What a joyous, wild and crazy ride! I was hooked into the story from the beginning. There were a few moments where the story felt a little forced, but still a wonderful read. Jin, ghosts and monsters - oh yeah. But even better the kinship of family, newfound friendships and opponents. There is a lot going on in this story taking one on an adventure beyond the realm, filled with action, love, friendship, life lessons and the consequence of pride as well as the consequences of selflessness. Let me not forget that little touch of magic. I look forward to the next book!

What an amazing debut! I was captivated from cover to cover. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. The pacing was perfect giving Ibrahim time to dive deeper into her character's but keeping the action and storyline moving.

I loved the captivating and perfectly flawed character's. Even when I knew I should hate a character I couldn't, they felt real and you want them to grow and make the right decisions.

Ibrahim shares enough for you to fall in love with the characters and world she has created but leaves plenty of mystery to draw you into the next two books. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Spice Road follows Imani our 17 year old iron wielding fighting badass. She has a connection to iron through the spices added to the regional tea that awakens magic in those who drink it. Imani fights all the mythical beings we're fond of in Arabian tales such ass jinn and ghouls. Though she's a renowned fighter her brother has stolen the magic spices and disappears with it. She pleads with the council to find him and bring back what he stole and off she starts with her adventure! I loved the world building Maiya weaves in her tale. I truly believe this world exists since the description was way to realistic and stunning. The novel does start off with A LOT of information and story plot but it all builds so nicely together while Imani and her crew set out on their journey. I recommend this book to anyone who likes the Arabian nights theme and want a break from fae for a refreshing new location and adventure. The world Maiya describes is so intricate and lush with its own character and I absolutely loved Imani's character. She was such a strong FMC who truly follows her heart and really loves her family!

I'm always gonna love European fantasy (big dresses! fire-breathing dragons!) but I also love to switch it up with other cultural fantasy and this did not disappoint in that regard. The strong sibling relationships, magic tea, a novel magic system were definitely the strong points for me, but there was much more that I felt strongly about in this engaging debut. **Contains some spoilers.

_☆.:*PROS
-again, the magic tea! tea ceremonies!!
-three siblings are at the center of the emotional conflict. They grow a lot and learn about each other.
-I'm sure other people might feel the MC is annoying, but I enjoyed seeing the scales fall from her eyes as she recognizes her privilege and the corruption of the government she's always trusted.
-the flowery prose lends to a magical feel
-love a good rivalry
-I was very invested in Qayn's storyline
-the whole white people are dominating the "ethnics" was.... an interesting choice? Kinda tiring though to read fantasy with oppression that is not fantastical but reflects real-world conflicts. Which leads me to the:

_☆.:*CONS
-I wish there was more about the magic system (especially tea ceremonies...)
-the melodrama, which I believe is simply a debut issue
-one character mutters ALL his dialogue which bothered me
-random but as a Muslim I was curious about the belief system? I assumed the MC was a monotheist but it gets a little muddled
-the ""romance"" ◔_◔ It makes the MC very pathetic to keep running after mr. moodswing who doesn't care a lick about her. There are two more books in the series and I hope they are not endgame
-this might be out of line, but a lot of things just reminded me of Hafsah Faizal's We Hunt the Flame. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Which sucks because I feel like I'm lumping all the Arabian fantasy together, but the similarities are overwhelming: "enemies to lovers", "girl who is the only one to lead party to where they need to go", "wolves that were once human" and "boy is eeeevil because of his dad"
-I'm not even sure if the author is Muslim but a villainous giant has the same name as a pre-Islamic Arabian deity which was massively uncomfortable for me

Spice Road by Maya Ibrahim is a YA fantasy novel about a young woman who must journey beyond the boundaries of her known world in order to save her brother.

My biggest takeaway from this book is that the protagonist really reads young. This isn’t a criticism; I think more YA books should feel like they’re about teens or young adults. But older readers who like YA for the action and adventure might find themselves frustrated with the novel’s protagonist, Imani, as she struggles to come to terms with a world that is more gray than black and white. I think Imani’s internal challenges might resonate with a lot of teen readers. There are also some romantic elements in this novel, though they are definitely secondary and, I thought, a little out of place with the rest of the book. I did like the world-building, and there are several locations I wouldn’t mind returning to in future books. The novel doesn’t end on a cliff-hanger, but it does set up a sequel. To me, the sequel actually sounds like it would be more interesting than the first book, but I don’t know how quick I will be to pick it up.

I recommend Spice Road for readers interested in Arabian-inspired fantasy worlds and who enjoy character development as well as action and adventure.

This book was such an unusual ride. One minute it was painfully slow, the next thrilling and compelling.

The characters are oddly changeable…they seem to have a basic defined identity, but the book rushes them through conflict and all the ensuing emotions at an unnatural pace. The result was characters I liked most of the time behaving in completely confusing and nonsensical ways for their circumstances and who they seemed to be in other scenes.

That said, the world is fascinating and dark, and the mysteries around how it became what it is kept me guessing throughout. The magic system is unusual. I love the method of attaining magic through tea!

Ibrahim clearly is a talented writer. When she is on point, her prose is lovely and poignant. She doesn’t overdo the language, steering clear of the flowery descriptors often present in epic fantasy stories. The result for me was an easy-to-read book with lots of passages highlighted.

I think I will likely read the next one. I hope that the character development and behavior improves as Ibrahim continues to write, because she really has created a vibrant cast of characters. I would like to see them grow and continue on their adventures.

Spice Road was a book I could not put down. IT took me a while to pick it up once I was approved but once I started...well I was up until 2am finishing it! The world is beautiful. The magic is beautiful. Everything about it is lush and beautiful.

I can't believe this is a debut book - I was up until 1AM to finish because I could NOT put it down! The way Ibrahim has me wrapped around these characters' fingers already...I just know this is going to be a new favorite series.

If you loved A Magic Steeped in Poison but wish it had an Arabian-inspired equivalent, with less court politics and more quests, have I got a recommendation for you! Spice Road has tea magic, djinnis, rivals-to-maybe-lovers? energy, daggers to throats, betrayal, and a focus on family that drives so much of these characters' decisions.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well Ibrahim managed to weave in discussions around colonialism, classism, and privilege. It was all done very naturally, and it never felt like it was shoehorned in. It helps that Imina, the main character, is a privileged girl who comes from a wealthy clan. We love an MC that starts off fiercely believing one thing but then through adventures and new experiences has to uproot everything she believes in and learns something new! While her stubbornness and rigidity are at times frustrating, I could still understand her reluctance to give up in something she has wholeheartedly believed her whole life. As Imina journeys across the Forbidden Wastes to try and rescue her brother, she goes through quite the character growth as she encounters and confronts things she never would've had she stayed at home.

There's a hint of a love triangle coming, which I typically dislike, but with these particular love interests I'm actually intrigued to see how it plays out. Taha, Imina's rival in this story, is the perfect counterpoint to her. While she has led a privileged and easy life, Taha has struggled and worked hard to get where he is. Where her tenderheartedness helps change her viewpoints, his self discipline has only hardened his heart. The tension that emerges from these characters as they grow closer is nail biting!

All in all, these characters are wonderfully complex, the worldbuilding is magical and full of wonder, the writing is lyrical but efficient, and I am thoroughly enraptured with Spice Road! I cannot wait to read more from this author (and return to this world because omg I need MORE!).

4.5 Stars

An exceptional YA fantasy debut.

This is one of the strongest YA fantasy debuts in my recent memory. The world is deftly and diversely built, the characters are nuanced, with conflicting values and goals, and the plot clips along at a steady pace.

I was particularly impressed by the MC, who felt more like a young adult than most heroines, and who grew from naïve and sheltered into a powerful advocate for justice.

This novel also beautifully balanced beloved tropes and new twists, to keep it feeling fresh and yet timeless.

I eagerly await the sequel, and more work from Ibrahim.

Spice Road was an incredibly fun journey with interesting characters, a rich world, and a plot that never stopped moving. My biggest criticisms come from the start, which seemed a little slow and clunky at times. Beyond that, I enjoyed the growth that was on display, though Taha was a character that I'm still not sure I have a handle on. Amira, too, was annoying in that little sister way.

This book seemed to be all over the place for me. It took a long time to ramp up as well. There were times the story dragged on while other times it quickly we t through what seemed like a important part. The flash backs were a little jarring and it took a moments to realize it that was what it was. Overall way to much happened in this first book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to the publishers, the author, and NetGalley for this ARC!

Favorite Quote: “Should I not be angered equally for a stranger as for my own family, as I would want a stranger to do….”

Story Synopsis: Imani is a young woman who lives in Qalia and wants for nothing. She’s privileged, has a loving family, and has a magical affinity for iron. However, her brother disappeared. While everyone believes him dead, Imani’s sister, Amira, convinces her he is still alive and needs help. To bring her brother home, Imani gets help from an unlikely ally, as well as gets approval from the Qalia council. As she begins her journey with three companions, Imani is forced to question everything she grew up believing and her values.

Thoughts & Feelings: I enjoyed Spice Road immensely! After reading The Daevabad Trilogy earlier this year, I found I enjoy Middle Eastern fantasy. Spice Road has djinni, magic, romance, and high-stakes adventure. This novel ends nicely but feels like the first of a series, so I am excited to follow author Maya Ibrahim and read more!

Spice Road is a YA fantasy that follows Imani, a Shield warrior with an affinity for iron. When she discovers her supposedly dead brother is actually alive, she ventures outside of her homeland, the hidden desert city of Qalia, to bring him home. Outside the city limits, she discovers a world that she never knew existed, and grapples with her worldview, herself, her understanding of her brother, and the group she travels with.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding. Ibrahim does a great job describing the lush world. I love her use of sensory imagery, especially smell. It brings the world to life.

I love the tea magic! The people of Qalia access their affinity through drinking misra, a tea that allows them to access their magic. The first line of the book is, “We will fight, but first we will have tea.” Which is awesome.

I also really enjoyed the themes that Ibrahim presents. One of the main themes is truth and honesty, as Imani deals with the many lies she’s been told over the years. Another main theme is colonialism, which comes into play in the latter half of the book. I also appreciated the emphasis on family as Imani struggles to handle her rebellious little sister and hold onto hope that her brother is alive and well.

My favorite character is Qayn, a djinni that becomes Imani’s ally. He is the most complex and expressive character of the bunch, and I’m interested to learn more about him and his past!

But unfortunately, I didn’t like Imani’s character. She starts out as very naive and bullheaded…and ends the story being slightly less naive and bullheaded. She tends to be downright mean to anyone who helps her in the slightest and makes a lot of really dumb decisions. It doesn’t help that she’s also known as the Djinni Slayer…but besides obviously slaying a lot of djinni, we don’t really get an insight as to how she got that nickname at the age of seventeen. She also has a very confusing and lackluster enemies-to-lovers romance with a character who accompanies her on her journey.

I found her to be unlikeable in general, and I had to push through certain chapters because I wasn’t rooting for her the way I should. However, I really loved the tea magic, the Arabian-inspired world, and the mythology aspects of Spice Road. This was a 3 and 1/2 star read for me, rounded up to 4 stars.

Rounded to 4.5 stars.

CONTENT WARNING: grief, mention of suicide, mention of death of a parent, violence, blood, death of an animal, torture, gore, murder

The premise of the story was what drew me in initially, and the idea of an Arabian-inspired setting full of spice magic and a fierce heroine sounded too good to pass up on, especially if it was done well. Turns out, it was even better than I had expected, and what makes it more impressive is that this is Ibrahim’s debut novel.

To start with, the writing itself absolutely blew me away. Ibrahim offers such vivid descriptions that it felt as though I was right next to the characters, while writing in a beautiful and lyrical style. She paints such a realistic picture of the setting that I could see it easily, with the sands of the desert, date palms, minarets, and beautiful architecture of Qalia and other locations that the characters visit. The world-building is wonderful: the magic system is well-explained, as well as the belief system and history of the people in the story.

I loved Imani from the start. She’s fierce and tough, while also being sensitive and devoted to her family and her career. The loss of her brother has hit her hard, but it’s also increased her dedication to being the best Shield that she can be, and she also takes her responsibility as a big sister quite seriously, even though her younger sister makes it difficult. Imani is a flawed character, and is relatively rigid and headstrong, but that just gives her more room to grow. And we do see a lot of growth in her throughout the story, especially as her worldview changes when she learns new things during her travels.

There’s a lot of action and some huge plot twists in the story, although some of them were a bit predictable. Imani is a sheltered, privileged, and somewhat naïve character, although I can’t really hold that against her. It isn’t her fault, and I enjoyed seeing how she reacted when she was challenged and presented with new information. She’s stubborn, which isn’t always a good thing, but she was open to learning, and that’s a difficult combination. It was a fascinating read, and I found myself flying through this read.

In addition, there’s a lot of romantic tension in the story. Amidst the search for Imani’s brother, there is a slow-burn enemies to lovers subplot, and while I enjoyed the tension, I wasn’t quite sure if I trusted the man and didn’t know how I felt about the pairing. Ultimately, I loved how things worked out, and while things didn’t quite tie up neatly, it left things open to be followed up on in the next book, which I’m dying to get my hands on, despite the fact that it probably hasn’t even been written yet

Ultimately, this is an incredible debut, and I highly recommend it. It’s a fast-paced read featuring a fierce female character battling a strong and cocky male character for dominance, and I loved every moment of it. There’s magic, Arabian-inspired settings and folklore, gorgeous and lush writing, enemies to lovers tension throughout the story, mystery, action, and a plot that kept me hooked from start to finish. This is one not to miss, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store from Ibrahim.

Spice road is about a teen girl that is part of an elite group of fighters called the Shields. Herworld is turned upside down when she discovers that her brother alive but located in a place that lies beyond the sands of her home. She meet a djinn, who tell her that he knows her brother and will take her to him. Taha and others join her on this dangerous journey . This book has a lot of action and lore. I couldn't really get into the writing but I pushed through it . I didn't like the insta love between Taha and herself . It didn't seem realistic. But the plot is well written.

5 stars - please pre-order!! You will not regret it!

That this is a debut novel has me completely gobsmacked. Maiya Ibrahim has clearly found her passion and puts her blood, sweat and tears in to her writing. The result is a debut novel that flows smoothly, drags you in to the story with the lush world-building and lore and has its grip on you until the end... even then, you are left wanting more!

I do not wish to give too much away but... Action. Adventure. Lore. World-building. Character development. It was all there! There was nothing stagnant in this storyline, I can promise you that, which has left me with such a book hangover that I don't even know what to do with myself right now.

I am sad that I have finished this book. I am sad that I have to wait even longer for the next installment. But I am so thankful to have found this series and the author!

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

Rating - 3.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This has such a unique setting with tea magic and an Arabian-inspired world. Maya Ibrahim's writing was refreshingly unique and beautiful. This story is about Imani's journey across Spice Road to find her missing brother, Atheer. Along this journey, I loved seeing her coming to terms with her ignorance and blind trust in the history of her kingdom Qalia. The other main leads, Taha and Qayn were interesting and I definitely would like to read from their POVs. Despite having great potential for complex characters, the other characters felt one-dimensional. The romance in the story was anything but enemies to lovers. It felt more like a lot of misunderstandings and insta love. I liked the concept of Imani letting go of her inherent bias and fighting for justice. A lot of the time, her actions felt impulsive with no strong motive. I hope to read more about the magic system and see the depths of Taha and Qayn's characters.

Spice Road is a story about Imani, a young woman that is part of an elite group of fighters called the Shields. Her entire world is upended when she discovers that not only is her brother alive but located in a place that lies beyond the sands of her home, a place she previously didn't know existed.

The story itself starts out a little slow as it sets the layout for what comes next, but it a wonderfully descriptive book. You can clearly see the avenues of streets, shops, and homes, smell the spices that linger in the air, and hear the calls of the shopkeepers. It's vivid and strong and you're immediately immersed in the book in all its glory.

The story picks up when Imani meets Qayn, a mysterious djinni that knows Atheer, Imani's brother. He confirms of life beyond the sands and binds himself to Imani so that they can work together to find her brother. It's a forbidden act, so as Imani sets off on her journey, she has to keep Qayn's presence a secret.

The settings are wonderfully evocative, as they travel through abandoned and ancient cities and then the cities beyond the sands. Again, you can see and hear everything as the group of scouts travel through the city. You feel for the people that they meet and your heart is torn between duty and compassion, much as it is for Imani.

There is a wide cast of characters that are unique in their own right and wonderfully distinctive. Each has their own clear personality and can easily stand on their own, but this is clearly a story of family, friendship, and secrets.

This is the first of a trilogy and you'll definitely be wanting the next book as soon as you finish this one. Things are resolved, but a whole host of problems opens up as the book winds up, This is definitely one to keep a hold of and read again.

Upon reflection, this was not for me. I struggled with the writing to connect to the characters and story. I wanted to enjoy this. It might work for others as it did not work for me

Inventive and gorgeously written, Maiya Ibrahim’s “Spice Road” is in a class of its own.

In it, we meet Imani — headstrong and brave, she’ll do anything for her people, who she’s sworn to protect as the likely next great Shield. Her carefully cultivated world comes crashing down when she comes across a djinn, the very being she’s sworn to kill, who tells Imani that her brother is alive — her beloved sibling she’s long thought died after a gutting betrayal.

Of course, there’s more to the story, and Imani sets off on a dangerous journey accompanied by her nemesis, Taha, as well as a few others, to find her brother. Along the way, she’ll find herself having unexpected adventures in brand new places — encounters which challenge the way she sees the world.

I haven’t read a book as unique and compelling as this in a long, long time. Ibrahim has a real gift— one that shines through every single page.

*Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*