Spice Road

This book was an exciting, innovative and refreshing take on the YA magical/adventure fantasy. Spice Road is set in a beautifully imagined, Arabian-inspired world. As someone who has grown up reading largely Western-set fantasy, I found the rich desert setting of this book to be a breath of fresh air. The characters are all complex and wonderfully written, and I found myself rooting for Imani (the protagonist) from practically page one.

Spice Road will take you on an expansive journey across forgotten cities and ancient desert sands. With the help of mira, a tea that imbues its drinker with magical abilities, and a crafty djinni who will ultimately capture the reader's heart, our main character Imani undertakes the most spectacular expedition in search of her lost & presumed-dead brother. I hesitate to talk much more about the plot for fear of giving anything away, but just know that I found this book a difficult one to put down. If you love adventure-driven fantasy and long for a fresh take on magic, you'll love Spice Road.

Genuinely one of the best fantasy books I've ever read. The character arcs were executed wonderfully, and my heart swelled when I came across terms I grew up hearing. I will never ever grow tired of reading west/south Asian books with Islamic undertones; it always reduces me to tears. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good story!

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.

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!

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.

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??????

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.

Imani is a young warrior with a magical affinity for iron. When she discovers her brother - previously declared a traitor and believed dead - might actually be alive, she sets out to find him.

This is such a beautiful book! Incredible world building meets phenomenal, nuanced characters with a plot full of growth and betrayal. I genuinely couldn't put it down, and I can't wait for the sequel so that I can return to Qalia.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you net galley for providing me with the e-arc! I had the best time reading Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim ! Spice Road is a YA fantasy set in an Arab-inspired word with tea/spice magic! We follow Imani, a gifted Shield with an infinity for iron who needs to find her missing brother. To follow her on the journey, she must ally with another Shield, a beast-seer she can’t stand. (Rivals to???). But between duty, orders and wishes of the heart, the choices were not easy and I loved how the characters faced them differently!

It was everything! The pacing was so good, very fast and filled with action, it made the book a pageturner and the writing was gorgeous!

The main characters were great, realistic and each with very distinct goals. I do love a scene-stealer and you’ll all find a certain dark-haired Djinni pretty cool!

I adored the unique, fresh magic-system! The world building was filled with dangerous deserts, mirages and mythical creatures!

The book also explore themes of power, privileges and colonialism, slowly unfolding during the character’s journey. This book being the first one in a trilogy I have no doubt we’ll dive into them even deeper in the sequel and I’m really excited!

Congrats on this fantastic debut Maiya, seeing more books by SWANA authors on shelves is so heartwarming and I highly recommend Spice Road! Preorders help authors are lot, so grab your copy now to receive some really pretty prints!

I really enjoyed this book! Arabian and Middle Eastern inspired fantasies are some of my favorite books and this one is no exception! I just love the beautiful and fascinating world building and the mythological creatures in this story! The characters were very well written and had a lot of depth. The main character Imani starts out very naive and stubborn in her beliefs and views. By the end of the book she was a very different character and she grew so much. I hope Taha has some growth in the next book. There were definitely some plot twists in this book and things I did not see it coming! I can’t wait for the next book to continue with Imani and the crew’s story!

Firstly thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the arc of Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I was really, really impressed with this being a YA debut. The plot, the characters, the world building and the magical system are complex, interesting and truly well thought through.

The story is very much told from the POV of Imani, following the loss of her elder brother Atheer she is trying to continue her life but, her younger sister has other plans and Imani is thrown into the midst of a rescue operation for her brother, who may still be alive.

Unfortunately for Imani, this involves companions including Qayn, a devilishly handsome djinn who she totally does not trust, and Taha, a powerful and rather arrogant beastseer.

As I said previously, this book delivers fantastic, well constructed and intriguing world building, which is delivered at an excellent pace in parity with the plot. There are definitely no lectures! The characters are well rounded, with layers that draw you in…even when they aren’t that likeable.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t find Imani that likeable at the start of the book, but I was intrigued by her, her background, beliefs, thoughts and opinions. Qayn is a totally intriguing character, there is so much we don’t know about him, but Taha is truly a character that I felt for, there is so much about him that was initially unseen.

I really enjoyed this book and the plot, pace and characters drove me to the end, and now I’m sat here bereft as I have to wait for book 2! If you’re looking for a YA fsntasy with a truly intriguing plot, fabulous world building and great, complex characters, pick up Spice Road!

Firstly thank you to netgalley for providing me both the E-arc and the audiobook for this novel! This was an amazing debut book from Maiya Ibrahim. The story follow Imani who uncovers that her missing brother may still be alive and must travel to bring him back home, she is accompanied by Qayn, a devilishly handsome djinn and Taha, a powerful and rather arrogant beastseer. This book was exceptional and has all the ingredients of an well executed fantasy; the world building is both intriguing and not overwhelming, the characters have a depth that is sustained throughout the story and the plot is incredibly interesting too! Imani was such a brilliant main character, I found myself empathising with her, her beliefs, her thoughts. She really embodied what it means to be a sister, especially bc of how important family is to her clearly. Qayn was also such a brilliant character, and I really grew to love him by the end of the book but the character that really tore at my heart was Taha. He was amazing, the juxtaposition of his personality, his strength, his beliefs. I was blown away honestly because he kept surprising me throughout the book. I’m so excited for book 2 which I most definitely will be buying because this has to be one of my favourite books this year!

This book is outstandingly beautiful, the building of an Arabian inspired land is breathtaking.

Im a huge fan of a traveling trope and this book does traveling fantasy beautifully, mixed with a politically driven plot and rebel elements. The character arcs are complex, all relationships and friendships go through every emotion possible, they grow, develop and flourish within the story.
The epic journey to find Imani's brother is filled with adventure and excitement and I found it really well balanced.
The emotional turmoil these characters put me through is second to none, Taha is such a complex character to unravel, one who has an internal struggle with a turbulent past, conflicting emotions and loyalties, I enjoyed trying to suss him out the most.

If you love a romance that will take you from distain to resistance and beyond, adventure and rich world building, political driven plots, glorious characters that will put you through an emotional roller coster, travelling tropes, well thought out magic systems and a satisfying start to a series, you really need to pick up Spice Road.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review*

This was an excellent book and I loved it. I read it two times just because. The pacing and the world building were really awesome. The characters were really good and developed beautifully. I can't wait for the second book.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC 🫡

First of all : I am in love with this book!! Every other book I read this year better be ready to fight for first place on my list of favorite 2023 books ⚔️

Spice Road is a YA Fantasy set in an Arabian-inspired world filled with magic and mayhem✨ it’s unlike anything I’ve read in terms of fantasy inspired by the Arabian culture and I loved every aspect of it. The magic system was a breath of fresh air and tbh I’m just jealous of the worldbuilding 👀

The action filled plot and the lush writing style were what drew me into the story but it was the characters, and their relationships with one another, that ultimately made this book speak to my heart. I love the way the story centers around siblings who’ll do anything for each other. And I also loved how flawed they were but at the same time everyone was just trying to do ✨their best✨

If you like dashing adventures, plot twists that’ll keep you at the edge of your seat and nuanced characters that will make your heart bleed and sing at the same time, this book is for you 😌

Spice Road comes out on January 24th, don’t forget to grab a copy 💜

A magical and exciting read! I have been in the worst reading slump for some time now and this enchanting book has fully taken me out of it! Fans of the daevabad trilogy, Ember quartet and We hunt the Flame will fall in love with this world of magical tea, monsters, ghouls and jinn.

"Whoever controls the Spice . . . controls the Kingdom itself.

The first book in an epic fantasy series for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal and Elizabeth Lim, set in an Arabian-inspired land. Raised to protect her nation from the monsters lurking in the sands, seventeen-year-old Imani must fight to find her brother whose betrayal is now their greatest threat.

In the hidden desert city of Qalia, secret spice magic awakens the affinities of those who drink the misra tea. With her affinity for iron, seventeen-year-old Imani can wield a dagger like no other - and for that she has gained a reputation as the next greatest Shield, battling djinn, ghouls, and the other monsters spreading across the sands.

But ever since her brother was discovered stealing their nation's coveted spice - a tell-tale sign of magical obsession - and disappeared into the deadly Forbidden Wastes, Imani's reputation has been in tatters. Despite Atheer's betrayal, there isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't grieve him.

Then Imani discovers signs her brother may be alive, and spreading their nation's magic to outsiders. Desperate to find him - and to protect him - she joins the mission sent to hunt him down. Accompanied by Taha, a powerful beastseer, who enthrals and enrages her in equal measure, Imani soon discovers that many secrets lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes - and in her own heart.

Caught between her duty to her nation, and her love for her brother, Imani must decide where her loyalties lie . . . before it is too late."

thank you to netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the e-arc, all opinions are my own.

"the truth is the thorn, not the rose."

I think the fact that I finished this book in three hours on the same day I received it should say enough- I literally could not put it down!

first things first, the writing. it was absolutely MESMERISING. the descriptions were so richly evocative, I felt like I was there in each scene, running away from monsters and danger, exploring the market places, watching them make the tea. sometimes, especially in fantasy, the writing can get dreary but here, it was just wonderfully immersive. imagine Tahereh Mafi x sabaa taahir. a match made in heaven, I know.

the characters;
I am a sucker for heroines with faults and Imani was exactly that. she was stubborn, proud and naive. she made bad decisions and at times was a little bit annoying and that was brilliant because it made her a real person, someone we can relate to. (minus all the magical abilities. unless you're a magical creature) characters who are just brilliant and superb and amazing at everything get really boring, really quickly so Imani was just The Girl for me. I love her.
and then qayn. like pretty much everyone who has read the book, I LOVED HIM. dark haired, sarcastic, kind, a djinn and possible enemies to ???, SIGN ME UP. his character arc was *chefs kiss* and his whole shoeless journeying was a vibe
now, taha. I was a bit conflicted by him. I enjoyed the whole brooding, arrogant soldier vibe but his whole intense rule following mantra, especially in certain scenes, spoiled his character a little for me especially as a love interest. however, the little seedlings we have of his backstory have been planted in this book so maybe the next book (which I will definitely be getting, and you all will be too) will have the big tree of taha character arc.
those are the main three we have character art for but an honourable mention to Amira because I just want to give her a big hug and be her best friend. fierce family love that is a big theme in this book and she is the epitome of this love. her dedication to her siblings and her passion for justice made her one of the most interesting characters I've ever read about. in case it wasn't clear: I love Amira with all my heart and I would honestly recommend the book just for her.

the plot:
AMAZING. the synopsis read a little bit like an ember in the ashes (another brilliant book that you should all read) but it wasn't, besides the whole brother-gone-missing-so-rescue-mission idea. every chapter blended seamlessly together, making this masterpiece. I can't share too much because I don't want to spoil it but I shall sum it up like this: AAAAAAAHHHHHHOMGAAAHHHHH.

world building: this book was a lesson in world building. I could imagine the whole spice road world and the theme of colonisation not only brought life to the world, but was also incredibly both eye opening and heart breaking. when just the world building evokes an emotional response, you know that book is good and this book excelled in that.

overall, you deserve to get this book. you deserve to get lost in a lush world, full of magic and intrigue. you deserve an enemies to ???, buckets of betrayal and beautifully strong family relationships and this book will give you all of this. so get it <3

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodderscape for the arc!

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Fans of The Ember Quartet series by Sabaa Tahir or The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty will not be disappointed by this first installment of an epic new Arabic fantasy series!

Written from the perspective of seventeen-year-old Imani, I grew to like her over the course of the book, as she challenges her preconceptions of class and privilege, and comes to learn about the effects of colonialism and what it means to be human. Her journey is an interesting one: as a character who has very fixed notions of what the world is supposed to be, she resists change at first, wanting to stay within the comfort of her ignorance until she is confronted with a reality that cannot be denied, and realises that she is the one who needs to change, befriending djinnis and expanding her worldview along the way to find her brother in a place she never expected to exist.

What I liked about the book: I loved the world-building, especially in learning more about the Forbidden Wastes and the magical creatures who inhabit it, monsters and djinnis both. I enjoyed the magic system which was straightforward but still intriguing, as well as the spice that activates the magic both serving as enhancers and limitations to the magic users who wish to use magic. The strong familial ties between Imani and her family were also great to witness, as well as Imani's character growth in the latter parts of the novel. I also really loved learning more about Qayn's backstory and I'm certainly looking forward to finding out more about him in the next book!

What I liked less: The romance between Imani and Taha. I truly hope that after he left her for dead that they don't get back together because I can't really imagine how his actions can be redeemed. While it was truly awful how much abuse he has been subjected to, outside of his father's direct influence, he still had a choice to try to save her, yet he chose not to</spoiler>. I understood why it was included, and how it helped drive the plot forward, however, I didn't find it compelling enough and it seemed as if all they had was attraction. I wasn't convinced that Imani fell for Taha so quickly. The first half of the story was also slower and it took me a while to become immersed in the world, especially as I didn't find Imani very likable at the start. Nevertheless, once it picked up, I felt that the flow of the story worked out well and built up to a strong end that sets the scene very well for a sequel.

Overall, I thought this was a splendid debut and I look forward to reading more of the Spice Road Trilogy!

A great debut YA novel to open an engaging trilogy. Having themes anchored in social justice, colonisation, empire building and equality makes this a relevant title for young adults. Anchoring this in the Fantasy world ensures that the story is never preachy or didactic as it's a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable adventure story. The flawed main character learns lessons about herself in a range of authentic and age appropriate ways and finds strength by trusting those she may not have done so in the past.
I really loved the adventure in this novel. Imani has to fight for what she believes in but I also love how her understanding of what has influenced her beliefs encourages her to redraw her own ethical boundaries and her interactions with others. The authentic ways that she learns would both be helpful for middle years teens and without sermonising may help them establish their own beliefs and behaviours - even if they don't have to think about how they might wield their magical powers!
I enjoyed that it's clear that there is more to come but also the fact that this volume had a thoroughly satisfying close. Enough questions were answered while still opening up a range of questions for the future volumes, which I can't wait to read.

In the hidden desert city of Qalia, secret spice magic awakens the affinities of those who drink the misra tea. With her affinity for iron, seventeen-year-old Imani can wield a dagger like no other - and for that she has gained a reputation as the next greatest Shield, battling djinn, ghouls, and the other monsters spreading across the sands.

A book that exceeds all my expectations is a book that I am sure going to recommend for years! I have always loved stories inspired by Arabian folktales, cultural elements and legends (Rebel of the Sands is my all time fave book!), so I was super excited to read Spice Road!

This gripping, unputtable YA fantasy is going to be your new favorite! The story is definitely plot and adventure-driven, so if this is something you like, you must pick it up. For the fans of character-driven stories, this book does not lack in beautiful and flawed characters. Their developement throughout the situations they get into in the story is remarkable and I think is very well-written! One of the best arcs I have read! I absolutely adored Imani (her caring soul) and Qayn's (the big mouthed djinn) dynamic.

So before I spoil the whole book with my lengthy review and word-rush, here are a few aspects I LOVED in this book, and I think you will too:
- spices and tea wields magic is probably the most unique and epic fantasy element
- enchanting setting: Arabian-inspired, lushious descriptions of the desert and the Eastern World!
- rich descriptions, beautiful iagery and lyrical prose
- perfectly realistic characters and their flaws - leads to great character developements!
- a very mysterious, witty and always ready to argue djinn companion
- also explores topics like family relationships, priviledges and colonialism
- assassin in progress

Thank you so much for the publisher, the author and Netgalley for my advanced e-galley! All thoughts are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love love loved this book. The worldbuilding, plot and characters, everything was absolutly perfect.

The way the author depicted the arab culture was chefs kiss. If I am not mistaken the specific arab culture in the book is from the levant area, like Syria, Lebanon etc. I will never get over the feeling of seeing my culture and language represented accuratly and with care. The worldbuilding was so imensly developed and well built that I felt as if I had been int the same places that the characters was. The magic system and portrayals of the goverments made so much sense.

Imani, the main charcter was in my opinion very lovabel and changed through the whole story. Her character developed and the way the author portrayed her changing world view was very realistic. I like how visibly her change was throughout the story and how she recognized her flaws and worked on them. She was also so much of a badass and very inspiring.

The way that the plot thickens throughout the story and the plotwists left me at the edge of my seat to the point I couldn't wait to turn the page. I also loved the authors writing style and how alive it made the story feel.

Overall this was definitly one of the best books I have read in a while and definitly will recomend to everyone I know. It also reminded me of Hafzah Faizal's We hunt the flame duology and Sabaa Tahir's An ember in the flame series, which if you haven't read you should definitely read but if you have read them and liked them then you should definitely read this one.

Spice Road is the first book in the debut series by Maiya Ibrahim, and what an epic debut to the series it is!

We follow Imani, who is part of an elite group, Shields, that protects the people of Qualia, Sahir. She discovers her brother, Atheer, who disappeared a year ago, and everyone thought him dead, might be alive. With this newfound information, she sets on a quest to find him with a group of people she's not exactly fond of, her rival from Shields, Taha and his friends. But what the others in the group don't know is that Imani broke the law and has a help of a djinn, Qayn, who is the only one that knows the way to her brother. They journey far beyond their known world, through places that shouldn't exist anymore. Along the way, she learns that what she learned in their history books is not the whole story.....

I fell in love with the story very quickly. I loved the world-building, the magic system, and the focus on sibling love more than romance. The characters are complex and interesting. I admit, Imani annoyed me at first, but when she realized and saw that what Qayn said about her brother and the kingdom of Alqibah might be true and started to change, I liked her. Without a doubt, my most favourite character is Qayn, the djinn. He's perfect - mysterious, powerful, handsome and complex with a lot to say and learn about him. Hopefully, we'll get even more of him in the next book.

It's definitely the kind of fantasy I enjoy - beautiful world-building, a strong female character, supernatural beings, and action-packed. I recommend this story to everyone who loves to travel to faraway lands!



Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for granting me access to an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
This book was an absolutely brilliant read. I loved the rich and imaginative worldbuilding. The setting was great and so was the pacing of the story. The book has complex characters, as well as a unique magic system. I'm really excited to read more books by this author. I can't wait to see what happens next.

One of my favourite reads of the year so far! The start of a stunning fantastical adventure and a brand new author who I can't wait to hear more from.