This book isn’t really romancey, and I liked that a lot. They look out for each other and have some of the sweetest moments.Ħ. I loved the chemistry between him and Amani because there’s this intrigue underneath a strongly developing friendship. Jin is so perfect. He’s so mysterious and caring and he gave me the swoons. You’d think she’d be submissive and quiet living under these circumstances, but she has this fire and will not be forced to do anything she doesn’t want to do.ĥ.

She’s an orphan living with her uncle who might force her to marry him, and she’s scrimping and saving so she can escape before it’s too late. When we meet her, her life is the epitome of misery. I really love heroines that start out at rock bottom because they have nothing to lose and make quick decisions that have the power to change their lives. She’s smart, sassy, and filled with quick wit and the perfect amount of paranoia to make her someone you can really get behind, rather than a dumb damsel in distress. So often we see fantasies pulling elements from fairytales or other tried and true fantasy novels, but Rebel of the Sands feels very original and authentic.Ĥ. This hybrid of various world building elements felt very fresh.

There’s djinni and ghouls and traversing the desert by horse, but there’s also modern technology like gun factories and trains. The world feels both modern and historic. The story is this awesome middle eastern, wild west, Aladdin, mystic conglomeration with magic and mythical horses and sand and a sultan and a secret world of magical and powerful beings. Simply put, I loved everything about Rebel of the Sands, from the beautiful cover to the amazingly fitting title to the words inside. 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.

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. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.ĭestined to wind up 'wed or dead,' Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. 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. She’s more gunpowder than girl-and the fate of the desert lies in her hands. Published by Viking Children's Books on March 8, 2016

Rebel of the sands by alwyn hamilton