This was a really cool fantasy YA retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. I thought that, for the most part, the author kept the core points that made the original so compelling, and gave everything a fresh, magical twist. The writing flowed well with great descriptions, while the plot was fast paced and kept my interest. A great read overall!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this arc.

The count of Monte Cristo is my favorite book ever so I was really excited for this one only to be disappointed. While the book was good on its own, by comparing to it to the former, I think my expectations were different and I did not like that this didn't meet them. Loved the descriptions and character arcs though

3.5 stars!

I’d like to start off this review by saying that I have not read ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’, but upon seeing this book marketed on instagram and then seeing it on NetGalley, I was super intrigued to read it.

Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed. Don’t get me wrong- I do not think this is bad AT ALL! I am just someone who really values character depth and world-building and I felt like that was lacking a little for my tastes. I think the empire and the magic could’ve been fleshed out more.

We did get some of the main FMC’s past throughout flashbacks, however, it unfortunately wasn’t enough for me to care enough about the characters as individuals, as most of it was about the couple getting together in the past. This makes sense as the betrayal that we know from the blurb was done from the boy that the main character Dania loved, Mazin, and a lot of the book focuses on their relationship, but I wanted more from the characters separately. Noor, the girl that the main character Dania escapes the prison with, felt very flat to me and their friendship was underdeveloped (in my opinion), especially for having been together for the entire book.

I liked the pacing of the beginning and middle of the book. I felt like the middle slowed down a bit more and allowed for development of Dania’s scheming, which was my favorite part of the book.

I do, though, feel like a lot of resolutions past the halfway point felt pretty rushed and weren’t very satisfying due to the pacing. I also feel like there could’ve been a little more build up to the “plot-twist” from the beginning. There was only one instance that I recall that alluded to that particular plot point. As I previously mentioned, I have never read TCOMC and only know the general premise, so I cannot comment on whether or not the ending was the same as the original, but I was a bit disappointed. I understand the message of not letting vengeance consume you, and I do appreciate it, especially for how the FMC grew throughout the book, but I couldn’t help but want more.

I hope this does not sound too negative, as I genuinely do appreciate this book for what it is. I think that Emily Varga set the book up well and the pacing in the beginning and middle of the book was very entertaining. I loved the Pakistani representation that this book had and think I would’ve loved it even more if the djinn had been explored more throughout the story. I would definitely consider picking something up by this author in the future!

ARC Review: For She is Wrath by Emily Varga
Pub Date: October 29, 2024

Dania has been in prisoner for a year for a crime that she did not commit. Her father is a swordsmith so she knows how to fight and she's cunning. When she meets Noor they plan to escape the prison together and get revenge on those who wronged them. For Dania this means the boy she once loved as well as Emperor Vahid who rules due to his djinn magic.

Pakistani Count of Monte Cristo?? Say less! The Count of Monte Cristo was one of my favorite classics and having this flipped so that the main character is female really worked for me! I love a take no prisoners type of FMC and Dania felt like a well rounded and complex character as the book continued. She definitely makes some morally grey choices at times but they're ones that you can really understand given her need for vengeance for all that has happened to her.

I really loved how far Dania came throughout the book and thought the ending was really satisfying. As much as this is a story of female rage, it never goes too dark and Dania never loses her humanity. There was a twist I fully did not expect, which I love to see!

I liked the romance much more than I thought and there was a *moment* that really made me swoon! I typically don't love flashbacks/dual timelines in books but I did actually really appreciate the ones here because they show the relationship between Dania and Mazin before all of the events of the book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

For She is Wrath

A Pakistani retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo with the power of Jinn and plans built on revenge.

I have such mixed feeling on this one. I’ll start with what I absolutely love.

The Count of Monte Cristo vibes were brilliant. I love how Varga set the framework with the inspiration while wholly making the story her own. The Pakistani elements were amazing. The world was interesting and played well into everything else going on.

Where the story lost me: I didn’t even like we got enough time in the emotion of the characters. There were big themes going on in this story and I wish we had the chance to really settle into them. The romance and built up of it was great until it wasn’t. The resolution within several of the relationships fell flat for me.

So, if you are picking this up for the fantasy aspects with fast action, fun world and typically stab-y YA romance, I think you’ll really love this one. If you are wanting a little more character depth with a strong conclusion, you might end up a little disappointed.

Content: vague bedroom scenes, explicit language, violence, death

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite stories of all time, and I loved this retelling of that classic. I thought the writing was great and one of my favorite parts was the description of all the clothing and weaponry. I felt like I was in this world. The djinn magic was really interesting as well. I would read more by this author if she writes more books!

For She Is Wrath does not shine, instead it blazes. The story blazes with vengeance and anger while the characters dazzle with heroism and empathy. This combination in a Pakistani inspired world with magnificent storytelling makes for a memorable experience. These were my thoughts upon finishing Emily Varga’s debut.

Varga’s story felt utterly original regardless of being a retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo. In fact, I myself am not familiar with the classic but reader, you don’t need to be to enjoy this fantasy novel.

For She is Wrath follows Dania as she escapes prison to take revenge on all those who have mistreated and tortured her, framed her and wrongfully imprisoned her, played with her heart and taken away life as she knew it. For Dania, all that matters is vengeance and when she meets Noor who has also been wronged, they embark on a journey to take back what is rightfully theirs.

Will they succeed or will the state of their home and all that they’ve lost weaken their resolve?

This story is action packed and has scheming, betrayal, jilted lovers, formidable friendships, epic before and present chapters and a lot of knives; scimitars and katars to be exact!

For She is Wrath is one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in the recent past and it is perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Chelsea Abdullah and Chloe Gong.

I think I'd need the context of the original book it's retold from to better lay the groundwork that doesn't exist at the start of the book. I think I was looking for EK Arnold or [book:A Drop of Venom|133206531] that came out of the gate with dark, elegant rage with a visual to boot but didn't get that level of intensity and creativity in the writing so I was plodding along with a girl hellbent on revenge and ends up back in the universe of the boy who put her in prison and was a former love interest.

Points for the Pakistani representation with fantasy elements, but it didn't work for me.

First I would like to thank NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I loved this book and found the world building to be so intriguing as well as the magic and romance. the banter was amazing and I loved the realism of the relationship development.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an early copy to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

I absolutely ate this book up. The plot was interesting, the magic system was cool, the characters were very likeable and dislikeable.

The betrayal, deception, and the TWIST in this book were earth shattering. I can not rave about this book enough. The only “complaint” I have is that I selfishly just wanted more because the end came all of a sudden and I didn’t get enough of Maz and Dani moments.

HER HANDS YALL. HE REMEMBERED HER HANDS!!! Screamed at this part. So so good. Read this because it was fantastic.

I really enjoyed this story, I was hooked from the first page, and highly invested in Dani’s journey from the start. I do love a good revenge plot. I found this quite original, with the magic, the worlds, the characters. I loved the friendship between Dani and Noor, probably my favorite part of the book. I loved the twists and the surprises, the character growth, the romance, journey, the end. I just loved it.

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy of this book.

For She is Wrath is a Count of Monte Cristo retelling with a magical and fantastical twist. We follow Dania, a young girl whose entire life was shattered when the ones she trusted betrayed her and she is imprisoned for a crime that she didn't commit. Her only goal is to escape and exact revenge on all those that had betrayed her, including the one person she thought she loved.

Emily Varga does an amazing job creating a world filled with magic, action, suspense and raw emotion. The story was vivid and immersive and grabbed the reader and did not let go. The characters had depth and dimension that made them feel real and relatable. The reader felt for them and all the range of emotions they went through. The story was fast paced, but the pacing didn't feel rushed or misplaced. There was never a dull moment, and the plot twists! one truly did not see those coming!

The only criticism would be that at first the book had a slightly slow beginning and seemed almost too close to the story of the Count of Monte Cristo. I feared that it would be a spitting image of it, just with a female protagonist, however that fear was quickly calmed near the beginning and the story took on a life of itself. The idea of a lovers to enemies and raw pain and emotion that was portrayed was done amazingly. One didn't know whether to hate, love, be angry, or cry, and that made the story even better when one can be so emotionally vested.

I would gladly and more than willingly read another book by Emily Varga, as she is able to build worlds and characters that one cannot help to become completely and utterly invested in and to instill the desire to stay in that world for as long as possible.

I won't lie, I honestly didn't enjoy it as much as I should've. It's supposed to be a Count of Monte Cristo telling but they barely spend any time in prison before their escape which was crucial for the original story. I do think that there is some potential though as I did enjoy the characters, especially Noor so hopefully the next one in the series would better.

This book was incredibly beautifully written. Like yes girl! Go stab a man and commit revenge! That being said the pacing did feel a bit off.

For She is Wrath is a stunning Pakistani retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo. Dania has been imprisoned for nearly a year, for a crime she didn’t commit. The crime was actually committed by Mazin, a boy she once was in love with. Now, Dani is set on revenge and will do almost anything to get it. With the help of another prisoner, Dani escapes and sets off on an adventure to steal djinn in order to gain magic powers and get revenge on everyone who has betrayed her.

The writing in this book is absolutely gorgeous. It was incredibly descriptive and I felt all of the feelings while reading. The world building was so well done and I was immersed in the story from the very beginning. Dani was a character that was so easy to root for. She was determined, strong, and unrelenting. I also loved Noor, who was an incredible friend. Mazin was an intriguing and complex character. The plot twists were unexpected and came at just the right points in the story. There was just the right amount of romance too. Overall, this was an amazing read.

I listened to the audio, and the narrator, Safiyya Ingar, was absolutely amazing at bringing the story and characters to life. The narration was clear and amplified the character’s emotions in meaningful ways.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

One of the easiest ways to hook me is to pitch something as a Count of Monte Cristo retelling, and it's even better when it delivers in execution.

Dania is like, the ultimate stabby girl, and I loved her story. Her need for revenge, her grief over what she lost, her heartbreak--it all made her such a fulsome character. This was a well done retelling with a unique take that was a joy to read. Will definitely look out for more from this author in future.

For She is Wrath is a beautifully devastating Pakistani retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Emily Varga explores the lengths one will go to for revenge and how much of yourself you’re willing to lose for vengeance. This is a heartbreaking tale of love and betrayal, revenge and forgiveness all woven around a magical world filled with djinn magic.
THIS is how you write a retelling!
It’s City of Brass’ Daevabad meets Count of Monte Cristo with a FMC that brings immaculate Aelin Galathynius x Arya Stark vibes. Is there anymore you could really want?!
We follow Dania who has been betrayed by her lover and wrongfully imprisoned for murder. Told in dual timelines, the “before” of Dania and her childhood love Mazin growing up and present time Dania as she escapes from prison and seeks retribution against those who have wronged her.
For She is Wrath had me clenching my heart and desperate to find out where the story will take us. Dani was such a strong FMC. She reminded me so much of Aelin from Throne of Glass with her blood thirst, schemes and quest to seek vengeance. Her character was broken and haunted and I felt her pain so acutely through Varga’s words. Her character arc was executed perfectly.
I adored her relationship with Mazin and their second chance romance.
I struggle when books have a lot of fluff just to add pages into a story but Varga’s pacing was perfect and I never felt bored while reading it. Right from the start her words suck you in, it’s beautifully immersive and lets you easily settle into the story.
I went to look up Varga’s other works and was shocked that this is a debut! 10/10

You’ll enjoy this book if you like story themes of
-Revenge
-Betrayal
-Wrongfully imprisoned
-Strong, badass FMC
-FMC who can fight
-Djinn
-Magic
-Forgiveness
-Second change romance
-Dual timelines
-First person POV

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was so good!! For She is Wrath is a Pakistani romantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and who couldn't resist that premise??

The book starts off right in the middle of the action with Dania in prison for a crime she's been wrongfully accused of and she's working on her newest attempt to escape. it's been a year since she was imprisoned and she's been tortured and tormented everyday since, not only by the evil warden but by the events that led up to her arrest. Soon Dania meets Noor, a fellow prisoner, and they join forces to escape the prison. Noor also happens to know the location where a great wealth is hidden and the two new friends plot to work together to exact their revenge on the people who did them wrong. As they escape and put their plans into action, Dania and Noor begin to question how far they'd go to get their vengeance.

I loved Dania and Noor's friendship! They provide so much for each other and it's sweet to watch their relationship deepen throughout the book. Varga does such a great job of putting her own spin on Monte Cristo and she does it justice! A great debut novel from this author and I'm excited to see what else she comes up with!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Deciding to retell The Count of Monte Cristo as a fantasy romance is an ambitious task, but I was here for it! I was excited to see a new, enemies-to- lovers twist on the original story, especially painting it with Pakistani influence. Unfortunately, there was a lot to live up to and this just didn’t come close.

All of the trials, character development, and emotional beats are painstakingly earned in the original, but in this version, everything is a cheapened speedrun. Nothing felt earned. Everything was told in expository dialogue or lackluster prose. I wanted to feel all the emotions that usually accompany a premise that is largely a character study, but I felt nothing.

Maybe it’ll be better for people unfamiliar with its source material?

Wrongly imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit, Dania is focused on escaping and seeking revenge on those who put her there. When she meets Noor, they manage to escape and arm themselves with dark magic that few have access to and even fewer know how to yield. They begin their conquest for vengeance, where Mazin is in the crossfire. Mazin aided in the imprisonment of Dania, but she must get close to him again in order to exact her revenge. This begins a cat and mouse game where Dania begins to question what she really wants with her new freedom and magic.

I’ve never read The Count of Monte Cristo, so I went into this retelling blindly. The premise sounded so interesting to me, but it fell flat. What I enjoyed - I loved the magic system involving djinn magic and the revenge for a framed murder. I liked that she started to lose herself once using the magic and how she became more vengeful. I also liked the friendship that Dania and Noor developed and how they became each other's family. The cat and mouse between Dania and Mazin was okay, but definitely could have been shortened. Dania was very head-strong which I felt worked for the story.

The things that didn't work for me - the beginning where Dania and Noor were trying to escape felt slow, but it picked up after that. The pacing was better until the very end where everything wrapped up entirely too quickly. Speaking of, for a book about rage and revenge, the ending was just too "sweet". I expected so much more of the ending based on all the events leading to that point. It was just disappointing. I also wanted more from the magic system. It could have been such an interesting world. A lot of the conversations felt repetitive, to the point where I had to double check I didn't accidentally flip backwards in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for sending me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.