Amani is kidnapped and forced to act as a body double for the kingdom's disliked princess. She must never forget how dangerous it is if she wants to survive to go back home. Readers will delight in this richly told fantasy novel.

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it did not disappoint. The worldbuilding is lavish and expansive; I was completely immersed in this sci fi/fantasy world inspired by the author's Moroccan heritage. I die for a good genre-blending novel, and MIRAGE brought that in spades. Planets! In! Epic! Fantasy! Yes please, I need more, thank you.

It's hard not to fall in love with Amani. Her arc over the course of the book is profound, and I loved watching her become the assertive badass she is by the end of the book. Honestly, though, I have a soft spot a mile wide for Maram. She's cruel and abusive, but the author draws her with sympathetic strokes that make it hard not to see the humanity in here as well. Also, I mean, Idris: hello. Yes. He's incredible. You will adore him. Promise.

MIRAGE is everything I love about court intrigue, forbidden romance, mean girls, and high-stakes espionage. It's wonderful.

This book was another that I liked a lot more than I thought I would. 2018 has been the year for books y'all.

Mirage by Somaiya Daud is intelligently and creatively written and I absolutely cannot wait to continue the story when the next book comes out. I did feel as though the book has somewhat of an abrupt ending, but that's probably because I didn't want the book to end anyways.

This book is both sci-fi and fantasy, and I think that when those two genres are tied together, it makes for an awesome world, and story-telling.

The world-building at first was confusing as this story takes place on several different moons (which is super cool, by the way). After getting into the story more, the setting of the book made more sense and I really enjoyed it.

The characters..
wow. Just wow. The characters are so well written, and I don't want to spoil anything but our main character (Amani), the princess (Maran), and Idris have such differing personalities and the way that they grow and ebb through the story was just spectacular.

I'm just going to leave it here, and stop rambling. If you haven't added this book to your TBR, do it now!

If you enjoy books with a sci-fi, fantasy feel, with some romance, deep plots and friendship, then I 110% recommend that you add this book to your TBR!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book.
If you would like to read more book reviews, visit my blog at www.sarahjuneblog.com

You never know what world you’re about to delve into when you first start a book. And believe me, the world Somaiya Daud created in Mirage was completely unexpected. This novel is so saturated with culture, hell, it basically bleeds it. I loved how while this novel is technically set in an alternate, future-ish scifi universe, it is a meld of new and old. It’s sci-fi that could be fantasy, could be historical, there’s even a touch of magical realism here and there. It’s one of those novels that you almost need to re-read immediately after to capture every detail.

Mirage centers on Amani, an eighteen-year-old woman on the cusp of adulthood. Her world is a small backwaters moon. Her family comes from a line of farmers. And her life is simple, albeit shadowed by the oppression of the brutal Vathek empire. Despite all of this, Amani is rich, especially in comparison to some of the later main characters. She has grown up knowing her background, her culture, her language, despite the Vathek occupation and their determination to erase other cultures and religions. She is a dreamer, living on lyrical old-world poetry and mythology of gods and history past. And while she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya (a religious entity) for an adventure outside of her isolated moon, she isn’t quite prepared for what that means.

“I’d dreamed forever of leaving Cadiz, of visiting other star systems in our galaxy. But I’d never thought I would be taken against my will. I was dragged through the building, pulled onto a ship, silent and numb, then finally deposited in a holding cell.”

The novel begins with Amani being whisked away from her coming of age ceremony on Cadiz, taken in secret to the royal palace. Here, she discovers she is nearly twin to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. And because Princess Maram is hated amongst the star system, she needs a body double, someone ready to imitate her completely, even in death.

I enjoyed Amani - she finds strength in her situation, and has to make a couple of big decisions that decide how her fate plays out. She places her trust a little too quickly, but isn’t unintelligent. We do have love, and while it’s obvious as to the reasons why the characters fall in love so quickly, I can’t quite pin it as instalove.

Overall, Mirage is a fast, smart read, but moreso because you’re interested in the developing characters than the events that take place. The end conflict’s logic threw me off a bit, but I realize Daud’s strength isn’t plot, it’s setting. Mirage’s rich background and cruelties mirror both Moroccan history and colonialism (think 19th-century British imperialism). It’s also seeped in tradition of Arabic poetry, which I loved.

I am 100% behind Veronica Roth and what she said about the novel.

“Mirage is full of characters who feel like they existed long before the story began, and a rich world that is as beautiful as it is cruel.”

This is definitely a top book of 2018.

Mirage: 4.25 stars

Mirage 4/5
Mirage starts out fast paced. In the prologue it’s revealed that there’s an assassin: he takes aim and fires. Twice.
What a great start! Count me in!

From there we get to know the main character, Amani. She is a dreamer, values tradition, and loves her family even though they are on the losing side of a royal takeover on a far away moon planet. On the night of a sacred ceremony, Amani is kidnapped and doesn’t know the reason why.
It is then revealed that she is an identical physical match to the princess, basically a twin. The princess, Maram, is not a kind woman, and is feared and hated by her people (hence the need for a body double). Amani has to learn how to navigate this new situation.
This sounds like a great plot, but it takes a long while to build the setting. She has to learn how to navigate the political world, replicate Princess Maram’s cold and strong mannerisms- and is beaten when she does not succeed. After a few months, Amani is tested and passes. The stand-ins then get more difficult. You’d think there be a lot of action but it’s mostly attending parties, talking to secret revels, and getting to know Maram’s fiancé, Idris. (He is a cutie, I must say.)
The one thing that kept me from giving Mirage a five star review is that even though the prologue was a good teaser, all of the action takes place within about 4 quick chapters at the end. There are plenty of opportunities to describe the actual action scenes, but it’s not taken. All of the detail is in 80% after Amani’s kidnapping and before the assassin arrives. It was worth it in the end though.

The ending is a real winner. I’ve read PLENTY of YA novels about how love is enough to soar and be who you are and blah blah blah. It didn’t end the way I’d believed it would, and we have a little bit of a cliffhanger for Amani’s journey to continue. It’s SO GOOD! She such a strong female to endure all that she does, and I admire it. I loved the later interactions with Maram, she developed so well during the story. Idris was sweet and a pleasure to read about as well.
I am eagerly awaiting the sequel and can’t wait to continue, hopefully with more doing than planning and preparing.

I received this book for free from Netgalley and Publisher/author in exchange for honest review.

This book was just amazing. I loved the world building in the book. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. This book was fast paced and full of adventure. It is a sci-fi book but definitely fits for those into fantasy as well. Also lets not forget the beauty of this book cover!

The author did a great job translating this story. I recommend this book.

ARC provided by Flatiron (Macmillan) in exchange for an honest review

Mirage follows Amani, a teen who is captured by imperial droids and taken to serve as the body double for Princess Maram; a cruel and hated princess of the Vathek empire. Amani is forced to shed her old identity. She undergoes cosmetic surgery to remove her daan (a religious tattoo with a lot of meaning to her) and receives rigorous lessons on Princess Maram’s personality and mannerisms. Maram is so hated that her life is in jeopardy every time she makes public appearances, therefore Amani takes her place during these functions. If Amani even steps a toe out of line, she is physically beaten and verbally berated.

However, despite the horrors of this new life, Amani finds comfort in poetry and Idris, Princess Maram’s fiancé. Idris and Amani share a common past. Maram’s father had used his forces to “purge” all rebellious groups (including Idris’s family), and has eradicated all customs and language of the rebels.

Now I will discuss a few things that I liked and disliked!

The Good:

• The culture. This book is Moroccan inspired, which provided such stunning imagery! I loved reading about the traditions and familial heritage. The fact that it was also woven with sci-fi space elements was such a unique twist! I’ve never read anything like this before. On a more serious note, cultural erasure is a very prominent theme throughout the story.
• The romance. Okay, hear me out. While I’m not usually a fan of insta-love, I have to give major props to this one. Knowing ahead of time that Amani was going to have to spend a lot of time with Idris pretty much had me expecting insta-love from the very beginning. So I was totally cool with that. I thought their relationship was organic and beautifully written.
• The friendships. So many morally ambiguous friendships blossom which makes Amani question if she’s doing the right thing or betraying her own family.
• The politics. The politics are mean and cruel, but I’m a big fan of dark politics.

The Bad (but not really):

• The insta-love. I mentioned this earlier as being a good thing, but if you are really not a fan of any insta-love whatsoever, then this might not be your favorite read. I still highly recommend you give it a chance, though!

(That’s it. I really loved everything! LOL)

Mirage was such a joy to read. I wasn’t expecting so many Sci-Fi elements but it was such a pleasant surprise. If you’re into YA sci-fi/fantasy then I recommend you pick up this book on August 28th, 2018!

THEY WERE ON A MOON.
The first thing that made me excited was this fact. That’s so cool. And so different!! It reminded me to a degree of the Red Rising series with the sci-fi esque pieces of this novel. I love when authors take risks and explore cultures and worlds that aren’t often seen!

I loved the depth of the main characters. Amani maintained who she was during all the uproar. Maram had a lovely character arc, and the author left a solid suspense for the second book. Idris was totally adorable and the story between him and Amani is precious and sweet.

The story flowed well as I discovered the world Daud built. There was the right touch of drama that actually let you feel for the characters rather than wondering why there was too much going on. The action scenes weren’t huge, but were written well. There was a larger focus on the politics of Ziyaana [the palace] and how Amani was able to navigate as a body double. Though, unlike some stories the politics enhanced the story rather than took away. You weren’t stuck reading drawn-out council meetings.

They’re aspects of religion throughout the book. It is a guiding factor for different tribes and I thought it was very well done. Nothing was in your face, but you understood the importance of their God to them. It guided their choices and gave more of a background into what characters actions were occurring and better yet, why they were happening.

True YA, no language [which is awesome]. A few kiss scenes that are sweet and appropriate. Some violence, but nothing gruesome.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the digital ARC!

This book is going to be on my top ten reads for the year list I just know it. Mirage is a wonderful addition to the YA SFF genre and Daud does a impeccable job blending her background and culture space odyssey. This story is a blend of antiquity of historical cultures and a stark dictatorship set in space with the encompassing technological advances..

Amani is kidnapped from her family and take to the heart of the Vathek empire. Her resemblance to the empire's heir forces her to become her double, and her life is the consequence of failure. Amani eventually realizes that there might be more to the cruel princess than there appears to be, and decides to join the rebellion to bring back their culture. Amani doesn't find agency she takes it and makes use of the horrible position she has been put in.

The writing in this book was poetic, and no plot point was extraneous or uneeded. Each setting was built excellently and the cultures were rich and beautiful. I loved how complex each of the characters were and that the characters seemed to understand empathy and forgiveness even for the most horrible characters.

I cannot wait for the next book! Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC.

“On a small moon orbiting a large planet, in a small farmhouse in a small village, there was a box, and in this box was a feather.”

Mirage is a magical, wonderful, important, gift to the YA SFF world. From characters I fell in love with, to the messages about the importance of your culture and your family, to the most lyrical and beautiful writing. I loved this story with my whole heart, and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to fall in love with it.

This story is an ownvoices Moroccan inspired story about a young girl named Amani, who has known nothing but oppression on the moon that she and her family live on. She and her family are farmers, trying to live the best life possible, even with the constant heartbreak surrounding them.

“You learned a different sort of fear when you grew up in a village like mine. Fear of hunger. Fear of Imperial droids. Fear of the low hum that came with Imperial probes. But that fear taught you endurance—you could let its unwavering presence wear you down, or you could learn to stand up despite it.”

In this galaxy, the Vathek rule, and are slowly trying to erase other cultures, religions, and beliefs around them. While also trying to do any and everything to ensure there is no uprising or rebellion. But the rebels have been planning, and calculating, and waiting, and will do anything to make sure that the Vath do not continue to oppress and rise.

Amani has finally turned eighteen, which means she gets to finally celebrate her coming of age with others in her village. She has been looking forward to this day, and the blessing that will be bestowed upon her, for her entire life. And Amani is able to get her daan, a tattoo that means everything to her; her family, her faith, her inheritance. But the celebration gets crashed and quickly comes to a terrible end.

“I’d dreamed forever of leaving Cadiz, of visiting other star systems in our galaxy. But I’d never thought I would be taken against my will. I was dragged through the building, pulled onto a ship, silent and numb, then finally deposited in a holding cell.”

Amani gets kidnapped by imperial droids and flown to the royal empire. Upon arrival, she soon realized the reason she was taken; she is nearly identical to the Princess Maram, the heir to the throne, a girl who is cruel, and is wicked, and is disliked by both sides of her people, because she is half of the other. Maram’s father conquered Andala, and violated galactic law, so the only way he could keep the planet was to marry and have a child, so Maram was born. And Maram has a half-sister that very much does not think that Maram should rule, and she might be willing to do anything to make sure of it.

Maram is in fear for her life, so she rationalizes abducting Amani and forcing her to make her public appearances, while promising her death if she fails to be convincing. Amani is thrown into a world that she has never known, while being constantly reminded of the family, culture, and traditions she had to leave behind.

Maram’s father also murdered most of the families that lead the resistance against him conquering their planet, even though they did surrender. A boy named Idris, was spared from the Purge, as a reminder what would happen if people tried to oppose this new ruler. But he was also promised to be married to Maram once she comes of age, so she will forever be tied to the planet her father bloodily conquered.

Trigger warnings and content warnings for kidnapping, physical abuse quite frequently and heartbreakingly, war themes, death, murder, forced body alterations, talk and depiction of sever grief and trauma.

“He a prince and I a slave in all but name. There was no happy ending to this story, no way for the two of us to make one.”

And Amani is forced to play so many roles, while she convincingly has to pretend to be a princess whose father has taken so much from so many. And Amani is therefore thrown into a world of politics, betrayals, secrets, and even love.

This book beautifully illustrates that we are not the actions of our parents and the terrible things that humans are capable of doing. We are only our actions, and we are only held accountable for our actions, and for the actions we choose to repent for.

“We are not responsible for what cruel masters enact in our name.”

This book perfectly talks about family, culture, religion, traditions, and the things we are willing to do for them and in the name of them. Honor and believing in something are one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, forces in any galaxy. And standing up for your convictions is sometimes the only thing we have in this world. Never, ever, stop believing.

“When Dihya wanted to give you a sign He slipped the feather into your hand. When He wanted to command you to a calling, to take action, He sent the bird itself.”

The book amazingly showcases how important friendships can be, and how loneliness can take many forms. Everyone deals with depression, grief, and trauma differently. And sometimes an unexpected friendship can be the thing that makes you feel even a little bit better. Kindness truly is sometimes the best thing that we can give to another living soul.

Overall, Somaiya Daud’s debut SFF novel blew me away. I loved this with my entire heart and soul. This book is beautiful, this book is powerful, and this book is completely captivating. I never wanted to put this down, and I can’t wait to see what comes next. Don’t sleep on this book, friends. Preorder this before it’s August 28th release!

Beautifully written. Smart as hell. Heart wrenching. This is a book I didn't know I needed until I was reading it. Epic space romance with a dash of fantasy and rich world building. Highly recommend.

This book surprised me in the best way possible! Loved the character development of Amani and I am already anticipating the sequel. Highly recommend reading this debut.

Wooowww, this book was fantastic! I loved the plot, the character, all of it! Wait, is this too short? There are so much i want to tell you in this review but i'm afraid i will spoil everything. Recommended!

‘Happiness is rebellion, but it will not win the war.’

On the night of the initiation ceremony into her clan, eighteen-year-old Amani is abducted from her family to become a political decoy for the princess of the regime that has conquered her family’s world. Body doubles are used to sample food and take bullets, to be the target for any potential dangers. Amani is taken to the palace as a mere doppelganger, a look alike, but must take on the callous personality and haughty mannerisms of Princess Maram. But how will she be able to learn all the fine points of living a royal life while being away from her parents, siblings, and friends?

Mirage takes place in a world made up of occupied moons and conquered planets, of family factions and angry rebels. Princess Maram is stuck between her conquering father and her dead mother’s native family. And Amani is painted into a corner of duplicity, servitude, and fear. And if her acting does not pass muster, she knows what will happen to her and her family.

I was continually impressed with Daud’s writing and adherence to Amani’s clan’s traditions. From the first page, her writing connected artfully with world’s mythos of poetry. Lines and full poems are quoted throughout and help to flesh out Amani’s character. Full of lush sensory details, the author shares the minutiae of dress, food, language, and court etiquette with care.

Somaiya Daud’s Mirage starts with a simple premise, yet quickly becomes satisfyingly complex, and very, very good. I raced through this book, particularly enjoying the complex relationships Amani has with Maram and her fiancé Idris. All Daud’s characters are caught in the bands that hold them to their stations. They all must contend with the pressure that comes with a life of expectation, loyalty, and maybe, love. I predict that Mirage will be a very successful book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and Somaiya Daud for the advanced copy for review.

This book was such a great blend of science fiction and a heavy cultural presence. Loved it! Eighteen-year-old Amani is taken from her family by the Vathek, invaders of her home planet , to become the Vathek Princess Maram. The cruel princess makes Amani's life almost unbearable had it not been for Maram's fiance Idris. Struggling to play Maram to perfection, Amani's focus is to keep her family safe from the Vathek, but can it be more? Can't wait to read other books by this author.

Be still my heart. I loved this book. Cruel princesses. Fake princesses who are really farm girls. Lady rebels. A forbidden romance. Everything I love and never knew I needed all in one book. I love how Somaiya Daud mixes real parts of her Moroccan heritage with the made up and fantastical world she has created. The world is so detailed and vivid and I find myself drawn in as much by the history and culture as the story itself. I will admit I was slightly confused by some of the terms and warring groups at first but as soon as started getting into the story none of that mattered. (Reading on a Kindle and being able to look up words, especially those dealing with food helped.) The first book isn't even out yet and I immediately need to get my hands on the next one.

4.5 stars.
This is a fantastic story with great worldbuilding throughout, as well as a high-stakes plot and compelling characters. The only thing that I wasn't completely sold on was the romance, but that was a very small part of the book.

Totally interesting, innovative read. Would recommend.

A sci-fi Arabian adventure, with bad ass POC women on a war torn planet, paired with beautiful poetry and lush world building? The premise of this book blew me away. I think that the execution was pretty well done too but sometimes the prose was on the edge of being a bit much. But I think overall it worked.

4 stars!

We follow Amani as she is forcibly taken from her family on the day that she comes of age to become the body double of Princess Maram. The world building in this story is fantastic, you get pulled into the different races and the struggles of the Kushalia versus the invading Vathek. Everything in this story was very well thought out and I really enjoyed watching Amani embrace her position in this foreign land yet still hold true to the values she was raised with.

It took me awhile to see past the writing. It seemed overly flowery and a little off putting to me, but when I forced myself to see the plot and put aside my bias against more "flowery" writing, I began to enjoy the story. Amani's tie to her religion was wonderful and her the connection she had to poetry because of that was a beautiful aspect to the story.

The characters were each complex and well written. As much as I loved Amani, I enjoyed every character's development. From handsome Idris, to the mysterious Furat, to even the manipulative Maram- each of them have a story I want to learn more about.

The plot itself flowed very well and at the end of the book, I knew I wanted to see what would happen next. I am excited for the next book!

OMG! I can't wait to hold a physical copy of this book in my hands. SO SO SO good! Unique, mind blowing, on point characters. LOVED EVERY SECOND!