Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands, #1)

Rebel of the Sands will captivate, astound and downright swoon the pants of you, I’m not even kidding. Amani lives in the barren wasteland that is Dustwalk, but after losing her mother she is bound to her lecherous uncle and his family. With nothing but sand and her friend Tamid to keep her company, Amani dreams of leaving Dustwalk and heading to the city of Izman, where she can finally start fresh and not be looked down on because of her gender.

After saving for months Amani enters into a dangerous competition disguised as a boy, if she succeeds she will finally have enough money to travel to Izman, do that she has to win and to do she must be the last one standing in a shooting competition. But for the Blue eyed sharpshooter who spent her childhood learning to shoot tin cans, this competition is child’s play, however not everything goes to plan. Mysterious foreign strangers appear, a rebel uprising begins led by an exiled prince, haunting myths coming to life before your very eyes and a scolding romance that will make your heart skip a beat?

Amani is a fantastic heroine; she’s ferocious and wild, nothing like her brutal desert surroundings. Her personality and sheer determination to pave her own way in life is contagious, you’ll be rooting from her early on, supporting each life threatening decision after the next. She’s daring and reckless and refuses to bow down to the rules of society, her explosive nature makes you sit up and take note, only a fool would underestimate her.

The plot was fast paced; full of action and adventure, book was always on the move, keeping you on the edge of your seat the entire time. It was a struggle to put this down at times, if only I didn’t need to sleep. The lush setting Hamilton provided was extraordinary, the vivid details of the Maraji and their traditions, steeped in fascinating folklore bringing to life extravagant stories of Djinni, Ghuls and magic.

Rebel of the Sands is a thrilling debut that follows a strong young girl who defies everything, there are extraordinary highs and heartbreaking lows but the no-cliff-hanger ending only promises of more myths, magic and adventures to come. Rebel of the Sands is the type of book that will instantly come to mind when giving recommendations or summarizing your year in books.