Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.
REVIEW: This is book 2 in the Shadow & Bone trilogy and I liked this one much better than the first one. Lots of exciting battles and moments in this book that were missing from the first one for sure. I was a little sad that we didn't get a lot of The Darkling but I will take Nikolai any day. I love his character! He's witty and cunning and what's better than a pirate.....or should I say privateer. I'm really impressed with Alina and her growing strength and that she knows what she needs to do to protect not just her friends but Ravka as a whole. The connection between Alina and The Darkling is both intriguing and a little disturbing honestly. He doesn't seem to have any redeeming qualities that make me want her to choose him. Mal and Alina's ever changing, rollercoaster of a love story make my heart hurt. This was a solid 4 star read for me. I'm excited to read the final book in this trilogy and see what happens next.
Publication Date: June 4, 2013