Heavensent & Hellbent

by Sara Jafari

In this riveting contemporary fantasy, a teen uncovers a life-altering family secret while discovering that the boy haunting her nightmares is not only an angel--sworn enemy of jinn--but her fated mate.

When Roxy moves from her small town in England to Denver, she expects her summer to be uneventful. All she has to do is not piss off her dad, continue healing from the loss of her mom, and conquer her sleep paralysis before going to university in the fall. Easy.

But as fate would have it, she bumps into the beautiful boy, Zain, who's been in her recurring nightmare. Each time, they're burning at the stake. In real life, she witnesses him snapping the neck of a man and quickly learns that not only do jinn--demons--exist, but angels, too. 

Meeting Zain triggers new nightmares, ones that come with a If Roxy and Zain don't ignore the attraction between them, there will be hell to pay. And upon learning that their souls have been entwined for centuries, they must decide whether their connection in this lifetime is worth fighting for, especially against the divine forces that forbid them from being together.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy

412 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 11, 2026

About the author

Sara Jafari is a British-Iranian author and editor. She is the author of The Mismatch and People Change (Penguin Random House, 2021 and 2023).

People Change will be published as Things Left Unsaid by St. Martin’s Press in Spring 2025.

Longlisted for Spread the Word's Life Writing Prize, her writing has also been published in gal-dem and The Good Journal, among other publications. She is also a contributor of the essay collection "I Will Not Be Erased": Our stories about growing up as people of colour (Walker Books, 2019), and Who’s Loving You (Trapeze, 2021).

Reviews

[My.bookish.diaries]

pre read: 🚨ARC Received🚨
Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for the free copy ❤️
I cannot wait to discover this world ❤️‍🔥
Reading updates soon 🫶🏽

[Kha (kha.fantasyrealm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven’t read urban fantasy in a while, and it’s usually not a genre I gravitate toward, but this book turned out to be a surprisingly easy and enjoyable read.

The story draws heavily from Persian mythology, featuring jinns, angels, and creatures from different realms locked in a long-standing conflict. One thing I found particularly interesting was the Middle Eastern-inspired culture & setting,, especially since it’s a mythology I’m not very familiar with.

I also liked the concept of Roxy and Zain being fated to find each other in every lifetime, only to face the question of whetheer this time their story will end the same way as before.

The plot was easy to follow and would suit most young adult readers. While the romance was light and spice-free, I couldn’t quite connect with the main characters. The plot, world-building, and magic system were enjoyable, but none of them completely swept me off my feet.

Overall, if you enjoy Iranian/Persian mythology, jinns and angels, and stories about eternal soulmates fighting for a love that seems destined to be torn apart, this book might be for you.


**Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK and the author for this ARC via NetGalley.

[°✧ sultana ✧° · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best part about this book is the characters' love. It stands through time, it strengthens through age. They can't help but be entwined with one another. Their souls are bound to come back into each other's orbit. It was breathtaking.

The creatures and world were fun too. I liked the rivalry between the angles and jinn, which is the basis of the 'forbidden-ness' of the characters' relationship. I liked how this normal world was woven in with the ‘underworld’. I read this pretty quickly because I found the writing easy to grasp and entertaining. I was curious how Zain and Roxana were going to end up together given the circumstances, but the author handled that really well. I knew they would do anything for each other.

Also the author mentions Sabaa Tahir and Tahereh Mafi which I found cute. The main character is a big reader, and works at a bookstore so I definitely enjoyed that.
Thank you to Atom for this earc.

[Jess Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGallery and Brown Book Group UK for this ARC
And of course Sara Jafari!
This review contains NO spoilers! And all that is said is my honest and non-biased opinion.

I am not going to give spoilers or massive details of what happens in this book. That would be silly and counterproductive!

Release date for this book is 6th August 2026

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall this YA book was a really good read, the plot idea was great and writing structure was good.
However, I do think the following need more work:

- world building
- character building and personality
- unpredictable twists

I really wanted to feel and see the places in my mind but I really struggled. If you have a really slow beginning, make it informative, descriptive, build the world around you.
I wanted more for the characters, I had no connection with them unfortunately.
All the twists I forsaw well before they were coming.

I do believe this is the first of its kind from Sara Jafari and it was done really well, just needed that extra sprinkle and it would be an amazing book.

Thank you so much again to NetGallery, Brown Book Group UK and Sara Jafari

[Keira · Rating 3 out of 5]

True rating 3.5

This was an ARC for bookclub. I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if I knew the age suggestion was for 12 and above. I wasn’t particularly in the mood for a young read.

I loved the influence of Iranian, British, and American cultures. It was fascinating to read about them. The characters and their quirks are well done.

This is a cross between city of bones and Broken by Kreary Taylor. And someone who has suffered sleep paralysis myself I found the representation a true reflection of how terrifying and helpless it is.

It read a little young for me, even though the characters are 18 and above. I think this could be a 4 if I hadn’t gone into it blind.

[B]

After the seventh real-world mention in two pages, I couldn’t do it anymore. I get it- pop culture abounds! But not in a book that says fucking romantasy on the back (which, this clearly was NOT).

I checked other reviews to see if that was the reason for the low ratings already, and I see that this does not get better, so I’m quitting for good.

It’s my opinion that unless you are a current contemporary, historical, or a book ABOUT real world things, you should not include shit about astrology or other books. DNF for terrible placement of Gen Z nonsense.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me such early 2000s dystopian book vibes. It made me very nostalgic for my childhood, but in a good way. This book is like if Shadow Hunters, Hush Hush, and Our Infinite Fates all came together to make this book with a sprinkle of Iranian representation. This book had true love reincarnation, angels, Jinn (demons), evil immortal kings, magic, and so much more. I was super glad that I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this book because it was amazing.

[RUTH GUCKIEAN · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review!

i want to be fair to this book because i think it knows exactly what it is — it's just not for me.

Heavensent & Hellbent follows Roxana, a teen who's recently moved from England to Colorado, dealing with grief and sleep paralysis and the general exhaustion of uprooting your life. then she meets Zain, a boy from her nightmares (literally — they're being burned at the stake together), watches him kill a man, and discovers that jinn and angels are real and she's tangled up in something much bigger than a bad summer. fated mates, reincarnation, heaven vs. hell stakes. the ingredients are there.

here's my issue: i read a lot of angel/demon fiction. like, a lot. and when you've spent time with the darker, more complex iterations of these themes — stories that really dig into the theological horror of divine warfare, the moral rot of celestial hierarchies, the existential weight of damnation and grace — a version that skims the surface is always going to feel thin by comparison. and this one skims. the worldbuilding around jinn, angels, and the cosmological framework has potential but never goes deep enough to feel fully realized. it's more set dressing than architecture.

the romance also didn't work for me, and a lot of that comes down to Roxy. i found her genuinely difficult to spend time with — not in the "flawed protagonist making hard choices" way that i usually love, but in a way where her reactions and decision-making felt inconsistent and, honestly, grating. she's told repeatedly that this relationship could lead to their destruction. she watches Zain kill someone. and the narrative never really grapples with the weight of any of that in a way that feels earned. the "isn't love worth fighting heaven and hell for" question only hits if the love story makes you believe the answer is yes, and i wasn't there.

the writing has a younger tone that i think will work well for readers who are newer to fantasy romance or just starting to explore angel/demon narratives. there's an accessibility to it that's clearly intentional. but as someone who prefers this subgenre at its darkest and most psychologically complex, it read as juvenile in a way that kept me at arm's length for most of the book.what i did appreciate: the cultural specificity of Roxana's background, the grief thread woven through the story, and the sleep paralysis element — that's a genuinely creepy hook that i wish had been leaned into harder.

if you're looking for a lighter entry point into angel/demon romance with fated mates and reincarnation — this could absolutely be your thing. if you already know the landscape and want something with more teeth, this one probably won't scratch the itch.

[RebthePageTurner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no notes.
Roxana has been dragged from Hull in the UK to Denver, alongside her father and younger brother. She misses her friends, her older sister Azar and the life she left behind. the one thing that does follow her is the nightmares she has been plagued with since being a child. Interrupting her sleep and worrying her family they now seem like part of her daily life. Despite her Iranian fathers constant pressure, she gets a job at a book store, spending her days with Chloe and sketching the vivid images of her dreams with an urge to somehow make them make sense.
Then she finds Zain, down an alleyway, snapping the neck of a jin, a violent entity stalking the modern world.
As they spend more time together Roxana realises that her and Zain are soulmates, and have been through the centuries. their love forbidden they have been killed for it in many lifetimes and now they are in this lifetime, the hunt starts again. When Roxana is kidnapped to the underworld by a distant relative, The King, for an arranged marriage, it's on both Roxana and Zain to rewrite fate and survive.
I loved this way more than I expected to. It does start a little slow while the author works to build a world worthy of these two characters but it quickly pulls you in with the history of a forbidden love over the centuries. The author makes it so easy for you to be in the middle of it, feeling the heartbreak that these two characters have endured and their ongoing fight to just be together. Even as Roxana starts to show signs of her previous self, you still sympathise with her.
There was also a sadness in Roxana. I sympathised with the loss of her mother and found reading about that element quite therapeutic but also her descriptions and memories and how they had shaped her as a person. I thought it was so important to also give a loving relationship with her younger brother, and how despite her dad's expectations, she still loves and appreciates the family around her.
The interactions with Zain were what made the book. This is definitely a book that shows love in it's truest form and their shared history, weaving in different cultures and mythology was so interesting to read. I felt the author could have done more with Roxana's heritage but this also wasn't the key theme of the book which I think kept a good balance.
Then ending was so satisfying and I didn't feel like it was rushed or half done. I would love to see a second book about Azar and how that goes!
I would say this is light fantasy with romance. It's fast paced, in some parts slightly (but not overly) violent and mythical.
Overall I really enjoyed this, definitely had Hancock film vibes and I think for is perfect for a young adult audience.

[Brittney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavensent & Hellbent • Sara Jafari

One phrase: angels, jinn, and forbidden soulmates 🪽🔥

This gave me such early 2000s YA paranormal fantasy vibes, and honestly? I mean that in the best way.

Heavensent & Hellbent feels like Shadowhunters, Hush Hush, and Our Infinite Fates all got thrown together with true love reincarnation, angels, jinn, demons, evil immortal kings, magic, fated mates, and a sprinkle of Iranian representation.

Roxy moves from her small town in England to Denver expecting a pretty uneventful summer. She is trying to keep the peace with her dad, keep healing from the loss of her mom, and somehow deal with the sleep paralysis and nightmares that keep haunting her.

Then she meets Zain.

The beautiful boy from her nightmares.

The same boy she keeps seeing as they burn at the stake.

And then, very casually, she witnesses him snap a man’s neck.

From there, Roxy learns that jinn exist. Angels exist. And the boy haunting her dreams might not just be dangerous. He might be her fated mate.

I loved the nostalgic feel of this one. It reminded me of the kind of YA paranormal books that completely consumed me when I was younger, with forbidden attraction, ancient enemies, magical bloodlines, soul deep connections, and the sense that loving the wrong person could literally unravel everything.

The angel and jinn dynamic was really fun, and the reincarnation piece added that dramatic, centuries long, “we have found each other before” kind of angst that I always eat up.

This was messy, magical, dramatic, and full of that classic YA paranormal energy.

✨ Tropes and vibes:
🪽 angels
🔥 jinn and demons
💞 fated mates
🔮 true love reincarnation
🌙 recurring nightmares
💤 sleep paralysis
⚔️ forbidden love
🖤 ancient enemies
👑 evil immortal kings
✨ magic and secrets
🌍 Iranian representation
📚 early 2000s YA vibes

📚 Read this if you like:
Shadowhunters, Hush Hush, Our Infinite Fates, YA paranormal romance, angels and demons, fated soulmates, reincarnated love, forbidden attraction, and dramatic magical worlds where love absolutely comes with consequences.

This was nostalgic, magical, angsty, and such a fun throwback to the YA paranormal era.

#HeavensentAndHellbent #SaraJafari #YAParanormal #FantasyRomance #BookReview @Delacorte

[Katherine Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early!

Heavensent and Hellbent follows Roxanna and Zain as they replay their soul-bonded, fated romance and try to escape the tragic fate that their previous lives couldn’t. Roxanna is a typical YA romantasy heroine and Zain is a typical Hero. The only thing that really sets them apart is the fated mate, doomed love that they share. Their past lives are much more interesting than them, which is part of the point. Yet, we get so little of these flashbacks, serving more as deus ex machina moments than something that enriches this story and our characters. Part of that typical heroin-ness is prickling density and ignorance that defies logic, which Roxanna definitely possesses. Honestly, I can’t even say this is a huge flaw in the novel, but I found it increasingly annoying as I neared the end. She’s baffled by others’ very predictable distrust and distaste towards her based on her and Zain’s doomed love stories. She acts confused about concepts that were literally just explained to her a few pages earlier.

Pop culture references are pretty controversial, but I usually don’t mind them if they’re implemented properly. Here, they are particularly grating. There a lot of insanely vague references to very specific moments on TikTok that are basically gibberish out of context, and should have been removed as they add nothing to the plot or the characters. There is also a PAINFUL Chappell Roan reference where a character sings “Casual” at another to chastise their hot and cold attitude. It was so out of place, I had to put the book down

I can’t talk about basically anything in this book without mentioning the twist, so this review contains spoilers. The good news is that this reveal is the most obvious thing on the planet earth that you can probably guess just by reading the title. I'll try to be vague, but be warned.

This feels very much like a duology squished into one book. Book one should end when Roxanna is taken to the underworld, giving space for her relationship with her sister and her discoveries about her mom. The problem is that the slower pacing and relative lack of urgency of the first half doesn’t have enough plot to stand on its own. We’re told that they could be jumped by Jinn at any second as Rox’s dreams continue to taunt but the page time lent to these “mounting threats” makes them feel trivial.

The message about good and evil that this novel projects is unclear. The Jinn aren’t all bad. The Angels aren’t all good. Roxanna and her siblings prove that trickery and violence aren’t inherent to Jinn. Her Mother is hinted to be similarly gifted with empathy and not just wanting to be a part of the cycle of violence in the underworld. The servant who helps Roxanna and previously helped her mother seems to suggest that the duplicitous, blah blah blah other words for evil, ways that Jinn act is because of the oppression of the Jinn King. The angels treat Roxanna in a dehumanizing way, and kill Jinn without hesitation, seeming to parallel hate groups in uncomfortable ways. All the Jinn we see delight in trickery and violence and don’t care about casualties. Zain helps a group of Jinn who want to depose the king and create democracy (this is brought up briefly but then Azar becomes a benevolent queen anyway) but he really only does this because Roxanna is in danger and not because his worldview has changed at all. The book ends happily ever after, but without addressing the conflicting narratives of good and evil vs the moral complexity that both sides share. Of course, Jinn get much more focus. There isn’t enough room in this novel to address whatever the author seems to want to say. It just ends up being a muddled, confusing non-message, which is especially strange for a book aimed at younger audiences. I could get on board if these moral questions were meant to get the reader thinking and linger in their mind without a solid answer, but it doesn’t work out that way. It feels like it wants to have a message and then gives up before actually saying anything at all.

[taras.tome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK, NetGalley and Sara Jafari for the opportunity to review this e-ARC.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Roxy has her life uprooted while having to deal with re-occurring obstacles. A strange, but familiar boy named Zain enters her life and suddenly things begin to unravel and she has to face facts head on.

I enjoyed learning about Iranian culture through Roxy and her family. My favourite thing about this book was actually Roxy and her family’s dynamics. Especially with her younger brother, that was so easy to relate to!

I did not enjoy the world-building, as frankly, I needed much more of it. It was minimal, when it had the potential to be soo much more! Places were constantly mentioned but not built upon. I wasn’t able to transport myself. Additionally, I would have really appreciated more in-depth lore in aiding my understanding of the elements relating to the Angels and Jinns. I didn’t really get any glimpse into the Angel society at all. That would have been fantastic if dived into.

Character wise, they too needed built upon a bit more. I enjoyed every characters inclusion in the story, although I felt no real connection to them. Roxy and Zains connection felt very surface level at the beginning-mid sections of the book. I felt they were scared to voice their raw emotions on anything. Through both words and actions. On top of that, with Cleo and Nic, I would have loved for real feminine love and friendship to have been explored more. It felt they were sidelined for most of the story. Each character’s personality needed to be built more. I feel I don’t really know them and they don’t stand out individually.

Plot wise, I liked learning about certain beings and I loved the portrayal of memories and dreams. The dreams especially were so vivid! I looked forward to reading about those moments in the book.

The writing style and chapter structures were really easy to follow and I believe the pacing was a wonderful fit for the YA genre.

Overall, as a debut YA standalone it was good. It just needs a bit more flavour and layering and it would be super.

[Alecia Hefner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over many centuries the angels and the jinn have been enemies. Both destined to destroy the other are always meant to be on opposite sides,that is until an angel and a jinn princess find something between them that they are willing to go against all the rules for. 


Together they fight against the odds but their love always ends with death and eventually rebirth just to find one another and fight the odds again.


Over time their story becomes that of a legend no one in the world of angels or jinn sure if these two really existed.


Roxy is forced into a move to Denver with her father and brother after her mothers mysterious death. She doesn’t mind because she doesn’t think she will be there long, once her acceptance comes in she will be off to college in London with her best friend Nic. To pass the time she gets a job at a little bookshop and begins to make new friends. 


It doesn’t take long though for stress to catch up with her and the nightmares that she thought she learned how to avoid begin to take hold again. She is pulled into sleep paralysis where snakes wrap around her and hold her down while she experiences the lives and deaths of people that look just like her and the boy in her dreams seems similar to her.


Zain has lived in Denver for most of his life, he has a job he doesn’t mind at a coffee shop not far from a bookshop that he tends to frequent especially when the coffeeshop doesn’t have enough change for big bills. On one of these occasions he notices the strange girl that he met in the coffee shop. He feels an odd pull to her and although he spends most of his time on his own he finds himself aching to see her. There is something about Roxy that calls to him, something that is familiar to him.


Both Zain and Roxy have pasts to confront and a future to fight for but the past tends to be strong and often repeated.


Thank you to #DelacortePress and #Negalley for the chance to read an eArc of #HeavenSent&HellBent by #SaraJafari in return for a fair and honest review.

[E.B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. (some spoilers present)
Oh, grab a drink and settle down because this book was a bumpy ride. The plot itself had sooo much promise, I mean, an angel and a demon having a decades-long love affair that ends in death and reincarnation, I mean, sign me up. However, the FMC was unbearable, and I don’t mean some of the things she did made me mad, no, don’t get it twisted, every time this girl thought I wanted to punch her in the face. I will say she got a bit (not a lot, just a bit) more bearable towards the end.
Oh, Zain, the one consistent thing in this book. He was the perfect love interest, and I would have loved it if the book were dual POV and not just to get away from Roxy and her ever-present thoughts. He really was a well-written character with depth that I feel Roxy was missing.
I think this book proved the point that pop culture in books has got to go. There is no quicker way to suck someone out of a story than by mentioning Stanley Cups and Sabrina Carpenter, especially if they provide absolutely nothing to the plot.
All in all, it was an okay book with a solid plot and forgettable side characters. The main character falls a little flat to me (as previously mentioned); it’s like, at times, she had no personality other than having a dead mom, a thrift issue, and randomly hating America. It’s a quick read and does have a nice romance, so 3 out of 5 stars.

[♡ A ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heavensent and Hellbent follows Roxy as she moves from England to Denver for the summer only to discover that not only do jinn exist, so do angels. And she’s met one too. As she becomes wrapped up in Zain and the mystery as to why he’s in her dreams, her life takes a very dangerous path that could end in her death if she’s not careful.

This was so good. It felt very 2010s YA and gave me the best nostalgia while reading. It reminded me a bit of TMI, but with jinn demons and different lore. I really enjoyed the world building. I really enjoy contemporary fantasy and the author did a great job of balancing the fantasy with the real world. The pacing was great and the twists were well done. I loved the inclusion of the dreams and different memories from Roxy’s past. I also love that it was a standalone. Everything wrapped up really well, but I would totally spend more time in this world. I will definitely be reading more from this author!

Roxy was a great main character. I really liked her perspective and her character arc. I enjoyed her tense relationship with her dad. It felt very believable. She’s really easy to empathize with and goes through a lot. I loved her relationship with her sister and friends. It was very sweet. Loved the romance with Zain. It had a great pace, not too fast not too slow. I love stories where the characters find each other in every lifetime and the author did a really great job at that.

If you love the mortal instruments or angel/demon stories, definitely go pick this up!

Thank you to Penguin Teen CA for the arc!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavensent & Hellbent is a young adult, contemporary fantasy. This story follows Roxana, a teen who discovers a life-changing secret about herself while realizing that Zain, the boy who has been appearing in her dreams, is not only an angel but also the love of her life...

I'm always a sucker for good vs. evil, fated-mates-style romances, so this one was right up my alley. The paranormal aspects were on point, and I LOVED the reincarnation, soulmates factor. I also really liked that the author wasn't afraid to feature culturally diverse characters, and thought the lore was refreshing.

However, I did have some issues with this story. Heavensent & Hellbent takes place in modern times, so some current references are expected. However, the constant pop culture references were cringy to me. Don't get me wrong, I have two Gen-Z kids, so I'm very aware of current slang and pop culture, but if I'm being honest, it felt very out of place for a romantasy novel. Maybe if this were a contemporary romance, it wouldn't have bothered me so much. My other issue was the overall dialogue between the characters. At times, it had a wonderful flow to it, and at others, it felt stilted and awkward.

All in all, this book was a bit of a hit/miss for me. I think it had a lot of good elements, but the execution needed a little more fine-tuning. While this book wasn't a 100% hit for me, I'm still glad to have given it a chance.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*

[Carissa Manrique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Heavensent and Hellbent. Going into it, I knew it was a young adult series, and it definitely stayed true to that tone. Most of the romantic moments were pretty PG, maybe PG-13 at most, which didn’t bother me. If anything, it kept the focus on the story itself rather than getting too caught up in anything overly intense.
One of my favorite parts was how fast-paced it felt. I never felt like it dragged, and the twists and turns really kept me on my toes. Just when I thought I had something figured out, the story would shift in a way that made me want to keep reading. That constant sense of surprise is what made it so engaging for me.
I also really liked the use of Middle Eastern folklore, especially with the angels and jinn. It gave the story a different feel compared to a lot of other fantasy books I’ve read, and I appreciated that fresh perspective.
If I had one critique, it would be the character development, especially for the main male and female leads. They weren’t bad characters at all, but I found myself wishing I could connect with them a little more deeply. I wanted to understand them on a more personal level and feel more invested in their relationship.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed the series. It was a fun, engaging read that kept me interested the whole time, and I’d definitely recommend it, especially if you like fast, paced stories with a unique fantasy element and a bit of forbidden love.

[Aureliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, thanks to Netgalley, atom publishers and Sara Jafari for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I’ll be honest. I don’t like this book. I dont like the emphasis on the modern aspect of it. And i especially dont think that Palestine should be brought up. Especially in the modern context. I don’t think that kind of thing should be in a book. I also think this is a bad choice in a marketing point of view. I get that the Sara Jafari is trying to educate the reader about the Iranian world, but I also think that it’s just unnecessary. That being said, the plot of this book was actually surprisingly enjoyable so I think I would recommend this book as i felt that it was a quick read.

HOWEVER I didn’t like the how slow the beginning was. The first few chapters really took a while to build up. It was also SOOO predictable, like there needs to be more twists and turns and things. I always knew that the Penny was a div

The plot follows a girl named Roxana who is plagued by nightmares and meets the boy from his nightmares named Zain as Roxana discovers and navigates a world full of good and bad, angels and Jinn.

The characters didn’t really have any development, and there was a typo on page 399 btw. It said Castile instead of Castiel. I really love the names of the characters and

[Saynab · Rating 4 out of 5]

“And I have always loved you, in the lifetimes before this one and in the next. But especially, and most importantly, in this one"

I went into Heavensent & Hellbent expecting a cool angel vs demon vibe, but what I got was chaos, tension, and characters that absolutely refuse to behave. The whole heaven and hell dynamic isn’t just aesthetic, it feels intense and personal, like every choice actually matters and comes with consequences.

The writing pulled me in immediately. It’s rich without being overwhelming, and the atmosphere is just… heavy in the best way. You can feel the fire, the pull between light and dark, and that constant sense of something about to go very wrong.

And the characters?? I’m obsessed. Flawed, emotional, a little unhinged at times… exactly how I like them. The chemistry is insane, like the kind that makes you pause and reread certain scenes because excuse me?? I needed a moment.

Also can we talk about the tension because it was doing things to me. Not just romantic tension but emotional tension, the kind that builds and builds until you’re just sitting there like please I cannot take this anymore.

This book feels like standing between heaven and hell and not knowing which side you even want to choose anymore.

I’m genuinely not over it and I don’t think I will be anytime soon 😩

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC!

this one was so cute! despite the blurb about this book drawing from persian mythology, unfortunately I could only think about hawk girl x hawk man. I was waiting for Vandal Savage to pop up at any moment.

this book feels very ya-leaning, but does have one off-screen sex scene. very minor.

Things I liked:
-The nostalgia factor. If you grew up on Twilight, Mortal Instruments, or Vampire Academy, this is giving all of that energy
-The pacing picks up once the angel/demon lore actually gets explained
-Zain being "beautiful" is mentioned enough times that I started picturing him as an actual painting
-chloe was my fave side character, v relatable energy

Things that made me go "girl":
-The insta-love. I get it, fated mates, soulmate bond, yada yada. Doesn't mean I have to like it
-The family secret reveal was more "oh" than "OH." I wanted to gasp. I did not gasp. I saw it coming. This is YA, so.....
-Some of the side characters exist purely to say exposition out loud at Roxana

if you want to feel fifteen again while reading about a hot celestial being who's been in your dreams since childhood, this delivers & you will enjoy. I had a lot of fun reading although wouldn't be waiting in the wings (heh) for a sequel.

[Omiai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This, to me, was just a totally average YA romance of the style that inundated our shelves back when twilight was super popular.
You have a girl who moves to a new places, meets a stunningly beautiful guy with supernatural powers of some kind, instant love connection. Sometimes the girl turns out to be part of a prophecy or endless cycle. But honestly there was nothing new in here that I've not read many times before.
Although it says the author is from Hull, and the main character of the book is from there too (if I remember correctly), I found that at the start, even though Rox kept insisting she didn't want to visit America, she spent a lot of time dissing the UK and the weather. But she seemed to be super excited to explore her new neighbourhood that she still insisted she wanted nothing to do with. She started off ok, using UK versions of words like 'mum' but then suddenly switched to American spellings of everything. If I hadn't read the about the author section, I'd have assumed this book was written by an American.
So yeah, I really haven't much to say about it. If you want some easy reading YA romance, go for it, but don't expect too much.

[Helmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️ thanks netgalley for the arc! this was like a love child of The Mortal Instruments and somehow Twilight. a girl moves to a city she does not want to, feels alone, meets a boy who is different and her family has a secret.

the thing is I love angel x demon books. I also adore Tahreh Mafis This Woven Kingdom with Jinn folkore. so it was obvious I was gonna like this. I also like how this was really just a standalone and surprisingly plotty one. even if it wrapped up in a neat and very fast bow.

I don't particularly enjoy mixing political and pop cultural things from our world in books so some comments threw me off. there were also parts where the text abruptly skipped or cut off and I was confused for a second about what I'm reading. and I didn't feel the greatest connection to the characters because it was short.

but I really enjoyed it, it was fast, had multiple worlds and a real plot (even if some of it was a bit plastered and rushed). entertaining especially the "our world" part in the beginning

[Entisar Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an atmospheric YA fantasy that beautifully blended emotional contemporary themes with subtle supernatural romance. Roxy’s grief, vulnerability, and struggle to rediscover herself made her an incredibly relatable protagonist. While the Persian and Middle Eastern folklore, woven through angels, jinn, dreams, and fate, gave the story a fresh and immersive feel, it hit home with me specifically because I grew up with the same culture and background. The slow-burn romance with the mysterious Zain was filled with tension, longing, and reincarnated soulmate energy without ever feeling rushed or overdone. I loved how the fantasy elements always served the emotional journey, making every twist feel meaningful. The pacing kept me engaged, and while I guessed a few reveals, I still thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Nostalgic yet refreshingly original, this is a heartfelt, character-driven fantasy with rich world-building, compelling romance, and plenty of emotional depth. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lumley Little Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing to note about this book is that it's extremely character-driven. As someone who normally reaches for books with a lot of world-building, the shift took a moment to adjust to but it was refreshing being able to just concentrate on the characters and their connection rather than being bogged down by a lot of heavy lore.

I also appreciated the opportunity to learn about Persian culture and I even Googled a few words to learn what they were which was fascinating to me.

It was tough reading how controlling and sometimes selfish Rox's dad was, though it was understandable given their past experiences. I think it came from a good place and his moments of selfishness stemmed from his inability to cope with the loss in their lives.

The main story was compelling and the romance between the two MCs was beautiful.

This is definitely a YA book that I would have obsessed over in my teens, no doubt drooling over how beautiful and protective Zain is and how badass Rox is! As an adult, I still thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I did wish there were moments of deeper and richer world-building.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Absolutely everything happens in the last twenty percent of this story, it should’ve essentially been a sequel because of how much was glossed over and rattled through to get to the end. I appreciate the mention of maintaining the family’s culture while immigrating plus the differences in the two MCs experience of that, but the focus wasn’t anywhere in particular before it shot off again. The plot lingers for so long in a vague coming of age summer urban fantasy romance that the last section comes as a shock to the system, plus the twist, the reveal? It’s in the title.

The past lives were interesting but barely featured, and the side characters were only thought about when relevant to the plot.

It’s also incredibly modern with references to actors and singers and the current drama of the day so it will suit an older teen of right now, but in a few months, few years, who could say.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[j a y d e p r a v e d · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story blends contemporary fantasy with Iranian mythology, weaving in themes of forbidden romance, supernatural warfare, and the weight of ancestral secrets. Roxy and Zain must decide whether to follow their hearts despite the divine forces that oppose them, knowing that their relationship could lead to ruin — or salvation. Now Im going to be very real with you. Typically, I dont read urban fantasy or YA and yeah it’s usually not a genre I gravitate toward, but this book turned out to be a surprisingly easy and enjoyable read.
The novel is pacy, atmospheric, and yes, a YA romantasy that spans generations, crosses continents, and offers a mix of danger, heartbreak, and star-crossed love. I can say, if you enjoy Iranian/Persian mythology, jinns and angels, and stories about eternal soulmates, this book probably is for you at the end of it all. Its a seamless blend and felt very well thought out.

[Ash_reads24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Tropes ✨

🪽 Angels & jinn
🔥 Forbidden romance
💫 Fated mates / soul connections
🔮 Reincarnation
🌙 Persian mythology
⚔️ Ancient secrets & supernatural battles
🖤 Mysterious, protective love interest
🌹 Slow burn romance
👑 Hidden powers & destiny
📖 YA paranormal fantasy

Heavensent & Hellbent gave me all the nostalgic YA paranormal vibes, while still feeling unique. I loved the blend of Persian mythology, angels, jinn, forbidden romance and ancient secrets that made this story stand out!

Roxy was such an easy character to root for, and Zain was the perfect mysterious, protective love interest. Their connection, the fated romance and the slow uncovering of the truth kept me completely hooked.

The world building takes a little time to settle in but I did enjoy this book overall. If you love YA fantasy with rich mythology, romance, high stakes and a paranormal twist, this is definitely one to add to your TBR!

[౨ৎ e L L i e · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3⭐️]

thank you to atom, little brown book group uk & netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!!

this book was ok, just not my favourite thing i’ve ever read. the writing was very well written, which in turn made this a very quick and smooth read. i did however find the worldbuilding somewhat lacking. i just wanted to feel immersed, but felt like i couldn’t because it wasn’t as descriptive as i’d have liked it to be. roxy as an fmc is definitely complex, mainly in the way she makes you feel as a reader. her decision making felt quite inconsistent at times. also the romance between her and zain felt somewhat surface level to me. at least in the beginning/ first half of the book. i will say, i did definitely enjoy the plot of the book and also learning about all the different beings included within it!

[Yasmin (yazg.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a nostalgic read and Heavensent and Hellbent felt like all the books I read in my teenage years, I really enjoyed it. 

However, there were moments where I felt disconnected and felt that the pace of the story really slowed down. 

We follow Roxana as she tries to navigate her dreams that feel overly powerful, as well as dealing with a huge move from another country. Pressure from her father to be a good daughter and sister to her brother Ehsan, and as well as all this wondering what really happened to her mum and how she passed away. Then after she moves, why does the coffee shop boy look so familiar? 

This book is definitely PG13+ and I found it enjoyable. I loved Rox and Zain, and I feel like we need to touch a little bit on Keyon and Azar.... Hopefully a book two? 

Thank you to Netgalley and Sara Jafari for the opportunity to read this in advance. 

[tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore Sara Jafari’s contemporary works, so I was very curious to read her new YA Iranian fantasy inspired book. I found myself very intrigued by the flashbacks and I love a good old soulmates-in-every-lifetime trope.

However, the present setting felt a little too modern for me due to the repetitive references to recent pop culture, which was a little jarring after the beautiful prose in the flashbacks. It would have been a very timeless YA read had those been omitted.

I also feel like as the story progressed, Jafari got closer to the parts she wanted to tell, so it started to flow better, compared to the beginning of the story which could have been more concise.

Overall, I loved the characters and how complex Jafari wrote them to be, which is honestly why I love her writing so much.

Thank you so much for the eARC!