The Oleander Sword
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- Create Date：2022-08-09 08:51:41
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Tasha Suri
- ISBN：0356515656
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Summary
The prophecy of the nameless god—the words that declared her rightful empress of Parijatdvipa—has been Malini’s blessing and curse。 She is determined to claim the crown that fate has offered her。 But even with the rage in her soul and an army of loyal men at her back， deposing her brother from the throne is going to be a brutal and bloody fight。
The power of the deathless waters flows through Priya’s blood。 Thrice born priestess， Elder of Ahiranya， Priya’s dream is to see her country rid of the rot that plagues it: both Parijatdvipa’s poisonous rule， and the blooming sickness that is slowly spreading through all living things。 But she doesn’t yet understand the truth of the magic she carries。
Their chosen paths once pulled them apart。 But Malini and Priya’s hearts remain as entwined as their destinies， and they soon realize they must come together again if they wish to save their kingdom from those who would rather see it burn—no matter what it will cost them。
The power of the deathless waters flows through Priya’s blood。 Thrice born priestess， Elder of Ahiranya， Priya’s dream is to see her country rid of the rot that plagues it: both Parijatdvipa’s poisonous rule， and the blooming sickness that is slowly spreading through all living things。 But she doesn’t yet understand the truth of the magic she carries。
Their chosen paths once pulled them apart。 But Malini and Priya’s hearts remain as entwined as their destinies， and they soon realize they must come together again if they wish to save their kingdom from those who would rather see it burn—no matter what it will cost them。
Reviews
Courtney
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I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review。 All opinions are my own。 Upon reading The Jasmine Throne， I had somewhat mixed-to-positive feelings， as while I liked it， it felt very different from what I had previously read from Suri， and took a bit more time to invest in the complex politics of the large cast of characters。 Now knowing what to expect with book two， I’m much more impressed， especially as it was a bit easier to become invested。 There’s sti I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review。 All opinions are my own。 Upon reading The Jasmine Throne， I had somewhat mixed-to-positive feelings， as while I liked it， it felt very different from what I had previously read from Suri， and took a bit more time to invest in the complex politics of the large cast of characters。 Now knowing what to expect with book two， I’m much more impressed， especially as it was a bit easier to become invested。 There’s still quite a lot to take in， but I can appreciate it all a lot more now。 While the first book takes its time to establish the goings-on of the world， it’s easy to become reingratiated with the world here， and there’s a pretty consistent pace of action and intrigue。 While there are still many POV characters （I think possibly more than the first one？）， the stars of the book are Malini， Priya， and Bhumika。 The moral grayness that was a part of their characters in book one comes out in fuller force， especially with Malini， who is torn between a path of vengeance to claim the throne and her love for Priya。 Priya， meanwhile， is also torn by her love for Malini， trying to reconcile that with her role as an Elder of Ahiranya。 And Bhumika’s story is wonderfully heartrending， balancing her role as a leader of Ahiranya with her love for her daughter。 Each of them has such intense emotional stakes in the midst of such high political stakes， and it’s all further fleshed out by the secondary character POVs to complement and contrast them。 I am now in love with this series， and am anxious for the release of the third book。 If you enjoyed book one， you’ll love this one。 And if you’re a fan of fantasy with layered characters and a strong romantic arc， I recommend giving this series a shot。 。。。more
Para （wanderer）
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Thanks to the publisher （Orbit） for the ARC of this book。The ending was suitably bitter， and the book is fine I guess， but idk， I was really bored for most of it。 Longer review to come。
Darcey barker
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After finishing the jasmine throne， the only criticism I had of the book was how many POVs there are。 The oleander sword is the same。 At times I struggled to remember certain characters and alliances， but as the book progressed it became easier and the everything came together。 I do love having different points of views， but at times it felt a little unnecessary， but still well done。 This was a solid， excellent sequel to the jasmine throne， and sets up perfectly for the finale （ which I know wil After finishing the jasmine throne， the only criticism I had of the book was how many POVs there are。 The oleander sword is the same。 At times I struggled to remember certain characters and alliances， but as the book progressed it became easier and the everything came together。 I do love having different points of views， but at times it felt a little unnecessary， but still well done。 This was a solid， excellent sequel to the jasmine throne， and sets up perfectly for the finale （ which I know will crush my soul）。 Malini grew stronger as a powerful character， and the relationships between each of the characters was superbly written。 I felt every emotion that was expressed in this book。 Priya， the absolute badass woman that she is， only grows stronger。 I love everything about her。 How she has developed makes me happy， she holds the world on her shoulders and never asks for thanks from anyone。 Malini and priya are my absolute loves。 Their ‘relationship’ progresses and as each page turned I grew more fond of them both。 They are beautiful as one。’ “I was a poet to her”， priya said quietly， letting the confession slip free。 “ I… I wrote to her you know”’… “you are like ink， malini thought helplessly。 Ink， and all I want is to make poetry of you”。 Tasha Suri outdoes herself in describing the romance and emotions between the two， I fell in love， pictured every small touch， felt the burn of their gazes when all they wanted was to kiss one another。 A war has been brewing as Malini wishes to take her rightful place as empress， overthrowing her brother， Chandra。 And she will do anything to take what is Hers。 I cannot wait for the third and final installment of this series。 The ending has ripped me apart。 My favorite political fantasy series！！ 。。。more
PlotTrysts
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We just can't get enough of Tasha Suri！！ The second entry in the Burning Kingdoms series takes us back to the Indian-inspired fantasy world that includes five separate nations， each worshiping different gods， loosely under the rule of Parijatvipa。 Malini is a Parijati princess who has mounted a civil war against her brother。 Priya is an Ahiranyi temple elder， one of only two， making her a de facto leader of the region。 In the first book， Priya helped Malini escape from prison， beginning the inte We just can't get enough of Tasha Suri！！ The second entry in the Burning Kingdoms series takes us back to the Indian-inspired fantasy world that includes five separate nations， each worshiping different gods， loosely under the rule of Parijatvipa。 Malini is a Parijati princess who has mounted a civil war against her brother。 Priya is an Ahiranyi temple elder， one of only two， making her a de facto leader of the region。 In the first book， Priya helped Malini escape from prison， beginning the internal conflict in Parijatvipa and an external conflict， the rebellion of Ahiranya against its Parijati rulers。This is a typical second book in a fantasy series - wrapping up some loose ends， a few epic battle sequences， laying the groundwork for an even bigger plot in the final book。 That said， the fantasy world is anything but typical。 The gods are immanent， and regardless of how much self-determination someone might think they have， there are bigger forces at work。 As in the first book， there are multiple perspectives， each of which adds layers of understanding to the text。 Don't sleep on this series if you have been！This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel。 。。。more
Rupkatha Bhattacharjee
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Thank you netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review。4/5 Stars "Look Lata，" She said softly。 "The mothers love their daughters after all。"Tasha Suri has truly surpassed all my expectations。 The first book had a lot of problems but it feels like Suri has genuinely improved in all areas and especially as a storyteller。The writing once again takes the cake。 Suri's writing style is precise and ingenious。 Void of excessive purple prose， she still manages to be p Thank you netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review。4/5 Stars "Look Lata，" She said softly。 "The mothers love their daughters after all。"Tasha Suri has truly surpassed all my expectations。 The first book had a lot of problems but it feels like Suri has genuinely improved in all areas and especially as a storyteller。The writing once again takes the cake。 Suri's writing style is precise and ingenious。 Void of excessive purple prose， she still manages to be poetic。 Some might even call it the perfect balance between purple prose and clinical writing。 The book keeps you on the edge of your seat unable to do anything but move on to the next page。The pacing has improved immensely since the first book but still has flaws。 The middle 5-10 chapters prove to be boring and without much content。 They slow down the pace of the book and bore the reader quite a bit- not unreadable- rather skip-able。 Moving on， the character development is woefully spectacular。 You see the characters evolve in front of your eyes， you see them stumble， fall， change and tackle all the problems the plot throws at them。 Each and every interaction feels genuine and you'll find yourself attached to every single character that appears on the page。The thing is not much happens plot wise。 Let us blame that on second-book syndrome for the book does not cover much content for its size。 I wish for 50 more pages to wrap up the threads more skillfully before moving onto the finale。Overall， Suri doesn't disappoint and proves her immaculate prowess as a writer。 Cannot wait to read more from her and especially read more about Malini。PS: Tasha， you need to pay for my therapy because WHAT WAS THAT。 。。。more
akacya ♡̷̷ˎˊ
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Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 This did not affect my rating in any way。This is the sequel to The Jasmine Throne。The prophecy has proven both a blessing and a curse。 Malini is determined to claim the throne it offered her， but overthrowing her brother is certainly going to be difficult。 Priya dreams of seeing her country rid of the rot plaguing it， but is still learning her magic。 Though their chosen paths have kept t Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 This did not affect my rating in any way。This is the sequel to The Jasmine Throne。The prophecy has proven both a blessing and a curse。 Malini is determined to claim the throne it offered her， but overthrowing her brother is certainly going to be difficult。 Priya dreams of seeing her country rid of the rot plaguing it， but is still learning her magic。 Though their chosen paths have kept them physically apart， Malini and Priya’s destinies remain entwined。I read The Jasmine Throne last year as an ARC so it’s been a while， but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I remembered！ A refresher probably would have been good on my part still， but for the most part this world was easy and fun to get back into。There was so much mutual pining in this book， including in the form of letter-writing， and ohhh my gosh I was dying （in a good way of course）。 I can’t say much， but the way this book developed Malini and Priya’s relationship makes me both super excited and super nervous to see where it goes in book three。 。。。more
nihaarika
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I was a little afraid when picking up The Oleander Sword that it would fall prey to the second book syndrome。 But it did not happen。 It is just as incredible as book one。 Reading this reminded me of how I fell in love with The Jasmine Throne in the first place。 Tasha Suri's lush prose shines through as she takes us on the next stages of Priya， Malini and Bhumika's journey。 I missed these women and I was so excited to read about them again。As I mentioned， Suri's writing pulls you straight into th I was a little afraid when picking up The Oleander Sword that it would fall prey to the second book syndrome。 But it did not happen。 It is just as incredible as book one。 Reading this reminded me of how I fell in love with The Jasmine Throne in the first place。 Tasha Suri's lush prose shines through as she takes us on the next stages of Priya， Malini and Bhumika's journey。 I missed these women and I was so excited to read about them again。As I mentioned， Suri's writing pulls you straight into the story。 While yes， this was slightly slower-paced than I had expected; in comparison to TJT， it was also decently paced。 The plot moves along pretty fast; there's action and many events keep on happening。 It was so exciting to be back with Priya and Malini and read from their perspectives。 And the yearning。。。oh my god， the yearning！！ It was just impeccable。 Other side characters make an appearance and there's some great plot twists happening too。 In terms of the world-building， I feel The Oleander Sword really ups the ante and the stakes。 It shows us the intensity of the war and the ripple effects it can have。 And with the way the book ended， things are going to get even more intense from here on out。 Honestly， I need the third book already lol （even when the second book has not come out yet） Thank you Orbit UK for my e-ARC through Netgalley！ 。。。more
Savannah
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Wow， wow， WOW！！ This book took my heart， carved into out， hollowed me， and filled me with flowers and roots and， ultimately， emotional destruction。 I think， somehow， this book was even better than The Jasmine Throne （already a very high bar） and you absolutely need to read this series！！ Suri is able to expand on the characters established in the first book and it felt like there was just more depth added to each character。 We see Bhumika coming to terms with motherhood， Priya learning how to use Wow， wow， WOW！！ This book took my heart， carved into out， hollowed me， and filled me with flowers and roots and， ultimately， emotional destruction。 I think， somehow， this book was even better than The Jasmine Throne （already a very high bar） and you absolutely need to read this series！！ Suri is able to expand on the characters established in the first book and it felt like there was just more depth added to each character。 We see Bhumika coming to terms with motherhood， Priya learning how to use her magic， and Malini stepping in to her role as empress。 I am very much a character reader and I think that really contributed to my love of this book。 Morally gray women aiming to destroy the patriarchy will ALWAYS be in my wheelhouse。 Having the different point of views of both the main characters and side characters just adds so much to the understanding of the story as well as all the different cards in play。 As a reader， you're able to draw so many parallels between the different story lines across Parijatdvipa and it's such an intricate weave that is done masterfully。 Truly， this book is devastating， but you know that means you should absolutely read it。 If you love political fantasies， morally gray characters， magic systems related to nature， and a lil bit of ROMANCE （Malini & Priya 5ever）， then you have have HAVE to read this （please， I need someone to scream about it with until the next book comes out）。Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review 。。。more
Svea
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The first book in this trilogy， "The Jasmine Throne"， was one of my favourite fantasy reads in a very long time when it came out。 I was， thus， understandably excited to find out how the story of Malini， Priya， Bhumika， Rao and the rest of the cast would continue。 I had high expectations for sure - but Suri easily met them with "The Oleander Sword"。This is an amazing second book in a trilogy， by which I mean it doesn't suffer too much from second book syndrome for the most part （though some parts The first book in this trilogy， "The Jasmine Throne"， was one of my favourite fantasy reads in a very long time when it came out。 I was， thus， understandably excited to find out how the story of Malini， Priya， Bhumika， Rao and the rest of the cast would continue。 I had high expectations for sure - but Suri easily met them with "The Oleander Sword"。This is an amazing second book in a trilogy， by which I mean it doesn't suffer too much from second book syndrome for the most part （though some parts do， admittedly）。 A lot of things happen， the plot is driven forward in an intriguing and multi-layered way and when I finished it I was ready to beg Suri for the third book。 Now， I still preferred book one mostly because "The Oleander Sword" focuses a lot on war， which I just generally don't enjoy reading that much。 But the plot is still exciting and I was actively rooting for the protagonists to reach their goals。 The pacing is a bit slow sometimes， and especially in the middle chapters the story dragged a little too much， but there were a lot of very exciting action sequences to make up for it。The characters are， once again， the highlight of this book。 Malini owns my entire heart， and Priya grew even more on me if that was even possible。 Their romance hurts like hell， but in a good way and I loved how they didn't dance around their feelings。 It is clear they love each other but circumstances don't allow them to live out that love， and it's heartbreaking but oh so incredibly well written。 I still love Rao as well and am about five seconds away from writing a petition to please not hurt him anymore in the future。 My biggest fave this time around though is Bhumika。 She is a queen and I loved every single one of her chapters， and I cannot wait to read the rest of her journey。 Honestly， Tasha Suri is simply amazing at creating memorable characters。 This time around I also enjoyed the antagonists much more。The writing is once again superb and engaging。 There are a lot of povs， which was my one main criticism for book one and it remains my biggest issue with this second book - I just personally don't like pov chapters whose central characters don't do anything for the plot， it's confusing and takes away space for the big characters。 This is just a minor complaint though and something I generally don't like in any books， not specifically this one。All in all this is a solid 4 star read - minor issues keep it from being a full 5 stars， but it still sets up a trilogy finale that I just KNOW will blow my mind。 The ending is simply fantastic and I cannot wait to read on。 This might become one of my favourite fantasy trilogies。Many MANY thanks to Little， Brown Book Group UK， Orbit and Netgalley for this amazing arc！ 。。。more
Maddy
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3。75/5 StarsThank you Orbit Books， NetGalley， and Tasha Suri for this ARC！I finished the Jasmine Throne several months ago and have been excited about this release ever since。 This book threw me in from page 1， I definitely had to look back and refresh myself on many of the side characters and their affiliations。 There was a LOT of politics in this book， which isn’t my cup of tea， but it came around in the last 30% for me。 I am so obsessed with Priya and Malini。 In Jasmine Throne I was lukewarm 3。75/5 StarsThank you Orbit Books， NetGalley， and Tasha Suri for this ARC！I finished the Jasmine Throne several months ago and have been excited about this release ever since。 This book threw me in from page 1， I definitely had to look back and refresh myself on many of the side characters and their affiliations。 There was a LOT of politics in this book， which isn’t my cup of tea， but it came around in the last 30% for me。 I am so obsessed with Priya and Malini。 In Jasmine Throne I was lukewarm on Bhukima， but now I am fully in love with her too。 What Tasha Suri does better than anything else is develop multi-layered， morally gray， but still such lovable female characters。 I rooted for the three of them even when their goals were unaligned。 Having 10+ perspectives felt like too much at times — even more so than in Jasmine Thone。 I wish that Suri had just focused on these three women。 But of course after that ending I will be finishing this trilogy happily。 I can’t wait for book 3！ 。。。more
Michael Sugarman
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Review copy （eARC） provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。I confess that I have not read the first novel in this series。 In requesting an eARC， I was thinking of an old saying I heard via Stan Lee （I'm paraphrasing）: every issue/book is someone's first。 The series also came highly recommended to me。 I read a summary online of the first book， and dove into this one， which is the second in the Burning Kingdoms series。I would give this book a 3。5/5， but I rounded up because I th Review copy （eARC） provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。I confess that I have not read the first novel in this series。 In requesting an eARC， I was thinking of an old saying I heard via Stan Lee （I'm paraphrasing）: every issue/book is someone's first。 The series also came highly recommended to me。 I read a summary online of the first book， and dove into this one， which is the second in the Burning Kingdoms series。I would give this book a 3。5/5， but I rounded up because I think the reasons I did not like the book are not flaws with the book as much as it's that I'm not the right audience for it。 It was an experience for me of， I know I'm reading a well-written book， but it's just not connecting with me personally。 I think the romantic angles just did not click for me。The story generally revolves around Malini's battle to establish her right as empress vs。 her brother， and her various relationships （romantic and otherwise） along the way。 I did enjoy how the author shifted the POV character throughout the novel in a manner that kept things refreshing and moving quickly （but not unnecessarily）。 Moreover， the author's writing style/prose is engaging and easy to follow。 In conclusion， this wasn't the book for me， but not for reasons that warrant giving it a bad grade。 。。。more
Miranda
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If you haven’t read Jasmine Throne， stop here， drop everything， get yourself a copy， read it and now come back。 I’ll wait。 Great。 Now we’re all on the same page， and I shouldn’t really have to do a lot of work here。 Because Jasmine Throne should have blown your mind enough that you should be， like me， quivering with anticipation for the sequel。 You should be dying to know what happened to Priya and Malini。 So I’m going to address the rest of this review to people who need to be sold on the serie If you haven’t read Jasmine Throne， stop here， drop everything， get yourself a copy， read it and now come back。 I’ll wait。 Great。 Now we’re all on the same page， and I shouldn’t really have to do a lot of work here。 Because Jasmine Throne should have blown your mind enough that you should be， like me， quivering with anticipation for the sequel。 You should be dying to know what happened to Priya and Malini。 So I’m going to address the rest of this review to people who need to be sold on the series， not just this book。We are living in a great time for epic fantasy， and this series is one of the reasons why。 It feels as huge and grand as Game of Thrones， or Wheel of Time， but with a much more modern and fresh sensibility。 It is right in that sweet spot of familiar and new。 Fans will recognize the court intrigue and epic battles; the long lost powers suddenly returning to the world， but with just enough of a twist that you’ll be unable to look away。 It won’t feel derivative。 It will feel new。I recommend this for fans of R。F。 Kuang， Brandon Sanderson， Shelly Chan， N。K。 Jemisin， and J。R。R。 Tolkien。 If you wished Game of Thrones had more disaster lesbians in it， this series is for you。 。。。more
Paul Mcguire
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Thanks to the Orbit Books and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC。 All opinions provided are my own。The Oleander Sword opens with Empress Malini preparing to mobilize her forces against her brother。 But to win， she must call on the power only Bhumika can wield。 Neither of them realizes the high cost of that power。 I found the first half mostly slow burn as we find our footing and setup for the coming convergence。 Thankfully around 60%， the pace picks up and the plot moves quickly towards the epi Thanks to the Orbit Books and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC。 All opinions provided are my own。The Oleander Sword opens with Empress Malini preparing to mobilize her forces against her brother。 But to win， she must call on the power only Bhumika can wield。 Neither of them realizes the high cost of that power。 I found the first half mostly slow burn as we find our footing and setup for the coming convergence。 Thankfully around 60%， the pace picks up and the plot moves quickly towards the epic conclusion。 While The Jasmine Throne was an intimate tale of dark water magic and the pull of two lovers， The Oleander Sword greatly expands the scope and stakes。 It had both the most breathtaking romance scene I've ever read and a heartbreaking confrontation。 The Oleander Sword has none of the typical drag of the second book in a trilogy。 It resolves enough to make for a satisfying conclusion while setting up the war to come。 It is one of the most impressive sequels I've read this year。 。。。more
KitKat The #BookNerd KBbookreviews
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Rating: 5 out of 5。5 Stars！Synopsis: Malini is determined to accept the Fate bestowed upon her。 Priya is determined to free people from the Rot and restore Ahiranya。 The two soon realise their paths will meet again， but the cost may be greater than either of them could have anticipated。CW/TW: Body Horror/Gore/Death/Manipulation/Burning/Sexism/War/Violence/Others may be present。Rep: Sapphic MC’s | Queer side characters | Indian Cast and Indian inspired settings。OHHHH！ BookNerds， The Angst， the Pa Rating: 5 out of 5。5 Stars！Synopsis: Malini is determined to accept the Fate bestowed upon her。 Priya is determined to free people from the Rot and restore Ahiranya。 The two soon realise their paths will meet again， but the cost may be greater than either of them could have anticipated。CW/TW: Body Horror/Gore/Death/Manipulation/Burning/Sexism/War/Violence/Others may be present。Rep: Sapphic MC’s | Queer side characters | Indian Cast and Indian inspired settings。OHHHH！ BookNerds， The Angst， the Pain， the Tension， the Pining！ This book had everything and more。 As one of my most anticipated reads for this year I was SO so happy to see it lived up to my expectations。May Contain Spoilers for Book 1， The Jasmine Throne。The Oleander Sword， by Tasha Suri is the stunning sequel to The Jasmine Throne （Burning Kingdoms #1）， by Tasha Suri。 As with book 1， The Oleander Sword is beautifully written。 Suri’s prose is gorgeous， she manages to continue to capture the beauty and horror of the magic within this world and creates vivid and rich settings that bring this world to life。 Moreover， Suri writes her characters with a sensitivity and complexity that makes them compelling and easy to connect with。 The balance of the exceptional settings， gorgeous prose and compelling characters perfectly aids the plot and pacing of the story。 Furthermore， the multiple pov allows us insight into multiple sides of the War， gives us access to multiple characters and help to maintain the book’s pacing。Because this book is a sequel， I will keep it brief as to avoid too many spoilers for this book and Book 1。 But， I absolutely LOVED the plot！ We pick up not too long after book 1 leaves off – Malini is determined to grab her Fate and take the throne， Priya is trying to prevent the rot and restore Ahiranya but the two’s paths are more entwined than they thought。 Suri masterfully intertwines multiple complex plots to weave an intricate and captivating web。 I loved Malini and Priya’s storylines， I loved how they intersected and diverged to create a story full of tension， angst and emotion。 Furthermore， Suri creates much more than the two plots – with the inclusion of Chapters from Rao， Bhumika （and more）， they help to maintain the world and create some subtle plots that slowly become more fleshed out and takes us on some twists and turns that will have your heart in your throat。We get much more about the magic of Ahiranya and the Deathless Waters， more about the Nameless God and the Mothers， and about the world as a whole and all the beliefs and magic that come with it。 It was brilliant to watch and completely fascinating to see unfold – everything in this world grows alongside the plot serving to create something beautifully compelling and engaging。As I said for book 1， the magic is both horrifying and beautiful – particularly Ahiranya’s。 Suri manages to perfectly capture and balance these two components while also adding more to the magic than we have seen before。 I adored the magic aspect of this book as much as I did in The Jasmine Throne it is so beautifully written that you cannot help but be drawn in。 Suri pushes the boundaries of this worlds magic even further in this book， she takes everything we think we know from book 1 and twists and turns it and gives us so much more， and the road it takes is full of tension。 Magic has a cost in this world and Suri does not shy away from it here – the costs grow greater than before and works its way into the plot in intriguing ways。Suri is a master at creating subtle and complex plots that have so much more going on than meets the eye， but her creativity goes even further than this and shines through in her characters。 Malini’s strengths truly shine through in this book – now she is determined to get the throne we get to see the true beauty of her mind。 Much like Priya， I was completely enthralled by Malini’s clever and delicate webs spun over the course of the book。 However， we also get to see more of Malini’s sharp streak as we watch her make brutal decisions in order to claim her throne。 Malini is a completely captivating character and， despite her sharp streak and clever mind， there is still a vulnerability to her that makes her more compelling – one that especially shines through with Priya。Similarly， I absolutely loved Priya！ Priya is a strong character with powerful magic which we get to see a lot more of in this book。 Priya is strong and loyal but pushes herself for those she cares about。 Despite Priya’s loyalty and soft heart， she can and will make difficult decisions if necessary to protect those she loves。 Her vulnerabilities show through with Malini – and her strengths and flaws make her much more compelling。 Priya is a character I really do love。Priya and Malini’s relationship is EVERYTHING。 The tension， angst， and pining is so well written – it had my heart in a vice-grip and didn’t let go。 Honestly， watching it develop， watching the tension， the way the book ends – it had me completely and utterly captivated and had my heart entirely。While I loved the two main characters， I also loved the rest of the cast！ Bhumika is， once again， a stunning character all around – making the difficult decisions required for her people。 Bhumika’s character is excellent and I loved her relationship with Padma （and others 👀）。 Moreover， I continue to love Rao and really feel for him through this book – I also loved his relationship with Aditya。 I just loved the rest of the cast！Ahhh！ There is so much more I could talk about and gush about but I don’t want to spoil this for readers of The Jasmine Throne， or those who plan to pick up the Jasmine Throne！ So， to avoid spoilers， i’ll leave the review here！Overall， I cannot recommend this series enough as book 2 continues to impress and take us even further into this story。 The Oleander Sword was everything I wanted and more in this sequel！*I received an eARC via #Netgalley from Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review！ Thank you！*https://kbbookreviews867789450。wordpr。。。 。。。more
Ellie
，
Wow， what a gorgeous， moving， full of magic and suspense story this was！！！Often the second books in series loose the momentum of the first one。 This was very much not the case here。 It very much upped the stakes on the romance， the magic， the suspense。 The story continues where it left off at the end of book 1 with Malini on her way to the throne and Priya trying to rebuild Ahiranya。 We meet a bunch of new characters， often seeing things from their POV。 It’s never confusing or too much， rather i Wow， what a gorgeous， moving， full of magic and suspense story this was！！！Often the second books in series loose the momentum of the first one。 This was very much not the case here。 It very much upped the stakes on the romance， the magic， the suspense。 The story continues where it left off at the end of book 1 with Malini on her way to the throne and Priya trying to rebuild Ahiranya。 We meet a bunch of new characters， often seeing things from their POV。 It’s never confusing or too much， rather it creates a very vivid world。 It is amazing to me how distinctive and well developed even the minor characters in this series are。 As the story unfolds we see court intrigue and priestly manipulation abound。 All the while Malini and Priya and Bumikha and Rao and Aditya try to follow their destiny without losing themselves completely。 The author consistently gives us outstanding female characters， they all have different strength and lead a fight to live their lives on their own terms。 We see women leading armies and fighting， providing spiritual guidance and wielding magical powers， giving political advise。 It is a powerful you-have-a-choice-and-can-be-anything-you-want-to-be message for me and I found it really uplifting。 I loved the writing， loved the magic with all its darkness and demand for sacrifice and how the women try to carve a place for themselves in a world that’s essentially hostile towards them。 While I fully empathise with Malini and Priya and Bumikha and Rao and Aditya， I really found Chandra’s chapters fascinating as well。 A villain through and through but with layers， with motivation – a living breathing human being。 He is petty and vindictive， with delusions of grandeur but also there are moments where we see him lost and vulnerable and scared while still being very much the bad guy。 The romance between Malini and Priya is intense， facing one too many obstacles， embroiled in power struggles and magic that is too powerful， too demanding， too consuming。 I can’t wait to see how things between develop in the next book because they don’t look very hopeful right now。 I am not ready to talk about Bumikha and all that happens with Ahiranya。 Avoiding spoilers， I can only say it offers a fascinating take on what gods and monsters are and the choice we make to follow one or the other。 There is no cliffhanger， some plotlines are completed， though the major resolution is forthcoming in the next book。 And it promises to be an epic struggle to make things right for everyone。 This is shaping to be an awesome series， one of the best fantasies I have read and I highly recommend it。 CW: violence， dark magic， sacrifice， burning alive， torture 。。。more
AFLV
，
A kind thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC。The epicness of the sapphic trifecta continues。。。The first of the trifecta's sequels is The Oleander Sword， second book of the Burning Kingdoms trilogy following The Jasmine Throne。I am a huge fan of Tasha Suri's。 I love everything she writes， but this series is very dear to my heart。 I was nervous before I started it， partly because I want this story to continue forever in my heart， and partly because of the curse of the second books。 Oftentimes， A kind thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC。The epicness of the sapphic trifecta continues。。。The first of the trifecta's sequels is The Oleander Sword， second book of the Burning Kingdoms trilogy following The Jasmine Throne。I am a huge fan of Tasha Suri's。 I love everything she writes， but this series is very dear to my heart。 I was nervous before I started it， partly because I want this story to continue forever in my heart， and partly because of the curse of the second books。 Oftentimes， they disappoint， despite how spectacular the first book may have been。 I was too excited to return to this world， so I literally dropped everything to read this ARC when I was approved。 [after I squealed like a banshee for having being approved， that is]The Oleander Sword showed me that this series will only get better。 More complex。 More heart-wrenching。 And simply more， in every possible way。The sapphic pining in this book is PALPABLE。 TANGIBLE。 I felt like it was an entity on its own。 Malini's and Priya's POVs were so inherent to the girls' nature。 They are so different from one another， and yet， it felt like we embraced and celebrated those differences。 We wore it like a crown of pride and acceptance。 Both are warriors on their own way。 Stubborn。 Persistent。 Unyielding。 Priya with her magic， Malini with her sharp strategic mind。 I loved their passion and how fiercely they pursued their goals。 I loved that Malini wasn't a shallow throne-grabbing heir but one who knew that her evil brother had to be dethroned， no matter who got the throne after him。 But I also love an ambitious woman who fights for what she wants and knows her worth。 On the other hand， Priya with all that powerful magic is dedicated to her people and her loved ones， and that is also a special kind of strength。 I especially loved the twists regarding the themes and how the author weaved the nuances of the co-existence of different faiths。 The author showed the good and the bad of all entities and sides。 Nothing is black and white。 I really liked what Rao said once， that his faith is with the nameless god but he still venerates the mothers。 I believe that it was a significant meaning， to respect others' beliefs yet holding your own。 The plot was definitely not a disappointment。 Magic。 Gods。 Strategies。 War games。 Some going well， others going wry。 It was clever and well executed。 In my opinion， a lot more happened in the second book than in the first one。 We briefly switched povs， and even more things happened。 I loved the pacing， the action， the STRATEGIES taking place。 The world-building in this series is just phenomenal。 The stories， the different faiths， the political background， the society of all people。 The multiple layers that shape everyone and everything make me wonder what kind of superhuman the author is。 I truly can't comprehend how she created this deep world that seems to have no end。 I think she may have a tome for each people and their beliefs and culture， and a book on each character （and there are a LOT of them）。 I've read many fully immersive books， but this series is something else。I don't usually like so many POVs but they do enrich the story by offering many angles。 In retrospect， their perspectives are meaningful， and I can't imagine the book without them。The Oleander Sword is spectacular， from the nuanced themes to the sapphic pining， incredibly well-developed characters， and a world-building that keeps transcending。A desperate plea: Keep Rao alive and well， please， I beg you。 I'm so worried about him for the third book。 Rao is my precious。 Please， Tasha Suri， protect my man。Also grateful to Illumicrate for offering a special edition that matches the first book because I LOVE this series so much。 。。。more
Gab
，
The Jasmine Throne became one of my favorite reads of the past year and I expected nothing less than the same lush world， captivating characters and intrigue as the first one。 The Oleander Sword is a worthy sequel and on its way to become one of my favorite reads of this year too。 With this book， Tasha Suri made me fall even more for a world I was already in love with。 I can't wait to see what she comes up for the next book。 The Jasmine Throne became one of my favorite reads of the past year and I expected nothing less than the same lush world， captivating characters and intrigue as the first one。 The Oleander Sword is a worthy sequel and on its way to become one of my favorite reads of this year too。 With this book， Tasha Suri made me fall even more for a world I was already in love with。 I can't wait to see what she comes up for the next book。 。。。more
allana
，
justice for priya and bhumika but also they had the two most interesting arcs and im excited to see how they play out
Delaney
，
Review for The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri A huge thank you Orbit for the early copy！ All opinions are my own。 My Thoughts Going into The Oleander Sword， I was ready to be wounded， but I had no idea just how much Suri was going to really hurt me。We pick up right after the end of The Jasmine Throne， Malini is still hell-bent on taking the throne back from her brother， and Priya is an Elder of Ahiranya。Throughout the book we get a very sinister feeling， a kind of creeping dread that there i Review for The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri A huge thank you Orbit for the early copy！ All opinions are my own。 My Thoughts Going into The Oleander Sword， I was ready to be wounded， but I had no idea just how much Suri was going to really hurt me。We pick up right after the end of The Jasmine Throne， Malini is still hell-bent on taking the throne back from her brother， and Priya is an Elder of Ahiranya。Throughout the book we get a very sinister feeling， a kind of creeping dread that there is something very wrong within the Ahiranya。 We learn more of the yaksa， and Suri’s skill to wind two seemingly disjointed plot threads together is incredible。With the first book， I had a few pacing issues， but in the follow up I was hooked the entire time， and each chapter switch only left me wanting more。 I devoured this book， searching for the small pockets of joy in a very bleak， war-torn story。There is joy， for sure， and we are given just enough of it to make every painful part hurt as badly as possible。I grew to love these characters even more in this book。 I just wanted them all to be okay but know that’s definitely not going to happen in the finale。 One can dream。My favorite part of this book is just how well done the sense of dread is。 Suri knows how to make you feel afraid， like something or someone is always looking over your shoulder which very well may be the case。 I cannot wait to read the finale， and this series is shaping up to be a favorite of all time。 I will be screaming about it for the foreseeable future。（view spoiler）[We aren’t even going to discuss that ending…。 but Suri will be paying my therapy bills。 So much pain。 （hide spoiler）] Overall （TLDR） This book did not have “second book syndrome” it simply grew from the foundation of the first book and made this world even more lush， and parts of it incredibly chilling。 I absolutely adored it and can’t wait to reread the entire trilogy in the future once it’s complete。 The characters all grow so beautifully， and they all hurt each other in the end in a beautifully tragic way that I am here for！Thank you as always to Orbit for the review copy！ I am always grateful to have the privilege of reading books early to give my opinions on them。Go read this， and then find me on elsewhere！InstagramTwitterWordpress["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]> 。。。more
Tazrin
，
08/01/2022 - You know when you read the first book in a trilogy and it's lush with world-building， characters and their development， political machinations and a magic system that reminds you of earthbending from ATLA？ A book that's filled with so much aching yearning， the slow build of two people who cannot be more different and yet are so irrecoverably in love anyway？ And you worry that book 2 will go the way of many other promising fantasy trilogies - plagued by middle book syndrome and encum 08/01/2022 - You know when you read the first book in a trilogy and it's lush with world-building， characters and their development， political machinations and a magic system that reminds you of earthbending from ATLA？ A book that's filled with so much aching yearning， the slow build of two people who cannot be more different and yet are so irrecoverably in love anyway？ And you worry that book 2 will go the way of many other promising fantasy trilogies - plagued by middle book syndrome and encumbered by dragging plots， wearied characters and story arcs so lulling they threaten to put you to sleep。Tasha Suri - I'm so sorry I ever （even slightly） doubted you。 THE OLEANDER SWORD was a class-act， the perfect second book to the BURNING KINGDOMS trilogy。 No middle book syndrome anywhere to be found folks， not one little unfurling leaf or tiny， reaching root。 From the get-go， you are treated to so many pay-offs that you waited so eagerly for in THE JASMINE THRONE。 Priya and Malini didn't kiss until 70-80% of Book One。 But in THE OLEANDER SWORD？ You get tantalizing flashbacks and internal dialogue to that kiss within the first few pages。 Parijatdvipa is at war and so everything we got in THE JASMINE THRONE is elevated and urgent。 We read about the rising political tensions， the inherent prejudices between nations， monsters wearing the faces of gods， class privilege， an erratic despot backed by religious influence， and the choices and sacrifices we make - how this all interacts to create a perfect breeding ground for war， betrayal and the inevitable loss。 I love how there is a cause and effect with each decision our characters make。 I need to shout out Bhumika in particular because I have adored her since her introduction and she always seems to get dealt the worst hands。 Her influence is not flashy or showy， but she loves her people and she is always trying so hard to ensure their survival。 I'm so interested to see where her story arc goes。The prose is flowery while being efficient; Suri waxes poetic， yes but the prose isn't overly loquacious。I could continue to rave about this book until the end of time， but I'll end this review with two things: first， my love for this quote in particular - "I barely understand it， the way I would willingly kneel for you， anywhere， for anything。 The way I would fight for you。 The way I want to be by your side。 Is that what love is， Malini？ Is that how awful love is？ Because if it is， then I love you， the way that roots love the deep and leaves love the light。 It's - the way I am。 And no matter how much I try to be good， to do right - I'm all flowers in your arms for your war， for you。"and secondly， with a warning。 The is ending is pain。 It rips your heart out of your chest and leaves you with a melancholic ache in its absence。I cannot wait for the final installment of this series。 Special thanks to Orbit Books and Netgalley for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions！ 07/31/2022 - frtc but ahhhhhhhhhh brain rot is so real I only live， breathe， THINK of Priya and Malini！！！ 。。。more
Jennifer Fatula
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Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review。Somewhere between 3 and 3。5 stars for this。 I had the same struggles to get engaged with this book as I did with the first one。 With the first one I thought it may have been due to the world building as the ending picked up for me a bit。 After reading the second and also struggling I think the authors writing style just doesn't click for me。 I think the story itself is interesting and there is a lot going on but Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review。Somewhere between 3 and 3。5 stars for this。 I had the same struggles to get engaged with this book as I did with the first one。 With the first one I thought it may have been due to the world building as the ending picked up for me a bit。 After reading the second and also struggling I think the authors writing style just doesn't click for me。 I think the story itself is interesting and there is a lot going on but something about it just doesn't get me emotionally invested。 I still plan on continuing to read the series to find out what happens though。 。。。more
Katie
，
4。5/5Wow pain
Emma
，
5 stars After absolutely loving the first book I was so excited to be able to read the second。 This is definitely how you write a sequel。 The book was well written and I love that it has multiple points of views which gives us the readers a more detailed understanding of events。The world building is outstanding in this series and honestly it’s perfect。 The writing style is beautiful and Tasha Suri definitely has a way with words！I definitely recommend this series and truly can’t wait for the nex 5 stars After absolutely loving the first book I was so excited to be able to read the second。 This is definitely how you write a sequel。 The book was well written and I love that it has multiple points of views which gives us the readers a more detailed understanding of events。The world building is outstanding in this series and honestly it’s perfect。 The writing style is beautiful and Tasha Suri definitely has a way with words！I definitely recommend this series and truly can’t wait for the next book in the series。 Thank you to Netgalley ， the author and Little， Brown Book group UK for this early eARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Miranda
，
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you haven’t read Jasmine Throne， stop here， drop everything， get yourself a copy， read it and now come back。 I’ll wait。 Great。 Now we’re all on the same page， and I shouldn’t really have to do a lot of work here。 Because Jasmine Throne should have blown your mind enough that you should be， like me， quivering with anticipation for the sequel。 You should be dying to know what happened to Priya and Malini。 So I’m going to address the rest of this review to people who need to be sold o ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you haven’t read Jasmine Throne， stop here， drop everything， get yourself a copy， read it and now come back。 I’ll wait。 Great。 Now we’re all on the same page， and I shouldn’t really have to do a lot of work here。 Because Jasmine Throne should have blown your mind enough that you should be， like me， quivering with anticipation for the sequel。 You should be dying to know what happened to Priya and Malini。 So I’m going to address the rest of this review to people who need to be sold on the series， not just this book。We are living in a great time for epic fantasy， and this series is one of the reasons why。 It feels as huge and grand as Game of Thrones， or Wheel of Time， but with a much more modern and fresh sensibility。 It is right in that sweet spot of familiar and new。 Fans will recognize the court intrigue and epic battles; the long lost powers suddenly returning to the world， but with just enough of a twist that you’ll be unable to look away。 It won’t feel derivative。 It will feel new。I recommend this for fans of R。F。 Kuang， Brandon Sanderson， Shelly Chan， N。K。 Jemisin， and J。R。R。 Tolkien。 If you wished Game of Thrones had more disaster lesbians in it， this series is for you。 I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for this honest review。 #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #epicfantasy #disasterlesbians #jasminethrone #oleandersword 。。。more
Alexandra
，
This book is a wonderful follow up to The Jasmine Throne。 Tasha Suri has a lyrical way of writing that keeps me engaged。 I really appreciated learning more about the magic system in this book。 I also felt like having less changes in POV was an improvement。 It allowed me to really focus on the main characters driving the narrative。The only issue I had with the book was the pacing。 I realize that a lot of world building had to occur and the politics was part of the allure of this book but then all This book is a wonderful follow up to The Jasmine Throne。 Tasha Suri has a lyrical way of writing that keeps me engaged。 I really appreciated learning more about the magic system in this book。 I also felt like having less changes in POV was an improvement。 It allowed me to really focus on the main characters driving the narrative。The only issue I had with the book was the pacing。 I realize that a lot of world building had to occur and the politics was part of the allure of this book but then all of a sudden， during the last third of the book， I felt like it was like BAM BAM BAM BAM action packed！ That being said， the cliffhanger was awesome。 I want to know what happens to all of these characters。 I want to see what happens between Parijatdvipa and Ahiranya。 It was a great book and I can't wait for the final installment。Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit books for the gifted eARC copy！ 。。。more
On the Same Page
，
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 CWs: （view spoiler）[violence， character death （hide spoiler）]Second books in a trilogy are always a risk， because most of the time， the book functions as a setup for the epic conclusion， and suffers as a result。 Not so with this book， which did do a fair amount of setup， but never at the expense of the story。 There was so much happening throughout， and all of it was gripping and interesting。 I found myself constant ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 CWs: （view spoiler）[violence， character death （hide spoiler）]Second books in a trilogy are always a risk， because most of the time， the book functions as a setup for the epic conclusion， and suffers as a result。 Not so with this book， which did do a fair amount of setup， but never at the expense of the story。 There was so much happening throughout， and all of it was gripping and interesting。 I found myself constantly gravitating towards this book over other books I was reading， because I wanted to know how the characters were doing and what they would end up having to deal with next。Our main perspectives in this book are Priya， Malini， and Bhumika， and in a surprising twist， I think Bhumika's chapters fascinated me the most。 She is left behind in Ahiranya while Priya goes to help Malini win her war， and shit almost immediately hits the fan。 Bhumika is a subtler character than the other women， but no less strong， and I really liked seeing the way she dealt with everything that was being thrown at her。 Also， the romance between her and Jeevan is so freaking sweet。Rather than giving us an entire book where Priya and Malini barely engage with each other， the first dose of romance comes pretty soon， in the form of a couple of letters the two sneakily exchange。 There is a lot of longing and pining， and even though they have feelings for each other， this is no less a slow burn than the first book was。 The power dynamics between them are really interesting; Malini wields traditional power as empress， and Priya adores her enough to go along with everything， but Priya is really the more powerful of the two， and I loved seeing the way they navigated that。 I don't want to say too much about the plot， but you can expect some interesting reveals about the yaksa， Priya's powers， and the rot。 。。。more
charlotte，
，
suffered a little from second book syndrome for me， but still very good & the ending sets things up intriguingly for book #3Rep: Indian-coded cast & setting， lesbian mcs
jellybean
，
3。75Arc received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。The Oleander Sword is one of my anticipated releases of the year and I was quite excited to get back into the world and the characters。 Overall， this sequel is a solid follow-up to the series， and has many aspects that I enjoyed。First however， I noticed how there seems to be some difficulty in pacing。 Personally， I didn't think this was the biggest problem — Tasha Suri's writing is lovely and it makes going through this book a bree 3。75Arc received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。The Oleander Sword is one of my anticipated releases of the year and I was quite excited to get back into the world and the characters。 Overall， this sequel is a solid follow-up to the series， and has many aspects that I enjoyed。First however， I noticed how there seems to be some difficulty in pacing。 Personally， I didn't think this was the biggest problem — Tasha Suri's writing is lovely and it makes going through this book a breeze， but I've noticed that by forty percent， only a few things have happened。 Granted， it's not halfway， but I was expecting the set-up to everything to have been a bit faster and the plot a little clearer。 It got a bit better after that， but it fluctuates again。 This was the same problem I noticed in Jasmine Throne and in the next book I hope it gets a little bit better。 Malini and Priya's relationship was one of the things I loved in Jasmine Throne， but I felt like the spark and chemistry they had weren't as huge or felt here compared to the first book， except in some scenes。 Malini's characterization and growth however， really shined in this book and it made me more interested in her。 I wish there were more Bhumika chapters， as she's one of my favorite characters and her chapters in this book were just so full of tension that had me on the edge of my seat。 On the other side， some characters and their actions were quite frustrating to me。 The book follows two plotlines， one being a set-up for the third book， and I enjoyed both。 They were intriguing， but the way some chapters were set up switching between them made it a bit of a drag。 The last few chapters were truly something and I'm eagerly awaiting to see what's coming in the third book。 。。。more
SeA
，
I have been impatiently waiting for The Oleander Sword ever since I devoured The Jasmine Throne last year。 In The Oleander Sword， Suri dives even more into the politics of Parijatdvipa as Malini blazes through the kingdom and sets her sights on overthrowing her brother and claiming her rightful throne。 On the other side， we get to see SO much more of the power that The Elders hold and what forces are behind it。 The Oleander Sword shows us Priya and Malini separately in their own power - unflinch I have been impatiently waiting for The Oleander Sword ever since I devoured The Jasmine Throne last year。 In The Oleander Sword， Suri dives even more into the politics of Parijatdvipa as Malini blazes through the kingdom and sets her sights on overthrowing her brother and claiming her rightful throne。 On the other side， we get to see SO much more of the power that The Elders hold and what forces are behind it。 The Oleander Sword shows us Priya and Malini separately in their own power - unflinchingly claiming their space in the world。 And of course， once together we get the longing looks and yearning that we all loved so much in The Jasmine Throne。 Once they meet up， this book really dove into the moral grayness that comes along with power on all fronts of the war - which is one of my favorite things to explore in fiction （even if most of the time it leads to me being heartbroken）。The Oleander Sword is a slow， delicious burn， that is the perfect follow up to book one。 While I am already anticipating book three， I’m also dreading leaving this world and these characters。 Tasha Suri has crafted such a beautiful， strong， perfect example of the what fantasy can （and should） be。 。。。more
USOM
，
（Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher。 This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest。） The Oleander Sword is yet another triumph。 Sinking back into this multiple POV with my favorite characters has been an utter joy。 Considering the immense consequences and earth shaking changes after the first， The Oleander Sword is almost constant action。 Embroiled in war， Malini and Priya have to realize the costs of dreams and new sacrifices for our ambition - and love。 I loved （Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher。 This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest。） The Oleander Sword is yet another triumph。 Sinking back into this multiple POV with my favorite characters has been an utter joy。 Considering the immense consequences and earth shaking changes after the first， The Oleander Sword is almost constant action。 Embroiled in war， Malini and Priya have to realize the costs of dreams and new sacrifices for our ambition - and love。 I loved watching these characters grow and evolve and make some difficult choices。 At the same time， being back with other side characters - won't name names for you， read the book！ - gives The Oleander Sword a sense of scale and danger。 To know that battles are never simply won and the end of the story isn't in sight yet。 In the beginning， I loved how they communicate via letters - cue the yearning - but to be honest， The Oleander Sword has some scary developments。 Suri is really putting our hearts through the emotional wringer。full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind。com/revi。。。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Oleander Sword
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Oleander Sword&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Oleander Sword&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0