Imani rescued her brother, but at what cost? Once he’s safe with her, he reveals the truth: the secret magic that their homeland has guarded for ages, now the conquering empire knows about it, and worse, they have access to it. Soldiers are marching toward Imani’s home now, intent on conquering it, and only a miracle can save it. Or, maybe not a miracle, but a djinn: Qayn, whom Imani had formed an unwilling alliance with. If Imani can restore his magic, he can save her people.

Taha isn’t convinced, though. After failing his initial mission to kill Imani’s brother, he knows he can’t fail his country again. But when he’s taken captive by the enemy, all he seems to witness are failures. It’s at this moment when he wonders if he did the right thing, and wonders if there’s more to Qayn than he’s said.

With the fates of their country resting on their shoulders, Imani and Taha have diverging paths and difficult choices ahead of them. What is the lesser of two evils, and what kinds of risks are worth taking when trying to save your people?

I received an advanced reading copy of Serpent Sea in exchange for an honest review.

Serpent Sea is a young adult fantasy novel by Maiya Ibrahim. It’s also the sequel to Spice Road, which I read back in late 2022, and the second book of The Spice Road trilogy. Also, as you might have noticed, there may have already been spoilers for the first book in this review, and there may be more later. If you want to continue your life spoiler-free, I suggest you skip this review and move onto something else! Or, you could read the first book! I really enjoyed it.

You know how I feel about second books in trilogies. They so often fall into the trap of not having their own self-contained plot, and instead of merely serving as a connector between books one and three. I am so happy to say that Serpent Sea did not have that issue. Serpent Sea has as the main plot the attempt to retrieve Qayn’s magic, as well as the conquest of Imani and Taha’s home. With these two main plot threads pulling everything along, while allowing things to also develop in the background, this book kept up a great pace, continued to develop the world and the characters, and also increased the stakes significantly for everyone involved. Once the main plots got underway, I was having a hard time putting this down, and I wanted to see what would happen next for Imani and Taha.

Interestingly, Imani and Taha are separated shortly into the book, and we get to see two very different arcs they go on. Imani has to lean into her power and abilities, developing them further in her quest to help Qayn. Taha is the opposite, as he suddenly finds himself captured and powerless. It made for a very interesting narrative, as the chapters switched between the two, and my heart really went out to Taha, who definitely was having a really rough time. I kept hoping for him to escape, to make it out of his situation somehow, and wonder if he would reunite with Imani. Did he? That would be a spoiler, so I’m not telling!

As for Imani, she also had growing romantic tension with Qayn, who we started learning a lot more about. I actually really liked learning more about Qayn, and wondering the whole time if he was worth trusting, since he seemed to have so many secrets. But while Imani is working through her growing feelings for Qayn, she can’t help but remember the moment she shared with Taha, before he betrayed her, that is.

All in all, Serpent Sea was an excellent middle book, and a great continuation to The Spice Road trilogy! I loved the action scenes in this book, was often surprised, but more than anything, enjoyed the character arcs. I’m excited to read the final book in the trilogy, and find out what happens to everyone. But until then, I would recommend this series to fans of fantasy, and especially Arabian-inspired fantasy!

Serpent Sea will be released on November 21. You can preorder your copy from Delacorte Press here.

For some reason I had thought that I had already read Spice Road when I requested Serpent Sea turns out I hadn't. Luckily I had Spice Road sitting on my shelf, I devoured it within a couple days and then set to reading Serpent Sea.
Serpent Sea is full of so much wonderful description and world building. The push and pull between the characters keeps the book interesting. I enjoyed therelationship between Amira and Imani as they have the very typical push and pull of an older and younger sibling who both think that what they are doing is the correct choice.
Taha and Amira become prisoners of the warrior King Glaidric who is a mean and spiteful man who thanks to the choices of Amira and Imani's brother has gotten hold of vast amount of spice and learned how to use the magic that only Imani's people were supposed to even know about.
Amani and Qayn the djinn she has bound to her dagger set off to try and find the jewels that go to Qayns crown for if he can posses the crown once more than he can use it to defeat Glaidrics army and save everyone from destruction. However Imani's people have been taught not to trust the Djinn or any other monsters that they are trained to destroy, Imani though is beginning to wonder if there is more to her history than she realizes. Some of the things that Qayn says makes sense and she no longer is sure the the power of the Misra Spice should belong only to her people.
Together this ragtag group of people from all corners will come together to fight Glaidric but things are never as they seem and sometimes the ones closest to you and that you trust the most are the first ones to sink a dagger into your back under the explanation that they were doing what they thought was best.

Yoooo these cliffhangers man!

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

So, I enjoyed Spice Road, but this was better!

The plot starts strong, lulls a bit, and picks right back up. I will admit I was a little bored very briefly, but the end was well worth it. I recognize there are slow bits to world building, it is what it is. We need background information and she gave it to us. This was a fun read, and this love triangle better go how I want it to 😂

The characters are definitely multifaceted, and we get glimpses into everyone’s past to learn why they are the way they are. Since this is book two in a series, we already know basics, and we get a more in depth look at things. I *love* how the author has pointed out rewriting history is a dangerous thing and that not everything you’ve been taught it true. I will forever be team Qayn y'all.

The writing in this one was easier to read for me, although the author is very descriptive of lots of things I’m not that knowledgeable in, so again I did have to look some things up. It’s refreshing, though, to have to look up cultural things; I really appreciate the attention to detail.

4.5⭐️ and I get to wait impatiently for the next.

🦇 Serpent Sea Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❓ #QOTD What were you afraid of growing up?

🦇 Imani is a magic-wielding warrior sworn to protect her land from monsters that roam the desert. Now, an even worse enemy now threatens the Sahir. As the powerful Harrowlanders march south, Imani knows it’s only a matter of time before their invasion of her land begins...and it will be a losing battle for her people. There's one way to fight magic and win: with monsters. If she can restore djinn king Qayn’s stolen powers, they can summon a supernatural army to defend the Sahir from the Harrowlanders. One wrong move could cost them their lives—and everyone they love. But they may find that there is more than meets the eye crossing the Serpent Sea...and betrayal cuts deeper than any dagger.

💜 Maiya Ibrahim has not faltered in breathing life into Imani's magical world. This was one of my most-anticipated books of the year. After reading the ARC for Spice Road last year, I knew Ibrahim would become a long-time auto-buy author. Let's break the enchantment of Serpent Sea down:
✨ Characters: Unlike Spice Road, Serpent Sea is dual POV: first-person for Imani and third-person for Taha. While I appreciate seeing Taha's POV, especially when the two are forced to part, the different perspectives were jarring. Though Imani is our FMC and heroine, the story would have been easier to read in first-person for them both. Regardless, I appreciate the ongoing development of this story's vast cast. Our insight into Taha's POV set him up as the biggest source of character development. Being able to see his motivations after so much betrayal in the first book was invaluable.
✨ Plot and Pacing: This story dragged a little slower than its predecessor. There's SO MUCH going on here--travel across dangerous seas, an invasion, a tournament to the death, a heist. Some moments linger too long while some moments are a confusing rush. The occupation through Taha's POV was almost too painful for me to bear, being Palestinian, but I appreciate Ibrahim illustrating these injustices. Stories draw from our realities, and Serpent Sea pulls no punches about that cruelty.
✨ World-Building: Ibrahim's world expands with every chapter. There are concepts to the world-building I think people need to read, understand, and empathize with. At times, the world almost feels too big--just as it does in our reality. Ibrahim's world-building in this book creates a strong foundation for the next, and I'm eager to see where the next adventure takes us.
✨ Romance: Oh Imani. I've never read a love triangle quite as downplayed yet frustrating as this one. The story never dwells too long on the romances, providing a sense of realism given HOW MUCH is going on. The romantic moments between Imani and her boys are bound to catch your breath, while the will-they-or-won't-they tug allows tension to drive the story. Do I wish there was more romance? Yes. Does the story need it to succeed? Not at all!
✨ Mystery/Suspense: New romantasy readers will be delighted by this story's twists and turns. Unfortunately, Ibrahim lays the groundwork for all of them SO well that I guessed every reveal but one (regarding Bright Blade). The hints were so well-placed that for a moment, I thought the information was already common knowledge. Even anticipating the reveals, the ending is still powerful, creating a foundation for the story's third installment.
✨ Tone/Prose: As with Ibrahim's first book, every page of Serpent Sea is brimming with enchantment and beautiful chaos. The prose is vivid, capable of transporting you to the Sahir with only a paragraph. Only the first few chapters seem to deviate, as if Ibrahim needed a moment to step back into this world.

🦇 Recommended for fans of the Sands of Arawiya duology and The Rebel of the Sands.

✨ The Vibes ✨
⚔ Part of a Trilogy
⚔ Romantic Fantasy
⚔ Love Triangle
⚔ Arabian-Inspired
⚔ Occupation
⚔ Dual POV
⚔ Slow Burn Enemies to Lovers
⚔ Monsters

🦇 Major thanks to the author Maiya Ibrahim @maiya_ibrahim and publisher Random House Children's @randomhousekids | Delacorte Press @delacortepress for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #SerpentSea

💬 Quotes
❝ "Imani. It’s easier to dismiss those who hurt us as being senselessly evil than it is to accept that all our actions are trees, and all trees stem from roots, and all roots stem from seeds. No living being in any land propagates unaided.” ❞
❝ There is nothing inherently evil about darkness. Even the light can burn if it shines too brightly. ❞
❝ “Is that a compliment, an insult, or a threat?” “None,” he drawls. “It’s an invitation.” ❞
❝ "I’d like nothing more than to have a companion to whom I could bare my soul. Someone I could trust. For them, I would grant any wish they asked.” ❞
❝ ‘We two belong here, you and me, between the date palms and full moon, the desert and the sea.’ ❞
❝ “I’m beginning to realize just how much I like you.” ❞
❝ "I think we could find happiness together." ❞
❝ “They fear your power, lady!” she shouts at me. “Kill them with it!” ❞
❝ “I think the only reliable way an average person can improve their life is by holding the people in power accountable, or removing them.” ❞
❝ I understand now that history is a collection of stories narrated by the people with the loudest voices, the mightiest quills, and the sharpest swords, inked in the blood of the vanquished. ❞

-"Better to die than to bow."
This is the second book following up where The Spice Road left off. It has a good magic system and interesting characters. This book adds an additional point of view to the story. This is a good sequel.

An absolutely stunning sequel to one of my top reads. I am so invested in this story. The characters are so well fleshed out and the story has such great pacing. This is one of my favorites series I’ve ever read. I’ll be recommending this series forever!

What truly sets this novel apart is its exploration of the intricate dynamics of love amid chaos. The palpable tension between Imani and Taha adds layers to their characters and intensifies their fight for survival. This book is an emotional rollercoaster, masterfully balancing action with a deep, resonant exploration of sacrifice, bravery, and the bonds that unite us. Maiya Ibrahim has crafted a mesmerising tale that goes beyond war and magic, delving into the resilience of the human spirit. Prepare for a gripping ride that will leave you breathless and yearning for more. I honestly can't wait for the finale!

3.75/5 ⭐️
I loved the first book. It was amazing. A 5 star read. This was mid. And that made me sad. I still liked it, but I think there were quite a few problems that really hindered it. Before I get into the problems, just know I still enjoyed this. There were some great moments. Some amazing scenes. There were moments that had me kicking my feet and giggling. It’s just that these great moments turned bittersweet for me because of the things dragging it down.
So I think the problems stemmed from its foundation. First, it’s really weird to me that Imani’s chapters were in first person while Taha’s were in third. What’s not good is when I got confused whose we were in despite the narrative perspective differences.
The other major problem was that it felt like this story was trying to fit soooooo much into this book. Lately I’ve been begging books to be standalone or duologues, giving us too much filler. In the case, I’m begging it to be broken up into four instead of three books. There was just too much going on in this book that the pacing felt chaotic. Overall, we didn’t stay anywhere for long to unpack or develop much. But then Imani’s plot line felt like it was dragging when compared to Taha’s when they got split up. It was chaotic and unsatisfying. Like if it was broken up and altered slightly, we could’ve watched things progress more naturally and get to dig into characters like Atheer and Amira more. And in the end, what we did get was frustrating because of the speed and the amateurish dialogue and the silly caricature of characters that I found myself skimming at times.
My final major issue is where Imani is going. It is looking like she is becoming too powerful. And that will probably mean the story will end with her giving up her power. But my issue right now is that I lost my connection to her. She’s unrelatable because she depended on her magic way more. Her entire being became about her power. Every issue was fought and solved with powerful magic. And now she is alien. While she had magic in the first book, she was relatable because her issues and conflicts and the way she dealt with it was human. She dealt with jealousy and prejudices and had to fight them with words. And when she fought monsters and enemies in book one, 80% of it was just her sword skills that she honed with practice. Something I could do. It’s cool to have a character with magic, but they are relatable to the readers when everything going on and how they fight it could be done without. Like even your magic doesn’t make you different from me because at the end of the day, it can’t solve all your problems.
So yeah. This has been my most anticipated read since I read an arc of the first one two years ago, and I feel kind of disappointed. It was entertaining, but mid. It had so much potential, but someone needed to help shape all this a little better. It could’ve been great. The first one was truly amazing. And knowing that made this more disappointing. So yeah, I would still recommend. It was still cool. But maybe walk in with slightly lower expectations than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Maiya, Maiya, Maiya…. We have a problem! I will NEVER forgive you for this book! ♾️⭐️ (Though I will accept sneak peaks into the last book as a bribe).

As this is a sequel, I cannot really give away much in my review! All i’ll say is, throughout the book I have laughed, cried, blushed, got angry, excited, frustrated, I have basically felt every emotion one can feel and I cannot recommend reading this series enough!

Although I am angered at Maiya, I am also extremely thankful for her to gift us with this book, these characters and world! I am thankful for the themes that this series follows, even when it was very difficult to read some parts of the book as they represented a history (and unfortunately a present) we as Arabs have experienced first hand or have heard generations of stories of, without shying away from the violence.

On the other hand, every sweet moment in this book simply melted my heart! I knew I was a Taha girly, but Qayn certainly popped off in the sequel and now I have no idea who to choose! Imani, I’ll take whoever you don’t pick, sounds fair no?!

Serpent Sea is out on November 21st, if you haven’t preordered it yet, what are you waiting for! The beautiful preorder incentive will be out soon as well, so keep your receipts at hand.

Thank you Maiya for surprising my Book Club with the arcs, you really should see the chaos happening in our chat as we’re all pulling our hair and giggling 😂

If you like a book that has epic worldbuilding with a wide range of travel, magic system, realistic and complex characters, family bonds, friendship, enemies to lovers, betrayals, secrets, rivals, rebellion, Arabian myths and legends. This is a series you should definitely pick up!

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Random House Children's for this advanced copy. You can pick up Serpent Sea on November 19, 2024.

Spice Road was an okay read for me, and I thought to give the sequel a shot to see where it goes. But, ultimately, I think this story just isn't my cup of tea. The same things I struggled with in Book 1 were apparent in the sequel -- Taha's character's morals were all over the place and gave me a bit of an ick (though it was nice to read from his POV). Imani had good moments, but overall I found it difficult to connect to her character. The magic is interesting, but the expanding of this world almost left me with more questions than answers.

I think it's still a fun, adventure-filled YA fantasy, but just not for me.

Imani and her crew are trying to make it home with the knowledge that the King of Harrowland is coming to the Sahir to take over the Spice Tree which is what gives people magic in this world. Harrowlanders have been given a taste of magic, and they want more. Unlike Imani's people, the Harrowlanders didn't grow up being preached about the harmful effects of taking too much spice. And their greed is beginning to take control of them. Unfortunately, Imani's crew suffers a terrible blow early on which separates the crew. Taha and Amira, Imani's sister, get captured, Atheer gets injured, and Imani and Qayn have a lead that he might be able to get his magic back nearby. They have to follow that lead to its end.

Yet again, I have a few issues with this book. Without giving too much away, I felt Taha's response to Harrowland's takeover of the Sahir was weak. I understand he's a captive and he doesn't want to see unnecessary murder. I also know there was no way for the citizens of Qalia since they had no chance of winning. I guess there is a time and a place for biding your time to have a thought-out plan of attack. Yet, the surrender of village after village at Taha's urging didn't sit right with me. I also struggled with his feelings toward Imani. Taha deals with an extreme amount of guilt. He treated Imani poorly. He's lost members of his team to capture and even death. He takes both of those upon himself as personal failures. He disagreed with Atheer's desire to help the nations outside of the Sahir. Thus he wasted time and resources taking his time to come to the same conclusion that Atheer came to. And then, of course, the villages he's watched lay down their arms because he couldn't get home before being captured. He's a complex character with a lot going on below the surface.

One of the most successful parts of Spice Road for me was not knowing who to trust. And Maiya Ibrahim did a great job doing the same with Serpent Sea yet mostly different characters. Instead of unsure whether Qayn was trustworthy, I wondered if Taha was trustworthy. I pondered a little whether Qayn would switch sides when he got his magic back, but his stance solidified more and more as the book went on.

A bonus for Maiya Ibrahim and Serpent Sea was the timing. I didn't love switching POVs in this case, but telling Taha's story and Imani's the way she chose played out well.

The ultimate conflict felt a little anticlimactic for me. Actually, a good portion of the conflict seemed to be handled way too easily overall. If I have a big complaint, that's probably it. Some pieces of the puzzle seemed to happen too easily for our characters who had been struggling for so long.

Favorite quotes:
-This is how you become strong: by knowing where you are weak first.

-"Hasty decisions hasten ruin."

-"...being afraid to make mistakes is petrifying. If you obey that fear, you never get anything done."

-"It's easier to dismiss those who hurt us as being senselessly evil than it is to accept that all our actions are trees, and all trees stem from roots, and all roots stem from seeds. No living being in any land propagates unaided."

-"My father loves me," he whispers; the words sound so hollow in his ears. A tear rolls down Reza's face. "Let someone else love you, Taha, the real you, as I always have."

-"It's an opportunity to foster trust between us..."

-"You cannot kill what doesn't die."

-"We make quite the alliance, wouldn't you agree?" "Enthusiastically." ... "What other clever lessons do you have hidden away, hmm?" His black eyes gleam; his smile widens. "The likes of which you can only dream of. Then again, anything that you dream of having, I could give you. And anything that you dream of becoming, I could make you."

-"And who knows--I suppose you could win my heart if you put in some effort."

-The sea is an excellent liar.

-"Don't send me away after you return my magic..."

-"I am a reasonable man by choice, not nature. Choose carefully which face of mine you wish to confront."

-"I see I've impressed you," I say, not bothering to hide my self-satisfaction. "You've left me wanting more."

-Remember to swing with your heart.

-"Better to die than to bow."

-"It's love, not loss, that endures forever."

-"There is no justice in seeking retribution on people who didn't wrong me,"...

Serpent Sea gets 4 Stars from me. I had a few issues with things, but overall, I enjoyed the messages. There's still plenty to come for a book 3, which I'm here for. Have you read Serpent Sea? What did you think? Let me know!

I just want to preface this review by saying I rate this 4.5/5 stars!! I’ll explain why below…

As a huge fan of Spice Road, I knew I had to do WHATEVER it took to get my hands on this book as early as I could. I didn’t want to have to wait to find out what happens to Imani, Qayn, and Taha and all of the Sahir! I requested an ARC and was graciously given one and let me just say…WOW!!!!

This book was absolutely fantastic! Full of jaw-dropping moments, phenomenal character development, and a lot of world lore, this sequel to Spice Road had me crying and laughing and screaming.

The only reason I rate this book 4.5 and not 5 is because I felt that the beginning (perhaps up to the 50% mark) was a little slow. It seemed to drag a little and I kept hoping something more would happen with each page turn…and then it finally did.

And when it did…IT FREAKING DID!!!!

Maiya Ibrahim, whatever is going in your mind, I love it and I need more, more, more!!! The second half of this book was so enjoyable and really had me stopping, putting it down, and having to manually close my dropped jaw. How in the world am I supposed to wait for the third one now that I’ve read the second before it’s even published??? This is going to be agony.

Also, I just want to say—someone PLEASE give my boy Taha a break. He is constantly going through it and I genuinely felt so bad for him reading this…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book!
Serpent Sea is the sequel to Spice Road and this is a highly anticipated sequel for me! It continues to story after Imani traveled to rescue her brother Atheer.

“I suppose there’s no good in dwelling on the past when we have the promise of the future.”

Beware of spoilers for the previous book!

We did Spice Road for the book club in August and had an author chat with Maiya at the end, where she surprised us with an eARC of Serpent Sea. The scream I let out after the book landed in my inbox was loud haha! I loved everything about Spice Road, loved it more after reading it a second time and couldn’t wait to dive into this book!

First off, TAHA POV!!! YAY!!! I already learned we would get a Taha POV in this book and it was everything and more! I should’ve expected the separation of Imani, since Taha POV gave us the other side of the adventure!

The direction this book went on was ABSOLUTELY INSANE! We knew already from the ending that they would go and try to find the jewels and restore Qayn’s magic. I loved the journey they took to complete that goal while also having the Harrowlander’s breathing down their backs! The tension and action and everything made this book so hard to put down! It did real a bit slower, having a slower pacing than Spice Road, but at the same time it was just as hard to put this book down! It was addicting in the best way!

The characters showed such great growth this book, it was insane! Especially as you know how high tensions were between them at the end of Spice Road. Imani showed great growth as she remained levelheaded in her actions, and I loved that. Taha struggles a lot in this book and seeing his POV and his perspective really opened my eyes to his inner demons. Qayn is even more delicious in this book than he was in the first!

The relationships really grew to the next level! I really shipped Taha and Imani in the first book and their chemistry is still there and is great, but OMG QAYN! He really is delicious, and he really stole my heart in this book! His chemistry with Imani really shown so brightly this book! Also, his banter with Taha was hilarious!

This book really has me in a chokehold and didn’t let me go. These characters gave been living rent free in my mind since January of 2023! This book started off with a bang and ending with an even bigger BANG! I loved everything with the Hunten and all that happened afterwards! The twists were big and jaw-dropping and the stress I had when reading the battle towards the end almost gave me permanent palpitations! It was honestly amazing in every way, and I think this book truly helped elevate the whole series to an even higher stage then it already was!

Overall, Serpent Sea is the perfect example of what I want in a sequel! Amazing dialogue, amazing plot, amazing characters paired with high-tension action! Just overall AMAZING!

4.25/5

Wonderful edition to the world. It is a little bit of 2nd book syndrome with a tad bit of info dump in the beginning to learn more about the world, magic, and the invaders. It's does have the adventure and story that I loved in the first towards the middle to end of the book. Also it builds on the relationship of Qayn and Imani along with Taha and Imani I love the complication that comes with those 3. It builds on Imani siblings and more into Taha's thoughts and mind set. It's a good second book and leaves you wanting the 3rd.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read this e-arc. This is my honest opinion of the book.

This book was such an amazing follow up to the first book, Spice Road. We see a lot of action in this book, and it absolutely captivated me! I love the mission of the book, for the jewels of Qayn’s lost crown to restore his magic. Dual POVs are included from Imani and now Taha, mostly from Imani. This is such a wonderful, rich and atmospheric book that has unique magic, and even a slow burn enemies to maybe lovers romance. This series is beautiful and amazing.

Ok, so, when I came across this book in Netgalley, I'll admit I was interested in giving it a try (plus, isn't that cover just gorgeous). But, like last week's post, after getting a few chapters in, I just lost interest in it. And with the busy schedule I've had lately, I haven't had much time to get a lot of reading done. So, unfortunately, I'll have to table this book for now and finish it another time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an eArc of this book. “Serpent Sea” is the second installment in the Spice Road Trilogy by Maiya Ibrahim. It picks up right after the events of the first book. However, this second book adds another Pov which surprised me, but I then realized the importance of it to tie in with Imani’s pov. This tale is just as filled with adventure, family and romance! There is further world-building and explaining of the confounding magic system–all is not as it seems! The author will definitely keep you on your toes. The end of the book was unexpected and I suspect that book 3’s adventure will be an unforgettable ride!

3.5/5 ⭐️

Serpent Sea picks up soon after Spice Road ends and continues the immersive adventure we find ourselves in during book 1. As we continue to follow Imani, Taha, and their not quite so merry band of fighters, we learn even more about the world they occupy. I especially love the way Ibrahim uses the plot to unravel even more the lands outside of Qalia as well as the backstory to the world as a whole. It is one of the few second books that not only moves the story forward, but also deepens both the magical system and the world building. Imani’s growth and awareness around the way class impacts other people’s lives continues and it’s interesting to see how the impact of colonization becomes a part of that growth. If you enjoyed Spice Road, you’ll enjoy Serpent Sea and hopefully will also look forward to book 3.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s | Delacorte Press for giving me early access to this book! All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed Spice Road. It was a very unique story, with a magic system that I had never seen before. So, I was very excited to read Serpent Sea. Unfortunately, Serpent Sea seems to have fallen pray to the typical second book syndrome. The story jumped around in weird places that did not make sense, leading to many weird time jumps that didn’t seem possible. The redeeming factor was the characters growth, which continued from Spice Road in a beautiful way. I will admit, both endings made me think, “Really…” but, I’m sure I will still read the conclusion. If you enjoyed the Spice Road, definitely pick this up! 3⭐️

I quite enjoyed book one, Spice Road. I couldn’t wait to jump on this one and find out what happens next. I was hoping that there would be more in this book. Just more more more. And there certainly was!

This book picks up where the last one left off. Out of the sands and into the waters! The action is high, with a side of love triangle. There’s a new POV, lots of characters, new adventures and more monsters.

🌊 heavy on plot
🌊 strong character development
🌊 love triangle
🌊 monsters
🌊 slow burn

The overall vibes of the setting and the characters themselves are what drew me into these books. And I love the way the author represents them. Perfect for fans of the brass city books!