Netgalley Review: Empire of Sand

Title: Empire of Sand
Author: Tasha Suri
Series: Book 1
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Orbit
Page Count: 500
Type of Book: ARC, Netgalley Read, Kindle Ebook
Review Word Count: 500
Rated: 5/5 stars

I think this might be one of my top #5 books of the year. I’m still in awe of this book that I’ve just finished reading. I read a few chapters here and there the past couple of days, but when I reached chapter fifteen, I didn’t stop reading for almost an entire day, and now it’s currently resting at 9pm at night. That’s a lot of attention from one book. I just couldn’t stop. Merh was such a fascinating, empathetic, and completely believable character. The world-building was breathtaking and enormous, and there was just so much going on in each chapter, it was almost bewildering. It was a grand, epic fantasy adventure that I’d been craving since I’d last read The Expanse, or Outlander, or even Harry Potter-but in a completely different and wholly unexpected way.

Merh struck a deep cord in me, with her trying to keep her family safe from the Emperor and his people, while avoiding her mother’s side of the family and striving to be the quiet, obedient daughter of the Governor. She’s strong, however, and likes to test the bounderies of what she can and cannot do. But things begin to backfire, when her mother’s roots begin to show…and she begins to loose control of the peace she’s carefully built for herself over the years. Her stepmother hates her, and wants her away from her sister, while her father is slowly growing away from her, in large parts thanks to her hateful stepmother. Things are taking a dark turn.

And then the story opens up into such a wild and emotional ride with so many things that I didn’t see coming that I can’t help but keep flipping page after page. It’s imaginative, and glorious to read such a tear-jerker and gut-puncher of a story. Prepare to have tissues on hand, I nearly cried a few times, and it takes a lot to make me cry over a book.

Warnings: minor character deaths, suggested rape, attempted annihaliation of a race, forced arranged marriage, characters that you will hate, and scenes that might make you cry…

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book, and deeply thank Orbit for approving me of a copy. I read the description of the book, saw the line on the cover that read “magic is in her blood” and knew that this was going to be one of my all time favorites, and I’m thrilled to say that I was absolutely right. I’m planning on buying this book when it comes out, to add to my top favorites, it’s that good. Needless to say, I’m giving this book 5/5 stars for its beautifully written tale of love, danger, and magic.

Until next time,
Pass Me That Book.