Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Alina and Mal have finally escaped Ravka, but they can’t leave behind the Darkling and Alina’s monumental power. The Darkling is determined to collect all of the amplifiers for Alina, but Alina has some unexpected allies in high places helping her work against the Darkling. As Alina is drawn back to court and darkness settles over Ravka, Alina will have to learn who can be trusted and just how much darkness the Sun Summoner is capable of.

Although the exposition of this second novel in the Grisha trilogy leans more towards the telling end of the writing spectrum and the characters stumble into danger rather quickly, Bardugo keeps the tension building throughout this novel by constantly pushing Alina and Mal towards internal and physical conflicts. The introduction of a risk-taking, powerful character who relies heavily on banter and humor to communicate shakes up the narrative in places where it tends to get heavy or dark, and challenges Alina’s moral purposes. The expanded cast, heightened stakes, and complicated emotional attachments make this story sizzle with betrayals and battles, and the heart-pounding ending will have readers grasping for the third book. Siege and Storm is a well-crafted novel, a rarity for a second book in a trilogy these days.

Cover Comments: I am sort of in love with the covers of these books. I think they give just enough of  the Russian cultural influence feel, balanced with some awesome fantasy title art. This is fantastic, and I love the icy blues in this cover particularly.

Book purchased from my indie.