What a tale of friendship, love, and firey vengeance. Loved the culture, the history, and the nod to the Count of Monte Cristo done in a completely new way.

It’s no wonder this book is getting so much acclaim, Emily nailed it.

Thank you, Macmillan and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book!

I am struggling with how I feel about this book. I think part of my problem is maybe that I’m only vaguely familiar with The Count of Monte Cristo. I know the premise and general story line, so I thought that would be enough to enjoy a retelling. But overall I feel like it fell flat.

I liked the djinn magic system, but it felt overly simplistic. I also felt like Dania’s path to vengeance was just too easy. There were no real challenges presented, she just decided she wanted to do something and it all worked out. I understand that her true battle was within, but man… I would’ve liked to have seen some exterior opposition as well.

I talked about it with my husband, who loves The Count of Monte Cristo, and he said that ease of a journey mirrors the original text. Unfortunately for me, that makes the whole storyline feel shallow and the victories feel unearned. It felt like all of the bones were there, it just wasn’t fleshed out.

Even still, I enjoyed the listen. I think enjoying it is what made me wish for more.

This book was amazing! Dania was such a fun character to read & I loved the angry girl vibes of this story! The magic was so fun to read, and the world was so well rounded. 10/10 would recommend this book to friends!

For a retelling this was done well. I did forget about it, which is why this is a late review. I couldn't connect with the story or see the why behind it.

I also realize that not everyone will like every book, and I did request this book be purchased for our college library collection, because I can see others really loving this book.

For She Is Wrath by Emily Varga is a gripping, darkly atmospheric novel that blends revenge, power, and a touch of the supernatural. The story follows a young woman named Dania bent on vengeance, unraveling secrets in a world where betrayal lurks around every corner. Varga’s writing is vivid and immersive, drawing readers into a setting that feels both eerie and enchanting. While the pacing slows in some parts, the tension and emotional depth keep the story compelling. With a fierce protagonist and a richly woven narrative, this is a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and morally complex heroines.

This is a Crime and Punishment retelling, but I have never read the classic, so the following review will not touch on similarities or differences to the original story whatsoever.

This is a story about revenge. And anger-fueled actions. And wrath in every sense. And that’s about it.

And we are told so time and time again. I know the title, I know what the focus of the story is. You do not need to mention it on every. single. page.

So much happened so quickly and very hard things were SO EASY for our characters to overcome, despite their difficulty being stressed. The very first obstacle is NOT A SIMPLE ONE and yet took barely any time to accomplish. The next stage of the story was set up to be this massive search, an epic quest – and their goal was met in the space of a chapter. There are these magical items that FEW CAN CONTROL – but of course our secondary character is one of the rare few that possesses that knowledge. A deception is set into motion – and no questions are asked. A plot is hatched – and it goes off swimmingly. A betrayal takes place – and our main character escapes all blame. And I could go on.

This book was somehow both too short and far too long. There is a wild twist that comes out of left field at the 85% mark, but at that point, sure, whatever, fine.

On the sentence level, the prose is beautiful. When taken as a whole, this book is overwritten, disjointed, and far less emotionally moving than it would have you believe.

Content warning: violence, death of a parent.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an exciting fantasy novel. I loved the touches of magic in this book and loved how ferocious Dania was. These characters were amazing and so wonderful. This book was great and a fun read.

Dania’s quest for vengeance was entertaining and full of twists and turns. The ending was satisfying, but I wish some things (like the friendship between Dania and Noor) were explored more/more fully flushed out. I could see this working well as a duology to allow for a bit more depth.

3.6 - Love alternate retellings of classics, ESPECIALLY in PoC/ethnic settings. World building and magic system was so cool, immersed in Islamic myth and (vaguely) Pakistani culture (even the food and clothes!) Shocking plot twist! Dania and Noor were such great, complex, flawed, and developed characters that really dig into brown womanhood and reflect the novel's greater themes of vengeance, justice, oppression, and cycles of hurt/pain.

That being said (spoiler) I found that the novel to be resolved rather quickly, especially after the extensive buildup. I felt that Dania forgave Mazin for his betrayal (which cost her a year in a brutal prison and her entire living family) SO quickly, within a moment of him explaining why he had to do it. This felt strange after her whole character arc was driven by anger and revenge. I would have understood them coming to terms and getting back together after a much more prolonged development.

I really wanted to like this - everything about this made me want to like this. Female rage, murder, breaking out of prison, female friendships while murdering.. truly this book should've been perfect for me.

But it was really really... off writing wise. and the characters felt a little flat. And I felt myself getting bored around the 20% mark. I just don't think this one is for me!

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for a chance to read and review.

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Dania was framed for a crime she didn't commit, framed by the boy she once loved, Mazin, a boy she can't entirely forget. So when discover that a fellow prison mate could have the key for her vengeance, a stolen djinn treasure, they plot to escape and recover it. Armed now with magic power and a new identity, Dania starts to plot her vengeance against those who betrayed her and her family, but Mazin is still standing in her way and things aren't so simple when feelings are involved.

A game of cat and mouse, mixed with magical power, in a romantic Pakistani retelling of The count of Monte Cristo, in a very compelling and original story.
Battles, blood, vengeance, treasures, For she is wrath is a brilliant story with female rage and revenge against those who wrongly framed her months earlier. Dania is a fantastic main character and not only I loved her relationship with dark magic and her slow descent into losing herself to vengeance, but also her relationship with Mazin, someone she can't completely forget or exact vengeance against, blocked by her own feelings.
I haven't read The Count of Monte Cristo, but For she is Wrath is fantastic, very intriguing and so well written I loved every single thing.

This was such an interesting one. Count of Monte Cristo retellings are always some of my favorites because I love how complex they get and how much they get into the complexities of revenge and how they change the human psyche. I loved the main character and getting into her head.

I think I am simply burned out on romantic YA fantasy a little because this had all the things I love, yet I couldn't completely fall in love with it. Still a really good book I might revisit sometime soon, though!

For She Is Wrath by Emily Varga is a dark and gripping revenge fantasy that delivers high stakes, fierce heroines, and an electrifying blend of rage and justice. The novel follows a young woman determined to dismantle the corrupt system that stole everything from her, using deadly skills and an unwavering sense of vengeance. Varga’s writing is sharp and immersive, balancing action, intrigue, and deep emotional intensity. With its morally complex characters, fast-paced plot, and themes of power and retribution, For She Is Wrath is a thrilling and empowering read for fans of dark fantasy and fierce female protagonists.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

I enjoyed For She is Wrath. It hooks you from the beginning and is a wild ride! I loved the friendship that developed between Noor and Dani. Love a good found family trope. It's a fantasy set in Pakistan. This book has revenge, friendship, djinn magic, family, and a bit of romance. It's fast paced and heart breaking with a satisfying ending.

Thanks to Wednesday Books & Netgalley for the arc.

Honestly the main character was a bit insufferable and took away my enjoyment of the book. She was wrath until her ex appeared and then she was fighting her love for him. You knew there was going to be more to his betrayal and there was. It was predictable and rushed.

For She Is Wrath was a great YA fantasy in the style of The Count of Monte Christo with a female lead who is out for revenge. I liked the incorporation of djinn magic in the retelling and the romance and flashbacks to the slow build of their relationship was one of the best parts of the book. Overall, I think this was a great debut for Emily Varga and a well-written example of feminine rage!

I put this book down about 25% in. The main reason for this was the repetition of the main character's feelings and motives as if doing so would convince me that a) this is what the main character feels and b) her reasons make sense. I was unconvinced by both, and the main character did not hold my attention. This repetition in the writing style and the over-the-top dramatic pronouncements without what I felt to be substantiation annoyed me and made the book hard to read.

For She Is Wrath is a Pakistani romance fantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo and this one is a page turner from beginning to end. This book had me captivated from the beginning and the story was so intriguing. The author did a great job writing this and all of the characters in this were so good. I especially liked Dania in this book. It was a fast paced book and one I liked a lot. I would recommend this one to any young adult readers or who love fantasy. Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this one in exchange of my honest review of She Is Wrath by Emily Varga.

In this spin on The Count of Monte Cristo, Dania is the daughter of a renowned swordsmith, imprisoned for a crime she didn’t commit because the boy she loved betrayed her. She’s had a year alone in a cell to focus on just one thing: revenge. So, when an unexpected ally appears in her cell with an overlap in enemies and an opportunity for escape, Dania is ready. With the help of her new friend, a hidden treasure, and a bit of Djinn magic, she returns to the city where she was betrayed, spinning the perfect web to take down the ones who sent her to prison. But revenge is a fire that’s difficult to douse or contain- will Dania herself be safe from her own fury?
3.5/5 stars for a story I loved let down by a rushed and thematically muddled ending.
First, what I loved (there’s a lot to love!)-
Dania’s friendship with Noor. So many FMCs like Dania who are tough, self-possessed, and great with a sword look down on other women. I think my number one pet-peeve in a story like this (YA fantasy with a badass fmc) is when the only women besides our heroine in the story are either dead and inspiring or alive and comically “mean girl”. Noor is a sweetie and is allowed to be angry with Dani AND doesn’t need to learn to love sword fighting to be valuable. (Also shoutout to the novella Noor by Nnedi Okorafor, which has nothing to do with this, but I love and Noor’s name kept making me think about)
The setting! My background with costuming meant I flipped most for the beautiful descriptions of clothing and how Varga has Dani use costume design principles to help control her image while in disguise (the social and economic implications of different fabric types! Yes!). The food is just as lushly described. Varga did an amazing job creating a sense of place: the cave with the treasure, Dania’s village, the city- everything felt grounded. And it made me hungry.
Rage! I love women being allowed to be angry. I loved how we see different women hold their anger in different ways (Dani, Noor, Nanu) and even though I didn’t love all these portrayals, I love that we got to explore different sides of an emotion that women are taught to not access. I liked that Varga focused on the contrast between power they can wield when they’re able to channel that anger versus the danger when the anger controls them.
The chemistry! I will admit I have a higher bar to find straight romance a highlight- I need to feel the angst and build up to have fun with it- but Dania and Maz were compelling to me (ending excluded). I loved seeing the build up in the flashbacks and the conflict Dani felt watching Maz fall for her-as-Sonaya was juicy and knotty. Love to see it!
Now, the let down- it’s the ending-
Dani and Maz’s conflict wraps up too fast and too cleanly. Frankly, I thought his excuse sounded a bit suspicious and I feel like the way Dani has been characterized, she would, too. Reflecting, if Maz had revealed he knew who Dani was MUCH earlier, we could still have put them getting back together closer to the end, but there would have been more space for them to fight and communicate with all the cards on the table. I liked them as a couple, but they’ve clearly both changed and I wanted the angst of them grappling with that too!
Nanu? That felt like it went from zero to a hundred so fast! Did I miss something? I think this and some of my issues with Maz’s excuse re: betraying Dani could have been addressed if he was the one who’d killed the tribal leader. Nanu was definitely portrayed as a bit cold and complex, but the full, unredeemable heel-turn was wild.
The way the addiction plot line wrapped up. I actually really liked how the zorat consumption was portrayed as addictive- it added stakes to the magic use and had some interesting historical parallels in how the government could use control over the seeds to control the people. Having a heroine grapple with addiction without that being seen as something demonized was great! But then- she’s just fine? She purges it from her system and is fine? I know it’s YA and we want a neat ending, but I was disappointed because the set-up was compelling.
Despite this disappointment, I loved enough of this book to recommend it (with some caveats) and I’ll definitely keep my eyes peeled for what Varga writes next!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.