*fist pump*This book so exceeded all of my expectations. I don't even know what to say about it without spoiling it for someone else, so I'm just going to say that it was such a fun ride and totally worth the wait and I love where she's taking the series. The story line just got so. much. bigger!

I could nit-pick some of the little things that Armentrout does in her books that drive me nuts (ninjas and babies, ahem) and there were some parts that were a teeeeensy bit cheesy, but overall I still love this series and this is my favorite book so far. Loved the trade-off between Daemon and Katy's POVs, loved seeing the inner workings of the Daedalus labs, love the new characters, and love love loved what happened in Katy and Daemon's relationship.

Armentrout did a fab job of keeping the story moving and keeping me invested even when the two of them were apart. If you've been following this series and this book is lost somewhere in your to-read pile, move it up the list pronto. This series is only getting better. 4.5 Stars

"I love it when he tells me that he likes the way I feel because it goes against everything I've heard my entire life and I wish I could put his words in my pocket just to touch them once in a while and remind myself that they exist."

This series really did sneak up on me and grabbed me by the shirt and ordered me to love it, even when I didn't want to. The writing is still a little flowery, with a lot of teenage-girl stream of consciousness, but it has been toned down quite a bit from the first book and I wasn't distracted in this one like I was in Shatter Me. I maybe even enjoyed it.As far as the world and the story? Love it. It's like a dystopian X-men, and who doesn't love the X-men?

This is the second book in the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, so if you're reading this review you're most likely already invested in the series and wondering whether to continue. I say yes!The writing in this installment is just as compelling, the story is mostly fast-paced and hard to put down, there are new characters to love and new enemies to fear. It picks up almost immediately where the first book left off, following Mal and Alina on their voyage across the True Sea and straight into conflict with the Darkling, who has been irrevocably changed by the battle on the Fold in which Alina left him to die. He brings with him creatures more frightening than the Volcra and it will take more power, and new friends, in order for Alina and Mal to survive.

My biggest complaint is that the love story took a backseat to action and intrigue in this book, and I missed it. The author managed to string me along with just enough tension to keep me going, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't frustrated with the state of Alina and Mal's relationship. Alina is now the highest ranking Grisha in the land and for several reasons cannot be connected publicly with Mal. Their moments together are brief and melancholy, and their relationship seems more doomed by the moment. Alina's power is growing and her purpose is clear, but poor Mal.... He doesn't know his place in her world anymore, and because he chose to desert the army in the first book he lost his position as a valued tracker. Mal winds up having a sort of identity crisis, and even though he loves her it may not be enough.

"No, Alina. You came here for Ravka.... to lead the Second Army." He tapped the sun over his heart. "I came here for you. You're my flag. You're my nation."

It's really hard to review second books in a trilogy before all the books have been published, because they are inevitably a little less satisfying. There will always be more questions than answers, and there will always be amped up conflict and hopelessness in order to keep readers hungering for the conclusion. Siege and Storm is no exception. I was swept away with the first half of the book, caught up in the adventure and the introduction of new and compelling characters (there's a handsome pirate, and who doesn't love that?!), but the middle of the book dragged for me. Things slowed down when Alina took over the Second Army and there was a lot of war-room talk and squabbles with the Grisha, which would have been fine except it all seemed sort of moot because of what happened at the end.

Overall it was an enjoyable installment in the series, and I recommend it, but it will be even better when the whole series is out and can be enjoyed without interruption. For the book by itself I give it 3.5 stars, but as a connecting piece in a bigger story, it gets 4 stars from me.

Wowzahs! I am pleasantly surprised by this book. I pre-ordered it on a whim, something I never do, and started in late last night as soon as it was on my Kindle. Such a fun read! It tackled an intriguing subject (waking up in Vegas married to a stranger with his name tattooed on your ass) and actually made me suspend disbelief and happily come along for the ride.

I've read a few really bad rock star books lately, but this one was actually way better than expected. The characters were believable, the pacing was great, and even though it was a relatively shorter book (about 3500 on my kindle) it didn't feel rushed and the story had a really good arc with a satisfying ending. I loved that Evelyn felt like a normal girl, without the drama and baggage that so many NA heroines have, and she didn't spend half the book thinking one thing and then doing another. Her reactions felt surprisingly natural. I also liked that there wasn't much emphasis on her physical appearance (I didn't even know she was blonde until 3/4 through the book). It was kind of refreshing. I think my favorite character in the book was actually David's best friend, Mal, and I'm reeeeeaaallllly hoping the next book will be about him, because he's hilarious and hot, which does it for me.

Actually, my biggest complaint is that the cover and title have absolutely nothing to do with the story. Lick?? I don't know where that came from. There was no overt licking in this book. Topless cuddling? Yes. There was that-- but no licking. 

I would actually classify this as a fun beach read. Or maybe a cotton candy read. Fun, fluffy, sweet and satisfying. I totally enjoyed it.