Reviews

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

legallyhot's review against another edition

4.5

Fun, fast paced book set in an Arabian inspired fantasy world. Interesting and compelling characters. Themes of colonialism and class inequality. Can’t wait for the sequel!

hoppma's review against another edition

This book had such potential. TEA-MAGIC! Lady MC on a quest. Unfortunately our lady MC is completely insufferable and I just can't take any more.  

maimona's review against another edition

5.0

This was so good!
I hate to say this but the book gave me Attack on titan and dune references a bit. thought its not the same but it felt they had their influence on the theme of the whole concept. the book is great and original.

I read the last part so fast just to know how this will conclude.
I wouldn't have picked this one if not for the read-along- it was February's month pick and I am so glad I read it.
It's been ages since we had a fantasy series with this powerful world-building well-designed characters and relationships so diverse family friends. there are politics and responsibilities and what should be done and what is the right thing etc.

XXXX spoilers Alert!
Maybe the next book is about finding Qayn's magic then a full-out war
there are a lot of things going on in a single book but the author did it really well so that you can really process everything.
the group chat was never silent while we read this book!
and the shipping was one of the highlights-

what I dint like is how the Mc Imani is too naive for my liking but we will get character development for sure (we get some by the end).

highly recommended.

ajamwelch's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

A great, adventurous YA book that explores the ties of family and duty and what one young woman will do when faced with a threat she could never imagine. Loved the magic and the atmosphere. Can’t wait for the sequel.

blankpagepanic's review

boring af

uadjet's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

tinysaurr's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Whilst the world is beautifully described and the side characters are flawed yet loveable, the main character is lacking in many areas. She is so naive and makes such questionable choices that it takes away from the overall enjoyment of the book. 

cobaltbookshelf's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars

I really had a great time with this book and this cover is so beautiful. The world in this book felt organic and the other thing that made me instantly connect with the story is characters especially with Imani and Taha. Overall this book was really magical fun and a very exciting read!
I will definitely be picking up the sequel as I have a feeling I'll really enjoy it and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

laurolly's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 Stars. The plot of this book was stellar, we had adventure, family bonds, magic, and a healthy dose of rebellion. I particularly enjoyed the Arabic inspired world, and the middle eastern mythology which was drawn on for inspiration of the monsters and folklore in the book. This has certainly set up for an epic trilogy which I would be interested in seeing through. However, it felt like something was missing. The characters were one dimensional and fit too neatly into prescribed categories such as the unwilling villain, the rebellious younger sibling, and the goody-two-shoes whose worldview is challenged. It was all very predictable in that regard. Imani, our main character, was incredibly obtuse throughout the book which was annoying and made me want to hit her over the head. I think the relationships could have been better portrayed and the characters given more substance so that we could connect more with them. The magic system was fully realised and so easy to understand, Ibrahim really knew the ins and outs of what they had designed and it translated well onto the page. I also liked the slight hint at romance throughout the book as I thought it was very artfully done. I certainly have developed strong opinions on who Imani should pursue in future books! Looking forward to reading the second book when it releases.

nicoleceballos's review against another edition

Imani is insufferable. She's so naive and privileged. She's just so unlikable that I can't finish this. Plus, there's a love triangle in it and Imani is THE BEST SHIELD EVER, despite there being no evidence of it.