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The Lion & the Bee #1
Blade of Honey
Not yet published
Expected 2 Mar 27Win a free print copy of this book!
5 days and 07:32:50
50 copies available
U.S. only
The first in a duology, Blade of Honey, by #1 New York Times–bestselling author Hafsah Faizal, is a tantalizing romantic fantasy with a dark and deadly twist on The Bachelor, where a girl’s only chance at her target’s throat comes with a chance at his heart.
A wounded bee can still sting...
Yasmine Ra’ad has a vendetta against the most powerful man in Arawiya: the king himself. His throne was built upon the bones of her family, and though she’s never wielded a blade, she dreams of the day she can end his life. That day arrives with an invitation, for the king is in need of a wife.
A cornered lion will still roar...
Altair al-Badawi will die by the next full moon—unless he takes a bride. And if he chooses her from one of the houses of old, the rest will riot, so when his captain of the guard proposes a competition in which anyone invited might try her hand at becoming queen, he agrees.
Love can make or break a life...
Yasmine knows she must play the part of a doting suitor if she wishes to enact her revenge. She does it well. Too well. Altair knows he must marry even when he wishes for nothing less. But as the hourglass empties, will they find a love worth forgiving—or dying—for?
A wounded bee can still sting...
Yasmine Ra’ad has a vendetta against the most powerful man in Arawiya: the king himself. His throne was built upon the bones of her family, and though she’s never wielded a blade, she dreams of the day she can end his life. That day arrives with an invitation, for the king is in need of a wife.
A cornered lion will still roar...
Altair al-Badawi will die by the next full moon—unless he takes a bride. And if he chooses her from one of the houses of old, the rest will riot, so when his captain of the guard proposes a competition in which anyone invited might try her hand at becoming queen, he agrees.
Love can make or break a life...
Yasmine knows she must play the part of a doting suitor if she wishes to enact her revenge. She does it well. Too well. Altair knows he must marry even when he wishes for nothing less. But as the hourglass empties, will they find a love worth forgiving—or dying—for?
Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 2, 2027
About the author
Hafsah Faizal
17 books11.6k followersHafsah Faizal is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling, award-winning author of Blade of Honey, the Blood & Tea duology, the Sands of Arawiya duology, and The Wishless Ones. The founder of IceyDesigns and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, she was born in Florida, raised in California, and now resides in North Carolina with her husband and a house full of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
Want to Read
April 30, 2026ALTAIR!! FINALLY!! I NEED NASIR SCENES TOO 🙏
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Oh my god. Book 2 is going to have so much yearning.
And now I have to wait. This book isn’t even out yet and now I have to wait even LONGER???? What do I do with my life now?😭
And now I have to wait. This book isn’t even out yet and now I have to wait even LONGER???? What do I do with my life now?😭
Want to Read
February 11, 2026Oh to read a Hafsah Faizal book for the first time
I'm going to eat it up
I'm going to eat it up
Review of advance copy received from Author
wow way to ruin all jokes of opening a bakery hafsah idk if I'll ever forgive you
but masterful I guess :/ my favorite I guess :/ would guzzle down all the honey and be stabbed all over again I guess :/ will read BOH2 I GUESS
but masterful I guess :/ my favorite I guess :/ would guzzle down all the honey and be stabbed all over again I guess :/ will read BOH2 I GUESS
Want to Read
May 2, 202618 y/o me is freaking out.... ALTAIR IS GETTING HIS OWN BOOK??? time for a WHTF and WFTS reread in anticipation. life is so good.
September 18, 2026
Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much i hoped it would. I liked other books by Hafsah but i read this book for 3/4 days and i just couldn’t connected with it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
So so good to be back in Arawiya 🥹 but what a diabolical ending
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5/5 stars
Hafsah Faizal can do no wrong in my eyes (except for the crimes she committed in A Steeping of Blood), and the Sands of Arawiya duology has always been a favorite of mine ever since I followed its journey, even before book 1 was released. I was so invested in the plot, the world-building, the characters' journeys, the writing, the romance, and every tragedy that unfolds. She is a master at combining such elements in a way that felt so cohesive and beautiful, as if we are a part of the group and inside the story itself. When she was delving back into that world and following characters that we already know and love, centered around a budding romance between Altair and Yasmine, two characters whom we have seen dealing with loss and personal tragedies, I was beyond excited. I'm a glutton for broken and traumatized people finding and understanding each other while also falling in love, so to say that I'm excited to see what Hafsah planned for their story would be an understatement.
This book isn't as special to me as We Hunt the Flame, but it was pretty close. It was so good to be back in the world that we know and love, and we were focusing more on the characters and their personal struggles that are related to what they went through, and lightly on the world-building we have known, while also expanding on certain aspects that focus on Altair's new role as a king. I was so charmed at how much we get to see not just the romance, but also some of the sweeter platonic plot points. Despite the plot being reminiscent of The Bachelor, where the women compete to win the heart of the king, it's adorable how Yasmine found camaraderie and friendship with some of the girls, how they supported each other in their own ways, and how they all have their own traits and voices, making the story charming, especially since it shows us their approach to endearing themselves to the king and their motivations. Altair's friendship with Kifah is also one of the main highlights of the book. It shows how much he respects her and, in turn, how he values everyone and does not simply put himself on a pedestal because he became a king. His journey is so fascinating because of how he became one, and he felt tormented every day because there were so many expectations and burdens on his shoulders, and he tried his best to be a benevolent king who cared about all of his people.
All that led to how it affected the romance, which, I must say, is fantastic. Yasmine went to the palace and took part in the competition because Altair killed her brother, and her husband was dead because he was part of Altair's soldiers in the war. She wanted to take revenge for them, and because she was left bereft after those 2 taken from her. Altair being the kind of person that he is makes it difficult for Yasmine to hate him, especially as she slowly gets to know him more and more and finds out about how tortured he was over all the lives lost that he had direct responsibility for, and how he couldn't do more for them. He was a good person who didn't fit with the person that Yasmine had in her head, and it made the proverbial falling so much more delicious. Granted, when they first met, they already felt a pull toward each other, and the intrigue and banter continued during the competition, because Altair is a flirt and Yasmine is bold and decisive. When they finally let go and surrendered to their feelings for each other, oh, how sweet it was. Even though during the competition Altair was being so sweet to the other competitors, you can feel the difference in the dynamic that he had with them and when he was with her. Even though they moved a bit too fast for my usual taste in romance, it was still such a great dynamic overall that I managed to overlook it.
Remember when I said that Hafsah Faizal was a master in terms of angst and putting her characters through the wringer? This book is absolutely no exception, because she truly knows how to up the stakes at certain intervals of the story, and we truly get that. We see the doubts, the inner conflicts, the moments where it was revealed who would be the antagonist of the story and figuring out their endgame, and a certain event that happened that was just cruel, but also quite necessary to the story in a way that it wasn't as important, but things happened sometimes, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. The ending truly takes the cake, especially because we were cushioned by the events that happened at the start of the book that allowed Yasmine to be in the competition in the first place, and when it happened, and both Yasmine and Altair suffered the consequences of it, I was left bereft. Inconsolable. In distress because I should've expected that level of cliffhanger and nose-dive into the worst thing that could happen to the story. If you were there to watch Infinity War when it was released, this book's ending felt a lot like that.
Overall, while the story was very much more character-focused and dealt with the repercussions of the events in the previous series, I still adore this book so much, especially the characters, and I'm very much waiting for the next installment. Matter of fact, I need it in my hands in the next 2 months, or I might lose my mind
Hafsah Faizal can do no wrong in my eyes (except for the crimes she committed in A Steeping of Blood), and the Sands of Arawiya duology has always been a favorite of mine ever since I followed its journey, even before book 1 was released. I was so invested in the plot, the world-building, the characters' journeys, the writing, the romance, and every tragedy that unfolds. She is a master at combining such elements in a way that felt so cohesive and beautiful, as if we are a part of the group and inside the story itself. When she was delving back into that world and following characters that we already know and love, centered around a budding romance between Altair and Yasmine, two characters whom we have seen dealing with loss and personal tragedies, I was beyond excited. I'm a glutton for broken and traumatized people finding and understanding each other while also falling in love, so to say that I'm excited to see what Hafsah planned for their story would be an understatement.
This book isn't as special to me as We Hunt the Flame, but it was pretty close. It was so good to be back in the world that we know and love, and we were focusing more on the characters and their personal struggles that are related to what they went through, and lightly on the world-building we have known, while also expanding on certain aspects that focus on Altair's new role as a king. I was so charmed at how much we get to see not just the romance, but also some of the sweeter platonic plot points. Despite the plot being reminiscent of The Bachelor, where the women compete to win the heart of the king, it's adorable how Yasmine found camaraderie and friendship with some of the girls, how they supported each other in their own ways, and how they all have their own traits and voices, making the story charming, especially since it shows us their approach to endearing themselves to the king and their motivations. Altair's friendship with Kifah is also one of the main highlights of the book. It shows how much he respects her and, in turn, how he values everyone and does not simply put himself on a pedestal because he became a king. His journey is so fascinating because of how he became one, and he felt tormented every day because there were so many expectations and burdens on his shoulders, and he tried his best to be a benevolent king who cared about all of his people.
All that led to how it affected the romance, which, I must say, is fantastic. Yasmine went to the palace and took part in the competition because Altair killed her brother, and her husband was dead because he was part of Altair's soldiers in the war. She wanted to take revenge for them, and because she was left bereft after those 2 taken from her. Altair being the kind of person that he is makes it difficult for Yasmine to hate him, especially as she slowly gets to know him more and more and finds out about how tortured he was over all the lives lost that he had direct responsibility for, and how he couldn't do more for them. He was a good person who didn't fit with the person that Yasmine had in her head, and it made the proverbial falling so much more delicious. Granted, when they first met, they already felt a pull toward each other, and the intrigue and banter continued during the competition, because Altair is a flirt and Yasmine is bold and decisive. When they finally let go and surrendered to their feelings for each other, oh, how sweet it was. Even though during the competition Altair was being so sweet to the other competitors, you can feel the difference in the dynamic that he had with them and when he was with her. Even though they moved a bit too fast for my usual taste in romance, it was still such a great dynamic overall that I managed to overlook it.
Remember when I said that Hafsah Faizal was a master in terms of angst and putting her characters through the wringer? This book is absolutely no exception, because she truly knows how to up the stakes at certain intervals of the story, and we truly get that. We see the doubts, the inner conflicts, the moments where it was revealed who would be the antagonist of the story and figuring out their endgame, and a certain event that happened that was just cruel, but also quite necessary to the story in a way that it wasn't as important, but things happened sometimes, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. The ending truly takes the cake, especially because we were cushioned by the events that happened at the start of the book that allowed Yasmine to be in the competition in the first place, and when it happened, and both Yasmine and Altair suffered the consequences of it, I was left bereft. Inconsolable. In distress because I should've expected that level of cliffhanger and nose-dive into the worst thing that could happen to the story. If you were there to watch Infinity War when it was released, this book's ending felt a lot like that.
Overall, while the story was very much more character-focused and dealt with the repercussions of the events in the previous series, I still adore this book so much, especially the characters, and I'm very much waiting for the next installment. Matter of fact, I need it in my hands in the next 2 months, or I might lose my mind
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve been an Altair fan since We Hunt the Flame, so I’ve been ANTICIPATING this book so much!!!♥️
Hafsah writing with a romance centered plot was absolutely phenomenal and such a fun change of pace. I was grinning like an idiot or cackling maniacally at so many scenes because the yearning IS YEARNING. Yes, there is this impending threat of political upheaval and deadly enemies to lovers and of Altair (maybe?) getting taken out, but to be honest, I was locked in on the marriage contest. What can I say—I have priorities.🤭
Yasmine and Altair are adorably witty. Their tension is technically from miscommunication and high emotions, but it’s from… one character specifically. 🤫If you’ve read We Hunt the Flame, you know why there’s one-sided tension, but the big reveal did not disappoint. I’m really excited to see their connection deepen in the sequel, which surprised me cause I thought this was a standalone. Ooops.
Altair’s POV really shined whenever he was with the contestants individually as well as his attendants as king. Kifah was my favorite because between her comebacks to Altair and her marriage contest scheming, she was carrying so many plot points behind the scenes. Leana, sweetest by far, was my favorite contestant, but Hessa was a close second cause she made me laugh.
I have one critique and it’s about the events at the end. I can say it’s not the BIG plot twist. That’s actually going to be so interesting to see unfold in the sequel, but the OTHER big event at that time… I wasn’t a fan.😅 I’m not excited about seeing that unfold because I’m just locked on the romance at this point. I know we need a side plot that involves external factors (political upheaval), but I just didn’t love it. It’s a small critique and did not majorly impact my enjoyment, but it’s something to note on my experience. Maybe it’s setting up for something in the sequel too.🤷🏻♀️
Overall, it’s another amazing book from Hafsah, and I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting this sequel.
Thank you Fierce Reads for the eARC to review!
Hafsah writing with a romance centered plot was absolutely phenomenal and such a fun change of pace. I was grinning like an idiot or cackling maniacally at so many scenes because the yearning IS YEARNING. Yes, there is this impending threat of political upheaval and deadly enemies to lovers and of Altair (maybe?) getting taken out, but to be honest, I was locked in on the marriage contest. What can I say—I have priorities.🤭
Yasmine and Altair are adorably witty. Their tension is technically from miscommunication and high emotions, but it’s from… one character specifically. 🤫If you’ve read We Hunt the Flame, you know why there’s one-sided tension, but the big reveal did not disappoint. I’m really excited to see their connection deepen in the sequel, which surprised me cause I thought this was a standalone. Ooops.
Altair’s POV really shined whenever he was with the contestants individually as well as his attendants as king. Kifah was my favorite because between her comebacks to Altair and her marriage contest scheming, she was carrying so many plot points behind the scenes. Leana, sweetest by far, was my favorite contestant, but Hessa was a close second cause she made me laugh.
I have one critique and it’s about the events at the end. I can say it’s not the BIG plot twist. That’s actually going to be so interesting to see unfold in the sequel, but the OTHER big event at that time… I wasn’t a fan.😅 I’m not excited about seeing that unfold because I’m just locked on the romance at this point. I know we need a side plot that involves external factors (political upheaval), but I just didn’t love it. It’s a small critique and did not majorly impact my enjoyment, but it’s something to note on my experience. Maybe it’s setting up for something in the sequel too.🤷🏻♀️
Overall, it’s another amazing book from Hafsah, and I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting this sequel.
Thank you Fierce Reads for the eARC to review!
Want to Read
July 29, 2026altair's & yasmine's book??? ohhh the me from 5 years ago yearned for times like these
Read
September 27, 2025(Working on time travelling machine)
September 15, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
I received a free ARC copy from Macmillan and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love a story with trials/competition, especially one where they’re competing to become queen. I also really liked the cameo in this of a character i wasn’t aware was connected to this world. That being said, they can be quite predictable and while I was able to predict some twists, the ending didn’t pan out exactly as I’d expected. The dynamics got a bit repetitive between characters by the end of the story so it felt a bit cyclical. I am interested to see how things pan out so I’ll definitely read the next one!
I received a free ARC copy from Macmillan and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love a story with trials/competition, especially one where they’re competing to become queen. I also really liked the cameo in this of a character i wasn’t aware was connected to this world. That being said, they can be quite predictable and while I was able to predict some twists, the ending didn’t pan out exactly as I’d expected. The dynamics got a bit repetitive between characters by the end of the story so it felt a bit cyclical. I am interested to see how things pan out so I’ll definitely read the next one!
Want to Read
July 6, 2025I'm waiting * patiently *
Want to Read
April 28, 2026SUMMARY IS DROPPING TOMORROW I AM LITERALLY VIBRATINGGG
update: IT IS ALTAIRYASMINE BOOK IM CRYING MY EYES OUTTTT
update 09/03/2026 : PLEASE PICK ME FOR THE ARC PLEASE HAFSAH
update: IT IS ALTAIRYASMINE BOOK IM CRYING MY EYES OUTTTT
update 09/03/2026 : PLEASE PICK ME FOR THE ARC PLEASE HAFSAH
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*Many thanks to Fierce Reads, Macmillan, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This is an honest review, and all opinions are my own.*
Oh, don't mind me. I'm just lying here in the corner, in the fetal position, wondering how I'll survive that ending until I can get my hands on book two. Because Blade of Honey doesn't even come out for another five months (which means book two is probably at least a year-and-a-half away), and that ending was DEVASTATING.
Here, in no particular order, is a list of things I liked (and a few I was skeptical about):
THE CHARACTERS
*Altair. I loved him in the Sands of Arawiya duology, so it's no surprise I loved him in this book too. He's so authentic, and principled, and loves with his whole heart. And he genuinely wants what's best for his country. That his father's legacy made him doubt himself broke my heart.
*Yasmine. I've got to admit I was hesitant about her going into this book. I'm not a huge fan of I'm-going-to-murder-you-because-you-murdered-someone-I-loved revenge plots that are based solely on a person's perception of another person's crimes/personality (rather than actual knowledge), and this situation was no different. I was pleasantly surprised at how Yasmine grew and changed over the course of the book, and how her feelings about Altair changed as a result.
*Jinx. Dude. The cat 100% stole. the. show. Who doesn't love a cat who can talk mind-to-mind? She was hilarious and fiercely loyal to Yasmine, and I loved everything about her.
*The Other Suitors. You have no idea how much I loved seeing a Bachelor-style competition without a whole host of mean girls. So refreshing.
THE ROMANCE
While I thought Altair was a little too attracted to some of the other girls, and he didn't spend quite enough time getting to know/wooing Yasmine earlier in the competition, ultimately, the romance delivered in a big way. There were plenty of swoony kisses and some mild sensuality/double entendres that gave the romance an edge, but nothing explicit, which strikes a good balance in a YA series (and three cheers for no profanity). I heart Altair and Yasmine.
THE COMPETITION
I'm not gonna lie, the Bachelor-style competition trope is not my favorite. That's a big reason it took me some time to really get into this book. What saved it for me in the end was the relationships that developed between these girls. I love that they genuinely wanted the best for each other and weren't all about tearing each other down. Kudos to Ms. Faizal for giving this trope a genuinely decent makeover. The world could use a little less cattiness and a lot more forgiveness, and this book delivers on both fronts.
THE CAMEOS
I'm not giving away who, but there were several, and they had me 100% grinning from ear to ear.
IN CONCLUSION
*I'm not sure I'll survive that ending.
*I ship Yaltair (or is it Alsmine?).
*If you love fantasy, magic, romance, and stories with heart, and haven't read THE SANDS OF ARAWIYA or BLOOD AND TEA duologies, read them over the next five months and then go forth and read this beauty when it releases on March 2, 2027. I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed.
Content notes: No profanity and mild sensuality/double entendres.
Oh, don't mind me. I'm just lying here in the corner, in the fetal position, wondering how I'll survive that ending until I can get my hands on book two. Because Blade of Honey doesn't even come out for another five months (which means book two is probably at least a year-and-a-half away), and that ending was DEVASTATING.
Here, in no particular order, is a list of things I liked (and a few I was skeptical about):
THE CHARACTERS
*Altair. I loved him in the Sands of Arawiya duology, so it's no surprise I loved him in this book too. He's so authentic, and principled, and loves with his whole heart. And he genuinely wants what's best for his country. That his father's legacy made him doubt himself broke my heart.
*Yasmine. I've got to admit I was hesitant about her going into this book. I'm not a huge fan of I'm-going-to-murder-you-because-you-murdered-someone-I-loved revenge plots that are based solely on a person's perception of another person's crimes/personality (rather than actual knowledge), and this situation was no different. I was pleasantly surprised at how Yasmine grew and changed over the course of the book, and how her feelings about Altair changed as a result.
*Jinx. Dude. The cat 100% stole. the. show. Who doesn't love a cat who can talk mind-to-mind? She was hilarious and fiercely loyal to Yasmine, and I loved everything about her.
*The Other Suitors. You have no idea how much I loved seeing a Bachelor-style competition without a whole host of mean girls. So refreshing.
THE ROMANCE
While I thought Altair was a little too attracted to some of the other girls, and he didn't spend quite enough time getting to know/wooing Yasmine earlier in the competition, ultimately, the romance delivered in a big way. There were plenty of swoony kisses and some mild sensuality/double entendres that gave the romance an edge, but nothing explicit, which strikes a good balance in a YA series (and three cheers for no profanity). I heart Altair and Yasmine.
THE COMPETITION
I'm not gonna lie, the Bachelor-style competition trope is not my favorite. That's a big reason it took me some time to really get into this book. What saved it for me in the end was the relationships that developed between these girls. I love that they genuinely wanted the best for each other and weren't all about tearing each other down. Kudos to Ms. Faizal for giving this trope a genuinely decent makeover. The world could use a little less cattiness and a lot more forgiveness, and this book delivers on both fronts.
THE CAMEOS
I'm not giving away who, but there were several, and they had me 100% grinning from ear to ear.
IN CONCLUSION
*I'm not sure I'll survive that ending.
*I ship Yaltair (or is it Alsmine?).
*If you love fantasy, magic, romance, and stories with heart, and haven't read THE SANDS OF ARAWIYA or BLOOD AND TEA duologies, read them over the next five months and then go forth and read this beauty when it releases on March 2, 2027. I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed.
Content notes: No profanity and mild sensuality/double entendres.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Oh, how good it feels to be home!
I cannot tell you how excited I was to go back into not just any series, but the series that I consider my all-time favorite, to see a whole story written for such a beloved character, Altair.
Although it took me a week to read this due to things happening in the real world, reading this book felt like a breeze. There's just something familiar and easy with Hafsah's writing that helps you dive into this story immediately without the usual struggles. Short chapters also help!
Coming to the actual story, I'm biased as I already love Altair and Yasmin in the Sands of Arawiya, and it's also why I would recommend reading those first. I just think experiencing the past they bring up so often in this book as its happening adds a lot more depth to these characters, especially Altair since you get his perspective there as well.
The focus of this story is, at least for now, not so much Fantasy in the sense that it doesn't dive deep into magic the way the other series does, which is totally fine because the competition is the main event, and I love a good competition! I enjoyed the plot line very much, I would have just wanted to explore more of the curse.
I will definitely be reading this again once the book is officially out as ARCs are usually not entirely done and some of the points I have regarding that could easily be changed in the final copy.
Overall, phenomonal read.
I cannot tell you how excited I was to go back into not just any series, but the series that I consider my all-time favorite, to see a whole story written for such a beloved character, Altair.
Although it took me a week to read this due to things happening in the real world, reading this book felt like a breeze. There's just something familiar and easy with Hafsah's writing that helps you dive into this story immediately without the usual struggles. Short chapters also help!
Coming to the actual story, I'm biased as I already love Altair and Yasmin in the Sands of Arawiya, and it's also why I would recommend reading those first. I just think experiencing the past they bring up so often in this book as its happening adds a lot more depth to these characters, especially Altair since you get his perspective there as well.
The focus of this story is, at least for now, not so much Fantasy in the sense that it doesn't dive deep into magic the way the other series does, which is totally fine because the competition is the main event, and I love a good competition! I enjoyed the plot line very much, I would have just wanted to explore more of the curse.
I will definitely be reading this again once the book is officially out as ARCs are usually not entirely done and some of the points I have regarding that could easily be changed in the final copy.
Overall, phenomonal read.
October 24, 2026
I have read and will continue to read any book that Hafsah Faizal writes. I was particularly excited to read a book focused on Altair, because he was my favorite characters from the Sands of Arawiya duology, and one of my all-around favorite characters ever. And while I overall did like the book, there were just some things that felt a bit off here.
First off, I liked the idea of Altair and Yasmine being a match in this book. Their personalities really work with each other, especially with how sharp-witted and prone to banter they are.
I also found the idea of the competition for Altair’s hand to be a fun one, and appreciated that Yasmine gets to see his character because of the way each challenge is set up. She is slowly confronted with the fact that she has misjudged who he is.
I liked the cameos by characters from the other books, with Nasir and Zafira at the beginning, and then Arthie in the middle. I will say, that while this technically is its own separate duology, it certainly would help to have read We Hunt the Flame and We Free the Stars ahead of time. A Tempest of Tea and A Steeping of Blood are not as crucial, but still add just a bit for the Easter eggs.
Now for the parts that just didn’t make sense to me. To discuss these, we’re venturing into spoiler territory, so fair warning.
-It seemed like the contrivance to make Yasmine not recognize Altair when he saves her and Serene at the beginning was just a bit much and hard to believe. I also couldn’t quite figure out how Altair and Kifah wouldn’t have realized that Serene turned into a cat, and the continued ruse to keep her as a cat was just a bit strange to me.
-I don’t know how it took Yasmine so long to realize that Zeina was also in the competition. Given that there were fewer than thirty other competitors, the fact that it took several challenges before she realized wasn’t really believable.
-When Yasmine overhears Zeina using blood magic to speak with her mother, she goes to Altair and starts making out with him? And then hesitates to warn him? Yasmine is set up as far too smart of a character for this to be her response. And then I don’t understand how Zeina doesn’t just try to find a way to off Yasmine once her secret has been exposed, because she’s shown she’s willing to kill with her actions with Leana.
It just felt like a number of ways that things went in the book were too much of trying to steer things in a certain way that didn’t track with the characters or the overall story.
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book and will gladly read the sequel because I want to know what happens and have faith in Faizal and her ability to create great stories.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Hafsah Faizal and Fierce Reads for the chance to read this advanced copy and give this honest review.
First off, I liked the idea of Altair and Yasmine being a match in this book. Their personalities really work with each other, especially with how sharp-witted and prone to banter they are.
I also found the idea of the competition for Altair’s hand to be a fun one, and appreciated that Yasmine gets to see his character because of the way each challenge is set up. She is slowly confronted with the fact that she has misjudged who he is.
I liked the cameos by characters from the other books, with Nasir and Zafira at the beginning, and then Arthie in the middle. I will say, that while this technically is its own separate duology, it certainly would help to have read We Hunt the Flame and We Free the Stars ahead of time. A Tempest of Tea and A Steeping of Blood are not as crucial, but still add just a bit for the Easter eggs.
Now for the parts that just didn’t make sense to me. To discuss these, we’re venturing into spoiler territory, so fair warning.
-It seemed like the contrivance to make Yasmine not recognize Altair when he saves her and Serene at the beginning was just a bit much and hard to believe. I also couldn’t quite figure out how Altair and Kifah wouldn’t have realized that Serene turned into a cat, and the continued ruse to keep her as a cat was just a bit strange to me.
-I don’t know how it took Yasmine so long to realize that Zeina was also in the competition. Given that there were fewer than thirty other competitors, the fact that it took several challenges before she realized wasn’t really believable.
-When Yasmine overhears Zeina using blood magic to speak with her mother, she goes to Altair and starts making out with him? And then hesitates to warn him? Yasmine is set up as far too smart of a character for this to be her response. And then I don’t understand how Zeina doesn’t just try to find a way to off Yasmine once her secret has been exposed, because she’s shown she’s willing to kill with her actions with Leana.
It just felt like a number of ways that things went in the book were too much of trying to steer things in a certain way that didn’t track with the characters or the overall story.
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book and will gladly read the sequel because I want to know what happens and have faith in Faizal and her ability to create great stories.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Hafsah Faizal and Fierce Reads for the chance to read this advanced copy and give this honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thank you, netgalley and macmillan children’s publishing group, for the arc of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
i was so excited for blade of honey because i loved we hunt the flame and absolutely adored altair, so the moment i got the opportunity to read it, i was over the moon.
the book made me love altair even more.
the way he yearns for love, his fear of becoming his father, everything we saw of him in we free the stars — we got to see even more of that depth here. yasmine, too: the way the two of them were opposites but still so similar. i love them together, and i really want to see what hafsah does with them in the next book. i’m sure there’s going to be an insane level of yearning from altair’s side, especially after that ending. i’m sad that we got so little of zafira and nasir. i hope we get to see more of them in the next book. i missed them.
considering i went into this knowing there were going to be multiple women vying for altair’s attention, i can’t really blame anyone but myself, or possibly altair, for being so annoyed every time he gave someone else his time instead of more quality time with yasmine.
the plot was more on the side of romance than fantasy, with lower stakes than sands of arawiya. it was a little slow in the beginning, but after act two the pacing picked up and i just couldn’t put the book down. it got interesting after every act.
i did predict the ending somewhat, but i was still shocked by what happened, and i’m itching to get my hands on book two. the fact that it’s so far away is torment for me and my boy altair as well 💔
all in all, i stayed up till 5 am reading this lmao, so i can definitely say it was a really fun read.
i was so excited for blade of honey because i loved we hunt the flame and absolutely adored altair, so the moment i got the opportunity to read it, i was over the moon.
the book made me love altair even more.
the way he yearns for love, his fear of becoming his father, everything we saw of him in we free the stars — we got to see even more of that depth here. yasmine, too: the way the two of them were opposites but still so similar. i love them together, and i really want to see what hafsah does with them in the next book. i’m sure there’s going to be an insane level of yearning from altair’s side, especially after that ending. i’m sad that we got so little of zafira and nasir. i hope we get to see more of them in the next book. i missed them.
considering i went into this knowing there were going to be multiple women vying for altair’s attention, i can’t really blame anyone but myself, or possibly altair, for being so annoyed every time he gave someone else his time instead of more quality time with yasmine.
the plot was more on the side of romance than fantasy, with lower stakes than sands of arawiya. it was a little slow in the beginning, but after act two the pacing picked up and i just couldn’t put the book down. it got interesting after every act.
i did predict the ending somewhat, but i was still shocked by what happened, and i’m itching to get my hands on book two. the fact that it’s so far away is torment for me and my boy altair as well 💔
all in all, i stayed up till 5 am reading this lmao, so i can definitely say it was a really fun read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
HELLO?????? THAT ENDING??????
Hafsah Faizal what have you DONE to me? I won’t be able to think about anything besides this ending for years, I swear. I’m stressing so bad, oh my god. I predicted it, but in that sinking feeling way, where I hoped and hoped that I was wrong. But I wasn’t, and now I’m already aching for book two.
What made this book, in my opinion, was Altair. Was I frustrated that he even attempted to pay attention to other women when Yasmine was there? Sure. But he’s so dang LIKABLE! And Yasmine… if there was ever a girl born to be a queen, it was her. I loved their dynamic and, in particular, how entranced he was by her at all times.
I kind of wanted more Zafira and Nasir, but I get that these are technically separate books meant to be standalones. Still, I hope we see more of them in book two!!
—————————————————————
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC!
Hafsah Faizal what have you DONE to me? I won’t be able to think about anything besides this ending for years, I swear. I’m stressing so bad, oh my god. I predicted it, but in that sinking feeling way, where I hoped and hoped that I was wrong. But I wasn’t, and now I’m already aching for book two.
What made this book, in my opinion, was Altair. Was I frustrated that he even attempted to pay attention to other women when Yasmine was there? Sure. But he’s so dang LIKABLE! And Yasmine… if there was ever a girl born to be a queen, it was her. I loved their dynamic and, in particular, how entranced he was by her at all times.
I kind of wanted more Zafira and Nasir, but I get that these are technically separate books meant to be standalones. Still, I hope we see more of them in book two!!
—————————————————————
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC!
Want to Read
October 29, 2026WE. NEED. ZAFIRA. AND. NASIR. SCENES. IN. THIS. DAMN. BOOK. I know this book is about Altair and Yasmine, but PLEASEEEEEEE Hafsah Faizal, PLEASE EITHER GIVE THEM A THIRD BOOK OR GIVE THEM A FEW CAMEOSSSS!!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
HAFSAH FAIZAL LOCK YOUR DOORS BAR YOUR WINDOWS I'M ABOUT TO BE IN YOUR WALLS AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PRETTY SIGHT THAT I CAN PROMISE YOU
September 4, 2026
I received an ARC from the publisher/net galley in exchange for an honest review. I went into this having read only we hunt the flame and not the sequel several years ago, and not remembering much about it. I didn’t have trouble understanding the plot or keeping up with the story, so I think readers can go into this new series blind without having read the previous duopoly. This was enjoyable and fast paced from start to finish. The bachelor plot was interesting, and I liked the little twists involved in each competition. I did have to suspend my disbelief a little bit, as I found it a little ridiculous the multiple insistences throughout the books that the king was only interested and marrying for love and not for politics. I know it is a YA romantasy, but there are many books of that genre out there that involve political maneuvering and intrigue. I also rolled my eyes a little bit at the immortal 100 year old male protagonist and teenager female protagonist. The ending leaves off on a cliff hanger, and I’m excited to see where the sequel goes.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First of all, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Blade of Honey! I’m already a huge Hafsah Faizal fan, so I was VERY excited to get my hands on this one early.
And okay. I need to start with Yasmine because I LOVE HER.
One of the first things that stood out to me was how refreshing she feels as a fantasy heroine. She’s beautiful, feminine, curvy, and the book just lets her be that way. She’s described as the most beautiful girl in her village, the other competitors even think she’s stunning (as they all are) and it’s not something she is despite her curves or her belly (which I took to mean she had a pooch because why not say her stomach but emphasize the word belly?) but with these things she IS beautiful. She doesn’t have to be tiny and waifish or tall and naturally athletic to be taken seriously as a protagonist, and I genuinely loved that. It seems like such a small thing, but when you read a lot of fantasy, you start noticing how often female leads fit the exact same physical mold, so Yasmine immediately felt different to me in the best way.
Her grief absolutely destroyed me, though.
Every time her brother came up, I was like oh great, here we go again, because I KNEW it was going to hurt. I cried multiple times. What I really loved is that her grief doesn’t feel like a convenient tragic backstory that disappears whenever the plot needs to move on. You can feel how his loss has shaped her, her relationships, and the way she experiences everything around her. It’s something that shapes her, or so she believes. And honestly, that made some of the emotional moments hit so much harder.
I also ended up loving the competition way more than I expected to. I feel like competition plots can sometimes become repetitive or fall into the trap of making every female character hate each other for no reason, but that wasn’t the case here. The girls all have distinct personalities, and I LOVED watching their relationships develop. They can be competitive without every interaction turning into petty cruelty, and the friendships and banter honestly became some of my favorite parts of the book.
And then.
Altair.
This pathetic, hopelessly in-love man.
SIR. PLEASE.
There were multiple moments where I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him because WHAT are you doing!!! At some point I genuinely started thinking there had to be magic involved because there was no way this man was behaving like this on his own. Hafsah Faizal, explain yourself.
But then he and Yasmine would start bantering again and suddenly all was forgiven, like carry on let me get a treat and enjoy my reading.
Their chemistry is SO fun. I’m such a sucker for romances where the characters actually feel like they enjoy talking to each other, and Yasmine and Altair’s back-and-forth had me smiling constantly. Even when they were frustrating me, they were entertaining me.
I also really loved what the book does with Altair beyond the romance, especially when it comes to his relationship with his heritage and identity. There’s something very vulnerable about the way he navigates belonging, culture, grief, and the parts of himself he doesn’t always seem to know what to do with. That hit me harder than I expected.
One thing Hafsah Faizal does especially well with him is letting him FEEL things.
Like really feel them.
He gets to grieve. He gets to be happy. He gets to be tender and uncertain and hopeful and hurt. He’s allowed to long for things. He’s allowed to love deeply. His emotional range goes so far beyond the usual “angry, protective, emotionally constipated fantasy man” archetype, and I appreciated that so much. There’s something really lovely about seeing a male character allowed softness and vulnerability without the story acting like those things make him weak.
That honestly applies to the book as a whole. Underneath all the romance, competition, and fun banter, there’s so much going on with grief, identity, belonging, friendship, love, and the different ways people carry loss.
So yes, this book made me laugh, made me cry, made me want to physically fight Altair at least twice, and then immediately made me love him again five pages later.
Yasmine was such a refreshing heroine, I adored the relationships between the women, the emotional moments genuinely landed for me, and the romance gave me exactly the kind of chemistry and banter I wanted.
Basically: Hafsah Faizal continues to give me characters I want to hug, protect, scream at, and force into one extremely long group therapy session.
And I mean that as the highest compliment.
And okay. I need to start with Yasmine because I LOVE HER.
One of the first things that stood out to me was how refreshing she feels as a fantasy heroine. She’s beautiful, feminine, curvy, and the book just lets her be that way. She’s described as the most beautiful girl in her village, the other competitors even think she’s stunning (as they all are) and it’s not something she is despite her curves or her belly (which I took to mean she had a pooch because why not say her stomach but emphasize the word belly?) but with these things she IS beautiful. She doesn’t have to be tiny and waifish or tall and naturally athletic to be taken seriously as a protagonist, and I genuinely loved that. It seems like such a small thing, but when you read a lot of fantasy, you start noticing how often female leads fit the exact same physical mold, so Yasmine immediately felt different to me in the best way.
Her grief absolutely destroyed me, though.
Every time her brother came up, I was like oh great, here we go again, because I KNEW it was going to hurt. I cried multiple times. What I really loved is that her grief doesn’t feel like a convenient tragic backstory that disappears whenever the plot needs to move on. You can feel how his loss has shaped her, her relationships, and the way she experiences everything around her. It’s something that shapes her, or so she believes. And honestly, that made some of the emotional moments hit so much harder.
I also ended up loving the competition way more than I expected to. I feel like competition plots can sometimes become repetitive or fall into the trap of making every female character hate each other for no reason, but that wasn’t the case here. The girls all have distinct personalities, and I LOVED watching their relationships develop. They can be competitive without every interaction turning into petty cruelty, and the friendships and banter honestly became some of my favorite parts of the book.
And then.
Altair.
This pathetic, hopelessly in-love man.
SIR. PLEASE.
There were multiple moments where I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him because WHAT are you doing!!! At some point I genuinely started thinking there had to be magic involved because there was no way this man was behaving like this on his own. Hafsah Faizal, explain yourself.
But then he and Yasmine would start bantering again and suddenly all was forgiven, like carry on let me get a treat and enjoy my reading.
Their chemistry is SO fun. I’m such a sucker for romances where the characters actually feel like they enjoy talking to each other, and Yasmine and Altair’s back-and-forth had me smiling constantly. Even when they were frustrating me, they were entertaining me.
I also really loved what the book does with Altair beyond the romance, especially when it comes to his relationship with his heritage and identity. There’s something very vulnerable about the way he navigates belonging, culture, grief, and the parts of himself he doesn’t always seem to know what to do with. That hit me harder than I expected.
One thing Hafsah Faizal does especially well with him is letting him FEEL things.
Like really feel them.
He gets to grieve. He gets to be happy. He gets to be tender and uncertain and hopeful and hurt. He’s allowed to long for things. He’s allowed to love deeply. His emotional range goes so far beyond the usual “angry, protective, emotionally constipated fantasy man” archetype, and I appreciated that so much. There’s something really lovely about seeing a male character allowed softness and vulnerability without the story acting like those things make him weak.
That honestly applies to the book as a whole. Underneath all the romance, competition, and fun banter, there’s so much going on with grief, identity, belonging, friendship, love, and the different ways people carry loss.
So yes, this book made me laugh, made me cry, made me want to physically fight Altair at least twice, and then immediately made me love him again five pages later.
Yasmine was such a refreshing heroine, I adored the relationships between the women, the emotional moments genuinely landed for me, and the romance gave me exactly the kind of chemistry and banter I wanted.
Basically: Hafsah Faizal continues to give me characters I want to hug, protect, scream at, and force into one extremely long group therapy session.
And I mean that as the highest compliment.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DNF at 31% (Read through Chapter 15)
I’m so disappointed.
I knew there was a chance that I wouldn’t love this book, given I DNFed We Hunt the Flame. However, I enjoyed my time reading A Tempest of Tea, so I had high hopes for this book nonetheless.
I just didn’t find this book to be all that exciting, to be honest. I think those who enjoyed the Sands of Arawiya duology could enjoy this one, as I know there are multiple characters from that series present in this one. But as someone who has no attachment to those characters, I just didn’t feel connected to any aspect of the story—from the world to the magic to the cast.
The characters themselves were pretty standard as far as a cheeky MMC and a sassy FMC go. But the dialogue was rather cringey at times, which I didn’t love.
The plot itself was okay, but didn’t feel all that original to me personally. There were also some plot points that read like plot holes (and given there were multiple plot holes in A Tempest of Tea as well, I don’t have faith that this author will resolve these plot holes by the end of the book).
I’m sure this book will continue to find its audience, and I hope that fans of this author’s work will love this book. It’s just not for me, unfortunately.
NOTES I TOOK WHILE READING:
I’m so disappointed.
I knew there was a chance that I wouldn’t love this book, given I DNFed We Hunt the Flame. However, I enjoyed my time reading A Tempest of Tea, so I had high hopes for this book nonetheless.
I just didn’t find this book to be all that exciting, to be honest. I think those who enjoyed the Sands of Arawiya duology could enjoy this one, as I know there are multiple characters from that series present in this one. But as someone who has no attachment to those characters, I just didn’t feel connected to any aspect of the story—from the world to the magic to the cast.
The characters themselves were pretty standard as far as a cheeky MMC and a sassy FMC go. But the dialogue was rather cringey at times, which I didn’t love.
The plot itself was okay, but didn’t feel all that original to me personally. There were also some plot points that read like plot holes (and given there were multiple plot holes in A Tempest of Tea as well, I don’t have faith that this author will resolve these plot holes by the end of the book).
I’m sure this book will continue to find its audience, and I hope that fans of this author’s work will love this book. It’s just not for me, unfortunately.
NOTES I TOOK WHILE READING:
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my candid review.
Oh, how I missed Altair and the kingdom of Arawiya! Blade of Honey returns us to the throne room where crowned King, Altair al-Badawi, is busy managing a recently freed land where magic has finally returned.
Side note: This is definitely a new entry and the first in a standalone duology series, but if you want to know more about Arawiya and meet Altair in a much different capacity, I highly recommend the Sands of Arawiya duology by Hafsah Faizal as well. You don't need to have read that before this, but it would give you a depth of understanding for the world you're stepping into. There's also a very cheeky crossover if you've read her other duology that begins with A Tempest of Tea or plan to.
Altair has different noble houses that all want something and everyday citizens to answer to in addition to his esteemed council. Historically, the kingdom has been ruled in some form or fashion by a woman. It's a decree etched into the very existence of the land. This king is unwed and that fact becomes dire when Altair finds out he will die if he doesn't find a wife before the next full moon.
He's more than reluctant about forcing a marriage match. He's unsure how to satisfy the imperative and also his heart. Then his captain of the guard proposes an inventive solution that just might work or get him killed in the process.
The Bachelor inspiration is clear. The only way to achieve the king's hand in marriage is a competition featuring selected candidates from all over kingdom and a variety of walks of life. A series of focused challenges will weed out those who are not fit to become Queen until only one remains. The most notable of the candidates is Yasmine Ra’ad. She doesn't come from a noble house exactly and the only reason she would ever want to get closer to the king is to kill him. If she's lucky, she just might.
This was such a fun time. The challenges are surprising. The camaraderie and rivalry between the candidates are sharp and hopeful. I wouldn't say there's any instant love happening here, but there are moments when I wanted Altair and Yasmine to fight a little more for each other. Overall, I'm excited to see where the next book takes this story. The ending did have me yelling at my phone.
Oh, how I missed Altair and the kingdom of Arawiya! Blade of Honey returns us to the throne room where crowned King, Altair al-Badawi, is busy managing a recently freed land where magic has finally returned.
Side note: This is definitely a new entry and the first in a standalone duology series, but if you want to know more about Arawiya and meet Altair in a much different capacity, I highly recommend the Sands of Arawiya duology by Hafsah Faizal as well. You don't need to have read that before this, but it would give you a depth of understanding for the world you're stepping into. There's also a very cheeky crossover if you've read her other duology that begins with A Tempest of Tea or plan to.
Altair has different noble houses that all want something and everyday citizens to answer to in addition to his esteemed council. Historically, the kingdom has been ruled in some form or fashion by a woman. It's a decree etched into the very existence of the land. This king is unwed and that fact becomes dire when Altair finds out he will die if he doesn't find a wife before the next full moon.
He's more than reluctant about forcing a marriage match. He's unsure how to satisfy the imperative and also his heart. Then his captain of the guard proposes an inventive solution that just might work or get him killed in the process.
The Bachelor inspiration is clear. The only way to achieve the king's hand in marriage is a competition featuring selected candidates from all over kingdom and a variety of walks of life. A series of focused challenges will weed out those who are not fit to become Queen until only one remains. The most notable of the candidates is Yasmine Ra’ad. She doesn't come from a noble house exactly and the only reason she would ever want to get closer to the king is to kill him. If she's lucky, she just might.
This was such a fun time. The challenges are surprising. The camaraderie and rivalry between the candidates are sharp and hopeful. I wouldn't say there's any instant love happening here, but there are moments when I wanted Altair and Yasmine to fight a little more for each other. Overall, I'm excited to see where the next book takes this story. The ending did have me yelling at my phone.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Blade of Honey has such an irresistible premise. A girl enters a competition to become queen, except she isn't there for a crown—she wants revenge against the king. Add a deadly deadline, a forced marriage, political tension, and the possibility of falling for the very person she intends to destroy, and you have a romantasy that is incredibly easy to get excited about.
Yasmine Ra'ad is such an intriguing protagonist. Her vendetta against the king is rooted in the destruction of her family, and I loved the idea of watching her enter the Bride Trials with one goal in mind while having to pretend to be a devoted suitor. The contrast between revenge and romance gives her character arc so much potential.
Altair is equally fascinating. Knowing that he will die by the next full moon unless he takes a bride immediately adds a ticking clock to the story and makes the competition feel much more dangerous than a typical royal courtship.
I also really enjoyed the way Hafsah Faizal plays with familiar romantic-fantasy tropes while giving them a darker twist. The Bride Trials, the glittering palace, the ruthless king, and the heroine secretly plotting his downfall all create such a delicious atmosphere of danger and deception.
The central question—whether Yasmine can choose between the revenge she's spent her life wanting and the feelings she develops for Altair—is what makes this story particularly compelling. There's something wonderfully tragic about a romance where loving someone could mean abandoning everything you've fought for.
Hafsah Faizal has once again created a fantasy that feels lush, dramatic, romantic, and dangerous. Blade of Honey is a fantastic beginning to a new duology, and I'm already very curious to see where Yasmine and Altair's story goes next.
Yasmine Ra'ad is such an intriguing protagonist. Her vendetta against the king is rooted in the destruction of her family, and I loved the idea of watching her enter the Bride Trials with one goal in mind while having to pretend to be a devoted suitor. The contrast between revenge and romance gives her character arc so much potential.
Altair is equally fascinating. Knowing that he will die by the next full moon unless he takes a bride immediately adds a ticking clock to the story and makes the competition feel much more dangerous than a typical royal courtship.
I also really enjoyed the way Hafsah Faizal plays with familiar romantic-fantasy tropes while giving them a darker twist. The Bride Trials, the glittering palace, the ruthless king, and the heroine secretly plotting his downfall all create such a delicious atmosphere of danger and deception.
The central question—whether Yasmine can choose between the revenge she's spent her life wanting and the feelings she develops for Altair—is what makes this story particularly compelling. There's something wonderfully tragic about a romance where loving someone could mean abandoning everything you've fought for.
Hafsah Faizal has once again created a fantasy that feels lush, dramatic, romantic, and dangerous. Blade of Honey is a fantastic beginning to a new duology, and I'm already very curious to see where Yasmine and Altair's story goes next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ 4.5 stars ★ ˖⌕ ۫ ➺ spoilers free review
→ thank you netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the arc
I was so excited about this book so long, so I am really grateful I could read the arc. First of all I loved SO MUCH the writing it was so soft and graceful, like honey. At first I found plot interesting, then I was kinda annoyed (Zeina was the main reason I guess ugh) but then suddenly it became so messy and wow, it was such fun to read. About characters, I am so happy we had some zafiranasir crumbs at the beginning, I am glad we saw kifah again and I also adore serene. Altair was really down bad for her, he made me giggle few times and I truly enjoyed Yasmine’s character, I understood her pain, denial and grief. Though not everything was perfect, I felt something was missing.
My main problem was the beginning and how it looked. She meet him and soon she is like he is kinda cute…he is a murderer!! but he is kinda cute…And I wish she despised him more in her mind, that her action showed different than her mind, I wanted her to think more about killing him. This is where I started hesitating, it kinda bothered me but I can really say altairyasmine grew on me later. After 70% Hafsah Faizal put such work in romance, the subtle yearning they had for each other, longing, angst…#yeah BUZZYYYYY. it was really delicious. AND ALSO THIS ENDING ??? oh hell yearning in the second book is going to hit so much harder.
So overall I think it was decent read, I can’t wait for second book
→ thank you netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the arc
୨୧ 一
I was so excited about this book so long, so I am really grateful I could read the arc. First of all I loved SO MUCH the writing it was so soft and graceful, like honey. At first I found plot interesting, then I was kinda annoyed (Zeina was the main reason I guess ugh) but then suddenly it became so messy and wow, it was such fun to read. About characters, I am so happy we had some zafiranasir crumbs at the beginning, I am glad we saw kifah again and I also adore serene. Altair was really down bad for her, he made me giggle few times and I truly enjoyed Yasmine’s character, I understood her pain, denial and grief. Though not everything was perfect, I felt something was missing.
My main problem was the beginning and how it looked. She meet him and soon she is like he is kinda cute…he is a murderer!! but he is kinda cute…And I wish she despised him more in her mind, that her action showed different than her mind, I wanted her to think more about killing him. This is where I started hesitating, it kinda bothered me but I can really say altairyasmine grew on me later. After 70% Hafsah Faizal put such work in romance, the subtle yearning they had for each other, longing, angst…#yeah BUZZYYYYY. it was really delicious. AND ALSO THIS ENDING ??? oh hell yearning in the second book is going to hit so much harder.
So overall I think it was decent read, I can’t wait for second book
October 19, 2026
Blade of Honey… well it’s safe to say that Hafsah Faizal found her way back into my good graces after A Steeping of Blood.
This book— God where do I even begin? All I’ll say is I used to pray for times like this. An Altair AND Yasmine book? All in one? I was born in the right generation, at the right time for SURE. A casual, very king-ly competition for a wife to ensure his survival while the woman of his dreams is invited to compete only to be on the hunt to kill said king… yes, I think yes!!!
Blade of Honey made me feel like middle school me all over again reading the Selection series. What a nostalgic throwback that was sent my way but in a new, refreshing way for now I am an adult. Arawiya hasn’t seen levels of yearning like this since Zafira and Nasir. This sickeningly, romantic fantasy is full of twists and turns that you can only get from a Hafsah Faizal novel. It’s dark and full of tension and yet, just as full of sweet-as-honey surprises. And an infamous cat companion, as always. Yasmine Ra’ad, my sarcasm queen, I would marry you in a heartbeat. You don’t need a man— literally!!
This isn’t just Yasmine Ra’ad, the best friend of Zafira’s and this isn’t just Altair al-Badawi, brother of Nasir. This is Yasmine Ra’ad, assassin-in-training and putter-of-men-in-places and Altair al-Badawi, who keeps pushing his luck and can’t read a room for the life of him.
There’s this saying that I think encapsulates Yasmine and Altair’s journey throughout this book in just the perfect way.
“You win more flies with honey, but if you get yourself a bee, sting first."
How conveniently fitting, right? ;)
This book— God where do I even begin? All I’ll say is I used to pray for times like this. An Altair AND Yasmine book? All in one? I was born in the right generation, at the right time for SURE. A casual, very king-ly competition for a wife to ensure his survival while the woman of his dreams is invited to compete only to be on the hunt to kill said king… yes, I think yes!!!
Blade of Honey made me feel like middle school me all over again reading the Selection series. What a nostalgic throwback that was sent my way but in a new, refreshing way for now I am an adult. Arawiya hasn’t seen levels of yearning like this since Zafira and Nasir. This sickeningly, romantic fantasy is full of twists and turns that you can only get from a Hafsah Faizal novel. It’s dark and full of tension and yet, just as full of sweet-as-honey surprises. And an infamous cat companion, as always. Yasmine Ra’ad, my sarcasm queen, I would marry you in a heartbeat. You don’t need a man— literally!!
This isn’t just Yasmine Ra’ad, the best friend of Zafira’s and this isn’t just Altair al-Badawi, brother of Nasir. This is Yasmine Ra’ad, assassin-in-training and putter-of-men-in-places and Altair al-Badawi, who keeps pushing his luck and can’t read a room for the life of him.
There’s this saying that I think encapsulates Yasmine and Altair’s journey throughout this book in just the perfect way.
“You win more flies with honey, but if you get yourself a bee, sting first."
How conveniently fitting, right? ;)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Hafsah Faizal for the opportunity to read this ARC.
I was absolutely thrilled to receive an advanced copy of Blade of Honey. After falling in love with her previous work, A Tempest of Tea, I couldn’t wait to dive back into Faizal’s lush storytelling.
Faizal, a Sri Lankan author who wears a niqab, brings a rare and much-needed perspective to fantasy, infusing her stories with cultural richness in a niche that's currently oversaturated with the same repackaged tropes. Her previous series were more heist-centered and this one is more of a competition for the king to find his bride. Neither of which are typically the kind of books I gravitate towards but her past work spoke for itself and made me want to give this a shot, too.
Without getting into spoilers, this book had some good twists and turns. It's certainly reminiscent of a dating show but the stakes and main female character give it some edge. I will say the mature themes and content struck me a little mature for is YA rating. It's set in the same universe as A Tempest of Tea and A Steeping of Blood and the cameos were really satisfying for me.
Rating: 3.5/5
I was absolutely thrilled to receive an advanced copy of Blade of Honey. After falling in love with her previous work, A Tempest of Tea, I couldn’t wait to dive back into Faizal’s lush storytelling.
Faizal, a Sri Lankan author who wears a niqab, brings a rare and much-needed perspective to fantasy, infusing her stories with cultural richness in a niche that's currently oversaturated with the same repackaged tropes. Her previous series were more heist-centered and this one is more of a competition for the king to find his bride. Neither of which are typically the kind of books I gravitate towards but her past work spoke for itself and made me want to give this a shot, too.
Without getting into spoilers, this book had some good twists and turns. It's certainly reminiscent of a dating show but the stakes and main female character give it some edge. I will say the mature themes and content struck me a little mature for is YA rating. It's set in the same universe as A Tempest of Tea and A Steeping of Blood and the cameos were really satisfying for me.
Rating: 3.5/5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a fun read!
As a fan of the Blood and Tea duology, I was so excited to pick up more of Hafsah Faizal’s work. And this book definitely delivered!
Yasmine was a great character. Her determination to kill the King was very understandable, and I enjoyed seeing her journey. Altair was also a fun character, with his cheeky banter and charismatic personality. Together, they made an entertaining duo for sure, and watching their romance develop was great! (I also loved the cameos of characters from this author’s other books. That was so fun!)
I will say that I wish Yasmine and Altair’s connection had been a bit more of a slow burn. The feelings that they shared happened almost instantly, which was cute, but a bit rushed at times.
The competition element to become queen was a lot of fun! Some elements of that contest, and the plot in general, were predictable. But I still had a great time reading, regardless! The ending was also compelling, and I can’t wait to read the sequel!
Ultimately, I think fans of Faizal’s other works will really enjoy this new book!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for letting me read the eARC!
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