This was a fast paced and really exciting Persian based fantasy. I loved how this portrayed Persian culture and it showed many different elements of the mythology without being a slog to get through. I loved the relationship triangle and dynamic between Soraya, Azad, and Parvenah. That was done really well and the attraction Soraya had was handled well and was done in a believable way.At times Soraya was a bit whiney but she made up for it overall and i was able to look over them few moments where she was making obviously dumb choices.

This story had me hooked from the beginning, there is so much intrigue and questions that make you just want to read one more chapter. I loved that the world was inspired by Persian culture and we are fully immersed into the culture from the clothes and food to the traditions. I really loved the world that the author created!

The most interesting thing about the book though is the characters. They are all morally grey and all of them make bad choices which has big consequences. I really loved that you can never tell who was good and bad because you can see why each of the characters make the choices they do and how they justify it and you want to root for each of them.

I really loved Soraya, she has poison in her veins and is twin to Sorush who is the Shah of Golvahar. We follow Soraya’s story and how she feels imprisoned because she is so deadly and has to live a life of isolation, hidden away in a corner of the palace while her brother rules and can live a normal life. She isn’t a damsel though waiting for someone to rescue her, she decides that she will free herself and though she doesn’t always make the best decision, she does not let anyone else to dictate her life and her choices and I loved that about her.

When we meet Azad, he is kind and caring and sees Soraya as someone more than a dangerous, deadly girl. This is what initially drew Soraya to him and their relationship was really interesting throughout the book. I also really like Parvenah who is also complicated and makes bad decisions which causes lasting consequences not only for herself but causes pain for her family too. She also works to right her bad decisions like Soraya and I liked how their relationship developed.

There were definitely points in the story where I wanted to tell Soraya to go to the dark side! Be the powerful dark queen she should be! But at the same time I don’t think Soraya truly has it in her to manipulate and hurt those she loved and cared for. It was more that she wanted to belong and not be a social pariah because of poisonous touch.

This is a story of people who make bad decisions but it is the way they handle the consequences that determine who they become. It was really interesting to see how different their lives turn out because of the decisions they make and how different they could be if they had chosen differently.

A glittering, vibrant rose of a book which left me breathless and wanting more.

This was literally my perfect fantasy book; A character who fights with her inner morality, A setting of medieval fantasy- but thankfully out of stuffy Europe for a change and into ancient Persia where magic and monsters roam free, And last but certainly not least the bisexual representation in fantasy we all wanted and needed.

This is my first Bashardoust book- and I can very happily say I am not expecting it to be my last.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is the perfect book that I am wholly satisfied with it being a standalone, but also the kind of read that I wouldn't mind spending my money on if it happened to have a few more instalments.

In the beginning quarter, I found it a bit difficult to push any further, and ended up rereading it to try and give this book a chance. And I am so glad I did. Because the character relationships and actions of our beautiful, strong Soraya were those of a girl who was a shadow of the woman she becomes at the end of the book. Everything I may have stumbled on in the beginning, became second nature and familiar in the end.

All in all, I freaking loved Girl, Serpent, Thorn, and I genuinely hope that by the end of this year it has a few awards to recognise the pure unending beauty, humanity and storyelling inside of this amazing novel.

If I could give it 10 stars I would!

Thank you to Net Galley for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows the main character Soraya as she tries to cure herself of the curse she's endured her whole life: she is poisonous to the touch. It draws from Persian myth and legend to create a unique fairy tale setting with complex characters and a plot full of twists and turns.
What I Liked:
Characters. Soraya is a strong, brave, loyal and complex protagonist. I really enjoyed her introspection as she grappled with repercussions of her actions. She had such an interesting journey from blaming herself for everything that went wrong to realising that everyone shared the responsibility for events that took place. Similarly both the other 2 main characters were complex and helped Melissa Bashardoust to explore the shades of grey in mortality and how each individual is neither black or white. I also appreciated the exploration of gaslighting and the psychological effects it has on people.
Atmosphere. The writing in this book was beautiful, Melissa Bashardoust managed to weave together a magical and rich fair talesque world. It was transportive and consuming and she really bought the world to life.
Plot. I'm so impressed that the author was able to fit so much complex character exploration and gripping and intriguing plot lines into one 330 page book. Every conversation and plot thread had a purpose and I was impressed with the amount of foreshadowing she included.
Overall this was a spellbinding and captivating read that was truly exceptional. There really is no review that could do it justice, just trust me if you want a great read pick it up.

4.5
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a lush Persian inspired fantasy, with all the charm of a fairytale. It’s steeped in ancient folklore, but Bashardoust has woven her own totally unique story from her inspiration. It feels both age old and modern at the same time, and her characterisation is so beautiful and nuanced. I could just gush about this book all day!

Unusually for a YA fantasy, Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a standalone, and honestly, it works so well as a single book, even though it’s only 300 pages. There isn’t loads of world building, but it’s so deeply rooted in fairytale which allows it to thrive one its own because we’re not starting from scratch. We’re starting with a magical persian-inspired world and creatures that feel vaguely familiar, and a magic system that is so strange and ethereal that it doesn’t feel as though it needs strict rules. However, Bashardoust still manages to make her story feel completely unique and self-contained within those 300 pages. Nothing felt lacking in the length or development of this novel.

The characterisation in this book felt like a constant push and pull of morality, from dark to light, full of self-discovery and personal growth. There was a sense of brutality about Parvaneh, in how dedicated she was to her family and cause, yet a lightness in her relationship with Soraya. Soraya’s journey was beautiful – I want to keep this spoiler free, so I won’t go into detail, but we meet Soraya as a young woman full of fear and uncertainity. Her veins are full of poison that she cannot control, and she lives in isolation, yet by the end of the book we’ve seen a shift in confidence and self-worth.

Our villain figure is an incredibly fascinating character, again with those same pushes and pulls of morality. We flip flop between hatred and understanding of his actions, and his backstory puts explanation and motivation behind everything he does. Again, remember this is a 300 page book!? So many authors can’t flesh out a villain that way in 500 pages.

The imagery of this book is where it really excelled for me. I don’t think I’ve ever had such clear pictures of characters in my head, especially as many of our characters have mythical elements to their appearance – take Parvaneh, for example. She’s described as having moth’s wings and the markings of those wings carried all over her body and face. THIS IS INCREDIBLE! I want Parvaneh’s face tattooed on my face. It was just such beautiful and creative physical character design, absolutely flawless and unlike anything I’ve ever read. This book is worth reading purely for the lush description; it really is a world you can fall into and become fully absorbed in.

Overall, this is a fantastic new addition to the YA fantasy line up. I am so excited to read more from Melissa Bashardoust, and I encourage you to pick this one up from 7th July!

I was dubious about picking this one up as I didn't enjoy Bashardoust's other tale, Girls Made of Snow and Glass. While I was totally lured to this one by the cover porn, the story exceeded my expectations and ended up being an unexpected delight.

This is Bashardoust's tale of the Heroes Journey in an age of gods and monsters. Part of its charm is it reads more like mythology than a fairy-tale. Was it the best YA I've ever read? No. Did it completely blow me away? No. It was just a decent read. Although a wee bit predictable (myths often are), it is imaginative and interesting. The main thought I kept having while reading was I hope there is an edition out there that has glossy pictures or bookplates of all the monsters scattered throughout. Now THAT would blow me away! The fan art for this is going to be spectacular.

It reminded me that you shouldn't view authors as one-and-done. They insert so much of their time, energy and soul into creating these tomes of wonder and you shouldn't discount them because one book wasn't to my taste. People change, and they shouldn't be defined by one story or moment in time. You never know, you may be pleasantly surprised by their other work. Bashardoust's has certainly now been upgraded from my not-my-cup-of-tea category.

Recommended for: fans of Julie Kagawa, Melissa Albert, and a good rainy day read.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is going to be one of the top books of 2020.

The story follows Soraya, a beautiful young female who has been cursed and cannot touch any being. From years of loneliness, she dares to trust a new friend to help her get to the bottom of why she was cursed and not her twin brother.

Through heartbreak, betrayal and uncertain passageways Soraya finds that she has the power to make everything right once again - but will everything work out in time?

Melissa Bashardoust has written such a compelling and unique story, entwined with old fairytales and seemingly inspired by the likes of Angela Carter, this novel is one to be devoured in a long afternoon. It's a fantasy coming of age story that people of all ages will adore.

*Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the eArc to review*

I adored this story!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn follows Soraya, a princess who has been cursed with poison in her veins, making her poisonous to the touch. Her brother's wedding is approaching, and Soraya makes a decision whether to hide in the shadows, or make her way into the crowds, and this decision changes everything. Below the castle in which she lives, a demon has been captured, one that might have the answers on how to bring peace to her life.

If I'm honest, the start of this book was a little slow for me. I found that the terminology used to describe everyone's social status confused me, and I spent the first 20-30 pages stumbling through the story, wondering where it was possibly going to go.

I'm so glad that I did decide to persevere because what followed was a beautiful story of what it means to be human, the worth of family, and making decisions that could cost your life or others. I didn't really see way the ending happened coming, which I always appreciate in fantasy, and it bumped the story up from a 4 star to a 5 star.

This is one I'll be recommending for a long time to come.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and Mellisa Bashardoust for my arc of Girl, Serpent, Thorn in exchange for an honest review. 

Synopsis: An original fairytale about a girl who is cursed to be poison to the touch. Soraya has lived her life separate from her family, keeping safe within her gardens. When her brother's wedding approaches Soraya must decide if she's willing to step out of the shadows for the first time. A demon is being held in the dungeons below the palace with the knowledge she craves and the answer to how she'll finally have freedom. Above ground is a man who doesn't fear her, who seems to understand her beneath the poison. But when Soraya's choices have terrible consequences, she begins to question is she princess or monster, human or demon.

I really enjoyed this one it was a good sized book not too long and not too short. It was a completely original fairytale complete with poison princess! One of the things I particularly enjoyed about this book was that it wasn't your typical story not really what was expected. This isn't your usual boy meets girl storyline! It also mixed fairytale with Persian folklore which was really interesting and has definitely made me a lot more interested in finding out more! I think if anything it would only be improved by having been a duology or a trilogy!

3.5 stars

What a cover and what a world Melissa Bashardoust created. Based in Persian mythology, tales and beliefs this was an exciting fantasy with some fresh concepts to get your teeth into and a main character who I really liked. This story took me back and forth on whether Soraya was a victim or a villain. I wasn’t 100% sure by the close, but I was grabbed by the journey.

GIRL, SERPENT, THORN tracked royal family dysfunction at its best and I actually enjoyed reading about Soraya’s captivity life, her boundaries, weaknesses and strengths. I utterly disliked every person in her family, including her so called childhood friend. The appearance of a new friend Azad, had me suspicious, but he won me around.

The world had a later complexity but an earlier ease in terms of building the context, belief systems, divs and other beings. I did like the world but found events from half way a little chaotic as the plot moved and waned a little. There was a lot of double crossing and it was like a tennis match at one point, a good way to keep the reader guessing but I could have managed with a little less back and forth.

Soraya’s sexuality deserved more exploration of her feelings and identity on the page. She was a bisexual character but everything about that was vague, she did not once go through any introspection as she kissed a male and then a female in short break between. The development of the f/f relationship was weak and I didn’t feel invested in their connection or anything deeper, again some more page-time would have enhanced my reading experience here.

So overall, this was a strong 4 star read for the first half, then the plot got a little fadey. The setting, the fantasy world, rules and main character were such strengths in this book. The final quarter did pull things back together again for me but just not enough to warrant a 4 star.

Thank you to Hodder Books for the early review copy.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a Persian fantasy that follows our main protagonist Soraya, who has a lethal touch. She kills people with her poisonous hands.

In the beginning I found myself subconsciously comparing Soraya to Juliette from the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi, but I was honestly just so impressed with the world Bashardoust created to set things apart from other fantasy books. As an Iranian myself, I found the way she handled the world-building to be very impressive and I nodded in approval every time I recognized a reference. Seriously, top-notch world-building comes from the author's craft.

However, things quickly felt short because the story was quite slow-moving. I don't mean this in terms of pacing. Don't get me wrong, the pacing is okay for a book a bit of 300 pages, but I found the plot to be a bit one-dimensional. I didn't find there to be a lot of subplots or backstories that made me wanna learn more about the characters or the world. But again, I could bear with that because the world was still interesting....

But then, the part where the book fell short for me happened when a love interest was introduced (which was very predictable by the way). I found the story to start to become convenient, where everyone teams up, love interests start loving, villains start to make mistakes, and everything just wraps up. And that for me doesn't work anymore.

If I had to rate the first half of the book, it would be a solid 4 stars, but overall this book fell short for me. I really do think that Melissa Bashardoust has the craft to become a mega-hit wonder, but it's just a matter of pushing a bit further.

2.5/5

As a lover of the anti-heroine and descent into villainy arc, I was really looking forward to reading Girl, Serpent, Thorn. And when I found out it was f/f? The icing on the cake. What I got from Girl, Serpent, Thorn may not have been what I was expecting, but I certainly enjoyed it nonetheless. I found myself unconsciously dropping this book every time I picked it up after reading 20-30% at a time, so it took me a while to get back into it, but I was still sucked back in after each time. My only other main complaint was that we seem to get very little time spent with the main love interest, and that I thought expanding this book to a duology would give more time to explore other characters and mythology.

“She had read enough stories to know that the princess and the monster were never the same. She had been alone long enough to know which one she was.”

Before I say anything about the story itself, can we just appreciate the gorgeous cover and the YA snake making her grand return? Because yes, it really is perfect. I was intrigued by the premise when this book was announced and after the first chapter I was absolutely hooked, because it seemed to have the kind of atmospheric narration that I look for in fantasy, but it also played with tropes and subverted genre expectations. With worldbuilding and magic elements inspired by Persian myth and epics, particularly the Shahnameh, Melissa Bashardoust has breathed new life into a tale as old as time.

Princess Soraya is faced with the family who abandoned her when the court returns to Golvahar, the palace she has spent her life hiding among the shadows in. The lethal venom in her veins not allowing her to touch any living creature without killing them has rendered her bitter, alone and angry. This resentment builds up considerably during the course of the first portion of the book and finally, tables are turned. They are turned big time. No matter how predictable it was, I still think the twist was done well because I was dreading it the whole time and once it did happen the dread just turned to panic as I kept wondering how it would all come to a resolve. I found myself rooting for Soraya more as well, because her grief over what she could have had, grappling with her self-image felt all too real to me.

Another thing I want to point out: complex relationships between women in fantasy, whether it be the sometimes thorny connection Soraya has to her mother and her ultimately falling for another girl (yay bi heroine!) and it being given due weight through the narration is definitely something I loved seeing in Girl, Serpent, Thorn and want to see more of in other books.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In Girl, Serpent, Thorn, Melissa Bashardoust weaves an intricate story that feels like a classic fairytale from the very first page. This book was such a pleasant surprise to me and I was enchanted by the world, the characters, the magic and the atmosphere. Though it is a retelling, combining aspects of many popular fairytales and elements of Persian mythology, this book feels very unique and fresh. At the same time, it feels exactly like any story I might stumble upon in my collection of Grimm’s fairytales.

Things I Liked:
♥ The writing. This book was beautifully written, incredibly atmospheric and very well-paced.
♥ The magic system was simple and, as such, very easy to understand but still packed a major punch.
♥ Parvaneh was like a little shining star in this book. I loved her so much. She was such a complex, interesting, character and was treated like her own person rather than a love interest.
♥ This book was full of twists and turns and, though I had figured many of them out, everything came together in a way that was really exciting.
♥ Soraya’s internal struggle was really well portrayed, so much so that for a while I really wasn’t sure which way she was going to go.

Things I Disliked:
♡ I didn’t like the villain (I won’t name them for spoiler reasons.) For me, in order for a villain to have followers as they did in this book, and in order for them to have the ability to tempt the protagonist to the dark side, they need to be charming (think The Darkling.) I dislike this villain from the very first mention. I found them creepy and unlikeable and assumed they were the villain long before this was revealed. This actually led me to dislike Soraya a little, because nothing about the villain led me to believe that Soraya was actually charmed by them.
♡ I didn’t connect with Soraya as an MC very much. It didn’t detract from my reading experience as much as this usually does, but I definitely would have liked to have connected with her more. I found her easier to connect with when she was leaning towards the villainous side.
♡ I do feel like the ending was ever so slightly rushed. An extra 30-50 pages wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Overall, Girl, Serpent, Thorn was a magical read and completely immersive. I hadn’t realized, until I finished reading, that Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a stand-alone book and, though the ending was perfect, I’m sad that I won’t be able to revisit this world.

Content Warnings - Murder, violence, sexual assault, slavery, kidnapping, captivity.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

Soraya is a princess living isolated from everyone else because touching her is deadly. Just before her twin brother's birthday and his ascension to the throne, a demon (a div) is captured who could tell Soraya more about her curse. Against all advice, Soraya meets the div in secret, in order to break the curse that is keeping her a monster when all she wants is to be human and experience human touch. Things are going to escalate quickly...

I enjoyed that this was inspired by Persian mythology & fairy tales, and especially the legendary Persian epic Shahnameh (11 century). Ancient Persia as the setting was lush and very fitting for the Sleeping Beauty inspired story. Sadly, everything else was fairly predictable and you got all the things you expected from YA fantasy (dumb decisions, love triangle...). I liked that the lead was bisexual, that was nice. But apart from that and the folklore it was pretty disappointing.

3 Stars

Firstly thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review this advance electronic readers' copy of Girl Serpent Thorn.

Once I had gotten into this story, I was captivated by the character of Soraya. Unfortunately, that took me a little longer than usual, which I believe was more due me than the book itself.
Melissa Bashardoust created a beautiful and beguiling fictionalized Persian empire, that included everything from an isolated princess to gorgeous palaces and unnerving demon forces threatening to destroy everything and everyone.

Soraya, sister to her twin brother the Shah is isolated from the all of the realm because of the curse of her poison touch, one touch from her will render any living being dead. Her life is lived starved of human company, with the exception of her mother's occasional visits and she throws her love and passion into tending her rose garden and navigating the palace through numerous secret passages.

Soraya sees herself as a monstrous being and lives her isolated life in fear that she will tread the same path as the protagonist in a fairy tale from her childhood, but she is also desperate to live amongst others rather than stagnate in her current life. Escape arrives in the form of Azad, a young man who joins the royal court after saving her brother's life. However, the freedom he offers is a double edged sword that will plunge her whole realm into destruction.

Soraya is the poster girl for insecurity and self-loathing, she lives a lonely and empty life, desperate for friends but, terrified of the risks that come with these friendships and the possibility that she might unwittingly harm those she loves. Even if this book hadn't been a great story, I would have loved it simply for how well Bashardoust brings Soraya's and the feelings of pretty much of every reader's insecurities, confusion and lack of confidence to life.

In addition to the realities of Soraya's nature and internal conflict, there is a sense of romance in this story, with two love interests that make for a more interesting, but at times frustrating ride, particularly if you have read a lot of YA Fantasy books, but for me this definitely brings the book more to life.

Bashardoust explores the characters rather than developing a detailed and complex world. The world-building brings a sense of an ancient Persian setting with a magical aesthetic, providing the perfect backdrop to the magical world of Divs and Pariks, all of which have foundations in ancient Persian myths.
This book is very much character driven, exploring the complex and often emotional turmoils of our protagonist, driving the story in often mercurial directions as a consequence of Soraya's actions and decisions.

I actually enjoyed the fact that Girl, Serpent, Thorn is not a series, but I would have loved for it to be a little bit longer and the timescales a bit less compressed, which I believe would have enabled the story to reach a more complete and satisfying conclusion. However, saying that I definitely enjoyed reading the book and I wholeheartedly love Soraya's character development.

Overall, Girl, Serpent, Thorn was a great story that defines the necessity and importance of facing your own insecurities and truths no matter how hard that may be.

Bashsadoust writes in a stunningly musical and enchanting manner, and because of it Soraya is one of those characters I wish I could continue to read about. But to be honest I am pretty sure I could read her grocery list and still be entertained.

There is something truly special about this book and in some ways I wish that I loved it more.
I will however, revisit it again and again because the first few chapters truly captivated my heart and soul and brought me somewhere new.

But lets break it down the best way I can.
With a pro/con list.

Pro: The writing of this book is astoundingly beautiful and intricate. The myth and lore behind the story is one I wish I could bathe myself in. And definitely something I will try to find further writing about. I loved the Persian inspiration and I was transported by the magic and the setting.

Soraya's build up is done wonderfully in the beginning chapters, her motivations and her history the making of a character I could follow to the end of the world.
Her reasons for her actions are based in what we know of her, and yet she is still wily enough that she could almost step off the page. There are a few twists to the story, especially the first big one which took me by surprise, and yet I felt like the story very classically set up, and so any further twists and turns of the story
weren’t quite as exciting. However I will say the bi rep in this book is stunning, and the relationship between certain characters is what kept me stuck to the page when the plot turned me sideways.
We are surrounded by truly exceptionally complicated characters, and I wish I got to know them better instead of just being stuck in the MC's head, where we get see them but do not truly know them. (however this may have been done purposefully as we are seeing grievances and also kindness only from Soraya's perspective)

Which brings us to the Cons: our Main Character is indecisive, her strength barely feels like her own.
For a story that is about a girl taking charge of her own destiny there is a lot of road laid down for her where she does not really get a choice. Or at least I did not get the notion of choice. More that this was just the way it had to be.
I will also say the ending left me a little short of words, it felt very neatly wrapped up instead of exciting – and though I love a happy ending I also need stakes in the game.

I expected more of this story, which I felt like, started off very strong but which in the end fell a little softly to the earth instead of exploding outwards like I expected.

Soraya has lived her life hidden away, cursed to be poisonous to the touch. A demon crosses her path and she holds the knowledge Soraya desires; a young man enters her life, not fearful but understanding and encouraging. And so follows a tale of high stakes decisions between individual gains and widespread consequences.

On the surface it's a battle between the human and monstrous sides that each battle. This is a fantasy tale of morality and accepting flaws; everyone, even the 'heroes', are capable of immoral things, and these are not the full stop to their stories. Believe it's also the first book I've read exploring Persian myths and legends, so not only was that interesting, the author's note at the end gives great context to jump off and learn more. Great book. Character chemistry. Flawed protagonists. Enjoyed it a lot.

Going into this book, I was really excited by the concept of a girl with a poisonous touch. The idea seemed intriguing and fresh and I'm all for that.

Firstly I'd like to say I loved how this world was built up right from the beginning. We had good look into the culture, the land and the myths - all of which I hugely appreciate, and in particular I really enjoyed the culture and the exploration lf self the main character had.

I did find myself predicting plot twists and foreseeing one of my least favourite tropes...the miscommunication trope - not a fan, but overall I felt the story was enjoyable enough to continue and the writing was easy to fall into.

Whilst the story was enjoyable, I did find some part and character motivations very infuriating and a little juvenile. It made my overall love for the book drop slightly.

Again, the culture and world building was definitely something to get excited for in this book and I really appreciated it.

When I first started reading this I was still suffering from a reading slump and honestly when in the first few pages i didn't think I was going to enjoy it but I ended up really enjoying it. 
I think this is only the second type of a story where it's related sort of to a fairy tale and it's made me want to read more books like this. 


Soraya is the main character in this book and is cursed and honestly my heart went out to her throughout the story. 
I really enjoyed the writing style in this book, it's told from Soraya's POV and I found it easy to follow the story.


I can't wait to read more of these types of story's honestly I've bought a book from the twisted tales stories and have never read it now I'm really intrigued to read them and see if I'll enjoy them as much as I did with girl, serpent thorn.


My rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟


I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book through netgalley and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Favourite quotes
Well,” she said, holding her gloved hands out to him, “am I still your favorite story?”


Everyone there knew never to go wandering too close to the mountain, because it was the home of the divs — the demonic servants of the Destoryer whose only purpose was to bring destruction and chaos to the creator's world.