Siege and Storm Chapters 16-23

[Briana]

Here you can leave you comments about Siege and Storm chapters 16-23!

[Rachel]

Wow. Okay so I have feelings. I don't understand how some people find Alina annoying?? Like how? The two amplifiers are basically threatening to make her like the darkling because the power is too much. And she's always fighting it. That brings me to Mal. Boyyyy was I mad at him for being in that fight and then for kissing ZOYA BACK. Like what?! SHE BROKE ALINAS RIBS. I hated that every time they fought he stomped off instead of giving her time to talk it out. However, I'm so proud of Alina for telling him the truth about seeing the darkling. Okay and TOLYA. Wow, I saw him when he grabbed Mal and had him by the throat. Mal deserved it and I'm so glad someone else finally gave him crap for that behavior. Secretly crushing on big bad Tolya now..

Sturmhond. Nikolai. Ugh I love him. Head over heels. I don't even know where to start, he's like a male version of Aelin from TOG, all smiles and swagger until sh*t hits the fan. I couldn't believe how stupid Vasily had been! And then Nikolai telling him why he was an idiot and poor Vasily's arm...(Got what he deserved)

I was absolutely shocked about Genya. Truly heartbroken for her that the darkling did that to her.. I liked when he visited Alina when she was alone so she had at least someone... but what he did to Genya... Holy gods was I not expecting that. I'm not sure how to feel about the Darkling anymore. But Alina is a BADASS. I was like YES GO GIRL when she was using his power like he had done to her. How intense. And of course he's still alive... Are they going to find the firebird in the next book I wonder?!

I've seriously had the hardest of times putting these books down, let alone taking time between chapters to take notes LOL

[Tiphaine]

Okay, I've made it. I'm done. I gave it a 3.5/5 because honestly it was hard to go through all the talking and babbling between Alina and Mal lol I need to get my thoughts straight for this post...

First of all. Sturmhond/Nikolai. That's it, that's the comment.
I love him. I truly, deeply, love this character so much ! He made things go funnier and interesting when they were all talking and nothing happened. Behind all the acting, he's still a bit insecure and I think he has a fond/crush on Alina -- when he said he wants to kiss her, but only when she thinks of him and not try to forget Mal. That came from the heart, not from the brat prince he's used to act.

Alina didn't improved much, she was so STUPID to go to the pilgrims omg. But I loved that she felt more and more like the Darkling, getting darkness, hunger for power, flooding through her. I wasn't expecting what she did to the Darkling at the church (?), I wasn't expecting her to put an act, and just use his power like he used hers before. You go girl!! I guess she couldn't die right now because hell why would there be a 3rd book lol. But it would have been cool to know she died like this, taking the Darkling down with her!

Mal was a stupid, foolish, jealous little boy. I wanted to shake him and slap him at the same time. Can he please get his thoughts straight for a bit?? One time he's acting like a cold guard even when they have some intimacy. Another time he's all greedy for a kiss. And then he's all jealous, doesn't want to let her explain, he literally left her alone in her bedroom when she said she sees the Darkling and is afraid to go insane?? Girl, you don't deserve him.
Honestly the chemistry isn't that good anymore lol plus he's afraid. Please let this love interest fade away and never come back (I know I'm dreaming).

I'm sad we didn't got much of the Darkling. But I liked when he came visiting her? It was special, and I want to know more about that link!
Tolya and Tamar are really good, and I wasn't much disappointed when they said they are in the sun summoner's cult - I was kind of aware of it since Tolya waited for some approval and a pat on his shoulder by Alina. I still hope Alina will trust them tho..


ANYWAY.
It was a long comment. I can't wait to finish this serie ! Hope to get more of Nikolai (of course). If they find the firebird at the beginning of Ruin and Rising like they did here with the sea whip, I do hope it'll be better paced than Siege and Storm !!

[Letitia]

I love Nikolai and wish to god she would end up with him instead I am so so sick of Mal.
I did not really enjoy this book, I liked the start with the pirates but when it became all battle strategy and preparation for battle I was like yeah cool but more action please - felt like it was Mal and her bickering all the time or being sad they can’t spend time together or someone getting jealous.
Mal does not deserve her at all and I wish she could see that and find someone better... Nikolai for example would be great but that most likely isn’t gonna happen.
I loved the scene when she used the darkling and almost killed them both, and I know she couldn’t die because there was one more book but I could have killed Mal for pulling her out before she managed to make sure she killed the darkling... it was so so close. Hope the next book has more action and faster pace

[Anvita (anvitascorner)]

lowkey unpopular opinion but i didn’t really like nikolai but i also don’t care for mal all that much, so does alina reallllly need a love interest?

[Alice]

I'm not so excited about this book... Mostly because it's not for me. I'm not so interested in the romance and I think that's the selling part of this series. I just wish there was more exploration to satisfy my heart craving for fantasy adventure. Although it feels like Alina is starting to make decisions for herself, it still ended up with her returning to the place she left. It sort of felt like we walked backwards at times, and it made the whole pacing drag. Usually I like political arcs, but there were so many parts in this book that felt a bit clumpsy to me (like the sudden attack by the Darkling, or how they got captured in the beginning).

And then there was the WHOLE mess with Mal... Honestly, I don't see what's good with him. I feel like he is supposed to symbolise the good choice while Darkling is the bad one, sort of different sides of a coin in a way? But he just turns out to be so unlikable and keeps judging Alina but when she actually wants to talk about it and sort it out, he just leaves... Even when she works up her courage and tells him, he leaves her. I just don't see how we are supposed too root for this lost cause? I understand why people want Darkling instead, not because it's less problematic(ish?) but at least we know it's problematic(ish). I think that spark between them tho in the forest was exciting tho! Mal keeping up with Grisha in fights supports my theory that he might not be so powerless as he thinks... But that's something to look forward to in the next book if it turns out to be true.

I did totally not see the Genya twist coming! I feel so bad for her too! Darkling really has no limits, which makes me wonder what happened to his actual mother...

I think the confrontation with the Darkling was interesting. One of the things I actually liked with this novel was how Alina is leaning closer to the darker side and how her power slowly is consuming her. I wonder how that will turn out now considering where she is at the end of the novel, where she is surrounded by people treating her as a saint.

I'm not super excited to read the last book tho, but I hope the plot will thicken a bit and we will finally get the true last epic fight. Third time's the charm right?