The cover is absolutely stunning so I figured I’d try out the book.

Unfortunately it fell flat for me. I couldn’t get into it. I think the narrator didn’t have enough enthusiasm in her voice for me to stay tuned into the storyline.

This was such a beautiful book! I really enjoyed it from start to finish but didn't *quite* fall in love with it. I loved the fairy tale feel, and it definitely read like a fairy tale, with inspirations from Rapunzel and several Persian/Iranian folktales and even historical accounts with what almost felt like a dash of Beauty and the Beast (even if that wasn't intentional). I'm so glad there was an author's note at the end to share with the readers all of the inspirations because there were a lot I didn't know!

I was really happy with the way the romance was handled. I was just not in a romance mood and stopped reading some other fantasy books because I wasn't in the mood for it, but this was sweet and genuine and it all unraveled naturally. I never felt like the romance aspect was overdone which is something I get annoyed with in some YA concepts.

There were pieces of the fantasy aspect that I didn't connect with but mostly I did! I enjoyed following along in this new fairytale and all of the strong characters that were a part of its story.

This audiobook would have been a treasure to listen to if it wasn’t for the shaky/staticky audio. This lasted almost throughout the entire audiobook. The narrator did not know how to differentiate the voices between the other characters. Now onward to the book itself. No real major surprises. I would have preferred a more pronounced romance with HEA. Too many names and locations in other languages. It’s very confusing.

The story is a delight (the Persian mythology worldbuilding is amazing and I loved how ambitious truly heroine’s motives became) but for some reason the narration is a bit echo-y. I think it’s the app.

I really enjoyed this book! It had a unique plot with shocking plot twists that more often than not left me gasping because I did not expect most of them, it had a strong female character with a great development and growth. She grows up sheltered and hidden from everyone else due to her ability to kill someone with her touch, but as she learns more about the world and gets out of her shell she becomes fierce and strong, and I loved that about her!

I am also a sucker for villains and absolutely loved this one. I loved azad and his scenes with soraya were some of my favorites. Not in a romantic way, but more in the sense that their scenes were too fun and I loved the back and forth betrayal and lying that went on between the two.


I felt like the romance was a little underdeveloped, but I guess it’s hard to fully develop everything you want in a standalone (and this one was also quite short). Even with the lack of development, I still thought soraya and parvaneh were cute.. I just wish they had more scenes together!


Overall this was such a great story. I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed the narration! She managed to keep me engaged to the story. It was an anticipated book for me and I’m glad to say I enjoyed it quite a lot and it didn’t disappoint!

This audiobook was absolutely stunning! the narrator Nikki Massoud did an amazing job bringing these characters to life and her shifts in tone and accent were so subtle and natural that at times I could believe the audiobook had multiple narrators. It made for a truly lovely reading experience and I think the audiobook enhanced the whole fairytale vibe of the story!

This book was so incredibly good! Turns out if there's moth imagery and sapphics I'll consume it within 24 hours. I cannot express enough how much I loved this story. The characters were incredibly well written and despite the various instances of miscommunication, they were justified by the narrative. The narrator, Nikki Massoud, is one of the few narrators I didn't put to double speed. Not only is her voices for the characters perfect, but she gave the story a little something extra than I think I would have gotten if I had just read a physical version of the book.

Sadly, I could not download this audiobook via the app. It might be my phone or a glitch but it will not allow me to download it.

This story is beautifully told, and will intrigue you long after you finish the last sentence. Melissa Bashardoust has certainly woven some magic here, with charmingly frustrating characters, some serious romantic tension, and so much danger.

The Persian mythology this is based off of is something I’m not very familiar with, but it was fascinating to learn about. It was a quick book and it did kind of leave me wanting something more, but at the same time I could enjoy it for what it was. This story was certainly thrilling, but also deeply mysterious. I am desperate to find out what’s going to happen next, especially because we were left on such a cliffhanger! Add this to your TBR, because if you love magical stories with a historical fantasy vibe to it, then this is definitely one that you won’t soon forget....

Honestly, there’s nothing that I didn’t like about this story. It’s beautifully written, and each character has their own memorable personality. This would be a great book for younger fantasy readers or people just starting to dip their toes into fantasy.

3.5 Stars

Have you ever been totally in love with the concept of a book but not its execution? That captures my feeling of Girl, Serpent, Thorn, a novel with elements of Persian folklore that is inspired by a blend of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, Rappacini's Daughter and the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty/Briar Rose. I've long been fascinated by Rappacini's Daughter and even own the 1980 film starring Kathleen Beller. There are fundamental questions about why a daughter would become or be made poisonous and whether that essential part of her nature should be accepted or changed that make for rich exploration. Combine that with the thorny princess tale and add in tribes of divs (Persian demons) and you have the makings of a rich story. Soraya, twin sister of the young Shah Sorush, was cursed at birth (or so she's been told) by a div to be poisonous to the touch. A lifetime of living hidden away, wearing gloves, lacking for affection even from Tamineh, her mother, has left her lonely and fighting a growing sense of bitterness. Her brother is marrying her childhood friend Laleh, who Soraya has seen less and less of in recent times. Her mother looks at Laleh as if she's the daughter she wished she had, so far as Soraya is concerned. And so, when a div is captured and brought back to the palace, Soraya wants desperately to question the div to find out if it is possible to break the curse that separates Soraya from the world. When a handsome young soldier, Azad, offers to help Soraya, she makes her way to the dungeon and finds the beautiful parik named Parvaneh, a winged beauty. Drawn to both Azad and Parvaneh, Soraya finds her whole life shifts its axis. Can a poisonous girl have a good heart? It might take finding the mythical simorgh bird to find her answers.

This has the makings of such a fabulous story and yet I honestly felt as if the quality of the writing was not a match for this great idea. I suppose it may be that my recent forays into fantasy have been with authors writing lush and lyrical worlds. Bashardoust's story is bold and creative and merges fairy tales and folklore in an original way. I wish her writing style had more polish to it and a better flow. I'll still pick up whatever she writes next and want to take a look at her first novel, Girls Made of Snow and Glass.

Updated 07/15/2020: I had occasion to listen to the audiobook edition of the novel and have bumped the novel to 4 stars with the 3.5 rating. The narration by Nikki Massoud adds a more lively dimensionality to the story.

I received a digital review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.