The Wrath & the Dawn

4.5 stars — I was daunted by this book…I don’t know why, I so wanted to read it. But I just kept putting it off. Thank god for buddy reading, it was just the push I needed to get started. I did try the audio first, b/c I wanted to know how to pronounce things…but the narrator was NOT a match for me, so I switched. I think you’d be able to tell from the sample if she wouldn’t work for you either. On to the book! I think that prologue sucked me in and had me intrigued and giving Khalid a bit more benefit of the doubt than I might have otherwise, so bravo on that! As such, I was a bit reluctant with Shahrzad, especially given her hatred and venom. On an intellectual level I totally understood Shazi’s feelings…but because of that darn prologue, I wanted her to be patience and figure shiznit out! It took maybe a wee bit longer than I would have liked, but I appreciated that her feelings sort of gradually and reluctantly changed…it was more believable. Man Shazi had guts. That tongue of hers is going to get her in trouble! But I delighted in her spirit and her convictions. She was 100% a heroine I could believe in and cheer for. I wasn’t expecting all the different POVs we got, but I think it made for a richer story IMO. Without seeing bits of what other background characters were doing, you wouldn’t feel for some and worry about others. I even didn’t mind that we didn’t get much from Khalid until a bit further in. I was already in love probably, but that just solidified it. My heart broke for that broken boy. I loved that the “secret” was so much more complicated. It was more nuanced, with a lot of bad choices. It felt more real that way. I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS A DUOLOGY!!! I mean, I saw that it was a series, but for some reason I thought this was a complete story. While not a cliffhanger, make sure you have the next book lined up so you’re not tearing your hair out when you stay up until 2am finishing and then just feel lost. :P Not speaking from experience or anything. I think the only thing I was a bit bummed with in the story (and hence the rounding down) were the time jumps. I’m too greedy for time jumps. I wasn’t expecting them, and for some reason I never seemed to get used to them. *rolls eyes* I’m super intrigued by where the story is going to go now. I have some theories, and some hopes and wishes…I can’t wait to find out.

Wrath and the Dawn digs into all the plot problems the common retelling of the 1,001 Nights framing story ignores. It's clever, fun, and romantic. Ends with a cliff hanger setup for book two.

Okay, I don't know about anyone else but the worst feeling in the world is to end a book that JUST CAME OUT! Ugh! This means I have to wait for the sequel. It was so good! An amazing love story written in the style of A Thousand and One Nights, this book takes readers on an incredible roller coaster that leaves them on the edge of their seats; falling for a monster one minute and then wanting him dead the next. It truly is a work of art.