This is not a small book, and for it to be 468 pages, I expected it to be packed to the brim with action. My biggest grievance with this story was the pacing. There was so much potential here and so many great pieces to the story, but unfortunately I found myself disappointed in the end. It’s loosely based on stories from One Thousand and One Nights, and all the storytelling and history of jinns were so beautifully crafted.

The Stardust Thief was my BOTM pick, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this because it sounded so promising. And, in a world where story is reality and illusion is truth, Loulie will discover that everything-her enemy, her magic, even her own past-is not what it seems, and she must decide who she will become in this new reality. Aided by her bodyguard, who has secrets of his own, they must survive ghoul attacks, outwit a vengeful jinn queen, and confront a malicious killer from Loulie’s past. With no choice but to obey or be executed, Loulie journeys with the sultan’s oldest son to find the artifact. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp that has the power to revive the barren land-at the cost of sacrificing all jinn. Summary: Loulie al-Nazari is the Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic.

Goodreads the stardust thief