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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
I reread The Stardust Thief to prepare for The Ashfire King, but great news for everyone who doesn’t like/have time to reread, this opens with a pretty comprehensive overview of the first book!!!
This picks up immediately after the events of TST with Loulie and Mazen in the jinn world and Aisha in the human world and Qadir AWOL.
This series does not shy away from introducing new characters, but their personalities are all so distinctive that it’s easy to keep everyone straight.
I loved every minute of this book and can’t wait until I can read the conclusion! Thank you so much to Orbit and NetGalley for the review copy! (Now I wait for my pretty Fairyloot edition)
This picks up immediately after the events of TST with Loulie and Mazen in the jinn world and Aisha in the human world and Qadir AWOL.
This series does not shy away from introducing new characters, but their personalities are all so distinctive that it’s easy to keep everyone straight.
I loved every minute of this book and can’t wait until I can read the conclusion! Thank you so much to Orbit and NetGalley for the review copy! (Now I wait for my pretty Fairyloot edition)
BIRBS
But also I loved this soooo much and I'm so happy to have more. I cannot wait for the next book but I might also pass away 🥹
But also I loved this soooo much and I'm so happy to have more. I cannot wait for the next book but I might also pass away 🥹
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
“Remember, Mazen, there is no such thing as a single truth. There are just the stories we tell others, and the ones we tell ourselves.”
This is the sequel to The Stardust Thief which I loved & the sequel was even better! I devoured this book, it’s action packed from the beginning & I loved the character arcs of Loulie, Aisha & especially Mazen!
This picks up where book 1 ends & we get to see the jinn world & of course, chaos ensues.
Loulie & Mazen have to work together to get back to the human world but also help save the jinn world. I loved seeing Loulie learn to be more vulnerable and open up to Mazen. Her learning to trust despite her fear of losing those she loves.
Mazen, my sweet storyteller, grows so much, from being afraid to learning to be brave & fight for those he loves.
Aisha was also so great in this, her balancing her autonomy & independence with learning to rely on others. How she realises she is more than just the thief Omar made her.
They make such a great trio!
There are also hints of a romance that is so slow burn that they barely realise they’re falling for each other but had me screaming giggling kicking my feet!
I also loved seeing more Rijah & Hakim & of course Qadir. We learn a lot more about him too in this.
The build up as their storylines converged, how we see revelations & hints to that explosive ending where you finally think everything will be okay but then you read the last line and all you want to do is scream because there’s no book 3 in sight!
Anyways, highly recommend reading these books if you love found family, arabian nights inspired stories, jinn magic & the power of storytelling.
This is the sequel to The Stardust Thief which I loved & the sequel was even better! I devoured this book, it’s action packed from the beginning & I loved the character arcs of Loulie, Aisha & especially Mazen!
This picks up where book 1 ends & we get to see the jinn world & of course, chaos ensues.
Loulie & Mazen have to work together to get back to the human world but also help save the jinn world. I loved seeing Loulie learn to be more vulnerable and open up to Mazen. Her learning to trust despite her fear of losing those she loves.
Mazen, my sweet storyteller, grows so much, from being afraid to learning to be brave & fight for those he loves.
Aisha was also so great in this, her balancing her autonomy & independence with learning to rely on others. How she realises she is more than just the thief Omar made her.
They make such a great trio!
There are also hints of a romance that is so slow burn that they barely realise they’re falling for each other but had me screaming giggling kicking my feet!
I also loved seeing more Rijah & Hakim & of course Qadir. We learn a lot more about him too in this.
The build up as their storylines converged, how we see revelations & hints to that explosive ending where you finally think everything will be okay but then you read the last line and all you want to do is scream because there’s no book 3 in sight!
Anyways, highly recommend reading these books if you love found family, arabian nights inspired stories, jinn magic & the power of storytelling.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"Remember this, gentle friends: what might today be a flame will tomorrow be ashes. We cannot condemn fire for its nature, but if we attempt to master it, we are doomed to burn with it."
Books in themselves tell stories, but very few authors can capture the beauty of oral storytelling with the written word. Everyone can learn something from Chelsea Abdullah.
We once again join Loulie, Mazen, and Aisha as they try not to die (I know that is putting it in very simple terms, but I'm not wrong). After Loulie and Mazen get dumped into the jinn realm, they end up on yet another quest by a ruling monarch. And once again the motives of the monarch are more than what is at the surface. Back in the human realm Aisha finds herself in alliance with one of Mazen's brothers (no I will not tell you which one) and learns to deal with the voice inside her head.
While I am glad I did a reread of The Stardust Thief before jumping into The Ashfire King, there is an OUTSTANDING recap at the beginning (honestly more authors need to do this). One of my main gripes with series tends to be the lack of character growth in the second/third book as most of the character growth tends to happen in the first book, not here! How Aisha deals with the Resurrectionist is so cute to be completely honest.
There are a few things that confused me (stop reading here for minor spoiler) like Mazen not being very concerned that he sank the jinn realm into darkness? I feel like that would eat at him more?
Books in themselves tell stories, but very few authors can capture the beauty of oral storytelling with the written word. Everyone can learn something from Chelsea Abdullah.
We once again join Loulie, Mazen, and Aisha as they try not to die (I know that is putting it in very simple terms, but I'm not wrong). After Loulie and Mazen get dumped into the jinn realm, they end up on yet another quest by a ruling monarch. And once again the motives of the monarch are more than what is at the surface. Back in the human realm Aisha finds herself in alliance with one of Mazen's brothers (no I will not tell you which one) and learns to deal with the voice inside her head.
While I am glad I did a reread of The Stardust Thief before jumping into The Ashfire King, there is an OUTSTANDING recap at the beginning (honestly more authors need to do this). One of my main gripes with series tends to be the lack of character growth in the second/third book as most of the character growth tends to happen in the first book, not here! How Aisha deals with the Resurrectionist is so cute to be completely honest.
There are a few things that confused me (stop reading here for minor spoiler) like Mazen not being very concerned that he sank the jinn realm into darkness? I feel like that would eat at him more?
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Everything I loved about the first book holds true here!
The story draws you in immediately. It's a bit slow as everything unfolds but the clues are there. I had several moments of epiphany shortly before coming upon that reveal. But there are also things you probably can't predict or anticipate -- I know I didn't. This feels like a hard story to tell because everyone was separated for so long. Chelsea balanced the narratives masterfully.
I still love Qadir and Loulie and Mazen but now I get to love Rijah (they/them) and others, too! The character growth is subtle but noticeable. It's been a while since I've journeyed alongside a story as it's being written (I prefer to read fantasy series when they're complete) but it's a real treat to read this as it unfurls.
Please, go read this! It's lovely and beautiful and unique and magical.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Orbit, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story draws you in immediately. It's a bit slow as everything unfolds but the clues are there. I had several moments of epiphany shortly before coming upon that reveal. But there are also things you probably can't predict or anticipate -- I know I didn't. This feels like a hard story to tell because everyone was separated for so long. Chelsea balanced the narratives masterfully.
I still love Qadir and Loulie and Mazen but now I get to love Rijah (they/them) and others, too! The character growth is subtle but noticeable. It's been a while since I've journeyed alongside a story as it's being written (I prefer to read fantasy series when they're complete) but it's a real treat to read this as it unfurls.
Please, go read this! It's lovely and beautiful and unique and magical.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Orbit, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Ashfire King returns to the magical world of The Stardust Thief. Loulie and Mazen are trapped in the realm of the djinn and returning to the surface world will require all their wits and magic. Aisha must reckon with Omar’s treachery and choose how she will deal with the magic keeping her alive. Loulie, Mazen, and Aisha must decide how far they will go to save the world.
The Ashfire King is action-packed and bursting with stories. I loved the standalone tales that were woven into the original story. I especially enjoyed the stories of the marid and the nautical adventures on the Sandsea. The Ashfire King is full of imaginative magic and epic tales. I struggled a bit with the pace at times, but am excited to see how the adventure concludes (especially Aisha’s story!).
Thank you so much to Chelsea Abdullah, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Ashfire King is action-packed and bursting with stories. I loved the standalone tales that were woven into the original story. I especially enjoyed the stories of the marid and the nautical adventures on the Sandsea. The Ashfire King is full of imaginative magic and epic tales. I struggled a bit with the pace at times, but am excited to see how the adventure concludes (especially Aisha’s story!).
Thank you so much to Chelsea Abdullah, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
1. It was so slow. Slogging. Sleep-inducing.
2. That one male character is so self-centered and whiny I couldn’t take it anymore.
2. That one male character is so self-centered and whiny I couldn’t take it anymore.
slow-paced
Thank you Orbit Books for the gifted ARC.
WORTH THE WAIT…MAYBE?
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I have been waiting for this book for a LONG TIME. I loved The Stardust Thief and have been waiting to see where all of my favorite characters are up to. Did I love this as much as I hoped? No, unfortunately I didn’t. Definitely enough to read book three, this one was just harder to move through.
Mazen and Loulie are my favorite POV’s and I liked the journey they went on the most. There’s some good turns and rising levels of action as another quest begins. I liked the expansion of the world and magic systems and seeing some of those character arcs really blossoming.
Aisha had a good journey too and it did help set up some of the plot lines for book three. I like that this has complicated antagonists and that it’s hard to trust every person who walks on page.
I think if you enjoyed book one you would still enjoy this book. I think the turn from more action driven rather than character driven took away from some of the moments I was hoping to see turn up.
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy
- Language: low
- Romance: AN ALMOST KISS
- Violence: moderate – high
WORTH THE WAIT…MAYBE?
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I have been waiting for this book for a LONG TIME. I loved The Stardust Thief and have been waiting to see where all of my favorite characters are up to. Did I love this as much as I hoped? No, unfortunately I didn’t. Definitely enough to read book three, this one was just harder to move through.
Mazen and Loulie are my favorite POV’s and I liked the journey they went on the most. There’s some good turns and rising levels of action as another quest begins. I liked the expansion of the world and magic systems and seeing some of those character arcs really blossoming.
Aisha had a good journey too and it did help set up some of the plot lines for book three. I like that this has complicated antagonists and that it’s hard to trust every person who walks on page.
I think if you enjoyed book one you would still enjoy this book. I think the turn from more action driven rather than character driven took away from some of the moments I was hoping to see turn up.
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy
- Language: low
- Romance: AN ALMOST KISS
- Violence: moderate – high