I finished this book days ago and i still cannot stop thinking about it. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Going into it i had high expectations and it definitely did not disappoint! The Jasmine Throne is a strong start to what I believe will be an excellent trilogy. If you're a fan of epic fantasy you absolutely must read this book. From the first line to the last i was hooked all the way through.
The world building is phenomenal and incredibly immersive. The characters are nuanced and multifaceted. The magic system is unique and intriguing. I especially liked the multiple povs. They really add depth to the book and the characters and the world surrounding them, bringing the story to life. The relationship between the main characters Malini and Priya was one of my favorite aspects of the book. Priya is a maidservant to Malini whom has many, many secrets and is far more than what she seems. Malini is a princess who is being kept prisoner in a magical temple and drugged for being a traitor to her brother by refusing to burn at the pyre. They are both strong women in their own right who have both been through a lot of trauma. They start off with a deep mistrust of one another, and each ends up using the other but eventually they start to open up more and more and slowly begin to trust one another. The progression of their relationship from reluctant allies to lovers was *chefs kiss* and the yearning and tension between the two women was incredibly intense and lovely to see. I can't wait to see how both their relationship and the story plays out further in the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A powerful beginning to a new fantasy series, The Jasmine Throne showcases the complexity of empire and the monstrosity and power of women within it.

This adult fantasy book featuring morally grey sapphics set in an Indian-inspired world was one of my most anticipated 2021 releases; I fully expected to rate it five stars! And while a few aspects (sadly) disappointed me, I was still able to enjoy the book as a whole.

The Jasmine Throne begins with a prologue that sets the rest of the story into place, thrusting the reader into the Indian-inspired empire of Parijat. Soon, we meet the two main characters—Malini and Priya. Malini is a princess who refused to burn on the pyre—a ritual meant to purify and immortalize women in Parijat. Exiled by her own brother to an ancient temple, the Hirana, she stays there as a consequence, being forcibly weakened through doses of poison. Priya is a maidservant who harbors a dark past. She is a temple child from Ahiranya, the nation that was colonized by the empire of Parijat, and possesses powerful magic she must hide. Every day, she battles an internal desire to embrace the roots and culture that has been completely wiped out by Parijat.

So while the backstories of these two women couldn’t be more different, they both have the same core: a fear of being ‘monstrous’ in a world where they are treated lesser, and a burning desire for power that drives them to break out of that. And once they meet in the Hirana, their fates intertwine to form a power that just might be enough to destroy the empire of Parijat.

These characters are crafted so well, and I love how they grow to embrace every part of themselves, even the ones that their society has deemed as monstrous. I also loved that, instead of just Malini and Priya, there are so many different perspectives the reader can experience. There is Bhumika who, just like Priya and Malini, is tired of the relentless misogyny in her world. But unlike Priya and Malini, her character demonstrates quiet power: how being powerful doesn’t always mean grand gestures, it can also be be cultivated through the smallest things. The perspective of Bhumika and a few other characters adds depth to the story and plot, allowing the reader to wholly understand.

Speaking of depth, the worldbuilding in The Jasmine Throne is so well done. Suri has created a world complete with different cultures, histories and magic, and knows how to expertly reveal it to the reader. Not everything is presented all at once; the details unfold in layers, so it’s easy to be learn more without being overwhelmed. And the best part of it is the author’s luscious prose, absolutely perfect for an adult fantasy novel like this one. Through Suri’s descriptive writing, I could feel myself in the Hirana, visualize the magic, and see myself on the streets with the characters.

The only two things that fell flat for me in The Jasmine Throne were the pacing and romance. I know that this is the first of a trilogy, but still—most of this book felt like a setup for the true plot. I found myself wishing there was more going on at many times in the story; the plot felt like it was dragging in the beginning and middle. And I typically don’t mind reading longer books, but because I didn’t enjoy how this one was more of a build-up, it took a quite while for me to finish The Jasmine Throne. I think my qualms with the romance also tie into my disappointment with the pacing, as I wish the romance had gotten more development rather than just being a build up. I absolutely love Priya and Malini as characters on their own, but I didn’t find myself rooting for their romance as much as I would have liked.

To conclude, if you enjoy well-crafted adult fantasies with feminist themes and are willing to overlook the slow pace, this is the book for you! I’m definitely excited for the next installment in this series to see where the author takes these morally grey sapphics next.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Tasha Suri’s The Jasmine Throne roped me in from the start, the vines creeping beneath my skin and ensnaring my heart. Full of lush descriptions of nature and human beings, the worldbuilding leans into a gorgeous nature-infused body horror that’s right up my alley. The Rot was grotesque in its dangerous beauty, and the plethora of morally gray characters fit right in with the bloody beauty of the magic. The story lingered on details and indulged in rich descriptions, every chapter a pleasure or a horror to read. Priya’s culture and faith is vivid and layered; the Hirana and the sangam come alive around her, the imagery vivid and the philosophical undercurrents strong. I also appreciated the inclusion of other religions and belief systems, including Rao's. This novel made me think and feel in equal measure.
Attention to detail is part of what allowed Suri to build the romance so delicately and with so much tension. Priya and Malini are both round, fleshed out characters, and their interactions were loaded from their very first meeting. Side glances, hand brushes, and double entendres abounded. But it was more than simple chemistry—my favourite romances are always the ones where I can clearly see what traits make the characters fit together, and this one more than delivered. They were compelling both as individuals and as unlikely lovers. I found Malini's POV intoxicating, and I came to care deeply for Priya. Through their eyes, the story of Ahiranya, and more largely of Parijatdvipa, became intensely personal to me. I'm dying to know what happens!!!
This is without a doubt one of my top reads of 2021. I feel like I haven't been able to capture the sprawling, violent beauty of this book. Tasha Suri’s instalment in the trifecta of sapphics destroying empires is truly phenomenal. I picked up The Unbroken by C.L. Clark in March, and I’ll be tackling She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker Chan this month. What a time to be alive and queer!!!

I absolutely loved this brick of a book. I did a sidelong arc + audiobook read because the names at the back were extremely helpful. I enjoyed the second half of this a lot more than the first once the action and the romance pick up more speed. I love Malini and Priya but I will note that this is not a fantasy romance but rather fantasy with romantic elements and that their is a difference. The world building was great and well done and not to heavy on the info dumping. Though I'm not entirely a fan of the one off povs of guards thrown in for fun. I feel like those could have been left out. Overall this is a great fantasy book with a budding F/F romance!

3.5 stars
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher.

This book was pretty slow and dense. I probably shouldn't of started it right after finishing another dense book.

I enjoyed Priya's character out of all of the PoVs. She had quite the character development throughout the book so it was interesting to read her chapters.

Milani was alright. I didn't really enjoy her until the very end. I'm curious to see what happens with her story line in the next book.

I gave the book only 3.5 stars because it was easy to get bored and lost during some of it. Not all of it was like that but when it was, it seemed like it stretched on forever. I do hope the second book takes off a little more now that I have the story background down.

I DNF this book 96 pages in. I liked the premise & the ideas that were taking shape. However, there was so much build-up (at least 60 pages) before anything really happened in terms of plot. The Ahiranyi & their connection to/with the temple was confusing. This book wasn’t a good fit for me unfortunately.

A breathtaking beginning to a new series. I am mesmerized by this expertly crafted world and characters. Complex characters are my favorite and this book was chock full of them. Between Malini and Priya, we are given two remarkable strong females who will leave you breathless.

4.5 stars

The Jasmine Throne was an utterly engrossing novel; I can't remember the last time I was so absorbed in a book.

It's the kind of novel that creeps up on you. It starts off with two seemingly straightforward plotlines: there's Priya, a maidservant who helps a homeless boy by finding him a position in the regent's mahal, where she works; and Malini, who's been exiled by her brother for disobeying his orders. So far so good, but there is so much more: more captivating backstory, more nuanced worldbuilding, more intricate character dynamics.

When I started this book, I thought it would be a solid 3.5 stars. I was enjoying it, and I was interested to see where it would go, but I didn't feel deeply invested in its story or its characters. At some point, though, The Jasmine Throne hits it stride and goes from pretty good to completely unputdownable; at some point while reading this book, I went from ok let's see what happens next to [dramatically dabbing my eyes because I was getting so emotional that it was making me teary-eyed]. Like I said, The Jasmine Throne creeps up on you: you don't really realize how invested you are in its story until it hits you like a brick wall.

In retrospect, I think the way Suri chose to slowly develop her world in the beginning ultimately worked in the novel's favour. One of my favourite things about the worldbuilding in The Jasmine Throne is that it never felt bogged down by obvious exposition or info dumps. You learn about the world of this novel in bits and pieces, from chapter to chapter, so that by its end you realize that you've absorbed so much information and detail without necessarily having it explicitly spelled out for you. And the worldbuilding is just excellent. I particularly loved the focus on plants and nature, the ways that they can be both beautiful and monstrous, vitalizing and destructive--all themes that Suri vividly brings to life through some real standout, and absolutely striking scenes.

And the characters! They were beautifully developed. I cried, multiple times, not even because something tragic happened, but just because I was so moved by the earnestness and the vulnerability of these characters. There is so much heart to these characters; they're all, in their own ways, trying to cope with the hand that they've been dealt, to move towards healing when so much is pushing them in the opposite direction.

I just loved this, and I am thrilled that we have two more books to look forward to in this series.

Thank you so much to Orbit for providing me with an e-ARC of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

**I was provided with an copy of the book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Tasha Suri is back with her entrancing storytelling, badass leading ladies and all the desi vibes.

The Jasmine Throne introduces us to nation colonised by an empire heavily swathed in patriarchal ideals. It is a land where religion has been twisted into a tool of subjugation, where a magical plant malady is plaguing the population and where murmurs of rebellion against those in power add to the unrest. We primarily follow a princess who is condemned to imprisonment in the Hirana, the ruin of an ancient temple, after she refused to submit herself to a sacrificial burning, and a maidservant with secrets of her own and a past that is linked to the Hirana who is tasked with serving her.

Having read Empire of Sand I was already familiar with the author’s slow burn style of writing and the subtle influences from Indian cultures and mythology that she vividly weaves through her world-building. The pacing and whispers of magic seamlessly absorb you into the atmosphere of the tale and I was honestly in awe of how masterfully all the layers of the story came together. There is an equal balance of character driven storylines and a complex overarching plot. A comprehensive magic system and history that is gradually revealed, as well as compelling politics entwined with family drama that will keep you hooked.

As expected from a Tasha Suri book there is a fascinating cast of characters and all the women are totally badass!

Princess Malini and the maidservant Priya, are both such well written, multi-faceted individuals and the story delves deep into their pasts and inner conflicts, unfolding their somewhat noble yet quite often astute motivations. Their relationship, one of reluctant allies to something more, is also beautifully developed.

Bhumika, a noblewoman of the province where the princess is being held, is another character whose story I really loved following. All three of these women show inspiring perseverance against the prejudices constantly thrown at them and incredible strength in fighting for what they believe in.

There are also perspectives from Rao, a prince of a neighbouring nation determined to secure the princess’ freedom and Ashok, a rebel leader who is also the brother of Priya, as well as the odd chapter from minor side characters. The use of multiple points of view really helped to enhance the narrative by giving us further glimpses of the patchwork of cultures, lifestyles and hierarchies that form this extensive world.

Along with the themes of power, misogyny and the effects of imperialism there is also a big focus on familial relationships, both related and found family, and how they shape us which was brilliantly explored.

Where this first instalment rounds off has me super excited for where this story will take us and its characters, I can’t wait for the sequel!
Final Rating - 4.25/5 Stars

3 stars

- Tasha Suri is great at writing female rage that's been boiling in a pressure cooker. I really enjoyed her debut, Empire of Sand, and how she handled her protagonist in that book. Both Malinia and Priya POVs were both intriguing on their own, but in tandem I don't think they quite fit together cohesively.

- The Jasmine Throne had great character moments but was incredibly dense and slow near the end. This book isn't written for character-centric readers in mind. Many of the characters spend pages posturing and posturing about doing stuff instead of actually doing stuff. There's a degree of separation between the narration and the characters I just can't quite describe. It's not bad per se, but by the time we peel back the layers of each major character's backstory it's like... we already knew that or it was super obvious/predictable. In fact there were several reveals that were quite predictable imo.

- The romance between Priya and Malini was dry as hell, but I liked them both individually (I wish Malini had more time to shine, though.). I feel like I missed something in the development of their relationship because there was almost no chemistry there. However, I feel that now they are both on their own paths there will be more room for juicy drama between them in the next book, so not all hope is lost.

- Bhumika is a queen and Rao is as king. They're my faves. Please don't kill them in the next book.

- Can't believe it took 500 pages for Malini to finally do something that I expected her to do like 300 pages ago.

Overall I enjoyed this book, but I felt there was some indecision over how to best balance the Priya and Malini romance with the momentum of the political plot. I think the book could have been fine without the romance and saved it for book 2 when these ladies have more room to have more dynamic interactions instead of stealing looks when Pramilla ain't looking. I also feel Ahiranya could have been more fleshed out considering the driving force behind the temple children characters is over the fate of Ahiranya.

This is 4.5 stars rounded up.

Whew, the way that sapphic fantasies written by BIPOC have been absolutely KILLING it this year. This was my first foray into Tasha Suri’s writing, and consider me a new fan.

The Jasmine Throne is the stunning beginning to an epic saga that pulls inspiration from Indian culture. The worldbuilding is lush, detailed, and immersive. The magic system is fascinating, and I enjoyed how much politics as well as religious beliefs were interwoven into this complicated web.

While there is a cast of fascinating characters, I was most intrigued by Malini and Priya. Both women are powerful and unyielding but in completely different ways. Suri does a fantastic job of blurring morality when it comes to what is right and wrong in regards to the decisions and actions they both choose, which made me love them more. Also, I love this ship, and will fight anyone who doesn’t (kidding…sort of).

The only downside to this book is that I have to wait for book two, which feels like a lifetime away.

Thank you to Orbit Books for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

Because he thinks the only way a woman can truly serve the empire, the only way a woman can be good, is through the sacrifice of her life

After a failed coup to depose her fanatic brother and a refusal to be sacrificed to the fire, Malini is sent to the Hirana, an ancient temple ruin in an imperial territory half-overrun by pleasure-seeking nobility and the rot. Drugged out of her mind and slowly dying, she’s set to live out her remaining imprisonment when she sees something strange: two servants attacking each other with magical powers long thought to be eradicated. Soon, Malini and Priya’s destinies become intertwined together and with that of the empire.

This is how you stab someone through the heart.

The Jasmine Throne is the second book in the 2021 Sapphic Fantasy Trifecta, and does it ever live up to the hype.

With lush, lyrical prose, two complicated heroines (and a host of other characters with motives), world-building that just will not quit, and a truly fascinating magical system (and religion), this has a little something to offer everyone looking to read more epic fantasy.

It is about colonialism and empire, power and powerlessness, the rippling repercussions of the past (and how the truth can be manipulated) and the strength of women and those considered to be beneath regard, and the why relationships bend and twist, bind and free. It is just so fantastic and amazing and everything that I wanted in a fantasy world, and above all, it is about resistance.

“Maybe freedom will mean being able to protect our children instead of using them,” he added, brushing Rukh’s leaf-strewn hair back from his forehead. “I’d like to believe that.”

Resistance of body. Resistance of mind. Resistance of spirit. Resistance through art and poetry. Resistance through violence and through peace. Resistance by proxy—using children and the weak to accomplish your goals. And above all, resistance through survival.

I don’t want to spoil too much, since I feel that this is a book best experienced knowing the basics, and letting Suri’s prose wrap and wind and wend, wenching tighter until you too are caught in the throws of power struggles between ruler and subject, colony and empire, high and low, husband and wife, mistress and servant.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I Received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Such a good start to a series. I appreciated the LGBTQ elements and the magic plot line. Tasha Suri is one of those authors I absolutely adore and I have been waiting for this book for what feels like an eternity and it was well worth the wait!

This is my first Tasha Suri novel, but her other series has been on my want to read list for quite some time. I will definitely proceed to read her other series after finishing this novel. Tasha Suri has a way with words and a way with storytelling.

We follow two main characters, Malini and Priya. Malini is imprisoned in a temple by her ruler brother. This specific temple used to be home to the magic deathless waters, and was also where people (mostly children) were killed. Priya is a maid servant with a magical past. She is brought in to be Malini's maid. What will happen when the two meet? What will happen when Malini learns about Priya's past?

The book has multiple POVs, I had to switch back at the beginning because some POVs would only be once or once every 10 or so chapters, so sometimes I would forget who people were. But, honestly the story flowed well. There were some slow parts in the beginning, but once it picked up it was excellent. I will say that what held me back from giving it 5 stars is because I wasn't fully invested in the characters. Yes, Malini and Priya were badass, but I thought their relationship was rushed.

But, a solid start to a series. I will definitely be continuing on!

3.75, rounded up. Adult fantasy is a hard genre to write, and I can respect that. A lot of the struggle comes in comprehensive world-building that doesn't overshadow the plot or characters, and I think Tasha Suri did alright with that. It took a while for the real story to actually begin, because she had to first set up this fantasy world (which, granted, is really cool), and it could be really slow at times. I still feel like I don't have a complete understanding of the world, but it didn't really hinder my reading. The characters were cool, although I do wish Malini and Priya's relationship took a little longer to develop. Other than that, it was a good book, and I anticipate the sequel.

I was sent an e-arc from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

What an amazing first book to a series. I really loved this work and will for sure be looking into more Tasha Suri books because the prose were just amazing and the character work/character relationship interactions were just so to my tastes. I did pick this up expecting a slow burn set up to a fantasy series and that's exactly what I got. I loved discovering the mysteries of this world and learning about the different religions and magic systems that exist, pair that with fantastic characters and amazing writing then I really don't have anything to complain about. I read the last 150 pages in one sitting and just went on such an emotional roller coaster with this characters and can't wait to see more of them in future books. If you like slow paced fantasy with amazing character work I say give this a try!

This is one of those fantasy books that I absolutely loved and hit every single mark for me. So instead of writing a rambling review that is probably not going to convey all that I loved, I’ve decided to use the classic bullet point method to list them:

1. Beautiful writing that is everything you that makes reading great for me. Short, daunting sentences that pique my interest with every turn of a page and keep me beyond invested
2. Multiple povs (noted) that introduce us to perfect specimens of morally grey agendas that are just *chef’s kiss*
3. With characters that are all just as enchanting as the next with gripping backstories that move me in a way that I didn’t know who to root for
4. ENEMIES TO LOVERS DONE RIGHT- yes my one true love, enemies to lovers that is tension, tension, and more tension filled scenes, banterish convos that had me CRYING, not to mention THE KNIFE TO THE RIBS SCENE YES FOLKS HOLDING THE KNIFE TO SOMEPLACE ON THE OTHERS BODY plus A WATERFALL SCENE so you know it’s good — it’s sapphic and glorious
5. A horrible, ruthless, evil emperor who deserves all the death, rebels and magic, a mysterious forest 👀, a rot that targets the underlings of the caste system
6. Ancient magical stories based on Indian folklore *chefs kiss chefs kiss chefs kiss* and an age of flowers, phenomenal world building, empires, politics ummm let’s see
7. So soooo much more with well fleshed out themes about women, power, political intrigue
8. Less I forget, a traitor prince YES.
9. EPIC FANTASY I MEAN NEED I SAY MORE

Gosh, I’m shaking. This was just fabulous. It was a build up of characters, world building, magic that I know many will find long and slow but I loved that. It had me wholly immersed and I didn’t want to put my kindle down for a single second. It consumed me, moved me and is utter brilliance. I’m kicking myself for not reading a Tasha Suri book sooner to be honest. Now the long, agonizing wait for the sequel.

In this adult high fantasy novel we follow a few different characters but mainly 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘆𝗮 and 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶. Malini is an imprisoned princess being held captive by her dictator of a brother. Priya is a maidservant who works at the location Malini is being held at. They end up teaming up to try and break Malini out, (and get revenge of course).

I will admit that it took me a second to get fully invested in this book but wow once I was I couldn't put it down.

The romance, though not major, is wonderful. The sapphic slowburn reluctant allies to lovers we all need in our life. Also morally gray lesbians... what more do you want?

The magic system and world building was done impeccably. Sometimes it would lean a bit more towards the politics side but that wasn't really a problem. It's pretty lengthy but Suri does a lovely job of developing everything at a good pace, there wasn't a moment that I was bored while reading this. As I mentioned a bit earlier, there are a few different POVs, around 9 i'm pretty sure. I really enjoyed all of them and felt as though they genuinely needed and important to the overarching storyline. The plot is quite complex and you'll probably find yourself completely indulged in it after a while.

Overall I'd definitely recommend this novel to anyone really. I absolutely cannot wait until I can get my hands on the rest of the trilogy and any other works by Tasha Suri.

The start of a (hopefully) amazing series!

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙊𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙩 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

The one thing I had heard about this book before diving in was that it featured morally grey lesbians -- and it's not everyday you get your hands on a fantasy with that description! The women in this book are really compelling protagonists -- and there is no shortage of storyline dedicated to their POV, including:
--Priya, a maidservant with a secret (magical) history
--Malini, a princess in exile who is constantly scheming
--Bhumika, a woman who married into standing and wealth and uses it to provide for those most in need
Some of my favorite fantasies of the last few years have had rotating POVs between men and women, so this was a really refreshing structure. Like most fantasies, this first book is really designed to introduce you to the characters, the setting, and elements of the world they live in, and so it is pretty slow. I was actually surprised that it wasn't longer, because it took me a long time to get through this first installment. A few of my favorite parts of this world included:
--A river that can be either a blessing or a curse (and brought me back to my Sabriel-obsessed necromancer days)
--Magic that is both connected to and inspired by nature
--A temple called the Hirana that is constantly shifting in intriguing ways
Overall, this made me excited for the second book in the series, to see more of the conflict and the revenge story of this world play out. The men in this book are appropriately VERY disappointing humans all around, creating harm for the women in this world in a variety of of ways... so watching these three women continue to rise will be a treat to say the least.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for the Arc of this book. All opinions are my own!

OH. MY. WORD. I don't think I even have any words to describe how I'm feeling right now. Wow, just wow. Those are the only words that come to mind. Holy moly. This was SO FRICKING GOOD! I can't get over it. So, I'm just going to gush about it for the next 500 words because I'm not even sure there are enough positive adjectives to encompass how good this is. Seriously. If you're not thinking about picking this book up, you're crazy. This is an absolute can't miss book. The way Suri sets the scene and immerses you into the world is bar none.

The way the book is written, you truly get sent into the world and feel every emotion. The characters are complex, the inner monologues of each is well done. You see every single side of each character. But, you see it the most with Priya and Malini. These two.. just wow. The way these characters view the world and how they navigate life is complex, it's driven by such different circumstances but they somehow relate to each other. And oh my god.. THE YEARNING. The yearning is so good. What a slow burn. Holy crap. I can't even describe it. I want to put into words everything this book made me feel and think, but I just can't. I haven't been this sucked into an adult fantasy except one, ever. This is that good. Read it. You won't regret it.