The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn)

3.5

3,5 stars

Es kommt nicht an den ersten Teil ran, aber das ist völlig ok. Sehr fast read! Liebs! Ich fand einige Charakterentwicklungen sehr gut, andere sehr schade, das Ende bisschen zu schnell abgewickelt, ich hätte mehr shazi+khalid szenen gebraucht, warum hat sie nie ihre magie verwendet/gelernt??, despinas plotwist hat mich erwischt bin ich ehrlich, hätte mir omar und shazi mal zusammen redend gewünscht??!, hab erstaunlicherweise rotz und wasser wegen rahim geheult, irsa und seine love story war süß, aber unnötig, artans charakter und storyline fühlte sich bisschen last minute eingefügt an, shazi wirkt wie ne echte queen, das ganze buch durch! Ich shippe tariq und yasmine extrem doll

This book was a ride from beginning to end! It was so amazing and full of twists and the characters are everything! I didn't like Tariq in the first book, I found him a nuisance an and annoying, but he was much better developed here! He understood what he was fighting for now that Shazi was beside him. He had a very good arc. Rahim and Irsa were also very good additions to the narrators of this book, also with a beautiful arc (although I hate that he died, but in war people die and if one of the near and dear characters didn't die then it might not have felt real, I think...). Irsa was too shy and weak most of the time, but it was something she was well aware of and something she tried to fight. I was not expecting to like her so much and, even though I perfectly understand Sharzad's position and thoughts, I would have liked to see her trust her sister and be a sister to Irsa. As a sister myself, I found their relationship sad, especially because Irsa says several times that she feels alone and lonely, that she had no one. When you have a sibling you should always stand by them, in my opinion, and Shazi seemed to love her sister dearly, so I found their relationship lacking... But continuing on. Jahandar was such a self-centred character! Loving his daughters so dearly only to think only about that terrible book! And Reza, who seemed like a level-headed character, turned out not to be so. So willing to go to war! And I get it, I do!, but it was too much, felt too forced on his part (not on the righting, but on the character's part). Shazi also had an amazing arc, although I would have liked to see her learning magic and not just making those flourish again in the Epilogue (that part with Vikram and the shackles doesn't exactly count because of the description). Artan is a great character! And an amazing help! So glad he stuck by Shazi's side! Oh! And Khalid! Also amazing! As always! I think it was very important and very well written the part where he fights Tariq and then they, eventually, after taking care of Shazi, understand each other and a relationship starts to form. They star to understand each other, especially Tariq when it comes to Khalid. And I knew I liked Yasmine! She was nice! Nice enough that Shazi is trying to set her up with Tariq in the Epilogue! And Despina! I was not expecting that revelation! I mean, I thought that she was just trying to safeguard herself and her baby, in a way, from heartbreak and pain when she decided to take Vikram as her "husband" and basically flee with him! Look at all the complications that came from that! Jalal was furious with Khalid! And her showing up at Amardha with the news that she was Salim Ali el-Sharif daughter! I thought her father was some rich man in Greece, no the freaking Sultan of Parthia! And I think she and Yasmine have a good relationship (at least I hope so, I love them both very much). For a second I was afraid Khalid would die... And I was so glad that Jahandar was so selfless at that moment when he was not the rest of the time! That he gave his life for his daughter's love. And that Epilogue was the sweetest ending I have ever read! I loved it! So cute and lovely and sweet! It was an amazing duology that I want to read again and again, always. Because it had everything: great characters, great plot, great settings, magic, love and friendship. It is also a fast read, and that's always a plus!

The second half of this book was everything I ever wished for. Full thoughts soon to come.

holy shit, that was awesome. I read the first 80 pages so incredibly slowly, but damn then the story picked up and i couldn't stop reading. it's not a 5/5 because i would have wished more information about the side characters in the epilogue.

Also ich würde dem Buch so gerne mehr Sterne geben aber selbst die drei Sterne sind schon mit Augen zusammenkneifen und daran denken das ich die Charaktere und das Setting einfach liebe und trotz dem mageren Plot Spaß hatte entstanden & eigentlich sind es auch eher 2,75.. Werde vielleicht ein Review später schreien da ich das zum ersten auch getan habe aber mal sehen

4.5 stars! Four and a half stars dedicated to beautiful moments between Shazi and Khalid, the amazing character development of so many characters, Irsa especially, new and fascinating magic, wonderful places we get to visit and an action-packed, thrilling story-line that does take the time to let us feel the atmosphere in this oriental, wonderful story! Mild spoilers: The only thing that I did not really like was that/how Irsa fell in love, because it didn't feel very enchanting and also not very necessary to me. Some things in the end were in my opinion too easy for our squad and kind of unrealistic considering how bad it was supposed to be earlier in the novel.

3,5⭐️

DNF ~35% I just can't finish or rate this book. It's been too long since I read the first one and I understand absolutely nothing - I can't even say, if I like it or not.