At the beginning of the story, we meet Imani, proud descendant of the Beya Clan and highly respected Shield warrior, whose magical ability has gained her the moniker of “Djinni Slayer.” She lives in the hidden city of Qalia, chosen by the Great Spirit to bear the power of a secret spice magic that is amplified by the misra tea. A year has passed since her beloved older brother Atheer disappeared. His family’s reputation has been sullied by claims that he stole substantial amounts of misra tea and betrayed his nation by spreading knowledge about its existence. As Imani contends with feelings of anger and despair, she stumbles upon information that Atheer might be alive in the forbidden lands beyond the sands that house all sorts of dangerous magical creatures. She secures the approval of the Council to retrieve his brother, with the agreement that she is to be joined by Taha, beastseer and son of the Grand Zahim, and two other Shield warriors. As Imani journeys to the forbidden lands, her deep-rooted beliefs about what lies beyond the sands and about her own nation are challenged. She will face death and betrayal and must choose between her conscience and what she has been taught.

The first installment of the trilogy of the same name, Spice Road takes us into Imani’s journey into understanding the responsibility that comes with being in a position of power and privilege. The author uses magic as the jumping off point to touch on these themes, as well as on the topics of bias and colonization, and provides a view of the ways magic has both empowered and alienated a nation.

The descriptions of the magical and nonmagical nations, as seen through Imani’s eyes, are beautiful and captivating. Imani starts off as an annoyingly righteous character that is gradually forced to grow in understanding and compassion, even if it means to break the rules. She loves her family deeply and would do anything to bring peace to her parents. I especially enjoyed her sister’s Amira character: often underestimated, but a beacon of hope, assurance, and common sense even in the direst situation. Another interesting character is Qayn, the djinn, who I hope has a more active role in future installments, as well as Taha, the troubled, unrelenting warrior, blinded by both duty and fear. Overall, a compelling story full of action and relevant themes. I highly recommend it to magic, adventure, and fantasy lovers.

Spice Road captures the reader from the first page with a relatable main character and wonderful magic components.

In a community that prides itself on its ability to use magic that stems from drinking the tea made from an ancient Misra tree, Imani is a sworn member of the protectors. She is a member of the Shields, who are tasked in protecting her people from all sorts of monsters out in the sands. Her brother Atheer went missing and was presumed dead for some time, before some evidence of his survival comes to light and Imani is tasked to seek him out. This takes her on a journey across the perilous sands with her nemesis Taha and his crew, aided by a Djinni she has bound to her blade and claims to know Atheer's location.

Personally, I could not get into this book. It is very slow and comes across as 1D to me. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters and the character growth didn't wow me. The storyline had so much untapped potential and sounded like it would be right up my alley but unfortunately it just wasn't very gripping.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Ok I am super conflicted on this book. It's got a lot of great ingredients: magic, great worldbuilding, a quest, betrayals, 2 big villains, enemies working together, a fast-paced plot, adventure...
But I didn't actually like any of the characters. I came closest to liking Imani and Qayn. But everyone in the book is irritating at some point, makes bad decisions, acts terribly or says something terrible, or just does something dumb. I'm extra torn on Taha. I would honestly feel better if it had bee revealed that his father was literally controlling him (maybe in a future book?). I'm just so frustrated by alllll the characters.
I will probably continue the series, but I will definitely be hoping for some awesome character development in the next books.

3.5 stars

Also trigger warning for animal death

3.5/5.
Interesting YA fantasy read. The world-building in this book is phenomenal and I have a soft spot for jinn and magic in my books. Fans of 'We Free the Stars' and 'The Wrath and the Dawn' will love this series. I enjoyed discovering new parts of the world and seeing the MC open up slowly. I will say that the MC is extremely unlikeable early on. Some readers may struggle with this. I had to invest myself in the concept that the MC was unlikeable for a reason and wait it out. It does get better, but just be aware of that the first 20-25% of the book. Overall a great YA fantasy read.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for allowing me to read this early!

This book was such a cool story! A magic system based on spices and tea?! Say less! This book captured my attention from the start and kept me interested the entire way. Action, adventure, magic, love and friends. What more could you want from a story? I will be eagerly waiting for book two!

When I started this book, I was hooked. I really liked the premise, the writing style, and the plot of the story. However, I ended up in my reading slump, and just haven't been able to finish the book...yet. I think I'll hold off on finishing it until a later time, maybe once the book comes out in January and I feel like I want to get back into reading more.

Imani's world views are challenged when she finds out her brother Atheer is actually still alive after he disappeared from their insular country, Sahir, a year ago. Forced to team up with her nemesis, Taha, and travel beyond the forbidden wastes exposes Imani to the price of power, secrecy, and magic.
Ibrahim creates an incredible rich and vibrant Arabian-inspired fantasy world that I wanted to see more of. Unfortunately, from the early pages of the book the plot felt rather predictable and Imani's character didn't develop in any unique or unexpected ways. I can see why this will be a trilogy and I think the world is rich for exploring, I just don't think I'll keep reading given the predictability thus far.

This was a surprisingly engaging adventure story about a girl's journey to save her brother while she comes to terms with her sheltered and privileged upbringing. I loved exploring the world through Imani's eyes. Imani, our heroine, is a sympathetic character that I was really drawn to. She is naïve but has her heart in the right place. She wants to believe in a better world, even when she finds that the world she lives in is not quite what she thought.

I loved Maiya Ibrahim's world building and the relationships she builds with her characters. There are some minor Cruel Prince vibes between Imani and Taha that really got me. It's a "not quite friends but not quite enemies" to possible lovers to full on enemies and I hope we get more of it.

My one complain with this book is that the ending was... unsatisfactory. Everything is not wrapped up but there was also no sense of urgency. I kept looking down at the page count and going, wait, that's it? I suppose some people will really like that it doesn't end on your typical cliff hanger but it just felt unfinished. Despite that, I'm eagerly waiting for the second book!

I have no idea if the author identifies as Muslim. I saw the 2023 YA book described as a Middle Eastern fantasy, characters with Arabic names,  djinn representation and possibly a hijab wearing protagonist on the cover, so I requested an advanced reader's copy, squealed with delight when I got approved, and happily fell into the 464 page world of The Sahir and Kingdom of Alqibah.  Their is no Islam in the book, it is not a hijab, but I'm sharing it here, not just to let readers know it isn't Islamic rep, but to let them know that for the genre it is pretty clean, and the story is an engaging easy read.  At times Imani is whiney and annoying, but she has a developed arc, and the book has a few slow patches, but nothing that lasted long enough to tempt me to give up on it.  I think 14 year olds and up can handle the three brief kisses, the sexual assault that is thwarted, the lusting glances, the killing, the potential addiction, and the commentary on colonizers and oppressors.  It is the first book in a series, so this review is only for this book and not an evaluation of the rest of the books that perhaps are not even written yet.

SYNOPSIS:

In Qalia, the Shields protect their community from monsters with the Spice entrusted to them, misra, that magically empowers affinities in them.  The top Shield, Imani, has an affinity for iron, and with the support of her powerful clan she exists in a world of privilege and opportunity.  When her powerful brother, Atheer, is assumed dead after stealing misra and suffering from magical obsession, the family's reputation is not as pristine as it once was.  Imani's younger sister, Amira, is also keeping secrets as she is caught stealing, skipping school, and refusing to follow family orders and country laws.  When the two girls find themselves following Atheer's horse into the forbidden waste, they learn that their brother might not be dead and that there is more to their world than they ever were allowed to know.  With desperation to learn more about her brother's location clouding her judgement, the Djinni Slayer, Imani, bonds with Qayn, a djinni who claims to not only know Atheer, but to have been his close friend.  Imani scrambles to know what to do, and seeks out answers and permission from Council, that results in her and three other's heading off on a rescue mission to the Kingdom of Alqibah.  Everyone's orders, however, are not the same, and first they must survive the desert, the monsters, and each other if they are to find Atheer.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love  that the world building is not at the expense of character development.  The single linear story line does mean that at times side characters are seemingly forgotten, but the focus of the world through Imani's eyes allows the gaps to be overlooked as her concerns and priorities take center stage.  I love the emphasis on family, it is sibling love that is motivating the protagonist and closeness to an aunt that allows for privilege and opportunity. The romantic threads and tangents never overshadow the familial importance- it isn't a forced obligation it is very warm and it is nice to see and feel the truth in the characters approach to family.  I love the Arabic names, foods, and while my electronic version did not have a map, the author has one on her Instagram page that suggests the physical book will have a map.

I love that the book discusses colonizers and oppressors.  It may be fiction and fantasy, but there are some very real themes included in fleshed out way that would allow for a lot of deeper discussion and connections to be made. The book is well polished, I don't know that it reads like a debut, which is always a good thing I suppose.  At times Imani is really unlikeable, but fortunately it doesn't last too long, same goes for Amira and her bouts of childishness juxtaposed with her glimpses of maturity. Taha, is noted to be very different depending on the company he keeps, so while frustrating- it seems to be intentional. The only real hiccup I felt in the book was understanding how at times the language differences were such an obstacle and how at other times Imani could read the graffiti and be understood.

FLAGS:

Magic, romance, lust, kisses, flirting, attempted sexual assault, lying, killing, addiction, alcohol, drinking, murder, abuse, physical abuse, bullying, oppression, colonizing.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don't know that I would pick this as a book club read, but I would definitely shelve it in a class, school, or home library.  I think it is a fun read for teens and up and I look forward to the rest of the series.  The book releases in January 2023 and as always presales are the biggest way to show support to authors and titles.  You can find the book here.

What a joyous, wild and crazy ride! I was hooked into the story from the beginning. There were a few moments where the story felt a little forced, but still a wonderful read. Jin, ghosts and monsters - oh yeah. But even better the kinship of family, newfound friendships and opponents. There is a lot going on in this story taking one on an adventure beyond the realm, filled with action, love, friendship, life lessons and the consequence of pride as well as the consequences of selflessness. Let me not forget that little touch of magic. I look forward to the next book!

What an amazing debut! I was captivated from cover to cover. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. The pacing was perfect giving Ibrahim time to dive deeper into her character's but keeping the action and storyline moving.

I loved the captivating and perfectly flawed character's. Even when I knew I should hate a character I couldn't, they felt real and you want them to grow and make the right decisions.

Ibrahim shares enough for you to fall in love with the characters and world she has created but leaves plenty of mystery to draw you into the next two books. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Spice Road follows Imani our 17 year old iron wielding fighting badass. She has a connection to iron through the spices added to the regional tea that awakens magic in those who drink it. Imani fights all the mythical beings we're fond of in Arabian tales such ass jinn and ghouls. Though she's a renowned fighter her brother has stolen the magic spices and disappears with it. She pleads with the council to find him and bring back what he stole and off she starts with her adventure! I loved the world building Maiya weaves in her tale. I truly believe this world exists since the description was way to realistic and stunning. The novel does start off with A LOT of information and story plot but it all builds so nicely together while Imani and her crew set out on their journey. I recommend this book to anyone who likes the Arabian nights theme and want a break from fae for a refreshing new location and adventure. The world Maiya describes is so intricate and lush with its own character and I absolutely loved Imani's character. She was such a strong FMC who truly follows her heart and really loves her family!

I'm always gonna love European fantasy (big dresses! fire-breathing dragons!) but I also love to switch it up with other cultural fantasy and this did not disappoint in that regard. The strong sibling relationships, magic tea, a novel magic system were definitely the strong points for me, but there was much more that I felt strongly about in this engaging debut. **Contains some spoilers.

_☆.:*PROS
-again, the magic tea! tea ceremonies!!
-three siblings are at the center of the emotional conflict. They grow a lot and learn about each other.
-I'm sure other people might feel the MC is annoying, but I enjoyed seeing the scales fall from her eyes as she recognizes her privilege and the corruption of the government she's always trusted.
-the flowery prose lends to a magical feel
-love a good rivalry
-I was very invested in Qayn's storyline
-the whole white people are dominating the "ethnics" was.... an interesting choice? Kinda tiring though to read fantasy with oppression that is not fantastical but reflects real-world conflicts. Which leads me to the:

_☆.:*CONS
-I wish there was more about the magic system (especially tea ceremonies...)
-the melodrama, which I believe is simply a debut issue
-one character mutters ALL his dialogue which bothered me
-random but as a Muslim I was curious about the belief system? I assumed the MC was a monotheist but it gets a little muddled
-the ""romance"" ◔_◔ It makes the MC very pathetic to keep running after mr. moodswing who doesn't care a lick about her. There are two more books in the series and I hope they are not endgame
-this might be out of line, but a lot of things just reminded me of Hafsah Faizal's We Hunt the Flame. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Which sucks because I feel like I'm lumping all the Arabian fantasy together, but the similarities are overwhelming: "enemies to lovers", "girl who is the only one to lead party to where they need to go", "wolves that were once human" and "boy is eeeevil because of his dad"
-I'm not even sure if the author is Muslim but a villainous giant has the same name as a pre-Islamic Arabian deity which was massively uncomfortable for me

Spice Road by Maya Ibrahim is a YA fantasy novel about a young woman who must journey beyond the boundaries of her known world in order to save her brother.

My biggest takeaway from this book is that the protagonist really reads young. This isn’t a criticism; I think more YA books should feel like they’re about teens or young adults. But older readers who like YA for the action and adventure might find themselves frustrated with the novel’s protagonist, Imani, as she struggles to come to terms with a world that is more gray than black and white. I think Imani’s internal challenges might resonate with a lot of teen readers. There are also some romantic elements in this novel, though they are definitely secondary and, I thought, a little out of place with the rest of the book. I did like the world-building, and there are several locations I wouldn’t mind returning to in future books. The novel doesn’t end on a cliff-hanger, but it does set up a sequel. To me, the sequel actually sounds like it would be more interesting than the first book, but I don’t know how quick I will be to pick it up.

I recommend Spice Road for readers interested in Arabian-inspired fantasy worlds and who enjoy character development as well as action and adventure.

This book was such an unusual ride. One minute it was painfully slow, the next thrilling and compelling.

The characters are oddly changeable…they seem to have a basic defined identity, but the book rushes them through conflict and all the ensuing emotions at an unnatural pace. The result was characters I liked most of the time behaving in completely confusing and nonsensical ways for their circumstances and who they seemed to be in other scenes.

That said, the world is fascinating and dark, and the mysteries around how it became what it is kept me guessing throughout. The magic system is unusual. I love the method of attaining magic through tea!

Ibrahim clearly is a talented writer. When she is on point, her prose is lovely and poignant. She doesn’t overdo the language, steering clear of the flowery descriptors often present in epic fantasy stories. The result for me was an easy-to-read book with lots of passages highlighted.

I think I will likely read the next one. I hope that the character development and behavior improves as Ibrahim continues to write, because she really has created a vibrant cast of characters. I would like to see them grow and continue on their adventures.

Spice Road was a book I could not put down. IT took me a while to pick it up once I was approved but once I started...well I was up until 2am finishing it! The world is beautiful. The magic is beautiful. Everything about it is lush and beautiful.

I can't believe this is a debut book - I was up until 1AM to finish because I could NOT put it down! The way Ibrahim has me wrapped around these characters' fingers already...I just know this is going to be a new favorite series.

If you loved A Magic Steeped in Poison but wish it had an Arabian-inspired equivalent, with less court politics and more quests, have I got a recommendation for you! Spice Road has tea magic, djinnis, rivals-to-maybe-lovers? energy, daggers to throats, betrayal, and a focus on family that drives so much of these characters' decisions.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well Ibrahim managed to weave in discussions around colonialism, classism, and privilege. It was all done very naturally, and it never felt like it was shoehorned in. It helps that Imina, the main character, is a privileged girl who comes from a wealthy clan. We love an MC that starts off fiercely believing one thing but then through adventures and new experiences has to uproot everything she believes in and learns something new! While her stubbornness and rigidity are at times frustrating, I could still understand her reluctance to give up in something she has wholeheartedly believed her whole life. As Imina journeys across the Forbidden Wastes to try and rescue her brother, she goes through quite the character growth as she encounters and confronts things she never would've had she stayed at home.

There's a hint of a love triangle coming, which I typically dislike, but with these particular love interests I'm actually intrigued to see how it plays out. Taha, Imina's rival in this story, is the perfect counterpoint to her. While she has led a privileged and easy life, Taha has struggled and worked hard to get where he is. Where her tenderheartedness helps change her viewpoints, his self discipline has only hardened his heart. The tension that emerges from these characters as they grow closer is nail biting!

All in all, these characters are wonderfully complex, the worldbuilding is magical and full of wonder, the writing is lyrical but efficient, and I am thoroughly enraptured with Spice Road! I cannot wait to read more from this author (and return to this world because omg I need MORE!).

4.5 Stars

An exceptional YA fantasy debut.

This is one of the strongest YA fantasy debuts in my recent memory. The world is deftly and diversely built, the characters are nuanced, with conflicting values and goals, and the plot clips along at a steady pace.

I was particularly impressed by the MC, who felt more like a young adult than most heroines, and who grew from naïve and sheltered into a powerful advocate for justice.

This novel also beautifully balanced beloved tropes and new twists, to keep it feeling fresh and yet timeless.

I eagerly await the sequel, and more work from Ibrahim.

Spice Road was an incredibly fun journey with interesting characters, a rich world, and a plot that never stopped moving. My biggest criticisms come from the start, which seemed a little slow and clunky at times. Beyond that, I enjoyed the growth that was on display, though Taha was a character that I'm still not sure I have a handle on. Amira, too, was annoying in that little sister way.