The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn)

Actual rating: 4.5 stars"Your future is not set in stone, my dearest star. A coin turns on itself a number of times before it lands.”This was the most amazing sequel to an even more amazingly magical series. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect ending to this duology, and Renee Ahdieh is definitely an author that should go on everyone's TBR list immediately. Her writing is absolutely brilliant and every line in this book is so beautifully written. There is something about this world that Ms. Ahdieh has created that never makes me want to leave, and honestly I could have re-read this book as soon as I finished. The Rose & the Dagger has a much different feel than the previous installment, as it does not focus so much on romance. However, don't worry, because that romance, while still very present, is not as necessary when compared to everything else that goes on in this story. There is so much to love about this novel, and if you haven't checked this out yet, you need to now!“It was because they were two parts of a whole. He did not belong to her. And she did not belong to him. It was never about belonging to someone. It was about belonging together.”Renee Ahdieh has this way of writing that just evokes so much emotion from both the reader and the characters alike. As soon as you start reading this novel, you are instantly transported back into Shahrzad and Khalid's world, and you never want to stop reading. You want to devour every single word of this book because you know it will be utterly amazing. While the romance does take a bit of a backseat, there are plenty of action-packed scenes that will more than appease readers. But don't you worry, because there are still plenty of swoonworthy moments that will leave you breathless. Their relationship has matured a great deal in the short time since the events of the last book, and because of this, it is much less angsty and fragile, and much more solid and unwavering. The lengths they will go to for each other prove just how dedicated they are to their love. But there is a curse to break and a kingdom that must be saved, and in order to do so lives must be lost and sacrifices must be made.“Sometimes," he gasped, "the family you choose...is stronger than blood.”There are a lot of twists and turns that I never saw coming in this story. Packed with betrayals and shocking surprises, Renee Ahdieh keeps you on the very edge of your seat until the very end. I can honestly say that I wasn't sure how everything was going to turn out. The fantasy elements that were mentioned in the first novel are expanded upon much more, and it made for many exciting moments. Shazi learns more about the powers she has, and we learn more about Khalid's curse. Ms. Ahdieh packs a lot of information into the story, however it never feels overwhelming. The pacing of this story is perfect, and everything that is revealed comes at a natural time in the story.“The darker the sky, the brighter the stars.”Friendships are tested and not everyone is who they appear to be. With betrayals around every corner, even the reader has no idea who to trust. The one character that I was excited to see in this story was Shazi's sister, Irsa. She is very different from her sister, and this difference provided a nice dynamic between the sisters. I loved reading how they interacted with each other, and each provided a nice balance to the other. But the thing that truly made her stand out was how she overcame her hesitations and fears to become a strong woman in her own right, and very much like her sister. We all know how strong Shazi is on her own, but it was nice to see the inspiration she was to Irsa. Together, the sisters possess a strong bond that allows both of them to empower each other.“If you ask me, the best way to go about flying is to cut the strings tying you down."The ending of this novel was even more amazing than the rest of this book. There was definitely a heart-stopping (and jaw-dropping) moment, and I was close to tears. But trust me when I say that the ending that Ms. Ahdieh delivers is worth every second of that worry over how everything will turn out. The best part of this story (and this duology in general) is the strong female characters that while flawed, are complex and characters that girls everywhere can look up to.“It was easy to be good and kind in times of plenty. The trying times were the moments that defined a man.And love? Love was something that did much to change a person. It brought joy as it brought suffering, and in turn brought about those moments that defined one’s character. Love gave life to the lifeless. It was the greatest of all living powers.But, as with all things, love had a dark side to it.”Renee Ahdieh has cemented her place as an author that is here to stay. I think it's easy to say that she had a lot to live up to given the popularity of the first novel, and she has proven that she can deliver, and will deliver in the best way possible. Was this as amazing as the first story, in my opinion no, however this came very, very close to being just as amazing as the first. I will say that I am happy that this is only a duology as this was the perfect way to end the series. The story wasn't dragged out and it was just enough. There is a power in knowing when a story has been told, and Renee Ahdieh knew exactly what she was doing, which shows even more how amazing an author she is. This is an absolutely beautiful, empowering novel that weaves magic, love, and action into a perfect tale for all ages. Go read this now!Happy reading :)

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with sequels from time to time. Sometimes I find in a sequel that perfect conclusion I was hoping for all along, and other times the ending to a series just falls short of my expectations and leaves me wanting more. And this time? Well, I guess I'd have to say The Rose & the Dagger fell somewhere in between.It took me a decent amount of time to really get into this sequel - about 35% or so (which is much longer than I'm used to for sequels to books I already loved) - to the point where I was afraid that I was only dragging my feet through it just to end up in a dreaded reading slump by the end. But, luckily, the action in this book did pick up quite a bit and, before I knew it, I was finishing this book in tears."Your future is not set in stone, my dearest star. A coin turns on itself a number of times before it lands."As is expected, this sequel exhibited many of the same lovely qualities as the first one. The writing was magical and atmospheric just as before, the suspenseful twists and gripping action kept me turning the pages as quickly as I could, and I couldn't help the attachment I felt toward these characters if I ever would have cared to try. That all sounds alright, doesn't it? Why so lukewarm, then?Again, my IRL situation while reading this book may have interfered with my enjoyment. I've been so busy with way too many projects lately that reading has unfortunately taken to the back-burner. Because of this, I was reading this book in super small chunks while a thousand other worries and distractions were swarming my brain from all directions. This normally doesn't disrupt my reading too badly, but in the case of a highly atmospheric and immersive story such as The Rose & the Dagger it's distracting enough to majorly dampen my enjoyment.Just like in the previous book, this one has several vague scenes that felt like pointless filler woven throughout the beginning that just ended up being forgettable by the end. It also didn't help that the beginning of this book had far less going on than the beginning of the previous. There was just Shahrzad being sad that she was without Khalid, and then there was Khalid feeling guilty about the destruction of his city. The total lack of forward progression in these two scenes just seemed to last forever. Pair that with no conflict, no drama, nothing . . . I have to admit that it lost me for a while there."It was never about belonging to someone. It was about belonging together."Thank goodness this book did actually pick up before too long. It's one of those books you just have to stick with. Once a plan was concocted to save the city and reunite Shahrzad with Khalid, it was smooth sailing from there on out. Maybe even a bit too smooth for my taste, but now I might really be nitpicking. It just seemed like there was an almost annoyingly repetitive pattern of conflict / solution that felt too easy for the characters to solve. There's meant to be a war at one point that's hyped up for a good portion of the book, but then we only really get one brief battle. I think another 20 to 30 pages could've really polished this book off quite nicely. But, oh well, this is what we've got.Nitpicking aside: When I step back from this book, I realize that I did like far more than I disliked. The characters feel well-developed even if we see some of them only for a short period of time here and there, the love story between Khalid and Shahrzad even gave my cold, dead heart a flutter, and the feminist themes absolutely blew me away. For a dusty, crumbly old city full of people living in a fantastical yet poverty-stricken world, I was delighted as all hell to see so many strong female characters as well as strong male characters who fully accepted them and their right to be whatever stubborn, abrasive, smart-mouthed, and driven people they were. Yes, I need more of this, please!Overall, I'm beyond happy to have read this duology. I've recently taken a break from epic fantasy worlds to instead focus on books set in the real world, but these books have helped me realize that fantasy can come in a variety of landscapes. Having read very little in the way of books inspired by Middle Eastern culture in general, this series also helped me realize that I ought to give more of these a try. However, next time I'm going to save books like this for when I have the time (and a worry-free mind) to get completely lost in a story.These books would be great for any feminist fantasy-lover, who also enjoys a descriptive and atmospheric fairytale-esque read. Also, if you really enjoy unconventional and quick-witted characters, I can't recommend this enough (you will absolutely love Despina!). Oh, yeah, and that whole love story thing. It'll give you all the warm fuzzies, I promise.This time I don't really have an anti-recommendation to counter my previous recommendation, but I do advise that you try to make time for these books if and when you read them. If you can't fully commit yourself to these, then wait on picking them up. They're worth (and require) your full attention.

From the beginning of this story, I knew I was in for a wild ride.We begin with The Wrath and the Dawn. Sharhzad is a girl filled with hate, hate for circumstances, hate for her arranged marriages, hate for her new husband; and fear, for what will happen at Dawn. The Caliph (king) of Khorisan takes a new bride and by the next morning she is executed. No one understands why he murders his brides, whispers ruminate that he is a mad man, a boy king as ruthless and monstrous as his father before him. When he kills Sharhzad’s cousin, Shiva, she begins on a path hellbent on destroying him for his crimes.What she doesn’t count on, is his kindness, his quiet, watchful nature. Shazi manages to intrigue the Caliph into keeping her alive past the dawn that no other bride has seen. And the next dawn, until it looks likely that he will keep her. Palace life is not what Shazi thought it would be. She meets new friends and new enemies, ever watchful and ever hopeful to learn the Caliph’s weakness. She finds herself reacting to him in ways she never thought possible, just when it seems that he might care for her, the guards come at dawn and drag her from her room. A silk cord is wrapped around her neck and a bag placed over her head. “This is the end” she thinks to herself. The executioner whispers a quiet apology and then lifts her by the silk cord. The world goes dark.When she comes to, she finds herself gasping for breath, the silk cord, which had once been taut around her neck was loose, the Caliph was heard shouting at the guards and brandishing weapons, the captain of the guard gathered her into his arms and lay her on a chaise nearby. The Caliph profusely apologies to which she strikes him violently, and hoarsely yells for him never to do it again.Everything Sharhzad thought she knew changes, little by little she lets herself fall for Khalid, the Caliph of Khorisan. The kingdom is on the brink of war, lead by Shazi’s former first love, Tariq. They will risk life and limb, family and friend to end the war and restore balance to Khalid and Sharhzad’s lives. But at what cost?I thoroughly enjoyed this series, it was unlike any YA books I’ve ever read. Sharhzad is the heroine I wish I had known growing up, a great example of a woman who doesn’t need a man to save herself or her kingdom. Renée’s writing style was well researched, intelligent and thought provoking. I look forward to devouring the rest of her books!

The Rose and the Dagger is the sequel to Renée Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn, a YA retelling of A Thousand and One Nights. I fell in love with The Wrath and the Dawn when I read it earlier this month, and unfortunately, the sequel didn't quite live up to my expectations. On the whole Ahdieh's sequels never do, though I've got my fingers crossed for The Damned. That said I did read all 420 pages of this book in a single day, so it couldn't have been that bad. The final third of this book felt rushed, in comparison to the steady pace of the previous two sections. I think there was a big missed opportunity when what seemed like a huge plot point was resolved surprisingly quickly, and easily. I really did not like the epilogue, and would have prefered a final chapter that took place straight after the events of the previous. However, I did enjoy this book and would read it again, it was just unfortunate that my expectations were possibly a little too high.

Following on from The Wrath and the Dawn, comes the conclusion to the duology, The Rose and the Dagger. I was fully expecting to love this book, and whilst I enjoyed it, I was left a little disappointed.However, I will say that this book is, like the first, beautifully written. Ahdieh has such a way with words and that is really what carries this book first and foremost. There is a stunning poetry to words, which I loved. I also enjoyed the magical elements (would have liked more) and the setting is spectacular.So, why didn't I love it? A few reasons:1) The story is incredibly slow moving in the first two thirds of the book. Although there is a lot of talking, and thinking, the story never really progresses, and I was waiting with baited breath for something to happen.2) To perhaps make up for the slow moving first and second act, the last segment of the book (just over 100 pages or so) moves incredibly fast. Like, I'm talking lightning speed fast. There were so many plot twists and turns in this segment that I was left thinking - why couldn't this have been spread out evenly throughout the first two parts?3) Significant trials from the first book are accomplished in this book with relative ease. I'm particularly referencing the curse on Khalid from the first book here. Everything seems to slot into place and the curse really plays no big factor in this book at all. It's all very convenient and anti-climatic.4) Strange and lacking character developments. Some characters seem to act ridiculously out-of-character, and particularly in the last couple of pages, characters are discarded, killed, revealed to be good guys etc. in rather implausible ways. I would have also liked to see more development of other characters, like Artan, or Rahim. The only two characters who maintain basically the same foundations are Shazi and Khalid.Ultimately, I felt like there was too much to accomplish in this book, and that for only a duology, the book moved incredibly slowly to start off with. Although I enjoyed the ~girl power~ moments, all the enjoyable segments were segregated to the end of the book, at which point I had slightly lost interest.The Wrath and the Dawn worked for me because it was a story rich with detail and romance. There were supporting characters, but the story was mainly about Shazi and Khalid. As a standalone, I loved it. However, it feels like the loose threads left by The Wrath and the Dawn needed to be tied up in a much more progressive manner, as opposed to what was presented in The Rose and the Dagger.

Magical. The character development is stunning, the plot never loses pace and the final scene isn’t anti-climactic like so many novels, but the perfect denouement to the series. Love, war, intrigue, passion, sacrifice, but nothing is overdone or melodramatic. It unfolds naturally, the book will make you fall in love with the world it builds in your head and the characters, carrying you along through every stunning scene. This series is incredible and everything is just so incredibly described, you can picture the sands, the palaces, the army encampments, the mountains, the weapons, the food, the clothing and the faces. The author has constructed a new world that feels completely real. A magical series that never loses pace or disappoints.

Flawless continuation of this story from book one, 'The Wrath and the dawn'. Sometimes sequels can be disappointing, hell usually sequels are disappointing, Not so for me in this case. Once again Renée Ahdieh writes a deeply pleasing fantasy romance. The setting of this book is outside the confines of the Palace, more a dessert tale. Yet the characters remain true to her original story line, with the injection of some interesting magic and transportation. There are double crosses and double, double crosses and a heartrendingly sad element to what ultimately is a well constructed and genuinely gorgeously created work of pure escapism. Its not Tolstoy nor does it pretend to be, but the list of characters broadens out in book two and the action is precisely written. What I particularly like about this author is the way in which she allows events to continue in the timeline outside the narrative she is portraying. No nasty surprises regarding plot lines not progressing while we the reader think minor characters are taking care of business, errands undertaken out of the descriptive center of the book get done without fuss which allows both the reader and the writer to create an easily followed progressive story. I loved it.