It definitely took me longer to get into this book than the first one, but I loved all the political scheming! The characters really grew a lot and I loved how they interacted with one another. It did take a while for the plot to pick up and for me to get back into this world but once I did I was hooked.

What a great conclusion to the Mirage duology. We have own voices Moroccan rep and a f/f romance.
Trigger warnings for: violence, abuse, death
Court of Lions was visibly slower than Mirage, it was definitely more politics heavy. I felt especially in the middle is where things dragged a bit, but it all wrapped up wonderfully.

Coming in with a #pubday giveaway courtesy of @flatiron_books .⁣
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#Courtoflions is the second book in the #Mirage series. I was left hanging at the end of that book and I’m so excited to have an ARC the sequel.⁣
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Amani was abducted and taken to serve as a body double for Maran who will be queen. Court of Lions picks up quickly with Amani who is still torn with her loyalty to Maram and her dedication to help her people. Amani is also in love with Maram’s fiancé.....this is a YA fantasy at its best. ⁣
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We are so lucky to have one physical copy to give away from the publisher. Details to enter below! Congrats to @somaiiiya on the newest book release. (Also, can we discuss the gorgeousness that is this cover?!?!) ⁣
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Court of Lions is the last installment of the Mirage duology. This book was infused with Moroccan culture that brought the world to life. Daud did a fantastic job with the detailed descriptions in this book. From the food to the setting to the clothes, it was an immersive read that pulled you into the story. The beginning of the book flew by, but it dragged a bit and slowed down the narrative in the middle.
This was a strong political fantasy book that pulled the reader in and consistently kept raising the stakes with the battle for power between Maram and her mentor. The story tore at my heart with the relationships, they felt so raw and real that I was invested in the characters—the plot centers around a rebellion against colonialism, with technology and sci-fi influences.
We also got more of an understanding of Maram as a character and had several chapters from her point of view that made her more human. It would have fleshed out the story more if we had more chapters from her POV. In the first book, Maram was cruel to a fault, and in this book, she is complex. Her kingdom has tied her, and she can’t be with who she loves and has to keep a charade with Amani.
I love that there was LGBTQ+ rep in this book! Although the relationship between Maram and Aghraas happened so quickly. I thought it would have felt more real if their relationship had been drawn out more and allowed the reader to know more about Aghraas and Maram. In the first book, we were only in Amani’s head, diving into this novel having POV’s from Maram felt like the reader was just getting to know her. A solid and beautifully told ending to a duology.

Amazing return!! I could not wait for this sequel and was totally well worth it!!! Now I cant wait for the whole version!!
Full of excitement, adventure, betrayal, romance, and just everything you want and need for an amazing storyline!! And amazing characters that draw you in with unique arcs!!!

Loved it! Love Daud’s writing and world building! I loved Mirage and this book complimented it perfectly. I just have a few questions about the ending!!

This sequel was EVERYTHING I NEEDED!!!
It gave me THE BEST ROMANCE IVE EVER WANTED!
I was afraid that maram won’t get any love interests or something but oh god<3
I read mirage last month and i really regretted not doing that sooner because THIS BOOK DESERVES ALL THE HYPE!! Everyone should read it NOW!!!

Just like the first book in the series, this book is absolutely amazing. It is somehow, in many ways, even better than the first book and I thought that was really not possible. I love it so much and I definitely recommend this to all fans of SFF.

ALL THE STARS!!!!!!! GIVE THIS TITLE ALL THE STARS😍😍😭😭😭😭

I am overjoyed with how this duology ended that I could cry (which is rare & a huge no-no for me lol)

My heart cannot take the pureness and satisfaction I am left with.

For those who have read the first book, Mirage, I don't want to give spoilers... just know that justice will be served & the ending will make your heart dance with joy💜

I’ve been waiting for this book for years and it did not disappoint.

Court of Lions is a fabulous sequel and so amazingly written. I love Somaiya’s writing style and Mirage became an instant favorite. Court of Lions was the same.

I really loved Maram’s point of view throughout the book. Getting into her head was so much fun, and a nice glimpse into what she does when Amani is out pretending to be her.

I was thrown off by the switch in POV style but soon it didn’t matter. I was thoroughly enthralled and I didn’t want to put Court of Lions down. This was one of the best books I’d read all year.

I have a singular gripe and that’s that I felt the ending was a little rushed. Honestly, I just wanted to spend more time with them. With Maram and Amani and everyone. I love them all to bits and I wish there was a third book, or at maybe that Court of Lions was longer, just so I could read it more.

I loved Maram’s relationship with Aghraas. Honestly. WLW in a science fantasy setting is just *heart eyes*. Getting to explore Maram’s feelings about her heritage and her mother was a delight too.

Get Court of Lions. Read Mirage too. Add Somaiya to your Auto Buy list (she’s already on mine). And listen to us geek out with her on the Booked All Night podcast!

Overall, this series ended up meaning so much to me. Books written by Muslims are making their way into our lives more frequently and I’m so so happy about that. The stories are always so rich and end up meaning a lot to so many readers. As much as I’m sad to see Amani and Maram’s story end, I’m also really thankful that I got to read this series. I loved so much of this and I know it will be on my list of recommendations from now on. If you haven’t read Mirage I urge you to. The story is unlike anything you’ve read before and you won’t regret it.

After reading Mirage and loving that book with my whole entire heart, I had extremely high expectations for the sequel. I was unsure of where the story was headed but I hoped that wherever that was, wouldn’t be a let down. But now I’m realizing that was a silly fear. The moment I started reading Court of Lions I was overwhelmed with such a sense of right, such a sense of home and belonging that I burst into tears before I even managed to finish the first chapter. And my love for it and that feeling of home just kept on growing page by page until I reached the very last one.

The writing in Court of Lions is just as good as in the first book, if not better. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, lyrical and atmospheric. It transported me into the story and for a few hours I managed to forget where I was. Reading this book felt like I was sitting at the feet of one of my khalat (aunts) listening to her tell me stories when I was a kid, all starry eyed, giddy and invested in the stakes of what was being recounted. Court of Lions felt like one of those Moroccan fairytales of old with a moral to the story I was told growing up and I was completely riveted and mesmerized by it.

One thing that I loved about Court of Lions is how much it expended on the world. While Mirage stayed focused and confined within the walls of the palace, this sequel expands the world to the rest of Andala. One of my favorite things in series is one books expands on the previous one, and not just story wise, I like when the physical space the book takes part in expands as well and Somaiya Daud did so expertly, and while the places (belonging to different tribes) the characters traveled through were similar, there were small nuances and changes that showed for that change in location. And this to me was so very reminiscent of my own culture and people. From the outside looking in, Amazighi tribes probably look the same, similar attire, similar languages and dialects, etc… but everything is so different when you’re in the thick of it living it, our customs are so varied, our dialects so numerous and different, and I could see that in every detail of the book.

I didn’t think this was possible, but Court of Lions was even more infused with Moroccan culture than Mirage was. I think this ties in with the fact that by making the world bigger the authors was able to explore it more, but the fact of the matter is, I had stars in my eyes and felt giddy at the mention of every single familiar thing. Not only the food and the clothes, not even just in the wedding rites with their billion outfit changes that made me miss henna and dancing my heart away until 7am, but it was also in the subtle things, the way people greet each other, certain habits and mannerisms, Amani weaving wool to pass the time, and most of all the fact that the tribes are matriarchies. Amazighi tribes were and will always be matriarchies at their core and I loved seeing that be acknowledged here, which is a fact that history has tried to make us forget.

On the topic of matriarchies, I absolutely weep at the fact that the rebels, the resistance, the people aiming to free their colonized planet were lead by women, how women took charge and were hell bent on bringing about the change. If you ask me, this book is a love letter to Moroccan women. All of us. Because again, the role that women played in freeing the country from its colonizers time and time again is a component of our history that’s always erased, forgotten, almost never talked about and it made my heart sing that the author honored that, that she made sure to put the women, no matter the part they played, at the forefront, and how she showed that they’re all equally important to bring about change and revolution.

This book isn’t fast paced though. Is it character driven? Yes. Does it have high stakes? Also yes. But the road to getting to the finish line is slow and quiet, it’s not boisterous, it doesn’t take epic battles one after the other, battle scenes, cumulative deaths and bloodshed. At least not for the duration of the book. It’s a long haul war, it’s focused on politics and scheming and bidding your time. Decolonizing one small rebellion at a time until the time comes for more. Some would maybe call it boring, I call it realistic and very well done. Colonization in and of itself is violence so in that sense, yes this book is violent, but insidiously so. You feel it under your skin, the way these characters are in gilded cages, the way they’re stripped of their rights and have to walk on eggshells, the way their loved ones are taken away in the dark of the night never to be seen again and so many other instances in which, much like Mirage did, this book mirrors my country’s own very real history.

The book uses the “slow” parts to focus on the characters and considering how much I adore them, I had an amazing (and painful) time reading about them. No matter how much I love Amani, Maram is and will always be my favorite. She’s one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever read about and so relatable to me that it made my heart physically ache at times. I loved seeing her character arc and development in this book, the way she started getting away from under her father’s shadow and being hellbent on doing right by her people while still being terrified of their rejection and feeling hard, if not impossible, to love. Whenever she talked about her insecurities, I just wanted to hug and adopt her.

But what I loved seeing most about her is the way she slowly reconnected with her Kushaila heritage and how symbolic that was and how it hit home with me. Now little personal moment here, up until I was in my late teens, I was very deeply ashamed of my Amazighi heritage, it’s an ugly truth I’m now uncomfortable with admitting to myself, because they’re a resounding sentiment that’s anti-Amazighi that I grew up surrounded by, so no matter how proud my mom, and grandma and aunts were of who they are, I just couldn’t follow suit, because when I went to school I’d hear anti-Amazighi jokes and backhanded comments. So I didn’t tell anyone of it, didn’t speak the language outside of home and didn’t acknowledge any part of it where strangers could see. But now, I wouldn’t exchange that part of myself for anything in the world.

Unpacking that internalized bias and unlearning it took years, so seeing Maram go through that same journey, lean into her culture, embrace her people and learn to love it, them and herself by extension? that is the kind of representation I never knew I needed, especially seeing it from the lens of a character who shares my exact identities. And even more so because her doing that came with her hard edges softening, with her letting more people in, learning to trust people, to trust that if she lets them in they’d love her for who she is, that people don’t have to fear and hate her to respect her. The tentativeness with which she did it all as well as the vulnerability that she showed are so symbolic of her growth and so symbolic of the unfolding of the story as a whole that I couldn’t help but love her more.

Now, Amani. Ever so fierce, ever so strong and resilient. She has been put through hell ad back, uprooted from everything that’s familiar to her, beaten, brokenhearted and oppressed but she never gave up. Always striving for better, for the best, for the liberation of her people. Now I’m not saying she was never broken down and hopeless, no one is invincible in her circumstances, but she always gets back up. In my review of Mirage, I had talked of her love for poetry, how it’s a symbol of hope for her, and the symbolism behind the fact that for a good chunk of the book poetry wasn’t a part of her life didn’t evade me, she felt void and hopeless and trapped so poetry became too painful, but as she started healing, poetry started making appearances in the story again, and I think that that’s some powerful imagery.

Their friendship (or sisterhood) is still one of my favorite platonic relationships I’ve ever read about to this day. It’s so messy and rocky, especially towards the beginning and with the set back inn trust at the end of Mirage but I loved how strong and steady it kept going as Court of Lions progressed, how Amani took it upon herself to be Maram’s older sister and do the things she felt she had to do to help her heal and grow. She shouldered her burden, she confided in her, and was of great council and guidance to her, in both matters of the state and the heart. And seeing Maram latch on to her, embrace her as a sister and open up to her was so amazing for me to watch because it showed her growth as someone who never opened up to anyone before.

Opening up the book to the outside world means that our characters and thus the reader were exposed to new characters that each brought different perspectives to the table. And I really enjoyed seeing them interact and form new relationships outside of each other. But my favorite new introduction by far? Aghrass, Maram’s love interest. She’s one badass lady and I can’t blame Maram for being gay for her all over the place. And yes, Maram is a lesbian and I absolutely lost it when i found out and even more so when I actually got to read about it. A few years ago, I didn’t even dream of Moroccan representation and yet now I get to read about sapphic Moroccan ladies and my heart is so full it’s bursting at the seams. This book is just the gift that keeps on giving and the way they were portrayed? *chef’s kiss* The yearning, the simultaneous softness and intensity of their feelings for each other, the tenderness and carefulness in all their gestures towards each other made me want to lie on the floor and cry.

Now I think that this might strike people as instalovey because Maram doesn’t have a lot of chapters and there’s a time skip between each one and the following so the romance might seem rushed between them, but to me it wasn’t because time passed each time we got to see them interact. I could fill in the empty spaces, the gaps in the timelines with quality time spent together, with more yearning and more getting to know each other and falling more and more in love with each other, and I could do that from the reduced chapters we got, that’s how well done their chemistry was to me. Now, would I have liked more time with them? More chapters from Maram’s point of view in general? Yes. But I loved what I got.

Now on the other hand we have Amani and Idris‘ romance and all I could do while reading their interactions, their love for each other and the challenges they had to overcome, is scream PAAAAAAAIN. I was in pain. So much pain. Too much pain. In fact, I don’t think I will ever recover from it. Somaiya Daud knows how to write yearning so masterfully, the kind that leaves you aching and yearning for the characters as well. Here too, she landed the chemistry so well and so true, the love was so pure and strong and *big*. And what can I say? I just love love.

This review has been long enough but before I go, the last thing I want to touch on is the exploration of trauma in this book. Court of Lions explores it so well through portraying different characters dealing with it differently. While some run towards self-preservation and saving the little that they have left, others run straight towards the recurring trauma to try and make it stop. And neither one is less valid than the other and neither should invalidate the other either. But fact of the matter is that people are sometimes so all-consumed by their own trauma that they can’t look past it and see that people around them might be experiencing the same, or worse, but just deal with it differently.

At its core, this is a story of hope, resistance and resilience. I might not have written this book but it feels so personal and inextricably weaved into the essence of who I am, as a person, as an Amazighi, that I can’t help but love it beyond what the words of this review will ever be able to express. And I’ll forever be grateful to the author for writing it.

As Mirage fans go, I'm lucky - I just read it for the first time this summer, so I didn't have to wait forever to find out how that cliffhanger resolves, and what happens to Amani, her family, Idris, Maram, and, you know, this entire planet-and-two-moons full of people. But if you've been on tenterhooks for a couple of years waiting for the end of this space operatic duology, you're in luck, because Court of Lions is even better than Mirage.

Many of the things I loved about Mirage remain true in this second volume. The story sounds familiar when stripped down to its bones - a tale of princesses and peasants, of conquering empires and brave rebels, of forbidden love and political alliances. But those bones, as satisfyingly familiar as a fairy tale, are fleshed out with a gloriously sweeping, romantic richness.

Amani is a wonderful protagonist, resilient and brave and scared and searching for who she is, while trying to survive and do right by her loved ones and her world. And I won't deny that her starcrossed romance with Idris is the stuff epic poetry is made of. But I'm more interested in Maram, whose role is expanded in Court of Lions, and the conflict raging within her heart - not just between her duty and her growing feelings for someone she shouldn't love, but between her two worlds, her two heritages. Conflicting pairs, doubleness in opposition, is at the heart of this duology; after all, the plot starts with Amani being pressed into service as the body double for a princess she happens to look exactly like. And Maram's inner battle and her insecurity about being of two worlds, of being essentially biracial, is one of the most engaging elements of the first book, so I'm grateful it gets even more page time in Court of Lions, along with the complicated, burgeoning sisterhood between Maram and Amani.

Then there's the setting. Oh, the sumptuous loveliness of the setting! I'm a total sucker for fancy costumes in a novel, and Court of Lions doesn't let me down - the description of the tea-golden wedding attire alone is worth the price of admission. Not to mention the palaces and cities visited, the foods and teas consumed, the poetry recited... Can I just say how genuinely refreshing it is to not have the same old Europe-themed styles and atmosphere in a totally secondary world sff book? I'm not Moroccan, but I'm of Middle Eastern (Iranian) heritage, and Somaiya Daud's gloriously rich atmosphere and descriptive details - the scents of rose water and fresh mountain air, the decorative tiles of the palace floors, the ornate clothing and jewelry, the mouthwatering variety of food - shine through like the snow-cooled mountain breezes Amani misses from her home village. And that setting matters at a level beyond the merely decorative (not that "decorative" is nothing - did I mention how much I love reading gorgeous descriptions of clothing in books? Because I do). The plot of both Court of Lions and the earlier Mirage hinge on elements that you might not find in a run-of-the-mill, "medieval Europe is the only reference point we know" sff, whether it's Maram's biracial insecurity, or the important and relevance of poetry. (A poetry competition at one point in the story reminded me of the Iranian drinking game of poetry recitation; my mother loves to describe her "kitchenful of Iranian men," the night before her wedding, doing shots and declaiming love poems.)

If you've already read Mirage, I doubt I have to say much more to convince you that Court of Lions will be the gorgeous, romantic, satisfying conclusion you've probably been waiting for. But if you haven't read it yet, you're in luck, because Court of Lions is out NOW, so you get to read both with no wait!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

YES PLEASE!!! This book was everything I wanted it to be and that cover is stunning! I loved the plot and storyline in the book. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me all the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

Love, love, loved this sequel to Mirage! I already adore Amani, but Maram's character development was definitely my favorite part of this story. This was exactly the space opera I needed to escape the dumpster fire that is 2020. Full of adventure, twists, and revolution, I enjoyed every minute of Court of Lions!

I was so excited to be sent an e-galley of COURT OF LIONS.

But COURT OF LIONS, unfortunately, does not stand up to the adventure that was MIRAGE.

I was thrilled to see more of Maram's personal journey and to learn more about her. She deserves, more than anything, to be happy, and I was glad to see that Amani started to trust her and tell her about the rebellion, and that plot wasn't created by withholding information from Maram.

Unfortunately, it really dragged in the middle, and the court politics didn't feel very high stakes 90% of the time. I also felt like some plot points were throwaways, like the cousin of Idris who was arrested and just disappeared. While I understood that to be a breaking point for Maram, it was thrown away after it made its impact, and was never brought up again. Maybe he did disappear and was killed, but to not bring it up again for the rest of the book? Strange.

By the time we got to the end, I was fairly exhausted, keeping up with so many people and names. But I was happy to see it neatly ended, on a good note for Amani and Maram.

In all, this was a solid read – just not as great as its predecessor.

Review posted across all platforms in my bio, including Edelweiss on 8/10

Thank you to Flatiron for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Mirage Duology And Court Of Lions By Somaiya Daud

As always, I warn you if spoilers are coming. There will be spoilers for the first book in the Mirage duology, aptly titled Mirage! There will not be spoilers for the conclusion to Somaiya Daud's Mirage duology, Court of Lions. So, if you have read Mirage, you have nothing to fear. If you have not and don't want to be spoiled? Step away from the review. Again, as far as Court of Lions goes, I will not spoil anything regarding the ending. Somaiya Daud has put two years of work into Court of Lions, and we have put two years of patience that readers are not known for, in waiting for it.

As I have mentioned a million and one times, Mirage holds a nostalgic place in my heart. It was my very first NetGalley approval.

I decided to reread (audiobook) Mirage and then go straight into Court of Lions, which was perfect. I remember loving Mirage, but so many little details are forgotten in two years. We were swept right back in the world, characters, and Somaiya Daud's writing style, which is on-point with the tone of each scene.

It is beautiful, heart-wrenching, cut-throat, exhilarating, and delicate because of Daud's precision and intent. It never loses focus nor your attention.

Court Of Lions By Somaiya Daud
Somaiya Daud takes Court of Lions and picks up exactly where Mirage leaves off in both content and style. One significant change that might even make Court of Lions a step above Mirage (impossible as that might seem) is having chapters from Maram's point of view. These chapters provide a level of depth not only to Maram's inner thoughts but to the plot as a whole. Without these chapters, we wouldn't have heard Maram's inner-dialogue, observe the course of actions that she is taking, on her own.

Having this opened up to readers provides the groundwork for Maram's character arc in the book, which is essential. While that arc could indeed exist without this point of view, it wouldn't have been nearly as powerful. I don't believe I would have cared nearly as much about it, or the course of events in the book, period.

Amani grew the most as a character in Mirage. That led the foundation for her to accomplish anything she might need to in Court of Lions. At the end of Mirage, despite Maram's supposed growth, as she and Amani grew closer. It was surface, and she was still easily swayed, manipulated, and couldn't think deeper.

When evaluating the events at the end of Mirage, in the end, she chose to follow Nadine's hissing that Amani was a rebel rather than her saving Maram's life. That is where Court of Lions picks up.

Daud risks that t thought process becoming tired, fast if we are not let inside of Maram's mind. The only way to garner any buy-in, sympathy, or concern for Maram's plight is to let us in. She isn't letting anyone characters past her steely facade. So, Somaiya Daud wrote the hell out of Maram by letting readers inside.

Sometimes you feel like a cheerleader. Then, you feel heartbroken, FRUSTRATED AS HELL, joyous, and disappointed. Then wash, rinse, and repeat the feelings all over again. Readers will not be willing to go through that rollercoaster with a character if they don't care. And I don't think we would care if we didn't see it from her side because it would have dragged on too long. Daud's decision to let readers in, with Maram's chapters, was a brilliant change.

Respect Vs. Fear

People will do a lot of things when they fear you. But even fear will only get you so far. Respect will get you much further. Part of Maram's character arc is figuring that out. The foundation Amani built through her character's growth in Mirage helps goes a long way in teaching Maram this lesson.
Amani is already shocked to take Maram's place at the wedding ceremony to Idris, but she does so reluctantly. Amani is already warning Maram that she must realize that she has to take up her duties as queen, at some point. Maram than summons Amani to her chambers and demands Amani take her place at the ceremonial wedding night, in bed with Idris. That was enough.

Except...
She might be sentencing her family to death by refusing a royal command. But now she has to draw a line. Being prostituted to the future king was not part of the plan. It would not become part of the plan. Fear would not sink Amani so low, until Amani realized something, deep down. At that moment, Somaiya Daud did a fearless, unthinkable thing that kept Amani in the core principals she'd built throughout Mirage. Amani realized the tables were the opposite of what she thought.

But whatever Maram thought of me, I was her friend, and loyal to her besides. And I knew something she would never admit: I was the stronger of the two of us. I could bear up under this single night. I was not brittle like she was. And I knew, soon enough, she would come to understand that. To understand why she had come to me first and not Idris with this fear.

It was Maram who was terrified and who, deep down, came to Amani because she respected Amani. Although she would not admit it, it was Amani she came to with her fears and asked for help. It was not Nadine or Idris because she didn't respect or trust them enough. It was Amani and Amani was strong enough to handle it, for the greater good.

The Greater Good

Amani knows one other thing that Maram still has yet to realize. One other thing that she still doesn't believe. Amani genuinely sees a great, powerful, just, and unifying queen in Maram. This is not pretense, a trick, or a trap. It is a truth that Amani believes in her bones, and she will risk her life, the life of her family more times than can be counted throughout Court of Lions.

In Mirage, this did not end well for Amani, and it made everything horrifically worse. In Court of Lions, Somaiya Daud keeps horrifically worse going and then doubles down on it. Make no doubt. There are perils hanging over everyone's head. On the good and bad sides of this fight, high-stakes risks are being taken, and who makes it out, who prevails, is never a given or to be taken for granted.

Who I had concerns about making it out of Court of Lions flip-flopped throughout the reading. So I wouldn't settle on any one thought too quickly. Daud is going to keep you guessing.

Non- Spoiler Hot Takes/Wrap-Up/Summary

1. For me, there is a lot of war. I won't get into the specifics, (there is a specific reason) I felt that there should be at least one more major death or at least nameless deaths? Like a town wiped out. There are a lot of battles, and that equates to death. That is not what I mean by specific. That is just a general idea.
2. I did see a few concealed identities or character nuances that were revealed by the end of the book. However, I was yelling, what the devil in the blue dress was going on quite a bit. My jaw was on the ground throughout most of the last 100 pages or so.
3. The last thing I wanted to mention is that I can see where Somaiya Daud was heading into a trilogy. I would love to see a third Mirage book someday <hint>! If Somaiya Daud ever wants to write a third book in the Mirage series, the door was left open for one.

Court of Lions is the second and final installment in author Somaiya Daud's Mirage duology. The plot, politics, and setting were all inspired by Morocco where the authors family is from. Court of Lions, like Mirage, primarily lives in the world of fantasy, but also has both historical and science fiction influences. This story picks up where Mirage left off. There are two key characters to this series: Amani bin Tariq who was kidnapped from her family and forced into becoming Maram vak Mathis body double. Maram is the daughter of King Mathis and the former Queen Najat which makes her 1/2 Kushaila and 1/2 Vath.

After revealing her rebel connections and choosing to save Maram's life rather than allowing her to die, Amani is kept isolated, only to be brought back into Maram’s life for her wedding to Idris. High Stewardess Nadine once again proves that women really can be deceitful, angry, destructive, and perfectly evil as villains. She returns Amani to her duties as Maram’s body double, but with a caveat that if she steps out of line again, her family will pay the ultimate price. Amani begins plotting ways to keep Maram on the throne as the rightful ruler of Andala.

Then the twists come. Amani is unexpectedly told she is to play Maram during her parlay to marriage with Idris who is a political shield which could last as long as several months. For Amani, it's all about payback. Payback on the Vath. Payback on King Mathis who sent his Imperial Garda to bury her town by destroying its only source of food. Since then, she's been kidnapped, watch her friend shot dead, she's been beaten, isolated, and attacked by a raptor. But, Amani is strong-willed and resilient. Especially with her friend Tala and Idris standing for her.

She really does believe Maram will be a good queen, and she rebuilds her sister-like relationship with her which opens Maram up into believing she could actually become the Queen her people need. She also puts together a stunning alliance with various factions from the rebellion to families who stood with King Mathis and his Vath invasion forces who destroyed Cadiz and other worlds. Meanwhile, Maram faces her fears of being queen and of being married when she forms a relationship with her mysterious new falconer, Aghraes. We learn that Maram's heart doesn't lie with Idris, but with Aghraes.

It's fair to say that Maram's chapters are really interesting. Here is a girl who just wants to be loved. She's lost her mother. Her father is itching to replace Maram with his full blooded Vath daughter. She doesn't want to marry Idris, but he's as much of a political pawn as she is. There weren’t many chapters from Maram's point of view, but it definitely gave a much better understanding about her character and why she allowed Amani back into her life after believing Amani wanted her dead. Both Amani and Maram grow so much in this story. Amani's and Idris's relationship goes the distance, while Maram is becoming comfortable in her own skin with the help of Aghraes.

The political intrigue in this one was very prominent. The stakes were also much higher. One wrong move by Amani would turn a hopeful future into an unmitigated disaster for everyone involved. This book has a better vibe than Mirage had. There is a distinct story plot that weaves its way to a pretty decent ending for both characters. I was surprised by the revelation as to who Amani's mother is and her very real connection to Maram's. No spoilers! Read the book!

The first words that come to mind after reading Court of Lions are “what a book!” I really enjoyed Mirage, but this sequel was even better, in my opinion.

To start off, I’d just like to praise the writing. It was so lush and poetic and really brought the world of Andala and its characters to life. It wasn’t hard for me to picture the characters and setting at all. Though the book is technically science fiction, it read more like epic fantasy to me because of the atmosphere. For those who may not particularly care for “hard” science fiction that emphasizes flashy technology, I’d recommend giving this series a try.

I really loved the worldbuilding and the intricate politics of this book. The richly realized cultures of Andala and the incisive commentary on colonialism gave the story the thematic resonance of the best science fiction. Amani has her work cut out for her trying to bring together a bunch of people to oppose the Vathek empire, maneuvering a bunch of moving parts to create a working machine, but she does so quite skillfully.

This story is extremely character-driven, and the story balances the characters’ conflicting, complex motivations quite well. Amani, Maram, and Idris all exhibit immense character growth over the course of the story. The tension between their personal desires and their duties and the external pressures they faced was palpable throughout the story. Maram’s arc in particular was quite compelling and satisfying as she starts to shake off the colonized mindset from her Vathek upbringing, embrace her Andalaan/Ziyadi heritage, and assert her agency as an individual and a royal heir.

Last but not least, there were two major romantic arcs in this book, and they were just *chef’s kiss*. Both Amani and Maram are caught up in forbidden relationships, and the intensity of their yearning for what they desperately crave but cannot freely indulge had my heart aching for them. Maram falls for a woman, and I had so many moments during her passages where I was screaming in gay. This book is a gift to the queer readers who love mutual pining.

In Mirage, Amani was taken from her village to the royal palace and forced to train to become the body double for the princess, Maram. As time goes on, she built a friendship with the complicated princess, and she fell in love with Idris, Maram’s fiancé. Amani also aligned herself with the rebels, which not only put her in more danger but was sure to cause a rift between her and Maram and Idris.

At the start of this second book, which I was pleasantly surprised to find was the conclusion to the story rather than the second in a trilogy, Maram is angry with Amani because of Amani’s interactions with the rebels at the end of Mirage, though Amani is still loyal to Maram as well. As Amani mourns this loss of their friendship and worries about Maram, the princess then delivers news that pains her to her core: in just days, Maram will be marrying Idris — and Amani is going to stand in Maram’s place for the ceremony and public celebrations.

In Court of Lions, Amani has to find a way to draw Maram back out of her anger and silence and must decide if (and how) she will continue working with the rebels. She chafes at the cruel rule of the Vathek over her planet and people and is angry about her own situation, where she has no life of her own. But her unique position and access could allow her to make a real difference in helping the rebels — and perhaps, even, ridding their planet of the Vathek and being free again.

The story here in these two books is not original in basic components: girl from a simple background is put into a situation where she has potential for power but she needs to find that strength and courage within herself; a land/world/culture has been conquered by brutal outsiders and needs to be overthrown. But it’s no matter; most stories really aren’t and can’t be “original.” This story’s characters are compelling and their growth and experiences are what matter; in addition, the setting does a lot to make these books come alive. It’s a lush, Moroccan-inspired setting, replete with delicious-sounding foods, art, poetry, opulent and ornate clothing, lush locations and a proud cultural tradition. I enjoyed the books and was pleased with the conclusion.