Reviews

Siege and Storm - Takhta dan Prahara by Leigh Bardugo

mairynscho26's review against another edition

5.0

I am team Nikolai. The plot, the politics, the romantic tension all had me hooked.

bananasarethebest's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I am having very conflicting thoughts on this book...

The first part of the book was so good and had me hooked, I liked that it was set at sea and there were pirates and sea creatures involved, especially the Water Dragon as the second amplifier. 
I absolutely love Sturmhond and I was so shocked to find out that it was actually Prince Nikolai! 

The middle part of the book had me a bit bored and it felt kinda draggy and long...Alina was also starting to really piss me off. Like she got so worked up about this power and she was being so selfish, I felt so bad for Mal. Honestly he deserved a lot better. I still want them as endgame though...Also Nikolai was just getting better and better and he seems really sweet. Also I absolutely loved Tolya and Tamar and finding out they followed the Apparat was just shocking. 

The ending had me sobbing. I was so sad that their whole magnificent plan was foiled because of Vasily but honestly if it did go to their plan that would not be interesting so I guess it was predicted. So many people died and the way the Darkling tortured Genya made me sob uncontrollably. I'm so glad Alina escaped again but it was for nothing because they are back to square one AGAIN! I also hope Nikolai is alive...

Overall I think this book was pretty decent and I did enjoy my time I had reading it, though it did take me a full on month to finish.

Overall, I give the book a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. It was really good but not that good at the same time. 

'"Of course not," said Sturmhond. "Anything worth doing always starts as a bad idea"'

"'I took a breath. “Your highness—”
“Nikolai,” he corrected. “But I’ve also been known to answer to ‘sweetheart’ or ‘handsome"'

deborah_the_nomad's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

marghe_17's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

There isn't anything spice , but there is romance

anie_star's review against another edition

5.0

Siege and Storm is the second book in The Shadow and Bone series. The series is set in the same world as Six of Crows (my favourite) but before the events of the duology. Grishaverse is one of my all-time favourite fantasy worlds created. It's unique, interesting and well thought out. And the Netflix series is awesome too.

Alina and Mal are on the run. She is keeping her identity a secret, but it's been hard. It doesn't have long before they are captured by Darkling and his crew. He has new powers and a plan that involves both Alina and Mal.

Aboard a ship run by a privateer Sturmhond, they sail the sees before they escape and return back.

As Alina dives deeper into her power, the wedge between her and Mal deepens. It's a hard world to live in, full of betrayal and difficult choices.

bbrassfield's review against another edition

3.0

Wild finish to the middle novel in the series, but finish is hardly the right word since the world Ravka is a part of is still very much in a state of well and truly fucked. Deducting half a star for Mal's interference with the final act in book two which could have wrapped the entire story as a duology, and for his incessant brooding and bad behavior rooted in his deep insecurities. Seriously, Alina just needs to bang the Darkling on the throne of shadows or whatever he's calling it now, in full view of her 'tracker' so that if he can't be killed, which Bardugo's had plenty of perfectly good opportunities, at least he can fuck back off to wherever Alina is not never to lay eyes on her again. Even Alina doesn't realize how happy this would make herself at this point. It's self-care at this point girlfriend. Then move on to Nikolai since the Darkling probably tires easily, what with all his energy spent on his shadow army.

By the end of the third volume, I'd better be reading about Alina drinking beer out of the Apparat's skull while resting her feet on a footstool she made out of Mal's ribcage after he finally got himself killed foolishly fighting Grisha when all he ever really hated was himself.

chloebug13's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

lycanbreakfast's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

Jesus I smashed that book but also mad it was basically a set up for the final book was good tho just wished it didn’t make me desperately need to the last book NOW

yourlocalhobo's review against another edition

2.0

This was a very hot mess. I’ve realized that I’m not Team Malina nor am I Team Darklina. I am Team Alina Needs To Focus On Herself.

jmchivers's review against another edition

3.0

The storyline continues to drag and I'm not convinced I like Alina. This story had so much potential but the direction it is taking doesn't seem like it will pick the pace back up.