The Jasmine Throne

Whew, this one was a journey! I liked this one more than I thought I would. Suri painted a culture of ancient beliefs that were destroyed in acts of violence against children and women. The story is a deep rich-cultured world, and I liked every detail, down to food preparation to the mysterious dark wilderness that sits on the side of the country.

The two stars of this adventure are Priya and Malini – two women from very different backgrounds working together to change history. Even though it was a group effort to tell the tale, I believe Priya brought the story to life, making her my favorite. At the same time, Malini was the underlying second voice that will undoubtedly reign supreme in the sequel. Yes, there's a sequel coming. Their dynamic starts rough, but they have a loving political understanding for each other towards the end.

It was lengthy but worth it. I'm invested in these characters and their strange religion. Can't wait for book 2!