Siege and Storm
(The Grisha #2)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic.
Published: June 5 2014
Pages: 381 pages (Paperback) (Indigo)
Read: January 4 2016 - March 6 2016
Rating: 3 Stars
SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOK AHEAD
The Darkling cupped my cheek with his hand, and when he spoke, his voice was almost tender. 'This is just the beginning,' he whispered.
Alina thought she could run from her past and escape her destiny. She can't.
Mal hoped he'd done enough to protect the girl he loved. He hadn't.
The Darkling, more powerful than before, is hungry for revenge. He needs Alina.
Soon Alina must choose between her country, her power, and the man she loves -- or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.
Book 10/65 - 2016 Goodreads Reading ChallengeAlina thought she could run from her past and escape her destiny. She can't.
Mal hoped he'd done enough to protect the girl he loved. He hadn't.
The Darkling, more powerful than before, is hungry for revenge. He needs Alina.
Soon Alina must choose between her country, her power, and the man she loves -- or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.
Siege and Storm is the second book in The Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. So if you haven't read the first book in this series DO NOT KEEP READING! Anyhoo now that that warning is out. Siege and Storm continues off where Shadow and Bone left with Alina and Mal on the run from The Darkling and Ravka.
I really wanted to love this book. I wanted to love it so much since I gave Shadow and Bone 5 Stars, but I felt that this book suffered from middle book syndrome or perhaps maybe it was just me.
I did have quite a few problems with this book while I was reading it. The main problem I had though, which probably added a lot to my disappointed with this book was that I was bored... I was so bored reading this book. A large chunk of the middle of Siege and Storm just had me dragging myself through the pages because basically nothing happened. Because of this, I had a terrible habit of putting this book down after a few pages during that middle to start and finish other books which grabbed my attention. So yes, it took me a long time to read this book.
In truth, the main reason I loved Shadow and Bone was because of The Darkling! Boy, boy, boy, The Darkling just had me at the get go in Shadow and Bone. We all need a bad boy, ain't that right? And The Darkling was just it! He was an amazing, sexy and just gorgeous character and he wasn't in Siege and Storm that much. He was there at the beginning and then again towards the end and that is solely why I enjoyed those parts but he wasn't there for a large chunk of this book and it made me so sad! But instead of The Darkling we got Nikolai.
Nikolai also made reading this book bearable. I really enjoyed his character. I enjoyed his quirkiness, the way he changed personas, just him and the way he is. He was a really great addition to this series, I really hope we see a lot of him in Ruin and Rising as well as The Darkling!
As for Mal and Alina. I didn't like Mal. I didn't like him in Shadow and Bone and I didn't like him here. Why is he the main love interest??? Ugh... But I started to feel different about Alina too in this book. I enjoyed her character again in Shadow and Bone but as she changed in Siege and Storm, I became a bit indifferent. There was a lot of angst from her, a lot of indecision and a lot of tumbling around the same thoughts. She also made a lot of the same mistakes. But towards the end I did gain more respect for her but I'm still unsure of how I feel right now.
As I mentioned before I was bored while reading this book. I would have liked to see a lot more action and I just wanted more to happen really. But alas that is not what we got but I will be continuing to read on with the final book of this trilogy, Ruin and Rising, because even though I've heard mixed reviews I need to know what happens. I need to see more of The Darkling too before I say goodbye to this series. Plus I really want to read Six of Crows too!
I really wanted to love this book. I wanted to love it so much since I gave Shadow and Bone 5 Stars, but I felt that this book suffered from middle book syndrome or perhaps maybe it was just me.
I did have quite a few problems with this book while I was reading it. The main problem I had though, which probably added a lot to my disappointed with this book was that I was bored... I was so bored reading this book. A large chunk of the middle of Siege and Storm just had me dragging myself through the pages because basically nothing happened. Because of this, I had a terrible habit of putting this book down after a few pages during that middle to start and finish other books which grabbed my attention. So yes, it took me a long time to read this book.
In truth, the main reason I loved Shadow and Bone was because of The Darkling! Boy, boy, boy, The Darkling just had me at the get go in Shadow and Bone. We all need a bad boy, ain't that right? And The Darkling was just it! He was an amazing, sexy and just gorgeous character and he wasn't in Siege and Storm that much. He was there at the beginning and then again towards the end and that is solely why I enjoyed those parts but he wasn't there for a large chunk of this book and it made me so sad! But instead of The Darkling we got Nikolai.
Nikolai also made reading this book bearable. I really enjoyed his character. I enjoyed his quirkiness, the way he changed personas, just him and the way he is. He was a really great addition to this series, I really hope we see a lot of him in Ruin and Rising as well as The Darkling!
As for Mal and Alina. I didn't like Mal. I didn't like him in Shadow and Bone and I didn't like him here. Why is he the main love interest??? Ugh... But I started to feel different about Alina too in this book. I enjoyed her character again in Shadow and Bone but as she changed in Siege and Storm, I became a bit indifferent. There was a lot of angst from her, a lot of indecision and a lot of tumbling around the same thoughts. She also made a lot of the same mistakes. But towards the end I did gain more respect for her but I'm still unsure of how I feel right now.
As I mentioned before I was bored while reading this book. I would have liked to see a lot more action and I just wanted more to happen really. But alas that is not what we got but I will be continuing to read on with the final book of this trilogy, Ruin and Rising, because even though I've heard mixed reviews I need to know what happens. I need to see more of The Darkling too before I say goodbye to this series. Plus I really want to read Six of Crows too!
I kinda feel the same way about this book. I definitely thought it wasn't as fast-paced and action-packed as the first and there was some really slow parts in this one. Also, I'm so glad someone agrees with me about Mal! I NEVER LIKED HIM, EVER. He just seems so flat, boring, and very unrealistic. (Team The Darkling forever <3)
ReplyDelete-Cari @ myaddictionbooks.blogspot.com
Thank God I'm not the only one. I know, Mal was definitely not a favourite for me from the beginning.... I just couldn't find any good aspect in him. Of course Team Darkling!!
DeleteI have to agree with some of the conclusions you reached here! I really liked book one because of the Darkling but for the most part he is absent in this book and that really bothered me. I wished he was around to spice up the book. This one was really there to branch over into the third book, but Bardugo threw in a lot of new characters and that managed to uphold my interest in the book. I'm looking forward to reading the finale in the Fantasy Favourites Read-a-thon.
ReplyDeleteHe is such a good, bad character right? :p Yes, hopefully this was only having middle book syndrome and the Ruin and Rising will be better. I'm glad I'm not the only one to feel this way about this book. I know I can't wait for the read-a-thon to finish this off :)
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