YO.

This book had me enthralled. I was torn between a 4 and a 5-star rating, we'll just say 4.5 yeah? But seriously, it's been a hot minute since a book has completely sucked me into its world and I gladly let myself be taken. This was just so fun to read. I feel like it did a really good job of veering off the beaten path, so many books have the same scenes done over and over but this was surprisingly fresh and took me for a total ride through its various twists and turns.

I'll try to go through this with only light spoilers and will make sure to mark those :)

The Good:
Our main girl Irinya- LOVE HER. Dude, the author did an awesome job with this character, she was real, she was flawed, I wanted to shake her at the beginning when she plucked that flower and by the end, I wanted to take her to a spa day and split a pizookie with her (that girl deserved an entire month to chill after that fiasco). And can we talk about how her entire inner monologue wasn't focused on obsessing over guys??? Like, she found Kavi attractive and admittedly did make a stupid decision but not based on some insta-love for him but rather because she really believed that in doing so it would save her kul- not to mention the war with the Portuguese. She was always focused on the bigger picture, the politics over her own feelings or thoughts which was so refreshing. Also her humor?? Love it. Understated, some of her funniest lines were said in her own head. And- SLIGHT SPOILER I would say don't read this if you haven't read it yet, not because it's a big plot point but because there's nothing like reading it unexpectedly in the book trust me **** holy guacamole guys when she saw Deven again and legit yeeted her boots at his face I lost it dude, that was truly a gift to read, thank you Mehrotra ********


Another thing, that made me want to shout with joy: her relationship with Imshan Khan. I will admit, I did have mixed feelings about the ending but one thing I was SUPER relieved for was that Mehrotra did not romanticize toxic relationships or manipulation. I love good morally grey characters, even love them as a character's love interest but nothing kills a book so thoroughly as setting up a character with another that is toxic and play it off as them just being "morally grey". Just no. So, I thoroughly enjoyed Irinya calling him out on all his crap.

All the wonderful female characters. Bholi Masi, the Sultana, Miraben, Tarana, fantastic. All the characters were super well written tbh.

Vereena.

The SETTING. I thought I wouldn't like it at first because I'm alwasy just kinda eh to books that are based with real life places but I quickly forgot that with this book because the setting was so much more. The magic flower thing was so cool, I loved all the differences with the cultures, like the fancy city folk scoffing at the idea of Chir Batti when the locals all know better.

I could go on and on honestly. But I'll move on.

The Eh;
The ending. Don't get me wrong, I still loved it. Like I LOVED it but....it kind of wrapped up in maybe too perfect a bow? Maybe I'm becoming heartless but I like messy endings. SPOILER COMING UP HERE ********* I have to admit, I was kinda hoping for a Imshan redemption. I really liked him at first-obviously by the end that was toast- but if Mehrotra ever wanted to write another series where Imshan suceeded with his flower (maybe he did end up in an alternate timeline after all) and he goes back in time and has to deal with the repercussions of his actions, both good and bad, and ends up becoming a better person in the end... I would be first in line to read it. Just saying.

The romance. I mean, they were cute but honestly I think I would have preferred if they stayed friends.


Some last minute warnings:
- some violence (most sword fighting, some poison dart situations, also an execution that's pretty awful but not described too graphically)
- fairly clean with the romance only some suggestive language and kissing

Just go read it :) it's a good book to lose yourself over

I read this one in one sitting on a plane and I ADORED IT.
An absolutely unique magic system where flowers are magic that can both heal and kill, and a girl determined to protect those she loves from being taken advantage of by those who only want power.
Also, PORTAL MAGIC and the cutest love story ever. 10/10.

I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own and a review was not required.

In the 16th century in the Indian state of Gujarat, seventeen-year-old Irinya Dewa is one of the best flower hunters of her nomadic tribe. She and the other flower hunters, including her longtime best friend, Fardan, brave the Rann salt flats in the Kutch desert to bring back magical jasmine, sunflowers, roses and more. The tribe give the flowers to the middleman who offers them just enough money so the tribe can get by, but the businessman always seems to be demanding more from Irinya and the others.

One day Irinya and Fardan venture in the desert and see a foreign man dead in the sand. In his hand he holds a bluestar, although Irinya and Fardan can’t believe he managed to find the rare flower. That discovery is the first of many that Irinya and Fardan make, the most notable being that of Kavi Kampilya who says he represents the high government of Gujarat and wants to make life better for the tribes and the flower hunters.

Irinya is enamored with Kavi who reciprocates her attention. Despite Fardan glowering in the corner, Irinya believes Kavi’s promises. She breaks an important one of her own when she shows Kavi the location of the rare spider lily flower, and when it, as well as Kavi, go missing Irinya realizes she’s made a terrible mistake.

Her determination to get the spider lily back will take Irinya far from the desert into the city and the governmental seat of Gujarat where talk of war with the Portuguese is everywhere. As Irinya follows leads to find Kavi, she realizes the fate of all flower hunters might be the key to saving India from foreign invaders once and for all.

Author Rati Mehrotra does an admirable job balancing a clearly Indian story with a narrative that makes it accessible to all audiences. While the book drags in some scenes, and Irinya’s fixation on her missing mother can get tedious, for the most part the novel is delightful. The roundabout history lesson readers will get about how the Portuguese invaded India and plundered it of its natural resources is worth the read.

This book was absolutely captivating from the very first chapter. I was shocked, honestly because I don’t usually get THAT involved. Loved!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the world building in this book. But I admit that it wasn't for me. It was overly descriptive sometimes and it took me out of the book.

4/5 ⭐️
I think this book is great for anyone who like Spice Road but more specifically, the classic tales from 1001 Nights. The way the story was told felt more akin to how classic folk tales and fairytales are told than a traditional story arc, but it added to the experience.
This story I believe is inspired by or takes places in 1600s India (sorry I’m sadly not well versed in Eastern history as I should be), but it adds in this magical element with the flowers, making it into a fantasy alternative history. We watch as the main character rights her wrong by going on this fairytale like quest. There’s women empowerment in this story and a slight love triangle that reminded me a little of Mal and the Darkling. But there was also elements when it came to the court politics that reminded me of House of the Dragon.
I will say the first third to half was a little slow. I think it really started picking up after she meets the morally grey wazir.
Overall, I’m definitely going to be recommending this story to any fan of a classic fairytale/folktale but want it in long, novel form.
Thank you to NetGalley & Wednesday Publishing for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

This book has such a great setting, and the magic system is excellent! Set in 16th century India, it ponders what could have happened if there were magical flowers that could have saved India from colonization. I loved the magic system around the flowers, mystical items that were dangerous to harvest and find, with a nursery rhyme-type poem that warns of their abilities and dangers! The setting and magic system were so immersive that I really loved the story, even though the characters fell flat at times. I wish she would have fleshed out the characters more. There were a few instances with the characters that were instrumental to the plot but felt very rushed. But overall, it was an immersive read that I really enjoyed! I love Rati Mehrotra's standalone fantasy novels and can't wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Flower and Thorn is the beautiful and riveting tale of the flower hunter Irinya. Irinya has always wanted to be a flower hunter and is faced with an impossible choice when her best friend finds a rare and valuable flower. A government impersonator promises to use the power of the flower to save lives, but he tricks Irinya into parting with it. Devastated, the only way she can make it right is to track this man down and recover the flower. Will Irinya find the flower in time and be able to save her people?

Flower and Thorn is filled with gorgeous prose and sensory details that will make the reader feel they are right there with Irinya. The storytelling feels timeless and classic. Irinya is a wonderful heroine who is fierce, loyal, and possesses intricate knowledge of flower magic. The flower magic system was very creative and detailed. Flowers provide power and all have different uses, which forces Irinya to choose what and who is most important to her. Irinya must disguise herself and her purpose to find her way back to the flower that could change the fate of a kingdom. Readers who seek excellent magic systems, friends to lovers, and beautiful prose will love this book. I’m looking forward to what Rati Mehrotra writes next!

Thank you so much to Rati Mehrotra, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

Flower and Thorn has instantly become one of my favorite books of the year. The imagery, the plot, the characters---all of it---astounding. I couldn't stop reading and I finished this book in a day. It's a slow-burn, but I needed to know what was going to happen. I was HOOKED!

A HUGE thank you to Alexis Neuville at St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.

Rati Mehrotra is one of my favorite YA authors ever since I read “Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove” last year. I was overjoyed when I was given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of “Flower and Thorn” because it was THE book I was looking forward to the most this year!

This stand-alone fantasy did not disappoint with a captivating plot, fascinating characters, and a high-stakes adventure with unexpected twists and turns that kept me on my toes until the very end of the story!

The author is wonderful at creating determined, intelligent, and cunning female lead characters that are flawed but very relatable. I loved Irinya from the beginning of the book, and I felt a strong connection with her and her journey to make things rights after one horrible decision. At only seventeen, she’s an accomplished flower hunter who’s fiercely devoted to her family and small community of nomads. Irinya frequently forces herself out of her comfort zone to do what’s right and save her family – and India.

I loved that some of the flowers actually “spoke” to Irinya throughout the story – and flowers never spoke without a reason. Those moments made me realize how special Irinya was to have that magical connection. She was chosen for a reason, and I couldn’t wait to find out why.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy adventure story with a twist of betrayal and a hint of romance. It’s definitely one of the best YA books I’ve read this year!

I love Rati Mehrotra's stories of an alternative India of the past. I always learn something new, there's always an epic journey, and the main characters are always fierce and determined. Flower and Thorn is no exception.

This story is told from the point of view of Irinya, a nomadic flower hunter in a world where the flowers growing in the desert have magical properties and their thorns contain poison. Flower hunters work in pairs, but Irinya's mother left her tribe's camp to hunt one night and never came back. Irinya seems to be a gifted hunter and works with her longtime friend Fardan.

The start of the book immerses you in the life of a nomadic kul, a tribe. They live in poverty, in debt to a violent, condescending agent who is the middle man for the magical flower industry. An outsider arrives to suggests they organize a coop instead of dealing with the established distribution structure that has kept them oppressed and poor. Irinya takes him into the desert and shows them one of the most rare and powerful flowers, a flower she promised Fardan she wouldn't harvest. Well, he outsider talks her into harvesting the flower and things go sideways from there. Irinya's guilt over giving the outsider the flower and what happens next leads her to venture to the city to set things right again. Oh and besides the epic adventure, we have a few love interests that baffle Irinya for most of the book, talking flowers/animals, and the thwarting of the Portuguese invasion of India, too. Good times!

The narration in this book is simpler than in Mehrotra's last and I found myself trying to decide if that was to embrace the voice of an uneducated member of a nomadic kul in the 1500s or more to appeal to a younger audience. Perhaps it's a combination of the two.

Flower and Thorn is an engaging, well-paced standalone historical fantasy novel. It is anti colonialist and anti imperialist. I recommend if you want to read a standalone novel.

thanks to the publisher & netgalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

so, me and irinya (the main character) got off to a rough start. i thought she made some ... questionable decisions that play right into the "girl who's never seen a man in her life" trope -- very miranda and ferdinand of her, for any other fans of the tempest out there. i literally have so many notes just talking about every infuriating thing she does in the first 25% of the book. but from there, it turns into a pretty decent fantasy book! i was truly on the verge of rating it 3.5 stars (or potentially 4 stars for the wazir -- but with deep shame in my heart). sure, she didn't pick up on some of the reveals that she should have, and i was a bit frustrated with the pacing. but it is a ya fantasy book, and i'm willing to forgive a lot of technical errors if i still get swept away in the magic of young love, and it was truly happening. and then: the ending happened. mild spoilers ahead: <spoiler>i just don't think it was set up well? it feels like we spent the whole book concentrating on the wrong characters, and then we're supposed to care about these people i know nothing about. like, why should i care? there wasn't enough development of the relationship between those characters, and it was bothering me.</spoiler> all things considered, it's still a fun book, and i love the desi representation! but i think i'll be sticking to re-reading laini taylor before another ya fantasy can disappoint me.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I enjoyed this original fantasy tale set in a historical India. The world was rich and interesting though I would have loved more about the flowers!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wasn't really sure what to expect with this story. It's always fun to read a new author's writing! Flower and Thorn builds its own world in India mixed with a unique magic system. Irinya's kul( similar to a tribe "Family, home, or parentage.") live a nomadic lifestyle. They follow the seasons in search of magic flowers that can be found in the treacherous desert. The world building is detailed and I love the magic system! Irinya is wide eyed and at the cusp of becoming an adult. She is fighting for the role and future she wants so desperately for herself and her kul. Even when she strikes out on a dangerous mission she never forgets her goals. I did appreciate the subtle way the author wove in LGBTQ rep - even in a society that was not as accepting. This is a YA fantasy, very little romance (innocent), smashes the patriarchy, and is so heartfelt.

Magic flowers, a dangerous and beautiful salt desert, a broken promise, and power-hungry royals and foreigners come together to create some decidedly dicey circumstances for one teenage girl in the Gujarat sultanate of India. This story, following seventeen-year-old Irinya (named after the salt desert in question) as she journeys far from home in order to reclaim a rare flower that can decide the fate of nations, examines poverty, power, corruption, colonialism, and the women who must face these challenges head-on in order to do what is right. This is also a story of a coming of-age. Irinya definitely starts off naive and inexperienced in some ways, but she grows remarkably over the course of the novel, discovering all of the power she holds and everything she is capable of while always holding onto her commitment to her family, friends, and community. The richly-imagined settings in this book succeed in bringing all parts of this story to life.

I would love to know more about the magic flowers that so much of the plot hinges on, as the legends of them held as much power for the characters as the flowers themselves. Honestly, I would read anything set in this world just for the flowers and their stories.

Final Rating: Between 3.5 and 4 stars.

Thank out to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra is a YA fantasy that will give you all of the feels. The story revolves around Irinya, a flower hunter whose caravan survives by finding rare flowers with magical powers and selling them to the overlords who they owe a debt to. When Irinya's oldest childhood friend finds an extremely rare spider lily, Irinya realizes that it has the power to change the fate of their whole country. This flower has the power to turn the tides of wars, and it has the potential to be dangerous if left in the wrong hands. Will Irinya make the right choices and keep the flower safe from those who wish to harm her friends and family?

Here is an exciting excerpt from Chapter 1:

"The man had been dead for a while, as was obvious from the stench. He lay spread-eagled on the cracked white earth of the salt desert, his skin burned reddish brown by the sun, the buttons of his faded shirt straining against the bloat of his stomach. In the hollow of his outstretched palm, in ludicrous contrast, glowed a bluestar, bright and impossible.
Irinya leaned forward and stared at it, her gut churning, wishing she could leave it alone but knowing she would not. Flowers were rare in the Rann of Kutch. Years of overharvesting and destruction of the hives they depended on had nearly wiped them out. This bluestar would be worth a gold mohur at least."

Overall, Flower and Thorn is a quest-filled YA fantasy that will appeal to fans of Mulan or Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness series. One highlight of this book is Irinya, who is a strong female protagonist. Another highlight of this book is the premise. The idea of flower hunting and flowers with magical powers is so cool. One final highlight of this book is how the plot got me very emotional at certain points, which is hard for a fantasy book to do. At times, I sympathized with Irinya's plight a lot and her feelings for those around her. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in October!

<i>Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book, all opinions are my own.</i>

I love the idea of magical flowers being scarce, and only a select few people are able to find them. It made this story feel unique, and I was reading it wondering where the story would go!

I was pleasantly surprised in multiple parts of the story, and I like that there was a touch of romance in the background that didn't take away from the main story. Every time a new male character was introduced I thought <i>here we go,</i> just to have that guy NOT be the romantic interest. It kept me on my toes!

I do feel like the story dragged a little in the middle, and I thought there would be more magical flowers throughout. Otherwise it was an entertaining story and I loved the lush fantasy world the author wrote about.

This book does also have a <i>lot</i> of discussion over rich vs poor, and how the poor "stay" poor due to exploitation of the rich. I feel like it was a very realistic snapshot into the real world, the only difference is that the book had a leader that <i>actually</i> tried to change.

Anyway, this book was a unique fantasy with a sweeping adventure in a lush landscape. I liked the characters and the lore, and some of the topics did make the story feel a little more realistic. There is some violence and death, but also a touch of romance and quite a few twists!

The magical flowers of the Rann hold great promises — but magic never comes without a price.

When Irinya’s friend Fadran shows her one of the rarest flowers, she promises not to pick it. But a handsome stranger weaves a tale of hope and riches, and she gives him the flower. If it will free her kul from debt and the sultanate from the invaders, it will be worth a broken promise. Until it’s not.

With the blood of two men on her hands, Irinya sets out to recover the flower. Only she can set things right. And maybe once she does, Fadran’s broken heart will heal from her broken promise.

“You could win the whole world and it mattered not a jot if you lost the most important battle of all — the one against yourself.”

While this quote is aimed at the antagonist, it perfectly sums up Irinya’s struggle throughout the book. She’s so desperate to help the people of her kul that she loses sight of what she knows is right. And even as she tries to fix it, she faces horrible decision after horrible decision.

The romance is very light with some sideways threats about a woman traveling alone. Two female side characters seems to be more than just friends. Fadran’s feelings for Irinya are clear up front, while it takes longer for her to realize she cares for him. It’s very sweet to watch with some heart-breaking moments.

The world-building is amazing. The story is set in sixteenth century India, just as colonization is beginning. A difficult time, but the introduction of magic asks a heavy “what if?” The magic system centers around the flowers, and their abilities and cost. But the beauty of this world lies in the layers. The dichotomy of the nomadic communities to the opulent palaces. The rich detail in describing the landscape and settings as they unfold before Irinya. And the food — I’m normally not one who notices food in books, but I got so hungry reading this!

I loved how the story looked at themes of greed, colonialism, power, and environmentalism without feeling like a lecture about any of them.

Five roses. Such a great story
A couple of sword fights with multiple injuries, and one particularly unpleasant death.
Minor kissing
Minor swearing (The one thing that felt out of place. Why not use words from the world rather than English?)