when the first book was SUPERB. I always think that the sequels are going to be painful (and possibly horrible) - and granted, sometimes, it happens! But the last bunch of sequels that I've read haven't been bad at all! And not too many cliffhangers, which is great.

THIS sequel is pretty amazing. I read Shadow and Bone about or over a year ago, so I'll be honest: I didn't remember too many specific things about the book. I remembered some names and roles and a few major events, but not much. I barely even remembered the climax of the book. HOWEVER, Bardugo does a fabulous job of getting readers back into the story. She actually didn't do too much of reminding readers what happened - she sort of jumped right into this book. It's definitely necessary to read book one, but if you were like me, and couldn't remember basically anything from book one, don't worry! You'll have no problems getting back into the story.

I actually think the summary is kind of vague and doesn't encompass the book very well, but I understand why - it would spoil A LOT if the summary included more general events of the book. Basically, Alina and Mal are on the run from the Darkling. But then he finds them somehow. Alina and Mal must work with a certain privateer and others in order to gather forces and fight the Darkling. But Alina must also gather power for herself, which is dangerous, as it makes her more and more like the Darkling. The stag's horns were just the beginning.

The book is long, but the plot is very active and engaging. Alina and Mal and the story don't just stay in one place. At first, they were in a town far away from the Darkling. Then they were on a ship at sea. Then they were running again from the Darkling - and they were taken to a place where they could get sufficient (hopefully sufficient) help against the Darkling. Vague, yes, but it's on purpose.

I love what Bardugo is doing with Alina. Alina is slowly becoming power-hungry, more and more like the Darkling. I feel like with fantasy novels in YA, in which the protagonist is extremely powerful, don't show this very well. Power brings about selfishness, a sense of entitlement, a sense of dictatorship. Bardugo is doing a very good job of showing this progressive change in Alina. Alina is NOT evil, and yet, as she tries to gain more power to fight the Darkling, she is becoming a little greedy with power. This makes her more like him than she realizes - until she DOES realize it.

This affects everything, including her disposition. She is sometimes cruel, and at times, enjoys the emotional pain of people that she does not particularly like. While I don't like this in Alina, I LOVE that Bardugo makes this an issue in this series. I love the Bardugo is willing to go there, to mess with her protagonist THAT MUCH.

Alina's change in conjunction to her increasing power also affects her relationship with Mal. Ah, yes, I have reached the romance. Alina and Mal are a couple, but as Alina grows stronger as a Sun Summoner, the pair seems to grow apart. Mal doesn't belong in Alina's world, but he belongs with Alina. Conundrum, no? But Alina's power, her role, her alliance with Sturmhond, it takes a toll on Mal. Their relationship is highly tested in this book, and I can't wait to see how Bardugo concludes the romance in this series.

In Shadow and Bone, one of the things I hated was that there was potential for a love triangle between Alina, Mal, and the Darkling. I didn't really see the Darkling as a love interest in book one, nor do I see him as one in this book. Now, there is another male in THIS book that could be a part of the love triangle, but I doubt it. We'll see.

I mentioned Sturmhond once? He's the privateer, and he is EASILY my favorite character of this book, and of the series. There are other fabulous characters introduced in this book, such as Toyla and Tamar, but STURMHOND. He is fabulous! He is so much more than a greedy privateer, as we find out in this book (not telling!). I really he gets what he wants, and that things work out for him. Hugs for you, Sturmhond!

Overall, I must say that this book is stunning. I could kick myself for waiting so long to read it, but at the same time, it means that I have to wait less to read Ruin and Rising! I cannot wait to see it all ends.

What I Did Not Like:

There wasn't much that I didn't like about this book. As usual, I must say that no book is perfect. HOWEVER, I honestly cannot think of anything in particular that I did not enjoy. It's quite long, and I admit, I did skim a few times, but not often enough that it was annoying, or that I didn't understand something.

This one is getting four stars, not five stars, because this isn't a favorite book of mine, and it didn't blow me away. Granted, favorite books aren't the only books that get five stars from me. Books that are incredible amazing and totally worth the buy get five stars. I really enjoyed this one, but I'm not overcome with emotion or anything. I don't think I'm a hardcore fan like some bloggers/readers, but I am totally invested enough to read the next book.

Would I Recommend It:

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who read the first book. I was blown away by the first book, and I was nothing short of impressed with this book. I would also recommend this series in general. The debut was amazing, the sequel was astonishingly awesome, and I'm quite sure the conclusion to this trilogy will not disappoint!

Rating:

4 stars. I can't believe I waited this long to read this book! But you all know my fear of sequels. As I continue to learn, some sequels just aren't that scary!

Guys, I REALLY wanted to love this! I absolutely LOVED Shadow and Bone! I have been so excited to continue on, but now I’m really nervous about reading the 3rd because I don’t want it to end on a bad note for me. With that sad, I don’t hate Siege and Storm. I still really enjoyed it, I just had some minor issues that were based on me.

Since I read Shadow and Bone back in January, I’ve read almost 100 books in between and that’s like a 7-8 month gap. Probably not the BEST decision on my part.. I didn’t remember anything that happened in the end, so coming back into this world was very difficult for me. Did you think I went back to figure out how the first ended? Haha no, are you insane!? Why would I do that!? Just kidding… I honestly didn’t think to do that really.. But with that, I’m in a HUGE contemporary kick right now (thank you Walking Disaster…) so having this kind of romance was VERY frustrating to me. I felt that it was turning into a love-square type deal. Now, I already don’t like love triangles all that much. Sometimes they can be done without. My feelings are very similar towards the Shatter Me trilogy. I feel that Mal (our main male character and Alina’s best friend/”boyfriend”) was very whiny and annoying. I couldn’t stand him one bit during this book. I absolutely adored the 2 in the first book, but now I absolutely cannot stand the dude. Now, the Darkling. :) I’m liking him despite that he’s the bad guy. I don’t care. He’s a lot more attractive and A LOT less annoying than Mal. The other love interest who I will not tell to avoid spoilers is better than Mal. I will be extremely happy if Alina ends with that guy or the Darkling. I will probably be very disappointed if she ends with Mal. I can’t stand him right now.

Now with that rant over, that was my biggest problem. Mal. I felt that Alina is having a hard time with boys right now. Understandable, she’s a teenager. (feels weird to say this because I’m only 20) but I was a teenager too. But wasn’t drooling over guys I knew in person, more so fictional characters and actors. ;)

I also had a hard time reading it period. I’ve been super busy with school so when I did get the chance to read, I’d read about a chapter then get distracted. It was hard to continue on when I kept getting distracted. It had a hard time keeping my attention for long periods of time. So this also affected my rating. But overall, the plot and world were still fantastic! I love (mostly, not so much romance) how it going! I am excited to see how it all ends, but nervous at the same time. I feel like she’s going to end with the one character I’m absolutely having the most problems with. Bad guys never win right? Not cool… Can’t wait. :)

Alina has really grown up from the previous book. She is making some of her own decisions. While I don’t think she is always choosing the right thing, at least she is attempting to make the best decision. She does seem to be a bit more corrupted by the power that she knows she wields. At times I do feel sorry for her.

Mal is confused. He is trying so hard to fit in even though he knows he really doesn’t. He would do anything for Alina, even when he isn’t sure about her feelings. She could lead him to the ends of the earth and he would follow.

Then there is Sturmhond/Nikolai. He can change personalities so fast and everything he does is so calculated. I really like him though. He does what he feels he needs to do and he really cares about Ravka.

Tolya and Tamar are pretty cool. Any Grisha who can live that long without the Darkling knowing they exist is pretty awesome. They have also learned different ways of using their power and they are intensely loyal to Alina.

A lot of this book focuses on the preparations for when the Darkling will decide to attack. Learning more about the Grisha and seeing them work together was really nice. I feel that I can better understand some of the choices that have been made now. However, it is a very slow moving book. I didn’t like it near as much as Shadow and Bone.

This review first appeared at Orandi et Legendi (http://catholicamanda.com).

The storyline was exciting and the character development was excellent. I rate this series a five star read...and I'm far from being a young adult. I liked that Bardugo's main character Alina wasn't gorgeous or sexy and really pretty ordinary. Her character build was slow & believable. I enjoyed the map association with descriptive journeys. The Darkling was surprisingly not completely vilified; even though he mastered evil deeds; Bardugo allowed him a deep sense of humanity. I was very touched with his passing. Nikolai introduction was intriguing and I'm excited that his story is to be continued. I couldn't wait to open each new book in this series. I have not read the Crow series and probably won't until January 29,2019 after I read Nikolai's continuing story. My hat is off to you my dear Miss Bardugo for creating a magical world with amazing characters that I felt a strong connection with. I will be watching for your book tour and hope to meet you and get your signature on at least one book from the Grishaverse Trilogy series.

Why I chose this book:
After finishing Shadow and Bone, the audiobook narrated by Lauren Fortgang, there was absolutely no way I was not going to download the next installment. Fortgang’s narration is to die for, and the story… WOW. That’s it. Just speechless.

Bookish Likes:
New characters! With this second book, we were introduced to new characters, and because of that, my heart grew twice as big. Nicolai was my absolute favorite! I love his haughty way about him and even more his complex personality that comes with one of royal position. At first, I wasn’t too sure of him, but as soon as I figured out that he was one of the good guys, I quickly fell in love. I also loved Tolya and Tamar. They were fantastic additions to the main group of unforgettable characters.

Bookish Loves:
Alina. This girl, man! I loved her! With a new addition to her Grisha repertoire, she becomes infinitesimally more complicated as a character. You see this shadow within her and her taking to power. Most of the time, you want to see that as the reader, but then you also understand that it also comes with a price, as do most actions. Come the end, she is still Alina, but you understand how this mixture of dark and light has shaped her and the decisions she makes.

I also absolutely completely adore Leigh Bardugo’s description. It’s elegant and entrancing and all around just fantastic writing. I remember multiple times while listening to the audiobook that I whispered, “Damn, that’s some good writing,” to myself.

Bookish Mehs:
I would actually call this somewhere between a ‘meh’ and a ‘like’.
Mal. Let’s talk about him for a second. I like Mal’s character, I really do. I like they way Bardugo wrote him and his relationship with Alina. It was realistic and I understood it completely, but for some reason, I just wasn’t feeling it.

The rest of this paragraph is just me rambling about ships, so if you don’t want to know my opinions on that, read the next heading. As the Darkling said, Mal will never understand her and he will grow to fear her. As much as I hate that the Darkling is right, well, he is, and I think this is the book that Alina comes to fully understand that. It’s a tumultuous time for her. She’s figuring out her own identity with the new fetter and to throw in Mal’s fear of her makes her understably uncertain. Personally, I like the idea of her and Nicolai, and I wouldn’t mind seeing that one play out, but even still, I think Mal makes for a good guard and friend. But lover, not so much. Their friendship is distorted and complicated by Alina’s Grisha abilities, and I don’t think that Mal will ever be able to overcome that. Not as long as he is not Grisha.

Final Thoughts:
Fantastic. Utterly and completely fantastic! I can’t wait to start Ruin & Rising. I’ve heard only great things about it, and I’m so glad I didn’t have to wait between installments. I think the wait would have nearly killed me.

I gave the book 5 stars on my Goodreads.

You can check out more of my reviews at my book blog: ofspectaclesandbooks.com

I read Shadow and Bone a really long time ago and while I liked it, I wasn't emotionally invested in it at all so I put off finishing the series for years. When I finally picked up Siege and Storm, I found myself enjoying it a lot more than the first book.

I was so amazed by the writing style! I loved how beautiful the writing was and how easily everything just flowed. I found myself getting caught up in the story a lot more with Siege and Storm then I did with the first book.
I still wasn't hard core invested in the characters but I still really enjoyed reading about Alina. I did wish the Darkling was in the story more. I was super curious about the Darkling the entire book and I just wanted to know more.
The pace was so amazing. I was never bored at all and I couldn't put it down. I actually read this book in less than 24 hours and it's one of the few books that had me reading late into the night.

Overall, I really loved this book and I can't wait to read the next one. I loved how wonderfully written it was and it's just an epic fantasy. I highly recommend checking this series out if you hadn't already.

I loved Siege and Storm just as much as I did Shadow and Bone. Maybe even a bit more! I just think this is a great fantasy book that has all the right elements. It was excellently excecuted and just wonderfully written.

Now that I have finished it, I must say that I'm pleasantly surprised by the change Alina made from the first book. She's still a lot like how she was in Shadow and Bone but you can tell she changed a lot. Not all of it can be considered good but I was impressed by her.

There was romance in Siege and Storm, though it doesn't overshadow the plot of the story. Now that the Darkling is away more or less, there was more opening for Alina and Mal's relationship. I have nothing against Mal or anything. I do like him but he isn't my favorite person in this series, especially this book. It's obvious that he and Alina are drifting apart. And the Darkling? I don't know what to say about him. He was not much in the book, except for a few times but damn he's evil. I still love him, though.

There were quite a lot new characters and I don't want to linger too much on them but the most important one was obviously Sturmhond. And for the sake of spoilers I'm not going to reveal who he really is but I have to admit that I was really surprised by it. I will say, though, that I kind of ship him and Alina. I wonder if I'm the only one who feels like that. But anyway, he's awesome.

Like with Shadow and Bone, the plot in this book was flawless. I love how things ended up fitting together like a puzzle piece and yet the author kept me on the edge of my seat, with even more questions that I wanted the answer to. I also think that Leigh Bardugo writes exquisitely. I'm really in love with her writingstyle.

The only negative thing, which is not even that big of a deal, is that around after the first half of the book the story seemed to slow down a bit too much for me. This is probably just a personal issue but for a while I had to keep pushing to read, though it soon picked up again.

All in all, Siege and Storm was almost perfection. I enjoyed it immensely and can't wait to start the final book.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Hauntingly dark story, with a fast paced beginning and end, but the middle lags behind as the characters prepare for war.

Opening Sentence: Two weeks we’d been in Cofton, and I was still getting lost.

The Review:

Siege and Storm is the second novel in the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. The story starts off not too long after Alina and Mal have escaped the Darkling. They are trying to make a life for themselves in another country, hiding the fact that Alina is the Sun Summoner. Their life together is cute quite short when they are discovered and hauled back to Ravka by the Darkling and his terrible minions. The Darkling has a plan before taking over Ravka, his first step toward ruling the world, and that is to find another amplifier for Alina. This amplifier will allow the Darkling to use Alina’s power so that he can rule both light and dark.

The first part of Siege and Storm is pretty action packed. Alina or Mal’s life is on the line about every other paragraph. A new love interest for Alina is introduced in Sturmhond. He is witty, clever and of course not exactly as he seems. After a crazy set of events, Alina and Mal manage to escape from the Darkling but quickly find themselves back in Ravka where Alina decides to lead the charge to fight the Darkling.

The middle of Siege and Storm moves fairly slowly as Alina prepares for war. You do get to learn more about some of the added characters here which help fill the pages. Alina is also on the search for something to enable her fight against the Darkling. When the final “battle” happens it comes quick and fast, almost leaving you breathless. At the end of this novel, I felt a bit sad and depressed. It really makes me worry about the final book and how Alina’s story will end.

Alina is still the strong heroine that she was in Shadow and Bone. She is having to make some really tough decisions. Although, I am getting really frustrated with Alina and Mal’s relationship. I really like Mal because he’s the love she grew up with but they just won’t fight for each other. Sturmhond is an excellent replacement for Mal but he is still too untrustworthy to fall for I think. There is something intriguing and dark about the Darkling and you hope he has something to redeem in order to have Alina but I just don’t see that happening either.

Siege and Storm is told entirely from Alina’s first person perspective. While Alina may be able to summon light, the story is hauntingly dark. The people of Ravka have begun calling her a Saint and worshiping her as such but in this world all Saints’ have died terrible deaths. Alina even begins to have some behavioral changes, which could be blamed on several different things that have happened to her. A few times she is quick to anger and almost kills someone.

Overall, Siege and Storm does suffer a bit from middle book syndrome but in the end I really did enjoy the tale inside. I really liked the new characters introduced in Sturmhond, Tamar and Tolya. My heart still lies with the mopey Mal even though I’m intrigued by both Sturmhond and the Darkling. I absolutely want to know how this series will end.

Notable Scene:

“Come back to me,” He said softly. He drew me toward him, but as his lips brushed mine, something flickered in the corner of my eye.

The Darkling was standing behind Mal. I stiffened.

Mal pulled back. “What?” He said.

“Nothing. I just…” I trailed off. I didn’t know what to say.

The Darkling was still there. “Tell him you see me when he takes you in his arms,” he said.

FTC Advisory: Henry Holt & Co./Macmillan provided me with a copy of Seige and Storm. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

I have really mixed feelings about this book. While I was reading it, I liked it. It kept me flipping the pages waiting to find out what what happen. However, now that I stand back and think about it, the book really has very little to recommend it.

Let's start with the plot first. Alina is on the run from the Darkling, and surprise, she's caught. The first 1/4 to 1/3 of the book is Alina being caught and then escape from the Darkling. After that, nothing happens. Yes, you heard me, for the majority of the book, after Alina returns to Os Alta, the book slows to a crawl. It's just angst b/t Alina and Mal and that's it. Then, in the last 50 pages, boom, everything happens all at once! But the middle was a drag.

Now let's move on to the characters. First up, Alina - I haven't read such a useless, whiny, and cowardly heroine in a while. She might be the strongest Grisha next to the Darkling, but her inborn power does not transform into a strong emotional character. Just look at her relationship with Mal. I understand that she's scared about what's happening to her, but she pissed me off with her inability to tell the truth to Mal. Several times she goes into these long-winded thoughts about telling Mal everything, but when she sees Mal, she says nothing. It's really annoying and honestly a waste of words. Her one redeeming quality is that she hasn't turned into a stuck up snob. However, if turning into a snob means that she'll grow a backbone, then I wish she'd turn into one.

Then there're Mal and the Darkling. I don't understand the obsession with the Darkling now. Yeah, in the first book he was all mysterious and hot, but in this one he's just all evil. He wants Alina and her power to take over the world. Then, what he did to Genya was unforgivable. He better does something amazing in the third book to redeem himself. And Mal was the most useless character in the book. Honestly, if Mal wasn't in the book, the book could be shorter by 200 pages. Like I said, a lot of conflict lies in Mal and Alina's relationship slowly falling to pieces. While Alina and Mal were both selfish, Mal was the worse of the two. He lets other people's gossip and words drive a wedge between Alina and him. Instead of accepting Alina, Mal blames Alina for who she's become and doesn't even try to help Alina. I was really disappointed in him as a character.

One character I really liked is Sturmhond. Did you guess? He was complicated, and smart, and amusing. He knows just the right thing to say and you can't help but cheer for him, even though he's only looking out for his own interest. It was easy to guess his true identity and I had a lot of fun watching him changing from one personality to another to fit his situation.

I didn't hate this book. Despite all its faults in hindsight, I enjoyed it while it lasted. The ending also redeemed the book, but I can't give a book 5 stars based on the ending. I'm still going to read the 3rd book because I'm excited to see how the characters must have changed with this ending. Despite my complaints, I hope Alina grows into her own so that I can actually like her.

Leigh Bardugo's debut SHADOW AND BONE made a big splash. The sequel, SIEGE AND STORM, had a lot to live up to. And it did. In my opinion, SIEGE AND STORM is even better than its predecessor.

Alina and Mal escaped Ravka. It came at a cost, however. And now, if Alina uses her power, they might be found. But not using her power is making her sick. Unfortunately, the two cannot hide forever. Alina and Mal must use all their wit and skill if they want to survive and stay together.

The new additions to SIEGE AND STORM were wonderful. Sturmhond is my favorite type of character - changeable, enigmatic, and too clever by half. The twins are bloodthirsty delights. But I love even more that all the old characters are back, although I hate when bad things happen to them. Bardugo has the trick of making me care for characters who don't even show up that often. I also liked that Alina's past in cartography is remembered and important.

Those who are fans of the Darkling will find plenty of scenes to read and re-read. I prefer Mal (and Sturmhond, obvs), and there's definitely lots of drama and romance on that front. Although Alina and Mal grew up together, she's perceived as more high class now. It causes difficulties for them, as does Alina's rise in power - and her development of a lust for power.

The only thing I'm unhappy about is that I don't have the final book of the trilogy right now. I cannot wait to find out how it all ends. I'll just keep my fingers crossed for my favorites until next year and hope that Bardugo doesn't torture her loyal readers too much.

Middle Book Syndrome? You know - the lull in between the first and third book of a trilogy - yeah, Siege and Storm is the anti-thesis of Middle Book Syndrome. The Darkling is as creepy as ever (and I kind of loved it), Mal is soo annoying (seriously - GROW UP), and OOOH - could there be a THIRD love interest? Alina, girl, get your hormones under control. Of course, there *is* always polygamy. Have them all!

In my review of the first book, I talked about how I was pulled in by the Darkling and I felt that exact same pull in this book. He's the most well-written character in the series - he has dimension. I still find myself questioning if he's good or bad or what his intentions even are - I love that he keeps me guessing.

I could barely put Siege and Storm down and when I was nearing the end of the book, the only reason why I slowed down was because when it was over, well, it'd be over and the third book isn't available until next year! (Also, HAHA, I say "slow down" but it took me 1.5 days to read this book and during the workweek no less.)

This series is definitely plot driven with mini-quests in each book that are on the path of the mega-quest. I kind of like how the reader is in the know of what the next goal is, without knowing how Alina will achieve the goal - it makes the reader's curiosity come to a point that they simply MUST know and will definitely be waiting on release day for the next installment. And yes, I'll be one of those people. Well, played, Ms. Bardugo. Well played.

'm going to be honest and say that originally, my excitement for Siege and Storm was limited. For the first time ever, I had to look a book up on Wikipedia because for the life of me, I could not remember everything that happened in Shadow and Bone. I remembered liking the book a lot and wanting to read the sequel WAY back then. But it's been a year. My tastes changed a lot. I wasn't sure - and surely not excited.
With Siege and Storm I felt like I grew into the book. Or the book grew on me. In the beginning, I fell in love again with Bardugo's amazing storytelling. The almost fairy-tale-ish approach she has is different from most authors. Especially since she manages to do it without over the top descriptions and detailing.
While Alina and Mal were never my favorite YA characters (and still aren't) there was soon a new one introduced that I cannot summon enough praise for.
I'm talking Sturmhound, of course. One of the funniest, most interesting and witty characters I have ever encountered in YA. Every page that he was on I was bound to love. I have yet to feel that way about any bookish character!
The plot surprised me a couple of times because it was so unpredictable. Sometimes I thought it was going to go in a certain direction - that I didn't like - and then BOOM something happened and we were (literally!) headed somewhere completely else.
When the book settles a bit eventually, I was wrong again. I expected things to continue at a slower pace and prepared myself for the boredom a rough spot like that usually comes with...thankfully, that wasn't the case, though.
Bardugo once again managed to keep me interested in her story from beginning to end. No pause, no rough spot, no slow period. Everything going really smoothly.
The only thing I found a bit annoying was the romance and how Mal and Alina's relationship developed. Then again, I don't like Mal to begin with (I don't know why, I just don't get him at all), so that's probably why.
The ending, then, was epic. Just fantastic! I want to say it's a pretty much perfect ending! Like...the action is coming around big time and you find that you're shivering all over and then, when all that action is over, the only thing you get is a small epilogue. Not a hundred more pages explaining and analysing everything that just happened - like in some other novels.
All in all, I was very impressed by Siege and Storm. It did not disappoint at all and I can't wait for the last book in the trilogy and everything else Leigh Bardugo might have in store!!!

Alina discovers ways to expand her power, both magical and political, while Ravka faces attack by the Darkling's monstrous creations. The two things I hate most in stories are miscommunication narratives and relationships fueled primarily by jealousy, and both of these are present here and compose the emotional thrust of the book. Even when characters are well-drawn, their interactions are often laborious. The politics fare better: they're not particularly subtle, but then neither are they bogged down by detail, and set against the developing magic system they make for an engaging world with high stakes. So, as with the first book in the series, Siege and Storm is quite readable when it gains momentum--but the surrounding trappings, YA tropes, and underwhelming narrative voice make it merely mediocre.

I was finally brave enough to re-read Siege and Storm. And I'm happy I did. But I'm also feeling so much more heartbroken about it. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry. But it is also such an amazing book. And I'm going to try to not focus on the heartbreaking parts. I will try to forget all about them, and hope that Ruin and Rising will make it all better. <3 Hopefully. I'm going to try. Probably. But either way. I'm glad I re-read Siege and Storm and I will try to talk a bit about my complicated feelings for it :)

Though I am not sure where to start. I'm not sure what I should mention and what I shouldn't mention. There is so much I want to talk about, but most of that is pretty spoilery and mostly about Mal. But a few things must be mentioned, still. But first I should say that I loved Siege and Storm. The writing was even better in this book. And I love the story and plot so much. I love reading about the Grisha. All the things they do. It's amazing and unique and I just want to read about it all the time. It's so so good.

There is a lot of things happening in Siege and Storm. I loved the beginning, the middle and the end. I loved all of it. But the beginning a little bit more. With Mal and Alina on the run. <3 Though that did not last long. Sniffs. We see more of the Darkling in this book. Though not too much, thank god, lol. I still don't like him. He's a great villain, though. And he does so much more awful things in this book. And I could never love him. Which I love, hih. He creates some new creatures. And they creeped me out.

I'm not sure what to talk about. I won't mention too much about the plot, as I don't want to spoil everything. So I'm going to mention a few characters. I loved Mal in this book. So much. Though he did break my heart. Sniffs. But I will forever ship him. We see more of Genya. And that scene at the end broke me. Yet so damn amazing. I really loved that part. Then there is new character, Sturmhond. Whom I did not love. I liked him, but hated that he liked Alina. Sniffs. But he was pretty awesome, still :)

This book just broke my heart so much. And I'm not sure how to deal with it. Most of it just hurt my heart. But I also enjoyed this book a lot. And I always wanted to know what would happen next. And now that I re-read this book, I had more hope about the ending. Some parts gave me hope. But other parts broke my heart all over again. Sigh. There was just too much. And I will try to talk a little bit about it, but not too much, as I'm not sure I would be able to stop once I get started. And it hurts too much.

What hurt me in Siege and Storm was Mal. Though Mal didn't really do anything that made my heart hurt. Alina did. She and Mal is drifting apart in this book and it's pretty painful. So many awful things happen. And to me, Alina was the fault for that. She didn't tell Mal what was happening to her. She didn't try to spend time with him. She didn't talk to him. She didn't try to make things right. And to me, it seemed like she didn't care much about him at all. And that hurt so much because I love Mal to pieces.

"I came here for you. You're my flag. You're my nation.
But that doesn't seem to matter anymore. Do you realize
this is the first time we've really been alone in weeks?"

I just wanted this book to be happy. I wanted Mal and Alina to have lots of sweet and happy moments. But they don't. They have a few pretty cute moments in the beginning that I love. But then the last part of the book happens and there is just so much hurt and anger. It still hurts. But oh. I have hope. I need them to fix it. But I fear that Mal will be the only one trying, like always. I want Alina to win Mal back. I want her to want him. I want her to try her best to make him forgive her. It probably won't happen.

"I thought you wanted to go."
"I wanted you to ask me to stay."

But anyway. I won't say more about it. Just that it all broke my heart so much. And I hated it a little bit. But I couldn't hate it too much, because it did make me care. And I kind of loved how it was written. But that doesn't stop me from wishing it hadn't been included. I felt like the book would have been even perfect, with Mal and Alina a couple all the time. Sigh. But I do like a little drama. Probably. I just wish it will get fixed early in Ruin and Rising. If it gets fixed. I'm worried. But I will hope. Fingers crossed. <3

Anyway. Siege and Storm was an awesome book. And I'm so glad that I finally decided to re-read it. <3 It was pretty amazing. Now I'm dying to read Ruin and Rising, though. Just wishing it was out less than four months from now. A bit heartbroken that there will be no arcs. But thinking it will make the wait even better. Just wishing for chapter samples pretty soon. <3 Anyway. If you have read and loved Shadow and Bone then you really, really need to read Siege and Storm. And soon. It's awesome.

~

His tone was light, but when his lips met mine, there was nothing playful in his kiss.
He tasted of heat and newly ripe pears from the Duke's garden. I sensed hunger in the hard slant of his mouth, an unfamiliar edge to his need that sent restless sparks burning through me. I came up on my toes, circling my arms around his neck, feeling the length of my body melt into his. He had a soldier's strength, and I felt it in the hard bands of his arms, the pressure of his fingers as his fist bunched in the silk at the small of my back and he drew me against him. There was something fierce and almost desperate in the way he held me, as if he could not have me close enough.

~

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New blog post can be found here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2014/02/book-recommendation-siege-and-storm-by.html

I first read Siege and Storm on January 31st 2013. You can see my first review here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2013/01/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo.html

Alina and Mal are trying to stay our of the reach of The Darkling, but c'mon, HE'S THE DARKLING, so of course they get captured. The Darkling quickly sets out to complete his mission of making Alina the most powerful Grisha that ever lived, all under his control of course, and he must use the help of provateer Sturmhond and his crew. (That's literally all the recap I can give without ruining all the amazingness of this book)

I liked it better then the first and that is saying something because the first book was near perfection. Alina becomes such a complex person in this novel as she struggles with who she is, who she wants to be and who she thinks she should be. She still has this strong and undeniable pull to The Darkling, despite his further plunge in to super evilness, and then there is Mal who she has always loved, but let's face it has no powers and doesn't really understand why Alina needs to use her sun summoning skills. Along her journey, she loses bits of her humanity and is forced to grow up quickly, especially in the face of all the death that happens in this book.

The Darkling: I'M SO TORN! Sure he takes a turn for the worst in this book and really does some super unredeemable stuff, but I still can't help but think "But, but, he had that panty melting kiss with Alina in the first book with that thigh hand brush part" and then I'm suddenly willing to forgive him of a lot of stuff. Mal just didn't have a purpose in this book (other then tracking every piece of dust that has ever been created) and I wanted him to stop being such a whiny bitch, which is why I want to find alternative loves for Alina, but if Bardugo can properly explain his tracking skills and actually give him a purpose and some actual chemistry with Alina, I'll let him pass. Because seriosuly, all the make out sessions they have had to not in any way compare the that one kiss against the wall with her and The Darkling

So I started this one right after reading book one. And I must say that I wasn't disappointed. The author does a great job pulling you right back into the story after (for most people) having to wait for one year or so for it to come out. The world building continues in this sequel. As Alina and her gang are trying to track down the Firebird. The story flowed well and I found myself wanting to read read read. Although this book was a sequel it didn't suffer from book two crapyness which so many other series do. This book stands on its own two feet. I also think that people who read this one without reading book one would be somewhat ok. Although the would lose a lot of back story. I think they would still get sucked in and be able to figure out what is going on. I really love this authors writing. She has a way to drag you into the book and then keep you there with a blend of seriousness and then bomb you with humor. Its a perfect blend! This book along with book one are a perfect blend for an explosive third book! I really can't wait until June! (Ps its already been preordered!)

Shadow and Bone was one of my favourite books of 2012 (and I loved it just as much when I re-read it last month!) so Siege and Storm was one of my most anticipated releases for 2013. When I have such high expectations for a story it can be incredibly hard for an author to live up to them so I always feel a little nervous picking up the sequel to a much loved book. Thankfully I had no need to worry in this case and Leigh Bardugo has delivered another captivating tale set in Ravka, it didn't quite match up to the first book but it was still a very strong instalment to one of my favourite series.

I don't want to say too much about the plot of the story because, as with the first book, I think you're better off going in not knowing what to expect. What I will say is that if you enjoyed Shadow and Bone then I'm sure you'll enjoy the sequel just as much. Alina has already been through a lot but she is going to find herself tested more than ever before, so many things are thrown at her in such a short space of time and she is struggling to come to terms with the changes in herself since she unlocked her powers. People look at her differently now and she is under a lot of pressure from all kinds of directions about how she should proceed. Most of Ravka believe she is a saint and is the only one who can save them from the Darkling but that is a lot for her to live up to. I have to admit I was sad to see her struggle to open up to the people around her and the strain that put on some of her personal relationships but it was completely understandable and just made her character feel even more real.

I loved Mal in the first book but I found myself getting a little irritated with his actions some of the time in this one. He is letting Alina's powers drive a wedge between them and while I can understand how out of place he feels around the Grisha because he lacks their abilities I expected him to be more supportive of her rather than someone else who was trying to put pressure on her. There are moments when I love them together but others where I want to shake the pair of them and tell them to grow up. I guess the fact that they can make me so angry just goes to show how much I care about them though and I'm still really hoping they'll be able to find a way to work things out. The Darkling is as intriguing as ever, in the first book he was a much more seductive character though and this time I found him much less appealing. His actions at the end of Shadow and Bone left me reeling and he continued to shock me with how power hungry he has become and the lengths he will go to to get what he wants.

Along with the characters we already know and love (or love to hate!) we are introduced to some fabulous and memorable new cast members. A particular favourite was the Privateer Sturmhond but I also really liked the twins Tolya and Tamar. Siege and Storm had everything I loved about the first book - the fantastic characters, fast paced action, fabulous world building and some brilliant plot twists. I am desperate to know what happens next so Ruin and Rising is already at the top of my wish list for 2014 (why oh why do we have to wait so long?? LOL). If you haven't started reading this series yet then you really are missing out and I can't recommend it highly enough!

Siege and Storm is the second book in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy and wow! I loved Shadow and Bone for the incredible new fantasy world and relatable characters. I love Siege and Storm even more for further exploring and answering some of my questions about the magic system, making me literally laugh out loud, and continuing to pull at my heart strings! (Do hearts have strings? Well mine does!) If you were a little unsure about the first book (I won't judge!), then you should definitely go for it, because this series just keeps getting better!
Note: I read an ARC of Siege and Storm borrowed from a friend (thanks Krys!), so things might be a little different in the final copy. Also that amazing cover wasn't on it, I need it!

Strengths:
I'm serious about the laughing out loud thing. A new character Sturmhond is introduced and he is fracking hilarious! Leigh Bardugo has captured my sense of humor perfectly in this character and I will take him if no one else wants him ;-).
A lot of fantasy settings have no technology because, well, it's fantasy! I however don't think this is a good excuse and love how Siege and Storm shows us the steps this world is taking towards technological progress. It just makes sense that bright people are going to want to invent things to improve their world, and they even have magic that specifically makes awesome materials!
Wow, that ending, just wow. No spoilers obviously, but Siege and Storm blew my socks off. I thought I knew how things would go, even had a back-up plan for how things could go. I was flat out wrong but so moved.
The feels! Siege and Storm made me bouncy happy and ugly cry and everything in between. There is a fair amount of romantic tension and it worked really well. I'm usually against drawn out tension like that, but it made perfect sense given the situation.

Weaknesses:
On that note, there might have been a touch too much melodrama with the romance and the feels. There is only so long I can go before yelling at the characters to just make a decision even if it's hard. I'm also weird, so ya know ;-).
You know those cool amplifiers? The rules for how that magic works seem a little shaky, which I'm not a fan of. Magic systems need rules and the plot needs to work within those rules, otherwise things are too easy. I'm interested to see if there is some underlying perfectly reasonable rule set that just isn't obvious yet. Please let there be one!

Summary:
Love love love! Shadow and Bone was cool but didn't quite grab me. Siege and Storm grabbed me and through me against a wall! (In a good way, is there a good way for that?? There is now!) Siege and Storm made the Grisha books that I am seriously tempted to re-read once the third comes out. The story and writing and characters all just feel so comfy in my brain and make me smile just thinking about them. When is the third book coming out? Next year??? Nooooooooo. ;-)

Okay, so I'll start out this review by admitting that I was already biased against this book before I picked it up. Why? Because I was completely in love with the first book in this series, Shadow and Bone. I loved just about everything in it, from the storytelling to the world to the characters. Shadow and Bone is truly high fantasy as its best.

Siege and Storm continues everything that was awesome about Shadow and Bone and makes it even more awesome (I know, that seems hard to believe). Now, Alina is trying to make a new life for herself and Mal in a new land where no one knows that she is the Sun Summoner 0-and she wants to keep it that way. Of course, the Darkling has returned and Alina is unable to run away from it and her destiny. Armed with new knowledge, a new resolve and a new friend, Alina must find her away through the Darkling's twisted web of darkness and magic.

Author Leigh Bardugo has an absolutely spellbinding and vivid storytelling style that pulls readers in with every word. The world here is powerful, unique and oh-so-fascinating, which is refreshing in a sea of over-used fantasy cliches, especially when it comes to YA. There is also a significant amount of character growth in Siege and Storm or Alina and Mal, which helps keep both characters interesting and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

I really can't say anything bad about this book, accept that I want the next book now!

Warning: If you have not read Shadow and Bone, read the book immediately. Then come back and read this review of the second book!

Wow, this is how a good sequel should be done. Siege and Storm was an amazing addition to the Grisha Trilogy! The book had everything I loved about the first book, Shadow and Bone, plus more. This series is quickly becoming one I would recommend to people searching for a refreshing trilogy.

While reading, I was completely sucked into the world. Bardugo has mastered the art of perfect descriptions, explanations, characters, and plots. Also, the fast paced beginning helped. We immediately jump into the action after a re-introduction to the characters and their location. And "the action" includes ships, The Darkling, battles, and A New Character!

A lot of reader have been going on about the new character, Stormhund (He has a lot of other names besides this. However, I am not going to spoil the surprises by telling you!) And now, I completely understand the excited chatter. Stormhund is funny, and surprising. I loved all his identity twists! Is he another love interest? I am not sure. I think Alina, the main character, is still into Mal, her best friend and main love interest. We will see in Ruin and Rising! I am kind of hoping that Stromhund will become a more prominent love interest. His witty comments had me smiling! I think he is a good character. Right Barugo? Please?

Mal, of course, is also a great character. He did seem a little whiny in the second half of the book. Alina is choosing to save the world over spending time with you? What a shame, you should go pout some more! (Note: It really isn't as bad as I made it sound. Mal is great, just the whole ordeal of war is changing him. However, I am still annoyed at his lack of understanding.) Also, the plots are as great as ever! Leigh Bardugo has such an amazing imagination and, as I said before, her ideas are vivid and fully formed. I cannot wait to learn more about the Darkling in the next book, as he is rarely actually seen in Siege and Storm. However, he is often mentioned and the readers never forget about his threats and the danger he imposes.

Overall, I loved Siege and Storm! I loved the characters. Alina is so realistic, and strong! And Stormhond is just so... amazing. I also forgot to mention the amazing character growth (both good and bad) and the realistic faults in all of Bardugo's characters. I felt like everyone I read about was a real person. Seriously, I could pass Alina in the grocery store and barely be fazed. Leigh's writing is that vivid! The series has, so far, been very unique and a definite favorite. Now, is anyone else dying for the hopefully epic finale, Ruin and Rising?

5/5 stars

Sorry if the review was too long! I was a bit more ramble-y than usual.

A sophomore book in a series can be a test - sometimes the book is so much worse that you wonder if the author is even the same person. Sometimes it's on par, but you walk away wishing it had been just a *bit* better. And sometimes, the book is quite a bit better. Such is the case with Siege and Storm.

Alina and Mal are on the run, hiding from the Darkling, the Grisha, and pretty much just about everyone else. Their goal? To leave the country and finally be at peace. But peace is something that does not always come easily, and something that Alina and Mal are destined to see little of. As Alina escapes, once again, from the Darkling, she ends up back in Riva - and this time, she is determined to fight. As her power grows, both as a Sun Summoner and among people, Alina finds herself fearing that she is not only losing her mind, but Mal as well.

I actually enjoyed this book so much better than the first. The first was obviously good enough that I was interested in picking up the second, but it didn't really *grab* me. This one, though - now that the world-building is mostly established, there was a lot more characterization, more action, and Alina is really starting to become a strong person worthy of having a book centered around her instead of a whiny twit.

After reading Siege and Storm, I am definitely inclined to read the next one! A good, solid summer read.

The reason I really enjoy this series is because, like in any good fantasy novel, there's that wonderful balance of plot-driven adventure and super engaging people. The main focus is on Alina's journey but then the story's jam packed with a series of epic mini-quests, as well. It's one seriously crazy ride! I'm never quite sure where Bardugo is going to take it and I love the unpredictability of it all. The only slight thing that threw me about Siege and Storm was the pacing. The action stalls towards the middle but Bardugo more than makes up for it with that high impact finale. By the end, Ravka is on the verge of an all-out war and the tone is desolate. We've lost some key characters and the fates of many others are left unknown. Talk about wanting, no, needing to know more!

The other thing I love about this series is that the characters have so much dimension and, well, character! The Darkling is dark as ever, Mal has grown distant and resentful and Alina struggles with her new-found powers. I'm really interested to see how far down the rabbit-hole she goes. I want her to overcome that darkly powerful pull, but at the same time, some sick part of me really enjoys seeing her struggle. She's a bit of a downer in this book but it's understandable given her situation. As the characters progress along their individual journeys, circumstances change as do the relationships between them. I'm not going to lie, it can get really frustrating at times, especially if you're rooting for one coupledom over another. But, then again, I think that says something for the strength of Bardugo's writing --- it makes you feel something. It's that whole love/hate thing we have with really well-written characters. We must accept the change because we're invested in them.

Oh! Oh! And for those of you who are Darkling fans, you're in for a real treat with Siege and Storm because Bardugo one ups herself with the addition of a new fan favourite. Meet Sturmhond. I didn't think it was possible for me to love anyone as much as I loved The Darkling but, yet again, she proved me wrong. Sturmhond is the colourful, charismatic, witty privateer who has quickly become my favourite character in the entire series. To say he's a multifaceted character is an understatement and I'm really excited to see where she goes with his story. Overall, Siege and Storm blew me away and was more than a worthy follow-up to a very strong debut.

Food For Thought: Siege and Storm is one of those rare follow-up books that supersedes even the first. Chalk full of intense action, magical adventures and engaging characters, you'll never want to put it down. This is one of those unpredictable fantasy series that keeps on getting better with time.

If I didn't have to do things like sleep and eat, I definitely would have devoured this book in one sitting! Leigh Bardugo does not disappoint in Siege and Storm, and I am so glad. The beginning (and the end) of the book moves pretty fast, and I felt like I was being thrown into the middle of a story. I mean, it's the second book so that's pretty much the case, but still. It was very well done, and I really enjoyed the fast pace.

Alina changes so much in this book, and I'm not sure all of her changes are good. She's stronger and doesn't let anyone walk over her (at least not as much), and she often goes after thing she wants. However, she's becoming powerful and the power does seem to go to her head sometimes, but I think this really humanizes her. She's almost as powerful as the Darkling, but she makes the same mistakes and bad decisions that any normal person would make. There were times when I just wanted to slap her (especially when it came to Mal), but then she would redeem herself a little later.

And speaking of Mal, I'm still not entirely convinced that I support this romance. Don't get me wrong, I love Mal as his own character and person, but I just don't feel the connection between him and Alina. They're so different and even though they've loved each other all their lives and blah blah blah, I almost felt like the romance is only there because they grew up together in the orphanage. Mal and Alina are so distant that I just don't see anything working out for them. And it's sad, but I'm not as upset as I feel like I should be... All of it works with the story though, and helps us see more of Alina and Mal and who they are as characters and people.

I still love the Darkling. He's scary and creepy and crazy and all that jazz, but he's still one of my favorite characters. He does have Sturmhond and Nikolai to compete with now though, so we'll see how he fares in the conclusion. Bardugo's new characters are just as interesting and exciting as the ones we've all come to know and love, so I'm pretty excited to find out what's next for them as they fight in this war.

Although we learned quite a bit about Ravka in the first book, we get even more insight into the world in this book. I enjoyed learning more about the culture and the folk stories and such, and even about how the world is different now after the events of Shadow and Bone. This book is much darker than the first one, and I can't even imagine how things will turn out in Ruin and Rising. I also enjoyed seeing places outside of Ravka in this book, as little as there was. It gives a more complete picture of the world of the Grisha, and I loved that.

I could go on and on about this book all day, but I feel like I'm starting to ramble and I don't want to give anything away because you should just go read it. ASAP. Especially if you loved Shadow and Bone. I would recommend the series to anyone who is looking for a beautiful YA Fantasy that's dark and enchanting. And to pretty much every YA reader. You seriously don't want to let this series pass under your radar. A 5/5 and I can't wait to read more!

Oh, man, this novel has done a number on my heart. Although this sequel is by no means better than the original, it has both impressed and disappointed me but I still liked it a lot. The new characters are undeniably loveable and certain situations are more intense than ever.

For some reason, in Shadow and Bone, I never realized just how childish Alina is, instead of growing up and learning from her mistakes and the mistakes of others she just acts even more greedy and self-centred. The middle part is also really boring with only a little bit of action. It’s mostly just planning and the romances building up or breaking down. The ending is a little too tied up nicely also since everyone and everything just so happens to get what they deserve (I’m trying not to give too much away!)

But, oh goodness, do I love some of these new characters! Prince Nikolai is amazing with his sense of humour, he seems so realistic. The relationship between Alina and Mal is again realistic because throughout the story, they show cracks, heartbreak, as well as their love for one another. As always, the writing is beautiful just like in the first one with lovely imagery and realism.

Siege and Storm is still a great story. The problems that I had with it are because of the fact that the flaws that I either overlooked or just didn’t realize are so glaringly obvious in this one. Nonetheless, I recommend this to anyone who has read the first one or like novels with strong heroines (with a tragic flaw) and mythical creatures so enchanting it’s shocking that they’re not real.

This. Book.

I am a fantasy addict. Which, if you already follow my blog, you know. If you're new here, it's a helpful thing to keep in mind. Because I read a lot of fantasy, and I love it, but Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy and, in particular, this novel stand apart from the rest.

I won't bore you again with what I thought about the world-building (stellar), but let's jump right into Alina and her character arc. She's come so far from the mousy orphan we met at the beginning of Shadow and Bone. Her struggle with adjusting to having power and what it means for her relationships with people is so interesting to "watch."

SPEAKING of relationships, in the last book, I was underwhelmed by Mal. I sort of just felt like: "Okay, Alina likes him, whatever." BUT GUYS, I GET IT NOW. Mal is kind of amazing and fears that he's not important enough to Alina. But he's so wonderful and funny and just wants to be useful and like- he's drawn so well in this book. SO WELL.

And on the subject of characters that I've had flip-flopped feelings for: The Darkling. My love of him from the last book (that I choose not to examine too closely because whoa I don't have time for that kind of psychoanalysis) is OFFICIALLY gone because OMG I don't remember the last time I found a character so CREEPY. And ruthless. He's completely terrifying.

To continue along this line of menmenmenmenMANLYmenmenmen, may I say: STURMHOND HALLO. I really enjoyed meeting this guy. He's SNARKY and hilarious. I'll analogize him a little bit to Marissa Meyer's Thorne in Scarlet , but with a bit more of an EDGE. I could go on, but... anything else I might say would be spoilerific, so I think you should read and swoon for yourself.

Rating: 5/5 stars. If you like fantasy and you're not reading this series, I don't know what you're doing with your life.
[...]

Disclosure: This book was received from the publisher in exchange for only an honest review.

I read SHADOW AND BONE three times, and each time, my enthusiasm for the book waned. Despite the potential, it just wasn't deep enough to hold up to multiple readings, and it made me worried about SIEGE AND STORM. What if SIEGE AND STORM was even more of a let down? Well, I've read SIEGE AND STORM three times too, and I've enjoyed it just as much as the first reading.

SIEGE AND STORM is very much a sequel book, and it sets up for what will hopefully be a truly epic and heartwrenching climax in RUIN AND RISING, which is already my most-anticipated book of 2014.

SIEGE AND STORM picks up shortly after SHADOW AND BONE ends. Alina and Mal have left Ravka behind and are working abroad to save up before disappearing forever into the wilderness. However, the Darkling has also survived the Fold and has emerged from the darkness with an even greater power. With the help of a mysterious privateer, Alina and Mal return to Ravka, where Alina takes charge of the remaining Grisha, meeting with opposition from many sides, even those she thought she could trust. As she works to find her place and take charge, she wrestles with her own darkness and everything she stands to lose if she fails and everything she stands to lose if she succeeds.

What made this book work so well for me were the characters, especially Alina. For a second book in a trilogy that serves mainly as a bridge, there ought to be some great character development, and Bardugo didn't disappoint. I didn't love Alina in the first book, where she shied away from her power a bit and was easily taken in by the majesty of the Grisha world. In this one, though, Alina is finally becoming the Sun Summoner, Ravka's savior. I loved seeing her finally accept her power and even hunger for more power. She knows the repercussions, how she's irrevocably changing, but she also knows that she has to save the world, and she wants this power. She's not comfortable with everything, like the worship of the Ravkans who call her a saint, but she's not afraid to sacrifice herself for her world. I also greatly enjoyed the introduction of Sturmhond, who is a new love interest for Alina, and clever and charming and plain old infuriating. I still really hate Mal, who is either extremely boring and perfect or else incredibly whiny and a drunken jerk who constantly tries to hold Alina back. Their relationship strikes me as unhealthy, both of them clinging to other in memory of who they were, and it annoys me so much to see Alina cling to Mal, and yet, it works too because it only serves to show how conflicted Alina is, torn between all her possible positions. Watching her navigate the politics of her world was fascinating. Really, my only complaint about this book is a lack of the Darkling. (I know, and I think Alina and Mal's relationship is unhealthy....) but otherwise? I thought this book was fantastic, and I'm just going to go stare at a calendar and eagerly await the third book.

As with the first book, this one has excellent world-building and a fast-paced plot. But the characters left something to be desired. Flat and a bit one-dimensional, they felt like tropes in a play. Alina, as a character, becomes more of a leader, and it was interesting to see that growth in her. But the others remained stagnate.
However, because the other elements of the story remained strong, it was a good read and if you enjoy fantasy-based young adult novels, this one will appeal to you greatly.

Siege and Storm, the second book in the Grisha trilogy, will not disappoint fans of the first book at all. In fact, readers just might be surprised to find that Siege and Storm takes things to the next level and is actually even a little better than Shadow and Bone. I know, who would have thought that was possible?

Things pick up right after the end of Shadow and Bone and don't take long to get back into, at all. Mal and Alina are on the run from the Darkling, hiding out across the sea but it doesn't take long for them to get pulled back into the madness. Alina is growing even more powerful and she knows that she is the only person who will ever be able to stop the Darkling. She just isn't quite sure how yet. And she's also not sure where exactly Mal fits into it all.

Alina is a character you can't help but love but also just kind of want to slap at times. She's stubborn, smart, resourceful, and kind but she can't always see what's right in front of her face. She and Mal need each other but with Alina's power growing out of control, she's not sure how she can be the Sun Summoner and be with Mal. Mal takes a bit of a back seat in Siege and Storm which really disappointed me. He's changed a lot since the first book, having had to desert his post in the army to be with Alina. He's very lost and confused and I just wanted to hug him. He's still just as funny though and seeing a more vulnerable side to him made me love him even more. As for the Darkling, just wow. Leigh Bardugo is a master at crafting such a sinister villain but one that readers will still like, even if it is just a little bit. I truly don't know what to feel about him. Oh and there's a new guy introduced, making things even more interesting for Alina's love life. Seriously, this is no longer a love triangle, it's a love square. Sturmhond may be the frontrunner for me right now. He's devious and smart and brave and funny. I dare you guys not to like him.

The story is super quick and while the book may be close to 500 pages, you won't be able to put it down. It's not going to take readers long to get through this one. There were so many times when I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails to the cuticles, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Leigh Bardugo is brutal. I went through the whole spectrum of emotions with this book. And let me tell you, the ending will leave you dying for the next book! Things are tied up pretty well but you still won't want to wait since it's just such an addicting story.

Overall, Siege and Storm is a must-read for everyone who read Shadow and Bone. Ruin and Rising just shot to the top of my wishlist. Get your hands on this one as soon as possible and join me in the wait for the final book!

The second installment of the Grisha Trilogy certainly does not disappoint on the action front. From the beginning Alina (with the oh-so-great Mal) are on the run from the Grisha fleet (legions? forces?) and the Darkling. It really picks up within the first ten pages.

I think as far as follow-ups go, Siege and Storm made some improvements on the first. For one thing, Alina isn't as annoying; in fact, she even has some character development towards the middle/end. If there's one pet peeve I have in a lot of young adult novels lately, it's the marionette-esque heroine. Alina made some attempts to step into her role this novel--you can judge the success of those attempts for yourself--and to make the best of her situation. I liked especially reading about her desire for power (continued from the last book), and how she handles it. She's still an insufferable, whiny brat at times, though, so be warned. (I kept putting down the book in disgust in the beginning at the endless 'I'm-so-plain-but-Mal-is-a-god' tirades--hasn't Twilight tread this ground sufficiently?)

On that note, I am still not a fan of Mal. He's just boring, boring, boring. I think the whole point of his character is to give Alina some ties to her life before realizing she is the Sun Summoner, and possibly give her hope of a "normal" life later on, but he has never developed enough of a life of his own for me to find him anything other than an annoyance. I thought in the last book his role as a tracker would flesh him out a bit more, but I found him just as dull as ever. But for those that like him--you'll like this book. He gets a lot of page space. For those that don't...sorry.

The biggest disappointment of this book for me, though, was the Darkling's presence. Or, rather, lack thereof. I loved how complex and mysterious his character was in the last book (do we like him? hate him? respect him?--I don't know!), but, due to complete absence for 90% of the book as well as a seeming flattening out of his character, there was none of the intrigue for his character in this book I felt in the first. And that made the action, plentiful though it was, a bit lackluster. Who wants to just read about plain old good vs. evil when you can read conflicts in which you can sympathize with both sides? I really hope that the final installment of this series brings back this uncertainty, because I felt much less invested in the outcome of Siege and Storm than I would have liked.

This middle book in The Grisha Trilogy sees Alina and Mal continue their journey. When the story begins, Mal and Alina are on the run and fleeing the Darkling. Soon, though, they are recaptured and taken by the Darkling on a search for the second mystical creature who can provide an additional amplifier for Alina. They are on a pirate ship, though Sturmhond who is captain insists he is a privateer.

When the creature is captured and killed, Alina has a second amplifier and gains new powers. Sturmhond steals her from the Darkling but can't kill him. Together they flee back to Ravka to prepare the country for the Darkling's return.

Sturmhond is revealed as the second son of the king who is supposed to be away at school. I really like him as a character. He is a real smart ass who is quick with a quip, a chameleon, and a noteworthy liar. Alina likes him too--when she doesn't want to kill him. He does try to come between Alina and Mal when he asks her to be his queen. He has plans to take over the throne from his incompetent older brother and father. Both of whom want the perqs of being king without actually doing any of the work.

One of the hardest parts of this story to read was that Mal and Alina are growing apart. By accepting two amplifiers Alina is changed. Her new powers separate her from Mal because she has to become part of the ruling party and command the army of Grisha who have remained loyal to the king. Mal receives a dishonorable discharge from the King's army which leaves him feeling out of place and leaves him as not much more than a palace guard.

The story is filled with exciting adventures, strange new creatures, and growth for Alina. I can't wait to read the final book in this trilogy to find out if Alina can get the third amplifier, vanquish the Darkling, and still have a happy ending with Mal.

Siege and Storm is the second book in the Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo. I immediately put this one on request at the library the second I was done with Shadow and Bone. I had heard from multiple bloggers the second book was just as good, or even better than the first.

Likes:
Alina has really grown and is coming into the push-and-pull of power. I really liked the dynamic of the good vs. evil happening inside of her and I am sure in the final book she is going to have to choose who she really wants to do.
Mal, I love this boy so much. He is so strong, but loves Alina for who is really is. He sees her good and wants her to connect with that good. They struggle during the book, which is hard to read, but it is good to see him love her and be there for her.
Strumhound was so funny and his storyline wove really well into the book. I enjoyed his character, even though he challeneged Mal and Alina, it definitely brought this book to life.
There was no middle book syndrome with this second book in the series. It was a full storyline, action-packed and left for you wanting more. I am super excited for Ruin and Rising, which is scheduled to come out June 17th. It will be perfect for a weekend at the lake (baring that we even get summer!!!)
I love the fairy tale-esque story with the amplifers, no spoilers intended, but I am excited to see how that whole situation works out

Gripes:
I hated the Darkling so much after the end of the first book that I really didn’t want to hear any more about him. I guess he is a good villian. I was just frustrated when he kept appearing to Alina.
The Darkling’s mother, I really hope she has more to do with the third book, because she really stucked it up in this one. She risked her life to save Alina and then hides in her cabin all day. Boo!

Favorite Quote:
“I have loved you all my life, Mal,” I whispered through my tears. “There is no end to our story.”

Leigh Bardugo's debut SHADOW AND BONE made a big splash. The sequel, SIEGE AND STORM, had a lot to live up to. And it did. In my opinion, SIEGE AND STORM is even better than its predecessor.

Alina and Mal escaped Ravka. It came at a cost, however. And now, if Alina uses her power, they might be found. But not using her power is making her sick. Unfortunately, the two cannot hide forever. Alina and Mal must use all their wit and skill if they want to survive and stay together.

The new additions to SIEGE AND STORM were wonderful. Sturmhond is my favorite type of character - changeable, enigmatic, and too clever by half. The twins are bloodthirsty delights. But I love even more that all the old characters are back, although I hate when bad things happen to them. Bardugo has the trick of making me care for characters who don't even show up that often. I also liked that Alina's past in cartography is remembered and important.

Those who are fans of the Darkling will find plenty of scenes to read and re-read. I prefer Mal (and Sturmhond, obvs), and there's definitely lots of drama and romance on that front. Although Alina and Mal grew up together, she's perceived as more high class now. It causes difficulties for them, as does Alina's rise in power - and her development of a lust for power.

The only thing I'm unhappy about is that I don't have the final book of the trilogy right now. I cannot wait to find out how it all ends. I'll just keep my fingers crossed for my favorites until next year and hope that Bardugo doesn't torture her loyal readers too much.

Middle Book Syndrome? You know - the lull in between the first and third book of a trilogy - yeah, Siege and Storm is the anti-thesis of Middle Book Syndrome. The Darkling is as creepy as ever (and I kind of loved it), Mal is soo annoying (seriously - GROW UP), and OOOH - could there be a THIRD love interest? Alina, girl, get your hormones under control. Of course, there *is* always polygamy. Have them all!

In my review of the first book, I talked about how I was pulled in by the Darkling and I felt that exact same pull in this book. He's the most well-written character in the series - he has dimension. I still find myself questioning if he's good or bad or what his intentions even are - I love that he keeps me guessing.

I could barely put Siege and Storm down and when I was nearing the end of the book, the only reason why I slowed down was because when it was over, well, it'd be over and the third book isn't available until next year! (Also, HAHA, I say "slow down" but it took me 1.5 days to read this book and during the workweek no less.)

This series is definitely plot driven with mini-quests in each book that are on the path of the mega-quest. I kind of like how the reader is in the know of what the next goal is, without knowing how Alina will achieve the goal - it makes the reader's curiosity come to a point that they simply MUST know and will definitely be waiting on release day for the next installment. And yes, I'll be one of those people. Well, played, Ms. Bardugo. Well played.

'm going to be honest and say that originally, my excitement for Siege and Storm was limited. For the first time ever, I had to look a book up on Wikipedia because for the life of me, I could not remember everything that happened in Shadow and Bone. I remembered liking the book a lot and wanting to read the sequel WAY back then. But it's been a year. My tastes changed a lot. I wasn't sure - and surely not excited.
With Siege and Storm I felt like I grew into the book. Or the book grew on me. In the beginning, I fell in love again with Bardugo's amazing storytelling. The almost fairy-tale-ish approach she has is different from most authors. Especially since she manages to do it without over the top descriptions and detailing.
While Alina and Mal were never my favorite YA characters (and still aren't) there was soon a new one introduced that I cannot summon enough praise for.
I'm talking Sturmhound, of course. One of the funniest, most interesting and witty characters I have ever encountered in YA. Every page that he was on I was bound to love. I have yet to feel that way about any bookish character!
The plot surprised me a couple of times because it was so unpredictable. Sometimes I thought it was going to go in a certain direction - that I didn't like - and then BOOM something happened and we were (literally!) headed somewhere completely else.
When the book settles a bit eventually, I was wrong again. I expected things to continue at a slower pace and prepared myself for the boredom a rough spot like that usually comes with...thankfully, that wasn't the case, though.
Bardugo once again managed to keep me interested in her story from beginning to end. No pause, no rough spot, no slow period. Everything going really smoothly.
The only thing I found a bit annoying was the romance and how Mal and Alina's relationship developed. Then again, I don't like Mal to begin with (I don't know why, I just don't get him at all), so that's probably why.
The ending, then, was epic. Just fantastic! I want to say it's a pretty much perfect ending! Like...the action is coming around big time and you find that you're shivering all over and then, when all that action is over, the only thing you get is a small epilogue. Not a hundred more pages explaining and analysing everything that just happened - like in some other novels.
All in all, I was very impressed by Siege and Storm. It did not disappoint at all and I can't wait for the last book in the trilogy and everything else Leigh Bardugo might have in store!!!

Alina discovers ways to expand her power, both magical and political, while Ravka faces attack by the Darkling's monstrous creations. The two things I hate most in stories are miscommunication narratives and relationships fueled primarily by jealousy, and both of these are present here and compose the emotional thrust of the book. Even when characters are well-drawn, their interactions are often laborious. The politics fare better: they're not particularly subtle, but then neither are they bogged down by detail, and set against the developing magic system they make for an engaging world with high stakes. So, as with the first book in the series, Siege and Storm is quite readable when it gains momentum--but the surrounding trappings, YA tropes, and underwhelming narrative voice make it merely mediocre.

I was finally brave enough to re-read Siege and Storm. And I'm happy I did. But I'm also feeling so much more heartbroken about it. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry. But it is also such an amazing book. And I'm going to try to not focus on the heartbreaking parts. I will try to forget all about them, and hope that Ruin and Rising will make it all better. <3 Hopefully. I'm going to try. Probably. But either way. I'm glad I re-read Siege and Storm and I will try to talk a bit about my complicated feelings for it :)

Though I am not sure where to start. I'm not sure what I should mention and what I shouldn't mention. There is so much I want to talk about, but most of that is pretty spoilery and mostly about Mal. But a few things must be mentioned, still. But first I should say that I loved Siege and Storm. The writing was even better in this book. And I love the story and plot so much. I love reading about the Grisha. All the things they do. It's amazing and unique and I just want to read about it all the time. It's so so good.

There is a lot of things happening in Siege and Storm. I loved the beginning, the middle and the end. I loved all of it. But the beginning a little bit more. With Mal and Alina on the run. <3 Though that did not last long. Sniffs. We see more of the Darkling in this book. Though not too much, thank god, lol. I still don't like him. He's a great villain, though. And he does so much more awful things in this book. And I could never love him. Which I love, hih. He creates some new creatures. And they creeped me out.

I'm not sure what to talk about. I won't mention too much about the plot, as I don't want to spoil everything. So I'm going to mention a few characters. I loved Mal in this book. So much. Though he did break my heart. Sniffs. But I will forever ship him. We see more of Genya. And that scene at the end broke me. Yet so damn amazing. I really loved that part. Then there is new character, Sturmhond. Whom I did not love. I liked him, but hated that he liked Alina. Sniffs. But he was pretty awesome, still :)

This book just broke my heart so much. And I'm not sure how to deal with it. Most of it just hurt my heart. But I also enjoyed this book a lot. And I always wanted to know what would happen next. And now that I re-read this book, I had more hope about the ending. Some parts gave me hope. But other parts broke my heart all over again. Sigh. There was just too much. And I will try to talk a little bit about it, but not too much, as I'm not sure I would be able to stop once I get started. And it hurts too much.

What hurt me in Siege and Storm was Mal. Though Mal didn't really do anything that made my heart hurt. Alina did. She and Mal is drifting apart in this book and it's pretty painful. So many awful things happen. And to me, Alina was the fault for that. She didn't tell Mal what was happening to her. She didn't try to spend time with him. She didn't talk to him. She didn't try to make things right. And to me, it seemed like she didn't care much about him at all. And that hurt so much because I love Mal to pieces.

"I came here for you. You're my flag. You're my nation.
But that doesn't seem to matter anymore. Do you realize
this is the first time we've really been alone in weeks?"

I just wanted this book to be happy. I wanted Mal and Alina to have lots of sweet and happy moments. But they don't. They have a few pretty cute moments in the beginning that I love. But then the last part of the book happens and there is just so much hurt and anger. It still hurts. But oh. I have hope. I need them to fix it. But I fear that Mal will be the only one trying, like always. I want Alina to win Mal back. I want her to want him. I want her to try her best to make him forgive her. It probably won't happen.

"I thought you wanted to go."
"I wanted you to ask me to stay."

But anyway. I won't say more about it. Just that it all broke my heart so much. And I hated it a little bit. But I couldn't hate it too much, because it did make me care. And I kind of loved how it was written. But that doesn't stop me from wishing it hadn't been included. I felt like the book would have been even perfect, with Mal and Alina a couple all the time. Sigh. But I do like a little drama. Probably. I just wish it will get fixed early in Ruin and Rising. If it gets fixed. I'm worried. But I will hope. Fingers crossed. <3

Anyway. Siege and Storm was an awesome book. And I'm so glad that I finally decided to re-read it. <3 It was pretty amazing. Now I'm dying to read Ruin and Rising, though. Just wishing it was out less than four months from now. A bit heartbroken that there will be no arcs. But thinking it will make the wait even better. Just wishing for chapter samples pretty soon. <3 Anyway. If you have read and loved Shadow and Bone then you really, really need to read Siege and Storm. And soon. It's awesome.

~

His tone was light, but when his lips met mine, there was nothing playful in his kiss.
He tasted of heat and newly ripe pears from the Duke's garden. I sensed hunger in the hard slant of his mouth, an unfamiliar edge to his need that sent restless sparks burning through me. I came up on my toes, circling my arms around his neck, feeling the length of my body melt into his. He had a soldier's strength, and I felt it in the hard bands of his arms, the pressure of his fingers as his fist bunched in the silk at the small of my back and he drew me against him. There was something fierce and almost desperate in the way he held me, as if he could not have me close enough.

~

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New blog post can be found here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2014/02/book-recommendation-siege-and-storm-by.html

I first read Siege and Storm on January 31st 2013. You can see my first review here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2013/01/review-siege-and-storm-by-leigh-bardugo.html

Alina and Mal are trying to stay our of the reach of The Darkling, but c'mon, HE'S THE DARKLING, so of course they get captured. The Darkling quickly sets out to complete his mission of making Alina the most powerful Grisha that ever lived, all under his control of course, and he must use the help of provateer Sturmhond and his crew. (That's literally all the recap I can give without ruining all the amazingness of this book)

I liked it better then the first and that is saying something because the first book was near perfection. Alina becomes such a complex person in this novel as she struggles with who she is, who she wants to be and who she thinks she should be. She still has this strong and undeniable pull to The Darkling, despite his further plunge in to super evilness, and then there is Mal who she has always loved, but let's face it has no powers and doesn't really understand why Alina needs to use her sun summoning skills. Along her journey, she loses bits of her humanity and is forced to grow up quickly, especially in the face of all the death that happens in this book.

The Darkling: I'M SO TORN! Sure he takes a turn for the worst in this book and really does some super unredeemable stuff, but I still can't help but think "But, but, he had that panty melting kiss with Alina in the first book with that thigh hand brush part" and then I'm suddenly willing to forgive him of a lot of stuff. Mal just didn't have a purpose in this book (other then tracking every piece of dust that has ever been created) and I wanted him to stop being such a whiny bitch, which is why I want to find alternative loves for Alina, but if Bardugo can properly explain his tracking skills and actually give him a purpose and some actual chemistry with Alina, I'll let him pass. Because seriosuly, all the make out sessions they have had to not in any way compare the that one kiss against the wall with her and The Darkling

So I started this one right after reading book one. And I must say that I wasn't disappointed. The author does a great job pulling you right back into the story after (for most people) having to wait for one year or so for it to come out. The world building continues in this sequel. As Alina and her gang are trying to track down the Firebird. The story flowed well and I found myself wanting to read read read. Although this book was a sequel it didn't suffer from book two crapyness which so many other series do. This book stands on its own two feet. I also think that people who read this one without reading book one would be somewhat ok. Although the would lose a lot of back story. I think they would still get sucked in and be able to figure out what is going on. I really love this authors writing. She has a way to drag you into the book and then keep you there with a blend of seriousness and then bomb you with humor. Its a perfect blend! This book along with book one are a perfect blend for an explosive third book! I really can't wait until June! (Ps its already been preordered!)

Shadow and Bone was one of my favourite books of 2012 (and I loved it just as much when I re-read it last month!) so Siege and Storm was one of my most anticipated releases for 2013. When I have such high expectations for a story it can be incredibly hard for an author to live up to them so I always feel a little nervous picking up the sequel to a much loved book. Thankfully I had no need to worry in this case and Leigh Bardugo has delivered another captivating tale set in Ravka, it didn't quite match up to the first book but it was still a very strong instalment to one of my favourite series.

I don't want to say too much about the plot of the story because, as with the first book, I think you're better off going in not knowing what to expect. What I will say is that if you enjoyed Shadow and Bone then I'm sure you'll enjoy the sequel just as much. Alina has already been through a lot but she is going to find herself tested more than ever before, so many things are thrown at her in such a short space of time and she is struggling to come to terms with the changes in herself since she unlocked her powers. People look at her differently now and she is under a lot of pressure from all kinds of directions about how she should proceed. Most of Ravka believe she is a saint and is the only one who can save them from the Darkling but that is a lot for her to live up to. I have to admit I was sad to see her struggle to open up to the people around her and the strain that put on some of her personal relationships but it was completely understandable and just made her character feel even more real.

I loved Mal in the first book but I found myself getting a little irritated with his actions some of the time in this one. He is letting Alina's powers drive a wedge between them and while I can understand how out of place he feels around the Grisha because he lacks their abilities I expected him to be more supportive of her rather than someone else who was trying to put pressure on her. There are moments when I love them together but others where I want to shake the pair of them and tell them to grow up. I guess the fact that they can make me so angry just goes to show how much I care about them though and I'm still really hoping they'll be able to find a way to work things out. The Darkling is as intriguing as ever, in the first book he was a much more seductive character though and this time I found him much less appealing. His actions at the end of Shadow and Bone left me reeling and he continued to shock me with how power hungry he has become and the lengths he will go to to get what he wants.

Along with the characters we already know and love (or love to hate!) we are introduced to some fabulous and memorable new cast members. A particular favourite was the Privateer Sturmhond but I also really liked the twins Tolya and Tamar. Siege and Storm had everything I loved about the first book - the fantastic characters, fast paced action, fabulous world building and some brilliant plot twists. I am desperate to know what happens next so Ruin and Rising is already at the top of my wish list for 2014 (why oh why do we have to wait so long?? LOL). If you haven't started reading this series yet then you really are missing out and I can't recommend it highly enough!

Siege and Storm is the second book in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy and wow! I loved Shadow and Bone for the incredible new fantasy world and relatable characters. I love Siege and Storm even more for further exploring and answering some of my questions about the magic system, making me literally laugh out loud, and continuing to pull at my heart strings! (Do hearts have strings? Well mine does!) If you were a little unsure about the first book (I won't judge!), then you should definitely go for it, because this series just keeps getting better!
Note: I read an ARC of Siege and Storm borrowed from a friend (thanks Krys!), so things might be a little different in the final copy. Also that amazing cover wasn't on it, I need it!

Strengths:
I'm serious about the laughing out loud thing. A new character Sturmhond is introduced and he is fracking hilarious! Leigh Bardugo has captured my sense of humor perfectly in this character and I will take him if no one else wants him ;-).
A lot of fantasy settings have no technology because, well, it's fantasy! I however don't think this is a good excuse and love how Siege and Storm shows us the steps this world is taking towards technological progress. It just makes sense that bright people are going to want to invent things to improve their world, and they even have magic that specifically makes awesome materials!
Wow, that ending, just wow. No spoilers obviously, but Siege and Storm blew my socks off. I thought I knew how things would go, even had a back-up plan for how things could go. I was flat out wrong but so moved.
The feels! Siege and Storm made me bouncy happy and ugly cry and everything in between. There is a fair amount of romantic tension and it worked really well. I'm usually against drawn out tension like that, but it made perfect sense given the situation.

Weaknesses:
On that note, there might have been a touch too much melodrama with the romance and the feels. There is only so long I can go before yelling at the characters to just make a decision even if it's hard. I'm also weird, so ya know ;-).
You know those cool amplifiers? The rules for how that magic works seem a little shaky, which I'm not a fan of. Magic systems need rules and the plot needs to work within those rules, otherwise things are too easy. I'm interested to see if there is some underlying perfectly reasonable rule set that just isn't obvious yet. Please let there be one!

Summary:
Love love love! Shadow and Bone was cool but didn't quite grab me. Siege and Storm grabbed me and through me against a wall! (In a good way, is there a good way for that?? There is now!) Siege and Storm made the Grisha books that I am seriously tempted to re-read once the third comes out. The story and writing and characters all just feel so comfy in my brain and make me smile just thinking about them. When is the third book coming out? Next year??? Nooooooooo. ;-)

Okay, so I'll start out this review by admitting that I was already biased against this book before I picked it up. Why? Because I was completely in love with the first book in this series, Shadow and Bone. I loved just about everything in it, from the storytelling to the world to the characters. Shadow and Bone is truly high fantasy as its best.

Siege and Storm continues everything that was awesome about Shadow and Bone and makes it even more awesome (I know, that seems hard to believe). Now, Alina is trying to make a new life for herself and Mal in a new land where no one knows that she is the Sun Summoner 0-and she wants to keep it that way. Of course, the Darkling has returned and Alina is unable to run away from it and her destiny. Armed with new knowledge, a new resolve and a new friend, Alina must find her away through the Darkling's twisted web of darkness and magic.

Author Leigh Bardugo has an absolutely spellbinding and vivid storytelling style that pulls readers in with every word. The world here is powerful, unique and oh-so-fascinating, which is refreshing in a sea of over-used fantasy cliches, especially when it comes to YA. There is also a significant amount of character growth in Siege and Storm or Alina and Mal, which helps keep both characters interesting and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

I really can't say anything bad about this book, accept that I want the next book now!

Warning: If you have not read Shadow and Bone, read the book immediately. Then come back and read this review of the second book!

Wow, this is how a good sequel should be done. Siege and Storm was an amazing addition to the Grisha Trilogy! The book had everything I loved about the first book, Shadow and Bone, plus more. This series is quickly becoming one I would recommend to people searching for a refreshing trilogy.

While reading, I was completely sucked into the world. Bardugo has mastered the art of perfect descriptions, explanations, characters, and plots. Also, the fast paced beginning helped. We immediately jump into the action after a re-introduction to the characters and their location. And "the action" includes ships, The Darkling, battles, and A New Character!

A lot of reader have been going on about the new character, Stormhund (He has a lot of other names besides this. However, I am not going to spoil the surprises by telling you!) And now, I completely understand the excited chatter. Stormhund is funny, and surprising. I loved all his identity twists! Is he another love interest? I am not sure. I think Alina, the main character, is still into Mal, her best friend and main love interest. We will see in Ruin and Rising! I am kind of hoping that Stromhund will become a more prominent love interest. His witty comments had me smiling! I think he is a good character. Right Barugo? Please?

Mal, of course, is also a great character. He did seem a little whiny in the second half of the book. Alina is choosing to save the world over spending time with you? What a shame, you should go pout some more! (Note: It really isn't as bad as I made it sound. Mal is great, just the whole ordeal of war is changing him. However, I am still annoyed at his lack of understanding.) Also, the plots are as great as ever! Leigh Bardugo has such an amazing imagination and, as I said before, her ideas are vivid and fully formed. I cannot wait to learn more about the Darkling in the next book, as he is rarely actually seen in Siege and Storm. However, he is often mentioned and the readers never forget about his threats and the danger he imposes.

Overall, I loved Siege and Storm! I loved the characters. Alina is so realistic, and strong! And Stormhond is just so... amazing. I also forgot to mention the amazing character growth (both good and bad) and the realistic faults in all of Bardugo's characters. I felt like everyone I read about was a real person. Seriously, I could pass Alina in the grocery store and barely be fazed. Leigh's writing is that vivid! The series has, so far, been very unique and a definite favorite. Now, is anyone else dying for the hopefully epic finale, Ruin and Rising?

5/5 stars

Sorry if the review was too long! I was a bit more ramble-y than usual.

A sophomore book in a series can be a test - sometimes the book is so much worse that you wonder if the author is even the same person. Sometimes it's on par, but you walk away wishing it had been just a *bit* better. And sometimes, the book is quite a bit better. Such is the case with Siege and Storm.

Alina and Mal are on the run, hiding from the Darkling, the Grisha, and pretty much just about everyone else. Their goal? To leave the country and finally be at peace. But peace is something that does not always come easily, and something that Alina and Mal are destined to see little of. As Alina escapes, once again, from the Darkling, she ends up back in Riva - and this time, she is determined to fight. As her power grows, both as a Sun Summoner and among people, Alina finds herself fearing that she is not only losing her mind, but Mal as well.

I actually enjoyed this book so much better than the first. The first was obviously good enough that I was interested in picking up the second, but it didn't really *grab* me. This one, though - now that the world-building is mostly established, there was a lot more characterization, more action, and Alina is really starting to become a strong person worthy of having a book centered around her instead of a whiny twit.

After reading Siege and Storm, I am definitely inclined to read the next one! A good, solid summer read.

The reason I really enjoy this series is because, like in any good fantasy novel, there's that wonderful balance of plot-driven adventure and super engaging people. The main focus is on Alina's journey but then the story's jam packed with a series of epic mini-quests, as well. It's one seriously crazy ride! I'm never quite sure where Bardugo is going to take it and I love the unpredictability of it all. The only slight thing that threw me about Siege and Storm was the pacing. The action stalls towards the middle but Bardugo more than makes up for it with that high impact finale. By the end, Ravka is on the verge of an all-out war and the tone is desolate. We've lost some key characters and the fates of many others are left unknown. Talk about wanting, no, needing to know more!

The other thing I love about this series is that the characters have so much dimension and, well, character! The Darkling is dark as ever, Mal has grown distant and resentful and Alina struggles with her new-found powers. I'm really interested to see how far down the rabbit-hole she goes. I want her to overcome that darkly powerful pull, but at the same time, some sick part of me really enjoys seeing her struggle. She's a bit of a downer in this book but it's understandable given her situation. As the characters progress along their individual journeys, circumstances change as do the relationships between them. I'm not going to lie, it can get really frustrating at times, especially if you're rooting for one coupledom over another. But, then again, I think that says something for the strength of Bardugo's writing --- it makes you feel something. It's that whole love/hate thing we have with really well-written characters. We must accept the change because we're invested in them.

Oh! Oh! And for those of you who are Darkling fans, you're in for a real treat with Siege and Storm because Bardugo one ups herself with the addition of a new fan favourite. Meet Sturmhond. I didn't think it was possible for me to love anyone as much as I loved The Darkling but, yet again, she proved me wrong. Sturmhond is the colourful, charismatic, witty privateer who has quickly become my favourite character in the entire series. To say he's a multifaceted character is an understatement and I'm really excited to see where she goes with his story. Overall, Siege and Storm blew me away and was more than a worthy follow-up to a very strong debut.

Food For Thought: Siege and Storm is one of those rare follow-up books that supersedes even the first. Chalk full of intense action, magical adventures and engaging characters, you'll never want to put it down. This is one of those unpredictable fantasy series that keeps on getting better with time.

If I didn't have to do things like sleep and eat, I definitely would have devoured this book in one sitting! Leigh Bardugo does not disappoint in Siege and Storm, and I am so glad. The beginning (and the end) of the book moves pretty fast, and I felt like I was being thrown into the middle of a story. I mean, it's the second book so that's pretty much the case, but still. It was very well done, and I really enjoyed the fast pace.

Alina changes so much in this book, and I'm not sure all of her changes are good. She's stronger and doesn't let anyone walk over her (at least not as much), and she often goes after thing she wants. However, she's becoming powerful and the power does seem to go to her head sometimes, but I think this really humanizes her. She's almost as powerful as the Darkling, but she makes the same mistakes and bad decisions that any normal person would make. There were times when I just wanted to slap her (especially when it came to Mal), but then she would redeem herself a little later.

And speaking of Mal, I'm still not entirely convinced that I support this romance. Don't get me wrong, I love Mal as his own character and person, but I just don't feel the connection between him and Alina. They're so different and even though they've loved each other all their lives and blah blah blah, I almost felt like the romance is only there because they grew up together in the orphanage. Mal and Alina are so distant that I just don't see anything working out for them. And it's sad, but I'm not as upset as I feel like I should be... All of it works with the story though, and helps us see more of Alina and Mal and who they are as characters and people.

I still love the Darkling. He's scary and creepy and crazy and all that jazz, but he's still one of my favorite characters. He does have Sturmhond and Nikolai to compete with now though, so we'll see how he fares in the conclusion. Bardugo's new characters are just as interesting and exciting as the ones we've all come to know and love, so I'm pretty excited to find out what's next for them as they fight in this war.

Although we learned quite a bit about Ravka in the first book, we get even more insight into the world in this book. I enjoyed learning more about the culture and the folk stories and such, and even about how the world is different now after the events of Shadow and Bone. This book is much darker than the first one, and I can't even imagine how things will turn out in Ruin and Rising. I also enjoyed seeing places outside of Ravka in this book, as little as there was. It gives a more complete picture of the world of the Grisha, and I loved that.

I could go on and on about this book all day, but I feel like I'm starting to ramble and I don't want to give anything away because you should just go read it. ASAP. Especially if you loved Shadow and Bone. I would recommend the series to anyone who is looking for a beautiful YA Fantasy that's dark and enchanting. And to pretty much every YA reader. You seriously don't want to let this series pass under your radar. A 5/5 and I can't wait to read more!

Oh, man, this novel has done a number on my heart. Although this sequel is by no means better than the original, it has both impressed and disappointed me but I still liked it a lot. The new characters are undeniably loveable and certain situations are more intense than ever.

For some reason, in Shadow and Bone, I never realized just how childish Alina is, instead of growing up and learning from her mistakes and the mistakes of others she just acts even more greedy and self-centred. The middle part is also really boring with only a little bit of action. It’s mostly just planning and the romances building up or breaking down. The ending is a little too tied up nicely also since everyone and everything just so happens to get what they deserve (I’m trying not to give too much away!)

But, oh goodness, do I love some of these new characters! Prince Nikolai is amazing with his sense of humour, he seems so realistic. The relationship between Alina and Mal is again realistic because throughout the story, they show cracks, heartbreak, as well as their love for one another. As always, the writing is beautiful just like in the first one with lovely imagery and realism.

Siege and Storm is still a great story. The problems that I had with it are because of the fact that the flaws that I either overlooked or just didn’t realize are so glaringly obvious in this one. Nonetheless, I recommend this to anyone who has read the first one or like novels with strong heroines (with a tragic flaw) and mythical creatures so enchanting it’s shocking that they’re not real.

This. Book.

I am a fantasy addict. Which, if you already follow my blog, you know. If you're new here, it's a helpful thing to keep in mind. Because I read a lot of fantasy, and I love it, but Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy and, in particular, this novel stand apart from the rest.

I won't bore you again with what I thought about the world-building (stellar), but let's jump right into Alina and her character arc. She's come so far from the mousy orphan we met at the beginning of Shadow and Bone. Her struggle with adjusting to having power and what it means for her relationships with people is so interesting to "watch."

SPEAKING of relationships, in the last book, I was underwhelmed by Mal. I sort of just felt like: "Okay, Alina likes him, whatever." BUT GUYS, I GET IT NOW. Mal is kind of amazing and fears that he's not important enough to Alina. But he's so wonderful and funny and just wants to be useful and like- he's drawn so well in this book. SO WELL.

And on the subject of characters that I've had flip-flopped feelings for: The Darkling. My love of him from the last book (that I choose not to examine too closely because whoa I don't have time for that kind of psychoanalysis) is OFFICIALLY gone because OMG I don't remember the last time I found a character so CREEPY. And ruthless. He's completely terrifying.

To continue along this line of menmenmenmenMANLYmenmenmen, may I say: STURMHOND HALLO. I really enjoyed meeting this guy. He's SNARKY and hilarious. I'll analogize him a little bit to Marissa Meyer's Thorne in Scarlet , but with a bit more of an EDGE. I could go on, but... anything else I might say would be spoilerific, so I think you should read and swoon for yourself.

Rating: 5/5 stars. If you like fantasy and you're not reading this series, I don't know what you're doing with your life.
[...]

Disclosure: This book was received from the publisher in exchange for only an honest review.

I read SHADOW AND BONE three times, and each time, my enthusiasm for the book waned. Despite the potential, it just wasn't deep enough to hold up to multiple readings, and it made me worried about SIEGE AND STORM. What if SIEGE AND STORM was even more of a let down? Well, I've read SIEGE AND STORM three times too, and I've enjoyed it just as much as the first reading.

SIEGE AND STORM is very much a sequel book, and it sets up for what will hopefully be a truly epic and heartwrenching climax in RUIN AND RISING, which is already my most-anticipated book of 2014.

SIEGE AND STORM picks up shortly after SHADOW AND BONE ends. Alina and Mal have left Ravka behind and are working abroad to save up before disappearing forever into the wilderness. However, the Darkling has also survived the Fold and has emerged from the darkness with an even greater power. With the help of a mysterious privateer, Alina and Mal return to Ravka, where Alina takes charge of the remaining Grisha, meeting with opposition from many sides, even those she thought she could trust. As she works to find her place and take charge, she wrestles with her own darkness and everything she stands to lose if she fails and everything she stands to lose if she succeeds.

What made this book work so well for me were the characters, especially Alina. For a second book in a trilogy that serves mainly as a bridge, there ought to be some great character development, and Bardugo didn't disappoint. I didn't love Alina in the first book, where she shied away from her power a bit and was easily taken in by the majesty of the Grisha world. In this one, though, Alina is finally becoming the Sun Summoner, Ravka's savior. I loved seeing her finally accept her power and even hunger for more power. She knows the repercussions, how she's irrevocably changing, but she also knows that she has to save the world, and she wants this power. She's not comfortable with everything, like the worship of the Ravkans who call her a saint, but she's not afraid to sacrifice herself for her world. I also greatly enjoyed the introduction of Sturmhond, who is a new love interest for Alina, and clever and charming and plain old infuriating. I still really hate Mal, who is either extremely boring and perfect or else incredibly whiny and a drunken jerk who constantly tries to hold Alina back. Their relationship strikes me as unhealthy, both of them clinging to other in memory of who they were, and it annoys me so much to see Alina cling to Mal, and yet, it works too because it only serves to show how conflicted Alina is, torn between all her possible positions. Watching her navigate the politics of her world was fascinating. Really, my only complaint about this book is a lack of the Darkling. (I know, and I think Alina and Mal's relationship is unhealthy....) but otherwise? I thought this book was fantastic, and I'm just going to go stare at a calendar and eagerly await the third book.

As with the first book, this one has excellent world-building and a fast-paced plot. But the characters left something to be desired. Flat and a bit one-dimensional, they felt like tropes in a play. Alina, as a character, becomes more of a leader, and it was interesting to see that growth in her. But the others remained stagnate.
However, because the other elements of the story remained strong, it was a good read and if you enjoy fantasy-based young adult novels, this one will appeal to you greatly.

Siege and Storm, the second book in the Grisha trilogy, will not disappoint fans of the first book at all. In fact, readers just might be surprised to find that Siege and Storm takes things to the next level and is actually even a little better than Shadow and Bone. I know, who would have thought that was possible?

Things pick up right after the end of Shadow and Bone and don't take long to get back into, at all. Mal and Alina are on the run from the Darkling, hiding out across the sea but it doesn't take long for them to get pulled back into the madness. Alina is growing even more powerful and she knows that she is the only person who will ever be able to stop the Darkling. She just isn't quite sure how yet. And she's also not sure where exactly Mal fits into it all.

Alina is a character you can't help but love but also just kind of want to slap at times. She's stubborn, smart, resourceful, and kind but she can't always see what's right in front of her face. She and Mal need each other but with Alina's power growing out of control, she's not sure how she can be the Sun Summoner and be with Mal. Mal takes a bit of a back seat in Siege and Storm which really disappointed me. He's changed a lot since the first book, having had to desert his post in the army to be with Alina. He's very lost and confused and I just wanted to hug him. He's still just as funny though and seeing a more vulnerable side to him made me love him even more. As for the Darkling, just wow. Leigh Bardugo is a master at crafting such a sinister villain but one that readers will still like, even if it is just a little bit. I truly don't know what to feel about him. Oh and there's a new guy introduced, making things even more interesting for Alina's love life. Seriously, this is no longer a love triangle, it's a love square. Sturmhond may be the frontrunner for me right now. He's devious and smart and brave and funny. I dare you guys not to like him.

The story is super quick and while the book may be close to 500 pages, you won't be able to put it down. It's not going to take readers long to get through this one. There were so many times when I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails to the cuticles, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Leigh Bardugo is brutal. I went through the whole spectrum of emotions with this book. And let me tell you, the ending will leave you dying for the next book! Things are tied up pretty well but you still won't want to wait since it's just such an addicting story.

Overall, Siege and Storm is a must-read for everyone who read Shadow and Bone. Ruin and Rising just shot to the top of my wishlist. Get your hands on this one as soon as possible and join me in the wait for the final book!

The second installment of the Grisha Trilogy certainly does not disappoint on the action front. From the beginning Alina (with the oh-so-great Mal) are on the run from the Grisha fleet (legions? forces?) and the Darkling. It really picks up within the first ten pages.

I think as far as follow-ups go, Siege and Storm made some improvements on the first. For one thing, Alina isn't as annoying; in fact, she even has some character development towards the middle/end. If there's one pet peeve I have in a lot of young adult novels lately, it's the marionette-esque heroine. Alina made some attempts to step into her role this novel--you can judge the success of those attempts for yourself--and to make the best of her situation. I liked especially reading about her desire for power (continued from the last book), and how she handles it. She's still an insufferable, whiny brat at times, though, so be warned. (I kept putting down the book in disgust in the beginning at the endless 'I'm-so-plain-but-Mal-is-a-god' tirades--hasn't Twilight tread this ground sufficiently?)

On that note, I am still not a fan of Mal. He's just boring, boring, boring. I think the whole point of his character is to give Alina some ties to her life before realizing she is the Sun Summoner, and possibly give her hope of a "normal" life later on, but he has never developed enough of a life of his own for me to find him anything other than an annoyance. I thought in the last book his role as a tracker would flesh him out a bit more, but I found him just as dull as ever. But for those that like him--you'll like this book. He gets a lot of page space. For those that don't...sorry.

The biggest disappointment of this book for me, though, was the Darkling's presence. Or, rather, lack thereof. I loved how complex and mysterious his character was in the last book (do we like him? hate him? respect him?--I don't know!), but, due to complete absence for 90% of the book as well as a seeming flattening out of his character, there was none of the intrigue for his character in this book I felt in the first. And that made the action, plentiful though it was, a bit lackluster. Who wants to just read about plain old good vs. evil when you can read conflicts in which you can sympathize with both sides? I really hope that the final installment of this series brings back this uncertainty, because I felt much less invested in the outcome of Siege and Storm than I would have liked.

This is the second book in the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, so if you're reading this review you're most likely already invested in the series and wondering whether to continue. I say yes!

The writing in this installment is just as compelling, the story is mostly fast-paced and hard to put down, there are new characters to love and new enemies to fear. It picks up almost immediately where the first book left off, following Mal and Alina on their voyage across the True Sea and straight into conflict with the Darkling, who has been irrevocably changed by the battle on the Fold in which Alina left him to die. He brings with him creatures more frightening than the Volcra and it will take more power, and new friends, in order for Alina and Mal to survive.

The love story took a backseat to action and intrigue in this book, and I missed it. The author managed to string me along with just enough tension to keep me going, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't frustrated with the state of Alina and Mal's relationship. Alina is now the highest ranking Grisha in the land and for several reasons cannot be connected publicly with Mal. Their moments together are brief and melancholy, and their relationship seems more doomed by the moment. Alina's power is growing and her purpose is clear, but poor Mal.... He doesn't know his place in her world anymore, and because he chose to desert the army in the first book he lost his position as a valued tracker. Mal winds up having a sort of identity crisis, though his love for her is true.

"No, Alina. You came here for Ravka.... to lead the Second Army." He tapped the sun over his heart. "I came here for you. You're my flag. You're my nation." ~Mal

It's really hard to review second books in a trilogy before all the books have been published, because they are inevitably a little less satisfying. There will always be more questions than answers, and there will always be amped up conflict and hopelessness in order to keep readers hungering for the conclusion. Siege and Storm is no exception. I was swept away with the first half of the book, caught up in the adventure and the introduction of new and compelling characters (who doesn't love a handsome pirate?!), but the middle of the book dragged for me. Things slowed down when Alina took over the Second Army and there was a lot of war-room talk and squabbles with the Grisha, which would have been fine except it all seemed sort of moot because of what happened at the end.

Overall it was an enjoyable installment in the series, and I recommend it, but it will be even better when the whole series is out and can be enjoyed without interruption. For the book by itself I give it 3.5 stars, but as a connecting piece in a bigger story, it gets 4 stars from me. If you're not dying to know what happens, I think you could wait on this one until the last book is out.

Alina and Mal have fled to an unfamiliar land and seek to build a new life there, away from the Darkling and Ravka. She returns to her sickly, weak state and suffers from the guilt of the deaths caused by her power. They don't stay in hiding for long and quickly have to face the Darkling along with his frightening new power that was previously thought to be impossible. Alina escapes the Darkling with the help of a notorious pirate that is more than what he seems, but not before she acquires another amplifier. This new power prompts her to seek even more power and drives a wedge between her and Mal. They all return to Ravka to prepare for the coming battle with the Darkling, but only time will tell if all of their efforts will do anything against the Darkling's shadow army.

I read Shadow and Bone before it came out last year and was dismayed that although I got to read it early, I had to wait even longer than normal. The wait was completely worth it, I am pleased to report. All of my expectations were subverted time after time, making Siege and Storm exciting and surprising to read. I expected the beginning to have an extended time in hiding with narrow escapes, but the Darkling showed up fairly quickly to capture them. It was so outside my expectations that it was jarring. In a genre with so many conventions and stereotypes, Siege and Storm is a very welcome breath of fresh air. Most second books of trilogies simply set up for the last book and don't have a lot going on outside of that. Siege and Storm accomplished that and so much more. New and very memorable characters are introduced, my favorite being twins Tolya and Tamar. The characters we all love (or passionately hate) develop and change throughout the story.

Alina Starkov is wanted by a great many people. She's known as the Sun Summoner and Saint Alina, after rumors that she died and resurrected circulate Ravka. Very few people know her as simply Alina. Everyone wants something from her. Princes ask for her hand in marriage, not because they like her, but because of the power she wields. A growing group of people idolize her as a saint and hang their hopes and dreams on her, but know nothing about her at all. She doesn't even recognize herself at times because her hunger for more and more power is changing her. I like this new story line. She's grown a lot since she discovered her power. Now the questions are how much is too much and is she seeking it for herself or to save Ravka? I still like Alina, but I see some dumb decisions she's making, like pushing the only person who likes her for her (Mal) away for his own good.

Siege and Storm is an amazing read with crazy twists and turns, breathtaking action, and heartwrenching events. The Darkling is back with a vengeance, charming, frightening, and seemingly unbeatable. He is such a compelling yet evil character that appears and influences throughout the novel. The ending of Siege and Storm was completely shocking and I didn't see it coming. I need to know what happens next and I will be definitely preordering the final book.

I love when sequels live up to and/or surpass their predecessors. Especially when they're middle books! There's no trace of Middle Book Syndrome when it comes to Leigh Bardugo's sophomore offering. This book blew SHADOW AND BONE out of the water, which is saying a lot, since S&B was one of my Top Fantasy Novels of 2012. Bardugo is definitely an author to watch and buy immediately if you're a fan of high fantasy.

Spoilers Below From Book 1. You have been warned. Turn back now if you're not caught up!

SIEGE AND STORM begins not long after SHADOW AND BONE ends. We quickly catch up with Alina and Mal, who are on the run and in hiding from The Darkling. They can only stay off his radar for so long, however, and when he tracks them down, he's furious...and he has a devastating new trick up his sleeve. He wants Alina's abilities more than ever before and is willing to risk everything to bestow her with the impossible--a second mythical amplifier. The mythology in this book is even more gorgeous than it was the first time around, and I'm looking forward to even more of this in next year's finale RUIN AND RISING. Readers are also interested to new characters, in particular the mysterious privateer Sturmhond, who evolves and becomes an important character throughout the novel. He's a new favorite for me, and I can't wait to see his role in the next book. Alina evolves so much over the course of the book, and her destiny has become terrible. I'm frightened for her, especially after the powerful way SIEGE AND STORM ends.

Bardugo knows how to captivate fans of high fantasy and retain them. It's hard to believe this is her first published series. The Grisha Trilogy will be highly recommended for years to come. I love when fantasy books completely bring me into a new world. From descriptions of food and clothing to scenery and events, I felt like I was in this Russia-like world alongside Alina. The lore is rich and evocative, the prose captivating and fresh. I rooted for so many characters throughout the book. Alina has come so far and grown so much, yet she has a lot of growing yet to do. She inspires loyalty and hope, and is still coming to terms with being a symbol to so many people. Power is intoxicating, and Alina has far too much thanks to the Darkling. It will be interesting to see what she becomes in RUIN AND RISING. Bardugo brings characters into readers' hearts, forcing them to root for minor characters, for villains, for protagonists, and even for new characters. Too many times, new and minor characters aren't embraced by fans, but Bardugo insists on making everyone care this time around. How often do you hear readers say that a new character is a favorite, or that intense sympathy is felt for someone minor, yet important? The Darkling's role isn't nearly as big this time around as it was in the first book, but his presence is always felt. Many fans of the series are die-hard Darkling fans, and the Darkling is a villain, who in most books would fuel hatred and malice towards the character. This is again a great show of how Bardugo is able to get readers to embrace all her characters on so many levels. I truly felt a part of this world and care about the plights of everyone, not just the heroine and her love interest. I'm looking forward to next year's resolution; the wait for the final book is a tough one!

SIEGE AND STORM is an epic continuation to the uniquely imaginative and flawlessly written Grisha series. I've never ventured into such a complex world full of adventure and danger before Shadow and Bone. I've heard that second books sometimes have a hard time living up to their predecessors, but SIEGE AND STORM surpassed my expectations and shocked me to the core. Alina, Mal, the Darkling, and other fan favorites are back and more ready than ever for what the future will bring them. The obstacles facing each of them are numerous, and Alina may not be prepared for the consequences of SIEGE AND STORM. I'm in awe of everything about this novel and craving the next installation into Alina's frightening world of magic and mayhem.

After all that Alina faced in Shadow and Bone, she's one tough cookie after her escape from the Darkling. The guilt she caries from the consequences of her escape, however, weigh on her and force her to confront who she really is and who she's destined to become. She will do anything in her power to stop the Darkling, even if it means sacrificing a part of herself to do so. The developments and revelations she faces in SIEGE AND STORM change everything for her and make her question everything she's ever been told. I am incredibly proud of how far Alina has come. While she makes some very bad mistakes, it's understandable in her situation. She more than deserves a happy ending after enduring the Darkling's mental and physical torture, but I have no idea how she'll get there. I am rooting for her!

The males that vie for Alina's affections are numerous and all complete opposites of each other. The Darkling is bad to the core and incredibly selfish and mean, yet there is something about him that makes me want to forgive him. Can I just give him a big hug and make him all better? Mal is a steady companion to Alina who's faced just as many challenges as she has. I would love for Alina to end up with her childhood sweetheart, but I find him a bit boring compared to the others. He's also very hesitant to accept who Alina is becoming which makes me not happy. If he truly loved her, he would have Alina any way he can get her. He knows who she is inside, doesn't he? And then there's Sturmhond who's new to the scene in SIEGE AND STORM. He's a personal favorite of mine now. He says it like it is and doesn't take crap from anyone. He's also gorgeous and an incredible flirt which makes him all the more lovable. I can haz Sturmhond?

The world building in the Grisha series continues to rock my socks off. There's so much to Alina's world yet Bardugo introduces us to each element without overwhelming the reader with knowledge. It's been a year since I read Shadow and Bone and I was easily able to catch up on the storyline and jump right in where it left off. The Grisha, the Fold, and the story behind Morozova's amplifier(s) fascinate me. Bardugo reveals secrets about all of these things that made me gasp and jump right out of my seat. I don't know how she does it, but wow!

SIEGE AND STORM is even better than Shadow and Bone, which I did not see coming. Bardugo has easily become one of my favorite YA authors, and I am eager for more in Alina's crazy world.

Siege and Storm is one of those books that I don't feel like my words can do justice to. It's one of those books that just entraps you in its pages and spits you out at the end, leaving you a wreck begging for more but also unsure if you could take any more. The people and the world inside feel so real that you can't help but need to hug them and reassure them that everything will somehow turn out okay. But then you remember that they're not real, at least not outside of your head, and you're almost beside yourself with grief. Siege and Storm is a book best rated by emotions, because your rational mind has gone out the window.

There is no strongest aspect of Siege and Storm. The setting, the characters, the plot, and the world-building all work together to create a reading experience. There's no need to pick this book apart; you won't want to.

Even so, Alina's journey is one of the most fascinating I've read. In Shadow and Bone she learned of her physical powers; she honed extraordinary skills and became a Grisha. But in this sequel, Alina is pushed far beyond any bounds she could have imagined. Not only does she have to withstand mental and physical challenges like she's never endured, but she has to take on unprecedented responsibilities--with the lives of many others on her hands. Everything she thought was secure is falling away and she is helpless to stop it--maybe she doesn't want to. There is darkness inside, and she may just have to embrace it to win the war.

Siege and Storm tackles war in such a way that is heartbreaking yet utterly real. It hurts to see people so beat down that they'll believe in anyone who offers a way out. It's difficult to read of men and women who walk to their deaths with their heads held high, all for love of country. War tears countries apart and replaces innocence with hardness.

Siege and Storm is possibly better than Shadow and Bone. Actually, I can almost certainly say it is. Even as Alina has only just found her place, she must fight to preserve that place's dignity--even if it means sacrificing herself in the process. This is a sequel (and a series) you absolutely do not want to miss.

Originally posted on my blog: book-scents.com

You know that feeling after you finish a book when it was so absolutely amazing and awesome but now you've reached the end and it's over? And also when the ending is so "OMG!" that you just feel like you're in emotional turmoil? That's me. I'm still sitting here, reeling from... everything.

It has been more than a full day and 1) I still haven't finished writing this review, 2) I haven't read anything else since then (both from lack of time and also because this one was so good). So... I apologize for any crazy emotional comments in my review and any and all fangirling.

Alright. So, Siege and Storm picks up right where we left off. Alina and Mal are in hiding far away across the True Sea. The Darkling has survived the events of the previous book. Darkness never dies. That statement always sends shivers down my back. The main issues in this one is, what will happen to Ravka? What will happen to Alina with all this power she has? What is the Darkling planning? And the question all of you should ask if you haven't read Siege yet is... Who is this Sturmhond character people keep talking about?

First of all, Leigh Bardugo's writing in this sequel is simply amazing. I have no words. There was so much tension in this one that I couldn't start reading it if I didn't have a good chunk of time to devote because otherwise I'd have to stop and that made me really grumpy. I loved how her writing swept us up into all things Ravkan. We learn more about the Saints, the legends, the folklore and children's stories in their history. I feel like we get a sense of the culture. I could easily imagine myself living in this world. Such was the power of her writing. Amazing.

The characters were outstanding. I was SO anxious about Alina the whole way through because in this book, she changes. She grows into herself and I love how she developed but there were glimpses of what she could turn into if all that power really got a grip on her. And that made me nervous. Because I came to really love Alina in this one. And I didn't want power to change her! Then there's Mal. <3 Oh, Mal. Let's just say Leigh knows how to make me FEEL.

The Darkling's presence was a lot smaller in this one, but somehow that felt completely right. And when he was, oh, it makes up for the times when he's not there. Once again, I know that people love the Darkling and I kind of get the appeal but I save all my swoons for Mal. Or STURMHOND. Okay, so before I read Siege, I saw so many tweets from so many people who LOVE Sturmhond that you'd think he'd be built up so much that he'd disappoint. Ha! Did NOT disappoint. He's my new favorite character! I don't know how Leigh writes such striking characters but Sturmhond is fantastic. He has so many layers. He also made me laugh out loud while reading (and I was in public). The splash of his humor provided great balance to Siege as well.

I could go on and on about this book! The writing, the characters, the plot developments, everything was simply amazing. And the ending! Eeep!! I am in love with this series and I have absolutely no idea how I'll survive waiting until 2014!

To say I was ecstatic when I finally had a chance to read this would be an understatement. It really is sad how we wait a year for a book to release and then read said book immediately and hurriedly-usually within a day or two. Alas, that is the nature of us bookworms and it will continue for a long time to come!

I had no idea what to expect in the sequel, although certain things had quickly become attached to Siege and Storm that instantly made me curious. There was talk about the Darkling's new power, the romance, and the addition of a strange character named Sturmhond everyone seemed to love. After I read Shadow and Bone, I sold my soul to this series and Siege and Storm did not disappoint me.

Alina and Mal have been on run but they quickly learn you can't hide from the Darkling. Boy, was I glad to see him early on in the story. Although he didn't play a huge direct part in this novel, he did have his appearances, and many other things made up for his absence. One being this mysterious Sturmhond.

At first I was somewhat confused at what the hype was about him in particular except his cunning personality and absolutely devious plans. And then, well, let's just say a twist surrounds Sturmhond and it is not one to miss. (Bec, I acknowledge your dibs to Sturmhond and accept them. I still have a need for your unborn child.)

SIEGE AND STORM introduces a new setting-the True Sea. I enjoyed the parts that took part on the sea, I love the ship setting and Sturmhond was quite the character as captain of his ship. Another thing about the setting is that we learn more about Ravka, the location and the politics involved.

The main issue I had with the novel was the pacing. It felt as it the entire middle of book was planning for a huge battle and romantic drama. While the romantic drama was entertaining at first, it got a bit over-dramatic and unrealistic at times. I thought Mal was being a bit of a drama-queen, but then again I had always been a Darkling fan *evil laughter.*

"I've seen what you truly are," said the Darkling, "and I've never turned away. I never will. Can he say the same?"

The fantasy elements at play in this novel were fantastically written. The Darkling's new power is horrifying, and Alina's quest to become stronger is admirable yet terrifying at the same time. This novel is just full of bad-assery all around.

I can not wait for RUIN AND RISING, especially after that ending. Leigh Bardugo does an excellent job by giving us all just enough closure for one book but still dishing out an unbearable cliffhanger, leaving us wanting for more.

(Review also posted on readerswonderland.com)

I have read many reviews for this book, and all were very positive. Some even said that it was better than the first. Shadow & Bone being one of my top 2012 reads (You can read review HERE), I was literally spazzing over this one. Shadow & Bone was definitely a fantastic read, and there was one of the best world building I have ever read. Unfortunately, this wasn't as great. I honestly don't see how people can think of this as better than the first. I mean, overall, it's a great book. Just not as good as the first, so definitely not better. We start off with Alina and Mal, and their escape from the city of Ravka and the Darkling. I don't know if it's just me, but I wanted MORE of the Darkling!! I loved him in the first book, and I was very upset that there wasn't much of him here. I also did not like how the story started off pretty slow.
I don't want to write any spoilers in here, but I did like how Alina changed to be. Those who read the book will probably think I'm crazy for her power seeking, but I'm talking about her determination to do anything to save Ravka. Alina showed us her very strong and powerful side here, and I found it very hard to be in her position, in these certain circumstances. I liked the twist towards the middle of the book, and I did grow on liking the Prince who I don't want to mention but yea. There was some intense fighting in here which I totally loved, and it was great to see a girl who was stronger than the guy. Alina grew on me even more, and she's a great character. I did hope for a better romance story, because I just find Mal to be so.. bleh. I just don't find him interesting enough, and I was hoping for another competition to be added or something. I guess I'm just not a fan of Mal.
Overall, Siege and Storm was a great book, but it was still disappointing compared to the first. I didn't find the ending much of a cliffhanger, but I'm still excited to see how this series will come to an end. I definitely recommend this to all readers out there, especially those who are big fans of fantasy!

After finishing Shadow and Bone last year and being completely and unexpectedly blown away by the sheer awesomeness found within its pages, I was beyond excited to get my hands on its sequel. I pretty much stalked the goodreads page for it, jumping for joy when I first read the summary and saw the gorgeous cover art. It did not disappoint, and I decided to give it five stars upon finishing (though really, I was just itching to rate it that high before I even started). It's extremely difficult most of the time write decent reviews for books you love so much it hurts, but I'll give it my best shot.

Just like before, I adore Bardugo's writing. There is simply something magical about it that draws you in and makes you feel all cozy. I love the rich detail she gives her world; there's so much thought and detail put into this story. You know how sometimes in books an author will sometimes spend a little too much time describing every last little thing, down to what color the nightstand is? Well, despite there being loads of explaining going on in Siege and Storm, it never feels like the writing is lingering in all the wrong places. I will admit that I did sometimes still struggle with the complex words - pronouncing them and remembering each of their meanings - but at the same time I like how unique they are. The pacing of the story is excellent - same as the writing. I'm beginning to sense a pattern here. Not a boring moment to be found in S&S. Even the additions of the prologue and epilogue being written in third person are oddly cool.

Of course I love those wonderful things that always matter in a novel (writing, pacing, world-building), but what really shines through to me is the characters. Alina is definitely an interesting protagonist. At times, I didn't know how I felt about her. In Shadow and Bone, I loved watching her grow from being the quiet, somewhat mopey little girl into a strong woman. But in this sequel, she's forced into doing this even more. I felt very conflicted over her internal struggles. She wants to remain a good person, but she's fearful that by gaining more and more power (and she does just that), she may become a bit hungry for it. If felt like she always did the best she could, given the difficult circumstances. Overall, I still love her character and can't wait to see how she changes in Ruin and Rising.

Another thing I had mixed feelings about was her romance with Mal. Despite how good I thought they were together in the first book, now I'm not so sure. It's not that I've grown to dislike them as a couple or anything, but many issues grow between them, and I'm not certain about how they'll be able to work through them all. I was disappointed by the cold distance kept between them for most of the story, and I was frustrated with Alina for not seeing earlier how miserable Mal was, and also frustrated with Mal for not being more understanding. I kind of just wanted to punch both of them in the face at times. Sturmhond is a great addition to this series. I'd seen a lot of raving about him in early reviews, so of course I was very excited to meet him. He's witty and funny and kind of mysterious. He's easily the comedic relief of the book. He says he's not truly interesting in Alina, but I do think he's lying. And . . . maybe it wouldn't be so horrible if a match between S/A happened. Just saying.

This review would not be complete if I did not mention the Darkling. He was easily my favorite character in S&B, and I was devastated when we learned how evil he truly was after having served as Alina's love interest for maybe 80% of the book. Going into this, I was really hoping he would somehow change, but sadly, it didn't happen. He truly is the villain of this series, and that makes me very sad. However, he plays the role well and I look forward to seeing how everything works out for him - he'll probably have to die, there's no other way I can think of. I hope he's around more often in book three, because he's absent a lot of the time here, though he does still have a . . . presence. I don't think he truly has any feelings for Alina at all.

This was an excellent continuation to one of my favorite stories of 2012, and I have absolute faith in Leigh Bardugo; the conclusion of the Grisha trilogy will be epic.

How did we end up here?

I was fortunate enough to snag an ARC of <a href=[...]>SHADOW AND BONE</a> before it exploded the world and, like many, I fell in love with it. When the opportunity to get an ARC of the sequel fell into my lap, well, I sure as hell wasn't going to pass that one up.

Okay, book. You've got 50 pages. Go!

It's fifty pages of Mal and Alina running, on the lamb, constantly looking over their shoulders for a force that, at that moment in the book, was more whisper than anything tangible. The Darkling's whereabouts were guesswork at best so Mal and Alina felt if they could hide themselves deep enough in the world the problem would go away.

Oh the innocence of children. As always the monster under the bed is bound to catch up with them; it's only a matter of how well-prepared they are to deal with it. Of course I kept reading to see if they brought umbrellas to the impending poop storm that was about to happen.

What worked . . .

Bardugo did an excellent job of jumping right into the world she created without getting caught up in rehashing things that just happened. I've always said if you need a refresher just read the previous book. Not hard. It's such a waste of pages to provide a plot summary in a sequel. But Bardugo stays away from that, weaving the important reminders in with the rest of the plot because it's all ultimately relevant. It fits and doesn't sound like `hey, remember that time when . . ."

Out of everything I felt the darkness around the Darkling as being more vibrant than what it was in SHADOW AND BONE. His overlying effect has blanketed this world Bardugo created. This sense of gloom he's brought with him is pervasive and only a few light moments between particular characters seems to break the dreary spell. But only momentarily before the thunderheads roll back in and everything is caked in grime and waste again.

I also liked the circle that Alina traveled, despite her dislike of that very circle. It's the circle of life, as it were, that she made, attempting to run away from her problems only to be brought back in again to the very place she started. It was inevitable.

What didn't work . . .

What really stuck with me was the fade-to-black moment at the end of the book where Alina is creating the climax to the story, pooling all of her energy and power into this moment, only to lose consciousness before the world, literally, comes crashing in on her, leaving her to be saved by others and have her wake up somewhere else that's safe. It feels like a cop-out to me. Why have her put in all that work only to have her black out at the crucial moment of the climax of the book? It's a tactic I'm seeing more and more in YA and it's bugging me. Just have her follow it through and be done with it. Yeah, I get it. It's a bridge book (it's a trilogy, if you had doubts that Alina survived this book I'd recommend looking up the definition of "trilogy"). The protagonist needs to survive enough to complete whatever it is in the final book. But does it always have to be so convenient? I won't say it was easy because it certainly didn't look that way for Alina but . . .

And in the end . . .

SIEGE AND STORM was a good book, darker than SHADOW AND BONE and one where you get to watch Alina morph from beginning to end, not just in character development but as someone that's being changed by the elements around her. She doesn't take it very well and I think that makes her all the more likable of a character. It's not easy for her and Bardugo doesn't make it easy. Alina needs to fight to retain every piece of herself that she feels slipping away and you can feel the sadness as she keeps losing that fight.

Sturmhond is an excellent addition to the cast of characters and not, at least in my eyes, the final corner in a love triangle. Love and relationships are a very touchy subject in this book and it's not very delicately dealt with, mainly because the situation isn't a delicate one. It's brutal and cruel and Bardugo treats it as such.

And the darkness and the brutality of the situation at hands amps up the stakes in this growing war between the Darkling and Alina. People, close people, die violent deaths and get maimed to the point where they might as well be dead. It's persistent darkness that refuses to die and has infiltrated every corner of Alina's mind to the point where she's questioning her own sanity, her own competence. I couldn't help but feel as lost and clouded in as Alina was reading this. The story is like a blanket that wraps itself around you as you read, making you cozy enough to read the good parts and trapping you in through the difficult times, making is hard to look away.

I couldn't get enough of it.

You guys. I'm just going to put it out there that I didn't love Siege and Storm overall. I suppose it fits into the typical niche of book 2 in a trilogy. I don't know. This is going to be one that I have trouble putting into words.

For some reason, I just haven't been a fan of Mal or at least Alina and Mal's relationship. It's just always had this feeling to me like it's an impossible relationship. In Shadow and Bone, the Darkling completely had me under his spell and I was ready to hand Alina over to him. Even when I found out he was evil, I was all like "maybe he's not as evil as we think he is and they can still work something out." HA! That's pretty much impossible and becoming more and more impossible as the books go by, but her relationship with Mal doesn't seem any more plausible to me.

I did love the addition of some new characters. Sturmhond for one! LOVED him! I wouldn't be so upset to see something work out in his favor when it comes to Alina. I also really enjoyed Tolya and Tamar. But Nikolai was probably the most intriguing addition to the story.

The writing had some humorous parts which was needed considering how heavy this book felt with the weight of all of Ravka being on Alina's shoulders. The pacing was a bit slow for my taste but built up to a rather hasty climax and resolution leaving off at an unstable place that felt eerily familiar to where Shadow and Bone left off, yet different.

I don't know guys. All in all, I just didn't love it. I am interested to see how the final book wraps everything up and how the story will end. Siege and Storm gets 3.5 stars from me. Have you read Siege and Storm? What do you think? Let me know!

For more reviews, check out Somewhere Only We Know - [...]

No spoilers for Siege and Storm but some light spoilers for Shadow and Bone (possibly)

When I was choosing a book to read on the plane for my vacation, I thought Siege and Storm would be the perfect pick. Highly anticipated and already receiving rave reviews from the blogosphere. But when I tried reading it on the plane, I was confronted with the fact that this is a fantasy and I really struggled to concentrate on the world, eventually putting it aside until I landed where I promptly devoured it.

I can't share too much about the plot but I will remind you how Alina has an amplifier and is on the run from the Darkling in the company of Mal. This book picks up with them still on the move and quickly escalates from there. No moments of piece for the young couple but new and ever more difficult challenges keep arising, both external and internal.

Although Shadow and Bone received a decidedly meh review from me, the more reviews I read around the blogosphere and the more I mused on the book, the more excited about it I became. Now that I have completed Siege and Storm, I still have similar feelings. There is just something about this series that fails to captivate me like my favorite books do.

Yes, there are some great moments like the introduction of Sturmhond, a privateer with charm to spare who is quite the trickster. Every moment with him sparkles although his flirtation with Alina pissed off the Mal fan in me. Speaking of Mal, he is kind of a gloomy Gus in this book as he feels increasingly stifled by the decisions he and Alina have made and how that limits his future. I just wanted him to give his all to Alina but then I guess he wouldn't have been the kind of guy he is. As someone who quite liked the Darkling despite a long-time dislike of the "bad boy," I was disappointed that he didn't have more page time. When he's there, he's there-he takes over everything and he's always in the background of Alina's thoughts but he didn't have the presence he did last time.

And then we come to Alina who is probably my biggest problem with the book. I just don't click with her. There's nothing particularly objectionable about her to me but we don't have the easy camaraderie that I've had with other heroines (say Alanna of Tamora Pierce's series). It's as simple as that.

Overall: I would still definitely say this is a must-read for fantasy fans and those who enjoyed the first book; it's also a good read for people who want to stay abreast of what's popular in the YA category as these books have inspired a lot of love.

Young Alina Starkov and her best friend/romantic partner, Mal, have fled their homeland and have started a new life abroad. She was born with a gift which has made her wanted by people both good and bad. But their enemies, led by the cunning and seductive Darkling, have found them, and now they're forced to go back home. Joined by a dashing privateer called Sturmhond, Alina and Mal must face the storm which is coming their way.

SIEGE AND STORM has been on my "must buy" list since I closed its predecessor, Shadow and Bone (Grisha Trilogy (Shadow and Bone)), last year. I would advise readers to read SHADOW AND BONE before you go in to this one. This book starts right off without much recap.

There are more mysteries and secrets with each person and place. There are more fantastical creatures with otherwordly back stories. There's a power struggle going on within Alina. It's full of action, adventure, and magic. I could tell author Leigh Bardugo lovingly imagined these elements as she wrote them down; these elements grabbed on to me. These were the reasons I kept flipping pages. It was so much fun to immerse myself in this world for a few days.

But I did have a few grumblings. My main issue was with Alina. Yes, she feels responsible for events which happened in SHADOW AND BONE. Yes, she became a pawn in a game for power. She had been capable of fending for herself. In this novel, as another reviewer mentioned, she has wilted. Okay, that's fine, but she stays wilted for about two thirds of the book. There is only so much moaning and groaning a reader can handle. And maybe this is just me, but there was something off-putting about the contemporary dialogue which was thrown into the book. It happens with several characters. This sucked me out of the story a few times.

I hadn't ever bought in to the romance between Alina and Mal, and I still don't. It seems like they're thrown together. It would have been okay if there was no romantic element at all. Those fans who love the Darkling might be a little disappointed that he's not present as much, but he's worth the wait. And once you read that ending, you'll be on pins and needles for the next book.

SIEGE AND STORM is a fun novel for readers who like action blended with fantasy. Ravka is one place I enjoy visiting, and I am very much on pins and needles for the last book.

What I loved: This cover is perfection and THIS is how you do a sequel!

Just like with Shadow And Bone (which was my Favorite Read of 2012), I was once again completely engrossed in this fantastical world Leigh Bardugo has created! She weaves a spell-binding tale of adventure, mystery, romance and love with a cast of characters that are both fresh and familiar. Alina isn't the easiest character to love but you have to give her mad props for her courage, strength and willingness to give up what, or who she wants the most in order to save her country.

We're introduced to several new characters, one of which is the Privateer...I'm sorry, what was I saying? Oh, right, the green eyed swashbuckling, swoonilicious, pirate-sque guy who had me ready to set sail and exclaim, "Oh Captain, my Captain!" (In case you forgot, I tend to get distracted by shiny book boys.) The fact that I found myself torn between three intoxicating male characters really shouldn't surprise me, I mean, Leigh Bardugo DID manage to make me fall for the would-be-but-I'm-not-positive-for-sure bad guy, known as The Darkling so, yeah.

This is my new allegiance btw...

The Darkling + Mal + Privateer = Team The Malarklinghond

Mal gets plenty of page time and appears to be a permanent fixture at Alina's side but he faces some challenges himself. I am a Mal fan, however, he frustrated me quite a bit and I wanted to punch him. While I realize we don't know his full story, he still has some "manning up" to do because if you love someone, you love them summoner skills and all.

The Darkling, whom I lurved in Shadow and Bone begins to show his true color and regardless of the many choices he makes that I disagree with, I am still clutching onto the thinly veiled hope that he can be redeemed. *white knuckle clutches*

What left me wanting: Can I haz book three now, please? *bats eyes*

Final verdict: Epic sequel!

My Thoughts: I finished Shadow and Bone a few days ago and dived right into this one! It was just as amazing! Man, I love these books.

We are right back with Mal and Alina on the run! On the run from the Darkling and trying to hide as good as possible. But that doesn't last very long. He finds them and once again they are taken prisoner.

On a boat. Yep, so not really anywhere to escape too unless they want to swim! Alina feels so helpless.

We are also introduced to a few new characters. Sturmhond. He was my favorite. He's the captain of this ship and he was so funny and charming at times. I really liked him.

Her relationship with Mal in this one is just as sweet but at times I find myself liking the Darkling more and more and Sturmhond as well. The buys in these books are hot! And irresistible, how can I choose my favorite? Mal and Alina are changing but not exactly together. Things aren't perfect.

All the Darkling wants is the precious Sun Summoner, and he needs her for his goals. Honestly, I would see something coming and then a complete twist would happen so I don't know what's going to happen in the next one. It could be anything.
Alina believes in herself that she could lead the second army. She knows she can do it, even when others don't think so. She has her doubts but deep down, she knows shes up for the task, and it would make things right.

I want to go on and on about this one, but I'll leave you with this, read this series if you haven't! You'll get sucked right in and hopefully enjoy it like I do!

Overall: Loved it! Something about the storytelling, the characters, the plot is awesome! It's easy to read this in a day even if it is over 400 pages!

Oh Mal, can I choose you? Or should I choose The Darkling? Or what about Sturmhond? Oh decisions, decisions.

Cover: Like it! I like the font.

What I'd Give It: 5/5 Cupcakes
___________
Taken From Princess Bookie

As soon as I finished reading the first book in this series I picked up this sequel. Even though the first book didn't really end on a cliffhanger it was still addictive enough to make me want more, immediately! Even though there isn't even a date set for when the third book in this trilogy will come out (because I only know it'll be sometime far away in 2014) I'll need to keep myself satisfied by rereading these books and keeping myself in the world of the Grisha.

While I think that I liked the first book more than this one, don't fear the sequel slump when it comes to Siege and Storm. Actually, I think that I liked the main character, Alina, a lot more in this book than I did in the first one. She's really come a long way and is learning to come into her own, though she has some internal demons to battle now as well as the seemingly endless amount of people who'd really like to see her dead. Which isn't good. She also makes a few decisions that made me want to hit my head against the wall, like keeping secrets that she should obviously be telling people because she's only hurting herself by keeping them . . So it's obvious that she still has a little room left to improve.

I loved the new characters introduced in this book! Especially Sturmhond. I can't really decide if I personally would like him or Mal more. Maybe, with the way that Mal was acting in the latter half of this book, I'd prefer to stick with the pirate.

While there isn't as much exciting world building in this book, there are plenty of plot twists and lots of action scenes to keep you on your feet. There wasn't as much of an opportunity for that in the last book, because of mentioned world building, so I'm glad that the pace of the book picked up so that it wouldn't lag anywhere!

I'd recommend this book to just about everyone. I loved it just as much as the first and can't wait to read more!

My Thoughts:
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Alina and Mal have escaped with their lives once again and have disguised themselves enough to earn money in order to get as far away from The Darkling, even if that means using her power to get across the Unsea again. The story starts off quietly enough with a bit of recovery for the pair as they grow closer and with a bit more romance, but a magical mystery tour is soon upon them. A privateer - not a pirate- captain named Sturmhond, (YES! I got somewhat of a dog in this story, even if it is in name only), has a plan and it involved the newly revealed Saint Alina. As Alina finds a book of saints in her pocket that reveals bits and pieces of a map for her to follow. This is turn leads to an epic quest of discovery for both her and Mal.

As Alina discovers that she has more strength and power than she thought ever possible, she finds that she must make some heart-rendering choices between her and Mal, her country and The Darkling. Although we don't hear much from him and he appears mostly in Alina's dreams, he is still a strong presence in her life. Poor Mal, it seems all he does is suffer with her decisions and you begin to wonder if the relationship will ever survive. After several plot twists, some exciting battles, both physical and mental, Alina survives her trial only to find something more life changing to come.

This second installment is as good, if not better, than the first. Alina grows and begins to fulfill everything she dreams of for her life. I have to say that there appears to be a bit of a love triangle when Sturmhond - what a fun and delightful captain - challenges her to become everything she can be. I have high hopes for the final installment. Parents: this is best suited for teens since there is some violence, some sexual situations and language.

REVIEW COURTESY OF ALL THINGS URBAN FANTASY

I volunteered to read SIEGE AND STORM because I had heard good things about the first book. I figured I'd have plenty of time before this review was due to read SHADOW AND BONE before embarking on SIEGE AND STORM. Then real life hit. Thanks to work being super-duper busy it was Thursday before I remembered this review was coming due. While mentally preparing myself to send an email to Abigail letting her know I'd have to reschedule I decided to sit down and start SHADOW AND BONE.

Next thing I knew it was 2:30 in the morning and I had finished the book. Then I did the same thing the next night with SIEGE AND STORM.

So it goes without saying that I really, really liked these books. Leigh Bardugo has written what has to be one of the better YA fantasy novels I've read in ages. She writes with a refreshing directness that at no point feels like she's dumbing things down simply to get a piece of the YA market. Every character feels real and the Bardugo keeps you totally invested in all of them.

Alina misses the point a lot and spends just a tad too much time worrying about whether her boyfriend loves her as much as she loves him. In the hands of a lesser writer those two things could have ruined the book, yet Bardugo has fleshed out Alina enough that you see those actions for what they are -- the thoughts and actions of any teenager. Let alone one thrust in to the situations Alina has been. Mal has been the one real constant in Alina's life so it's completely understandable that she focuses on that a lot once everything in her life gets even more crazy.

Alina, Mal and the rest of the characters in the book undergo a lot of changes in SIEGE AND STORM and not all of them are for the better. The book starts at a full sprint and never lets up till the very end. The only bad thing I can really say about this book is that I'm sad I'm going to need to wait a year to get my hands on RUIN AND RISING, the third book in The Grisha series.

I just recently read the first book in the series, Shadow and Bone, and loved it so I couldn't wait to read this one. And while this book was good and I enjoyed it, it definitely fell into the second book of a series trap. It just wasn't as good as that first book.

There's definitely a lot of action in the book. And some twists and turns. I liked Alina again. Now that she had control of her power, it was interesting to see what she did with it. I didn't like Mal in this book as much as I did last book, but I understand why. And I like the addition of the privateer in the book. I won't say much to give it away but he was fun and I enjoyed him.

The ending I saw coming. Well, I should say the result. I didn't see the way the end happened though. I don't want to have to wait a year to read the last book in the trilogy, Ruin and Rising!

If you are going to read any fantasy series, this should be it. I loved this book just as much as the first. I can't wait for the third book in the series!

The Darkling is back and more powerful than ever. Alina makes new friends and new enemies. She gains some new power herself and grows into herself a little more. She also loses herself a bit. She changes. I didn't like Mal at all in this book. I wanted to smack him upside the head. However, their rocky relationship made sense and added depth to the story.

I cannot get enough of this series. I might be obsessed, but it is too soon after reading the final page to tell. All I know is that book #3 can't get here soon enough.

This book was absolutely amazing! All of you have to read it! All of the shortcomings from the first book were made up in this one. It is filled with action, drama, romance, fantasy, with some angst. It's probably the best book I have read since I started writing this book blog. It's fantastic. By the end I was screaming, shaking, and sweating. Yeah, it was that good.
Seriously, go out and get this book now!

Full Review: http://brittanysbookrambles.blogspot.com/2013/06/siege-and-storm-grisha-2-review.html

I got a copy of this book from the publisher for review. It was a wonderful continuation of this story, I think it was even better than the first book in this series. The third book in this trilogy, Ruin and Rising, is scheduled for a 2014 release date. You definitely need to read the first book, Shadow and Bone, to know what is going on in this one.

Alina and Mal have fled across the True Sea in hopes of escaping the tragedy that ended the last book, and of course in hopes of escaping the Darkling. With Alina trying to hide her ability as the Sun Summoner she is growing weaker and weaker. When the Darkling emerges from the Fold with a new and terrifying power Alina begins to despair. That is until a mysterious and charismatic privateer steps up to help Alina and Mal. Alina decides to try to return to Ravka to save the city she loves, but as she grows in power she is drawn further and further away from Mal and more and more towards the darkness.

This was a spectacular read. I loved the creative world-building in the first book of this series, this book grows that world and expands it. We get to journey to new regions of ice and snow, and sail dangerous seas, not me mention venturing into the darkness of the Fold again. This is a wonderful world and I love reading about it.

I thought that the characters grew a lot in this book as well. I wasn't a huge fan of Alina in the first book, she was a bit too passive for me. In this book she finds her strength and her will to do what is right. She works to master her power and seeks out more power. Alina does all of this in an effort to help, but as she finds she likes the power she struggles to maintain her identity. Alina was wonderfully complex and had to deal with some tough decisions in this book.

Mal is in the story quite a bit as well. He is supportive of Allina, but also a bit overbearing at times. He just doesn't want her to change and is starting to fear the power that she is becoming. As with Alina, he is a complex character who is struggling with his love for Alina and what he feels is the right thing to do.

The Darkling is in this story a lot less than in the first book. He is there looming over everyone and creating fear. He's gained some interesting powers and I continue to find him fascinating. Still he is more in the background in this story.

The character that really steps up and shares the spotlight with Alina in this book is Sturmhond, the privateer. He is incredibly charismatic, witty, and intelligent. He also has a bevy of secrets that will blow you away. He was a wonderful addition to the story.

The plot is well paced and engaging. I had a lot of trouble putting this book down. The writing is absolutely beautiful and flows well. The story is intense, but there is some humor throughout as well. Seriously you have magic, sea battles, epic darkness versus light fighting scenes...it was just wonderful.

Overall this was just an absolutely wonderfully done fantasy read. This book is highly recommended to fans of fantasy, and not just YA fans but fans of all ages. This is a magnificent world with complex and engaging characters. The storyline is epic and takes a completely new twist on the epic battle between light and dark. The pacing is wonderful and the book is impossible to put down. I want to read Ruin and Rising now!!! This is a highly recommended and absolutely stunning fantasy read.

Woah...
Book 2 is even more amazing then the first!
Some secrets are reviewed...
The excitement continues as Alina learns more about who she really is and what she can really become...
No one is safe...
The darkling wasn't always the way he is... and a lot more is reviewed about him...
Friendship and love will be tested... really tested...
Alina must make tough choices to save her world and those she loves... no matter what.

Siege and Storm will not disappoint.
Leigh Bardugo keeps writing juice goodness.

;)

I would rate this as #2 compared to the original story. I enjoyed the first story more but this book did not disappoint. It was written well that I felt the pain and anxiety that the main character was feeling.

The book picks up where book 1 left off. Alina (main character) has escaped the Darkling and is trying to get as far away as possible and is in hiding with her very cute (boy)friend Mal. They are trying to raise enough money in town to get farther away in the outskirts of town and live without being seen by the Darkling's army....

I had to drop a star because I thought the middle of the book was a bit slow and put me to sleep for about 100 pages. But the beginning and ending were fast paced and very exciting. Can't wait to read the final book to see how it all wraps up.

I recently finished Siege and Storm in both Kindle and Audible by Leigh Bardugo, the followup to Shadow and Bone. To be honest I was rather disappointed in this book. I loved the Russian-style setting of the first book, and my enjoyment of this continued into the second book. However, I found the pacing of this second book rather slow. After a promising start, the story slows down to a crawl. It also annoys me when young protagonists suddenly find themselves in a leadership position with no training or experience, just because they have some unrelated power.

On a positive side some new and very interesting characters were introduced, especially Sturmhond. Also the ending picked up again dramatically and I will certainly read the final book in the Grisha trilogy to see how it all ends.

The second book in the Grisha trilogy does not disappoint. Siege and Storm is just as suspenseful and magical as Shadow and Bone. My jaw dropped with each plot turn and at least a few times, I said aloud, "I did not see that coming."

Alina is among the most powerful yet relatable heroines of all time. Right up there with Buffy, but even more conflicted. As she masters her power to summon light, she grows darker inside. She loves Mal, but her power keeps them apart.

The Darkling is back, eviler than ever, and we're introduced to a very entertaining pirate named Sturmhond.

The dialogue is clever, the bad guys are scary, the scenery is lush, the action is exciting. I can't wait for part three!

The first half was a bit slow to get into, but the plot quickened in the second half and redeemed the book. Some interesting new characters were introduced - namely Nikolai - but the Darkling unfortunately didn't have much showtime. And let's face it, his charismatic evilness is one of the best parts of this story. On the romance front, things got a bit love pentagon-y but I've come to expect that in YA. Bardugo's writing and this Grisha world was atmospheric and fascinating as always, and one of the key reasons I like this series.

Ok, seriously, I didn't think it was possible, but I think I liked Siege and Storm even more than Shadow and Bone. Alina is such a badass, Darkling remains to be dark and alluring, Mal is angry, and we get to met some awesome new characters. And I think I'm in love with Nikolai, scratch that, I know I am. He's easily my favorite character. We get to see some amazing character development. And there's plenty of action to keep you flying through the pages. I finished the 435 page book in one day.

I'm dubbing August 2013 `The Month of Awesome Sequels.' Every sequel I picked up last month was even better than the first book in the series, and I really loved some of those first books. I read so many amazing sequels that I had to start a Goodreads Bookshelf devoted to keeping track of sequels that outdo their predecessors. But Siege and Storm, book two in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha series, was undoubtedly the best of the bunch.

Siege and Storm wastes no time getting off to an action packed start. There are pirates and ice dragons and flying machines and trips across the Shadow Fold and a Darkling more powerful than ever. And that's only the beginning.

Alina is forced to grow up a lot during book two. She's put in some tough situations and completely steps up her game in a lot of ways and meets the challenges head-on. During Shadow and Bone, Alina left the tough choices for other people and sort of went along for the ride in many ways. In book two she steps up and makes her own choices, both for better and for worse. Alina has some great character development and I'm really interested to see what she'll do in book three.

We also get to know Mal a lot more during Siege and Storm, and I've gotta say, the results are not stellar. I was never the biggest Mal fan, but book two made me actually dislike him. What does Mal really have going for him besides his complete devotion to Alina? That's great and all, but it doesn't exactly make for a compelling love interest.

Speaking of love interests, can we talk about Sturmhond? "When people say impossible, they usually mean improbable." Sturmhond is charming and clever and intriguing and exasperating and altogether wonderful. He's such an interesting character in so many ways. He obviously has feelings for Alina, but doesn't let them get in the way of the bigger picture and everything he's trying to accomplish. Unlike some people (Mal), he realizes that the fate of the world is more important than his love life.

Leigh Bardugo packs a hell of a lot into book two and throws in a major twist at the end that made me bang my book against my head in frustration that I must now wait patiently (or not so patiently) until next spring for Ruin and Rising. If you've read Shadow and Bone, you're going to want to pick up a copy of Siege and Storm immediately. And if you haven't yet started the Grisha series, what the hell are you waiting for?!

This review was originally published on [...]

I held on to this book for awhile before actually reading because Shadow & Bone is one of my favorite reads of 2013 and I didn't want to compare the two books. BUT I will say that the first book is still my favorite of the series. Maybe it's the originality of the first book introducing me to the characters and places. The first book definitely gave me the feels between Alina and The Darkling. Siege and Storm did introduce new characters (hello Sturmhond) and new places but I did miss any kind of love relationship for Alina :( and I would have loved more interactions with awesome creatures like the dragons. I know what happens in the second book probably sets up a lot to happen in the third book, Ruin and Rising, which I am looking forward to reading in 2014.

Still adoring this series. I honestly think I might have enjoyed this more than the first book. Though I believe that has alot to do with Nikolai, Tolya, and Tamar. This was so good even though I was yelling at Alina for some of it. I can't wait to dive into the final book and see how this all ends.

"Siege and Storm" is even better than "Shadow and Bone". I read most of the novel in one day, and burned the midnight oil to finish it. There are wonderful plot twists, very human characters, and breathless suspense when there isn't heart-pounding action. The characters are...incredible. It felt like all of them, even the ones I didn't like, were real human beings. The main characters are wonderfully complex, to the point where they seem like old friends - friends who I sometimes wanted to hug or scream at! The flow of the story is great, and I was always eager to find out what happened next. Good against evil, romance, terrifying monsters, and magical adventures make a read you should not, under any circumstances, miss. The flaw? I HAVE TO WAIT for the next book!

Shadow and Bone, the first book from the Grisha series, was one of the debut novels I underestimated in 2012. I really thought it was just a petty love story, and I couldn't have been more wrong. My experience with reading Shadow and Bone was spectacular and I couldn't help being eager to grab a copy of book two, Siege and Storm right after I finished it.

Lo and behold, when I got my hands on Siege and Storm I was whisked away to land of Ravka for a new adventure with Alina and Mal. Once again, Ms. Bardugo did not disappoint me. Oh, what a riveting tale this was!

Siege and Storm starts off where we find our protagonists on a ship sailing away from the land these two once called home. Alina and Mal are on the run, trying their best to escape from the Darkling's hands. Alas, they have been found, and although the Darkling has been left in a dangerous position from their last meeting, he is back - and badder than ever. And he has plans for Alina, more treacherous than anyone could imagine...

If the Darkling was ever the scary, dangerous villain he was in Shadow and Bone, well he's way more ruthless in book two. Wow... He sure is power-hungry.

And speaking of power-hungry, I never imagined Alina to become just as such. Although she is powerful, this great power comes with a price. I couldn't believe my eyes when the discovery of other great sources of powers where still out there and my, was it a surprise to find how those are linked to Alina's sun summoning gift. I'm sorry I'm vague but I'll be spoiling so much if I give out details so let me just say - wow!!!

Mal's character changed quite as well as Alina's. He's still the confident, amazing hunter that he is, but I never thought I'd find him insecure and wary of his future with Alina. And yet I get it. Still, I wished he had a little more faith in himself.

Although I love Mal and Alina, there is this awesome newcomer that I just came to adore all at once. He goes by the name Strumhond. *giggles* Strumhond, you dashing debonair, you! It felt like love at first sight (okay, not so much, but close enough) when I first laid eyes on his character. Traumatized with the awful experience I've had over falling for the Darkling at book one, I was begging to see that Sturmhond would not turn out a villain as well. Thank goodness! There are other exciting new additions to the characters in this story but Sturmhond ultimately stood out, considering his purpose to the story I guess that was essential.

It was definitely easier to settle into this story compared to Shadow and Bone, although I still had some struggles it's not much of a big deal as it once was. Some words and names are still a mouthful though.

Intriguing characters, epic action scenes, an incredibly twisted plot that's both exciting and infuriating at the same time, and the question of "how many freaking lives does this Darkling have and how the heck do we kill him once and for all?!" left to be figured out, Siege and Storm is one hell of a follow up novel.

If you’re looking to create a list of books that suffer from Second Book Syndrome, then you need to look elsewhere because you’ll find none of that in Siege and Storm. If anything, Siege and Storm is even better than Shadow and Bone! The first chapter started off a little bit slow, but once the action began, it never let up. This sequel is incredible and intense, with amazing characters and epic plot twists – the stakes are high and the characters have so much more to lose.

This is really hard for me to write. Mostly because I hate the fact that I disliked this book so much. It was such a disappointment. Especially considering that I could not stop raving about Shadow and Bone. I gave that one five stars. Big difference from this one. This is mostly going to be a rant.

Alina. I actually liked her journey in the first book. I felt that she grew, that she was handling things well, and that she was a decently strong female character. What happened to that here? I admit, I love the power hungry Alina, the Alina who would fit so perfectly with the Darkling. Other than that I feel she mostly serves to annoy in this book. And then there is her realizing that she doesn't really belong with Mal, but still clinging to him because... ? Why? Because he's her first love? So? Alina, sweetheart, Mal is scared of you. You belong in two different worlds. He doesn't like who you've become. Why are you still holding on? Normally I'm all for opposites attracting, but it doesn't work here.

In fact, let's talk about that relationship, shall we? There is no chemistry. None. I fear the only reason they are together is so that there is a romance in this novel. Seriously. The romance was dull and pointless and shouldn't have even been there. Friends I could have dealt with, but the romance just isn't there. What they have isn't love.

Which leads me to Mal. Mal is an awesome tracker. That's all he has going for him. He is whiny and insufferable. The jealous lover routine got old really fast. I didn't hate him in the first book. I didn't love him either. He wasn't too bad then. This book though... I want him gone. Really. He just needs to go away. Far, far away.

Sturmhond. I loved and adored him. He was an interesting character. I would have loved to have seen even more of him.

And then there's the Darkling. No. Wait. Where was the Darkling? I admit it. A big part of my enjoyment of the first book was the Darkling. He's just that kind of character. I fell in love with the Darkling and I still love him. And the book was seriously lacking of him. Why create a character like the Darkling only to leave him out? The Darkling being missing for most of the book was unfortunately something I could not easily overlook.

I feel like this turned into The Alina and Mal Love Story. There was too much focus on that romance that isn't even really a romance. Even the ending disappointed me. Okay, most of the book disappointed me, including the parts that had actual action in them. I was so excited for this book and I just feel crushed now. I do hope the next book makes up for this one.

This book is about a girl named Alina, who has a strong power: the power of the sun! In this book, Alina has to go on a journey in order to save her home, Ravka. On her journey, she reencounters an evil guy named Darkling, who wants to take her powers from her.

I think children would like the book because of its adventure and romance, although there is some adult language.

One of my many favorite parts is when Nikolai kissed Alina.

This book is special, because of the witty language in it! As I could not put it down, I give it 5 stars!

Review by Meagan W., age 10, Columbus Area Mensa

Unexpected twists, high-seas adventures, military plots and uneasy alliances, complex relationships and character growth all make for a fantastic sequel in this second book of the Grisha Trilogy. The epic battles were heart-pounding, and the story is as powerful and magical as its characters.

“I’m ambitious, Alina. I’m driven. But I hope…I hope I still know the difference between right and wrong” (p. 251).

“No matter what I said, we both knew the hard truth. We do our best. We try. And usually it makes no difference at all” (p. 334).

“There is no ordinary life for people like you and me” (p. 368).

This was a hard book to judge and while I jumped into this story. I was looking for a book that would live up to the standard that Shadow and Bone set. The look on my face when I started this book was priceless, and I loved the start of the book. The fear the Darkling set a great precedent for how a villain should act in this book, and I still long for him. Part of me, still yearns to see him and the fear he could instill in nearly everyone.

Most of you reading this are wondering why I rated this so poorly, and frankly I should have given it a 2.5 and when I get around to re-reading it I may drop it. It's a decent book, but it isn't anything spectacular or something that stands out among the rest. I look at the book, and marvel in how well the synopsis is, and how much potential the book has. Yet, the book falls short in the middle of the book.

Alina was a blur of emotions and while she is in love with Mal, there is another attraction she has toward the Darkling. Throughout the book, he appears to her over and over and the fear he instills in her is genuine. Furthermore, she keeps it from Mal time and time again. With a second heirloom to her collection, and a third in her sights Alina is losing her mind and her friendships around her. I loved the emotional toll they put on Alina, but there were times in this book that I found her lack of openness and honesty disheartening and out of place.

Mal was another character that I enjoyed in the first book, and when it came to the second he completely fell apart. He shut down time and time again when it came to Alina. He claimed he cared about her and at one point he reverts back to his old life. He just shut down and goes back to an old girlfriend that Alina walks in on. Mal whines and begs throughout the Alina debate. More often than I wanted to read, Mal really never did anything aside sitting on the sidelines, jealous at every man that speaks or looks at Alina.

Ravka has a heroin and a few supporting characters that make this book enjoyable, but the middle section of this book is dull and boring. The debates between the characters. In fact I almost would say this book really doesn't need to be present, it's a great character builder but beyond that there isn't much that goes on. Mal whines and complains, Alina withholds information from the person she wants trusts and ultimately loves. The Darkling haunts Alina time and time again, and takes front stage in this novel. Ultimately I was let down, and shouldn't read the next one, but I want to, I want to finish the series.

I really, really liked the darkling, he was that bad boy you see at school, the one all the girls lust after and I had high hopes that somehow, someway, that Alina's powers of light could do more than heal the Shadow Fold, they could heal the darkness she sensed in the Darkling.

So, I don't want to give away anything from the first book, but if you haven't read Shadow and Bone, stop reading this review, pick up a copy of Shadow and Bone and then come back.

Okay, so now only readers of book one are left, right? So I'll share with you my intense dislike of Mal and how I don't fully understand Alina's choice of him for her romantic lead.

1. He is kinda neglectful of Alina

2. He manwhores around, which is fine, if he wasn't doing it and not noticing how awesome Alina is and that she's been his backup since they were kids and that she's super smart and fun.

3. She sacrifices her future to stay with him and he never guesses, so, to me, he seems oblivious and not very observant.

4. He gets all jealous of her when he sees her getting attention AFTER she is transformed into a beautiful woman.

5. He didn't speak up for her when she was being interrogated about what happened during the Shadow Fold crossing, that more than anything makes me despise Mal. Seriously, I think Alina could do better.

So what does our heroine do, she falls crazy in love with him. He does redeem himself by going into exile with Alina when she runs away from the Darkling and his evil plans, but for me it seems a bit late and convenient.

Plus, I still have hopes that the Darkling can be redeemed, he is just so much more interesting and yet we hardly see him in this book, hella annoying if you ask me.

There's a little less descriptions of clothing than there was in the first book, which is good, Alina doesn't need to spend so much time bowled over by the opulence of courtly life as she did the first time around but there is a lot of emphasis on hierarchy and her place in it that at times, it seemed repetitive.

A few new characters show up to help Alina and while I liked them, I'm not loving the direction the story takes or the way Alina's personality changes in this book.

There were things about this book I did not love as much as the first -- but overall, it is still a wonderful series and I'm eager to read the next! I really, really loved Nikolai, but I have to admit that Mal just frustrates me. Alina and Mal are both so insecure in regard to one another and their relationship and it's frustrating to watch, most especially when it comes from Mal's side of the equation. I wonder if, in the end, this is really just going to be a case of the fish loving the bird, and neither willing to find the compromise to allow them to live together.

We'll see, I suppose!

really good sequel! Can't wait for book 3, hope it is as good as the first. By the end, this book got slow with them just planning and meeting but the End OMG, what was she thinking, I knew she couldn't die because there was another book, but still. I didn't like what mal became after ignoring Alina, He was a drunk but I am glad he became his old self.

I thoroughly enjoyed and loved SHADOW AND BONE and was eagerly anticipating the second installment, SEIGE AND STORM. I went from bookstore to bookstore on release day looking for SEIGE AND STORM. I longed to be reunited with Alina, Mal, and the Darkling. Finally! I found it! I sat and read it in two days (having a "readathon" with some Twitter friends...and cake). I devoured SEIGE AND STORM and to be quite frank, I found Bardugo upped the ante with this one and the second book was stronger than the first. New charatcers were introduced, problems were heightened and although the ending was a little too familiar, I cannot freaking WAIT for the third book.

Well, that was quite the epic adventure!!! And *sigh* I totally didn't want it to end. It was one of those books you start and basically finish in one sitting. Hopefully you are smarter than me and don't start it late in the day because well, you will definitely pull an all-nighter and have to call in sick the next day. If anything you can always tell your boss that it's some lady named Leigh Bardugo's fault and to take it up with her. Happy reading

**4.5 Stars**

MY OVERVIEW: Wow! Where do I start? I absolutely loved Shadow and Bone and gave it my rare 5 star rating. Siege and Storm is a fantastic continuation of Alina's story, and picks up right where Shadow and Bone left off.

PROS: There are a lot of great new adventures and fantastic new characters. Who is my favorite new character? Hmm... maybe Nikolai. Sorry for all you Mal fans out there, but I think I might actually like Nikolai more.

CONS: I wasn't thrilled with the bits of steampunk thrown into the book - even though I am a big steampunk fan. It just didn't quite fit in the world Leigh Bardugo created. I also was not a fan of Mal in this book. As expected as his transformation was, it really made you unsure of him and Alina together.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Ok, wiping away tears from the ending of the book and wondering where the next one is. Once again, Leigh Bardugo has created a fantastic story that leaves you not-so-patiently waiting for more.

"Siege and Storm" is the second book in Leigh Bardugo's "The Grisha" trilogy, and does what any good sequel should do: expands the world, deepens the characters and raises the stakes. On the other hand, it can't quite avoid the pitfalls of a typical middle book - being unable to truly start or properly finish anything, it ends on a note that gives the impression the whole thing has been setup for the third and final installment. But apart from this inevitability, "Siege and Storm" is a satisfying read.

Its predecessor Shadow and Bone introduced us to Alina Starkov and the concept of the Grisha. Born with the power to transmute certain elements (whether quelling fires, stirring winds, mending fabric or healing bones) Grisha are an elite force of Small Science practitioners that answer to the Darkling, the most powerful Grisha of them all. At least until Alina's long-dormant powers were discovered.

Identified as a Sun Summoner (and therefore the polar opposite of the Darkling, whose gifts lie in the manipulation of darkness and shadows), Alina is whisked away from her simply life as a mapmaker in the Ravkan army to become the Darkling's protégé and the country's best hope to remove the Shadow Fold, a tract of land filled with monstrous creatures.

During the course of the story she comes to realize the true intentions behind the Darkling's plans for her and escapes his control with fellow soldier and childhood friend Malyen Oretsev. They take refuge across the sea, but the two of them don't last long in Novyi Zem before the Darkling tracks them down again.

What makes it difficult to summarize this book is that the first half is comprised of a number of little "mini-adventures" before the plot settles down and deals with Alina's struggles to command an army, track down her next amplifier (a totem that increases her powers), manage the political intrigues of court, and cope with frequent hallucinations of the Darkling. Then there's her fraught relationship with Mal, her growing sense of isolation, and her secret desire to accumulate more power.

Yeah, it's a pretty dense book, but Bardugo handles her subject matter well, balancing a suspenseful plot with Alina's internal anxiety that she's losing herself to her own abilities. The characterization is marvelous, though I found myself more invested in the supporting characters than the leads. Alina is sympathetic enough, but Mal grows annoyingly sullen and jealous over the course of the story, leading me to grow more interested in the charming and enigmatic Sturmhond, and the battle-hardened twins Tamar and Tolya.

It's the world-building that really sets this trilogy apart from the usual YA fantasy fare. Taking its cue from Russian culture and mythology, we're introduced to a world of icy tundra and choppy seas, dark forests and opulent palaces (complete with the iconic domes). Bardugo's clear and description prose (which reminds me of Philip Reeve and Scott Westerfeld) brings this world to life in all its chilly splendour, adding just the right amount of detail to make everything seem rich and dense. Take this for example:

"They drifted into harbour through an orchard of weathered masts and bound sails. There were sleek sloops and little junks from the rocky coasts of the Shu Han, armed warships and pleasure schooners, fat merchantmen and Fjerdan whalers. A bloated prison galley bound for the southern colonies flew the red-tipped banner that warned there were murderers aboard. As they floated by, the girl could have sworn she heard the clink of chains."

Beautifully done. I can see that vividly.

By the end Bardugo has set herself up for a strong finale in Ruin and Rising, one which promises to be filled with more machinations, battles, tough decisions and heartache. I'm going to start reading tonight!

4.5 Stars

Series: The Grisha #2

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Pages: 435

Target Audience: 14 and Up

Check it out: the store | Barnes and Noble | Good Reads

Good Reads Summary:

Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can't outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling's game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

THE FEELS BROUGHT ON BY THIS BOOK.

Feels hit you from all sides. I love love LOVE this series. I can't believe it took me so long to get around to it!

Alina is growing up. Or, more aptly, she's growing dark. I CANNOT wait to see where she ends up in the third. Her character development was excellent. I felt her struggle and how it affected everyone around her, especially those closest to her. Having this acute knowledge of how Alina works makes these books that much more enjoyable. Watching her grow in her power was exciting and terrifying, and I really am very excited to see what happens next.

I believe I stated somewhere in my first review that I was rooting for the Darkling? I rescind that statement. I'm all about team Nikolai now.

The whole book I wanted to LOVE Mal. He was pretty sweet and took care of Alina, and I'm sure they're the endgame, whatever. But I found myself thinking, if I'm being truly honest with myself, I kind of love Nikolai. He's clever, handsome, vulnerable around Alina, noble, intelligent...the list goes on. Pretty much all Mal has going for him is they've been together forever and he's an abnormally amazing tracker. I mean, I liked Mal in the second book more than I liked him in the first book. But when Nikolai first showed up, I found myself inordinately drawn to him.

Oh yeah, this book has a love square. Just FYI.

Bet you didn't even know that was possible.

But you know what? It didn't bother me. Because the characters are so different, and Alina's reactions to all three are so different, it actually kind of made sense. And all that tension was very interesting to read; it was interesting to see how the three relationships shaped Alina's thought process and her choices. Because they affected her in three completely different ways.

The Darkling is terrifying and I love that Bardugo has dropped the pretense that he's wonderful. I still think there's going to be some romance there, but I don't think it will ever be how it was in Shadow and Bone. He has crossed into maniacal and evil, and while his relationship with Alina is seductive and on some level makes sense, he is still evil. He is still the antagonist.

In the end, he's bad for her. For everyone. Unless there's some OTHER deep dark secret we still don't know.

I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that the conflict in Siege and Storm is extremely engaging. Bardugo gives the reader enough information to be very interested in what may or may not happen next without giving things away. The pacing is excellent; I never found myself bored or wondering when something would happen. I know some people complained that this book suffered from the "second-in-a-series" malady, but I would disagree. I thought it gave enough new information to be completely engaging and create even more interest for the third.

In Siege and Storm, Bardugo gave us a clearer picture of the world she created. She gave us a brilliantly written love square (I almost can't believe I said that). She gave us a heroine that is worth reading and loving. I hope she gives us a satisfying conclusion.

I was on the fence after reading book one, Shadow and Bone, on to continue this series or not. I'd taken Siege and Storm out of the library and read it on car rides, during work breaks, and before I went to bed. I was hooked. Siege and Storm blew the first book out of the water for me. The writing was gorgeous and captivating as ever, and Alina's 180-degree character development from the deflating attitude during the first book to the power hungry, general-in-training Alina was much more enticing to read about.

First and foremost, I will say that Nikolai was top-notch, my favorite character in this whole entire book and if I do not see a hide nor hair of him in the final installment I am going to be thoroughly depressed. While Alina was struggling with her powers and her connection with the Darkling, seeing him lurking in every corner, and fighting the fissure in her relationship with Mal which she brought down all by herself, Nikolai with his banter, strategic knowledge, and his rampant personalities was a sweet treat to Alina's story-line spiraling out of control. It takes a lot these days to have me swooning over a character, and Nikolai had me smirking, laughing, and sighing-deeply as I fell harder for his character. His strategical mind and snarky dialogue made him a hole-in-one character in my book, even though he's a supporting role. I just want all the good things for his character. Just him.

Alina's choice not to put her trust in Mal, the boy she loves and her best friend since childhood through think and thin, really drove me up a wall. The more she was driving herself away from Mal and complained about it, wishing that things were back to normal, or placing some of the blame of the rift on Mal, the more I was seeing the Alina from book one returning. And I did not want to read about the Alina from Shadow and Bone. I wanted to read the Alina, the Sun Summoner who is sought on finding the final amplifier, the Saint who is going to bring down the Darkling, the Grisha who is going to control an entire army, the girl who is fighting the darkness within her when she's supposed to be the light of ravka, and be a potentially powerful queen one day. She shone in most of the story, but when the romantic subplot started to take root, I was exhausted with Alina. And when the romance started to derail, I pitied Alina rather than encouraged her to fight and take Mal back.

And how can I even review this book without mentioning the Darkling. Though his character doesn't get as much page time as he had in Shadow and Bone, he still manages to make his appearances known. But when he does speak, shivered both enticing and chilling are sent through me. Bardugo managed to make the Darkling one of the most complex characters I've seen--I don't know whether to adore him or hate his guts. I did wish that there were more scenes with Alina's group vs. the Darkling, but that's just because I'm a sucker for action scenes. And I still can't get over how sunbeams dazzlingly shooting out of Alina's hands could be both pretty and dangerous. Bardugo is able to make it happen, so I guess I'll go with the flow. But I still can't get the picture of sunshine coming out of Alina's ass from my mind. No, it's not in the book. The phrase and her character just clung together like glue since reading the first novel, and it's stuck with me ever since. Sorry to all readers who now have that image stuck in their minds now, too. ごめん！

Final Summation: A much more thrilling installment to this trilogy. I was captivated, losing track of time and couldn't even comprehend how many pages I read in one sitting. Siege and Storm was beautifully told, the stakes are higher, some questions still aren't answered, but the additional characters are exciting and wonderfully developed that I don't mind waiting for the third book to knock my socks off with possibly crazy secrets revealed and I really want to see this firebird. Book three, here I come!

I can't express in words how I feel after reading the sequel of Shadow & Bone. Be prepared because Leigh Bardugo will blow your mind away leaving with a thirst for more.

From the beginning Siege and Storm is packed with actions. Alina and Mal are on the run from the Darkling but they're soon are captured. Then, we are taken to a sea voyage with mythical creatures, an amazing captain and a battle to escape the Darkling again! The story then follows Ravka preparing for war against the one and only the Darkling.

Although I've already mentioned the Darkling too many times, he plays very little role in the sequel. I am not a fan of him, so it didn't bother me. I still think he is evil, evil, evil!

As for Alina, she is embracing her new powers. With power comes responsibility, and this is what Alina is learning. What I love about her in this book is that she did a complete 360. She's badass now. She's making though decisions, even if she doesn't want to make them. My only issue with Alina is her new relationship status with Mal. I love Mal, he is sweet and adores her. But in this book, their relationship starts to crumble. Mal become insecure of himself. This annoyed me to the maximum. Their lack of communication was making me sick! I felt like slapping Mal sometimes with his insecurity and Alina for her lack of emotions toward him.

I am leaving the best for last - the most awesome captain ever, Sturmhond. Lord did he steal my heart. He is fierce, clever, and charming. His witty comments will have you laughing.

What I love most about Leigh Bardugo is the way she makes you feels like you are part of the book. Is like watching everything live, making everything feels so real. The action is OH.SO.GOOD! I cannot wait for Ruin and Rising! This series is a must read. - Leydy

Well I thought the first book in the series couldn't be out done but I stand corrected. Siege and Storm definitely had some shifts that made the story x2 better. The change in setting, even though it was for a short period of time, was a great add in that caused us to experience more of the Grisha World. I think I have a new fav character, Sturmhond, and of course the twins. The book also delved deeper into the mythos of the Grisha and their powers. What a follow up! Can't wait to read book 3

I’ve been waiting to read Siege and Storm for a while. I adored everything about Shadow and Bone and I always have a fear that a sequel will never live up to the original. That shouldn’t be a concern with Siege and Storm. The story is just as thrilling, intriguing, and addictive as Shadow and Bone.

One of my biggest complaints about sequels, or middle books, is that sometimes there seems to be a disconnect between book one and two. Almost like the author didn’t know where they were going with the story. Siege and Storm had no such issue. It’s clear that Leigh knew exactly where these characters’ lives were heading. Though I feel like things slowed down during the middle of the book, the plot was continuously moving. Siege and Storm has set up Ruin and Rising perfectly for the epic conclusion that I know Leigh is going to deliver.

My favorite thing in Siege and Storm is the cast of new characters we get to meet. Tolya and Tamar are great, and I can’t wait to learn more about them in Ruin and Rising, but Sturmhond is my absolute favorite newbie. I really enjoyed his quips and quick wit, but he’s more than that. He definitely uses his humor to hide his true feelings, and I’m excited to peel back some of those layers and see more of the real Sturmhond.

Siege and Storm is the perfect middle book. There is character development, plot progression, and interesting new characters; pretty much everything that you could want. If you are still deciding on whether or not to read this series, just do it! You will not be disappointed.

This story is interesting in the way they go about the powers and the cliques. It is definitely not the typical ya book - it is not set in a high school and the background for the characters is intriguing but vague. Somehow the story kept drawing me in but much of the story is not developed and leaves a lot to the imagination. To the diligent reader, these parts could be confusing and disappointing. Overall it was a fun read if you are bored and in need of entertainment. If you really want to read a good developed book/series, this isn't it.

As hopeful as I was at the end of the first book in the Grisha trilogy I'm left with the same amount of hopelessness and concern that this will simply not end well for any of our characters. The first book rests quite a bit on the world building as we learn what the Grisha is and who our characters are and where they stand. It is a revelation to see Alina's growth into her Grisha talents and then to get taken on her ride to celebrity and fame and the pitfalls that come with it. Trying to figure out the villains and good guys is also a bit of a challenge in the first book. With the events of the second book we see the battle lines have been drawn and now Alina must figure out how to become the leader that people need her to be. There are some familiar faces and some fascinating new ones which really livened up the things! I found the plot a bit more plodding at times compared to the first book but the end was a sweeping climax and left me wondering how this will all play out. The last few pages are bleak and Alina appears close to broken. I'm very anxious to read the final installment of this fascinating trilogy and how the author will get our leader out of this mess intact!!

Seige and Storm, the second book of the Grisha Trilogy, picks up after Alina and Mal's escape from the Darkling. Hiding the bone collar from Morozova's stag, forever forged around her neck, Alina attempts to start a new life with Mal as strangers in a foreign land. When the Darkling ambushes them, Alina sees a scarred and different man. He appears weaker, but his hunger for power has only increased. And with monsters more fearsome than the Volcra now at his side, the Darkling again uses Alina to hunt another creature similar to the stag, a second amplifier to increase her Summoner's power.

With the help of an unlikely ally, the Sturmhond, a charming but secretive privateer captain, Alina and Mal are forced to return to Os Alta. As the Sun Summoner, Alina promises to help the Ravkan king fight the Darkling, but on her terms: she wants to lead the Second Army of Grishas. As the Sturmhond would say, the request is improbable, but not impossible.

Alina's new role as leader of the Second Army increases her confidence and her power as the Sun Summoner. She is worshipped by fanatics and desired by the royalty. As her responsibilities grow, so does her hunger for more power. Her amplifiers are not enough. She wants to find a third mythical creature, the Firebird, that she feels will complete her transformation into the most powerful Grisha, more formidable than the Darkling.

Unfortunately, her rise in status also creates a rift between her and Mal that grows larger than The Fold. The tension is increased when a Ravkan prince, Nikolai, is able to spend more time, and pay more attention to her, than Mal. She loves Mal and wants to be with him, but her duties come between them. Without Mal to keep her grounded, she grows paranoid and mistrustful of those around her. Then, Mal begins to change as well.

I absolutely loved the first book, Shadow and Bone, and could not wait for this second book. Seige and Storm did capture my imagination with the creatures, the new characters, the tension between Alina and Mal, but there were parts of the book that initially appeared improbable to me, but not impossible. And sometimes the dialogue was a bit immature. I questioned Alina's ability to lead the Second Army, as did many characters, as well as Alina herself. But, the author, like the Sun Summoner, was able to prove to this reader that a little faith goes a long way.

By the nail biting end of the book, the reader will be exhausted and satisfied. But, we will also be left fervently waiting for the third book because Seige and Storm leaves the door wide open for...well, we will just have to wait and see.

I absolutely love this series. I am rooting for Alina and Mal, if he only would stop his insecurities. The world building is awe inspiring. My favorite scenes are out to sea on the boat. I love the magic, I love the tricks, and the villains.

Siege and Storm is a roller coaster ride filled with surprises at every turn. Alina's world has become darker, more dangerous, and very seductive. Leigh Bardugo writes beautifully and every line is laced with magic and exquisite power. There are plenty of surprises in Siege and Storm that will keep readers enchanted by the luscious and seductive tale, as their hearts and mind race through the pages.

Siege and Storm picks up where Shadow and Bone leaves off, in other words there is no time wasted summarizing what has happened, the reader is pulled in from the "Before" and is held in an iron grip until the "After". You will find yourself sitting at the edge of your seat clutching the book as you fly through pages without realizing that it's 4 am and that maybe you should get some sleep. Siege and Storm brings back the characters many of us have come to love (or hate?) in Shadow and Bone and introduces some new and very exciting characters. Siege and Storm is a fantastic sequel to Shadow and Bone.

I remember even less of this plot than that of the first book, which is unfortunate because I remember that I enjoyed it so much more than the first. It had a rough start, but soon I was wrapped up in it. It seemed very much like a bridge book, but not in a bad way.

There was more character development than in the first, especially along the lines of romance, but by the end I was more frustrated with the characters than anything else.

The ending was quite crazy, and left me hungry for the next book!

There are times when I think fantasy book aren't my thing, but then a gem like Siege and Storm comes by and makes me fall deeply in love with the genre. Some of the books that left me the most stunned have been fantasy ones--like this, and the Graceling and Eon series--and I'm craving more of the fantastical worlds, creatures, and beings that are so creatively crafted these kinds of books.

This book is page after page of "wow." I felt a bit awed by the rich world and all its fun and cool parts of it (a dragon, a firebird, the Hummingbird, the Grisha, and oh so many more). I felt my heart being broken alongside Alina's.
"An ache had started between my ribs, a hard, bright shard of pain that lodged beneath my sternum, pressing against my heart." (page 329-330)
I felt anticipation and eagerness while I neared and reached the action scenes. Now . . . I just fell incredibly sad that there's such a long time to wait for Ruin and Rising.

Overall, this series is a must-read for anyone who finds the premise of it even slightly interesting. Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm exceeded my expectations, and I am so incredibly glad that I read both of them.

Unexpected twists, high-seas adventures, military plots and uneasy alliances, complex relationships and character growth all make for a fantastic sequel in this second book of the Grisha Trilogy. The epic battles were heart-pounding, and the story is as powerful and magical as its characters.

“I’m ambitious, Alina. I’m driven. But I hope…I hope I still know the difference between right and wrong” (p. 251).

“No matter what I said, we both knew the hard truth. We do our best. We try. And usually it makes no difference at all” (p. 334).

“There is no ordinary life for people like you and me” (p. 368).

This was a hard book to judge and while I jumped into this story. I was looking for a book that would live up to the standard that Shadow and Bone set. The look on my face when I started this book was priceless, and I loved the start of the book. The fear the Darkling set a great precedent for how a villain should act in this book, and I still long for him. Part of me, still yearns to see him and the fear he could instill in nearly everyone.

Most of you reading this are wondering why I rated this so poorly, and frankly I should have given it a 2.5 and when I get around to re-reading it I may drop it. It's a decent book, but it isn't anything spectacular or something that stands out among the rest. I look at the book, and marvel in how well the synopsis is, and how much potential the book has. Yet, the book falls short in the middle of the book.

Alina was a blur of emotions and while she is in love with Mal, there is another attraction she has toward the Darkling. Throughout the book, he appears to her over and over and the fear he instills in her is genuine. Furthermore, she keeps it from Mal time and time again. With a second heirloom to her collection, and a third in her sights Alina is losing her mind and her friendships around her. I loved the emotional toll they put on Alina, but there were times in this book that I found her lack of openness and honesty disheartening and out of place.

Mal was another character that I enjoyed in the first book, and when it came to the second he completely fell apart. He shut down time and time again when it came to Alina. He claimed he cared about her and at one point he reverts back to his old life. He just shut down and goes back to an old girlfriend that Alina walks in on. Mal whines and begs throughout the Alina debate. More often than I wanted to read, Mal really never did anything aside sitting on the sidelines, jealous at every man that speaks or looks at Alina.

Ravka has a heroin and a few supporting characters that make this book enjoyable, but the middle section of this book is dull and boring. The debates between the characters. In fact I almost would say this book really doesn't need to be present, it's a great character builder but beyond that there isn't much that goes on. Mal whines and complains, Alina withholds information from the person she wants trusts and ultimately loves. The Darkling haunts Alina time and time again, and takes front stage in this novel. Ultimately I was let down, and shouldn't read the next one, but I want to, I want to finish the series.

I really, really liked the darkling, he was that bad boy you see at school, the one all the girls lust after and I had high hopes that somehow, someway, that Alina's powers of light could do more than heal the Shadow Fold, they could heal the darkness she sensed in the Darkling.

So, I don't want to give away anything from the first book, but if you haven't read Shadow and Bone, stop reading this review, pick up a copy of Shadow and Bone and then come back.

Okay, so now only readers of book one are left, right? So I'll share with you my intense dislike of Mal and how I don't fully understand Alina's choice of him for her romantic lead.

1. He is kinda neglectful of Alina

2. He manwhores around, which is fine, if he wasn't doing it and not noticing how awesome Alina is and that she's been his backup since they were kids and that she's super smart and fun.

3. She sacrifices her future to stay with him and he never guesses, so, to me, he seems oblivious and not very observant.

4. He gets all jealous of her when he sees her getting attention AFTER she is transformed into a beautiful woman.

5. He didn't speak up for her when she was being interrogated about what happened during the Shadow Fold crossing, that more than anything makes me despise Mal. Seriously, I think Alina could do better.

So what does our heroine do, she falls crazy in love with him. He does redeem himself by going into exile with Alina when she runs away from the Darkling and his evil plans, but for me it seems a bit late and convenient.

Plus, I still have hopes that the Darkling can be redeemed, he is just so much more interesting and yet we hardly see him in this book, hella annoying if you ask me.

There's a little less descriptions of clothing than there was in the first book, which is good, Alina doesn't need to spend so much time bowled over by the opulence of courtly life as she did the first time around but there is a lot of emphasis on hierarchy and her place in it that at times, it seemed repetitive.

A few new characters show up to help Alina and while I liked them, I'm not loving the direction the story takes or the way Alina's personality changes in this book.

What?!?!
Okay, I'm not even going to give you a short synopsis because if you haven't read Shadow & Bone, Book One in this series, then you need to go do that right now.
No, really.
Right now.

Back?
Great.

So we pick up with Mal and Alina on the run, from the Darkling and from those who wish to use her for their own gain.

I really enjoyed the first book and I am so very happy, relieved, excited that book two is a solid and satisfying sequel. There are lots of great plot twists, character development and "oh, S***" moments that I did not see coming. I was invested, interested and kept on my toes the entire time.

I will not say anything that will spoil this second book for you but I will say that I love where Alina's character is going. The more challenges, the darker, deeper struggles, the better.

And Mal, yes Mal. I think I like you more in this book than I did in the first.

A new character, who everyone is talking about, is introduced. He is a privateer. And he is awesome. He is my favorite character in this book with a sly and clever mind, a wicked sense of humour and a strong presence. (In fact, I like him more than Mal. Sorry peeps.)

A strong and adventurous sequel and my only question is:
When is Book Three coming out?

There were things about this book I did not love as much as the first -- but overall, it is still a wonderful series and I'm eager to read the next! I really, really loved Nikolai, but I have to admit that Mal just frustrates me. Alina and Mal are both so insecure in regard to one another and their relationship and it's frustrating to watch, most especially when it comes from Mal's side of the equation. I wonder if, in the end, this is really just going to be a case of the fish loving the bird, and neither willing to find the compromise to allow them to live together.

We'll see, I suppose!

really good sequel! Can't wait for book 3, hope it is as good as the first. By the end, this book got slow with them just planning and meeting but the End OMG, what was she thinking, I knew she couldn't die because there was another book, but still. I didn't like what mal became after ignoring Alina, He was a drunk but I am glad he became his old self.

I thoroughly enjoyed and loved SHADOW AND BONE and was eagerly anticipating the second installment, SEIGE AND STORM. I went from bookstore to bookstore on release day looking for SEIGE AND STORM. I longed to be reunited with Alina, Mal, and the Darkling. Finally! I found it! I sat and read it in two days (having a "readathon" with some Twitter friends...and cake). I devoured SEIGE AND STORM and to be quite frank, I found Bardugo upped the ante with this one and the second book was stronger than the first. New charatcers were introduced, problems were heightened and although the ending was a little too familiar, I cannot freaking WAIT for the third book.

Well, that was quite the epic adventure!!! And *sigh* I totally didn't want it to end. It was one of those books you start and basically finish in one sitting. Hopefully you are smarter than me and don't start it late in the day because well, you will definitely pull an all-nighter and have to call in sick the next day. If anything you can always tell your boss that it's some lady named Leigh Bardugo's fault and to take it up with her. Happy reading

**4.5 Stars**

MY OVERVIEW: Wow! Where do I start? I absolutely loved Shadow and Bone and gave it my rare 5 star rating. Siege and Storm is a fantastic continuation of Alina's story, and picks up right where Shadow and Bone left off.

PROS: There are a lot of great new adventures and fantastic new characters. Who is my favorite new character? Hmm... maybe Nikolai. Sorry for all you Mal fans out there, but I think I might actually like Nikolai more.

CONS: I wasn't thrilled with the bits of steampunk thrown into the book - even though I am a big steampunk fan. It just didn't quite fit in the world Leigh Bardugo created. I also was not a fan of Mal in this book. As expected as his transformation was, it really made you unsure of him and Alina together.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Ok, wiping away tears from the ending of the book and wondering where the next one is. Once again, Leigh Bardugo has created a fantastic story that leaves you not-so-patiently waiting for more.

"Siege and Storm" is the second book in Leigh Bardugo's "The Grisha" trilogy, and does what any good sequel should do: expands the world, deepens the characters and raises the stakes. On the other hand, it can't quite avoid the pitfalls of a typical middle book - being unable to truly start or properly finish anything, it ends on a note that gives the impression the whole thing has been setup for the third and final installment. But apart from this inevitability, "Siege and Storm" is a satisfying read.

Its predecessor Shadow and Bone introduced us to Alina Starkov and the concept of the Grisha. Born with the power to transmute certain elements (whether quelling fires, stirring winds, mending fabric or healing bones) Grisha are an elite force of Small Science practitioners that answer to the Darkling, the most powerful Grisha of them all. At least until Alina's long-dormant powers were discovered.

Identified as a Sun Summoner (and therefore the polar opposite of the Darkling, whose gifts lie in the manipulation of darkness and shadows), Alina is whisked away from her simply life as a mapmaker in the Ravkan army to become the Darkling's protégé and the country's best hope to remove the Shadow Fold, a tract of land filled with monstrous creatures.

During the course of the story she comes to realize the true intentions behind the Darkling's plans for her and escapes his control with fellow soldier and childhood friend Malyen Oretsev. They take refuge across the sea, but the two of them don't last long in Novyi Zem before the Darkling tracks them down again.

What makes it difficult to summarize this book is that the first half is comprised of a number of little "mini-adventures" before the plot settles down and deals with Alina's struggles to command an army, track down her next amplifier (a totem that increases her powers), manage the political intrigues of court, and cope with frequent hallucinations of the Darkling. Then there's her fraught relationship with Mal, her growing sense of isolation, and her secret desire to accumulate more power.

Yeah, it's a pretty dense book, but Bardugo handles her subject matter well, balancing a suspenseful plot with Alina's internal anxiety that she's losing herself to her own abilities. The characterization is marvelous, though I found myself more invested in the supporting characters than the leads. Alina is sympathetic enough, but Mal grows annoyingly sullen and jealous over the course of the story, leading me to grow more interested in the charming and enigmatic Sturmhond, and the battle-hardened twins Tamar and Tolya.

It's the world-building that really sets this trilogy apart from the usual YA fantasy fare. Taking its cue from Russian culture and mythology, we're introduced to a world of icy tundra and choppy seas, dark forests and opulent palaces (complete with the iconic domes). Bardugo's clear and description prose (which reminds me of Philip Reeve and Scott Westerfeld) brings this world to life in all its chilly splendour, adding just the right amount of detail to make everything seem rich and dense. Take this for example:

"They drifted into harbour through an orchard of weathered masts and bound sails. There were sleek sloops and little junks from the rocky coasts of the Shu Han, armed warships and pleasure schooners, fat merchantmen and Fjerdan whalers. A bloated prison galley bound for the southern colonies flew the red-tipped banner that warned there were murderers aboard. As they floated by, the girl could have sworn she heard the clink of chains."

Beautifully done. I can see that vividly.

By the end Bardugo has set herself up for a strong finale in Ruin and Rising, one which promises to be filled with more machinations, battles, tough decisions and heartache. I'm going to start reading tonight!

4.5 Stars

Series: The Grisha #2

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Pages: 435

Target Audience: 14 and Up

Check it out: the store | Barnes and Noble | Good Reads

Good Reads Summary:

Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can't outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling's game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

THE FEELS BROUGHT ON BY THIS BOOK.

Feels hit you from all sides. I love love LOVE this series. I can't believe it took me so long to get around to it!

Alina is growing up. Or, more aptly, she's growing dark. I CANNOT wait to see where she ends up in the third. Her character development was excellent. I felt her struggle and how it affected everyone around her, especially those closest to her. Having this acute knowledge of how Alina works makes these books that much more enjoyable. Watching her grow in her power was exciting and terrifying, and I really am very excited to see what happens next.

I believe I stated somewhere in my first review that I was rooting for the Darkling? I rescind that statement. I'm all about team Nikolai now.

The whole book I wanted to LOVE Mal. He was pretty sweet and took care of Alina, and I'm sure they're the endgame, whatever. But I found myself thinking, if I'm being truly honest with myself, I kind of love Nikolai. He's clever, handsome, vulnerable around Alina, noble, intelligent...the list goes on. Pretty much all Mal has going for him is they've been together forever and he's an abnormally amazing tracker. I mean, I liked Mal in the second book more than I liked him in the first book. But when Nikolai first showed up, I found myself inordinately drawn to him.

Oh yeah, this book has a love square. Just FYI.

Bet you didn't even know that was possible.

But you know what? It didn't bother me. Because the characters are so different, and Alina's reactions to all three are so different, it actually kind of made sense. And all that tension was very interesting to read; it was interesting to see how the three relationships shaped Alina's thought process and her choices. Because they affected her in three completely different ways.

The Darkling is terrifying and I love that Bardugo has dropped the pretense that he's wonderful. I still think there's going to be some romance there, but I don't think it will ever be how it was in Shadow and Bone. He has crossed into maniacal and evil, and while his relationship with Alina is seductive and on some level makes sense, he is still evil. He is still the antagonist.

In the end, he's bad for her. For everyone. Unless there's some OTHER deep dark secret we still don't know.

I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that the conflict in Siege and Storm is extremely engaging. Bardugo gives the reader enough information to be very interested in what may or may not happen next without giving things away. The pacing is excellent; I never found myself bored or wondering when something would happen. I know some people complained that this book suffered from the "second-in-a-series" malady, but I would disagree. I thought it gave enough new information to be completely engaging and create even more interest for the third.

In Siege and Storm, Bardugo gave us a clearer picture of the world she created. She gave us a brilliantly written love square (I almost can't believe I said that). She gave us a heroine that is worth reading and loving. I hope she gives us a satisfying conclusion.

I was on the fence after reading book one, Shadow and Bone, on to continue this series or not. I'd taken Siege and Storm out of the library and read it on car rides, during work breaks, and before I went to bed. I was hooked. Siege and Storm blew the first book out of the water for me. The writing was gorgeous and captivating as ever, and Alina's 180-degree character development from the deflating attitude during the first book to the power hungry, general-in-training Alina was much more enticing to read about.

First and foremost, I will say that Nikolai was top-notch, my favorite character in this whole entire book and if I do not see a hide nor hair of him in the final installment I am going to be thoroughly depressed. While Alina was struggling with her powers and her connection with the Darkling, seeing him lurking in every corner, and fighting the fissure in her relationship with Mal which she brought down all by herself, Nikolai with his banter, strategic knowledge, and his rampant personalities was a sweet treat to Alina's story-line spiraling out of control. It takes a lot these days to have me swooning over a character, and Nikolai had me smirking, laughing, and sighing-deeply as I fell harder for his character. His strategical mind and snarky dialogue made him a hole-in-one character in my book, even though he's a supporting role. I just want all the good things for his character. Just him.

Alina's choice not to put her trust in Mal, the boy she loves and her best friend since childhood through think and thin, really drove me up a wall. The more she was driving herself away from Mal and complained about it, wishing that things were back to normal, or placing some of the blame of the rift on Mal, the more I was seeing the Alina from book one returning. And I did not want to read about the Alina from Shadow and Bone. I wanted to read the Alina, the Sun Summoner who is sought on finding the final amplifier, the Saint who is going to bring down the Darkling, the Grisha who is going to control an entire army, the girl who is fighting the darkness within her when she's supposed to be the light of ravka, and be a potentially powerful queen one day. She shone in most of the story, but when the romantic subplot started to take root, I was exhausted with Alina. And when the romance started to derail, I pitied Alina rather than encouraged her to fight and take Mal back.

And how can I even review this book without mentioning the Darkling. Though his character doesn't get as much page time as he had in Shadow and Bone, he still manages to make his appearances known. But when he does speak, shivered both enticing and chilling are sent through me. Bardugo managed to make the Darkling one of the most complex characters I've seen--I don't know whether to adore him or hate his guts. I did wish that there were more scenes with Alina's group vs. the Darkling, but that's just because I'm a sucker for action scenes. And I still can't get over how sunbeams dazzlingly shooting out of Alina's hands could be both pretty and dangerous. Bardugo is able to make it happen, so I guess I'll go with the flow. But I still can't get the picture of sunshine coming out of Alina's ass from my mind. No, it's not in the book. The phrase and her character just clung together like glue since reading the first novel, and it's stuck with me ever since. Sorry to all readers who now have that image stuck in their minds now, too. ごめん！

Final Summation: A much more thrilling installment to this trilogy. I was captivated, losing track of time and couldn't even comprehend how many pages I read in one sitting. Siege and Storm was beautifully told, the stakes are higher, some questions still aren't answered, but the additional characters are exciting and wonderfully developed that I don't mind waiting for the third book to knock my socks off with possibly crazy secrets revealed and I really want to see this firebird. Book three, here I come!

I can't express in words how I feel after reading the sequel of Shadow & Bone. Be prepared because Leigh Bardugo will blow your mind away leaving with a thirst for more.

From the beginning Siege and Storm is packed with actions. Alina and Mal are on the run from the Darkling but they're soon are captured. Then, we are taken to a sea voyage with mythical creatures, an amazing captain and a battle to escape the Darkling again! The story then follows Ravka preparing for war against the one and only the Darkling.

Although I've already mentioned the Darkling too many times, he plays very little role in the sequel. I am not a fan of him, so it didn't bother me. I still think he is evil, evil, evil!

As for Alina, she is embracing her new powers. With power comes responsibility, and this is what Alina is learning. What I love about her in this book is that she did a complete 360. She's badass now. She's making though decisions, even if she doesn't want to make them. My only issue with Alina is her new relationship status with Mal. I love Mal, he is sweet and adores her. But in this book, their relationship starts to crumble. Mal become insecure of himself. This annoyed me to the maximum. Their lack of communication was making me sick! I felt like slapping Mal sometimes with his insecurity and Alina for her lack of emotions toward him.

I am leaving the best for last - the most awesome captain ever, Sturmhond. Lord did he steal my heart. He is fierce, clever, and charming. His witty comments will have you laughing.

What I love most about Leigh Bardugo is the way she makes you feels like you are part of the book. Is like watching everything live, making everything feels so real. The action is OH.SO.GOOD! I cannot wait for Ruin and Rising! This series is a must read. - Leydy

Well I thought the first book in the series couldn't be out done but I stand corrected. Siege and Storm definitely had some shifts that made the story x2 better. The change in setting, even though it was for a short period of time, was a great add in that caused us to experience more of the Grisha World. I think I have a new fav character, Sturmhond, and of course the twins. The book also delved deeper into the mythos of the Grisha and their powers. What a follow up! Can't wait to read book 3

I’ve been waiting to read Siege and Storm for a while. I adored everything about Shadow and Bone and I always have a fear that a sequel will never live up to the original. That shouldn’t be a concern with Siege and Storm. The story is just as thrilling, intriguing, and addictive as Shadow and Bone.

One of my biggest complaints about sequels, or middle books, is that sometimes there seems to be a disconnect between book one and two. Almost like the author didn’t know where they were going with the story. Siege and Storm had no such issue. It’s clear that Leigh knew exactly where these characters’ lives were heading. Though I feel like things slowed down during the middle of the book, the plot was continuously moving. Siege and Storm has set up Ruin and Rising perfectly for the epic conclusion that I know Leigh is going to deliver.

My favorite thing in Siege and Storm is the cast of new characters we get to meet. Tolya and Tamar are great, and I can’t wait to learn more about them in Ruin and Rising, but Sturmhond is my absolute favorite newbie. I really enjoyed his quips and quick wit, but he’s more than that. He definitely uses his humor to hide his true feelings, and I’m excited to peel back some of those layers and see more of the real Sturmhond.

Siege and Storm is the perfect middle book. There is character development, plot progression, and interesting new characters; pretty much everything that you could want. If you are still deciding on whether or not to read this series, just do it! You will not be disappointed.

This story is interesting in the way they go about the powers and the cliques. It is definitely not the typical ya book - it is not set in a high school and the background for the characters is intriguing but vague. Somehow the story kept drawing me in but much of the story is not developed and leaves a lot to the imagination. To the diligent reader, these parts could be confusing and disappointing. Overall it was a fun read if you are bored and in need of entertainment. If you really want to read a good developed book/series, this isn't it.

As hopeful as I was at the end of the first book in the Grisha trilogy I'm left with the same amount of hopelessness and concern that this will simply not end well for any of our characters. The first book rests quite a bit on the world building as we learn what the Grisha is and who our characters are and where they stand. It is a revelation to see Alina's growth into her Grisha talents and then to get taken on her ride to celebrity and fame and the pitfalls that come with it. Trying to figure out the villains and good guys is also a bit of a challenge in the first book. With the events of the second book we see the battle lines have been drawn and now Alina must figure out how to become the leader that people need her to be. There are some familiar faces and some fascinating new ones which really livened up the things! I found the plot a bit more plodding at times compared to the first book but the end was a sweeping climax and left me wondering how this will all play out. The last few pages are bleak and Alina appears close to broken. I'm very anxious to read the final installment of this fascinating trilogy and how the author will get our leader out of this mess intact!!

Seige and Storm, the second book of the Grisha Trilogy, picks up after Alina and Mal's escape from the Darkling. Hiding the bone collar from Morozova's stag, forever forged around her neck, Alina attempts to start a new life with Mal as strangers in a foreign land. When the Darkling ambushes them, Alina sees a scarred and different man. He appears weaker, but his hunger for power has only increased. And with monsters more fearsome than the Volcra now at his side, the Darkling again uses Alina to hunt another creature similar to the stag, a second amplifier to increase her Summoner's power.

With the help of an unlikely ally, the Sturmhond, a charming but secretive privateer captain, Alina and Mal are forced to return to Os Alta. As the Sun Summoner, Alina promises to help the Ravkan king fight the Darkling, but on her terms: she wants to lead the Second Army of Grishas. As the Sturmhond would say, the request is improbable, but not impossible.

Alina's new role as leader of the Second Army increases her confidence and her power as the Sun Summoner. She is worshipped by fanatics and desired by the royalty. As her responsibilities grow, so does her hunger for more power. Her amplifiers are not enough. She wants to find a third mythical creature, the Firebird, that she feels will complete her transformation into the most powerful Grisha, more formidable than the Darkling.

Unfortunately, her rise in status also creates a rift between her and Mal that grows larger than The Fold. The tension is increased when a Ravkan prince, Nikolai, is able to spend more time, and pay more attention to her, than Mal. She loves Mal and wants to be with him, but her duties come between them. Without Mal to keep her grounded, she grows paranoid and mistrustful of those around her. Then, Mal begins to change as well.

I absolutely loved the first book, Shadow and Bone, and could not wait for this second book. Seige and Storm did capture my imagination with the creatures, the new characters, the tension between Alina and Mal, but there were parts of the book that initially appeared improbable to me, but not impossible. And sometimes the dialogue was a bit immature. I questioned Alina's ability to lead the Second Army, as did many characters, as well as Alina herself. But, the author, like the Sun Summoner, was able to prove to this reader that a little faith goes a long way.

By the nail biting end of the book, the reader will be exhausted and satisfied. But, we will also be left fervently waiting for the third book because Seige and Storm leaves the door wide open for...well, we will just have to wait and see.

I absolutely love this series. I am rooting for Alina and Mal, if he only would stop his insecurities. The world building is awe inspiring. My favorite scenes are out to sea on the boat. I love the magic, I love the tricks, and the villains.

Thoughts: Alina is on the run, hoping to gain her freedom from the Darkling and all the responsibility being placed upon her as the Sun Summoner. Struggling to come to terms with what happened in the Fold, Alina harbors guilt that makes her wonder if she is like the Darkling. Desperate to hold on to what she has with Mal, wanting to have her gift and him without this cloud circling about them. Will the pull off her power drive away the one she loves or can they survive the darkness surrounding them?

Alina is much stronger in this book. She's tired of running, and with the help of an unexpected savior decides to take matters into her own hands. But the cost of what she needs to do .....the further away Mal becomes and eventually the weight of it begins to wear on their relationship. The Darkling hopes that the two lovebirds will see they are too different and it will never work. He wants her to feel alone, so he can pretty on her emotions and doubt.

Okay, so this is still a game of cat and mouse. She runs, he catches her. Alina seems to have an edge about her and Mal comes off as moody. My favorite character
is Sturmhond, he's a Jack of all trades so to speak and I liked how he developed throughout the book. The writing moves slowly in the beginning but it gradually picks up. Overall, this is an okay read full of magic and mayhem.

*Received a copy via an arc tour website for honest review

Another awesome chapter in this great series! Lots of excitement and suspense! Great characters and storyline!! Much has happened to Alina and her crew this time around! Who will survive?!?! Will it be Dark or Light?! I cannot wait to read the conclusion to this fabulous fantasy series!!!!