The Jasmine Throne

I’m probably the last person who should be starting another series considering I’m already in the middle of many others BUT… how could I not read this? I’m always on the look out for diverse books because my shelf has been dominated by white authors for a long time, soo I’ve been doing my best to read and champion BIPOC voices when I can.

“Truth and lies were both tools, to be used when most necessary.”

Okay so I absolutely loved this book. I haven’t read any of Tasha Suri’s books before but I can confidently say this will be the first of many. The Jasmine Throne introduces us to the stories of Priya and Malani, two women set on making changes to the fate of their nations which are under very patriarchal societies. It usually takes me time to be invested in a character’s story, but Suri’s prose and the way she presents her characters had me captivated.

This book also has a full cast with POVs from secondary characters. Multiple POVs are typically a hit or miss for me, but they were so well done in The Jasmine Throne and added much to the story and depth of Priya and Malani’s motivations. If you love unapologetic and grey characters with internal conflicts and decisions that will keep you guessing, this one’s for you.

Rich in South Asian representation, badass women, schemes, exploration of colonization and religious fanaticism, environment-based magic, complicated familial relationships, and a slow burn forbidden sapphic love – all of this made The Jasmine Throne such an enjoyable read for me. Highly recommend it!

Thanks to the team at Orbit for sending me an eARC for review! All opinions are my own.