<u> <b>Review for <i>Girls of Storm and Shadow</i> by Natasha Ngan</u> </b>

<u> <b>Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an e-arc of this to read and review! All opinions are my own.</u> </b>

<b>Trigger Warnings (TW):</b> For violence, a lot of gore, murder, warfare, sexual abuse, rape, self-harm and trauma recovery, as well as some references to possible alcohol abuse. Stay safe, friends!

<u> <b>Summary: </u> </b>

<b> “In this mesmerizing sequel to the New York Times bestselling Girls of Paper and Fire, Lei and Wren have escaped their oppressive lives in the Hidden Palace, but soon learn that freedom comes with a terrible cost.

Lei, the naive country girl who became a royal courtesan, is now known as the Moonchosen, the commoner who managed to do what no one else could. But slaying the cruel Demon King wasn't the end of the plan---it's just the beginning. Now Lei and her warrior love Wren must travel the kingdom to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans. The journey is made even more treacherous thanks to a heavy bounty on Lei's head, as well as insidious doubts that threaten to tear Lei and Wren apart from within.

Meanwhile, an evil plot to eliminate the rebel uprising is taking shape, fueled by dark magic and vengeance. Will Lei succeed in her quest to overthrow the monarchy and protect her love for Wren, or will she fall victim to the sinister magic that seeks to destroy her?”</b>


<u> <b>My Thoughts </u> </b>

In <i> Girls of Storm and Shadow </i> we follow Lei, Wren, and their group of rebels as they attempt to gather all of the clans together to take back the kingdom from the dead Demon King.

This book starts off with a bang, and it just keeps going. Our favorite characters are tested over and over on their faith for their cause, for each other, and the groups trust is put to the test.
Lei and Wren are still coming to terms with the abuse they suffered at the hands of the Demon King that will take forever to heal, but they find strength in each other.

<i>”Wren,” I say carefully, “being vulnerable isn’t a flaw. It’s the most beautiful thing in the world. If you were invincible, being brave would be easy. It’s the fact that it isn’t easy, that we have to constantly work and work at it, make ourselves believe in our own strength even when it feels like we’re worth nothing, have nothing, can do nothing…that’s power. That’s resilience.”</i>

*Quotes taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.*

For me, this sequel does not suffer from “second book syndrome”, in fact, it was more filled with action than the first one, and has a very solid set of characters that we follow throughout.
We get to see Wren and Lei’s relationship grow and develop, as well as seeing some new ones start to form.

<i>Wren is my wings.”</i>
<b>-Insert my tears here-</b>

*Quotes taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.*

The group struggles through hard terrain, trying to win over kingdoms, and we also get a few flashbacks to what the kingdom is up to throughout the book.
I fell right back in love with Ngan’s writing, because it is <i>so</i> easy to get swept up in this world with these wonderful characters, and everything that they are fighting for, and all of the hardships they are still trying to recover from.

<i>“There is nothing stronger than people who endure the worst hardships in the world, and still raise their fists at the start of a new day to fight all over again.”</i>

*Quotes taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.*


<b> <u>Overall (TLDR)</b> </u>
If you enjoyed book one, and fell as deeply in love with Ngan’s writing, world building, and characterization as I did, I highly suggest picking this one up on release day. It gets a full 5/5 from me, as did <i> Girls of Paper and Fire </I>.
Just be prepared for an ending that will leave you ruined.

Go read this, and then find me on Instagram and Twitter!
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This book was received as an ARC from JIMMY Patterson in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Having read Girls of Paper and Fire and loving how action-packed, dramatic, and spellbinding it was made me very excited to read Girls of Storm and Shadow. Lei and Wren are back but this time they are on a quest to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans to stop the monarchy from destroying the rebels and to use her gift to protect wren and stop evil magic from taking over not only the kingdom but Lei herself. Our teen book club loved Girls of Paper and Fire and are sure to love Girls of Storm and Shadow. It was really easy to fall in love with Lei and Wren which became very easy to follow them in their journey and take it on with them.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I really did like the first one! YA fantasy usually isn't my thing but this just is so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got hung up from some of the lack of world building in some areas. Overall the characters were enjoyable, although I wish I had more of a backstory on some of the new characters that were introduced.

A massive thanks to NetGalley and Jimmy Publishing for giving me an arc of this book!

I am so sad. I really love the first book of this series and this one just did not do it for me. I think the order of some chapters really ruined surprises, I think the relationships were sloppy (barring a couple), I felt like the pace was so lopsided and slow st the beginning only to move so fast at the end that you have no idea what’s going on but in a bad way. Lei and Wren’s relationship was my least favorite part of this book. I truly started shipping a hetero ship! Like.... what???

I never read the Matched series by Ally Condi but what I know about it is that the second book was them walking through a desert or something and that it felt like they stretched the story just to make it a trilogy and tbh I feel like that happened here. Several chapters could have been removed (and I mean like a quarter to a third of the book) and it would have been the same story.

I love Hiro, Merrin, Bo, Nitta, and Lei and some other side characters that I don’t want to give away. They added so much to the story and were valuable and action driven. But things done to them or weird moments of memory loss or instant ret-con threw me so much and just made me mad and sad. I still love the world and I see the potential in the third book, I’m just disappointed in this one.

I was very behind on the hype for Girls of Paper and Fire and earlier this year I decided to finally give it a go. I absolutely loved it so when I saw an opportunity to get an advanced readers copy of Girls of Storm and Shadows I knew I would regret not trying.

This book was perfect in every sense. It made me smile, it made me laugh and it also made me cry. There are new characters introduced and I couldn’t help but feeling so attached to them all and their different personalities. I still love Lei’s character just as much as I did in the first book. She’s such a brave and strong woman who only continues to grow. This time Lei is struggling with finding love in the middle of a war where everyone’s motives are tested and doubt really starts to take a forefront.

Natasha Ngan has this amazing way with words and she has managed to build such an amazing and in-depth world that just hooks you in and makes you never want to leave. With its smooth flow and range of diversity its no wonder that this series is so widely loved.

There was never a dull moment in this book, which for me was honestly surprising because I find that the second book in some young adult fantasy trilogies tend to be my least favourite. While this book did do a lot of setting up for the next book in the series I never found myself bored, in actual fact I found it almost impossible to put down.

Honestly, I could sit here and talk about this book for hours but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. All I can say is that after fighting through the tears I found myself desperately needing the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jimmy Patterson for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Wren and Lei are on the run from the Demon King's forces, desperately trying to build alliances and keep each other safe. But war changes everyone, and Lei will have to fight to remember what she's fighting for.

It's more than a year since I read Paper and Fire, and there is nothing even vaguely resembling a recap in this book. I spent a lot of time confused about whether I was supposed to know a character already or not. I definitely recommend a reread before tackling this one.

That apart, this is a great book. It leans quite heavily on the 'war makes demons of everyone' school of thought, but it's fast, exciting, and doesn't let up. The characters are great and the new cultures are well thought out. The cliffhanger was obvious, but it does its job - I'll be looking out for the next one in another year and a half.

A great follow up.

What an ending!!

Girls of Storm and Shadow was a great sequel to Girls of Paper and Fire. I really enjoyed it! Although this book is what some people would call a 'journey book', I felt it set the scene well for the trilogy conclusion. It was paced well, we see betrayals we don't expect and also small chapters from characters outside of Lei and Wren, which was great. We had many new and loveable characters introduced and the same amazing elements present from the first book.

Lei is obviously struggling with her time at the palace and the abuse she suffered. She has great supports through Wren and some new friends: Nitta, Bo, Merrin and Hiro. I really loved these characters and felt that the each had their role to play.

The girls are basically on a quest to gather allies and supporters to fight the palace and the King. I really enjoyed seeing them meet different clans and seeing the plot unfold the way it did. It actually surprised me.

Not only was the action well paced and intriguing, but this book actually made me cry. Like tears coming out of my eyes non stop crying. That says something about the writing and Natasha Ngan's ability to make readers feel.

I lived for the romance between Wren and Lei and also a few other characters in the book. It wasn't overpowering but really enjoyable to read. It mixed well with the fantasy theme of the book and overall the whole storyline was well thought out.

The ending had me literally on the edge of my seat. It was not what I expected and I can't wait to see what happens next! If you enjoyed Girls of Paper and Fire I would definitely recommend you read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and James Patterson Presents for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts were not affected by the free copy.

I was on the fence about requesting this since I didn't like the first book much, but decided to give the series another try. And this book turned out so much better than the first! It's a huge improvement in many ways, though of course there are still some criticisms to take care of before I talk about the good stuff.

I feel like the biggest thing about this book was that it didn't spend enough time on certain topics. Without going into spoilers, one of the characters is leaning toward becoming an alcoholic. This could be a compelling situation to focus on and the narrative does for a bit, but not for long and none of the characters really talk about it. There is a discussion about healthier ways of dealing with trauma but it's just one conversation and then the storyline is dropped. There are also touches on the moral ambiguity of war, how much you sacrifice and what you do in order to be victorious. But again, not really explored in depth. Whenever Lei tries to bring this up or tries to act in a compassionate way, she's immediately shot down and yelled at, and characters outright ignore her at times when she tries voicing concerns about the methods being taken. It's a little frustrating that no one seems to care about her opinion or finding alternative paths.

Another missed opportunity is in character backstories and world-building. We are introduced to new characters, but I don't really get a feel for their motivations to why they're joining this fight. Especially the ones in the Moon caste. What exactly are they looking to gain? Why are they sympathetic to the cause to the point of risking their lives and pushing on even when they have every reason to turn their backs? Also, the world is expanded but I'm still left with questions. The bird-cat divide feels weird, portraying the birds as these more serious creatures and the cats as the fun-loving jokesters. Which doesn't make any sense if you look at animal behavior. Some birds are serious assholes and terrifyingly vicious. Are there similar species rivalries between the cat and dog demons? Or the predator-prey demons? I can't recall if there are even any rat or mouse demons running around.

Let's also talk about the love story. This second book is a perfect example of why insta-love is so annoying: when you actually get to know the person, you find that there's a lot you didn't know at all. These two are constantly keeping secrets from each other, and just when you think they're done lying, more secrets come out. Their relationship doesn't feel balanced. As I said before, Lei questions what they're doing to win this war, and Wren ignores her or pushes her to do the morally questionable thing anyway. If Lei does have to do morally questionable things, it's usually because someone's pushing her into it or it's in the heat of the moment-- like during a battle where it's self-preservation. She isn't often allowed to make that choice solely based on her own feelings and views of the situation. But back to the romance. Guess what comes up: that's right, a love triangle! Because we all love those, right? Granted it comes in late to the book and it doesn't feel like it's going to be a serious issue, but it's still annoying to see these two girls fighting over another girl and being jealous and Lei being insecure that the other girl is prettier/seemingly a better match than her.

But on to the stuff I liked. Despite my complaints on the moral ambiguity, it is actually there. Characters make some very morally questionable choices in order to achieve their goals. It was upsetting what was sacrificed, but I still kind of liked it at the same time because it felt real. I also liked the realistic portrayal of Lei recovering from her sexual abuse and trauma. I do feel like that was forgotten after a while but for a good chunk of the book it was there, and it felt genuine. I think a lot of abuse and trauma survivors will relate to what Lei is going through. I also liked how much more fun this book had... for a while, anyway, until the horrors of war really started sinking in and the battles got more intense. But it was still so refreshing to have the characters joking around and laughing with each other.

The writing feels like it's more improved, too. In the last book, I had a problem with the style being a little too poetic and dramatic. This time it's much more straightforward, which I appreciated immensely. It's still well-written, of course, and we aren't even stuck in Lei's perspective the whole time. Admittedly I liked that, too, because it shows the impact the plot is having on characters outside Lei's circle. People might complain that "nothing" happens but I think a lot does happen. There's just a lot more emotional challenges being dealt with at first, and I for one love that.

I'm really glad I gave this series another chance. This sequel was a lot better than the first, in my opinion, and I'm now looking forward to where the story goes from here. From someone who wasn't that fond of the first book, that's saying a lot.

I loved the first book and i was so happy to read more of this story. The things that i loved about this book were new characters and new places.I really enjoyed reading other characters point of views. Lei was getting stronger and i love reading fierce female characters. I wish there was more action but i am really happy to read this arc. I will definitely pick up the third book. 3.5/5 stars.

"Fear is good. It means you care. And caring is its own kind of magic."

3.5 STARS

CW: sexual assault, graphic injury, gore (including eye gore), violence, loss of a loved one, animal death, implied child abuse, nudity, child death, addiction, self-harm, slavery

Last year, Girls of Paper and Fire rocketed up to the top of my list of favorites, earning its place there with no questions asked. It was stunning and sapphic and full of so much promise for the fight to come, and I couldn't help but fall in love.

Unfortunately, Girls of Storm and Shadow has not quite lived up to expectations in the same way. While far from being an outright terrible book, it falls heavily into the trap of second book syndrome, existing not so much as a book in its own right, but as a set-up for the third book in the series. On the one hand, this suggests to me that the final book is going to be downright EXPLOSIVE, and I'm all right with that! On the other, though, it's meant that Girls of Storm and Shadow was lacking in the meantime, which is quite the disappointment.

Above all else, Girls of Storm and Shadow is a travel novel. Most of the book is spent with Lei, Wren, and their small group of allies traveling to different corners of Ikhara in an effort to secure support against the Demon King and his forces. Each place they travel to, while well-crafted and vivid, also means a cookie-cutter procession: arrive, seek allies, flee for the group's safety in an effort to reach the next destination before death catches up. Doing this once or twice wouldn't be too bad, especially if a different chain of events separated things, but it happens repeatedly, taking away some of the excitement and suspense and turning it into "here we go again" instead.

I also found that Girls of Storm and Shadow lacks the unfolding of relationships that made Girls of Paper and Fire such a hit for me. Lei and Wren do have further growing to do as their own characters and as a couple (and truthfully, I appreciated the tension between them, because it's a big world outside the confines of the palace, and there are high stakes at hand), but the side characters didn't quite do it for me. Nitta alone, I think, held my attention, partly because she still has something of a shrouded past, and partly because her relationships with the rest of the party are reasonably clear. With Nitta, you know where everyone stands. Merrin, Bo, Hiro, and Caen, though, felt more like props than characters sometimes, though Bo at least grew in a way that turned him from slightly irritating comic relief to genuinely lovable supporting character with a knack for providing levity when it's most needed.

All things considered, we'll be seeing more of these characters (and a few others) in the next book, so their development isn't done. However, looking at Girls of Storm and Shadow on its own, I think there was something lacking, especially in the way certain relationships changed on a dime.

That said, Girls of Storm and Shadow also has its merits, and I stand by them wholeheartedly! For one, Natasha Ngan continues to have such outstanding prose, bringing her world and characters to life with words that flow so easily but must have been so hard. Even better, though, she digs her teeth into bigger themes and doesn't let go. Not only do Lei and Wren have to grapple with the abuse heaped on them during their time as Paper Girls, especially the sexual abuse endured at the hands of the Demon King, but they also have to consider how far is too far to go for the sake of a good cause, whether the ends can justify the means. It means nothing is simple, and sometimes, the choices they face are between two evils, with little way around it. And in dealing with these topics, particularly the trauma that's associated with rape, Natasha Ngan has a touch that's both gentle and respectful, never shying away from the horror of the situation, but simultaneously refraining from becoming too graphic and from downplaying any of the many emotions felt in response. 

I also have so much appreciation for the increased diversity presented in Girls of Storm and Shadow. Not only is it wonderful to have two QWOC at the forefront, but at least five other queer characters are confirmed, four male characters and one female character. That said, there has yet to be any trans rep so far, and I'd really like to see that change in the next book (or perhaps in the finished copy of this book, who knows).

And like I mentioned earlier, while this book suffers somewhat from pushing so many story threads into place now in order to amplify the payoff later, I have to admit that I admire the direction this seems to be going. There are going to be questions of power, especially questions about how to distribute power fairly, ESPECIALLY questions of how to do so when faced with varied interests that cannot always be dealt with at once, and I look forward to seeing how the discussions of right versus wrong and end versus means tie into that. 

I'm also invested in the hints of rebellion we catch glimpses of during the brief chapters not told from Lei's perspective. The rebellion runs deeper than anticipated, with more important players than expected, and it's going to come to a whole host of victories (and prices to pay).

At the end of the day, I still have a deep love for this series, and I've still placed a preorder for Girls of Storm and Shadow (which has a neat preorder campaign, if you haven't heard)! It releases on November 5th, just a couple weeks away, and I have to give it a recommendation despite my problems with it. A series that starts strong and promises to finish strong can hold my attention, even when there's a bit of lag to the middle of it all. Plus, I want to be sure Lei and Wren get the happy endings they deserve, so you can count on me sticking through to the end!

Girls of Paper and Fire had a lot of things I want to see more of in the fantasy genre: Eastern Asian influence (or Asian influence in general), gay ladies (Seriously, give me all the queer characters but especially f/f relationships), stories of surviving abuse and trauma without shying away or relying on euphemism. It was raw and real but also magical.

Girls of Storm and Shadow was... Not that. The first 65% of the book felt like filler. We don't get character growth, there's little to no direct conflict, the passage of time is completely unclear, we cut away from our first person narrator for a sprinkle of actual plot 3-4 times, there's more banter than meaningful conversation between characters, Wren's character shrinks back into a stereotype and Lei is helplessly naive. The lovely, descriptive writing can't make up for the fact that nothing happens. The whole book boils down to 4 major events and a lot of travel time. Totally could have been a handful of transition chapters in a book rather than a while story of its own.

The characters were shallow and childish, spending more time whining about their relationships than actually fighting a war. There was a lot of potential in a side plot with alcoholism, but it's only brought up once and there are no lasting consequences. Wren and Lei are altogether too forgiving of each other despite having very few actual conversations that we see. And there's a big plot point at the end whose success hinges on understanding one side character in a way we simply don't.

Honestly, this book suffers from sequel syndrome. I suspect book 3 will likely have all of the things this book lacked, but the cost to get there might be too high. I appreciate the dark undercurrents here, but I wasn't sold on it. And by the time we got a real, present plot it was too little too late.

I loved Girls of Paper and Fire and I loved this sequel! Girls of Storm and Shadow picks right up with tons of adventure, magic, surprises, and a little love thrown in for good measure. Now that Lei has taken a shot at the king and the plot to overthrow him has been uncovered, allies must trust each other on an epic journey to gather more like-minded clans for the coming war. With a huge cliffhanger ending, I can't wait for book #3!!

Girls of Storm and Shadow is the second novel in the massive hit series, Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan. The first novel was an emotional and powerful read and thus was obviously an instant hit.
Once again we're back with Lei and Wren. They survived their ordeals in the first novel, but that doesn't mean that they're free. Lei has become known as the Moonchosen, thanks to her part in killing the Demon King. Only...she didn't actually kill him, did she? It turns out that demon kings are a lot harder to kill than you might expect.
Now Lei and her allies are trying to move forward in their plans. They want to stage a revolution. Otherwise killing the Demon King (or so they believe) will have served no purpose. The cycle of pain and suffering will continue, until they find a more permanent way to end it.

“Yet like most lies people tell themselves, it came apart in the shadow and quiet of the night.”

Warnings: If you've read Girls of Paper and Fire, then you've already got a good idea of how dark this series can get. This novel will touch upon concerns such as slavery, rape, and sexual assault, torture and murder, and PTSD.

Girls of Storm and Shadow had a lot to live up to, thanks to how dynamic and powerful Girls of Paper and Fire is. But I am very pleased to say that it lived up to it, and perhaps exceeded it in some ways.
As it's predecessor, this was a powerful novel. Watching Lei try and take ownership of what had been done to her was tough, and as such, it was extremely emotional. But it was also inspiring. And we can't ignore the fact that she came above it all, and she did what she had to in order to make a positive change in her life.
This whole novel was heavily focused on what comes after the deposing of a monarch – though we all know that the king isn't actually dead (the conclusion of the last novel made that clear). That means forming alliances, making plots, and doing everything possible to try and make some actual changes within a society. Which is easier said than done.
As such, we got to see a whole lot more of the world this time around. And honestly? I'm already anxious to see some more. I'm fascinated by this world. More than that, I'm looking forward to seeing the changes that Lei could bring with her.
It was wonderful to see Lei and Wren again. It's been fascinating seeing where their relationship has gone, and how they both handled their trauma in such different ways. It's a poignant reminder about how we're all different – and how these two girls came from very different backgrounds.
And of course, I'm going to be very interested to see where their plots go in the future. Both as individuals, and as a couple. Further proof that Natasha Ngan is a superb writer.
There were a plethora of new secondary characters, and it didn't take any time at all for me to find myself emotionally attached to them. Ngan has a way of writing these amazing and wonderful characters. They're in stark contrast to the villains of the series, who are so easy to hate and despise.
On that note, there was a constant sense of foreboding in this novel. Perhaps it is because we know the truth, while Lei and her allies had to discover it for themselves. Seeing things from the enemies' side from time to time only served to increase this tension.
While I'm sad that Girls of Storm and Shadow has ended, I have to admit that the ending was oddly appropriate for the story Ngan is telling. It fits perfectly, and honestly, as much as I'm anxious to see more, I think that was the right point to end this novel. Though I will be curious to see if others agree with that sentiment.
Now I'm just going to have to settle in and wait for news on the next novel, which doesn't currently have a title (that I'm aware of). But that's okay, I'm patient. Or at least, I can pretend to be.

I was really hyped for this one, as I absolutely loved GOPAF and the world that Ngan created…one that wasn’t kind at times and reflected the horrors that many women have faced and are still facing today. As such, I expected the second book (especially with the way the first book ended) to really open up and explore darker themes on Lei’s journey.

The book didn’t disappoint in that regard! Lots of action and romantic moments with hardly a dull moment. Lei also starts to work through her trauma with Wren and learns to still fight despite what happened to her in the past. You really come to care for some of the side characters, as they begin to develop their own romances, hopes, and dreams. I also thought Ngan fleshed out more of the kingdom very well. Most of the first book took place at the palace but this one has the characters trekking all over the place, which really helps set things up for the third book.

I think the only real let-down with the book, and why it gets 4 stars instead of 5, is that Lei was such as bad-ass in the first book, but makes all sorts of bad choices in this one that seem a bit contrary to her initial character. She frequently makes bad decisions that put her friends in danger and fails to see the bigger picture. That, and she never really seems to learn from her past mistakes. While I’m sure Ngan is trying for character development with this, it got a bit tiresome to see a character who was so smart and selfless in the first book just be kind of selfish and impulsive in the second book. It felt a bit like a step back for Lei, in terms of character development.

Overall, I think this was a solid sequel and I’m looking forward to seeing how the series plays out.

Okay, I have so many mixed feelings!!!! So MANY!!!!! First, I was extremely honored and excited to receive this ARC. I really enjoy Natasha Ngan's writing style and Girls of Paper and Fire was the first sapphic book that I actually felt a connection to which really gave this series a special place in my heart. However, reading this book was really tough for me. The first half was great, but as the book went along I increasingly struggled.

Lets talk characters. I will say that we are introduced to many new ones and I enjoyed the ones that I would consider the mains though as usual I wished we had more about them. I love my character development. You'll see Merrin, the owl demon who rescued Lei and Wren at the end of Girls of Paper and Fire. You get leopard demon siblings, and a shaman as well, I will say that I think Lei is the most consistent and enjoyable character in this book. She does what needs to be done, but has the heart that make you fall in love with her. Wren though. This book was so hard for me mostly because of her. I don't want to give away spoilers, but lets just say we learn a lot about her in this book and it was hard for me to swallow. We get some morally gray characters going on here which normally I honestly love, but I just felt angry honestly. I felt angry for the last half of this book and I wasn't compelled by these characters' arguments.

The world building was good. We get to explore more of the world that had been built with the first book. You get to see more of the country which is enjoyable in its geographical difference and you will notice that there are different cultures sprinkled throughout the book though they weren't super developed I did enjoy them.

As for diversity this book does well. We get to meet a couple more lgbtq+ characters as well as Lei and Wren both being women of color as well as lesbians. There are also characters who are experiencing mental health disorders. A story with some good intersectionality.

Overall, I'm frustrated. I loved Lei and Wren, but this book was a tough read for me and left me on a note that was frustrating and dissatisfying. I believe there will be a 3rd book and I will read it just to see where this goes, but honestly I really considered just not reading anymore past this point. I'm writing this write after I finished the book so I'm definitely on an emotional high, but heck this book hurt.

This was a good follow-up to Girls of Paper and Fire. The trauma and the aftermath of the first book is well thought out and described. I really enjoyed getting to know the world more and journeying with the characters. The twists became a little predictable after a bit and the ending was a little rushed and out of nowhere. I still want to know what happens in the next book, but I'm not quite as eager as I was after the first book.

Note: This review contains spoilers for Girls of Paper and Fire. You can find The Nerd Daily’s review for it here.

When I finished Girls of Paper and Fire, I thought it a beautifully written book set in a fabulously intricate fantasy world whose plot had a few things that bothered me. My consensus: a good book that I’d definitely recommend but not necessarily rave about.

Then it kept intruding into my thoughts.

I found myself eagerly anticipating the release of Girls of Storm and Shadow. I wondered what events were triggered by the move against the Emperor. I wanted to dive back in to the lush, evocative world that Ngan crafts with each carefully chosen word. It’s why I requested to review it—I didn’t want to wait.

The book has two underlying central concepts: doing bad—possibly unforgivable—things for a good cause, and the way in which trauma haunts those who have been touched by it.

Sweeping across several locales from snowy mountaintops to tropical jungles, to arid desert, we chart Lei’s journey as she accompanies Wren and a band of rebels across the sprawling Ikhara as they try to secure allies in their coming fight against the Emperor. The variety of these settings give a clear sense of the geographical scope of the Ikhara, and offered free reign for Ngan’s powerful imagination. However, I was disappointed that the novel did not dive into the regional history of each setting in the manner that Ngan so spectacularly grounded her world in Paper and Fire.

To the backdrop of these locations, Lei undergoes significant character development that was deeply enjoyable to read; insisting on learning how to fight. This beautifully furthered her unwillingness to remain silent and compliant in the face of wrongdoing which was curbed by her limitations as a woman with no combat training, which limited some of her agency in Paper and Fire. It also beautifully intersected with one of the major underlying themes of the book; the way trauma lingers on a person as something indefinable yet inescapable.

After the horrific sexual violence she endures as the unwilling concubine of the Emperor, it makes sense that she would want to learn to defend herself. Similarly, all too often characters shrug off traumatic events from one book to another. Girls of Storm and Shadow does not shy away from the fact that enduring something horrific means you – and the world, for you – will never be the same again. As a survivor of sexual abuse, one of Ngan’s intentions in writing Paper and Fire was to prepare teens for the world as well as to tell the story for others to know they weren’t alone. The manner in which Storm and Shadow depicts the after-effects of trauma and the way the hands someone has laid on you without your consent remain on your skin, long after they have gone, provides a powerful narrative about what exactly the victims of sexual abuse endure.

Indeed, Ngan clearly outlays the difficulty of existing in a man’s world, leaving women subject to this kind of trauma. While Ketai Hanno, the leader of the resistance movement and foster father of Wren, is only ‘on stage’ for a few pages of the story, what he would make Lei into as the ‘moonchosen’, the paper (human) girl who nearly killed the Emperor, and how he would use her, are questions that dominate the book. Thus, his presence is a tangible thing, a counterpoint to the manner in which the Emperor, although only ‘on stage’ for a short time, dominates so much of Lei’s thoughts.

These complex depictions of how men use and manipulate those around them for their own ends, and how women as less powerful are the most vulnerable to this, are the strongest parts of the book, and the uneasy fear of how it will affect the lives of the characters meant I was virtually unable to put the book down. While these themes may seem somewhat clichéd, Ngan sidesteps traversing well-trodden ground by working through Lei’s empathy. Her pity for those who do the unthinkable because they have been taught to think such acts are necessary for the greater good offers a compassionate way of seeing such behaviour, and gives nuance to a delicate, complex narrative. It’s refreshing, not overstated, and gives depth to the book that means it’s lingered in my mind despite having finished it several days ago.

That being said, the second book in a trilogy is subject to certain pitfalls, and Storm and Shadow falls in to some of them. It is difficult to advance the meta plot of the first book, and set up the denouement to arrive in the third, while also offering a reasonably contained narrative. I felt very little, if indeed anything, was resolved in Girls of Storm and Shadow. Many questions were raised and none answered – not even the question of why Bo and Nitta were exiled from their clan.

Similarly, Ngan picks up the narrative thread of other characters to give us glimpses of what’s happening in the palace, yet doesn’t return to them. It means the plot itself didn’t feel particularly tight.

Fortunately, the strength of Ngan’s prose mitigated much of the frustration that arose out of the lack of resolution (and the fact that the book ends on a huge cliffhanger).

Girls of Storm and Shadow is not a perfect book. But then again, few are. For the second book in a trilogy, it has a few flaws that could have been avoided – I would happily have read a longer book for a bit more detail and resolution. That being said, I cannot wait for book three to come out, and you can bet that I’ll read it as soon as it is available.

Wow. I needed to wait a few days to write my review.
I loved the first book and the message, but I had a few issues with the second.
I feel Girls of Storm and Shadow is suffering a bit from second book syndrome.
Everytime we got to a new destination with new characters the party moved on and I felt like I wanted either more adventures on the way or more time at the palaces with the newly introduced characters.
I feel the author's strength is her characters and dialogues and that wasn't as present in this book and kind of what I expected.
What I loved though was Lei's inner turmoil after she finds out all the secrets and motives of the others.
I'll be definitely reading the third book and hoping for more from my favorite characters, political intrigue and great dialogues.

Thank you so much Jimmy Patterson books for the eARC of Girls of Storm and Shadow. Unfortunately I will be waiting until after publication to read this novel. This arc copy is filled with numbers on each line of the text, and it is making it hard for me to concentrate and read this arc. I tried to read this for a while, before I decided it would be best to read this sometime after publication. I do look forward to reading this in the future. Perhaps future arcs can be fixed for reviewers. I would love to work with you in the future.
Kind regards,
Brittney