I love this book - 4.25 Stars
To be honest, I would say it has a lot of second book syndrome. It was slow in parts and not much happens but the worldbuilding was insane. Also, the details and the thought process behind it was amazing. So overall, I had a great time with this book and I love all the characters.
I do wish a few things were different about Anoor's arc but that could be just me. The ending was absolutely worth it and I cannot wait for the next part.

"Like an eggshell, life can bloom from broken things."

I am unwell. That was so good but simutaneously extremely painful. The above quotation from the depths of this sad book is the only thing keeping me going right now tbh.

Anoor was disappointing this book, her naivete from her sheltered (very abused) life was on full display without Sylah by her side guiding her. She was adrift and unsure who to trust - which turned out to be the correct decision. She kept making rash decisions and was so easily manipulated at every turn. Ultimately she chose so very wrong in the end. UGH. She is still mt strong queen, but she definitely needs her girl to come save her from herself right now.

There was so much death from start to finish, but the world is so fascinating. The dive into the Volcano Isles and the Zalaam's belief in Kabut (who is an a-hole god, lbr) was so interesting I found myself churning through the rest of the story to get to Nayeli's chapters.

The way the web of characters and their stories weaved into one another by the end was fantastic. I was so ready for the big twist of the story to be wrapped in the murder-mystery it was fun to be blindsided from left field with the reveal at the end.


This series is definitely being added to my physical bookshelf, as I can see myself returning to it and reading it over-and-over in the years to come. I am on pins and needles awaiting the final act. I have faith that Sylah will somehow save everyone, even if she's really only doing in for the selfish reason to saving Anoor. Whatever works lol.

5/5

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review

The Battle Drum is the sophomore book in the Ending Fire trilogy, where we pick up from the events of the previous novel. Everything we thought we knew about the world in The Final Strife is changed with this novel. The tone of this book is extremely different from the first book. The first book felt a lot more whimsical and lighter in tone, whereas this book is darker. We follow Sylah, Hassa, and Anoor as they slowly come to realize the biggest threat to life as they know it is not the Ember supremacist society they live in, but something much greater than them.
The world-building is incredible– each chapter changes our worldview and until we uncover the terrifying truth of it all. Despite the novel’s length, this story is fast-paced with different storylines in three different settings in the world. We learn more about the different religions and beliefs across the lands. The lore in this story is rich¬ and I wish we had more time to learn more. The characters are incredibly well-written, all the main POV characters have so much depth to them and it’s easy to become attached to them. The interpersonal relationships between characters are messy, and complicated but that makes the story so much better. Jond’s character growth in this book was incredible and despite intensely disliking him the first book, I saw myself rooting for him. My only complaint with this book was that I felt there were times that Anoor acted out of character towards the end of the novel.
This series is one of the best fantasy series I’ve read recently. At this point I would read Saara El-Arifi write about paint drying. I am so excited for the final book in the series and will be begging for an ARC when the time comes. Also, this cover is a blessing to us all.

Wow! The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi does not disappoint. I had actually forgotten that a sequel to The Final Strife would be coming out, so I was excited to get an email from the publisher about it. Ms. El-Arifi brings us back to the worlds of Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa and their continued adventures to find out more about their people, their land and themselves. We also get the addition of Nayeli and her very vital role in the whole tale.

I can't say much, without spoilers, but what I will say is that the action, the intrigue, and the unexpected will leave you on the edge of your seat. You become so invested in the characters, whether protagonist, antagonist, or likely somewhere in between, that you can't wait to turn the page. The friendships leave you wishing you had one of them in your corner and the scenery descriptions make feel like you are there yourself.

I highly recommend The Ending Fire Trilogy so far and can't wait until the next novel. Keep up the great writing Ms. El-Arifi!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of The Battle Drum!

I love the catch up at the beginning of the book, it was definitely needed, because I didn't remember some of the smaller details from The Final Strife.

I really enjoyed the The Battle Drum, my only complaint would be the Jond POV chapters, I felt like they could have been condensed down, I know they were needed to further his storyline but they felt out of place with the overall plot.

The world building in this book was fantastic, the expansion of the magic systems, and the addition of Nayeli, wow her story blew my mind, and I look forward to more of her it in the next book!

Sylah and Anoors love story is one of my favorite parts of this series, the assurance and strength they both draw from it is beautifully written and makes me swoon!

Overall, I enjoyed the second installment of this trilogy, and I'm excited to see where the finale goes!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is a short, spoiler-free review.


This story is wonderful! Loved the first book and I had high, high hopes for this one. For the most part, this lived up to my expectations, but it fell into the typical sophomore slump rut most trilogies suffer from. I still loved the characters and really appreciated the multiple POVs in this book, but there were pacing issues and I felt like we were expected to feel build-up or tension in some parts that just fell flat or didn’t deliver on their promises. That’s not to say, I wasn’t engaged or chomping at the bit to figure out what happened next. Just saying some parts could've used a little more….“oomph” or been edited down to a more condensed story to negate the feeling the story was being dragged out just for the sake of it. Overall, I was excited to return to the world, the magic and the writing is as beautiful as ever. I can’t wait to see how everything comes to a head in the final book.

I’ve mixed feelings for this….
I LOVED The Final Strife, it’s one of my best read in 2022 so I highly anticipated The Battle Drum. Turns out…. This isn’t “it”

Unlike TFS that focused on one matter and can stand on its own, the whole TBD was like a built-up for the third. It was sooo slow-paced. I didn’t feel the climax yet. And because the scope of the world became a lot bigger, the complexity was significantly increased. And more serious too. I’d say this is a mix between high fantasy, mystery, and climate fiction.

I remembered complaining about the narration’s style on TFS: “It's like watching a CCTV that's constantly shifted between 3 different places.” because there’s no clear boundaries between 3 POV. Thankfully, Saara fixed that in this book. There’s 5 POV, each chapter focusing on one. BUT, the story basically happened in 3 different places and most of the time Saara put 2 consecutive chapters for one POV: imagine this: I read Sylah’s POV but then I had to read 4-8 chapters from other POVs before back to Sylah again. That was kinda dampen the tensions.

There’s a LOT more violence in this book and in some scenes it really made me uncomfortable. The concept of sacrifice-obsessed heretics were concerning too. At one point I’ve gotten used to Saara’s attempts to stir emotions so I managed to guess a few things right (in other words: it failed to stir my emotions). At the end, some things were explained (though the explanations felt too cramped since it only covered the last 5% of the book, more or less)but there’s more that left unexplained. It was confusing as fuck. Despite my rating, I’m eager to read the third and final book of this series. Really hope that it’s all worth it.

(Slight spoilers)
Sylah-Anoor’s dynamic was one pf my fav things in TFS, but apparently they were separated the whole time in this book. There’s more Sylah-Jond’s crumbs so that’s a win for those who shipped them. But we also got a completely new couple so there’s a little win.

The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi is Ms. El-Arifi’s sequel to The Ending Fire trilogy and holy hell! I adored the first book in the series because it was fresh and exciting and completely unpredictable. The Battle Drum is all that and more, something I did not think was possible.

The action starts right away, with The Battle Drum picking up a day or two after the end of The Final Strife. Our three main characters, Hassa, Sylah, and Anoor, are still angry and still fighting against the injustices that plague their country. In any good sequel, the original quest changes, and the same holds true here. Sylah seeks a solution to the growing nightly hurricane problem. Hassa must balance her duties to her people with her growing friendships with those who are not her people. Anoor is the same mess as always, looking without leaping and judging before there is a shred of evidence, but her messes are even bigger and potentially more dangerous.

Much like the first novel, I had no idea in which direction Ms. El-Arifi was taking the women’s stories. I never wrapped my mind around the dual timelines, and I remained clueless about the story’s trajectory until I received that final puzzle piece. Looking back, I am so glad I was unable to guess anything. Not only were the reveals more effective because they were surprises, but I also enjoyed the story more as a result. The Battle Drum is a complicated story. There are a lot of moving pieces to match the large cast of characters. I appreciate how deftly Ms. El-Arifi weaves each piece into the larger story while keeping you guessing the entire time.

The other impressive aspect of The Battle Drum is that by the end of this second novel, who the villain is versus the heroes is unclear. Sylah, Hassa, and Anoor are morally gray. If there were doubts before, there are none by the end of the sequel. Each does things that cause harm to others as a direct result of choosing to be selfish instead of selfless. At the same time, we meet a new character who you could call the villain, but I have a difficult time sticking that label on her. Her actions are not any worse than those taken by the other characters, and, unlike them, her actions are completely selfless. It makes for a compelling drama as the lines of good versus evil blur and intermingle and even fade completely.

Another fun aspect of The Battle Drum is that it feels like the first book in a series. Yes, the characters are the same, and there is one key storyline from The Final Strife that remains pertinent in book two. However, Ms. El-Afiri introduces so many new places with new people and uncovers game-changing information that it has none of the stagnancies that plague so many sequels. All of it is new and exciting, and the answers you get leave you reeling.

While good sequels do exist, there are so many less-than-good ones that there is a reason why many readers approach sequels with caution. The Battle Drum suffers from none of that. I found everything about it compelling and became so engrossed in the story that the lines between reality and fiction blurred ever so slightly. If The Final Strife was impressive, The Battle Drum is awe-inspiring in its scope, its detail, and its execution.

★ 4.25 / 5 or ★ 4.5 / 5

Nothing can describe a sequel glow-up. I had SUCH a rough experience with The Final Strife due to slow pacing that I almost did not request this book to review. The ending of that debut was the reason I picked this up, and I'll be thankful for that decision forevermore because wowwww was this good!

I described The Final Strife as a setup book. Its painstakingly slow build in the world was not ideal, but it brought us to The Battle Drum, which not only broadens the world building of this world but also unleashes the truth behind the magic system and natural disasters like the Tidewind. If you had mixed feelings like me for TFS, I definitely think it is worth it to try the first couple of chapters of TBD. The books feel very different, TBD more mature in writing for example.

A new POV is dropped into the mix. We've already had Sylah, Anoor, Hassa, and even Jond for a whole book, but Nayeli was an interesting addition. She comes from a mysterious other country as a renowned craftswoman (cannot recall her specific title). We have the shortest amount of time with her POV, always the last two or three chapters in every part of the book, but they became the most interesting due to her mystery. Nayeli has lived a life of pain and struggle, not only in her rigorous crafting/ metalworking but in her loved ones too. We do not learn the truth of her story honestly until the last couple of pages, but her big reveal had me screaming like a banshee. I am truly so excited to see what happens with her arc because the Wife has come to bring the fire down on this world.

Now jumping back to the original POVs—Sylah is out in the world looking for aid to help Anoor and their empire. She killed Loot and took Jond hostage right before the end of the first book, so she's dragging Jond's traitor ass after her while searching for the Ghosting revolutionary base that Hassa mentioned. Sylah will go through the roughest journey of the POVs this time around, which still tracks perfectly with TFS. She's still dealing with her addiction, but she is trying to better the world in whatever manner she can. She believes in Annor and her friends back home, and nothing will stop her... or nothing will until she's nearly dead. Contrastingly, Anoor felt very alienated in this book. Her paranoia and duty felt like shackles to her shoulders. She has lost Sylah for now, but she doesn't help her situation by pushing essentially all of her allies away from herself. She is not using her intelligence and cunning to make decisions because her eyes are clouded with fear and nerves. It was hard to see her lose faith in her loved ones, so Anoor's story hurts emotionally a ton. Lastly, Hassa. I need to go back and reread her parts of TFS because my memory is the worst for her characterization. Her spying and sneaking for the revolution and Anoor has always been interesting, but her arc in the end hurt eternally. I'm worried Hassa is going to go down a bad path like Annor after the consequences of this book, and I desperately don't want her to because she was the one keeping Annor's head on straight, even Sylah. Hassa has always been this concrete, stable force, and to see her rocked to her core will be difficult. But I also think she deserves to find her healing, so let her rage burn.

Overall, the best part of this sequel was the attention to world building, lore, and the magic system. Just like the leads, readers eyes are opened up to a broader world view on bloodcraft—aka deathcraft—and its conflicting reputation. The blood Drum reminded me a ton of A Day of Fallen Night due to the magic system tying into the extreme climate change. It makes sense that an abuse in bloodcraft would worsen the environment due to magic coming from the world itself. The balance is thrown off when too much is used resulting in the Tidewind, tsunamis, acid rain, and other disasters. The Tannin being this hodgepodge creation of destructive and sacrificial magic also twisted this magic system into an even darker perspective. I'm curious to see what comes of its now that Sylah has failed to destroy it. I knew it would be too easy for her to just sail out and end it, but I'm curious who will destroy it now. Jond? He's the only lead left out in that part of the world, and I could see him learning this new magic and way of the world to better it by destroying something as twisted as the Tannin. Maybe the bone marrow will come into play for reversing the creation magic too. Bone marrow is the only other aspect to this magic system that confuses me a bit, but I think the finale in this trilogy will focus on it.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Emotional damage at 100%. I am so dang attached to these characters and loved how each character POV went in their own different directions. Was SO happy to get Hassa’s POV in this one. Is it too early to say I want the third book already?

Despite being the second book in the series this book keeps you engaged and is not just a bridge from the first to the final book. I really enjoyed how engaging the story is and the fact the author incorporated LGBTQ+ characters within the story.

I read The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi which is the sequel to The Final Strike. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine.
While this might not be quite as good as the first book since the two leading ladies are separated, this book is still amazing.
We get Sylah on a new land with her old lover Jond. Her story is fascinating, mixing in and really driving the idea of sacrifice and how it plays more organically into the world which is a huge theme of this book. In this book, I actually really loved Sylah’s and Jond’s relationship, mostly because I felt both characters could finally admit to how incredibly toxic it was, but it also showed how much either of them still couldn’t let the other one go. Also, there might have been a cat involved.
Anoor is the most boring of the characters we are following, mostly because her troubles as a discipline are interrupted in the most obvious ways possible, which makes her make obvious mistakes and accusations. The only real saving grace of her story is that we also get to learn what Hassa is doing during this time and the very end of Anoor’s journey where all that ridiculousness finally pays off. I just wish she’d been forced into that position in another, less cliché route.
Then we get a third person mixed in there. A young ambitious girl from a far-off land where all eight blood types live. Hers is a story of tragedy, zealotry, racism, and pain. To be clear, she’s the racist, the zealot, the one who benefits from these systems and suffers under them. This story is intriguing, and unlike other stories that pop up in second books, I found myself enjoying this one, and eager to figure out how it tied into the greater narrative. The only thing I found a little bit off, was that it had to be an ace character who was so villainized in this book. The fact that she wasn’t interested in romance was one of the things against her, but it can also just be read as one of the things that pushed her over the edge since she was basically forced to marry.
Overall, I adored this book. I consumed this book, and I’m already biting at the bit and wanting the third one.

Engaging even though it’s the middle book of a trilogy, interesting world building and characters; sometimes repetitive as characters learn same information, but different contexts still interesting; integrated third gender and several prominent queer characters.

Oh my goodness. Loved this story!

Let me first say that this book is DARK. Please read the TWs and no this isn’t for the weak.

Firstly, I really enjoy books that make me question religion and spiritually. Mainly becaus I’m spiritual an religious but recognize that this does not make the sects of religion nor the people perfect - I like that this book really explores that because I think its so important to bring attention to it.

The villain is one of the most compelling characters I’ve come across in a while. I’m excited to see where this goes in the final book!

I will say that I’m hoping Anoor becomes more useful. She just seems so powerless and useless that I keep wondering when her big moment is going to happen. This was part of the reason, why the book seemed to drag for me in certain chapters.

Nevertheless, it is a well written book and I can’t wait for the final installment which should keep me up all night. Thank you to the publisher and author for a copy of the book!

I received the eARC of The Battle Drum from the publishers/NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Saara’s storytelling just sucks you in and you can’t stop reading. The world built is very engaging. I had high hopes for book 2 and I was not let down.

Hassa is by far my favorite character in the book. I hate that she has to face so many injustices in her life. Anoor & Sylah continue to get on my nerves. Anoor is too naive. However, the way the book ended I have hopes for her. Sylah, I’m not sure about her. I do love her grit though.

I wish book 3 gives Hassa the ending she deserves. I also hope to see Anoor’s character develop. I can’t wait to read the next one!

This book was everything I hoped it would be and more. As someone who also worries about “second book syndrome,” I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this one (maybe even more than the first one?!). It picks up right where The Final Strife left off. I really appreciated the intro Griot tale, as it recounted many of the main plot points from book one (such a nice refresher). We follow many of the same characters but are also introduced to new characters (including a new perspective) as we explore new places within this world. I thought the world building in this second installment was magnificent! It was so detailed and intricate, making me feel like I could really understand this world.

The way El-Arifi has left hints of what was to come throughout this book and the first installment was amazing. I was constantly trying to figure out what was happening (in a good way!) and trying to put all of the puzzle pieces together. Every time I thought I had figured it out, a new plot twist was thrown in. Similarly, I think every character POV was compelling and there wasn’t a character I did not want to read from. Even better, the storylines were all separate and yet intertwined in such a nice, satisfying way. The ending has me desperately awaiting book 3! Definitely a 5 star read for me!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Battle Drum picks up where The Final Strife left off, and we get to see the direct aftermath of that buckwild ending. Sylah and Jond are traveling to new lands, Anoor is now her mother's disciple, and Hassa remains in Nar-Ruta as a spy while also keeping an eye on Anoor. El-Arifi also introduces a new character as a POV character who becomes integral to the story and gives us some very interesting information

I really enjoyed going to new locations with Sylah and Jond and getting perspectives outside the Warden's Empire, as well as uncovering the secrets about the founding of the Empire. I did think of all the points of views, Anoor's was the weakest (this is a little more in line with a murder mystery) but the way it ties up and merges with other story lines was immaculate. I thought the spread of POVs was very well thought out and I enjoyed reading each one. As always I love the care that El-Arifi writes Sylah's addiction with, and I thought all of the character arcs were satisfying and interesting. I loved what The Battle Drum does with culture, religion, magic, and politics here and every new reveal had me gasping with delight. I also loved that we got a recap of The Final Strife at the beginning. It was so well-done and felt so natural, so major props for that.

I had a few quibbles. The pacing of the middle felt a little bit slow and it definitely felt like a Second Book(tm), and while I enjoyed Anoor's story, it did feel weaker, in part because the scope wasn't as large. But the ending of this book is so strong that by the end I found I didn't mind these things as much, because El-Arifi sticks the landing.

This was a genuinely excellent read that I had such a fun time with and I can't wait for the next one.

I got sucked into this second book. I loved getting to know the characters through their actions and behaviors. I liked Jond character so much in this book. No matter how nasty people are he looks out for those he is invested with. I love how Ads followed him around like a puppy. The world building was also interesting. I mean different colored bloods and cultures that went with them was pretty cool. I am hoping anoor and her love can reunite in the next book cause they would not stop yearning. lol. I look forward to more of the adventure.

This was one of my most anticipated 2023 reads so I was totally PUMPED to get the ARC.

Here is what I thought….

I loved it…maybe even more than The Final Strife. The pacing was excellent, I was always eager to pick the book back up. The characters are still getting themselves into stressy messy situations, at one point I wanted to scream and throw the book. Best of all were all the reveals, omg it’s one twist after another after another. I’m feral for the final installment!

Once again this author has blown me away! Saara El-Arifi is a mastermind when it comes to building the world. building suspense and hitting you with an amazing plot twist that makes you question everything that you know! Fans of The Final Strife will absolutely love this second installment in the series. I cannot wait to see how all of this ends. It was so great being back in this world and seeing my favorite characters again. I honestly cannot predict what will happen in the finale but I know that it will be epic!