Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

8 reviews

mikasana's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Storytelling is compelling and easy to follow. Things definitely began to pick up after the first installment and we met a few new charming characters.

My biggest gripe was Mal and Alina’s relationship. If it wasn’t Mal’s insecurities getting in the way, it was both of them being exceedingly stubborn or stupid. Mal himself was acting extremely childish and selfish to the point where I almost could not take it anymore and had to stop reading several times just to get through it. Honestly, I’m over both of them. 

I may finish the last installment just to find out what happens with the plot and the side characters. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic relationship

e_emmaa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Infidelity, Animal death, Body horror, Murder, War, Child death, Gore, Sexual assault, and Violence

toastyghosty13's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

rant incoming

i found the majority of this book to be extremely boring. there were parts like when sturmhond was introduced that were interesting and exciting, but a lot of it was weird political and bureaucratic filler.

i also found the lack of real flirting and the overkill on sexual harassment to be annoying and unenjoyable. sturmhond came off as creepy, in fact most men in this book did besides tolya. at least sturmhond is still an interesting character with the fact that he is

the prince and an infamous privateer, but his character is written as if he is a real ladies man but then defaults to being a creeper. i barely registered the fact that alina was interested in him romantically until it said she blushed at him touching her leg when she kicked him?? a weak watery lackluster attempt at enemies to lovers fit into one page.

mal

had an existential crisis that could have been solved if he and alina had just slept together. i’m not sure what age range this book is meant to be for if there is no intimacy but one of the main characters can plunge deeply into alcoholism for a majority of the book. mal was so unbelievably jealous by 2 guys who were both repulsive in different ways, and alina should have trusted him enough to tell him the truth about her visions given the fact that they have known each other since they were children.

genya was

done dirty imo and she would have fought for what is right, especially given that she is literally best friends with alina and would have had a much better quality of life at her side when this is all inevitably over. genya chose to follow the darkling because she wasn’t seen as a real person even though he literally gave her away as a gift to the queen. alina would never, but of course for some reason genya chooses to be on the darklings side of this war and then gets used as an object again shocker.

overall a pretty big disappointment for a sequel. i’m still invested in whatever the backstory is about saints and amplifiers, plus i already own the box set so i might as well finish it out. i’ve heard six of crows is a lot better thankfully so i’m holding out hope for that one. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Death, War, Alcohol, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Torture, Animal death, and Infidelity

talonsontypewriters's review

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Death, Confinement, Violence, Murder, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Racism, Gun violence, Torture, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Body horror, and Stalking

Minor: Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Incest, Infidelity, Drug use, Fatphobia, Child death, Death of parent, and Child abuse

aliyachaudhry's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, War, Xenophobia, Classism, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Violence, Murder, Confinement, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Cursing, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

anielabooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Overall great book, but I still preferred the first one. It was very slow at first, but it really picked up towards the end. Honestly, I was not expecting that many character deaths. Some of those were a but out of pocket. However, I was really excited to meet many characters and grow some old ones. I particularly loved Tamar and Nikolai. Although I wasn’t particularly fond of Zoya, I still appreciated how Bardugo developed her character in this book. I’m excited for what is to come in the next book as I am still very much in love with the world and NIKOLAI LANTSOV. Additionally, I really appreciated the bonus Genya chapter because she was always one of my favorite characters from book 1.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, War, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Gun violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Classism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Body shaming, Body horror, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gaslighting, Self harm, Xenophobia, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt

illgiveyouahint's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, and Xenophobia

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Ableism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

beatriks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The book started a bit slow and entertaining, then Mal got really annoying and I didn’t like the first-person-story-telling too much, as the protagonist wasn’t really having the best perspective. (My critique might be harsh, is this is young adult fantasy and the thoughts just don’t to me anymore) 

Towards the end, I liked it better, especially the last 20%. 
Will finish the trilogy right away. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Death

Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence