Empire of Sand is an enjoyable read, a bit of a slow burn romance till the end. I loved the richness of magic and how everything was inspired by India, and Hinduism. II really enjoyed the magic system based on dance, and how the moves and hand gestures imbue the power of the gods, and daiva.

The characters were really well done and fleshed out. Mehr is strong in a different way than badass. She overcomes her trials, and politically maneuvers her way to success. We still get to see her vulnerable side, and I really liked how she developed throughout the novel.

What I didn’t like: not even Arwa in the book. I love her little sister. Second I wanted a crushing reunion with father and daughter and how proud of Mehr he is. I wanted her mother to be more loving.

I wanted the father’s wife gone what a jerk.

But mainly I wanted more Aman. He is so sweet to Mehr. I want to know what he craves, I want the book to be of his point of view. And I want a sequel showing their married life without the Empire upon them.

3/5. A very solid book. I will read a few more times just for the thrill of it

I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway and was pretty excited to dive into it. This is an Adult Fantasy novel about a young woman with magic that she must hide, and the lengths people will go to to use her for it.

Let me start off with what I didn't like. The pacing was at times a bit too slow for my tastes. The beginning starts off with a bang and then the middle was slightly boring for the most part. All of the sudden towards the end it picks up again and I'm hooked again! To me it just felt like there was no build up to the best parts. All of the sudden they just happened and I was so happy that they finally did so the book could have some action.

There was also the issue of some secondary characters that disappeared before the middle of the book and were never heard from again. What happened to them? Where did they end up? We never get those answers even as the book ends, and I would like to know what happened considering they were important to Mehr's story.

Mehr was a great character. Even though she was born a noblewoman, she never used her privilege in a bad way like many would. She seemed to treat everyone kindly unlike her cruel stepmother. She wasn't perfect, and she never tried to be. Mehr made a lot of mistakes throughout the story, and it only added to her character as she grew.


The romance was a slow burn, which I enjoyed. Although I did think they said,"I love you," a bit too fast for my taste. It was still better than most YA romances I've read about.

Overall this was a solid debut that could have moved a bit quicker. Although it is said to be a standalone, I think there is the potential for more.

Empire of Sand follows Mehr, the illegitimate daughter of a noble of the Empire and a member of the desert-dwelling Amrithi. The Amrithi are being systematically destroyed by the Empire and only Mehr’s position as the daughter of a governor protects her. When Mehr is forced into the religious center of the Empire in order to save her family, she learns the truth behind the disappearance of the Amrithi and of the unique power their blood gives her over the spirits of the desert. Surrounded by enemies and isolated from any friend, Mehr must decide whether to save her own life, or to save the lives of everyone in an empire.

A great novel with a unique premise. I loved the daiva (the djinn-like desert spirits) and the idea that the dreams of sleeping gods are manifest in the desert storms. The mythology and belief systems were well-crafted and convincing. I cried a few times while reading this book. No spoilers, but I found the descriptions of Mehr’s struggles against the main protagonist very realistic and touching. The love story enfolded in all of the political and religious upheaval was sincere and believable. Tasha Suri has a gift for writing between the lines- the author is very good at conveying meaning or thoughts without actually writing them. I also did not expect events near the climax to unfold as they did and appreciate the element of surprise. I was in the car while reading and went “oh no!” out loud. A great debut standalone, I would recommend this book to fans of C.E. Murphy, Jay Kristoff and Sharron Shinn.

What fantastic world building! Based on Hindu mythology, the story was electrifying, sad, and inspiring. It was so satisfying to see Mehr gain strength of character and confidence as she grew into her powers and realized what was really important in life, I cannot wait to go back into the world of Empire of Sand!

*ARC received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

This book ended up not being what I expected and yet I still enjoyed every minute of it.

There are some warnings I want to give people: there is a forced marriage. That moment was made clear to me in the synopsis. While it ended up being handled well it was still jarring to me to see this happen so close to the start of the book. Thankfully, by then I was hooked by the world that was being built and the main character which kept me reading. The ending left me with a pleased feeling ad a desire to read more by this author. I would recommend this book to others who enjoy a wonderful world and characters that make you either love them or hate them.

Thank You so much for the opportunity to read Empire of Sand ahead of publication. I was so excited to read this book and it was everything I wanted it to be and more. Reminiscent of The Wrath and the Dawn, Empire of Sand takes the reader on a journey to a beautiful world. This story was filled with a beautiful setting, a wonderful plot, and fantastic characters. I loved Mehr and her constant feeling of not wanted to conform to anything but just wanted to exist in her own way. I'm biracial and so it was so beautiful to see Mehr loved both parts of her heritage equally. Overall I loved Empire of Sand with all my heart. Tasha Suri did a fantastic job and I can't wait to support and promote this book come November 13,2018

Empire of Sand follows the story of Mehr, an outcast of the tribe Amrithi. It's a really unique and spiritual-based story.

Overall, Empire of Sand started off strong for me, but I gradually lost interest in it.

Although the writing is fantastic and the character development was superb, I probably won’t continue reading the series.

Empire of Sand is the kind of book you read once really fast because you can't put it down, and then go back the next day to re-read and really take it all in. I'm not sure I have the words to describe how desperately I needed this book, loosely inspired by India and Indian culture, for it showcases a young woman and her struggle to survive in a world where her people are persecuted, hunted and hated. Her journey is one of hope, love and mutual respect. The world building is lush, the character development is flawless and I cannot wait to read what Suri comes up with next.

***Scheduled to post on November 6, 2018***

Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of the local provincial governor, her father the official representative of the Emperor and the Emperor's spiritual equal the Maha. While her father is powerful, her mother's heritage, the Amrithi, are not only outcasts, but are hunted down by the Maha and his mystics. The best thing for Mehr to do is lay low and be the obedient daughter. But she isn't yet ready to give up the dances and rites that worship the faith of her mother's people.

Mehr and her family, including a beloved younger sister and a hostile stepmother, live near the desert where her mother's people originate. The desert is also where the gods of this world sleep and dream, their dreams heralded by the sandstorms that blow through the city where she lives.

There is magic in those storms, and Mehr can hear it calling in her blood. When she inadvertently uses that magic for the first time, she attracts the attention of the Maha, who sends a delegation of mystics--among them a new husband.

EMPIRE OF SAND grabbed my attention at first because it's set in a land and era similar to that of the Mughal Empire of India founded over 500 years ago, with the magic and religion loosely based on that same era. It sounded unique and interesting. However, the first few chapters are infodumpy and the forced marriage felt like a cliché, which I admit totally annoyed me--but the setting kept me going despite these issues. And fortunately it did because the plot finally starts to take off around the 25% mark and I got sucked in not only by the setting, but also by the story and the characters.

Mehr is our main PoV character (with a few secondary character PoVs thrown in to make plot points less contrived). She's young (17 or 18 I think), strong-willed, clever, and loyal. She's willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of those she loves, even though it means marrying a man she doesn't know and becoming a subject of the mysterious Maha. Her characterization felt a little inconsistent at times, and there's more internal monologue than I like to read, but on the whole she was interesting and it worked with the story. Another important main character, Amun, I quite liked and it was interesting to see his story as it unfolded. Mehr so much wants to be a good person and Amun equally wants to do the right thing--which is hard considering their circumstances. The story's themes of choices, heritage, and love is what drives the characters. Other characters were secondary and less developed, even the villainous Maha, who could have been more rounded, but there simply wasn't time. But it's not the characterization that shines here: it's the story and worldbuilding.

Like I said earlier, the story takes a while to get going, and Suri builds the reader's knowledge as she goes. After the initial light infodumpiness in the first couple chapters, she does much better later by breadcrumbing culture, magic, and history within the story itself. The magic is so different and how it drives the story is compelling and clever. There's so much to discuss and explain about the magic <strong>but </strong>I don't dare discuss anything here because it will spoil the story for you. And it's that sense of realization, interconnectedness, and dismay that will propel you through the story as you wonder how in the world Mehr and Amun will ever overcome their horrible situation. I could feel how much Suri loves her subject and wanted to stay true to the feel of a race and culture without bludgeoning us over the head with it.

EMPIRE OF SAND isn't a perfect book, but I don't care. Suri is a little too fond of adverbs and there are other stylistic issues that could have been smoothed out, but that's my personal preference. She uses clichés, but to great effect so they feel less like clichés and more like integral points in the story. The characterization could have been deeper. But these issues are easy to overlook because EMPIRE OF SAND is an enjoyable and clever read.

Intriguing debut. Eagerly awaiting next book by this author. My review is appended below. I'd forgotten about netgalley's text requirements.