After reading and loving book one, Shadow and Bone, I had extremely high expectations for Siege and Storm. I am very happy to say that my expectations were met and it was just as wonderful as I had hoped!

Having not a bit of the second-in-a-series syndrome, Siege and Storm was beautifully written, filled with the same rich Russian fantasy that I adored in the first book. The story was filled with twists and surprises, leaving me thankful that I waited to read this one while I could read Ruin and Rising, book 3, as soon as I finished.

There were some new characters introduced that I absolutely loved. Most important: Sturmhond. Oh my goodness did I love him! Filled with clever, sassy and somewhat sarcastic remarks, he was a great foil to Mal, who I also adore. I had heard that Alina could find a possible love interest in Sturmhond and what I heard was correct. But, I’m still torn on my feelings. I’m pretty sure I remain loyal to Mal.

The Darkling, although not physically present throughout the bulk of the book, still created a looming presence that was very eerie and creepy, especially as the reader sees the story from Alina’s point of view. Some people find the Darkling sexy, but I just think of him as a really mentally messed up guy who needs to look for an obsession in someone closer to his age. Oh, and stop trying to destroy everything good in the world. But that’s just me.

All in all, if you’ve read Shadow and Bone but aren’t sure if you want to continue on with the series or not (If that’s you: what’s wrong with you?!), I’d definitely recommend you read Siege and Storm. Although fantasy is one of my favorite genres, I have yet to find a series that is addictive. But Leigh Bardugo with her amazing Russian fantasy has got me hooked and begging for more!

RATING: 4.5/5

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