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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, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But 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. *Siege and Storm *is the second book in The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. ** ### From School Library Journal Gr 8 Up–After narrowly escaping the Darkling at the end of Shadow and Bone (Holt, 2012), Alina and Mal are still on the run. Though many believe her dead, Alina knows he will never stop hunting her, and she is right–it isn't long before the Darkling finds and recaptures both Alina and Mal. Forced onto a boat, the imprisoned couple has little choice but to do as he commands: track a second amplifier so that he can use Alina's twice-amplified powers against Ravka. With the help of a pirate with questionable motives, Alina and Mal escape and seek a third amplifier that Alina hopes will give her the strength to combat the Darkling's increasingly evil power and influence before his dark power becomes unstoppable. As with Shadow and Bone, this is a dark fantasy best for patient readers: Bardugo takes her time developing the plot and keeping readers guessing. World-building and character development are top-notch, and relationships and motives are complex; Alina hungers for more power just as much as the Darkling does. Those who haven't read the previous novel recently may want to brush up as there is little rehashing of its plot. An action-packed, heartbreaking ending will leave teens breathless for the final installment.–Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TXα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. ### From Booklist After twice narrowly escaping the Darkling—the most powerful Grisha (magician) in the land—Alina and Mal find refuge of a sort at the court of the Ravkan king. While the Darkling creates his inhuman armies and regains his strength, Alina copes with disturbing feelings and visions related to her expanding light-summoning abilities, reassembles her own army of Grisha for the next battle, and tries not to lose a sweetheart who daily grows more emotionally distant. Although one could dive into this series here, readers will enjoy it all the more if they begin with Shadow and Bone (2012). In this hefty follow-up, Alina continues her first-person narrative as she, Mal, and Ravkan Prince Nikolai take center stage, with only brief appearances by the Darkling. Bardugo populates her fully realized world with appealing three-dimensional characters and an involving plot that keeps a steady pace. But she doesn’t skimp on the introspective moments that will bond readers to the main characters and have them tapping their feet impatiently for the concluding volume. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A huge marketing campaign and strong reviews met the first book, and film rights are already set for this one, too. The buzz will be big. Grades 7-12. --Cindy Welch