This was a book I was not sure about. It could be a hit, it could be not for me. However One More Chapter invited me to read the book through Netgalley and decided to accept the invitation and to give this book a chance.

After finishing the book I'm still not entirely sure about it. There are parts of the book I liked, there are parts I didn't like. The book as a whole didn't really work for me, but I guess that has mostly to do with the amount of point of views and the story mostly focusing on what is going on and less on how that makes the characters feel. I think that especially younger readers will love it however, because there is constantly something happening.

I mostly had an issue with the fact that at times it was hard to connect with the characters and hard to understand the direction of the characters and the story. At times it felt like the characters were mostly acting and not so much reacting and it took quite some time before all the storylines came together and we got an idea of what they were trying to do. The finale was a little chaotic and everything happened really fast, but the premise for the next book is amazing.

I did like the magic in this book, though! The magic had some elements of science and the line between magic and science fiction felt really thin in this book. That meant I needed a little time to grasp the world and to understand what kind of society this was and what was expected of the characters. If you're a true fantasy reader, the world might be a little too sci-fi for you. If you love a mix of both these genres, you might want to check this book out.

4 / 5 Stars
This was a fun YA fantasy/dystopian novel! Let’s start with a lay person plot recap because there’s a lot going on and this is what I was able to figure out. In the Shariza Empire, your eye color determines your place in society and your magical powers. The Azures (blue eyes) are lowest among the caste system and they are the water wielders. Next are the Veridian (green eyes) who are root renders who can heal and feed. Above them are the Sepias (brown eyes) who are earth breakers (warriors and such). The highest class are the Obsidians (black eyes) who can manipulate sound. Society depends on this segregation so someone like Jantsia should not exist. She is a dual-oc meaning her parents come from two different classes and dual-oc children are born with a blood illness that reflects the “wrongness” of their existence. She was not supposed to survive this illness for a few years, let alone for 17 years. But here Jantsia is. She will never have magical powers but she will continue to work as a servant for her Obsidian mistress as long as no one finds out her secret. Not even her best friend (who she is in love with), Kain. But as rebellion stirs, Jantsia and the other characters have to navigate their place in this magical world.

You will probably like this book if you like:
👀 YA dystopian fantasy
💧 A magical systems based on eye color
👀 Love triangles
💧 Forbidden love
👀 Rebels
💧 Secret identities
👀 Multiple povs

I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and how those storylines intersected. We have Jantsia’s POV. We also have Kain’s brother’s, Daezen’s, POV – he has been taking care of Kain and his mother since his father passed and is starting to work with the rebels so that he can get enough money for his family. And we have Soba’s POV – she is an Obsidian Inspector who surveys the city for rebels. She just wants to impress the Chief Inspector because she thinks she owes him her life. The story lines were woven really well together and all three of these characters were well developed so it was really interesting to be reading any of their chapters. All of the characters are young (ranging from 17 - 19 years old), so they were definitely young and naive at times, but they had also dealt with enough life stuff to feel like they were more emotionally mature than not, which I appreciated.

The magic system was very cool but I felt like we were still learning new information about it pretty late in the book which made it kind of hard to fully grasp what these characters could and could not do. And boy, oh, boy would I have benefited from a map. I understand the caste system but even within it, each region has nuances and those were hard to keep straight. I could barely tell you where any other region was in relation to the city we were in, let alone how that region was viewed. This story dealt with eye colorism and racism and the intersection of those and I felt like it would have been more powerful if I could fully understand where everything was.

The book ends on a fun twist and cliffhanger and I am definitely looking forward to the next one.

Oh, and I didn’t see drug use and drug abuse in the content warning so I am adding it in case that helps anyone in their reading.

Thank you One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 17, 2025

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes is Sophia Vahdati’s debut novel. It is a YA dystopian fantasy with a touch of romance.

The empire of Shariza runs on a caste system determined by eye color. Marrying and/or having children with another caste is strictly forbidden. Jantsia’s eyes mark her as Azure, the lowest caste of people, destined to serve. What no one realizes is that Jantsia is actually a dual-oc with an Obsidian mother and an Azure father. If her secret is ever discovered, her fate would be death.

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes was an intriguing read. The caste and magic systems were unique and very well thought out. The diversity in the book was welcome, and I loved that the author was so inclusive. Jantsia is a fierce, independent FMC navigating extremely difficult situations at a young age. Kain is Jantsia’s BFF, and his brother Daezen also plays a large role in the book. The potential love triangle between Jantsia, Kain, and Daezen has been set up perfectly, and I’ll be interested to see where it goes in the next book. If you enjoy YA and dystopian genres, you should check this book out.

Thank you, Harper Collins UK: One More Chapter, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was such a fierce, fast-paced YA romantasy! Thanks NetGalley and HarperCollins UK! In a world where eye color equals power, Jantsia’s hiding the fact she’s a rare and forbidden “dual-oc” - and it puts her in serious danger. Think Red Queen meets Legend, with rebellion, hover-bikes, and a dash of romantic tension that had me hooked- I enjoyed this book immensely.

The world-building is super fresh, the pacing doesn’t let up, and there’s a plot twist at the end that made me yell. If you love a bold heroine, high-stakes secrets, and sci-fi-fantasy vibes, this one’s a must. Already dying for book two! 3.5 stars!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes by Sophia Vahdati is a third person multi-POV YA fantasy exploring a caste system based on eye color in a contemporary-inspired world. Jantsia was born to parents who belonged to two different castes, making her existence not only illegal but also an anomaly in their society because all babies like her die within two years. At seventeen, Jantsia is asking a lot more questions and so is her best friend and crush Kain. The world is at risk of changing and Jantsia might be at the center of it.

The eye color aspects to the worldbuilding are threaded throughout in some of the words as dual-oc (dual-ocular) and a swear word using ‘oc.’ Azure (blue-eyed) caste members are said to have water magic and are often responsible for clean-up as they are the very bottom rung. Obsidian, the same caste Jantsia’s mother belongs to, are at the very top of the system. As often occurs in works with caste systems, eye color is also linked to class with no real possibility for upward movement no matter how hard someone works or what interests they have.

There is something of a love triangle brewing between Jantsia and the brothers Kain and Daezen. Daezen doesn’t totally trust Jantsia and knows that she’s hiding something (her dual-oc heritage) but not exactly what while Kain only just begins to notice his romantic feelings for Jantsia halfway through the book. Jantsia has liked Kain for a long time, but we also see her develop feelings for Daezen even if she doesn’t want to admit them to herself. If there is another book, I would be curious to see who she ends up picking as my instincts tell me it will be Daezen and Kain will become a villain down the line.

I would recommend this to fans of YA exploring caste-style systems

The girl with the fierce eyes - Sophia Vahdati



Great book! With an Interesting replacement of the words fuck with ock and twat with twack lol 😂 everything seems to be about the eyes recently

“Lied to? My eyes aren’t blue, are they?”
“No, Miha.”
“What colour are they? Are they black? Am I obsidian?”
“No, Miha.” This time she could hear the crack in her mother’s voice.
“Well, surely I’m not sepia… or Veridian… My eyes aren’t brown or green are they?”
“No.”
“What colour are my eyes? She paused letting the question float in the air.
Then asked what she really wanted to know.
“What am I?”

👀 👀 👀 👀

I had a lot of problems with this. Firstly the mismarketing, is this a fantasy YA romance? No?

1. The cover looks like a Middle Grade
2. The world is sci-fi bordering on dystopian

Then we have the characters. I didn't like all the POVs, they felt older than YA and I often caught myself skimming over parts because I wasn't made to care about them.

I especially did not like Soba and Elias 😭, she takes forever to clock on and so much was implied and I just felt icky reading it.

The repetive "ock" as a stand in for swearing got annoying. Like I don't really care for swearing but this was even more grating.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, this just wasn't for me

This book was okay. It was pretty slow in some areas and I did not really like the plot in this story. But I think other people would like it.

Slow starting book but built up at the end. Interesting story line and world building. Enjoyable read

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book pretty blind and what I found within was a brilliant gem of a YA urban fantasy-dystopia, perfect for fans of the classics from the early 2000s like The Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze Runner and Uglies. A society based on eye colour (and the powers that go along with them), a rebellion simmering, a girl caught between two lives. Split between three POVs, the story kicks off right away and the groundwork is laid for what I'm sure will be a brilliant series. The world is original and complex, diverse and queer-normative. Eye-based magic runs alongside futuristic tech and hoverbikes in a city marred by poverty-stricken slums and a heartless ruling class. While I felt like the rebels were possibly a bit TOO quick to trust at certain times, I thoroughly enjoyed it and will absolutely be looking our for the sequel!

Note: while this book is YA, it does deal with some subjects that may not be suitable for younger readers. Check the trigger warnings in the description before reading it.

The concept of the book is interesting. A class system whose distinction is determined by the eyes is interesting to read. However, I must admit that at first, I wasn't very captivated.

I didn't understand much of what was happening because of the lack of explanations, especially about the development of the universe, and ultimately, I didn't really engage with the book. I think it's geared toward a younger audience.

I'm eagerly awaiting to see how Sophia continues to develop in her next projects.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Sophie Vahdati, One More Chapter, HarperCollins UK & NetGalley for the ARC! I’m always honored to be chosen.

I really struggled to get into this book. 40% through and I still wasn’t sure what the main goal of the book was or what was going on. There’s a lot of information thrown at the reader at beginning but it never really gets explained or elaborated upon. I feel like this is a great book for some readers but it just didn’t capture my attention.

I do feel the author did a good job capturing a 17 year old girls thoughts about friends and relationships.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.0 stars.

I liked this a lot, it exceeded my expectations. There is a rebellion occurring behind the scenes that reminded me somewhat of the book The Final Strife and I mean that in the best way. The plot is unique for this story with an unusual magic system linked and detectable by eye colour distinguishing what race of people you belong to. There’s heavy tones of segregation, prejudice and cruelty in this story with political strife. The FMC at the heart of the story is in a precarious position always trying to remain invisible and compliant to get by, we see her on the cusp of change with truth and lies revealing themself. The FMC is a lovely character and it was great to see her growth and admirable strength carry her through the awful and tense situations she faces. Her best friend is a highlight to the story too, but I am fascinated to see what will become of him and his brother after where things leave off.

Fans of plot driven YA fantasy will like this one, it’s interesting and fresh.

The concept intrigued me, however the world-building felt like I had been thrown into a world I didn’t understand the rules of, and that made it tough to stay engaged.

The characters also read very young. As someone pushing 30, I think my tolerance for teenage angst and naivety has dropped — the dialogue and reactions were realistic for 17-year-olds, so no shade to the author there — I just struggled to connect. I also found the multiple POVs made that tricky, as I was never quite settled long enough in anyone’s head to feel invested.

I soft DNF’d at 30%. It’s not bad — it just isn’t lighting any fires for me, I would love to see what the author does next and there’s definitely potential in the world and the concept that I may pick this up again another time.

👁️ A caste system built on eye colour. A heroine with a deadly secret. A rebellion brewing in the shadows…

In The Girl with the Fierce Eyes, Sophia Vahdati introduces readers to a caste-bound empire where eye colour dictates power, status—and survival. Jantsia, born with a forbidden mix of castes, lives a lie to stay alive. But as rebellion brews, and her hidden power begins to stir, the question becomes: can the truth save her, or destroy everything?

The premise is strong, and the concept of an “oculary caste system” is unique and visually memorable. That said, the execution occasionally falters. The world-building—though rich—can be overwhelming, with little scaffolding to help readers track complex political histories and regional dynamics. A map or glossary would have made a noticeable difference in reader clarity.

While the magic system could be further developed, the character work shines. Jantsia’s emotional arc, personal stakes, and conflicted relationships kept me invested, and the final revelations set up book two with real narrative promise.

★★★☆☆ — A promising start to a high-concept fantasy series, with a fierce female lead and an ending that begs for a sequel.

In the Empire of Shariza, your eye colour determines your status. Jantsia a dual-oc (a forbidden mix of two castes) is hiding in plain sight as an Azure, the lowest of the castes. Daezen is just trying to get through each day, and supporting his family. Soba is an inspector, a far cry from her previous life. When the three find themselves caught up in a stirring rebellion, they have to ask just who they can trust when putting their faith in the wrong hands means death.

I was so intrigued by this concept – a dystopian fantasy based on eye colour. It felt original and I really liked learning about the different castes and how eye colour impacted people’s lives and magical abilities, although I would have liked to get more of this world building to truly understand the setting we were in. Across our three main characters we covered two of the castes and I don’t really feel like I truly know the abilities or status of the other two.

I did struggle slightly to connect to the characters. While I generally enjoy a multi-POV, the smaller amount of time that I spent with each character in this case did make it harder to truly understand them and I found them quite frustrating at times (especially Jantsia and Soba). I think that this partially is because they read quite young (which felt a bit strange given Soba’s position as an inspector) but I do think that this means they read at the right level for the book – I am out of the age range for YA so this was probably spot on for the intended audience. I think Daezen was my favourite character – again this might be because he read at an older level with the responsibilities he had.

The storyline was interesting and I’m keen to read more in the world. I think this was a really good set up book and am fully expecting to love book two more – I just didn’t quite connect with the characters or storyline enough on this outing. Nonetheless, I had a really enjoyable time and it was a very solid read.

With thanks to One More Chapter, HarperCollins and NetGalley for the chance to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Girl With The Fierce Eyes is the perfect dystopian YA fantasy story. I was impressed by the world Sophia has created, full of magic, political intrigue, betrayals, and sweet romance. While I felt it was a tad more on the YA side than I prefer as someone slightly older, I still found it intriguing enough to want to continue the story. Give this one a try, it won’t disappoint!

This story follows Jantsia, a girl who should not exist. In the Empire of Shariza, eye color determines the hierarchy of society. Outwardly Jantsia appears to be an Azure, the lowest of the four castes, but she is secretly a duol-oc, or a mix of two castes. If she were to be discovered, she would be condemned to death, as would her family. She must navigate society, and figure out how to stay invisible to stay alive.
The overall story and setting were intriguing and the writing was well done. The dystopian world was well thought out, and I can’t wait to hear more about the other Kingdoms. The beginning of the book was a bit slow for me, though by the end of the book, I didn’t want to put the book down.
Knowing now this has at least a sequel coming explains why it took a bit to get into the book. I appreciated the relationship between the main characters, and seeing how they all grew in their own ways throughout the story. The romance aspect was a side character, which I appreciated it not being the main focus. It helped shape the relationships and how the characters interacted with each other.
The social commentary around society was also well done, with one of the most memorable quotes being “…the real reason they wanted knowledge behind a digital gate, was to limit the access to knowledge among lighter colours.” The ending had me wanting to know what will happen next with all of the characters and I will definitely be looking to continue reading in this world.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Girl with the Fierce Eyes by Sophia Vahdati.

While the premise really intrigued me and I appreciated the unique concept, I ultimately didn’t connect with the story in the way I’d hoped. The writing style and pacing just didn’t work for me personally, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. I made it to around the 25% mark before deciding to put it down.

That said, I truly believe this will find its audience. Readers who enjoy poetic prose and introspective narratives may connect with this more than I did. This just wasn’t the right fit for me.

Great dystopian read but filled with today's relevant topics, discrimination, the caste system and finding oneself. Very easy to relate to the main character but also backed up by an interesting cast of secondary players.