Fantasy reimagined ~ dawn of the firebird

dawn of the firebird by sarah mughal rana

genre: fantasy

My 💭:
[18/1/26 10.14 PM] 

I do not know what happened to my soul while reading this book but I loved reading fantasy again - the genre that got me into reading in the first place as a child. Thank you so so so much publishers for bringing this book to my life and author for creating the words that made this book an unforgettable experience for me 🤎✨

What an AMAAAAAZING world building this book has omggg! Seriously, fantasy readers, make haste and get your hands on this book NOW. After being a voracious fantasy reader for so many years, trust me, the fantasy worlds of recent fiction kept repeating the same sort of plotline - it was kinda becoming dull to me. But this storyline with its jinns and heavenly light (nur) and black magic and most importantly, the perseverance and survival of a girl born in a world that despises her from the beginning, but will move heaven and hell to prove her worth to her clan - it got me so hooked that I remained offline this whole Sunday evening and binge read this book, like it holds all the answers to my life's problems.

When Khamilla kept trying to keep her oath for the very people that keep trying to hurt her, I did not feel anger or impatience at her. An year ago I might have, but now, I understand. Acceptance is a powerful NEED for a soul's survival and trust me - there's a powerful lesson regarding this at the end of the story via a twist that gave me goosebumps. So over and over I see Khamilla get burnt and burnt, still she kept her word, until the Truth was revealed to her on its own which made her question everything and finally understand the situation from a correct perspective. This made me learn that acceptance matters, but not from others if costs you hurt and tears. Such acceptance is worse than being alone in this whole wide world.

I absolutely loved Khamilla's story, her grit and perseverance in the face of anything against all odds. And unexpectedly, her training with the pazktab children actually roused my maternal feelings, like wtf 😂. They were so so funny! The way they kept calling her "Master" when she was trying so hard not to be embarassed by them, lol 😂. Not just them, all the side characters of this book have such depth in them that the unfolding events left more and more emotionally affected. And finally, the Sepahbad, I'm not gonna lie but he is giving me The Darkling vibes. I soooo want to know his story.

The ending was...WHOA! No offense to Khamilla but I want more of No-Name 🫣. And I absolutely cannot wait to find out what happens next to their world. And of course, the pazktab children 😁.

Q - how do you feel about your solitude moments?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My first read of 2026 ~ resetting my vibe

10 minutes and 38 seconds in this strange world by elif shafaq genre: literary fiction, women literature My 💭: [4/1/26 9.44 AM] 🏅 My first read of 2026! My choice couldn't have been more perfect 💯. A 🏅 read. It feels very odd to write 2026 instead of 2025. I used to envision my life as an independent adult, stepping into this vast world and find my footing - something that little me could only dream of. 2026 used to feel like such an 'adult year'! And here I am, finally, lucky enough to witness it with my loved ones by my side. And yet so much has changed, so many stories ended, so many new began, so many still continuing. 1 book of life, yet so many parallel stories, strung together by time, each of them brimming with life. Tequila Leila, too, was a person of many stories. But sadly, it began with the end. This book, or Leila's story, was an amalgamation of so many aspects of her life - all connected by the memories her brain churned up in the last 10 min and 38 se...
Read more

poetry and nature ~ of moonflowers and memories

Image
of moonflowers and memories by satya genre: poetry My 💭: [4/1/26 6.23 PM]  On this quiet gloomy Sunday evening, as I am opening the Notes app on my phone to write this review, I cannot help but feel gratitude for all that life has given me. This intricately designed thick shawl, this thermos, this reading nook, the uneventfulness of this evening. And of course, for poetry books like this. The poet has given a thorough introduction of what we may expect from this book at the beginning. She said that this book is for "those who see the world in metaphors and moments...". Most of us poetry readers, aren't we just that? Life is passing us by as we close our eyes each time we blink, yet somehow we hold onto all that life is with the essence of a few words and moments from ourselves and the nature just beyond us. This book is a collection of poems divided into three segments - whispers of the cosmos, echoes of the soul and tides of time. All these poems seem to be taken out fr...
Read more

supernatural shadow town

Image
shadow town by sreemati sen genre: supernatural My 💭: [22/3/26 7 PM] This book has that quiet, slightly eerie vibe that slowly builds as the story goes on, and I found that really interesting. It starts off in a remote village setting where everything feels a little unfamiliar, almost like you’ve stepped into a place that follows its own rules. There’s a strong presence of local beliefs, stories, and small details that make the setting feel real without being overwhelming. Through Deesha’s perspective, things feel grounded and practical at first, since she looks at everything with a more logical mindset. But even then, there’s always something in the background that doesn’t quite sit right, like a constant feeling that something is being missed. As more questions start coming up, about Bensho, the pond, and the strange lights in the marshy land - the story slowly becomes more layered. Nothing is rushed, which actually works well here because it gives time for that sense of curiosity t...
Read more