I don’t usually read fantasy books but thanks to this new opportunity from NetGallery. I get to experience books I would never pick up. Girl, Serpent, Thorn was a great book to listen to and be transported to a fantasy land. I love the narrator I could just feel the evil from the voices of the of the characters.

Soraya is not your average princess, she has poison running through her veins that is deadly to anyone who touches her. She has been cursed with this since she was 3 days old, and has been hidden away in the castle for the protection of everyone around her and to not be an outward embarrassment to her royal family. When her brother is to be married and crowned king of their lands Soraya meets a handsome young man who saved her brother from a deadly Div - demon-esk monsters.
She knows that she was cursed by a div because of something her mother did and secretly meets the div who is now locked in the dungeons. The div is not what Soraya expects though, she looks like a human girl and put ideas in her head about questioning her mother and WHY she was to be cursed this way.
She goes on a mission to free herself from this curse only to find out that it was never a curse to begin with, it was there for her protection. Now powerless and unknowingly releasing a monster that is overthrowing her brother and claiming the thrown for his own Soraya must find a way to set things right again.
It was a slow start, and while twisted a few twists were predictable to those who have "been around the block before" I did like that it was based on Persian culture and folk stories, there is also a LGBTQ romance. It was more about coming to terms with who you are as a person and not trying to bury it all inside.
I listened to the audiobook - the Narrator did a good job, I liked that she included accents fitting to the persian culture and words used in the story.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is one of best YA fantasy novels that I have read in a long time. I really enjoyed the Persian mythology and culture in the book. I liked Soraya, Parvaneh, and I even liked the Shahmar actually. They were all interesting characters/demons. There were a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming
My only complaint is that I feel like this was a little rushed and would've been nice if there were an extra 100 pages which is funny because I have never wanted that from a book before. I did also want more between the f/f characters and I also wanted Soraya to be a little bit more darker rather than good. That would've made it more interesting. I guess I expected a little more or I just had my hopes up too high but overall, I still really enjoyed the unique storyline, lovely writing, and the flawed characters .

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the approved audiobook!

Another book that I picked up thanks to my co-blogger! And honestly, over the last few weeks I've heard nothing but praise for Girl, Serpent, Thorn, so there was no way I was going to skip over it. And I'm glad I didn't! It was such a fun read/listen.

The story was so fast-paced and unexpected. For the first 40% or so I was actually a little worried. Things were going SO fast! And then BAM. Everything changed and the story really hit its stride. It also made the whole beginning really click into place, and the pacing is totally justified, so if it feels too fast while you're reading, DON'T WORRY. Just trust me on this one!

I guess the only thing keeping me from giving this one five stars is that I never really connected to any of the characters except for the protagonist, Soraya. And that could be because of the nature of it being a standalone, I've found that happens a lot with me and standalones, I latch on to the main character and no one else for some reason. I did love Soraya though! Her journey and her struggles are so good. There is so much to unpack in her story, so much self-examination and some truly beautiful lessons about grief and anger, about learning who you are. The journey Soraya takes to become who she is at the end of the book is breathtaking, and it was easily my favorite aspect while reading.

The ending! Whew, if I thought the middle was intense, well, I had no clue what was in store. The ending is excellent, everything ties together so well but it's not predictable. There were a few things that happened that I'd been so hoping for and it felt so good to see them play out on page!

The narrator for the audiobook was excellent. Soraya's voice was captured perfectly, and it really helped me to immerse myself in the story.

I'm really glad I picked up Girl, Serpent, Thorn! It was fun, the writing was excellent, and I just loved reading Soraya's story. Perfect for fans of City of Brass, this is definitely an audiobook I would listen to again!

This review will go live on NovelKnight on 7/25/20

This was such a fun book. The mythology was new to me and unique. I really enjoyed the concept of a poisonous princess who is locked away. Soraya's journey was entertaining but I found myself missing an emotional connection to what was going on. I am not sure what it was missing but I often felt like I was looking at a photo out of focus. It was almost there but not quite. I did absolutely enjoyed this story overall, especially the last half of the book. I will definitely check out more from this author.

Narrator for the audiobook was also great and brought the characters to life. Worth checking out!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn
By Melissa Bashardoust
Audiobook narration by Nikki Massoud

As soon as I saw the cover for Girl, Serpent, Thorn I was intrigued. I was so happy that NetGalley gave me the opportunity to listen to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Full disclosure: I tend to avoid most fantasy novels. It isn’t my favorite genre. If it weren’t for the cover I may have passed this one over.

That being said, this book was surprisingly enjoyable. The narration was very well done. She had good pacing and her use of accents helped bring the story to life. Plus, she was able to pronounce all of the unusual names that I would have struggled with had I read the physical book and had to figure it out myself! 🤪

This novel revolves around family, a curse, trust, and betrayal. There are many suspenseful chapters and I definitely found myself invested in the characters, even though they did not always turn out to be who I thought they were. This novel is perfect for YA or adult fantasy fans, but is also accessible to the more general reading population. Give it a try!
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3.5 rounded up because I liked the endgame.

I started off Girl, Serpent, Thorn maybe not completely sold- then grew to love it. I usually don't listen to Audiobooks of YA fantasy, but thanks to Net Gallery, I was able to enjoy this for free!

TLDR tropes-

-Morally grey everyone
- Demons
- Bisexual main character
- Sapphic romance
- Feminist AF
- Medium court drama
- Character study
- Single POV
- Own Voices story

Soraya has been cursed all of her life, to kill anyone or anything that touches her. As the worlds changes and she remains trapped in a gilded cage, Soraya begins to uncover the mystery of her horrific curse, and in the process, becomes entangled with devious demons, old family foes, and unravels a mystery that went so much deeper than she could have ever expected.

Its hard to explain this story without spoiling it because the plot twists and turns happen at various stages of the story-not just the climax. The tone itself actually changes several times as well, which could feel jarring if it wasn't constantly an improvement. The first short leg of Girl Serpent Thorn is easily it's weakest, but this is a read you could bang out pretty quickly.

The main pull of this book for me was Soraya's really interesting good - to - grey transformation, and her beautiful, and sometimes deadly relationship with the monsters that haunt her family's kingdom. There is a male and female love interest in this story (not a love triangle) and Soraya's relationship with both of them is so impactful and meaningful in a different way, it sort of takes to the end of the book to really reflect on what both of these characters have given, and taken away from her.

The side characters in this story are incredibly enchanting and interesting, but being in Soraya's head and approaching them with mystery only added to the intrigue. This book sometimes feels like a distant fairy tale, and reminds me a lot of Naomi Novik's work.

I'd pick this one up if you are looking for a quick and interesting read that shares some qualities with standard YA fantasy, but is wholly unique.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audi0 for providing me an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book lives somewhere between fantasy and fairytale and is not a genre I normally read. I am so thankful for the opportunity to listen to this take on traditional Persian fairytales, It was beautiful and gripping and featured a strong female lead. There is a thin line between good and evil in this story and as most fabled teaches a lesson as well. Do yourself a favor, step into this enchanted land for a bit and get to know these characters.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an Audiobook of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Serpent, Girl, Thorn is one of those novels that you think you know everything about when you read the description, and you couldn't be more wrong. You think "interesting spin on love story and girl finding a way to fix herself to better fit in". Wrong. You think "Mopey teenager throws a temper tantrum until noticed by handsome stranger then forgets herself as she gets lost in his eyes". Wrong again. Perhaps you even think "cursed adolescent seeks to break her curse by any means possible only to further it's effects and she just needs to learn to love herself". Getting warmer, but also no. Because this book will take you by absolute surprise I'm not including a summary. I want you to be surprised, like I was, wether you find it unpleasant or not....but I'd be willing to bet you'll find it more than satisfactory; some might even find it revolutionary.

I never wanted this book to end. The world and Pantheon these characters live within...it's art. I'm insanely jealous of this author for having the creative chops they do. I would almost literally kill to be a character in a campaign of D&D with her as my DM. It would be rich, thrilling, and I would never leave a session unsatisfied. These characters, even the side ones, have so much depth and fit into this world so harmoniously, not a since encounter was a waste. The Devs, my word....I feel robbed to live in a world where these creatures don't exist.

I'm honestly looking for a gripe and the only one I have is that this is a standalone. I have come to the end of this story and won't be visiting these characters again next year. The re-readability(is that a word?) of this book is great, and for that reason I will be picking up a physical copy just so I can enjoy it again and again. Don't let this novel pass you by, you'll live to regret it if you do. I recommend this for anyone 12+, there is a little gore here and there, but nothing off-putting.

Talk about a book hangover. I don't even know what to say about this book
This was such a magical fairy tale. I was immediately sucked in by the incredibly beatiful storytelling and intriguing characters. I didn't know I wanted books about poisonous women, but it turns out thats a thing I love.
I listened to this entire book in one sitting because I was so entranced. Melissa Bashardoust just became a must read author for me.

I absolutely loved this story!! It was entertaining and action packed and as realistic as a fantasy could possibly be. The narration was expertly done and made the story really come to life. My one issue was that it started with way too much background information

Thank you so much, Macmillan Audio, for the chance to listen to this amazing audiobook, narrated by Nikki Massoud!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn was one of my most anticipated read (and audiobooks) of the year and it didn't disappointed me. I fell in love with the cover and the plot and it was a real pleasure listening to it.

There was and there was not, all the stories begin this way, but Soraya's life is not a story. Cursed to be poisonous to the touch, she lived all her life hidden, away from her family, from possible friends and safe only in the garden she loves and takes care of so much. But one day, a monster is brought in her home and in the palace's dungeon, someone who could have answer about her curse and how to break it.
Eager to be free and with a mysterious young man who isn't afraid of her and her poison, Soraya finds herself swept in a world of demons, curses, lies, manipulations and love, while trying to understand her place in the palace and in the world. And what she's willing to become. If a princess or a monster.

Set in a world, inspired by ancient Persia and its folklore, lush and magnificent, Girl, Serpent, Thorn is told by Soraya's POV and the reader is able to understand right away her fears, her longing for a normal life, for touch, her need to understand what happened to her and why, tired to be hidden away and to be scared of herself and her power.
The plot is, sometimes, slow (more in the first part), but the story is interesting, focusing on her journey to understand her curse and herself, meeting allies who are enemies and enemies who are allies, in complex relationships full of secrets, lies, misunderstanding and people's pasts able to reverberate in the future and mistakes, revenge, bitterness, love and family.

The worldbuilding is captivating and interesting and I really loved the setting and the characters. Soraya stand out with her stubborness, fiercess and loyalty. She's afraid of herself and what she could do and slowly she starts to become more and more confident of herself, with or without her power, with her anger and protectiveness. Azad and Parvaneh are intricate and captivating characters, but I won't say anything about them or I will spoiler, but they are really interesting and thrilling to read, their motivations multifaceted in a game of betrayals and manipulations, violence and forgiveness.
I loved the way the author talked about stories, myths, symbols and powers and about past mistakes or misunderstandings, their consequences in the future generation, the ability and power to change one's future and to accept oneself.
I loved the f/f romance, I found the relationship really sweet and well written and this book was really amazing.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a book about family, love, finding one's strenght and a journey to accept, love and be proud of oneself.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn was a very interesting and thrilling read. I really appreciated the authenticity brought to this book with language and dialect. The audiobook was amazing and I'm so glad to have heard the pronunciations from the narrator that would otherwise have complicated my tongue. This was quite the feminist fairy tale, something that I couldn't imagine before this but is now nearly a requirement in my reading. The main character, Soraya, is a cursed princess that lives her life hidden away from the masses never able to touch or be touched. As she decides to step from the shadows, chaos ensues and she is sent on an adventure that will have her learning more about her land and how she came to be.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this book!

Girl, Serpent, Thorn. A f/f Persian fairytale retelling. An anti-heroine… This book had all of the elements for a mind-blowing story; however, it fell a little flat. That is not to say that the story wasn’t enticing and engaging. I feel that there was so much more that could and should have explored in the book. It was hard for me to get into the book after the prologue, and I never fully connected with the characters nor the story. I think the main pitfall was the mystical and magical words of the prologue. It gave me high expectations for this book, and it just didn’t work out for me. The pacing of this book was strange, and I had a hard time trying to like the characters.

I also want to say that the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous.

I really enjoyed this book! I am so happy that I got an audio arc from Macmillian Audio and Netgalley to provide my sassy review, thank you for the audio of this book!

If you're a stickler on making sure you pronounce a name correctly you will want to check out the audio version of this book.

The Persian folklore retellings, use of Persian myths, and use of the Persian language were just beautiful and added so much more to this amazing story.

Having that added touch of all the Persian words sucked me more and more into the story.

At the end of the story, the author also explains #own story with her Persian ancestry. She also went more into detail of the actual Persian folklore which was fascinating to learn more about!

I adored this brand new fairytale! I devoured the audiobook in a single day. The story breath taking and beautiful, filled with stunning imagery and morally grey characters. I was not expecting the queer bit and was pleasantly surprised when and how it arrived within the pages of this story.

The audio book was absolutely fantastic. I adore this narrator and would listen to her again and again.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn was an inventive fairy tale re-telling. Ms. Bashardoust has a talent for descriptive world building and strong character development. I felt that I could easily envision the world Soraya lived in as well as the creatures living there. Soraya was a complicated character. Her story was not a typical one and it was done well. I liked the way the author developed each character and by the end of the book, you felt like you were sometimes in their thoughts.

Soraya has been hidden away for most of her life. She was made to feel as if she was an embarrassment to her family. Her touch was deadly. The impact of not being able to give or receive touch for your entire life is unimaginable. She was always on the outside looking in at her family as they went on living without her. Her twin brother, the ruler of their country, is preparing to marry. Soraya is feeling her isolation more than ever. She aches to be "normal" and able to live among others without fearing that she'll accidentally kill someone. This desire leads her down a path where the results may not be exactly what she expects.

I really love it when an author can take a fantasy storyline and blend it with real world issues and feelings. At the end of the day, people are all driven by the need to feel accepted and like they belong.

The narration of this audiobook is fantastic. Nikki Massoud is extremely talented and brings the different characters to life. She keeps the story flowing and the reader engaged throughout the entire book. Truly, I feel that the narration strengthened the storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the review copy of this audiobook. The opinions contained within this review are entirely my own.

The narrator for this story did a great job! This was a good fantasy book. I enjoyed that a girl helps to save the day & that two female characters fall in love! I enjoyed how Soraya embraces her thorns in the end and how this supports self-love. I do feel like the world building was a little lacking for my taste & did feel like the plot was a little slow at times. Overall though I did enjoy this one and would recommend it to other fantasy readers. This one gets 3.75 stars rounded to 4.

Finally a 5 star read this summer! I was sadly disappointed with my other most anticipated summer releases for this year but this one did NOT disappoint!
The narration was incredible. It sucked me in right away. I had previously granted access to read this book via ebook by Netgally but the Audio kept me engaged even though I knew what was going to happen and when. It's rare for an audiobook to do that for me but this one was truly amazing.

Summery in my words:
Cursed before she was born, Soraya has spent her whole life within the confines of her room, private garden, and in between the secret crawl spaces between the walls of her families castle. She lives in constant fear since everything that touches her skin dies.
After sneaking into the dungeons, Soraya meets a demon much like the one who cursed her mother's first born daughter (Soraya) so many years ago, she is told that her 'cursing' may not have come about the way she has been told, or even be a curse at all.
There was and there was not, as all stories begin, reigns true for our heroine. All her life she has been told exactly who she is and what made her that way, but was it or was it not all a lie.
As her twin brothers wedding approaches, Soraya must decide wether to remain within the shadows or step into the the light and be seen for the first time, in order to find out who and what she really is.
Princess or Monster.

I loved this book so much but then again I'm a sucker for fairy tale retellings. This story is about a girl who is Cursed to be poisonous to the touch. When she finally ventures out into the world she tries to find a way to get rid of the curse. She doesn't know the full story about why she was cursed though and realizes she had it all wrong. She must fight to protect the ones she loves and destroy the man they fear most.

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan audio for my gifted audiobook copy.