Wow, simply wow. This book was amazing. This world was amazing and dark. It was a bit hard to get into but once you reach a certain spot, you hit the ground running...until you're finished. Like me, at 1AM in the morning . 
 With book 2 in my hands, I simply want to start the adventure again with Alina and Mal. But I'm also scared to trek any misfortunes that may arise. 
 Hah, but I would love to see what happens next in their adventures. Who shall win? And at what cost?! 
 //SPOILERS// SUMMARY. reference for myself. 
 GO AWAY if yu haven't read the book. Or if yu're interested and don't mind spoilers. If yu're one of those people, yu're ... I envy you. 
 Shadow and Bone revolves around a girl named Alina Starkov. It tells a tell about a country called Ravka that is set in Russia [I believe...]. This country is divided into Ravka and West Ravka - by a place called the Shadow Fold. Like the name insinuates, it is an area that is dark and ominous - full of monsters called Volcra. And lo and behold, our main character Alina has to cross this area with others to [I believe...?] get supplies from West Ravka to Ravka. During the cross, unsurprisingly, they were attacked by Volcra and that's where Alina's hidden powers resurfaces - to save her childhood friend, Mal, from harm. [because light repels the Volcra] 
 From here onwards, Alina is discovered to be a Sun Summoner. What this means is that Alina is whisked away from her normal life as a cartographer to the magical world of becoming a Grisha. Initially, she's unable to fit into this world and has time and again, displayed how difficult it is to start becoming who she truly is. This is especially true of her training with an amplifier called Baghra. The Darkling, seeing her struggle, suggests to get her an amplifier - the Morozova's herd. He basically wanted to kill off a stag and obtain it's antlers to create her a necklace which would enhance her powers - and since she can't do anything without an amplifier now, she agrees and wants the easy way to call upon her light. However, towards the middle of the book, she's finally able to relieve herself of something she's held onto for a long time and is able to unleash the power of light within her. [oh boy, doesn't that sound cheesy?] 
 The Darkling is happy with this because he wants her to help him "destroy" the Shadow Fold and being some hot 100+ year old guy walking around, seduces her to make her believe and trust in him. Ain't he the classic badboy type? I guess I should be swooning but whatever. Anyways, like all countries, they have celebrations and the palace is whisked into party mode. The Grisha are the "show offs" for the royalty and they demonstrate how awesome they can be. The Darkling also unravels his charming ways to young Alina who feels a tug towards him as a Grisha herself. This leads to...NOT SEX LOL. Well, something that made me have secondhand embarrassment though - a steamy kiss. However, not all is what it appears and Baghra changes the mind of Alina by revealing the secrets of the Darkling and herself. Now...Alina is on the run - away from the Darkling. 
 While she's on the run, the Darkling sends out a group to recapture her and who else would be tracking her down but her best friend Mal. Mal, being an excellent tracker, notices her and decides to help her escape the Darkling's clutches. Once they get more comfortable without seeing each other's for months, Alina tells him why she's running - but Mal convinces her that they need to find the herd since the Darkling will stop at nothing to capture her - to enslave her. What this means is whatever he's said before, it was all pretense. He just wants her power and if he kills the stag, the antler collar he makes will allow him to control her. And with all bad boys, he's simply up to no good. 
 When they finally reach the herd, Alina is unable to kill the stag and instead, the Darkling finishes it off. Pleading Mal, Alina wants Mal to kill her but with the heartwarming confession that he made the night before, he can't do it. AND LET ME TELL YOU, I was screaming at 12AM in the morning when I read his confession. So she's recaptured and Mal is as well - as a prisoner and as a threat so Alina would help the Darkling. When Alina pleaded for Mal's behalf, the Darkling said his mercy on Mal was to allow them to see each other for the night and that he's to be left for the volcra's clutches. Alina cries out but is unable to do anything for her love; her best friend. 
 The next day, they set off into the Shadow Fold with ambassadors from other countries so the Darkling can demonstrate his power. He increases the size of the Shadow Fold and it horrifies everybody - and it kills Alina on the inside to be powerless. When Mal is tossed off the ship while Alina watches, she finally realizes why the stag is constantly appearing in her dreams after his death. In the icy terrain, when Alina decides that the stag should live, the stag had allowed Alina to use his powers as an amplifier and she's able push away the Darkling's powers within her. With the same mercy the Darkling taught her, she leaves with Mal and the ship without the protection of light with everyone else on board. Once again, she's on the run. 
 ~~~~~~ Wow, that's one heck of a long summary. Did I get you interested yet? 
 ANYWAY, I initially thought the book was slow but I was intrigued enough by the story line to continue. By the middle of the book or so, I was completely captured by all the different characters - Alina, Genya, Baghra, Mal and even the Darkling. Baghra reminds me of my own professors who teaches us and constantly pushes us to think on our own. Genya's personality - hmm, I guess I'd say she's colorful and ITS NOT cause she curses or whatever. It's that even though she seems very lighthearted at times, we're reminded that she too, is suffering as well. Despite being beautiful, she's still not really a part of the Grisha world because she's a gift to the Queen. Unable to be fully Grisha and a servant, she's not accepted into either groups. A misfit. 
 Like Genya, Alina is originally a misfit who doesn't seem to belong anywhere. She wishes to belong and once she's given a bit of attention, she's easily swayed and I don't blame her. When we're all overshadowed by someone with another person praising us, why else wouldn't we decide to go to them right? However, she learns the reasons why she's a certain way and it leads to multiple self discoveries and seeing what's right and what's wrong. Doing what her heart tells her is right and not blindly trusting someone who she's known for barely a year. 
 Overall, this is definitely one of the darker books I've read so far and I really enjoy it. I definitely believe siege and storm will not disappoint and I most definitely cannot wait for the very last book to come out this year. I'm really thankful I'm reading it THIS year so I don't have to wait too long for the 3rd installment to come out if the 2nd ends in a cliffhanger.