Siege and Storm (Shadow and Bone #2) by: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: June 4, 2013 by: Henry Holt and Company
Pages: 435
Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Warnings: Violence and gore, predatory behaviour

Alina and Mal are in hiding, on the run from the dangerous Darkling who is in pursuit of Alina and her powers as the Sun Summoner. But when they learn that the Darkling is waging war against Ravka, Alina enlists the help of a mysterious privateer to bring them back to the country they abandoned. But the Darkling is not finished with his manipulation of Alina, and Alina begins to slip further into the Darkling's grasp. Suddenly Alina must choose between her love for Mal, her love for her country, and her newfound powers that could save, or kill, everyone.

I did NOT think I was going to love this book as much as I did. Now did I enjoy Shadow and Bone? Yes. But as always, I have a love/hate relationship with fantasy novels and I have been known to tear a series apart after the first book. But this book ended up being a new favourite for me. I definitely preferred it to even the first.

I think the characters got even stronger in Siege and Storm. Alina is dealing with this internal conflict where she is loyal to Mal, but she also cannot resist her powers and the hold that the Darkling has on her. Mal is one of those characters that you either love or hate. I appreciate that he has some duality there. And speaking of duality... the Darkling is one of the best written villains to ever exist. He is pure evil, but he also has hinted to have some softer sides. I can never side with the villain, but I have to admit, he is such an amazing character.

The plot kept me entertained the entire time. Like I said, I usually get bored in fantasy novels. But this book was so interesting in the ways in which Alina and Mal make their way back to Ravka, and their run-ins with the Darkling. I LOVED the character of the privateer. No spoilers, but the reveal of the privateer's identity blew me away! There were definitely a lot of shocks to this book, which made me feel all the feelings.

Overall, I'm really happy I continued with this series. Sometimes I just let fantasy series stay unfinished, but this series is on track to become a new favourite of mine. Now give me the tv show!

Have you read Siege and Storm? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

King of Scars (Nikolai Duology #1) by: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: January 29, 2019 by: Imprint
Pages: 527
Rating: 3/5 stars

Fresh off of Ravka's bloody civil war, Nikolai Lantsov is trying to get his country back together. The young king is riddled by growing enemies with a thirst for power. And, he has got a dark energy inside of him that grows stronger with each passing day. With the help of some former allies and new ones, Nikolai must rebuild Ravka's shattered state, and attempt to control himself and his magic at the same time.

I am not an expert when it comes to the Grisha universe. I read the Six of Crows duology a long time ago, and just recently started the Shadow and Bone trilogy. The kicker is, I have only read the first Shadow and Bone book so far, and I got really confused by the order of all of these series, so the entire Shadow and Bone series kinda got spoiled for me by reading this book. I thought that I could read this before finishing Shadow and Bone and everything would be ok. *shrugs.*

I'm not too bummed about getting the series spoiled for me, but I think that does reflect on my opinions on this book. Because I wasn't aware that this book takes place after Shadow and Bone, I was really confused about some of the things they were talking about. Again, this is my own bad, but it still did squander my interest in this book.

I was really happy to see Nina in this book. She is such a badass character from Six of Crows, and I was happy to see the crossover. I think Bardugo is doing something that Rick Riordan does so well: create a whole universe of stories that intertwine. I get really into crossovers, so I was happy to revisit a favourite old character of mine.

Bardugo's writing is beautiful, as always. I didn't like fantasy books for the longest time, but the Grishaverse is such a fascinating world that drew me right in. I think Nikolai is a very intriguing character, and I enjoyed learning more about him. That being said, I think I needed more background knowledge from the other books to help me along the way.

So overall, I think the reason I wasn't sold on this book is mostly my fault. I plan to finish Shadow and Bone, re-read Six of Crows, and the maybe revisit this series. That being said, I am happy to be a new fan of the Grishaverse!

Have you read King of Scars? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone Trilogy #1) by: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: June 5, 2012 by: Henry Holt and Company
Pages: 358
Rating: 4/5 stars

*review contains spoilers

The nation of Ravka is divided by the Fold, a mysterious layer of darkness ridden with monsters. Alina works and fights along it, but when her best friend is brutally injured, she uncovers a power she didn't even know she had. Soon Alina is whisked off to be trained as a Grisha, a group of magical elite people who learn under the Darkling, the most powerful being in Ravka. As the Darkling takes an interest in Alina, she must uncover his true secrets, and decide who she is able to trust in her war-torn country.

I finally did it, I read the book that book twitter can't keep quiet about! Honestly, I expected to hate this book. Fantasies are not my cup of tea, and I think that Leigh Bardugo's writing is something that I normally struggle to get into. However, I thought this book was fabulous. Full of action and intrigue, and captured me right in.

Basically, I was looking for a new series to obsess over, and this could very much be a contender! I loved all of the characters, and the mystery that they hold. Alina was resilient and strong, Mal was loyal (and in my opinion, way better than the Darkling), but the Darkling was also a really well-written villain. I enjoyed learning about him and I find his backstory to be fascinating.

I was concerned that the plot would be boring and pretentious, but I didn't find that at all! I thought there was consistent action from start to finish, and by the end of the book, I completely flew through the novel. In fact, I think I finished this book all in two days, which is a big win for fantasies in my opinion.

*Spoiler section:

The only thing that prevented this book from being a total win, was the romance aspect. I really don't get how Alina and the Darkling are a thing. He was incredibly abusive and manipulative, and I really don't understand the hype surrounding them? In my opinion, Mal is so much better for her, but in reality I would like to see Alina stand on her own. I don't think this series needs romance to be successful, but that's more of a personal opinion. We shall see once I continue with the series.

Anyways, I really did enjoy this book. I found it to be intriguing and unique. I really would love to read more.

Have you read Shadow and Bone? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: August 28, 2017 by: Random House Children's Books
Pages: 364
Rating: 3/5 stars

Princess Diana longs to prove herself worthy to her warrior sisters. But when she risks everything by rescuing a mortal, she is soon sent into a quest with the mysterious Alia, a direct descendant of Helen of Troy who is being hunted down, as she holds the power to unleash a world war. Together, the two girls with endure supernatural enemies and coming to terms with their own strengths, in order to save both of their very different worlds.

I'm kind of up in arms about this book. On one hand, it was unique, what could have been a thrilling tale about a beloved superhero from a much beloved author. On the other, it was a book that I may have forced myself to like, because of said beloved author and my willingness to attempt to get myself into superheroes.

The one geeky thing I can't seem to get myself into are superheroes. Comics are ok, but not my favourite, and the superhero movies just don't interest me all that much. But dammit, if Leigh Bardugo writes a book, you read the book. I didn't hate this book, it just wasn't my cup of tea, although I do enjoy the concept of wonder woman and the mythological undertones.

Overall, this book just wasn't for me. I enjoyed the action and learning about a superhero I don't know much about, but I don't think I'll be picking up any other YA superhero retellings from now on. I just find them boring and dull. But hey, if you like Wonder Woman, you may love this book.

Have you read Wonder Woman: Warbringer? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: September 20, 2016 by: Henry Holt and Company
Pages: 546
Rating: 5/5 stars

*highlight white text to reveal spoilers*- there are some major ones in here so be cautious!

Fresh off of pulling off their deadly heist, Kaz Brekker and co. have a new task on their hands: battling new enemies and unlocking the secrets to a deadly drug that is circling through the Grisha world. A war is looming on the horizon, and Kaz and his crew must fight even harder to keep the people they love alive, or surrender to the people out to get them.

I mean, what else can I say about this series other than the fact that you have to read it? It is seriously one of the best series I have read. With diverse characters, a fast-paced plot, and killer relationships, this book is wickedly good. Read it and weep.

First off, Bardugo has written some of the strongest characters I've ever seen. period. Each character has their own strengths, weaknesses, and you will fall in love with each of them. Not to mention that she keeps her characters incredibly diverse, so I guarantee you will connect with someone in this book. Even the villains are expertly crafted!

The plot of this book was magical and incredible in every sort of way. There are a lot of parallels with the first book of course, and everything came full circle in the end. Although I will say, you will cry at times. Bardugo tugs on your emotions like its her job and she will kill off the people you love the most!! *sniff* Matthias *sniff*. I understand why she had to do it, it added to the plot, but still :((((

I'm happy with how the duology ended. I think I got the closure I needed, and as devastating as some parts were, I know why they had to happen. Bardugo carries major themes in her novels that just hit you with such strength. It's hard not to become emotionally attached to her books.

You gotta read this series. It has the most magical world-building, the twistiest of plot-twists, and the most lovable of characters. It is an incredible fantasy with an incredible message.

Have you read Crooked Kingdom? Can we cry together?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Six of Crows ( Six of Crows #1) by: Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: September 29, 2015 by: Henry Holt and Company
Pages: 465
Rating: 5/5 stars

Ketterdam is the centre of international trade and a place where you want to go if you want to get rich. When notorious thief Kaz Brekker is offered the chance to complete a difficult heist that could get him rich, it is no secret that he agrees. However he will need the help of a few other outcasts of Ketterdam to complete this mission, and make it out alive.

WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH!! Nobody told me that this book would be this intense. Actually a lot of people did, this being probably one of the most HIGHLY RECCOMMENED BOOKS OF ALL TIME! Now fantasy and I do not always get along, however this book was more than that. It was mystical, adventurous, a bit steamy, and all very mysterious. All I can say is, that this book would make a great movie because the cinematography would be wonderful!

I loved the settings of this book. It seemed a bit old fashioned, but also had a very mystical and futuristic vibe. I can only imagine how cool it would be to live in such a place! Bardugo did a great job at using descriptive diction to draw the reader into the setting, make them latch on, and never let go.

The characters in this book were out of this world amazing! We have the fearless leader, Kaz, but he has a band of misfits behind him who are all the more interesting as well. Inej was by far my favourite character, as she was cunning and kind and the definition of a strong woman. Each character had their own unique characterisitics, and none took away from others. Everybody had their moment to shine.

This book was a fantasy, but it goes much deeper into a mystery and adventure, with fast paced thrills and even some comic relief. There is truly something for everyone, and I didn't find it heavy at all. In fact, I kept reading more and more because every page was a new thrill! And let's not forget that the book has black rimmed pages, WHAT OTHER BOOK HAS BLACK RIMMED PAGES?!

Overall, you need to read this book. Like right now. Put whatever book you're reading down and just pick up this one, because it was nothing short of amazing.

Have you read Six of Crows? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess