Absolutely beautiful book from start to finish. I've never read a fantasy from this part of the world. It was absolutely fantastic with a few twists later on. The story started a bit slow but was also more geared for the young adult genre so perhaps that is why. It was an easy read and I enjoyed the story and the characters. I certainly can't wait to read the next one in the series.

I read Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim last month and I'm still reeling from what happened.

Let's start with the storyline: there's a magical land, where tea gives you the strength to harness your affinity and our main character, Imani, uses her powers to be a soldier of some sort, protecting her land and family with impressive dagger skills. Her brother, Atheer, has been missing and presumed dead after taking hoards of this tea. But Imani finds out he might actually be alive and, so, the journey begins.

While this fantasy novel has similar qualities and traits like others--journeying across treacherous lands, getting with a team of strangers, life-or-death situations--the characters are what got to me. Their dynamics, relationship to one another, and the changes that eventually happen.

The writing is definitely masterful as well. I love the way the words flow and come across on the page. Some parts I read aloud just to hear it aloud, which I have been trying out lately just because some passages feel like they're meant to be spoken. You know?

Oh, and the ending broke my heart. But I survived it bc I know there's going to be more and I'm so excited.

Rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

EXCERPT: “A fantastical young adult novel rooted in Arabian culture, Spice Road offers a powerful vision of colonization in a fantasy land, filled with tea magic and djinni (spirits). The depth at which author Maiya Ibrahim has constructed this world is breathtaking, and the different settings are reflective of Spice Road’s versatility as an engrossing debut and the first of a trilogy.”

Full review published online at Asia Pacific Arts Magazine.

First, the cover is stunning! Second, I truly enjoyed this Arabian-inspired fantasy! This story started out a bit slow, but once it began to pick up, I was immersed in the story. I loved the magic system. The twists and betrayals had me flying through the chapters to see how it was going to end. I am looking forward to the next book in this trilogy. Thank you for my copy Netgalley!

"The first book in an epic fantasy series set in an Arabian-inspired land with secret spice magic. Raised to protect her nation from the monsters lurking in the sands, sixteen-year-old Imani must fight to find her brother, whose betrayal is now the country's greatest threat.

In the hidden desert city of Qalia, there is secret spice magic that awakens the affinities of those who drink the misra tea. Sixteen-year-old Imani has the affinity for iron and is able to wield a dagger like no other warrior. She has garnered the reputation as being the next great Shield for battling djinn, ghouls, and other monsters spreading across the sands.

Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother, who tarnished the family name after it was revealed that he was stealing his nation's coveted spice - a telltale sign of magical obsession. Soon after that, he disappeared, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes. Despite her brother’s betrayal, there isn't a day that goes by when Imani doesn't grieve him.

But when Imani discovers signs that her brother may be alive and spreading the nation's magic to outsiders, she makes a deal with the Council that she will find him and bring him back to Qalia, where he will face punishment. Accompanied by other Shields, including Taha, a powerful beastseer who can control the minds of falcons, she sets out on her mission.

Imani will soon find that many secrets lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes - and in her own heart - but will she find her brother?"

You say djinn I say I'm in!

I hate to be negative like this but I DNFed this at 100 pages. I literally hate the narrator/main character and reading from her perspective is horrible. The world seems so interesting and the magic system is very cool and I’m into the hidden society thing but in the first like, 50 pages, the narrator gets like 15 hints about some bigger conspiracy or some aspect of magic or her world and every single time she’s like “I don’t have time to think about what that means” or like “I avoided trying to figure out what he meant” and it’s like okay if you can’t be bothered to have curiosity about this world, I certainly can’t!!!
Also, the line “She would only give it
to me if she thought I would need it- if she believed I may get lost. Strangely, I think I already am” was so cheesy it fully took me out and was probably the final nail in the coffin.
2/5 because I rly feel like there’s a cool story and world buried in this but I just cannot get past the horrible narration to get there!

This book follows Imani, a Djinni Slayer, who discovers that her presumed dead brother is actually alive and has been stealing magical substances from her community. When a trio of hunters is tasked with finding her brother she tags along to ensure his safety.

Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. Absolutely none of the characters including Imani, her family and her love interest were likable. None of them seemed capable of making any good decisions at all. Normally I enjoy an epic desert fantasy but the one interesting character, one of the Djinni, was so underused that by the time he was mentioned again at the 50% point I had forgotten he existed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion but this is not a book I would recommend.

2 stars

A fast paced fantasy that reads really young. I went into this book quite excited, and quickly found myself finding things fall flat. We are told a lot of things, but none of those things seem actually true. The sisters are close, but wait no, they know nothing about each other. Imani is a fierce shield, oh wait no, she gives up at the slightest inconvinience. The dialogue is probably the thing that pulled this book down the most, I think it was supposed to come off as witty banter, but it just seemed juvenile and unbelievable. The opening scene where she was trying to get her way in court was pretty cringy and made me think none of the adults held any actual power. The world building came too late for me to hold my interest, and even that was not enough. The love interest was not for me with their dynamic being more abusive/mean push and pull. This could be a miss because of my expectations, I was expecting some complex tea magic and being transported with the sights, sounds, and smells of that--something that really never happened. I think if you are a younger reader looking for quick action that is easily resolved with no real stakes, I think you could really enjoy this book.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating 4,5/5⭐

Spice Road is the first book of a new Middle-Eastern inspired fantasy trilogy. There's a special tea in the Sahir that could make its drinker have a certain magical affinity that lasts only for a day. Imani (the MC) is a 17 y.o girl warrior who has steel manipulation affinity to an extent. Since her brother was presumed dead, she’s been doing whatever she could to avoid grief, unlike her little sister, Amira, who believed that their brother was still alive.

One day Imani & Amira found solid proof that their brother might still be alive. She told the Council, and they agreed to depart a small team to bring him back. That small team included Imani and her mortal rival, Taha.

The journey itself was hard even without additional obstacles, and both Imani and Taha have secrets that they should keep from each other. Soon they developed a complicated relationship, where Taha seemed to dislike Imani in front of other members but his personality was completely different when they were alone.

I requested this book’s ARC because it’s pitched as “perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Elizabeth Lim” and that gave me excitement and anxiety at once because I LOVE their books and my expectation was automatically high. Yes I got similar vibes with those authors' books, but this is actually quite different. More importantly, I’m soo glad that it did NOT disappoint<3

The writing is stunning but not overly done. Maiya knows exactly how to put a fun scene with banters, engaging plot, and tense situations perfectly. All the characters have strong personalities, including the side characters and I love that so much. Imani is the perfect “imperfect” character for this book. She has a lot of good traits but Maiya didn't forget to give Imani something that made me want to strangle her affectionately sometimes (most of the time I wanted to strangle Taha but I won't elaborate). The love-hate relationship between Imani & Amira was relatable. But of all the characters, I like Qayn the most (who’s him? Read this book to find out😉) I hope there’s more scenes of him in the next book(s).

In conclusion: read this book. It’s an impressive debut.

This book started slowly and I wasn't convinced by Imani at first because she was naiive and self-important,and frankly a bit annoying, but wow did she grow emotionally over the course of the story. Also what started out looking like a typical love triangle turned into... something else. I'm honestly not sure what it is yet and I have *no idea* where it will end up, with all the twists and turns it went through in this book. The plot was also very twisty. I saw some of the twists coming, but a bunch of them surprised me. There's also a bunch of things only beginning to be hinted at that have me very excited for the next installment.

Each of the characters is slowly revealed to have hidden depths and motivations and desires as the story progresses and it makes it very hard to know who to trust and who to let yourself get attached to. I honestly still don't know. As this is book 1 of a trilogy, it will probably be a while before I find out. But that's ok -- I'm here for the journey.

The setting is very intriguing, with Imani's kingdom hidden from the outside world for centuries -- and the outside world hidden from it. The magic is also very cool. I like that it's tea-based and has to be replenished daily. All the hints about the desert "monsters" also add up to what will hopefully be a very promising twist later on.

I love the emphasis on family bonds and also the emphasis on how important it is to help those in need even if they *aren't* of your family or clan or even kingdom.

The plot barrels along once it gets started -- I was completely hooked by about 20-25% -- and is constantly throwing new things at you and pulling the sand from beneath your feet. I approve. It was a lot of fun, I was very engrossed, and I know this trilogy is going to be a favorite.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's: Delacorte Press, and TBR and Beyond Tours for proividing an early copy for review.

Blog Tour post to be posted on 1/26/23 at https://whimsicaldragonette.wordpress... and https://www.tumblr.com/whimsicaldrago... (full links will be added once posted).

Spice Road follows Imani, a gifted Shield for her people. When Imani learns her presumed dead brother may still be alive, she is determined to bring him back to their people alive. She sets out on a dangerous journey with a motley crew including the mysterious Qayn and annoying Taha. As disasters strike, secrets are revealed and all of them will have their magic tested. It soon becomes clear that the rules Imani has known her whole life are not the full truth. How far will Imani go to rescue her beloved brother, if it means abandoning the principles that have always kept her safe?

I was immediately hooked from the opening line! Imani is a fierce and determined heroine. Her love for her people, her family, and especially her brother make her a very compelling character. As she journeyed across the treacherous desert, I enjoyed how she learned about the depth of her love for her siblings. Yet Imani still has plenty of room to grow, which Maiya Ibrahim expertly navigates, as Imani must decide whether she trusts those she loves to make their own choices.

Maiya Ibrahim writes with all the senses in mind- you’ll feel the heat of the desert, the scorch of the sun, and the smells of the misra tea. The world-building is vivid and impressively designed. I didn’t want to leave this world! Taha is such an interesting character and his interactions with Imani were intense. I absolutely cackled at her response to him at the end of the book. At the same time, Imani has a mesmerizing relationship with Qayn, a once powerful djinni with veiled motives. I’m really looking forward to learning more about Qayn and his past.

I’m so happy this book is not a standalone because I absolutely need to see what happens next!! Spice Road would be perfect for readers who enjoy Amélie Wen Zhao, Hafsah Faizal, and Chelsea Abdullah. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys sibling adventures, vivid magic, and compelling heroines.

Spice Road releases January 24, 2023. Thank you to Maiya Ibrahim, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, Wordpress blog, and Barnes & Noble etc

“Along the Spice Road they went, pillaging. But at the end of the road is a spice unlike any they have known before.”

Imani is the youngest Shield in their hidden City, the infamous Djinni-Slayer. Since her brother died, she has given all of herself to protect Qalia from the dangerous monsters surrounding it. But when the truth comes out about her brother and what he was doing with their sacred spice magic, Imani is driven to travel a dangerous path out of their secret haven and into the world of humans.
She won’t be going alone though. A djinni who claims to be a friend to her brother has bound himself to her beloved dagger in exchange for help along the journey and a beastseerer who is none other than Imani’s greatest rival are on the journey with her.

Plot: 4/5
It took me 20-25% to feel invested but once the journey started I was entranced. I enjoyed the structure of the plot, Ibrahim didn’t spend too long on any one part of the journey.

I will admit that a large part of what kept me so so hooked was the dynamic between Imani and Taha but also Imani and Qayn.

Characters: 3/5
Something runs in the Beya clan that makes them nearly insufferable. Imani is bullheaded and constantly chooses to keep the wool pulled over her eyes rather than see that the world is changing around her. Her sister Amira, however, is a nightmare, basically just a petulant child. I don’t know if she’s meant to be so infuriating but I couldn’t wait for her to leave every scene.

And then SUDDENLY around the half way mark and once they’ve stopped biting each others heads off, they become rather like-able. I actually really like Imani’s character after this point though she is still hotheaded and stubborn.

I had extremely conflicting opinions about Taha in the first bit and I’m still not sure. He’s definitely flawed and needs to get his attitude checked out but the tension between him and Imani is so good. I’m hopeful for his potential character development.

Though I am hesitant to support the age gap, I would be equally happy (if not more) with some romantic development with Imani and Qayn. I think he’s the much more interesting love interest, and apart from one lie (which was easily forgiven), he hasn’t constantly lied and tried to kill her like some one else!

Writing: 4/5
Ibrahim has a lot of strengths in her writing. She’s descriptive and paints a colorful image of the world around her characters. But I will say I’ve never had to look up so many words while reading, especially where another simpler word would have done the trick.

World building: 5/5
I love this world she’s created! The historical influences are clear but Ibrahim adapts them to this magical world in such an incredible way.

Overall: 4/5

This book would be enjoyed by any fantasy lover, especially fans of Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri or The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review.

Full disclosure, I was not feeling well when I started this book and that may impact my review.

Initially I struggled with this book. I had some issues understanding the magic system and getting immersed in the world. However, I felt the rest of the book made up for this lack of connection later as the descriptions made the world come to life. I was excited about the way the magic system evolved towards the end of the book. In future installments I think this will be a strong element in the series.

Unfortunately, however, I struggled to connect to any of the characters. I found their constant spats aggravating and was frustrated with the way they continuously would put the main character down because of her family. Yes, I think a little of that was necessary, but after a while it became a bit much. The hot and cold nature of most of the relationships was confusing at times as well. It isn’t till the end I finally got some of the relationship building I was seeking, but only in the final few chapters.

Overall, I don’t see myself continuing this series. I feel it had a lot of potential, but I was so disconnected that many of the plot points made little impact on me. However if you are a very plot driven reader, I think you will enjoy this book.

This cover and synopsis intrigued me. This book started out well. The first few chapters hooked me with the introduction of the tea magic how it works, and imani's family history and then her defeating a monster. I was really interested once she bonds a Djinni to her and I thought that would make an interesting romantic dynamic. However, this book took a nose dive after that. I became very bored and had to DNF at 35% Once Imani starts on her journey with this band of characters I lost all interest It started to feel too young of ya for my liking with her being attracted to this guy and not wanting to be but being jealous of his relationship with another character. I didn't like any of the characters aside from the Djinni and I wasn't given very much of him to make me want to continue reading. I think this will hit for some because it is a unique fantasy but it just needed to be more mature for my personal liking.

Great world building the characters wil capture your heart. The magic system is so unique. A very strong addition to the Genre. I highly recommend it to anyone that loves YA.

Imani is one of the most talented Shields, chosen to fight monsters and djinn beyond the city to protect its inhabitants. Since her older brother disappeared after being accused of stealing from the city’s precious stockpile of misra, a magic-creating spice, she’s had to work twice as hard to prove herself. But when she uncovers evidence that he may still be alive and that there may be secret civilizations beyond the endless deserts, she knows what she must do. Accompanied by Council-sanctioned Scouts, Imani knows that she must bring her brother home and protect the secret of their lands at all costs.

What a great read! This fantasy set in an Arabian-inspired land had everything I look for in a fantasy read. The author excelled at worldbuilding, which was the strongest part of this book. From the beginning, little cultural details and information about the setting were woven into the dialogue and prose, making for an immersive and engaging world. I loved the details included about how their magic worked, and that they uncovered some hints about its origins that didn’t agree with their cultural teachings. I would have liked to see more of an exploration of its addictive nature though (we’re told that it’s addictive, but never see anything close to that being the case).

Imani was difficult to like at first as she was dead set in her way of viewing things, but she had some excellent character growth (especially after being called out by her sister a few times) that made her feel both realistic and relatable. The secondary characters also felt well rounded for the most part, adding to the depth of this read. The romance was a little annoying, as it relied on the same miscommunication over and over, but as it wasn’t the focus of the story it was relatively easy to ignore. It was difficult to like the love interest as he was constantly flipping from hot to cold, hate to like with Imani and the reasons why weren’t explored well. I’m hoping the next work will include more exploration of the motives of some of the secondary characters.

This was a great beginning to a fantasy series, and I highly recommend this read! Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for allowing me to read this work, which will be published January 24th. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you so much Mayia Ibrahim, TBR and Beyond Tours, Delacorte Publishing, and Netgalley for providing me an eARC to read and give an honest review!

*4.5 stars*

Wow, wow, wow!!! Spice Road was an amazing way to kick off my 2023 reading journey! It had magic, great worldbuilding, a little bit of mystery, bargains with devils, and a strong, heartfelt familial bond. There was only one thing it lacked, which didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the story, but I just wanted to take it into account in my review.

Let's start off with the problem in this story that prevented me from giving this book five stars: character development (or rather, the lack thereof). While Imani and her family were obviously tight-knit, some scenes just seemed lacking in that familial bond. For example, when Imani discovered Atheer's true fate, she didn't think about how it would affect her family, only how it affected her (which, given the circumstances, I can understand a little. But at the same time, it just seemed out of character for her). In addition, I feel like we just brushed the surface of the characters' personalities and traits, especially Imani's.

Besides that though, there is nothing I can complain about. Ibrahim delivered an amazing plot of searching for Atheer and unexpected twists, including Taha's orders. Imani's bargain with Qayn (who is a djinni) was an excellent touch to the story as well. The worldbuilding is well-done too. The magic system is defined clearly and the cultures (both the similarities and differences) were evident. I liked the fact that Ibrahim detailed the locations because this is one of the first books in a while for me that actually had my brain imagining the scenes to a tee.

Overall, an amazing debut from Ibrahim! I anxiously await the sequel with that ending!

I would recommend this book to fans of Sabaa Tahir and Hafsah Faizal.

Thank you to Random House and Delacorte Press for sending me an advanced copy of Spice Road in exchange for an honest review.

This is a solid debut, the magic system is probably my favorite part of this story and the characters definitely will keep you reading. however this is more plot driven and there isn't a lot of world building and character development which i'm hoping is rectified in the second book since this is going to be a series.

Overall, I thought the book was beautifully written. However, I’m an avid fantasy reader and I struggled with giving this book my full attention. I think the novel could’ve used more world building and while the novel is based on middle eastern culture and mythology but sometimes that slipped a bit into the background. I would still recommend this novel to readers who are specifically looking for fantasy novels with middle eastern representation because I feel that it’s missing from the market a little. Overall, I think it was an okay start to a series and would like to see where it goes

Are you devastated S.A. Chakraborty's Daevabad series is over? Are you not-so-patiently waiting for the release date of Chelsea Abdullah's sequel to The Stardust Thief? Do you miss being immersed in fantastical desert fantasy worlds? Well then, Spice Road is 100% for you. It's an adventure full of djinn, unique powers, and frustrating siblings.

Imani, the female main character, is trying to be the best Shield (a.k.a. monster slayer) that she can be, but her missing brother's secrets mean she has to go on a quest to find him with her arrogant nemesis and his crew tagging along, much to her annoyance and my internal squealing. Cue all the awesome fantasy and romance tropes! Enemies to (maybe) lovers, one horse, epic quests, and, most importantly, magical creatures!

Both Imani and Taha—Imani's rival and possibly something more and just overall a general pain in Imani's you-know-what—have a lot of hidden secrets in their families and pasts, and while nothing revealed throughout this book was particularly shocking, the author did manage to make me feel strongly for the characters, despite how stubborn they could be around each other. Also, the side characters were good too. Imani's siblings had their own time to shine. I loved that. And the mysteries of Qayn the djinni are very intriguing.

Honestly, I loved this book. I loved Imani's strength and tenacity, her sister's attitude, and Taha's frustrating inability to make good decisions. Everything in Spice Road just flowed so easily from the beginning to end. I wasn't left confused like some other fantasy books. My only minor complaints are two teensy tiny things that probably will only ever bug me because I'm ridiculous. How often Taha's sweat is mentioned (nothing explicit, it's just face sweat due to heat) had me cringing. It's only mentioned like three or four times, but it's just something that wigs me out a little for no reason other than being a germaphobe. Haha. Also, the female characters had a tendency to sob a bit too much. It wasn't anything overly distracting, but I did notice the repeated use of the word during my read-through

All in all, regardless of my very small nitpicks, I am ready for book two. I can't wait to see what happens after the reveals at the end of Spice Road, and I know you'll feel the same. Because if you're looking for a story in the same vein as The City of Brass, The Wrath and the Dawn, or Rebel of the Sands, you'll definitely want to pick this one up.

4 stars

*Note: I received a NetGalley ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.