Book one, 1001 Nights with the Lycan King, was my very first 5 star read of 2025, and now this sequel is my last 5 star read of 2025!
The worldbuilding, character development, mystery, revelations, magic and curses were explored brilliantly, but the highlight of the book was its theme — women empowerment. At every step, the author showed the kind of treatment women go through almost everyday, the battles we have to fight, the struggles for basic rights, that abuse is not limited to physical or s*xual harm but also includes mental and emotional hurt inflicted by others which are invisible, hence dismissed easily. The book also explored the atrocities committed towards everyone in general when the wrong people come into power.
Although the book showed the negative side of certain kinds of people, it also conveyed that there are good people in the world. Whether it was Zayed's unwavering support towards Amara, or Idris' belief that his daughters could achieve anything they set their mind to, it gave a realistic view of things.
It was an emotional rollercoaster ride for me. I started with the book expecting the usual conflict, fight scenes, plotting and show of power, but I was surprised with the way the story progressed. Every major scene highlighted an issue, and I loved the way it was collectively solved by Zayed and Amara with help from the supporting characters.
I liked Amara and Asya's bond more than anything else. There was no jealousy or hard feelings when they argued or had disagreements. Both of them stood by each other, protecting and pushing the other to be their best. I also liked how Zayed warmed to Amara's family like they were his own.
There was one particular revelation regarding Asya's storyline that I had guessed early on, and since then I've been overly excited to read her story. Can't wait for the sequel!
Everything was wrapped up well at the end, and I was satisfied with the way things turned out for everyone. I recommend it to fantasy lovers who want to read a book inspired by the Arabian Nights stories with a good amount of romance and spice. It also has strong protagonists, lot of twists, unexpected revelations, topics like trauma, grief and betrayal. Don't miss out on this gem!