missfantasyfiction's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars, rounded up.
This was such a strong finale to what was a very promising series.
The characters all got developed much more, notably Kifah, who, at the end of WHTF, I admittedly was lukewarm towards, but I loved her by the end of WFTS, a testament to the authors skill. All the other characters, Nasir, Altair, Lana, Yasmine, the Silver Witch and even the Lion were deep and a joy to read about and watch develop. If I had one complaint on the characters front, it would be that for WHTF and the first half of WFTS, Zafira’s character felt very vanilla. This is common for YA protagonists, so I’m not judging too harshly, and I gained a lot more respect for her, and the complexity of her character deepened when a *certain event* took place (I won’t say too much more here but if you’ve read the book you know what I mean).
Some of the plot did feel a bit cliche at points, but then again, most YA fantasy does, in my opinion. The ending was perfection, and a very satisfying conclusion to what has been a hugely enjoyable series for me.
And, oh my God, what can I even say about Zafira and Nasir’s relationship! Towards the end of the book, I was virtually living for any interaction they had, and a sideward glance or casual brush of the hands made me so happy! It was the ultimate enemies to lovers (excepting Darcy and Elizabeth of course).
I would recommend to fans of YA and fantasy, especially if, like me, you are a sucker for enemies to lovers :) Shukrun, Hafsah Faizal!!!
This was such a strong finale to what was a very promising series.
The characters all got developed much more, notably Kifah, who, at the end of WHTF, I admittedly was lukewarm towards, but I loved her by the end of WFTS, a testament to the authors skill. All the other characters, Nasir, Altair, Lana, Yasmine, the Silver Witch and even the Lion were deep and a joy to read about and watch develop. If I had one complaint on the characters front, it would be that for WHTF and the first half of WFTS, Zafira’s character felt very vanilla. This is common for YA protagonists, so I’m not judging too harshly, and I gained a lot more respect for her, and the complexity of her character deepened when a *certain event* took place (I won’t say too much more here but if you’ve read the book you know what I mean).
Some of the plot did feel a bit cliche at points, but then again, most YA fantasy does, in my opinion. The ending was perfection, and a very satisfying conclusion to what has been a hugely enjoyable series for me.
And, oh my God, what can I even say about Zafira and Nasir’s relationship! Towards the end of the book, I was virtually living for any interaction they had, and a sideward glance or casual brush of the hands made me so happy! It was the ultimate enemies to lovers (excepting Darcy and Elizabeth of course).
I would recommend to fans of YA and fantasy, especially if, like me, you are a sucker for enemies to lovers :) Shukrun, Hafsah Faizal!!!
hayley4297's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.25
allisoncc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
kasia_wa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.5
literarylauraj's review against another edition
5.0
What a whirlwind of emotion! Not often does a sequel outshine a first book in a series, but I could not put this down! If you love a slow burn romance you’re in for a treat! It’s not spicy but the romantic tension is agonizing! It’s such a unique story for those who love a fantasy romance. I loved learning all the Arabic words in this series, and wish more books helped me learn more about different cultures and languages. So worth a read!
kelseyholler's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
4.25
cortanasreadingnook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-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? Yes
5.0
If I could give a book a 100-star rating, I will give it to this. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Sands of Arawiya but they changed my brain chemistry so bad. This book was so genuinely good! The tension and build of the plot like a string being pulled taut and you would have no idea what will happen next because everything in this book is unexpected. The characters captured my whole, entire being. I have no idea why I put this off for so long and I am truly regretful that I did. I would never forget how great of a writer Hafsah Faizal is because she’s now one of my auto-buy authors. I mean, no one can write that good? But this queen of a woman exists and she gave me nasirzafira. I would never be loved like that and it’s okay because at least this book has a happy ending and I would give all I have for a little novella with the characters who became a comfort I turned to. The little found family I discovered was very unique and yet they are an unforgettable group of people who saved each other by circumstance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death