A high-stakes realm where wyrd powers are outlawed and the aftermath of rebellion cracks open personal and political fault lines. The setting is gritty and vividly drawn. The writing style is fierce, visceral, and emotionally raw. Varga doesn’t shy away from difficult themes. The dialogue snaps, and the heroine’s inner turmoil is unflinchingly honest.

This was a beautifully written book, and I was hooked after 1 chapter! The rage, the betrayals, and the need for revenge consumed this story. Dania was a strong character, fierce in her need for revenge against her former love. But there was a softer side to her as well, which made her relatable, and balanced. Her need to not become a monster in her quest for revenge really made you root for her.
There were twists and turns along the way, and a very unique magic system which was intriguing.
I haven’t read the Count of Monte Cristo, so can’t say how it compares, but I don’t think that affects the reading of it.

I really enjoyed this book. I was quickly sucked in to the world and learning about all the characters. This moved at a good pace for me, and I was never bored and the writing never felt dull which is great. I love a strong female FMC and this certainly delivered. A great read!

Really enjoyed how the story was told with a strong fmc! Struggled to put the book down! Really good re telling and it does have a happy ending wooo! I was so grateful for that! Lovely ya book

I was late in getting to read it so I missed the opportunity! I do plan on purchasing the book and reading it though as I have friends who have recommended me this book in particular so I am really excited to read it!

This is one of my favourite reads of 2024 - Dania is a fantastic heroine and I really enjoyed that this was a reimagining of The Count of Monte Christo.

There was magic, action and romance - a perfect xomb in my opinion!

An exciting, sweeping fantasy romance which really picks up pace in the second half. A mesmerising world full of peril and treachery and SWORDS and epic SWORD-FIGHTING SCENES! That cover is utterly stunning too.

I finished this in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down! The unique setting really sets it apart from other YA adventure romance. A thrilling and gripping adventure for fans of women-forward storytelling! Revenge, romance, sisterhood, magic, and cliffhangers at every turn.

This unfortunately wasn’t for me. Too YA with childish characters and too long winded. I’ve heard lots of good things since though, so I think it was a me problem!

A count of monte christo gender swapped retelling
I found this book ok
She wasn’t very wrathful and I did find her a hypocrite a bit but I love the original story so enjoyed those elements and I like the addition of magic but it wasn’t that much and more like illegal consumable substances

I just feel like this just fell a little short for me but I enjoyed it still

This was such a unique and captivating ya book. I really enjoyed the narrative and our FMC was strong and fiesty.

The perfect starting place for young readers who are looking for a story of a strong powerful young girl with female rage.

I also listened to the audio for this and the narrator does a fantastic job. Highly recommend checking this one out.

I absolutely loved this book! The story was captivating and exceptionally well-written, making it a joy to read. It was the kind of book that grips you from the first page and keeps you turning until the very end. The balance between the intricately woven revenge plot and the romance subplot was perfect, keeping me on the edge of my seat one moment and laughing the next.

The "enemies to lovers" trope was executed flawlessly here. The progression from animosity to romance was natural and seamless, especially in the earlier chapters, where the shift felt organic and heartfelt. I was completely enamoured by it. I also adored the friendship between Dania and Noor—it was refreshing to see two characters supporting and standing up for each other so strongly.

The revenge-driven narrative was masterfully crafted, unfolding in layers that kept me guessing. The final twist left me stunned—it was entirely unexpected and brilliantly done. This book truly stands out as a must-read for anyone who enjoys an engaging and unpredictable story.

Dania, the heroine, is someone you can’t help but root for. She’s a strong, accomplished fighter and survivor, but what makes her so compelling is her complexity. Beneath her tough exterior, she has vulnerabilities and deeply cares for her loved ones. Her backstory was gripping, making her motivations for revenge so easy to understand. Her relationship with her father was also a beautifully written touch that added warmth to her otherwise brutal journey.

After being betrayed by the boy she loved and falsely imprisoned for 364 days, Dania endured torture at the hands of the infamous prison warden, Touffsa. The warden was a cruel and vengeful antagonist, perfectly written to make your skin crawl. Dania’s quest for vengeance is aimed at Mazin, her former lover and Emperor Vahid's right-hand man, as well as Darbaran, the traitor who helped orchestrate her imprisonment.
While in prison, Dania’s life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Noor, a young girl trying to escape the same brutal conditions. Noor’s skills with zoraat—a rare plant that grants the empire its wealth and power—become key to their shared plan of escape and eventual overthrow of the empire. Their bond was one of my favourite aspects of the story. Noor served as Dania’s moral compass, balancing her darker tendencies with wisdom and restraint.

Dania’s inner struggle was deeply moving. Her thirst for vengeance was understandable, yet it put her at risk of becoming what she despised most. This moral complexity made her journey so compelling—I found myself torn between cheering her on and dreading the consequences of her choices. The moments where Dania’s pain and vulnerability shone through were heart-wrenching, and I even shed a few tears at a twist I didn’t see coming.

Mazin, on the other hand, was an intriguing and enigmatic character. While I didn’t particularly like him, his role in the story was essential and well-written. The tension between him and Dania added an edge to their interactions, and I was constantly questioning his true motives.

This book was a thrilling, fast-paced fantasy with well-developed characters and an intricately layered plot. The romance was beautifully done, especially the connection between Mazin and Dania, which made the romantic moments even more impactful. It’s one of the best retellings I’ve read, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging, emotional, and action-packed story.

Quality Rating: Three Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Two Stars

For the record, I put this book down at 51%. I was determined to get far enough into the story for Dania to start acting rather than just talking but, unfortunately, she'd sidestepped actually doing anything too many times for me. This book is very dramatic and grand in its idea of itself, but the actual encounters between characters are trivial. The protagonist builds things up in her prose but does very little to act on her threats when she gets the opportunity.

I really don't need to be told three to five times a chapter that Dania's ex-lover took advantage of her and betrayed her - that's made clear enough in the synopsis and first couple of sentences in the story. I didn't find the relationship flashbacks overly compelling in driving this part of the story (and I would bet that the book ends with them getting back together and it all being a big misunderstanding) but I still understand that you're using the enemies-to-lover trope reversed, please stop spamming the prose with it. This book would be 100 pages shorter and probably more tense for letting the reader draw their own conclusions if this detail wasn't written plainly every couple of pages.

In all fairness, I do think my opinion of the book ultimately suffered from expectations set by the marketing. I was expecting a fresh new take on this well-known trope with a rich magical system, but it ended up quite bland and didn't offer anything new to help me put with the YA narrator.

This book was good but I went in with wrong expectations and i think that’s what ruined it a bit. I knew it was a retelling of the count of monte cristo and I always like to know the source material so I can see where it’s similar and where it differs. I didn’t have the courage to read it (it’s a long book) so watched the film and really enjoyed it. Based on the film, my prior knowledge that the original is a story focussed on revenge and the title of this book I expected a revenge story where she is angry and bitter and won’t let any man stop her. I wanted fire and emotion and it just wasn’t giving that to me, she was a little angry but rational and I was so disappointed. Now ultimately the book does deliver it just starts slow, she doesn’t want revenge immediately it builds up to that. She gets angry she becomes bitter and I loved it I just wanted it to be there earlier in the story, I wanted to feel that fire straight away, so when I was like 30% in and it had been like drinking a Luke warm cup of tea instead of a strong shot of whisky I was disappointed. Overall I enjoyed it, the writing was great and I loved that it was set in Pakistan. If I had different expectations this would have 4 stars or more

THE FEMALE RAGE!!! I adored this book. Loved the action packed nature, adored the FMC, the romance was perfection. Dania is a SURVIVOR and I was rooting for her from the first page. The feminism and girl power vibes were fantastic. Thank you for the ARC!

“A history of women and girls being wronged by men who never had any consequences. Now I would be the consequences".

This book is a thrilling Pakistani retelling of the classic The Count of Monte Cristo, full of immersive world building, supernatural mythology and incredible action sequences.
After a year of being imprisoned for a crime she did not commit, Dania is ready to escape and when she comes across a fellow captive who may be able to help they join together in a plot for freedom and revenge.

This book had a little bit of everything but what I loved the most about this book was the Pakistani lore and supernatural mythology used in this story, in a day an age where lots of us love a paranormal/ supernatural element it was a breath of fresh air to have the Djinn used in this plot rather than the more commonly used vampires, werewolves etc.

This story had a heavy revenge plot but also held elements of an intriguing magic system, political intrigue, feminine rage, enemies to lovers, found family and a personal favourite - one bed.
Dania was a well written and likeable, filled with feminine rage but when it came down to it her friendship and loyalty to Noor was more important and of course we love to see woman lift other women. The romance in the book was delicious, with all the tension and the the plot twist at the end I genuinely did not see coming but non the less was perfect.

This was an incredibly well rounded book, as far as I am aware it is a standalone but this author did such a good job that I could see it working as a series too. Can't wait to see what else she has to offer,

I loved this book. It is a beautifully written tale of strong women seeking vengeance for the wrongs done to them and their loved ones. The rage that constantly bubbles beneath the surface is palpable (and, frankly, understandable), and it builds a great sense of tension. There is a feeling that Dania could boil over at any moment and wreak havoc - something akin to a berserker rage, in that you don't know where it would end. And you don't want her to lose it (...but you also kinda do...)
The story is well-paced and engrossing - I devoured the 2nd half in 2 days, which is largely unheard of for me these days!

All in all, it's a book that has left me wanting more. But in the best way. I want more of Noor, and Dani, more of their back stories, and their pasts. I want to learn more about the djinn, zoraat, and the magic of their world. I even want to know more about Thohfsa and her prison regime. How did she end up there? And how does someone become so brutal and desensitised?
I just want more!

Thank you Netgalley & Macmillan Children's Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved the premise of this book and there were some parts that were absolutely brilliant.

Unfortunately the other parts fell a bit flat for me. I struggled with the pacing at times and I couldn't understand why Dania made the choices she did at the end. It felt like the build up to the end was packed with her need for revenge and then when she got the chance she just forgot about it.

For She is Wrath is a a brilliant book about feminine rage, vengeance and righteous anger. I did really enjoy the book, but those aren't really emotions I like to focus on so don't really feel I can give it a 5 star for me personally. However, I would still recommend it as a mood read. The setting and worldbuilding were amazing, south east asian fantasy isn't something I've read much of before.

This ambitious YA fantasy novel was well-written and pacy. It immediately set off running. While this piqued my interest, it ultimately didn’t get me emotionally invested in the drama the characters were facing. This lack of build-up tempered the intensity of the scenes, so that they didn’t pack the emotional punch they could have. I wished the order of certain of events were rearranged, allowing me to feel for the characters more.

I wasn’t instantly drawn to Dania or interested in her revenge mission. She had a sharp personality and an extremely dogged mindset, neither of which I vibed with. She was an efficient cleaning machine, so efficient that I became desensitised to the frequent fighting/violence. I was waiting for Dania to unveil another dimension to her character.

I liked Dania’s friendship with the fellow escapee Noor, but Noor really was purely there to attempt to be a voice of reason for Dania. She was a side character who was very much on the side.

I’m all for a prominent romance sub-plot, but I found the romance itself to be very weak. Dania's irrational fixation on Mazin got repetitive fast, and if anything, made me root for the couple less.

Overall, even though I liked what this novel could have been, I crucially never became invested in the heroine’s mission. I thought the characters were flat and the emotional scenes lacked build-up.