Hello and welcome to today's blog tour for Alywn Hamilton's debut, REBEL OF THE SANDS! Check out my review and enter to win below!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Published by: Viking Books
Released on: March 8th, 2016
Series: Rebel of the Sands #1
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 4.5 stars - I Really Enjoyed It
* I received an arc from the publisher to review, in exchange for my honest review
She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.
Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.
Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.
A captivating debut, Rebel of the Sands has it all! It's an action packed read with rich world building, adventure, character chemistry that practically ignites the pages, magic, epic battles, fantasy, and a fascinating lore. Hamilton's debut is one that blends together Western, Middle East and Fantasy elements together beautifully. It's unlike any other story I've read before, and one I really enjoyed!
I love it when a book has characters that are not only well written, but all have a purpose. Each character, whether they're a main one, or supporting one, all help bring this incredible story to life. I loved that whether they're a good or bad character, they each have a belief in something that is greater than themselves. Their belief in their cause drives to make the choices they do. I liked that there's a history and magic that runs so deep within some of the characters. Their abilities are part of what make the battle scenes epic.
Amani is a character I really liked. She's a girl who's stuck in a society that wants to suppress who she is. She's not someone who will sit back and allow others to dictate or control who is she, and what she's able to do. She has courage, determination, and an inner fire that makes her restless, and willing to risk it out to escape her dead end town, regardless of the deadly consequences that she may face. There's a wildness in her I admired, and it's something that ties into her abilities, which I won't mention for the sake of spoilers. I really enjoyed the characters Amani meets after her journey. There's so much they teach her about who she is, and what she can do.
The character chemistry in this book is one I loved! There's an irresistible pull between Armani and Jin. It's the kind that is both sigh worthy and maddening all at the same time. What these two have ignites the pages when they're together. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen next between these two. There's so much that they've shared with each other, and so much they haven't, that puts them both in danger. I loved watching their relationship grow, and the untold secrets between them unravel. My word, I need more of these two!
There are so many elements to this story that when combined, they all worked together perfectly to tell an unforgettable story. From the world building, to her characters and their dialogue, everything about Hamilton's story is captivating. The diverse world in which the characters live in is vividly detailed, and easily imagined. I loved that the world plays a role in the magic abilities some of the characters have. Speaking of magic, the battles that happen are epic. This book has a little bit of everything, but the magic, and fantasy were some of my favorites.
Hamilton has come blazing into the YA book scene with this incredible debut. Her storytelling is amazing. Like the stories you'd except to be told around a campfire, that are rich with legend, and lore, and are passed one from generation to generation, this is a story that felt very much like that at it's heart. I need more of her books!! This debut is one I thoroughly enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to reading it's sequel!
ENTER TO WIN
Thank you to Penguin Teen, I've got a copy of Rebel of the Sands to giveaway to one lucky winner! To enter, please fill out the form below. *US only
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FOLLOW THE TOUR
Check out the next stop on the tour on Two Chicks on Books on Monday, 3/21/16.
Posts
Yay :D So glad you liked this book a lot Katie. <3 Thank you for sharing about it :) I also liked it so much. Cannot wait for the sequel :) Gorgeous post. <3
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful book! I adored the fantasy (especially the setting!), Amani (what a lovely protagonist!), the romance (Jin & Amandi 4eva). This one got a rare five stars from me. :D So excited for the sequel!
ReplyDeleteFabulous review, Katie! :)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!