I love reading retellings with female characters centered in the lead, and I enjoyed reading this one! I admittedly haven’t read The Count of Monte Cristo and I don’t know much about it (beyond the general plot line of wrongful imprisonment), but I think I’d prefer Emily Varga’s version of it because badass FMC will always have my heart. This was a strong debut, and I’m looking forward to Varga’s next book!

I was so interested in this. A Count of Monte Christo retelling with a female protagonist set in Pakistan? Yes please! Unfortunately I did not love this as much as I wanted to. The pacing was a little off as it felt like nothing happened for a while and then a lot happened at once. I’m also felt like the revenge scenes were not as impactful as I wanted them to be. There was so much buildup to the revenge scenes, that when they came and weren’t as strong as I expected it was a bit of a letdown. I am enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. It was very middle of the road for me.

3.25 stars.

I'm trying my hardest to keep up with my requested arcs I swear!

Honestly, I don't know why I was under this impression but I thought this was going to be sapphic. So I was disappointed when the true end game pairing wasn't. I also seem to enjoy Monte Cristo retellings/adaptions since I really liked the one by Tara Sim.

But besides that the writing for this book was very smooth. The pages passed by fast and there weren't any instances where I wrinkled my nose at funky phrasing or florid descriptions. You don't have to worry about anything there.

Dania is a very driven character. When she sets out to kill or harm someone that has wronged she goes ahead and does. There is no muddling over the decision. Woman is decisive and brutal. Noor was a very smart, resourceful, and supportive character. I really liked how they worked together to plot their plan of attacks and how she'd voice her feelings to Dania when she was doing something scummy or something she didn't agree with.

The magic in here is pretty cool too. The zoraat seeds and how Dania is able to use them with Noor's immense knowledge of the subject. Not to mention the descriptions of the food, pretty swords, and just the whole atmosphere of the places they go.

I think the weakest part of this was maybe the middle when there wasn't as much happening and it was more plot set up which involved not much action. Most of it was used to develop the romantic relationship which I wasn't that fond of. A lot of back and forth of should I do this? Should I not? But he betrayed me, I should get my revenge! Etc, etc.

It's still a good book though, I just wish I enjoyed it more. I think readers would love the representation here.

eARC provided by NetGalley.

This book is gripping! It is a Pakistani fantasy retelling of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO with a strong woman as its lead. Framed for a crime she didn't commit, our main character wants revenge. She will stop at nothing to get her wish. She has a list of those who wronged her and led to her imprisonment, and it includes the boy she deeply loved. The sneakiness in this novel kept me riveted. The suspense! It got slower towards the middle and I struggled a little bit, but the ending picked right back up. Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy! I think many people will love this.

I loved this so much. The yearning between characters was perfect, the flashbacks were well done, the adventure and mystery was perfect. I loved the characters and the humor and the revenge. Highly recommend.

I love a female protagonist with rage and vengeance ready to take over the world and destroy, this was a great YA novel the lovers to enemies trope ATE!!

A strong debut from Emily Varga!

Here are some of the specific things I really loved about this book:
1. The relationship between Dania and Noor. From the very beginning when Noor first accidentally tunneled into Dania’s cell, they had a great back and forth and were there for one another. I loved how Dania was so physically brutal while Noor was definitely the voice of reason a lot of times. I loved getting to see the good moments these two shared as just young women in a world out to get them because of their connections. They had great chemistry both in humor and in times of stress and it really kept the flow of the story going.

2. The chemistry between Dania and Mazin (and Mazin and Sanaya). While their relationship path from enemies to friends to lovers back to enemies back to lovers was predictable, that didn’t make it unenjoyable. These two had intense chemistry from the first time they met and squared off until the very end of their romantic journey. It didn’t matter where or who Dania was, Mazin belonged to her and she to him.

3. I absolutely love flashback scenes between love interests, and we got some many of Dania’s and Mazin’s past! I loved watching their quips and exchanges throughout various times in their lives, as well as what kind of people they truly were even when circumstances made us think otherwise.

4. The pacing and writing was great. There was never a dull moment and I couldn’t put it down once I started it. This definitely didn’t feel like a debut!

5. I loved the revenge component of it all. Female wrath is no joke folks.

6. The magic was so cool! I am not familiar with The Count of Monte Cristo, but I kinda have a feeling there wasn’t any magic in it(?). I loved the magic in this and how many uses it had. I also loved that it wasn’t Dania who knew how to use the magic but Noor. This made her even more invaluable to Dania.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and Emily Varga for the opportunity to read a copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.

4.25 stars!

What a fantastic debut from Emily Varga! This was such a fun ride from start to finish, full of interesting characters, surprises, and magic. Lovers to enemies to lovers? Escape from prison to enact revenge? Baddie MC who knows her way around a sword? An immersive adventure that keeps you turning pages-eager for more until it’s through.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for the arc!

“A history of women and girls being wronged by men who never had any consequences. Now I would be the consequences.”

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @Wednesdaybooks for the #gifted ALC/ARC of FOR SHE IS WRATH!


That quote still gives me goosebumps.
FOR SHE IS WRATH is a Pakistani genderswapped retelling of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. Like any good millennial, my first exposure to MONTE CRISTO was Wishbone. I remember loving the story of betrayal, a prison break, secret identities and revenge. I eventually read the original in high school as well.

FSIW stays true to the general plotline of the original book but I absolutely loved the changes that made this story uniquely its own. Dania is a ferocious FMS. She’s so righteously angry and hurt by the utter betrayal of someone she loved. She spends a year in prison plotting her escape and how she will get retribution from those who wronged her. And when she is finally free, she stops at nothing to get her revenge.

This was probably one of my favorite YA reads this year and I definitely recommend it!

Check this one out if you like:
- Childhood lovers to enemies
- Djinn magic
- Morally gray FMC
- Classic retelling
- Secret identities
- Swordfighting badass girlies

FOR SHE IS WRATH is out now!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6422974198
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DC4Z5XpvAYz/

This gender flipped Count Of Monte Cristo retelling was an impressive and adventurous debut by Varga. It’s fast paced, magical, and just so good!

Pick this one up if you like:
-retellings
-stand alone fantasy
-Djinn magic
-female friendships
-powerful women
-adventurous tales
-revenge plots
-sword fighting

CW: some strong language, violence, death of a parent

For She is Wrath is a story of betrayal and vengeance. It shows how far we will go for revenge, while warning readers of the cost these pursuits have on one’s soul.

Emily Varga spins a thrilling Pakistani reimagining of The Count of Monte Cristo that won’t soon be forgotten. Dania has spent the last year in prison, thirsting for revenge after being framed for murder by Mazin, the boy she once loved. In confinement, Dania meets Noor, a fellow wrongly-accused prisoner with the key to exacting Dania’s long sought revenge. The two escape, and head on an electrifying journey full of magic, bloodshed, and adventure to gain back their freedom and right the wrongs that were unjustly done to them. And when Dania finds herself face to face with Mazin again, she will stop at nothing to see her former lover fall.

This was such an incredible debut novel! I was in awe of Emily Varga’s writing and the rich setting and characters she created. I first want to highlight how impactful Dania and Noor’s friendship was. I was expecting to obsess over the romance between Dania and Mazin but I ended up loving Dania and Noor’s storyline just as much. Noor is Dani’s a moral compass, guiding her back when her quest for vengeance starts to take over. The juxtaposition between the two women and how they approach retribution was beautifully done and I adored their quiet (Noor) and raucous (Dania) outlooks. Dania was exactly the type of flawed, headstrong character I love to read about in YA fantasy and I rooted for her to find happiness throughout the novel’s entirety.

Dania and Mazin’s romance was full of hear-searing moments peppered across past and present timelines. There were so many beautiful quotes that displayed how impactful they were to each other which only solidified Mazin’s apparent betrayal. Nothing is black and white though, and I loved discovering just how twisted the web of lies between them was. The history between Dani and Mazin sets the story up for a perfect enemies to lovers plotline and I caught myself squealing at all of their heated interactions.

One of my favorite Mazin quotes was:

“I’d know you with any face. Any skin. Any hair. A thousand djinn could disguise you from me and I’d still be able to find you just by the sound of your breath.”

I mean, SWOON!

The magic in this novel acts in the peripherals. It is definitely a much needed device to keep the narrative moving, but it is not the sole focus of the story. I enjoyed how the djinn magic was woven throughout and thought it was creative to see powers employed in this way. It left room for readers to focus on the relationships and focus on the character’s internal and external journeys.

This was such a strong novel containing all the best parts of Young Adult romantic fantasies. With such an exciting debut, I am looking forward to seeing what Emily Varga writes next.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had to DNF this one unfortunately.

I was having a hard time getting into it and I think it is because it takes awhile for anything to actually happen and with the flashbacks everything is still so vague. I understand that it is probably due to holding onto the suspense of it all but it didn't hold my interest and I was just kind of bored and didn't care about the MC's story. I think that there is an audience for it, but it is not me.

This story immediately hooked me in the exposition with the prison escape and strong female characters. I loved that Dania and Noor have their strengths and that there is never a need for one to be stronger or more like the other. I loved that they relied on each other to accomplish their goals. And I loved their banter together!

As I read this book, I kept thinking about two things: 1) should that have been edited out, and 2) I wish this scene had been more drawn out. The number of times in the book where Dania reflects on her desire to get revenge made me feel like I was being force-fed the simplistic theme, rather than it feeling authentic to the character's motivations. Some of these fell flat for me because they served as "witty" one-liner chapter endings that just felt a bit corny. I also felt like the pacing was a bit TOO quick, which I rarely ever say. The whole escape from prison and get to their first destination could have been nearly an entire book in some other story universes. I was impressed by Dania's Mephistophelian ploys to exact revenge upon her enemies, but wanted all of those scenes and set ups to unfold slower so the pay off felt more satisfying.

For a debut novel, I was impressed and will likely pick up another from this author in the future. I'd love to read a series where Varga has room to explore and expand a bit more.

It took me a while to pick this up and I feel awful about it because I was HOOKED once I did. If you want a retelling of Monte Cristo fueled by feminine rage and beautiful writing buy this immediately.

I love retellings and sometimes they can be hit or miss but this one is definitely a hit! Gender swap take on Count of Monte Cristo. The writing was engaging and the characters were well developed. It was easy to get attached and root for these characters. One of my top 5 of the year!

Never, in my whole life, have I felt more gaslit by an average rating. To the point that I found myself looking at the good reviews and wanting to argue with them, but I’m trying to be a chill person (failing at this) who lets people like things (doing a little better at this). I just. Couldn’t find anything to like about this book, except Noor.

The other characters? While, at first, sympathetic everyone else in this book is awful

The revenge? Underwhelming.

The prose? Repetitive to the point of tedium.

The Djinn inclusion? Unnecessary.

I could probably give you a full essay on why I hated this book. But isn’t it sufficient to say I hated it?

This was an engaging read and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I read The Count of Monte Cristo waaaaay back when, a million years ago when I was in middle school. What little I remembered I liked! However, I'm glad I didn't remember much, as it allowed me to fully immerse myself in this story. I appreciated this fresh take on the story, and I really loved the characters! I will absolutely be recommending this to people at the library. I hope we can get more stories like this one!

3.5 rounded up

there was plenty i enjoyed with this one but i felt mostly underwhelmed by it overall. nothing really stood out to make it very memorable for me.

For She is Wrath by Emily Varga is a gripping, fast-paced romantic upper YA fantasy that strikes the perfect balance between vengeance and heart. If you’re a fan of the lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers trope with a strong dose of female rage, this book will have you hooked from start to finish. There’s plenty of suspense and tension throughout this book, with twists and betrayals that keep you on the edge of your seat. However, the fast pace of this book does come at the cost of more in-depth world-building, although I did not find this to detract from the story in any way.

For She is Wrath has a great mix of action, emotion, and romance. It's a fast-paced, intense ride that follows a young but scorned woman’s journey through rage, revenge, and eventually, healing. Diana is smart, level-headed and strong-willed, the plot is twisty, and the romance is one of those slow-burns that feels totally earned.

This was such a fun read and a surprising new favourite of mine.

A big thank you to Lexi Neuville, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

EMILYYYYYYYYY! This was incredible! The amount of female rage gave me new life. I truly can’t get over it. Dania is who I want to be when I grow up, honestly. She was petty and full of rage and revenge and I admire her for it. I loved that this was a take on The Count of Monte Cristo because it was such a fantastic spin on it.

Emily truly has a way to bring you into the world and story and you truly feel like you’re there. I need this imprinted into my brain. It’s one of the few books this year that I’ve finished and immediately wanted to start it from the beginning. It is a masterpiece and I will take no criticism at this time. Just go pick it up. You won’t regret it.