Traitor to the Throne

Rebel of the Sands #2

by Alwyn Hamilton

Nearly a year has passed since Amani and the rebels won their epic battle at Fahali. Amani has come into both her powers and her reputation as the Blue-Eyed Bandit, and the Rebel Prince's message has spread across the desert - and some might say out of control. But when a surprise encounter turns into a brutal kidnapping, Amani finds herself betrayed in the cruellest manner possible.

Stripped of her powers and her identity, and torn from the man she loves, Amani must return to her desert-girl's instinct for survival. For the Sultan's palace is a dangerous one, and the harem is a viper's nest of suspicion, fear and intrigue. Just the right place for a spy to thrive... But spying is a dangerous game, and when ghosts from Amani's past emerge to haunt her, she begins to wonder if she can trust her own treacherous heart.

This is not about blood or love. This is about treason.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction, Adventure

570 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2017

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

She can control the sand.



She's a Demdji. She's a blue-eyed bandit. She's Amani Al-Hiza and she's a bad @ss chic!

I love Amani. I mean sure, she doesn't always make the right choice but who does. Amani fights for her people and it's awesome.

I still have a crush on Jin but we shall see in the next book.

I loved the first book better than this one but it might have just been my mood. I think I might read all three of them together next time.

I did love it. And the ending!!!!!! What! Just! Happened!

Happy Reading!

Mel ❤️

[Hilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED SOME THERAPY AFTER THIS BOOK.

I'm a mess. An emotional wreck.
I cannot be trusted with simple daily tasks anymore.
I won't be the same ever again.
The pain is unbearable.
I can't stop crying.

I NEED TO GET THAT THERAPY FAST.

I'd once asked Jin if the sand sea was like the real sea. He'd given me that knowing smile he used to use when he knew something I didn't.

This book— I couldn't have asked for something better.

I'm still waiting for the moment when at the question "what did you think about this book?" I'll be able to seriously talk and not blankly stare at a wall.
They say the most difficult reviews to write are the ones about your favorite books anD I'VE NEVER AGREED SO MUCH ON SOMETHING BEFORE.
Lately it seems like I can't write reviews anymore, and the fact is, I've given so many five stars already this year (I mean, I read 11 books and it's not that many, but most of them are new favorites), so it's possible that I'm worn out by an endless list of feels.
Btw, let me tell you all about this wonderful book.

First of all, I read the UK ebook, so I struggled a lot without a map. But I looked for it everywhere on the internet and fortunately found it. Here is the link if you have the same problem! https://twitter.com/alwynfjh/status/8...

I don't really know what to say other than I LOVE AMANI. AND JIN.
Amani is such a strong and sarcastic character, I can't even. I want to be inside her head 24/7 or in alternative be her (much better). When I wish I were a character in a book that's when the good reading experience starts, but I identified with Amani from the first chapter of the first book and isn't this evidence that this series is amazeballs?

I wasn't beautiful. I wasn't here because of that. I was here because I was powerful. [...]
Dangerous.
They'd better believe I was.

Jin on the other hand... *dreamy sigh*
I'm so in love with him, it's insane. He's not exactly the best at the beginning (why Jinnnn?) and we don't see a lot of him in general *cries*, but WHEN he gets there... OH BOY.
The chemistry between these two *fans self*
They are without a doubt my absolute favorite characters of the series, but Shazad? Sam? (Shira)? Ahmed? Rahim? They come SO CLOSE. I love every single one of them! They are so well characterized, they are real.
Sam and Rahim are new characters so I didn't know them before, but it feels like I've been friends with them for a very long time.

I fell in love with Sam at his very first appearance

I got the strangest impression he was pausing for effect. After a beat, he stepped forward dramatically.
That was when his arm got stuck in one of the vines that hung from the wall.

and every successive action

"I," he declared, straightening dramatically, "am the Blue-Eyed Bandit."
I chocked on a snort that got stuck in my throat and turned into an uncontrollable cough.

He flung his sheema over his shoulder. It snagged on one of the branches of the Weeping Wall tree.

"You need to strip," she told me. As one, Hala and I turned to look at Sam meaningfully.
He held up his hands like we had him at gunpoint.

Isn't he the cutest? And him and Shazad—OTP (I wish it was Bahi/Shazad again but... yeah)
I also fell in love with Rahim the first time he opened his mouth to talk to Amani.

"You became commander instead."
"The youngest ever. And the best." He wasn't bragging, I realized. He sounded like Shazad.

He's a prince, and a commander and a soldier *sighs*

The last thing I needed was another prince in my life. I had a hard enough time with the two I'd already acquired.

Do you know what else was amazing about this book apart from the characters?
The plot! It wasn't slow at all!
The mythology! So creative and original!
And the PLOT TWISTS. THERE ARE SO MANY AND IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO STAY SANE. I swear there's one every chapter. And also the LAST ONE WAS NOT OKAY. I had an heart attack and I'm still feeling the repercussions after days. I'll be in constant pain till I get my hands on the final book.

The only thing I wish was in the first book is the beginning part of this second one. We learn that a lot of things happened in between the two books, and we get to see them only thanks to this fairytalesque summary chapter (they're scattered across the whole book and I must admit, that's a cool format to break the book into different parts). So, since the first book was too too short, maybe that part should have been included and it'd have been the right length... I don't know. The thing is that I can't get enough of this desert and sea world <3

That was the beauty of the desert. It got into everything, right down to your soul. Jin said that to me once.

P.s. The author is so sweet!! She replied to my tweets and look at all the sweetness aww!

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of my biggest book pet-peeves is when MCs are separated. the synopsis straight up says this is going to happen to amani and jin, so i was prepared to not have as much fun with this as i did with the first book. surprisingly, i didnt mind it.

if anything, what made me the most sad is the one thing i loved so much about ‘rebel of the sands’ is completely absent in this. i adored the magical desert vibe and the mysterious atmosphere the journey across the sands created. so for the story to then be confined to one place (the palace) in this sequel bummed me out.

however, i will say the secret information gathering and enemy infiltration inside the palace is interesting. the harem is such a unique dynamic, i did enjoy seeing how the different characters navigated the situation. and its no surprise the story takes a turn to focus more on war strategy and rebellion. not my favourite topic, but there was enough myth and lore dispersed throughout to hold my attention.

overall, a decent sequel and very classic YA fantasy. im looking forward to seeing how the story concludes in the next book.

↠ 3.5 stars

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 4 out of 5]

“But then, this was what the desert did to us.
It made us dreamers with weapons.”

Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The Djinn were made from a fire that never went out.
An ever-burning smokeless fire that came from God.
And in the early days of the world the First Beings lived in an endless day.
Then the Destroyer of Worlds came.
And with her she brought the darkness.
She brought night.
And she brought fear.
And then she brought death.
Wielding iron, she killed the first immortal Djinni.
And when he died, he burst into a star.
One after another, the Djinn fell that way, filling our sky.”

Finally, after many days of work, I had time to finish this action-filled book.
And oh man, it was so good.
Whereas the first book was mostly in the desert, this one was concentrated in the walls of the palace and the capital.
Even though I had some problems getting into the story in the beginning (but that’s not the fault of the book, more my stupid reading slump) as soon as I was really into it I loved it.
It’s full of action, intrigue and rebellion.
All in all In my option the whole plot of the book was the best part of it.
It’s special in his own kind of way and hugely entertaining.
Definitely recommendable for all readers that love exceptional magic, badass characters and a huge exciting rebellion.

Characters ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh, Amani, my wonderful Blue eyed Bandit.
She’s the absolute best with her badass attitude, her fine talents with gun shooting and kind heart.
Could I please be as brave as her?
And Shazad. And Hala. And Shira.
This book is full of strong independent woman that are so much stronger and cleverer than the men in this story.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m absolutely in love with most of them (Jin ♥️, Rahim and Sam) But the representation of (sometimes) underestimated strong women is just wonderful.
The most surprising and interesting character in this story is definitely the Sultan. His character is so complicated, conflicted and kind of evil in some way.
The best villains are those who believe they do what’s best for their country (I’m looking at you Darkling from Shadow and Bone).
Jin wasn’t a huge character in this book - he was kind of pushed into the background as Amani’s cute decoration.
I hope that he gets a bigger role in the third book.
But all in all I absolutely adore the characters represented in this book.

I mean look at my girl Shazad:
“I wouldn't point fingers if I were you.
You know what they say:
those who point fingers wind up with them broken so badly they point straight back at them.”

World ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The whole world building was exceptional in the first book and it only gets better in the second one.
I can’t write any details (because that would be kind of spoilerish), but I can tell you that you’ll love it. More tales of Demdjis and mortals and more magic spilled into this world.

Relationships ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Because Jin and Amani’s relationship was so little in this book, I’ll concentrate on some other relationships that I think need mentioning.
First of all - the friendship between Shazad and Amani: obviously they’re huge friendship goals.
Can I have a girl best friend like they have?
I want someone to watch my back and save me at all costs. Please?
“I thought of Shazad.
My sister in arms.
We had recognised something in each other the first time we met and we were tied.
By more than blood.”

The next one is a little... special. You can’t really call it a “relationship”. I don’t really now any word for it, but the thing Amani and the Sultan had was so hugely interesting.
Don’t think they make out or something like that (Ew, no) but the communicate with each other. That’s all you need to know.

Writing style ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A hugely entertaining writing filled with magic, badass characters, action and tales of Demdji? Brilliant.

______________________________________________________

Continuing this seris with the lovely Ro ♥️

Can’t wait for the badass Amani to kick some ass!

[Dana Kenedy (Dana and the Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found on my blog, Dana and the Books.


I've been counting down the days to Traitor to the Throne ever since finishing Rebel of the Sands last year. Rebel was one of my top 5 books from 2016 - a fantastic debut and a gripping a story, one that stayed on my mind even after reading nearly 50 books afterwards.

Traitor started a tad rough for me. During the first few chapters I found myself focusing on trying to remember who is who from book one (as much as I loved it, it has been a year since I've read it). The list of characters at the beginning detailing the most important facts about them was super helpful and probably saved my life. However, if you have read Rebel rather recently, you'll have no trouble jumping right in.

Once I got my characters sorted, it was one big thrill ride. I love love love Amani! She's a no-nonsense bundle of joy who won't hesitate to pull a gun on you.



Alwyn Hamilton's writing was already good in Rebel, but in Traitor I noticed a definite improvement in her style, making this a 500+ page book of top notch story telling. It was more pronounced, more.. Alwyn Hamilton.

"No more tricks, just a good old-fashioned rescue."

Traitor to the Throne has it all: a fantastic cast of characters, prison breaks, shoot outs, romance, humour, and a whole lot of feels. I loved it. It was everything I could have hoped for in a sequel.

And then the ending broke me.



Aaaaand Alwyn Hamilton just earned herself a spot on my auto-buy list of authors.

Thanks so much to Faber and Faber for giving me a copy to review through NetGalley!

It's out now in the UK, and out soon in the US/Canada! (Book Depository / Amazon US / Amazon Canada / Amazon UK)

[Stacee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Rebel and was so excited to read this, but I was scared of the curse of the second book cliffhanger. So I waited...and when I finally started it, it was all about savoring.

I love Amani so much. She's crazy smart and strong and just absolutely kick ass. Shazad will forever be my favorite and I would happily follow her wherever she went. And let's just not even get started with Jin. There's one specific scene that is maybe two pages and it took me 10 minutes to get past it. I just kept reading it over and over.

The plot is a bit of a slow burn. There are lots of reveals and twists and one huge holy shit moment, followed by another one and another one...and then the end.

There is action and swoons and laughs and it's one huge roller coaster. I can't even wait to see what happens in the next book.

**Huge thanks to Viking and Edelweiss for providing the arc free of charge**

**Squishy hugs to Alwyn for personalizing my arc at SDCC when she technically wasn't supposed to**

[mith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I UPDATE THIS A LOT. my bad haha.
anyway, you guys can read my review HERE if you'd like! i'll be posting it soon enough if you don't want to click though! ETA: you can scroll down here to read it now :)
*note: it might include spoilers for book one!
Holy. Shit.

That's really all I can say for this book. The moment I got this, which was pretty late into the day on November 16, I could barely sit still. I didn't even begin reading until later that night because I wanted to absorb it all. I stayed up until 5 AM to read this and I honestly will never regret that.

I know I'm posting this review waaaaay early, but I happened to win a pre-order of the UK version of this book (which releases on February 2) so I thought, eh, why not?

But never mind about that!! This book guys! This series! Holy WOW, where has it BEEN ALL MY LIFE. I absolutely LOVED Rebel of the Sands when I read it (twice!) and it was just so amazing. So rich and unique and refreshing. I fell in love with the characters, the romance, the rebellion. Everything. And this book just proved to me why I did so.

It's been around half a year since Amani (my love) joined the rebellion. In those 6 months, she's nearly died, Jin went off as an undercover soldier in an army, things got a little crazy in their side of the desert, and then it gets crazier. Because they're found. And Amani is taken right to the Sultan's place. Since she's Amani, she uses the chance to gather intelligence, but it's a dangerous game. The sultan is smart, and the palace isn't the desert she's used to. And the problem with keeping with your enemies closer is that they might make you question what you know.

Can I just scream? Is there a text equivalence of screaming? Because that's all Traitor to the Throne made me do. I was worried about a love triangle and second book syndrome AND HAHA. I could not have been more wrong. Alwyn Hamilton knows what she is doing and it's keeping me in agony throughout the entire book. I can't comprehend ANYTHING, much less type out a coherent review, BECAUSE GOOD LORD.

THIS BOOK. THIS SERIES. THESE CHARACTERS. I don't know what to do.

Amani is an idiot and I love her for it. I say that in the fondest way possible because, hell, even she knows it. She's reckless and she's stupid and she's selfish and caring and hilarious and amazing and I love her so much. She's just such an amazing main character, no matter how many risks she takes. I love the character she's grown to be and I know Hamilton did an amazing job with Amani's growth. She's not the same girl you met in Rebel of the Sands at first. While her smart mouth is still there, she's different in a way I'm guessing only a rebellion can cause.

This book is significantly longer than Rebel, but around 200 pages or so. And I was hesitant about that because, again, second book syndrome. While things aren't as action packed as book 1, that doesn't mean things were boring. Amani might be in the palace, but the it's a dangerous place to be. Not just because of jealous wives in the harem or just because of the sultan--there are other things brewing. Being there wouldn't be easy for anyone. So for Amani? Hah. It's one wild, dangerous ride.

Being in the palace meant little of the characters I've grown to love in Rebel. Which makes me sad because I didn't get to see those characters until half of that book, so with this, I was hoping it would be full of them. But! Hamilton has a few tricks up her sleeve because she surprises us with who Amani has to face at the palace. I sure as hell wasn't expecting it and it made it all the more fun.

And while that was a great twist and all, I missed Shazad. I missed Delila. More importantly, I missed Jin.

I love Jin. I love him and Amani more than anything, though, which is different from what I'm used to in books, honestly. (I tend to like the romance, but I know I'm pretty biased towards one party over the other.) But Alwyn Hamilton writes the best romance, holy hell. I am in love with these two and their relationship. They're both so stupid and reckless and no doubt head over in heels in love with each other but also too damn stubborn to admit it to on another. They'll run away from each other instead of facing their problems head on, which will never not make me laugh because I get that so much. I hate confrontation and it's always hilarious when that backfires for them.

I just want more Amani and Jin even though I know they're in the middle of a rebellion and being in love isn't as important as getting the sultan dethroned. But still. Their kisses are just SO AMAZINGLY WRITTEN AND PERFECT like, how can you not love it?? I think I could go on forever about these two and their camaraderie and bickering and flirting but that isn't the point of this book.

Which brings me to another fabulous thing about this series. While there is a romance, it has never overtaken the plot. Not once. The romance is understated in the books because both Jin and Amani know the rebellion is more important.

The cast of secondary characters is an amazing one. From old characters like Shazad and Ahmed, to new ones you'll meet in Traitor, they're all written amazingly and consistent. They're fleshed out and not used just for plot purposes and that is great writing, in my opinion.

There are a lot of twists in this book. I didn't expect any of them. A lot of dangerous and crazy things occur and it left me reeling. I just know that I'm desperately in need of book three, but also highly aware that I'm not ready for this series to end. Because if the second book nearly ripped my heart out of my chest, good god, what will book three do?

Anyway, having ranted, it's pretty clear what I give this. 5 stars, through and through. I highly recommend this series, guys.
---
i am speechless.
---
I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY CHANGED THE COVER JUST AS I GOT THE HARDCOVER ONE IM
i hate that they keep changing it to a model. the cover isn't bad, but the old one was much better.
---
so um.
i saw the cover.
they revealed it at a book festival in Australia (i think--not sure)
AND I JUST WANT THE PUBLISHER TO REVEAL IT FOR GOOD BC UGH IT'S SO PRETTY.
well at least i think so.
IT MATCHES GUYS, IT MATCHES!!
---
I can't believe I didn't have this added!
But YAY, TITLE! YAY, SYNOPSIS!
But oh god. I liked that there wasn't *much* romance in the first book but I hope there isn't a love triangle. Love progressions I'm okay with--but I'm still hoping that isn't the case...
[ETA: i was told there is NO LOVE TRIANGLE. god bless.]

[elena ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was on my tbr since april 2016, so i’m glad i finally got to read it. it was definitely better than the first book, in my opinion. really entertaining and enjoyable. a very quick read too, especially while listening to book playlists on spotify made for it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I need a moment to let this one sink in. The ending genuinely got me. Emotions were felt and just UGH. Where Rebel of the Sands was a bit more of a journey book filled with magic and adventure, Traitor to the Throne is focused a lot more on the politics of Miraji and the rebellion.

This one is more Amani's story than any of the other characters that we met in the first book. If you're expecting plenty of your favorites from the rebellion, you're not going to get that. Want more of that romance? No sorry. It's not as prominent in this book. It is happening. Jin is in Amani's thoughts, but it is absolutely in the background. The chemistry is less so than in the first book, but I'm still rooting for them! So no worries there.

Here's the thing..the plot of this sequel is just a totally different story. We aren't as much in the gun-slinging desert as we are within the confining walls of the palace. Amani finds herself kidnapped and taken to the palace. (It is SO hard to review a sequel and not spoil the first book, so I'm withholding plot info for that very purpose). What matters is Amani finds herself in the Sultan's harem where the other girls aren't particularly nice and she takes this opportunity within the palace to gather information for the rebellion. *Cue awesome spy movie music*

The events of the first book are summarized in the first chapter and a list of characters provided helped to remind me of everything I needed to know before getting started. The story picks up several months after Rebel of the Sands ended leaving room for a little confusion as you piece together all that has happened since then. Once again, Alwyn Hamilton uses the legends of Miraji placing them throughout the novel to explain how the world came to be or to explain a character further. Her writing is so beautiful and engaging. The world she created is one I couldn't get enough of. The mythology felt real as if they were torn from the pages of One Thousand and One Nights.

Amani grows a great deal here. It's plausible based on what she's gone through. She has definitely matured and now cares how things affect others a lot more. There aren't as many shoot-outs, so don't expect that same gunslinger we met at the beginning of the series. There is still plenty of action and twists that take us to completely unexpected places. Though the pace was slightly slower, I still flew through the 500+ pages. The addition of the Sultan as an actual in the flesh person in Amani's world was intriguing as it enlightens us to his perspective a lot more than we've been privy to in the past. Like I said..more politics. And the ending just blew me away...again.

If you enjoyed Rebel of the Sands, you need to read this one now. If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and start your new favorite series now. I, myself, will be anxiously awaiting the final book.

[Simona B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

•Rebel of the Sands may not be one of my favourite series, but this second instalment struck me dumb. I was expecting an enjoyable ride, yes, but I wasn't expecting Traitor to the Throne to be so much better than its predecessor. I still had some issues, but at the end of the day, the thrill of the story got the better of me.

•I still am not a fan of the writing. Since I read both this one and Rebel of the Sands in Italian, I should probably try to have a look at the original English version of the first and determine whether it's the translation's fault or the author's, but as things stand, I am leaning toward the second. When the moment is heavy with tension, the writing becomes stiffer and colder in trying to achieve the very opposite; where it should convey emotion and mark the climax of a certain sequence of events, there it turns into an edgeless weapon, and in mini-sentences all clustered together in the attempt to create a declamatory tone that does not work at all. Because to be good at rhetoric, one must pay attention not only to words, but also to all the other components of a text, such as rhythm and timing. A trivial, silly thing like knowing when to start a new paragraph becomes fundamental. When you read and the text doesn't sound quite right, it's like riding on a bumpy road -to me, at least; others may not mind. Punctuation, emphasis, fluidity... these are requirements that a good text cannot dispense with.

•I am deeply impressed with the plot. I should warn you not to be fooled in this respect, because this plot is one of those that bloom and reveal themselves in their delicious intricacy only as the end draws near. Plots, sub-plots, schemes and devious manoeuvres: I'm home.

•As much as I love it when things are not at all what they seem, I also tend to turn up my nose at characters that change so much that they end up seeming caricatures of themselves. Leya's character, for instance, was not very well-handled, in my opinion. She goes from an extreme to the other ans still remains as flat as a pot holder, because the whole thing doesn't seem likely at all.

•I love Hamilton's legends. They're so flipping amazing. Should she ever write a collection of myths and legends of her own invention, I would be the first buyer.

•I hoped Amani's new-born controversial feelings toward the revolution would be further developed, instead of merely mentioned and then forgotten. I think I would have loved it if the story had taken that direction -thorny issues are my thing way more than easy solutions are.

•And speaking about this, I refuse to believe I was the only one who cheered for the Sultan. Actually, I think I do prefer him to Ahmed. Don't know what that says about me. The thing is, there is a moment, in one of the first chapters, when basically Ahmed accuses Amani of being selfish for not wanting Jin to go on a mission, when Ahmed himself is so reluctant to let his sister do the same that Amani and her group would rather not let him know Delila was with them. «Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye...»

•Amani and Jin- well, I regret to say that I'm not into this romance, but it isn't too heavy and, plot-wise, it lightens the mood, and does it well. Pros and cons balance each other, when it comes to this ship. I honestly care very little, personally.

➽ I wasn't anticipating Traitor to the Throne with much excitement, but now, for the last instalment, I will. Traitor to the Throne gave hope to a series that seemed meant to be good-but-not-special. Now, instead, I am confident the conclusion could be special.
I can't wait.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Electronic Advance Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review. Quotes have been pulled from an e-ARC and may be subject to change.

A lot more political and a little draggy, but thank goodness there's still a lot of action scenes. I live for Alwyn Hamilton's action scenes because they're just so gripping. They more than made up for some of the dragging parts that eventually led to somewhere. There are stories that turn into info dumps that disrupt the flow of the story, but if you get over those parts, it's a rather enjoyable read like the first. I completely forgot some of the characters because there were so many, but I read a recap, and remembered some of them. I was also astounded as to the many twists that came our way, especially towards Amani. I felt so badly for the poor girl.

The blurb in the beginning of the description, "This is not about blood or love. This is about treason." basically fits the entire novel. I hope I gave you ample warning. As with most second books, this suffered the second-book syndrome where not a whole lot happens, and the story progresses slowly, but it's still adventurous enough to keep reading. I still love this world so so much, and can't wait what else Hamilton has in store for our characters.

Oh and I have to say that changing the North American covers was a bad idea. The U.K. covers still manage to keep the theme nicely. I really wished they didn't change it to be honest, I didn't buy it just because of that reason.

RATING 3/5

QUOTES

Why did it seem he was my life and I would only be his death?

It didn't matter how pretty something was, it'd kill you just as dead.

I wasn't beautiful. I wasn't here because of that. I was here because I was powerful.

Women disappear when they lose their use.

The trouble with belief is that it's not the same as truth.

I don't like leaving people behind.

[Coreen Angelie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I wouldn’t point fingers if I were you. You know what they say: those who point fingers wind up with them broken so badly they point straight back at them."

This sequel started with a bang and ended with an explosion. Traitor to the Throne was a whole new level of adventure, espionage and trickery.
Amani's belief and trust towards the rebellion was tested on this book and I loved every single bit of it.

Alwyn Hamilton's, writing style just keeps on getting better and better. If she was a good writer before then she was definitely a great author now. The way she chooses her words was pure perfection and every chapter left me wanting more.

Amani and Jinn's attraction turned in to something more which made me ship them even harder. Shazad was still gorgeous af and Ahmed was still the brother I wanna have.
If you haven't read TTTH yet then you should pick it up and read it immediately because it will remove any book hangover that you have.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton
Book Two of the Rebel of the Sands series
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 7, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Mere months ago, gunslinger Amani al'Hiza fled her dead-end hometown on the back of a mythical horse with the mysterious foreigner Jin, seeking only her own freedom. Now she's fighting to liberate the entire desert nation of Miraji from a bloodthirsty sultan who slew his own father to capture the throne.

When Amani finds herself thrust into the epicenter of the regime—the Sultan's palace—she's determined to bring the tyrant down. Desperate to uncover the Sultan's secrets by spying on his court, she tries to forget that Jin disappeared just as she was getting closest to him, and that she's a prisoner of the enemy. But the longer she remains, the more she questions whether the Sultan is really the villain she's been told he is, and who’s the real traitor to her sun-bleached, magic-filled homeland.

Forget everything you thought you knew about Miraji, about the rebellion, about djinni and Jin and the Blue-Eyed Bandit. In Traitor to the Throne, the only certainty is that everything will change.

What I Liked:

I've seen reviews from both ends of the spectrum - both positive and negative, satisfied and disappointed. Sequels can be tricky because you'll find a lot of second books in a trilogy, in Young Adult literature, that are awful. This "sequel slump" happens a lot and it's so annoying. But I'm happy to say that I personally did not think that this book suffered from sequel slump. I enjoyed the story very much and I'm looking forward to reading the third novel.

This sequel novel begins approximately six months after the end of Rebel of the Sands. Amani is working with the Rebellion, and constantly putting herself at risk for the cause. She is unexpectedly captured and taken to the Sultan. He has found a way to control her, and so he traps her in his palace. She is under his protection but she is forced to reside in the harem. But being in the palace can work to Amani's advantage - she begins to uncover secrets of the Sultan's, that will help the Rebellion. With a little outside help - and inside help too - Amani begins to feed the Rebellion coveted information. But in a palace and deception and lies, Amani must not underestimate the Sultan - or anyone. She quickly discovers that it is those that seem harmless that are the most dangerous.

At first, I was a little put out when I realized that most of this book would take place in the Sultan's palace, and that Amani would be separated from the group... and living in a harem, under the Sultan's total control. BUT, a couple of things about this. The Sultan has no interest in Amani, except for her Demdji power (she can't speak lies, etc.). Furthermore, he forces her to call a Djinni, but beyond that, he doesn't really make her do much that is totally awful. Do you get what I'm saying? Despite Amani being forced out of her ability (control sand), she isn't forced to do anything horrible, which is one of the things I was afraid of.

Another thing I was afraid of was Amani living in the harem... where the Sultan's heir, Kadir, often frequents. He has like, four wives, and he immediately sets his attentions on the blue-eyed Demdji. But Amani is never forced to do anything against her will, with Kadir or anyone else. I probably would have screamed for the entire world to hear me, if sexual assault or rape made its way into this book. Amani was untouched, I promise!

The third thing I was afraid of was the massive separation. Amani is in the Sultan's palace for MONTHS. But... so much happens at the Palace under Amani's watch, so it didn't really feel like months, and the tone of the story didn't feel desperate or panicky, for Amani. Her time at the palace was never unsafe or particularly dangerous, though there were a few close calls. A whole host of characters are introduced in the palace, some awful, some valuable allies. In any case, the separation isn't so bad because the story really captured my attention, Yes, Amani is separated from Jin and the others for a long time - but so much happens during that time, it doesn't feel hopeless.

And besides, the story has a sandwich-like quality to it. It starts with Amani being with Jin and the rest of the Rebellion group (Shazad, Ahmed, the twins, etc.). Then Amani is captured and taken to the palace. And then, after most of the book, Amani is reunited with some of the Rebellion group. I won't say specifics with the exception of Jin - I feel like I have to say that. Amani and Jin are reunited towards the end. I'll get to them in a bit.

I love how complex and complicated the author has made the story, with this sequel. The plot thickens! At the palace, we're introduced to several of the Sultan's fifty billion children, and the entire ridiculous harem, and many foreign diplomats and politicians. We learn a lot about the Sultan, who has Amani call a Djinni. We get to see betrayal after betrayal, with some characters playing a double role and beyond. It's not only about the Rebellion trying get the throne to Ahmed and unseat the Sultan - there are darker, more infinite forces at work (captured Djinn, for one).

The romance - okay, I'll talk about the romance. I mentioned that Amani and Jin are together in the beginning, and in the end. In the beginning Amani is angry with Jin because he went off to do some undercover work for the Rebellion... as she was bleeding to death. This was a few months before this book started, but months after Rebel of the Sands ended. Amani is angry with him for leaving her, and then she gets captured, and all of this angst lays between them. But I promise, when they reunite, they hash things out, and they find their way. Amani and Jin have a mess between them, but it's their mess, and while they run when they're scared, they always come back (this is more figurative than literal, though it's a bit of both, really).

No love triangle. There is nothing triangular about the primary romance in this book - it's Amani and Jin all the way. There are other "sub-romances" among secondary characters, which is cool. But I'm mostly glad that Hamilton didn't touch the main ship. Amani and Jin definitely get closer, even with the massive separation. The reunion scenes and the ones following are so sweet and heartwarming.

Speaking of secondary characters, there are so many new characters introduced to the story. At one point, it was a little overwhelming. But the important ones - Rahim (one of the Sultan's sons), Sam (an informant for the Rebellion, and a shameless flirt who is hilarious), even Leyla (Rahim's sister and fellow offspring of the Sultan) - stuck in my mind, and were hard to forget. Some old secondary characters show up, like Shira and Tamid. And then there constant secondary characters, like Shazad and Ahmed and Imin and Hala and Delila - I love this group so much. Shazad is so kickbutt and fierce, and I especially loved her role in this book.

Jin - Jin is one of my characters, despite him being sparse in this book (remember, that is because Amani is at the palace and not near Jin, for the most of the book. Given that the book is told from her first-person POV, we don't get to see a lot of Jin in this book). Jin is still so important to the story. I love how he is like Amani, in that they are both fighters and yet they are both prone to running when things get too difficult. But I like that they both work on this, in the end. Jin is so fiercely loyal to Amani, and so very in love with her. But he is more than a love interest, and this is clear, given his role away from her (when she was in the palace).

Amani grows in her way, given what she has to live with, in the harem. So many jealous wives who want to destroy her, and people in general who think she is a monster - Amani always had thick skin, but living in the palace is an entirely different experience for her. Even being trapped there with no Demdji ability, Amani is powerful. She is clever and intelligent. I liked seeing her character grow and mature, especially without her sandy gift. Keep in mind, that loss is not permanent. Hint hint.

I think I've gushed enough! I know others struggled this one (too slow, too boring, too much separation, too few scenes between Amani and Jin), but I liked it a lot and I think it did the series justice. I love Rebel of the Sands a little more, but I think this one was an excellent follow-up. Props to Hamilton for not ending this book in a cliffhanger (not really, anyway). The ending is actually a pretty good one, given that it's the ending of a book two (usually the end of book two's are all sorts of cruel and unusual).

What I Did Not Like:

Read my comments above, about the separation. However, of course I'm going to put it down as a dislike. In general, I hate the whole separate-the-female-and-male protagonist crap that YA authors like to include in sequels (specifically book two of a trilogy). I'm so over that trope. The separation wasn't terrible in this book, and the romance is stronger than ever by the end, but still. I hate the separation trope, it's annoying. It definitely served a good purpose here, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

For that matter, I expect many, many swoony (and hopefully a little steamy) scenes between Amani and Jin in book three.

Would I Recommend It:

If you like YA desert fantasies, or epic fantasy in general, this is definitely a book (and series for you). I loved Rebel of the Sands and I personally don't think this book disappoints at all. Of course, you should find out for yourself - because I can definitely see where those with negative/so-so reviews are coming from. This one is a long book but it's such a good story!

Rating:

4 stars. This book did exactly what a sequel should do - go deeper into plot, and set up for an epic showdown for book three. I am so excited to read book three! Hopefully we get it in our hands in March 2018, because I don't think I'll be able to survive for longer than that!




Pre-read:

ETA: Guys I am hearing rumors of NO love triangle. YAAAAASSSSS! I guess my next worry would be the cover. Why haven't they revealed the cover yet? Pretty much ALL of the Winter '17 covers for the "big" publishers have been revealed. You know when covers are revealed so late? When the publisher is planning a redesign for the series. I WOULD NOT BE ON BOARD WITH THIS. D:




ALL THE PRAISE HANDS!! THIS BOOK IS CALLED TRAITOR THE TO THRONE!!

[enqi ༄ؘ ｡˚ ⋆♡]

I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE AMANI AND JIN. I NEED MORE

[Nastassja · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 200th review!!

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I thought about revenge and about love and about sacrifice and the great and terrible things I’d seen people do. I thought about how many people I’d seen lay their lives down for the Rebellion, over and over.

If anyone asked me whether I liked Traitor to the Throne, I'd say 'yes'. If anyone asked me whether it was better than Rebel of the sands, I'd say that some parts were. But if anyone asked me whether I liked the first book or the second one more, I'd definitely say I liked the first book more, or more precisely, I liked the first half of book 1 more than I liked the rest of two books combined. In my opinion, first 60% of Rebel of the sands are the best among the rest of the series so far. I'll explain why!

●Rebel of the sands had this special atmosphere that at once inserted readers into the western-like world of sand and magic and gunpowder. Mixed together these elements created an unforgettable picture. In Traitor to the throne, though, that atmosphere was gone. I missed the feeling of 'sandy' adventures.

● I really loved romance in book 1. In this part there was almost none of it. Understandably the plot concentrated on palace intrigues and politics more, and it was quite suiting the storyline, but scarce interactions between Jin and Amani didn't do it for me most of the time. Jin was gunpowder in book 1, meaning his presence illuminated the whole book for me; his playfulness and tension between him and Amani were one of the best things I enjoyed. In this book Jin was more like Amani's servant boy: You want to go risk your life, Amani? Yes, go do it. You need to do something secretly without telling me what and risk your life again? Yes, go do it, my sweet, I'll just sit here waiting for you and making you supper. And so one. Let alone that there's little Jin at all: he was wandering somewhere the whole time, and I am not satisfied with the explanation of his doings. I had a feeling Jin was here just as a supportive romantic interest, whose only purpose was to serve and pleasure the one and only -- special-snowflake/Mary Sue Amani. I was so not okay with Jin's role. Give me back my witty, funny cinnamon roll!

●I didn't really like Amani in this part. I was looking forward to her old self -- the magic-less one -- for me she was better without any magic but with her wits and a gun in hand. Alas, instead of a gun I got pathos speeches and Mary Sue-ish whining. Hold yourself together, girl!

●I liked the aforementioned political intrigues. I enjoyed how the author made us consider different points of view, and everything is not as obvious as it seems at first. We have gray areas. And gray areas are always cool when it comes to plot development. It's no secret I like complex villains and Sultan in this book didn't let me down, though, I am not sure he should be considered a villain at all, because the man was telling a lot of reasonable stuff I couldn't not agree with. And that leads me to Ahmed - the Rebel Prince. I don't get why people follow him, because starting from book 1 he was kind of character-less? Compared to him Sultan looks like a more multilayered character. Would I follow Ahmed? Heck, no! I'd join Sultan. major spoiler about the endingI'd preferred if Ahmed died in the end. I think his death could've been a better emotional burst for characters to protect his legacies and ideas. And even such skeptics as I am would feel like sympathizing with his cause after his death. But now that he's alive and another more interesting character sacrificed their live... I feel more disappointed with Ahmed and feel more negative about his rebellion. Saving him was a 'meh' move But to find out whose side main characters will ultimately choose, you have to read the book. I'd say that a lot happened during this part and, though, it felt like the first 60% or so of the book were slow and boring at times, the book involved a lot of events to mull about Especially the one that wouldn't let me go. Metal under Amani's skin. I. just. don't. get. it. How did they manage to put all that metal under her skin without making her look like a Frankenstein? Seriously, the pain must be agonizing when there's metal under one's skin, but Amani just felt light scratching? That's it? Plus, I imagine the metal wouldn't look smooth under her skin, like there's nothing at all there; it must be puckered or something and it must be noticeable that there's something alien under her skin. I have so many how's when it comes to this part of the plot, but I don't think we were given enough reasonable exploitations (if any) how it is possible for all that metal to be there The plot development was definitely the strongest in this book!

●The writing was okay, I guess; I can't say it's beautiful or something special, but it was engaging and mostly kept my attention on the book. Plus, as in part one, the author continued inserting myths and legends throughout the story and they were utterly beautiful and fascinating. I'd really like to read the whole book of them!

●Traitor to the throne is more steam punk than western this time around. I am not sure how I feel about the whole machinery thing yet, but I liked the idea of joining magic and mechanics. We'll see how it works out in book 3.

Conclusions:

- Plotwise this book is way better than the first one, but the atmosphere of the previous part is gone. A pity!

- I like this series, but don't feel like there's something special about it. Good, solid, but without an emotional involvement form my side.

- I'd preferred to read 500+ about shirtless Jin rather than Ahmed and his rebellion and their blah blah this, blah blah that. Will never understand why Amani joined his cause in the first place.

- The myths and legends are as gorgeous as in book 1.

- Secondary charters were nice: some of them new, some from the previous part But again, what was the purpose of Tamid? To make Amani whine more about what a terrible person she is, leaving a friend in the desert to die? But I think death is a better option than to be a plot tool and be used by girls who always treat the poor guy abominably. Seriously, poor Tamid!

- I am looking forward to book 3 but my excitement is lesser now than it was after book 1.

[Anja H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

*5 TREACHEROUS STARS*

“I hated the quiet. I could hear my fears that much louder for it.”

Dear lord, why did I wait so long to continue this trilogy?!
Amani is the bomb man, I love her so so much! ❤️
THAT ENDING THOUGH! I can’t deal with everyhing I’m feeling right now. This was so freaking good, I couldn’t stop reading!

This world is just so unique, with its Djinni's, Demdji's, mythical creatures, guns and superpowers.
I'll miss Amani and her badass band of misfits so much but on the other hand, I can’t wait to move on to the next and final installment.

[Suzzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this series! It has quickly became one of my favorite series. This one was ridiculously fast paced and intense. This is one of the best sequels I have read in a long time! HIGHLY recommend this series to read if you haven't!

[Cindy ✩☽♔]

11/7/16
OMG why was the cover design changed!?

The pink one was fine and it matched the first book! Now I can only get that cover in paperback? Wtf!!! Why are so many publishers doing this to me!!!!!?

God I hope the UK cover ends up being the pink one
---
Update 9/13/16
Alright looks like we finally have a cover update!


And I like it, works well alongside the first cover. Though I must say the pattern on the outside a bit reminiscent of the Wrath of the Drawn's hardcover.
---

Ooo...title and synopsis



But wait the synopsis says Jin disappeared? What? Did that happen at the end of the last book? No, I don't think it did *Goes to double check the end of the last book*. Nope it definitely didn't. Man what is it with this guy and being so secretive and mysterious all the time lol.

Well whatever I have a weakness for villains, who people have long been demonized, getting good character development so I bring on the Sultan! Though I do hope there is no love triangle, because he is Jin's father right? Man that would be hella weird. I have grown used to, though I still don't like, love triangles between brothers. But I draw the line between father and son. Like come on now, really?

Now I just need a cover to squeal over!

[Katie.dorny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit. My head is fucking spinning.
The ending - I was not ready for it. I need the third book now.
The tension, the million different strategies and possibilities and the new characters just ramped up the storyline and made it so hard to tear away from.
Amani; the character development is amazing - I can't believe she's the same girl from book one. But the sass is still there.
All of the other characters got so fleshed out as well - it was amazing and I loved it!!
IF YOU LOVE THE HUNGER GAMES GIVE THIS BOOK A GO YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED
I love this series. I need 10 more books of it.

[Grace (kanej & evajacks' version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as sequels go, this was pretty dang good.

I did enjoy the first book, Rebel of the Sands. It was basic in some ways, but FUN. I loved the magical desert vibes and expected its sequel to be fairly similar.

But while this one had the same characters and was set in the same world, it was really different. It was a lot MORE. More scope. More action. More excitement.

The characters were more fleshed out and I like our heroine Amani even more than in the first book. Other than the old characters from Rebel of the Sands, we had a whole host of new characters, who were all really well-developed. I was also glad to finally meet the Sultan, so he became more than just a faceless enemy like in the first book.

The plot and writing were both great. I really enjoy Alwyn Hamilton's descriptive but flowing writing style. The improvement from the first book also shows as it seems much more polished.

And the plot. THE PLOT. :) It was fast-moving, it was exciting, AND it had lots of great twists. You never knew who you could trust! Even though the length difference between this and Rebel of the Sands was quite big (ROTS was 350 pages and this was 570 pages) I was never bored or disinterested at any point.
That ending also stunned me. I need the next book now!!!

What I didn't like:
As always, the romance was blah and I really don't like Jin as the love interest. He reminds me too much of Mal from Shadow & Bone :(
Also missed the desert location, though I guess it was interesting to have a different setting from ROTS.

Overall, a really great read!! I can't wait to see how this all concludes in the final book, Hero at the Fall! 😁

~ 4.5 stars

[Dana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, hmmm what to say. This book was somehow simultaneously very boring and also a huge mess. Majority of the plot was contained in a very small space with very few side characters.

Then the plot, as is often the issue when you include very powerful heroes in your stories comes across as B.S when they then don't use said powers to basically wipe out all of their enemies in one go. They never utilize their potential, and while the author threw in some lame excuses for some of them, there were still a lot of wtf moments in this book.

For example When Amani is captured by the Sultan and he is threatening her with a knife to the gut, couldn't she just have said “I will not be hurt” and it would be true. In the book the Genie people can make something true by saying it. Of course this risks everything going horribly wrong, but the truth would still be that she would not be hurt. Like what did she have to lose by saying that?

Then when Amani's lame-o Genie dad gets captured by the Sultan and she is trying to figure out how to free him (The all powerful immortal being who sat by and let her mother die, and her live in poverty), says that he can be freed by special magic words, but despite being captured and released several times in the past he doesn't know them. I mean wouldn't he have heard his many rescuers chanting these words to free him?

On the other hand a lot of the magic in this book literally just involves writing a name on a piece of paper so *shrug*. PLUS even if she freed him, since she was the one who summoned him,she would just be forced to summon him again since she was literally being controlled by the Sultan.

Also! ALSO the whole plot about one Genie betraying his entire race to save one of his ten thousand little mortal babies, yeah no. From what we have been told of the Genie dudes so far this seems way out of character. You think you are giving a big middle finger to all your fellow immortals that have rubbed you the wrong way but you are just screwing yourself over! I mean...ugh whatever....

AND THEN this whole issue with Tamid (her former best friend who of course was secretly in love with her, who she left behind in their old town bleeding in the dirt, so that she could escape guaranteed death or imprisonment.

I agree that she was stupid to write him off so quickly, I mean who dies from a bullet to the leg? But if he really loved her he would not have condemned her to stay with him and risk being killed or captured. She should of checked on him, yes, but his whole behavior in this book was soooo annoying.

Hate him. “Ugh you won't sleep with me, well screw you then, some friend you are, go crawl into a corner and die you gross genie spawn!” That's basically his whole vibe.

AND THEN on top of this plethora of unlikable characters we also get a surprise from Shira, Amani's cousin/archnemesis. Shira does nothing but make Amani's life a living hell every chance she gets. She would kill her just to get ahead, as she has tried to in the past.

But then the SECOND she dies, she is all romanticized like “oh yeah she is this awful cruel girl who made everyone around her miserable and cared for no one but herself but she's dead now, and she was family so I'm going to mourn her death as if she was my best friend”

*Pats head to see if still has any hair left to pull out*

And at last, the cherry on the top of this whole plodding mess. The fearless and brave shapeshifter that takes the rebel prince's place on the chopping block disguised as him. Sounds good, very heroic, okay I can get behind that. EXCEPT THAT THIS MASTER OF DISGUISE HAS BRIGHT GOLDEN EYES !SO HOW IS HE FOOLING ALL OF THESE PEOPLE!?

Seriously this master spy has bright golden eyes which he cannot change, but he someone manages to fool everyone into believing he is whoever he is impersonating. AND wouldn't he have shapeshifted back to his original form once he was killed anyways, hence making the entire scheme pointless. *Sigh* /drops mic.

I know that my own long plodding ranty review will be met with some hate, as is expected with a book that will probably be well received by most. It just didn't really work for me, and seeing as how I had so many issues with it, I probably won't feel the need or want to debate my ranty fuming, just fyi.

Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Bin

P.S- Don't even get me started on Jin.



Check out more of my reviews here


Note: I received this book in exchange for a very honest review.

[Ronak Gajjar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concept: 3.75/5.0
Execution: 4.0/5.0
Characters Bespoken: 4.0 /5.0
World Building: 3.75 /5.0
Cover: 3.5/5.0
Writing Style: 3.25/5.0
Overall: 4.0/5.0
P.S.: Review slump! I am so sorry Jess I know you were excited about my thoughts but maybe some other day!
RTC!

Well, RTNC!
* * * *
BR with My Lady Who Loves To Talk *heart eyes* - You even make me talk more :* <3 :)

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome characters, awesome storytelling, awesome setting and awesome betrayals. This series is as magical as it is savage.
My goodness, so much has happened in this book there was hardly time to draw breaths in between chapters. This was definitely a whole lot better than the first book in terms of intensity and suspense and has me super excited for the last book in the trilogy!

Now on to "Hero at the Fall" 💪

[Bekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author. I love this book. Why? Because it doesn't have middle book syndrome. You know that middle book the just DRAAAGGGS and it overall plot and reason for loving it all in the first place dies. Yes it's a horrible disease and sadly it happens all to often....

BUT never fear Alwyn Hamilton did not let us down and this book was amazing as you think it's going to be.

This book is significantly longer than Rebel, like 200+ pages more! More history, more legends, more plot, more story, more backstory, more understands, more characters, more twists and turns, more EVERYTHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE! And it's all brilliant.

So here we are, Jin left Amani for fear that he would watch her die. Oh OH! Karma for Amani right?! well I love how all these characters are oh so flawed and make terrible choices and that's what makes them so great. I love Amani I love her sassy mouth and everything about her. When Amani is kidnapped well that when the plot thickens...

Oh how I don't want to say too much especially if you haven't read the first book, (WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! GO READ IT NOW!). This book had me questioning everything. I was scared. I literally had myself torn and frightened at where the author was going to take me. I kept second guessing myself and became just as confused as Amani!

Overall : This book did not disappoint if you haven't noticed. If you loved the first book be prepared for just more story. Get prepared for more backdrop and understand and clicking and everything. It's all worth it.

*A HUGE thank you to Viking Books for this ARC which I got in exchange for an honest review*

[exploraDora · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNFd this half way through because I lost interest and I don't want to go on and end up hating it. It's not bad by any means, it just couldn't hold my interest any longer.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Idealists make great leaders, but they never make good rulers.

Traitor to the Throne is the highly anticipated sequel in the Rebel of the Sands trilogy. I cannot in all honesty say that I enjoyed the sequel less than the first book, even though Traitor to the Throne received a slightly lower rating from me. I have, however, become more critical of the literature I read. Traitor to the Throne was gripping, action-packed, and spun an intriguing plot, which was somewhat overshadowed by a rocky start of info-dumps and issues I had with the characters and world-building.



✓ I had enjoyed Amani in Rebel of the Sands, and my admiration of her character continued in the sequel. Her character development is subtle but it is noticeable. Albeit still the same spitfire and emotionally charged little cupcake, Amani has matured since the events of the first book, for example showing more consideration for the fate of others. Though I can see why some do not like her as a heroine, I've bonded with her from the first page of Rebel of the Sands and this instalment has further increased my fondness for this strong-willed, quick-witted, impulsive character. The only aspect of her characterization I found lacking was how her doubt in her cause, namely the Rebellion, was portrayed. I would have expected more introspection, more back and forth, more uncertainty in her behaviour, but she chucked the seeds of doubt aside as quickly as they arose. Overall, she's still one of the pillars of this series, and I hope to see her thrive in the next instalment!

✓ A realization has finally hit me square in the face and I don't know how I didn't notice this before: Imin, the shape-shifter, gives the book the diversity it needs with regard to gender and sexuality. Easily switching between male and female forms, Imin does not have a default gender per se. This was something I had overlooked in the first instalment, but Hamilton made it clear by Imin's personal romantic subplot that she/he isn't female nor male, but both.

✓ Romantic subplots we get plenty in Traitor to the Throne, with me being particularly interested in Amani's and Jin's, of course. For me, these two really have chemistry, even though I didn't feel it quite as much in the sequel. But I loved the crackling tension between those two stubborn children. Hamilton doesn't just hand that HEA over on a silver platter, that's for sure. I love a romance I have to suffer for, and suffer I did.

✓ The general plot was entertaining, for it was action-packed, fast-paced and spouted buckets of uncertainties, intrigue, and scheming at me. Yes, please. We get the reappearance of old, familiar faces and some "moral greyness", which added some spice to the plot. The info-dumps in the first chapters put aside, Traitor to the Throne delivers a smooth ride with nice twists and turns. I was hooked from start (or maybe shortly after, lol) to finish, and I'm keen on book 3!

✓ Though I do have a bone to pick with the world-building, I adore the mythology in this book. Though Hamilton laid a good foundation in Rebel of the Sands, her mythology – namely, the myths and legends of Miraji – truly evolved and blossomed in Traitor to the Throne. At times, I thought her legends of ancient wars and magical love stories were as interesting, if not more, than the actual storyline itself. Hamilton is an exquisite storyteller, and she exceeded the level of her main work with the creation of the stories within the story.

✓ I remember having issues with the writing in Rebel of the Sands, because Hamilton would lose herself completely sometimes, especially in the last action scene. The train of thought was messy and confusing. In Traitor to the Throne, her writing is noticeably smoother!

✘ Contrary to how I felt when I closed the book, Traitor to the Throne and I didn't start off on the right foot. The sequel does not start where Rebel of the Sands left off, which opened a wide gap to dump infos in. And info-dump she did. Basically, the events between the two instalments were wrapped up in the first chapter as a quick summary. I'm sure Hamilton meant well and wanted to cut right to the chase, but I don't like having a shitload of plot dumped on me when I would've preferred to witness it in person.

✘ Though I love the cast of this series, something irked me, namely that there are too many, which decreases their depth. Quality over quantity goes for characters as well. Now, I admit that I experience the same problem when I engage in creative writing. This is not an easy obstacle to overcome, and I'm unsure what Hamilton could have done to solve the problem, other than writing a longer book and give the supporting cast more page time. But especially at the beginning of the book, I felt like I was drowning in names but unable to get a grasp on what personalities I was dealing with. I thought the cast of the first instalment had been extensive enough, with some characters bordering on cardboard material, and it certainly doesn't shrink with Traitor to the Throne.

✘ The following is a very personal opinion with regard to how fantasy is done right, so bear with me. Perhaps I am narrow-minded but I do not approve of world religions being used in fantasy books – there, I said it. If you create a fictional realm with fictional mythology, I just don't understand by the life of me why you'd use an existing world religion. Religion and mythology are closely tied to each other, so this doesn't make any sense. To me, that's lazy world-building, because creating the religious system is one of the hardest aspects of fantasy world-building. Also, there are a million things that could go wrong, so if you do include a religion like Islam, I expect the portrayal to be somewhat authentic. However, up to the mentioning of minarets as a defining architectural element, there had been no reference to the belief in Allah or the daily practice of Islam, for example the daily five prayers as one core element of Islam. Sure, we can say "The people of Miraji just aren't practicing Muslims", but I don't buy it. I'm still pointing at this as incredibly half-hearted religion-building.


I've really enjoyed this series so far and see great potential in Hamilton's work for the future as well, but I believe she can do better than the first two books, even though they were entertaining and suspenseful. Traitor to the Throne fell flat with regard to showing-not-telling (which resulted in heaps of info-dumps in the first chapters), character depth, and world-building, which should've been areas in which the sequel was superior to the first instalment. Alas, this was not the case. I'm still very excited for the final instalment, though, because whereas the book lacks in certain department, it certainly creates loads of suspense!

[Aneta Bak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traitor to the Throne is a fantastic sequel. It's just as good as the first and it definitely won't disappoint.

As Amani is healing in the secret rebel camp, the Sultan's army finally finds them and the war begins. Brave Amani conjures a sand storm in order to get everyone out, but ends up getting caught, and brought to the Sultan. With pieces of steel placed inside of Amani, the Sultan can control everything she does. Amani once said that we need another spy in the palace, who knew it would be her.

First let me talk about the cover. What happened? The first cover was so pretty, this one is okay but it does not match the first one at all. I'm a bit disappointed.

I love Amani so much. I instantly fell in love with her in the first book, and that definitely did not change in the sequel. Even though she loses her powers (her powers are just one of the reasons I think she's awesome), she kind of ends up going back to the Amani we got to know at the beginning of the first book. Before you say it, her character development is constantly growing, she does not go back, don't get that confused.
One of the things I forgot to mention in my review of the first book, is how much I love Amani's friendship with Shazad. Shazad is one of my favourite characters as well, and the friendship the two share really reminds me of me and my best friend. The two grow even closer in this book, and I absolutely love reading about the two of them together.

Since Amani is in the castle for most of the book, we don't get to see much of Amani and Jin. But fear not people, there is no love triangle in this book. Amani only has eyes for Jin, and it makes me really love them as a couple.

I wish I could have given this one 5 stars. I was very happy that the author decided to throw in more surprises and other things that I thought could have been improved in the first book, but unfortunately that left a very long middle part that I found a bit slow and boring. There wasn't as much action and adventure in this book, so there were a lot of parts that I had to put the book down and just had no motivation to read it.

Overall, this is one of my favourite series and I will definitely be waiting for the final book to come out next year. I highly recommend reading this one if you enjoyed the first book, if you haven't then check out Rebel of Sands first.

Happy Reading,
Aneta.

[lauren ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really have no idea what to say other than THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING AND I AM IN SHOCK AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO NOW!!! This was so surprising as this book got off to a really bad start but then I'm not sure what happened and it just got so good. My mind is a jumbled mess right now and I don’t think I can form any coherent thoughts so this review will probably be a mess. Alwyn Hamilton really liked to mess with my mind and then make me wait for the next book. I’m not even kidding, the last 100 pages I was just gasping and…now I’m struggling to write this review.

This book started off horrible, to be honest. It had been a while since I read Rebel of the Sand and I couldn’t remember anything. I read a very detailed summary online but I was still very confused in the first 100 pages. I was not liking this book and left it for a long time but then yesterday I wanted to watch a movie or catch up on my TV shows but I couldn’t so I reluctantly returned back to this book. I sat on my bed for almost four hours just reading only getting up occasionally for a minute. I could not let go at all. I was so sure that this book was going to be a disappointment but I’ve been proven wrong.

I have to admit when I started to read this book I realised I was not a big fan of the writing style. It was not as good as I remember. There’s nothing wrong with it but for some reason, I remember it being better. The book also started months after the first book ended and that bothered me but again I’m not sure why. Maybe it was because I was so confused at the beginning. I had no idea who most of the characters were and there were so many to keep up with but at the end, it made more sense. Next year if I can't remember anything again then I think I’ll reread the first two books because I don’t want to make the same mistake again.

The ending shocked me so much and it was so hard to process everything going on because all these things were thrown in my face and the second I started to process it something else was thrown at my face. A majority of the book was kind of slow and there was barely any action (but I didn't mind) but the ending was mind blowing and I am still not over it. I had put off all my assignments to read but now I’m not sure how I am going to be able to do them with my mind being all jumbled.

This book was truly fantastic and to think I was considering dnfing it at the beginning. I am so glad I carried on and glad that I wasn’t able to watch anything because I don’t think I would have carried on reading this. I can’t remember the first book that much but I think I like both equally. I really don’t know what to say other than read this book if you haven’t.

Review for Rebel of the Sands

[Angigames · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stelle e mezzo
Continua il #GiuntiPower che ha stupito tutti i lettori italiani continuando la pubblicazione di questa fantastica serie in Anteprima Mondiale, cioè ragazzi, io ancora non ci credo! Mi sembra troppo bello che per UNA VOLTA, finalmente, una nostra CE sia arrivata prima su qualcosa, potrei gridare al miracolo!
E quindi, cara Giunti ti chiedo di pubblicare il prossimo volume alla stessa velocità e con lo stesso Power di questo perché…
MAMMA MIA CHE FINALE!
MAMMA MIA CHE LIBRO!
La Hamilton si è sicuramente superata con questo volume.
Un mix perfetto di azione, sotterfugi, tradimenti sbalorditivi, poteri, magia e strategia.
È un libro che si legge benissimo, che dalla prima pagina ti cattura.
Amani è una protagonista che si getta nella mischia, amante del rischio, coraggiosa e, devo dire la verità, un pochino sfortunata, perché le becca sempre tutte. Ma non ho potuto fare a meno di entrare in sintonia con lei, perché lo stile della Hamilton ti obbliga a fare solo questo.
Bellissimo il personaggio del Sultano che è un nemico attivo, spietato, furbo ed intelligente, che non rimane chiuso e protetto nelle mura del palazzo, ma partecipa attivamente al contrattacco per cercare di fermare l’avanzata dei ribelli. È un antagonista tosto e caratterizzato benissimo.
Belle pure le new entry: il Principe Rahim e Sam, che mi ha fatto divertire un mondo con le sue battutine, sappiate che li shippo entrambi con Shazad!
E non so decidermi minimamente!
Ho trovato molto sottotono Ahamed e spero vivamente che nel prossimo volume abbia il suo momento di vera gloria, come spero che finalmente Amani e Jin possano avere almeno 4 capitoli di fila dove non rischino la vita e dove non siano costantemente separati.
Sinceramente la minima parte di romance che c’è non mi è dispiaciuta, ma vedere Amani e Jin combattere fianco a fianco nel volume finale penso possa fare una certa differenza.
Il finale. Parliamone. Cioè no.
No. NO. NO. NO.
Hamilton non puoi farmi questo, non puoi giocare con me così, soprattutto, non puoi spiattellarmi una cosa del genere in neanche 3 pagine.
Non si fa! Per i lettori non è affatto salutare! È troppo Wooow. O.O
Non mi resta che aspettare… conto sul #GiuntiPower!

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

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هروقت میخواستم کتاب رو بخونم چشمم میخورد به عکس نویسنده که اول کتابه و با خودم فکر می‌کردم ایول بابا همه‌ی اینا واقعا از توی سر تو در اومده؟ همیشه فکر می‌کنم کسی که بتونه همچین دنیای عظیم و جالبی بسازه باید مغز عجیب و خطرناکی داشته باشه.
دم شما گرم خانم همیلتون‌. این همه تعریفی که ازت کردند( و کردم) حلالت باشه. بعد از این همه انتظار واقعا خوندن این جلد دوم خیلی حال داد!