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Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2)

by Leigh Bardugo (Goodreads Author)

4.56 of 5 stars 4.56 · rating details · 358 ratings · 217 reviews

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, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But 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 te...more

Hardcover, 448 pages

Expected publication: June 4th 2013 by Henry Holt and Co.

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May 18, 2013 Wendy Darling rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-publication, june, macmillan, fantasy, young-adult, own-dtb-tbr, gorgeous-prose, crush-worthy-boys, 2013-favorites, read-2013, mythic-and-fairy-tale-ish

Our Conversation with Leigh Bardugo is up, along with an opportunity to win our Siege and Storm ARC!

4.5 stars Siege and Storm is an exquisite jewel of a book. The second installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy is full of adventure and magic--and in my view, it's even better than Shadow and Bone.

There are flying ships. A thrilling, poignant scene with a magnificent white ice dragon. A whirling, frenzied volcra attack in the night. A sobering ride through the city of Novokribirsk, where name...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Blythe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, print-arc, 2013-favorites, 2013-reads, awesome-world-building, brb-biting-my-nails, clever-plot-twists, cried-my-eyes-out, deserves-the-hype, didn-t-see-that-coming, evil-cliffhanger, exceeded-my-expectations, favorites, fish-are-scary, freaking-brilliant, gimme-the-next-book, hand-me-some-tissues, highly-anticipating-2013, hurry-up, i-e-i-will-always-love-you, i-totally-saw-that-coming, i-want-it-right-now, i-will-have-children-with-this-book, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, love-triangle, loved-it, mind-blowing-ending, swoooon, this-book-and-i-are-eloping, under-the-sea, read-reviewed

Actual rating is 4.5 stars -- This review is SPOILER-FREE for both Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm.

What is it about Leigh Bardugo's novels that makes writing reviews for them absolutely and frustratingly impossible? I read Shadow and Bone as an ARC last year and absolutely loved it, yet after rewriting and rewriting my review for it over and over again, I ultimately decided to throw in the towel and give up attempting to review it. I know that for some, if not most reviewers, writing review...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, 2013-favourites, fantasy, fantasy-or-paranormal, favourite-boys, fantasy-or-pn-favourites, romance, ultimate-favourites, 5-star-gems

“You were like a stranger, Alina. Beautiful,” he said. “Terrible.”

With Shadow and Bone setting the foundations for this magical world – a world that is home to Ravkans, Grisha, the Unsea and its hidden horrors - Siege and Storm follows in the steps of its stunning predecessor and proves to be just as spectacular, if not more. This is a series that is teeming with originality and well-placed complexity. It is creative, enchanting, thrilling – and every other word that a well-built fantasy creati...more

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May 11, 2013 Krys rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-releases, young-adult, witches-wizards-magic-themed, series, 2013-june, arcs-manuscripts, own, twins, seafaring-pirates, first-person-narrative, fantasy, read-in-2013, randi-borrowed

Epic books are epic.

Siege and Storm is the much anticipated second release in The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. The first book, Shadow and Bone, topped many "Best of 2012" lists for its creativity and fresh approach towards fantasy, including mine.

Alina and Mal have fled the Small Palace and the Darkling. Hiding in secret, the two are trying to forget the past, but Alina is haunted by her life as a Sun Summoner and by the magic of the Darkling. Taking refuge on a whaling ship under the Capt...more
Epic books are epic.

Siege and Storm is the much anticipated second release in The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. The first book, Shadow and Bone, topped many "Best of 2012" lists for its creativity and fresh approach towards fantasy, including mine.

Alina and Mal have fled the Small Palace and the Darkling. Hiding in secret, the two are trying to forget the past, but Alina is haunted by her life as a Sun Summoner and by the magic of the Darkling. Taking refuge on a whaling ship under the Captain (and privateer) Sturmhond, Alina's past quickly catches up to her. The Darkling has come to reclaim her for Ravka and steers them all onto a path to attain his ultimate goal - retrieving Alina and making her the most powerful Grisha in the world.

Alina's journey through this book is best described in one word - bittersweet. With every step forward as the Sun Summoner she abandons pieces of herself, her past, and her future. Her relationship with Mal is tried and tested even as she forms new ones with new characters. Sturmhond, and his crew, become key elements in this book, forging a path that Alina must walk upon. She also cannot forget the Darkling who shadows her waking, and sleeping, thoughts.

But of course everyone is dying to know who Alina ends up with, and as to that my lips are sealed. Rest assured that Alina's relationship with the man she loves is just as fun to read as the first book was. The moments between the two are sweet, and tragic, and absolutely riveting. I read the better part of this book with my toes completely curled. I loved the romantic dynamic in this series. I rarely get so sucked into a triangle but I love the one in these books. It actually works, for one thing, leaving the reader so torn in who she wants Alina to choose - the good boy, Mal or the ultimate bad boy, the Darkling.

And who doesn't love the Darkling? Come on... he's the quintessential bad boy.

And, of course, just when I thought it wouldn't get any better Bardugo threw in a twist. Scratch that, she threw in about ten twists, and then directed the plot from there. It's one of those books where you think it's going one place and fifty pages later you've had three different epiphanies about the story. Which is phenomenal. Bardugo always had me guessing. I really loved what she did with the mythology in this particular book. Again, just when I thought I knew where it was going it when another ten turns down the road.

I can't wait to see what happens in book three. We'll see if it continues to remind me of Catching Fire in Ruin and Rising. It definitely had moments where I thought of Collins and Katniss, though it's nothing at all like it (in tone). It's still fantasy, and it's still very much Bardugo.

And I loved every word.

5 out of 5 stars.

- review courtesy of www.bibliopunkk.net (less)

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May 16, 2013 Keertana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads, kick-ass-heroines, swoooon, 2013-favorites

While Shadow and Bone was the debut of a magical new realm, of a complex villain impossible to fully understand, of new power, of old allegiances, of politics and confusion, all mixed together with a gentle, calming love, Siege and Storm is the aftermath of all well-intended decisions, the destruction of formerly stable relationships and the creeping movement of darkness, not light. Like any strong sequel, Siege and Storm is as far removed from its predecessor as is possible. Although I loved Sh...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Steph Sinclair rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Duh. Everyone. #hairflip

Shelves: macmillan, i-need-to-buy-this-book, young-adult, 2013-release, cool-author, print-arc, 2-am-or-later, 2013-reads, 2013-favorite, action-packed, all-time-favorites, awesome, best-characters, deserves-every-one-of-those-stars, didn-t-disappoint, high-fantasy, i-didn-t-see-that-coming, i-need-the-next-book-like-yesterday, just-take-my-heart-already, left-me-in-a-sad-emotional-state, mind-blowing-good, oh-yeah-baby, omg-that-ending, original-and-creative, pure-win, superb-world-building, to-buy-soon, yeah-baby-5-stars

Amazing.

Okay, Leigh. You are evil. Evil, evil, evil. So evil, your stories leave me speechless. Your humor sends me into fits of giggles and tickles my tender pieces. Your plots make me wish I can pack my bags and vacate to your mind if only for a day. Please don't ever stop being this ~~awesome~~ evil.

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Also, that ending is causing me to hit the Kvas pretty hard tonight. Look what you've done to me.

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Mal, Darkling, Sturmhond... I must collect them all.

(Review to come... hopefully in a less stalkerish...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Valeria Andrea marked it as to-read

Shelves: english, youngadult

Okay, things I DON'T want to happen:

*I don't want to wait MORE than a year.
*I don't want Alina to be Mal's ALL the TIME...
*... so the Darkling MUST come for what 'is his' (even if she is not his)
*& I DON'T want them to change the damn cover format(!!!). Check

OMG, I that cover. Did you see it, like, REALLY see it?
It has a DRAGON. A Chinese dragon, of all. Is so beautiful, & there's something to that design that I...
IDK.
I like it.
I like it so, SO much.
All I have to do is read the book...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Cas marked it as awaiting-release

Shelves: need-you-with-me, young-adults, magic, fantasy

Want you so badly.

Yes. I'm that excited.

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Apr 03, 2013 One Pushy Fox rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

OHMYFREAKINGGOODNESS!?!?!?!?!?! There are no words!!!!! 5 stars is NOT enough!!!!!

I loved it and I loved it and then I got to the LAST 40 PAGES and HOLY FREAKING SHIZ, LEIGH BARDUGO!!!!! I may be ruined for all other books!!!!!! INSANELY POWERFUL ENDING!!!!!

Why is book 3 not coming out for over a YEAR!?!??!?!?!

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Mar 17, 2013 Jaime Arkin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, 2013-june-release, waiting-waiting-waiting, series, 2013, macmillan, galley-arc, must-buy-this, will-be-rereading, recommend-forever, favorites, read-in-2013, reading-again, swoony-boys, on-my-real-shelves, wishlist-books

So I'm sitting here staring at this blank box trying to figure out what I want to say that would be meaningful about Siege and Storm because if I just typed what I felt it would be the word equivalent of these gifs.

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photo tumblr_mhqb0fnFuI1s54bkwo3_500_zps8d00431a.gif

Siege and Storm picks up shortly after the end of Shadow and Bone. Mal and Alina have escaped the Fold and are trying to keep her identity a secret while they earn money to make their way north. And from the very start of this book I'm reminded why I fell in love with these charac...more

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May 15, 2013 Renu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review-from-publisher

It's rare for a sequel to outshine its' predecessor, but Leigh Bardugo's Siege and Storm managed to do just that!

Alina has the weight of the ~~world~~ Ravka on her shoulders. She is faced with many challenges, all of which take a toll on her emotionally and physically. As well as trying to bridge the ever expanding gap between herself and Mal, she must learn to hone her powers if she wants to set Ravka free from the clutches of darkness. Alina's character truly leaves a lasting impression in Siege a...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Boyanna marked it as to-read

Shelves: sequels-in-waiting, magic, a-z-year, reviews

----------------
THE FIRST 5 CHAPTERS for the ones who own e-readers! :)
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on Cuddlebuggery Book Blog

Teaser #1:
As we pushed off from the fountain, one of the washerwomen leaned forward.
“If you ever get tired of skin and bones,” she called to Mal, “I’ve got something to tempt you.”
I stiffened. Mal glanced over his shoulder. Slowly, he looked her up and down. “No,” he said flatly. “You don’t.”
The girl’s face flushed an ugly red as the others jeered and cackled, splashing her with wate...more

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May 19, 2013 K. rated it 5 of 5 stars

"The boy and the girl..."

A beautiful beginning. Simple, intimate, yet with so much promise. I feel like this encapsulates the very vein of the book: a quiet story of the heart framed in blazing adventure.

Leigh Bardugo's Siege and Storm has been garnering praise, and when you read it, you will understand why. Bardugo is a storyteller. She moves words across the page effortlessly as if they have been her friends all her life. She creates imagery appealing to our senses; builds tension and fervor,...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, fantasy

Siege and Storm continues the enchanting story of Alina, Mal, and the Darkling, along their land full of danger and secrets. Starting with a bang, we meet again with Alina and Mal trapped in a less than stellar situation on the Darkling's ship. This is sure to immediately captivate any fan of the series, pulling us again in this magic-filled story of the Sun Summoner. Not being the best at remembering from the previous book, I was a left little confused for the first part of the book until the c...more Siege and Storm continues the enchanting story of Alina, Mal, and the Darkling, along their land full of danger and secrets. Starting with a bang, we meet again with Alina and Mal trapped in a less than stellar situation on the Darkling's ship. This is sure to immediately captivate any fan of the series, pulling us again in this magic-filled story of the Sun Summoner. Not being the best at remembering from the previous book, I was a left little confused for the first part of the book until the characters and world building carved their way into my heart again. You may raise a brow at me saying this and my rating, but while the book wasn't my favorite, the characters are still as charming as ever, leaving my heart wide open for them to move in.

The plot continues where we left off in Shadow and Bone, with an action packed beginning where we meet a new mysterious character that becomes quite a big part of this sequel. However, it's sad to announce that this character takes the place of the Darkling for most of the book. He's not an enigma like the Darkling even though he does give off that vibe quite a bit, nor is he even close to being as charismatic, so sadly it did not compensate for the Darkling being MIA for 90% of this novel. While the latter does make sporadic mysterious appearances a few times throughout the story, the absence of my favorite character was my biggest letdown during this book. I found his personality and eccentricity so fascinating in Shadow and Bone, leaving me both frustrated and mesmerized by his charm that having him not be a real part of this sequel felt as if something was missing. There was a hole that was not filled, one that I'm thinking this new character was supposed to fill but unfortunately did not quite get there for me. The fact that Mal never made any real connection with me surely did not help either as he was surely a large part of this book. I do like his character, but he doesn't exactly do anything for me emotionally or romantically. Regardless, as far as characters go, we do get a slew of fantastic secondary characters that don't miss the mark in this sequel. They're all energetic, giving this book a lot of drive and personality. There is a large number to keep track of, though, which can take a bit of effort to keep them all straight--especially if it's been a while since reading the first book.

After its thrilling beginning, the book continues its journey into this monster-filled world full of war and magic. I loved learning more of the world, especially more about Alina's powers and what she is trying to become. I was hoping for more story advancement however. The plot begins to slow down towards the middle of the book, leading us into a very relationship driven and character-development heavy novel. It's great to see Alina come into herself, figuring out who she is, who she needs to be, but I would be lying if I said this was very exciting. As many of you know I'm not a big fan of fantasy, it needs to have a lot of meat for me to bite into, which I found this one a bit lacking of. Being a fairly long novel, I was bored for too long. As much as I love character development, I needed more happenings to keep me compelled. For this reason, I'm convinced that those with a passion for fantasy will find themselves loving this sequel much more than I did.

It begins with a bang, and it ends with one as well. The ending finally brings us back the Darkling--turning my mild interest into complete captivation. It's a very exciting and action filled climax. I loved how abrupt it was, as well as how serious it quickly became. Death and emotion are not missing from this ending, neither is the promise of an excitement conclusion in the third installment--and likely my beloved Darkling back!! As I said, this series was a little over my comfort zone to begin with, the first novel's action packed plot was enough to make even me a fan, but sadly this sequel lost a little of it's magic for me, which is more of a personal taste rather than a reflection on the book itself. Either way, Leigh is an incredible writer and I have no doubt she will catch the hearts of all fantasy lovers yet again!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

(less)

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May 15, 2013 Erin Arkin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, swoony-book-boyfriends, fantasy, books-i-will-love-forever-and-ever

5 gazillion stars...I have no words right now other than I need the next book immediately.

Ok - after a few days of thought...My love for this series knows no bounds. These are some of my favorite characters and storylines ever.

Anything I write here will not do this book justice so just trust me when I say that if you haven't started this series yet, you should. The characters and world that Bardugo creates are amazing and you have to read her stories to understand.

Siege and Storm picks up with M...more

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May 08, 2013 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-release

A full review will be posted at The Flyleaf Review closer to publication.

**WARNING! This review does contain spoilers for book #1 of The Grisha Trilogy, Shadow and Bone**

I was a HUGE fan of last year's Shadow and Bone. I loved the fantastical story of Alina, a scrawny and under confident orphan who, unbeknownst to herself and all those who know her, carries an incredible power within her. I loved the characters: Alina and her childhood friend Mal, and of course, the sinister, yet charismatic, vi...more A full review will be posted at The Flyleaf Review closer to publication.

**WARNING! This review does contain spoilers for book #1 of The Grisha Trilogy, Shadow and Bone**

I was a HUGE fan of last year's Shadow and Bone. I loved the fantastical story of Alina, a scrawny and under confident orphan who, unbeknownst to herself and all those who know her, carries an incredible power within her. I loved the characters: Alina and her childhood friend Mal, and of course, the sinister, yet charismatic, villain (or is he?) the Darkling. I loved the Russian inspired setting, the quaint villages and the opulent palaces, AND the Russian inspired language created by author Leigh Bardugo. I loved the romance, the sweet first love of Alina and Mal and the forbidden, yet extremely STEAMY, romance between Alina and the Darkling. And I loved the darkness of the story, the idea of a shadowy place inhabited by horrific creatures that is literally dividing a country and splitting it apart at it's seams.

And I am happy to report that all those things I loved about Shadow and Bone are back in full force in Siege and Storm. The story arc moves forward as Alina works towards fulfilling her destiny as the Sun Summoner to defeat the Darkling and destroy the Fold. Siege and Storm picks up shortly after the concluding events of Shadow and Bone. Alina now bears the Morozova's Stag amplifier, as well as the burden of her role in the destruction of the city of Kribirsk. She and Mal find themselves on the run from the Darkling and his Grisha. But along with the guilt she feels, Alina is also weakened and fragile, a result of refraining from using her powers and abilities. It's also clear that a rift has arisen between she and Mal as Alina is torn between who she wants to be and who she is meant to be.

As the second book in a series it's not only important to further the story arc, but to further the development of the main characters as well. And Bardugo handles this expertly as she shows the struggles that Alina faces as the Sun Summoner. The fate of Ravka seems to rest on her shoulders and Alina feels more and more that her destiny is no longer in her own hands. The King of Ravka wants to use her to defeat the Darkling. The Darkling want to use her to claim the country as his own. And a new development, a mass of pilgrims, being lead by the Apparat, have canonized her as their savior. Alina, a poor, skinny, parentless waif has had her world turned upside down and I loved watching her face these challenges in the story.

In addition, a quest has come to light. Alina learns that Morozova's Stag is not the only amplifier that she might be meant to wear. But by exposing herself to even more sources of power, Alina also runs the risk of becoming as corrupt and power hungry as the Darkling himself. Watching Alina wrestle with this knowledge and try to make the right choices is one of the most compelling parts of this book.

I also enjoyed watching how Alina and Mal's relationship has evolved. There is something very sweet and honorable about his feelings for her. But Mal fans, be prepared. There are a lot of things working against this couple. It's going to be VERY interesting to see how the romance between the two plays out in this series.

And what of the Darkling? Well... he is there but at the same time his role felt too diminished to me. I love a bad boy, and can't deny that the scenes with Alina and the Darkling in Shadow and Bone were some of my favorite in the book. And after the ending of Shadow and Bone, I was waiting to see if Siege and Storm would give us a redeemed Darkling or a Darkling that has grown more villainous and possibly beyond redemption. I won't tell which one we get, but I will say that it wasn't near enough. He definitely is present in parts of this book, but it's almost an absent presence, if that makes sense. Put it this way: I wanted more of him. I'm hoping to see that happen in the final book of the trilogy, Ruin and Rising.

And now, my very favorite part of this second installment: the new faces. There were three that stood out, but ONE in particular that stole the show. It's no secret that I love my secondary characters and from the moment that this guy walked on the scene I was HOOKED. His name is Sturmhond ("Storm Hound") and he is a man of mystery (YES!). In fact there are some rather hefty revelations involving his character so I have to be very careful how much I say but I can tell you that he is a PIRATE (WOO HOO!) and he is witty, charming (in a rogue-ish Jack Sparrow kind of way) and charismatic as HELL. He actually helped to fill the hole that the Darkling left in my heart just a little, although the two men are very different in most other regards. I fell for Sturmhond and I cannot wait to see what his future role in this series will be:)

And that really goes for all the characters in this tale. So often the second book in a series suffers from that dreaded "sophomore slump" but with Siege and Storm that is definitely NOT the case. Even with the diminished presence of the Darkling, and some slower scenes spent strategizing inside the Palace "war room" (yawn...), Siege and Storm completely ROCKED. Bardugo continues to showcase her mad plotting skills and the end effect is nothing short of mesmerizing. If you have not yet gotten excited over this book then consider this a wake up call. Come June 4th prepare to be awed because this series just keeps getting better and better. If I were you, I'd pre-order Siege and Storm NOW :)(less)

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Feb 23, 2013 Celine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: atom-hachette, arcs, for-review, to-be-reviewed

WHAT DID I JUST READ? WHAT IS THIS MAGNIFICENT BEAUTY? Oh yeah, my head is spinning because this book is EPIC. And....I feel guilty that I'm torn between Mal and Darkling now since I loved Darkling a lot in the first book. Anyways.... *cough*

Review to come!

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Mar 02, 2013 Kat Kennedy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, fun-fantasy, kat-s-book-reviews, leaves-awesomeness-behind, to-ya-or-not-to-ya, ya-pnr-maddness

Sequels are really hard to write reviews for. Mostly because people don’t want to read them for fear of spoilers, but keeping them spoiler free makes it difficult to properly discuss the book. So now I’m going to have to do this review in code.

In Siege and Storm Alina and Mal are on the run from the Darkling. They meet Pumpkin who has the ability to help Alina defeat the Darkling. Problem is, Mal and Pumpkin don’t get on at all. Also, the Darkling can now line dance which adds a level of complic...more Sequels are really hard to write reviews for. Mostly because people don’t want to read them for fear of spoilers, but keeping them spoiler free makes it difficult to properly discuss the book. So now I’m going to have to do this review in code.

In Siege and Storm Alina and Mal are on the run from the Darkling. They meet Pumpkin who has the ability to help Alina defeat the Darkling. Problem is, Mal and Pumpkin don’t get on at all. Also, the Darkling can now line dance which adds a level of complication. As well as line dancing, which makes a dark and creepy addition to the novel, the Darling drives a wedge between Mal and Alina by knitting. Also, I think he may be losing the plot a little.

Twilight gone mad

Firstly, Bardugo’s writing has dramatically improved. Siege & Storm is a far smoother novel, both in terms of writing craft and pacing. The tension is always ramped up, the drama meter is set to erupt and before you realize what is happening, it all explodes in your face, leaving you clutching at the tattered remains of your heart and an ego that is no longer ashamed to see you crawl onto twitter to cry on Bardugo’s shoulder.

I can’t really talk too much about the characters without giving it away – but Alina kicked butt in this installment. Especially when she got hold of her aardvark. No more doe-eyed victim. She really struggles and grapples with her goiter. What does her goiter mean for her? For Mal? For the future of Ravka? And was the Darkling right about that Chinese finger box between Mal and Alina? Mal struggles the most in this novel as he is a salt mine. And in his salt mineyness he deteriorates and loses a lot of faith. I have a feeling he learned a lot about himself in this novel.

Everyone grows and changes, even the Darkling a little and I wonder if he’ll let Alina continue to cross stitch, or if he’s finally going to seriously back stitch her? Or has his line dancing finally started to shake him up? So many questions, so many moral and ethical dilemmas.

There is little doubt that Pumpkin stole the show and I applaud Bardugo for his inclusion. He certainly made life interesting and added a great comedic element to the book. Overall, Siege and Storm managed to be a stronger novel than the first. Now I absolutely can’t wait for the next!

*This review also appears on my blog, Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.*

An ARC was provided to me by Macmillan for reviewing purposes. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. (less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Bella Grace marked it as to-read

Shelves: review-d

Rick Riordan blurbed it. This gorgeous thing is the cover.

Sweet Lord, you are mine, book. My materialistic self must obtain you!

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Apr 01, 2013 Ellie (a.k.a. QE3) marked it as to-read

The cover is so pretty!!

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Mar 08, 2013 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Siege and Storm is the second book in a series and my review contains some spoilers for Shadow and Bone, especially The Set-Up portion. Below that section the spoilers are minimal for the first book. This is also not a final review, which will be published on my blog Love is not a triangle closer to publication, and updated here accordingly.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

The Set-Up:
Alina and Mal are on the run from The Darkling, and they are worried that they will never be safe again. Although she is...more

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Mar 28, 2013 KM rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-fantasy, macmillan, netgalley-edelweiss, cover-love, best-villains, swoon-worthy-boys

As with my review of Shadow and Bone, I'm about to tell you all the things I didn't like about this book...and yet still rate it fairly high. I want to say this up front: it IS a good book. The writing is great. But I still have quite a few quibbles with this one that I'm just going to have to share.

(I feel like the things I'm about to say might irritate some people, so, sorry in advance.)

First and foremost: WHERE THE HECK IS THE DARKLING FOR THIS WHOLE BOOK?! He's there at the beginning, then h...more

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May 08, 2013 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, own-arc, ya-fantasy

Alina, let me love you.

Here's the thing: if there were flaws in this book, I was far too caught up in the story to realize it. I loved it, the entire story, the way the narrative was crafted. Even though there's a giant war going on, Bardugo doesn't try to encompass the entire thing -- everything is focused on Alina, and how her decisions affect the world, and how her emotions are completely bonkers, and how she's changing from the young mapmaker we met at the beginning of Shadow and Bone.

And I...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Isamlq rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aaw-yeah, 2013-favorites

Golly, I just re-read my review for the first book, and well, can I say… vague much? All my references to him’s and her’s, to someone changing with then without certain someone’s? Well those him’s and her’s, then those someone’s? Well, they’re back in this one… but not completely the way they used to be.

New places, new people, plus more monsters will likely do that, right?

Things simply feel different this time around with more of Alina and Mal together. Said fact is ~~mostly~~ a good thing… except...more Golly, I just re-read my review for the first book, and well, can I say… vague much? All my references to him’s and her’s, to someone changing with then without certain someone’s? Well those him’s and her’s, then those someone’s? Well, they’re back in this one… but not completely the way they used to be.

New places, new people, plus more monsters will likely do that, right?

Things simply feel different this time around with more of Alina and Mal together. Said fact is ~~mostly~~ a good thing… except that there was something, or someone, missing; the Darkling is here but not here. Yes, his is one of those present absences. Things do work out though…somehow, because Alina is still figuring things out and Mal is still swoon inducing hero-in-the making, but not seeing Darkling here as often as we did, with his confusing and complicated contributions. Well, that was a minor (major) let down. But not completely because him not here was a major thing in what Alina did and didn’t do. (It made for some frustrating moments on her part, truly it did! But it’s all good.)

Because there’s the introduction of new people, one of whom read a lot like Depp’s Jack Sparrow, irreverent and cocky but actually so much more than what I’d initially thought. The guy injects the humor in this one while attempting to be like the Darkling, (the latter being with his confusing combination of charming and terrifying.) And yes, he even sometimes succeeds. ‘Sometimes’ because while he does numerous things well, the Darkling shoes are pretty big shoes to fill IMO. And again, it’s all good… because there are a couple of others who make things interesting even older folks making reappearances: all them add complications that came out of nowhere… so many in fact that I ended up reading this through the night. It was that good.

Thank you, Net Galley!!!!

***

It's book like these that make me happy for net galley.
There were tears there, close to the end. No, really.

Review when I can get myself together…

4.5/5
(less)

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Mar 30, 2013 Alexis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

Okay, so I've had this book for a few weeks and didn't want to pick it up. But I am so glad I did. A few words to describe this book would be heart breaking and funny. At times I was laughing and towards the end I just wanted to either cry or punch someone.

The story is very addicting especially the wording. I'll find myself thinking of the words used. I am curious about whether this is a made up language or a real language or maybe a combination of languages...

At the end and at other points of...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Latoya added it

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...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Will marked it as to-read

Shelves: do-want

I NEED THIS BOOK IN MY LIFE MOAR THAN AIRRR

like 15 likes · see review

Apr 15, 2013 Belle marked it as to-read

Oh my gosh the cover is so pretty! It is going to look so beautiful next to Shadow and Bone on my shelf!

4/16/13
Just read the first few chapters that were released. GAH! Why! It's just too awesome, and they ended it at just the perfect time to make us CRAZY! SO EXCITED!

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Apr 17, 2013 Fairytale Nerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

See the BOOK REPORT CARD at The Fairytale Nerd.

I didn't plan on reading this Grisha sequel. But I did. I'm so glad I did, even if I didn't like the first book.

For me, details are important in the world building of fantasy stories. I know that the world building in Shadow and Bone is impressive, but I cannot seem to remember the tiny, tiny details that make up the plot. That became my main problem with Siege and Storm. I couldn't remember the plot of Shadow and Bone. At all.

All I remember is that...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 out of 5 rating

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...more

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The (Not-So) Aust...: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo	1	39	Jan 15, 2013 04:10pm

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About Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo was born in Jerusalem, raised in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University. These days, she hides out in Hollywood and indulges her fondness for glamour, ghouls, and costuming in her other life as makeup artist L.B. Benson.

Her debut novel, Shadow & Bone (Holt Children's/Macmillan) is now a New York Times Best Seller.

She would be delighted if you followed her on Twitter, e...more

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Quotes from Siege and Storm

“Mal snickered.
"What's so funny?"
"I just pictured the Darkling being cornered by a sweaty duchess trying to have her way with him.” — 15 people liked it

“I have loved you all my life, Mal," I whispered through my tears. "There is no end to our story.” — 15 people liked it

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Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2)

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