#the alamaxa duology

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Queer North African-Inspired Fantasy

Magic of the Lost by C.L. Clark A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark  Beneath the Burning Wave by Jennifer Hayashi Danns (YA) Mirage by Somaiya Daud The Alamaxa Duology by Hadeer Elsbai (YA)

[tigger8900]

The Daughters of Izdihar, by Hadeer Elsbai

⭐⭐ 1/2

In Alamaxa, a fantasy analogue of Egypt, women are considered the property of first their fathers and then their husbands. The Daughters of Izdihar, a feminist organization led by the mysterious Malak Mamdouh, is determined to change that by securing the right for women to vote, but progress is slow. When Nehal is forced to marry Nico, a man of high social status whom she cares nothing for, she spots an opportunity when she discovers he's in love with Giorgina, a working class woman involved with the Daughters. According to her plan, in exchange for permission to keep Giorgina as a concubine, he would grant permission for Nehal to study magic at the Weaving Academy. But with her reputation at stake, Giorgina rejects the plan, though not before Nehal becomes involved with the Daughters' activism. As the stakes rise, can these two women from wildly different walks of life work together to achieve the Daughters' goals?

I try to be generous with books, particular when they're first in a series(in this case, The Alamaxa Duology). Sometimes themes aren't developed until later books, and judging characters before they fully develop feels a bit like bullying a child who's still trying to find their place in the world. But all of that said, there were some things I have serious issues with in this book, things that I doubt are going to get better in the second part. Even though there were other aspects that I really liked, I find it incredibly difficult to look past the things that I thought were horrible.

I'll start with what I liked. The setting was gorgeous, and I loved how familiar locations(the map is basically northern Africa and the Mediterranean rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise) and cultures were re-imagined into this fantasy world. This is the second fantasy version of Egypt I've read about recently(the first being P. Djèlí Clark's A Master of Djinn), and of the two it's my favorite setting. I did have to read with google up on my phone to check terminology frequently, but it wasn't any more bother than flipping back to a glossary, which is a familiar exercise for any fantasy reader. I also loved the examination of how social standing grants privilege, particularly in regard to putting yourself and others at risk in the context of protest and activism.

I liked the magic system — divided by element into Earthweaving, Waterweaving, Airweaving, and Fireweaving — well enough, but as a long-time fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender I couldn't help but notice that Weaving was almost exactly Bending. Seriously. You could do a find-replace, that's how close it is. So no wonder I thought it was cool, because I really like A:TLA's magic system. I did appreciate how in Daughters of Izdihar the type of powers weren't determined by character origin, so you weren't constrained to weaving a certain element just because of who your parents were.

Moving on to what I was less fond of, right off the bat I felt that the writing style was a bit odd. I felt like things were moving along at a fast clip, but like I was being told about them rather than getting a chance to truly appreciate them alongside the characters. I noticed this strongly for the first several chapters, but I can't tell if this dropped off as the story got into full swing or if I just got used to it. I also felt that some of the dialogue was anachronistic. The story had a period fantasy feel to it, not medieval but not modern either, but every so often a character would swear like they were in the 21st century. It knocked me out of my immersion every time that happened.

And now we get to the thing I really didn't like. I love a good shades of gray story, where the morals aren't clear and sometimes the ends have to justify the means, but in order to pull this off the shades of gray have to be explored in the story. In this book, the protagonists would do questionable things in the pursuit of good over and over again, and essentially shrug off any criticism. It seemed as if the audience was meant to nod along with them as the objecting characters were dismissed. Particularly inexcusable was the treatment of Nico. After how Nehal treated him in the first half of the book, particularly her dismissal of his obvious distress, I found it next to impossible to like her as a character. And then he just got over it, like it had never happened, and the story didn't bother to examine this at all or act like it was anything less than entirely appropriate.

I grew up around a particularly toxic type of feminism that, frankly, treated it as amusing when women hurt men, like it was some kind of karmic payback. It took me longer than I care to admit to realize how horrible this was, and to distance myself from it. The feminism elements of this story remind me very strongly of something I would've thought was cool back when I still thought that was positive empowerment for women. As I said at the beginning of this(long, sorry) review, it's entirely possible that the author is aware of all these things and intends to wrap them up in the second book. But all I have in front of me is the first book, and given the lack of any kind of reflection on or complex consideration of these themes(in contrast to the themes of class and privilege, which were handled very well), I'm not holding out much hope that they'll be treated any better in the second half of the story.

[the-bi-library]

Happy March! Here are bisexual books out in March!

PS: I totally recommend (and kindly am asking authors or anyone else) to use the tags #bisexualbooks , #bibooks , #bisexualrep or any other variation of them when promoting (your) books with bi main character as it makes it easier for me to find books with like that since I follow those tags! 💖

Books listed:

When Worlds Collide by Erin Zak The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste Comet Cruise by Niska Morrow Never Leave, Never Lie by Thea Verdone Go Lightly by Brydie Lee-Kennedy The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorn Icarus by K. Ancrum Falls From Grace (Grace Notes #1) by Ruby Landers Ellipses by Vanessa Lawrence The Fealty of Monsters (The Fealty of Monsters, Volume 1) by Ladz Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste These Bodies Between Us by Sarah Van Name The Night Compass (Wilderlore, #4) by Amanda Foody Small Gods of Calamity by Sam Kyung Yoo The Dark Feather by Anna Stephens Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura That Secret Something by Emily Wright Heirs of Bone and Sea (Dark Depths) by Kay Adams One Last Breath by Ginny Myers Sain The Weavers of Alamaxa (The Alamaxa Duology, #2) by Hadeer Elsbai Saint, Sorrow, Sinner (The Gideon Testaments, #3) by Freydís Moon The Safe Zone by Amy Marsden Tempting Olivia (Oxford Romance #2) by Clare Ashton Crossing Bridges by Chelsey Lynford Sounds of the City by Stacey Ennis-Theobald Searching for Someday by Renee Roman Back to Us by Addison Clarke

[out-of-the-forest-i-come]

Yesterday, I listed some queer books coming out this month, and today I'll go over the queer series that are being continued in March. This is a non-exhaustive and informative list, checking out the trigger warnings and possible problematic content/author will be up to you.

Cirque du Slay, Book 2 of Hayden & Friends; Rob Osler, March 5th

Remnants of Filth: Yuwu, Vol. 3; Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou (translation), March 5th

Saint, Sorrow, Sinner, Book 3 of The Gideon Testaments; Freydís Moon, March 5th

Mona of the Manor, Book 10 of Tales of the City; Armistead Maupin, March 7th

Blessed Water, Book 2 of A Sister Holiday Mystery; Margot Douaihy, March 12th

Infinity Kings, Book 3 of Infinity Cycles; Adam Silvera, March 14th

Heir to Dreams and Darkness, Book 3 of Court of Broken Bonds; Ben Alderson, March 15th

The Weavers of Alamaxa, Book 2 of the Alamaxa Duology; Hadeer Elsbai, March 19th

Guardian: Zhen Hun, Vol. 2; priest, March 26th

In Walked Trouble, Book 2 of Single in Seattle; Dana Hawkins, March 26th

The Feast Makers, Book 3 of Scapegracers; H.A. Clarke, March 26th

The Phantom Flame, Book 2 of Brimstone and Fire; T.M. Ledvina, March 26th

[rhetoricandlogic]

THE WEAVERS OF ALAMAXA by Hadeer Elsbai

RELEASE DATE: March 19, 2024

Magic, political upheaval, and outside invaders collide in the second installment of the duology begun in The Daughters of Izdihar (2023).

For Giorgina Shukry, Nehal Darweesh, and Malak Mamdouh, things have gone from bad to worse. While at first it seemed the Daughters of Izdihar were making headway in their fight for women’s equality, including being in training to use the magical practice of elemental weaving, Giorgina and Malak are now fugitives and Nehal is trapped in a neighboring kingdom—a kingdom whose troops, along with frightening new technology, are fast approaching the women’s home of Alamaxa. With war on the horizon, the three fight both to save those they love and to build a new world, while contending with new, occasionally dubious, allies and revelations about weaving that could mean salvation or devastation. As the world of Ramsawa, based on Egypt, expands in this second installment, Elsbai has more room to explore prescient topics of social and political change and their fallout. The new characters add more complications to an already gripping setting without overwhelming the narrative. But, at its core, this is an exploration of the platonic and romantic relationships among women and their own personal journeys as they realize their ambitions and come to terms with all aspects of themselves. The fully formed grounded setting, exhilarating magic, and all-too-real political machinations make a satisfying backdrop for further exploration of Nehal and Giorgina’s journeys. A strong conclusion that never fumbles with the themes or ideas it seeks to tackle.

[profiterole-reads]

The Weavers of Alamaxa by Hadeer Elsbai

The Weavers of Alamaxa by Hadeer Elsbai was amazing! It's the sequel to The Daughters of Izdihar (and the end of the duology), about people who can use elemental magic in an Egyptian-inspired world.

Something I really loved is that the first tome was more focused on activism for women's rights in front of the Alamaxan Parliament, while the second tome is more focused on actual fighting against the tyrannical royals of the neighbouring kingdom. Responses need to be balanced according to the scale of the issues.

There's major f/f, as well as a minor queer male character.

[thenighttrain]

books read in 2023

finally continuing my yearly tradition. all rated out of 5 stars. bolded are my faves!

The Daughters of Izdihar (The Alamaxa Duology, #1) by Hadeer Elsbai ★★★☆☆

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland ★★★☆☆

Last Violent Call (Secret Shanghai, #3.5) by Chloe Gong ★★★☆☆

The Magician's Daughter by H.G. Parry ★★★★☆

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi, #1) by Shannon Chakraborty ★★★☆☆

The Lies of the Ajungo (Forever Desert, #1) by Moses Ose Utomi ★★★☆☆

The Surviving Sky (Rages, #1) by Kritika H. Rao ★★★☆☆

The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1) by James Islington ★★★☆☆

Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods, #1) by Chloe Gong ★★☆☆☆

Gods of the Wyrdwood (Forsaken, #1) by R.J. Barker ★★★☆☆

To Shape a Dragon's Breath (Nampeshiweisit, #1) by Moniquill Blackgoose ★★★☆☆

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros ★★★☆☆

The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley ★★★☆☆

After the Dragons by Cynthia Zhang ★★★★☆

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang ★★★★☆

White Trash Warlock (Adam Binder, #1) by David R. Slayton ★★★★☆

The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters ★★★☆☆

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones ★★★☆☆

All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown ★★★☆☆

Fury of the Dragon Goddess (Adventures of Sik Aziz #2) ★★★★☆

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang ★★★★☆

My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron ★★★☆☆

Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting (Serwa Boateng, #1) by Roseanne A. Brown ★★★☆☆

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf ★★★★☆

Bonesmith (House of the Dead, #1) by Nicki Pau Preto ★★★☆☆

Garden of the Cursed (Garden of the Cursed, #1) by Katy Rose Pool ★★★★☆

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse ★★★☆☆

Don't Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton DNF

The Buried and the Bound (The Buried and the Bound, #1) by Rochelle Hassan ★★★★☆

The Meadows by Stephanie Oakes ★★★☆☆

If Found, Return to Hell by Em X. Liu ★★★☆☆

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, #1) by B.B. Alston ★★★★☆

Starter Villain by John Scalzi ★★★★☆

Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations, #2) by B.B. Alston ★★★☆☆

The Chalice of the Gods (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #6) by Rick Riordan ★★★★☆

The Fragile Threads of Power (Threads of Power, #1) by V.E. Schwab ★★★☆☆

The Hexologists (The Hexologists, #1) by Josiah Bancroft ★★★☆☆

Foul Heart Huntsman (Foul Lady Fortune, #2) by Chloe Gong ★★★☆☆

Darkhearts by James L. Sutter ★★☆☆☆

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros ★★★★☆

Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee ★★★☆☆

The Prince's Poisoned Vow (Infernal War Saga, #1) by Hailey Turner ★★★☆☆

The Emperor's Bone Palace (Infernal War Saga #2) by Hailey Turner ★★★★☆

Beholder by Ryan La Sala ★★★★☆

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle ★★★★☆

The Forest Demands Its Due Kosoko Jackson ★★★☆☆

Reforged by Seth Haddon ★★★☆☆

The Scarlet Alchemist (The Scarlet Alchemist, #1) by Kylie Lee Baker ★★★★☆

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White DNF

The Spirit Glass by Roshani Chokshi ★★★☆☆

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs ★★★☆☆

All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters ★★☆☆☆

Frostheart (Frostheart, #1) by Jamie Littler ★★★★☆

The Vanquishers (The Vanquishers, #1) by Kalynn Bayron ★★★★☆

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller ★★★☆☆

Dark Moon, Shallow Sea (The Gods of Night and Day #1) by David R. Slayton ★★★☆☆

Dark Heir (Dark Rise, #2) by C.S. Pacat ★★★★☆

[gealach-in-a-misty-world]

The Daughters of Izdihar—a group of women fighting for the vote and against the patriarchal rule of Parliament—have finally made strides in having their voices heard…only to find them drowned out by the cannons of the fundamentalist Ziranis. As long as Alamaxa continues to allow for the elemental magic of the weavers—and insist on allowing an academy to teach such things—the Zirani will stop at nothing to end what they perceive is a threat to not only their way of life, but the entire world. Two such weavers, Nehal and Giorgina, had come together despite their differences to grow both their political and weaving power. But after the attack, Nehal wakes up in a Zirani prison, and Giorgina is on the run in her besieged city. If they can reunite again, they can rally Alamaxa to fight off the encroaching Zirani threat. Yet with so much in their way—including a contingent of Zirani insurgents with their own ideas about rebellion—this will be no easy task. And the last time a weaver fought back, the whole world was shattered.

"Safe in the knowledge that she was powerful."

Hadeer Helsbai's The Weavers of Alamaxa is the hectic conclusion to the duology started with The Daughters of Izdihar. The novel picks up where the first book ended, and from there doesn't stop a moment, careening towards an ending that ties up all the loose threads but feels unearned because we didn't have time to really delve into the changing situations. Events take place at a fast pace, and the new characters and setting suffer from it. The first conflict of the novel gets resolved in the blink of an eye, in order to put all pieces on the board and proceed with a war that becomes too rushed as well.

A trilogy would have allowed this series to breathe; we could have spent the whole of the second novel at the Zirani court and in Zirani, to learn more about their people and have time to get interested in those characters. Instead, the rushed resolution means we care little for them when disaster strikes. The core characters from the first volume are of course exempt from this, and a tragic event is treated with the grace and attention it deserves. But the focus on the war means that all the things that made the first book so memorable - the political struggle and the battle for bodily and political authonomy - take the backseat.

The two POVs' journey, on the other hand, is well-executed: Nehal softens her edges as she learns the struggles of the poor, and she has a few memorable scenes; Giorgina undegoes a metamorphosis, going from a meek character to one who fights for what's right. Malak of course continues to stun with her political acumen and her strength, the remaining Daughters of Izdihar make their appearance, and Nico handles himself well; the Zirani monarchs, while underdeveloped, make for interesting villains. The worldbuilding suffers from the fast pace, but new information about the world gives a new perspective.

The Weavers of Alamaxa is a book that could have been more.

✨ 3.5 stars

[You can find more of my reviews about queer speculative fiction on my blog MISTY WORLD]

[starsandsteelandbrokenglass]

November 2023 Monthly Reading Wrap-Up

Though the first half of the month had quite a bit going on, things are finally slowing down a little. Just in time for the semester to end. I'm still working on a dissertation proposal (*deep sigh of frustration*) and I probably should be looking for things to apply to for this summer but...I'd much rather read instead. 13 books and about 3,900 pages in November, and here they are:

Leisure Reading:

The Department of Truth, Vol. 2: The City Upon a Hill (The Department of Truth Collected Editions #2) by James Tynion IV

The Department of Truth, Vol. 3: Free Country (The Department of Truth Collected Editions #3) by James Tynion IV

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint- 3/5 stars

The Serpent Slayer: And Other Stories of Strong Women by Katrin Hyman Tchana and Trina Schart Hyman

Sorcerer to the Crown (Sorcerer Royal #1) by Zen Cho- 3/5 stars

Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee- 4/5 stars

The Daughters of Izdihar (The Alamaxa Duology #1) by Hadeer Elsbai- 3.75/5 stars

Nona the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #3) by Tamsyn Muir- 3.75/5 stars

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean- 4.5/5 stars

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns- 5/5 stars

Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia- 3.75/5 stars

Academic Reading:

Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear by Thomas M. Sipos

The Laughing Dead: The Horror-Comedy Film from Bride of Frankenstein to Zombieland edited by Cynthia J. Miller and A. Bowdoin Van Riper

My favorite book this month was Bad Cree by Jessica Johns. Though there were one or two moments I wanted to shake the main character a little, the messages about family and the detail to relationships was fantastic--something just hit really right for me.

Currently Reading: Apuleius' Invisible Ass by Geoffrey C. Benson and The Obsidian Tower (Rooks and Ruin #1) by Melissa Caruso

[morbidloren]

Strong Women, Strange Worlds

I am very excited to do my first reading of the year online on June 15. I’ll be joining Hadeer Elsbai (The Alamaxa duology), Kaaron Warren (Into Bones like Oil), Kristi McManus (Our Vengeful Souls), Branwen OShea (The Calling), and Tori Eldridge (Dance Among the Flames and The Ninja’s Daughter). This is a dream lineup! I’ll be reading a complete Alondra story, so it’s going to be spooky. The…

[bestreadingbooks]

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Description

From debut author Hadeer Elsbai comes the first book in an incredibly powerful new duology, set wholly in a new world, but inspired by modern Egyptian history, about two young women--Nehal, a spoiled aristocrat used to getting what she wants and Giorgina, a poor bookshop worker used to having nothing--who find they have far more in common, particularly in their struggle for the rights of women and their ability to fight for it with forbidden elemental magicAs a waterweaver, Nehal can move and shape any water to her will, but she's limited by her lack of formal education. She desires nothing more than to attend the newly opened Weaving Academy, take complete control of her powers, and pursue a glorious future on the battlefield with the first all-female military regiment. But her family cannot afford to let her go--crushed under her father's gambling debt, Nehal is forcibly married into a wealthy merchant family. Her new spouse, Nico, is indifferent and distant and in love with