Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Posted 14 May, 2013 by Pushy in Blog, Bookworms, Danny, Danny's Book Review, Featured, Pushy, Pushy Book Review / 17 Comments

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh BardugoSiege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha #2
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 4th 2013
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 448
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
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5 Stars

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 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.

Pushy and Danny here and we want to talk about one of our most favorite series! *insert happy dance* Last year, book 1 of the series, Shadow & Bone, totally blew our minds and we were so incredibly and epically in love!!! 

siegeandstorm

 

Now, with Siege and Storm, being a sequel, how afraid were you picking it up?

Danny: Oh .. holy cow.. I was scared shitless!!! As much as I loved Shadow and Bone I didn’t think I’d love Siege & Storm just as much. What if I would fall out of love with The Darkling…

Pushy: I. COULD. NOT. WAIT!!!!!!  I had no fears of falling out of love with the Darkling.  I mean, COME ON!!!!  It’s the OMG-BAD-BOY-HOTNESS-LIKE-A-MILLION-SUNS (or lack thereof…) Darkling!!!!!!

Danny… arg, yes you are right, that as a ridiculous fear indeed!

Pushy: Oh, darling….don’t say that!  It’s just that I was willing to rush in all crazysauce and let’s face it….my love for the Darkling did waver during this book!

So, shortly what does Alina have to face in Siege & Storm?

Pushy: Um….wow.  Shortly?  Certain death, impossible quest, insanely outnumbered in a fight where she can’t even fully be sure of her own team, the dark forces within her own heart oh and yeah, boy troubles.  No big, when you’re living large as the Sun Summoner. 😉

Danny: ????

Wow.. so that sounds pretty intense hu.. Let’s move to the amazing characters and let’s first talk about…

Pushy: The Darkling!!

Danny: No… not yet, let’s first talk about Alina. She’s the main character after all…

Pushy: Can’t we at least start with Sturmhound?!?!?  Or Mal?  Or ooh, oooh, *Pushy dances around like a court jester on crack* The Darkling????  *Danny gives Pushy the stink eye* *Pushy heaves an ENORMOUS sigh*

Danny: Coming back to Alina *Danny gives Pushy a very stern look* .. Alina had so much to face in this sequel! There was so much pressure being thrown at her and everyone wanted something from her. It was a wonder she didn’t break! But… that’s also the beautty about Alina, she showed an amazing amount of strength and character development in this book. She never broke and at some point she truly decided to give in to her role as a savior and powerful Greisha!

Pushy: I have to admit, I fell in love with Alina by the end of this book.  In Shadow and Bone she was so locked up inside herself, never letting her power come to the forefront, she was just a miserable mess.  But in Siege and Storm, Alina is forced to leave that girl behind and grow into a woman who is powerful!  And by the end of the book….HOLY FREAKING MOLEY!!!!  Girl grew a set of big brass ones for sure.  The last 40 pages of the book?!?!  *Pushy shakes head in disbelief*  Tour de mother-effing force, folks!!!!!

Danny: But Alina’s not the only character who surprises us in this book.

Pushy: Heck no!  So many things we learn and see happen to our favorites…..Genya, Bagra and then there’s Mal…. 

Ahh.. yes , Mal – the boy who would do anything for her! We did love him in Shadow and Bone, what was his role in Siege and Storm?

Danny: I must admit, that Mal was the most difficult character for me in this book, I’m feeling very ambivalent towards him… I love how devoted he is to Alina, and always was, but here? I felt like he couldn’t understand Alina determination to help and accept her role as a Greisha. He just wanted them to have a normal life, but didn’t understand how she would rather face these dangers instead of running away from it. I loved him and I felt kind of sad for him, but sometimes he totally broke my heart and irriated me!

Pushy: He COULDN’T understand her.  And yet, I think it was this pain, the estrangement he felt from Alina so very keenly, that grew him SO MUCH as a character in my eyes.  I’m not a sadist or anything but that boy has a lucky horseshoe shoved up his hiney sometimes (best tracker in the world,  strong as an ox despite years as a poor orphan, good looking enough to turn any girl’s eye…) and he needed a sever dose of Alina’s-not-your-back-up-plan-pal.  Still, it was sad to see his love so severely tested….

Now… we can talk about The Darkling!

Pushy: HE’S MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I WILL MAKE THAT BAD BOY GOOD, OR GO DISNEY-EVIL-VILLAN-CRAZY TRYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*crickets*

Oh, you mean you want to talk about him as a character and not my fictional boyfriend? *awkward…*

Danny: *Danny shakes her head and whispers, “Pull it together, woman,” before continuing* I was kind of sad that he didn’t had a bigger role in this book, he was kind of absent for a major part of this story. He’s the most amazing villain ever and even though I know he’s a bad boy, I love him!!!

Pushy: In all seriousness, you’re absolutely right.  The Darkling is the menace that waits just beyond the next page in this book.  I think Leigh Bardugo did a good job keeping the thought of him present despite his physical absence throughout the book, using him to ratchet up the tension in a variety of ways throughout the story.

Danny: *looks surprised* Very true! But, while The Darkling wasn’t 100% present, there was a character that totally and completely stole my love and made me so damn excited!!

Sturmhound!!

Danny: YES! The pirate who ends up helping Alina and and Mal. He was such an incredible amazing character!!! I cannot express my love for him enough! Leigh Bardugo again showed us her incredible talent in creating such unqiue and aweome characters!!!

Pushy: I have to admit, If I wasn’t so damned in love with The Darkling, Sturmhound would have COMPLETELY melted my heart.  He’s truly the best mix of naughty and nice and super de dooper hot.  And with The Darkling not around and Mal not getting Alina and Sturmhound so very much around….. well…. Let’s just say, Alina has more men to pick from than Senorita Crabbypants truly deserves!

Danny: … and there is this super secret twist..

Pushy: *cries out and holds Danny’s mouth shut* Danny! You are not allowed to reveal this.. That is THE big secret and twist! Don’t spoil this!

Danny: *mumbles through Pushy’s fingers* .. uhm yes, you are right *blushes* 

Pushy: Okay, if I’m the one making sure we’re behaving, you know this isn’t going to end well.  *wink* So I think we should wrap this puppy up.  What’s our rating, babe?

Bewitched Rating

 

The magic rating of awesome!!!
(That’s a big 5+ stars, folks!)

Bottom Line

With a story arc that flys the reader through the pages and characters that will make you cry out in love, fear and anguish over, Siege and Storm, is more than a worthy sequel to Shadow and Bone, it’s a damn fine book in it’s own right.  Please BUY THIS BOOK TODAY!  You seriously will thank us for nudging you along!

 

  

Additional Info

Pushy and Danny reviewed Shadow and Bone last year, and Pushy made a comment about Alina which made Leigh Bardugo laugh out loud. I think she will never forget us just because of this!
And here below is the Reading Order including 2 Novella’s .. and after Reading Siege & Storm, I KNOW what The Too-Clever Fox will be about and I NEED to read it !

   

Alright, so did you love Shadow and Bone and are you also so excited about Siege and Storm??

What is your favorite character and.. how much do you love The Darkling? 

Much Love,
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Lover of words and authors; absolute fan girl of books! Give me a good story, with characters I can love (and hate) and I'll follow you anywhere. Sing me a song of worlds I can dream of, and I'll listen forever.

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17 Responses to “Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo”

  1. My biggest problem with the first book was the lack of subtlety in the foreshadowing, or rather the way that I felt like I was being beaten over the head with the foreshadowing. One of the big reveals I could see coming a mile off. But in spite of that, I found the story to be quite a creative one, and I’ve been looking forward to the sequel so that I can keep up with the tale. Glad to hear that it’s a good read!
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    Danny 5/14/2013

    The sequel is so amazing and I was surprised that it was just as awesome if not more. If you had some problems with the first book, maybe this one will totally blew your mind!

    Oh and I’d love to know if you figure out the big twist, because I totally didn’t see that coming!
    Danny recently posted..Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh BardugoMy Profile

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  2. I love when you do joint reviews! You all are crackin’ me up with it. And making me want to read this book RIGHT NOW (I got it last week and totally wasn’t expecting it then did a weird flail-y dance around the house. Probably like Pushy and her crack-filled jester dance.). I was a little scared that I wouldn’t love it as much as the first but I know I will now!
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    Danny 5/14/2013

    *giggles* glad we amuse you :)))

    see, you are just as scared as I was but.. DON’t be SCARED! It’s EPIC!
    Danny recently posted..Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh BardugoMy Profile

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  3. KM

    I’m with Pushy: THE DARKLINGGGGGGG!!!!! <3

    He's probably my favorite villain in YA. So I was also really sad that he didn't show up much in this book, though I liked the [spoiler] visions of him that Alina has [spoiler]. That kept him feeling more present. But I agree that my love for him was tested, especially with what he does in the end. I kept wanting him to make just one measly good choice…but he never does. lol

    Also, Sturmhond is SO AWESOME! I'm not sure how Alina could possibly still want to be with Mal with Sturmhond strutting around. I mean, really. He was so funny and hot and wonderful. Love. Him.
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    Danny 5/14/2013

    I think Pushy and me will end up fighting over The Darkling!! but.. I mean, if I can have Sturmhound I might be fine!!
    I also was a little sad that there wasn’t so much Darkling, but I have high hopes for the next book!
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  4. YES 5+ stars ALL THE WAY. This book… I hard a hard time fitting ALL THE LOVE for this book in the review because it was that amazing. I loved it even more than the first and it’s by far my favorite read of 2013!!
    STURMHOND. I loved him. I really felt like Alina had much more personality in this book AND so much more Mal, in my opinion! 🙂
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    Danny 5/14/2013

    Lol when I’m in so much love with a book I always feel that I can never do this book justice!
    I also loved Alina so much more in this sequel.. but.. *sniffles* I was a little disappointed with Mal…
    Danny recently posted..Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh BardugoMy Profile

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  5. ACK! I haven’t read Shadow and Bone! It’s one of the few books I actually broke down and bought a copy of at the book store (B&N). I just had to have it after all the great reviews about it. But i still haven’t had time to read it. Now, I’m going to need this one, too, I’m afraid. Might as well get it. I’ll need the sequel. Are those novellas pictured above or different covers?? Can’t tell what they are.

    Heather

    Very fun review! Love it when both of you do a review together!
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  6. Rachel

    Love this review! I was cracking up. I’m with you guys 100% on the Darkling and Mal. I just…don’t like Mal. I hate how he wants Alina to be someone she’s not. You don’t SUPPRESS the hero of the story, lol. I can’t understand how Alina could want someone like that, even if he was her best friend growing up. She’s moved on and no longer his shadow. She needs someone who wants her to EMBRACE her power. Whether that be Sturmhond or the Darkling, apparently it’s not Mal lol.

    Holding out hope for Darkling redemption in book 3. Although I do think some of his motives aren’t bad ones. He just doesn’t execute them in the best way lol.

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  7. Haha you really made me laugh now! I totally understand your enthusiasm about Siege and Storm. I can’t wait to finally read it, only a week more weeks, yay! I was reluctant to read Shadow and Bone in the beginning, but then I fell very hard for it. Love your review!

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  8. I AM SO EXCITED FOR SIEGE AND STORM AHHHH!! I love that this book will test Mal and Alina’s relationship, it makes it less happily-ever-after and although those are always nice, they aren’t realistic. I cannot wait to find out who is Sturmhound! Been hearing so much about him I have got to find out hehe :3

    Great review ladies! So stoked it’s just a month’s wait now 😀
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