The stunning sequel to The Jasmine Throne. It picks up shortly after book one ends and we watch as Malibu, Priya and Bhumika learn to use their new found power.

This is the middle book in a trilogy so can suffer hints of ‘middle book syndrome’ however for the most part this book is pure character development.

I love the sapphic romance storyline but wish it was a little more based in feeling and not just ‘I wanna jump her bones’ in parts. I also think there may be a gay storyline that is a real slowburn but I could be wrong.. just an unusual amount of longing?

The world building continues to be great and in this book there is travel so we see more of it. I particularly like the Yaksa portion of the story and if I’m honest I’m more interested in the magic side of the story than the political side.

Overall, I think it was a solid book and I look forward to reading the final book to see how this all plays out.

THE OLEANDER SWORD is a tale of sacrifice and danger and betrayal. If they want to win the war, the characters are going to have to make a lot of hard choices that will demand everything from them - and the war they're fighting may not be the only one they have to win...

This is the sort of book that makes you gasp and constantly fear for the characters and what new awfulness they'll go through. The story is brutal and full of sharp edges, refusing to pull a single punch - but instead follows that punch up with another. Every decision has consequences, and those consequences always have to be paid. I really liked that, seeing the cost of the war and the decisions - plus it fits into the world so well to demand that most of the time it's two bad decisions and then the characters have to make the best of whatever that choice unleashes.

There is a mix of human and supernatural evils in this book. On the one hand, there is the human evil of Chandra and his armies and conviction that the acts hisof violence and brutality (mostly aimed at women) he is raining down on the country and Malini is divinely ordained. On the other, there is the unsettling power of the magic of Ahiranya, where things may not be as it seems and their gods less than benevolent. It's a god balance of dangers, knowing that even if they succeed at defeating one enemy, it may be at the cost of letting another strengthen their position so they are harder to defeat.

Once again, the world is so lush. It has expanded in THE OLEANDER SWORD, covering a lot more of the empire than THE JASMINE THRONE (which was pretty much entirely set in Ahiranya.) not only do we get to see new places and new characters, but there's also a chance to look deeper at the politics of the empire and how it's held together (which is always a win for me!)

There are a lot of POVs in this book, even more than the last. I mostly kept up, but I found it a tad hard to remember who the small-part narrators were, the ones who had one or two chapters and were minor side characters seeing this one thing no one else had. Admittedly, I was reading this book in a fair bit of a reading/creative slump so this book took longer and had less focus than the average book.

The ending is !!!! And I really need to know how that all works out because Tasha Suri has not left the characters in good places...

The sequel to the Jasmine Throne offers the same combination of things: a lush setting with a non-Western mythology giving it an eye-catching quality, sloooow development, and characters who continue each their own path but do not significantly change how I feel about them. Bhoumika remains the most interesting of the leaders, and Malini least. Priya seems to waffle same way she used to before. My guess would be, your feelings about this book would be similar to your feelings about the first installment, as was the case for me.

I struggled with this book. The author isn't very kind to the reader who, like me, struggles to recall the events of the previous novel. There is no recap at the start of the book and, more significantly, no reminders in the text itself as to who the characters are or where we left them at the close of book 1. Given the large cast and the number of new characters introduced in this second novel, the result was a confusing read for me. There is a character list at the end of the book, but it is brief in it's detail.

A glance at other reviews of The Oleander Sword reveals it to be a popular read for the majority. That's good to see; this just wasn't a read that resonated with me personally.

If you enjoyed The Jasmine Throne there's every chance you will like The Olleander Sword. Just make sure that book 1 is fresh in your mind first!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been so excited to read The Oleander Sword since finishing The Jasmine Throne earlier this year and this sequel did NOT disappoint! Suri’s world just gets more epic and magical as the book progresses as gods, mortals, and the forces of empire collide. I also love the ways in which her cast of characters has expanded, creating people who I love (or love to hate, which is even better) and genuinely root for.

While this book did take me a while to get into, this is because of the sheer scale of the project that Suri has taken on. What to some extent felt like a relatively personal conflict in The Jasmine Throne becomes the stuff of myth and legend as both Malini and Priya get more embroiled in the conflicts of the world. And their relationship is the stunning centrepiece that holds this book together. While their love seems impossible, their need for and trust in each other is beautiful to read. Even though the pacing of this book is a bit slower than The Jasmine Throne, I think it does an incredible job of establishing this world and the conflict that is to come.

I also enjoyed the larger roles that some side characters took on in this book. Rao is one of my very favourites, and I spent the entirety of The Oleander Sword hoping that Bhumika and Padma would be okay.

I cannot recommend this series enough. I am already desperately anticipating the conclusion to the trilogy and am unsure if I can wait.

The Oleander Sword somehow managed to make me love this stunning adult fantasy series even more then its first installment.

Once again Tasha Suri blew it out of the park with her atmospheric writing, her stunning worldbuilding and her intricate character designs.

Following the characters of The Jasmine Throne we are seeing a world slowly unravel. And with it the political ramifications of a love between two young women who simply cannot have what the want. But it doesn't mean they cannot try.

The sheer amount of pining in this book makes my heart ache and the clever way Suri spun a story of the way different women have power left me wanting more.

Three books in this series will simply not be enough for me.

This was a fantastic follow on from The Jasmine Throne. So many of our favourite characters really got to shine again as the story progressed and built up to what can only be a world ending third book when Tasha finishes the series.

The first book built up a scene of Ahiranyi but The Oleander Sword goes a step further, we get to see much more of the world around it. This is primarily done through Malini travelling through, building up her army for what we expect to be an intense confrontation with her brother, the Emperor.

Still there is plenty happening in Ahiranyi, our one and only Bhumika is holding down the city and taking care of her daughter. Just like the first book, she is a powerhouse and I want nothing but good things for her when the trilogy ends. Please. I am begging you, please.

What I loved about this was the additional cast of characters. Many are ones we know from The Jasmine Throne, like Rao, Bhumika, Rukh, Aditya etc etc, but we really get a better sense of them as independent characters rather than supporting roles. I think we'll only see them take more space on the pages in the next book as they're behind Malini and/or Priya.

Of course we also get deeper into the heartbreaking love of Malini and Priya in this book. There are some beautiful and subtly not so subtle love letters that you can't help but adore but from two separate worlds, religions and one being their literal colonising empire, can they have a happy ending? Well The Oleander Sword says [redacted for spoilers].

This is a great second installment of our flawed but beloved cast of characters. A fantastic further look into a rich world, more relationships across the empire and all our fan favs continuing to keep us cheering for them and breaking our hearts with them.

The Jasmine Throne was about discovering ones strength and fighting the power. The Oleander Sword is about sacrifice, betrayal and doomed love.

I only recently discovered Tasha Suri with the Jasmine Throne and to say I'm amazed I haven't come across her before is an understatement. Once I read TJT I nosedived straight into her backlog and I was not disappointed, Suri's writing reminds me of Roshani Chokshi in her 'The Star Touched Queen' era. Magical and whimsical but with lots of grit and sacrifice.

To the Oleander Sword! I loved way the story was told in TOS, it sort of flowed from character to character, in quite fast paced manner. It gave this sense or urgency because everything was sort of happening at once! One moment we are learning about the Yaksa from various view points, the next we are meeting a certain character from book 1 in a far more intimate way, the next we are back with Malani then with Priya and in someone else's mind! I really appreciated how it was done.

Suri really built upon the world she created in book 1, we learnt more about the magic, specifically the how, whys and who's of it but if i had one complaint about TOS... It is that as much as I loved the story I didn't quite feel the emotion as poignantly as i did in book 1. There were multiple poignant moments in TOS and I only really felt one of them. That may just be me though!

I adored The Jasmine Throne and was really excited for the sequel. It’s safe to say that it lived up to my expectations.

The book begins where The Jasmine Throne left off, and I felt it easy to get back into the world Tasha Suri had created despite a gap between reading the book.

There is more of a focus on the war in this book, and it is heavier in politics which I really enjoyed.

The Oleander Sword also has a strong focus on love and the things one would sacrifice for love. Each of the main characters struggles to balance doing what is best for their people, while also feeling torn about wanting to prioritise those they love, whether this is a romantic partner, family member or community.

The tension throughout the book was built beautiful, and I can’t wait to see how the series concludes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received this as an advance reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions my own. But then I did buy it because we like to support author on publication week.

Also, English is not my native language so, please, excuse any errors that may have escaped my proofreading.

I would like to begin by saying what a marvellous sequel to The Jasmine Throne as it brings so much more to the game. I am always a bit doubtful that I will remember what happened in previous books of series, as I read a lot and my memory is not the best, but this was as easy as coming back home after a long day of working. The fact that I absolutely loved book one is probably of help.

That being said, sometimes second books fall slightly short compared to their predecessor but this is not the case. Everything that was brewing during book one reach a high point during this one, and when you think it cannot get any better, nor can it top itself, Tasha outdoes herself, and her characters, and raises the bar even higher. The writing is still superb and the pace fantastic once you are reacquainted with the characters.

I loved how we keep getting more in this series. You name it. More romance? You have it. More war and conflict? Absolutely. I even feel like the politics and battle in this one were brilliantly done and well balanced with the evolution of the story. It does not get any heavy, in the sense that you get tired of reading battle and what things to evolve, but it keep the reader marvelling at the intrigues and politics that Malini has to use to her advantage. More drama, you said? Well, let me tell you something, if you are in for drama, you will be getting more than you expect. And magic? Absolutely. I am so in this magic system of yaksas, profecies, fire and legends. I got feed breadcrumbs and I will still gaze at the floor for more and be glad of what I have got given. If Tasha were to write an in world book of legends and magic I will be the first to start a queue.

The story continues to be narrated through different characters, following the different open plot lines. Although your opinions on the characters may vary, and you can and will absolutely have favourites, there were brilliantly balanced. Sometimes, you feel slightly frustrated because you would like to keep reading about this or that character, but I was so invested in all the plot lines and in all the characters that I was just happy to be able to keep reading and finding out what was going to happen. This absolutely escalated to a heart wrenching finale that was as epic as promised and has left me crying for the next book in the series.

Malini strives to take the throne from her brother, while Priya is rebuilding Ahiranya away from the empire's rule. Once again, their paths are woven together and they need each other to meet their goals.

This book honestly blew my expectations out of the water. I'm naturally wary of second books, particularly in trilogies, but Tasha Suri expertly navigated the usual pitfalls of a second book and honestly, I think it surpasses the first.
This book picks up a year after the events of The Jasmine Throne and I love what this allowed us to explore with the characters. At the end of The Jasmine Throne the majority of the main characters have been thrust into unfamiliar territory with very lofty goals, so when we come back to them a year later they feel like they've just about gotten on solid ground again when, naturally, the rug is pulled out from under them. This allowed this book to do what sequels are best for; character development, and it does it so well.
Every character is being put to the absolute test, and the way Tasha Suri is able to navigate the various POVs without any of them feeling lost or unnecessary is just so enjoyable.
The pacing was really nicely done, with POVs such as Malini's and Rao's following her army's journey towards Parijat, providing constant forward motion, in contrast to the events of Ahiranya where the forward motion is more metaphorical. The way these narratives parallel one another is really satisfying and so well crafted.
More of the world's magic system and history is revealed and I just love how the various belief systems are so interwoven with each other throughout, and how they all play such important roles in the narrative.
All of this is then just brought beautifully together by Tasha Suri's prose, which I can honestly never get enough of. Never too flowery, but never bare. She balances the very human side of this story with the vast and fantastical so well. As someone who "sees" very little in my head when I read, Suri's writing is about the closest I ever come to it, I think. It's immersive, and transportive, and emotive, and just so enjoyable to read.

In conclusion, I need the third book immediately. That is all.

Thank you Orbit Books and NetGalley for my e-arc of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not sure what to think of this book

I adored the Jasmine Throne. But this book fell short of my expectations


The plot and writing was good, brilliant even. I loved it. Yet there were moments where I wasn’t that keen to keep reading and found myself rushing.

Characters. I love Rao and his prince. Their relationship was so deep and meaningful it broke my heart.
MALANI As always is incredible. I loved seeing her come into her own but I do wish things wouldn’t have easily fallen into her lap. She’s meant to be a manipulator and yet most things she gained with little argument.
Pryia. I loved her but i felt her character is shadowed by her love for Malini and I wish that wasn’t the case.

Bhumika will always be my favourite. Her storyline I loved reading and wanted more of than the others. When I was with her I felt true fear for what is going to happen and shed some tears.

The world. Oh the World! Incredible. Amazing. The magic and how the world ties into it. I love every aspect of it.


The climax felt slightly underwhelming. I predicted most of it (which is fine) but it lacked the emotional depth it needed. I was more connected to the subplot of Rao and Aditya than Malaini and Pryia.

This book took me some time to read. I bounced between not wanting to put it down and having no urge to pick it up. And I enjoyed the book. I liked the plot and structure but I feel the characters and their emotions needed more work to connect with me on an emotional level so that I cared what happened to them. Hardly ever did I fear and I believe that was the author's intent.

I recommend you read. While a lesser book than the Jasmine Throne it was still Enjoyable.

*4,5 stars*

The Jasmine Throne already was a good book, but the sequel, The Oleander Sword improves on the first book in every way. The writing is stronger, the world is richer, the characters are more fleshed out, the relationships are more intense and the stakes are higher. This book delivered on all of the things I was missing in the first book. It’s everything you want in a sequel and more. Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for providing me with this arc!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I really enjoyed The Jasmine Throne, but Suri goes even further in this book to explore her themes of female empowerment in the face of male violence, empire, and how you trust or love in the face of differing loyalties and expectations. Priya and Malini are great characters, supported by a substantial number of engaging secondary characters. In this novel, Malini is battling to take her empire from her brother, while Priya faces a battle closer to home. The ending is devastating and I'm intrigued to see where Suri takes this story in the last installment.

Wow, I'm impressed! This was such a great installment in the Burning Kingdoms series. Dark, emotional, gripping and TENSE.

We're following on the story of Malini, Priya and Bhumika, as they navigate war, politics, religion and their own weaknesses. I won't go into detail to not spoil the first book, but damn I did not expect where this story went! I'm very much impressed with Tasha Suri's imagination and storytelling. While the beginning was a bit slow with a lot of politicking and pieces moving into place, that past half way point, the story became so tense and surprising (even shocking), bringing us to the great finale and setting us up for the third part that I can't wait to read. What a journey that was!

The Oleander Sword is the second book in the Burning Kingdoms trilogy.
The action starts about a year after the end of The Jasmine Throne, the first book.
We still follow Priya, Malini and Bhumika in their respective journeys.

This sequel was even better than the first book, I felt like since we now knew the characters, their journeys, where they came from, I was even more invested in and enthralled by the story. I felt everything, I loved it so much. The characters got even more layered and captivating and the plot kept surprising me over and over again. I even shed a few tears.
But that ending was rude, I need the next book right now. I don't want to wait. (Yes, I'm a brat.)
Truly an exceptionnel sequel, I'm so excited for the third book.

I'm not always into big chunky fantasy books with tons of politics and different threads you have to follow, but this series is something special. Suri has a way of writing that makes it really easy to keep track of everyone and understand what's happening all the time. It was also really easy to get into this book despite not remembering much from the previous book, she had reminders of what happened worked in so subtly that I barely noticed they were there.

I love all the different religions in this book and how they all seem to have some truth to them. In this book you could really see the different religions start work against each other and the consequences of that. It really feels like there are different gods out there with their own believers and different feelings about how things should be.

I love Malini and Priya together. They work well as a pair whilst having some interesting contrasts in personality. I have a fondness for Priya but I love how Malini is ambitious and pragmatic (and all the traits that are often see as bad in a women) and is still treated as a sympathetic and worthy of love. Priya pulls at my heartstrings, Malini is my empress.

The ending of the book naturally had me devastated, so definitely don't read it without tissues to hand, and I can't wait for the next book.

Sapphic romance, morally grey characters and enemies to lovers to its complicated. The 2nd book of The Burning Kingdoms series is just as incredible as the The Jasmine Throne! Beautifully written with rich world building as you watch the politics and alliances formed during the war campaign. The characters are all fascinating and the intricate detail behind the different groups and alliances as well as the prophecies and motives for each character is artfully constructed. This book is from multiple perspectives which I enjoyed and the conflict that the characters experience is even more powerful as you read from their perspective. I absolutely can’t wait for the 3rd book in this series!

thank you so much to the publisher (orbit books), netgalley and the author for giving me an e-arc to review

ya'll this book... THIS BOOK!! i can't get enough of it 🙃 The Oleander Sword in short words is an ABSOLUTE masterpiece of a book and i'll never stop loving it. the imagery feels so good and it actually felt like i was in an indian epic. the relationship development between Priya and Malini was just amazing and i loved their romance so much! And man, that ENDING??? THAT WAS PAIN OKAY 😨😫 i'm still not over it. like Tasha what do you mean i have to wait another year for the next book???!! how will i wait? how will i recover from what this book did to me? judging me though, i'll probably just be forever be loving, simping for and recommending to everyone in my life this series as long as i live :))

At the moment of writing this review, I feel sadness and my emotion is overwhelming me. This is such a well-written novel, that it's a truly worthy sequel to the Jasmine Throne. It is the culmination of old debts and new triumphs, and endless obstacles combined with character arcs that I truly felt for in the end. How does one even begin to summarise this story? It would be impossible to do so. But it is the fall of one misguided Emperor named Chandra, who was mistreated, abused, and outcast from his family. That doesn't excuse the failings that he committed. He was evil in the sense that what he saw as good, was not good to others. Yet his misguided faith led him to a path of ruin. It is the rise of an Empress, Malini, who must sacrifice her love every so often just to be united with Priya, only to have that taken from her time and time and again thanks to the politics of Parijatdivpa. Then there is Priya, now an Elder of her place, Hirana. Despite all that, the Yaksa is coming to reclaim this world in their own image, and their vision is more horrific. Yet there is a deeper plot that hasn't been told.

This may be the fall of one empire. This may be the fall of many lords, princes, and women. This is a setup, like the Two Towers, for what is to come in book 3. I feel that there is more that we haven't seen, and it feels that in the end, no one is perfect. Everyone wants ambition, power, anything in this mortal world that makes them happy. But at what point does happiness come at the cost of your own greed? The politics of Parijativpa is a messy place. Even as Malini attempts to cement her power, the higher lords and princes don't agree with her simply because she is a female. It is mostly stupid to think that because many of these sons were raised by their mothers. To see the view that females were oppressed throughout history makes me think what were our ancestors thinking? And this is ironic because the Ancient Hindu Religion venerated female Goddesses and celebrated Warrior Queens and even today we still do with Rani Laxmi Bai, Sita, Savitri, and many such figures.

This entire book is a tragedy of its own making, and I have never felt this strongly about the characters I've grown to relate to. The entire relationship between Malini and Chandra could have been solved, and there would have been no need for this violence, no need for any of this. Yet no one came to stop it. Yet Prince Aditya, who is one of the wisest characters in both novels, could see. He didn't see people as black and white, he saw what was in them. A noble soul like him deserves more in life. This is how strongly I've resonated with the characters in this novel. Superbly written prose, that made me emotional at its very last moments. This is truly a novel worth reading. 10/10 from me.