This book was the perfect embodiment of female rage! I absolutely loved Dani and all her sass! 😂 This book was perfectly paced and definitely exceeded my expectations for a standalone fantasy! My only complaint was that there was slight repetition of conversations in the middle between Noor and Dani. Other than that I absolutely loved it and would definitely recommend 😊

WOW. What a debut from Emily Varga! This was such a clever updating of the Count of Monte Cristo, with a badass girl who's allowed to seek vengeance but who also finds love and healing. A swoony romantasy with clashing swords and innovative world-building. Cannot wait for whatever comes next.

Thank you to Wednesday books and the author for an advanced copy of this book.

This book had it all for me. Female rage, women supporting women, character depth and growth, romantic subplot, cultural magic system. It honestly blew me away. Also, I loved the writing. Dania is the perfect antihero turned hero. And Noor wins the award for best supporting character.

I didn’t see the twist coming, and I felt it surprising but also that it made so much sense.

5 stars

I really struggled to really like this one. I had a hard time with all the violence, which I understood was part of the journey of this book, but it felt really gory for me.

As soon as I discovered that this is A Count of Monte Cristo retelling, my interest in the novel spiked. A retelling of my favorite classic? Yes please! I am so relieved that it did not let me down. The author kept just enough plot beats from the classic to provide captivating allusions for those who love the original while making the story her own and believably shifting the genre to fantasy. I really enjoyed how the main character learned significant lessons concerning
revenge even though the twist at the end felt a little too convenient and a way for the author to conceivably wrap up the plot. I liked what she did but wish she could have embedded a few more clues earlier in the narrative. I'm really glad that this book finished my reads for the YA fantasy list.

This was a really gripping story of revenge and why it’s not the right answer. It was well thought out, and once the revenge plot got going I became really invested in it.

Emily Varga’s For She Is Wrath is a dark, gripping tale that combines elements of thriller, fantasy, and mythological reimagining. The novel follows the journey of a fierce, complex protagonist who embarks on a path of vengeance after the traumatic loss of her loved ones. At its core, the book is a study of grief, rage, and the blurred line between justice and revenge. Varga does an excellent job exploring the psychological toll of vengeance and the ways it can consume a person, all while immersing the reader in a world that is both haunting and beautifully crafted.

The prose is sharp, with Varga’s writing leaning into vivid, atmospheric descriptions that make the world feel alive and tangible. The pacing is deliberate, building tension steadily until the explosive climax. The protagonist’s inner conflict is expertly portrayed, making her both relatable and formidable. However, some readers may find the pacing slow in parts, especially during the more introspective sections of the novel.

Ultimately, For She Is Wrath is an emotional, intense exploration of human nature, justice, and power. Varga’s ability to create morally complex characters and a compelling narrative makes this book a standout in its genre. A compelling, atmospheric novel that will captivate readers who enjoy dark, character-driven stories about vengeance and redemption.

They said count of monte Cristo retelling and I was sold but this was so original in its own way that keeps you pulled through the whole story

3.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's press for the eArc.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. It wasn't a bad story but it just didn't catch my attention. I ended up not finishing it.

Thank you to @netgalley and Emily Varga for my ARC of For She is Wrath.

For over a year Dania has been in prison for committing a crime she didn't commit, surviving on the hope of one day seeing her father again and getting revenge on those who betrayed her, including her first love, Mazin.

When a fellow prisoner reveals she knows the location of a secret djinn treasure, the two plot their escape, and their revenge. When their vengeance becomes complicated due to a treacherous heart and the dark magic threatens to consume Dania, she must decide if getting revenge is worth losing her humanity.


I really enjoyed this revenge girls retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo! It was a beautiful depiction of generational trauma and the female friendship between Dania and Noor was wonderful. I would recommend it to anyone who loves angry MCs and fantasy!

I loved the stunning cover, a badass heroine, and djinn magic. However, the way it was worn made me want to roll my eyes constantly. I thought it was overly overdramatically overwritten. But everyone I know loved it, so check it out yourself.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I really liked this book up until the end. I had a hard time with the twist. It felt very forced and it wasn’t set up the greatest. I liked Dania a lot she was a very cool character. Incredibly fierce and I connected with her. I liked the romance aspects as well. I think some of this was a bit cringe to me and I think that’s partially the YA parts. This is a YA book so the characters are younger and some of the writing is younger. It’s also a debut so I will cut it some slack. I think this had a very strong start but lacked execution. The end was very rushed to me and I felt like some things didn’t connect very well. I think this had a lot of promise and I’m curious what Emily Varga will do in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC!

I am a huge fan of enemies to lovers and female rage, so I went into this book with an excitement that I was going to absolutely eat this up. While entertaining, it didn't have as much female rage as I thought it would. I have never read Count of Monte Christo, but overall I did find this a fun enough read that I was content to go through reading it despite the lack of revenge I had gone into it expecting. Also... where was the revenge, the actual thought out apologies? Why did this man grovel for one chapter, then it was all fun and games after? Like, sorry. I want him dead. She should have been able to kill him on the spot, then maybe I'd be happier. THAT would have been some great female rage, honestly.

Overall, I was slightly disappointed with the direction the book went, but it kept me entertained enough that I was willing to forgive it. At least I enjoyed myself on the journey despite my reservations and slight grievances with it.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book!

This YA Pakistani fantasy intrigued me not because of the story serving as a retelling of "The Count of Monte Cristo", but because of the unique elements that the author added to the original plot. While I was immediately invested when picking this book up by the end, I was disappointed by the execution of this retelling, the characters themselves, the pacing, and the so-called revenge plot.

I wanted much more from the characters themselves and the revenge plot.
All of them are largely watered down into a handful of personality traits that throughout the book make for a repetitive narrative and predictable plot as you could tell beforehand what the reactions would be between the characters. Dania is just angry, Noor is a resourceful sidekick who kind of gets left behind, Mazin is obvious and transparent, and I don't even remember who Sanaya is etc etc etc.

The MMC made me the most frustrated because I expected SO much more from his character and the revenge plot. It hardly felt satisfying at all because instead, we have elements of miscommunication weaved between the FMC & the MMC in order to pick back up the romance between them and to absolve him in the wrongs conducted against Dania. It would've made for a more compelling read if the author made the MMC more committed to a gray, villainous-adjacent self-serving archetype that still was subsumed into this romance subplot. In this light, the revenge subplot felt rushed and clumsily handled, in part due to the pace change in the last third of the book.

The handful of elements that really saved this book for me were the retelling aspect -- which really just encouraged me to buy the OG book -- and the very beginning of the story which was my favourite part.

This is a YA Pakistani-based fantasy retelling of "The Count of Monte Cristo". The beginning of this book is fast-paced and immediately grabbed me, which was great because I've been in a bit of a reading slump, so diving into this was refreshing. We're following Dania, who has been in prison for a year for a crime she didn't commit. She's been plotting revenge on those who got her here the whole time, especially her former lover, Mazin. Once she allies with a fellow prisoner, they escape together to pursue a long-lost magical treasure and exact their revenge on those who wronged them.

The magic system in this was interesting, the friendship between the two girls compelling, and the chemistry between Dania and Mazin intriguing. But the last half of the book felt a bit rushed to me, and I found myself more interested in the flashback scenes in some areas. I am a frequent complainer of not realizing things are series until I've started them, but ironically I almost wish this had been a duology with the events leading up to Dania's imprisonment in book 1, and then this storyline of after in book 2, to give everything time to breathe. I also was a bit thrown off by a magical element revealed in the last bit of the book, and that kind of took me out of things. I did really like this author's writing style, though, so will be interested to see what she does next, especially if it's not bound by the structure of a retelling. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this was a good fantasy. Unique plot, a quick read, and an unexpected twist. I was excited to read it, and enjoyed the overall plot.

It flowed well, and really sucked me into the story. And the world was well described and understood. It was hard to put down!

Between the complexities of the characters, the romance, and the drama, it was a well rounded YA novel.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from Wednesday Books and Emily Varga through NetGalley. However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This book was such a fun and excting twist on the Count of Monte Cristo. The story has romance, magic, and adventure. If you enjoy twisty advuenture stories then this is a must read.

An absolute stunner! I loved this one so much and it even has the MC's name being the one of my closest friends, so that adds onto all my stars for this one. Can't wait to see what's next from this author!!

"With swords in my hands, I was invincible."

Thank you, NetGalley, for an eARC. This Pakistani retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo was such a fun read and kept me turning pages until the very end. Dani is the exact brand of strong female protagonist that I ADORE--her strength is SHOWN, in more ways than just one, and I was rooting for her from the start. Varga did such an excellent job making me feel Dani's rage and heartbreak, and her cynicism was authentic without losing a connection with the reader.

SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD

I think this may have been my first time reading a rivals to lovers to enemies to lovers again and honestly? I LOVE IT. Give me more, please. My one and only gripe is the enemies to lovers bit at the end felt a bit... rushed? It just felt like Dani went from hating him and feeling betrayed to forgiveness and love once more SO QUICKLY, which surprised me given what I'd seen of her through the rest of the story. I just wish it had been explored a bit more instead of quickly tied up to nicely bring the story to a close. I think the book would have benefitted from 1 or 2 more chapters, but regardless, I still fully enjoyed this story.

END OF SPOILERS

I think my favorite part of this book was the strong emphasis put on familial bonds. And that expanded to include the family you choose instead of the one you were born with. The fierce friendship and sisterhood between Dani and fellow escaped prisoner Noor was refreshing and heartwarming.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, despite the slightly rushed feel of the ending. It's filled with so much heart and will be perfect if you love women with swords, revenge, enemies-to-lovers and a true strong female character. This is a stunning debut and I cannot wait to see where Emily's career will go from here.

4.5 rounded to 5/5 stars

There was nothing glaringly wrong with this Pakistani gender-flipped retelling of Count of Monte Cristo... it just wasn't for me.

I can appreciate feminine rage in a story, but the FMC has to have something else going on for her other than anger and revenge. In this story, she never even considered the possibility that the betrayal of the MMC might have had a different story other than the one she spun in her head. And then when both sides were brought to light, it wasn't kind of a weak explanation for everything that happened.

Some good reveals, the djinn magic was interesting, but overall, just an okay story for me.

*Some strong language, 2 mild fade to black scenes