[review] SIEGE AND STORM BY LEIGH BARDUGO

Book: Siege and Storm
Series: (The Grisha #2)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Rating:

Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land.
She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long. The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka.
But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm

I have always said that the hardest books to review are the ones we love the most, and I'm not doing Siege and Storm justice at all. Leigh Bardugo has crafted a novel that I will cherish among my favourites. Siege and Storm  managed to blow me away. I just ate up all the chaos and wonder that is Ravka.

Five Reasons why I LOVE this book:

1. The World-Building -  I love the world that Leigh Bardugo has created. It has a really fast pace and a unique Russian inspired story, which is so different from other fantasy books I have read. It's haunting and cold and the images are very vivid. 


2. Sturmhond - Yes. Sturmhond our newest recruit, really stole the show (and my heart). Arrogant, handsome, capable, charming, and commanding. He has the best dialogue EVER. His witty comments had me smiling throughout the book!


3. Alina is such a strong character. She’s come so far from the mousy orphan we met at the beginning of Shadow & Bone. Alina is really the driving force behind this entire book, and so, SO human. 


4. THE DARKLING -  The sexy beast is still sexy. He's darker and more dangerous than ever and I can't help but be drawn to him. 


5. The Writing -  I feel the magic of Leigh Bardugo’s words, the power of the world she created.Her rich, lush descriptions are beyond compare, and her characters are equally magical. Bringing raw forth emotion upon its reader. It wasn't hard for me to fall back into Ravka without a second though.