Content Warning: violence, death, grief, parental abuse

+ This is part two in The Scorched Throne series and what I loved about the first book was Arin and Sylvia/Essiya. I wanted to see what would happen to them in the conclusion and what a conclusion it is.

+ The enemies to lovers romance in this series is top notch. The tension between Arin and Essiya is so good. And they are always fighting and I don’t mean arguing but physical fighting. And I wanted more in this book but I felt like we still got bread crumbs. There are some exceptional moments though where Arin is telling Essiya what lengths he would go to save her, be with her, love her. It made me melt! It hurts my heart just knowing what they had to go through in this story. But what a love story it turned out to be!

+ Sylvia/Essiya was the compelling character in book one because of who she was and what she was hiding. She’s still amazing in this one – strong, impulsive, but learning to be a leader. It’s Arin that stole my heart in book two. He has to deal with a lot of truths, betrayals, guilt and with his brilliant mind, with him always trying to figure out a puzzle or plan for the future – he of course has to figure out how to save Essiya. I loved both their personal journeys, but more so Arin’s.

+ The world-building was great and the twists in the story did surprise me. I love this lush world of magic, with magical creatures and beasts coming to life.

~ Like book one, I felt like this book again was too long. This is longer than book one, coming in just under 700 pages. I wonder why this was never made into a trilogy because it definitely could have been! Also, I’m starting to question if I just don’t enjoy long books?

~ Because I felt like it was too long, the pacing was uneven. The beginning was slow, it took me a few days to get through it, I was trying to get my bearings and remember who Sefa and Marek were. This time they have their own POVs. I was not-so-patiently waiting for Arin and Essiya to be in scenes together. And then I would be riveted to the story and then it would slow down again. The second half was much better. The ending plot-twist felt a little rushed and I wish there was more to explore that which is why I wish this would have been a trilogy!

Final Thoughts:

Even though it was too long and the pacing was uneven, the Arin and Essiya love story really bumped up my rating from 3.5 to 4 stars. I love them together and was rooting for them hard. I loved the world building and the twists in the story. This was a good conclusion to the duology. If you like fantasy and romance (not so much romantasy – there is no smut in this) then you will enjoy this series.

This is such a great book! I really loved the first book and was so happy to get to read the second book. I would highly recommend it.

4.5/5 ✨️

Wow, still trying to type this through the tears from that epilogue. Make sure to have your tissues ready for the end of this.

I absolutely love that this book did not lose the feeling of Jasad Heir. The tension, the banter, the true enemies to lovers vibes, the slow, the political intrigue, the magic, all of these elements I loved from the first are still present but not in a way that feels repetitive which I loved. I loved the character growth in this and not just for Slyvia & Arin but also Sefa, Jeru, Wes, Marek.

One of my small qualms is that I felt some things were almost rushed/could have used some room to breathe. It felt at times we were overloaded with information with little time to process especially when the puzzle pieces really started to fall in place.

I truly will never stop thinking about the relationship between Slyvia & Arin. The banter was absolutely perfect. Them wanting to constantly kill each other? ATE. IT. UP.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint.

This was a phenomenal book. It’s rare that the sequel is better than the first installment of a series, but I really loved it. Sara followed through with all the promises in The Jasad Heir. The stakes stayed high throughout. The morals stayed grey until the very end for both Essiya and Arin. The romantic tension was delicious but did not overpower the plot. It was an actual true enemies to lovers. Like they had valid reasons for both and that was so refreshing. The side characters were flushed out so much better in this book. And I really enjoyed the pacing. I’m not a fan of flashbacks and these were necessary but woven in in short palatable bits so I never felt like skipping them. My main critique of the book is that I spent the first 20% confused as I tried to recall details of the first book. It’s a complicated fantasy and a synopsis would have made the experience so much better.

4.75⭐

🔥This is a page-turner !! 🔥

It's definitely the cream of the Romantasy crop in terms of worldbuilding creativity, use of mythological beasts and especially character dynamics ! Here, I'm talking about the tension and connection between the MC and her love interest, but also with and between the 2 characters for which we have PoVs. The slow burn romance is real and it works, no smut added (or needed) to make it interesting.

I love the land and its soft magic. The politics and history enrich the story and serve the plot more often than not.

The pacing of the 1st installment was unusual and its outline is repeated *exactly* in the 2nd installment, which points to it being a deliberate choice :

A lot of time was dedicated to set-up, travelling in different kingdoms, minor events that expand the characters' depths and preparations for a Big Thing. Then, major plot points cascade to the end of the book, leaving me enthusiastically dazed, but also feeling like the last 25% could have taken its time a lot more.
It's ok, Journey before Destination, but those last parts are so conceptually strong that I would've preferred to explore them more.

This is a kick-ass debut and I'm excited to see what Sara Hashem will cook up next !

Pub date : 15 Jul 2025.
📚Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 🙂‍↕️

Check out this review of The Jasad Crown (The Scorched Throne, #2) on Fable. https://fable.co/review/7eb26b50-5975-42e0-9df0-fcb686b42c58/share

Let’s just start with this: The Jasad Crown is everything I wanted — messy emotions, impossible choices, sizzling tension, and magic that feels just a little too real. If you love your fantasy with a side of heartbreak and political backstabbing (and who among us doesn’t?), Sara Hashem absolutely delivers with the conclusion to The Scorched Throne duology.

The Story
Sylvia — our stubborn, brilliant, emotionally-damaged queen without a crown — is once again running from more than just the soldiers hunting her. She’s also running from herself, her past, her people’s expectations, and the terrifying realization that her magic might not just save Jasad…it might destroy her in the process. No big deal, right?

Meanwhile, Arin (yes, that Arin — you know, the Nizahli heir to the empire that led the army that burned her homeland to ash, killed its people, and outlawed magic, leaving Sylvia and the Jasadi people to live in hiding, and oh, is kind of Sylvia’s worst enemy?) is wrestling with some ugly truths about loyalty, power, and the price of following orders. Spoiler alert: it cost more than he can afford.

And can I just say, it’s so refreshing that we finally get multiple POVs in this book? Being inside Arin’s head, along with Sefa’s and Marek’s, adds such rich layers to the story. We get to see their individual journeys — the struggles, the loyalty tests, the love, the devastating losses — and it deepens the whole experience. It’s not just Sylvia carrying the emotional weight anymore. Every character is fighting their own personal war, and it hurts in the best way.

When fate (and some very questionable decisions) push Sylvia and Arin back into each other’s paths, they’re forced to confront everything they thought they knew — about themselves, about each other, and about the war that’s been brewing beneath the surface for years. Duty, survival, loyalty, love — The Jasad Crown throws it all in a blender and hits “liquefy.”

The Characters
Sylvia absolutely owns this book. Her arc is gut-wrenching and beautiful — she’s battling the weight of being Jasad’s heir while barely keeping herself from cracking under the pressure of her own magic. Every decision she makes feels heavy, and Hashem doesn’t pull a single punch about what leadership really costs.

Arin is no slouch either. His journey from soldier to sovereign soul-searcher is brutal, and you feel every scar he earns along the way. I love a morally conflicted boy with a sword, and Arin brings it in spades. Watching these two navigate loyalty, trust, and betrayal made me want to alternately hug them and shake them.

And let’s not forget Sefa and Marek — their stories are heartbreaking and fierce, showing different angles of loyalty and survival in a world that’s literally crumbling around them.

(And if you’re wondering — yes, the chemistry between Sylvia and Arin is absolutely delicious. It simmers. It burns. It wrecks you.)

The World
If you thought the world-building in The Jasad Heir was strong, The Jasad Crown cranks it up to eleven. Hashem’s world feels lived-in and dangerous, rooted in Egyptian-inspired magic, tradition, and politics. The Urabi rebel camps, the crumbling remains of Jasad, the ever-looming threat of the Nizahl empire — every setting feels like it’s teetering on the edge of war…and hope.

And let’s talk about the ancient, otherworldly creatures Hashem brings to life — the Sareekh, the Kitmer, the Khawfa. They are eerie, beautiful, terrifying, and completely original. These beings add this ancient-magic, bigger-than-mortals feel to the story that reminds you the world of Jasad is way older and wilder than any human war.

It’s not just places and monsters, though. Hashem does an incredible job showing how history, propaganda, and memory can twist a people, and how reclaiming a broken legacy is never as simple as putting a crown on your head and waving.

Themes and Feels
This book hits you hard in the “what would you sacrifice for your people?” department. Sylvia’s internal war — between wanting freedom and being shackled to destiny — is raw and real. She doesn’t get easy answers. Neither does Arin.

The Jasad Crown asks the big questions:

When loyalty costs everything, is it still worth it?Can you choose your own path when everyone around you needs you to be something else?And maybe the hardest one — how do you forgive yourself when you can’t fix everything?
It’s about power, and how power demands payment — sometimes with your life, and sometimes with your soul.

And that ending? Heartbreakingly beautiful. It’s the kind of finale that leaves you sitting in stunned silence, hugging the book to your chest, because even though it wrecked you, it felt right.

Final Thoughts
If you love fantasy that’s more than just magic and monsters — if you crave stories about broken people trying to be whole in a broken world — The Jasad Crown is for you. It’s fierce, painful, stunning, and honestly? I’m still thinking about it days later.

Sara Hashem, you’ve officially broken my heart — and I am so grateful.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the advance review copy.

The first 80% was 5-star material all the way. And then it kinda tapered off…
I shall address the positives first (because they really made this read worthwhile):

• poetic/descriptive writing A+

“Perhaps growing jealous of the clouds I had collected over my own head, the moon finally decided to show its face.”

“Twisting like a sheet on an unstable clothesline, Marek searched for a window.”

“Sefa’s laugh faded into quiet sobriety.”

• narrator humor A+

“I took one look at the edge of the cliffside and decided a bruised cheekbone was merely the introductory soup in my supper for fools.”

“Maybe if Efra hadn’t relied on his magic so much, he wouldn’t have the fighting instincts of an inebriated raccoon.”

“We cannot rely on the support of a vacillating ruler who holds his power like a rattle in a baby’s fist.”

“Sultana Vaida would drown a dozen children to get her hands on these flowers.”

“Sefa may as well have been a sentient pile of buttons.”

• romantic yearning, chemistry/tension A+

“The Jasad Heir’s layers of wrath had called to Arin like a parched man to a poisoned fountain.”

“If your magic takes you, I will drag you back. It cannot have you.”

“If she dies for them, they will die with her.”

• descriptions and metaphors for background details during plot-heavy or dialogue-heavy scenes — excluding examples as there were so many, but I felt like this was an impressive indication of good writing; even in the midst of important happenings, the author took the time to make sure readers were so immersed in the story that they could easily imagine the visuals.

Overall, the writing was amazing, the pacing was much faster than the first book, and the reveals just kept coming!! Very impressive how much plot was covered after the amount shown in the first book.

Now the negatives:
• The descriptive and humorous narration dwindled in the last 20%…granted, that’s when stuff got super serious but that shouldn’t have meant the writing had to suffer…
• Certain big reveal was fairly obvious to the reader from early on but the main character couldn’t figure it out until practically the last minute…felt a bit unrealistic for how smart she is.
• The ending………..felt too neat? Disappointing with how much build up there was, the way the ending was written felt a bit flat and overly convenient.

However!!! Still recommend this as a read. The overwhelming positives of it definitely makes up for the small negatives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with my first arc. It was much appreciated and quite a fun time!

If you loved the first book, this one will blow you away. It delivered everything I had hoped and kept me on the edge of my seat. The character arcs are amazingly executed, with a number of lines that ripped my heart right out. Flaws, high stakes, and consequences all come together to weave an absolutely beautiful story of fantasy, duty, and love. A very nice balance was struck with the fantasy and politics being the primary focus, but strong character relationships and romantic plots brought it to life. Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for the ARC, I can't wait to get my hands on the official release ❤️

This was hands-down one of my favorite reads of the year. It delivered everything I hoped for and more, with a beautiful and emotional ending that wrapped up a story I’ve completely fallen in love with. One of the things I really appreciated was the use of additional third-person POVs. Getting to see into the minds of other characters made the story feel more layered, gave a nice break from Sylvia and Arin’s perspectives, and kept the pacing engaging. Arin’s POV, in particular, stood out. Writing his chapters in third person created just the right amount of distance, keeping some of his actions and motivations mysterious while still giving us insight into his emotions. It made me love him so much more.

The found family dynamic was another highlight and one of my favorite things about the book. Every character was so well-written and easy to love, and I found myself really caring about each one. They each felt unique and memorable, with their own personalities and purpose in the story. And the romance between Sylvia and Arin was amazing—an enemies-to-lovers story filled with tension, longing, and heartbreak. The emotional connection between them felt so real, and their love had me tearing up more than once.

The last 200 pages went by in a blur. The pacing was intense, and the plot twists had me completely hooked. The emotional weight of the final 100 pages hit me hard in the best way. The author wasn’t afraid to make bold choices, and those decisions really broke my heart and stuck with me. I also really liked that the ending didn’t go for a typical happy-ever-after. Instead, it was more bittersweet and open-ended, which felt fitting for the story and kept me thinking about the characters long after finishing. I have a feeling I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit, for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is PEAK enemies to lovers! You want true enemies to lovers that actually go through the stages of *enemies* to *lovers* THIS is how you do it.

This story is a beautiful exploration of self; who you are, versus what the world expects of you, versus who you can choose to become.

There is so much that is packed into this 600+ page book, but at no point did the action dip and did I wish for things to speed up get going. The huge cast of characters were so diverse in what they wanted and needed from each other, all of their motivations felt real and charged. Even the side characters whom we never got to inhabit their povs were still incredibly well thought out and nuanced. I cannot think of a better way I would have liked this duology to end. It has left me completely satisfied in every way.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for the copy of this e-ARC.

"The Jasad Crown", the final book in the Scorched Throne Duology, is one that romantasy lovers will NOT want to miss!

Captured by the Urabi, Sylvia tries to come to terms with her past and become Essiya, the Malika the Jasadi's desperately need if they will ever have any hope of reclaiming their kingdom. Arin searches desperately for the woman who he believes betrayed him. As tensions rise, both Arin and Sylvia begin to uncover more history regarding the fall of Jasad, while Marek and Sefa attempt to free themselves from perilous situations in order to reunite with each other.

I enjoyed this duology a lot! Something I really liked is that this is definitely a romantasy, with a heavy fantasy background, but still a lot of romantic tension. It's also closed door, so probably only a 1 or 2/5 stars on the spiciness scale. I find it refreshing now a days when authors don't force out of place intimate scenes down the throats of their readers just because their publisher forced them to do so because it's trending. I was able to understand the world and magic a lot more in this installment due to the author's intricate world building.

I did find the book to be a tad long. At almost 700 pages, it started to drag in the last 10%. While overall I enjoyed the conclusion, because it was dragging so much I almost didn't care what happened at the end, I was more just happy the book was complete, which stinks. I'm sure I would have found more satisfaction with the ending had 50-100 pages been cut. However, overall the book had the perfect conclusion and I think anyone who read this duology will really enjoy it!

3.5/5 stars This duology is definitely worth the read for those who love romantasy. It is action packed, intricately detailed, and full of romantic tension.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Jasad Crown was a banger of a sequel and an incredible way to wrap up this duology. The author expanded her use of other POVs in this book to help us grasp the greater world outside of Sylvia. Being dropped into Arin's head gave us the perfect view to him challenging his own beliefs, the system he was raised in, and his obsessive love for Sylvia.

I found this book impossible to put down. There were entire chapters that were so good I felt like I highlighted every word. Sylvia really comes into her power in a satisfying way, while staying true to herself. She loves deeply and this is finally enough for her to care more about sacrifice than her own survival. While the ending broke me emotionally, I think that desperation is what fully pushes Sylvia to the edge. I loved everything about this book: plot, characters, politics, and the romance.

4.5 stars

A violent and emotional conclusion to an incredible duology! If you're looking for the GOLD STANDARD of an enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel, look no further. The TENSION, the BANTER - it's everything to me.

This sequel definitely opens up the world both geographically and politically, introducing new POVs as our main cast is spread across the empire trying to find their way back to each other without getting killed. I would have easily spent another book in this universe with these characters (and I think the pacing might have benefitted from this), but the epilogue was quite literally perfection, and I just had to sit with my book in my hands and absorb this fantastic series.

I am so looking forward to whatever Hashem writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Unfortunately this series just isn't for me. I really did not like the MC, her choices and the overall world felt...lacking. I didn't love book one and was hoping book two would be more developed personally. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

I will never forgive you for killing Marek. I loved that stupid little man and I cried reading my book when I wasn't supposed to at work and now I'm EMBARRASSED.

The amount of quotes in here that don't hit when the MMC says it in romantasy books hit SO MUCH HARDER HERE when 70% of this book they're actively in a death match. God. The politics of this was so good, I loved seeing how Sylvia maneuvered everything and I was just as amazed as Arin every time. I loved all the side characters, and the ending that Vaida got was so beautiful. I loved this book, truly and completely. I love these characters. Please give me a novella that happens after this please I need to know how my beloved Sefa reacts when she sees Sylvia again PLEASE

This book was incredible. Incredible isn’t even the right word to describe it.

The Jasad Crown was a great conclusion to the story that started in The Jasad Heir. The story picks up right where the last book ended and continues seamlessly with no delay. The book did not suffer from “second book syndrome” like most sequels tend to--I genuinely felt like Sarah Hashem continued the story the way it was meant to go!

Though Arin and Sylvia are separated at the beginning of the book, Sara Hashem finds interesting ways to bring them together, making sure their relationship continues to progress. I confess, I was looking forward to these moments more than others and Hashem did not disappoint.

Another thing I enjoyed was how the author made sure to stick true to her character's emotions. At the end of TJH, Sylvia reveals her true identity and disappears. Hashem does not shy away from the depth of the betrayal that Arin feels. Arin himself does not shy away from expressing his raw anger at Sylvia whenever they meet.

In TJC, Sylvia is trying to juggle the expectations of her people and her growing powers. Her identity is revealed and she has to play her part in the growing revolution. Meanwhile, her power keeps growing in waves, slowly chipping away at her humanity. She has to navigate how to assume the role of a leader while struggling to maintain her integrity. Again, I want to reiterate how much I love that Hashem stuck true to her character's feelings and inner struggles. Sylvia still is haunted by her urge to run away from the growing responsibilities thrown at her. At the end of the day, she is just a twenty-one year old girl trying to stay afloat amidst the expectations of others and the immense power she did not ask for. As someone in my early twenties, I can’t help but relate to some of her insecure feelings.

I was blown away by how amazing this conclusion was. My favorite parts were the moments between Sylvia and Arin as they try to work past all of these revelations and their growing attraction.

Sara Hashem has written the most exquisite enemies-to-lovers story. The characters have a real motive to want the other dead, feel justified hatred for each other's existence, yet are slowly and involuntarily drawn to each other. She has found the crux of the enemies-to-lovers trope and delivers it in the most perfect yet heartbreaking way.

The ending is one of the most heartbreaking conclusions I have read in a while. While I understand the reasoning, my heart genuinely caved in reading the last three chapters of this novel. The last chapter, from Arin’s perspective, actually had me shedding tears. I loved these characters and was enraptured by this story. I’ve been recommending this series to anyone I can, and I can’t wait for more from Sara Hashem.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

My goodness this was a book! The Jasad Crown is the second book in the series (with The Jasad Heir being the first. This book was intense with a lot of intricate world building.
Things I really enjoyed - the world building is so well done, the characters are well developed, and goodness gracious the ending of this story was such a plot twist. This book does a good job of wrapping up all that was introduced during the books.
Things that I didn’t like as much - this book is long. It felt almost too long in some parts and the story dragged. I also would recommend reading this book right after the first. It’s been almost a year since I’ve read the first book and it took a while to remember what all happened. I also struggled with the names of things and definitely could use a glossary/map.
If you are looking for a true fantasy recommendation, this would be a great book. For me this was a 3.5⭐️ book.

Huge thanks to NetGalley & Orbit for an e-Arc copy of The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem

Nothing will ever compare to a middle-eastern inspired book full of yearning and angst. I keep saying it, and it continues to be true.

I am a fucking mess 🙃. Completely and utterly shattered. The Jasad Crown is a devastatingly beautiful conclusion to The Scorched Throne duology, and I don’t think I’ll ever recover.

Let’s start with Arin. Oh, Arin. The way this man will haunt me for a long time. We finally get to peel back his layers, his painful past, the curse that shaped him, the icy control that masks a heart so full of yearning it aches. And that yearning? It’s everything. Every glance, every thought, every moment between him and Sylvia is charged with this desperate, aching tension. They’re enemies, bound by betrayal and duty, and yet they just can’t stay away from each other. The push and pull is exquisite torture. I found myself whispering “just kiss already”, even as I knew every stolen moment would only make the inevitable heartbreak worse.

And Sylvia/Essiya, our furious, stubborn, magnificent queen. She is everything. Her rage is a living thing, her magic awe inspiring, and her love, when she dares to show it, is ferocious. She fights, she bleeds, she burns, and I adore her for it. Watching her grapple with power, with loss, with the weight of a kingdom on her shoulders was breathtaking and heartbreaking at the same time.

The side characters? Impecable. Each one is so richly drawn, so vividly alive, that I ached for them just as much as I did for Arin & Sylvia. The women in this book, especially, are ✨complex, ruthless, tender, and vengeful, all in equal measure.

And that ending. That ending 🫠. I won’t spoil it, but gods, it fucked me up. It was perfect & it was cruel but I wouldn’t change a thing. I screamed & I wanted to cry. I’m still trying to process the sheer emotional devastation. Sara Hashem didn’t just write a conclusion she crafted a finale that lingers & hurts, in the best possible way.

This duology at its core, it’s about two broken people who were never supposed to love each other, and do anyway, despite the world, despite themselves.

Honestly 5 stars for the relationship between Arin and Sylvia/Essiya and the true rating for just about everything else. I'll be honest, when I picked this up I pretty much had forgotten most of what had happened in the first, and there's not only no recap, there is NO hint of what came before. I spent a lot of my time confused I was like who are these people, what are these places, what are these names? Too many characters, too many places, too many names (and especially similar sounding names like I mixed up Hirun and Hiram almost the entire book and no I won't tell you what is what good luck). It is fitting that Sylvia starts to go by her given name, Essiya, and struggles with her identity because that's how I feel about the difference between the first book and the second book in this duology.

Essiya has been captured by the Jasadis who want to use her magic to restore the Jasad kingdom, the throne, and the fortress that protected their people. Arin is hunting her down, convinced that she will have magic-madness and commit mass atrocities when her powers cause her to lose her mind. There are also two other POVs: Marek and Sefa, as they were separated from Essiya and from each other after the events of the last book. And this is sort of where things start to go downhill. Sefa's entire plot, and the entire plot point of Lukub's Sultana Vaida and her whole thing was just...completely unnecessary. By the time we reach the last 10% or so of the book things are fully off the rails with our true main characters and our true main plot and then there's just this useless thing on top of that? It has no true lasting impact if I'm being quite honest. Marek's side plot was kind of useless too now that I'm thinking of it. I could go further in demonstrating just how pointless it is, but it would be full on spoilers. Anyway Essiya is struggling with the realities of being a leader (by force and by birth and not by choice) while Arin's reality implodes as secrets about his past and the past of all the kingdoms are revealed. There was so much packed in the last like 15% of this book it was a little TEW much I fear.

This book did not disappoint at all. I do wish before I had read this one I had reread The Jasad Heir as the beginning of book to I had to really dig deep to remember characters etc. but once it all came back to me I couldn’t put this book down. The world building and politics went so much deeper in The Jasad Crown. I really enjoyed seeing all the different POVs as our characters navigate their new landscapes as they fight to get back to one another.

Arin will stay one of my favorite MMCs and I really enjoyed watching his character grown and develop as we went through book 2. The chemistry Arin and Sylvia had was unmatched and I feel slightly betrayed we didn’t get an epilogue after that ending.

Also my sweet Sefa and Marek deserved a happier ending and I will need 2-78 businesses days to process what happened