Challenge Corner discussion

Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.

But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.

Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.

Through Ch. 10 (34%)

(view spoiler)[Well, I'm really liking this one so far. I love that the characters are older and more mature and wiser by age/experience, and they're so diverse. I think the world building is awesome, too.

I like the characters so far and I'm starting to wonder what other secrets they all carry. It seems like they all have secrets. Layth's death was a surprise so I'm curious it that was caused by Falco and his magic or something else. I'm also curious about Salima's son and how Amina killed him. And who's her daughter's father? Is it Salima's son that Amina killed? Hmm...this is getting interesting.

Also, I''m curious about the myth of the Moon of Saba. I'm guessing they're going to try to find it or possibly see if they can find Dunya because of her interest in it, maybe she's where they think it might be? (hide spoiler)]

Ooo I might join this for a reread. I never wrote a review so maybe this will motivate me lol

I freaking loved this one!

Through Ch. 16
(view spoiler)[OMG! Raksh! He is literally demonic! Ugh…weird how the description of him was so disgusting and yet beautiful at the same time. I definitely was not expecting her husband and the father of her daughter to be a demon hundreds of years old! I hate that he’s her daughter’s father. I hope he never finds out, but that doesn’t seem feasible. I’m surprised she trusts Raksh enough to take him with her to find Dunya. (hide spoiler)]

Through 25
(view spoiler)[OMG! Falco is scary as hell! Whatever potion he gave her that incapacitated her was awful, but the way Raksh got it out of her was almost equally disgusting. Lol As it turns out, Raksh is a coward! Lol That sea monster and that entire scene was so intense! Amina got lucky that she lived, but then when she was washed ashore and Raksh was there, she was so mad at him for stealing the dunij. What a coward! I wonder where Falco took Dunya. (hide spoiler)]

Finshed
(view spoiler)[Poor Amina ending up in court. Jeez…what a journey she went on. I have a feeling that she might get back with Raksh in upcoming books, at least for sex. Lol The Moon of Saba turned out to be a freaking washbasin? I wasn’t expecting that…sort of anticlimactic. But it sure did serve its purpose. I’m glad that Dunya decided to pursue her dreams and not go back to Salima’s! I am hoping we’ll get a lot more of her in book 2 which I will definitely read. (hide spoiler)]