Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a YA fantasy and when I started it I thought it was going to be just like every other YA fantasy story that I’ve read, and some parts were but others weren’t. I did enjoy how there was a lot of stuff that was different form other books, like her powers and the history of how they came about, how that played out throughout the story. I did find that the relationship between her and her mom was one of the main things and themes throughout the book that kept me reading and kept me wanting to know what was going to be revealed next.

The main plot twist I did see coming that was one of the thing I did find a bit disappointing was that I saw who was the bad guy and kind of guessed how things were going to play out. I do have to say the side characters really stole the light at times for away from the main character in the personalities and how things play out


The history that was put into this world and how everything is connected was my favourite part of the plot of this book I have a weakness for fantasy stories that have been well thought out and plot. I love when things from the past is connected to the future. I also love when things happened in the past effect why things played out the way they did in the future and this book did that really really well

I was lucky enough to get an audiobook version of ARC; I really, really, love the narrators voice. I like the voices that was done for the characters, that really helped bring the personalities out. I like the reading pace and the theatrical. The feeling the reader put into each character really developed them and the world even more for me as a reader. It was read by Nikki Massoudand I will be looking for more books read by Nikki.

This is overall a really good solid YA fantasy that thrives from the history of this world and the magic and the curse that's apond the main character. How she lives and deals with this course and how things unfold because of choices that were made in the past by her ancestors and by her mother; and how the past really does play into the future.

4.25/5 ⭐️

A girl with poison in her veins, but she doesn’t want to kill. She wants to love, to touch and not be deadly. Girl, Serpent, thorn is a story of Soraya, a princess who was cursed at birth to be deadly for all living beings and monsters. Who wants a curse like that right? So the princess tries her best to break the curse and what follows is a nightmare she never imagined!!

The story is beautifully woven with Persian mythologies and fairy tales into a feminist fantasy! Yes, the protagonist is bisexual and sassy👏 the characters have so much depth and originality to them + they are unreliable to the moon and back. You’d think monsters are bad and they should be banished, but you’ll love them, even root for them, because Melissa has written them that way ♥️ (her debut novel Girls made of Snow and Glass is evocative too 😉)

Bottom line - Not all monsters are bad + this is not your normal fantasy where the Princess needs saving + if you’re looking for a non-cheesy logical YA fantasy for adults, pick this one and thank me later!

[I think the narrator could’ve focused on modulations a little more! At some places narration fell flat and emotionless]

Thank you for the alc Macmillan Audio and Netgalley!

I loved the mythological aspect and fairy-tale-like story. A beautiful take on empowerment, friendship, and family bonds. I also really like the narrator.
However, with so many foreign words, it was hard to keep track of the story, especially while listening to the audiobook.

[content warnings: kidnap, torture, murder]

This is a breathtaking and artful retelling of Persian mythology and fairy tales. From the beginning of story, I fell in love with Bashardoust’s writing and Massoud’s narration.

Yeki bood, yeki nabood. There was, and there was not a cursed, poisonous girl named Soraya (18, bi+). She was the young shah’s twin sister, but kept away from everyone because of her venomous veins, deadly upon touch. When the shah captured a div—parik Parvaneh, Soraya knew she owed herself to seek answers of her own curse from the prizoner. And then there was Azad, a young man who understood her, giving Soraya the unconditional acceptance and love she craved the most, despite her poison. As she learned that the only way to undo her curse was to put her family’s lives at risk, would Soraya exchange their safety—a family who were ashamed of her monstrous quality—for her own human self, or keep herself tucked away for the rest of eternity?

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a story about three outcasts of their own respective families. Soraya, Parvaneh, and Azad are all haunted by their past, their present, and each other. Each of them a monster in their own way, they are all very conflicted characters who embody good and evil simultaneously.

Every single scene in the story was carefully illustrated and meticulously planned. The references within the book as well as to existing Persian stories weaved Girl, Serpent, Thorn into one of the most beautiful tapestries of a book. There were reveals I did not see coming; there were surprises I knew were inevitable.

Apart from the prologue, the story was told exclusively in Soraya’s limited third-person point of view. With the many deceptions and omissions of truths, we jump as Soraya is caught off guard and are anxious as she anticipates the worst. In the first half of the story, we never really know where anyone’s loyalties lie nor who is trustworthy, who is not. We continue to question the truth as each character has their own warped version of it, each believing in their own righteousness. It is as easy to love the villain as it is the protagonist. With Soraya, Parvaneh, and Azad all carrying regrets and suffering from the consequences of their own past actions, they are all so human and monstrous at the same time, making them entirely relatable with their layered complexities. They form a twisted love triangle due to their bond—they easily find themselves in one another. In a way, they complete each other so fittingly and dangerously.

There was a lot of miscommunication in the plot, yet strangely enough, it never seems contrived nor angsty, only understandable and believable. Withholding information is not an act of stubbornness, but misguided protection, intent deception, wavering trust, and fear of losing love. Miscommunication is the root of all chaos in the story. Soraya, Parvaneh, and Azad seek forgiveness, love, and acceptance from each other, and that in turn means asking for self-forgiveness, self-love, and self-acceptance.

All three of them are persecutors, victims, and rescuers at different times. This is Karpman Triangle demonstration at its finest. I love how the protagonist is sometimes evil and hurtful and that the antagonist is sometimes empathetic and helpful in their own way. The story also sends a wonderful final message of no longer blaming oneself for the actions and inactions related to another’s manipulation, and being proud of who one truly is. Everyone is the hero of their own story.

A very important aspect in Girl, Serpent, Thorn is the idea and action of touch. Since Soraya’s touch is deadly, she cannot experience skin-to-skin contact without consequences—the immediate death of the other party. Touch is an impossible luxury to Soraya, and I find the craving for contact an added layer to her yearnings for proximity, acceptance, and love.

Bashardoust vividly describes scenes, emotions, and thoughts through similes. Her words are precise, beautifully haunting, and hauntingly beautiful. I also find the poison and other traits associated with the divs an allegory for being queer. The non-acceptance of Soraya, Parveneh, and Azad’s own families is a parallel to the stories of many homeless LGBTQ+ youths. There are a lot of hidden rhetoric questions within the story. How do you forgive others and yourself when damage is done? What is freedom when the price is the people you love? As a language geek, I also love that the author’s note provide more information and further resources on Persian mythology, fairy tales, and languages.

Massoud’s narration made the whole reading experience perfect. Her breathing is on point, accent and voice for each character clear and distinctive; her own voice is calming and almost hypnotizing. I love that Soraya’s voice always sounds a little scared, Parveneh’s sing-songy, and Azad’s calm and gentle. As a book with borrowed Persian words, the audiobook also provides great pronunciation references in addition to more noticeable rhyming and alliterations that are occasionally present.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn has rocked me in a wonderful way. It is incredibly beautiful, well-written with precise imageries and similes, and has strong plots in both the literal and figurative sense. Adding the audiobook performance, the story is perfect. This book depicts the complexities of being an individual, and what it means to trust, love, and forgive.

I liked this book right out of the gate. I thought the premise was very intriguing.... a girl who cannot touch anyone or else they will be poisoned. It started out strong and I loved that there was a boy who wasn't scared of her. Who instead encourages her to come out of her shell and take risks. However once the secret to her malady is revealed as well as who the boy actually is, I lost interest quickly. I'm not sure if it's because there seemed to be a lot going on or if I just didn't like the direction the story was going. It is defiantly a good read just wasn't for me. I listened to the audio and I did enjoy the audio greatly.

I received an ARC of the audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn was an okay read for me, and for some reason those are the hardest books to review! I thought it took too long for the story to flow from one thing to the next; however, the writing was lyrical and lovely. I would have preferred a quicker pace and less inner dialogue, and I also wasn't on board with Azad as a love interest. I thought the book would have benefited from a dual POV, because his backstory would have been more interesting coming from his perspective (rather than told to us through Soraya). He's been through sooo much, yet we only see a blip of his existence.

Other issues I had with the book: lying and withheld information. Soraya made poor decisions, but she might not have made those same choices had she been given all the information from the start. Since she was a child, her mother has spun a pretty - - albeit sad and disturbing - - tale about how Soraya became poisonous to the touch. The truth was actually preferable, so I'm not entirely sure what her mother was trying to accomplish by keeping the most important details a secret (her eventual explanation was lame). She did a good thing for her daughter, yet only told half-truths and kept Soraya hidden from the rest of the world. Her actions created animosity and increased her daughter's isolation. Additionally, Soraya is hurt by the lies, but chooses to become a liar herself. *sighs with frustration*

I simply could not get behind or support the decisions of the secondary characters. Soraya's mother was doing her best (but not really). Sorush (her twin brother) was her constant companion until he became too important to spend time with her. Her only other childhood friend became preoccupied, apparently easily distracted by her overly protective brother. Azad and Parvaneh both used Soraya despite having "legitimate" feelings for her (still find this hard to believe). They were all super obnoxious. Although, I liked that the author chose to pursue both a M/F and a F/F relationship, and that it seemed totally normal for Soraya to have feelings for both.

I also didn't feel like there was very much character development or story growth from start to finish. Soraya was more confident towards the end, but her overall changes were minor. She fell into the same habits and ways of thinking, and never really challenged herself to be or do more than she was accustomed to. She also flip-flopped (over and over again) between what kind of person she wanted to be. She understandably felt some resentment towards her family, so her selfish actions made sense, but then she immediately regrets her decisions and wants to make amends. She can't decide if she wants to be good, or embrace some of the darker aspects of her personality. It gave me mental whiplash.

I really enjoyed the world Bashardoust created, and thought the explanations at the end were interesting. The author talks about what inspired her story, and even shares some of the tales her book was based on. Unfortunately, the characters didn't do her world justice, and I wish they'd been more worthy of their setting. The divs were supposed to be brutal and scary, but they were always restrained and on their best behavior. Potential spoiler: I'm also not sure how Azad made or convinced Parvaneh to attack Sorush, since she could have used that opportunity to escape. It wasn't explained very well.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn had the makings of an excellent story, but too many aspects fell flat for me. I couldn't relate to Soraya and her struggles, both romances were unbelievable, the actions of her friends and family felt false, the divs didn't act very intimidating or monstrous, and the main villain seemed too gullible. Soraya was able to easily manipulate several people, despite having little to no interactions with others for most of her life. It simply wasn't believable. (★★★☆☆)

*The narrator was okay. She didn't really sell the characters for me though.

This was a fun story. I didn't have high expectations going in because fantasy isn't my typical genre. It wasn't a perfect story. Many of the conflicts or issues that arose from the story had very convenient and easy solutions, but for a YA story I think that is ok. I feel that listening to this book added to the experience, as I’m not sure I would have finished the book if I was reading it. The narrator did a good job relaying they feelings of the character. It really felt more like getting read a fairy tale. Definitely recommend if you enjoy fairy tale fantasy type books!

3.5 Stars (rounding to 4) – Fun change of pace

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this. It's a complicated and nuanced reimagining of classic western fairy tales like sleeping beauty and Persian fairy tales all rolled into one. Soraya was such a rich character, someone I could emphasize with but also disagree with as she made bad decisions (and it wasn't completely her fault given her situation). I somewhat saw the twist coming early on, but I think that's just the cynic in me always looking for the bad person in a story. The book kept me guessing a good deal of the time, and the ending was surprising even as it was fulfilling. If you like fairy tales with new and surprising twists, give Girl Serpent Thorn a try.

The narrator for the audiobook did such a fantastic job, giving a lot of nuance to all of the characters so their voices were easy to differentiate. She was able to catch and keep my attention with her voice acting skills very easily.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Netgalley audio was difficult to listen to. It felt blurry and garbled and I could not clearly enjoy it. I would recommend having better quality audiobooks.

But onto the book itself: I ended up listening to the audiobook of this - so don't ask me to spell anyones names, but I can pronounce every term perfectly! I very much enjoyed the audiobook and I highly recommend it for pronunciation reasons.

I liked this one, but I didn't love it. I've been anticipating this one for AGES, since I loved Girls Made of Snow and Glass, but this one just didn't make me feel the same way.

I love Melissa's writing style, there's something so soft and gentle and beautiful about it. I loved that this was based on Persian fairytales - none of which I had heard of before, so I loved that aspect!

The pacing of this just felt monotone. There was never any really fast moments - which I sort of expected after Girls Made of Snow and Glass, the writing felt similar. But with Girl, Serpent, Thorn, there was never a moment that really stood out to me. I like all the characters alright.

I did enjoy this, which is why I'm giving it 3 stars - but I guess I just felt it lacked something and I wanted just a little bit more of that magic.

What a fun, magical story. The narrator really brought this story to life and it really transported you to another world while listening to it. That being said, I'm not very good at writing reviews for audiobooks because I'm not really analyzing them like I do reading a regular book. I'm excited to get my hands on physical copy of this to start the wonderful adventure all over again!

I loved this story. This was a combo of myths that I wasn't familiar with and it was just a joy. I liked Soraiya (sp?) as a character, and I liked the villain a lot. I also loved that it was sapphic.

I struggled a bit with the "urgency" bit of this. It seems like this all happened over 4 days? But I never felt that sense of urgency that I was supposed to.

Also, the mom is CRAZY BADASS.

I started reading this one but didn't hold my interest. I though the concept was good but I wish I could have connected with the characters more.

Narrator: The narrator was the best part. There was clear distinction between the characters. They were invested in story. I have come across narrators who seemed bored with the story they were reading. I didn't get that impression from this narrator.

Story: As a librarian I would/will recommend this title to those looking for fantasy novels and retellings. Personally I found the story boring. I struggled to get into it. Typically I would enjoy a story such as this but I just couldn't get into it. If not for the narration I would have dropped it all together.

Not all princesses are sweet and in need of protection...

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is an original fairy tale with inspirations from the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty and from Persian folklore. Soraya was born with a curse that made her touch deadly. Any living creature she touched with her bare skin would die almost instantly. She has spent her whole life hidden away separated from her family. She spends her time alone in her garden, tending her plants.

As her twin brother's wedding approaches, Soraya decides that she must know the truth of why she is the way she is. She seeks out a demon that is being held in the dungeon beneath the castle. So begins a journey she couldn't even begin to imagine...

I was lured in by the cover and this ended up being a charming and magical story. Soraya is a refreshing change in a fairy tale princess. She has that poison within her and isn't in need of a hero to rescue her. If you are looking for a fairy tale with a feminist touch, this just may be the perfect book for you.

I listened to the audio book with narration by Nikki Massoud who was expressive and engaging. After the final chapter there were some author's notes where the author, Melissa Bashardoust, explained her influences for the book.

3.5*
Like Juliette in Shatter Me, Soraya’s touch is lethal. She is hidden away by her royal family, much the same as Elsa in Frozen. While her twin brother is preparing for his marriage, Saroya watches from the rooftop. Though she loves her brother, she can’t help but feel bitter at her sequestration and separation from him and all the festivities.

When a newcomer to the palace watches her and treats her nicely, she can’t help but be inclined to want to see him and warms to his suggestions. But jealously and anger have deep roots and Soraya finds she almost relishes giving in to these new feelings. Plus, a prisoner in the dungeon may have answers to her curse and hopefully, a way to be cured. But when things start to go awry, Soraya wonders about her decisions and her motivations.

Readers will be captivated by the poor princess who is hidden away. They will root for the girl who is desperate for companionship and attention. When she is manipulated to act on her darker instincts, she becomes someone she never dreamed of. But the question is whether there is a way to right wrongs or will Soraya be destined to be a pawn in a greater dark plan.

The audiobook is engaging and will captivate and hold readers’ attention.

3.5/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for providing this audiobook arc and to the publishing for auto approving me to their various selection of works.

This was a fun refreshing look into iranian mythology that i had no specific expectation for but i definitely enjoyed. The various creatures were greatly characterized and described. The romance was cute although i'll further explain my reasons to why i wasn't a complete fan of it. The audiobook definitely helped the experience as it was lush enough for me to grasp everything despite the few distractions i had along the way. The further deep dive at the end of the book was also very fascinating.

On to some of the cons, first and foremost the romance. It was the first love triangle i saw that was truly triangle in its sense of each character having some sort of feeling for the other. Although for two characters it wasn't fully described and this whole shenanigan might just be my imagination. I was...to say the least underwhelmed. I was wishing for more moments with them pining for each other that wasn't the slightest repetitive.

The second thing, i went to this book blind so i have no idea how it was marketed and how much of the plot was spoiled for enticing readers' sake. But i was expecting more magic coming from the protagonist. I get that she feels it to be a burden but it's probably just selfish of me to think so, as I do realize that the reason see herself doesn't use it is because of how it has impacted her growth and childhood.

Third and the last i could think of (for now) is how predictable it was. Or at least the answers to certain problems took me less than 5 seconds to come up with...and it takes the novel 3 hours and some slight clue presented to the protagonist.

Overall i still enjoyed reading this although am still debating if I would like to return to this world that the author has crafted

Girl, Serpent, Thorn shows us the tension between power and family through the life of Soraya, fighting the battle between princess and monster.

Soraya has been cursed since birth, a single touch could kill anyone and anything as poison fills her blood. For most of her life she has felt deprived of anyone’s touch. But it’s not until she realizes the people that have appeared in her life, fresh faces she could either trust or doubt.

I gave Girl, Serpent, Thorn four stars for both story and narrator. Nikki Massoud was a perfect narrator for this book and I fully appreciated her narration. However I believe the NetGalley app has some difficulties through audiobooks, but I chose to dismiss the problems that the app has. Massoud’s voice throughout the audiobook was splendid for the different characters she had to narrate.

As the plot, this book was fascinating to read and I enjoyed reading more about Soraya and how she became more confident throughout the book and built herself as a princess, as herself. Her connections with Parvaneh throughout the book strengthened as they both had to figure out their alliances. As both Soraya and Parvaneh had to work together and discover if they could trust each other, the kingdom and the divs that were following on under the rule of an indestructable leader.

The plot of Girl, Serpent, Thorn was an interesting read and I had a fun time reading this fantasy story. Soraya was a strong character and her development from the beginning of the story was amazing to read.

Thank you again to NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oooooooooof it's gonna be a no from me, dawg. The audiobook itself was perfectly fine. The production was good as was the narrator.

First off, the characters were honestly insufferable. While the main character is bi and it is own voices for the Persian mythology, I just couldn't stand the choices that Soraya made throughout. What made it even more frustrating was that all of the other characters just magically go along with her choices in order for the story to progress! I felt like this had a lot of potential and I enjoyed the discussions about power dynamics/imbalances, but the story ended up feeling extremely low risk because any problems that came up were easily solved. The pacing of this was fine, but couldn't make up for all of the other issues I had with this book.

**Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

It starts with a story, like so many stories, it’s a story of a girl … but it's not just a story. It never is. In this story, a girl saves herself.

I wish I had gotten more time to read this before it got archived! I still though it was a very enjoyable read, though the main character was more immature than I liked. I do believe there is a certain standard of child-ness that YA characters should have, but it was just too much for me. Glad I listened instead of read this one.

A princess is cursed just days after she is born with a horrible, demonic curse. Her skin is deadly poison to all those who might touch her. Because of this horrific curse, the princess Soraya lives out her days in solitude, surrounded only by plants in her garden. This life of solitude continues until a demon is captured and trapped within the castle, and Soraya has an opportunity to discover more about her lifelong affliction. The only problem is that because of her secluded life, she is not sure that she should even venture from her safe place at all. Meanwhile, there is a man who has been able to see Soraya from afar, and is not afraid of her curse. Perhaps he should be. Soraya's life is about to change, and she hopes to learn whether she is a princess after all, or the demon others fear in her.

The summary for this book led me to believe I was in for one kind of story, but Melissa Bashardoust took me down an entirely different kind of rabbit hole. Based on ancient Persian influences, this story uses Soraya's affliction to explore social shunning, personal fulfillment in the absence of others, naivete, and what it means to be human, even if you don't think or feel (or are as poison-free) as everyone else. The other supporting characters offer Soraya moments of discovery, along with highs and lows as she explores the possibilities of what her life can look like, and what her curse really means. Soraya grows greatly as the story progresses, and that growth is organic and authentic to her character, much in the natural way a plant in her garden might grow. I really enjoyed being surprised about the direction of the story as I continued reading, and Soraya's journey for clarity and purpose is one that will linger in my thoughts for quite some time. Girl, Serpent, Thorn is written to touch the soul and the heart, and my reaction to it has been anything but venomous.

I really enjoyed the audiobook for this story. I felt like the narrator really brought the story to life, especially with character interactions. She really helped put me into the characters' shoes and experience much of what Soraya was feeling. This additional immersion helped me to appreciate listening to a narrator instead of reading the book myself, and I did not experience any of the pacing issues some others have perceived. Because of this immersion, I recommend the audiobook for enjoying this written work.