Siege and Storm (The Grisha Trilogy #2) – Leigh Bardugo (2013)
In this gripping sequel to Shadow and Bone, Alina Starkov, the Sun Summoner, is hunted across the True Sea by the Darkling, who seeks to exploit her amplified powers. After being captured and escaping with privateer Sturmhond (revealed as the charismatic prince Nikolai Lantsov), Alina returns to Ravka to raise an army and reclaim her throne. Bardugo deepens the trilogy’s Russian-inspired lore with new Grisha orders, political machinations, and the addictive consequences of merzost (forbidden magic). The novel’s climax—featuring the monstrous nichevo’ya and Alina’s moral compromises—sets the stage for Ruin and Rising.
If You Loved This, Try:
- Six of Crows (Bardugo, 2015) – Set in the same world with heist-driven stakes.
- The Winner’s Curse (Marie Rutkoski, 2014) – Another strategic, romance-tinged fantasy.
- The Bear and the Nightingale (Katherine Arden, 2017) – Russian folklore with similar atmosphere.