Siege and Storm (Leigh Bardugo)

Title: Siege and Storm

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher:  Henry Holt and Co (Macmillan)

Length: 448

Rating: 5/5

In this sequel to Shadow and Bone, Alina and Mal are being hunted by the Darkling, who has escaped the Shadow Fold with an even darker power. Alina joins forces with a notorious pirate and returns to face the Darkling and rally the Grisha against him. But as her power grows, she grows further away from Mal, and risks losing everything.

I read this book in one sitting. It was that good. I thought the first book gave me feels, but this one had even more! So many unexpected turns and trials and terrible brushes with the Darkling. And Sturmhond, the notorious pirate, is possible the most fabulous character ever. I was in love with him the second we met.

However, in case anyone is curious, I am Team Mal all the way and was heartbroken every time they grew further apart.

I loved that this book had a powerful, yet flawed female protagonist. Alina is not even close to perfect, but she still stands for what she believes in, and fights to save her country at great risk to herself.

If you haven’t started reading this series yet, DO IT. And if you’ve already read these, check out these great additional stories Leigh wrote:

http://www.tor.com/stories/2013/06/the-too-clever-fox

http://www.macteenbooks.com/Facebook/shadowandbone/tailor.html

Beauty Queens (Libba Bray)

Title: Beauty Queens

Author: Libba Bray

Publisher: Scholastic

Length: 390 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

A plane full of beauty queens crashes on a deserted island. Seems simple enough. But is the island really deserted? Is each beauty queen really who she says she is? Where do the hot pirates who land on the island halfway through the book come from? Which is more important: working on your perfect pageant answers or building a hut for survival? Nothing is as it seems, and beauty takes on a whole new slew of meanings in this book.

The book is presented as if it were a propaganda television show, presented by The Corporation, an American company that does it all, from selling hair remover to sponsoring the Miss Teen Dream Pageant. Hilarious footnotes and commercial breaks throughout the book tote the benefits of all of The Corporation’s best products, which are all the most ridiculous things ever, yet eerily similar to many of the absurd things sold today. (Example: “Feast for the Fishermen, the ultimate emo band. Said to be sold with a complimentary prescription for antidepressants and a free flatiron.”) The book has some things to say about our present consumer culture and feminism as well, but all in rather funny ways.

This book was enjoyable, and funny, and absurd, but it was also a lot to wade through at points. So many products thrown at the reader, and so many different characters to follow, all with their own life-defining story-arcs (although to be honest, quite like a tv show in these aspects). Also, quite the diverse cast for a group of beauty pageant contestants. Okay, I shouldn’t really be complaining about the unrealistic-ness of the book, but with all the characters coming to slowly accept themselves for who they are, it felt a little preachy/cliche sometimes. Just a little too teen special for my tastes, but I did like that just about anyone could read this book and find someone they related to. Plus, who doesn’t like hot pirates?