The Rose & the Dagger

By: Renée Ahdieh

Narrated by: Ariana Delawari

Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Instant New York Times best seller

The much anticipated sequel to the breathtaking The Wrath and the Dawn, lauded by Publishers Weekly as "a potent page-turner of intrigue and romance."

I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband, Khalid, the caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse - one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid's empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.

While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn't yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.

©2016 Renée Ahdieh (P)2016 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"A satisfying fast-paced conclusion, Ahdieh explores the difficulty of family, lasting loyalty, and love giving you a tale you won't soon forget." (InStyle)

"Whimsical, fantasy enthusiasts are sure to adore this sequel." (Buzzfeed)

“Beautiful, lyrical writing combines with a cohesive plot, richly drawn backdrop, and just the right mix of action and romance to create an undeniable new classic.” (School Library Journal, starred review)

Narrator ruined the book.

The story may have been better if it had a different narrator. It seemed more like she was trying to read a history book to students and attempting to make it more interesting. Very little difference between some characters and none between others. Often you could not tell who was saying what. I would read this book if another one came out in the series but only if it had a different narrator.

Great story, awful narration.

Entertaining story but very poor narration. Not as flat as the performance in the last book, but still really fell short.

story great, narrator not so much.

narrator was so not good it took away from the awesomen story. but worth the read.

lacked story

very slow. had to listen to it at 1.2x
the story itself lacked imagination, explications and details. disappointing.

Get this if you want the conclusion to the series

Personally, I enjoyed the first book better. Because I love the palace and the focus on Khalid and Sharzad's chemistry. This is not to say that we don't get the chemistry on Book 2. We do. But not as much as Book 1 in my opinion.

On the other hand, if you loved Book 1, I think it would be a shame not to get The Rose and the Dagger. The author made me care for those two lovebirds in Book 1. And it was a joy to see how their story concluded in Book 2.

Just be warned that you might be bored with the first half of this book as it was basically a build up of the second half. On the other hand, the second half (I feel) is so worth it

Loved it

A lot of people complain about the reader, but I thought she did fine. I enjoyed it. it's a wonderful story and I appreciate being able to listen to it.

Thoroughly enjoyed this conclusion to a great series

4 1/2 stars!
There are mixed feelings from many of my book friends who shared in the anticipation of this book, after the great love and Splendour of The Wrath & The Dawn.
I listened to this via audible, and perhaps it raised my experience due to the great narration, but I simply loved this final conclusion to this wonderful series. Fantastical, magic carpets, magic. Perhaps it may have been a bit easy to reach its conclusion, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
I Enjoyed this audible version, it was a pleasure and an escape, and I couldn't wait to get back to this tale when I had to put it down.

addictive

must read love every moment its addictive. the story was amazing read it you will love it

Warning: This is the Final Book in the Series

What did you love best about The Rose & the Dagger?

My review from Goodreads:

The most heartbreaking moment was realizing this was the final book in the series. I had no idea, and it traumatized me when I reached the end of this world, despite the satisfying ending.

Someone should have warned me. The book should have come with a disclaimer, something like:

"This is the end of the series. Prepare yourself for epic feels followed by severe withdrawals. Dude, seriously. It's going to get ugly for you. Have chocolate on hand. Alert your friends that you'll be ignoring their texts. Explain to your dog what bereft means. Side effects include elation, devastation, and moping. Hangover symptoms will lead to an inability to start a new novel."

Otherwise, it was gorgeous and exciting.

Also, the performance is excellent! Buy and listen to both books.

The First is Better

Not sure if there will be a third book, but I liked the first one better.