A wonderful first book in a gorgeous sapphic fantasy series.
The writing itself is engaging and flows perfectly, the characters are interesting and three dimensional while also being flawed enough to feel real.
The balance of romance, myth, and fantasy is perfectly achieved.
I can’t wait to read book two.

"The Jasmine Throne" by Tasha Suri is a mesmerizing and richly crafted fantasy novel that transports readers to a vivid and politically intricate world. Suri's storytelling prowess shines as she weaves a tale of power, revolution, and the complex relationship between her two strong, diverse female protagonists. The lush descriptions of the setting, inspired by Indian culture, enhance the immersive experience.

The characters are beautifully drawn, with their growth and relationships at the heart of the narrative. The novel deftly explores themes of oppression, resistance, and the price of change. Suri's prose is lyrical, and her world-building is top-notch, making "The Jasmine Throne" a compelling and thought-provoking addition to the fantasy genre. Readers seeking a captivating and inclusive story will find this book both thrilling and evocative.

In theory I should have loved The Jasmine Throne. Morally grey sapphics, magic, high stakes - I was there for it.
But even though the writing was good and there was a lot of action, I didn't connect with the story. The book also felt too long.
Overall this wasn't a bad book, it just didn't work for me, and I'm not sure wether I'll pick up the sequel or not.

There's a lot to love about this book - a rich and complex world of united and warring kingdoms, a rogue magic system and characters that slowly develop their purpose and bonds with each other.

Priya, a maidservant in Ahiranya's regent's mahal, and Malini, princess of the Empire, are the clear protagonists of this book. Although other points of view are introduced throughout (and some only very briefly for the purpose of seeing what is happening elsewhere), these two characters are also the most intriguing and developed. It takes time for them to find each other, and to build a kind of trust between them.

However, what often frustrates me is that once two characters with a clear attraction to each other who also need to interact closely begin to realise this, is that they are very quickly ripped away from each other, and with a lot of verbal discussion about who they are and why they have to act in a particular way, before things can be resolved later on. I appreciate it all builds tension, but sometimes there's just so much chat.

Through the disgruntled and subjugated faction of Ahiranya, we also learn more about the empire, and the potential for opposition - a revolt that has been slowly building over a number of years. Through this periphery kingdom, we learn more about the disparate cultures that build up the empire but we don't quite get a complete picture at this stage.

This didn't quite have the strength of the Daevabad triology for me - it does a great job of setting up what's to come and promises some excellent conflict and drama, against a rich Indian/South East Asian inspired fantasy world, but didn't quite have the same pull.

That said, I'm now keen to get onto books 2 and 3 in the series.

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

rep: indian inspired characters, lesbian m/c's, f/f romance

content warning: violence, death, execution by burning, gender-based violence, body horror, forced drug use & addiction, homophobia.

The Jasmine Throne is a magical & epic indian inspired fantasy. It is an engrossing story of two women who are fighting for survival in a chaotic world, and who form an unlikely alliance to take back control. It's a story about the horrors of colonisation and the danger of power. It also has some really interesting magic involving plants!

"The Jasmine Throne" by Tasha Suri is an exquisitely crafted fantasy novel that will sweep you away into a lush and vividly imagined world. The story is set in a kingdom on the brink of collapse, where two remarkable women - a former princess and a servant with mysterious powers - form an unlikely alliance to fight against a ruthless empire.

Suri's writing is a sheer delight, with its richly detailed descriptions and nuanced characterizations that bring the story to life. The political intrigue and power dynamics are skillfully woven into the narrative, adding depth and complexity to the story. The worldbuilding is breathtakingly beautiful, with its lush gardens, shimmering palaces, and intricate cultures. The characters are fully realized and multifaceted, making it easy for readers to become invested in their journey.

Overall, "The Jasmine Throne" is a stunningly original and compelling fantasy novel that is not to be missed. Suri's mastery of language and storytelling shines through on every page, creating an immersive reading experience that will stay with you long after the last chapter. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy, political intrigue, and character-driven stories.

This is a tale of empires and kingdoms, of revolt and dissent, of pride vs unjust anger. It illustrates the anger of what people will do when they are oppressed, and it evokes the themes of power and love being mixed in a cluster of politics that is seriously at the heart of this book. There are so many story arcs within each character's chapter that the story moves progressively fast-forward. There's a spiritual level to this story that requires a bit of a deep interpretation because it is worth it. What made me the proudest, was the fact that this book called to my roots as someone that is from an Indian background. From little details such as 'onion sabzi' and the illustrative details of the homes, the cities, the names, everything about it made me happy. Even the names roti and paratha brought a smile to my face. Many Indians grow up in their households eating their mother's cooked food (though it is not always the case, it can differ) and it brought back memories of that. But enough about what it brought in terms of my personal feelings. The story is so good I kept on devouring it! I kept on reading more and more because I became so immersed with the characters that I really ended up going on a trip to a land that was so mythical, so ancient, it reminded me of my homeland. I've always had an interest from my end, in my home country's history and realising that what India has contributed to the world, just in terms of stories and literature, is immense. This is like an epic love tribute ot

You have to understand that the plot can not be simply unveiled in one go. It's a massive book, and I think some areas could have been trimmed down or not needed. Moving onwards, the Parijatdvipan Empire is a massive empire, ruling over many places, subjects, and lords you name it. Its oppressive rule over the Ahiranyans from banning their culture, preventing them from doing things that they would do is driving them to the edge of revolt. Add other neighbors such as the Saketans and others. Emperor Chandra, who is considered to be a despotic Emperor is the worst of the worst. In his belief, what he does is right, and doesn't see what is wrong in this area. In a way, it reminded me of the Demon King Kamsa of Mathura, in a tale that may or may not be familiar to lovers of Hindu mythology, when he discovered that Krishna was the seventh born son of Devaki and her husband Vasudeva, and that child would kill him, Kamsa did something unspeakable, much like Herod in the Bible had done. Of course, Chandra doesn't do this, but he does something even more unspeakable.

This novel is certainly and heavily in my opinion, inspired not just by the Mahabharata or Ramayana, but by other Indian tales as well, perhaps even from the richest area of Indian literature which is the Ancient Tamil Literature, the Sangam Era of the Chola Empire. I did not expect this novel to be a recreation or staying true to the Hindu Mythos, because studying Hindusim in itself requires to understand hundreds of folklore tales passed down through generations, and it is a very old religion. To understand Hinduism itself, well the very beginning is just the tip of the iceberg. Hindusim is like a massively multiplayer MMORPG with hundreds of Gods, folklore, and clans to choose from if you look at it from a gamer's perspective. But why am I saying all of this? Because this novel is unique in its creation its own cultures, own creatures such as the Yaksa, the introduction of new temple faiths, etc. There must also be Buddhist/Jainism influence in it as well. I have no doubt that Tasha Suri did her research, and it shows.

In the end, it's a tale of love too. I thought I would be able to summarise all of the novels, finding the hidden nuances here and there, but I just can't. It's so good that I felt for Rukh, I felt for Rao, I felt for Vikram, even if I felt that his character didn't have the best of arcs. With Bhumika, I was a bit iffy but I understood her motivations. Malini and Priya have great chemistry for certain. Though I was a bit unclear about the Gods, and maybe the second book will show more of this world. It's a massive book, but now I can confidently say that as a book blogger, it's great to read some fantasy set in the rich world of mythical tales and just it's great to see an Indian-inspired fantasy novel. I can't wait to read book 2, and I want more of my Desi Brethren to go out there, write their own novels based on Indian culture and showcase it to the world.

We have a culture that spans thousands of years of stories to be told from. If not, then when? India has given the world yoga, food, culture and music. Now it's time we Desi Folk, the creative bunch, gave our stories to the world. This novel made me so proud that I discussed it with my family, and the story is very similar in a way to Baahubali, which is an Indian Epic Fantasy film released in 2015 directed by Rajamouli S.S. I'd very much compare it with RRR which if you haven't watched it on Netflix, you need to watch it as the Russo Brothers really enjoyed it. When I compare these epic Indian films to the story, I find some events that are similar. If there is a film or TV series being adapted for this trilogy, then I'd love Rajamouli to direct it. Or even Netflix make a series to direct it. It's that good.

This is a fantastic novel and a 10/10 from me. The cover artist has done a fantastic job of capturing the Indian culture so well :)

I loved the Indian folklore elements woven into the story and the sapphic enemies to lovers was done amazingly. The pacing could have been a bit better, but I still enjoyed oh nevertheless

This book is amazing! I adored the way the history was told from the character's perspective. It's a unique. It realy has a beautiful writing. I can't wait to read more works of this author.

I'd wanted to read The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri ever since I first heard about it. Stupidly, it took me quite a while before I actually picked it up, and I wish I'd done so much earlier! It was fantastic!

A Indian inspired high fantasy, The Jasmine Throne is very much the first book in a series, in that it's setting things up, forming relationships, letting us get to know the world and the magic system, and putting characters into place for next book. But at the same time, so much happens! There may not be a huge amount of action for the majority of the book, but it's so complex. The world building is so rich and layered. The Empire is ruled by Malini's brother, Chandra, who rules with an iron fist. He's taken his people's religion and has twisted it to become a tool with which tyrannically control the empire. Ahiranya, one of the Empire's territories, is ruled by General Vikram, and it's under his charge that Malini is put when she is exiled to the Hirana, a former temple, for opposing Chandra's rule. There is rebellion within Ahiranya, people wanting to take their home back. People who long for the magic they once had, granted from their own faith. It's a slow build up, but there are various levels of political intrigue, which I absolutely adored. There are a large number of moving parts to this story.

While Malini and Priya are the main narrators, we also get the perspectives of several others. The three other pain players are Ashok, a former temple child and leader of the rebellion, Bhumika, the wife to General Vikram who also hides the fact she was once a temple child, and Rao, the prince of another territory and ally of Malini's. There are several other perspectives that are included as well, but they get only a chapter or two. At first, I was annoyed with all the different perspectives; I'm not one for jumping about all over the place, I like my high fantasies somewhat contained, and prefer no-more than three narrators so I don't have to wait too long before getting back to the characters I prefer. But as I said, there are so many moving parts to this story. Malini is imprisoned in the Hirana, and Priya is but a maidservant. While Priya has more freedom, there's only so much she can be aware of. We need all these other perspectives because there are so many layers, so I came to love all the perspectives; we know what's happening elsewhere, the moves that are made, the plans put into motion, while others, not so much, or not until later. I am a massive, massive fan of political intrigue and it was just bloody fantastic! I revelled in it. Suri has plotted this story so well, and it was just so incredible to see where the story led, how the various moves effected other elements. The Jasmine Throne really puts the epic into epic fantasy.

I adored Priya. She is such a great character. She has a history of her own, and secrets to keep. She's quite a hopeful person, which I really appreciated. She's just so good and kind, and full of love for her people. And she goes through so much in this book. The things she rediscovers, the secrets kept from her, the hurt she experiences. And she's conflicted when it comes to the Empire, and what's the best thing to do. Is she for the rebellion? Is she for trying to keep her people alive? There are different ideas about what lines can and should be crossed from different sides, and Priya isn't necessarily for some people's methods. But how she has such courage and spunk and does what she feels is right. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding her past and what she doesn't remember, the latent power and her past that she keeps hidden. It was great to see her learn the truth and come into her strength, but to also see her still be herself with her morals and sense of what is right.

Malini is quite a complex character, and so morally grey. Chandra is awful, and people are suffering under his rule. She wants to depose him, and put their older brother, who abdicated on the throne. She has a strong belief in what she feels is right for the Empire, and will do whatever it takes to make it so. Whatever it takes. She's just brilliant! And so clever, she's got political strategising down to a T. She's has a heart, but she is ruthless. And now her own life depends on getting Chandra off the throne. I have to say I wasn't really surprised by where Malini's storyline took her, I think that was pretty obvious from the get-go, but I didn't mind that.

I have to say, I couldn't really get on board with the romance. Malini was drugged through the majority of the story, and in the great scheme of things, Malini and Priya didn't have an awful lot of time together on the page. So I didn't really feel we got to see the romance develop very much. But this isn't really an issue for me, because I don't really read high fantasy for the romance. Yes, the sapphic romance was one of the things that drew me to this story, but not the only thing, and honestly, the political intrigue is just first class, and I'm generally much more interested in that in fantasy anyway, so I'm not disappointed.

Despite guessing early on where Malini's path would take her, I didn't know how she would get there, and I have the say, the ending was absolutely incredible! It was so, so good! Things really got moving, and it was just fantastic! And I am so, so excited for The Oleander Sword now, because I'm pretty such everything is going to be dialled right up, and I can't wait! I know I thought The Jasmine Throne was epic, but I think The Oleander Sword is going to top, and that there will be so much more in regards to action. It's just going to be so bloody brilliant! I highly, highly recommend The Jasmine Throne; this is not a book to miss!

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features forced drug use, body horror, execution as entertainment, and people burning alive.

Thank you to Orbit via NetGalley for the eProof.

I loved this one so much, the sibling angst, multiple POV done so well, fantastic characters and I loved the strong women , this is how women should be written right here. I loved how complex the characters are written, each one thinks they are doing the right thing. The villains are not the characters but the thing that motivates them, it’s so rare to see such a real look into the complexity of ‘good and bad’ and how it’s down to choices , who is right and who is wrong. Absolutely loved it and can’t wait for the next

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

2.5 stars

Priya is a maidservant for the Regent's wife and lives in the shadow of the Hirana, an ancient temple where she once lived until the priests and other children there were burned.
Princess Malini is the sister of the emperor, a ruthless man who locks Malini away in the Hirana.
Priya and Malini's paths cross one day when Priya is at the Hirana, and the Malini witnesses Priya doing something extraordinary.
Malini is determined to remove her brother from the throne and is willing to use anyone to get what she wants, even Priya, who has secrets of her own.
Will Malini escape from the Hirana?
Will Priya's memories of the day of the fire return?

Having read one of the author's previous books and enjoyed it, I was excited to read this book.
Priya and Malini were both likeable and relatable protagonists, but I felt like I connected to Priya more. Both Priya and Malini were interesting to get to know and I enjoyed seeing how they reacted in different situations, as well as how they interacted. I appreciated that Malini in particular wasn't afraid not to conform to how she was expected to act as a woman.
The concepts of the yaksa, the deathless waters, and the rot were all interesting and I enjoyed learning more about them.
The plot was enjoyable, but I did find the pacing a little off, and the book did drag a bit for me - I felt that the book could have been shorter in this regard, but liked that the author didn't rush to get to the end. However, reading the relationships between the characters was one of my favourite parts and I thought the author did a good job of setting up the plot and different characters.
The writing style was easy to follow.
While I did enjoy this overall, I did lose interest, unfortunately.

Overall, this was a mixed read.

You know those books that remind you why you love reading and fantasy so much? This book did that for me. I absolutely loved the Indian inspired setting and the world-building was fantastic. The more I got to know about the world the more invested I became. It felt like I was transported to this real, tangible, lived in world and that's when you know you've done world-building the right way.

The magic system is fantastic and just made so much sense? Like it was the perfect choice for this book.

Priya and Malini absolutely own my heart I absolutely love them and I can't wait to see what's in store for them in book 2

The Jasmine Throne is the first book in The Burning Kingdom trilogy. It is a desi-inspired epic fantasy which is set in the kingdom of Parijat. A kingdom ruled by a cruel emperor. An emperor who in the name of faith burns women.

It is a fantasy set in the conquered city of Ahiranya to where the emperor's sister has been exiled for secretly preparing to overthrow the horrid ruler. It is also about a maid servant working in the regent's mahal who usually wonders of everything she could be but isn't, this is a maid servant with a secret.

Find the entire review on my blog, link in bio!

I enjoyed the intricate world building - of the city, the rose garden, the Hirana, the monastery, the sangam and even the deathless water. The lush magic system in the book is also quite unique. The Jasmine Throne in its core is a complicated story of powerful and authentic female characters which is always fun to read! The only thing I wished more of would be better pacing and a few less POVs amidst the many.

So, do I recommend it? You know I do! Reading The Jasmine Throne is going to be a treat to your imagination and will fulfill your needs to read a sapphic desi book where women fight in sarees. Also, the representation in the book with the food, the names and the character description is just spot on! 💛🌼

Lastly, swipe to see the exclusive CD art for The Jasmine Throne! The white jasmines are for Malini, the princess while the red ones are for Priya, the maid servant. 💕

I received an e-ARC of this book from Orbit Books and Caffeine Book Tours as part of my participation in their tour. This did not impact my review in any way, all views are my own.

A queer fantasy inspired by the Indian culture and unravelling against a backdrop of Indian history and folklore is stunning, thrilling, and somewhat comforting. With an immersive prose, the rich world is painted with beautiful strokes, multi-faceted characters are created to stand strong on their principles, and a slow-burn romance is unfolded with an unmissable yearning. But what shines the most is the core theme explored through this fantastical tale: colonialism and imperialism sucking the very life out of a land and its people. Through a magic dependent on the fauna, various prophecies, and an angst driving two anti-heroines who are worth cheering for, this adult sff is a must-read.

Loved the first half, but then was disappointed by the second half. I was really enjoying the world-building, the two main characters and the potential of their sapphic romance. But then the plot became too predictable and new points of view were included without adding anything to the plot, so I ended up losing interest.

Spectacular fantasy with epic and richly-detailed world-building and morally grey characters. Highly recommended.

Synopsis: In an world inspired by the Mahabharata and the Mughal Empire (see https://wordwoonders.com/color-the-shelves-interview-tasha-suri-the-jasmine-throne/), this epic fantasy focuses on three fierce women, from different cultures and classes, who navigate their place in a patriarchal empire which is hell bent on purification through a reimagined practice of Sati.

What you can expect:
- Floral imagery
- Sapphic Romance
- Morally Grey Characters
- Multiple POVs

Some ideas the book explored that stood out to me:
- What is love and how is it actualised?
- Who decides what is meant to be venerated?
- What constitutes the beauty of a creator?

What might be frustrating:
The POV of characters who don’t last beyond a chapter. Thus, there’s a lot of character set up which slows down the action.

After receiving the ARC, I decided to pre-order the audiobook when it was released so that I could read them in tandem.. I liked it so much I recently bought a copy from a local independent bookshop. I really look forward to the second in the trilogy, entitled The Oleander Sword, releasing in August this year.

This book has a very lush, eye-catching setting, one that was a joy to unwrap chapter by chapter; I am a great fan of non-Western settings done well by someone who has the love and the experience to do them justice. In that aspect, the book is great: the mythology, the imagery and the sense of place are all lovely.

Having said that, other elements seemed comparatively weaker. I felt the plot was too slow, and not overall very tense, which is a shame: a better pace and higher tension would have elevated the book, I feel. The characters were a welcome change from the generic mould (Bhumika especially), but I often felt that they were largely following the flow of the circumstances in how they sought their goals; some things felt like they were resolved too easily. It is the first book that sets up the power struggle and the bigger conflict, so things may change.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of the book, which I am so terribly late reading and reviewing

This was SO GOOD oh my god; the tension, the relationship and how it was built, and all the imagery written throughout was so beautiful.