This will honestly be one of my favorite reads of the year. It was heavy, but it had everything that I needed in a story and I honestly don't even know how to properly explain how much I loved it. I couldn't read it in one sitting unfortunately due to how heavy it was for me, but that wasn't because I didn't love it but because it was just so impactful. I own multiple editions of it now, and I will encourage everyone to read it!

**Book Review: *For She is Wrath* by Emily Varga**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️ (1 chili pepper – mild)

Emily Varga’s *For She is Wrath* is an intoxicating mix of vengeance, love, and magic, set against the lush backdrop of medieval Pakistan. This gender-swapped *Count of Monte Cristo* retelling is a masterpiece of storytelling that combines high stakes with deep emotional resonance. From the opening page, Dania’s journey is gripping—a countdown to revenge that simmers with rage, heartbreak, and hope.

Dania is a powerhouse protagonist. Her fiery determination to take down those who wronged her is both fearsome and inspiring, especially as she wrestles with lingering feelings for Mazin, the boy who betrayed her. The tension between them is electric, layered with years of anger and regret, making their dynamic impossible to look away from. The addition of djinn magic and a stolen treasure makes the plot even more exhilarating, weaving in a sense of mysticism and danger that kept me hooked.

This book has everything:

💔 Lovers to enemies to lovers
🔥 Revenge-driven plotlines
✨ Djinn magic and dark powers
🤝 Found family
⏳ Dual timeline storytelling

Varga has delivered a richly woven tale packed with action, heartbreak, and powerful themes of love and redemption. The layers of revenge, dark magic, and complex relationships create a story that’s impossible to put down. *For She is Wrath* will stay with you long after the final page—don’t miss it!

I was drawn in by the Count of Monte Cristo retelling premise. The story isn't bad, but it went slowly for me. Dania's inner dialogue is repetitive and interrupts the flow of the story. I get it: revenge is all-consuming and all a person might think about, but her circular thoughts were so predictable that I found myself skipping ahead to something actually happening. The twists and turns of the story are executed nicely, but also seemed to follow a predictable pattern: anticipation of success, failure, success in a different way, anticipation of success, failure, success in a different way. It's a good rhythm, but I think I could have read the book without reading the book, if you know what I mean. Still, I expect good things in the future from this author.

Female rage, vengeance, and forgiveness with magic.

# For She Is Wrath
# 11/14/2024 ~ 11/17/2024
# 5.0 / 5.0

For She Is Wrath
By Emily Varga

This young adult fantasy is a good first novel. The main characters – Dania, Noor, Mazin and Anam - are well fleshed out. The concept of bargaining with a Djinn is one found often in fantasies. And the author has succeeded in tying up all the loose ends pretty well.

While the story is maybe a little longer than it needed to be and the acts of revenge upon lesser characters took a little longer than necessary, this is a solid first YA novel that will resonate with young readers.

I quite enjoyed this book, I think people get a little hung up on it being a The Count of Monte Cristo retelling and I would say it is less a retelling and more inspired by and I think that is just fine. There were a few places where the pacing felt a bit slow but for the most part it was a nice balance of story and action. Dani's journey over the course of the tale and her conflicting emotions felt believable and relatable. If you are a fan of The Bridge Kingdom I think this is a perfect read for you, it was really giving me those vibes in a lot of places. The world felt like it has more to explore and I'm interested to see if we will get more books focusing on some of the other characters we met.

Dania has been betrayed by the person she loved and trusted, and finds herself imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. While trying to escape, she meets an unexpected ally, and after a successful jailbreak, takes on an empire on her path to revenge, fueled by a dangerous magic.

I really enjoyed watching Dania's adventure, from her jail cell to the ending I was completely unprepared for (but am not mad about). She grows and changes as she pursues her goal, learning things about herself, her past, and her enemies, and forges a stronger friendship with the woman who helped her escape. She was an interesting character to inhabit the mind of, and I quite enjoyed the story overall. The magic system added to this story was also pretty interesting, I always find stories with jinn interesting.

Sorry this feedback is so short. I really did enjoy the book.

A monte cristo retelling and the book has lived up to the excitement. The mfc is a rebel with a cause. Loved her strength and her personal growth in this book. The emotional roller coaster and betrayal has set this book up for success

Dania is a character that instantly draws you in, she's strong, smart and rightfully angry. The friendship between Noor and Dania is powerful while also amusing. The fantasy elements were intriguing and easy to follow, the secret identity storyline worked and the twists within the story kept you guessing. Overall, an entertaining and engaging read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

There were parts of Dania’s story I enjoyed, but mostly I felt a little disappointed and underwhelmed. I love the Count of Monte Cristo, and well this was a revenge story, it didn’t have that air of mystery and that game of cat and mouse that I loved so much from the original. There was not really any surprise twist or plot, you were pretty much told everything from the very beginning, so there was just a lack of excitement to turn the page.

Loved this book so much! I loved the MC and her quest for vengeance, and her new friend. I loved the twists and turns, and the back and forth of her back story mixed with the present.

This book was just kinda mid for me. It wasn’t bad by any means and I did enjoy it, but nothing really stood out to make it wow me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a well-written, interesting take on the Count of Monte Cristo. The characters were interesting and the story was compelling, but a bit slow at times. The main friendship was the highlight for me and I would be interested in reading a book centered on Noor.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

For She Is Wrath is a YA Pakistani romantasy with a friends-lovers-enemies revenge plot. When I picked the book up, I was so excited to dive headfirst into a South Asian inspired world and really immerse myself. However, while the book started off strong, I was quickly disappointed. The characters fell flat - especially Noor, who seemed to only exist to be a sidekick to the FMC Dania. Dania was always angry, to a degree that didn't always make sense and often made her look immature. The romance between her and Mazin was sweet but I wasn't invested due to the underdeveloped characters, which made the resolution of their whole relationships arc similarly underwhelming. I could've ignored this if the world and magic and politics had been gripping, however this was unfortunately not the case.

I thought I would be entering a rich, lush Pakistani inspired world and would be introduced to a unique and interesting magic system, with lots of action and fast pacing. This was not the case. The worldbuilding and magic system are almost non-existent and when they're present, are very simplistic and brought up/developed only in moments that are convenient to the plot. Similarly, obstacles/conflicts arose and then were solved one after the other instead of feeling connected and like they were building to something. And the climax unfortunately did not make up for any of this. I'm giving this 3 stars because I really loved the concept, this is a debut South Asian author, and a South Asian inspired world, which I'd like to see more of in fantasy and romantasy.

Perhaps young (middle grade and early-mid high school) readers will enjoy this, as it has many elements I could see myself enjoying at that age. However, I would not recommend this to older readers as it reads very YA.

I enjoyed this, however, my preference would have been for the book to be more darker. For the MC to be hell bent on seeking vengeance, everything wrapped up too nicely for me. Also, I wasn’t completely sold on the relationships. Dani and Noor’s friendship felt very surface level and Dani and Mazin’s relationship… eh. There were some moments but I would have been totally fine if Dani had unalived Mazin. Just saying.

I will say that the audiobook was narrated by Safiyya Ingar and it was well done! I would definitely recommend listening to the audio!

3.75/5

A pretty darn good debut!

3.75 ⭐️

I found this book to be very readable. The author captured my attention and held onto it from cover to cover. Where I think this author shone in her debut novel was character development and interpersonal dynamics - especially between our protagonist, Dania, and her former love interest/betrayer/current love interest(?), Maz. The scenes between these two were my favorite scenes and I delighted in their tension and pining.

Where I found myself feeling less satisfied was in the magic and world building. Personally I feel this *barely* counts as a fantasy book and only bc there technically is a magic system. But that system was rudimentary and underdeveloped and there was very little world building - a major faux pas in this particular genre. I would love to see if as this author develops, so do these aspects of her writing.

Despite these criticisms, I would still recommend this book and will absolutely read whatever she writes next!

Fat-friendly rating? 🩶, neutral

She Is Wrath is a stunning Pakistani retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo that hooked me from the very first page. This book has everything I love: revenge, fierce female characters, and a touch of magic. Dania’s journey is gripping as she seeks to take down the boy who betrayed her, Mazin, all while navigating dark magic, a stolen treasure, and her own moral compass.

Dania is one of those heroines you can’t help but root for. She’s tough, determined, and skilled, but also has a vulnerable side that makes her feel real. She’s driven by revenge, but as the story unfolds, it’s clear that she’s also trying to reclaim her humanity—and her heart. Her relationship with Mazin is a rollercoaster. Their connection is complicated, shifting from love to hatred and back again. I loved the tension between them, especially as Dania hides her true identity, which creates so much drama and suspense.

But what really stood out to me was the friendship between Dania and Noor. Their bond felt so authentic, like a true found family. These two women had been through similar struggles, and together, they formed a relationship built on trust and mutual support. I loved seeing how they protected and cared for each other throughout the story. Honestly, I wish there was more of Noor—I could totally see a book two that focuses on her story. Her character deserves more time in the spotlight.

The world-building in She Is Wrath is rich and immersive, blending elements of Islamic horror, cultural traditions, and supernatural phenomena in a way that made the fantasy world feel both unique and grounded. The action scenes were intense, and the revenge plot had me on the edge of my seat. Every twist felt earned, and the chemistry between the characters was electric.

One of my favorite lines from the book is when Mazin says, “Either like you want to kiss me or stab me. I can’t always tell with you, but for some reason they are both equally as exciting.” The tension between them was palpable, and this quote perfectly captures their fiery relationship.

The miscommunication trope was the only part of the book I wasn’t fully sold on. I guessed early on what was happening with Mazin, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. What I loved was the way Dania and Mazin’s complicated emotions and shifting loyalties added to the book’s tension and drama. And when Mazin says, “Did you think I wouldn’t know you? I’d know you with any face. Any skin. Any hair. A thousand djinn could disguise you from me and I’d still be able to find you just by the sound of your breath,” it really hit me how deep their bond runs, even amidst all the lies and betrayal.

And the twist at the end? I definitely did not see that coming at all, and I absolutely loved it. It was the perfect ending to a thrilling and emotional ride.

I can’t wait to read more by Emily Varga.

I requested this book as it was set in Pakistan and wanted to learn more about the culture. It’s also a fantasy tale, so I didn’t learn much about the culture in this book. The story starts off with Dania, stuck in a cell after being framed by the one person she loves, Mazin. She’s angry and with the help of her neighbor cell mate sets off t get revenge on those who betrayed her. There is a lot of repetition of the word revenge, which got annoying at some point. There are elements of dark magic, an enemy to lovers story, a friendship story and of course, revenge. The story is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, which I haven’t read and really hope it’s not solely focused on revenge like this book. It was hard to keep an interest in the book and solely finished it just to see if she finally got her revenge.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book. My review was completely voluntary.

I love a good revenge story! I thought that Dani was an amazing protagonist & I was rooting for her to get her vengeance on those who wronged her. I could have done without the romance. I was not expecting the ending & was so surprised with the twist. I can't wait to read more by the author.

What a fantastic retelling of one of the greatest classics of all time. This was a phenomenal story with a fabulous group of characters.