A brilliant conclusion to a brilliant duology.
The only thing that hindered my experience with this book was I found it somewhat confusing in parts because of how complex the political structure is. However, that could be because I didn't notice the glossary until the end due to reading it via kindle. I also had a fairly large gap between reading the first book and then picking up this sequel. So my recommendation is to reread the first book if your memory is even slightly hazy as even after reading a summary I did find myself getting confused at parts.
That being said everything else was absolutely phenomenal and was everything and more than I could have possibly hoped for. Somaiya Daud has such a way of crafting characters that makes them so layered and profound, each of their story arcs was so well executed and managed to maintain believability despite being set in a sci-fi/fantasy world. I fell in love with Maram and the additional characters and love interests really added to the story in my opinion.
Obviously, as a white reviewer, I am limited in experiences and therefore would always recommend checking out own voices reviewers (in this case middle eastern reviewers as well as other reviewers from colonized communities.) In my case, I found it really thought-provoking to see themes that are so prevalent in our past and present being displayed in this setting. There is enough nuance to it that it could open up conversations especially considering being in the YA market.
There is also LGBTQIA representation which I was not expecting from this book and the f/f romance was done beautifully and was presented no differently than the heterosexual one in the first book. There was no outrage or barriers based on sexuality which was really refreshing to read about.
Overall this duology is a definite stand out in this genre and I would seriously consider buying physical copies of both books to reread in the future, which is a real testament to how good they are!

I was so excited to read Court of Lions. I cannot believe that it has been two years since Mirage came out! And I have to say I am so glad that I waited to read the first book, because I would not have been able to wait so long! If you are yet to pick up this duology, then trust me when I say that you need to do so now!

My favourite thing about this book is that we had chapters from Marman perspective. Which I really wanted in the last book, but had been denied.  For me I felt like all the pieces were clicking into place and it was interesting to see how everything would turn out. Also we got to see so much more of the world and were introduced to some amazing people. I feel like I can't go too much into detail here. But I want these people as my friend!

I also loved that I got my own way with this book. There were so many things I wanted to happen and it did. I just want to hug the author and say thank you for not ruining my dreams! And even through everything did turn out how I expected, there were a few surprises thrown in. Just to keep you on your toes. And these made the book even better.

The most disappointing thing about this book, is that this series is a duology. It ends fine but I was not ready to leave this world. I ended up reading this book slowly just so that I could savour every last page! Because this book ended far sooner than it should. Honestly the fact that this is the only thing I can moan about is a good thing.

I loved Court of Lions, so much so that I think it is fair to say that this series is now one of my favourites ever. I cannot wait to read this again, and I cannot wait to see what Somaiya has in store for us next! if you are after, romance, adventure, and changing the world this is a book for you.

I have been sleeping on this series for a while. I remember seeing Mirage EVERYWHERE on bookstagram when I first joined back in 2018, but I just wasn’t interested for whatever demented reason. But, once must think it an act of fate, because the sequel only came out this month, and I didn’t have to wait for it, so xD

I don’t even know how to begin talking about this series, because it’s all kinds of perfection for me, but let me try anyway.

Mirage is a futuristic SFF novel set on the planet of Andala. The customs and culture of the natives of Andala draw heavy influences from the middle-eastern cultures of the world- the influences that were clear to me were those of ye olde Persia and a lot of Arab nations. The lush writing and incredibly immersive descriptions of the settings add that texture to this world that makes you feel like you’re suspended in a beautiful, incredibly impossible limbo between a distant past and a distant future.

The first novel in this series is more of a setup, really, and focuses on establishing character dynamics and giving you a lay of the land. You are introduced to Andala and its invasion at the hands of the Vath, you are introduced to the tyranny of the Vathek emperor, you are introduced to the cultures dying and being preserved with every last breath of the Andalans. You are introduced to Amani, an innocent village girl, who is taken from her home to be a shield to a cruel princess. To Maram, who is so cruel, so young and so incredibly confusing. To Idris, who will probably steal your little hummingbird heart. To Nadine and her plots. And you are taken through a roller-coaster of emotions. Amani becomes a body double, a rebel, a princess, a sister, and then nothing. And it’s beautiful and tragic and heart-wrenching all at once.

Court of Lions is the action to Mirage’s setup and it is incredible in its execution. While Mirage focussed a lot on developing the romance, the friendships and on making us understand the basic politics of the world we are in with Amani, Court of Lions takes us with her as she navigates this world and manipulates it to free her planet. Relationships, for the most part, take the-well, I don’t want to say backseat, but maybe the passenger seat, and we watch as this village girl who was forced to endure so much shapes the lives of people around her so she can free her planet.

The biggest selling point that this novel has is the character work, in my opinion. And this is coming from someone who usually puts writing style above all else. Amani’s character development is so incredible. It’s slow, and it’s something you see because the books are from her perspective, but it’s so, so empowering to watch this girl become a princess, essentially. AND MARAM!! I will be the first to tell you that I loathed her when she is first introduced, but towards the end? I loved her the most! And I think Maram’s development is the most interesting and well done, because a lot of the story passes without us getting to know her personally. There are a few chapters from her perspective sprinkled through Court of Lions, but they are simple, filler-like chapters where not a lot happens. But here’s the thing- you get to know her, somehow. In her words, in her observations, in what she sees when she sees others and herself. And by the time the climax rolls in, and Amani is looking for Maram, afraid of where she is, of what might have happened to her, you find your heart beating faster, your mind racing, because guess what? You love her now! And you didn’t even see it coming! The way Maram’s character is developed is all through showing, and not telling. Yes, Amani is telling you what Maram is like sometimes, but you don’t believe her, and then you do because you see that she’s right. And that is just so fucking BRILLIANT! I could honestly sit here and talk about Maram until the end of days, but I’m going to move on.

Apart from Amani and Maram, who are just the most amazing sweethearts ever, we also have the love interests, who are just…AAAAHHHHHH!!!! Idris ibn Salih is the only heterosexual man who can have rights. There. I SAID WHAT I SAID!! And of course, AGHRAAS!!! (Court of Lions features a sapphic relationship, btw. So please get on it, my fellow gays, you will not regret this tale of yearning). I wish there was more of Maram and Aghraas in the novel, honestly. Like, yes they’re so cute and everything, but I needed to see all the little moments between them, and I wanted to spend so much more time with Aghraas than I got to. She was such a mystery- and yes, I know, that’s kind of part of the appeal or whatever, but STILL!!! Love interests and MCs aside, a few favourites of mine were Tala, who also showed growth throughout the series and like, MISS DAUD??? YOU ARE MAGIC??? I want the grandma to adopt me, and I also want Imad and Itimad to take me on as their foster sister. Okay, thank you.

Like I said, this series has a very politically charged plotline and it is one of the more interesting ones that I’ve seen in a while. However, it does take place over a remarkably short span - in pages, not in time inside the book - and I wish it were a bit longer because it took me a moment to acclimate to all the new characters that appeared in the beginning of Court of Lions. It didn’t impair my understanding of the novel much, and didn’t affect my enjoyment either, BUT, it was definitely something that snagged at my brain. Also, a longer book = more Aghraas and Maram content and that’s basically all I want from life at this point, anyway. The politics itself ties in to the themes that this novel tries to explore. Colonialism is a big part of this book, (Colonialism is a big part of all my favourite books, oop) and with that, there is depiction of colonial erasure and oppression. We see this especially in the children of the makhzen, who are severed from their roots and are trained in the ways of their conquerors. A lot of these leaders of the different cities and tribes of the planet are made to give up their heritage in exchange for their life- these children grow up shabby copies of the oppressors and this is one way that they ensure their rule over the planet. This we did see when the British occupied indigenous nations. I am not as educated in the histories of the African continent or the Native American tribes, but I do know similar things would happen in India- wherein princes and other nobles would be given the “honour” of being educated in the ways of the British. This is how you colonize a people culturally, and it is just as painful as the actual, physical occupation of the lands- it hurts the spirit of the people in unimaginable ways, and that is depicted so, so, SO beautifully in this book series.

There are also a lot of themes relating to the individual here. Maram, who is half Kushaila and half Vathek, finds herself removed and ostracized from both communities. She struggles to navigate the two worlds, to find herself when she is pulled by both sides, and it is a struggle that is so heart-breaking. Because, in an ideal world, she would never have to worry if she was Vath enough or Kushaila enough. She would just be. But the world is cruel, and her roots are tangled, and watching her navigate this all is, honestly, one of those experiences that will endear her to you. To contrast this, we have Amani who is born in a world where, if there is one thing she is sure of, it is her heritage and where she comes from, but now she is thrown into a world where she must walk the tightrope between being Vath and Kushaila, and to do that, she must unmake and remake herself. She loses herself here, and finds herself again, and she is an almost soil to Maram in this sense, which is literary irony at its best, if you ask me.

Speaking of literary irony, I love the way the author uses all the tools at her disposal to tell this story. I love the little callback from the prologue in Mirage to the end, I love how parallels are drawn between the lives of Amani and Maram, I love that the expositional stuff is woven into the story effortlessly. I love the use of repeating motifs to signify plot-related events, and I love how the author plays with the multiple perspectives in the second novel. This book is very much a masterclass in fiction writing if you sit down with it to learn and analyze. It teaches you how you can set a scene just so, so it advances the plot while giving you an insight into what your characters are like. It teaches how to transition from scene to scene, where to cut and where to show, how to show and not tell, and how to build a world that is both immersive, interesting and extremely impressive, all at once. If you’re an aspiring author, I would urge you to read this book, because it not only gives you an insight into writing unconventional settings- it’s a FUTURISTIC SFF, remember? But it still draws heavily from monarchies of the past, and this is handled BEAUTIFULLY-, it is also, like I said, a wholeass masterclass.

I could honestly go on and on with this, but I think I’ve covered the major points here. To sum it all up, this series is a fantastic series and is definitely a must-read for everyone! I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of immersing myself in the world of Maram and Amani, and I can’t WAIT to see what Somaiya Daud brings next to the table!

This was a nice surprise! I didn’t expect much going into this but I really enjoyed it in the end. I especially loved seeing the Moroccan influence in this fantasy world.

This is the sequel to Mirage which I loved so I was excited to read this. I really enjoyed this book and I liked how it ended.

This is the sequel to Mirage and starts pretty much where Mirage ended. Amani has to try to gain back the trust of Maram while also deciding whether she wants to risk being part of the rebels or not anymore.

I have mixed feelings about the sequel, the story went in a direction I wasn’t expecting but I did love what happened in the book. I did feel however that the story felt quite slow at the beginning and felt myself losing interest in the middle of the book. But the ending was really great though I wish we had spent more time on the ending as opposed to the build up.

I loved seeing Amani’s character development from being the scared girl we meet at the beginning of Mirage to the young woman who leads a rebellion by the end of Court of Lions. She builds the relationships and ties needed for Maram to be a good leader and helps Maram to overcome the conditioning she has been taught her whole life to look down on her mother’s people. It was really great to see their friendship build to becoming like sisters and Amani became the family Maram never had who she could trust and turn to for help and advice. I loved seeing Amani’s love for Maram and how much she fought for her despite the rebels wariness.

Maram was the character that surprised me most in the sequel. I really wasn’t sure which way Maram would go after the ending of Mirage and I am actually really happy to see her point of view in the sequel as it made her more complex and gave her character more depth. I especially liked seeing how conflicted she was underneath her mask of indifference and wanted to be a part of her mother’s heritage and family despite her father trying to stamp it out of her. I liked seeing her relationship with her new mysterious falconer, Aghraas. Though I do wish I could have seen more build up of their relationship before they got to the ‘I would do anything for you.’ I had the same issue with Amani and Idris though I do like both couples in the books.

The political intrigue is most prominent in this book as Maram and Amani must navigate the politics of both the rebels and the Vath and I really loved seeing them both deal with all the complications and trying to keep the peace between everyone while also showing they were willing to build a new world where no one would be oppressed.

Overall I did enjoy the sequel and how it concluded I just wish we had gotten more from the ending rather than so much of the political intrigue which made it drag a little in the middle. But I think most people will enjoy how the world is expanded and that this is a lot more plot based and had more characters which I loved seeing.

Court of Lions is the exciting and incredibly well written sequel and finale to the Mirage duology.

I really enjoyed reading Mirage and the ending of the novel had me on the edge of my seat, yelling because I desperately wanted to read the sequel and find out what was going to happen next with Amani. What followed was a breathtaking and tense story about fighting for justice, family and friends.

My favourite thing about both Mirage and Court of Lions has to be Amani & Maram, and how both of them are equally as important to the telling of the story. I am a sucker for the chosen one trope, and I really liked how Daud made all of her female characters 'chosen ones'.

I also enjoyed getting to see more of the various places, and meeting people from different courts! The only thing I think I would have to *complain* about is that we didn't get more!

Overall, I would highly recommend this trilogy if you're looking for a thrilling fantasy and sci-fi novel filled with political intrigue, an interesting setting, and brilliantly written characters and relationships.

Let's kick off with the big question - do you need to re-read Mirage to pick this up? As with most things I think you should do whatever you fancy but my personal recommendation is that you do re-read the first book. I'm not sure you'd be confused if you didn't - but I think it's important for understanding the arc of some characters. Personally, I think it made me less forgiving of some of the characters who may or may not have a redemption arc in book two - but that's interesting too. I would say it's always worth doing if you can, but you'll survive if you decide not to. While the book does give you the gist of what happened up until now it also drops you in after a bit of a time jump which might be a tad confusing. Maybe I'm converting to the idea that one should re-read...

But on to the book itself. I had a great time reading this book - and I wasn't quite expecting to have as much fun as I did. Obviously I re-read Mirage earlier in the year and I could remember having a fun time reading it, but some of the additions to this book (including some Sapphic representation that I might talk about later if I decide it isn't a spoiler...) made this book all the more compelling. Mirage always felt unique in the way it combined what I in the past described as a very fantasy feeling book with a science fiction setting. When I think about it a little more I think that was my white lady bias lumping any book with a non-western setting into the fantasy category because I had read more fantasy with that kind of setting - that was bad of me. And yes this book does lean less into the science of science fiction and more into the 'what might this intergalactic world look like' which adds to the fantasy feel but no one is really doing magic or any of the other things one might associate with fantasy. It feels more like a...futuristic look at a world - which I can appreciate. So while I think this book will definitely appeal to people who enjoy both YA fantasy and science fiction I'm going to call myself out for labelling more of this book fantasy than I probably ought to. Lessons learned.

You definitely get to know pretty much all the characters better in this book than in book one. Amani remains excellent and I love that she developed a lot in her ability to communicate across the book. In a YA book with a heavy romance plotline that communication and honesty are so often missed and I felt like this representation of a relationship managed to feel very realistic - despite the fact that all the plot elements surrounding the relationship are unlikely to happen to anyone reading the book - though if you are someone reading this review being forced against your will to be a doppelganger for a princess, the fiancé of whom you have fallen for...well best of luck to you.

I remember in my re-read of Mirage feeling as though I was being forced to like Maram despite her actions and resolving myself to being frustrated with her redemption arc. In some ways I still think it's tricky to write such a horrible character in book one and then do a different thing with that in the sequel - the time jump helps as well as some parts of this book which are from Maram's perspective. I don't want to get into those sections in too much detail because it is certainly a spoiler but suffice to say that if I didn't think too hard about book one I came round to how I think the book wanted me to think.

I've already touched on the main romantic plot of this book but I did also hint at some sapphic romance as well. It's so complicated and leans so close to spoiler territory so I think I'm just going to have to say that if you read this book let me know what your thoughts are. I ended up coming down on the side of 'this doesn't feel tokenistic or problematic' which is the much nicer side of things to be on. It's hard to bring in LGBTQIA+ representation in the latter portion of any narrative - I may have to go and re-read Mirage again to see if it feels forced into the second book. Tricky and such a personal thing you'll just have to read and enjoy this duology and find out for yourselves.

The actual plot of the book beyond the romance was still great, I don't want to get into it too much but it's a great continuation from book one. I loved a lot of the moments of tension (both sexual and otherwise) that came into the story and I thought as a whole it was very well crafted. Definitely one of those times where I'm glad they went for a duology.

Overall I definitely think this is a set of book well-worth reading. Go out and grab yourself a copy you won't be disappointed.

My rating: 4/5 stars

Court of Lions is out now!

After just finishing Mirage I am super excited to dive into Court of Lions. Court of Lions picks up fairly soon after the events in Mirage. Amani is even more determined to help the rebellion and secure her people's freedom. But with her relationship with Maram seemingly broken, how will both of them continue their lives at court?

Court of Lions blew me away. It's so good. Continuing on the incredible world-building that Somaiya Daud did in Mirage in Court of Lions, we dive even deeper into the history, court-relations and the complicated lives of Amani and Maram. Amani continues to be an amazing, strong-willed and compassionate character and we get to learn more about Maram and see things from her perspective. This was definitely one of the highlights for me.

The story gets even more compelling than in Mirage, which is mostly, in my opinion, because of the higher stakes, the incredible relationship between Amani and Maram, more backstory and reveals, Maram's POV and more action.

I can only praise Somaiya Daud for crafting such an unique and compelling duology. The ending was very satisfying, which is a hard thing to pull of. I'll be thinking about this story for a long time.

This moves quicker than Mirage, which is saying something. The plot starts fast and barely lets up, sprinting from scene to scene with barely enough time to breathe.
It makes for a wonderfully compulsive read. The chapters flow into each other with an ease that keeps the pages turning until the very end. But it also means that if you skim read at all, you're in danger of missing something important.
Maram gets more time to grow here. She is given more layers and more complexity, her mixed heritage becoming something of a touchstone for her character, which I enjoyed, though it felt at odds with the Maram I remembered from the first book.
Amani is as wonderful as ever. She was clever from the first, but to see her scheming and moving pieces about the board was a real treat.
The one thing that let me down a bit though, was the plot. It's not badly plotted. Not at all. But there is also very little conflict plotted. A lot of conflict is talked about, but every plan that is put into motion seems to go off with barely a hitch. Which was- unexpected, to say the least. But it also left me frustrated by the end. The conclusions feel too simple, and too easily won, to be satisfying.
Its still a good read, and a great one for a hot day and a cold drink. But I think I was just expecting more.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
Wow, this book is unbelievable and on another level. The writing is is exquisite with a clearly crafted world built so well that it leaps or the page. I felt immersed in the Court of Lions and I enjoyed every moment. This book is everywhere at the moment with rave reviews and on reading this book, it is clear why
There is a complexity of plot which builds with suitable pace throughout the book to an action packed climax at the end. The imagery is incredible and gorgeously evokes the scenes. I applaud the author for building a world and characters that people such as my self (as a POC) can really relate to but with sufficient newness and creation to surprise us at every turn.
I had not read Mirage (the previous book in this duology), however the book was so good that I felt invested in the story and understood what was occurring which is often the case in books in series or duology.
This book is the type of book that you want to devor in one sitting but at the same time, you want to savor each sentence. This book is that beautiful.
This book is now one of my top reads of 2020 and Mirage is on my TBR. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you, Netgalley and Hodder for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I read Mirage last month and loved the Moroccan-inspired story set in a star system with the brutal Vathek Empire. I had high hopes for this book as Mirage was a splendid debut with a beautiful world, culture, and traditions. We followed Amani, a young girl who gets kidnapped and brought to play a body double for the Vathek Princess Maram. The Kingdom is expanded further, and we get to see more of the amazing world. The effect of colonization and how the people of the Kingdom are faring after the brutal Vathek conquering is realistically portrayed. The political angle, rebellion is kind of the central theme of this book. There is a lot of planning, moves to handle and change people's perception of Maram. The story mainly deals with Amani executing plans to bring the rebellion to success and bring down the Vathek rule. The way she handles discussions and how confidently she deals with people of different tribes was really exciting to read about. The different tribes, leaders, different towns, and their cultures were wonderfully portrayed with extensive details. The lores, history of their belief system were wonderful to explore. Every detail added gives a lot more flair to the story. The pacing was ok, a bit slow in the beginning. Overall the story was engaging and enthralling to read. I loved how everything concluded and while it was all neatly tied up in a bow I enjoyed the happy ending the book gave us. As I am a sucker for happy endings I enjoyed it. I felt the book was well written with a good cast of characters and a unique world. I enjoyed Mirage a lot more than this one. I felt that certain characters and relationships could have been developed a bit more. This was a good YA and I had fun reading this series. I gave the book 4.5 stars. I highly recommend checking this series out if you are looking to read something different in YA fantasy. I do think this is more suited for the mid-YA age range and lower YA age range. If you love a plot-driven political intrigue heavy story with wonderful characters with a rich world and beautiful storytelling this book will provide a unique experience.

I have been waiting so long for Court of Lions that I almost can’t believe now that it’s here. But it is here, and it was so definitely worth the wait.

The book picks up pretty much immediately following the end of Mirage. Which was sort of good because I couldn’t remember a whole lot of what happened in Mirage, and starting so close on the tail of the ending meant that there was just a hint of a rundown of what happened. So that definitely helped.

(At this point, I feel obliged to note that if you haven’t read Mirage, what on earth have you been doing instead??)

Unlike Mirage, Court of Lions has a dual POV setup. Which means we finally get to see Maram’s POV (although it does not quite follow the same timeline as Amani’s, starting further back before catching up). And I loved being able to see that, because it really shows her turmoil, does she follow Amani, her proclaimed sister, or does she bow to her father’s will? And, of course, it means we get to see first hand her romance with Aghraas.

In addition to Maram’s POV, what I loved about the book was the characters. This was true in the first book, but doubly true here. In Mirage, I found myself not really liking Idris and Amani’s relationship because it felt a little rushed. But that was actually one of my favourite parts of this book, because of the whole forbiddin and angst-ridden facets of it.

And the way everything developed, with first Maram and Amani plotting, then Idris joining in? I loved seeing all three of them together and interacting.

I think the only thing I would say here is that the book never really felt high-stakes in the same way as Mirage did. It was almost like all the hard work in building up tension was done there, and now it’s all downhill (i.e. easy) from here. In any other book, that might have caused me to round down, but I just loved the characters too much to do that.

Overall then, Court of Lions is a highly satisfying and enjoyable conclusion to the duology. I only wish it had been about ten times the length.

"Oh," I breathed out. "You should never beg."

Two years may not seem that long to wait for the sequel to a book... any GRRM fans out there know what i'm talking about. But I loved Mirage SO MUCH and when we finally got a release date for Court of Lions I was over the moon. Court of Lions picks up after the end of Mirage. Amani has lost Maram's trust after she found out she was working with the rebels, all the hard work that Amani had put in to getting Maram onto her people's side seems like it is lost, and Amani must behave, especially after seeing how easily Nadine can access and hurt her family. But Maram still needs Amani to work as her double, as they are thrust together again, Amani knows this is her last chance to show Maram a different world, one where she could be an equal and fair leader. But there are obstacles in her path, namely Idris the man she shouldn't but does love, and the rebels that Maram wants nothing to do with. Amani must use every skill learnt at court if she is to achieve the world her people deserve.

One thing that makes this book different from its predecessor is we get Maram's perspective. Mirage was told solely from Amani's POV, and trust me I love Amani. but reading from Maram's POV made us as the reader see her in a totally new light. She may come across as spoilt and quick to anger, but when you look at who raised her and how she is treated by those who claim to love her, you can understand her behaviour and unwillingness to go against her father. Her chapters brought a whole new depth to the book, bringing us new characters as well as a greater understanding of her as a person. Don't worry though. The majority of the book is still told from Amani's POV and she grows SO MUCH in Court of Lions. We see her come to an understanding, what exactly is she willing to sacrifice to ensure the safety of her people, who she can trust with her deepest secrets and will her love for Idris overcome their differences, both in opinion and stature.

Sci-Fi and Fantasy blend together to create the world in which Amani resides. Daud gives us an encompassing and engrossing cultural history filled with folklore. We not only get insights into the modern way the people live filled with spaceships and spaceports, but Daud manages to give us their mythological and cultural history through stories and poems... some of which are more important to the overall story than others. How peaceful their lives were before the Vath invaded and forbade many practices, changing their culture completely. You see them grasping to what is left over, certain traditions they were allowed to keep and it is heartbreaking. There are people willing to fight for change, and other scared of what might happen if they lose to the vath again, and we get to see both sides of the argument: Amani and the rebels see it as having nothing left to lose, whereas Idris shies away from the thought of living through another purge and watching those he loves die

There are battles, and boy are they epic. But death wise... and this is something that Susan and I disagreed on... there weren't as many as most people would expect. Susan thought the ending was too clean (the darker the better as far as she is concerned) and while I saw her viewpoint, I understood why the author ended it the way she did. Amani's people had already lost so much from the Vath invasion, not only in lives lost but their culture as a whole. Daud manages to make you feel the losses of the past as if they occured in the present, something that we rarely see but has an emotional impact nonetheless. Don't get me wrong... there are deaths on both sides... just maybe not as many as most people would expect.

When I was re-reading Mirage I forgot just how swoonworthy Amani and Idris were together... and trust me it only gets worse in Court of Lions. They love each other, that is undeniable, but to be together would mean risking the lives of everyone they love, and they are unwilling to chance it. But this means we get a brilliant and steamy slow burn romance, two people who desperately want each other, but cannot act on it. Even when Amani is pretending to be Matram she has to keep her composure as the Princess would do herself. I wont say whether they get their happy ending or not but I rooted for them from page one.

There are SO many hints throughout this book as to the true characters of certain people, who would end up with who etc and the author leaves us just enough bread crumbs for us to at least have a few guesses. That's not to say there aren't plot twists, because there definitely are, especially one at the end that had both Susan and I saying WTF! There isn't a whole lot of action until the end, but if you liked the more political scheming side to Mirage then boy will you love this book. seeing Amain and Maram working together, growing as friends, leaning on each other. They are the ultimate power couple... without the usual benefits but some of their scenes together had me whooping out loud.

If you loved Mirage I can safely say you will not be disappointed by the sequel. You can see how the author was trying to make it into a trilogy, and TBH I totally would have read it. But it ended brilliantly in my opinion, there were a couple of loose ends but as a whole the story gets tied together in a nice, neat, emotional bow.

I can't start this review without talking about the cover, which is absolutely stunning and is what drew me to the book in the first place (I will admit that I hadn't realised it was book 2 at the time, but that just gave me the excuse to read book one as well).

The Court of Lions has many positive aspects, firstly I love that this is Moroccan inspired as I am enjoying exploring fantasy from non-medieval European pov, and this book was a beautiful example of that. That it had LGBT rep is also a major plus point for me. I also thoroughly enjoyed the court intrigue and found it very well done for the most part and certainly my favourite parts of the story revolved around the intrigue. I also enjoyed the characters, and the development between book one and this one was clear. However, the aspect that I struggled most with was the relationships - one it felt as though they developed far too quickly for the most part, and could have done with taking a little longer to develop. I also found the pacing to be off in places, and unfortunately this one a little difficult to stick with in places.

I noticed it was the second in a series after I requested but I thoroughly enjoyed.
I loved the complex plot full of intrigues, the excellent world building and character development.
A good novel, engrossing and entertaining. Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

After finding out that the final book in the Mirage duology was coming out I knew I needed to get in gear and read Mirage, which was a brilliant book with so many twists and turns that it had me on the edge of my seat. Once I finished it I was concerned about how the story would continue on and if it would live up to Mirage.

I can honestly say that this book did just that. This was such an epic conclusion to this story with these characters that I had found myself becoming quickly attached too. Maram and Amani are two very unique characters who have already gone through so much and go through even more in this book.

Amani is struggling with the fact that any more mistakes or betrayals will put her family in even more danger and the fact that she’s completely in love with Maram’s fiancé. Maram on the other hand is struggling with figuring out who she is as she learns more about her mother and her culture. I think what makes this duology so enjoyable is the friendship between Maram and Amani. I loved watching the two characters grow together and teach each other new things.

Somaiya Duad has this magical way of writing that just completely pulls you in to this world and has you wanting more. I loved learning more about the different cultures and politics that surrounded these characters and this story.

I do however feel like the end wrapped up too quickly for me and would have liked to have had a bit more in terms of the final scenes. It felt like I blinked and the battle was over to the point I actually went back to re-read it because I felt like I had missed something!

Overall, this was a brilliant, action-packed and magical ending to the Mirage duology and I cannot wait to see what Duad comes out with next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A fabulous sequel to Mirage, was so excited to get approval for this as I love Somaiya’s writing so much, just waiting for my physical copy now to arrive too ! I loved Aghraas so much in this she was a fabulous character and a great inclusion, whilst I didn’t love this book as much as the first (but I think it’s always harder with a sequel) it’s still a standout fantastic story. I loved the conclusion to this and would love more (maybe a prequel!)

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The conclusion of the story is very good, the author does an excellent job resolving all the issues and taking the reader into a wonderful journey.

The inclusion of chapters from Maram point of view is great, as it gives the reader more insight into the character.

The characters development was done very well by the author and made the story more intriguing.
I really like the conclusion of this duology.

Arc generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Mirage but wasn't blown away by it. The ending had me intrigued and I knew I had to read the sequel! I think one reason I wasn't blown away by the first one is because I wasn't a huge fan of the romance. This book begins with the romance carrying on and I found myself struggling to get reinvested in the story. Thankfully, about a quarter of the way through the focus shifts more towards a new romance and the political side.The relationship between our two main characters is one of the best elements in this book. I LOVED seeing their relationship grow and them both learn from each other. I feel like if it wasn't for these two characters the story would be no where near as interesting for me.
The history and traditional stories were beautiful to read. The symbolism with the birds and the gods filled me with such a childlike whimsy that I could read a whole book just of that. Because of the 'old fashioned' and tradition nature of the setting I was shocked and amazed to see a sapphic relationship included with no worries of homophobia. It honestly filled my heart. This brings me back to my love of the characters and their growth, their acceptance of the other one in these difficult times was incredible.

While this book is pitched as sci fi/ fantasy I'd say the elements are so light that this book would be great for people new to those genres. For me this book definitely focuses on the politics of the planets and I was glad for that because I think that is one of this series best features. Somaiya Daud's writing in this sense was also something that I loved about these books. I would happily read more from them because it read smoothly and quickly and the atmosphere was beautiful and immersive.

Overall I'm very pleased I read this series this year. This is a beautiful ending and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys political drama with light science fiction elements.

Overall 4/5 Stars

Second in the duology, I didn't enjoy it as much as Mirage (the 1st book).

This book picks up some time later after the first book and has politics, dynamic female characters, LGBTQIA rep, courtroom and is steeped in Moroccan culture. A good mix of mythology and folklore.

The book revolves a lot around Maram and I liked her development as character, but I loved Aghraas more.

What I did not like was the plot was a little too easy and the the book wraps up too fast. I wish it was as trilogy as there was so much more that could have been. Maybe my expectations were too many and hence it didn't work out that great, but that's my opinion. Maybe others will enjoy it more. Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me an e ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I would rate it 3 and a half.