These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi

 

These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

"With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives. Kamran’s grandfather, the king of Ardunia, lays dead, the terrible secret of his deal with the devil exposed to the world. Cyrus, the mysterious copper-haired royal, has stolen Alizeh away to Tulan, the neighboring kingdom where he rules. Cyrus has made his own deal with the devil—one that would require Alizeh to betray her feelings for Kamran if she’s to reclaim the Jinn throne.

Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus, or his deal with Iblees. But with no means of escaping Tulan, and with the tantalizing promise of fulfilling her destiny as the heir to the Jinn, she’s forced to wonder whether she can set aside her emotions—and finally become the queen her people need. Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces of his broken kingdom. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows for certain is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she’s not yet become queen of Tulan."--Goodreads blurb

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi, 512 p.

"To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world."--Goodreads blurb

This was a reread in preparation for reading the second book. This is one of my favorite books from last year, and it held up upon this reread. Alizeh is a great MC. Cool world, magic system, and characters. Looking forward to book 2.

 

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe) by P. Djèlí Clark, 396 p.

Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and her clever girlfriend Siti, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city - or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems...."--Goodreads blurb 

Arabic women police investigators in a magical world of djinn, ghouls, and other unpleasant creatures? Yes, please! I really loved the main character, Fatma's, sense of gender-bending fashion. Her relationship and the twists and turns within it with her new (and forced upon) partner, Siti was a great storyline. The big reveal was a little bit of a "whomp whomp" for me, because I had it figured out already, but overall, this was a great read. I hope the author continues on within this world and maybe even with these characters. 

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi, 512 p.
 

"To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world. Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology." -- Goodreads blurb

This is my first Mafi book and I will be delving into her books. What a fantastic writer. This book had a real Daevebad trilogy feel, and not just because of the djinn through line, but the captivating writing style, excitement, and emotion. There was some humor in it as well. I am excited to have found a new series I'm excited about, but even more a new author.

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A Chakraborty, 621 pages

"Nahri’s life changed forever the moment she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabad—and quickly discovered she would need all her grifter instincts to survive there.

Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark aftermath of a devastating battle, Nahri must forge a new path for herself. But even as she embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to her family—and one misstep will doom her tribe..

Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the marid—the unpredictable water spirits—have gifted him. But in doing so, he threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.

And as a new century approaches and the djinn gather within Daevabad's towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a peace he fears he will never deserve."

Great second installment in this series. There are characters you love to hate, and characters you thought you loved, but now decide to hate. Nahri comes into herself and her magic more, and the separate storylines keep you interested. Looking forward to the next in the series. 

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty, 533 pages

"Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.

But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.

In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences."

I listened to this on audio, and while I got through it fine, there are a lot of characters that get mixed up quickly, so I think this might lend itself a little better to print reading. Very fantastical story line with djinn, flying carpets, love triangles, fanaticism, betrayal, and sea monsters. I will be picking up the next in this series quickly.

Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill

Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill - 448 pages

This book is Game of Thrones, faerie style.  Two children, Ewan Thatcher and Colby Stevens find themselves embroiled in palace intrigue from the faerie realm of the Limestone Kingdom.  Ewan is snatched from his parents to be raised in faerie and replaced with an evil changeling.  Colby Stevens is a neglected child of a single mom who meets a djinn who can make all his wishes come true, but at what terrible price?  The two cross paths and face the challenge of whether or not destiny is something to be accepted or something to rail against.  The gritty realism transposed with the paranormal / faerie elements makes this book stand out from the crowd.