The Wrath & The Dawn gets 4.5 Stars

Happy February!  Some people think of this month as the month of Love, and other's think it's the last month for at least a few months with a paid holiday.  Other's think of Black History Month, and some thing Leap Year, Superbowl, or Groundhog's Day.    

I mostly think of love b/c I was a school teacher and librarian and the whole Valentine's thing is a big deal for kids.  However, we have a lot of lessons for Black History Month, and I always had a library display for both Valentine's Day and Black History.  However, since I think of Love first, today I am going to share a book I LOVED. 

The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh is an absolutely fantastic book.  Ahdieh, a fellow University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate (Go Heels!), is a new author and this is the first book in her saga/series of Shahrzad and Khalid, a retelling/twist of the Arabian Nights..

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.  I really wanted to give this book 5 stories, b/c the storyline is creative and unpredictable, and the book really was a page turner.  I loved everything about the story, and I'll definitely be reading the second book.  

My only qualm with this book, and the reason it lost a 1/2 a star, was b/c of a few writing instances.  There were times that I found the story confusing b/c of how the action was written, and I had to go back and re-read it to clarify.  I also felt the excerpt for the second book in the series, The Rose & The Dagger, was interesting, but it didn't grab you, the reader, as much as I would've hoped, or as much as this book grabbed you.  I do think the problems I had with this book was b/c Ahdieh is a new author; I do think she has great potential as a writer and her writing will only improve.  

The Wrath and The Dawn is a great book.  It is a clean read with no language and only implied sex.  There was really only a little detail of a hug and a kiss.  There is some violence though; I mean the story is based on a king that killed his brides.  In regards to the violence there isn't any gruesome details.  All in all, I would say this book is a clean read.   

I think this book and series would be great for 8th graders and up.  A younger reader that is mature would be fine with the novel, but the difficult names and the depth of the characters and story may be hard for a younger reader.

Amazon had the following book review from School Library Journal: 

"A reimagined tale based on One Thousand and One Nights and The Arabian Nights. In this version, the brave Shahrzad volunteers to marry the Caliph of Khorasan after her best friend is chosen as one of his virgin brides and is summarily murdered the next morning. She uses her storytelling skills, along with well-placed cliff-hangers, to keep herself alive while trying to discover a way to exact revenge on the Caliph. However, the longer she stays in the palace, the more she realizes there's more going on than just a murderous prince. While her feelings for the Caliph grow and change, the first love she left behind is busy plotting to overthrow the entire palace. When the various plotlines come together in a final conflict, the story is brought to a satisfying, if unexpected, ending. A quick moving plot and sassy, believable dialogue make this a compelling and enjoyable mystery, with just the right amount of romance and magic. The main characters are well drawn and surprisingly likable, while secondary characters also develop in endearing ways. The rich, Middle Eastern cultural context adds to the author's adept worldbuilding. Intimacy is dealt with in a straightforward way, without graphic details, and a subtle message of strength is portrayed through the brave independence of the protagonist. VERDICT This well-written mystery will be a surefire hit with teens."


Have you read this fantastic teen read?  What did you think? 

Happy Fabulous Not Your Typical Fairy Tale Retelling Young Adult Reading!