Thank you, Netgalley, Random House Children's Publishing, Delacorte Press and Maiya Ibrahim for this eARC in exchange for an honest review
Review : ️ ️⭐⭐⭐ .75 (3.75)
Quote: "Fear is like water. If it is not contained, it leaches across any part of us it can, pooling in our lowest aspects and letting harmful things fester in its well."

This book is set in an Arabian inspired world and begins with Imani, a shield-warrior who is blessed with an affinity for iron which is brought out using secret spice magic weaved into tea. During  an unexpected search for her younger sister, they stumbled upon hope that their brother is alive and has disappeared beyond their city into the Forbidden Wastes. To her astonishment, she finds there are many cities beyond her city along the Spice Road and is tasked alongside some fellow shields to bring her brother back. Little did she know that her fellow shields have hidden agendas of their own and her beliefs are questioned during this treacherous journey to get her brother back. Will she stick to her own beliefs and what she knows or will she open her eyes and see? 
Maiya's writing has a wonderful way of weaving you into the story and setting the scene. The descriptions are so vivid that I can picture the settings in my mind while reading. The plot building is wonderful, starting with an adventurous quest and ending with a betrayal with that ending leaving it for a second book. 
I feel very torn about this book as I don't love any of the characters. I feel like they fall flat and drive me nuts with the decisions they make. The closest I come to liking someone is Qayn. I can't stand Imani, her sense of self-righteousness blinds her until she goes through some growing pains and it took Amira to finally get through to her. 
I would be interested to continue to see the continuation of this story. For a YA debut, this is honestly not a bad book to start! 
Read if you are looking for:- YA fantasy series set in the Arabian world- Spice tea infused magic- A take on colonialism - Djinns - Family bonds- Siblings love- Betrayal- Love - Poetic writing style

Literally the best YA fantasy novel I have read in so long. The pacing is so perfect and the world building and Imani!! I love her!!! Super excited for the sequel.

Spice Road follows Imani as she searches for her lost brother who disappeared after stealing magical spice that can give the user supernatural powers. Joining her on her quest are her rival Taha and mysterious djinn, Qayn.

I loved all of the characters and the chemistry between Imani and Taha. I loved Qayn and want to know so much more of his backstory.

I thought that the magic system and world building was creative and well developed. I also really enjoyed Imani’s awakening to the plights of those outside her comfortable class. I am looking forward to this being explored further in the next book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I eagerly await the sequel.

Thank you to Random House, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Was really hoping for The Wrath and the Dawn atmospheric vibes for this one, and while it did deliver on atmospheric, the info dump was pretty substantial and clunky in the beginning. So much that it was kind of hard to maintain interest, and I ended up DNF'ing this one at around 21%. We are still absolutely procuring this for our collection because while this may not to be my personal taste, I'm sure we have readers who will enjoy it!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving this e-arc to read!

"We will fight, but first we will have tea."

Spice Road is a fantasy novel set in the magical world of Qalia, where a secret spice brewed in tea gives powers to those who drink it. Imani's is for iron and uses it to wield a dagger and hunt and kill monsters in the area. When her older brother is found stealing spice, he disappears and is presumed dead - but a chance encounter leads to hope that he's alive, and the fear that he's sharing the magic with outsides.

Imani joins a task force who's mission is to venture outside their hidden city and bring him home - but not all on their team seem to share in her peaceful ways. She's joined by Taha, who is dedicated to keeping the secret of their magic safe at all costs - and Qayn an ancient djinni that she's bound to her dagger. Both seem to be hiding their own secrets.

Spice Road has a beautiful descriptive story, with the setting springing to life in front of you. Unfortunately, the story lack substance in other ways and seems to be hindered in terms of it's writing. The dialogue between characters reads juvenile and quip based rather than any true conversations. And while I can appreciate a moody love interest, Taha is actually horrible to her and only shows her kindness in private.

The only aspect of this book I truly enjoyed was Imani coming to see herself as a supporter of the other cities around her in their fight against the colonizers. That growth arc from the beginning where she felt so different and "chosen" was well done.

rep// Arab Cast & Setting

cw// death, murder, torture, poverty, colonialism

One of the things I loved from the beginning of Spice Road was the magic system. I loved this idea of spices and magic not to mention that it's just a taste of what is to come! As I kept reading, I kept falling in love with more of the magic and the intrigue. To see more sneak peeks into what is to come and I am so excited for the sequel! But I think that ended up intriguing me the most was the conspiracy. The ways in which Imani has to question what she was told and what she believes in.

As an Arab and a huge fan of fantasy, I was immediately intrigued by this premise and I was fortunate enough to be sent an e-ARC by the wonderful Maiya!

Firstly, the magic system is wonderfully thought out. OBVIOUSLY chai gives us Arabs our power, that just makes absolute sense. From the very start the cultural touchstones included in the novel made my heart feel like it was singing. Just reading that the protagonist was eating bamiya felt like a warm hug for someone who has been longing to be represented in fantasy for so long.

I think the strength of this book is in the exploration of familial bonds and love, which is also strongly representative of middle Eastern culture. We love our family fiercely and this shines through the story beautifully.

(It also helps that Maiya has written two VERY fit and intriguing male characters that had me hooked from the get go...)

The ending will leave you wanting the sequel IMMEDIATELY and it's something I've not been able to get out of my head!

An excellent debut from a very promising writer, more of us in the fantasy realm please!

"The truth is greater than everything; it is worth sacrificing everything for."

Spice Road is a YA fantasy, the first in a planned trilogy by debut author Maiya Abrihim. The story centers around Imani, a 17 year old whose older brother has been missing and presumed dead for a year after being sent on a Scouting mission for the city's Council. When Imani discovers her beloved brother may still be alive, she sets out on a quest to bring him home, breaking whatever rules she needs to along the way, including binding a djinni to her magical dagger. Did I mention her nickname is Djinni Slayer? After strong arming the Council to let her go in search of her brother, Imani sets off with three Scouts, whom she despises, to make their way through dangerous lands and monstrous encounters to find the truth about her brother, clear his name and bring him home.

After a slow start, the story picked up the pace as the party deals with challenges both within and outside of their group. There is a potential love triangle set up, and themes of family, colonization, privilege and justice woven throughout. All in all, I enjoyed the story and look forward to the next book in the trilogy.

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and Delocorte Press for the Advanced Reader Copy to review. Publication date is 1/24/23.

4/5 ✨

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance reading copy of spice road for an honest review!

I thought this story was pretty decent. It did give me city of brass vibes so I’m hoping Qayn isn’t another djinn we know. I thought the pacing could have been better. There were very exciting parts and then slow parts.

My thoughts on Imani: she is a total brat, and is very classist. She constantly thinks about how prestigious her family is compared to others and how everyone else should seek out her approval. She also makes decisions which go against the groups best interests and never really has to pay for them. She also seems to have 0 personality development in this sense. Sure she sees the injustice but she doesn’t grasp what she is actually doing.

Taha: booooooooooi this man is on my last never towards the end of the book. I hope he’s not the main love interest for end game.

Qayn: my favorite djinn. Handsome/ perfect and we know he’s up to know good. But that’s ok.

In conclusion, a good recommend read for someone looking for city of brass vibes. I will probably be reading the next book - just because I want Qayn and Imani together. Lol.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments ar e my own. !!!Spoilers ahead!!!!

This book started off super slow for me but man did it pick up. After about 15% of the way, it really becomes a fast read. You have have to get to that point. I really, really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the second one to come out. The characters are fantastic, the plot is super interesting, and the enemies to lover trope vibes is one of my favorites. It doesn’t directly show that trope but I have a feeling it’s coming.

Imani is a girl just trying to do what’s right and make something out of herself. She still grieves “the death” of her brother, Atheer. Her little sister Amira is trying to grow up sooner than she has to. She just wants to be taken serious. When Amira loses their brother’s horse, her and Imani go out to look for it. They come across a place that their brother has been and find evidence he is still alive from a Djinni named Qayn, who is a friend of Atheer. He states that Atheer has fallen inlove with a women from an outside city and wants to help free them. Imani takes all this informarion to the clan counsel and convinces them to let her go out to find her brother BUT she isn’t going alone. She has to go with Taha who is a clan leaders son, and his two friends, Rez and Fey, which in fact are three people who dislike Imani. Her sister Amira also sneaks along although she was told to stay home.

Will Imani, Taha, and the others put their feelings aside to help bring Atheer back or do they have a side goal that may put everyone at risk? Will they find Atheer before it’s too late? Will Taha and Imani stop fighting what they feel for each other? (They freaking better 🤣)

Side note: I feel awful for Taha. The things he did, it doesn’t seem like he really wanted too. His father’s abuse and influence I feel really have just ruined him. I’m hoping in the next book, that he redeems himself and that he and Imani end up together but I see the chemistry and I would really love them together. I would really love if Taha figured himself out and became who he wants to be not who his father is forcing him to be.

Anyways, serious this is a must read. I look forward to buying an actually copy and rereading it.

5 stars from this bookworm!

Maiya Ibrahim’s Spice Road is a captivating YA fantasy debut. The magic system in this book revolves around secret spices and tea which awaken powers in those who drink it. Imani channels her magical affinity for iron into her dagger, which aids her in her pursuits as a powerful warrior. Imani’s brother is thought to be dead, but she discovers signs that he may be alive and spreading their magic in other nations—a forbidden and unforgivable act to Qalia, the hidden desert city they call home. Imani has built a reputation for battling monsters and she is known as the Djinni Slayer, but to find her brother she has no choice but to team up with a mysterious djinni named Qayn. Imani is tasked with finding her brother and bringing him home, and the story that unfolds is an adventurous and action packed tale.

Imani is a smart and fierce protagonist, and I love her character development in this book. She has lived a sheltered life and is driven by her love for her family and her duty to protecting her home. As she discovers the truth about her home and her brother, she struggles to accept that not everything is as it seems. Spice Road wonderfully explores the themes of loyalty, justice, and anti-colonialism, and Imani’s journey to understanding these concepts and her world is well written, relatable, and reflective of the real world. This book also explores sibling relationships and my favourite part was the devotion between Imani and her siblings. It’s the heart of the story and is what makes it such a compelling read.

Qayn is an intriguing character and I enjoyed the dynamic he brought to the book. The magic system is interesting and I love how it involves tea ceremonies. I also love that there is a wide range of affinities people can possess.

I mostly enjoyed the romance and think the chemistry between Imani and her love interest is great. However, his increasingly toxic behaviour was too much for me by the end of the book. I’m sure his behaviour will be explored further in the next book, but for now, I can’t support them as a couple.

Overall I enjoyed Spice Road and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series! Pick this up if you enjoy adventurous fantasy books with sibling relationships, magic, monsters, and explorations of justice and anti-colonialism.

Rating: 4.5/5

Thank you NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Maiya Ibrahim for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Grief has many forms. For Imani, it is excelling in her skills as Djinn Slayer and becoming the next greatest Shield to forget both the betrayal and grief of her brother. Atheer, Imani’s brother, is believed to be dead after disappearing. There are whispers that he has betrayed their people and Sahir. However, Imani never minded these speculations to heart but when she stumbles upon treacherous evidences in a deserted location, Imani has hope that her brother is alive trying to aid in a rebellion across the great sands. Now she is on a quest to go beyond the Forbidden Wastes to bring him back or is it that simple?

Spice Road has the makings of a rich fantasy world. An isolated city with controlled over a special spice that gives their people magic when brewed in tea.

This story has a duality theme of colonization and hierarchy. It is interesting to see that Imani does not realize her privilege and the advantages she has coming from a founding family of Sahir. There are many instances, Taha and his cousin has subtly pointed out that their lack of stature prevents them from having certain privileges that Imani does not seem to register half the time. And yet when she sees the poverty and the unrighteousness of what the Harrowlanders are doing to the people of Alqibah, she is more moved to help like her brother. So very interesting topic of literary debate.

DNF @ 20%

This novel just wasn't quite it for me. Our characters are incredibly immature, reckless and frustrating. The world building was very info-dumpy and I did not even remotely understand the magic system. While I was really excited for this one because the concept was great, it ultimately didn't work for me.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The world of SPICE ROAD was lovely -- a hidden, magical refuge surrounded by desert, forgotten by the rest of the world. Except our main character's brother -- thought to be dead -- may have been smuggling magic tea to the outside world. . . .This is what drew me to the book, along with the gorgeous cover.

I found the writing quite beautiful, visually evocative, poetic, and easy to fall into.



[NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, my NetGalley feedback is not a blurb or endorsement. If a publisher wishes to use any part of my comments for promotional purposes, please contact me or my agent via email. I would prefer not to include star ratings, but NetGalley won't let me post without one, so all will be 5 stars.]

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow! Wow! Wow! When I started this book I wasn’t sure what to expect and honestly it started off a bit slow for me. By the time I got to 14% I couldn’t put the book down.

Maiya Ibrahim is a superb storyteller with this book! I felt like I had been transported to Qalia and was right there as Imani’s journey unfolded.

In this book we join Imani on her journey to find her brother who everyone thinks is dead. She goes through so many trials on this journey from binding a Djinni to waking a sleeping giant, to breaking into and escaping from jail. I felt like this book sucked me in and didn’t let me go!

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars!
I can’t wait to buy a physical copy for my shelf.

Top book of the year for me.

This is the start of a new trilogy and one that I was excited to be approved for through Netgalley! I feel like I have read books similar to this, like The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah, but it still managed to be unique and surprising read!

The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Imani. She is a dedicated Shield that helps take care of her home city from monsters such as the djinn. They know her well as the Djinn Slayer. The one thing that made me impartial to Imani is that she can very much fall into the “I can do everything and survive”. Don’t get me wrong, I did like seeing her come out on top and even stick up for those that couldn’t on their own but I would have liked a bit more struggle on her end as it seems everything comes naturally to her. She still is a great character though since she family is a number one priority and that will give any character brownie points from me.

There is also more to Imani than her job as well. She has lived a sheltered life and through the disappearance of her brother she finally starts to understand the rest of the world that has been kept a secret from her. It isn’t easy for her to understand either as it just brings on more questions about the colonizers and the Council that protects her city. I feel like politics was just surface level and I am sure there will be a lot more in the sequel.

The other characters in this book have been very interesting so far. Qayn is the one I am most intrigued by! He is a djinn who is suave and hides many secrets. What is not to love about that? Haha. I think that Taha and his friends have also been secretive but some of theirs due come to light by the end of the book. I am very conflicted when it comes to Taha though. It’s hard to tell if he is just a good manipulator or cares deep down. I do think that some of the characters will get more page time and I am looking forward to learning more about them and their cause.

Although this book did take me a bit to get into, I did eventually find myself wanting to sit down and pick it up. I thought that it was very adventurous and even with some down times it didn’t discourage me. There are some thrilling plot twists and I can’t wait to see how the story continues in the sequel.

Overall, this was a solid debut!

Thanks to Netgalley and Maiya Ibrahim for letting me read an ARC of Spice Road.

Imani lives in Qalia, where humans brew tea that gives them the magic ability they need to fight the monster living in the desert. For generation they have been protecting their ways and their magic as per the will of the great spirit, but when Imani discovers that there’s a whole civilization out there she wasn’t aware of, her view of the world will be challenged.

I loved the way Imani dealt with the truth she saw vs the truth she thought she knew. We could see her struggle with herself and it felt very real, as it would be hard for anyone to have their whole worldview shattered.

I wasn’t a fan of the romance, I didn’t feel the chemistry, but I’m convinced it’s because there is more going on behind the scene that made the romantic interest act the way he did. I’m still hopeful for the romance to be more than it is in upcoming books.

While reading, I thought that the book would have made such a great tv show. There are many events happening, most of them self contained In chapters. There is still the main story progressing in each one of these events. It makes it nice for people like me who have to put down the book often to take care of my kids. It feels like each reading session is filled with action.

The only downside is that I feel there might have been less character development than I would have liked. However this is just a personal preference.

I’m very curious to see how the serie continues. There’s definitely many questions left unanswered. I’ll be preordering book 2 for sure.

Quick summary: "Spice Road" is a fantasy novel with an Arabian setting, magical elements, and a strong female lead. Despite these triumphs, my dislike of the characters, frustration with their decisions, and problems with the writing style resulted in a 3/5 stars rating.

Full review: Maiya Ibrahim has a very descriptive writing style that many readers will love. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. I usually don't mind purple prose, but there were times when the book's descriptions covered an entire page and bordered on tedious. This was especially apparent towards the beginning of the story with descriptions of Imani's city. I loved learning about the city's architecture, but I didn't think it was realistic for the Imani to start describing the cobblestones shortly after discovering her brother was still alive.

Another major issue I had was that the character relationships were toxic. Imani's sister, Amira, acted like a petulant child and manipulated Imani's feelings several times in the story. Imani's mother tried to gaslight her into not looking for her missing brother, and her father only supported her because it reflected well on their family's standing. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. The only one I cared for was Qayn, a djinn with a troubled past, and I had issues with him by the end of the book, too.

I thought the pacing was a little off. The first twenty percent of the book didn't contain much action, but I understand it was setting the scene for later events. Once the plot picked up, the story got better. I enjoyed reading about the Arabian setting and Imani's journey to find her brother. Visualizing the scattered cities and the sandy landscape was easy, and I think supporting books with diverse characters and settings is important. I also appreciate the thought that went into the magic system. The characters get their power from Misra spice tea, which is very creative.

Concluding thoughts: "Spice Road" contains original fantasy elements and vivid descriptions of the Arabian setting. While I didn't connect with the main character, I did enjoy the magic system and the idea of reuniting lost families. Overall, I'm rating it 3/5 stars and recommend it to readers who enjoy fantasy elements, enemies to lovers, betrayal, and descriptive imagery.

Thank you to NetGalley, Maiya Ibrahim, and Random House for this advanced reader’s copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Imani excels at swordsmanship. Really she excels at wielding any iron blade thanks to drinking misra tea, a tea with magical properties which awakens affinities in those who drink it. In the country of Quali, Imani is known as the greatest fighter of monsters and djinni, dark creatures who surround the sands on the outskirts of the city.

Atheer, Imani's brother, has been accused of stealing the scared misra and is believed to have perished in the Forbidden Wastes. But one day Imani discovers that her brother might still be alive and has spread their country's magic to those beyond the Forbidden Wastes. She goes on a quest with Qayn, a mysterious djinni, and Taha, a powerful beastseer, and discovers secrets that run so deep it could change her entire way of life forever.

Imani is a reckless girl who makes assumptions, doesn't think critically and is overall annoying at the start of the novel. It was hard to connect to her character at first because of the first person POV. I was often irritated by Imani's decisions. Even her sister Amani who is supposed to be more impulsive and head-strung seemed more mature. There's also a developing romance which kept me rolling my eyes and sighing because it was a lot of the same misunderstanding over and over again which unfortunately is prevalent in YA novels.

But there was some character growth throughout the novel, and Imani gradually became less annoying. She questions her previous way of viewing the world and her quick judgements and begins to become a stronger character. I liked Imani's relationship with her brother and sister and with Qayn.

My favorite parts of this story was the setting and the plot. Ibrahim did a great job of always keeping me interested in what would happen next. I never felt like the story dragged, and there was just enough new intrigue that kept me excited to read another chapter.

I wish the world-building would have been developed even more, but what we did get was great! I loved the quest chapters the most! Lots of fun adventure scenes and some touching moments.

I'm very excited to continue on in this trilogy. I have a feeling I will like the sequel even more!

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! Arabian and Middle Eastern inspired fantasies are some of my favorite books and this one is no exception! I love the beautiful and fascinating world building and the mythological creatures in this story! The characters were very well written and had a lot of depth. The main character Imani starts out very naive and stubborn in her beliefs and views. By the end of the book she a very different character and she grew so much. There were definitely some plot twists and things I did not see it coming. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen in the next book!