Thank you to The Jasmine Throne for once again showing me that I'm starting to love adult fantasy. Oh, and for ripping my heart out.

This has everything I could ask of an epic fantasy - a slowburn, sapphic romance between two morally gray lesbians that don't quite know if they'd like to stab each other or kiss each other senseless, intricate world-building with complex religions, history and culture, deeply complex and flawed characters that are all relatable but also somehow all dumbasses for their different values.

Suri did an unbelievable job at somehow capturing the complexity of following one's moral compass, of family dynamics, love, and of the things we are willing to sacrifice to reach our goals; all without ever showing bias that one approach is better or more valid than the other. I loved it.

I know that this book isn't even out yet, but I already can't wait for the second installment in this trilogy. Please... go read this as soon as it's out.

The Jasmine Throne is so beautifully and lyrically written, it wraps around you like a blanket. Telling the story of two morally grey women who come together to save an Empire, it is a stunning book!

The romance is painfully good, and the world building completely masterful. I can't wait for the next book!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I seriously cannot believe my reading luck this year. Believe it or not, I tore through The Jasmine Throne in a day (after deciding to hit the hard reset button and starting my read from scratch). With such kinetic charge and blistering narrative, how on earth could I help myself?

The Jasmine Throne is first in Tasha Suri’s new The Burning Kingdoms trilogy, an Indian-inspired epic fantasy series entrenched with political turmoil, an enthralling cast of morally ambiguous characters, sapphic yearning, lush worldbuilding, and an appropriately gripping turn of events sure to keep readers on edge of their seat (or bed, depending on where one chooses to read).

Suri transports us to a lush, evocative Indian-inspired world pulled into empires, shaped by religions and tales, and the independent cultures left to wither under their fist. The Jasmine Throne is set in Ahiranya, a nation conquered by Parijatdvipa ruled by a psychotic, women-burning emperor violently obsessed with his twisted vision of religion. Between Parijatdvipa’s tyrannical rule and a mysterious plague known as the rot, Ahiranya is a nation on the verge of both collapse and bloodshed as its rebels make their move before they are out of time.

After refusing to burn in a pyre to be “purified,” Princess Malini is exiled by her brother (who shall not be named for the rest of this review) to Hirana, a temple left abandoned after an unspeakable massacre occurred on its grounds. There, she is left to be drugged and broken so that she would beg for “purification.” Cunning, charming, and ruthless Malini, however, has other plans.

Priya, a maidservant at a regent’s household with a terrible past, is happy to keep her head down to keep what good lot she has in her station. She soon finds herself appointed as Malini’s handmaiden after a turn of events expose a glimpse of her true self and power to Malini.

The two leading women find themselves drawn to each other, but at the face of impossible situations, their desires do not always align and this makes way for a rich, nuanced dynamic between the two. They have plenty reason to not trust each other, they even end up using one another at one point or another. There’s even slivers of hate amongst the yearning and the understanding. Their relationship is entirely captivating, a prime example of the excellent character work Suri does in The Jasmine Throne.

The Jasmine Throne mainly pushes Priya and Malini as the main leads, but it is also supported by a diverse, equally engaging array of other main characters from Bhumika (the regent’s wife), Rao (an Aloran prince), and Ashok (an Ahiranyi rebel) that further layer the politics and grander scope of the trilogy. The tension between each and every one of the characters were delirious, and each betrayal and revelation along the way serve to ensnare readers in the pages. At times these people do terrible things, monstrous things driven by their own purpose and circumstances. Suri’s cast is multifaceted, flawed, tantalising in their tenacity, and deliciously twisted.

The narrative ultimately champions the three women driving its story each harbouring a secret of their own: Malini, a princess with a steel knife cloaked in silk; Priya, a handmaiden whose kindness is not a weakness at the cusp of discovering an unspeakably dangerous power she’d tasted before; Bhumika, level-headed and wise protector of the unfortunate with another life growing inside her to protect. In a world where women are beaten down, crushed, burnt, and erased in service to men with superfluous ego and dangerous zealotry, these women refuse their fate and sharpen themselves to fight for survival. I know the whole “they who fight monsters must prepare to be monsters” spiel, but screw that — it is gloriously satisfying to see the three women strike back with a force equally as monstrous as the men believed them to be in order to justify their own actions. I cannot wait to see these women, emboldened by the events of this book, their purpose and their resolve, to come face to face with what may come next.

The Jasmine Throne is also a book about how a colonised nation is stripped of its art, history, culture, and most importantly, hope. The rapid rate of this systemic erasure on top of the cruel nature of their oppressors truly communicates the desperation of the rebels, shown by their horrific and borderline self-destructive decisions — adding to the novel’s overarching moral ambiguity. We may not always agree with their choices, but we come to understand, even sympathise with them (more so if the decisions are made with characters we’ve been invested with).

Make no mistake, Suri will spoil you rotten with just how much she’d beautifully written this book. The prose searing with so much fury, yearning, and tenderness at the same time; the dialogues, rich with dynamic chemistry; and there’s just too many beautiful lines to count. I promise you, o lovely reader, that when you nab a physical copy, you will be liberally sprinkling annotations and/or tabs across this book. The scenery Suri describes are also captivating to read, its cinematic thrall infused in every inch of magic, action, and horror. Of course, this also means chillingly vivid moments of terror in the face of threats both human and cosmic (specifically plant-based).

The Jasmine Throne is a truly enrapturing tale of survival, reclaiming power, identity, and agency lost, and making the best out of one’s options; filled with flawed characters one cannot help but be enthralled with. Between the blistering fury that burns through the pages, exceptional characterization and rich politics, the kinetic pacing in which the story moves, beautiful and haunting lines, and cinematic wonder, I’d found no reason to put down this novel during my run at all. In short, this gutsy, imaginative novel is a complete package and a testament to high fantasy at its finest.

Tasha Suri’s trailblazing The Jasmine Throne—first in a new epic, nuanced, and wonderfully complex story—is a perfectly-timed breakout moment sure to make her presence in the SFF genre a memorable one.

It’s blistering, it’s gutsy, and it’s kinetic. I’ve no doubt at all: The Jasmine Throne is definitely one of the best SFF books I’ve read in 2021. Reading this book has been an amazing experience for me, and I look forward to the rest of The Burning Kingdoms trilogy!

My many thanks to Orbit for giving me a galley of The Jasmine Throne to read! I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

So what’s the book about?

Ahiranya is a nation ruled by a fanatical emperor while dealing with a disease called rot. In the process, this nation stands on the precipice. The citizens feel increasingly dissatisfied towards the Paraijatdvipan rule. Malini now spends her days imprisoned by the fanatic emperor who is her brother. But the place that is her prison is actually an ancient temple that was a source of powerful magic. The maid Priya, through complicated circumstances, becomes the maid of the imprisoned Malini to keep her company as well. At first Priya appears to be a kind-hearted person who wants to help the rotten children, but in reality her identity hides a person who holds a lot of power. And so Malini and Priya’s fates become directly intertwined.

Why I wanted to read this series?

I love exploring different cultures, so I thought The Jasmine Throne would be just right for me. I haven’t found an Indian setting in a book before, so I wanted to read this one even more. And since it is published by my favourite publisher Orbit, I knew in advance that it would be a very good book. That’s why I’m very happy that NetGalley confirmed my request and that I was allowed to read the book even before it was published. Nevertheless, I have already pre-ordered the paperback.

These aspects attracted me the most while reading.

Priya is fantastically integrated into the story at the beginning of the book, because in the very first pages, you realise that she is a woman of pure heart. She helps the poor who are struggling with a disease – the rot. So you notice right away what kind of personality Priya has. Her strength should not be overlooked, along with her good-heartedness. She is not characterised as strong in a masculine way, but has a strength that only a woman can possess. She is a rebel and fighter of her very own kind and therefore does not have to resort to masculine characteristics, as is often the case. It is nice to see that, in a certain way, a completely natural and normal woman can also be a fighter and that you don’t have to come across as arrogant and overly intelligent, but that you can also have heart as a strong main character. In many ways she reminded me of myself, which is why I was even more enthusiastic about her. She simply has a heart of gold.
Malini is also a very interesting woman, in her own unique way. In some situations, you can see that she is a princess and can also exercise a certain power. But I was particularly interested in Malini’s flashbacks and hallucinations. Through them you learn more about her history, the place where she grew up and also about her brother Chandra – the dictator brother. These flashbacks also show some other characters, who are of course not discussed in detail, but who show what life is like for the Paraijatdvipa. Also, through Malini, the feeling can be given that women have little to say in this world and especially through her cruel brother it comes out even more clearly. This of course reminds us of the stories of our times about the oppression of women, which of course can be established very appropriately in a fantasy setting.
Bhumika a woman of very different strength. I have to say that she was my favourite character, even though she may not be the most likeable character. She is tough, but fair. She sacrifices herself to achieve something greater and save her people. Through Bhumika, one can also experience the oppression of women, as she is the only one married to a man in this book. Even though her husband seems nice, he has different values than she does and thus she has no right to express anything “intelligent”. The author describes each of the three main female characters differently, so each has her own kind of strength and on its own very interesting personality.
The author has created a very mysterious but effective and authentic world here. It doesn’t seem to drift too much into typical fantasy world building, but it feels very real. All aspects of good world building are also used. Firstly, the religion dealing with the nameless god, the yaksa and the mothers of flame. And you also learn a little bit about the history and the political intrigues. Also, of course, the magic that has to do with the temple children, but I don’t want to give too much away here. These, however, somehow gave me a feeling as if it had something to do with Buddhism or Hinduism. The culture is what also shapes this world, of course through history and also through religion. But also the fact that the women here wear saris was something that gave the whole thing something realistic.
Readers of my blog know that I love political stories. And even though that is not the single focus of this book, I was not disappointed. On the one hand, the ruler who has undermined an entire population group who now have to fight for their continued existence. On the other hand, the oppressed women, who have hardly any rights in this world, are not taken seriously and in some respects are not even noticed. And lastly, the story also features the rebels. I always like stories that have to do with revolutions, because I can always empathise there. The hot blood that burns in the rebels always awakens a fire in me.
So what are my final thoughts about it?

I would love to spoil this book as there are so many exciting things happening, but of course I will NOT. So you will have to read the book yourself if you want to find out. There are so many secrets in this book that are revealed or just want to be revealed and so the book got more and more exciting towards the end. It has to be said that the characters are especially prominent here and they go through a great development. That’s why I’m eager to read more about each of them, because none of them seemed boring. Only in the first third of the book there are a few long stretches that bothered me at first, but towards the end of the book, it got more and more exciting and you couldn’t put the book down. A great start to this series and I am eagerly awaiting the next book!

“There was no void in her any longer. Whatever she was- weapon, monster, cursed or gifted- she was whole.”

Oh boy, anti-heroines AND enemies to lovers are my kryptonite so this book didn't disappoint in the slightest. If this upcoming fantasy novel isn't already on your pre-order list then I insist that you add this book to it immediately!

Set in a world inspired by the history and epics of India, The Jasmine Throne transports readers to Ahiranya, a colonized nation plagued by a deadly disease known as rot and on the verge of war. Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne has filled the high fantasy shaped hole that has been left behind since the conclusion of some of the adult fantasy series I hold dear to me. Suri combines a cast of compelling and morally ambiguous characters with an intriguing storyline and rich world-building in an Indian folklore-inspired settling to create an utterly captivating and vivid setting, filled with a fascinating magic system and lore. The concepts presented in this story were just so... *chef kiss*. Everything was so multi-layered and rich.

A highlight for me was the female characters in this book. Whilst there are multiple point of views The Jasmine Throne, which work well in creating a vivid picture of the alternating perspectives and moral standpoints in this book, the three main female characters - Malini, Priya and Bhumika - really shone. Their arcs and relationships with each other were captivating and I loved how they each represented something different. The presentation of each of these characters and fit into a much larger commentary about how women are underestimated and minimised, and I just feel really glad that we have author's like Suri writing books with strong female characters. They were all complex and messy in a way that female characters are so often not allowed to be, and it felt so refreshing to read a story with such dynamic and individually different types of females represented.

*exhales* Honestly, this was just so beautifully written, exceptional and of course full of glorious sapphic yearning. I will definitely be picking up the sequel.

Prose - 5
Plot - 3.5
Characters - 3.5
Enjoyment - 4
"Couldn't put it down" ness - 4

Wow! Just wow. So evocative and enchanting. Some of the descriptions are jaw-dropping beautiful. The world is amazing, the magic system...magical. The pacing is slow but deliciously so. I just wished the ending was stronger and characters more nuanced and less monstrous but I am not exactly complaining! The last few chapters are terribly slow (more slow than usual) and at times I didn't want to continue, other than that it is a great book.Interestingly, there is not much focus on the romance (slow burn sapphic).

Overall, it is a great book but I am not sure if I am dying to read the sequel as I think it suffers from a weak ending. I craved more action! But it is entirely a matter of taste and I do recommend the book!


*I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.

I've been so, so bored of fantasy trends for the past while. Since most published fantasy is being released in a Western setting with Western, heterosexual main characters, I'm not getting a lot of variety and it was making picking up new books a chore.

But then along comes Tasha Suri and I could not be more grateful

We have an entire main and supporting cast of morally grey and diverse characters that are living in a South East Asian inspired fantasy world. The main characters, Priya and Malini, are so well-written and it has been absolutely refreshing to see the world from their eyes. We also get the incredible supporting cast who serve to further build on and explore the world and I never had to go through a chapter wishing that this person's POV would just end so I could move on to someone else.

Speaking of the world, it has been so exciting to learn more about. The author has been able to give such vivid descriptions that I can know what the world looks like even without a map. We have our political courts and neighbouring nations/characters set up and I'm so excited to see where she takes us from here. It does have a soft magic system but, not to spoil anything, I won't go into that. I will say that I did still enjoy the magic in this book, even when I generally prefer harder magic systems.

Lastly, it would be a disservice to this author and this book to not point out the quality of the writing style. Her prose is engaging and fluid from the start and it was so pleasant to read through. Tasha Suri is clearly comfortable in her writing style and knows how to evoke what she wants the reader to see without forcing you to sit through disengaging purple prose.

Absolutely loved this book and would recommend to anyone that wants to experience that feeling you get when exploring a new adventure with memorable characters.

5/5 stars. aches. hurts. in love.

rep: indian coded lesbian main characters, indian coded cast

do you like enemies to reluctant allies to lovers, morally grey characters, yearning is in the almost kisses, tenderly washing your lovers hair, accidental hand holding in a dark forest night?

The Jasmine Throne is the first book in the burning kingdoms duology, an engrossing tale of two women, survivors who become unlikely allies to save the empire, with a slow burn romance in the make set in Ahiranya, a colonized nation on the verge of war.

Reading this book was an amazing experience, I kept wanting to savor it sweetly yet anxiously turned pages, wanting to know more. Tasha writes an imaginative and wonderful tale of survival and taking control that’s been stolen from you with characters that are so flawed and so human that you can’t help but root for.

It’s also the queer south asian fantasy of my dreams, I felt an aching tenderness like this was everything I could’ve wanted and more.

I love how the romantic aspects are so well balanced with the plot, how every side character is so well fleshed out, how the narrative never condemns Bhumika for making the best of her options. I ended up caring about all of them, especially Rukh and even Ashok.

I also love how despite everything, Priya’s kindness and her love for her homeland never diminishes. She’s allowed to be soft, without it being portrayed as a weakness. The tension between her and Malini is delirious and frantic and lovely to behold.

The worldbuilding is wonferful and I loved how Tasha put a spin on some of the folklore and stories about the yaksha

All in all The Jasmine Throne is my favorite book of 2021 and I eagerly await it’s sequel. Highly recommended!

content warnings: (from the author’s website) explicit violence including immolation and self-immolation, gender-based violence (no sexual assault), homophobia and internalised homophobia(minor), suicidal ideation, self-mutilation, abusive family dynamics, child murder, body horror (plant-based, cosmic), forced drug use and depictions of addiction/withdrawal

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.

I more or less inhaled these 500+ novel in two days.
Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne may be one of the best high fantasy novels I've ever read. Superbly written The Jasmine Throne presents its readers with an evoking Indian inspire setting, A+ world-building, a cast of compelling and morally ambiguous characters, a sapphic romance (think Fingersmith by way of Marie Rutkoski), and plenty of intriguing storylines that will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat. In other words, The Jasmine Throne is high fantasy at its best. It is exceedingly original and utterly captivating.

But some men dream of times long dead, and times that never existed, and they're willing to tear the present apart entirely to get them.

The Jasmine Throne transports us to Ahiranya a nation plagued by a peculiar disease known as the rot. Ahiranya was conquered by Paraijatdvipa which is ruled by the fanatical Emperor Chandra. Between the 'rot-riven' and the growing discontentment towards the harsh Paraijatdvipan rule, Ahiranya is a nation on the verge.
Priya who works in the household of the regent of Ahiranya tries to help 'rot-riven' children. Although she does her best to hide her true identity and past the arrival of Malini, Emperor Chandra's disgraced sister, complicates things, especially when Malini witnesses her powers.

After refusing to be burned at a pyre, in order to be 'purified', Malini is sent by her zealot brother to Hirana, a treacherous temple that was left abandoned after the deaths of its 'children'.

Once Malini sees Priya in action she requests her as her maidservant. The two feel pulled to each other but both are aware that their desires may not align.

The Jasmine Throne provides its readers with a fantastic cast of characters. First, Priya and Malini. These two young women have been through a lot (and when I say a lot, I mean it). They have every reason not to trust one another but they cannot deny the nature of their feelings. To call it 'love' doesn't feel quite right given the positions they are in. Malini's brother is responsible for many horrific things, many of them which have left their mark on Priya and her homeland. Also, both at one point or another end up using the other. Yet, their relationship is *chef's kiss*. There is yearning, lust, hate, understanding...
Of course, I found each of their character arcs to be just as captivating as the relationship that develops between them. They face many impossible situations and we may not always agree with their choices.
The characters around them are just engaging. From Bhumika, the regent's wife, to Rao, Prem, and even Ashok. I loved the tension between all of them, as well as the betrayals and revelations we get along the way.

The world-building is top tier stuff. From the religions (we have the nameless god, the yaksa, the mothers of flame, each one is truly intriguing) and tales that shape each empire (the nameless to the magical elements. I found Suri's storytelling to be truly immersive. There are many beautiful and haunting passages (“Family don't have a duty to be kind to you. They have a duty to make you better. Stronger.” and “The first time Malini learned how to hold a knife was also the day she learned how to weep.”), as well as insightful discussions on power, revenge, and forgiveness.

It had been a while since I'd read something that gave me the so-called 'feels' but The Jasmine Throne sure did. Suri has crafted an engrossing tale that made me feel as if I was riding a rollercoaster. And that finale...wow. I have yet to recover from it. Suffice to say, I am anxious about the sequel (please Suri, be gentle on us!).

Set against a bejeweled, tropical (South-Asian-inspired) backdrop, The Jasmine Throne tracks treasonous ambitions against a tainted throne and a broken, tyrannical rule that sets temples and sacred spots ablaze, twists religious truths and tests long-held loyalties, and a rebellion that burns remorseless and bitter, beckoning a rebirth to remake their state into one that blooms once more, amidst a thorny sickness that snakes through their homeland - with two spirited sapphic heroines at the helm of the action. Fashioning a fascinating world with warmly flowing, flowery words and fiery faiths, flayed peace and fated warfare, Tasha Suri manipulates a mix of perspectives to force matters of morality, mortality, magnanimity, and muted monstrousness to the forefront of a fast-paced, multi-layered plot with prose as piercing as its protagonists are fatal.

To put it plainly, The Jasmine Throne has it all: cunning politesse and clout-seeking politicking, power-hungry princes and plotting commoners, class partitions and purity clap-backs, portentous promises and the calculated poisoning of a canny prisoner, a not-quite-commoner who carves out a path for herself crosses with a princess she cannot help care but about...and must hollow herself out for. And nestled within its depths is an unworldly narrative of deadly divination, nameless deities, and deathless waters....I am wine-drunk with wonder at how it all wrapped up, utterly devoted to Priya and Malini, and dying to dive deeper into the Burning Kingdoms universe....book 2 when?!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit/Little, Brown Book Group UK for kindly passing on this arc! 💫