There was and there was not....." From the first lines of this book I was hooked. This is a world I want to live in. I was immediately sucked into the world that's a mix of fairy tales and Persian folklore. There are incredibly detailed descriptions of all the characters from the pallor of their skin to the animalistic or other inhuman properties. Soraya is a character in which you love and fear, yet you are always in her corner no matter which choice she makes. When she no longer feels shame about who she or what she feels her final transformation is something to be revered. I listened to this as an audio book straight through from the first world to the last. The narrator's voice was just as enchanting as the story, and only added to this magical tale. Along with the captivating story and characters, the authors acknowledgments were just as enchanting with the background behind her ideas and the retelling of some classic Persian tales. This book is one that will withstand the test of time and will be one you will be hearing about in the coming days and months. Not only do I already have this purchased to add to my bookshelf but I also can't wait to read this author's debut novel from 2017, Girls Made of Snow and Glass.
#mcmillanaudio #netgalley #girlserpenthorn

This review is available on my blog and Instagram feed.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn was well narrated. I'm looking forward to purchasing the physical book to have that as an experience too! Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook! Well done, Melissa Bashardoust!

Soraya has been kept a secret her whole life. No one can get close or they'll die from the poison that lives on her skin. When her brother's wedding approaches she has to decide whether or not she's ready to step into the public eye.

When she takes a leap of faith and enters the outside world she finds herself learning the secret behind the poison that runs through her and why she's been cursed with it. It is because of this that she becomes unsure of who she can trust. She seeks answers in the dungeon's and when she confides in the only other person who isn't afraid of her she finds out that trusting anyone may only lead to betrayal.

I really liked Soraya's character. Despite not being able to feel the touch of another person she still has a strength and will to find out all the answers. This is definitely a journey of a woman looking to find her place in the world and who wants to be able to love and be loved even if she's seen as a monster. She doesn't let other people's fear of her stop her from becoming who she's meant to be. Through forgiveness, friendship, and love she's able to find her place and to step out into the light.

I thought the world was really interesting and enjoyed the author's note about all the myths and legends she used to cultivate Soraya's story. I enjoyed it very much and would definitely recommend it to those who love a unique YA Fantasy!

I enjoyed the audio. The production was well done and the narrator did a great job with the accents and gender tones. I would definitely listen to more books narrated by her in the future.

Melissa Bashardoust’s Persian-inspired queer YA fantasy completely captivated me from the start. Soraya is a princess hidden away by her family because of the poison that runs through her veins, which kills any living thing she touches. But she isn’t the only one being kept away from prying eyes—in the dungeons is a demon who may hold all of the answers to the questions that plague Soraya. Can her curse be lifted? What is her mother not telling her about how she came to be afflicted by it? Nikki Massoud was a fantastic narrator for this audiobook, instantly transporting me to Soraya’s world. From the fairytale-like quality to the heroine’s growing understanding of her own power, this book reminded me of two other favorites: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik and The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. I live for books where heroines can be angry at the world around them, where they make devastating mistakes and must deal with the horrible consequences, and where they’re allowed to be thorny and still lovable. Through Soraya, Bashardoust explores the way girls are encouraged to make themselves smaller and more palatable to be accepted by a world afraid of their power, and shows how magnificent it can be when those same girls learn to revel in their strengths rather than shirk away from them. Packed with gorgeous writing and worldbuilding, Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a book I’d recommend to anyone who loves a good fairytale retelling. I’m already looking forward to diving into Bashardoust’s Girls Made of Snow and Glass.

This is my favorite fairy tale retelling I've read in years. I hope it becomes the next "Boy, Snow, Bird" because the storytelling is tighter and I liked the mythology. I'm not familiar at all with most Persian fairy tales so I was pleasantly surprised when the authors note explained the references. Narratively, this book is delightful. Curses and misunderstandings and secret passageways in a palace make for a run read. It was more feminist-y and "if you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else" (amen!) than I expected.

Audiobook specific:
--Narration was fine. The accents seemed a bit overboard and distracting at times.
--There is a weird reverb above 1x speed. This is the 3rd book I've listened to on the NetGalley app and the third issue with faster speeds. It tends to get worse as the speed increases. At best it sounds like a kid's echo microphone toy and at worst the scene where Galadriel loses her shit in Lord of the Rings. But there's no way I can listen to a full book on 1x so I'm living with it.

I loved this book, the narrator was fantastic and fluid with her speaking. It was easy to listen to and to understand what was happening.

I think the younger kiddos that I am with at school wont be too interested in this. I would put this more around 9th-10th grade and they would fully understand what was happening.

Soraya is cursed, she is poisonous to the touch. She has never in her life had human contact and she feels like her family rejects her. She finds a demon who may have the answers to all her problems. She needs to decide what she really wants and who she can trust.

Full review on my blog later.

I received an audio copy of Girl, Serpent, Thorn from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My true rating for this probably closer to 3.5 stars than 4 stars.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is so much like a fairytale and that was probably my favorite thing about it. I have loved fairytales my whole life and I think Melissa Bashardoust did an awesome job writing a new fairytale. But within that vein, this also felt like a story I have read a 100x before so it didn't stand out that much to me. This is also tagged as being a huge feminist fairytale so I got to be honest I was a little disappointed because while there were some great female characters nothing stood out as being overall feminist to me.

I really liked all of the characters and even found myself rooting for the MC but a lot of the relationships throughout the whole story felt like they need to explored a lot more since they just felt so shallow to me.

I will say that I just adore the cover for this book it is stunning and I would definitely love a copy of it for my shelf!
As for the audio for this book I really enjoyed the narrator's voice and how she spoke for every character, I definitely enjoyed the audio version of this a lot.

Thank you so much for letting me listen to this book.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn has gorgeous prose and is an immersive world filled with legends and a mythical beings. The folklore aspect made it feel like a walking fairytale, and I absolutely loved that. Unfortunately, while I was completely enthralled for the first half, there were clues leading up to the twist that were all too telling. I had hoped that the villain to this story wouldn’t have been as obvious as it was, but that let me down a bit. About halfway through, I lost interest because while the world was captivating, the story was tired with a slap of paint on it to make it seem unique on the surface.

My review post will be posted in the morning on IG.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust pulls on all the greatest elements of a fairytale and weaves them into a fresh new fantasy with a Persian flair. Pulling from ancient Persian stories Bashardoust creates a lush new world where Soraya, the hidden princess finds strength in the curse she believes makes her monster and finds her voice in time to save her world. Nikki Massound brings the story to life with her reading, especially given the use of both current and ancient Persian dialects. As retellings and fairytale-esque titles rise in popularity, I sincerely hope that trend sways in the direction of the vibe of Girl, Serpent, Thorn because I my TBR needs more stories like this.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a beautifully woven, mystical tale. The narrator, Nikki Massoud, has a smooth velvety voice which perfectly sets the mood for a what seems like a Persian fairy tale combined with a fantastical nightmare. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this story, although I also took a peak at some of the chapters in the ebook and the written version is also very magical. In some ways it is a coming of age novel as the main character Soraya battles between good and evil, human and supernatural, as well as romantic contrasts. This story has many twists and turns and kept me guessing until the last word. I also really enjoyed the author's note about the culture influences of the novel, the language used and some of the Persian history, myths and legends it was based on.

The audiobook was amazing! The narrator’s voice pulled me right in. The story. Characters. Plot. Climax. Omg. There wasn’t a minute I didn’t love this book!!!!!!

3.5/5 Stars

What started out as feeling like a normal YA Fantasy turned into a story that I very much enjoyed. If it had not taken the first 30% of the book to start on the story, I would have easily rated this book 4/5 Stars. There were so many amazing things in this story, the strongest being the wonderful Persian culture represented and the LGBT+ threads throughout.

I felt no strong connection with any of the characters, but I truly believe this story was not for them, but for the world. The atmosphere in this book is the reason to read it. You have magic beings with moth wings, and a girl with poisonous skin, all against the backdrop of a wonderful middle eastern palace. It was a place that I not only could see so easily thanks to the authors descriptions, but wanted to be apart of so bad.

Also apparently I don't hate romance in books, I just hate when romance is done in the same formulaic way as every other YA Fantasy book. This romance was one that I not only enjoy, but also found myself rooting for. Firstly, it wasn't obvious from the beginning who was going to be the love interest. Second, the romance wasn't insta and I actually found reasons for both sides to want to be with the other person. Finally, neither of the people used miscommunication or jealousy to move the plot forward. It was just an honest and cute romance.

I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it to not only fans of YA Fantasy, but also people who enjoy retellings or are tired of the same old YA Fantasy story and want something a bit different.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing my with this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is Melissa Bashardoust's second novel and, like her first, it's a gorgeous feminist retelling based on fairy tale and myth. I loved Girls of Snow and Glass (which is based on “Snow White”) so I was a little nervous about picking up her second book. Would I be disappointed?

I should have had more faith. Girl, Serpent, Thorn is an intricate, vivid tale based on Persian mythology, the Rapunzel/Sleeping Beauty fairy tales, and Hawthorne's story “Rappaccini's Daughter.” The imagery is original, intense and full of color. There are also lots of plot twists, including a big one that ultimately turns the usual fairy-tale ending upside down. Soraya, the shah's twin sister, is a strong-willed girl forced to live as someone she's not. She spends years hiding in the shadows, a poisonous yet powerless monster who can only bring shame to her family. Unlike her brother, she's not meant to rule, to fight, to marry, to make friends, or even to touch another human being. Which makes for a pretty lifeless existence. To make a slight change to the opening line of all her mother's stories: She was...and she was not.

All Soraya wants is one thing: to free herself of the curse that has ruined her life. Or so she thinks.

This novel has a romantic element – an unconventional one – but it's more about transformation. Soraya is on a journey to who she might become and it's fun to tag along as she changes. She was....the good daughter, the loyal sister...and she was not. As Soraya changes physically, so do her perceptions of just about every character in the book, including herself. Barshardoust showed her talent for world-building in her first novel and it's equally apparent in this one. I almost wish she would write a sequel that explores the world of the divs (demons) but my guess is she'll pick another fairy tale to retell in book three. Which is fine by me.

I listened to the audio version of the novel and was very happy with it. Nikki Massoud shifts from one character's voice to another's with ease and skill. Her narration also captures the beauty of the book's language, some of which is based on the original Persian.

Much thanks to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Even after everything she had seen
- demons and sorcerers and curses -
there was nothing more astonishing or magical
[...] than being able to touch Parvaneh."

As with Bashardoust's first novel Girls Made of Snow and Glass -- Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a lushly written fantasy. In it we follow Soraya , the recluse twin sister of Sorush, the Shah (king) of Atashar. She is a cursed princess, unable to touch living creatures without causing death - with the exception of plants. Soraya spends her days in her walled in rose garden or slipping through the walls of her palace, born royalty but never truly belonging to the world around her.

After learning of her brother's impending marriage, Soraya begins to question the very truths she believes about herself - resulting in a convergence of events that brings Soraya within reach of breaking the curse that has plagued her.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is heavily based in Persian mythology and is fabulously rich in detail. Bashardoust does takes the traditional method of world building and twists it, allowing the world to be introduced via in world fairy tales and stories that Soraya herself gifts the reader.

*I particularly enjoyed the author’s note at the rear of the novel which delves more into the lore and the culture. It’s worth a read, as are the recommended readings suggested!


Moving between the fairy tales that Soraya has grown up with and Soraya's POV the novel moves quickly and pulls you along, as if caught in the undercurrent of a soothing river. Bashardoust cements her place as one of the strongest world builders in her genre with the ability to construct a world while propelling us forward at lightening pace.

"You could kill me with a single touch.
Why should you ever be afraid of anyone?”


Girl, Serpent, Thorn is very much a character driven novel. Much of the novel revolves around Soraya's shift in self worth and her perspective on the world. Soraya is a morally grey character - a character trope I love very much. She holds a power, her poisonous skin, that will bring death to anything it touches, yet she refuses to wield it for evil or power. Instead, she thrives in her garden, a place she can bring life to.

While there is and there is not a love triangle, I was delighted with the relationship between Soraya and her love interests.

It's the best parts of enemies to lovers, human falling for supernatural and slow burn romances - yet it didn't stop there. Twist that a bit more and add a healthy dose of sapphic love and here we are: (view spoiler)

"Parvaneh seemed to be made of the night.
She wore it like a gown, draped over skin that shimmered in the moonlight?”

Entwined in the story is a theme a self acceptance, of self worth. Laced between actions and statements, Soraya grapples with who she is at the core, and what it means to be loved - thorns and all. There was so much about Soraya that I related to, understood, and I loved her because of those flaws and struggles - not despite them. The hurt of not being heard, of not being accepted by your own family, of being drowned out by the noise of the world - her yearning to just be loved. Each singular block added to the wall that she built and hid behind inside her own emotionally guarded garden.

Like with Bashardoust's GMoSaG, nothing is quite what it seems. Not with the characters, the setting, or the story itself. Hints, twists and reveals - both disasterous and beautiful - nestle themselves between a journey that comes full circle, breaking the entire kingdom free from it's chains and blossoming into a wild and rich ride.

I elected not to listen to/read this title because the reviews have gone down recently & when I preview books, I want them holding steady around 4 stars.

Title: Girl, Serpent, Thorn
Author: Melissa Bashardoust
Narrator: Nikki Massoud
Rating: 3.75

Soraya has loved hidden all her life because of a powerful secret. Soraya has poison in her veins and can kill any living thing with her touch. As her twin brothers wedding approaches, she meets a man who has her wanting to come out of the shadows. She sacrifices her safety and the trust of others to become a normal human again. But as she does this demons terrorize her coty and imprison her loved ones. Can she defeat this evil or will she give into its demands?

I received this audiobook via NetGalley. The narrator had a nice voice but I don’t think it’s suited Soraya the main character. This audiobook is only done by the narrator and there are no other narrators for other characters so you only get to hear her voice. The story flows really well. The amount of secrecy and betrayal in the story gave me anxiety. I really enjoyed how Soraya came into herself. She started to see the world in a different light from what she originally did. And she started to realize that the power she had was more of a blessing than a curse, as she had originally thought and I thought that was very well written.
The love story took me by surprise. But it was in chanting. I love the essence of magic in a way that I hadn’t seen before this isn’t fae and spells. There is a deeper cultural magic that the author explains about at the end of the book with an authors note.

if you like books about heroines, love , magic, forgiveness, and trust and the power that those elements provide this is definitely the book for you.

I received this audiobook from Macmillan Audio (@macmillan.audio ) in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley (@netgalley ).
#audiobookreview #netgalleyaudiobooks #netgalley #netgalleyreview #girlserpentthorn #soraya #ya #yafantasy #fantasy #romance #action #audiobook

I love a good fairy tale so am thrilled to find a new author (to me) that has a gift for spinning for a great one. Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a Persian-inspired fantasy or fairy tale who we learn at the beginning is poisonous to the touch. There are so many directions the author could have taken that premise, and it added to my reading experience. The story is full of secrets, surprises, questionable loyalties, and the tension of a young woman struggling with who she will become in light of her circumstances. I enjoyed Girl, Serpent, Thorn so much that I will now the author’s first book.

I was lucky enough to be granted an audiobook of the arc. Let me just say that Nikki Massoud is the perfect narrator for the book: her accent, intonation and voice are perfect for this atmospheric read. I’d say this is a slow-burn fantasy that is character driven - we spend a lot of time in Soraya’s head with her thoughts, hopes and fears. Looking forward to Melissa’s next!

Thank you to netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobooks are a new found love for me, and to get the chance to review them has been an exciting new change. The premise and description of Girl, Serpent, Thorn sparked my interest in books that I normally enjoy and rate high. Unfortunately, the style of writing that Melissa Bashardoust used in the story really dragged for me. If I would have been reading instead of listening, this would have been a DNF in the first few chapters. Since it was my first audiobook for Netgalley, I did hang in there till the end. My main issue with the writing style was the story book quality of the wording. I felt that the whole thing was stuck in a “once upon a time there lived a little princess that blah blah blah....” The main character I did not relate to at all, and who’s Little character development Really made this even more problematic for me. There was a strange love triangle that never had a strong foundation for me to begin with. The story itself would have been decent if the style of the writing had been in a different POV, world building would have been strong, and character development and descriptions were present sooner and in greater detail.

This was an interesting fantasy book used off Persian fairy tales. A princess is untouchable because of a curse and initially all she can think of is getting rid of the curse. What is she willing to risk for that? Who will help her or hurt her? Fans of the Shatter Me series will enjoy this as there are many similar themes.