Saara El-Arifi

Yassss! This is, hands down, the most brilliant sophomore book of a debut author I have ever read. In this installment, we get to take a deep dive into the lore and worldbuilding of Empire and beyond and see how little twists of a people's origin story can absolutely change the course of humanity. I love watching the growing arcs of Anoor and Sylah, though they are growing away from each other and finding out who they each really are inside. You'll laugh with them, cry with them, scream at them (literally) and try to steer them with your passion for their story. A fast-paced, beautifully vivid shift to a focus on world-building without losing any of the magic of book 1s character driven awesomeness.

Don't forget Jond, Hessa and the crew either. They have some major parts to play in this unfolding time bomb!

You definitely want to read this one. What are you waiting for? Go get it. Now!… (more)

This first installment was an absolute joy to read. Character-driven, but with great detail given to the world building and plot pacing. I especially loved the many ways in which El-Arifi queered the genre of fantasy by tackling gender and sexuality in a way that brought the absence of "otherness" to the page. I laughed. I cried. I was angry, and I was heartbroken... and for one book to gift me all those emotions was a read I will not soon forget. Can't believe I have to wait two weeks for the next one to come out!

Definitely don't want to miss out on this one. READ IT!… (more)

Yassss! This is, hands down, the most brilliant sophomore book of a debut author I have ever read. In this installment, we get to take a deep dive into the lore and worldbuilding of Empire and beyond and see how little twists of a people's origin story can absolutely change the course of humanity. I love watching the growing arcs of Anoor and Sylah, though they are growing away from each other and finding out who they each really are inside. You'll laugh with them, cry with them, scream at them (literally) and try to steer them with your passion for their story. A fast-paced, beautifully vivid shift to a focus on world-building without losing any of the magic of book 1s character driven awesomeness.

Don't forget Jond, Hessa and the crew either. They have some major parts to play in this unfolding time bomb!

You definitely want to read this one. What are you waiting for? Go get it. Now!… (more)