Mirage (Mirage #1) by Somaiya Daud - Restarting March 4th 2021

[Heather]

Maddie it literally would’ve taken me a day to read of I hadn’t had to work!

[Maddie]

Looks like this is moving up my TBR!

[Maddie]

Did you want a schedule for Mirage?

[Jenn]

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Date changed. Restarting March 4th 2021. Happy Reading ☺

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[Fany]

I decided I'll be joining you guys too, the book sounds amazing!

[Maddie]

Yeah it's been on my shelf for ages and sounds good!

[Maddie]

I'M FINALLY GETTNG TO MIRAGE! I've only planned to BR it so many times XD I'm starting tonight, hopefully doesn't take me long!

[Maddie]

Chapter 3 (view spoiler)[I'm confused. I was reading the audio along with the physical, but I had to drop the audio because I was re-reading paragraphs. So much information. Very high sci-fi, normally not my cup of tea. Hoping it all clicks soon (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Chapter 6 (view spoiler)[It's getting a bit better. Reminding me a bit of The Diabolic. Hopefully not much more background or history will be given in that way (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Chapter 17 (view spoiler)[Wonder if there's a plan someone has for Idris!

I'm enjoying this more now the information's stopped being dumped on me. I was enjoying the fact that there was no romance, and then the next page she kept being distracted by him and -.- ugh. I know it's YA but it would be nice. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

I'll finish tomorrow

[Fany]

Wow you're moving super quick. I'm finishing up another book so I'll start Mirage this evening

[Maddie]

yeah haha but it is pretty short. I'm halfway through :) I'm making more effort to spend time reading and its working well!

[Ashley W]

Chapter 1
(view spoiler)[ I love how supportive Amani's brother is of her poetry. Eager to learn more about this world. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 3
(view spoiler)[ That felt all at once and unexpected. Like an action info dump. I would hate to not have those rights, to not even know where I was going. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 7
(view spoiler)[ That tubing was intense! Very prince and the pauper (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 9
(view spoiler)[ That scene made it seem like she almost enjoyed being mean to the seamstresses. Like she is becoming too like the princess. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Ashley wrote: "Chapter 9
[spoilers removed]"

Yeah, I quite like the personality shifts!

[Ashley W]

Chapter 12
(view spoiler)[ I thought it was really nice to see a softer side of the princess here. She was more vulnerable and I felt bad for her rather than just think she is cruwl. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 16
(view spoiler)[ I knew she wouldn't be able to fool the people who really knew her. It's sad that her own father didn't know, but at least Idris did, even if it was only because he knew Maram wouldn't be so nice and pay attention to his story. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 19
(view spoiler)[ Maram's grandma is so sweet! I understand why they have issues though. It can't be easy for either of them to feel inadequate and be reminded of that. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Maddie wrote: "Chapter 17 Wonder if there's a plan someone has for Idris!

I'm enjoying this more now the information's stopped being dumped on me. I was enjoying the fact that there was no romance, and then the ..."

(view spoiler)[ That was my thought. The romance just feels cliche. The prince rejecting the cruel princess for the kind servant. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 28
(view spoiler)[ This became so much more sci-fi than fantasy, which is what I thought it was supposed to be. Who is the better princess at this point? I think her own father would replace her if he knew who was really at the meeting. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 34
(view spoiler)[ Showing mercy was honestly probably one of the things that could make the people like her. Maram really owes her for that. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ The romance through me off the story. I really wanted to focus on the rest of the plot and Idris made it drag, I think. The end really left me wanting to know more about how her family is doing. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Ashley wrote: "Chapter 16
[spoilers removed]"

Yeah I sensed something amiss there

[Maddie]

Ashley wrote: "Chapter 19
[spoilers removed]"

I'm glad they didn't get mad!

[Maddie]

I'll be finishing this later tonight :D I'm excited to get this one off my shelves, nothing amazing here although I will read the sequel. You interested in it Ashley?

[Ashley W]

Maddie wrote: "I'll be finishing this later tonight :D I'm excited to get this one off my shelves, nothing amazing here although I will read the sequel. You interested in it Ashley?"

I'll probably read it some time, but I have quite a tbr list for this month. Maybe next month.

[Maddie]

Yeah that's okay :) It's gotta come in from my library

[Catrin]

My Want to read books are really long as I enjoy relaxing with my colouring book and colouring pencils and reading books xx

[Fany]

I'm kinda late, sorry guys. The previous book I was reading took me more time than what I've thought.
Ashley wrote: "Chapter 1
[spoilers removed]"
Chapter 1
(view spoiler)[ Yeah they sound really cute, also the writing style is nice. It sounds like a non-mainstream (in terms of what it's based on) version of sci-fi which is really cool (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

@Fany: I still can't get into the writing style and I'm 70 pages from the end. The way things are described, I just can't picture it. And the level of sci-fi is too high for me at the start with all the info-dumping I think.

[Maddie]

Finishing it up now

[Fany]

Chapter 3
(view spoiler)[ It didn't seem as much of an info dump to me as you said @Maddie @Ashley. I still don't get what's going on, the fact that something would happen during the event was expected though.
Khadijas' death did seem too rushed, I think it was meant to magnify the effect of the intrusion but we've hardly met the character. (hide spoiler)]

[Fany]

Maddie wrote: "@Fany: I still can't get into the writing style and I'm 70 pages from the end. The way things are described, I just can't picture it. And the level of sci-fi is too high for me at the start with al..."
Yeah the author does throw around a lot of names of characters and places in the first chapters. I don't read much sci-fi but I do read some fantasy, maybe it helps to get used to info-dumping?

[Maddie]

Finished! I didn't realise how high sci-fi this one was. I've never been a fan of sci-fi as it is, and with the amount of info-dumping this book gave us, I felt like I never fully grasped the characters' histories and backgrounds. I could appreciate the plot and the premise, and the short chapters helped this get by quicker, but even with listening to the audio as I read, it felt like a long read.
.
I'll still read the sequel but this was nothing groundbreaking.

[Maddie]

Ashley wrote: "Chapter 28
[spoilers removed]"

Yeah exactly! I just assumed fantasy!

[Ashley W]

Maddie wrote: "Finished! I didn't realise how high sci-fi this one was. I've never been a fan of sci-fi as it is, and with the amount of info-dumping this book gave us, I felt like I never fully grasped the chara..."

So much sci-fi. It kind of reminded me at times of a cross between Star Wars and Cinder.

[Dr. Andy]

Ch. 3 (view spoiler)[ Well this is certainly taking a turn I wasn't expecting. I didn't actually know what this book was about so whoops? Also, is it just me or is this book set in space with like multiple planets and whatnot?? I really hope Amani will be okay wherever she's being taken to. (hide spoiler)]

Ch. 16 (view spoiler)[ I don't know how to feel about Maram and her cruel streak? Amani is clearly doing a good job fooling everyone but Idris. And I have a feeling he's going to become her love interest in like a hot second lol. (hide spoiler)]

Ch. 28 (view spoiler)[ I'm really loving this whole colonizer vs indigenous people conflict/critique going on. I wish Maram could be closer to her mom's side of the family. They all so clearly want to love her and are open to her getting to know them but she hasn't put in any effort. I'm glad Amani told Maram's grandma the truth tho. It was so heartwarming. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Okay I'm honestly surprised with how much I feel for Maram by the end! I really want her and Amani to become true friends. Amani so clearly wants to help her and I wish both Maram and the rebels would give each other a chance. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Ashley wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Idris was cute but I was slightly shipping Amani and Maram the whole time lmaoooo. I'm much more fascinated by the world and different cultures than the romance! (hide spoiler)]

[Fany]

Maddie wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Chapter 28
[spoilers removed]"

Yeah exactly! I just assumed fantasy!"
Same, but I kind of like where this is going.

[Fany]

Chapter 8
(view spoiler)[ When Amani first started her training, the book felt like a mix of Hunger Games with 1984. Hunger Games in terms of the vibe the worldbuilding gives of and 1984 because of the sense of helplessness. Now I think it's going to be a sort of mix between sci-fi, royal drama and fighting against oppression.
The training feels rushed, but maybe it's to advance the plot into the more interesting part where Amani actually takes Marams' place. Nobody got much character development, it seems like the author tries to develop both Maram and Amani but doesn't succeed much in it. It's 20% through the book and I hardly know anyone.
(hide spoiler)]