This was an enjoyable book. The plot and storyline are the strong points of this book. It draws you in with magical elements and beautifully devastating scenery. It makes you very hopeful for the sequel.

Hopping for more character development in the next book. I found myself frustrated with Imani and her self righteous, yet flip-flopping behaviors. Makes her hard to like but yet you feel sorry for her as well.

Overall. A solid read and one I would recommend.

I liked this book. It was compared to some of my all time favorites so I had really high hopes going into it. Unfortunately, it did fall a little short in a few places but still a solid read.

I will definitely admit that I’ll need to reread it before I read book 2 because I already forgot everything that happened. However, I have a feeling this is one of those books that gets better each time you read it. There are a lot of details that I think I missed the first time around so I’m excited to connect those dots on a reread.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was a pleasant read, but just fell short for me. While I really enjoyed the plot, I found much of the world building and character development lack luster.

The premis of magic tea was promising but I wanted to learn more. instead of being drawn in and not wanting to put the book down I had to force myself to pick up the book to read and finish.

A Middle Eastern inspired ya fantasy novel, that truly can not be put down. In this world of magic through tea, legends, and wonder we follow the main character Imani as she navigates the world. Her life is rough, right off the bat she is dealing with grief, honor, duty, and family issues that lead her down a rabbit hole of unforeseen and somewhat unfathomable truths and lies of everything she knows. Besides that I am a sucker for a family based plot point, Imani's drive to find her brother no matter what it takes is something truly beautiful.

I read this book in a day and still pick it up time to time, it has a very special place in my heart and I love everything about this world. I can not wait for the second book!

I could not put this book down! The worldbuilding and magic system were so well written and I loved the Arabic themes throughout.

The characters were really well written and I loved Imani's development throughout the book. Both the love interests were written well and it never felt like there was a love triangle which I enjoyed. The adventure that the characters go through was action packed and there were so many little reveals throughout that kept you hooked.

The big betrayal in this book was handled really well and it is one that you somewhat see coming but are still surprised by. I am really curious to see how the rest of the series plays out.

Spice Road is a very well written novel of magic filed with adventure hardships and coming of age. I was drawn into the story and captured by the characters and world. The magic system was a fresh twist and I enjoyed reading about it. Great read!

Spice Road had everything I could ask for in a Middle-Eastern-inspired fantasy. I loved the premise, the magic system, and the relationships between the characters. At times, though, I wish those relationships had been fleshed out a bit more.

Our main character, Imani, is as badass as they come, training her whole life as a Shield to protect the hidden desert city of Qalia. The fact that drinking tea awakens her and other warriors' powers is an incredible concept, and it plays a large role in the overall economy and structure of this world. The action scenes were heart-pounding and easy to play out in my head.

When Imani begins her journey beyond the walls of Qalia, she's joined by Qayn, a rogue djinni, and Taha, a fellow magic user. And this is where I wish we had more time to develop the history and relationships between these characters. We learn next to nothing about Qayn, and one of the few things he and Imani have in common is her brother, who they're journeying to find. With Taha, a lot of history is implied, especially about their time together as Shields. But their relationship is almost whiplash-like, turning hot and cold within moments, especially when the other members of their group are around. I just don't trust a guy who treats you differently around his friends, I suppose.

The book did end climatically, with betrayal and heartbreak in spades. While it was slightly predictable, I still enjoyed reading the book and would definitely pick it up again. I'm excited about the sequel, where hopefully we'll see more growth between the characters.

Not a bad start to a trilogy. Love, Magic, family, rebellion it has all the makings to be a great series and the author left room for it to be just that. Not absolutely blown away but interested enough to continue the journey. Looking forward to more extensive world building and adventure to come. I hope this gets as good as it has the potential to be.

This book was absolutely incredible. The journey was heart-wrenching, that ending just BROKE me but in the best way possible. A must-read!!

I've tried three times to get into this book and it just won't stick. I'm not vibing with the writing, which is very formal and rigid feeling. The dialogue also feels unnatural and choppy.

Imani possesses an affinity for iron, making her a deadly protector, one of the Shields, for her home, Qalia. The ingredient that helps them use their magic, called misra, is also what has helped them keep their city safe and hidden from the outside world and the monsters that continually try to attack. After learning that her beloved brother Atheer may not have died, and may be betraying their city, Imani ventures out to retrieve him with the help of a mysterious djinn Qayn who has history with her brother and another Shield called Taha who seems to have a mission at odds with hers.

This novel really reminded me of We Hunt the Flame, one of my favorite novels from @hafsahfaizal. So I was very excited for this ARC. This was a really interesting read. It was slow at first due to the worldbuilding, but after Imani meets Qayn everything begins to pick up. I think the worldbuilding felt too much in your face, like telling instead of describing, and so it didn’t feel natural. However, I enjoyed the different connections that developed over the course of the novel, especially Imani and Qayn’s dynamic. By the end I was really excited to see what would happen next. I am excited to read the next book when it comes out!

First of all thanks to Maiya Ibrahim and Netgalley for the E-Arc.(In fact I posted the review days before release on IG but just remembered to post it here now oops)
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice road is about Imani, a shield from Qalia who strikes a deal with the ruling council to bring her brother back(who was thought dead). During her journey, she was accompanied by Qayn, a djinni, and Taha, a fellow archer and she may have or may have not had developed mixed feelings toward these two. (Swipe for full Synopsis!)

First of all, I really loved everything about the ancient Arabia setting. The names, the places felt familiar. It felt like home. The world-building was amazing.The writing style was captivating. So if you're a fan of Hafsah Faizal and Sabaa Tahir, then this is a must read.
I also LOVED Imani. She felt relatable. As for the love interests, I am team Taha till the end 😤. Man, those moments had me melting for real.
The plot is really good.(It is, I fact, rather a plot driven book.) I failed to guess what happened in the end while I was reading. I'm very curious about what will happen in the next book. Well, we shall wait and see.
P.S: please check the trigger warnings for this book before reading it!(blood, death....)

Spice Road was a fantastic written YA book which I think my students will really enjoy. The story was well written and I think the story was original. I will be purchasing this for my library.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. While the premise was interesting I didn’t connect with the characters or the story in a meaningful way. Some books just aren’t for us, and that’s alright.

The challenge with Spice Road is the following: what's attractive - the author introduces us to a culturally rich world reminding us of a time period many of us don't know about if we haven't studied world history, and incorporates aspects of magic into her story. On this merit alone, Spice Road is enticing. However, the main character and her supports make it difficult to follow through to finish the journey. The powers are interesting enough but there's little exposition on what the "grueling training" was other than mentioning the words training. Our main character is sheltered, privileged and close minded, and part of her journey is getting out of her own head and realizing the world was so much larger than she could believe, but there was little to endear us to her - or her sister for that matter, and our male counterparts are your standard YA scene partners. They're both gorgeous, just of a different ethnic background than your traditional YA male lead. They're both brooding, and execute the traditional "you know nothing about me" line that is a staple for the dark, brooding, handsome male lead.

I think this story had a lot of potential, but it fell victim to the YA trap and got stuck there.

the plot is the strength of this novel. the way the story itself progresses is ideal. its the right amount of adventure, travel, family matters, enemies, magic, and rebellion.

and while i definitely am more of a plot-driven reader, im surprisingly let down by the lack of everything else. i was desperate for more world-building. i was craving more lush middle eastern mythology. i was dying for the characters to have more depth and development. i wish the writing also flowed better. so its unfortunate that the creative plot couldnt make up for these shortcomings.

overall, i think for a debut, this is fine and, as a first book in a series, this sets up for the sequel rather well. so heres me hoping all of the weaknesses of this installment are worked on for the next one.

This book is an extraordinary and magical journey through the vibrant and exotic world of ancient Arabia. The writing is rich and descriptive, with well developed characters. I enjoyed how this story blended history, culture, and storytelling to create a tale of friendship, resilience, resolve, and love.

Sincere thanks to Random House Children's and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Spice Road
Author: Maiya Ibrahim
Pages: 464
Source: NetGalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press
Genre: Fantasy
Intended Audience: Young Adults
Star Rating: 4.5 Stars
Setting: A fictional setting that has much in common with the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula

Recommended for: Readers of epic fantasy, those who enjoy Middle Eastern-type settings, and who appreciate a complicated family dynamic

Why I picked it up: Obviously, the cover had a role to play, but so did the title. Spice Road reminded me of the Silk Road, which caught my eye. 

What it's all about: There is a small, hidden kingdom that has been tasked by the gods with protecting a certain tree, whose bark can be ground into a spice that awakens magical abilities in people. However, when Imani's older brother disappears after having stolen a large amount of spice, she finds herself on an adventure to locate him, accompanied by three other Shields, a djinn, and unknown to Imani, her little sister. Discovering that there is world outside of their kingdom is mind-blowing for Imani, and learning that the fates of both are intertwined is life-changing. Will Imani bring her brother home, or will she stay and join his fight
tl/dr: Girl sets off with several people and a djinn to save her brother from the outside world. 

My thoughts: I found this book and it's world very easy to slip into and quickly became immersed in the lore and culture that Ibrahim created. Imani is a typical middle child in that she feels inferior to her older brother (and later his memory) and less coddled than her younger sister. She has learned the history of her kingdom as passed down, but soon finds that perhaps there are inaccuracies in that history, if not straight out lies. Her reaction to all of this new information throughout the book is very believable. First, she denies that anything other than what she has been taught is true, but when face-to-face with truths she cannot deny, it doesn't take her long to see the rights and wrongs and choose a side. The halting romance between her and the leader of the Scouts is intriguing, and I am curious to find out how that plays out in later books. Same goes for her friendship/relationship with the djinn. His history is different from other books I have read with djinni, and in fact, he may not even be a djinn. There was plenty of conflict, action, world building and character development. I'm a little mad is ended on such a cliffhanger, but that's only because I can't read the second book immediately. Along with all of this, I found the writing itself to be quite beautiful and assist in letting the reader simply fall into this new world. 

Favorite Character: Easily Qayn, with Tahu as a close second. (I never can resist a djinn or an assassin.)

Favorite Moment: When Imani's sister Amara rescues her from the sands. 

Memorable Quotes:

"The Djinni Slayer binding a djinni to herself is an irony I cannot pass up."

"'Next time you desire a look, ask first.' Taha's breath tickles my ear. 'Spying is unbecoming to someone of your station.'"

"That is the truth, and as difficult as it may be, the truth must always prevail, regardless of the rules it defies and the false history it rewrites."

"Adversity has carved away the pars that would make him waver and left only hard determination."

"What can I tell you, Slayer? Not all who are bad are bad the whole way through."

"I am both the humblest person in the entire Sahir and the best."

This was a really fantastic fantasy! I have a sweet spot for anything Indian-related or Arabian-inspired with touches of fantasy. Imani is one of my favorite characters of the year so far. Her journey to figure out the secrets of her brother kept me on the edge of my seat. This book is a great start to a series, which I'm really excited for!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's!
I was so excited to receive this book and it totally lived up to expectations. The world and the magic system are very creative and well-written. I absolutely loved the idea behind the magic system and the execution of it was fantastic. In the book, they use these teas or spices to better we'll do their magic and form a deeper connection to it.
Not only did I absolutely love the magic system but I really enjoyed the characters and relationships that develop throughout the book. My personal favorite is Qayne the djinn! Overall I really enjoyed the story, I did notice a few of the pacing issues that others mentioned but it was not as i thought going in.