Unable to give reviews due to personal difficulties at the time, but I heard a lot of good things about the book that I plan to buy one myself.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book! I absolutely loved it and couldn't put it down! This was such an intense but rewarding read! Even when I was upset about what was happening to the characters. What a cliffhanger, i can't wait for the next book! The story brought me straight into the world!

This book was a worthy follow up to the first book in the series. The world-building and characters are the strengths of these books.

This serie is a punch in the gut and I love it so much . It makes me cry a lot ,I will probably never read it again

This was a really enjoyable and well constructed sequel that expanded the world in interesting ways and added more depth to the characters. I thought that it was really fun to travel around to different locations in this installment, given that the first book was so hyper-focused on the palace and the court. It allowed for exploration of the different cultures in the world and we got to see moon cast individuals who weren't repellent, which I appreciated. I also thought that Natasha Ngan tackled trauma and recovery with empathy and tact, which was great to see. Both Wren and Lei were given more depth here and their relationship was explored and evaluated, making it feel more authentic. Overall, I thought this was a very accomplished second book and I am intrigued to see how the story will conclude in book 3.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This series has been a roller coaster for me. Just when I think I am going to have to put it down because it is dragging, I get slammed with a plot twist that has me thirsty for more.

I actually didn't finish this book. I didn't really like the first book and I tried to push through this book and I couldn't do it. There was something in the first book that was very triggering for me and I thought i could get past it in this book but I couldn't. I really liked the idea of this series and the storyline was great too but again, I couldn't get past the triggering part in book one. I would definitely recommend this book to other people but i would make sure to tell them about the trigger warnings. Overall I really do think its a good series but it just wasn't for me.

Definitely has a lot of “middle book” syndrome - lots of added characters, a mismatch of tones, a long journey BUT I really enjoyed this. Sometimes it gets a little too self-referential with the “we are paper girls and we can start fires” lines. But the cast of characters do eventually grow on you and the (SEMI SPOILER) character death does have impact. The book also really picks up speed in the back half, once it picks up the meandering pace. Characters develop shades of grey and it makes the book much more interesting, especially when the Wren/Lei relationship was sometimes a little bland. Reading the last one now and I can’t wait to see how it all ends. The characters really grew in the second book and it seems as if this won’t end simply or easily - this is going to be a challenge for all the characters

I love this series so much. I love the characters, in all their complexity and assholeness, I'm way invested into everything that happens and I need to read book 3 like yesterday (literally)
Reading this book, I cried, I sweated, I laughed, I screamed "YAS GIRL" so one can say I was into it. I actually just reread this book and I was just as enthralled as the first time.
I found this to be well paced and overall I just love everything about it. It was so great seeing my girls in a different setting and it was so interesting to see their relationship change. I love the new characters too and I just wish I could see more and more of them.
Anyway, this is a messy review and longer than I thought it would be so I'm gonna stop here.

Yes! I was so excited to return to this world! I loved all the new characters and can’t wait to see how the story wraps up in the third book!

Part of me felt this sequel didn't need to exist. If the first title ended without the epilogue it would have been absolutely perfect. My thoughts were confirmed when I struggled to get into this book. Which I never did and quickly abandoned it. I would like to know what happens to all the former paper girls but I may just read a review and not bother with this sequel and the third book as well.

This one really did not live up to the expectations set by the first book. The first one felt so tense and beautiful and unique with lively characters and a beautiful romance. This one was not bad, and I will still read the finale, but this brought the world down to a more run-of-the-mill fantasy that I’m not necessarily dying to return to.

3.5⭐

Summary
Lei and Wren have escaped the confines of the Palace. But slaying the Demon King was only the beginning. Now the real rebellion begins. As Lei, Wren, and the rest of their group travel across the country in search of allies, they encounter not only threats from the court they're trying to overthrow, but insidious doubts within their own group.
"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?"

Overview
➸ POV: 3rd Person, Multi POV

➸ Lei: "Moonchosen", Paper Girl, Fought the Demon King

➸ Wren: Paper Girl, Daughter of the man leading the rebellion, Magic wielder, Bred to help lead rebellion

➸ Content Warnings: *There are content warnings from the author at the front of the book* Violence, Self-harm, Sexual Abuse, Trauma Recovery, Death of a Child, Blood/Gore, Scenes of War/Fighting

My Thoughts
Overall I enjoyed this sequel but I didn't love it quite as much as book 1. While I loved these characters and being back in this world, the plot was way too heavy on the traveling for my personal preference.

I was a little apprehensive going into this because I knew a lot of what I loved about the first book wouldn't be present in this sequel. And while I did miss some of those aspects, this book had so many amazing moments and new characters. I absolutely fell in love with the new side character in this which made the fight scenes feel so much more high stakes.

I also loved that this book really showed the losses/sacrifices of war. Too often in YA fantasy, war is depicted as epic final battles where the good guys all persevere. But Natasha Ngan did an amazing job at showing what war can take - lives, mental health, relationships, etc. There were so many difficult moments throughout this that ripped my heart out. Definitely take a look at the content warnings before going into this book. It tackles some pretty dark themes that could be heavily triggering to some readers.

My biggest issue with this sequel was the focus on traveling. The entire plot of this book is the band of rebellions traveling across the country to gain alliances. And honestly I personally just don't like that fantasy plot. The "walk, walk, fight" arc isn't something I enjoy and sadly that's mostly what this book was.

Also, each and every character in here made absolutely abhorrent choices. I was so frustrated with almost every single character at one point or another. They kept doing terrible things or making ridiculously stupid decisions that I as a reader could see from a mile away. It was definitely a little frustrating at times.

Overall I'm glad I read this sequel and definitely plan to continue with the series (especially with the way this one ended!). I'm desperate to know how Lei's story wraps up and how some of the hints and little threads that have been introduced all come together. I love Natasha Ngan's writing and this story was easy to fly through. I can't wait for 3rd and final book next February!

It is always fun to read another book in a series, like reuniting with old friends. This second book is also well-done. I love that we are seeing more diversity in YA novels and this fantasy book is no exception with the LGBTQIA characters. The characters are sympathetic and memorable, This is a novel where the strengths lie in the description and the characters more than the plot, but it was still enjoyable, especially for readers who loved the first book. Also, the cover is just lovely.

Tipica sindrome del “libro di mezzo”.
Rispetto al primo, meraviglioso, primo libro, qui ho sentito venir meno l’atmosfera del palazzo, che era uno degli aspetti che preferivo. È un libro che parla di un viaggio, del creare alleanze, del pericolo sempre dietro l’angolo e dell’avanzata della più grande minaccia, però sono stata meno coinvolta.
La tematica principale è comunque importante e ben realizzata, in quanto si parla delle reazioni ad un trauma vissuto nel primo libro.
Still, penso che questo sequel non sia all’altezza del primo, anche per quanto riguarda la relazione principale. Ho apprezzato alcuni aspetti, altri meno, e ho indovinato il finale fin dalle prime pagine.
Comunque, la curiosità per il terzo e ultimo libro c’è, e sono sicura che torneranno le vibes di Girls of Paper and Fire!

I loved the Girls of Paper and Fire, so I was excited to get a chance to read the sequel. Natasha Ngan's Girls of Storm and Shadow did not disappoint. This book focuses on what happens after the escape and coalitions need to be built. Ngan excels at world building, and I look forward to seeing what she does next.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

an astonishing sequel. I had been anticipating this for so long and it did not disappoint at all. I absolutely adore these characters, I just want more.

I loved the fast pace of this sequel. Unlike many fantasy sequels where I can predict many of the twists and turns, this book kept me surprised and guessing throughout. The continued character development was especially impressive. I loved getting to know the characters more and see more flaws and cracks in their armor. The worldbuilding continued to be rich and unique. Highly recommend this second book in a really amazing series.

I was so set to love this. I received the first book, Girls of Paper and Fire, in FairyLoot when it came out and absolutely loved it. So when this popped up on NetGalley I was requesting it straight away. We pick up the story right where we left off, or close enough, and then follow Wren and Lei as they continue their struggles.

I’m sad to say that I didn’t love this. I didn’t even really like it – I had to force myself to read it, and I then struggled to actually write this review – I finished this book in December 2019 and I had the bare bones of my notes for ages – mainly because I just felt disappointed in what I thought was going to be another amazing read.

It might be difficult to get a coherent story out why I didn’t like it, but I wrote down some key points where it failed for me. You would think that a story in the same world, with the same characters we’ve loved, would work, but I don’t think either Lei or Wren benefited from this change in scenery in the second book.

There was a lot of cringy dialogue, especially in what should have been witty banter, such as some of the side characters. It felt like all of them fitted their typical mold in the group as we are so used to seeing – and I have nothing against a team dynamic, but it didn’t work for me here. Some of these fit closely to the type of character I usually adore, so I’m not sure what just missed the mark for me here.

It felt very much to me like some of the drama introduced in this book was there just because there needed to be strife. I get that they were both playing a part while in the Court and this may be their true selves having to suddenly figure out where their relationship stands, but I thought a lot of things that seemed true character traits were completely done away with, for the sake of drama. The stakes are high enough without adding more side-issues.

Can we just stop these unskilled characters be able to best fighters with years of experience on like… a month of training? It’s just not plausible! That’s not how it works, unless you’ve got some hidden power, but as far as I know, Lei is just a girl. Which was what was so amazing in the first book – she didn’t have training, or a lifelong mission, or powers, she was just trying to survive, but she stood up and took action when she needed to, which is so much more powerful. I must say I also don’t get why all the characters defer so much to Lei – I know she’s now Moonchosen, but she’s still the same girl – not suddenly a fighter, or tactical genius, or anything that makes her qualified to be the leader of a rebellion? There are many other characters that seem the much more logical choice – like Wren, if we want to stay close to home!

I liked seeing more of the world, though I could have done with more of it – for a ‘travel’ story there wasn’t as much description or time spent on that as I would like. There is also some brilliant exploration of the aftermath of the trauma they sustained back at the Court – and I’m now wondering if that’s where the shift in character came from, but they bonded and connected while in the Court, and I wish they would have focused on the internal struggles and after effects of the abuse, and not try to mess with this connection – as that was one of the most wonderful things from Girls of Paper and Fire.

All in all, this just didn’t do what I wanted it to do, and what it did include I really didn’t want! I’ve seen other people really enjoy the new gang of characters, and I think they just weren’t for me. I think this is one where I would say – try it for yourself, and it may still be for you!

I really enjoyed this novel and I hope that this series continues in the future. I plan to read more books from the author in the future.