Book Review: The Rose and The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Title: The Rose and The Dagger
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Series/Novel: The Wrath and The Dawn Series (#2)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Pages: 406
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2016
First Line: "The girl was eleven and three quarters."

"In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse- one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid's empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refused to be a pawn and decides a plan.
While her father, Jahndar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn't yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love."

My Rating: 4/5

This second and final instalment in The Wrath and The Dawn duology follows many characters from the previous novel. Some we grew to know quite well in the first book and others at first a bit of a mystery. This second book wraps up the love of a boy-king, a calipha and a childhood love with a bow on top. Not to mention the diversity, use of fantasy aspects and approach to the story that were all in all incredible.  I think that this book did pale a bit when compared to the first one, but this could be because of the busy time schedule I read it in as well. I found that it was hard to want to keep up with the book in the beginning as it started at a slow pace, but by the mid way point I was once again wrapped up in the different setting, interesting characters and fantastic use of plot. The twists and turns are surprising but exciting to endure and not over the top.
Overall this was a good way to end a series and I look forward to see what other books Renee Ahdieh brings to the table over time and where she'll take her career next. 

Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny