MidnighTS Book Tag (3AM Edition)

Look I know I am posting this months later but it was a crazy couple months and my blog was basically abandoned but I am here to post it now!

Here is the link to the original by Star is All Booked Up

The Great War – love that rises above even the hardest times

As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow is this song. Kenan and Salamah go through the most difficult situations and make it through together stronger than before.

Bigger Than The Whole Sky – a book that deals with grief

The Dead Romantics has such great discussions on grief and dealing with the death of a family member.

Paris – favourite escape

The Daevabad trilogy is the perfect book to escape into and it got me through the pandemic.

High Infidelity – love triangle 

I don’t usually like love triangles but I do love Will Tessa and Jem from the Infernal Devices because I just wanted them all to be happy.

Glitch – friends to lovers

Percy and Annabeth are my absolute fave friends to lovers! I loved how we got to see their relationship grow over the years!

Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve – a book you wish had a different ending/DNF

Most recently it was We Are All Birds of Uganda. This book bored me half to death and neither point of view character was at all interesting and then that ending was so sudden and weird like what was the point of the story. 

Dear Reader – a book that taught you something important

Invisible Women showed me just how deeply our society is built to favour men and disadvantage women. I highly recommend reading if you want to rage.

I know this is super late but at least I was finally able to post it! Do share your answers and tag Rameela who created this post!

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim – ARC Review

Thank you Hodderscape for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In the hidden desert city of Qalia, secret spice magic awakens affinities in those who drink the misra tea. With an affinity for iron, seventeen-year-old Imani wields a dagger like no other warrior, garnering her the reputation as the next greatest Shield for battling the dangerous djinn, ghouls, and other monsters that lurk in the sands beyond city limits.

Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother who tarnished the family name after he was discovered stealing their nation’s coveted spice – a tell-tale sign of magical obsession. He disappeared soon after, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes, and leaving Imani reeling with both betrayal and grief.

But when Imani uncovers evidence her brother may be alive and spreading their nation’s magic beyond the desert, she strikes a deal with the Council to find him and bring him back to Qalia before he can reveal the city’s location. Accompanied by Qayn, a roguish but handsome djinni, and Taha, a powerful beastseer whose magical talents are matched only by his arrogance, they set out on their mission.

Imani will soon discover there are many secrets that lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes – and in her own heart – but will she find her brother before his betrayals endanger the fate of all of Qalia?

This book was such a fun ride! I loved Imani and Qayn but me and Taha are currently not talking. They were such interesting characters and I was completely hooked by the story from the beginning. I loved the world and the mythology that was woven into the story. The magic system was also so interesting and I am excited to learn more about it in the sequel and the history behind how Imani’s people were given the powers.

I loved the world and the desert setting with Imani’s home being magically hidden and how we see it expand once Imani learns that there is so much more out there and we get to learn with her. There is also arab folklore woven into the story and I loved seeing it from jinns to other mythical creatures and how they are part of this world. I am looking forward to seeing more of the world in the sequel. 

The truth is the thorn not the rose

I really loved Imani, she is a sheltered girl who doesn’t see the struggles of those who aren’t as fortunate as her. She comes from a powerful family so she is given opportunities that others may not get or have to fight for and she doesn’t see the advantages she has been given simply for being born into her family. But over the course of the story she starts to see that not everyone is given the same opportunities. She sees how Taha and the others resent her for it and that maybe she needs to do better. It was interesting to see because both her brother and sister do see the inequalities so she also learns a lot from her younger sister too. It was great to see that she was open to learning and changing by the end of the book.

Taha is such a complex character and had me going from rooting for him to hating him. I can see where he is coming from how he has had a difficult life and an abusive father but it still frustrated me that he would change how he was towards Imani so often. I hope we get to see some redemption for him in the sequel and he realises that he can choose his own path.

Qayn was probably my favourite character and I absolutely need more of him in the sequel and his backstory. We get to see some of it in this book and I am intrigued and I would read a whole book of his backstory. He is funny and chaotic and there is so much more to him than he shows us and Imani and how he is helping Imani.

Light not shared is light diminished

This book also has discussions on helping those who are being oppressed and whether it is not okay for powerful nations who aren’t affected to ignore what is happening and just protect themselves. We see the differing perspectives from the different characters and i really liked how the discussion was written into the story.

This is a fun story with lots of adventure and chaos and a great group of characters and I am so excited for the sequel!

Top 10 Tuesday – Series I’d Like to Start/Catch up on/Finish

There is so many books and never enough time to read them all especially when I also want to reread my favourite books so here are some that I really need to finish or start reading!

The Wolf of Oren Yaro trilogy – I loved the first book but I still haven’t gotten round to reading the rest

There Will Come a Darkness trilogy – I only need to read the last book but I just haven’t gotten round to it

A Curse So Dark And Lonely trilogy – Again, I just need to read the last book but I just haven’t picked it up

Jade City trilogy – Once again another book I adore but haven’t finished. Why am I like this?

A Magic Steeped in Poison – I was so excited to read this but I still haven’t even though I preordered it…oops

Redemptor – I loved Raybearer and even reread it to then read the sequel…but then I never did

Chain of Iron – In my head I’m telling myself I will read it closer the last book release date…I am a liar

The House With the Golden Door – I even met Elodie when the book released and I was so excited to read it but I still haven’t…I’m realising I have a problem

Mistborn trilogy – I read the first book a few years ago and absolutely loved it and then the size of the books intimidated me until I never picked them up

Heart of Iron – I love all of Ashley Poston’s books so I don’t even know why I haven’t picked this up yet even though I own the duology…I am a mess

Anyways this prompt has made me realise just how many sequels I need to read so I guess I should pick some of them up soon…I said like a liar

Top 5 Wednesday – Characters Who Need A Break

Sharing a top 5 wednesday post with you all today! So we’ve all read books where the character really goes through it and all we want to do is give them a hug. So here are some of the characters that could really do with a hug and some time off.

Alizayd from The Daevabad Trilogy – He really does not get a break in these books and the fact that they’re set over almost a decade. My boy needs a break. He carried the whole of Daevabad on his back and even the ending was him working to rebuild Daevabad. Shannon please give him a break! Let him nerd out on books and economics! Let me go there and give him a hug and maybe convince him to marry me instead.

Percy Jackson – This boy does not ever get a break even when he tries to distance himself, he’s dragged straight back in and now he has to go on a quest just to get into university?! Let him rest Rick!

Rae from The Theft of Sunlight – My girl really starts off by going to visit her cousin and ends up taking down a slave ring instead. She really needs some time off to go and see her family and friends and just relax for a while.

Selwyn from Legendborn – Look he lives in perpetual stress and it is not good for him. Let him have some time off where he doesn’t have to worry about keeping Bree and Nick alive! 

Laila from The Gilded Wolves – She straight up deserves a holiday after everything she goes through and then also dealing with an angsty Severin. 

MidnighTS Book Tag – Part 1

So today I’m sharing my answers to the Midnights Book Tag created by Rameela! You can find her post here. Everyone is welcome to do the tag and remember to link Rameela’s post when you share!

Here are my answers:

Lavender Haze- a book you will always love and defend

The Daevabad trilogy – I will fight the whole damn world to protect Alizayd 

Maroon- a spicy book

Okay so I don’t really read spicy books but I did read and enjoy Love on the Brain which does have some spice!

Anti-Hero-unreliable narrator

Serapio from Black Sun because I want to trust him but can I really? His view is so limited because he did not grow up around his mother’s people so how can he truly know the truth of what is happening there as all he knows is what he has been told by his teachers who have their own agenda.

Snow of the Beach- an unexpected surprise

The Book Eaters is not my usual type of read but this story focuses on motherhood and I really loved it!

You’re on your own kid- a character that really needs a hug

Salama from As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow. Her and Kenan both deserve hugs because they have suffered and lost so much. 

Midnight rain- star-crossed lovers

Laila & Severin of course! Especially after finishing The Bronzed Beasts 

Question…?- grumpy x sunshine (or neurodivergent rep)

Alizayd & Nahri – my girl is always grumpy unless she’s conning someone or eating and Ali is somehow seeing the good even when everything is falling apart

Vigilante shit- favorite character out for revenge

Rin from The Poppy War – She will burn everything to the ground for her revenge

Bejeweled- strong character development

Rae from The Theft of Sunlight has some amazing development in the duology especially when it comes to accepting herself and letting herself love and be loved. 

Labyrinth- second chance romance

First Love, Take Two was amazing! The chemistry and tension was impeccable and there’s only one bed!

Karma- favorite full circle moments or parallels 

Nasir and Zafira are the perfect examples from their names having the same meaning to the parallels right from the first sentences from each of their point of views.

Sweet Nothing- favorite fluffy/cozy read

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is the epitome of cozy fantasy with an adorable romance and found family. 

Mastermind- perfect world building and storytelling

Let me introduce you all to Legendborn because that book has me in a chokehold. The story, the characters, the world building and pulling from history and just…it’s absolutely amazing!

I will share part 2 of her tag next week!