Steph Sinclair's Reviews > Siege and Storm
Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #2)
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by
Steph Sinclair's review
bookshelves: macmillan, i-need-to-buy-this-book, young-adult, 2013-release, cool-author, 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, yeah-baby-5-stars, i-own-it
May 22, 2012
bookshelves: macmillan, i-need-to-buy-this-book, young-adult, 2013-release, cool-author, 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, yeah-baby-5-stars, i-own-it
I always go into a second book in a series with fears that it will have the dreaded "Second Book Syndrome". I worry that the characters will regress, the plot will stall and surmount to overall ridiculousness, and in the end, become boring and lathered in disappointment. So even though The Grisha series is a new favorite for me, I still had these concerns. You cannot even imagine my glee when I discovered Siege and Storm did NOT suffer from any of these things. On the contrary, it was even better than its predecessor. If you loved Shadow and Bone, be prepared to be blown away!
There are so many things I want mention and squeal about in this review, but OH THE SPOILERS. And anyway, Kat did such a great job with reviewing in code already. So I've decided to just write letters.
Dear Darkling,
You're so evil, but I can't seem to conjure up any feelings of dislike for you. In fact, I missed you in Siege and Storm. For most of the novel, you were gone from me, only appearing in Alina's dreams. How fair is that? Don't you know how much I need your evil goodness to be present at all times? Seeing you torture the poor peasants of the Grisha world, warms my heart.
And, oh, Darkling, what new skills you have. Wait, does that sound dirty? Because it totally isn't. Then again, you did tell us all to, "Make me your villain." It's only fair if I, too, am allowed at least one inappropriate pun. But seriously, you've leveled up faster than a Super Saiyan in Siege and Storm. Kat says you learned to line dance, but I think it's more along the line of baking cookies. You showed those cookies who was boss!
But your ending concerns me. I guess the cookie batter turned out to be much more difficult that you expected. Maybe you should take a page from Paula Deen and add more evil butter. I'm not sure this has anything to do with book 3, Ruin and Rising, but I just like cookies, okay? And you. I like you too. So be sure to be extra evil next time and give those cookies a run for their money.
Love,
Steph
--------------------
Dearest Mal,
Please do us all a favor and stop being so insecure over your relationship with Alina. The girl's got a lot on her plate. She has the responsibility of saving all of Ravka, which is kinda a tad more important than you. I need for you to be more understanding and supportive. I liked you in Shadow and Bone, but I'm starting to think I'm outgrowing my mildly inappropriate swooning of you. Just yesterday, I found myself wondering if Leigh might actually kill you off in Ruin and Rising. If that happens, it's possible I might only mourn you for half a page. No, no, no! I take it back! Don't you dare die on me, Mal-Mal!
True love is tough love,
Steph
P.S. I still love you, Mal. <3
--------------------
Sturmhond,
I think I speak for everyone when I say, please become a real person.
xoxo,
Steph
========
And finally:
Dear Leigh,
Amazing.
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 thisawesome evil. And because Troy gifs have become our thing:
Also, that ending is causing me to hit the Kvas pretty hard tonight. Look what you've done to me.
Hiccup,
Steph
An ARC was received for a review from the publisher. No monies or favors were exchanged for a positive review. Thanks, Macmillan!
More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
There are so many things I want mention and squeal about in this review, but OH THE SPOILERS. And anyway, Kat did such a great job with reviewing in code already. So I've decided to just write letters.
Dear Darkling,
You're so evil, but I can't seem to conjure up any feelings of dislike for you. In fact, I missed you in Siege and Storm. For most of the novel, you were gone from me, only appearing in Alina's dreams. How fair is that? Don't you know how much I need your evil goodness to be present at all times? Seeing you torture the poor peasants of the Grisha world, warms my heart.
And, oh, Darkling, what new skills you have. Wait, does that sound dirty? Because it totally isn't. Then again, you did tell us all to, "Make me your villain." It's only fair if I, too, am allowed at least one inappropriate pun. But seriously, you've leveled up faster than a Super Saiyan in Siege and Storm. Kat says you learned to line dance, but I think it's more along the line of baking cookies. You showed those cookies who was boss!
But your ending concerns me. I guess the cookie batter turned out to be much more difficult that you expected. Maybe you should take a page from Paula Deen and add more evil butter. I'm not sure this has anything to do with book 3, Ruin and Rising, but I just like cookies, okay? And you. I like you too. So be sure to be extra evil next time and give those cookies a run for their money.
Love,
Steph
--------------------
Dearest Mal,
Please do us all a favor and stop being so insecure over your relationship with Alina. The girl's got a lot on her plate. She has the responsibility of saving all of Ravka, which is kinda a tad more important than you. I need for you to be more understanding and supportive. I liked you in Shadow and Bone, but I'm starting to think I'm outgrowing my mildly inappropriate swooning of you. Just yesterday, I found myself wondering if Leigh might actually kill you off in Ruin and Rising. If that happens, it's possible I might only mourn you for half a page. No, no, no! I take it back! Don't you dare die on me, Mal-Mal!
True love is tough love,
Steph
P.S. I still love you, Mal. <3
--------------------
Sturmhond,
I think I speak for everyone when I say, please become a real person.
xoxo,
Steph
========
And finally:
Dear Leigh,
Amazing.
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
Also, that ending is causing me to hit the Kvas pretty hard tonight. Look what you've done to me.
Mal, Darkling, Sturmhond... I must collect them all.
Hiccup,
Steph
An ARC was received for a review from the publisher. No monies or favors were exchanged for a positive review. Thanks, Macmillan!
More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
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Quotes Steph Liked
“I have loved you all my life, Mal,” I whispered through my tears. “There is no end to our story.”
― Siege and Storm
― 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.”
― Siege and Storm
"What's so funny?"
"I just pictured the Darkling being cornered by a sweaty duchess trying to have her way with him.”
― Siege and Storm
“Sturmhond had a way of talking that made me want to shoot someone. Preferably him.”
― Siege and Storm
― Siege and Storm
Reading Progress
May 22, 2012
– Shelved
May 22, 2012
– Shelved as:
macmillan
May 22, 2012
– Shelved as:
i-need-to-buy-this-book
May 22, 2012
– Shelved as:
young-adult
May 22, 2012
– Shelved as:
2013-release
September 6, 2012
– Shelved as:
cool-author
April 4, 2013
–
Started Reading
April 8, 2013
–
39.77%
"The moment when everything in Real Life is going to shit, but you can't be fucked because you're reading an awesome book, so you just tell everyone...
"
page
173
"
April 10, 2013
–
67.13%
"Mal snickered.
"What's so funny?"
"I just pictured the Darkling being cornered by a sweaty duchess trying to have her way with him."
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
page
292
"What's so funny?"
"I just pictured the Darkling being cornered by a sweaty duchess trying to have her way with him."
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
2-am-or-later
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
2013-reads
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
2013-favorite
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
action-packed
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
all-time-favorites
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
awesome
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
best-characters
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
deserves-every-one-of-those-stars
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
didn-t-disappoint
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
high-fantasy
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
i-didn-t-see-that-coming
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
i-need-the-next-book-like-yesterday
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
just-take-my-heart-already
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
left-me-in-a-sad-emotional-state
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
mind-blowing-good
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
oh-yeah-baby
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
omg-that-ending
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
original-and-creative
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
pure-win
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
superb-world-building
April 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
yeah-baby-5-stars
April 11, 2013
–
Finished Reading
September 10, 2015
– Shelved as:
i-own-it
Comments Showing 1-50 of 59 (59 new)
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YAY so looking forward to reading your thoughts on this one! Have been enjoying discussing it with some others and would love to continue that here with you :)
Loved everyone's 5 stars of this... so glad to see this is quite possibly even better than her first installment (which was amazing!).
lol, I love reading what shelves you put this one on. I'm thinking I need to reread this one... your comments while reading--I'm trying to remember the letter! But failing. Hm.
Christina wrote: "lol, I love reading what shelves you put this one on. I'm thinking I need to reread this one... your comments while reading--I'm trying to remember the letter! But failing. Hm."
It was the pretend letter she wrote in her head to the King and Queen. It was quite comical. LOL.
Rhys wrote: "((Kvas is a non-alcoholic beverage? Haha)).
And glad you liked it :)"
In the story it's an alcoholic beverage. And it's superb. I just want everyone to read it.
It was the pretend letter she wrote in her head to the King and Queen. It was quite comical. LOL.
Rhys wrote: "((Kvas is a non-alcoholic beverage? Haha)).
And glad you liked it :)"
In the story it's an alcoholic beverage. And it's superb. I just want everyone to read it.
Oh, this one definitely avoided sophomore syndrome--thank goodness! This trend means R&R should be even better, right? ;)
I just bought it in hardback on Bookdepository, can't wait to read it!!! :D Shadow & Bone was the best fantasy book I read in a really long time.
This is a great review! Just finished the book and not need something stronger than Kvas to get me through till book three
Love love love your review! I'm still waiting for my copy of S&S but the Darkling captured my heart in S&B. I am so in love with him, my heart wants him to pull a Snape. Or a Vader, but not wait until he's dying to pull his head out of his rear!
I'm a bit conflicted about this one. Finished it yesterday and I'm still not sure how to feel about it. Had expected more emotional breakdown. But maybe it's my mind protecting itself from the tedious task of waiting another year for Ruin & Rising ;)
(But oh, how I loved the roof scene and everyone jumping around like crazy.)
And as usual, awesome review :)
(But oh, how I loved the roof scene and everyone jumping around like crazy.)
And as usual, awesome review :)
Your letter to the Darkling was utter perfection. That beautiful, smexy villain can bake me evil-butter cookies any damn time he wants. mmmmmm.
Although I do appreciate the make me your villain quote, I must say that "I'll be certain you hear it when I make her scream" was my favourite ;)
I can't believe I missed all these comments. Thanks, everyone!
@Tandie, LOL. I must say, I love how evil he is!
@Isabella, Oh gosh! Ruin & Rising is sure to tear my apart inside!
@Kate, Evil butter cookies. Mmmmm, indeed. :D
@Stephanie, I forgot all about that one! He's so quotable. lol.
@Tandie, LOL. I must say, I love how evil he is!
@Isabella, Oh gosh! Ruin & Rising is sure to tear my apart inside!
@Kate, Evil butter cookies. Mmmmm, indeed. :D
@Stephanie, I forgot all about that one! He's so quotable. lol.
Everything you said I agree with. How can I love the Darkling when he's so damn evil. Oooo I love him.
Your letter to Mal pretty much sums up why I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5. I know Alina loves him and all, but sooner or later she's gonna get sick of his neediness.
Morgan wrote: "Your letter to Mal pretty much sums up why I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5. I know Alina loves him and all, but sooner or later she's gonna get sick of his neediness."
I wonder the same thing. Is he going to get better in the last book or will she ditch him? I would be very surprised if they don't end up together though.
I wonder the same thing. Is he going to get better in the last book or will she ditch him? I would be very surprised if they don't end up together though.