I read Girls of Paper and Fire this time last year and absolutely loved it. I never thought that the second book could be even better, but it was! Being back in this world and reading about Lei and Wren was everything. I loved watching them go on this journey together. I also loved how the author dealt with their sexual abuse and trying to overcome that.

I highly recommend this series. The writing is absolutely beautiful. Nothing I ever read has even come close to the talent that Natasha Ngan has!

Girls of Paper and Fire has been one of my top 5 favourite books of last year's. so maybe you can imagine, how freaking excited I was for its sequel.
I immediately got myself the gorgeous signed edition from Fairyloot and was over the moon when I got approved for the arc by Netgalley - thank you for the review copy to Netgalley, the Publisher and the author!

Sadly sadly sadly (and I don't lie about this, I have been sitting on the couch after finishing the book, all devastated, so that I got asked what's wrong with me)…. this one was a big letdown. Of course, my hopes were skyscrapers high up, but that's the only logical reason for such a great book as Girls of Paper and Fire is.
Unfortunately, I found this installment quite unoriginal. It has the usual plot of the second book in a trilogy (?) and I could foresee basically everything that would happen at any time.
Like, oh this is a happy scene, means that in the next one somebody will be injured/captured/die. Oh this is a scene where she lets down her guard for one second, in the next momento the villain will just turn around the corner…
Don't get me wrong, there is still action in this book, great thoughts on politics, war, strategy and most important motif in this book - survivors. How do you go on living after something incredibly awful happened to you? How do people deal with their problems? How do relationships develop?
Also, there is a loooot of fighting, travelling, ships and storms.
It's just that all those aspects (mainly fighting and ships) are exactly the ones that I usualy find boring and rather than reading them, just skip the pages. Well, would I have done that in here, I would have skipped some good 70% of the book.
Also, I think that the relationship betwen Wren and Lei isn't developed very well in here. There is no talking about big problems, there is no clear evolution of their feelings, first nothing at all happens and then in the last 20% of the story something happens way too fast, with way too Little focus on it and too little explanation.
And that's really sad, as lots of characters and side plots in this book had great potential. if we just would have looked into them a bit more. On the other hand, you don't get much anything to see about what is happening inside the palace, f.e. with the Paper Girls and the King, which I found very weird...

Sooo while this one was a dissappointment for me, I will stil continue the series and hope that the last book will once again blow my mind.

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan is such a great sequel! The writing is gorgeous and the story completly engrossing.

I liked this one more that the first! The character development was there as was the world building. I have already added it to my purchase list.

I enjoyed this book as much as the first one in the series. This one begins with Wren and Lei on the run after they’ve killed the king. They must travel to the different cities in the Kingdom to gain allies. They meet many interesting characters along the way.
My only struggle with this book was the motivation of many of the characters. Some of the actions seemed to be forced or uncharacteristic. I’m hoping that these issues will be resolved in the next book.
Overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the conclusion.

Thank you to James Patterson Presents and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review

Content warnings: past rape/sexual harassment, trauma, panic attacks, violence, murder, war, alcoholism, grief

This is the sequel to Girls of Paper and Fire so I will give you the summary of the first book so I don’t spoil it.

Lei is a human in a world where humans are of the lowest cast and demons the highest. One day she is abducted by members of the demon King’s palace guards to become one of his Paper Girls. Paper Girls are chosen every year to become concubines. Most are chosen from families in the King’s Court and believe it is an honour for their families but Lei sees it for what it is. As Lei battles with the duties she has as a Paper Girl she begins to spend time with another of the girls called Wren and they begin to fall fo each other, which isn’t the best thing when you are the King’s concubines.

Girls of Paper and Fire was one of my favourite reads this summer so I was super happy when I got a copy of this through netgalley.

I would say I liked this book just slightly less than the first book, but it’s only marginally. I think this was down to how much time was spent just travelling to places and I’m not as keen on these kinds of plots. But this was made up for by the representation of trauma.

We see trauma in the first novel directly after events occur whereas in this book they’ve had some time and the long term effects are beginning to become more obvious. Lei at times feels like she needs alcohol to get by, there’s cracks in her relationship with Wren. Lei also experiences hallucinations (or are they?) where she can hear the Demon King’s voice following her.

I wasn’t a massive fan of Wren in this novel after how much I loved her and loved her with Lei in the first book. I feel like we’re being set up for something with her character, but I hope that isn’t the case. I am concerned. (But this isn’t a bad thing, I can tell that it’s entirely purposeful)

Ngan has a great way with writing side characters. In the previous novel it was all of the paper girls and the staff around the palace, in this we follow Wren and Lei with a group of demon supporters of Wren’s family. Every character felt like their own and I knew who everyone was without having to check back. I especially loved the siblings Nitta and Bo. I loved how seamlessly she wrote some of the side characters having a queer relationship and it was just never a big thing. More of this in fantasy please.

I’m dying for book 3 after the way this ended. Though I saw the ending coming, that’s not necessarily a bad thing in my opinion, I just have so many questions for book 3, especially with what is happening in the background throughout the novel.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

God this is a good story, I loved the first one and this one was just amazing. I am so obsessed with the first novel, so receiving this arc excites me to no end. I love that this one picks up right where the first one left off. I won’t dive deep into the plot because I don’t want to spoil this gem of a series.

I love the LGBT representation in this story. The author deals so well with upsetting and hard to swallow issues with the utmost sensitivity. This is not a light book. It is very emotionally jarring. It had me upset, crying, and swearing. The story is so strong as well as the characters and I love that the story is very very unique.

I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. I love that the queer romance was not something that was pushed. It was just a natural part of the story. It was never announced that anyone was gay or bisexual it was just normalized and I loved that.

This is easily one of the best series I have ever read. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to review this title.

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan is a worthy follow up to to Girls of Paper and Fire. Ngan's world building is quite lush and top notch. I also enjoyed getting to see our cast of characters again as well. They don't have it easy, do they? While I know that this is the second book in a trilogy, it doesn't feel like all that much was wrapped up by the end of this installment. Looks like I'll happily be back for part three!

I have so many thoughts after reading this book that it’s hard to know where to begin. Plus the cover *swoons*. The biggest three things I want to highlight are the story, the characters and the handling of sensitive topics.


So let’s talk the story. This book picks up not that long after with Girls of Paper and Fire lets off. While there is some level of predictability, I didn’t feel like it detracted from the book at all. It’s clear that there is a divide and war is imminent; action must be taken. Lei, Wren and several other favorites are perfect for the mission of gathering support to undermine what the king had built and waste no time it setting off. The pacing of this book is wonderful and there are frequently bursts of fight scenes and some lovers quarrels.

When it comes to the characters, I love that Lei shows some personal growth throughout the story. I want to root for her so bad; she has so much potential but her naivety still blinds her at times. There are other characters who you start to see hints of their true selves with. Several of them are struggling with being open about their sexual preference for example and the book allows you to follow their journey beyond just the main story line. It’s inspiring and uplifting. I also love the brother-sister banter. It lightens the book where it needs reprieves.

This book does contain some topics that readers may be sensitive to. One such topic is survivors post-traumatic event. I personally have not come across many books that so openly show the characters having flashbacks, the moments that trigger them causing them to completely freeze or blank out. There is open dialogue about having been a victim and the mental struggles now. While it may be difficult for some readers, I feel like shedding a light on something very relateable for many is important; we need to continue to have these books and conversations to de-stigmatize victims and show that the type of behavior that puts people in these situations is just not acceptable.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. It’s fast-paced with plenty of battles, both physical and mental, and uncovers the layers of post-traumatic life. I’m rating this five stars and I must say that book 3 cannot come fast enough!

Thank you to Netgalley and Jimmy Patterson for the opportunity to read and review this book. I have voluntarily read the book and the opinions expressed are my own.

I tore through Girls of Paper and Fire and remembering I was bummed I had to wait SO long for the second book. Well. The wait was over, and let me tell you, it was worth it. Lei thought everything would be over once the Demon King was slayed, but it’s just the beginning, however. A war is brewing. Lei and Wren must make their way around the kingdom to gain support for the coming battle. On the other side, there are those who would use dark magic to squash the rebel uprising.

I’ll admit. I tore through this one just as quickly as the first, and it will need another, more deliberate readthrough, but I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than the first book. By spending more time with these girls on their journey, we learn more about them and appreciate all of the parts of their personalities, perhaps some we missed when they were just captives for the Demon King. Relationships aren’t perfect, and anything can ruin them in earlier days, and I like that we get to see that.

This book is heavy as was the first book. It has complex characters and themes and shows us what magic can do at the hands of those who both respect and abuse it, and how we view and treat people, both those who can benefit us and those who can’t. Definitely add it to your TBR, and if you haven’t read the first one, do that now then get the new one.

Like the last book, I was left wanting more, and all Goodreads will tell me is sometime in 2020. Guess I will impatiently wait it out, and I am looking forward to revisiting the first two before reading the third.

I received a complimentary copy of Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan from Jimmy Patterson through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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Girls of Storm and Shadow is the second book in Natasha Ngan's Girls of Paper and Fire trilogy. I enjoyed this book, but it did suffer from some of the shortcomings often found in a trilogy's middle installment.
The Bull King isn't dead, but our heroes don't know that yet. Lei and Wren are recovering from their battle with Naja and the King. The Hannos are preparing to approach other clans to make alliances against the Bull King's court. Lei, Wren, Merrin, Bo, Nitta, Caen, and Hiro will travel to the other clans to convince them to support the Hanno clan's efforts.
Getting to know Merrin, Bo, and Nitta, who were briefly introduced at the end of Girls of Paper and Fire, is one of the best aspects of this book. There is a lot of character development in Girls of Storm and Shadow as the characters grapple with how far they're willing to go to reach their goals. Each member of the group has their own idea of what is worth sacrificing. Girls of Storm and Shadow deals with the aftermath of trauma, how we respond to those we love making choices we wouldn't make, and the delicate balance of trying to keep your humanity while at war.
I enjoyed this book, but it felt like very little happened for the first third or so. After that, it really picked up and I enjoyed the character development. I'm looking forward to reading the last book when it comes out!

Once again a fantastic book set in a fantastic world. Well not so fantastic for some of the people living in it but fantastic to read. It was great being back with the characters and seeing how they progressed since the first book.

The Quick Cut: A girl and her new lover escape the oppressive lives of the palace after killing the king in this sequel.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Jimmy Patterson for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When it comes to sequels, writing is always harder. Sure, you have a built in fanbase and an established world with characters. However, building on what's already there can be complex when you're trying to appropriately balance out what's already been created. This is also the case for the story centered around Lei and Wren.

Usually, I would give a short summary here in my reviews. In this case, I'm skipping it to get directly to the point: reading this book was painful. Considering how much I loved the first book, I had anxiously awaited the continuation. What happened instead is a book that feels very much like a filler. The characters aren't as capturing, the relationships are fumbled, and so much of what's written is unnecessary to the plot.

I had hoped there would be less confusion while trying to escape and more of a desert journey where the characters question their own motives or next steps.

With characters that quickly move from inspiring to severely lacking, a reader is better off stopping with the original book and ignoring this story altogether.

My rating: 1 out of 5

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan is the second book of the young adult fantasy Girls of Paper and Fire series. This fantasy series is one that continues the story onward that was started in the first book so it is highly recommended to begin the series with the first books, Girls of Paper and Fire.
While this is a young adult fantasy series again I must stress these should be for the more mature audience. There are several things included in the series that deserve a bit of warning before picking it up, violence, slavery, abuse, rape along with animal cruelty.

Natasha Ngan’s world she’s created consists of three different levels to the society known as castes. First we have the Paper caste which are the lowest in the world of Ikhara, this caste consists of the humans which includes the main character Lei of the story. Then we have the Steel caste which consists of a cross between humans and demons. And then there is the Moon caste which are fully demon including the King that rules Ikhara.

The story began with Lei who was born with brilliant golden eyes which set her apart from other humans and drew the attention of the Demon guards who kidnapped her away from her family to take her as an offering to the King. Every year eight girls are taken to become the Paper Girls and served up as concubines to the King but this year Lei has become number nine.

Girls of Storm and Shadow picked up where the story had ended rejoining Lei and Wren and seemed to me to get off to a somewhat slow start from how I remembered the first book. As the book goes on I got that dreadful “middle book” feeling, the one in which it seems the second book spends half it’s time remembering the first then the other half setting up for the next book feeling as if not much of importance takes place. In the end I found this one just so-so however I’m sure those that truly loved the first may enjoy it a tad more.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

TRIGGER WARNING:

War theme
Sexual abuse
Graphic violence
Kidnapping
Major character death




Please let me mourn for my favorite domestic couple, Lei and Wren. Second, can I scream about everything that happened in the book? Thank you.

This book is about sacrifice and making hard choices during a war. Girls of Storm and Shadow follows Wren and Lei finding allies for a war that is rising in Ikhara. It’s actually a theme of the book and finally we get to see Ikhara outside the Hidden Palace. The forest, other clan’s place, provinces and archipelago.

We’re also introduced to a lot new characters; Bo and Nitta, leopard-demon siblings. Merrin, an owl-demon. Shifu Caen, Wren’s mentor. And Hiro, a shaman Ketai Hano saved. I prefer this found-family to Paper Girls, partly because I feel lack of chemistry in between characters back in Girls of Paper and Fire. The dynamics of each characters are just different from the one we had in Girls of Paper and Fire, and it’s a good thing! It’s more emotional, more real.

When I said Girls of Paper and Fire is rich in culture, it’s nothing compared to Girls of Storm and Shadow. Can you imagine how happy I am to know that these characters wear and eat the same thing as me? And my culture (spoiler alert, kebaya and dadar gulung) are mentioned in the book? It’s a small gesture but really, I feel represented enough. There are a lot of customs from various Asian countries—not just Japan, Korea and China. It makes me happy to read someone said Singaporean slang or wear India’s traditional clothes.

Girls of Storm and Shadow is about betrayals and keeping a secret to yourself. It’s about accepting an ugly truth. It’s about loss. It’s about going up to our feet when the world refuses to stop kicking us. This book is beautiful.

Lei is a strong, young woman who’ll do anything to save everyone. She’s soft, but not weak. She is learning how to deal with the trauma she endured in the Hidden Palace. I’m down with my girl learning martial arts and how to use a weapon—and really, I can see how she developed. This book makes me love her even more.

Wren, on the other hand, is still the same Wren we know; mysterious, holds a lot of secrets to herself, thinks about the mission first rather than her (or anyone’s) feeling and trying to love Lei by the way she knows how. Honestly, I felt betrayed by her at the end of the book—but, at the same time, I understood why she did it? If that makes sense?

One of the problems I have about this book (and why I didn’t put higher rating), is a hint of love triangle that’s probably going to happen at the next book. The appearance of ex-partner sometimes can spices things up (seriously, I’m always down with petty and jealous character) but...I don’t like it when a character suddenly gets involved again with their ex-partner when they already have someone new. I don’t like how this relationship will develop and let’s just pray it won’t involve a dirty love triangle here.

Even though I didn’t expect this book to be this good, but I'm a little disappointed too. I read Girls of Paper and Fire and I had problem with how slow the story was. Yet, Girls of Storm and Shadow is still too slow for me. But, at least, we didn’t wait until the end of the book to see the real action.

 
My rating: 3.5/5 stars

Favorite shelf: Yes

Will I recommend it to you? YES. Go read Girls of Storm and Shadow as soon as it comes out! Southeast Asian readers, it’s OUR time to shine!

Girls of Paper and Fire was one of my favourite books of last year , so when I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance copy of the sequel, Girls of Storm and Shadow, I was both excited and anxious. Excited because I had fallen in love with the characters and world I had been introduced to in the first book , and anxious because I knew it was unlikely that this new book would be quite as good as the first. I should not have worried, in Natasha Ngan's more than capable hands I was drawn back into that wonderful world and devoured the book in one sitting, and I am pleased to report that it is just as good if not better.
First things first, if you haven't already read Girls of Paper and Fire, get on it! You won't be disappointed , and you really do need to read it before jumping into this latest release.
Now, on to the book at hand. Girls of Storm and Shadow picks up just a couple of weeks after the dramatic climax of the first book, and to be honest it is impossible to describe the plot in any detail without spoiling one or both books, which I am loath to do. What I can and will say is there is plenty of drama and adventures that take the reader from snowy mountain peaks to the harshest desert and across some stormy seas. We see several familiar faces besides Wren and Lei and meet some wonderful new ones , such as the irrepressible Bo, a leopard form character, and Lova a lion girl from Wren's past . The plot twists and turns and I experienced moments of genuine surprise along the way. I loved the LGBT+ representation, and the way the author has dealt with some truly upsetting and devastating issues , with a great deal of tact and sensitivity, and I applaud her decision to include details of support organisations in the end notes.
This series just goes from strength to strength , and with that kicker of an ending I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the Publisher, all opinions are my own.

Second books are hard. Second books are really, really hard. Second books that deal with trauma and despair have to be among the hardest things on this planet. I can imagine the author struggling over late nights and long days, trying to determine how to widen the scope of Lei and Wren's story, while keeping an element of what made the first book so special alive.

This is not light reading, and even seems to verge on the edge of adult versus young adult fiction. Even beyond her experience with processing her own assaults, Lei is thrust into a political game well and truly beyond her capacity to understand. The stress of their battle against massive injustice manifests in many ways, including angst and drama within her relationship with Wren (of course). What second book would be complete without intense conflict in the formerly happy couple's relationship?

The world of Ihkara remains very complete and very, very unique. I am particularly impressed with Ngan's multi-faceted descriptions of each of the clans of demons. They never felt repetitive, derivative, or shallow and given the scope of how many are described in this book, this is a really impressive feat.

Anyone who read the first book in this series knew the second wouldn't be light lift. We all knew that a book following in the wake of one focused on sexual assault and terror would be in part about how people who deserved none of what they had done to them try their level best to continue living.

Perhaps this is what I missed most about the potential of this book. Between constant crises and even a brief stint with a character that seems only to exist to create jealousy and tension in our main love story, there was very little space for Lei to be hurt and to examine her experiences. Beyond several instances of using alcohol to numb the pain, Lei is not given time to just be present in her emotions. This lack is the major fault of YA often, and it saddens me that in this instance, more space was not made. The themes of this series deserve more space and air to show survivors in the real world what comes next - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I will eagerly wait for the third book, not because of a cliffhanger (although there is a good one at the end, of course!!), but because I believe that stories like these are bigger than YA, bigger than a fantasy story. These are stories that need to be told, and I applaud the author for telling them. May they find the hearts of those who most need to hear them.

The publisher, JIMMY Patterson, kindly offered me an advanced reader copy (ARC) of Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan via NetGalley. Yet, this is an honest review of the book expressing my humble opinion.

I am in awe. I could have easily devoured it in one sitting, but I made myself pause because I needed to savor it. Every page was magic. Natasha Ngan has this masterful, elegant way to weave in emotional heartbreak not only without distracting from the main plot but making the experience transcend any norms and expectations.

This book is outstanding, and I'll do my best to organize my thoughts to try to convey just how breathtaking this book is.

First of all, it's QUEEEEEER!!! It's queer and proud, but the most gratifying part about it was that the relationships weren't showcased, they weren't displayed in a way that said, Here's one queer couple among all hetero ones. It was effortless and natural. It wasn't just included. It was embraced throughout the entire book. And yes, there are multiple queer romances, and I LOVED it.

Secondly, the Lei-Wren relationship has so many layers and dynamics. Loving each other wasn't easy, and Natasha Ngan weaved that authenticity like the emotion expert that she is. I loved how their relationship wasn't just about getting together and surviving. It was about living and loving each other in the aftermath. It was about their journey as individuals and as a couple. It was about their healing after the horrors they endured and the horrors of the war they're now facing. I loved how Natasha Ngan weaved in those details and didn't shy from it. In most YA fantasy books, there's just so much happening during wars and politics that we don't often see how the main character is coping with the consequences of what they did and what was done to them. But not in GIRLS. I've never been this close to the main character, this connected since I read Girls of Paper and Fire, as well as Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri. But there's something so special, so emotional in the way Natasha Ngan writes that it honestly leaves me breathless every time I picked up Girls of Storm and Shadow. So raw and authentic and heartbreaking and magical.

Mesmerizing. Undeniable. One of the Best Series I've Ever Read. With One of the Most Amazing Main Characters. In One of the Most Inclusive and Embracing Worlds I Ever Had the Honor Reading. 5 stars are not enough.

Note: If you loved Red Queen and Mare, you're going to fall in love with Girls and Lei.

10 stars – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Natasha Ngan
Publisher: JIMMY Patterson

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited for Girls of Paper and Fire, so naturally, when I saw this book on Netgalley I had to try to get it. Girls of Paper and Fire left on a pretty big cliffhanger.

This novel picks up I believe a few weeks after the events of book one. We are introduced to some new characters that quickly became new favorites to me. I enjoyed every minute of this novel, it was a very strong plot with lots of action. It touches on some subjects that need to be talked about as well.


I am so excited for the 3rd novel, this book leaves on a cliffhanger as well.

This book pulls you right back into the action. The characters the story, just the perfect continuation . I still loved the first book more but I just love her writing and character development. Definitely worth the read