The world building is lovely in this start to the This Woven Kingdom trilogy. I have read all three books at this point, and this one is by far the strongest in the series.

I've alway appreciated Tahereh Mafi's writing style and was excited to see it in a fantasy romance setting. I really enjoyed much of this book, but was still left wanting in some aspects. The ending was absolutely wild! I think this was a solid start to a new series and I'm looking forward to continuing and seeing where the story goes.

3.75/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

I loved Mafi’s Shatter me series so I was really looking forward to this one (especially given its mythology inspiration). However instead I had to start and stop this book three separate times before finally calling it quits and DNFing it. I’ll probably give it another chance in the future given the following it’s gotten but I just found this to be excruciatingly slow and maybe I’m just not the right audience for it.

I am absolutely HOOKED on this series. Honestly one of the most original ideas in a while and omg the setup for the love triangle I am dying! Definitely recommend.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

Definitely not a good first impression for me. As this is my first time reading this author. Oiy. But I’m a believer in second chances. So I’ll still try this author’s backlist reads (Shatter Me).

Otherwise, this was one of the slowest most painful reads I’ve had in a long time. Like, I was on the verge of a reading slump after this.

Okay. What did I just read and why don't I have the second book yet?

This book is very descriptive with not much dialogue, which took some time for me to get used to. But the last 20 pages of the book were probably what kept me going and wanting me to read the next one right away.

Love, love, love this book! Tahereh Mafi does it once again and honestly I think this is my new favorite of theirs. I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to read the sequel!

This was such a wonderfully written story! A great add to the fantasy genre. These characters she wrote were amazing and from the very beginning I was hooked. Of course the forbidden love trope was to die for.

I went into this book a complete blank slate, except knowing that I really enjoyed the author previous dystopian series. The Woven Kingdom was something entirely new and different (from the author's previous writings as well as any other YA fantasy I have read) and magical and unexpected and I absolutely adored it. This is the perfect next read for fans of political intrigue, magic, fantastical worlds, insects who carry messages, a quiet girl who keeps to herself but is legit a badass, a conflicted Prince who is uncertain where his loyalty should lie, and very powerful beings who are super unpredictable. Just know the ending to this book was full of shocking twists and cliff hangers and you will desperately want the next book as soon as possible.

I had a little bit of a hard time getting into this story. Once I was through understanding the area/customs, I was sucked in. I couldn’t put the book down.

There is a prophesy that Alizeh will kill the king. She is heir to a rival throne, and of the Jinn people, a magical race. Kamran is the prince, and despite the prophecy, he cannot keep away from Alizeh. Of course, a burgeoning romance begins as kingdoms are in danger. Tahereh Mafi has again built a world of magic and intrigue. However, the world building takes up so much story space that the characters lack depth. It has been announced that this will be a series, and this book reads exactly like a first book. Nothing much happens, it’s just build up for future novels. This one was lacking, but hopefully subsequent novels flesh out the story.

Persian mythology & Cinderella vibes- this was such great fantasy! I was hesitant bc the author’s work doesn’t always land for me.. but this was so enjoyable! I loved the dynamics and I’m really hoping for more action sequences in the sequel because the elements in this one showed us a glimpse of how bad ass the protagonist is.

Also, thanks for the eARC @harpercollinsch ❤️

Another fantastic Tahereh Mafi series beginning! She's a master of fantasy and storytelling and I loved the world she created in this book as well as the characters.

What was the last novel that disappointed you? For me it was the highly anticipated release by Tahereh Mafi, This Woven Kingdom 🌙

It just fell flat, the world building was off, the magic system was never explained, I wasn’t really rooting for any of the main characters, the plot was slow at the start and didn’t hook me till 3/4 into the story. The romance was lacking, I didn’t feel the chemistry between characters and the lead male character was very judging and weak. This novel was very close to a DNF, but the last few chapters of this novel did pick up and I wish that the whole novel was fast paced and interesting.

Things I liked about this novel; it had dual point of views from the two main characters, the Persian culture and language, and the cover.

I would like to thank HCC Frenzy @hccfrenzy and Harper Collins Canada @harpercollinsca for the advance reader copy in exchange for a honest review.

Romance level:❤️
Plot points:💥💥💥
Stars:⭐️⭐️

I really wanted to love this. I adore fantasy inspired by other cultures and I really wanted this one to pull me in, but it didn't most of the time. It's written well, but there were a lot of things that felt like one overdone trope after another. The love interest prince is very misogynistic and this ends up being another one of those "not like other girls" types of stories. I got more into the story closer to the end, but I'm not sure I would bother with the rest of the series.

I was not expecting to be this in love with this book. I love Cinderella. My daughter's name is Ella. This is now my favorite retelling. I love the badass, self-sufficient Alizeh and the spin of Persian mythology. I was gripped throughout and was trying to discern the riddles from the devil along with Alizeh. I love the immediacy in which our prince falls hard and he is not obsessed with her looks, but her character. It felt realistic that he still maintains his loyalty to his kingdom and is not immediately throwing everything away for his new found love. There was an awesome cliffhanger and I CANNOT WAIT FOR BOOK TWO. Read if you loved Ember in the Ashes or Throne of Glass.

I have not read Shatter Me but after glancing at it I see this author plays with words more than most. It took a bit of getting use to for me but the story is fabulous! Since she is well known I suggest this for purchase even though the writing is a bit unusual and may require a more diligent reader. Also that cover is next level gorgeous!

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an electronic copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.***