This was a truly stunning book that I finished in one sitting. I did not want to put it down! I really liked the characters and the use of Arabic throughout the book. It was done really well and Hafsah did a great job of making sure that you still were able to understand the Arabic without having to try and translate it yourself.

I will definitely be recommending this book as often as I can! The ending left me wanting more and I can’t wait for the next book and more from this author!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan for giving me the chance to read and review this book early!

This was a stunning debut - I connected easily to both main characters and was completely invested in the plot from day one. I adore the world Hafsah created and can't wait for book two. I will be posting a full review on my blog and Goodreads closer to release day.

The first half of this book is a bit slow but once you hit the halfway mark it gets much more interesting! We need more diverse fantasy and this was so good. Technically I'm giving this 4.5/5 but that is still a really high rating. Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy.

This book was received as an ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I first heard about this book I did not know what I was in for. This was by far one of the most interesting J Fantasy books I have read but also one of the most confusing books I have read. I am in love with the storyline and the character of Zafira. I always think the story takes a brilliant turn when the main heroine has a strong name. While reading this book I got a sense of similarity with the setting of Shakespearian times where all men were set to act and work and in this setting Zafira had to disguise herself as a man in order to feed her kingdom and get credit for all her achievements??? Plus, the character of Nasir as I was reading sounded very intimidating and gruff but as I read on and hearing about the war and the conflict it brought to Arz then the story picked up and got good. However, due to some vocabulary and scenes midway through the book I would not classify this book as JFiction but YFiction.

That is why we give this book 3 stars.

Hafsah crafts a masterful story using beautiful prose and action sequences. The characters in this story are believable and are likable. I also enjoyed how the stories are intertwined and connected. Overall, this was a very enjoyable story.

This is a book is one of my most anticipated 2019 releases and I am blown away by how fantastic it is.

Everything from the banter to the world-building to the plot twists to the main and secondary characters to the antagonists was AMAZING.

Trust the hype people.

I also love how Arabic was said throughout the book.

I think half my eARC is probably highlighted with funny scenes, inspiring scenes, beautiful scenes, and just plain pretty prose.

This book has all of the epic banter from Six of Crows series paired with the pacing and violence of An Ember in the Ashes with the world-building of The City of Brass. So if you're a fan of any of those, then you'll love this book.

The characters are awesome. I love them all. Even the secondary characters are well-fleshed out. The friendships are great. The book is pretty high stakes. I want to protect my children at all cost.

And I'm still screaming about that ending.

Content Warnings: murder, slavery, torture, imprisonment, mention of suicidal thoughts, mentions of child abuse, mention of suicide, violence, gore, war