2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Siege and Storm, the second book in the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo.

Pages: 435 pages

Length: 1 months (February)

Participants: SarahKat, Caterina, Rebecca, Jessica, Kendra, Desiré

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

I am going to join :)

Welcome @Cátia!

I just got my copy of the book from the library so I can start reading anytime.

Glad to have you!

I've started this but I'll be moving through it very slowly for a week or two. I'm focusing on my library books to get them done before due dates and this one is on KU so it's not as pressing. But it's also my only ebook so I pull it out when I can't read a physical book.

Should start this week! Was trying to get through Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson first, I just don't really care about any of the characters. I'm almost 400 pages in, anyone read the series and know if I should keep trying? I've heard great things but it's been such a struggle.

I have not read the Way of Kings and was wondering if anyone had started this book yet. I started it yesterday and am sad to say it's kept in interested in it so far that I'm almost 150 pages into it.

Personally, I really like the Way of Kings series and am sorry to hear that you arent enjoying it as much!
If you decide to not finish the book I hope you find another Sanderson series you enjoy at some point! (:

Lina wrote: "Personally, I really like the Way of Kings series and am sorry to hear that you arent enjoying it as much!
If you decide to not finish the book I hope you find another Sanderson series you enjoy a..."

It's such a struggle, I enjoy the writing style but just can't get into it. That's true, I'll just take a break for now and will revisit his books again in the future.

Kendra, I'm glad to hear that it's already hooked you in that quickly!

Caterina wrote: "Welcome @Cátia!

I just got my copy of the book from the library so I can start reading anytime."

Thank you! This book has been on my shelf for quite some time. I hope I can finish this trilogy this year 🤞

@Desiré- I am a big fan of The Stormlight Archive, and especially The Way of Kings, but it is undoubtedly a very long book. There are many characters and plotlines to introduce, so you have to invest some serious time before it starts paying off.

Caterina wrote: "@Desiré- I am a big fan of The Stormlight Archive, and especially The Way of Kings, but it is undoubtedly a very long book. There are many characters and plotlines to introduce, so you have to inve..."

I read some reviews and decided to keep going! I'll just read Siege and Storm on the side, will probably help me to break it up anyways.

Desiré wrote: "Kendra, I'm glad to hear that it's already hooked you in that quickly"

I think it's helped that I've gotten attached to Alina and Mal. Plus some of the new things that the author has added in has really made it interesting to me. I'm not totally sure on what Alina is trying to do and think by the end of the book it may backfire on her. I'm hoping not but you never know.

Ok I'm finished.

(view spoiler)[Not sure how I feel yet about Alina having a second amplifier, or the fact she looking for the third one. I'm happy Mal and Alina where able to fix a problem they had. I actually loved the prince, and hope that he makes an appearance in the third book. Not happy that the Darkling got to make an appearance in this book and not happy with the attachment he has to Alina. (hide spoiler)]

That was fast Kendra!

I'm only through Chapter 5.. (view spoiler)[I love Sturmhond. I hope they stick with him for a while. Mal and Alina are fine, but Sturmhond is definitely more fun when he's on the page.

I'm surprised in 5 chapters they've been captured by The Darkling, escaped, and gotten the next amplifier. Will be interesting to see what happens with that. And I wonder who Sturmhond's client is... (hide spoiler)]

SarahKat wrote: "That was fast Kendra!

I'm only through Chapter 5.. I love Sturmhond. I hope they stick with him for a while. Mal and Alina are fine, but Sturmhond is definitely more fun when he's on the page.

I'..."

I've fallen in love with Alina and Mal. The introduction of new characters helped also.

Chapter 8 spoilers
(view spoiler)[ omg this is Nikolai? We get Nikolai in this book??
I just know rumours about this character, but always good rumours… How far in the future is King of Scars?? I am now very excited xD and him and the Darkling know each other somehow, very curious

Alina is giving me always-mad-at-the-world vibes and I am not liking it, I am glad to have Nikolai now.

I just needed to share this xD (hide spoiler)]

Cátia wrote: "Chapter 8 spoilers."

I just finished Chapter 8 too. (view spoiler)[I am not as excited as you because I haven't heard rumors or anything! But as stated above I love Sturmhond, or Nikolai now. Does this mean his "client" is just.. his dad/the king? And is that a bad thing? Better than The Darkling I guess?

I'm not really loving Alina right now either. Or Mal. I hope one or both of them regain a personality at some point. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 16: (view spoiler)[Still liking Nikolai the most. Is it sad I'm sort of hoping Alina ditches Mal? I feel zero chemistry from them really.

Baghra's situation is very sad. She's just blind and frail now because she helped Alina. Alina's power is getting too greedy and angry. Sometimes she's using that to her advantage but she's also getting a bit unhinged. (hide spoiler)]

I am late on my reading, just got to the end of chapter 16
It was so slow for me, it was not holding my interest. But now I am flying through chapters! I just want to know where this is all headed
(view spoiler)[
I am not liking Mal in this book, I think its because he is doing all of this against his will, and its showing, which makes sense, but I don’t like how he treats Alina. I do like Nikolai, it feels like a new love triangle. Will Alina and Mal persevere this time?xD

I love to see Alina’s growth, she is settling into her role in defeating the darkling. Its clear her struggle with power and greed, the dark side of being in power.
And I love the contrast to the little funny moments between characters
I agree Baghra’s situation is sad, I can’t understand her role, she keeps warning about the amplifiers, but never goes into details. I don’t know what to make of it.
(hide spoiler)]

I finished this the other night and forgot to update here! Here is my review. I just re-read it and I obnoxiously use "sort of" and "kind of" way too much. I was very tired when I wrote it but I don't have the energy to fix it now...

I just finished with chapter 16 as well:

(view spoiler)[ I agree that I am enjoying Nikolai and Alina's banter more than her interactions with Mal, though at the same time I can see where Mal is coming from. I want to find out more about Morozova! The fact that the Darkling had everything destroyed makes me so curious. I wonder if there will be a hidden chamber somewhere in his rooms. I also wonder why Alina hasn't told that he is actually the Dark Heretic, seems like it would help them prepare for the war to come. (hide spoiler)]

Just finished, I liked this book:
my review
My book has an extra story at the end

Hey everyone, I am so behind! I signed up for way too many books this month. I blame it on the fact that there are too many good options!

I'm still on chapter 6, but I just renewed my loan from the library for another 3 weeks. I'll definitely catch up in the next couple of weeks and read the next one before the end of march.

I haven't finished either @Caterina, so don't feel bad. Here's hoping to finish this one and book three by the end of March.