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The Queen's Rise #1
The Secret Gift
Jezebel's shapeshifting gift breaks every rule in Jinn. At seventeen, she’s forced to keep it secret or risk having her ability severed, stolen from her completely. Despite the danger, a part of her is desperate to embrace her power. When Jezebel's friends discover a portal to the human world, she follows them into the strange place, unable to resist the temptation to explore her gift where no one will see. Except someone does. Someone Jezebel thought she could trust. His betrayal comes in whispers at first. But all too quickly, those whispers become demands. And he’ll stop at nothing—not even blackmail—to use Jezebel’s power for himself. One dark decision leads to another, until Jezebel stands to lose something she can’t live without—either her freedom, or her innocence. THE SECRET GIFT is the first book in THE QUEEN'S RISE series, inspired by your favorite fairy tale villains in Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast. It’s a spin-off of The Stolen Kingdom series, but can also be read on its own. Over a century before Queen Jezebel crosses paths with Arie, Rena, and Nesrin, she’s just an innocent Jinni girl… who was betrayed. If you love fairytale retellings like The Lunar Chronicles and supernatural abilities like the Graceling series, then you’ll love the Queen’s Rise series! 2nd edition, previously published September 2021. Reading order for THE QUEEN’S RISE Book 1: The Secret Gift Book 2: The Secret Shadow Book 3: The Secret Curse Reading order for THE STOLEN KINGDOM companion Book 1: The Stolen Kingdom Book 2: The Jinni Key Book 3: The Cursed Hunter Book 4: The Enchanted Crown
262 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2021
109 people are currently reading
2722 people want to read
About the author
Bethany Atazadeh
21 books1,090 followersOnce upon a time, Bethany Atazadeh escaped into writing YA fantasy—and never came back. Now she’s the award-winning author of The Stolen Kingdom Series, a wife, mom of two, and professional chocolate taster (unofficial title), who shares her writing adventures and helpful tips she’s learned about publishing on YouTube. To find out when her next book arrives, sign up at bethanyatazadeh.com.
CONNECT WITH BETHANY ON:
Website: www.bethanyatazadeh.com
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Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B077FRKJGW
CONNECT WITH BETHANY ON:
Website: www.bethanyatazadeh.com
Patreon: www.patreon.com/bethanyatazadeh
Instagram: @authorbethanyatazadeh
YouTube: www.youtube.com/bethanyatazadeh
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B077FRKJGW
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
November 25, 2022
It was difficult to enjoy this novella without having read the series, because even though it’s a standalone, it heavily depends on you knowing how the story continues in order to appreciate how exactly Jezebel, the girl protagonist here, will become the villain she is said to be later.
Without that full-picture frame, the story doesn’t strike me at all like a “villain origins story” but rather like an attempt at a coming of age story in which parents are awful, adolescents behave like adolescents, silly pranks go wrong, trust is betrayed and consequences are dire. Very typical. You could argue that’s the point, that this explains Jezebel’s later villainy, but what did she do later? How is the seed of villainy planted here? I’m not sure, it seems to go with the “they were terrible to me, so I’ll be terrible to everyone” trope in which a villain’s evil and bad behaviour is justified by other people’s evil and bad behaviour. Tit for tat, you bad, me badder, you cruel, me crueler.
That’s honestly not the type of origins story I’d consider compelling or possessing an interesting complexity. I couldn’t be made to invest in or care for Jezebel’s plight. And on top of that, because this is a novella, the worldbuilding isn't good, it's almost relegated to the background. I’d imagine it feels richer and more developed if you’ve read the series, but again, the novella doesn’t really stand on its own without the series, so it doesn’t work as an introduction to the world for someone who hasn’t read the series, either, but as a complement.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Without that full-picture frame, the story doesn’t strike me at all like a “villain origins story” but rather like an attempt at a coming of age story in which parents are awful, adolescents behave like adolescents, silly pranks go wrong, trust is betrayed and consequences are dire. Very typical. You could argue that’s the point, that this explains Jezebel’s later villainy, but what did she do later? How is the seed of villainy planted here? I’m not sure, it seems to go with the “they were terrible to me, so I’ll be terrible to everyone” trope in which a villain’s evil and bad behaviour is justified by other people’s evil and bad behaviour. Tit for tat, you bad, me badder, you cruel, me crueler.
That’s honestly not the type of origins story I’d consider compelling or possessing an interesting complexity. I couldn’t be made to invest in or care for Jezebel’s plight. And on top of that, because this is a novella, the worldbuilding isn't good, it's almost relegated to the background. I’d imagine it feels richer and more developed if you’ve read the series, but again, the novella doesn’t really stand on its own without the series, so it doesn’t work as an introduction to the world for someone who hasn’t read the series, either, but as a complement.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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December 5, 2022 Ahhh it's release day for The Secret Gift!
Jezebel's shapeshifting gift breaks every rule in Jinn.
If you love fairytale retellings like The Lunar Chronicles and supernatural abilities like the Graceling series, then you’ll love the Queen’s Rise series!
OUT NOW! Grab your copy here: https://books2read.com/thesecretgift
❤️ thank you for supporting this story, it means the world to me.
ADD TO YOUR GOODREADS TBR:
The Secret Gift
Happy reading!
❤️ Bethany
Jezebel's shapeshifting gift breaks every rule in Jinn.
If you love fairytale retellings like The Lunar Chronicles and supernatural abilities like the Graceling series, then you’ll love the Queen’s Rise series!
OUT NOW! Grab your copy here: https://books2read.com/thesecretgift
❤️ thank you for supporting this story, it means the world to me.
ADD TO YOUR GOODREADS TBR:
The Secret Gift
Happy reading!
❤️ Bethany
August 28, 2021
Wow. I’m speechless. Bethany, my emotions are all over the place. I don’t know if I want to cry or scream ❤️😂.
First of all, thank you so so much, Bethany, for gifting me a copy of your book. All the thoughts are my own and where not influenced by the publisher or author.
Ok here we go *cough cough*
Guys, from the very first chapter, I’d dare say even the first page, I was completely and utterly enthralled with the story.
Is it possible to feel empathetic but at the same time loath a character? To feel sorry for them but also want to shake them something hard? Well let me tell you, if you were skeptical about villain origin stories, I can guarantee you, Bethany will completely change your mind. I’m obsessed.
Besides the fact that Bethany’s writing has gotten incredible better and better as her series has progressed, there is such a humanity and vulnerability in her prose that touches your heart.
Her characters are so well developed and rounded, they complement each other perfectly.
I read this book in mere hours. I couldn’t put it down.
If you know me, you know that that is something rare for me.
The main character of the story,Jezebel, is such a complicated and enigmatic character, one who’s innocence and freedom is weaved alongside the darkness in her heart into this messy and chaotic tapestry that transcends mere actions. Her decisions were driven something deeper which ultimately led her to a path that even herself would have never imagined. One choice, one thought or one action can change the course of your future forever- for better or for worse, and it doesn’t matter the thousands of excuses you make in your head, the consequences will come, and how you deal with them will determine who you become, in Jezebels case, a villain of fairytales.
The world building was done beautifully. I could picture floating islands in the air, the flower meadows and the swaying trees.
I don’t know what else to say but that this story has exceeded my expectations. Bethany has reminded us that villains are also human, and they too have pasts and dreams and ambitions- some of which are tainted in black and pain…and those are the kind you will find in this story.
I really hope you give this book a try! I would 100% recommend it.
Content wise: 100% clean; just some non descriptive kisses
First of all, thank you so so much, Bethany, for gifting me a copy of your book. All the thoughts are my own and where not influenced by the publisher or author.
Ok here we go *cough cough*
Guys, from the very first chapter, I’d dare say even the first page, I was completely and utterly enthralled with the story.
Is it possible to feel empathetic but at the same time loath a character? To feel sorry for them but also want to shake them something hard? Well let me tell you, if you were skeptical about villain origin stories, I can guarantee you, Bethany will completely change your mind. I’m obsessed.
Besides the fact that Bethany’s writing has gotten incredible better and better as her series has progressed, there is such a humanity and vulnerability in her prose that touches your heart.
Her characters are so well developed and rounded, they complement each other perfectly.
I read this book in mere hours. I couldn’t put it down.
If you know me, you know that that is something rare for me.
The main character of the story,Jezebel, is such a complicated and enigmatic character, one who’s innocence and freedom is weaved alongside the darkness in her heart into this messy and chaotic tapestry that transcends mere actions. Her decisions were driven something deeper which ultimately led her to a path that even herself would have never imagined. One choice, one thought or one action can change the course of your future forever- for better or for worse, and it doesn’t matter the thousands of excuses you make in your head, the consequences will come, and how you deal with them will determine who you become, in Jezebels case, a villain of fairytales.
The world building was done beautifully. I could picture floating islands in the air, the flower meadows and the swaying trees.
I don’t know what else to say but that this story has exceeded my expectations. Bethany has reminded us that villains are also human, and they too have pasts and dreams and ambitions- some of which are tainted in black and pain…and those are the kind you will find in this story.
I really hope you give this book a try! I would 100% recommend it.
Content wise: 100% clean; just some non descriptive kisses
January 3, 2023
The Secret Gift by Bethany Atazadeh is sure to captivate readers with the interesting villain origin story.
This book can be read independently of the other books in this world/series. This is the first book I have read by the author (although it won't be the last).
Jezebel has learned that everyone who she allows to use her will pounce upon the opportunity. Her gift is valuable and something she is sure everyone in her life will want to take advantage of, even at her detriment. When her secret shapeshifting abilities come to light, how far will she go to protect herself and her secrets?
Jezebel's misbelief is written really well. It is clear why she thinks people will want to use her. I could understand her fear of trusting others and could see how in her position, it would be easy to let fear reign.
The worldbuilding was really solid in this book. The culture felt believable, while being fairly unique.
I thought Jezebel's descent into villainy was a bit too steep. I would have loved to see more time between each of her steps into darkness. I would have loved to see her react to each of her crimes and slowly become numb to the guilt.
Overall, this book was a quick, clean, easy read. I would recommend this book to lovers of fairy tale retellings!
I received a review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book can be read independently of the other books in this world/series. This is the first book I have read by the author (although it won't be the last).
Jezebel has learned that everyone who she allows to use her will pounce upon the opportunity. Her gift is valuable and something she is sure everyone in her life will want to take advantage of, even at her detriment. When her secret shapeshifting abilities come to light, how far will she go to protect herself and her secrets?
Jezebel's misbelief is written really well. It is clear why she thinks people will want to use her. I could understand her fear of trusting others and could see how in her position, it would be easy to let fear reign.
The worldbuilding was really solid in this book. The culture felt believable, while being fairly unique.
I thought Jezebel's descent into villainy was a bit too steep. I would have loved to see more time between each of her steps into darkness. I would have loved to see her react to each of her crimes and slowly become numb to the guilt.
Overall, this book was a quick, clean, easy read. I would recommend this book to lovers of fairy tale retellings!
I received a review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2023
An ideal book for young adults but for me the characters were under developed and it was too sickly sweet.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.
December 2, 2022
“Touching the gilded edges of the mirror, I whispered to my reflection, 'You are the most powerful of them all. They don't control you. No one can.'”
What I liked: The chapters were the perfect length for me! And the world was so unique—excellent worldbuilding (I wanted more of it)! I liked the character development, and all of the biblical names! Jezebel was someone I felt for and disagreed with at the same time. Beautiful villain origin story!
What I didn't like: Lots of content warnings. I would have liked to see a bit more guilt/sorrow over her friends' fates—after all, they were her only friends! It seems like she turned her heart to stone really quickly; some more struggle would have been better, in my opinion.
CW: mention of enchantments, spells, curses, chanting, and potions, use of special magic “Gifts,” mention of taking advantage of people and a man hurting a woman, passionate kissing, a man grabs a woman against her will, self-harm inflicted, scenes where a father abuses his daughter.
Overall, a good retelling that I would recommend for someone 14+
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. (Of course!)
September 7, 2021
Thank you so much for Bethany for sending me an ARC of The Secret Gift in exchange for an honest review!
This book is a novella in The Stolen Kingdom series. I haven't read the series yet but after reading this novella I immediately look for them! The story is about Jezebel, a young Jinni who recently developed a gift, but unlike others, she have to keep hers a secret, for it's a powerful and dangerous gift of all.
Jezebel is an amazing character with a delicate and kind heart, it pains me so much seeing others used her for their own benefit and I was crushed to see how she turns from a sweet girl to something entirely different. There's nothing much to say about the worldbuilding because it's a very short read but I love the different kind of gifts the Jinn can have. My only complaint is that the plot is so fast it makes Jezebel transformation seems instant like she turns to villain overnight, but then again this is a novella and it's supposed to be short. So I guess I will have to read the series to find out more about Jezebel and the Jinn world.
This book is a novella in The Stolen Kingdom series. I haven't read the series yet but after reading this novella I immediately look for them! The story is about Jezebel, a young Jinni who recently developed a gift, but unlike others, she have to keep hers a secret, for it's a powerful and dangerous gift of all.
Jezebel is an amazing character with a delicate and kind heart, it pains me so much seeing others used her for their own benefit and I was crushed to see how she turns from a sweet girl to something entirely different. There's nothing much to say about the worldbuilding because it's a very short read but I love the different kind of gifts the Jinn can have. My only complaint is that the plot is so fast it makes Jezebel transformation seems instant like she turns to villain overnight, but then again this is a novella and it's supposed to be short. So I guess I will have to read the series to find out more about Jezebel and the Jinn world.
August 27, 2021
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this novella! My opinions are my own.
What I love about villain origin stories is how you know everything is going to go poorly, but you’re always still left with this suspense and shock as the character makes increasingly worse decisions. I enjoyed that Bel is a pretty relatable character in the beginning. We can all understand her fears and frustrations, her longing for freedom and to be accepted and care about simply for herself. In some weird way, even as she started to make bad choices, I still kind of rooted for her. Maybe it’s because some other characters, like her father, were also so villainous, I didn’t really want to see them win either. The gradual progression from good to not-so-great to downright bad choices, and Bel’s justifications along the way, we’re fascinating. This story definitely leaves you with an ominous feeling, wanting to know more about our villain and the heroines she faces in The Stolen Kingdom series.
What I love about villain origin stories is how you know everything is going to go poorly, but you’re always still left with this suspense and shock as the character makes increasingly worse decisions. I enjoyed that Bel is a pretty relatable character in the beginning. We can all understand her fears and frustrations, her longing for freedom and to be accepted and care about simply for herself. In some weird way, even as she started to make bad choices, I still kind of rooted for her. Maybe it’s because some other characters, like her father, were also so villainous, I didn’t really want to see them win either. The gradual progression from good to not-so-great to downright bad choices, and Bel’s justifications along the way, we’re fascinating. This story definitely leaves you with an ominous feeling, wanting to know more about our villain and the heroines she faces in The Stolen Kingdom series.
September 28, 2021
Villain origin story? Yes please! Bethany does a fabulous job of showing Jezebel’s transformation from lowly Jinni to the beginnings of a powerful villain. After seeing Jezebel as the villain in Books 1-4, I didn’t know if I could empathize with her, but this book totally gave her a compelling backstory that I can understand and have compassion for. Excited to see if there are more Jezebel stories ahead!
November 20, 2022
3.5
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
I little tale about trust and friendships and how to find yourself. Villains really are not born but made. I’m interested to know what will happen next and glad this was a quick and good read.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
I little tale about trust and friendships and how to find yourself. Villains really are not born but made. I’m interested to know what will happen next and glad this was a quick and good read.
September 10, 2021
This is short and sweet and brilliant.
When I first started reading, I really missed the original cast of characters, but I soon forgot about that as I got engrossed with these characters and their story. The plot was tightly written and the characters really drew me in and made me care about them, even though I knew) generally) what was going to happen with the main character.
If you enjoyed the Stolen Kingdom series, this is a must read!
When I first started reading, I really missed the original cast of characters, but I soon forgot about that as I got engrossed with these characters and their story. The plot was tightly written and the characters really drew me in and made me care about them, even though I knew) generally) what was going to happen with the main character.
If you enjoyed the Stolen Kingdom series, this is a must read!
May 7, 2024
An interesting read for sure! Not quite as good as her other books. I did find this one interesting, since to the villain’s backstory, but at the same time, it was the villain. And part of me felt off since she was being written as if what she was doing was okay, and that didn’t sit well, hence the three stars. But Bethany is a good writer and she wove the story wonderfully, just not sure about the subject.
Content:
Kissing and wanting to be kissed
Content:
Kissing and wanting to be kissed
September 5, 2021
I can’t tell you how excited I was to hear that there would be an addition to the Stolen Kingdom series. So naturally, I was beside myself when I received an ARC from the author. HUGE thank you to Bethany for allowing me to read and review!! This novella is about Queen Jezebel, the villain of the original story. We get to see how she developed her main Gift, as well as how she began her journey to becoming queen in the first place.
Only Atazadeh can make you relate to the villain in this way. To make you feel like you could easily be Jezebel, given the circumstances. I loved the characters and how the way of the Jinn was portrayed through their behaviors. It was so vivid and so flawlessly done. I can honestly say I’m desperate for more! Easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given.👏🏻
You definitely want to get your hands on this one when it’s released on the 8th! And if you preorder now, you can still get in on the giveaway for a $100 Amazon gift card, so be sure to check out Bethany’s Instagram page. You guys are gonna love this one. Happy reading!
Only Atazadeh can make you relate to the villain in this way. To make you feel like you could easily be Jezebel, given the circumstances. I loved the characters and how the way of the Jinn was portrayed through their behaviors. It was so vivid and so flawlessly done. I can honestly say I’m desperate for more! Easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given.👏🏻
You definitely want to get your hands on this one when it’s released on the 8th! And if you preorder now, you can still get in on the giveaway for a $100 Amazon gift card, so be sure to check out Bethany’s Instagram page. You guys are gonna love this one. Happy reading!
September 8, 2021
This is the first book that I've read in this series and I absolutely need to read the rest! If you like The Lunar Chronicles writing style and feel then you will like this series! I really enjoyed it!
Bel (Jezebel) is a secret shapeshifter among the Jinni. But her gift was late in manifesting. I really feel bad for her. She’s abused by her dad, betrayed, and then responds horribly. But I can see her thought process behind it all. She just wants to be safe. And she thinks the best way to do that is through power.
I also really liked the foray into the human world from the Jinni world! They think humans eat Jinni. :P
I seriously need to read the other books! Obviously because this was a villain origin, it ended on a sad note so I just know what happens to her!
Bel (Jezebel) is a secret shapeshifter among the Jinni. But her gift was late in manifesting. I really feel bad for her. She’s abused by her dad, betrayed, and then responds horribly. But I can see her thought process behind it all. She just wants to be safe. And she thinks the best way to do that is through power.
I also really liked the foray into the human world from the Jinni world! They think humans eat Jinni. :P
I seriously need to read the other books! Obviously because this was a villain origin, it ended on a sad note so I just know what happens to her!
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October 6, 2021Thanks for a gifted copy from the author!
I found this to be an interesting villain origin story. Not knowing anything about the authors full series, this is a neat step into the world of the books and (apparently) her villain.
(I didn’t realize it was a villain story until after so that made my POV altered a little bit, but after finding that out, it helps to explain some things.)
I really like the magic system and world - unique and fun! I did feel like it reads young (12-16 level in my opinion).
While I don’t tend to “like” villains - this made her somewhat understandable!
I found this to be an interesting villain origin story. Not knowing anything about the authors full series, this is a neat step into the world of the books and (apparently) her villain.
(I didn’t realize it was a villain story until after so that made my POV altered a little bit, but after finding that out, it helps to explain some things.)
I really like the magic system and world - unique and fun! I did feel like it reads young (12-16 level in my opinion).
While I don’t tend to “like” villains - this made her somewhat understandable!
December 22, 2022
December 22:
Loved all the additional details we got about how the ending went down and especially all the sprinkling of fairytale elements! I'm looking forward to the rest of the trilogy!
Original Review still stands:
Whoa baby. There's a reason I tend not to read villain origin stories. I think I've only read one other—Heartless by Marissa Meyer—And while I loved it, I hate the feeling of dread for when things continually go downhill. And I got the same feeling from this.
I liked Jezebel. A lot. She was just a normal Jinni girl. And she doesn't like her gift, much like Arie doesn't in The Stolen Kingdom. But things happen and then they just go down. And if you've finished The Stolen Kingdom series, you know what you know, and now I'm just sad.
That all said—I'm very excited for more from Jezebel!
Seriously, if you're a fan of The Stolen Kingdom series and/or love villain origin stories and fairytale inspired and you haven't read this yet what are you waiting for?
Loved all the additional details we got about how the ending went down and especially all the sprinkling of fairytale elements! I'm looking forward to the rest of the trilogy!
Original Review still stands:
Whoa baby. There's a reason I tend not to read villain origin stories. I think I've only read one other—Heartless by Marissa Meyer—And while I loved it, I hate the feeling of dread for when things continually go downhill. And I got the same feeling from this.
I liked Jezebel. A lot. She was just a normal Jinni girl. And she doesn't like her gift, much like Arie doesn't in The Stolen Kingdom. But things happen and then they just go down. And if you've finished The Stolen Kingdom series, you know what you know, and now I'm just sad.
That all said—I'm very excited for more from Jezebel!
Seriously, if you're a fan of The Stolen Kingdom series and/or love villain origin stories and fairytale inspired and you haven't read this yet what are you waiting for?
August 27, 2021
This was an excellent "evil queen" origin story and prequel to The Stolen Kingdom books. It encompasses all of the events that led up to Jezebel manipulating her way to the throne. She starts out as a relatable Jinni heroine with very human fears and inconsistencies. Over time, she is manipulated enough by the people she cares about to find it necessary to travel down a dark path from which there is no going back. It has a lot of action for such a short book and absolutely no filler. I thoroughly enjoyed discovering how such a meek and innocent young woman could slowly transform into a powerful wicked queen.
May 12, 2022
Short and (not so) sweet. I was transported into Jezebel’s world. I can’t wait for the next two books.
September 8, 2021
As a member of Bethany's Patreon I received a free copy of this book as a thank you and I am leaving a review voluntarily. My opinions are my own.
I've followed Bethany for a few years now, and was always intrigued by her fairytales series retellings, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦, where we are first introduced to 𝐉𝐞𝐳𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐥 as an evil queen. But, how did she become who she is? What happened to her in her past? Well, you'll get your answers on this story, her stroy, because this is a villains origin story.
From the very first line, you can't help but worry about a 17 year old Jezebel, who is being constantly being targetted by her father, whose hate for the ones with gifts is more than obvious. Her mother wasn't much better, and she is forced to hide her Gift, as if it were something shameful, making her believe that people would only approach her to take advantage of such 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 power. She has a group of friends: 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧, 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦 and 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐚. One day, they all go through a portal, found by Asher, that leads to the human world, and after a few events that happens there, Jezebel's shape-shifting powers are revealed, not going to say by whom. And from that point onwards, everything slowly goes downhill.
You know this story won't end well, but still your heart is gripped from your chest and slowly crushed. I felt bad for Jezebel, and I wanted to scream to those people who know about her powers without asking, but demanding, only thinking about all the possibilities they could do with it without stopping and thinking what is that Jezebel wants, not taking into consideration her feelings of fear...and that's not the worse. The worse is that everything changes, attitudes, loyalties...for example, Jezebel's love interest know how she feels for them (not saying who they are) and uses his charming "personality" to get what he wants and that's not right. They even blackmail her!! And Jezebel feels like she ows them, because they're friends and she does think about their circunstances, which is that in a world like Jinn only the strongest survives, and she is too permissive.
It's been amazing to see Jezebel slowly grow up, see her struggle and set boundaries. I personally love seeing well-crafted characters and I enjoyed her story and journey so much, I certainly hope to see more of this world as it expands.
Thank you again to Bethany for providing me with and ERC of this book, and congratulations for building such an incredible story packed with all the goods elements. Can't wait to see what else you gift us with. ❤️
I've followed Bethany for a few years now, and was always intrigued by her fairytales series retellings, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦, where we are first introduced to 𝐉𝐞𝐳𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐥 as an evil queen. But, how did she become who she is? What happened to her in her past? Well, you'll get your answers on this story, her stroy, because this is a villains origin story.
From the very first line, you can't help but worry about a 17 year old Jezebel, who is being constantly being targetted by her father, whose hate for the ones with gifts is more than obvious. Her mother wasn't much better, and she is forced to hide her Gift, as if it were something shameful, making her believe that people would only approach her to take advantage of such 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 power. She has a group of friends: 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧, 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦 and 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐚. One day, they all go through a portal, found by Asher, that leads to the human world, and after a few events that happens there, Jezebel's shape-shifting powers are revealed, not going to say by whom. And from that point onwards, everything slowly goes downhill.
You know this story won't end well, but still your heart is gripped from your chest and slowly crushed. I felt bad for Jezebel, and I wanted to scream to those people who know about her powers without asking, but demanding, only thinking about all the possibilities they could do with it without stopping and thinking what is that Jezebel wants, not taking into consideration her feelings of fear...and that's not the worse. The worse is that everything changes, attitudes, loyalties...for example, Jezebel's love interest know how she feels for them (not saying who they are) and uses his charming "personality" to get what he wants and that's not right. They even blackmail her!! And Jezebel feels like she ows them, because they're friends and she does think about their circunstances, which is that in a world like Jinn only the strongest survives, and she is too permissive.
It's been amazing to see Jezebel slowly grow up, see her struggle and set boundaries. I personally love seeing well-crafted characters and I enjoyed her story and journey so much, I certainly hope to see more of this world as it expands.
Thank you again to Bethany for providing me with and ERC of this book, and congratulations for building such an incredible story packed with all the goods elements. Can't wait to see what else you gift us with. ❤️
September 2, 2021
Not gonna lie, somehow didn’t end up realizing I had this book in my kindle and that I had to read it pronto until today (oops). Luckily, that didn’t end up being that big of an issue since Bethany literally had me hooked! Usually I don’t even read the shortest of books this fast, but ever since page one I just had to know what was going to happen next! The pacing was near perfect and the story was delivered soo well in so few pages. Only my favourite authors including Rick Riordan and Suzanne Collins have made me feel soo emotional reading a book and today I think I have to add Bethany Atazadeh to that list. Throughout the story I was wanting to yell at some of the characters (in the best way possible), cry and laugh. I haven’t read the other books in the Stolen Kingdom series (they’ve been on my tbr for a while, but let’s just say I’ve been prohibited from buying any new books until I finish the ones I already have), but after reading this I am definitely going to have to read them. It’s going to be interesting to see Jezebel as an evil queen since even though she did some terrible things I can still sympathize with her. She was a super relatable character that made mistakes and I loved her personality. If I could I would read more! Also, seeing the Save the Cat! structure with the negative ending was really cool. I love villains and this villain origin story did not disappoint.
I would 100% percent recommend this book to anyone! It was hard coming up with what to say in this review because I have so much to say about this amazing book. I was given an ARC copy of it, but this is my honest opinion. It takes a lot for me to give a book 5 stars, but Bethany absolutely deserves it!
I would 100% percent recommend this book to anyone! It was hard coming up with what to say in this review because I have so much to say about this amazing book. I was given an ARC copy of it, but this is my honest opinion. It takes a lot for me to give a book 5 stars, but Bethany absolutely deserves it!
November 14, 2022
Having read the first version of The Secret Gift, this new version adds plenty of world building, character development and overall made a good story into a great origin story that will appeal to both those that are fans of The Stolen Kingdom series and protagonist journeys to villains.
To not repeat myself too much from my original review, Jezebel, a young Jinni woman, has a shapeshifting ability that she doesn't want to expose in fear of being exploited. She finds herself in a tough spot quickly, and I felt for her as she has to continue to make tough choices to survive, and some ripped my heart out. The characters and world building drew me in, with pacing that doesn't drag and an easy to read style.
Most of the new material is in the later portions, which serves as a more satisfying conclusion to this part of Jezebel's character journey, and sets up the next part of the series. The rest of the book has smaller bits and pieces added in to enhance what was already in the first version, with more vivid world building and the characters felt more real, and a fairy tale reference. Even for those that read the earlier version, I implore you to read this one as well, I got a lot more out of this read.
To be clear, you don't have to read any of The Stolen Kingdom series to read The Secret Gift or the two sequels (though it will give away a twist at the end of the former series). Highly recommended and I can't wait to see where Jezebel ends up in this new journey.
*I received an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own.*
To not repeat myself too much from my original review, Jezebel, a young Jinni woman, has a shapeshifting ability that she doesn't want to expose in fear of being exploited. She finds herself in a tough spot quickly, and I felt for her as she has to continue to make tough choices to survive, and some ripped my heart out. The characters and world building drew me in, with pacing that doesn't drag and an easy to read style.
Most of the new material is in the later portions, which serves as a more satisfying conclusion to this part of Jezebel's character journey, and sets up the next part of the series. The rest of the book has smaller bits and pieces added in to enhance what was already in the first version, with more vivid world building and the characters felt more real, and a fairy tale reference. Even for those that read the earlier version, I implore you to read this one as well, I got a lot more out of this read.
To be clear, you don't have to read any of The Stolen Kingdom series to read The Secret Gift or the two sequels (though it will give away a twist at the end of the former series). Highly recommended and I can't wait to see where Jezebel ends up in this new journey.
*I received an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own.*
August 18, 2024
4 stars
67% rating
This is going to be long and packed full of spoilers📈
What you are about to read is basically a jumble of my thoughts throughout reading the book. If you just want to read my “final thoughts” just scroll down until you see the words.
The % is how far I was into the book.
1%
So I haven’t read any of the books in the series yet. This prequel is my first impression. So far it’s good and I’m not lost. I wanted to start the series, so I thought I’d start short.
2%
Did they say he has deep-red eyes?👁👄👁 that’s creepy.
13%
Okay, so the main character already appears to not have the best personality. You can’t say she’s a horrible person but you see her prejudice against humans, and even when her friends are having jabs at each other to do stuff like have fun with humans or talk to them, she doesn’t really say anything against it. I’m already getting the vibe that Asher could hit one of the others or kill someone and she would be like ‘as long as it’s not me.’
21%
“If you don’t want me to tell anyone, I won’t. You can trust me, Bel.” She clearly can’t.
37%
I love how Asher as a wolf runs off and she doesn’t even try to search for him. She’s just like ‘sh*t time to think of a plan to not be blamed.’
Also, I don’t like Asher. I don’t trust him at all.
38%
Not to be evil but let’s say Asher threatens her identity because she doesn't do what he says. She could just turn him into a mosquito 🦟
41%
“Like I said, they have the right to know. We all should know who we’re spending our time with.”
Actually you don’t have the right to know. That’s her personal life that has nothing to do with you. She’s the one that has to deal with the consequences. If she wants to open up to you about it, that's her choice to do so.
46%
Imagine if one day she completely changed their appearances to be unrecognisable. Then when they went through the portal and explored the human world, she walked back early, took the string that marked the location of the portal and went back without them. So they were trapped and if they ever did find their way back they’d be unrecognisable.
55%
“Listen, I didn’t want to say this but... if you want me to keep your Gift a secret, then I need you to do this for me.”
Bel I give you permission to get rid of him. Girl, take out the trash.
61%
“his other possible reactions”
It’s quite a great plan. Asher is known to not have powers and is known to be ambitious for it. So if he got arrested for theft they wouldn’t doubt that he was extremely desperate for it. And if he went on accusing that it’s Bel’s fault and claiming her ability he would just be accused of making up stories to save his own skin since the shopkeeper saw him the other day not having enough money.
66%
I know she’s the villain. But them being lizards is satisfying.
77%
Oh, she is devious.
“I gasped. “We wouldn’t go in the ocean, would we?”
“Maybe just a toe?” he teased,”
Why is at that so humourous to me?
84%
“I turned to the fifth lizard.
The one I’d added last night.”
I approve of this twist!
100%
I like how her arc of manipulation (and being a antagonist) stems from her using it just to protect herself. She grew up lying and manipulating to protect herself from her father’s abuse. And that taught her to hide her gift so when she saw people posing a threat to that she manipulated and lied her way against them as well.
At least her relationship with the prince might actually not be a loveless marriage… even though their relationship was built on a lie.
Although I haven’t read the other books in the series, so I don’t know how they work out.
You know she’s the antagonist because her two other friends (I don’t remember the names of the two girls) were just damage control. You couldn’t know for 100% if they were a threat. You knew they cared for Asher and have information to give away. But while reading, I theorised that one of the girls would be Bel’s sidekick or something like that.
But you know... Bel turned them into lizards because she saw it as a matter of her or them.
Final Thoughts
I like the difference between Asher and the prince. With Asher it’s very obvious that he cares for himself and is power hungry. With the prince he actually cares and has lived with power all his life and knows how to use it without being like Ash. It was nice watching Bel go from being manipulated to actually having someone who cared for her.
[EDIT] apparently this book got extended to be longer? I don’t care to read it.
67% rating
This is going to be long and packed full of spoilers📈
What you are about to read is basically a jumble of my thoughts throughout reading the book. If you just want to read my “final thoughts” just scroll down until you see the words.
The % is how far I was into the book.
1%
So I haven’t read any of the books in the series yet. This prequel is my first impression. So far it’s good and I’m not lost. I wanted to start the series, so I thought I’d start short.
2%
Did they say he has deep-red eyes?👁👄👁 that’s creepy.
13%
Okay, so the main character already appears to not have the best personality. You can’t say she’s a horrible person but you see her prejudice against humans, and even when her friends are having jabs at each other to do stuff like have fun with humans or talk to them, she doesn’t really say anything against it. I’m already getting the vibe that Asher could hit one of the others or kill someone and she would be like ‘as long as it’s not me.’
21%
“If you don’t want me to tell anyone, I won’t. You can trust me, Bel.” She clearly can’t.
37%
I love how Asher as a wolf runs off and she doesn’t even try to search for him. She’s just like ‘sh*t time to think of a plan to not be blamed.’
Also, I don’t like Asher. I don’t trust him at all.
38%
Not to be evil but let’s say Asher threatens her identity because she doesn't do what he says. She could just turn him into a mosquito 🦟
41%
“Like I said, they have the right to know. We all should know who we’re spending our time with.”
Actually you don’t have the right to know. That’s her personal life that has nothing to do with you. She’s the one that has to deal with the consequences. If she wants to open up to you about it, that's her choice to do so.
46%
Imagine if one day she completely changed their appearances to be unrecognisable. Then when they went through the portal and explored the human world, she walked back early, took the string that marked the location of the portal and went back without them. So they were trapped and if they ever did find their way back they’d be unrecognisable.
55%
“Listen, I didn’t want to say this but... if you want me to keep your Gift a secret, then I need you to do this for me.”
Bel I give you permission to get rid of him. Girl, take out the trash.
61%
“his other possible reactions”
It’s quite a great plan. Asher is known to not have powers and is known to be ambitious for it. So if he got arrested for theft they wouldn’t doubt that he was extremely desperate for it. And if he went on accusing that it’s Bel’s fault and claiming her ability he would just be accused of making up stories to save his own skin since the shopkeeper saw him the other day not having enough money.
66%
I know she’s the villain. But them being lizards is satisfying.
77%
Oh, she is devious.
“I gasped. “We wouldn’t go in the ocean, would we?”
“Maybe just a toe?” he teased,”
Why is at that so humourous to me?
84%
“I turned to the fifth lizard.
The one I’d added last night.”
I approve of this twist!
100%
I like how her arc of manipulation (and being a antagonist) stems from her using it just to protect herself. She grew up lying and manipulating to protect herself from her father’s abuse. And that taught her to hide her gift so when she saw people posing a threat to that she manipulated and lied her way against them as well.
At least her relationship with the prince might actually not be a loveless marriage… even though their relationship was built on a lie.
Although I haven’t read the other books in the series, so I don’t know how they work out.
You know she’s the antagonist because her two other friends (I don’t remember the names of the two girls) were just damage control. You couldn’t know for 100% if they were a threat. You knew they cared for Asher and have information to give away. But while reading, I theorised that one of the girls would be Bel’s sidekick or something like that.
But you know... Bel turned them into lizards because she saw it as a matter of her or them.
Final Thoughts
I like the difference between Asher and the prince. With Asher it’s very obvious that he cares for himself and is power hungry. With the prince he actually cares and has lived with power all his life and knows how to use it without being like Ash. It was nice watching Bel go from being manipulated to actually having someone who cared for her.
[EDIT] apparently this book got extended to be longer? I don’t care to read it.
August 25, 2021
This book had me in so much suspense! About halfway through, I just couldn’t put it down. I needed to see how the story would end and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Bethany wrote a very entertaining novella with well developed characters despite the shorter book length. I could absolutely put myself in Jezebel’s shoes and understand her internal struggle. I really enjoyed this read and am continuing to read and love Bethany’s other books.
August 24, 2021
That was very cool! In less than 200 pages we follow Jezebel, a Jinny and a shape-shifter. I hadn’t realized she was the villain in this story and I really enjoyed discovering her path to the dark side! Seriously that’s scary how it’s so relatable and we would do the same things in some situations! I was so angry at her friends and her parents myself! But still, the optimist in me hopes for a redemption arc! Maybe later?
October 5, 2021
Man, this novella was so good!! I loved it and read it so fast! I loved reading about Jezebel and how she became the villain. She was such a sweet girl at first. This story was sad but really helps you understand the character and her reasoning behind what she did. I kept waiting for it to get better before remembering that this is a villain origin story and won’t end happy. 😭 I felt so bad for Jezebel and the life she lived, how the people around her made her feel trapped and that doing these horrible things was the only way out.
An excellent story by Bethany Atazadeh!! 😆 Her writing style is so good and I loved it! Can’t wait to read Bethany’s future works!
An excellent story by Bethany Atazadeh!! 😆 Her writing style is so good and I loved it! Can’t wait to read Bethany’s future works!
October 10, 2021
Thanks so much to Bethany Atazadeh for giving me a copy of the book just for a review! As always Bethany Atazadeh doesn’t disappoint. This story provided a refreshingly different point of view into the life of Queen Jezebel before she was the malicious queen we see in the Stolen Kingdom series that’s set in the future. I always love to read good origin stories, especially when they’re about villains. In a way this book reminded me of Marissa Meyer’s fairest book which is also a backstory about a villain from the main series. Just like with Fairest, after I read the Secret Gift I disliked the Jezebel less and actually sympathized with her. Though there’s no excuse for her continued evil behavior, I understood why she made her decisions. I felt it was justly done when she taught her backstabbing friend a lesson that was much overdue. And I was joyful when her father finally got his time served. While Overall this was a nice edition to the series, but it’s a standalone so you don’t have to read the series to understand it. If Goodreads had half star ratings I’d give this book a 4.5.
August 21, 2021
A big thank you to the author for sending me an ARC of The Secret Gift in exchange for an honest review!
I'm a fan of villain stories especially origins so I was really excited for this one! 😍 It definitely did not disappoint and I was surprised at how it immediately enraptured my attention. Jezebel is such a fascinating character and I definitely enjoyed reading about how her story progressed!
I finished this book in a sitting and the story kept me on the edge of seat till the end. I don't have any complaints about this book other than it was too short (which again isn't really a complaint because this is a novella 😅) so I'll definitely be checking out the other books in this series to satisfy my curiosity for this world!
I'm a fan of villain stories especially origins so I was really excited for this one! 😍 It definitely did not disappoint and I was surprised at how it immediately enraptured my attention. Jezebel is such a fascinating character and I definitely enjoyed reading about how her story progressed!
I finished this book in a sitting and the story kept me on the edge of seat till the end. I don't have any complaints about this book other than it was too short (which again isn't really a complaint because this is a novella 😅) so I'll definitely be checking out the other books in this series to satisfy my curiosity for this world!
May 22, 2023
Although I haven’t read any other other books in the stolen kingdom series, I felt like this book did a good job glimpsing into the world while still being a stand alone story. I planned to read it over the week, but couldn’t put it down and finished it in two days :)
December 4, 2022
Edit to add:
I read the updated version and loved the additional evil Queen nods, extra scenes, & details. The ending is perfect for setting up her future & book 2.
(Poor Shem 🙈 I’m worried for him.)
The blurb for book 2 sounds intriguing. Jezebel is playing a dangerous game. Somehow the things that are forbidden for her to do become the norm once she’s queen & I’m loving piecing it all together as her story unfolds.
*
The Secret Gift is a villain origin story for Jezebel and I enjoyed watching her and her gift unfold. When I read the last page, I was so bummed there wasn't more. I can't wait for book 2! (Except that we know she's a villain and I'm scared to see how the Jinn Prince and everything unfolds lol.)
Bethany did a great job of making Jezebel human (for a Jinn :P) and making me empathetic to her decisions. (Her 'friends' and dad sucked!)
This book was a great kick start to her story.
If you're a fan of the Stolen Kingdom series, you'll enjoy The Secret Gift.
I read the updated version and loved the additional evil Queen nods, extra scenes, & details. The ending is perfect for setting up her future & book 2.
(Poor Shem 🙈 I’m worried for him.)
The blurb for book 2 sounds intriguing. Jezebel is playing a dangerous game. Somehow the things that are forbidden for her to do become the norm once she’s queen & I’m loving piecing it all together as her story unfolds.
*
The Secret Gift is a villain origin story for Jezebel and I enjoyed watching her and her gift unfold. When I read the last page, I was so bummed there wasn't more. I can't wait for book 2! (Except that we know she's a villain and I'm scared to see how the Jinn Prince and everything unfolds lol.)
Bethany did a great job of making Jezebel human (for a Jinn :P) and making me empathetic to her decisions. (Her 'friends' and dad sucked!)
This book was a great kick start to her story.
If you're a fan of the Stolen Kingdom series, you'll enjoy The Secret Gift.
June 14, 2023
I don't think I'll ever get tired of Bethany Atazadeh's writing. I read this book in one sitting, and while it was the perfect length for the story it told, I was left wanting more because I'm greedy. I love a good villain origin story, and learning about Queen Jezebel's roots was enlightening. As usual, I felt immersed in the world. I look forward to continue reading literally everything Atazadeh writes.
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