i am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.
In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse - one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid's empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.
While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn't yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.
Praise for The Wrath and the Dawn:
#4 on the Summer 2015 Kids' Indie Next List!
An Amazon Best Book of the Year for 2015 - Young Adult
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens for 2015
A Seventeen Magazine Best Book of 2015
A YALSA 2016 Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick
'Lushly imagined and powerfully characterized, it's a potent page-turner of intrigue and romance.' Publishers Weekly
'This book is a fairy tale, a mystery, and . . . promises to become a classic tale of its own.' VOYA
'Set against a backdrop of political intrigue and a simmering revolution, this is a carefully constructed narrative of uncertain loyalties, searing romance, and subtle magic in a harsh desert city.' Booklist, starred review
'The rich, Middle Eastern cultural context adds to the author's adept world building . . . a surefire hit with teens.' School Library Journal, starred review
'Renée Ahdieh's lush debut novel, The Wrath and the Dawn, is a suspenseful and beautiful reimagining of The Arabian Nights, with an edge.' Shelf Awareness, starred review
'Dreamily romantic, deliciously angst-y, addictively thrilling.' Kirkus Reviews
'Sumptuous detail . . . satisfyingly steamy scenes, along with some angsty push and pull moments between the two for optimal romantic tension.' BCCB
