The writing in this book is spectacular! The use of echoes, metaphors, even line breaks, is absolutely poetic. I wanted to give it a standing ovation when I was done reading. Fans of dark fantasy or tales of bloody revenge will love this book.
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That said, I would be remiss if I didn't warn potential readers of the two /very/ explicit sex scenes in this book :x. The pornographic level of details left me confused as to whether this book was meant to be YA Fantasy or not. And at the other end of the pendulum, the Hogwarts for Assassins setting which takes precedence a quarter of the way into the book seemed aimed at a /younger/, tween audience. Going to class, going to meals, dealing with bullies... all a little "middle school", despite the otherwise mature themes in this book. It's true, that some minors are sexually active, or use substances, or drink alcohol, or lash out, and maybe they would appreciate a bit of escapism which celebrates that behavior, instead of another cautionary teen fiction. But potential book buyers should know, this is not your typical YA Fantasy.

The Lady Janies deliver again! Fun, witty, and inclusive, this paranormal western is exactly the bit of levity the world can use more of.

This book is beautiful, like if The Lightning Thief and Labyrinth had a baby. I love that this book is what a good story should be: inclusive without being ham-fisted. It's a story about learning to accept yourself, learning to trust others, and navigating family, all of which is universal.
PS - I love Whick, they are the BEST, I would read a whole comic about the misadventures of Whick the Golem!

This book is a MASTERPIECE!

This book is so much more than "a vampire book". There are many kinds of bloodsuckers out there: People who are demeaning, and sap your strength, leaving you soul-tired. People who prey upon your faith or hospitality, and expect more than you can give. Sharks who swindle money from you. Systemic racism leaving you tired of struggling for equality. /Sexism/ leaving you tired of struggling for equality! The crushing fear that you are not enough. There is so much more to a life than blood in your veins, and so much more that drains a person in a day than physical exertion. This. Author. NAILED IT! What it's like to be a mother, a housewife, a female friend - the fact that we live so much of our lives in our thoughts and feelings, but they are /valid/ and /real/ - this author crushed it.

I was expecting this book to be space-age sci-fi/fantasy, and was (pleasantly) surprised to discover that it's actually a modern fantasy featuring Hindu mythology. I had to stop a few times while reading, and educate myself on the unfamiliar zodiac and mythical creatures, which I count as a /good/ thing. I loved learning about another's culture, and being exposed to - what for me was - new magic.
A central theme of this book is being separated from one's heritage, and how to navigate first learning your family's culture, and then deciding which pieces to adopt and which to eschew. And more simply, it's a story about how Sheetal, a young adult, has to navigate the complicated range of feelings all teens go through when they discover that their family are all just other, complicated, flawed adults too. Her journey through doubts and discovery was timeless, and moving.
Not to mention, that this book is a winning trifecta of inclusion: Indian mythology, an Indian-American heroine, and LGBTQA supporting characters.
All that said, for all its good parts, the book also has its flaws. One minor minus, I found the book to be /too/ YA; it felt at times like I was watching a CW show. For example, Sheetal might be /more/ upset at any given moment that she has split ends, than that she her father is dying in the hospital. Or more concerned that somebody lied to her, than that they want to harvest her organs.
But a bigger problem I had with this book, is that I didn't feel the conflicts were resolved satisfactorily by the end. One big dilemma for Sheetal is that she must choose: a life on Earth or a life as a star. And... she doesn't. Another central conflict: Sheetal's grandmother is racist and wants political power so that she can pass racist laws... And she gets that power. Sure, there's a bigger message here about "being yourself" doesn't mean having to compromise which cultures you connect to, OR family is complicated and sometimes racist but we still love them... Those themes just don't make for a satisfying /story/ conclusion.
All in all, I still recommend the book. It's a great conversation starter.

A gorgeous fable about the monsters we become when we let anger rule, and the infectious peace we make when we dare to trust others. My heart goes out to anyone who, like Soraya, has suffered abuse, or has had to make themselves small when their feelings are big.
The back of this book is unique: Instead of a glossary of terms, there is more of a bibliography of inspirations. I loved it! I felt like I was sitting down for coffee and a chat with the author, it was so wonderful to see her thought process. Definitely got the Persian Sleeping Beauty vibes she was striving for.
This book gets major stars for being inclusive. Not just for the heroine being LGBTQA, but because the book explores themes of /romantic/ attraction: how a person can be attracted to a personality trait more than a physical trait.
AND this book gets big stars for its sensory descriptions! Having sense of touch become such a priveledged, intimate, even sometimes decadent, form of communication makes the audience /feel/ the story as it unfolds.
I can see how a reader might get upset with the extended metaphors which run throughout. But personally, as someone who also enjoys folk stories, the metaphors felt appropriate, like they were setting a fairytale tone. I can also see how readers might be upset that the author "borrowed" most of the characters from Persian myths, but since Fairytale Retellings are an entire sub-genre, I fully applaud the way they were rewoven in this book.
Fantastic read! Cannot wait to read more from this author :D. <3