Spice Road was an immersive read with cinematic action and a strong heroine, for fans of An Ember in the Ashes and Crier's War.

Imani is one Qalia's youngest Shields in history - a warrior sworn to kill djinn and other monsters, with an affinity for iron, brought by the secret spice magic. When Imani's brothers goes missing and Imani finds clues he might have sold the spice to a foreign country, she is sent on a mission to retrieve him and bring him to justice. Convinced of her brother's innocence, Imani goes on the mission through the vast desert, joined by her rival Shield, Taha and a trickster djinn.

Spice Road was a fast-paced read filled with cinematic action and fantastical monsters. What I loved most about this was the worldbuilding and atmosphere - from fights with ghouls and giants to secret deals with the djinn. Imani was a great heroine to follow - brave, though extremely stubborn and hot-heated at times. I liked the focus on familial relationships, as Imani's relationship with her brother and little sister is at the heart of the book. Beyond that however, we had a pretty run-of-the-mill YA fantasy. There's a foreign empire terrorising the local people and a rebellion trying to free the people, some betrayals and romance, which was by far the weakest point of the book.

I didn't buy the connection between Imani and the love interest. There were simply too few meaningful scenes between them for me to care. In that regard, the pacing was a bit off- the non-stop action left little time to just sit with the characters and get to know them more beyond a few sparring sessions and superficial conversations. I'm also sensing the possibility of a love triangle and sincerely hope it doesn't happen.

Despite that, I still had a fun time reading the book and will continue on with the series. I recommend Spice Road to fans of Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes, or Nina Varela's Crier's War. 3.5/5 stars.

A super unfortunate DNF at Chapter 13.

I desperately wanted to love Spice Road (the premise! the cover!), but I'm over a quarter of the way in and just don't have any particularly strong feelings about it.

I'm not loving the characters, and the slow-burn romance (which I can SEE on the page, but I'm not FEELING it) is doing nothing for me. I'm really sad about this one... I've seen so many other people rave about it and say how amazing it is, but there are so many other books I want to read right now that I can't justify spending any more time on this one.

I'd rate what I've read so far about a 2.5/5.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an eARC.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHER FOR THIS REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

Imani is the youngest shield of Qalia but her achievements are often mudded by claims of nepotism as she belongs to a powerful clan. Taha, her archrival, is from a not-very-powerful clan but his father made his way to the council. Imani lost her brother a few months back and no one knows what happened to him until now. Imani is on a mission to find his brother who is somewhere outside of the magical world of Sahir. But the council can't let her go alone. Her already difficult journey became harder as she have to travel with Taha and his cousins. 

It is a middle eastern fantasy, which is one of my favorite types. The world-building was so vivid that it didn't take time to imagine the entire setting. I've read a lot of fantasies and after some time all of those started the same. This book stood out for one reason that was the eloquent writing, choice of vocabulary, and sentence structure made me really happy. The author didn't repetitively use the same vocabulary which is a common pattern in all of the thick fantasies, I've read. 

I immediately felt a connection with Imani and Taha. The thing that annoyes me the most are stupid and annoying girls who are portrayed as brave. Fortunately, Imani was not the typical example of that but her sister Amira was one and she was so irksome. I wanted to slap her so badly on so many occasions. I am totally rooting for Imani and Taha. Although, Taha is so complex and I don't trust him entirely. But who doesn't like a complicated enemy turn-lover trope? The book ended on a cliffhanger and I can't wait to know what the sequel has to offer. 

Despite having a few annoying characters, the story was thoroughly engaging and I don't regret reading it.

In the hidden city of Qalia magic runs free thanks to misra tea that, once drank, can awaken the magic in those with the affinity for it. Imani has an affinity for Iron able to expertly wield and mould her blade into any weapon she desires. But her prowess is somewhat overshadowed by the actions of her brother, Atheer. Named a traitor and thought dead, Imani has to live in his shadow, but when she uncovers evidence suggesting he may be alive she strikes a deal with the council to bring him back to pay for his actions. Imani wants to bring her brother back peacefully, but there are others accompanying her who have different ideas. The council fear that Atheer has been telling the outsiders about Qalia & it's magic & will do anything to keep their people safe. Imani has some difficult decisions to make, decisions that will pit her against those she loves, but when she ventures outside of the City and see's what lies beyond the Forbidden Wastes she will have to decide whether to follow her heart or her head.

This book was so bloody brilliant! Everything I love in an epic fantasy; magical beings, slow burn enemies to lovers romance, an intricate and well built magic system, amazing world building, some truly epic magical fight scenes & brilliantly written characters. Imani comes from one of the founding clans of Qalia and as such has had a lot of her life handed to her. She lives with blinders, not able to see the suffering that surrounds her, assuming that everyone is as lucky and well off as her family. She starts off a little haughty, a little too stuck to the company line, but throughout the story and, with a little help from some friends, she starts to see the error of her ways. She's stubborn, but also fiercely protective of those she loves, and once she finds proof that Atheer might be alive, will do anything to protect him, even if it means going up against and questioning the council.

Imani embarks on her journey with a bizarre group of people. Taha, a powerful beestseer who is able to meld with animals and control their actions. His father is currently the head of the council and puts Taha in charge of the mission, believing Imani to be too emotional to see clearly. Alongside them are two other members of Taha's team, both of who look down on Imani and see her as a traitor based solely on her brothers actions. And then there is Qayn, a djinni who initially gives Imani hope that her brother might be alive. He is someone we learn about thoughout the story, getting little hints at his past as well as the reason why he agreed to help Imani in the first place.These all make for an explosive journey filled with heightened emotions, plenty of danger and a little humour. But one of my favourite characters was Amira, Imani's little sister. Someone she see's as an annoyance, but she is the one to make Imani question her world views, who allows her to look outside of the rhetoric the council has sold her & makes her start to question why things are the way they are.

Ibrahim certainly isn't afraid of a little action and I did find myself loving these scenes, especially when we got to see the different kinds of magic being used. She keeps us on our toes, throwing in plenty of plot twists to keep us guessing, and ensuring the story flows. Her writing brings her worlds, both Qalia and Alqibah to life and I loved seeing them through the lens of Imani, Someone who is a little privileged and extremely sheltered. Imani is so sure that when she leaves the protecting of Qalia she will see people different from herself, but what she finds are a people so similar they could be related, people whose language is so close to her own, she could understand it with little help. This throws her whole world view, and she starts to question everything she has been told really starts to grow into someone with their own opinions, not just someone who follows the rules to the letter. Ibrahim weaves in Arabian folklore with fables from the world she has created & I loved all the little stories & how they helped build her world.

There was a brilliantly slow burn, enemies to lovers and back to enemies plot throughout the book. Initially, I wasn't the biggest fan, but the more time I spent with them, the more I appreciated their interactions. He makes Imani question her world view, making her realise that she leads a life of privilege that not everyone is afforded. But he is also your stereo-typical cocky male who doesn't like having his own world view challenged and I felt that, while Imani grew massively throughout this book, he never really grew at all. Their story doesn't end tied in a neat bow, instead the author has left it open and i'm intrigued to see where she will take it in the next book.

It's safe to say I adored this book. It was the perfect escapist fantasy, but with plenty of emotion and heavy moments threaded throughout. If you love delving into new worlds, complicated characters and plenty of action & romance then look no further. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book.

2.5 Stars

I adore middle eastern fantasy and so I was really looking forward to reading this book but unfortunately it really didn't live up to my expectations.

Spice Road is based in a desert city called Qalia where magic is created through a special type of tea. There are different types of magic such as water, earth, shapeshifting etc. Our lead female Imani has an affinity for iron and can reshape it into any form. The story is about Imani and her journey to find her brother who has been missing for over a year.
Sadly for me this story had so much promise but I found the execution to be poor. There wasn't enough worldbuilding or atmosphere and so I felt the story as a whole fell flat.
I also really did not connect with the characters and found them all to be rather dull. I also felt they had the same repetitive conversations and it felt like children in a playground talking rather than grown adults who have undergone training. I got bored of the characters pretty quickly and so that made it a struggle to get through the book.
There are a few scenes that were interesting and I do like the magic and the djinn character Qaid who was the most interesting character in the book.
The writing was decent, I just don't think the story lived up to my expectations and the characters definitely let it down.

Overall, a really disappointing read. In my view there are much better middle eastern fantasies and so I won't be continuing this series.

Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.

A kind thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC.

I had been looking forward to Spice Road since it was announced, and it did NOT disappoint. It's such a beautiful book with a stunning prose, gloriously flawed characters, and a nuanced exploration of important themes.

What I loved the most about this book is Qayn and how the author had the characters experience and explore these narrative themes themselves. I thought it was brilliantly done. We all know that stories have themes they explore, but in Spice Road, it was so expertly done because the author had the characters not only come face to face with these themes but also evolve from them. The author weaved character development and theme exploration in a way and depth I haven't seen before. These themes include but are not limited to colonialism, othering, privilege, family abuse, and family bonds.

Can I go back to Qayn now, please? Because I feel like I need to.

Qayn is the mysterious, very handsome, and very witty djinni that I absolutely adored from the beginning. He is so enthralling in the way he pulls you in without even trying. He may be standing there in the corner barefoot, and he'll be pulling you in without an effort. I'm not sure if he's contradicting because we learn details about him very painstakingly slowly (I suffered, okay?) or because he's so multi-faceted and gone through so much that he has many layers and many sides to him. He's quite honest even though he's hiding a lot, and he's so blunt? I thought he was brilliant, and I love him dearly.

Imani, our main character, was the most perfect flawed character I've read in a long while. I really liked her character, but it was her character development that I loved. There was a scene where she hurt someone's feelings, and we literally saw her evolve and learn from that moment: the things she took for granted, dealing with how she has misjudged someone. Imani is the epitome of character development done EXTREMELY RIGHT. I loved her bond to her family and how she dealt with the fact that reality is much different from her beliefs in a fragile, slow and steady way that was so human.

The world building was absolutely phenomenal. Brilliantly crafted. Original. I mean, they used spices and tea to wield magic?! Their culture and way of life was described with many details and in a beautifully poetic prose. For me, it felt too wordy at times. I'm not a fan of so in-depth descriptions, so sometimes it was too much for me, but others will certainly feel different. The plot was also well-executed. It has good pace. It's never boring, and I loved that every scene in this book is important and relevant. There's no extra scenes that serve no purpose. At the same time, it didn't feel rushed at all. The story had the time it needed to come to life. However, I did find the plot a little predictable, i.e. who was going to turn bad and the choices Imani would make.

There was no LGBTQIA+ rep in this book, but I hope we see it in the next book of the series.

All in all, I really, really, REALLY liked Spice Road. I found some plot elements little predictable, so it'd get solid 4 - 4.5 stars, but at the end, I loved the characters and I loved the themes and I WON'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT UNTIL I READ BOOK 2, so it's getting bright 5 stars from me.

The real question is when does book 2 come out??????

The author is simply a genius for how she executed the plot. There is no other way to put it - I am fascinated, by the authors ability, to write in depth such an expanding magic system, and world building. The politics especially, were logically throught out, and everything was explained in detail. The story unfolds naturally, with the reader gaining an understanding of WHY things are happening the way they are. There is no "out of the random" scenes in this book. Alongside that, the writing is easy to understand yet so beautiful.

Certain quotes of the book are quite literally poetic and everything is vividly described to the point where the reader can feel the sand, the wind and the scorching sun, as Imani describes them.The characters are honestly the most important part (or at least one of THE most important parts) of a book to me, and I am pleased to say that the characters encountered here, are some of the most well written ones I've seen. Every character is flawed and has their own morals, ambitions, and thought patterns. There are no "right" or "wrong" decisions to be made, "good" or "bad" people. There are just choices and the people making them, either because they think they are the correct ones, or because they can help them achieve something. Honestly I found it refreshing, that even the MC herself, is shown to be extremely flawed, and utterly human. No easy answer is handled to her-she makes choices, deals with the consequences of them, doubts herself and her beliefs often, and the reader witnesses her maturing through out the book. There is a variety of themes the book dissects into, with an emphasis on privilege and how it affects not only the life but also the way people view those who have more or less of it, than themselves. The relationship between Imani (the mc), and Taha (one of her love interests), revolves around her privilege granted by her ancestors, and how she has to not only accept that she IS indeed in a more advanced position than him due to it, but also work on letting go of prejudice she has against those not as fortunate as her.

Further more the concept of having to face things that go against your previous beliefs is the second most explored theme in the book.

During the second half, there are a lot of mentions of colonizers, and the oppression Imanis people endure by them, as well as graphic descriptions of violence against people of colour.

Finally there is so much talk of Family. Family bonds and their importance, along with how grief can alter them, is a topic seen by Imani and her relationship with her family. Taha and his father, are a very good portrayal of how children who have gone through abuse, have a hard time getting past the fear they have for their abusive parent, or coming to terms with the fact that they have been abused and stopping making up excuses for their abuser


Will DEFINITELY continue this series

A huge thank you to Netgalley for the privilege to read Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim!

Spice Road is a story that follows a young Shield by the name of Imani. Her story begins where she realises that there might be more to the disappearance of her brother. And that the council of their tribe might be hiding information from the public.

Imani finds out that the council used her brother to scout outside the sacred desert that hides their community from the outside world, and that he might be involved in the disappearance of a large amount of the sacred spice that allows their people to access their magic. She decides that she needs to go on a mission to clear his name, return him home to their grieving parents.

Unfortunately the only way that the council will let her go after him is if the son of the council's head escorts her through the Forbidden Wastes. Taha has always been her enemy and this does not buy him any favour in her books. Along with an odd collection of companions, Imani and Taha need to find her brother - but what is the mission that Taha has to fulfill? And will they be able to trust one another?

The book reminded me a lot of the writing of Aalwyn Hamilton, Hafsah Faizal and SA Chakraborty. It follows a lot of tropes, but the story is unique. I have to say that some of the characters are more easy to love than others - and unfortunately I wasn't the biggest fan of the relationship between the two main characters - but I would definitely continue reading this series.

I'm curious to see where this story goes and to learn more about some of the side characters. Considering this is a debut novel it will be interesting to see where her writing leads her next!

This was a solid 4.5 ⭐️ for me.

I absolutely loved this story of Imani searching for her brother who is missing, presumed dead, along with her fierce rival Taha, her stubborn younger sister Amina and Qayn, a djinni who she ends up bound to despite her nickname of ‘djinni slater’.

The magic system is super unique, I mean tea magic, I am HERE FOR IT! The world building is excellent and I really enjoyed the authors writing style. There are a lot of topics touched on, including the importance of family, class, privilege and to an extent colonialism.

It wasn’t an issue for me, but I’d note that the characters are not super likeable at times, especially Imani who is inherently stubborn and inflexible which yes, are sound qualities for a good MC, but jeez does it get frustrating when she completely gets in her own damn way every 5 seconds because she can’t just open her mind a little. Taha is confusing and I hope we find out more about his background and upbringing in the next book so we get a little more insight as to his motives and why his character direction changes so much it gives you whiplash. There’s the making of a love triangle between Imani, Taha and Qayn but it’s relatively obvious with the “I like him, I hate him” narrative that Taha is the preference. Qayn is another character who I hope gets some further development and back story. It’s clear from his past that he is not your average djinni.

This didn’t end on a cliffhanger per se, but there is no doubt that this story is unfinished. I am very much looking forward to getting my grabby hands on the sequel! Imani has some ass-kicking to do.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Hodder and Stoughton for the free ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Not quite 5 stars but close enough ★★★★.75
I'm trying to make my reviews more structured, so here we go, in alphabetical order.

Characters: 10/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Plot: 9/10
Worldbuilding: 8.5/10
Writing: 10/10

Imani and her sister discover that their disgraced brother might not be dead after all. Accompanied by three scouts, an ancient djinni and her sister, Imani goes on a mission to retrieve her brother from a place she didn't know previously existed.

I keep seeing people saying orphan turned assassin. Orphan who? The only person who I can think of that fits in the assassin role is Taha. While he does have a stepmother, his father is very much alive. Unless something happened while they were away?

Anyway, expanding my thoughts on the characters. While I am giving this a high rating, I don't love the main characters (yet) which is an important factor when it comes to my enjoyment of books. They were flawed. But they felt like real people with emotional depth, brilliantly fleshed out. Even the side characters were sufficiently developed.

Imani is the main character, 17 years old if I'm not mistaken. Albeit infuriating, she is driven by her strong morals and sense of justice, which cause her to act rashly on more than one occasion. She is stubborn, very loyal to her family and what she has been taught. Unlike her courageous younger sister Amira, who is much more open-minded and has more common sense.

One of the many passages from Amira
“You worry me, Imani. How can someone so accomplished be so naïve? Life isn’t a strip of steel you can bend to your will. Things change. People change. Accept that, or one of these days, I promise, something will upset you terribly and you won’t know how to deal with it.”

And one from Qayn
“It is a pity, Imani, how little of your people’s history you truly know. The truth has been hidden from you, and you have welcomed the deception with open arms.”

Coming from an influential and important family, Imani is at the beginning so wrapped up in her mostly false beliefs, she is ignorant to others. On her journey to Alqibah, A colonised land under the rule of harrowlanders, she is forced to face a reality that contradicts them and starts questioning everything the Council has told. Her denial/ignorance throughout the book is truly painful.

I admit to liking Taha more, despite him being an asshole most of the time. He, too, is loyal to their teachings but unlike Imani knows more of the truth yet refuses to question anything. He blindly follows his father’s (Grand commander of their armed forces and Grand Zahim, chair of the Council) orders no matter what. I, personally, find Taha the most interesting character. We don't really know his motives, besides doing what his father commands. During their journey it seems that his relationship with Imani starts to warm up, only when others aren’t around, though. But even their budding chemistry doesn't come between him and his mission. I feel like he's just trying to prove himself to his father who's very hard on him.

Imani about Taha
Bayek’s orders will always come before everything else, before reason, compassion, friendship, before love, and he will not abandon those orders, even if their pursuit will certainly kill him.

Qayn is, as we are led to believe, a charismatic djinni who offers Imani information about her brother and his help. He is probably my favorite character for now. I also like Imani’s older brother Atheer and would be interested in, maybe, a prequel about his story.

The story kept me on my toes and I never knew what was coming next. The central themes were of duty and justice, privilege, colonialism as well as societal isolation. The character dynamics were compelling (although certain ones drove me crazy at times). But I sense a potential love triangle and I do not like it. Please, I’m tired of them.

In terms of the otherwise imaginative worldbuilding, I feel a bit more could have been done. I don’t really understand their magic.

The reason this isn’t getting full 5 stars, well, it just comes down to the characters. As I said previously, characters are important to me. So, certain ones have some more character development to go through before they get me on their side. Other than that, an ambitious and masterful debut.

First, i want to thank Netgalley, Maiya Ibrahim, and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC. This is my honest review

mix a small pinch of sand, magic, action, romance (enemies to lovers of course), mysteries, betrayal, and family history and you will have "Spice Road".
The book's first third introduces the author's universe and the different characters.
we need to wait for the last part of the book to really have the action and the answers we’re waiting for but it’s really worth it.
I really liked the evolution of Imani, she started the story by being in her bubble of daughter of a good family, believing to live in an ideal city with no problems, all her people happy, and with no injustices.
But she will finally ask herself questions and be touched by what she will experience and discover.
I’m looking forward to book two, and seeing how the relationships between the characters will evolve ( Imani and Taha I’m waiting for you )

Thankyou to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for a free e-arc of Spicy Road by Maiya Ibrahim.

I can feel myself pulling away from YA especially the more i read in the adult genre. That being said i felt like this was a solid read. I enjoyed the over all story line and the magic system. The main character didnt make me love her as i did feel she was a little annoying.

Being dyslexic i do struggle sometimes when reading names and phrases that i dont come across in my every day life, and usually find it much easier to tandom read and listen to these kinds of books as it help[s me connect to the text a little easier- thats a me problem though and not this books fault.

Upon reflection, this was not for me. I struggled with the writing to connect to the characters and story. I wanted to enjoy this. It might work for others.

Whoever controls the Spice... controls the Kingdom itself.
Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim is an epic young adult fantasy set in an Arabian-inspired land. The storytelling of this book is impressive and I like the fact that the narrator is unreliable because the story is told from Imani´s point of view.
This book has almost 500 pages, but it felt so much less. I want to know more about characters, I have had not enough of this world. I need more.
I love the mythology of this book, I am curious about Qayn and Taha. I liked both of them. Imani acted sometimes stupid, but she felt real and that is important to me.
Am I going to recommend this book? Yes. It is a lovely young adult story with great potential. Many times I have found beautiful and wise thoughts. I think Maiya Ibrahim made a realy great job.
Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley!

I had some problems with the pace and the main character, but that I can understand in a first book.
Otherwise, the magic system, the references to mythology and colonisation, the relationships, the arabic influence, all is very good and well introduced !
I still recommand this !!

An Arabian-inspired adventure that stresses the importance of family.

Imani is the middle child who is good at what she does and always meticulously follows the rules. Her affinity for iron has served her well as a Shield, one of the warriors who protects the cities from the dangers outside in the sandy wastes. Her little sister Amira is great at not following those rules and getting herself in trouble ever since their big brother Atheer disappeared. One dat Amira gets into trouble when she was out and Atheer's old horse goes running off. Imani has to jump in to help her sister once again, but this time, they find some hidden secrets out in the sands and a djinni, Qayn, who knew of their brother. This little escapade leads to some interesting developments and sets them on a whole new adventure with her biggest rival, Taha, accompanying her.

Maiya Ibrahim creates a great immersive world where the Arabian mythology really comes to live with its ghouls, djinn and other mythological creatures. There are glorious cities, ancient and abandoned cities and cities under siege by external forces and a whole lot of sand and danger to get through. The magic in this novel comes from drinking tea from a very special tree's bark. It has a lot to give as everyone who uses it has their own unique ability and within these different abilities there is also a lot of depth that will probably be explored even more throughout the next books.

It starts of feeling like a YA that is aimed towards the younger audience, but as the story progresses it becomes obvious that the world and the people in it can be very cruel and commit gruesome acts against one another. The main character, who initially comes across as naive, undergoes quite a bit of growth because of her being exposed to these new people and new surroundings which I thought was very well done. Also the growth that she goes through as a sister was beautiful to see, especially the way Imani's relationship evolved with her sister Amira and also how she gets to know the djinni during their journey.

As for Taha, there is still a lot to unpack I'm sure. His upbringing was everything but conventional and all for the sake of his family name getting more recognition. He still carries all of this around but it looks like there is more going on than just a tyrannical father. Who knows what this will bring for the rest of the trilogy and his place in it.

This book was engaging from start to finish with its fast pace and ever-evolving characters that keep exploring new settings. I'm looking forward to see where the story will take me next.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.

<i>I received this ARC thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.</i>

<b><i>"We will fight, but first we will have tea."</i></b>
Approaching Spice Road, I was ready for just another 'life changing adventure with a desert setting', but I was pleasantly surprised on the original twist to it. I'm more of a coffee person myself, but I did appreciate innovative tea magic, chase after lost but not gone brother reminded me a lot of genshin impact plotline (which was good! Also the names were quite similar, so my mind kept making them appear as Aether and Lumine in my head xD). The tiny bit of romance we got gave me a lot of Rin&Nezha vibes from Poppy War, which is "I'll kill you daily but saying sorry so please forgive me" -- another great addition to the story. If I'd have to say, fans of which books would enjoy this story the most, I'd choose Prison Healer and Blood of Stars duology! So if you're fan of them, or any trope I've mentioned please do add Spice Road to your TBR! My only reason not giving this 5 star is that sometimes my brain would shut down, and I'd follow the story, knowing it's moving forward, but not understanding a bit what was happening at the moment. Considering this I'd shelf this "to reread after the official release" so I could dive into story more thoroughly, and enjoy it even more. All I can say is that it was really good opening to the further installments in this series, and I'll patiently wait to see what Maiya Ibrahim has more in store for us!
<b>"If the world is dark, and you are the only one with a flame, what do you do?"
"Share it."I answered."</b>

I first heard about Spice Road on Twitter, and was excited when I saw that Hodder & Stoughton would be publishing it in the UK.

Set in an Arabian inspired world, the magic system in Spice Road is interesting and unique. Imani is a stubborn main character, frustratingly so at times. However, it's a realistic portrayal of a teen, so this is more of an observation than a criticism. I loved her fierce loyalty to her siblings, and thought her sister was a well developed secondary character.

The romance between Imani and Taha is an enemies-to-maybe-more-to-enemies type situation. I didn't find it to be compelling and am more interested in the potential second love interest, Qayn. Imani is forced to bind Qayn -who is a djinni with a mysterious past- in order to find her brother.

The first in a planned trilogy there is a lot of travelling and set up in Spice Road. For me, this is a 3.5 leaning towards a 4 star read, I think that I will enjoy the sequel more now that the foundation has been set.

I liked the concept and was overjoyed when I received the ARC, but it didn't turn out as I expected; the writing is good, but I'm having trouble connecting with the characters. The Djinni serves no purpose, and their search for the main character's brother reveals more than it shows. When faced with monsters, the action scenes were cut short.

The MC is annoying, and her Djinni slayer title has nothing to do with her character development. She appears brave at first, but in the middle she is a girl who whines inexplicably. However, if you enjoy the 1001 Nights retelling, this book is not to be missed. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

With lush worldbuilding, lyrical prose, an intriguing magic-system and a compelling, Spice Road is probably one of the books I’m most excited to get a physical copy of, when it releases early next year. It contains themes of privilege, class, colonialism, the crushing weight of expectations and the things we do for those we love.

The thing that drew my attention towards this book at first has to be the magic-system. It’s probably one of my favorite aspects of the genre and definitely one of this book’s strongest aspects. The magic comes from tea, which gives the drinker certain abilities, but what kind of abilities differs. While I have seen a book or two doing something vaguely similar with the tea, I still found it to be unique and refreshing, and overall a nice fresh addition to the fantasy genre.

The pacing was a bit slow at first, but once the character’s reach a certain destination, I could definitely feel the pacing picking up and the simmering tension between certain characters reaches it’s peak and the ending certainly wasn’t what I was expecting, but I’m eager to see where the story goes.

Overall a very solid debut and I’m very excited to see what else Maiya Ibrahim has in store for us.

This review will be up on my Instagram, @Kratist0, before the end of the month.