Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

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Author's 

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Our rating: 4.5 stars

Book summary:

Darkness never dies. Alina and Mal are on the run. Hunted and haunted, but together at last, they can't outrun Alina's past or her destiny forever. The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and he needs Alina to realise his dangerous plan. There are others who would like to use Alina's gift too. And as her power grows, somehow, she must choose between her country, her power, and her love - or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm. Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance. 

         After finishing Shadow and Bone we couldn't wait to get back into this world. So once again we had a great company in Emma @ Never Judge a Book by its Cover and we were ready for a new adventure. So if you have read our review for Shadow and Bone you know how much we liked it, not it's time to share our thoughts about Siege and Storm. So here is our spoiler-free review.

What do you think of the atmosphere and pacing change in Siege and Storm?
Glass: It was refreshing compared with few others second in the series books. The biggest plus for me was that Siege and Storm doesn't suffer from middle book syndrome, it is not simply "a filler"- everything gets more complicated. I liked how Alina was portrayed, she is not perfect and the smartest of them all.
Tanja: I really enjoyed the change in this book. Shadow and Bone was a really action-packed book and now after you got familiar with the story, characters and world-building I was so glad to see things change. This story was more about Alina's attempt to find a purpose. It wasn't as action-packed as Shadow and Bone but still I kept turning pages really fast. I could notice some small details in this world and also in the story so I could create some theories in my head. I'm really curious to see if they are true, or at least close to it.

Your thoughts on Sturmhond?
Tanja: Even though Darkling is someone really interesting to me and I still enjoy to hate his guts. But Sturmhond is changing the atmosphere here. I really enjoyed his wit and sense for humor. It was hard not to laugh out loud. But at the same time I enjoy his unpredictability as I never know what his true motivation is.
Glass: I was pleasantly surprised because I did not expect someone like him to show up in this series. As Tanja said, Darkling is the most intriguing character, but Sturmhond comes close to our villain. There were few things that bothered me, but it is more about certain plot twist than the actual character.

The development of Mel and Alina's relationship.
Glass: I was happy that this aspect of the story got more attention in second book, it explained a lot about Alina and Mal's dynamic. On the other hand I was a little bit annoyed with the way they acted sometimes, mostly because it didn't seem very convincing. I wish I could explain better, but I'm afraid that would be impossible without spoilers. A lot of spoilers. I think you will understand what I mean if you decide to read The Grisha Trilogy.
Tanja: This book brought us a better view on their relationship, as it focuses more on characters than the world itself. So yeah we could see that their connection was something that was there since they were children. Also we could see that they did many things that brought them apart, but somehow I could grasp it this time around. In Shadow and Bone, I could see it and understand it, but not feel it completely. I think that now I could.

Love triangle. Yes? No? Maybe?
Tanja: I'm really not sure what to think here. Yes there was a love-triangle, that's for sure. But essentially I have no idea who is in this because of love and who simply chases interest. But yes we could see Alina's struggle and it really created some complications.
Glass: I have no idea what to say about this. Why? Let's just say that it's complicated. There are hints of possible triangle (or triangles), even a splash of angst, but all of that mostly didn't work out for me.

Which book did you love more?
Glass: Shadow and Bone - it was more magical.
Tanja: Well, for me it was Shadow and Bone. Simply in that book we were introduced to this amazing world and everything in that book was new and vivid. This one was more focused on characters which is not a bad thing, but I'm a fantasy freak first of all.

Describe Siege and Storm in one word.
Tanja: Strengthening.
Glass: Fun.

What do you expect from Ruin and Rising?
Glass: Awesomeness of epic proportions. Answers. More Darkling. Less romance drama.
Tanja: I think we all want to see the huge mystery resolved. Also I'm really curious to see how the author is going to finish this huge confusion. It'll be interesting to see, that for sure.

Until the next time,

Waiting on Wednesday (#106)

You know the story. This is a meme created by Breaking the Spine and every week we pick books we're waiting for. Here are our picks for this week.

Glass' pick

Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, babysits her nephew after school, and spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend Devon’s house. It’s only when Amber goes exploring in the woods near her home, singing camp songs with the hikers she meets on the Appalachian Trail, that she feels free—and when the bigger world feels just a little bit more in reach.

When Amber learns about an audition at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older (and unavailable) brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out for the hypercompetitive arts school. But the more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between “right” and “wrong,” there’s a whole world of possibilities.

Expected publication: December 9th 2014

Tanja's pick

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

Expected publication: September 2nd 2014

We'd love to see your picks so feel free to link them up.

Until the next time,

Bookish Problems (#8): No awkwardness found

Hi guys. I really hope you're having a great summer, or well autumn in the middle of summer like I do. Also I hope that books are keeping you good company. I know they do, but still just wanted you to hug a book you have near. 

But let's get to today's topic. Well this title is a bit misleading as it's actually not a problem, but really a solution to one. I wanted to discuss about meeting new people. I'm sure you've all been through that so let's see how it works in real and how in our bookish world.

Err...*long pause*? (*drenched in sweat*) 

You know when you're meeting someone new in real life it's usually a bit terrifying. (Okay, maybe A LOT). You are not sure what to ask or how much you should talk and when you need to stop talking. You never know if that person is shy and quiet type or just annoyed for being in that situation.
It's usually full of awkwardness and long pauses and well not a nice experience. But let's see how this works in our little bookish world.

Hey. I just met you, and this is crazy, but here is this book I really want to read, so read-a-long, maybe?

So here is this one blogger you have seen around and suddenly they comment on your blog and you go and comment back and well it goes like that for a few days and guess what - suddenly you are chit-chatting on twitter about this amazing book so why not reading it together, or on Goodread about this utterly annoying main character who you wanna slap so bad. Then you start about your day and well there you are sharing pictures of your trip with them. (hint hint) Then you go and start about movies and guess what you have agreed to an amazing Disney marathon this summer (HINT HINT).
These conversations are smooth and suddenly you wish you could just live in a bookishville with all amazing bookish people and have an amazing bookish community.

Reasons for this behavior may vary, but in fact it's easier to talk and connect with someone on Internet and especially with people that have the same interests as you do.

So next time you go through this overrated everyday life and you are to meet someone new, ask them what's their favorite book (If they don't read, just turn around and leave. I'm serious - JUST LEAVE) or who's their favorite book boyfriend. (If they say Draco - RUN and don't look back)

I've meet a lot of of you and trust me you ALL are amazing and I'm really proud to be part of this world. This is my way of thanking you for always being there.

Stay safe and chit chat everywhere and everyday.

ARC Review: The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson

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Author's 

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Publication Date: August 7th 2014

Book summary:

A haunting mystery, romance in the vein of The Lovely Bones by New York Times bestselling author.
"The yard of this house is a graveyard of moments and everything left behind is a clue. And I am here to dig."
There's a ghost haunting 208 Water Street. She doesn't know who she was, or why she's still here. She does know that she is drawn to Maggie, the new girl in town, and her friends - beautiful, carefree Pauline and Liam, the boy who loves her.
But the ghost isn't all that's lurking in Gill Creek... Someone is killing young girls all across the county. Can the ghost keep these three friends safe? Or does she have another purpose?

             Before I start sorting out my feelings for this book I might first tell you that the blurb (the one you see here or the one for The Vanishing Season - the same book just different title) are misleading. Yes this book has ghosts, mystery and serial killer, but this book is not only about that. Instead the focus of this book is on Maggie, her moving to different town and trying to fit it, meeting Pauline and Liam and the dynamic in relationships between them.

            Like I said, Maggie our main character moves into a small down, due to financial issues her family is faced with. Grill Creek is a small, everyone-know-everyone town so when murders of young girls start it causes confusion and panic among the citizens. It creates fear, one you can feel while turning the pages of this book, but at the same time you can see that Maggie won't be burden by it. The story turn into a tale about friendship and growing up and trying to belong.

           If I'm to describe Ms. Anderson's writing I'd say it hits all the right notes and created the symphony my ears what to hear. It's something I rarely experience but when I do I cherish it. Not only writing but characters are built so that they are real, Maggie was me and I was Maggie so many times. Both Pauline and Liam were there, and while I do not approve of some of their actions they were believable and something, when you think about it, you could expect. Then there is that ending, the one that I didn't see coming and the one that shook me to the core.

           While reading and reviewing mostly, I come to realize that the degree of feelings you have for a book depends on how far you're ready to go to understand the story. How willing are you to think it through. Somehow I could find explanation for each and every decision in this book and that is also why not everyone will love this book as much as I did.

Rating: 5 stars. 

Until the next time,

*Note: Copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Hachette, via NetGalley. Thank you!

The Sunday Post (#17)

Hello all. Well, as some of you know Sundays are always reserved for Sunday Post which is a meme created by lovely Kim @Caffeinated Book Reviews!

Another week is behind us and it's time for a little update. This week we continued our amazing read-a-long with Emma. We cannot wait to share our thoughts with you guys. But all in all it was a really great series. In other news we are still enjoying the summer. Well, weather is a bit unpredictable these days, but it's cozy to read all day long. We are still spending a lot of time with out families and trying to catch up with everyone.
So let's see what you could see at our blog and what you can expect in the week to come.

• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (review)
• The Tragedy Paper Elizabeth LaBan (review)
• Waiting on Wednesday (#105)
• Reclaiming the Sand by A. Meredith Walters (review)
• Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton (cover reveal)
• Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid (blitz)

• The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson (ARC review)
• Bookish Problems: No awkwardness found
• Waiting on Wednesday (#106)
• Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (review)
• Get Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki (promo)
• The Lonely by Ainsile Hogarth (ARC review)

Glass' haul 

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (Croatian ed)
On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves (Croatian ed)

Tanja's haul 

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare (library)

Thank you: Crown and NetGalley

Giveaway 

We're still celebrating so don't forget to ENTER

 to win a book of your choice!!! 

Until the next time, 

Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid (Book Blitz)

Let's Get Lost

by Adi Alsaid 

Release Date: 07/29/14

Harlequin Teen

Summary:

Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

Pre-Order Today!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indie Bound * Harlequin.com

Early Praise:

“Reminiscent of John Green’s Paper Towns and road trip novels that feature a teen paving the way to adulthood, Alsaid’s debut is a gem among contemporary YA novels.” – School Library Journal

“Five love stories, beautifully woven together by a special girl in search of adventure, hope, and full appreciation of life’s simple pleasures. A do-not-miss.  ” – Justine Magazine

“Moving and poignant.”  - Glitter Magazine

“An entertaining and romantic road-trip debut.” – Kirkus

"Leila's quest to find the Northern Lights takes readers on a captivating cross-country journey, where four strangers' adventures collide into one riveting tale of finding yourself." ―YABooksCentral.com

“This will likely be a popular summer hit, especially for older teen about to embark on their own journeys of self-discovery.” –Booklist

Guest Post 

Songs I couldn't travel without

This is a tough one, as I’m constantly listening to music during my travels. Lowering the windows of a car and blasting music is a crucial element to any road trip, and big headphones make staring out of a bus window feel cinematic.

5. California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade - The Decemberist

4. I Won't Be Found - Tallest Man on Earth 

3. Estate Sale Sign - The Mountain Goats 

2. The Trapeze Swinger - Iron and Wine 

1. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel

About the author 

Adi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, then studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While in class, he mostly read fiction and continuously failed to fill out crossword puzzles, so it's no surprise that after graduating, he did not go into business world but rather packed up his apartment into his car and escaped to the California coastline to become a writer. He's now back in his hometown, where he writes, coaches high school and elementary basketball, and has perfected the art of making every dish he eats or cooks as spicy as possible. In addition to Mexico, he's lived in Tel Aviv, Las Vegas, and Monterey, California. A tingly feeling in his feet tells him more places will eventually be added to the list. Let's Get Lost is his YA debut.  

Let's Get Lost Website! 

Author's 

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Giveaway 

1 signed hard cover copy of Let's Get Lost

1 Let's Get Lost luggage bag 

1 Harlequin TEEN notebook

1 Let’s Get Lost sachel

1 Harlequin TEEN tote bag

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Book Blitz Organized by

Until the next time,

Cover Reveal: Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

When a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls out of the sky—literally. But David’s not here to find a girlfriend. He’s from another planet, and if Jess can’t help him get back to his ship, he’ll be stuck on Earth with nothing to look forward to but the pointy end of a dissection scalpel.

But her father runs their house like an army barracks, and with an alien on the loose, Major Dad isn’t too keen on the idea of Jess going anywhere. Ever. So how the heck is she supposed to help the sweetest, strangest, and cutest guy she’s ever met?

Hiding him in her room probably isn’t the best idea. Especially since her Dad is in charge of the squadron searching for David. That doesn’t mean she won’t do it. It just means she can't get caught.

Helping David get home while protecting her heart—that’s gonna be the hard part. After all, she can't really fall for a guy who’s not exactly from here.

As they race through the woods with Major Dad and most of the U.S. military one breath behind them, Jess and David grow closer than either of them anticipated. But all is not what it seems. David has a genocide-sized secret, and one betrayal later, they are both in handcuffs as alien warships are positioning themselves around the globe. Time is ticking down to Armageddon, and Jess must think fast if she's to save the boy she cares about without sacrificing Earth—and everyone on it.

Title: Fire in the Woods
Publication date: September 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Jennifer M. Eaton

Corporate Team Leader by day, and Ranting Writer by night. Jennifer M. Eaton calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.

Jennifer hosts an informational blog “A Reference of Writing Rants for Writers (or Learn from My Mistakes)” aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be.

Beyond writing and motivating others, she also enjoys teaching her dog to jump through hoops—literally.

Jennifer’s perfect day includes long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but her greatest joy is using her over-active imagination constructively… creating new worlds for everyone to enjoy.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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(Winners will receive their book on release day)

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Reclaiming the Sand by A. Meredith Walters

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Author's:

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My rating: 4 stars

Book summary:

"Ellie McCallum was a bully. No connection to anyone or anything. A sad and lonely existence for a young woman who had come to expect nothing more for herself. Her only happiness coming from making others miserable. Particularly Freaky Flynn. Flynn Hendrick lived a life completely disconnected even as he struggled to become something more than that boy with Asperger's. He was taunted and teased, bearing the brunt of systematic and calculated cruelty, ultimately culminating in a catastrophic turn of events that brought Ellie and Flynn’s worlds crashing down. 
But then Flynn and Ellie grew up. And moved on. Until years later when their paths unexpectedly cross again and the bully and the freak are face to face once more. When labels come to define you, finding yourself feels impossible. Particularly for two people disconnected from the world who inexplicably find a connection in each other. And out of the wreckage of their tragic beginnings, an unlikely love story unfolds. But a painful past doesn’t always want to let go. And old wounds are never truly healed…and sometimes the further you try to run from yourself the closer you come to who you really are."

       After finishing Lead Me Not (you can read my review here), I couldn't resist and not pick up one more novel by A. Meredith Walters. I am happy that I did, because what I read was equally good as her latest novel and completely different when it comes to the story. 

       I did not expect that. One of the biggest cliches of new adult genre is alpha male/bad boy who falls in love with the good girl. A lot of drama and angst. Reclaiming the Sand is a novel that might not appeal to the fans of genre. Why? For starters, forget about bad boys and melodramatic make out sessions. There is nothing easy here and you could find yourself in situation where you wouldn't know if you hate main character or you forgive her. Ellie is usually that girl we find somewhere on sidelines in new adult books - unlikeable character who at some point choose to do a good thing and in the end we start to believe that there might still be hope for her redemption. It was hard to "accept" her  and even harder to empathize with her because a lot of things that she had done were cruel and mean. Ellie is a bully. Nothing cannot undo her past, but I kind of understood some of her actions and in the end I didn't resent her that much. 

      Flynn. One thing I can promise you is that you have never met main male character like this in any new adult novel you have read so far. Flynn is complete opposite to Kellan Kyle and Travis Maddox type of boys. Struggling his whole life with Asperger's, Flynn had a hard time growing up, adjusting to change and interacting with other people. Ellie didn't make things any easier for him. My heart broke every time when he would smile and say that she is his friend now because she smiles at him and talks with him. Or when he would let her hold his hand. And I was so proud when he stood up for himself. I melted when he told her this:

"I’m upset, Ellie! Because you won’t talk to me! Because you always hurt me! You make it so hard to love you!"

     Please, read this! Reclaiming the Sand is a book worth reading, especially for all of you who have doubts about genre or no love for alpha males.

      Song that fits the book --- Dustin Tebbutt "The Breach"

 Happy reading,

Waiting on Wednesday (#105)

You know the story. This is a meme created by Breaking the Spine and every week we pick books we're waiting for. Here are our picks for this week.

Glass' pick

Ayden Gregory and Lyric Scott have been best friends since they’ve been born. They've always been there for each other, even when life gets hard. But when they're on the road touring with their band, the line between their friendship gets blurry...

Expected publication: November 25th 2014

Tanja's pick

After she’s caught in the school bathroom cutting herself with the blade from a pencil sharpener, fifteen-year-old Kenna is put under mandatory psychiatric watch. She has seventy-two hours to face her addiction, deal with rejection, and find a shred of hope.

Expected publication: September 9th 2014

We'd love to see your picks so feel free to link them up.

Until the next time,

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan

Buy the book at

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Author's

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Book summary:

Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.
Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their love.

         Even though this book sat on my shelf for over a year and even though I felt pinch of guilt for not reading it, now when I finally read it I regret nothing! The day I picked up this book and started reading it was better than any before it.

        Reason for that lay in the fact that after a whole semester of reading and discussing Shakespeare I was ready to understand all the jokes here, together with all the concepts and themes presented in his works that could be found here too. We start from the sole idea of tragedy and how it was presented in his plays. It was something to discuss and think about and when the students of Irving School got their final task. It was so interesting when you get to read both Tim's and Duncan's story, which were intertwined but at the same time different.

        I loved the switch in narration and the change of the stories, which made me to read this story even faster as I was never bored with it. It was easy to understand Tim and his voice, his fears and troubles. Just the fact that he was albino made him different and he couldn't run away from it. But also I felt for Duncan. I could see that something really bothered him and that there is more to this story, that mysterious moment that hung in the air. It took some time to understand his uneasiness with Tim's story. But when you discover the connection you see why.

        Another great thing about this book was that it was not only a tragic story, it was much more. It was a story about ending one chapter in your life, finishing high school and understanding life. It was also a nice romantic story too. Both romantic stories felt real and what I liked the most slow-building.

        At the end it was writing and narration that really grabbed me here and kept me turn the pages. I really hope to experience it again someday.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Until the next time,

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

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Author's 

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Our rating: 5 stars

Book summary:

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.
Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?
The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.
But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?
Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

         Once again we teamed up with Emma from Never Judge a Book by its Cover and sailed into a new world together. We didn't know what to expect as the hype surrounding this book was really high, we can confirm that the story lived up to the hype and even above it.

How did you feel about Mal and Alina's relationship? 
Tanja: As the opening chapter starts with the story about their childhood it was so easy to connect with them. They seemed like two lost souls bond together and I knew that their relationship was pure. They protected each other and somehow it felt stronger than a romantic relationship. But at the same time I believe that there is more to add to their story and I really hope to discover it.
Glass: Both of them won my hart from the first page. I loved how they were there for each other without questions asked, but I was a bit frustrated with Mal's ignorance when it comes to Alina's feelings. First half of story was perfect, but I do have issues with the way things happened when they meet again. I expected more bonding time and conversation (maybe this is my inner new adult fangirl talking, but more drama wouldn't hurt).

Was the world-building well developed?
Tanja: Certainly. Even though my copy doesn't have the map (glares at the publisher), it was really easy to follow the story and all the places. I also liked that we weren't given the whole world description at the start, but as the story progressed so did the world-building. Needless to say, I have seen some reviews where people complain how the author didn't use the exact fact about Russia (the author herself said that she used Russia as an inspiration), but this is fantasy, meaning you can play with everything and shape things however you like.
Glass: World-building is probably the most important thing for fantasy - if it's not done right, whole thing collapses. Leigh Bardugo managed to pull it off without being too much "george r.r. martin" about it. You know what I am talking about - all those endless genealogies, descriptions and extra thirty pages in every chapter that everyone skips because it is simply boring. You find out things gradually along with the main character because Alina herself knows very little about hows and whys of her own world.   

What elements of the novel did you enjoy the most?
Glass: That nothing and no one is labeled as just good or bad. It is all about gray and that is what makes story more believable.
Tanja: It's really hard to pick just one. But I might say magic. I really like the whole idea of The Girsha and how they are divided. At the same time it was really interesting to follow all intrigues at the court and see how different games are played. Another element I must mention is uncertainty- as you never know what to expect from anyone here.

What did you think of The Darkling?
Glass: So... I am rooting for a bad guy here. I am sorry, but he is the most interesting character in Shadow and Bone. I can't wait to find out more about him and his past. Considering that nothing is black and white, I am guessing that there is so much more to his story.
Tanja: For me he seems like one of the Shakespearean villains. They are essentially bad, but as you get more and more involved you see more layers of him and you cannot but develop some feelings for him. I certainly did. I still don't know what to expect from him, but I cannot wait to discover more at the same time.

Describe Shadow & Bone in one word
Tanja: Awesomeness
Glass: *amazed*

What I expect from Siege and Storm?
Glass: To be even better than Shadow and Bone.
Tanja: More awesomeness.

Until the next time,