Thank you so much to the publisher, the author, and netgalley for sending me an e-ARC to read. I gave this book four stars.

Unfortunately this was a dnf for me. It sounded so good with fairytale elements like sleeping beauty and monsters.. Persian mythology and Medusa.. but no. The characters are so annoying, there is no depth and I just couldn’t continue.

This story had me hooked from the beginning
I really loved the world that the author had built.
The characters were all morally grey and made some bad choices.
A really enjoyable read

The inspiration of fairy tales in this book was evident and so beautiful. I loved how Soraya was portrayed, her character had so much depth and her power was so clever. The conflict in the book was digestible and the level of romance was small but a lovely edition to the plot. I can't wait to read more of her writing.

I really enjoyed this ambitious, unique fantasy - the world was well drawn and the setting was refreshing. Unfortunately there was something lacking in this characterisation and overall plot for me. I found that it didn't grip me as much as I was expecting and found the pacing slightly off. Overall, I thought Girl, Serpent, Thorn was a fun fantasy novel that was unlike other fantasy books I've read and I'd recommend this to those looking for a twist on fantasy with a sapphic romance at the heart of it.

The premise of this book was excellent, however the character that feels sorry for herself because she is "evil/poisonous/deadly/etc" and falls for a stranger - I've had enough of. The writing itself didn't do much for me either, was quite cumbersome to read through. Not a bad book I think, just not for me as a reader.

A very fresh entry into YA Fantasy. Would definitely recommend this one for those who love fairytale retellings but want something that feels a little different from the usual. Having said this, I did find the characters hard to really get into, and as a character-loving reader, this made it a little bothersome for me. Altogether, great book though.

Another title that I loved the premise of, but for which I just wasn't the target audience. I loved the world building and the concepts but I could not connect with the characters and wanted more complexity in their stories and within the plot itself.

I was really looking forward to this read, and have tried several times to get into it. Unfortunately, something is just not hitting the spot at the moment. I'll continue to try as the premise sounds excellent!

Unfortunately I just couldn't get into this book, and had to DNF at the 30% mark. I found the characters hard to relate to, to sympathise with, and I didn't really enjoy where it was going. I think I put this book on too high of a pedestal so it was bound to fall short!

I enjoyed this but I felt it read as YA I like my adult fantasy with more world building it was a good story but just not to my taste

Girl, Serpent, Thorn was a really enjoyable read. It was a retelling of a Persian fairytale and I loved reading and learning about lore that was unfamiliar to me. It reminded me of Sleeping Beauty crossed with Wicked!

There were lots of great elements, the characters were rich with their flaws front and centre, the relationships were complex. The fact that there were two enemies to lovers (and back to enemies for one) story arcs was interesting, I had hopes for one over the other but equally enjoyed both. The sapphic romance was well written and felt original.

At times, the story felt a bit repetitive or predictable but the fast pace kept me quickly moving along into the next piece of action.

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a reimagined fairytale.

Really excellent world-building here - an enjoyable mix of Persian traditional tales, which was expanded on at the end (further reading).
Some of the romance bits felt a bit Mills & Boon, but overall this didn’t detract from an enjoyable tale.

This book had such a fascinating premise and it did not disappoint! The plot felt really unique, the characters were complex and interesting and I really enjoyed reading this to find out what would happen next.

Sapphic!! What an amazing world that this author built! Such amazing story telling and so original. I really loved this!

Dark, unexpected and original, this was a really exciting take on the sleeping beauty myth. There were a few stumbling blocks that stopped it being a higher rating, but a solid and enjoyable novel.

I adored this book. The plot follows a princess who cannot touch people as her touch is poison. She has to make a decision to be the good guy or the bad guy and this is something she teeters between throughout the book. There were some great twists that I didn’t see coming and it was fast paced. It had a great slow burn romance as well which I loved. I will be keeping an eye out for more books from this author!

I enjoyed the setting for this book quite a bit, along with the Persian folklore elements, but I found the characters a bit one dimensional with questionable motivations. I also found the narrative a bit disjointed in places.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The entire world knows of Prince Shah ahead of his wedding, but very few are aware of his twin sister Princess Soraya and the power she holds - one touch and the poison coursing through her veins will kill. Feeling isolated and misunderstood, Soraya begins to question herself and the curse she wields, forever wondering if she too could have the freedom so easily bestowed upon others.

'Girl, Serpent, Thorn' weaves an enchanting and immersive tale in this fabulous Persian-inspired retelling of Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel. Bashardoust's narrative was a breath of fresh air in a genre filled with reimagined fairytales and is one not to be missed!

First off: I loved the premise of this book even before I read it. Someone poisonous to touch, cast out because of what it means, having to hide herself away? Yes, please, I want to read about that! Give me all the introspection, all the feelings, get into that trauma. Soraya did not disappoint - she knew herself, knew exactly what she was capable of and how that would affect her and other people. And the worldbuilding was so wonderful and detailed and lush! Definitely recommend if you're interested in a darker fantasy story with a bite to it, especially one that's character driven.