#BookReview - Arc of Mirage by @somaiyaa
“You are not defined by the men in your life, no matter how powerful. You lived before them and you shall live after them. You can’t let them determine your path.”
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Rating: 5/5🌟
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You guys. This is space + fantasy + sci-fi goodness all wrapped into one.
The concept of this book hasn’t been done before so far as I’ve seen.
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Amani is from a far off moon but is taken away and is forced to become a body for the half-Vathek Princess Marem. She is almost indentical to her and is forced to put herself in danger to ensure the princess’ safety.
Amani starts spending time with Marem’s fiancé Idris(which wowee).
This book makes you want to dive in and never surface. It’s so well written and as the book progresses so do all the relationships involved in very interesting ways.
The ending makes me want the next book in this series and Somaiya hasn’t even released this book 😅😩😭.
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I cannot wait for everyone to read this! Thank you @flatironbooks and @netgalley for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review!💕

Opening with an elegant style of prose, Mirage immediately draws in readers with its lush and mysterious introduction to Amani's world. A true cross between fantasy and science fiction, the Vathek empire and the cultures it has subjugated bring together the vibrant Moroccan-inspired setting and the endless possibility of a galactic society.

From the onset, Andala and its moon, Cadiz, feel fully-formed. Though some early details are handled through exposition most of the history and culture behind them unfold naturally throughout the novel. From technology to cuisine, religion to fashion, Vathek and Andalaan cultures are study in opposites. Each of the three main characters are forced to straddle the line dividing conquerors from conquered, pointedly drawing the reader's eye to a cascade of injustices that has brought Andalaans to the brink of revolution. A few small details don't quite fit—soldiers wield both "automatic rifles" and "blasters" with no further explanation for how the two disparate technologies co-exist—although it's far from enough to derail the rich world-building that goes on throughout Mirage.

Daud also expends a lot of energy developing Amani, Idris, and Maram, as well as the shifting alliances between them. Maram is by far the most interesting of the three, caught between two cultures that see her as "other" and lesser-than, regardless of her royal status. Beneath her cruelty lies a complexity of spirit, perhaps even a twinge of vulnerability, that signals her as more than a straw man villain.

Amani, by contrast, feels assured in both her heritage and her belonging in the Andalaan culture. Her empathy towards her look-alike counterbalances a justifiable rage at the Vathek regime and the cruelties it has inflicted. This juxtaposition drives some compelling growth for her character, yet it is at times offset by poor decisions made in service to the plot, rather than her own development. Idris, the princess' fiancé, trundles along well enough, but the real focus and depth lies with the two young women.

With so much focus on characters and setting, the plot does falter at times. Rather than being dispatched into dangerous public appearances, Amani's duties most often require her to attend parties and official functions that would otherwise bore the princess. While this behavior suits Maram's spoiled, entitled demeanor quite well, it also ratchets down the tension considerably. Several larger schemes are set in motion—namely a forbidden romance and growing rebellion—establishing Mirage as an introduction to the long game that will play out in its sequels. It may diminish some initial excitement, but it bodes very well for the coming installments.

I liked this soooooo much more than I thought I was going to. I couldn't put it down! The writing is beautiful and the world building is excellent.

This book is a gem. You're faced with a very original plot, but towards the middle it becomes a fairly typical theme for YA. However, the setting and characters got me right away. You're swept away, initially, to a place that might seem familiar but you quickly realize that this isn't what you're expecting at all. It's beautifully descriptive and draws you in completely! I would definitely recommend this to my customers, as well as my friends and family.

There is SO MUCH to love about this book. Gorgeous writing, complex characters, timely exploration of social issues, an interplanetary sci-fi that's rooted in a non-white culture and not focused on high-tech gadgetry, a protagonist who's true to her religious faith -- I cannot wait to press this book into the hands of readers. Thank you so, so much to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for giving me the chance to read this one early! I'm already dying for the sequel!

Mirage by Somaiya Daud is the first book of the new young adult romantic science fiction fantasy series by the same name. Eighteen year old Amani is from a poor family living in a village on a remote moon when droids show up scanning everyone they come across.

When the droids scan Amani they find something within her that causes her capture and to be whisked away from her home. The next Amani knows she is meeting Princess Maram and finds she is staring into what is practically her own face. That is when Amani knows what her crime was, being a mirror image of the Princess.

Princess Maram is not a kind soul, following in the footsteps of her father she is known to be wicked and cruel and her first meeting with Amani proves to be no different than the rumors have led Amani to believe. Tortured and forced to learn the Princess’ every move Amani is forced to become her body double and stand in during events in which the Princess’ life will be in danger from assassins.

I finished reading Mirage a couple of days ago and had to give this one some thought as to how I wanted to rate this opener. It’s not a bad read by any means but I did have a few issues with this first book. The first being one that happens quite often and that is just being reminded of other books, movies or television, it took awhile to stop thinking of other things and get into this one on it’s own.

But the second is not necessarily bad but more my own preference when it comes to fantasy and that is this one is a heavily character driven read. The biggest portion of this opener is Amani and Idris and their goo goo eyes for one another then the next is Amani and Maram and their relationship forming and it seemed anything and everything else was buried within those interactions. Personally I like more action and more use of the scifi world and politics that the story is set in. The end of the book really picked up though which might give an indication of book 2 going a bit faster now that the character building is set. So in the end I decided to go 3.5 stars on this opener and hope for more in the upcoming installment.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I went into this book on reputation alone. I didn't read the blurb. I heard that it was good and a fantasy. I had not read any reviews before reading. I tried to go into reading it with as little bias as possible. All I knew was that some bloggers and reviewers opinions who I trust enjoyed reading it. I am glad that I read Mirage because it was an epic fantasy that swept me off my feet.

The plot moved kind of slowly. But it didn't bother me because the characters were incredible and kept my attention. Amani was a compassionate and brave character who amazed me throughout the story. I found myself loving her through the entire book. But my favorite character was actually Maram. I hated her so much in the beginning, but I feel like her character arc and the changes she went through were more important. I also love star-crossed lovers so the romance got me by the heartstrings.

Every relationship was built up slowly. Tiny intimate moments meant so much as the characters grow closer to one another. Intimate moments held the right amount of intensity with the writing as well. I felt emotionally attached to the characters. As a person who doesn't like contemporary romance much, I loved this book, where a lot of the focus was on the romance. I can only attribute that to good writing and amazing character development.

I found myself so immersed in the culture of the world that Mirage was set in. The world building really made this one stand out. It felt like reading Aladdin, only set on a different planet. The culture was so important and was a big part in the story. I had a hard time pronouncing some of the things in my head, but since the information wasn't dumped on you all at once, but rather given piece by piece it didn't bother me that some things were hard to pronounce. It is clear that this is a story influenced by Arab culture, or Middle Eastern culture, which made this story so unique and so beautiful.

When I got to the end I was crushed that it was over. I wanted more. Luckily, this is a series. Trust me when I tell you that this is one release you don't want to miss. The only book that I can compare it to is The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson, if you like that book you will enjoy this one. I found it hard to believe that this was Somaiya Daud's debut novel, but I will be following for the rest of the series and anything else she comes out with.

I received an advanced review copy from Netgalley and Flat iron books.

I won this arc from netgalley, I'm so glad that I did. It was a beautiful read. Its rare In the books I've read where A strong female lead bridges the differences between herself and the enemy. This book has middle eastern flare, with sci fi. Throw im some romance, it's pretty satisfying. I will wait for the next book. And hope that Her Heigness comes around!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2347245650

This book was good, it wasn’t mind blowing amazing or shook me to my core but it wasn’t bad either.

The world building is absolutely fantastic in this story, very poetic and beautiful.

I really enjoyed the space aspects of this, and I wish there was a little bit more to it.
I also really enjoyed Amani and her character, I liked her relationship with Maram and how it grows. I also thought the love interest wasn’t a bad one, it wasn’t horribly instalove but kind of was too.
The ending was very subtle and could pretty much be used as a stand-alone but it does leave you wanting to know what’s going to happen next. Definitely a set up book for a series, but interesting enough as a stand alone.

During the middle it got very calm and more about the love interest and relationship and that was okay but I would have liked more action. The first half was amazing and then it just slowed down, still wasn’t bad though!!


I wish I knew more of the words used throughout this book so I would grasp more lol. I guess I need to get a dictionary, or if it had a glossary that would be cool.

The worldbuilding in this story was amazing! I loved how Somaiya Daud built up the backstory gradually, allowing the reader to experience the story without getting bogged down by historical details. The different main players each brought their own unique perspective to the story, so that even though the focus was on Amani and Idris, the reader gets to know the others characters in-depth as well, particularly one who is seemingly the villain - Maram, our heroine's kidnapper and look-alike. I am so excited about the journey we are about to go on with this series!

In a world where happiness is rebellion, anything that brings a spark of joy to life is squashed before it can take root. Amani knows this firsthand, having been kidnapped during a coming-of-age ceremony, stripped of her identity, and tortured into serving as the body double of the notoriously cruel Princess Maram vak Mathis. Learning quickly that outward showings of rebellion will lead to more pain, she hides her strong will from the princess and pretends to submit to her plans. But upon meeting the princess' betrothed, Idris ibn Salih, she realizes that pretending has just become more difficult. Idris is the last surviving heir of the old Analaan royal family, and as part of their surrender, his hand has been given to Maram in marriage. But while he appears complacent on the outside, he feels quite differently, and soon Amani and Idris come together in the biggest form of rebellion of them all: love.

Amani was a strong, courageous character who went through a lot in such a short period of time. Her moments of snark and wit made you realize she hadn't given up hope, and her true belief in a better world was evident in each kind action she did. Even her actions toward Maram later on show how inspiring her character was. She is an excellent role model for all ages. Idris was not the focus of the story, but given he was the love interest, I definitely want to touch on his character a bit. His courage was also very impressive, given the situation he found himself in - robbed of his heritage, engaged to the woman whose father killed his family, and forced to pretend that his love for Amani didn't exist. Their love was so heartbreaking and I loved seeing it grow and develop throughout the story. He was truly kind, when a lot of other people would be bitter and cruel as a result of their circumstances. It made me want to see more of him, and I eagerly read hoping to see another glimpse of him in the story.

I eagerly await the next book in the series! I am so impressed by the intricacy of this author's writing, and it's sure to be the start of an inspiring adventure!

This may be a 300+ page book, but it flies by so fast. It reads as one huge character because everything flows together so well.
The story follows the main character Amani, she's a wise but brave character. She has a love for poetry and her family. But when she is kidnapped she gets a different adventure then what she wanted. Body double are one of my favorite things to read about because it causes so much drama. My favorite thing about this book was the culture in this world. I want to know more about all the different cultures, and how they play off one another. I found the world building and writing is an overall joy to read.
I like the relationships between the three main characters Amani, Princess Maram, and Idris. The push and pull between them and how they play off each other.
Therefore this is a book worth the read, grab your favorite drink and get lost in these pages!

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book and the characters. I enjoyed the relationships formed and pushed in this book. The storyline was enjoyable as well, I didn't love how dark it was at times though. I liked how the main character loved her culture and heritage, it was nice to read. It was a dark story with an enjoyable twist for sure. The plot moved along well and was enjoyable to read.

I had a hard time getting into this one initially. I felt like the beginning was a bit rushed, and I didn’t have very much time to connect with Amani before being launched into the plot. Also, since it is sci-fi, there’s a lot of names of people groups places to keep track of, and this made it a little challenging at times to understand what was going on.

However, once I did start connecting with the characters, I loved it. It was wonderful to (finally!) meet a heroine who was gentle and kind, and even though she was in the midst of horrible circumstances, she didn’t let them change her into a hardened, cynical warrior. Amani was compassionate, even to her enemies, and I absolutely loved that. Her relationship with Maram was my favorite part of the whole book. My only quibble with her was that she fell in love far too quickly, and I just couldn’t quite ship the romance. (They hardly knew each other! How could they possibly be in love already?) It did get better though as the relationship developed, and I have hopes for the sequel(s).

The sci-fi setting didn’t play a major role in the story. Yes, they use spaceships and blasters. Yes, they travel from planet to moon to plant. However, the story could have just as easily been set in a fictional country, or even a historical setting, and the plot wouldn’t have changed too much.

Overall, I’m rating Mirage 4 stars. Amani is a breath of fresh air on the YA scene, and I hope that she’ll show readers that it’s okay to love, and be compassionate and gentle, and at the same time still be incredibly strong.

Recommended for Ages 14 and up

Cultural Elements
Most of the characters are either Andalaan or Vathek. Maram is both. The Andalaans are described as having dark skin and hair. The Vathek have paler skin, and silver hair. The Vatheks have strong racial prejudice against the Andalaans.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One reference ("Silence is the most ----- criticism").

Romance/Sexual Content
Several passionate kisses, semi-detailed. Mentions of touching, and desire. One poem seems very erotic in nature, though it's not explicit. In one scene, it's not entirely clear how far the characters get intimately.

Spiritual Content
The religion revolves around Dihya, the male deity, and Massinia, the female prophet. Massinia is rumored to return one day to her people. Tesleets, a sort of mythical bird, as shown to be messengers of Dihya and good omens. One character is largely viewed as being Massinia returned, though she is not actually Massinia.

Note: the religion is very important to the characters, and heavily influences their actions and the plot. While it is a made-up religion, it seemed to have strong influences from both Islam and Christianity, without being an allegory or having a clear connection to either. I could see younger readers easily becoming confused by this, so parents should be aware and willing to discuss with their kids the themes in this book.

Violent Content
Semi-graphic descriptions of wounds, killings, and attacks, mostly by the brutal Vathek.

Drug Content
Characters drink wine.

Breath-taking. Nerve-wracking. Romantic. Gorgeous. Strong. Sensitive. Brilliant. WOW! I am already looking forward to the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of "Mirage" by Somaiya Daud. The writing style had my attention immediately. It is full of emotion and honesty. The world building is breath taking. It is magical and beautiful. This is the type of world building that transports you to the world and keeps the reader mesmerized. The characters are well described and relatable. The main characters are full of vitality and are very interesting. I will definitely be purchasing a copy for the library.

Amani is kidnapped and forced to act as a body double for the kingdom's disliked princess. She must never forget how dangerous it is if she wants to survive to go back home. Readers will delight in this richly told fantasy novel.

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it did not disappoint. The worldbuilding is lavish and expansive; I was completely immersed in this sci fi/fantasy world inspired by the author's Moroccan heritage. I die for a good genre-blending novel, and MIRAGE brought that in spades. Planets! In! Epic! Fantasy! Yes please, I need more, thank you.

It's hard not to fall in love with Amani. Her arc over the course of the book is profound, and I loved watching her become the assertive badass she is by the end of the book. Honestly, though, I have a soft spot a mile wide for Maram. She's cruel and abusive, but the author draws her with sympathetic strokes that make it hard not to see the humanity in here as well. Also, I mean, Idris: hello. Yes. He's incredible. You will adore him. Promise.

MIRAGE is everything I love about court intrigue, forbidden romance, mean girls, and high-stakes espionage. It's wonderful.

This book was another that I liked a lot more than I thought I would. 2018 has been the year for books y'all.

Mirage by Somaiya Daud is intelligently and creatively written and I absolutely cannot wait to continue the story when the next book comes out. I did feel as though the book has somewhat of an abrupt ending, but that's probably because I didn't want the book to end anyways.

This book is both sci-fi and fantasy, and I think that when those two genres are tied together, it makes for an awesome world, and story-telling.

The world-building at first was confusing as this story takes place on several different moons (which is super cool, by the way). After getting into the story more, the setting of the book made more sense and I really enjoyed it.

The characters..
wow. Just wow. The characters are so well written, and I don't want to spoil anything but our main character (Amani), the princess (Maran), and Idris have such differing personalities and the way that they grow and ebb through the story was just spectacular.

I'm just going to leave it here, and stop rambling. If you haven't added this book to your TBR, do it now!

If you enjoy books with a sci-fi, fantasy feel, with some romance, deep plots and friendship, then I 110% recommend that you add this book to your TBR!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book.
If you would like to read more book reviews, visit my blog at www.sarahjuneblog.com

You never know what world you’re about to delve into when you first start a book. And believe me, the world Somaiya Daud created in Mirage was completely unexpected. This novel is so saturated with culture, hell, it basically bleeds it. I loved how while this novel is technically set in an alternate, future-ish scifi universe, it is a meld of new and old. It’s sci-fi that could be fantasy, could be historical, there’s even a touch of magical realism here and there. It’s one of those novels that you almost need to re-read immediately after to capture every detail.

Mirage centers on Amani, an eighteen-year-old woman on the cusp of adulthood. Her world is a small backwaters moon. Her family comes from a line of farmers. And her life is simple, albeit shadowed by the oppression of the brutal Vathek empire. Despite all of this, Amani is rich, especially in comparison to some of the later main characters. She has grown up knowing her background, her culture, her language, despite the Vathek occupation and their determination to erase other cultures and religions. She is a dreamer, living on lyrical old-world poetry and mythology of gods and history past. And while she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya (a religious entity) for an adventure outside of her isolated moon, she isn’t quite prepared for what that means.

“I’d dreamed forever of leaving Cadiz, of visiting other star systems in our galaxy. But I’d never thought I would be taken against my will. I was dragged through the building, pulled onto a ship, silent and numb, then finally deposited in a holding cell.”

The novel begins with Amani being whisked away from her coming of age ceremony on Cadiz, taken in secret to the royal palace. Here, she discovers she is nearly twin to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. And because Princess Maram is hated amongst the star system, she needs a body double, someone ready to imitate her completely, even in death.

I enjoyed Amani - she finds strength in her situation, and has to make a couple of big decisions that decide how her fate plays out. She places her trust a little too quickly, but isn’t unintelligent. We do have love, and while it’s obvious as to the reasons why the characters fall in love so quickly, I can’t quite pin it as instalove.

Overall, Mirage is a fast, smart read, but moreso because you’re interested in the developing characters than the events that take place. The end conflict’s logic threw me off a bit, but I realize Daud’s strength isn’t plot, it’s setting. Mirage’s rich background and cruelties mirror both Moroccan history and colonialism (think 19th-century British imperialism). It’s also seeped in tradition of Arabic poetry, which I loved.

I am 100% behind Veronica Roth and what she said about the novel.

“Mirage is full of characters who feel like they existed long before the story began, and a rich world that is as beautiful as it is cruel.”

This is definitely a top book of 2018.

Mirage: 4.25 stars

Mirage 4/5
Mirage starts out fast paced. In the prologue it’s revealed that there’s an assassin: he takes aim and fires. Twice.
What a great start! Count me in!

From there we get to know the main character, Amani. She is a dreamer, values tradition, and loves her family even though they are on the losing side of a royal takeover on a far away moon planet. On the night of a sacred ceremony, Amani is kidnapped and doesn’t know the reason why.
It is then revealed that she is an identical physical match to the princess, basically a twin. The princess, Maram, is not a kind woman, and is feared and hated by her people (hence the need for a body double). Amani has to learn how to navigate this new situation.
This sounds like a great plot, but it takes a long while to build the setting. She has to learn how to navigate the political world, replicate Princess Maram’s cold and strong mannerisms- and is beaten when she does not succeed. After a few months, Amani is tested and passes. The stand-ins then get more difficult. You’d think there be a lot of action but it’s mostly attending parties, talking to secret revels, and getting to know Maram’s fiancé, Idris. (He is a cutie, I must say.)
The one thing that kept me from giving Mirage a five star review is that even though the prologue was a good teaser, all of the action takes place within about 4 quick chapters at the end. There are plenty of opportunities to describe the actual action scenes, but it’s not taken. All of the detail is in 80% after Amani’s kidnapping and before the assassin arrives. It was worth it in the end though.

The ending is a real winner. I’ve read PLENTY of YA novels about how love is enough to soar and be who you are and blah blah blah. It didn’t end the way I’d believed it would, and we have a little bit of a cliffhanger for Amani’s journey to continue. It’s SO GOOD! She such a strong female to endure all that she does, and I admire it. I loved the later interactions with Maram, she developed so well during the story. Idris was sweet and a pleasure to read about as well.
I am eagerly awaiting the sequel and can’t wait to continue, hopefully with more doing than planning and preparing.