3.9 AVERAGE

_simplylornie's review

5.0

Absolutely obsessed with this book! I was expecting a great story but not of this magnitude. I loved it, truly!

The characters were all so relatable and I loved them all. Even the ones I didn’t want to like lol

Zarya deserves the world and I would burn the world for Rabin. Holy gods, I cannot wait for book two.

Thank you NetGalley and Nisha for the fantastic read!
dakotahgummauthor's profile picture

dakotahgummauthor's review

5.0

Immersive. One of a kind. Beautiful. Heart-wrenching. This book lives in my mind and always will.
adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

A really decent fantasy (lowercase romance) with a south Asian context. Was very enjoyable, though I did have a hard time visualizing some of the different peoples. If you enjoyed fourth wing, read this book.
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k_huskic's review

4.0

Zarya had spent her life trapped within the boundary of the property she lived in, dying to get out and see the world. When she finally gets the chance to leave, she realises there was a reason for her captivity, as there's more to this world than she ever thought.

I got a little confused with the different names for each being initially, but I think I've got it down now. I liked the characters, especially Yasen.

There were little twists and surprises as the story went on, which was fun. There's still so much to come, I can't wait!
adventurous challenging slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
lelder's profile picture

lelder's review

3.0
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

nurseinveen's review

5.0

Absolutely beautiful! One of the best books I have read of 2023!!

This book is filled with amazing world building, a driven MFC who won’t stop until she finds herself and her powers, great supporting characters, awesome storyline and continuous twists and turns that keep the readers attention. I love the uniqueness of the story, it really is such a beautiful read.

Tuli has created a vibrant world filled with magic, mythology and wonder, taking inspiration from India and South Asia. You can feel the heat and humidity, and smell the food and spices wafting in the air.

However, as successful as Tuli’s world building is, I felt it might have been at the expense of her character development. She gives a lot of attention to aesthetics, but there was unfortunately, I felt, a lack of depth to their personalities, which came across as a little too two dimensional.

The main character is initially portrayed as a strong female lead, however throughout the book she continually needs saving by strapping handsome men. After reading many other fantasy books with genuinely strong female leads, it was disappointing to see one that relied so heavily on her male counterparts.

That said, it is by no means a bad book. Tuli writes action and adventure that draws you in and keeps you guessing. It’s fast paced and easy to read. I think this would suit anyone looking for something in between Young Adult and Adult Fantasy. It feels like a nice crossover.

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
fortunatelylucky's profile picture

fortunatelylucky's review

2.5
adventurous slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

No. Skip it. 
alwaysamie's profile picture

alwaysamie's review

2.5
challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I struggled with the fast pace and how you didnt really get to enjoy getting to know characters it all just sort of happened. I also didnt feel the spice was needed (which is shocking for me)