Review: The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Series:The Wrath & The Dawn (duology) Source: Purchased @ bookstore
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 388
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: 3 Stars
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons for Young Readers 
Release date: May 12th 2015

A sumptuous and especially told love story inspired by A Thousand and One Nights Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

My review of The Wrath & the Dawn...

One thing I must talk about is Renee's writing skills, she's amazing! The way in which she describes the world she created inside The Wrath & The Dawn is stunning. One small example is her description of a pomegranate. I must admit I have never eaten a pomegranate, but Renee inspired me to try one for the first time, her writing definitely awakens my olfactory memory. The taste & smells practically jump off of the page!

First off I got the opportunity to meet Renee at a signing recently, she's so nice! If you ever have the chance to meet her at a signing or event I highly encourage you to do so!

This book has been getting phenomenal ratings all across the internet, so I was slightly disappointed that I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.

I really admired Shazi, the protagonist. Bravery practically emancipates from her pores. The story starts out with Shazi's best friend Shiva being murdered by Khalid, the king of Khorasan. He takes a new wife each day and murders them before dawn. Shazi decides to enact her revenge against Khalid by marrying him and murdering him to avenge Shiva. What Shazi did not expect was to see Khalid as something other than the murderous killer whom she thought he was.

I was enamored with the plot, I mean who wouldn't be with a premise as strong as the one in this book! The reason I did not give this book 5 stars was because I felt as if the story drug out too long. Without giving away too much I felt as if Shazi and Khalid's relationship was a bit forced in the beginning, however it all comes together beautifully in the end. The ending is absolutely amazing, it blew me away! I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this duology, The Rose & The Dagger!

 “Her conviction wavered further. “I told you; don’t try to own me.”

“I don’t want to own you.”

She swiveled her neck to meet his gaze. “Then never speak of sending me away again. I am not yours to do with as you will.”

Khalid’s features smoothed knowingly. “How right you are. You are not mine.” He dropped his palm from the door. “I am yours.”