I love The Count of Monte Cristo, so when I heard about a Pakistani romantic fantasy YA retelling of the classic novel, I RAN! This book is full of feminine rage, revenge, and so many great elements:

-Djinn magic
-Sword fighting
-Scheming
-Betrayal
-Nonstop action
-Fierce FMC
-Sisterhood

I loved entering this complex fantasy world full of dark magic. I think for me the only thing missing was the romance! I didn’t feel 100% invested in the relationship, and there was a lot of buildup, but the chemistry wasn’t totally there for me. There’s SO much more to this book though, so I recommend checking it out!!

A fast-paced, Pakistani romantic fantasy that leaves little to be desired!

“For She is Wrath” follows a talented swordswoman named Dania after she is framed for a crime she didn’t commit, which leads her down a path of vengeance against those who betrayed her—including the boy she used to love.

Using “The Count of Monte Cristo” as the foundation for her fantasy novel, Varga diversifies Dumas’ characters and carefully constructs a world with djinn magic to create something wholly new and her own. With magic thrown into the mix, a higher cost is attributed to Dania’s all-consuming vengeance to further emphasizes the idea that seeking retribution often does more harm than good. As a classic literature lover, I really enjoyed how Varga’s debut explores the same themes as its source of inspiration, but from the perspective of a strong, powerful female character! Picking up on the little easter eggs woven into the atmospheric prose was definitely an added bonus.

While not the main focus of the book, Dania and Mazin’s lovers-to-enemies relationship arc is intoxicating. The past and present dual timelines help to establish their palpable connection and the gut-wrenching events leading up to Dania’s false imprisonment. Despite the rage-inducing suffering she endured at his hand, she cannot escape the lingering feelings that rise to the surface whenever she is in his presence, adding sizzling tension.

This standalone truly manages to have it all—characters you cannot help but root for, heart-racing twists, political intrigue, and a satisfying conclusion! I am hopeful that more books set in this world are to follow with the way things wrapped up.

A sweeping, Pakistani romantic fantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, where one girl seeks revenge against those who betrayed her—including the boy she used to love.

Three hundred and sixty-four days.
Framed for a crime she didn't commit, Dania counts down her days in prison until she can exact revenge on Mazin, the boy responsible for her downfall, the boy she once loved—and still can't forget. When she discovers a fellow prisoner may have the key to exacting that vengeance--a stolen djinn treasure--they execute a daring escape together and search for the hidden treasure.

I loved every moment of this book! The feminine rage was fantastic and the author did a fantastic job writing a character that you want to root for! The fact that this is her debut novel still shocks me! I’ll definitely be reading more from her in the future!

I really enjoyed this one - I loved Dania's feminine rage/revenge story. It was written beautifully.

I couldn’t stop thinking about this book. Life kept getting in the way of me, finishing it and let me tell you I felt dome of Dani’s rage over that.
This was a beautifully written story with characters that made you love them, and even when you hated them, you still loved them.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

For She is Wrath was an imaginative young adult retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo - a story of betrayal, revenge, redemption, and love. It was definitely well executed as a retelling and overall an excellent romantic fantasy novel. I loved the friendship between Noor and Dania - and their interactions added a lot of humor to the novel too. The lovers to enemies romance between Dania and Mazin was excellent - so much tension and well worth every second. It was great to see flashbacks to their first meeting, their friendship as they trained together, becoming something more, and the inevitable betrayal. This was a very entertaining standalone fantasy novel - definitely recommend! Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the chance to read this novel.

Tropes:
🇵🇰Pakistani romantic fantasy
⛓️‍💥Jailbreak
⌛️Cat & mouse chase
⚔️ hate to love
❤️‍🩹Angsty romance
🥷Hidden identity
💋seduce MMC


Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn't influence my review. THIS BOOK YOU GUYS. I DONT REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WAS THIS ENTHRALLED AND INVESTED IN A BOOK. I’m Pakistani and I love this sooo much!!!!! The culture was imbued wonderfully. This book had a wonderful writing style and a hooking plot. I love the chapter style with a present or past style, the story flowed so well I had trouble realizing which was past or present, and I kept thinking she got exposed!
The book had a unique magic system, wonderful world-building, use of zoraat magic (from seeds) to do anything
She altered her appearance and kept only her hands the same…
Usually I am not that enthralled with books when the love interests get together, but this book kept me hooked to the end.

This was ok! I didn’t know going in it was a YA book, and I think if I’d known that I probably wouldn’t have picked it up. This seems like a story thats been told many times, nothing was new about it like I thought it would be. It has promise though! I’m sure many readers will enjoy, and I can say this would be one I would have loved when I was younger!

3.5/5 - The premise of this book, a Pakistani retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, is really what drew me in. The beginning was exciting and intriguing, and I was so on board to read about a revenge plot. Unfortunately, somewhere along the middle it loses momentum and the inner monologues get tiring to read about. The back and forth at the end is a bit jarring, not to mention anticlimactic. The plot and world building/magic system could have been more well developed; rather, certain events and actions seemed too convenient. This book was a case of great premise, exciting beginning, but unfortunately it didn't seem to stick the landing.

This is INSANE!!! Such an incredible and unique story, I have never read a Count of Monte Cristo retelling, and this hit every single mark. It gave me Kill Bill vibes mixed in, with such a strong FMC and irresistible MMC.

I'm going to have to pause for now at 41%. This started off fairly slow for me. I kept going back and forth with continuing, but when Noor and Dania finally escape, I became invested in the story. Here, however, is also where it kind fell off for me. But, I definitely think it's a me thing and not necessarily the book. The story felt too familiar, and I kept finding myself not eager to pick it up. I do think that after reading books like Heir, The Night Ends with Fire, and A Song to Drown Rivers all recently, it just felt like reading the same vibes (strong FMCs battling out of adversity and seeking revenge) again. For that reason, I decided to pause it for how and come back to it later. I've heard the audio was done really well, so I may also check it out via that route.

I'm rating this 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4) for now because I do see the potential, and the writing was done very well. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you, Wednesday Books and NetGalley, for my free e-book for review.

The author's masterful storytelling kept me turning pages with breathless anticipation, never once allowing my interest to wane.

The world-building is nothing short of extraordinary. The kingdom leaps off the page, a vivid tapestry woven with rich cultural details, lush descriptions, and the intoxicating allure of magical jinn seeds and bargains. It's a realm that beckons you to lose yourself within its borders.

At the heart of this tale stands Dania, our wrongfully accused and imprisoned protagonist. Her fierce determination and smoldering grudge promising deadly retribution had me utterly enthralled. I found myself constantly wondering: Would she follow through with the vengeance she'd meticulously plotted during her incarceration? I couldn't help but root for her freedom.

As we all know, striking bargains with magical beings is rarely a wise choice. Yet, here we witness major players finding themselves in precisely such predicaments. Each gains immense power, but at what cost to their humanity? It's a dance with danger that kept me on the edge of my seat.

The true genius of this story lies in its exploration of grudges. Like a stone cast into still waters, a single act of resentment ripples outward, culminating in murder and setting off a domino effect throughout the narrative. The themes of revenge and the price of losing oneself are woven seamlessly into the fabric of every character's journey, offering a poignant reflection on the human condition.

This book is a testament to the power of storytelling, leaving me both satisfied and hungry for more from this talented author.

I loved this one! A perfect witchy read for you fantasy lovers TBR, For She Is Wrath is a gender bending reimagining of the classic Count of Monte Cristo. From the opening action, to her daring prison escape, and through Dania’s attempt to execute her revenge, I was captivated! The Pakistani setting, unique djinn magic, and rich descriptive prose led to an immersive reading experience. My experience was enhanced by listening to the audiobook, narrated by Safiyya Ingar, who did a fantastic job capturing the determination, pain, angst, and passion of Dania. And the love story! I had to pause my audiobook on multiple occasions to find my copy to make a highlight of some heart stopping lines delivered by Mazin, Dania’s childhood best friend, lover, and then betrayer. This book has found family, pulse pounding danger, sword fighting, and a heroine with character growth. I will absolutely be purchasing a shelf trophy of this great book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

I’m always down for a good revenge story. The cover is beautiful and if anyone says enemies to lovers I’m there. There’s also magic to keep all different demographics interested. Any book that makes platonic relationships as much a priority as romance ones are good in my book. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!

Overall, this was enjoyable. I loved the idea of the Pakistani Count of Monti Cristo retelling. There were some great plot twists and a fierce / vengeful main character that you love cheering for. The world building was lacking and I wish the djinn magic and seeds were explained a little more. I don’t want to give any spoilers but some of the reasonings for what Dani went to prison for was dumb.

I would recommend if you are looking for a YA stand alone that is a quick read.

I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I will preface this by saying that I have not read 'The Count of Monte Cristo (yet), so I cannot compare it with the book it is a retelling of. I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis as I absolutely love revenge plots. However, for a girl that is dead set on revenge, she is certainly side-tracked a lot. For a book with such a strong start, this started to fizzle out in the middle. I wish the beginning were a bit longer. We barely get to see her in prison and the escape is glossed over for the most part. Once we get into the meat of the story, it did begin to feel a bit repetitive, especially when all Dania can think about is how handsome Mazin is. Seriously, he betrayed her and she wants revenge, but his pretty face is too distracting? This reminded me of why I tend not to gravitate towards YA any longer.

The magic, though, is definitely a strong point. I do enjoy when magic is not possessed by a certain demographic. No one in this world is born with the magic, and instead have to ingest djinn particles. They way they are described reminded me a lot of those large glitter pieces, but I liked that it was felt like a science rather than just an innate ability to use magic. That, however, was not a huge focus. I wish it did focus more on Dania's growing addiction to the magic but it felt almost like the author mentioned it a few times and brushed it under the rug to set some sort of stake that was never realized.

Overall, it was a very middle of the road YA fantasy that leaned heavily on the romance and lackluster characters than worldbuilding and a magic system.

For She is Wrath by Emily Varga

The story follows a fierce, revenge-driven heroine who takes on the world after betrayal, delivering the kind of unapologetic rage that makes you cheer her on.

This book was non-stop adventure and excitement, making it so easy to fly through. Though I did get a bit lost in the flashbacks (audio books and time jumps don’t always mix well), the plot and characters kept me going. The narrator was fantastic, it really brought the story to life.

If you’re into stories about powerful women taking control, a mix of magic and adventure, you’ll love this! Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the audio and @wednesdaybooks for the ebook!

I'm honestly sorry it took me so long to read this book! It was incredibly well written and the world building was fantastic. The characters hooked you and storyline was gripping. And really, there's nothing better than a little FMC revenge.

*Thanks to NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my unbiased review*

Well, this book took me a while to get through. I loved the beginning and ending, but the middle seemed to drag on. I felt a lot of the book was repetitive, which got a bit frustrating. The main character constantly talked about her anger, betrayal, and need for revenge. I understand that’s the driving force of the story, but it did not need to be said so many times.

I loved how there was action right at the beginning. However, the story after that seemed a bit choppy, repetitive, and did not keep my attention well. I felt there wasn’t a lot of depth to the story, and it just skimmed past some topics and events that could have been explored more deeply.

Regarding the characters, I felt like they were a bit static, lacking complexity. There was such a great opportunity to have a strong and complex female main character, and it just did not happen. I wish there was more depth to her and more complex emotions explored.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was more of a 3.5 but I bumped it up to a 4 star!

Being framed for a crime you didn’t commit by the person you loved the most would make anyone angry. For Dania though, it set her on a war path. A path full of anger, hurt and vengeance. She would surely stop at nothing until she saw all those who hurt her punished.

I wanted to LOVE this one but it fell just a tiny bit flat for me. I wanted fierce character like Aelin, I’ve seen people reference ToG while reading this book, but all I got from Dania was anger and that’s it. She wasn’t complex at all. Only cared about her vengeance and then easily gives in to some things iykyk.

I never read “The Count of Monte Cristo” so I can’t say if this was a great retelling of that story but I can say this book had very minor detailing and world complexity. I would have loved to seen more of the world and learned more about the magic system (which felt like it could have been interesting).

Overall, I’m not mad I read it and I enjoyed parts of it! I just wanted a little more from the story.