I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

For She is Wrath by Emily Varga is a first person-POV YA Pakistani romantic fantasy about revenge. Dania has lost her father and her freedom and is counting down the days she wastes away in her jail cell. When Noor, another young woman in the prison, accidentally digs a hole into Dania’s cell in her attempts to escape, Dania finds a way to finally get out and get her revenge.

The magic system has some parallels to drug addiction, particularly in the use of zoraat, a mixed powdery substance that greats the powers of a djinn to whoever injests it. Noor is an experienced herbalist who knows the quantities needed to get the right effect, but warns Dania that people do get very sick and even die from zoraat. Dania uses the powder to change her facial structure to pretend to be the daughter of a northern chief, but slowly feels the powder asking her for more and more.

The romance is a childhood friends to lovers to enemies than back to friends and lovers. Varga used backstory chapters to show the progression of Dania and Mazin’s relationship, letting the reader see why his betrayal was so painful and how she could lump her old friend in with a murderous usurper of an emperor. Mazin is sometimes misguided, but mostly has a good head on his shoulders and respects Dania’s skills with a blade and her autonomy.

One thing I really liked was how food was used both to worldbuilding and show interiority. Dania missed the rich food outside of prison and struggles not to stuff her face when she's presented with delicacies she hasn't had in a while. At the same time, she takes note of when one of the men she plans revenge on has not only changed the cup he drinks his chai in, but also that it now contains rose petals. Food can tell us a lot about culture and about a person and I think it was utilized quite well here to do both of those things when it was on page.

I would recommend this to readers of YA fantasy with a revenge angle, fans of The Count of Monte Cristo, and those looking for a fantasy with a relatively easy to understand magic system

This book is a powerful new fantasy story that was a delight from start to finish. There is so much to dig into with this world, the characters are engaging and I found myself desperate to get back to them when I wasn’t reading. The story was a good one that surprised, engaged, and delighted in the right balance with good pacing and I am excited to read more of Varga’s work.

This is a great addition to any YA fantasy library.

What a great book! It opens up with such a punch, I was sucked in on page one.
I adored the plot (which is inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo!) and the pacing was excellent. The twists, in particular, were *chef's kiss*.
The main characters were also very well crafted. I loved our MC Dania. Such a determined, headstrong, intriguing character to follow. But still managed to stand out amongst the sea of "badass FMCs" in the fantasy space right now. She felt real in the best way. Powerful, but not unflapable.
I'd definitely recommend this for your next standalone fantasy adventure.

@sidthesffkid recommended this one to me and I’m so glad I picked this up. This was such a good fantasy novel and my first Emily Varga book.

For She is Wrath by Emily Varga caught my attention with its cover, drew me in with its summary, and hooked me with its prose. I adored that this is a Pakistani romantasy and thus not based in immediately recognizable European centered tropes. The less familiar back drop combined with break neck pacing kept me fully immersed throughout my reading experience and I will gladly read more by this author in the future.

➸ 4 stars

“The ones closest to you betray you the most”

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Dania, a fierce and strong swordswoman, was framed for a crime she didn’t commit by one person she thought loved her. Counting down the days in prison while plotting revenge, she unexpectedly meets Noor, who has the key to the vengeance she seeks...

̩̩͙⊱ lovers to ememies
̩̩͙⊱ female rage/vengeance
̩̩͙⊱ swordswoman fmc
̩̩͙⊱ magic
̩̩͙⊱ secret identity

This Pakistani romantasy retelling had me hooked from the very first chapter, the story was intriguing, the characters were complex and was overall a very fast paced book that I could not put down!

Full review is posted on my Goodreads!

Interesting story! The premise really drew me in. I love a good female rage tale. Unfortunately, this lacked the rage that I wanted.

This was very interesting! I enjoyed the magic system and the setting a lot. Dania was a fun character, and her motivation was very believable. I will add this to my recommendation list!

I finished this on a long weekend of reading sprints and I'm glad I did. I enjoyed how Varga took the Counte of Monte Cristo and competely reimagined it. It was a page turner! With revenge, plot, romance and some betryal it's one of my top reads for 2024.

This book was very well written. The details in the action scenes and in all the parts of the story were very vivid. I could see them clearly in my mind. I loved that this was a retelling in a way of The Count of Monte Cristo. Can’t wait to read it again.

I really enjoyed Emily Varga's take on The Count of Monte Cristo - even more with an angry, vicious female protagonist and the Pakistani cultural influence! I was expecting a wild ride and that's exactly what I got - definitely a YA to read.

For She is Wrath is a YA Pakistani retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo. It is filled with betrayal, revenge, plotting, and a good dose of romance. I have never read The Count of Monte Cristo so I can’t speak to how this retelling compares to the original classic, it does make me want to read it for the first time though!

I thought this was a really fun and quick read. My only complaint about it would be that it felt like the end was rushed and many things were resolved far too quickly. The beginning of this book really shines. I also enjoyed how the book utilized the flashbacks to tell the backstory. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good YA fantasy. I’m hoping to see more books from this author in the future! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thrown into prison for a crime she didn’t commit, all Dania can think about is getting revenge on the people who put her there. But first she needs to escape. For she is wrath is a Pakistani inspired count of Monte Cristo retelling, with a sword wielding female main character who is a total badass. This book has everything you could want in a fantasy book. romance, friendship, magic and plenty of action. I really enjoyed it and I would definitely recommend.

Varga retells The Count of Monte Cristo in a fantasy East Asian setting, but you definitely don't need to know anything about the original to enjoy this fast-paced adventure. Dania is wrongfully sent to prison, where she finds an ally and manages to escape to get revenge. Adopting a new identity and working with dangerous magics, she learns that not everything is as it seemed when she was arrested, and her choices for action become kaleidoscopic. I loved the relationship between Dania and Noor, the woman who escapes prison with her and aids her in her quest for revenge, and found Dania's conflicting feelings towards her former lover, now a ruler, compelling. The detail in the world-building is excellent, the pacing is good, and the characters develop over the course of the novel. Good for middle grades and up.

May I introduce Dania, a YA romantasy heroine with brain cells!

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of the few classic novels I haven't read, so I went into For She Is Wrath completely blind. I didn't know what beats to expect or what familiar faces to watch for. For She Is Wrath has enough story to stand on its own with no familiarity of The Count of Monte Cristo. I just read the wiki article, and I see the beats now, but Varga has created a plot and setting where the re-telling beats feel organic, natural, and make sense.

To be completely honest, I struggled with the first 30% of For She Is Wrath. The part of Dania which is thirsting for vengeance is warring with the logical part of herself. I had a really hard time building momentum as Dania continued to question the right path for herself. I feel like I picked up who the people Dania felt had wronged her very quickly and the first 30% seemed a little repetitive. I'm not sure if the intent was to show the depth of her hatred for these people, but I didn't quite feel that.

"I watched you when you came back, you were someone who could light this world on fire, who could make it yours."

However, when Dania arrives at the capital and starts executing her plan for revenge, the brain cells really start shining. She puts together fantastic, simple, achievable plots for her revenge. She evaluates the risks of the situation, changes her plans accordingly, and overcomes obstacles that appear in her path. She's met with emotional situations and she reacts. Dania is one of the most fleshed out characters I have read in a while, there are so many facets to her personality. She's calculating and wanting revenge, but she is also grieving, but she is also heart-broken, but she is also a friend. I highlighted a bunch of her snarky lines.

"I'd gladly give my head for a good cause. And it seems like ridding you from the world would be a fantastic benefit to everyone."

Varga also does a fantastic job with having the reader question Dania's sanity. The djinn treasure is addictive - it can give its user immense power, but it can also drive them mad. The portrayal of addiction and the effect it has on Dania's choices is quite delicately done. Combined with the "Before" chapters that are woven through the book, it leads the reader to doubt and question Dania's choices on her path to revenge. The selection and details in the "Before" chapters were very well done to show specific details that echoed the current timeline and just unsettle the reader just right.

I don't know if I'm required because this is romantasy, but the spice level is fade-to-black.

"But most of all, for me, because even though I'd escaped prison, it felt remarkably like I was still there."

Promising vengeance, this Pakistani retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo is quick, action-packed, and full of drama. Dania has been stuck in prison for a crime she did not commit, framed by the boy she loved. When the perfect opportunity for escape manifests in the form of an unlikely ally, Dania takes her opportunity to avenge all that she has lost, even if it means pushing her own morals to the limits.

Varga had the tough job of condensing an intricate, 1000+ page revenge plot into a 400 page YA fantasy novel, all while giving it her own unique spin with South Asian magic and a gender-flipped heroine. The story cuts between Dania's past with Mazin, her past lover and now enemy, and Dania's present schemes. With this cast of characters, Varga asks the audience what price is worth paying, by your own hand or by the blood of others, for vengeance. The characters foil each other nicely, and Dania's brute-force personality sends her flying through the pages. I especially enjoy the change made to include a certain character who exits the story pretty early on in the original novel. Certain beats did feel repetitive, especially as the length of the book necessitated a fair amount of showing versus telling. The revenge schemes are on the simpler side, trapped by the confines of needing to fit into one book, but the dance of Dania and Mazin, as they navigate the aftermath of his betrayal, kept me hooked. Lovers to enemies—let's get some more of that, please!

For She Is Wrath delivers on its promise of delightful revenge, interwoven with the will-they-won't-they of a lovers-to-enemies subplot. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a fast-paced action-adventure story where karma always collects its due.

Really enjoyed this re-imagined gender-swapped version of the Count of Monte Cristo. Dania is one kickass heroine and though, like her inspiration, there are times you want to reach into this book and shake her, she's an incredibly well-developed character that you can't help rooting for, even when you know she's making some really bad decisions. The world she inhabits is rich and lush and some of the descriptions of magic were simply divine (and quite grotesque at times, just warning you now). The use of chapters to tell the backstory interwoven with the current day action worked really well with this story and as more of the blanks get filled in, you do understand, though probably may not agree, with how all the characters get the climax of the story. There is a bit of the miscommunication trope, which is one of my least favorite tropes of all time and really ends up with massive consequences here, but the plot works through it pretty well so it didn't annoy too much (especially since if you are paying attention, you probably have a lot of things figured out before you get to the ending but there is one doozy of a twist to the villain I did not see coming). Wholeheartedly adored this read!

For She Is Wrath follows the life of Detective Ellie O'Conner, a determined and flawed protagonist grappling with personal demons while pursuing justice in a gritty urban landscape. Varga skillfully weaves together intricate plot threads, combining pulse-pounding action with deep psychological insight into the characters. As Ellie delves deeper into a complex web of crime and corruption, the lines between right and wrong blur, challenging both her professional ethics and personal convictions. Fans of dark, atmospheric thrillers will find themselves engrossed in this compelling tale of crime, redemption, and the cost of vengeance.

SO GOOD! Ok so I have to admit I’ve never read The Count of Monte Cristo but I adored this book. The setting and magic was amazing. The enemies to lovers was chefs kiss, loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 stars

As a revenge book I felt like this was missing some of the cut throat revenge aspects. It was a little too cozy fantasy for me? I expected more political intrigue and cut throat decisions. I feel like the end was just too clean and easy.

I enjoyed the writing for this book. The author did a good job fleshing out the story and characters. The magic system was unique and not overly complicated. I do think the before chapters might have been better more as a prologue or intro to the book. As it did explain why she was mad and wanted revenge.

I enjoyed learning about Dania and her past. Mazin was her first love and the betrayal cut deep. I think what annoyed me is that she didn’t think it through of like maybe it wasn’t him? It was just too easy to be framed. Dania and Noors friendship was my favorite part. I loved learning more about Noor and seeing her personality. It was nice for Dania to have a friend finally.

I feel like we know very little about Mazin. We got tidbits from him growing up around Dania. Other than that we don’t know his hobbies or really anything else about him besides his sister. I think it would have felt deeper if we had seen some more romantic moments between her and Mazin.

Overall this was an easy read and I enjoyed following Dania on her path to revenge. The author set up the book nicely to follow Noor next which sounds intriguing.