I really wanted to like this book. I love the fight for a kingdom, rise up from the ashes, girl finding herself genre, and this book seemed to be all of that, plus it was in space!
As I began reading, I kept getting caught up in the writing of the book. Unfortunately not in a good way. I felt myself rereading the same lines over and over without getting anything out of them. When I went back, there was a story, it just seemed to be elongated to add more and more details that may not have been necessary. I could not connect with this main character. She was both strong and weak, yet I couldn’t get behind her either way. There was a lot of world building with unfamiliar names of both people and places that all sounded the same that I couldn’t keep them straight.
Around 30% of the book I started skimming because I was just not interested in the story at all. I got all the way to 77% and had to throw in the towel. I admit that there is a story here, and probably a good one, I was just not a fan of this writing style and could not get into it. I liked the dynamic of the triangle between main character, Princess, and Prince (as I referred to them, usually by actions and tone rather than names). I wish there was a little more adventure/action to keeps things moving.
I will look for more in the future from this author to see how her writing style develops. It is a promising book that simply wasn’t my style.

This one was just okay for me. Maybe I just didn’t like the scifi elements, but I’m sure there are a lot of people that will. The MC was likable, but the pacing felt slow, and I didn’t care as much about the story as I would have liked.

Mirage was a special kind of book. I couldn't put it down. I fell in love with the synposis last year when the book was first announced to the world. I found Amani to be a fantastic main character who's life was changed so fast. Honestly, my favorite character by the end was Maram. I understood her the most. Hated for being a promised heir but also not loved by either her late mother or her father's people. She became cruel just to survive. Her growing friendship with Amani was so great and I completely understand Maram's turn back to violence by the end. Honestly, everything about this book was amazing and so well thought out. The characters, the world building, the plot were all superb. I truly truly, enjoyed this book and can't wait to own a copy in August!!

In a fantastic beginning to a new series, “The Mirage” manages to blend politics, religion and the teachings of various cultures into a book that symbolizes the idea that we wear many faces, some we are born into and some we choose.

Amani is just a regular girl surrounded by the love and support of her family with a deep spiritual connection that guides her through life, but when she is kidnapped and sent to the palace she discovers that she shares the face of the cruel hearted princess who is in need of a body double in order to navigate court and prove her worthiness to her father in order to be named the rightful queen and soon, Amani discovers there is more than just assassination to fear and with the rebels on one side and her family’s safety on the other, she is forced to play the part and make decisions that could have deadly consequences.

Right off the bat I have to say I missed the part in the synopsis that hinted that this was sci fi but if anything that made it more interesting to see that this wasn’t just a variety of kingdoms with interwoven histories and conflicts that are riddled with tension and ready to boil over, but separate moons and galaxies. It was a nice addition that really helped create the complexities of the different cultures and the idea that where you come from and the blood that runs in your veins plays a large role in who you are and to ignore one part does a great disservice to your overall wellbeing.

I loved Amani she was such a strong character who from beginning to end was unbelievably kind and always working to do what’s best for the people she cared about even if it meant putting herself into harms way and I was nice to see how her traits influenced those who came in contact with her and those character developments really helped to show depth to otherwise awful (in a good villain way) characters.

The use of mythology, religion, storytelling and language itself was so well done and really stands out as some of my favorite aspects of the book and I really hope we get to see more of it in the future sequels. The overall construct of navigating court is pretty much something we have all read before but these additions helped to make it something a bit different and show just how capable Amani was when left to rely on what she knows best.

This was a great read and I look forward to what all the rest of the series has to offer!

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**