DNF @ 45%
Oh gosh I wanted to like this book so bad but I just wasn't invested in the story. The premise itself was so intriguing and I love that we're seeing more books with non-Western settings. The story starts with a bang and the characters have really strong motivations. Unfortunately the pace of the book moved too slowly for me and I found myself losing interest. For a book about a revenge plot there was way too much thinking and not enough action. I'm sure the action will pick up past this point but I'm almost halfway through and I feel like very little has happened. I'm sure that many others will love the reflective nature of this book. It didn't work for me but I'm delighted to see traditional publishers picking up books by more POC. I would definitely read more from this author in the future.

The narrator was delightful is and is honestly why I made it so far into the book. I loved the different voices they employed to make the story more engaging. Unfortunately the story itself fell flat for me and not even a talented narrator could save it.

**Book Review: *For She is Wrath* by Emily Varga**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️ (1 chili pepper – mild)

Emily Varga’s *For She is Wrath* is an intoxicating mix of vengeance, love, and magic, set against the lush backdrop of medieval Pakistan. This gender-swapped *Count of Monte Cristo* retelling is a masterpiece of storytelling that combines high stakes with deep emotional resonance. From the opening page, Dania’s journey is gripping—a countdown to revenge that simmers with rage, heartbreak, and hope.

Dania is a powerhouse protagonist. Her fiery determination to take down those who wronged her is both fearsome and inspiring, especially as she wrestles with lingering feelings for Mazin, the boy who betrayed her. The tension between them is electric, layered with years of anger and regret, making their dynamic impossible to look away from. The addition of djinn magic and a stolen treasure makes the plot even more exhilarating, weaving in a sense of mysticism and danger that kept me hooked.

This book has everything:

💔 Lovers to enemies to lovers
🔥 Revenge-driven plotlines
✨ Djinn magic and dark powers
🤝 Found family
⏳ Dual timeline storytelling

Varga has delivered a richly woven tale packed with action, heartbreak, and powerful themes of love and redemption. The layers of revenge, dark magic, and complex relationships create a story that’s impossible to put down. *For She is Wrath* will stay with you long after the final page—don’t miss it!

I have never read The Count of Monte Cristo so I can't speak to how this book relates, but I really enjoyed the plot of this book. I don't typically read/listen to fantasy and I was a little hesitant going into this. I'm glad I gave it a try, because it wasn't too complex or hard to keep up with. I loved how Noor and Dania met unexpectedly and became friends. This book is great if you're in the mood for a revenge story!

Wow! This book has left me speechless. It exceeded my expectations in the best way. The world building and fantasy elements are well developed and the plot is well thought out. I couldn't put the book down once I started it was AMAZING

I love a woman hell bent on revenge. This is an unputdownable, fast-paced Pakistani retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. Even though this is a debut novel the writing is fantastic. Everything is well developed: the world buidling, the real loves to enemies to lovers romance, the engaging plot. The feelings of rage are intense yet don't get in the way of character growth and plot movement. Overall, I highly recommend this for fantasy lovers, female rage enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a fast-paced story.

The audiobook is well done and easy to listen to, even at a higher speed.

For She Is Wrath is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. I have not read that, so I can't say whether it's a good retelling or not. But boy oh boy did I have a good time reading this.

After being betrayed by her lover, convicted of a crime she didn't commit, and then thrown in prison to rot, Dania is out for revenge. I simply could not stop listening to this audiobook. I devoured it. There are action packed scenes, heart wrenching moments, and so many characters obsessed with revenge.

I really enjoyed the development of the friendship between Dania and Noor. Forged by their mutual need for revenge and fortified by the way they work together and protect each other. Noor kept Dania from being blinded by her need for revenge, bring her back from the brink of destroying herself. And that's not to say they were never wicked in their quest for revenge; they really went for it sometimes and I was so into it! I am here for women's wrongs haha. But Noor could see beyond the moment and served as a good balance for Dania.

The narration for the audiobook is phenomenal. I felt immersed in the story the whole time and never got confused between characters. I listened at 1.3x speed. I would highly recommend this audiobook.

Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for the advance listening copy.

I am IN LOVE with Emily Varga's writing. This was her debut?? I am very excited to see where her career goes.

In 400 pages, she managed to make me fall in love with her characters. She made them flawed, yet enjoyable to read because last we progressed through the book they grew and addressed those flaws. The growth didn't come out of nowhere, it was organic and genuine given the events the characters endured.

The plot was very well done. While it had its low points that were a little more difficult to get through, overall the action and the scheming were very entertaining. The world-building could use some work, but I'm sure Varga will improve on that aspect of her writing as she ventures deeper into her career.

If you're looking for female wrath, especially in the light of current events, this is the book for you. Dania is determined to get her revenge and doesn't fall back on outright violence to do it.

This female version of "The Count of Monte Cristo" steeped in Pakistani folklore will leave you feeling vindicated and wanting for more.

I didn't know much about this story before jumping into it, but I was drawn to the idea of a loose Count of Monte Cristo retelling because I devoted a few weeks of my life to that book 10ish years ago and loved it 🤣❤️ I also loved the cover for this one and was happy to try a new Canadian author living in my hometown!

I don't often come across standalone fantasy worlds but this one absolutely held its own and I found it easy to sink right into the story. I loved the way it was told and how it resolved. This book was hard to put down because it builds to quite an intense conclusion and loyalties and friendships are tested. For some reason, maybe the setting, I felt some Aladdin vibes here too which was super fun.

Dania is a character we can all get behind and I really loved her friendship with Noor and her tenacity and determination to fight for what is right and seek her revenge. Compared to some other fantasy worlds, I found the magic in this one to be decently understandable for someone who struggles with that kind of thing. It would certainly be ok for a YA audience as well, as suggested by the publisher.

All in all I recommend this if you're into fantasy and I hope to read more from this author in the future!

This was such a good book, I loved it. I was a little disappointed we didn't go the burn the whole world down in revenge route, but this was probably the better ending

It seems like I am on a retelling binge lately and I am here for it. I loved the female rage spin on the original Count of Monte Cristo (which for the record could be one of the only classics which I dearly love!). I loved all the characters and I loved the gore and violence (which is not something I often enjoy in my novels but I did find myself cheering for Dania to rip a few throats out close to the start of the novel). All the twists on the original are highly enjoyable. While I understand the morals and lessons about vengeance are needed for the sake of the story plot... I kinda wish there had been a tiny bit more revenge in the end.... (or maybe that could be the voice in my end whispering revenge - you have to read it to get that reference).

A super fast-paced, high action, lots of magic and bloody revenge tale with a kick ass female protagonist! Highly recommend for anyone who needs a rage read right about now.

Also - I adored the narrator. Well done.

I received the ebook and audiobook as an Arc from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley!!

This book hit something in me that made me want to race through the pages. Maybe it’s the world around me but a highly trained, knowledgeable young woman who is confident in her ability to handle just about anything while also seething with anger, betrayal and vengeance pulled me towards this character. Such a fun combo - I imagined a younger ‘bride’ from Kill Bill but with Pakistani heritage. I could almost hear the soundtrack from Kill Bill in my head anytime she faced one of her targets.

The best friend became Dani’s moral compass that kept pulling her back from the edge and “checking in” to assess the vibe and emotional vulnerability of the room. The male love interest was interesting but he got off far too easily for me . . . He needs to thank his lucky stars! Loved this story and I loved the narrator. It felt so cohesive and immersive.

Overall, I’m giving it a 4.5 (rounded up)

WOW JUST WOW
This stand alone Pakistani retelling of “The Count of Monte Cristo” was FANTASTIC!!

Feminine rage, a prison escape, intense fight sequences, strong female friendships, betrayal, revenge, romance, AND djinn magic!!

I loved every moment of this book. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a story that leaves you craving more and I know it won’t be leaving my head any time soon.
The feminine rage and friendship in this book were so excellent. AND THE PLOT TWIST?? It was NOT what I was expecting!

There are times where I definitely didn’t agree with our main character but she was always so strong and courageous, you just have to root for her.

Absolutely an incredible 5 star read for me!

Thanks, Macmillan Audio and Wednesday Books, for the ALC and arc!

FOR SHE IS WRATH by Emily Varga is nothing like I could have expected and everything I could have wanted in a book. It was such a different story, but I think that was because we finally have a strong female Pakistani lead character, we are immersed in Pakistani culture, and a fantasy reimaging of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, which, as far as I know, has yet to be done.

I haven't read or seen MONTE CRISTO in a long time, so reading WRATH was all new to me since I didn't remember any of the original tale. Dania was such a fantastic character. She had been through so much in her life and still had the perseverance to go on. I don't know if I could do that, even if it were revenge that was in my soul. She had a fantastic character arc, and I loved seeing her change and stay true to the person she always was.

I'm glad I had both the arc and ALC. This is a book I enjoyed reading and listening to at the same time. Safiyya Ingar is an excellent narrator for the book and does so well with Dania's voice. I also like how Ingar brings the side characters and setting to life. The reason I liked reading and listening to this one was that, not being a native Pakistani speaker, it was cool and helpful to read the language and hear it at the same time.

Definitely read it if you are a fan of fantasy, retellings, strong female leads, or Pakistani culture. It's one of my favorite retellings of the year, if not ever.

A Monte Christo retelling infused with Pakistani mythology?! YES PLEASE!!

A second chance, romantic fantasy about a girl named Dania who breaks out of prison for revenge against the boy she used to love, for framing her for a crime she didn't commit. And she is PISSED. She's like, I'm going to destroy everything now with no apologies.
It has Jinn, magic, a friendship that turns to sisterhood, treasure hunting, and more. It's classic storytelling. Good vs. Evil with a lesson to be learned... What does revenge cost you?
I absolutely LOVED this book!

The parallels between this and the Count of Monte Cristo are really strong for the first half. Then it takes off in more of it's own direction. I thought it was a perfect balance between retelling and new story. At the beginning, I was all for Dania and her revenge. Then somewhere in the middle my feelings begin to get muddled and by the end I was on her side again. I thought it was an emotional ride through the story. I liked the revenge, the magic, and the emotional growth. The reveals at the end got a little muddled, but I enjoyed them.

"Anger burst inside of me. But there was something else there too, savage, elemental. The power of knowing this was righteous anger. A history of women and girls being wronged by men who never had any consequences. Now, I would be the consequences."

If you are looking for a distraction from your own anger over recent events and want to channel your female rage, For She Is Wrath is perfect. If you miss Aelin Galathynius but don't feel you can recommit to all 7 books, come hang out with Dania.

Are there reimaginings that you will always go in for? When I saw a Pakistani fantasy take on one of my favorite revenge stories (The Count of Monte Cristo) I jumped. "For She is Wrath" by Emily Varga is out now.

Framed for murder a year ago Dania is not having a great prison experience. She really needs to get out and stab Mazin, the boy who betrayed her and left her for dead. Thankfully she not going crazy and it is just another escapee, who went the wrong way, who dug into her cell. Motivated to freedom their goal becomes to reclaim the Djinn magic her new confidant has a map to and topple the regime that imprisoned them. But first personal revenge.

Narrated by Safiyya Ingar, the expression of pain and injustice you conveyed got through.

Reasons to read:
-The title hits real hard
-Yea those are good reasons to be rather cross
-More time with the "Priest" analog
-The food, made me so hungry
-Outfits to match your daggers

Cons:
-I'd still get some stabs in, because I'm petty like that

For She is Wrath

"I can't save you without destroying myself... I don't owe you this... I don't owe you all of me. Not after what you did. Perhaps not ever. And if you loved me, you would never ask it."

An fast-paced, action-packed adventure of a Pakistani retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo.

Escaping from prison with an unlikely friend, Dania sets out on a quest to enact revenge on those who betrayer her and her family, including her first love, Mazin. Armed with dark magic and a quest for vengeance, she dances through lies, politics and betrayal. In the end, she must ask if revenge is worth all of who she is - and is it worth the price she will pay losing herself and those she still loves.

I absolutely LOVED this adventure. Dania is a fierce woman-wronged, who stands true to herself and those she loves. If you like epic romantasy, I highly recommend this adventure.

The narrator did a fabulous job in this single POV narration to keep the story moving and the characters straight. I could not stop listening because I was sucked into the story. Highly recommend the audio.

Check this one out if you are looking for:
- Pakistani fantasy romance
- The Count of Monte Cristo retelling
- Dark magic and vengeance
- Enemies to lovers

Thank you to Macmillian Audio for this ALC! My opinions are my own. For She Is Wrath is on shelves now.

This book was action packed and filled with female rage! I had a great time with it!

The betrayal, the magic elements, the prison escape, and a great stabby female character in Dania. I never read the Count of Monte Cristo, but I loved the movie and the concept of this book interested me greatly. I enjoyed the additional fantasy aspects and that it was a Pakistani retelling—it brought so much more to the story.

You get revenge, magic, friendships, dual timelines, and romance with this one.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC & audio for my honest opinion.

Who doesn’t love good retelling? When I saw that this was a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, but as a Pakistani romantic fantasy I knew that I would love it, and I did.

I loved that this book had revenge, enemies to lovers, action throughout the plot, betrayal and with some great plot twists. I thought the author did a great job with making this book come to life and adding Pakistani myth into it as well as making this YA fantasy book great. I found the plot to be well developed, it’s fast-paced, with something new happening on every page that makes you excited to turn those pages. I liked the author’s attention to details; it helped to really bring this book to life for me and to help me understand the Djinn and the characters more. I loved that I was drawn into this book from the first page and was kept there until the ending and not wanting the story to end. I found the magical system to be interesting and I loved that we really didn’t understand truly about the Djinn until the ending of the book. I found the characters to be well developed, and I loved that with Dania the ending and the choices that she made on the path was so great.

Dania was a great MFC, I loved that she was strong even though she was in prison for so long but when she finally got a chance to escape she took it, but you will see another side of her as well she could have left her friend behind but she knew that was wrong and still went back even though she could be caught. I loved that she was full of vengeance and knew what she wanted the outcome to be and made sure that she carried it out well. I was rooting for her the whole time, and I am happy that she got her HEA, and didn’t choose a different path to walk. I loved Noor’s character so much and I liked that they both became close friends and that they had a common enemy, but they were both able to come out on the other side of everything okay. I hope that we get a story about her in the future. Mazin, I found him to be an MMC, he was so cold and different, not the same person that Dania remembered but I liked that the more we got to know him we saw something different about him. I loved the chemistry and passion that we felt from these characters, and their HEA was just the icing on top.

I also received the audio for this book and let me tell you the narrator did a fantastic job with this book. The highs and lows, she knew how to draw in the readers and keep us there wanting more and more. I would listen to more books read by this narrator.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review this book.