The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath & the Dawn #2) by Renee Ahdieh 5/5 stars

Hey, guys!  I finally had time to read the sequel to The Wrath & the Dawn.  Before I get around to raving about The Rose & the Dagger, I'm recommending that you go ahead and read the first book in the series.  It was seriously good.

Also, just as a warning, this series is a duology.  I'm not sure why, but I assumed it was a trilogy up until I was reading the epilogue.  It was a bit disorienting.  Just prepare yourselves for that.

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows Shahrzad behind a screen of daggers/ roses.  It fits with The Wrath and the Dawn's cover, but I'm not a fan of the style.  A bit too busy for my taste.  B cover

Official Description:
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 saga that began with The Wrath and the Dawn takes its final turn as Shahrzad risks everything to find her way back to her one true love again. 


My Review:
I really enjoyed The Rose & the Dagger.  It picked up right where the first book stopped.  There was constant action.  The story constantly veered into unexpected storylines.  The theme of betrayal was very central to The Rose & the Dagger and was, therefore, always present whether in actual betrayal or in paranoia.  It added a neat layer to the book.

The characters were much more complex in this second installment.  Much more of the book was told from perspectives that were not related to Shahrzad, which I appreciated.  This allowed characters such as Khalid and Tariq to shine.  All of the characters were lovely, if misguided, so their perspectives added a refreshing more complete picture.

I loved this book.  It was the perfect ending to this series.  There was only one problem I had with The Rose & the Dagger.  The epilogue.  As many of you may know, I am generally opposed to epilogues.  In the case of this book, the epilogue was set at least five years after the events of the book and wrapped everything up a bit too tightly.  I agree with leaving no loose ends, but I felt like some of the epilogue felt a bit forced.  I personally would have been content without the epilogue, but for the most part, it had a very satisfying ending.

I would recommend this book as well as the first book.  It's an exciting book full of fire, magic, betrayal, and romance.  What's not to love?

Phrase:
Jahandar's book

Happy Reading!

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Red Queen / Glass Sword
The Young Elites / The Rose Society
The Knife of Never Letting Go


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The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I finished The Wrath and the Dawn, and it was amazing.  Let's just get right into it.
(Disclaimer: the character names are quite complicated, and I listened to the audiobook.  I'll try to be accurate, but if not, please forgive me.)

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows Shahrzad hiding.  It's probably supposed to be symbolic of her hiding in Khalid's castle.  I'm not a fan of the cover.  In this book's case, a plain color background would work just as well, if not better, but it's not an embarrassing cover.  B+

Official Description:
One Life to One Dawn.
In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.
Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?
Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.

My Review:
Wow.  The Wrath and the Dawn  was incredibly dramatic and intense, yet still very character-driven.  The only issue I had with the book was the names of people/places.  It added authenticity to the book, but it sometimes got hard to follow, especially with additional nicknames.  After a few chapters, it wasn't even an issue anymore.
The plot was fast-moving.  There's never a dull moment.  From wondering what Shahrzad's next move would be, to unraveling who exactly Khalid was, to discovering the mystery of why the murders at dawn took place, there was never a slow moment.  
The writing itself was beautifully written, as well.
The characters were phenomenal.  The were complex.  Despite being absolutely nothing like them, I found myself constantly relating to them.  And not just to the main characters but the lesser ones as well!  Shahrzad is one of the best female protagonists I've read.  She isn't irritating/needy or two-dimensional.  As of book one, she is strong without it being her only characteristic.  (Round of applause to Renee Ahdieh.)
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  It had elements of every genre intermixed without one overpowering the other.  You like mystery? drama? magic? assassins? or romance? This book has it all.
I'd definitely recommend this book.  It was simply fantastic.  

Audiobook Review (read by Ariana Delawari):

Ariana Delawari did a great job bringing the emotion to the book and making each scene exciting. However, occasionally the dramatic tone got a little out of hand, especially in the beginning.  She would describe Shahrzad laying in bed with a tone of such intensity that it got a bit ridiculous. 
That being said, once the plot got going, the audiobook was amazing, as well as the book.  Delawari brought a lot of life to the telling of this story.
I wouldn't reread it just to listen to the audiobook version, but if you're already planning on listening to The Wrath and the Dawn, go ahead.  It's a good version.

Happy Reading!

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Red Queen
The Young Elites

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