I LOVE a super unique magic system, so automatically this book is GREAT! Also... lovers to enemies? OKAY YES! I have to admit that this book has pleasantly surprised me. This is a Pakistani romantasy novel. I adore Dania's desire for vengeance—to burn the world down—and I adore seeing her exact some of it. This book could have been longer, and I don't usually say that, but in all honesty! This book was enjoyable to read, and the worldbuilding drew me in straight away, which can be difficult with fantasy novels, but this one did a great job. I didn't feel overpowered by the environment or the new characters I met.

To say I’m obsessed with Dania, Noor, and Maz is a huge understatement. Dania & Noor are the epitome of found family & i love the way they care for each other.

This book has it all, literally. Magic, betrayal, love, loss, revenge, sword fighting, and even finding your inter bad a—.

I loved this book from beginning to end, the story was captivating & intriguing. Filled with twists you won’t see coming as you follow Dania and Noor on their path to avenge the deaths of their loved ones by any means necessary. This book shows just how far someone will go to have ultimate power, and the sacrifices that shall accompany it.

Such a great read. Thank you to #netgalley for my copy of #forsheiswrath

I initially requested this ARC because I loved the cover art and the description intrigued me. I absolutely loved this Pakistani retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. It has enemies to lovers and world building that I loved.
The only thing that stopped me from eating 5 stars was that I felt the world building could’ve been expanded just a tiny bit but that might just be me nitpicking. Overall, I adored this book and can’t wait to order it for work.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Varga, and the publishers for allowing me access to the e-Arc.

4.25 stars

I have never read The Count of Monte Cristo but it was an enjoyable read. I really loved the moments of female rage. The woven magic of the djinn was very interesting. The story captured immediately at the beginning till the end. The romance was really good!

I highly recommend it!

Book: For She is Wrath
Author: Emily Varga
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC. Once again, this is another case where it’s me and not the book. The Count of Monte Cristo is a story that I have not enjoyed the most. I don’t know what it is about this story, but it has just never meshed with me. I want to like it, but I have yet to fall in love with it. I thought that maybe a retelling would help me, but it didn’t.

In this one, we follow Dania, who has been in prison for a crime that she did not commit. She spends her time counting down the days and time until she can get revenge on the person who put her here. It also just happens to be the boy she once loved. One night, she meets another prisoner who has a bit of magic of her own: a stolen djinn treasure. The problem is that she doesn’t know where it is. Together they come up with a plan to find the treasure and create a new life. With this new life, Dania sets out to get revenge on anyone who has wronged her and her family-including the boy she loves. It becomes a game of high stakes cat and mouse with the risk of losing the human side of herself.

This is a great setup and I thought really did think that I would enjoy this one. I expected to be pulled right in. However, I thought that the world building and the character relationships could have been fleshed out a little bit more. The book is not slow by any means, but it felt like things were figured out too quickly. It also made things, at times, not make the most sense. The plan didn’t seem to have the thought and care that could have been there. It needed to fleshed out just a little bit more and made just a little bit longer.

Dania was a solid lead. She had a goal put in place and would stop at nothing to make sure that goal was carried out. She was determined to see it through no matter the cost. I do get the wondering mind though. She isn’t very old and she has been through a lot. It’s okay to allow your mind to wonder. It makes her human. That is what it comes down to at the end of the day. It makes her human. I love characters who have human sides. It adds more to the story.

Again, this is not the book’s fault. It just wasn’t the book for me.

This book comes out October 29, 2024.

This book did a great job at holding my attention and drawing me in. The twist at the end was very unexpected. I loved it.

4 stars!
Overall I found this an entertaining and fast paced story, and I liked the main characters and their arcs.
The story follows a fairly predictable plot line but since it’s a reimagining of Monte Cristo it makes sense.
Thanks for allowing me to read and review!

Wow! If this is a debut, I can't wait to see what's next! This book is such an intense and emotional journey, and I loved every second! Varga's writing is spectacular, and her characters are so multifaceted and relatable. The world was rich with an interesting magic system. The politics didn't get too heavy, but were an important part of the world. The action sequences were fantastically written. And the rage! All the characters had ample motivation and I loved watching them work through their emotions. Overall, an exceptional debut that deserves a spot on anyone's shelf.

Love the song "Labor" by Paris Paloma? Can't get enough of TTPD (or, as Taylor Swift calls it in the Eras Tour, Female Rage: the Musical)? If so, this is the female rage book you've been waiting for. I loved this book from start to finish. The voice is incredible--there were times I actually laughed. The action is thrilling, the romance is hot, and the settings and magic system fully captured my imagination. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Overall this was a good YA retelling of Count of Monte Cristo. I enjoyed the Pakistani setting and the inclusion of the djinn and the djinn magic. The story was a much more simplified Monte Cristo, much like reading the abridged version. I loved the redemption of Mazin, though the ending as a whole did feel a little rushed from the time her grandmother is revealed to the ending of the djinn. I think the simplification of the story cause the ending to suffer a little. Overall I think this was a great retelling and I enjoyed the characters.

I distinctly recall telling myself that this better not be another story where…well, it was and I still loved it.

What would you do if you had abundant magic and wealth to seek vengeance for a crime committed against you? Most would seek retribution and vindication. But what if those actions would tone you of your humanity and make you just as horrible as your tormentors? These are questions our heroins must face.

I loved the resulting story and would love to read future stories from this author.

I read this in one sitting! Emily's storytelling is incredible. I'm a huge fan of the Count of Monte Cristo, and you can tell the tenderness and care that Emily took while crafting this YA re-telling of a classic tale. I could stay in this world forever and spend time with these characters for ages, but I can't wait to see what Emily crafts next.

Overall, this book was good but fell flat of what I expected. Despite being interested in the plot, overall, I found myself struggling to get through it at times. It felt simultaneously too long without giving me the depth that I wanted. I would’ve liked some more world building. Interestingly, what bothered me the most was how the MMC betrayed her without some real explanation. I understood what the author was trying to do, but I was hoping that there was some deeper plot or misunderstanding that led to the events of her ending up in prison. It was kind of a boring mistake if that makes any sense.
I liked that the FMC made a friend and seem to grow from that friendship. I wish we would have been able to see more about her and her revenge, But overall, I liked her as a character. I thought the “magic system” was interesting and different and I liked how it wasn’t something to be used without consequences.
I felt as though the beginning of the book and the end of the book were gripping and enjoyable. It was the middle that lost me, which is what leads to my rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the digital ARC and the chance to review this book!

Beautiful retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. Two strong female leads, a touch of magic, multiple big bads and true love. Action, tension, friendship, revenge, and a surprise ending- so good!

I have not previously read The Count of Monte Cristo, but I am familiar with it and liked the idea of this retelling; for me, it really followed through. There was a good revenge plot and enemies to lovers, but there could have been greater depth to the story, which I might have missed due to not reading The Count of Monte Cristo.

I had so much fun reading this ARC. Dania is an incredible main character, I'm a little in love with her. The story was compelling and fast paced. Emily Varga's writing is compelling and addictive. I was hooked from the beginning. Also the enemies to lovers was enemies to loversing immaculately. This is a great read for any fantasy fans.

Thank you #NetGalley and #St.Martin's Press for allowing me an advanced copy of Emily Varga's For She Is Wrath in exchange for my honest review.

Emily Varga's retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo adds depth to a great classic. First, the main character Dania is wrongly framed for killing a man and is locked in prison. Dania makes a plan to escape and unfortunately, that does not go as planned. As she patiently waits for the right moment to escape. One night her prison floor opens up and another fellow prisoner is trying to dig her way out. That person would be Noor, both of the girls make a plan to work together to dig themselves free. Their plan and escape go awry. Dania and Noor must fight to escape or they will be forever locked away. With more bloodshed left behind them, they escape the prison. Instead of going quietly back into society Noor and Dania, make a plan that involves swords, and magic djinn to seek revenge on their sworn enemies. To find out if the fearless girls seek revenge read For She is Wrath today.

Dania pasó el último año en la cárcel por culpa del hombre que amaba, la traicionó y le echó la culpa de algo que ella no hizo. Cuando intenta escapar, la descubren y la encierran con otra presa rebelde, ahí conoce a Noor quien quiere salir y vengarse, entonces unen fuerzas para salir y ayudarse a vengarse.


La historia en general está entretenida, pero al llegar a la parte de la venganza me decepcionó. Esperaba más de Dania, no duró nada al intentar matar a Mazin, sólo se necesitó que le pidiera una disculpa toda rancia para que ella olvidara cómo la traicionó, que por su culpa su padre murió y ella fue a dar a la cárcel. Sólo una mísera disculpa y ya estaba en sus brazos. 😒

No lo tome como retelling del Conde de Monte Cristo porque siento que le faltaría mucho, pero como inspiración está bien.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love re-tellings. So, when I saw that Emily Varga wrote a Count of Monte Cristo fantasy retelling, I immediately went to NetGalley, requested an ARC, and did the ARC rain dance to increase my chances. Luckily, I snagged a copy and devoured it in less than 24 hours.

Listen… it's a Count of Monte Cristo re-telling with a female protagonist who is so badass with a sword and hell-bent on revenge. AND we get a female side character who ALSO has a revenge plot and djinn magic. What is there not to like?!

In all seriousness, this is such an imaginative retelling that certainly carves its own path to stand toe-to-toe with Dumas' original classic. There are twists and revenge, and the body count starts to add up. The magic system is also explained perfectly, setting the stage for those in power to receive a rude awakening.

I was a bit worried that Varga was attempting to write a YA rendition of this classic since Dumas' original story is thick. But Varga knew her audience and made this novel very approachable at a faster pace than the source material. We spend just enough time in each location while the FMC moves through some high-stakes situations. Overall, the pace really hooked me to not put this down.

I have not read any Pakistani high fantasy novels aimed at a YA audience, so I loved that this brought me into a new world with a new POV. The Islamic cultural elements were so compelling and unique that I was truly enthralled by the plot. Even if you do not normally read YA books, this one will capture your heart, and you will be racing to see if Dania, our FMC, finally gets revenge and justice for the crimes committed against her and her family.

I was unfamiliar with the retelling this story did. That aside, I thought this was wonderfully executed. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The action and plot is unmatched in many fantasy novels. The female rage in this book filled me with such happiness. I love heroines who are ruthless. It was full of betrayal, loyalty, and love. A must read.