The Rose and the Dagger by Reneé Ahdieh
Series: The Wrath and the Dawn #2
Published: April 26, 2016
Rating: 5/5
*Spoilers for Book 1 – you can see that review HERE*
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.
The conclusion to The Wrath and the Dawn duology was even more enchanting and epic than the first. Some of the issues that I found with the first book were still present (you can read my review for that HERE), but I found that I could not fault the sequel for the problems made in the first installment.
The sacrifices made in this book had me crying – and okay yes, I know that I am an easy crier but I seriously had ALL THE FEELS.
There are plot twists that I didn’t see coming that had me setting down the book in surprise. The introduction of some brand new characters has me thirsting for new stories for everyone in the book because so many remain unexplored! I really hope Ahdieh releases at least some novellas about them in the near future.
The relationship between Shazi and Khalid develops even further, along with their characters. More information about Khalid is given, and it makes me love him even more. The unfailing support that Shazi offers him made my heart swell!
Overall an amazing duology that I have no doubt I’ll be rereading again in the future.
Emie's Nook 