23 January, 2017

#BookReview :: The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn #2) by Renee Ahdieh

The darker the sky, the brighter the stars.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever.

Now she’s reunited with her family, who have found refuge in the desert, where a deadly force is gathering against Khalid—a force set on destroying his empire and commanded by Shazi’s spurned childhood sweetheart. Trapped between loyalties to those she loves, the only thing Shazi can do is act. Using the burgeoning magic within her as a guide, she strikes out on her own to end both this terrible curse and the brewing war once and for all. But to do it, she must evade enemies of her own to stay alive.


The Rose & the Dagger brings back Shahrzad & Khalid back to their readers.

In this installment Shahrzad is back with her family and friends while they gather forces to attack and kill Khalid. With a war brewing and Shazi discovering more about her own magic, she has more on her plate than she can handle. With the curse to be broken and a war to be stopped, Shazi needs to use her charms, wit and magic shrewdly in order to emerge victorious. Stuck between choosing her family and her one true love will her warring heart manage to survive the journey ahead?

Shahrzad is a brave, as strong, as stubborn and as honest as ever. I really love reading about strong female characters. The fact that it is this kickass heroine that comes to the rescue of the prince also helps. Khalid is not a hapless Prince, but he is strong and powerful. He realizes what his limits are and when he needs help. His character really grows and matures in this book. Together Shahrzad and Khalid make for a couple who would make you believe in love. The supporting characters – Despina, Jalal, Tariq, Rajput, all play their parts admirably. There’s a lot more magic involved in this book than the glimpse we got in book one. The only thing that stops me from rating this book a five star is the ending which was bittersweet but a bit rushed, I feel.

If you have read The Wrath & the Dawn, then book will meet all of your expectations. For those of you who are YA/Fantasy lovers and haven’t picked this duology yet, GO READ IT NOW!




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