3.5 stars

This was an enjoyable listen, but not a perfect book. I actually think you might enjoy it more if you haven’t read the Count of Monte Cristo.

The good:
Love the Pakistani and gender flipped take on the story.
It’s fast paced with some sword fights along the way, and lots of danger.
It’s got a much happier ending than the OG!

The could have been better:
The world building and djinn magic needed more work.
The half-baked plans and lack of consistency from our characters seemed sadly typical of some YA books.
The twist? I didn’t like it and it seemed so out of left field.

Overall, I think this will work for a lot of people, and so I’d recommend if you’re looking for an accessible swashbuckling take on a classic.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the preview. All opinions are my own.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Omg this book was beyond amazing . The set up for starter was perfection for me , loved that is fresh at least in the sea of new books coming out. I like that is lets burn this world down and Diana rage amazing . this was definitely something that keep me hooked thru the whole book and left me wanting more .
now the audio superb , loved it perfect narrator for it .

I was honestly surprised that this story captured my attention since the beginning. I never once felt like this book bored me which is refreshing. I did not expect that plot twist right before the end. I definitely enjoyed the romance but I did feel like it was a bit rushed at a turning point. I am left still processing this book even after I finished it. The ending left me satisfied and it feels bittersweet because I didn’t want it to end.

It was a great story. I would recommend for other readers to give this book a try.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.