The much anticipated sequel to the breathtaking The Wrath and the Dawn, lauded by Publishers Weekly as "a potent page-turner of intrigue and romance."
I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.
In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid's empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.
While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn't yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.
What I Loved - The whole idea of this story is pretty great. It's whimsical but not so much that it's unbelievable. There was a little magic here and there but the plot wasn't depending on the use of magic which was a nice change. - Loved that we go to see more of Shazi's family this time. Her sister especially! And all her interactions with Khaled were adorable and perfect. - I was glad we got to see even more characters in this book. They story is no longer centred on Shazi. - The romance was just as cute as the first book thankfully! It wasn't cheesy but it also wasn't too steamy for a YA book. Though there wasn't as much romance in this book. - The last 30% was insane. I wasn't expecting any of those plot twists and they blew my mind!
What I Didn't Like - I still don't like Tariq. I wish he was less annoying. - I hate how in every YA sequel the main couple are never together in the first 60% of the book. This sequel sadly fell into that trap. - The first little bit of the book was a little slow and boring. It took me some time to really get into it and I was not a fan of the drawn out war camp scenes.
