4.5/5

I am a broken shell, I am ruined, I am wrecked. This was so beautiful. I have no words (but I will still blab away in this review for ages because I am in utter awe).

Tasha Suri's skill has never been more apparent. This series is so magical and so unyieldingly painful, brutal and beautiful. It is full of such heart and hope and unwavering love. It is so wonderfully written, Tasha Suri's prose never fails to absorb you, it is astoundingly poetic. We are not merely reading words on paper, we are breathing the rot-green air of Ahiranya, we feel every lick of heat from the promise of mother's fire, we are alive and real in the world alongside the characters.

And what a cast of characters they make. I have adored them all for so long and it's been such an incredible journey to see them through to the end. We have watched them grow into people larger and more powerful than they ever dreamed of being, we have watched them warp themselves and change, and cut out their hearts. I loved how much they still had to grow, even in this last book, I loved how complicated and tangled the vines of their hearts still hung. They are such well-written, human characters, with flawed ideals and conflicting motivations, and so much tragedy about them all. Quite simply, I adore them and I am so very sad to leave them.

I, absolutely no exaggeration, cried throughout the entirety of this book. There's such tragedy woven into the pages, such vibrant life that burns even brighter when parts of it crumble away. Loss echoes in our characters' hearts, betrayal chokes them. They start this book with a thick and cloying sense of devastation that never truly leaves them. I just adored every single step, every last chapter.

Bhumika's chapters were the ones I probably cried hardest at (although that might be a lie, as I very genuinely did just cry at everything) and when I said before that there is such tragedy written into these characters' stories, I sincerely meant it. The Oleander Sword ends quite shockingly for every last one of our main characters, and I knew this book would be an emotional one as it sits in the aftermath of these events, as we are forced to deal with the repercussions. But I think I underestimated just how devastating it would be to read (I'm sure Tasha Suri is somewhere out there cackling evilly—and we love her for it).
Bhumika is a hollowed out shell of the person she was, she has her purpose and she has made her sacrifices. She is followed by the most loyal of her guard who walks with her every step, who protects and defends who she is and who she once was. She has made the ultimate sacrifice and she has done so to save her homeland. For Ahiranya, she will do anything.

Rao is another character who truly sits in the grief of the events from the last book and his is a wretched and broken journey. He is no longer who he was, his faith and his heart have abandoned him. His is a journey of learning how to live again. And that is no easy feat.

Priya and Malini are locked into their eternal dance; through that unbreakable thread that links them we see the tides of war shift and fall, weaknesses exploited and grasped at with greedy hands, love made into something darker and more twisted. I cannot talk of one without the other.
Malini refuses to burn. It is not her fate. She will fight against this destiny, smoke already in her lungs. She has done so much, lost so much, to be where she is and she will not lose Parijatdvipa now.
All Priya has ever done, she has done for Ahiranya. She has sacrificed herself, hollowed herself, to become what her land needs. She is a temple child, she knows its waters, she is the green. But her land demands all of her, it demands more than she is able to give.

Another perspective I adored was Arahli Ara. It was fascinating to look through his eyes and see things both foreign and familiar, to see the burden of memory and humanity.
I will not say much more as I want this review to be accessible to those who haven't read this series yet, but I implore you to read it!

The world of The Burning Kingdoms is brilliant, it's so unique and fascinating. I love how entwined our characters are with the very soil beneath their feet, with the way the wind stirs through the trees and the plants wilt and grow. The rot is such a compelling part of the world and I adore how vastly it affects the empire.

As with the world, I found the politics of this book incredibly nuanced and complex. I kept finding myself worried to death wondering how it would end, but I never should have worried, Tasha Suri is an immensely skilled writer and she always had it well in hand. I loved the ending, and I (obviously) sobbed all throughout.

I come away from this series with tears on my cheeks and a sense of loss in my heart. I hate endings, I hate having to leave something behind. I will never get to experience this world and move alongside these characters for the first time ever again. I have come to the end of my journey with them. That devastates me. And, maybe you think I'm being dramatic, but I think that's exactly what a good book should do. It should transport you, it should move you, it should change you. And I can say with iron certainty that this series did every one of those things.

Without a doubt, Tasha Suri is one of my favourite authors and The Burning Kingdoms a favourite series. All I keep thinking is, beautiful. It was truly such a beautiful story and a beautiful end. I am eternally grateful that Tasha Suri wrote this incredible series, I so wish it wasn't over, but I loved every moment of it.
If you take nothing else away from this review, take away the fact that I am begging you to read these phenomenal books! I can't wait for what comes next (The Isle in the Silver Sea is one of my most anticipated books of 2025)!

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love this trilogy, it's very dear to my heart. I'll always think fondly of Malini and Priya (and Rao, my poor Rao). The final third book does give us a satisfying and amazing ending, even if it's also heartbreaking in places. I do feel like the meandering plot and the rather slow pacing kept me from enjoying it as much as its predecessors, though.

Seing Malini as empress and Priya as Elder was satisfying in so many ways. Suri never shies away from the complexities of morality in her trilogy, and it's what made this such an intriguing read. There is no clear good and evil and many of the conflicts presented (though there are some clearly evil characters as well), and even the big bads, the Yaksa, are not as onedimensional as one might expect. I loved delving into the lore, into the dense and fascinating world building. I loved the glimpses we got of the world beyond Arihanya and Parijatdvipa (and honestly, I would so read a book about Rao's journey).
I admittedly had to remind myself of a few things and characters because it's been a while since I read the last two books, but they returned to me easily after a synopsis or two. Which I do recommend - if you go into this blind or can't recollect the who's who of the admittedly rather big cast of characters, you might not enjoy this as much. If I had had the time, I would've reread the previous two books.

Suri's writing is wonderful again, the book's only real issue is the pacing which I've mentioned before. The beginning's plot of Malini going to war against Priya after that heartwrenching betrayal in book 2 was picking up speed quickly, but then it kind of slowed down into what felt like a long stretch of preparation for a conflict that just wouldn't come, and when it came it was rather quickly dealt with. There was a lot of meandering during the middle part of the book especially in Malini and Priya's chapters, while Rao and Bhumika were really the characters that moved the plot forward and worked towards a clear goal. Which is probably why they were my favourites this time around.

Still, the finale sticks the landing even though I'm not sure I'm personally satisfyed with how some of the characters ended up, but that isn't Suri's fault, just personal taste.
The Burning Kingdom trilogy is, all in all, one I can wholeheartedly recommend because it's unique, exciting, heartbreaking and all around well-written.

Since I started my reading of the holy sapphic trifecta in january 2023 I am always in awe of Tasha Suris writing and how she is able to break hearts - not only those of her characters but also those of her readers.

The Lotus Empire is no exception. Often I wondered how this book can end. How these characters can ever meet each other again. After the events of the second book everything was on edge and how Suri was able to balance these themes is amazing.

I wanted to reread the first to books before jumping into this one but time, stress and mental health didn't allowed it. But I want to praise how Suri took every kind of reader (also those like myself with a little foggy remembrance of the details of that first books) and took them on this amazing journey.

Especially how the magic of Priya evolves and how masterful her use of it and her connection is described made me love this book even more. How the rot and Priyas magic expands, how Malini accepts part of Priyas magic and rekindles their connection - I cannot grasp how many emotions this ride took me on.

I will now swear to pick up everything by Tasha Suri! =D

The Burning Kingdoms falls into that elusive category of trilogy's where the series get's better with each book. My love for these characters and the world they inhabit grew with each page, ensuring that they worm their way into your hearts like the rot that is eating it's way through the empire. It's brutal, brilliant and this last book brought at almost horror element to the story adding to the depth and tension of a story already wrought in it. I honestly don't think this series could have ended any better, it may have broken me into a thousand pieces but it was a fitting end to the story and one I loved.

Fair warning that this review will contain spoilers for the first two books in the series, because I can't talk about this book without mentioning what came before. The ending of The Oleander Sword broke me in so many ways, so in a way I thought I was prepared for what was to come, but oh, how wrong I was. I think I'd cried 4 times within the first quarter of the book, and it just ended up going downhill from there. I hated the maw that had opened up between Priya and Malini, a space so wide it seemed impossible to traverse. Priya's actions at the end of the second book shook, not just Malini, but the people around her and left Malini in a precarious position. One where she needs to bring down the Yaksa, needs to fight the Ahiranyi's, but also wants Priya to live, to protect her, even after what she did. Their relationship is woven so intricately through this series, but now it's turned brittle, something so fragile that a simple touch could bring it crumbling down, but these two women are strong, they have clawed their way to power, fought against those who would call them witch, who said they must burn, and they will not let themselves, or their people go down without a fight.

The ending of the last book also saw Bhumika give herself & her memories up for a chance to stop the Yaksa once and for all, and boy was I not prepared for how emotional her parts of the book would make me. I've loved her as a character since the first book, as complicated and brutal as she can come across, she is simply trying to do her best to protect her people. The knowledge she gains has such an important part to play in the story, but it was truly heartbreaking seeing her become this husk of the woman she was before. Someone who had no one to love, who didn't remember her sister of child, or even the love of Jeevan who had to travel with her knowing that she didn't know who he was to her. And then there is Rao, grieving the death of Aditya, the man he loved but could never admit it. He is lost, floating through life with no plan, no mission, hating the nameless for taking Aditya away from him, but then Malini sends him away. He see's it as a punishment until he gets there and realises that he might just have the one thing that can end this war for good.

These are our main POV's, but Suri makes sure we are aware of every little going on within the Empire, every deceit, every little whisper, thanks to the additional POV chapters she graces us with. It really adds an extra depth to the story, allowing us to almost predict events before they happen, but don't think that lessens the impact in any way because that couldn't be further from the truth. Instead these chapters build on the tension that already exists, building to these inevitable clashes that still knock the breath out of you when they happen. Suri's writing and the overall pacing of this book make it almost impossible to put down, there are so many twists, so many heightened moments that had me on the edge of my seat. Her writing may be beautiful and prosaic in parts, but this is a brutal story, one with hope and love woven through, but certainly not a happy one.

I mentioned the almost horror aspect that was woven through this book, something that Suri brings to the story through the Yaksa. These beings that claim to be there to help, to bring a new age where those who worship them will be looked after. But we know the truth of them, the danger, the clawing need they have to cleave this world into something new, something fit for them and not humanity. Their features are enough to claim horror, half human half... nature, claiming the faces of those thought dead, but it's their desperation that is the true horror. Their willingness to kill simply to claim a few more second and third born among their worshipers, their intention to bring more temple children into the Hirana re-starting the circle of worship and sacrifice that Priya and Bhumika had tried to hard to stop. They see humans as weak, seeing them as nothing more than a means to an end. But humanity is not something easily squashed, and the very thing they think a weakness is what gives people the strength to bring them down.

Suri writes her Women as complicated, unforgiving beings and I honestly can't get over how real they feel, but also how happy it makes me to see characters like this on the page. Not simply women in power, but women who have killed for it, who have lied for it, women who don't claim to be good, to be wholesome, rather those who wanted power and took it. She shows the strength in women, in the whispers that wives share when they think no one is listening, the power they have over their husbands, and how someone clever, someone who knows about that power can and does use it to their advantage. It's a story filled with feminine friendships, alliances, and sometimes betrayals, but Suri shows the true power and brutality that women can wield if they take the chance to claim it. And the icing on top of the cake, she makes the main romance queer, makes them long for each other with a yearning that lasts through betrayals and stabbings. Makes them dream of each other, and of a world where they could be together, be happy, without the burden of power weighing them down.

The ending of this book broke me in so many ways. I cried both happy and sad tears, but it was an ending worthy of all that had come before it. I liked how Suri didn't take the easy way out, she showed the sacrifices that needed to be made, and despite all the horror and destruction that was woven, it was an ending filled with hope, but one also heavily steeped in reality. This series was brutal and beautiful and everything in between. Suri has created a masterpiece of fiction, and a series that will undoubtedly become a modern classic.

I have been waiting for this book to release for far too long, but oh my god, it was so very easy to fall back into the world of the amazing Burning Kingdoms series. While it has been quite sometime since i read the previous books, it was quite nice to return to this world and see all the familiar characters again, including Priya and Malini. I know there’s a few plot threads that I may have missed, but this is a series that I intend to read again so I know I’ll pick up on those later. Like the previous books in the series, The Lotus Empire has multiple perspectives, each showing different plot points that come together beautifully. It is in this book that we get to see how the events of book 2 have affected everyone and how both Priya and Malini are now dealing with the pressures of being leaders, trying to maintain their power. The angst this book delivers is just impeccable and lowkey made me kind of emotional too.

Priya and Malini have come so far from when we first met them and the conclusion to their story is done perfectly, at least I feel so. Tasha Suri’s writing is absolutely stunning, keeping you very grounded in this story. She has created the perfect multi-perspective interwoven narrative that I am obsessed with. The Lotus Empire offers a heartstoppingly perfect conclusion to what has been an incredible series and I, for one, cannot wait to read it all over again!

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of my most of anticipated book of the year.

WHAT a series finale!! 🥺 I've waited 2 years for this book and I am not going to be over it any time soon. The trilogy as a whole has been so precious to me ever since reading the first book, and it will 100% keep its spot among my favourite series of all times ❤️ I just finished the book, as I'm writing this review, and I feel SO much - so bear with me here.

Tasha Suri built the most incredible, rich and tangible fantasy world, and took her reader onto such a rollercoaster of a journey! I don't know what I can even say without giving spoilers for the earlier books... but gosh, do I love these characters so much ❤️ They made me cry, smile and feel so intensely.

The Lotus Empire is a high fantasy tale of power, reborn divinities, faith in all its forms, strong women, powerful bonds and earth-shattering love. It's the story of two fate-defying women who have every reason to hate and kill each other, yet can't extinguish the incredible feelings between them. Of an empire fighting divine enemies returning after centuries asleep. Of a smaller nation fighting for its survival against all odds. Of people giving up everything of themselves to fight for what they believe in. Of sacrifices, heartbreak, loyalty and betrayals.

Priya, Malini, Bhumika, Rao - each of the main POV characters had me absolutely rooting for them, feeling alongside them, wanting to find out what was next around the corner for them. I never wanted to skip a chapter to return to someone else's POV, because all of them were so captivating! Even though the first half or so of the book was quite slow in terms of pacing, the author drew me in constantly 👏 The second half was then simply unputdownable, with the pace picking up and the plot roaring up towards its end.

So, in case it wasn't clear, I'd recommend you pick up this series if you love high fantasy with very high stakes! It is not a light read - it is in fact quite dark - but, I think, a rather unforgettable one.

🪷❤️

𝘈𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘨𝘭𝘺, 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘪, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴.

In The Lotus Empire, the final book of Tasha Suri’s Burning Kingdoms trilogy, Malini and Priya find themselves in a final confrontation of sorts, though it feels more like an uneasy meeting than a true showdown. While the story has its strong points, particularly with Prince Rao’s journey of healing and growth, the book could have benefited from a tighter structure—perhaps even as a duology. Rao’s perspective was refreshing and purposeful, making him the most active character in this entry, while Malini, Priya, and Bhumika often seemed adrift, moving around without achieving much.

The plotline involving Varsha’s attempted betrayal felt tacked on and resolved too quickly to add real intrigue. The yaksa, who in previous installment promised menace, ultimately lacked a clear agenda (apart from Mani Ara), diminishing their impact. Similarly, the romance between Priya and Malini felt underdeveloped, with limited interaction to support their deep commitment by the end. Though The Lotus Empire effectively ties up loose ends, it didn’t capture the tension or depth of the earlier books, in my opinion. Overall, a satisfying conclusion, but it left me feeling less invested—3 stars.

First of all, I would like to say thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me an ARC of this book!!! The Goddess of the River and The Lotus Empire are my two most anticipated reads of this year and both times I was approved to read the books a little earlier - so thank you so so much:".

However, how do you write a review to one of your favorite series' ending? I won't lie and say that reading this series had brought me joy and happiness because I'm pretty sure I spent 80% of it either screaming or crying for multiple reasons but that's part of the experience I guess LOL. However, this series was the first fantasy series I read that makes me feel represented in terms of seeing Hindu mythology being used and seeing all the familiar names and words not to mention it also having a sapphic romance on top of it?? I couldn't thank Tasha Suri enough for what she has given me.

To me, The Lotus Empire delivered such a satisfying conclusion to the series. We were left with quite big cliffhangers and questions at the end of the second book - Priya betraying Malini, Bhumika's memories being removed, the Yaksas taking over the temple. It was interesting to see the aftermath of everything that happened in the Oleander Sword for all the characters in the beginning of this one. One thing I loved about this series is how there's always something new to expect. Stakes became even higher for everyone with the presence of Yaksas and the rot spreading, but also we still get introduced to new characters and new world-building.

Like the other parts of this series, the characters have always been the strongest point for me (not to say that the other elements aren't because Tasha Suri is just brilliant at writing). I loved being back with Priya, Malini, Bhumika and Rao in this world even though it genuinely stressed me out seeing how much they had to suffer in this book. It's interesting to see the contrast between how both Priya and Malini had to step into leadership roles in this one. Priya and Bhumika have always been the most interesting one to me because despite their softness, there's so much strength and determination in them and how they both cared so much for their friends and family. Malini was more angry and vicious in this one but that's understandable given the amount of misogynistic priests and people trying to make her sacrifice herself and also her grief of losing Aditya. I've grown to love Rao as well throughout reading this series and I liked how we get to see more of him explored in this last book.

The Lotus Empire for me was more action and plot-heavy than the previous books and since the characters spent most of the book apart from each other, the romance was not as strong as the first or second to me. But that doesn't mean it was lacking - I think the fact that Priya and Malini were separated and after the betrayal made the build up to the romance even better especially with the angst and yearning from both sides</3. I also really loved seeing the development between Bhumika and Jeevan in this one too, and the new friendship dynamics that were explored between our main characters and our side ones.

Starting The Burning Throne 2 years ago truly was one of my best bookish decisions I've made. This series has constantly been a series I look forward to reading every single year and these characters have truly wormed their way close to my heart so finally finishing the series feel bittersweet to me. I'll never stop recommending this series to everyone looking for a new fantasy series to scream and cry to</3

4.25*

This review may contain spoilers for books 1 and 2.

What a ride, I’m still so emotional.
I’m glad I did a re-read of the prior books because I was fully immersed in the world and characters that way, falling in love with both of them all over again.
I really enjoyed being along for Malini, Priya, and Bhumika’s journeys, our main lovelies, and to see their growth over the course of the trilogy. Priya has to take over as ruler, even though she never wanted to be one, struggling at first. Malini, now empress, has to navigate all her enemies and the expectations of her priests that believe her willing sacrifice on the pyre will safe them all, and Bhumika is on her way to find the right people to get her dangerous knowledge across to while having no real memories of who she actually has been once. And then there’s Rao, grief-stricken, morning lost chances, whom I’ve grown so fond of and could relate to so much, as well as Arahli/Ashok who fascinated me because of how torn he is between conflicting loyalties, feelings, and agendas. His arc in particular I found to be pretty interesting.
The magic and the god-like creatures were fun and terrifying to read about. Faith is a big topic, too, how too much of something can turn into something ugly and destructive, and the consequences of power.
The found family vibes were so touching, the strong loyalties between the characters, even when outer circumstances made it really difficult and painful at times.
It is debatable whether all the POVs were strictly necessary. There was also some repetitiveness. The pacing could have been a bit quicker and more even. But those are things that also mildly bothered me in the other books. There is one plot point in particular that felt a bit too convenient and out-of-left-field for my taste, and I was mildly disappointed that Rao’s potential hasn’t been fully used. But it could also be me just wanting more of Rao because I love him so much.
The main romantic subplot has grown on me over time. The painful yearning was great in this instalment. But I also adored the other, smaller romance. I was even more attached to the friendships and familial bonds, though.
The writing was lovely and wonderfully lush as always.
The ending is kinda bittersweet (could have been more on the bitter side of things to make it a bit more realistic), and acts as a satisfying conclusion to this trilogy, in my opinion.
If you loved the first two books, you’ll probably like this last one as well. Can highly recommend the entire trilogy for its lovable, flawed characters who are forced to make difficult choices, strong relationship bonds, and the India-inspired world, fascinating magic and creatures.

Thank you Orbit for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After being disappointed by book 2 in this trilogy, I was curious to see if I would enjoy this one again. The pacing was definitely faster than in the second book which was a good thing, however I found the plot to be all over the place and not cohesive. There were some POVs I don't think we needed, I would've preferred it if we spent more time with the two mains. It was overall a good conclusion to the story though, the ending was very fitting and I was happy with how things ended.

A good ending to the amazing trilogy by Tasha Suri. This is such a vivid and creative world that she crafts with a unique magic system and a complex cast of characters. The cultures and communities were a joy to read and seeing how the world developed with really enjoyable too. Of course, Priya and Malini are central to this plot and their development was really interesting to read over the course of this book.
I will say - though that the pacing wasn't as great in this final novel as it was in the first two and it meant that some parts of the plot dragged and dawdled whereas other sections zipped past so quickly I had to reread it to make sense of it. However, this was a fun series and i'm so glad I read it. I will follow Suri's future work with keen interest!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

The Lotus Empire has firmly cemented The Burning Kingdoms as one of my favourites series ever. Tasha Suri is an author I continue to be in absolute awe of, the way she handles such a strong and expansive cast of characters, dipping in and out of multiple POVs and balancing the creation of such a complex world is something to behold.

This book was the perfect conclusion to this trilogy. It was nothing I expected and everything I could have wanted. I was hooked throughout, constantly needing to know what happened next.

At the story's core is, of course, Malini and Priya. After The Oleander Sword I was desperate to see how their relationship would end of in this book. Their time apart and time together was handled perfectly. The hate they're meant to feel for each other and the love they have, the deep desperate connection between the two of them was just,,,, they are the couple of all time. They are the characters of all time. I love them and their dynamic so much. So many of their interactions were just beautiful and raw and perfect. And the ending,,, I don't want to spoil but it served both their characters so well. Malini didn't burn, she did what she wanted with power and now she and Priya get to be together and explore the world and just,, they deserve it.

And, as with the previous books, I loved Priya's other relationships. Her bond with Rukh (who I adore, he was so good with Padma and the temple children) really shone in this book, and though they weren't physically together as much her friendship with Sima and sisterhood with Bhumika continued to just be wonderfully crafted and developed.

Bhumika was just incredible in this one. It's incredible how a character who has lost her memories can still be written in such a recognisable way.

I also loved Rao so much in this one, they way he was caught and tied in grief for Aditya and loyalty to Malini/Parijatdvipa. He was so, so good at fostering connections in this one that allowed the heart's shell and mother's flame to be (re)discovered for the war against the Yaksa. He also killed Hemanth and he fucking deserved to die! I also loved his friendship with Sima (love a wlw/mlm friendship!) and their ending finding something new elsewhere in the world together.

I also loved getting the perspective of Arahli Ara, the Yaksa with Ashok's face. There was something to seeing the Yaksa's desperation for life and their revulsion towards the mortality and meat and emotions that taking the bodies of their worshippers was leading them to. Seeing their desperation to live alongside the desperation of all the human characters also wanting to live drove home the growing mortality of the Yaksa, yet it didn't make them sympathetic. A fine line was handled well and never crossed. At the end, when the Yaksa met their fate their was no sympathy for them, nothing that superceded the gladness that everyone else would live.

So many other characters were also just brilliantly written - Jeevan, Lata, Ganam, Sanvi, Shyam, Sahar. I hated some, I loved some, and for some it was both. Just incredible writing.

Just, this book was phenomenal. This trilogy was phenomenal. I love the world of Parijatdvipa and Ahiranya. I love the way the gods are written, they way they push into the mortal world from the void. The way the religious groups are kinda corrupted against a mortals own interests from that, how both the Mothers and Yaksa created a culture of sacrifice and death amongst the ranks of their worshippers. I just love, love, love this world. And if ever it was returned to with any beloved characters from this series on their travels, or any new characters, I would be glad to dive back into it. But this was a perfect conclusion; the story was wrapped up with no unsatisfying loose ends, no needless deaths or unearned victories. I will miss having read these books for the first time, but I am glad to have read them.

Thank you, Netgalley & Little Brown Book Group UK, for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Lotus Empire was an absolutely amazing journey. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The story takes off where The Oleander Sword ended and follows multiple POV’s including Priya, Malini, Bhumika and Rao. The story itself focuses on conflict on multiple levels. Between Priya and Malini, but also between Ahiranya and Parijat, between Malini and the priests, and Priya and the Yaksa. Bhumika and Rao are both on a quest to secure alliances and survival from the yaksa.

I personally think this was a very strong and satisfying conclusion for this series. The worldbuilding was phenomenal in this book. The character development was also absolutely great, and I loved the new dynamic between Priya and Malini. It’s amazing how their relationship develops over the spam of the three books. I also liked that there were POV’s from background characters as a way to show what was going on in the background.

Overall, this series was great, and I will definitely recommend this to everyone who likes a classic high fantasy story with twists and choices.

Burning Down the House

If you haven’t read the previous two books in Tasha Suri’s Indian-inspired sapphic fantasy series, “The Jasmine Throne” and “The Oleander Sword”, you should go and finish those right now, and not read any further. Just trust me that they are really that good. Two women torn between their love for their kingdoms and for each other. Old magic, old gods, epic battles, epic romance. Everything you could want from a series like this, all while setting the patriarchy on fire as an added bonus.

By this point, Malini is the Empress of Parijatdvipa, and Priya is the Thrice-Born Elder of Ahiranya. And they are quite distinctly at war. At the end of the last book, things were not looking particularly great for their relationship. What with the former having been stabbed by the latter, who was herself being gradually hollowed out by an ancient god in exchange for her powers. Not to mention that the Yaksa’s plans for the world increasingly seem like a bad deal for the humans.

I was a little worried if this book could possibly be a satisfying conclusion to the story, and more worried about just how emotionally devastating it would be in the process. Well, suffice to say, this book gradually hollowed me out too, then filled me up with something else entirely. It’s really well done, and feels like an appropriately epic end to the saga. The Burning Kingdoms is now one of my favourite fantasy series of all time, and I definitely recommend this.

Thanks to Little Brown Book Group for the review copy, and to Tasha for writing this.

I love this series so much, It's so rich in culture. So beautifully written, and a fantastic end to the story.
I can't wait to read more from this author!

The Lotus Empire didn't always feel as successful as its predecessors, and I found the pacing to be clunky at times - however, it was a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and the ending gave me goosebumps. I found the multiple perspectives trickier to get my head round this time - despite it often being a feature of novels I love, I did find myself occassionally losing the thread of the plot. I would have liked more interaction between Priya and Malini - but also realise that the plot would be less engrossing if that were the case. I found this a slower read than the other books in the trilogy, but can see myself revisiting it and uncovering little details I'm sure I missed.