Review: The Rose & The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Yes, The Wrath & The Dawn #2
Pages: 416
Copyright: 2016 
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Buy: Amazon

Review of first in series The Wrath & The Dawn

Summary: from Good Reads
The darker the sky, the brighter the stars.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever.

Now she’s reunited with her family, who have found refuge in the desert, where a deadly force is gathering against Khalid—a force set on destroying his empire and commanded by Shazi’s spurned childhood sweetheart. Trapped between loyalties to those she loves, the only thing Shazi can do is act. Using the burgeoning magic within her as a guide, she strikes out on her own to end both this terrible curse and the brewing war once and for all. But to do it, she must evade enemies of her own to stay alive.

The saga that began with The Wrath and the Dawn takes its final turn as Shahrzad risks everything to find her way back to her one true love again.

Feelings: 
The Rose & The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh included a little love and betrayal, intrigue and war, a curse, and magic. This was a strong novel and I thought it did an excellent job concluding the series. Shahrzad and Khalid were strong characters and they developed through out the story. My only complaint was the very very ending...not going to include spoilers in here but I felt like the epilogue was not needed. 

The characters in this book and the first are amazing and I loved reading about them. When I fist saw this series I didn't think it would be a retelling of The Arabian Nights, but it is so much more than just a retelling. It take the idea of telling stories to stay a live and gives the back story and so much more. 

I really enjoyed Renee Ahdieh's writing and I look forward to seeing what she writes next. I recommend you check out this series. It is a love story and a story of finding trust in yourself and those around you.