🇵🇰 ARC REVIEW🇵🇰

For She Is Wrath by Emily Vargas
Pub Date 🇺🇸: Oct 29th
4/5 ⭐

This was such a a cool retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. I love reading books that feature cultures I'm not familiar with, and a Pakistani Count of Monte Cristo was definitely my cup of tea.

The book starts with our main character, the daughter of the emperor's sword maker, wrongfully imprisoned and trying to escape. It follows her quest for vengeance and asks the question 'what would you sacrifice for revenge?'

Please read if you like the following:

⚔️ Angry women bent of revenge
⚔️ Calculated schemes to infiltrate the emperor's court
⚔️ Badass fight scenes
⚔️ Love steeped in betrayal

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC!

I absolutely loved this book! Right from the beginning I was drawn into the character of Dania. She has been falsely imprisoned after being betrayed by her ex-lover and she goes on a quest for revenge. Armed with dark magic, she and her friend set out to get back at those who did her wrong. This book is so much more than just her revenge plot though. There’s much more depth to the characters. This book is going to stick with me for a long time and has earned a well deserved spot in my favourite books of this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this book.

This started off as something I normally am iffy about: I am not a revenge plot kind of person. It is not something I appreciate or think is necessary. However, this book took revenge and wrapped it in a way that morphs identity and takes over after grief. I truly appreciated the way the author spun this concept to make it unique and also a growing point for the FMC. The character arc is definitely one that is worth reading — it is done so well. THAT ENDING!!

I will say there were some things that made this read like a debut, specifically at the start. However, I found that it really picked up and captured me so I didn’t really mind or notice after a while. The storytelling is so great and the world was straightforward too. I do feel like the characters sometimes had more responsibility than their ages — it really felt more like a New Adult book than a Young Adult, so I think even adults will enjoy this!

I love the other concepts this explored well: coming of age, family, grief, identity, misogyny, etc. These were handled with care and had great messages for young people.

This audiobook actor was incredible! Safiyya Ingar deserves a slow clap for that ending — I felt and heard every quiver of her voice during those intense scenes! She really made this book come alive and I’m so glad to have listened to this one. I truly hope she continues to be a narrator for future books I come across because she’s immensely talented!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance listener copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Wow, folks – the audiobook of For She is Wrath is phenomenal! This is an action-packed YA fantasy retelling and the narration is FLAWLESS. There’s something about the reader’s raspy depth and vaguely British accent that made Dania come alive so vividly. And when she reads the other characters, I always knew exactly who was speaking. Just so well done!

This YA fantasy by Emily Varga is a gender-swapped retelling of The Count of Monte Christo. It follows a young woman who is betrayed by those she trusted and wrongfully accused of treason then sent off to prison to rot. She manages to escape and finds hidden djinn treasure along the way. She uses her newfound wealth and magic to go undercover to mastermind revenge on those who have wronged her.

Dania was a fantastic YA heroine – if you like the badass, stabby variety (which I do). There was also a swoony romance with Mazin, the boy who betrayed her, told in dual timelines before the betrayal and in the present when she’s exacting her revenge.

Overall, a fast-paced compelling YA fantasy that’s sure to please!

Thank you to macmillan audio for the free audio arc of the book.

It's the Count of Monte Cristo but quicker, cleaner and with a fantastic female lead! I am a huge fan of The Count MC and stories from other cultures so this reimagining was a win for me. Dania is wonderfully human character and following the twists and turns of her plot for revenge was highly entertaining.

Safiyya Ingar was a joy to listen to!

This book was truly incredible! It explores the lengths one will go for revenge, and Dania is a compelling, morally gray character who is both feisty and captivating. Her quest for vengeance is gripping and heart-wrenching. I appreciated that it was YA without the added spice, allowing for a strong focus on the story itself. The flashbacks were perfectly timed, enhancing the narrative beautifully.

The writing style was exceptional, making it a joy to read. I also loved the narrator; she did an amazing job bringing all the characters to life, and her tone and pitch made it easy to follow along.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Varga, and Macmillan Audio for the fantastic ALC!

I loved this one! A perfect witchy read for you fantasy lovers TBR, For She Is Wrath is a gender bending reimagining of the classic Count of Monte Cristo. From the opening action, to her daring prison escape, and through Dania’s attempt to execute her revenge, I was captivated! The Pakistani setting, unique djinn magic, and rich descriptive prose led to an immersive reading experience. My experience was enhanced by listening to the audiobook, narrated by Safiyya Ingar, who did a fantastic job capturing the determination, pain, angst, and passion of Dania. And the love story! I had to pause my audiobook on multiple occasions to find my copy to make a highlight of some heart stopping lines delivered by Mazin, Dania’s childhood best friend, lover, and then betrayer. This book has found family, pulse pounding danger, sword fighting, and a heroine with character growth. I will absolutely be purchasing a shelf trophy of this great book!

The audiobook narrator does a fantastic job of telling the story. The book itself isn't overly complex. It doesn't go too deep into worldbuilding, so it ends up being a really easy listen. I think for being a Count of Monte Cristo re-telling, it could've been more focused on the revenge plot aspect. The main character, Dania, has fairly straightforward schemes that aren't very well developed. Again, I think this helps make it an enjoyable, easy-to-listen-to audiobook, but it perhaps won't go into as much depth as some readers are looking for. I think it's going to work well for the teen readers the book is actually written for, however.

For She is Wrath by Emily Varga

The story follows a fierce, revenge-driven heroine who takes on the world after betrayal, delivering the kind of unapologetic rage that makes you cheer her on.

This book was non-stop adventure and excitement, making it so easy to fly through. Though I did get a bit lost in the flashbacks (audio books and time jumps don’t always mix well), the plot and characters kept me going. The narrator was fantastic, it really brought the story to life.

If you’re into stories about powerful women taking control, a mix of magic and adventure, you’ll love this! Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the audio and @wednesdaybooks for the ebook!

So excited to see the author in person at the end of the month!

𝙽𝙰𝚁𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙾𝚁(𝚂): Safiyya Ingar
𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙶𝚃𝙷: 11h 52m
𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙴𝙰𝚂𝙴 𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴: October 28, 2024
𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝙼𝚈 𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂:
For She is Wrath is a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo with a Pakistani FMC and setting that is absolutely thrilling and action-packed.

Dania is one of the best developed FMCs I’ve ever had the pleasure to read about.
She’s vengeance personified.
She’s an example of “make a woman mad and find out just what she’s capable of doing in retaliation.”
Mazin was a complicated but dedicated MMC.
I really wish we had gotten a few scenes from his POV but even without it his presence was heavy.

The relationships were a big focus.
Every interaction had a place in the story and I felt like there was no filler.
So impressive, y’all!

The plot was SO FRIGGIN GOOD.
The Count of Monte Cristo one of my favorite stories and this retelling did it soooo much justice.
I’m just glad we get an HEA for Dania because she made so many wrong choices along the way but by the end it was her right choices that ultimately saved the day.
I could honestly read more in this world.

𝙽𝙰𝚁𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽:
Safiyya Ingar absolutely brought Dania to life.
I felt like I was living the story as she put every emotion into every single line.
The production was immersive and I think I can say this is a favorite of 2024!

𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣.

Perfectly described as a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, with a strong female lead that will stop at nothing to get her vengeance. The characters were well written, the lead was someone the reader can root for, as we travel between time from before her arrest to after her break out from jail. The romance was intriguing enough to let the reader worry about if her feelings will get in the way of her master plan, and the addition of dark magic to the mix was a pleasant one.

Thanks to @macmillian.audio @wednesdaybooks and @netgalley for the #gifted copies of this book.

Dani's Rating: 4.5⭐️

Summary: A Pakistani romantic fantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. Dania has been in jail the last year for a crime she didn't commit. She is counting down the days until she can exact her revenge on the boy she used to love, the very one who framed her for the crime. When a fellow prisoner tells her of a treasure that could surely help with her revenge, they create a way to escape the prison together. Once free, they begin to exact their revenge despite many obstacles in their way, including the attraction still there between Mazin and Dania. Will she continue with her plans of revenge which will erase her very humanity or will she chose another path?

Dani's Thoughts: I went into this book completely blind, and I'm so happy I did. I was hooked immediately to Dania's story and the mystery surrounding the events that led to her being wrongly accused. I love the friendship that sprouted between Dania and Nora first on their want for escape from prison and revenge, but then evolving into so much more. I always love a stab first ask questions later fmc, and Dania lived this to a T. The dueling timelines were so helpful to understand how Dania came to be found her in the position she was as well as showing the love story between Dania and Mazin. So many twists and turns throughout this book definitely had me reading it in just a couple days! I also got to listen to this one and Safiyya Ingar did a fantastic job with the performance. Highly suggest listening to this one if you get the chance.

Read if you like:
💘Lovers to Enemies
🖤Revenge
🔥Fierce Female Friendships
👀Count of Monte Cristo Retelling
😊Swoony Moments
🗓️Dual Timelines

I received an ARC from NetGalley & Macmillan Audio. For She is Wrath by Emily Vargas is lovers to enmities young adult fantasy novel. Let me first start by saying, I loved the narrator -Safiyya Ingar did an amazing job bringing these characters to life. I will have to look for more books she has narrated as she has excellent voice modulation.

The story follows Dania, a girl betrayed by Mazin, the boy she loves, and imprisoned for a crime she did not commit. The story is set in a world where djinn magic exists & the emperor oppresses his subjects with the same djinn magic. Locked up for almost a year, Dania has been trying to escape the prison when one day, opportunity literally falls into her lap.
Noor, another prisoner at the same prison helps Dania escape. What brings these girls together, apart from the fact that they were both imprisoned for crimes they did not commit, is their need to seek revenge. Together, with the use of dark djinn magic, they navigate the treacherous road of retribution. What happens after the escape how do they go about seeking their revenge I’ll let you read or listen and find out.

There is much I love about this book,but the thing I love most is the dynamic of the relationship between Dania and Noor. The back-and-forth banter, teasing, and little jokes made them feel like sisters, and I loved that about their relationship. It was very well written and for a relationship that developed quickly, it did not feel rushed or inconsistent but warm and loving.

There is also a romance aspect to the book. In flashbacks we see Dania and Mazin falling in love. Mazin is the boy she loves and you as the reader feel the same struggle she feels as she puts aside her feelings to exact her revenge. You want to root for the relationship to survive despite knowing Mazin failed her.

I loved that the story gets our buy-in on the wrath-the revenge right from the start with the evil prison warden. I was 100% team ‘Dania, let’s scorch the Earth and make them pay ‘. Then as the story developed, it showed us the ugly side of focusing on revenge and the destruction it can cause.

Throughout the book, after all that she has lost, despite her thirst for revenge, we see that when it really matters Dania chooses to do what’s right. Don’t get me wrong. She gets to let loose some of her wrath and dole out some vengeance which was beautiful to see. Would I have liked to see more revenge and wrath, sure but I’m a very vengeful person ;)

Overall, I loved this book. I’m happy to give this book 4 stars.⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I wish it had been a longer read. I wish I got to spend more time with Dania and Noor. Will I be re-reading this book again in the next few weeks? most definitely. I already know I’m going to enjoy what this author has next in store for us.

Wow, For She is Wrath really hit the mark for me! Varga has created a world that pulls you right into the emotions of every character, and I loved every second of it. This book takes a deep dive into the idea of feminine rage and revenge, and I found myself totally absorbed in how it breaks down each piece of what revenge really means.

The way Dania and Noor plotted together was a highlight. Their carefully orchestrated plans to take down their enemies are not revealed outright, keeping you in suspense the whole time. Every time I thought I’d figured out Dania’s next move and thought, “Okay, this is her opportunity,” there would be another layer I hadn’t seen coming.

Dania and Noor’s friendship was real and refreshing. Noor wasn’t afraid to call Dania out when she needed it, and she helped balance Dania’s darker side. They worked so well together, with Noor bringing in that grounding perspective, and I loved seeing their relationship develop and strengthen as they pursued their shared goals.

The flashbacks to Dania and Mazin’s past gave the story a ton of depth. Witnessing the evolution of their relationship before his betrayal made everything way more intense. These moments helped me fully understand the depth of her emotions and made her mission all the more compelling.

My only minor wish is that the story had explored deeper into the Djinn magic and a few other plot points, but honestly, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. For a debut, this book is so impressive, and I can’t wait to see what Varga does next.

For She is Wrath is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a richly character-driven story with themes of revenge, resilience, and the power of friendship.

✨Audiobook review 🎧✨

4⭐️. 0🌶️

Ok hear me out… Lovers to enemies 😱

I love strong female characters and Dania was magnificent. She was full of rage and unrepentant of whatever she had to do to get her revenge on Mazin who was her ex lover and was responsible for her been in prison for almost a year. She got framed for a murder and he just stood by and do nothing.

This book was so amazing it hooked me into the story since the beginning. Is very fast paced and full of action and adventure, the magical aspect of the story was very interesting. It was easily a 5 stars until I got to 75% of the book.

I didn’t like the was things got resolved they felt somewhat anticlimactic. I hated that Dania forgave Mazin so easily after he let her took the blame for something she didn’t commit to save his sister. His character seemed weak to me and I didn’t like him much. Also if making bargains with Dijin were so easy because it seemed at the end like that (everyone had one). Why no one did anything before to stop the evil king. I didn’t like the twist of the story and the way things were solved was very convenient and to me unbelievably you’re telling me that Dania couldn’t pull out all the magic from her grandmother just one person but minutes later she did for an entire army 🤨.

The story got resolved by the end but it kind of had an open ending so I’m wondering if this is a series or a stand alone book.

I really enjoyed this gender-swapped, Palestinian, young adult version of Count of Monte Cristo—it was a fun, fast-paced story. The romance was excellent, packed with rage and longing, and the Arya revenge-list nod was also amusing. I loved especially how the djinn whose magic she used became a symbol for vengeance possessing her and how she had to break free of it—that was really well-done. Overall, it was just everything you wanted it to be, and a really good time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, Emily Varga, and Safiyya Ingar (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of For She is Wrath in exchange for an honest review.

A Tactless Escape
Dania has been imprisoned for a crime she did not commit. She continues to count down the days: three-hundred sixty-four (and counting). Perhaps it won't even be a whole year. When she hearse a scratching sound from within her own cell, she meets Noor, another prisoner, though in the middle of an escape attempt. Figuring it will go faster with two, Dania joins Noor. They may have to leave a few casualties in their wake though...

A Path to Vengeance
Dania and Noor find that they make a good team. Both have their own ambitions, but they develop a friendship that may hold the power to take down an empire. Noor knows how to blend zoorat, a plant-based concoction that allows them to disguise themselves, though they need to take it at a certain time within a certain window to maintain the disguise. The reader can see how this may be risky. With not only a disguise, but a deal with a djinn, Dania finds herself face-to-face with Mazin, her former lover and the man responsible for her imprisonment. A fire still blooms between them both, even though Dania is disguised, but betrayal makes for a stronger emotion.

Dania will learn about the secrets behind her imprisonment and have to make a daring choice for love, friendship, family, djinn power, and the empire.

Final Thoughts:
I found this novel to be well-crafted and fast paced. The lore and world were intriguing. The plot twists were unexpected and exciting. I really found myself absorbed in the tail-end of this novel in a way that I just couldn't put it down! It has the feel of a stand-alone, which is nice because the novel is fulfilling for the reader without having to invest further into a series. All around, this is just a really great novel.

For She is Wrath follows a path of vengeance and encompasses a few lessons about one's desire for revenge, such as avoid acting without all the facts. It is also a testament to friendship and how friends can become family in their own right. This novel is excellent for lovers of fantasy for both teens and adults alike.

I enjoyed this book but I found it slightly predictable. It took me a little bit to get into because in the beginning there was so much anger and very little other emotions to help round out to the characters. Yes I know this is a retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo, which is a book that I love, but it’s hard to listen to only anger for a couple of hours.

Overall I would recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and McMillan for an early audio copy.

Imagine the love of your life throwing you into prison for a crime you did not commit….wait then also imagine finding a friendship in prison and escaping…but then also plotting revenge by using MAGIC…


Dania is one character you do not want to cross she has a pension for VENGEANCE and she will get you even if it means killing her!

This was a perfectly written book with amazing Pakistani cultural aspects as well as adding Magic into it made it so intriguing!

Im also all for a book thats the epiphany of Taylor Swifts song “Whos Afraid of Little Old Me?” The rage was everything I needed!

This is perfect for Fans of ToG and for anyone who wants the action packed fantasy with major twist and turns and with an ending that you wouldnt have seen coming for miles!!

Thank you Wednesday books, Macmillan Audio & Netgalley!

This book was way better than I was expecting, I kind of dilly dallied when it came to reading this and man am I mad at myself for waiting so long!

There are themes of love, loss, friendship, and sweet sweet revenge.

This book starts with our FMC Dania, she has been in prison for a year, and has been accused of a murder she didn’t commit, and has been tortured everyday by the Warden of the Prison. Thing’s look bleak until she gains the help of a new friend, someone who wants out just as much as she does.

They both have a grudge against the men that betrayed them and left them to rot in prison, and they have a plan to get their revenge, and avenge those who perished when they were arrested.

Armed with magic seeds, ornate daggers, and a lot of sass. Our MC’s infiltrate the palace and bide their time gathering intel waiting for the first chance to strike.

This is a story where there is love and loss but mostly just anger. Many families experience the generational curse, whatever it may be, at first we think that what came before us is right and just, but slowly we come to find out there are things we can change, and a cycle we can break. 4 ⭐️’s

Thank you to the Author Emily Varga for writing this story and sharing it with us, and Thank you to the narrator Saniya Ingram for her wonderful work.

Big Thank you as well to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my no cost copy of “For She Is Wrath”

I received this advance review copy at no personal cost and I am leaving this review voluntarily.