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Merciful Carnage
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Expected 2 Feb 27Win a free kindle copy of this book!
3 days and 17:11:36
100 copies available
U.S. only
A deathless girl's single-minded pursuit of the cure for a mysterious plague entangles her in a web of intrigue as an immortal ruler becomes set on uncovering the truth of her existence . . . and her hold on his attention in Merciful Carnage, the first in a new fantasy romance duology from USA Today bestselling author, Sara Hashem.
Tala's life has been defined by her inability to die. Her superstitious village has treated her with distrust and hostility since she was found floating in the Liyan River as a newborn. When a mysterious water-borne plague starts to ravage the oasis villages, Tala is sent across the desert to the city of Axsanda to seek refuge for her village. Determined to find a cure to the plague, Tala will stop at nothing to prove herself a worthy healer and member of her community.
Upon Tala's arrival in Axsanda, a would-be fatal encounter lands her in front of Selim, the chillingly beautiful High Judge and first of the four immortal siblings ruling the land. Intrigued by Tala, Selim agrees to shelter her village if she remains in his palace until they arrive.
Despite his detachment from mortal emotions, Selim finds himself increasingly fascinated by the odd, ambitious girl, but Tala's deathlessness threatens the sacred balance he is sworn to uphold. As Tala hunts for a cure to the plague, Selim hunts for an answer to her existence.
As terrifying omens spread across Axsanda and Tala shows signs of an impossible power, the two must reckon with their attraction . . . and its catastrophic consequences.
Tala's life has been defined by her inability to die. Her superstitious village has treated her with distrust and hostility since she was found floating in the Liyan River as a newborn. When a mysterious water-borne plague starts to ravage the oasis villages, Tala is sent across the desert to the city of Axsanda to seek refuge for her village. Determined to find a cure to the plague, Tala will stop at nothing to prove herself a worthy healer and member of her community.
Upon Tala's arrival in Axsanda, a would-be fatal encounter lands her in front of Selim, the chillingly beautiful High Judge and first of the four immortal siblings ruling the land. Intrigued by Tala, Selim agrees to shelter her village if she remains in his palace until they arrive.
Despite his detachment from mortal emotions, Selim finds himself increasingly fascinated by the odd, ambitious girl, but Tala's deathlessness threatens the sacred balance he is sworn to uphold. As Tala hunts for a cure to the plague, Selim hunts for an answer to her existence.
As terrifying omens spread across Axsanda and Tala shows signs of an impossible power, the two must reckon with their attraction . . . and its catastrophic consequences.
480 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 2, 2027
About the author
Sara Hashem
4 books3,548 followersSara Hashem is the USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of The Jasad Heir and The Jasad Crown. An American-Egyptian author from Southern California, she spent many sunny days holed up indoors with a book. Sara’s love for fantasy and magical realms emerged during the two years her family lived in Egypt. When she isn’t busy naming stray cats in her neighborhood after her favorite authors, Sara can be found buried under coffee-ringed notebooks.
You can find Sara on Instagram and TikTok under @shashemwrites!
You can find Sara on Instagram and TikTok under @shashemwrites!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
yea, I knew I was gonna be obsessed the second I saw this:
this carnage was NOT merciful omg.... I genuinely do not have the words to describe what this book did to me. I am OBSESSED. every character. every interaction. every insane plot development. every single line. I gulped this book down like ice fresh water at 3AM.
dare I say this was better than The Jasad Heir??? because I fear I have to say it. I went into this book with ridiculously high expectations after the scorched throne duology, and somehow this book still managed to destroy me in the best possible way.
tala. MY GIRL. I don't even know where to start with her. she is fucking crazy and I mean that with the highest level of affection possible. her thoughts, her emotions, her fears, the way she reacts to everything… I felt like she is ME and I am HER. y'all genuinely don't understand. I was so deep inside her head that every emotional breakdown felt so personal. I loved getting to see all of her contradictions and all the things she tries to hide, & watching her navigate everything absolutely wrecked me. she is one of those characters that makes you want to reach into the book and shake her while simultaneously giving her the biggest hug ever.
selim if you thought arin of nizahl was fine, just WAIT until you meet MY MAN- selim, his glory, the high judge. I am actually unwell. the way he was so down bad for tala had me screaming into my pillow. and the fact that he supposedly has no capability to feel, yet the things he says and does for her??? poetic asffff. the way he would do literally anything for tala. I was GONE. absolutely finished. there was no saving me.
and the ending???? I AM DEAD.
I stared at my screen like 🧍♀️ because I cannot believe I potentially have to wait 1-2+ YEARS to find out what happens next. that should be illegal actually. I need the next book immediately because I am not emotionally equipped to sit here and think about that ending for the next several years.
and now that Tala and Selim are enemies??? oh I already know I am going to be SICK over the next book. the angst. the betrayal. the tension. the yearning. the absolute emotional devastation that is inevitably coming. I just KNOW it's going to be beautiful and painful and I am already preparing to have my heart ripped out all over again. (I don't think this is a spoiler since Tala and Selim being soulmates to enemies is part of how the book is marketed)
I don't know what exactly this book did to me, but I am changed. permanently altered. emotionally compromised. this book has officially joined the list of books that make me wish I could erase my memory just so I could experience them for the first time again. please don't call for the next 5 business days...
10/10. 5 stars. 500 stars. whatever number is required to properly communicate how insane I am about this book.
thank you to Orbit & Sara Hashem for giving me the opportunity for an ARC! all opinions are my own 🫶🏽
-
brb im gonna go and beg for an arc! 🏃🏃
this carnage was NOT merciful omg.... I genuinely do not have the words to describe what this book did to me. I am OBSESSED. every character. every interaction. every insane plot development. every single line. I gulped this book down like ice fresh water at 3AM.
dare I say this was better than The Jasad Heir??? because I fear I have to say it. I went into this book with ridiculously high expectations after the scorched throne duology, and somehow this book still managed to destroy me in the best possible way.
tala. MY GIRL. I don't even know where to start with her. she is fucking crazy and I mean that with the highest level of affection possible. her thoughts, her emotions, her fears, the way she reacts to everything… I felt like she is ME and I am HER. y'all genuinely don't understand. I was so deep inside her head that every emotional breakdown felt so personal. I loved getting to see all of her contradictions and all the things she tries to hide, & watching her navigate everything absolutely wrecked me. she is one of those characters that makes you want to reach into the book and shake her while simultaneously giving her the biggest hug ever.
selim if you thought arin of nizahl was fine, just WAIT until you meet MY MAN- selim, his glory, the high judge. I am actually unwell. the way he was so down bad for tala had me screaming into my pillow. and the fact that he supposedly has no capability to feel, yet the things he says and does for her??? poetic asffff. the way he would do literally anything for tala. I was GONE. absolutely finished. there was no saving me.
and the ending???? I AM DEAD.
I stared at my screen like 🧍♀️ because I cannot believe I potentially have to wait 1-2+ YEARS to find out what happens next. that should be illegal actually. I need the next book immediately because I am not emotionally equipped to sit here and think about that ending for the next several years.
and now that Tala and Selim are enemies??? oh I already know I am going to be SICK over the next book. the angst. the betrayal. the tension. the yearning. the absolute emotional devastation that is inevitably coming. I just KNOW it's going to be beautiful and painful and I am already preparing to have my heart ripped out all over again. (I don't think this is a spoiler since Tala and Selim being soulmates to enemies is part of how the book is marketed)
I don't know what exactly this book did to me, but I am changed. permanently altered. emotionally compromised. this book has officially joined the list of books that make me wish I could erase my memory just so I could experience them for the first time again. please don't call for the next 5 business days...
10/10. 5 stars. 500 stars. whatever number is required to properly communicate how insane I am about this book.
thank you to Orbit & Sara Hashem for giving me the opportunity for an ARC! all opinions are my own 🫶🏽
-
brb im gonna go and beg for an arc! 🏃🏃
Want to Read
September 2, 2026 ⌗ ── 🍋🟩🐈⬛ᝰ .ᐟ pre-read.
I JUST WOKE UP TO SEE THAT I GOT THE ARC. OMFG, I GOT THE ARC, KDFHDKJFHDF YAAAAAAAAS
thanks to netgalley, the beautiful sara hashem and orbit books for an arc in exchange of an honest review
I JUST WOKE UP TO SEE THAT I GOT THE ARC. OMFG, I GOT THE ARC, KDFHDKJFHDF YAAAAAAAAS
thanks to netgalley, the beautiful sara hashem and orbit books for an arc in exchange of an honest review
Want to Read
March 16, 2026already know tala and selim are about to be my newest obsession
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sara Hashem has become one of my favorite authors after The Scorched Throne duology and Where No Shadow Stays. It goes without saying that when I heard she's going to be writing an adult dark fantasy duology, I was more than excited, because more than anything, I love the characters that Sara writes so much. I love how she writes plot and world-building in a way that gets me intrigued to know more. Naturally, I went into this book with insanely high expectations, already so sure that this would not be a letdown.
Starting from what I like about the book, I actually do think that Sara Hashem's world-building and creativity in this book are improved compared to her previous duology. The writing, the atmosphere, the way she describes the scenery as if she's taking us along the journey with our main character, it's a sight to behold. Aside from that, the lore and history that she creates to be the background of the setting and the main foundation of the conflicts in the book is so fascinating, because we didn't know exactly what happened since different regions have a different version of history. The concept of the Sunstrikers having powers, 4 brothers who ruled with Selim as the head, and the animosity between two deities truly was quite well done. Unfortunately, those are as far as I can go with what I find enjoyable about this book.
Let's start with what I find lacking, dare I say, dislike, about this book. First of all, this is the first time I've read a book by her that I actively dislike the main cast. I was already used to Sylvia and Arin, who are vastly different from Tala and Selim. And honestly, I wouldn't mind it at all, but their characters in this book are honestly aggravating. Tala's story overall genuinely had no business being that way unless it's to be a villain character arc. She went through the grinder all her life, with the people in her village having such animosity that they kept killing her multiple times to no end (because she's deathless), yet she STILL couldn't grow a spine to at least get away from them. She somehow still wanted to be acknowledged by them, as if she has anything to prove to the people who fundamentally wanted her gone. It's aggravating to see her act like that for decades and not even try to defend herself, and the fact that the main driving point of the book is for her to find a cure for her village and help them all makes me so annoyed. Not to mention she was also responsible for the lives of her 4 scorpions too, which pisses me off, especially with the way she dismissed their logical and reasonable advice because she thinks she knows better when, in fact, anything she thinks of blows up in her face. Imagine my surprise when it was revealed that Tala is 26 years old, when, in fact, she acts like she's at most 18 years old during their most annoying phase. The way she bows down to everyone who seeks to harm her, yet somehow talks back to Selim without reservations despite knowing the possible outcome, is downright moronic, and she's lucky he didn't feel particularly homicidal at that moment.
Which brings me back to my next point: the romance aspect of this book. From how much I loved Sylvia and Arin, I was also expecting to fall head over heels with Tala and Selim, but that is not at all the case. In fact, I find the romance to be the weakest aspect of this. There is this immortal guy who ruled over everyone else, someone who has all the magic in the world, who is closed off, cold, and known to be impartial to everyone and to uphold justice above everything else. And somehow, by some magic, he's so intrigued by this random girl who stumbles into his life because she caused an upheaval because she's an idiot, and he lets her stay in the palace despite everyone else around him telling him it's a bad omen for him to do that. I've seen so many romances in romantasies where it's a bumbling fool, bright-eyed, lacking common sense woman being paired with a sensible, cold, and closed-off immortal man, and I was disheartened when I found out in the middle of reading this that the book has that overused romance cliché too. We find out later on that there's this concept of soulmates in this world for the 4 Sunstriker Siblings, and that when they find their other half, they're going to merge and the partner gets their share of immortality and power. They weren't even close yet when he felt that pull to her and felt like he was falling for her, and the only times they truly spent together were when they ate dinner, and Selim watched her eat because he was bored out of his mind, and there's genuinely no bonding being done there. Their dynamic was akin to a human adopting a stray cat and being fond of and amused by it while watching the cat eat and settle at its new home.
Once we get to the point where they finally accepted that they're both bonded, they start waxing corny poetry about each other, which I call corny because it's something that no human being would say out loud to each other, and then they start acting like absolute dicks. Selim also underwent a brutal character assassination after being bonded with Tala, which is a damn shame since I'm fond of him at the start of the book until around halfway through the book.
I do have to say that while everyone else finds the end of the book shocking, I was already expecting the absolute worst given how frustrated I was reading this book. It makes absolutely no sense to the character arc of Tala as a whole, because it felt like a sudden change of heart that serves as a way to service the plot instead of something that makes sense to her character, which is already an overestimation on my part since Tala's character is pointless and stupid. Even so, I am tentatively curious about the direction the author will take the next book towards.
Starting from what I like about the book, I actually do think that Sara Hashem's world-building and creativity in this book are improved compared to her previous duology. The writing, the atmosphere, the way she describes the scenery as if she's taking us along the journey with our main character, it's a sight to behold. Aside from that, the lore and history that she creates to be the background of the setting and the main foundation of the conflicts in the book is so fascinating, because we didn't know exactly what happened since different regions have a different version of history. The concept of the Sunstrikers having powers, 4 brothers who ruled with Selim as the head, and the animosity between two deities truly was quite well done. Unfortunately, those are as far as I can go with what I find enjoyable about this book.
Let's start with what I find lacking, dare I say, dislike, about this book. First of all, this is the first time I've read a book by her that I actively dislike the main cast. I was already used to Sylvia and Arin, who are vastly different from Tala and Selim. And honestly, I wouldn't mind it at all, but their characters in this book are honestly aggravating. Tala's story overall genuinely had no business being that way unless it's to be a villain character arc. She went through the grinder all her life, with the people in her village having such animosity that they kept killing her multiple times to no end (because she's deathless), yet she STILL couldn't grow a spine to at least get away from them. She somehow still wanted to be acknowledged by them, as if she has anything to prove to the people who fundamentally wanted her gone. It's aggravating to see her act like that for decades and not even try to defend herself, and the fact that the main driving point of the book is for her to find a cure for her village and help them all makes me so annoyed. Not to mention she was also responsible for the lives of her 4 scorpions too, which pisses me off, especially with the way she dismissed their logical and reasonable advice because she thinks she knows better when, in fact, anything she thinks of blows up in her face. Imagine my surprise when it was revealed that Tala is 26 years old, when, in fact, she acts like she's at most 18 years old during their most annoying phase. The way she bows down to everyone who seeks to harm her, yet somehow talks back to Selim without reservations despite knowing the possible outcome, is downright moronic, and she's lucky he didn't feel particularly homicidal at that moment.
Which brings me back to my next point: the romance aspect of this book. From how much I loved Sylvia and Arin, I was also expecting to fall head over heels with Tala and Selim, but that is not at all the case. In fact, I find the romance to be the weakest aspect of this. There is this immortal guy who ruled over everyone else, someone who has all the magic in the world, who is closed off, cold, and known to be impartial to everyone and to uphold justice above everything else. And somehow, by some magic, he's so intrigued by this random girl who stumbles into his life because she caused an upheaval because she's an idiot, and he lets her stay in the palace despite everyone else around him telling him it's a bad omen for him to do that. I've seen so many romances in romantasies where it's a bumbling fool, bright-eyed, lacking common sense woman being paired with a sensible, cold, and closed-off immortal man, and I was disheartened when I found out in the middle of reading this that the book has that overused romance cliché too. We find out later on that there's this concept of soulmates in this world for the 4 Sunstriker Siblings, and that when they find their other half, they're going to merge and the partner gets their share of immortality and power. They weren't even close yet when he felt that pull to her and felt like he was falling for her, and the only times they truly spent together were when they ate dinner, and Selim watched her eat because he was bored out of his mind, and there's genuinely no bonding being done there. Their dynamic was akin to a human adopting a stray cat and being fond of and amused by it while watching the cat eat and settle at its new home.
Once we get to the point where they finally accepted that they're both bonded, they start waxing corny poetry about each other, which I call corny because it's something that no human being would say out loud to each other, and then they start acting like absolute dicks. Selim also underwent a brutal character assassination after being bonded with Tala, which is a damn shame since I'm fond of him at the start of the book until around halfway through the book.
I do have to say that while everyone else finds the end of the book shocking, I was already expecting the absolute worst given how frustrated I was reading this book. It makes absolutely no sense to the character arc of Tala as a whole, because it felt like a sudden change of heart that serves as a way to service the plot instead of something that makes sense to her character, which is already an overestimation on my part since Tala's character is pointless and stupid. Even so, I am tentatively curious about the direction the author will take the next book towards.
Want to Read
May 10, 2026SEATED, SEATED, I AM SO SEATED!!!
need-this-like-i-need-air
June 26, 2026omfg stop i need this book like yesterday. 😭😭😭😭😭
sara, put me out of my misery and place this book in my hands asap💔💔💔😭
anyway
i just know that this book is going to eatttt as always. sara NEVER disappoints omfg.
the best written yearning trope is me when sara announces a new book and i have to wait for ages for it come out and barely survive with mere snippets she posts🧍♀️
no fr im on my knees😩😩😩
sara, put me out of my misery and place this book in my hands asap💔💔💔😭
anyway
i just know that this book is going to eatttt as always. sara NEVER disappoints omfg.
the best written yearning trope is me when sara announces a new book and i have to wait for ages for it come out and barely survive with mere snippets she posts🧍♀️
no fr im on my knees😩😩😩
September 6, 2026
While I usually love fantasy with concept like this I had really hard time getting into this story especially with writing of characters. But I think others will enjoy this.
April 7, 2026
update: 100th book of 2026, and SHE CANT KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS
there aren’t enough words in the english language to explain how obnoxious i’m going to be when this book finally comes out. prepare to be sick of me everyone sara hashem is back to save fantasy
there aren’t enough words in the english language to explain how obnoxious i’m going to be when this book finally comes out. prepare to be sick of me everyone sara hashem is back to save fantasy
September 19, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Pheeeewwww I really enjoyed this. I’ve never read anything by this author but you better believe I’m reading her other works next. The magic system and world in this is really neat, pseudo-dystopian with the main city being beautiful and developed but with groups of people living in impoverished groups out in the desert. There are lots of cool creatures and mythology within this book that I cannot wait to see be expanded upon. Normally I am easily able to predict twists but I will say the ending did shock me in a few ways and I have maaaany theories how this story will end. The only reason this isn’t 5 stars is because the FMC really bothered me at times and a few of my burning questions weren’t answered.
While I haven’t read anything by this author, I have heard tension/slow burn is kind of her thing and I will say that is absolutely prevalent in this book. Honestly? I don’t know how or if a love story will even pan out in book 2 but I will be reading it to find out (sad that I will be waiting quite a while lol)
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Pheeeewwww I really enjoyed this. I’ve never read anything by this author but you better believe I’m reading her other works next. The magic system and world in this is really neat, pseudo-dystopian with the main city being beautiful and developed but with groups of people living in impoverished groups out in the desert. There are lots of cool creatures and mythology within this book that I cannot wait to see be expanded upon. Normally I am easily able to predict twists but I will say the ending did shock me in a few ways and I have maaaany theories how this story will end. The only reason this isn’t 5 stars is because the FMC really bothered me at times and a few of my burning questions weren’t answered.
While I haven’t read anything by this author, I have heard tension/slow burn is kind of her thing and I will say that is absolutely prevalent in this book. Honestly? I don’t know how or if a love story will even pan out in book 2 but I will be reading it to find out (sad that I will be waiting quite a while lol)
Want to Read
August 22, 2026UPDATE: jaw dropped....i got approved for the ARC....after dusting off the cobwebs on my netgalley account in god knows how long....arin and essiya did this for me omg
-----
this being marketed as just soulmates to enemies.....i see we're writing tropes we've never written before...the carnage doesn't sound like it'll be very merciful.
mind you i'm still on the bridge with arin and i'm about to jump off actually!
(need to be put on watch when this comes out feb 2027, someone check in on me)
-----
this being marketed as just soulmates to enemies.....i see we're writing tropes we've never written before...the carnage doesn't sound like it'll be very merciful.
mind you i'm still on the bridge with arin and i'm about to jump off actually!
(need to be put on watch when this comes out feb 2027, someone check in on me)
Want to Read
April 16, 2026A new Hashem series! Well sign me up because obviously I’m glutton for punishment seeing as I've read all her books so far and here I am begging for more… T_T Masochist is me and all that.
*Now if you’ll excuse me I’m off to go cry some more after the ending of Where No Shadows Stays*
*Now if you’ll excuse me I’m off to go cry some more after the ending of Where No Shadows Stays*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest review
Merciful carnage⚖️🕯
4.25 stars☀️
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──If Sara hashem's books are anything I would say they’re refreshing to read. After reading fantasy/romantasy books that are all the same tropes and plots but in different fonts, it's refreshing to see someone challenge themselves and actually create a different and unique story.
ᨒ 𓆈 𖤓 𓆣 𖤓 𓆙 ᨒ
જ⁀➴‧₊˚✧ Plot𓍝 I would say that to my standard this book was kind of slow, specially the first half, But I do see why it was slow. We took our time to learn about the characters and their lore, the world building was described perfectly even though it was complicated. The story had huge depths and we learned it all. It built up to a very good conclusion in the end that leaves you satisfied and waiting for the sequel. I really need to know what happens next, these characters were all amazingly written in great detail and I neeeeed to continue their story. And since I can’t say much I will just say that the ending had my jaw on the floor and I couldn't pick it up. Should've expected it cause it's Sara but she still surprised me to my core.
· · ─ ·☽𖤓☾· ─ · ·
જ⁀➴Characters: ･⊹₊ㆍ✿ㆍ yes.yes.yes. Like I said, refreshing. Our fmc was a new kind of character that I rarely see introduced in fantasy. We just love to see female leads with both their weak and strong sides. We love to see female leads that have humane qualities that are relatable. We most definitely love to see character developments that are written perfectly. Tala wasn't written to entertain the reader by always doing the right thing and being perfect in every situation (which I find boring most of the time). She was a girl with trauma, a backstory, and she was trying her best and I loved seeing it, I loved seeing her learn what's best for her.
➛Selim, I sometimes wonder if Sara hashem sat down and thought "what could I add to the story that would make the mmc yearn to extreme levels that no one would expect??" I'm about 99.99% sure that that was her thought process cause damn. I loved seeing the changes in his character that came with Tala's appearance in his life.
➛I loved the scorpions!! Such a good addition to the story, I definitely built a bond with them. They were perfect side characters that really stood in the story and made it even more enjoyable.
𓂃 ོ⋆☀︎𓂃ᨒོ
જ⁀➴┆❥ Romance I feel like I got introduced to a new type of trope that is out of my box, I usually don't go for this type of romances but are you KIDDING??? I was taken aback. The romance in this was so unique to me and SO GOOD. I was lately struggling with finding a romance that could actually make me giggle and kick my feet and I FOUND ONE. By saying romance don't get fooled. This was a subplot romance that is a slowburn full of yearning, which is exactly what I normally prefer and like. The yearning came from both sides, but selim was particularly a very determined and a perfect yearner. The small gestures, the intense but gentle want. I was having a time reading this and seeing their interactions and the tension between them. I can’t believe the ending, and I can't believe that I don't even know when I will be able to read the sequel. Sara hashem you owe me the earliest copy of it the moment you finish writing it. I mean I'll even help with the editing girl just include me.
‧₊˚ ⛲️ ‧₊𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖🎐
╰┈>Overall‧₊˚✧ I loved everything about this, I loved being In that world and seeing the little egyptian words and foods included in the middle! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to read a good fantasy with a unique story but at the same time it reminded me of the feelings I used to get when I first started reading fantasy at a younger age. The excitement, the rush, the butterflies, and definitely the shocks!
Merciful carnage⚖️🕯
4.25 stars☀️
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──If Sara hashem's books are anything I would say they’re refreshing to read. After reading fantasy/romantasy books that are all the same tropes and plots but in different fonts, it's refreshing to see someone challenge themselves and actually create a different and unique story.
ᨒ 𓆈 𖤓 𓆣 𖤓 𓆙 ᨒ
જ⁀➴‧₊˚✧ Plot𓍝 I would say that to my standard this book was kind of slow, specially the first half, But I do see why it was slow. We took our time to learn about the characters and their lore, the world building was described perfectly even though it was complicated. The story had huge depths and we learned it all. It built up to a very good conclusion in the end that leaves you satisfied and waiting for the sequel. I really need to know what happens next, these characters were all amazingly written in great detail and I neeeeed to continue their story. And since I can’t say much I will just say that the ending had my jaw on the floor and I couldn't pick it up. Should've expected it cause it's Sara but she still surprised me to my core.
· · ─ ·☽𖤓☾· ─ · ·
જ⁀➴Characters: ･⊹₊ㆍ✿ㆍ yes.yes.yes. Like I said, refreshing. Our fmc was a new kind of character that I rarely see introduced in fantasy. We just love to see female leads with both their weak and strong sides. We love to see female leads that have humane qualities that are relatable. We most definitely love to see character developments that are written perfectly. Tala wasn't written to entertain the reader by always doing the right thing and being perfect in every situation (which I find boring most of the time). She was a girl with trauma, a backstory, and she was trying her best and I loved seeing it, I loved seeing her learn what's best for her.
➛Selim, I sometimes wonder if Sara hashem sat down and thought "what could I add to the story that would make the mmc yearn to extreme levels that no one would expect??" I'm about 99.99% sure that that was her thought process cause damn. I loved seeing the changes in his character that came with Tala's appearance in his life.
➛I loved the scorpions!! Such a good addition to the story, I definitely built a bond with them. They were perfect side characters that really stood in the story and made it even more enjoyable.
𓂃 ོ⋆☀︎𓂃ᨒོ
જ⁀➴┆❥ Romance I feel like I got introduced to a new type of trope that is out of my box, I usually don't go for this type of romances but are you KIDDING??? I was taken aback. The romance in this was so unique to me and SO GOOD. I was lately struggling with finding a romance that could actually make me giggle and kick my feet and I FOUND ONE. By saying romance don't get fooled. This was a subplot romance that is a slowburn full of yearning, which is exactly what I normally prefer and like. The yearning came from both sides, but selim was particularly a very determined and a perfect yearner. The small gestures, the intense but gentle want. I was having a time reading this and seeing their interactions and the tension between them. I can’t believe the ending, and I can't believe that I don't even know when I will be able to read the sequel. Sara hashem you owe me the earliest copy of it the moment you finish writing it. I mean I'll even help with the editing girl just include me.
‧₊˚ ⛲️ ‧₊𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖🎐
╰┈>Overall‧₊˚✧ I loved everything about this, I loved being In that world and seeing the little egyptian words and foods included in the middle! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to read a good fantasy with a unique story but at the same time it reminded me of the feelings I used to get when I first started reading fantasy at a younger age. The excitement, the rush, the butterflies, and definitely the shocks!
September 9, 2026
Review of Advanced Copy Received from Publisher
Thank you so much to Orbit, NetGalley, and Sara for allowing me the privilege of reading this book early!
Are you actually kidding me right now. I should have known. I shouldn’t have trusted Sara!!!! What else was I expecting, really? For a book with merciful in the title, this book was not merciful to me in the slightest. Once again Sara writes a masterpiece that rips out my heart and shatters it into a million pieces. Ok, enough of me gushing about how this book destroyed me (we all know those are my favorite types of books anyway).
I LOVED ITTT!!! Sara’s writing as per usual is super lovely, easy to read and very quotable. It was definitely a bit of a slower build, but that was a positive thing, especially since I just know book 2 is gonna be non stop action. I loved getting to know the characters and the world, and once again Sara is a master at world building. I really felt like I was there, I loved learning about the history, the creatures, the politics, and the palace. I mean cmon, who doesn’t love a sentient building!
And all the characters are so amazing: Tala. My girl. I feel your sense of wanting to belong on a spiritual level. The way she gives up piece after piece of herself, her blood, sweat and tears (literally) just hurts. She just wanted to be useful. She deserves every happiness and I’m SO excited for her in book two. I just know the female rage is gonna EAT. Plus I loved her scorpion sidekicks, they were so funny and I loved how they all constantly gave her advice and she ignores it anyway 😂 I loved all their distinct personalities. Such a wonderful addition to the story. Selim…. Oh man yes. He hasn’t felt emotions in 100 years and then a certain someone makes him feel them again… SWOON… I’m still waiting to see more of that elusive rage that was mentioned. I also really liked his political position, I feel like it was very unique for a fantasy book. I liked the concept of High Judge instead of just a king. He’s so gentle with Tala and I adored their romance. The burn was SLOWWW but worth it. I also liked the pelamore siblings (as much as I possibly could). They were very funny.
That ending. I don’t want to talk about it. I kept seeing the percentage read get closer to 100 and nothing was getting fixed, in fact, it was getting WORSE. The plot twists killed me and I am now broken. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE NOW?! Overall, such a masterpiece as usual, Sara. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Spice: 1/5 (some references and situations. No open door scenes)
Language: moderate (infrequent)
Thank you so much to Orbit, NetGalley, and Sara for allowing me the privilege of reading this book early!
Are you actually kidding me right now. I should have known. I shouldn’t have trusted Sara!!!! What else was I expecting, really? For a book with merciful in the title, this book was not merciful to me in the slightest. Once again Sara writes a masterpiece that rips out my heart and shatters it into a million pieces. Ok, enough of me gushing about how this book destroyed me (we all know those are my favorite types of books anyway).
I LOVED ITTT!!! Sara’s writing as per usual is super lovely, easy to read and very quotable. It was definitely a bit of a slower build, but that was a positive thing, especially since I just know book 2 is gonna be non stop action. I loved getting to know the characters and the world, and once again Sara is a master at world building. I really felt like I was there, I loved learning about the history, the creatures, the politics, and the palace. I mean cmon, who doesn’t love a sentient building!
And all the characters are so amazing: Tala. My girl. I feel your sense of wanting to belong on a spiritual level. The way she gives up piece after piece of herself, her blood, sweat and tears (literally) just hurts. She just wanted to be useful. She deserves every happiness and I’m SO excited for her in book two. I just know the female rage is gonna EAT. Plus I loved her scorpion sidekicks, they were so funny and I loved how they all constantly gave her advice and she ignores it anyway 😂 I loved all their distinct personalities. Such a wonderful addition to the story. Selim…. Oh man yes. He hasn’t felt emotions in 100 years and then a certain someone makes him feel them again… SWOON… I’m still waiting to see more of that elusive rage that was mentioned. I also really liked his political position, I feel like it was very unique for a fantasy book. I liked the concept of High Judge instead of just a king. He’s so gentle with Tala and I adored their romance. The burn was SLOWWW but worth it. I also liked the pelamore siblings (as much as I possibly could). They were very funny.
That ending. I don’t want to talk about it. I kept seeing the percentage read get closer to 100 and nothing was getting fixed, in fact, it was getting WORSE. The plot twists killed me and I am now broken. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE NOW?! Overall, such a masterpiece as usual, Sara. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Spice: 1/5 (some references and situations. No open door scenes)
Language: moderate (infrequent)
Currently Reading
August 12, 2026Even considering the fact that I still haven't recovered from my Scorched Throne duology read this Spring, I am SO ready to be hurt by Sara again..
*✧: ･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧: ･ﾟ:✧*
I actually squealed seeing this arc in my email today. Orbit, ily big!!!!!!
*✧: ･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧: ･ﾟ:✧*
I actually squealed seeing this arc in my email today. Orbit, ily big!!!!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I obviously knew I was gonna love this, but man Sara Hashem never fails to surprise me.
There are so many banger quotes I wish I could share but we're still a few months away from release. What I can say is that in proper Sara fashion, of course Selim's a major yearner. You're introduced to Tala, who's been outcasted by her whole village after they found out she can't die. She was hung at the age of nine, but when she came back to life, nothing was ever the same. They set her up for failure, never listen to her ideas, and send her off to find the cure ailing the village. But when trouble arrives and one of the immortal siblings checks the damage, he takes and interest in Tala.
I absolutely love it when an fmc can make the most stoic, cold, mmc break. Show emotion, (oh god) and rattle whatever resolve he was convinced he had. There are so many moments where Tala does or says something and Selim has to hold himself back. He's so stupidly in love. *cue legendary lovers
Sara Hashem please come to the front to discuss that ending. WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!! HELLO??! I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure these babies are safe. (please don't kill them)
There are so many banger quotes I wish I could share but we're still a few months away from release. What I can say is that in proper Sara fashion, of course Selim's a major yearner. You're introduced to Tala, who's been outcasted by her whole village after they found out she can't die. She was hung at the age of nine, but when she came back to life, nothing was ever the same. They set her up for failure, never listen to her ideas, and send her off to find the cure ailing the village. But when trouble arrives and one of the immortal siblings checks the damage, he takes and interest in Tala.
I absolutely love it when an fmc can make the most stoic, cold, mmc break. Show emotion, (oh god) and rattle whatever resolve he was convinced he had. There are so many moments where Tala does or says something and Selim has to hold himself back. He's so stupidly in love. *cue legendary lovers
Sara Hashem please come to the front to discuss that ending. WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!! HELLO??! I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure these babies are safe. (please don't kill them)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I would like to start off by saying I am not hating nor invoking hate towards the author.
This book was an anticipated read for myself, and I applied for an arc on a hope that I would receive it and I truly wish I hadn’t. This book overall is not even a one star book. The flaws and cheap writing was so glaring that nothing good could possibly be found.
First and foremost, let’s talk the setting. Tilatus. The overall land that contains Axsanda, the Wadis and other territories. The lack of description on the layout of the lands, or setting was so heartbreaking. We find out the Wadis are oasis villages, and the fact that I cannot tell you what they could look like or how the villages are laid out. Then we move to Axsanda. Was it a palace? A town? A large village? I couldn’t tell you. There was no description on what it could even be. The lack of world building compared to The Jasad Heir was so jarring. Also we have a healer school. And before you ask, no she did not explain it and it was only relevant for maybe four chapters at most? Or less. But the setting was not the worst part.
The Writing style. The writing style was promoted as an ADULT Dark Fantasy. Keyword. Adult. But Sara’s writing read as a YA book, and at times as an unedited fan fiction. Her rhythmic and smooth writing style from her previous duology was clearly missing. And at times I had to question myself on if I had gotten the correct arc. Her dialogue between characters was juvenile and flat. A few examples was near the end when we met this ancient being and they were saying phrases so childish and ridiculous I had to remind myself that this was real life and not me having a stroke.
The characters. I couldn’t find one character that was consistent with their archetype. Every character had a personality switch OR they were so cartoonish that I needed to shut the book.
Our Main Character Tala. She was the most inconsistent of them all. She was supposed to be a people pleaser, meek woman. And the amount of times she would start off meek and quiet and then switching to conniving and a leader, was like whiplash. She was not likable and I could not sympathize with her at all. If anything I was rooting for her downfall.
Our Male love interest Selim. We were told he was a being that had no feelings and was strict with his judgment. What he was truly, an annoying man who love bombed Tala at the most ridiculous moments and made no sense.
Together Tala and Selim had no chemistry with each other and it was like nails in the eyeballs when they were getting romantic and soft with one another. Their romance was cheap and as a reader there was no tension and they were not sold as soulmates. Selim’s feelings for Tala made zero sense and when he smirked at the scorpions, I was cringing. I am not rooting for them.
Diana. Diana was written I assume to be a female antagonist. What she truly was, was a victim of the male gaze. The amount of sexualization versus Tala’s infantilization was again, whiplash. I could have sworn that a man wrote her. She was written to be a plot point for Tala’s and Selim’s relationship but instead she became someone I honestly felt bad for. Her character archetype was atrocious.
The Scorpions. What were their purpose. What are the mechanics of them? Why could they shift? What are they? Where did they come from? Why can no one hear them or see them? Why do they have human forms and how did they find out they could shift? Well you won’t find out in the book I can tell you that now.
The Sunstriker siblings. Was their only purpose really to betray Selim? Really? Wow not predictable at all………………
The Wadis villagers. See notes for Sunstriker siblings and switch Selim for Tala.
Avina. The ancient being. She was trying to be a comic relief and for what? Purposely calling the Sunstrikers “Sun shitters.” Inappropriate. Also why did she pull a Dumbledore after Harry dies in the seventh movie? What was her purpose in doing so. Her and Tala being mother and daughter makes sense now because they are both infuriating.
Now the plot. Basically Tala is the reason this plague exists. She cried and created a plague. The only way to save everyone? Her blood. You learn this at the end. Wow plot twist. Also her being the strongest thing alive…wow so totally new…ugh. The plot holes are glaring, the characters are infuriating, the setting is nonexistent. And don’t get me started one the SA scene, it had no business being in this book and it served NO PURPOSE. It was only written to further the crumbs of a plot and was not handled correctly and it was disgusting. There were other ways to make things happen and instead Sara decided to throw this in with a glaring LACK of care.
Overall this book needs to be sent back for revisions. This is not a good book, it’s not even an okay book. The fire from her previous duology was missing and we are left with nothing. I cannot in good faith recommend anyone to read this. And again, I am not trying to be vicious or mean, but unfortunately this book just upsets me. And once I post my review I will be deleting the arc and scrubbing it from my mind.
This book was an anticipated read for myself, and I applied for an arc on a hope that I would receive it and I truly wish I hadn’t. This book overall is not even a one star book. The flaws and cheap writing was so glaring that nothing good could possibly be found.
First and foremost, let’s talk the setting. Tilatus. The overall land that contains Axsanda, the Wadis and other territories. The lack of description on the layout of the lands, or setting was so heartbreaking. We find out the Wadis are oasis villages, and the fact that I cannot tell you what they could look like or how the villages are laid out. Then we move to Axsanda. Was it a palace? A town? A large village? I couldn’t tell you. There was no description on what it could even be. The lack of world building compared to The Jasad Heir was so jarring. Also we have a healer school. And before you ask, no she did not explain it and it was only relevant for maybe four chapters at most? Or less. But the setting was not the worst part.
The Writing style. The writing style was promoted as an ADULT Dark Fantasy. Keyword. Adult. But Sara’s writing read as a YA book, and at times as an unedited fan fiction. Her rhythmic and smooth writing style from her previous duology was clearly missing. And at times I had to question myself on if I had gotten the correct arc. Her dialogue between characters was juvenile and flat. A few examples was near the end when we met this ancient being and they were saying phrases so childish and ridiculous I had to remind myself that this was real life and not me having a stroke.
The characters. I couldn’t find one character that was consistent with their archetype. Every character had a personality switch OR they were so cartoonish that I needed to shut the book.
Our Main Character Tala. She was the most inconsistent of them all. She was supposed to be a people pleaser, meek woman. And the amount of times she would start off meek and quiet and then switching to conniving and a leader, was like whiplash. She was not likable and I could not sympathize with her at all. If anything I was rooting for her downfall.
Our Male love interest Selim. We were told he was a being that had no feelings and was strict with his judgment. What he was truly, an annoying man who love bombed Tala at the most ridiculous moments and made no sense.
Together Tala and Selim had no chemistry with each other and it was like nails in the eyeballs when they were getting romantic and soft with one another. Their romance was cheap and as a reader there was no tension and they were not sold as soulmates. Selim’s feelings for Tala made zero sense and when he smirked at the scorpions, I was cringing. I am not rooting for them.
Diana. Diana was written I assume to be a female antagonist. What she truly was, was a victim of the male gaze. The amount of sexualization versus Tala’s infantilization was again, whiplash. I could have sworn that a man wrote her. She was written to be a plot point for Tala’s and Selim’s relationship but instead she became someone I honestly felt bad for. Her character archetype was atrocious.
The Scorpions. What were their purpose. What are the mechanics of them? Why could they shift? What are they? Where did they come from? Why can no one hear them or see them? Why do they have human forms and how did they find out they could shift? Well you won’t find out in the book I can tell you that now.
The Sunstriker siblings. Was their only purpose really to betray Selim? Really? Wow not predictable at all………………
The Wadis villagers. See notes for Sunstriker siblings and switch Selim for Tala.
Avina. The ancient being. She was trying to be a comic relief and for what? Purposely calling the Sunstrikers “Sun shitters.” Inappropriate. Also why did she pull a Dumbledore after Harry dies in the seventh movie? What was her purpose in doing so. Her and Tala being mother and daughter makes sense now because they are both infuriating.
Now the plot. Basically Tala is the reason this plague exists. She cried and created a plague. The only way to save everyone? Her blood. You learn this at the end. Wow plot twist. Also her being the strongest thing alive…wow so totally new…ugh. The plot holes are glaring, the characters are infuriating, the setting is nonexistent. And don’t get me started one the SA scene, it had no business being in this book and it served NO PURPOSE. It was only written to further the crumbs of a plot and was not handled correctly and it was disgusting. There were other ways to make things happen and instead Sara decided to throw this in with a glaring LACK of care.
Overall this book needs to be sent back for revisions. This is not a good book, it’s not even an okay book. The fire from her previous duology was missing and we are left with nothing. I cannot in good faith recommend anyone to read this. And again, I am not trying to be vicious or mean, but unfortunately this book just upsets me. And once I post my review I will be deleting the arc and scrubbing it from my mind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to Read
September 9, 2026GUESS WHO GOT THE ARC.
ME. I GOT THE ARC.
THE MERCIFUL CARNAGE ARC.
MY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2027.
THE BOOK I WAS SO SURE I WOULDN’T GET THAT I ALMOST DIDN’T EVEN REQUEST IT.
AND THEN MY BESTIE LITERALLY FORCED ME TO REQUEST IT.
AND NOW I HAVE IT.
I HAVE IT.
THANK YOU NETGALLEY. THANK YOU ORBIT BOOKS. THANK YOU, SARA HASHEM. I OWE YOU AT LEAST FIVE GENERATIONS OF FIRSTBORNS.
AND NOW I HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM.
THIS IS A DUOLOGY.
WHICH MEANS I AM GOING TO READ THIS BOOK, GET EMOTIONALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY DESTROYED BY HASHEM, REACH THE END, AND THEN HAVE TO WAIT FOR BOOK TWO LIKE A NORMAL FUNCTIONING HUMAN BEING.
I AM NOT A NORMAL FUNCTIONING HUMAN BEING.
Bestie has therefore ordered me to WAIT UNTIL AFTER EXAMS because she knows perfectly well that the second I open this ARC, my academic career is going to be found dead in a ditch.
She is correct.
I have absolutely no self-preservation when it comes to books.
anyway, the arc is mine.
now APPARENTLY i have to be responsible and wait until after exams to read it.
deeply unfortunate. deeply unfair.
after exams though? god help everyone involved.
pre-read: i am sat. the bookstore employees are scared and asking me to leave because it's "not out yet" but i am sat.
ME. I GOT THE ARC.
THE MERCIFUL CARNAGE ARC.
MY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2027.
THE BOOK I WAS SO SURE I WOULDN’T GET THAT I ALMOST DIDN’T EVEN REQUEST IT.
AND THEN MY BESTIE LITERALLY FORCED ME TO REQUEST IT.
AND NOW I HAVE IT.
I HAVE IT.
THANK YOU NETGALLEY. THANK YOU ORBIT BOOKS. THANK YOU, SARA HASHEM. I OWE YOU AT LEAST FIVE GENERATIONS OF FIRSTBORNS.
AND NOW I HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM.
THIS IS A DUOLOGY.
WHICH MEANS I AM GOING TO READ THIS BOOK, GET EMOTIONALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY DESTROYED BY HASHEM, REACH THE END, AND THEN HAVE TO WAIT FOR BOOK TWO LIKE A NORMAL FUNCTIONING HUMAN BEING.
I AM NOT A NORMAL FUNCTIONING HUMAN BEING.
Bestie has therefore ordered me to WAIT UNTIL AFTER EXAMS because she knows perfectly well that the second I open this ARC, my academic career is going to be found dead in a ditch.
She is correct.
I have absolutely no self-preservation when it comes to books.
anyway, the arc is mine.
now APPARENTLY i have to be responsible and wait until after exams to read it.
deeply unfortunate. deeply unfair.
after exams though? god help everyone involved.
pre-read: i am sat. the bookstore employees are scared and asking me to leave because it's "not out yet" but i am sat.
September 15, 2026
What a joy to see Sara Hashem expand her talent and creativity!!!! She was literally like oh you think I can be classified as a Romantasy writer? Think again!!!!! I cannot talk about what I loved most about this book (and the end) without spoiling important plot details, but it was absolutely wonderful to discover how Sara Hashem managed to mix standard plot twists with unexpected and ingenious ones. The second half was so surprising ! And what a heartwarming bunch of scorpios, sweet angel babies. What could have felt flat, because of Selim’s initial state of emotionlessness, never was because the supporting cast is SO.MUCH.FUN. Even these vile siblings are fun.
I cannot wait for the sequel which promises to be … well an unmerciful carnage 😈
Congrats to Sara Hashem, and thank you so much to Netgalley and Orbit for the ARC!
I cannot wait for the sequel which promises to be … well an unmerciful carnage 😈
Congrats to Sara Hashem, and thank you so much to Netgalley and Orbit for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
May 22, 2026I can’t believe I have to wait another year or two to get the second book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit boooks for the e-ARC!
Full review to be posted on release date: February 2, 2027.
---------------
ꔛ pre-read ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
GUESS WHO GOT THE ARC. THANK YOU NETGALLEY AND ORBIT BOOKS AND SARA HASHEM I OWE YOU AT LEAST FIVE GENERATIONS OF FIRSTBORNS FROM MY FAMILY LINE.
---------------
pre-read: i am sat. the bookstore employees are scared and asking me to leave because it's "not out yet" but i am sat.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit boooks for the e-ARC!
Full review to be posted on release date: February 2, 2027.
---------------
ꔛ pre-read ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
GUESS WHO GOT THE ARC. THANK YOU NETGALLEY AND ORBIT BOOKS AND SARA HASHEM I OWE YOU AT LEAST FIVE GENERATIONS OF FIRSTBORNS FROM MY FAMILY LINE.
---------------
pre-read: i am sat. the bookstore employees are scared and asking me to leave because it's "not out yet" but i am sat.
September 23, 2026
I don’t even know how to review this book because I’m still trying to process that ending.
I was hooked from the very first page, actually, the very first sentence. It had me wondering exactly what kind of book I just picked up. I needed to know immediately and then I couldn’t put it down.
I will say, there is a bit of a learning curve in the beginning. The terminology and understanding how this world and culture worked had me a little lost during the first chapter. Not because I wasn’t enjoying it, I absolutely was. I just needed a minute to find my footing. Once I did, I was completely immersed.
I honestly have nothing negative to say about this book. The world, the magic system, the lore, the characters- it was all so incredibly done.
I LOVE discovering a magic system that feels new to me. A magic system can be the make or break to a perfect book and this was exactly that. I didn’t feel like I already knew the rules or had seen a slightly different version of this world somewhere else. I had to learn it and I loved that.
And Tala. You have a girl who just wants somewhere to belong. A place to call home. A family. But the world continues to turn its back on her and show her just how cruel and merciless it can really be.
And her four Scorpion companions?! OBSESSED. I loved these characters, their individual stories, and the connection between them and Tala.
And stop… how did I miss the trope going into this book was soulmates to enemies?! I didn’t know how badly I needed this trope until this book. Simultaneously scratch an itch and break my heart, yes, I am still at a loss for the right words.
Watching those walls slowly start to come down. Watching them begin to feel again, to trust, and to finally experience a sense of belonging. And just when I start thinking maybe, maybe….
NOPE. Soulmates to enemies has wrecked me. Selim… Yeah.
I’m not saying a WORD. Okay, I will say two words: PLOT.TWIST.
Completely blindsided. I am still in shock.
THE CARNAGE WAS NOT MERCIFUL.
Do not let the title play tricks on you.
I genuinely don’t know how I’m supposed to put that ending into words without spoiling something, so I’m not even going to try. I loved this book. I loved this world. I loved these characters.
Thank you to Orbit, Sara Hashem and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I was hooked from the very first page, actually, the very first sentence. It had me wondering exactly what kind of book I just picked up. I needed to know immediately and then I couldn’t put it down.
I will say, there is a bit of a learning curve in the beginning. The terminology and understanding how this world and culture worked had me a little lost during the first chapter. Not because I wasn’t enjoying it, I absolutely was. I just needed a minute to find my footing. Once I did, I was completely immersed.
I honestly have nothing negative to say about this book. The world, the magic system, the lore, the characters- it was all so incredibly done.
I LOVE discovering a magic system that feels new to me. A magic system can be the make or break to a perfect book and this was exactly that. I didn’t feel like I already knew the rules or had seen a slightly different version of this world somewhere else. I had to learn it and I loved that.
And Tala. You have a girl who just wants somewhere to belong. A place to call home. A family. But the world continues to turn its back on her and show her just how cruel and merciless it can really be.
And her four Scorpion companions?! OBSESSED. I loved these characters, their individual stories, and the connection between them and Tala.
And stop… how did I miss the trope going into this book was soulmates to enemies?! I didn’t know how badly I needed this trope until this book. Simultaneously scratch an itch and break my heart, yes, I am still at a loss for the right words.
Watching those walls slowly start to come down. Watching them begin to feel again, to trust, and to finally experience a sense of belonging. And just when I start thinking maybe, maybe….
NOPE. Soulmates to enemies has wrecked me. Selim… Yeah.
I’m not saying a WORD. Okay, I will say two words: PLOT.TWIST.
Completely blindsided. I am still in shock.
THE CARNAGE WAS NOT MERCIFUL.
Do not let the title play tricks on you.
I genuinely don’t know how I’m supposed to put that ending into words without spoiling something, so I’m not even going to try. I loved this book. I loved this world. I loved these characters.
Thank you to Orbit, Sara Hashem and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 6, 2026
It's hard to write reviews for books that you find perfect in every respect because you just want to compliment everything about them and you genuinely don't know where to begin. I stayed up multiple nights to finish Merciful Carnage. I barely put this story down during the day when I could help it. If I didn't have something else to do, I was reading.
It had everything I love in a fantasy novel (dark mythological backstories and worldbuilding, creatures and sentient palaces, betrayals and ancient prophecies, plot points that held so much foreshadowing and weight to them) and also everything I love in a romance (the interactions between Tala and Selim legit had me giggling and kicking my feet in bed at 2 am).
The cliffhanger this novel leaves you on was incredibly cruel and now I am dying for the sequel. There's not even a release date for the second book in this duology yet and it's so painful because I know it's going to be a long wait but at the same time, I'm so excited for what comes next.
* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review
It had everything I love in a fantasy novel (dark mythological backstories and worldbuilding, creatures and sentient palaces, betrayals and ancient prophecies, plot points that held so much foreshadowing and weight to them) and also everything I love in a romance (the interactions between Tala and Selim legit had me giggling and kicking my feet in bed at 2 am).
The cliffhanger this novel leaves you on was incredibly cruel and now I am dying for the sequel. There's not even a release date for the second book in this duology yet and it's so painful because I know it's going to be a long wait but at the same time, I'm so excited for what comes next.
* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review
September 21, 2026
3.5 stars ⭐️
There were things I loved about this book but also quite a bit I found to be lacking. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I think she builds a truly unique and immersive world but I found myself feeling slightly overwhelmed at times while reading this. The first half of the book had me totally invested but somewhere around the halfway mark it started to fall off, I had a hard time connecting to the characters and wanted to shake Tala and scream at her to value herself more - it was sad and frustrating seeing her continually try to prove her worth to people who not only didn’t care for her but abused her. I will say I LOVED her scorpions and thoroughly enjoyed their commentary and bond with her. The last 20 percent or so felt almost rushed and had a few plot holes but the ending definitely left me curious about what’s coming next.
Thank you NetGalley & Orbit for the ARC.
There were things I loved about this book but also quite a bit I found to be lacking. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I think she builds a truly unique and immersive world but I found myself feeling slightly overwhelmed at times while reading this. The first half of the book had me totally invested but somewhere around the halfway mark it started to fall off, I had a hard time connecting to the characters and wanted to shake Tala and scream at her to value herself more - it was sad and frustrating seeing her continually try to prove her worth to people who not only didn’t care for her but abused her. I will say I LOVED her scorpions and thoroughly enjoyed their commentary and bond with her. The last 20 percent or so felt almost rushed and had a few plot holes but the ending definitely left me curious about what’s coming next.
Thank you NetGalley & Orbit for the ARC.
September 17, 2026
this book had me gripped until the third act - that’s when it got sloppy and confusing with the narrative, character reasoning, and world-building. it would’ve felt more effective with more foreshadowing to plot twists, more reflection in certain chapters, and more fleshed out scenes to balance the pacing (and romance). regardless, i enjoyed main character, but this story would benefit from steadier pacing.
thank you to netgalley for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
thank you to netgalley for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2026
Thank you netgalley & sara hashem for blessing me with the opportunity to read this ARC!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
I was such a fan of the scorched throne duology so i had high expectations for this book to meet & it absolutely delivered! I need the next book ASAP.
This book was described as a soulmates to enemies & gods they really meant that 😩.
I connected with tala almost instantly, i loved her character more than anything. I felt so many emotions for that girl throughout this book, she had been through so much but at times i wanted to throttle her… i enjoyed watching her finally come into her power & learning to not cower before those who hurt her. I found myself rooting for her no matter what. I cannot wait to see her absolutely devour those who harmed her in the sequel because i will be supporting my girls villain arc!!!
I didn’t feel as connected to selim, i feel like he wasn’t as fleshed out as i would’ve liked but i’m hoping we get a deeper dive into his personality & story in the sequel. I obviously still loved him how could you not?? he’s mr sunshine literally but with a side of gloom. Oh & did i forget to mention he has a literal sentient palace??
Tala & Selim had such a unique bond, i will be cheering for them no matter what happens next!! Tala being deathless & Selim basically embodying life is so poetic for them.
I was struggling at first with the plot but by the end i was thoroughly invested & left with wanting more. I found the ending a bit predictable but i still ate it up! I cannot wait to see it unfold in the sequel.
Sara Hashem knows how to write a good story & knows how to absolutely rip your heart out because that ending??? THAT WAS CRUEL 💔.
I was such a fan of the scorched throne duology so i had high expectations for this book to meet & it absolutely delivered! I need the next book ASAP.
This book was described as a soulmates to enemies & gods they really meant that 😩.
I connected with tala almost instantly, i loved her character more than anything. I felt so many emotions for that girl throughout this book, she had been through so much but at times i wanted to throttle her… i enjoyed watching her finally come into her power & learning to not cower before those who hurt her. I found myself rooting for her no matter what. I cannot wait to see her absolutely devour those who harmed her in the sequel because i will be supporting my girls villain arc!!!
I didn’t feel as connected to selim, i feel like he wasn’t as fleshed out as i would’ve liked but i’m hoping we get a deeper dive into his personality & story in the sequel. I obviously still loved him how could you not?? he’s mr sunshine literally but with a side of gloom. Oh & did i forget to mention he has a literal sentient palace??
Tala & Selim had such a unique bond, i will be cheering for them no matter what happens next!! Tala being deathless & Selim basically embodying life is so poetic for them.
I was struggling at first with the plot but by the end i was thoroughly invested & left with wanting more. I found the ending a bit predictable but i still ate it up! I cannot wait to see it unfold in the sequel.
Sara Hashem knows how to write a good story & knows how to absolutely rip your heart out because that ending??? THAT WAS CRUEL 💔.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2026
ill brb guys i need a minute after this
-. Review of advance copy received from Netgalley.
This was honestly one of my most anticipated reads of 2027, so im so happy I got to read it early. I love Sara Hashem's writing overall, but in this book specifically, it really grabbed me. I freaking love all the characters. I saw myself in Tala in ways I can't even explain. I loved Selim. The Scorpions literally have my heart. I love wittiness and banter, and I wasn't disappointed.
Give me a trope where he doesn't feel emotions until he meets her, and I'll eat it up every time, guys. I loved that it wasn't just trope-like scenes being thrown in my face. There was real political intrigue and plot. I have so many more thoughts, but I can't get over the fact that I have to wait so long for the second book. Now I'm tweaking; I need to know what happens because that ending was crazy, is all I will say.
-. Review of advance copy received from Netgalley.
This was honestly one of my most anticipated reads of 2027, so im so happy I got to read it early. I love Sara Hashem's writing overall, but in this book specifically, it really grabbed me. I freaking love all the characters. I saw myself in Tala in ways I can't even explain. I loved Selim. The Scorpions literally have my heart. I love wittiness and banter, and I wasn't disappointed.
Give me a trope where he doesn't feel emotions until he meets her, and I'll eat it up every time, guys. I loved that it wasn't just trope-like scenes being thrown in my face. There was real political intrigue and plot. I have so many more thoughts, but I can't get over the fact that I have to wait so long for the second book. Now I'm tweaking; I need to know what happens because that ending was crazy, is all I will say.
September 9, 2026
AND I HAVE TO WAIT HOW LONG FOR BOOK TWO??????????
September 14, 2026
holy fuck
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It absolutely PAINS me to rate this anything lower than four stars. I devoured the Scorched Throne duology earlier this year, so when I heard the author was releasing a new duology, I ran to get my hands on an ARC. Safe to say, my expectations were through the roof, but unfortunately, this one didn't really hit for me. Despite that, I want to remind both myself and you that this is only half the story, and that my opinion can't be fully developed until I read the sequel, which may not exist for another 2+ years. So take everything I am about to say with a sizable grain of salt. Let's get into it.
The premise of this book seemed compelling on the surface. The historical lore was interesting, and Tala, our FMC, seemed to have some distinct traits, at least in the beginning. She's fiercely loyal to her village (even though they hate her for no apparent reason) and is relentless in her pursuit to find a cure for the mysterious plague wreaking havoc in the desert. Her companions, the four shape-shifting scorpions, are the closest thing to family she has, and their dynamic made up the best parts of the book.
Tala is a character I am very torn on. I understand some readers' gripes about her more docile personality, and while I shared the annoyance on certain occasions (repeatedly prioritizing her village over her scorpions' opinions, her self-sacrificial tendencies), I also sympathized with where she was coming from, courtesy of the flashbacks from her traumatic childhood and the deep seated insecurity she harbored evident in her less than favorable self-perception. It did surprise me when the author decided to age her at a whopping twenty-six years when her thoughts, actions, and dialogues were comparable to any standard YA heroine a decade her junior, but fine. It's fine. For my own sanity, I can let it slide.
Selim, on the other hand, is someone I have significantly less patience for. Our MMC is over a hundred years old, lives in a sentient palace, rules the entire world, apparently, and is physically incapable of feeling emotion. He's also, obviously, the single most attractive man in existence, and shirtless 24/7. Does this sound familiar? Yeah? It's because he's the most generic copy and paste stoic male fantasy lead of all time. His character was so boring I wished I myself could stop feeling emotion so I wouldn't be so bothered by him. The whole "I hate everyone but you" trope is so exhausted at this point that I worry what future scholars will discern about our generation from these texts, but I digress.
[Tangent: There's a line somewhere in the first half, in Selim's POV, that says something akin to "if only lust were an emotion," (I'm paraphrasing here) insinuating that Selim can feel lust, even though he can't feel emotions. I haven't been able to stop thinking about that damn line. What the hell are we talking about? Sure, lust, isn't an emotion in the same vein as joy, anger, fear, etc., but you're telling me this all-powerful inhuman being who can't feel anything, who doesn't need to eat, sleep, BLINK, OR BREATHE, can feel lust? His kind is explicitly described as existing sans standard human bodily functions! How can you justify the presence of sexual desire when your character is incapable of feeling hunger? Now that I'm thinking about it, why are Selim and his siblings humanoid at all? What is the purpose in human features and bodies if they are nonoperational? And how on Earth is the High Judge, who is supposedly eternally emotionless and impartial, capable of maintaining a secret affair with his brother's consort? THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!! Are we joking. This feels like a joke. What are we actually talking about. I needed to take a break after that.]
Now before you point out the hypocrisy of my opinions on Selim when I enjoyed reading about Arin of Nizahl, allow me to walk you to my next point. The romance. Unlike Hashem's other work, this book lacked all finesse in the relationship arc of these characters. Tala and Selim are supposedly soulmates, and as soon as Selim comes to this conclusion, a flip switches, and he goes from the cold, unfeeling, single-minded yet indisputably just High Judge (a character I could have been interested in) to... a mess, really. Out of seemingly nowhere, he's head over heels for this random desert girl and no longer has a care in the world for what is happening in, well, the world. BOTH Selim and Tala start behaving so vastly out of character and it's all chalked up to the convenient concept of the soulmate bond making them act unlike themselves until they complete the bonding ceremony. Everything about this was so ridiculous and, dare I say, kind of lazy. The romance ultimately becomes the center focal point of the novel, pushing aside almost all the plot to focus on scenes between Selim and Tala that read as insta-love at best. The development between the two of them is severely lacking any chemistry, buildup, or tension, and I found it to be wholly disappointing, especially after reading the Jasad books. Again, I want to emphasize that this was only the first book, and Hashem has advertised this as a soulmates-to-enemies, so perhaps their dynamic will become more interesting in the second book. However, for what I read, I was underwhelmed.
I want to talk more about the plot or the side characters, but honestly, both were scarcely present in the book. I will say that the ending felt like a LOT - I know it's supposed to set up for the sequel, but I think some of the twists could have been spaced out through the second half of the book instead of being squished together at the very end, especially since certain reveals were so painfully obvious from the very beginning. As mentioned before, the scorpions were a highlight for me, but other side characters really lacked. Selim's siblings, for example, were just as boring and predictable as he was (maybe it runs in the family?), and I literally have nothing to say about Diana, Mayar, or anyone else, really.
The writing style wasn't as bad as some of the more negative reviews are making it out to be, I will credit Hashem that. And, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I truly do believe this series can be redeemable for me based on what happens in the sequel. Despite my complaints, I do think there's a large audience of mostly booktok-esque fantasy/romance fans who would love this. It wasn't BAD by any means, just painfully average. I'm giving it three stars because it was far from the worst book I've read this year, but I don't think I'd necessarily recommend this to anyone I want to impress.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of this book seemed compelling on the surface. The historical lore was interesting, and Tala, our FMC, seemed to have some distinct traits, at least in the beginning. She's fiercely loyal to her village (even though they hate her for no apparent reason) and is relentless in her pursuit to find a cure for the mysterious plague wreaking havoc in the desert. Her companions, the four shape-shifting scorpions, are the closest thing to family she has, and their dynamic made up the best parts of the book.
Tala is a character I am very torn on. I understand some readers' gripes about her more docile personality, and while I shared the annoyance on certain occasions (repeatedly prioritizing her village over her scorpions' opinions, her self-sacrificial tendencies), I also sympathized with where she was coming from, courtesy of the flashbacks from her traumatic childhood and the deep seated insecurity she harbored evident in her less than favorable self-perception. It did surprise me when the author decided to age her at a whopping twenty-six years when her thoughts, actions, and dialogues were comparable to any standard YA heroine a decade her junior, but fine. It's fine. For my own sanity, I can let it slide.
Selim, on the other hand, is someone I have significantly less patience for. Our MMC is over a hundred years old, lives in a sentient palace, rules the entire world, apparently, and is physically incapable of feeling emotion. He's also, obviously, the single most attractive man in existence, and shirtless 24/7. Does this sound familiar? Yeah? It's because he's the most generic copy and paste stoic male fantasy lead of all time. His character was so boring I wished I myself could stop feeling emotion so I wouldn't be so bothered by him. The whole "I hate everyone but you" trope is so exhausted at this point that I worry what future scholars will discern about our generation from these texts, but I digress.
[Tangent: There's a line somewhere in the first half, in Selim's POV, that says something akin to "if only lust were an emotion," (I'm paraphrasing here) insinuating that Selim can feel lust, even though he can't feel emotions. I haven't been able to stop thinking about that damn line. What the hell are we talking about? Sure, lust, isn't an emotion in the same vein as joy, anger, fear, etc., but you're telling me this all-powerful inhuman being who can't feel anything, who doesn't need to eat, sleep, BLINK, OR BREATHE, can feel lust? His kind is explicitly described as existing sans standard human bodily functions! How can you justify the presence of sexual desire when your character is incapable of feeling hunger? Now that I'm thinking about it, why are Selim and his siblings humanoid at all? What is the purpose in human features and bodies if they are nonoperational? And how on Earth is the High Judge, who is supposedly eternally emotionless and impartial, capable of maintaining a secret affair with his brother's consort? THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!! Are we joking. This feels like a joke. What are we actually talking about. I needed to take a break after that.]
Now before you point out the hypocrisy of my opinions on Selim when I enjoyed reading about Arin of Nizahl, allow me to walk you to my next point. The romance. Unlike Hashem's other work, this book lacked all finesse in the relationship arc of these characters. Tala and Selim are supposedly soulmates, and as soon as Selim comes to this conclusion, a flip switches, and he goes from the cold, unfeeling, single-minded yet indisputably just High Judge (a character I could have been interested in) to... a mess, really. Out of seemingly nowhere, he's head over heels for this random desert girl and no longer has a care in the world for what is happening in, well, the world. BOTH Selim and Tala start behaving so vastly out of character and it's all chalked up to the convenient concept of the soulmate bond making them act unlike themselves until they complete the bonding ceremony. Everything about this was so ridiculous and, dare I say, kind of lazy. The romance ultimately becomes the center focal point of the novel, pushing aside almost all the plot to focus on scenes between Selim and Tala that read as insta-love at best. The development between the two of them is severely lacking any chemistry, buildup, or tension, and I found it to be wholly disappointing, especially after reading the Jasad books. Again, I want to emphasize that this was only the first book, and Hashem has advertised this as a soulmates-to-enemies, so perhaps their dynamic will become more interesting in the second book. However, for what I read, I was underwhelmed.
I want to talk more about the plot or the side characters, but honestly, both were scarcely present in the book. I will say that the ending felt like a LOT - I know it's supposed to set up for the sequel, but I think some of the twists could have been spaced out through the second half of the book instead of being squished together at the very end, especially since certain reveals were so painfully obvious from the very beginning. As mentioned before, the scorpions were a highlight for me, but other side characters really lacked. Selim's siblings, for example, were just as boring and predictable as he was (maybe it runs in the family?), and I literally have nothing to say about Diana, Mayar, or anyone else, really.
The writing style wasn't as bad as some of the more negative reviews are making it out to be, I will credit Hashem that. And, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I truly do believe this series can be redeemable for me based on what happens in the sequel. Despite my complaints, I do think there's a large audience of mostly booktok-esque fantasy/romance fans who would love this. It wasn't BAD by any means, just painfully average. I'm giving it three stars because it was far from the worst book I've read this year, but I don't think I'd necessarily recommend this to anyone I want to impress.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2026
Thank you Netgallery and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review
4.25💫
Middle eastern authors have been killing it as of late and Sara Hashem is definitely a front runner.
Also i have another level of appreciation for her since funny authors are hard to come by and you can literally see it through her writing and characters (in both merciful carnage AND the scorched throne duology) offering lighthearted actual funny scenes without the forced feeling that you are supposed to be reading a funny scene when you are actually reading it with a straight face
Starting off with the plot⚖️:
The creative world building absolutely delivered, lately i have been feeling like all fantasy books have become similar and quite forgettable with no new aesthetics but Merciful carnage definitely raised a whole new world in my mind involving new powers and monsters and the image of it all will be imprinted in my head.
The lore was definitely complex -even though i found the pace of the book really good and the beginning didn’t feel boring like you would expect most fantasy books- it took a while to unpack which was a little frustrating but it was well built and everything added up in the end.
Characters🦂:
Tala (my literal child): it’s always so refreshing to see a well written kindhearted FMC that isn’t just a plain airhead and one that is actually smart. I loved her character throughout the entire book, every heartbreak she went through i felt to the coreee. At no point did i find her annoying and the little imperfections in her character made her all the more realistic and relatable (the people yearn for mid-book character development and not just some badass know it all with no actual background to support it). Her inner monologue was also very fun to read and her relationship with the scorpions was every bit precious and entertaining.
In conclusion: her writing was perfect.
Selim: Now i WISH so badly i could share some quotes and if you have read anything by Sara Hashem before, then you know there would be plenty. So all i can really say is hang tight and be patient because this is a good one.
Now for the last part of my review i have decided to call it
My petty thoughts🕯️:
Is it better than The Jasad Heir? In my humble opinion no, and i fear nothing will ever compare. BUT if you have enjoyed the jasad heir you will probably like this too just as much since Sara’s writing style is consistent and she’s clearly committed to writing lovable characters.
As an Egyptian woman myself, i enjoy her writing a lot, especially when i find the little crumbs of Arabic words in her books.
Will i be reading the sequel the second it comes out? Absolutely.
4.25💫
Middle eastern authors have been killing it as of late and Sara Hashem is definitely a front runner.
Also i have another level of appreciation for her since funny authors are hard to come by and you can literally see it through her writing and characters (in both merciful carnage AND the scorched throne duology) offering lighthearted actual funny scenes without the forced feeling that you are supposed to be reading a funny scene when you are actually reading it with a straight face
Starting off with the plot⚖️:
The creative world building absolutely delivered, lately i have been feeling like all fantasy books have become similar and quite forgettable with no new aesthetics but Merciful carnage definitely raised a whole new world in my mind involving new powers and monsters and the image of it all will be imprinted in my head.
The lore was definitely complex -even though i found the pace of the book really good and the beginning didn’t feel boring like you would expect most fantasy books- it took a while to unpack which was a little frustrating but it was well built and everything added up in the end.
Characters🦂:
Tala (my literal child): it’s always so refreshing to see a well written kindhearted FMC that isn’t just a plain airhead and one that is actually smart. I loved her character throughout the entire book, every heartbreak she went through i felt to the coreee. At no point did i find her annoying and the little imperfections in her character made her all the more realistic and relatable (the people yearn for mid-book character development and not just some badass know it all with no actual background to support it). Her inner monologue was also very fun to read and her relationship with the scorpions was every bit precious and entertaining.
In conclusion: her writing was perfect.
Selim: Now i WISH so badly i could share some quotes and if you have read anything by Sara Hashem before, then you know there would be plenty. So all i can really say is hang tight and be patient because this is a good one.
Now for the last part of my review i have decided to call it
My petty thoughts🕯️:
Is it better than The Jasad Heir? In my humble opinion no, and i fear nothing will ever compare. BUT if you have enjoyed the jasad heir you will probably like this too just as much since Sara’s writing style is consistent and she’s clearly committed to writing lovable characters.
As an Egyptian woman myself, i enjoy her writing a lot, especially when i find the little crumbs of Arabic words in her books.
Will i be reading the sequel the second it comes out? Absolutely.
September 15, 2026
This book single-handedly cured my fear of scorpions. Okay, but in all seriousness. “Merciful Carnage” by Sara Hashem needs to be your next dark fantasy obsession. In this book we are following Tala (and her four scorpion companions), a deathless woman who is desperately trying to find a cure for the mysterious plague that has infected the three oasis villages in the desert of the realm where our story takes place. Tala so desperately wants to belong somewhere and she thinks that if she can cure this plague then the villages will finally accept her. One day she is appointed to travel across the desert to the capital city of Axsanda to bargain for refuge for the villagers before the plague completely takes over. When she gets there she finds herself bargaining with Selim, who is the High Judge, First Son of Tilatus, the ruler himself. Selim finds himself enamored with Tala and wants her to stay there and work on her cure until the villagers arrive in Axsanda. All the while Selim is battling with family dynamics, a prophecy, and of course his fascination with Tala. When it comes to reading fantasy, I am always going to look for something that is going to set itself apart. Fantasy, and Romantasy specifically can feel very copy/ paste these days and Merciful Carnage was certainly very far from that. I really can’t find a single negative thing to say about this story. From the world this is set in, to the magic system, the lore, the characters, everything was exquisite. One of my favorite parts was Talas relationship with her four Scorpion companions. I am always a huge fan of sassy animal sidekicks, but her and her scorpions all care for each other so deeply. The other character relationships that I thought was so well done was Tala and Selims relationship. The witty back and forth, but also the two of them tearing down each other’s walls and being vulnerable with each other. The final thing I’d like to touch on was the plot twist at the and. So many times I have been able to see the twist coming from a mile away, definitely NOT the case here. Which in turn makes me all the more excited for book two! Please go pick this up come February 2027!
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