While I am content with the conclusion of this duology, this installment felt a bit bloated. I feel like there was a decent amount of scenes and sections that could have been completely cut from the story. While I enjoyed both of Sefa and Marek's storylines, I just don't feel like they were necessary. It gave those two characters something to do, but their actions didn't really impact the plot and just kind of detracted from the main story. I would say that the writing is better than in the first, I just think some sections could have been cut to streamline the story a bit.
I liked Arin's sections, but I almost feel like he should have gotten more. Even though his arc made sense on paper, I feel like there could have been a little more to make it feel more believable. Sylvia/Essiya was great. I liked her arc as well.
There were a handful of reveals throughout the story. While some were interesting, I don't really remember gasping at any of them or anything. I did finish this book a few days ago though, so I might be misremembering.
As for the ending, I thought it was fine. I liked what it was going for thematically, but it didn't quite hit for me. There was also one aspect of the ending that I actively disliked. It just came out of nowhere and was so abrupt.
While I didn't love this sequel, I'm content with the ending and will likely check out Sara Hasem's next novel.

Thank you to both NetGalley and Orbit for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the scorched throne duology. This was an epic conclusion to this story with mystical monsters, magic and character development. I loved that our characters maintained their personalities and were faced with challenges independently. It was an epic way for everything to come together. There were some amazing twists that I did not see coming.

When I was done I just couldn't help feeling that I wanted more time with these characters. I loved it!

I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy on July 15th!

I'm positively wrecked, destroyed beyond recognition.

And I am thankful for it. I'm not going to lie; when I went into this book with a little trepidation because, I thought the first book was okay. I did enjoy it, but it had issues. Mostly due to pacing, and it wasn't very clear at times (at least to me). But. This book? This Book?! Most of those issues were pretty much resolved. And my goodness, WHAT AN ENDING!!! The Author wrote a devastating conclusion to this duology, and hoooooooly she should be so proud. Jasad Crown stepped up its game so hard, between the heart-wrenching angst and plot twists? My heart. I also adored following multiple characters. Ah! If I say more it will be spoilers but as much as this book destroyed me all the moments that hurt felt necessary, we weren't just hurting characters to hurt them. Everything had a purpose to the story which I really appreciate.

I honestly think that for the hardcore stans of the first book, this will be a unicorn 6-star book; for fans of the first, it'll be an even 5. For me? Who was lukewarm on the first? I went from a 3.25 to a 4.5. It still has some pacing issues, and the switch from first to third-person perspectives was a little jarring, but ultimately, those nitpicks are more of a “just a me” kind of thing. Now excuse me as I sob to death.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Wow!! What an amazing duology!! I loved every page of this! Book 2 fully expands the story in every way possible!
With 2 (technically 3) new POVs from different parts of the world you really get to see all the different of the plot unfolding. The magic is way more explored and really shows what it can do.
Not one moment was wasted but it also didn't feel over bearing or too much. This was perfectly paced and you get a full complete story by the end.
I will be so excited to read whatever else Sara Hashem writes!!

I loved this book so much. I read it immediately because of how excited I was. I don’t even know where to start because of how amazing this book is. The plot between Arin and Essiya, the tension that was going on. It was amazing, I just don’t think words will be enough to describir how much I enjoyed this book. The pace felt slow sometimes, but then tension made up for it. The ending was sad In my opinion, but it ended well.


Thank you for this arc.

4.5 stars rounded down

The end to The Scorched Throne is complete. It took almost 60% of the book for me to sink back in to this world but that last 40% was worth it. Lots of magic creatures, battles both on and off the field, and a very different world make this an entertaining and unique fantasy duology.

Sefa and Arin are my favorite characters from this series and we get chapters from their perspective throughout this book.

Thank you Orbit Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

The first book, The Jasad Heir, was a more than religious experience, but this one? This one was a damn astral journey. I'm so consumed by The Jasad Crown that in less than a month I had to reread it because I missed and needed these characters so much. Sara simply went all out with this sequel. No matter how hard I try, I can't imagine it being more perfect. I feel like I'll never be the same after this.

I've been trying to write this review for weeks and I still don't know where to start, The Scorched Throne is one of my favorite duologies/stories of all time, also making Arin and Sylvia one of my favorite characters and couples, the intensity with which I lived this whole reading experience was only more incredible thanks to them. These books are more than a duology for me, they are literally an entire universe that has settled in my heart.

Essiya, my beautiful angel, stole my heart from the first pages of The Jasad Heir, but The Jasad Crown made me love her even more and ended up shattering all my schemes even further. As shown from the first book, her life has been a succession of losses, betrayals, and escapes. She has been shaped by fear, loneliness, and uprooting, which only intensifies in this second installment. But there is something in her spirit that cannot be broken, something that makes her incredibly powerful, even when she herself doubts her ability to be what her people need.

At first, Essiya wants to run away from everything, from her destiny, from her power, from Jasad. The fear of madness, of the magic that runs through her veins, makes her fear the future that awaits her. Regarding her, the concept of power in this story is not glorified; it is a burden, a curse she must learn to live with. Essiya struggles with this constantly, but what broke my heart and left me speechless is how, step by step, she begins to accept it, to fight for her people, for her land, and surrenders completely to it, even if the consequences could be her own death. Her character arc is simply breathtaking, heartbreaking, and emotional, and she ends up showing a loyalty and dedication to all those under her care that makes her even more real and human.

On the other hand, Arin of Nizahl, also known as The Silver Serpent. HOOOTTTTT I KNOW!!!! This man begins as an impenetrable enigma; he's cold, distant, tormented by his own doubts, and yet, throughout the duology, he reveals himself to be a soul deeply capable of love. Throughout this book, Arin sheds all the layers of pain, control, and, in a way, guilt, which makes all his growth and development as a character more visible. Sara's decision to include more POVs from his perspective simply gave me years of life, because not only was I eagerly awaiting them every moment, but they were also a huge help in understanding Arin more deeply.

The relationship between Arin and Essiya isn't easy, but it's all it's supposed to be. When they were apart, I just wanted to die because I thought, this will bring trouble, but the author surprised me by including magical appearances by Essiya wherever Arin was, and damn, they gave me the best lovers' arguments, and the way that despite all of Arin's doubts, he continued to listen to her and trust her, and she in him, made my stomach fill with butterflies.
In all their moments together... Oh, God! I think I fainted a few times. Every encounter between them is imbued with a burning desire that transpires from the pages. The way they seek each other out, protect each other, DESTROY each other… every action, every word, every smile, every touch of the hand has immense meaning. Even from a distance, it's as if their souls recognize each other in the chaos. It's a relationship that is both a refuge and a constant war.

And NEVER, BUT NEVER, FORGET the following words.

"I will never sit on the Jasad throne," Arin said.
"The Jasad crown will belong to my wife, and my wife alone."

MY WIFE…
MY-WI-FE…
MYYYYYY WWIIIFFEEEE… AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!
HE CALLED HER MY WIFE…
HERE I SUFFERED THREE HEART ATTACKS, HERE I FELL TO THE GROUND HARDER THAN EVER, HERE MY ENTIRE EXISTENCE WAS REMADE, HERE I LOST MY MIND…
HERE I KNEW I WOULD SERIOUSLY NEED TO GO TO THERAPY OR RETHINK WHETHER TO GET A KITMER TATTOO ON MY FOREHEAD OR THESE WORDS…

Arin of Nizahl, the man that you are!!!!

There are so many scenes and phrases like this one that will remain etched in my heart forever.
The way that even in their worst moments, they are each other's refuge. Arin knows how to read her better than anyone, and Essiya, though she tries to hide it, is unable to stop herself from seeking him out. They are hopelessly in love.

Moving on to another aspect, Essiya's power is her destiny, but her constant struggle is against it. It's the battle to not become the person the world thinks she should be. Essiya fears losing herself in her own magic, being consumed by madness, but, along the journey, she learns to master it without losing her humanity. This is the tragedy of an inherited power, a destiny that drags her toward an uncertain future, as she struggles to find a path where she can be herself, with all her imperfections.
One of my favorite things about this story is how Sara explores the weight of destiny. Essiya never asked to be who she is, never asked to be the savior of Jasad. But what leaves me speechless is how she, with all her pain and fear, chooses to face it all. Power doesn't define her; she redefines power.

Now, another of my favorite points in this installment, the POVs of Sefa and Marek and the supporting characters. It was so incredible to be able to see part of the story through both of their eyes and how they made such great contributions to it. I always say I love when supporting characters have a purpose beyond just taking up space, and Sefa and Marek were the perfect example. They both became exceptionally involved in the story, giving not only a funny but also a tragic touch. They show that love isn't just something that happens between couples, but extends to all those with whom we share our lives.
Sefa's adventure in Lukub with the Sultana was extraordinary and showed me once again what a big and generous heart she has. Marek also gave us not only funny but touching moments alongside Jeru, another character I loved hopelessly in each of his appearances. The loving and loyal relationship that Sefa and Marek have with Essiya melted my heart countless times. Sara wrote one of the most beautiful yet heartbreaking friendships I've ever read. The losses in this book were profound, and the pain was absolutely overwhelming. Marek's death devastated me, and there was no escaping the weight of sadness this book dragged me under, but I understood that every sacrifice, every loss, had a purpose.
On the other hand, I don't want to forget the Urabi, because they also had their moments. I have to admit, at first, I felt a bit indifferent toward them because of how they treated Essiya, but as the story progressed, I grew very fond of Namsa, Maia, and Lateef. They were very sweet and kind once they began to truly see Essiya. With Efra, let's just say my opinions on him are somewhat complicated, but let's leave it at that, lol.

I don't want to go into depth about certain aspects of the book because I don't want this to be a spoiler-filled review, but the ending destroyed me in the worst way. The epilogue changed me as a person. Because what do you mean by Arin not losing hope for a single day for ten years? No no no I don't want to cry again, that was too much for my already battered heart, and the way he welcomed her back, "WELCOME HOME, SURAIRA" NOOOOOOOOO!!! 😭 and that was it! Thank you Sara for making me the happiest and unhappiest person at the same time.

Last but not least, the way Sara built this world was absolutely incredible; she expanded it with new elements that significantly enriched the story. I appreciate that she told us more about the Awaleen, the magical madness, and what led the kingdoms to lose their magic. The plot twists were otherworldly and deeply superior; I don't think I'll ever surpass the revelation about Arin's mother, iykyk. I still say the Egyptian inspired world is fantastic (more books with this kind of setting, please), with all its cultural references that make delving into this story an unparalleled experience!

Now all I can think about is that this is all over, and it makes me deeply sad. As I said at the beginning of this review, these books are more than a duology; they're an entire universe that has settled in my heart..

I can't wait for Sara's future books. She's completely won me over, and she's definitely a auto-buy author for me now. I'm a fan for life.

Thank you Netgalley, Orbit and Sara Hashem for this digital ARC!! I had the best and wildest experience reading this book.

The sequel I was dying to get my hands on! The Jasad Crown is the second book in the Scorched Throne Duology and it was a satisfying conclusion to Sylvia (and Arin’s) story. This story picks up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of book one, and puts you right back into the story with an additional two POVs.

The political maneuvering in The Jasad Crown is intricate compared to book one; getting into laws of succession and the various factions of Urabi, and it makes for an engaging kind of mystery that slowly unfolds what happened at the Blood Summit and in the kingdoms since the fall of Jasad. The detail of the world building were so well thought out, it was a developed world and story, which I’m happy to say about a book where I was more interested in the romance aspect. The political storyline could have been enough to stand on its own, but y’all know I was here for the SLOWBURN.

I love Arin and Sylvia, both individually and together, I love their characters and the way that they are just drawn towards each other and the longing and tension is palpable. I kept screaming “KISS ALREADY”! We get more background on Marek and Sefa and how their relationship was established and honestly as far as side characters go I adore them. The characters are nuanced and flawed and selfish in such a relatable human way, making them one of the strongest aspects of this duology for me.

I look forward to reading anything else written by Hashem! She knows how to write the type of romance and fantasy I enjoy reading.

The Jasad Crown is a master class in sequels. Right from the jump, Hashem sets the pacing and tension perfectly. I find that it can change the tone of the book when we start introducing new perspectives but the use of third person to show the other characters’ sides is done with fidelity and makes it so that we want to stay on each character, constantly torn and constantly hooked. This book is incredible and I’ve already preordered a physical copy.

This was such an enjoyable sequel! I loved the first book, and I'm glad that I was able to go straight into this one, I had to know what was going to happen next! That we had more perspectives added, and Arin had more, we got to see more of this world, and I loved that!

We got to know these characters and this world in the first book, and in this one, things are shaken up. Like Arin was always so confident in his own mind, his sense of self, and that really gets shaken up in this book. Some big reveals came to light, and I loved to see how things changed!

After the events of the last book, they're all separated, and don't know where everyone else is. I loved watching them figure out what they were going to do, and how Arin in particular responded to the fact that she was the Jasad heir, and now technically is the ruler, even if she hasn't taken the crown or throne, it's hers by birth.

The threat of her magic grows in this book, and becomes a bit of a threat, as the synopsis mentions, playing with her mind. When we learn what was going on, yeah, that was pretty shocking. I really enjoyed how things worked out, even though they hurt, it was just so good!

This was an amazing read, and I can't wait to read more by Sara Hashem!

THAT ENDING ARE YOU KIDDING ME 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠

TY NetGalley for the ARC, AND THE EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER THAT THE LAST 10% WAS. When it comes to duologues I feel like it’s very hard to live up to the hype of book one. But this was even better, book two has knocked it out of the park. Sylvia and Arin’s chemistry is so well written, this is exactly what I mean when I want a painfully slowwwwww burn enemies to lovers trope.

“You think power belongs to those who take it. But real power is surviving what comes after.”

“All your choices require sacrifices. The question is, what are you willing to lose?”

“After a lifetime of running, he was my homecoming.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A must-read, and now my go to rec for fantasy!

Thanks for my early copy. All thoughts are my own.

Am I still obsessed with Arin? Yes!

Did I enjoy this way this duology ended? Yes and no. I’m glad that what happened, happened but the way it just ended….left me wanting so much more. I’m still processes.

4 stars.

I so love it when the second book in a duology exceeds my expectations!

The Jasad Heir was such a good mix of trials and romantic fantasy. The risk? How do you keep the momentum and thrill from the trials, explore the enemies-to-lovers relationship AND do not bore the reader to death?

Let me tell you something! Sara Hashem absolutely DID IT! 🙇‍♀️🔥❤️

Here’s why I adored The Jasad Crown:
✨The thrill of a trial I mentioned earlier? No worries. You won’t miss it because the second book is more epic. The stakes are sky-high. You will not know peace.
✨It’s told from 4️⃣ POVs
✨Still a fantasy with a heavy accent on the romantic relationship — but the love story burns brighter, hurts deeper, and will absolutely melt your heart. Every girl deserves an Arin. Just saying. BONUS: the author did not fall into standard tropes. I am very pleased with how she handled the main characters’ relationship.
✨It’s chuckling-to-yourself funny
✨We get to explore more of the world, the kingdoms’ history, magic system, magic creatures, magic-madness, as well as the gods and their relationships.

The Jasad Crown is the perfect conclusion to The Scorched Throne duology. If you’ve read the first book: RUN, don’t walk, and grab this one!

This was an excellent conclusion to the duology. The characters in this story feel so real and continue to develop more nuance throughout the story. This is not a situation where some of them are one-dimensional; every major character is fully fleshed out and continues to advance the plot throughout the entire story. The political development also continued to evolve throughout the story and gave the reader a more established view of the entire world we're in. The whole way through the book, I was torn between wanting to fly through it and not wanting to finish the story because that would mean it's over. This is one of my favorite duologies I've ever read, and I can't wait to see what Hashem writes in the future!

Unfortunately I will be DNFing this book about 20% into. I really was not enthralled with this first book, but figured I would give the second a try to see if the story improved, but unfortunately I'm just finding myself in the same situation. There is a lot of talk with little explanation or action of what is occurring in the story. The plot also is very slow much like the first one making it very difficult to keep my attention. This is not to say the book is bad, but that it just did not work for me.

Is there anything more satisfying than a well executed duology?

The Jasad Crown picks up right where the last novel left out. Expanding in scope and POVs, the tension continues to grow until the grand finale that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.

There were a few emotional beats I wish were given more room to grow, but overall this was an extremely satisfying end to an epic and unique tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and anybody else who blessed me with this arc copy.
We are brought back into the lives of Arin and Sylvia after that Citadel mess that happened at the end of The Jasad Heir. Everybody is separated and navigating their way after finding out that Essiya the Jassad Heir lives. And she is back to liberate her people from prosecution and bring them back to the land they call home.
The Jasad Crown is so heartbreakingly beautiful. Written from multiple POVs which I love and helps bring the ending together beautifully. The love of a man who never saw himself wait for what felt like a lifetime for a lost lover. A woman who sacrifices herself for her people and the people she loves.
This book has shown me that we have been spoiled with these intricate series and side character books because I want more of this world. Although it ended beautifully.

"You, Essiya of Jasad, will not be known for burning. You will always be known for surviving."

I feel hollow. I will never be the same again. This book has simultaneously destroyed me and filled my heart with so much love. Thank you Sara for ripping my heart out of my chest🥰 I will be sending over my therapy bills to you!!!

It's the way I'm just speechless. I genuinely do not even know what to say. How can any words I put down ever express how much of a soul series The Scorched Throne duology is to me now??? If you had told me over a year ago that a woman with the temperament of a deranged goose and a man whom everyone knew to be cold & emotionless would have buried their way into my heart, I would've never believed you. Two souls that believed they would always be alone, finding love with one another and those around them. Essiya and Arin had already become one of my favourite couples when I read The Jasad Heir but now they are definitely in my top 3 favourite couples ever.

To start, ESSIYA MY BELOVED!!!🥹 Guys, when I tell you The Jasad Crown made me fall in love with her even more than I thought possible?? Her growth throughout this journey was AMAZING, the love I have for this girl???!!! The life Essiya has had crushes me and every single time I wanted to give her the biggest hug. She has suffered so much and been alone for so long, always on the run, guarding her heart... it started with Sefa & Marek barging into her life, immediately loving her and refusing for her to hide away, then Arin whom she found her equal in, the one person in the world she could call her home and safe place, where she could be her savage, beautiful self, and now she fights for Jasad, her land and people. There are so many aspects of this series I love, but I absolutely adore how Essiya starts off with wanting nothing to do with Jasad and the responsibility she was born with, terrified of it all and especially getting killed, and slowly you see her fight through that fear and become the leader she never thought she could be. She's in no way a perfect leader but when it came down to fighting for them all, she really pulled through, even with the fear of magic-madness. Her love and loyalty to those she cares for is literally the sweetest thing ever, especially towards Sefa, Marek, and Arin???

AND THEN ARIN OF NIZHAL HELLO?? Sara really said "let me make you guys fall even more in love with him while *I* torture him even more!!!😀" JAIL. Not only did we get SO many more POV chapters of Arin but we got a much, much deeper understanding of him and his past. Anytime Arin was in pain, I was in pain. Anytime he was happy, I was happy. His growth??? Oh if it wasn't handled beautifully, I love how realistic Sara wrote it. And genuinely the way he is so in love with Essiya??? THE YEARNING KILLED ME AND GAVE ME LIFE.

I could literally spend forever talking about the romance between Arin and Essiya. How even separated, they couldn't stop thinking about one another. During their darkest moments, in their decisions, even to the point where Arin believes he's seeing hallucinations of Essiya?? How even surrounded by other Jasadis and believing Arin was preparing to kill her, the one person she trusted most was still Arin. How Arin's first instinct when hallucinating Essiya in the Citadel was to shout at her to run. How even in a room full of beautiful things, a bloodied Arin still outshined them all. How they love pinning each other against walls (Arin more so🤭). How Essiya really thought she could play a game of seduction against THE Arin of Nizhal... and then realized her mistake very fast (please I could not stop laughing). How Arin could watch her fight until weeds grew around his boots and never tire. How Arin could read every emotion in her eyes like it was written in a language he was born to speak. How he found himself grinning and laughing, his eyes softening when it came to Essiya. How Essiya would get nervous and Arin would joke around asking if he should put a knife in her hand to calm her down. How when they couldn't touch one another, they found intimacy in their violence that almost sufficed. How Essiya's destination would always be Arin. How there was no life where Arin could live without Essiya. How even when Arin moved to the floor to sleep, a sleeping Essiya followed him to the floor?? (That was so cute oh my god). How they would always choose one another?? (view spoiler). Yeah!! As you can tell I'm not normal about these two and never will be.

And then getting Sefa and Marek's POV chapters as well??? I LOVE THEM YOUR HONOUR. Sefa's kindness is like no other, she has the most beautiful heart in this series and I loved her subplot SO much. Marek was hilarious and sweet as always, and his subplot was just as engaging. Sefa and Marek's platonic love for one another will genuinely be one of the best I've ever seen in all the books I've read in my life. Like it's up there with Will and Jem's bond (from The Infernal Devices). Just like there's no Will without Jem (and vice versa), there is no Sefa without Marek (and vice versa). Their relationship was written beautifully and you can really feel how much they mean to one another. The amount of lines I highlighted?? I wanted to cry so much throughout this book. And even the love Sefa and Marek have for Essiya?? Oh my god. Seriously, Sara really wrote such heart-wrenching relationships in this series. (view spoiler)

And we got more Jeru!!!! JERU MY LOVE. He had so many amazing scenes, especially this one scene with Marek and Sefa individually!!!! Like excuse me Jeru I didn't ask for you to hurt me as well?? There were also some new characters whom I didn't expect to like so much! Namsa and Maia!! Lateef!! BUT EFRA CAN GO TO HELL. Except for one scene that I liked from him, this guy pissed me off to no end.

Also can I just talk about how much I adore worldbuilding? I love that we not only got to understand more of Essiya's magic, but the lore behind the Awaleen and the so many questions we had in book 1 regarding the other kingdoms!! Literally all the plot twists shocked me and it could be another case of me being bad at guessing plot twists but seriously did not see them coming omg??? Also I have such a special love for this world because of the amount of Arabic words & food I recognized that I eat regularly?? The Scorched Throne duology has been the closest I've ever felt to my culture in reading and I adore it so much like I've never been able to experience this before and I didn't realize how beautiful of a feeling it is?? Petition for more Egyptian-inspired fantasy books!!

One more thing before I end this review, but below will be major spoilers as I go crazy with some of my favourite quotes, I'm sorry I can't resist!!
(view spoiler)

I'm heartbroken that it's over but I will never forget the journey this series took me on. I love the magic in this world and the way everything was wrapped felt perfect to me. The ending broke me in every way possible, and while I would kill for just ONE MORE CHAPTER (please on my knees begging), I'm satisfied. I will forever be recommending this duology to everyone I know and be so annoying about it!!! Arin & Essiya you will always be remembered.


Eternal thanks to Orbit for sending me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!!

What a fantastic follow up to end this Duology.
Thank you thank you thank you orbit books and NetGalley for a gifted copy of this in exchange for an honest review. The Jasad Heir was one of my top reads last year and this book complimented it FANTASTICALLY.
Slow burn
Found family
Enemies to lovers
UGH! Can I read it again right now? This set the standard for duologys and I’m obsessed

Fantasy duologies are my weakness… compact, powerful, and in this case emotionally destructive. The Jasad Crown absolutely delivered. I struggled a little with the pacing due to the heavy world building there was at the start, especially for this being a second book, but by the end I was fully entertained.

I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing Arin and Sylvia/Essayia grow. Arin’s POV chapters were a much appreciated touch.

Overall this book broke me in the best possible way. Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC!