This was a really imaginative story. I loved the concept. Lots of fresh ideas that made the world seem real. The eye system was very interesting and I wished we’d dived into it a bit quicker.

I loved the idea behind Jantsia’s family and looking forward to seeing how it unfolds further.

I would have liked more of the story to have centered on Jantsia and the problems in her every day life. When you’re getting to know a character, it can be tricky when there are multiple points of views as you feel like you’re being pulled away from the person you wanted to read about.

I enjoyed Kain and Daezen’s story but didn’t feel connected to the inspector Soba story as much. It was a tricky one to interweave.

I am interested to see where it goes next!

I struggled to get into this book, and I’m still not entirely sure why. Whether it was the dystopian setting, the best-friend-turned-love-interest dynamic, or simply that I wasn’t in the right mood—something just didn’t click for me. I found it hard to connect with the characters, which made it a bit of a slow read.

That said, the world-building was intriguing, with a modern yet dystopian feel and a quasi caste-like system that added depth and tension. While it didn’t quite work for me, I can see it appealing to readers who enjoy speculative settings, social hierarchies, and slow-burn relationships.

If dystopia with a contemporary edge is your thing, this might be worth a try.

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes is a striking debut that tackles power, identity, and belonging through a fresh dystopian twist where eye color defines social rank. The multi-POV approach adds variety but made it harder to connect with all characters—Daezan stood out the most. The world-building is imaginative but sometimes unclear, leaving me wanting more detail. Despite that, the story moves at a good pace, the themes hit hard, and the ending leaves a strong impression. A promising start, and I’m excited to see what book two brings.

The Girl With Fierce Eyes by Sophia Vahdati is a dystopian novel where we follow the point of view of three different characters who are each living unique lives within the world’s discriminatory society.

I loved reading each character’s povs. They’re all super interesting and pretty different from each other but with all their secrets they become parallels of each other which I really love.

The real world critique through the eye colour system was interesting especially when that wasn’t the only way to discriminate against people in the world.

The world building was amazing and lively with the writing and descriptions being very visual. I loved the magic system and the sci-fi elements as well as how complex it was without actually making anything too confusing to read.

Also I kinda really liked the anthem’s lyrics. They only showed up once but they clearly stated how the world worked within a few lines which was really interesting.

The ending and climax are awesome, I was really on the edge of my seat for the last few chapters but now I wanna know what colour are her eyes? I'm thinking heterochromic blue and black maybe both in each eye? One thing I’m certain about though is that I need a second book right now. There will be a sequel right? Right?

This is such a strong book filled with action, adventure and a storyline that reflects what is happening in out current world.

The magic system was unique and rich, eyes deciding which magic you will have.

I love the different relationships and how we can slowly start to see a love triangle forming!

100% would recommend!

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes is a bold and emotional YA fantasy debut that explores identity, rebellion, and the fight for freedom. I came for the premise—an empire where eye color determines your worth—and stayed for the strong characters and a story that kept me turning pages.

Jantsia was the standout for me. Her chapters were the most engaging, and I really connected with her inner conflict and growing sense of power. Her secret, her fear, and her courage felt raw and real, and I found myself rooting for her from the very first chapter.

There were a few moments that didn’t land quite as well. Some of the romance plotlines felt a little unclear, and I occasionally had trouble understanding the science behind the magic system. A map or glossary would have gone a long way in helping me feel grounded in the world. There was also a section in the middle where the pacing slowed down a bit, mostly due to uneven POV distribution. But honestly, these were minor things in the grand scheme.

What impressed me most was how this book handled difficult topics like discrimination, identity, trauma, and even grooming. The author wrote these topics with lots of care, leaving it to be thought-provoking without overly heavy-handed.

This is a story about fear, about choice, and about breaking free from the expectations that trap us. It’s sharp, character-driven, and full of heart. I’d definitely recommend it to older teens or anyone looking for a fresh YA fantasy with real emotional depth. I have no doubt this is just the beginning of an exciting series—and I’ll be keeping my eye (pun intended) on what Vahdati writes next.

I'm not going to lie, I requested this ARC almost exclusively because of "Ooh! Pretty Cover" syndrome. It ended up being an enjoyable read. The story has interesting worldbuilding, handles character complexities pretty well (I especially liked the way the author wrote one of the characters recovering from a problematic relationship), references sexual content and sexual activity while keeping everything closed door, and has a pretty solid YA fantasy/dystopian vibe. There were a few things I struggled with (some of the romance plotlines had confusing chemistry for me, some of the writing felt closer to middle grade for some reason, and there were parts of the worldbuilding that could have used a bit more fleshing out), but they were pretty minor. I'd be very comfortable giving this book to an older teen who can handle some of the content and wants a bit of a YA dystopian/fantasy fix.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes is a bold and timely YA dystopian fantasy that tackles real-world issues through a sharp speculative lens. With a society stratified by eye color and corresponding magical ability, Sophia Vahdati weaves a story that blends the allure of fantasy with the weight of social commentary.

At the center of it all is Jantsia, a compelling protagonist caught between worlds—trying to blend in with the dominant Azure caste while hiding her true heritage, her identity, and the blood sickness that marks her as different. Her journey of self-acceptance and resilience is both powerful and painful, especially as she navigates the harsh realities of a caste-based society built on discrimination and conformity.

Daezen, the brooding older brother of Jantsia’s best friend, brings a sense of grounded maturity to the story. Tasked with leading his household after personal loss, his quiet strength and nuanced arc make him a standout among the cast. Then there’s Soba, the story’s most morally complex figure—a hardened inspector tasked with dismantling rebel movements, yet shaped by a tragic past that makes her actions deeply human, even when they conflict with the reader’s sympathies.

The book handles difficult themes—discrimination, identity, trauma, and even grooming—with surprising sensitivity and clarity for a YA audience. It doesn’t preach, but it does provoke thought, and it does so through well-drawn allegory and character-driven storytelling.

While the premise is rich and the plot compelling, the world building occasionally feels limited—especially with two of the castes left largely unexplored. A bit more depth in those areas would’ve made the social structure even more impactful. Some readers may also find it hard to connect fully with all three POV characters due to the limited time spent in each headspace, and some characters—especially Soba—read younger than their roles suggest.

That said, The Girl with the Fierce Eyes is a strong debut and a promising start to what looks to be a meaningful and imaginative series. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy dystopian fantasy with substance—where magic meets metaphor, and the fight for justice feels both personal and powerful.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, One More Chapter, and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of The Girl With The Fierce Eyes immediately caught my attention— a dystopian fantasy world structured around eye colour felt fresh and original. I was particularly drawn to the exploration of the caste system and how eye colour influenced both social standing and magical ability. However, I would have loved a bit more depth in the worldbuilding, especially regarding the two castes we didn’t explore as closely. With three main characters representing only two of the castes, I was left curious about the full scope of this society.

Character-wise, I found it somewhat difficult to connect with the protagonists. I typically enjoy multi-POV storytelling, but in this case, the limited time spent with each character made it harder to fully understand or engage with them. Jantsia and Soba, in particular, were occasionally frustrating. Part of this disconnect might stem from how young they read—especially Soba, given her role as an inspector. That said, this tone and voice feel appropriate for the YA audience the book is aimed at, even if it didn’t quite resonate with me personally as an older reader. Daezen ended up being the standout for me, likely because his responsibilities and perspective felt more mature.

The plot itself was compelling, and I’m definitely interested in returning to this world. This book serves as a strong foundation for what promises to be an engaging series, and I have a feeling book two will deepen both the story and characters in satisfying ways. While I didn’t fully connect with everything this time around, it was still an enjoyable and solid read overall.

I personally didn’t really like this book, but I might just be too old to relate to certain y/a themes. I thought the world building and magic was really interesting, but also a bit complicated and I whish we got more time to get used to it. The characters didn’t interest me that much, except our main girl Jantsia. The love interest and ‘rebellious clubbing scene’ annoyed me but I understand how this suits a younger audience. I’m also sad to say this isn’t a standalone, even though it looks like one, because we should have more of those. Sorry to be a bit of a Negative Nancy this story just didn’t work for me :(

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes by Sophia Vahdati is a wonderfully written debut.
I liked the plot, the pacing was decent. The characters were amazing.
The way the story developed was literal perfection, I wasn't bored whatsoever, I ate this book up.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3⭐️ | Published July 17th 2025

What if you lived in a world where something as insignificant as your eye colour decided your destiny? Jantsia's blue eyes mark her as Azure, the lowest of the four occulary castes. Destined for servitude. But no one – not even the boy who owns her heart – knows the truth.

To survive, she clings to one rule: stay invisible, stay alive.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the caste system based on eye colour. The social hierarchy was unique and it was so interesting to explore a caste system where eye colours determined social status, magical powers and even occupation.

I am sorry to give this book 3 stars as the concept was so unique compared to anything I have read before. However the writing left a little more to be desired. Due to the complex ocular systems there is a lot of world building in at least the first 50% of the book and what I felt was info-dumping. This combined with the 3 POVs was a lot to take on in such a short book.

I think if you accept this book for what it is; an introduction to this unique world before the rest of the story begins you will enjoy this book a lot more. I wonder if a glossary would have been helpful for my understanding. I know that this is a debut novel from the writer so I am hoping this story improves in later books as I would still love to read the rest of her series.

You will like this is you are a fan of The Hunger Games and I have see others also compare it to other dystopian YA novels.

In the Empire of Shariza, people are put into castes according to their eye color, which determines wealth and magic. Jantsia is marked as an Azure, the lowest of the ocular castes. But she has a dangerous secret. She is a dual-oc & must hide it to stay alive. What does this mean for her power? And what is her role in the rebellion brewing?

A Caste-driven, near-future dystopia, this is an immersive world, a melting pot of cultures, attention-grabbing and demanding of that attention, to learn all the new things and due to the wonderful pace. I like that there are futuristic objects like hoverbikes, but also duties fulfilled by their powers, like cleaning the water. There is an undercurrent of power running through the rich narrative, a gradual buildup that gets stronger, a pressing in your chest till you are almost screaming at the end. Paragraphs are embellished with plenty of imaginative details — descriptions are of beautiful and evocative wording. I loved the use of punchy sentences to emphasize the intensity of a scene. The author has created this reality in its entirety and is sharing it with us.

Daezen's entrance into the story is all the money. Each POV has its own voice, an intimacy as we delve into their innermost thoughts and enjoy their view of the state of things. I like how the characters rediscover of actually finally see each other. There is a third, unexpected POV that spells peril. A 'monkey wrench' in our two heroes' lives, their plans, their mission. They all have in common the secrets they must keep. The intrigue is palpable as your mind works overtime on theories

"Stay invisible. Stay alive." is the story's mantra, showing not only our protagonist's fear, but surmising what the ugliness of prejudice does to those who must or think they must hide who they are. Submission takes many forms, unwilling or unknown. The sensitivity and realness with which the author deals with the aforementioned through her characters and their heart-squeezing reality are admirable.

There were some parts I had to reread a few times to get what was going on. Explanations of the science of their powers were not clear enough for me. There was an unevenness in the time spent on each POV in the middle of the book. Giving the lion's share to the one that I consider secondary, kind of jiggled at my nerves and made the book sort of laggy instead of its usual fast pace. Otherwise, the story is so great, the way everything comes together, a dynamic overture of brilliant plotting, of captivating writing.

This book deals with conquering fear. With freedom. A gilded cage is still a cage. I came for the premise and stayed for the engrossing storyline and characters — the danger that threatens to explode and colors the prose. This is certainly the beginning of an incredible series.

The girl with the fierce eyes is a dystopian novel where eye colour determines your standing and the type of magic you have. With it's young adult focus, themes on rebellion and grouping due to differences, it could be compared to novels such as divergent, the hunger games and red rising. Whereas, I didn't particularly find myself engaging with the characters, and the form of swearing took me out of the read, I do think it will resonate strongly with the young adult market, which is its target audience.

I appreicated that the FMC is a headstrong individual who is determined to fight for what is right, and she has good character development alongside the other main characters. It is split into three POVs, which helps give a more rounded view of the world. There is a love triangle, which takes off around the halfway point, and it'll be interesting to see where Jantsia lands.

Whereas I do normally enjoy young adult novels, unfortuantely overall this one wasn't the read for me. I found it just a bit too slow, and I'm not entirely sure why, but I just couldn't engage with the characters, However, I'm happy to rate it 4 stars because I feel it will resonate well with its target audience and sometimes a perfectly good book just doesn't do it for you - doesn't mean that it won't be the next best thing for someone else.

4.5 Stars ✨

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the story flows so effortlessly and each of the characters are layered with so much detail and emotional depth. Oh, and did I mention there’s a little cat in the story as well? 🐈

Eye colours are used as a symbol for social power and discrimination, placing blue eyes at the bottom of the caste system. Dual-heritage is explored through our FMC Jantsia, who goes through the complexities of identity and not fitting into neat societal categories. Jantsia’s journey is a powerful commentary on race, class, and the fear (as well as potential) of difference.

The magic system is intriguing and original, and I really enjoyed the multi POVs. I think it was a great touch, especially having Soba’s be one of them. Daezen was an instant win for me, I love a grumpy MMC who has an emotional awakening 👀

I also thought the name choices were very interesting, with lots of different backgrounds appearing throughout as we get to know more and more characters!

The ending? I literally needed a moment to compose myself. There was so many things running through my head but overall, without spoiling anything, I am very glad that there was clarification in regards to a few things.

Book 2, I am ready for you! I’m really hoping we get to have a map in Book Two, it would be a great addition to the story!

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for this eARC!

3.5⭐️

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes is a good debut that blends elements of fantasy and dystopian fiction. The story is set in a contemporary world where social hierarchy and magical ability are determined by eye color, and intermixing between groups is forbidden due to the fatal consequences, or so they’ve been led to believe.

Told through three alternating perspectives, the book offers a well-rounded view of the world and adds depth to the narrative. This structure helps reveal the complexities of the society and enriches the plot.

The story was intriguing and made for a quick, engaging read. However, I found the target audience a bit unclear. While the tone and characters often felt more juvenile, the book touches on mature themes with multiple mentions of sex, drug/alcohol use, and allusions to child grooming and sexual assault, all of which suggest it’s more appropriate for an upper YA audience.

Though it skewed a bit young for my personal taste, I believe it will resonate with teen readers who enjoy a mix of fantasy and dystopian elements. The ending sets up for an interesting sequel, and I’m curious to see where the story goes next!

Happy publishing day

💭 #QOTD  would you rather be able to control water, earth, sound or tech?

Title: The Girl with the Fierce Eyes
Author: Sophia Vahdati
Pages: 384
Rating: 5/5
Spice/Romance level: 🩷 - psssst there's kissing
#Arc eCopy ( #gifted ) - review left voluntarily
UK publish date - 17th July 2025

Well this was just an epic young adult read. The world building had me hooked. The segregations, the poverty, the judgement. The hope. This was wonderfully written. The gentleness of a coming of age, and save the world plot. The little unexpected twists along the way as the plot unfolds.

The characters were great. I loved the description of the mod work from one of them. The different type of rebel groups and beliefs were so interesting.

It is based on a 3 character POV giving different experiences of what makes people tick.

The book is laced with betrayal, loyalty, power play, love and honour. I was so sad when it came to an end.

A well written, build up to a fantastic series.

Will you join the rebels and fight the cause, or submit and fight for segregation and purity?


You'll love this book if you like;
- Young adult fantasy
- dystopian sci fi fantasy
- segregation of powers
- destiny
- friends to lovers
- fire cats
- multiple povs
- rebels
- magic system based on eye colour
- secret identities

Will you be reading this? Let me know in the comments

This is a YA fantasy/dystopian novel - as with any fantasy there is a lot of information at the beginning to allow for world building. As it's all new it seems a little overwhelming to start but I find this with all fantasy books.

The book centres around systematic oppression focusing on caste systems. In a world where people are segregated due to the colour of their eyes, someone who doesn't fit neatly in that mould is a threat to the system. It's giving Divergent vibes.

In any good fantasy there is a societal rebellion brewing ready to challenge the oppressors. This book shares the rebels journey and what they are fighting for.

The FMC has hidden a piece of herself for years to fit in and not reveal her secret which could get her killed. I feel this is exactly the type of FMC we should see in YA books - kind, fierce in defending her loved ones, but also learning to be herself and not hide it.

I enjoyed the multiple POV, it gave me a clearer picture of what was happening and how things were moving together. Knowing things that the other characters didn't, added to the tension for me whilst reading it.

We got a glimpse at a potential love triangle which I would love to see more of in the next book as I have some thoughts on what I think the pairing should be.

I am really excited for the next book. This one ended on such a cliffhanger that I cannot wait to read more!!

Thank you One More Chapter for this advanced copy.

3.5 stars

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes is a bold, thought-provoking debut with a unique concept. Vahdati explores power, identity, and belonging through a dystopian world where eye colour determines the hierarchy, an inventive twist that adds depth to the story’s themes.

The multi-POV structure adds variety, though I found it harder to connect deeply with each character. Some felt a bit young, but that likely fits the YA audience. Daezan was a standout for me. The world-building was intriguing, but at times confusing, and I would’ve loved more clarity and detail.

That said, the pacing was strong, the themes were impactful, and the ending packed a punch. A solid setup with a lot of potential, and I’m looking forward to seeing how book two develops

This is an immersive dystopian novel with excellent world building, magic system, and even language.
The story is told from 3 POVs, including our FMC, MMC and the investigator undercover working to bring down the rebellion.
Our FMC Jantzia is a girl hiding in plain sight. In a world where everyone fits into an oculary group (based on eye colour, Azure, Veridian, Sepia or Obsidian) and groups are forbidden from mixing, Jantzia is the daughter of an Azure and an Obsidian. Jantzia is a 17 year old girl who is in love with her best friend and more worried about her health (dual-ocs are expected to die as children) and her status at school than anything else. As she is drawn into the world of the rebellion, she proves herself to be smart and capable. I did think some of her decisions toward the end of the story showed a more strategic mind that she had showed previously, like she grew a bit too fast, but I enjoyed her character and her perspective.
Daezan, our MMC, is an Azure hoping for something better, with Obsidians firmly in place as the ruling class, he joins the rebellion to try and give his family more after the death of his father. As a member of the lowest caste, he finds himself caught up in the rebellion as a means to an end.
Soba is an Obsidian investigator and I hesitate to say she has no conscience but from the start she is focused on herself, her career and excelling as a means to further her romantic relationship with her boss / mentor, Elias. She joins the Azure rebels as an undercover operative and works to take them down from the inside but we can also see the doubt starting to form for her.
The world is easy enough to understand, it's well formed without being too complex. The slang words slot in easily and don't take too much thought to understand what the author means with them. The magic system and division of power is interesting, for everything to come back to eye colour, something that's not easy to disguise, it really makes you think about how a society could be divided based on this physical characteristic, and the parallels to society as it is. which finds it's divides on things like race, gender, sexual orientation.
I think the mark of a good dystopian story is that it's thought provoking and this one was. I am really keen to see where the story goes, how our characters grow and to find out what happens to this world and its structure.