Review: Rebel of the Sands(Rebel of the Sands #1) by Alwyn Hamilton

An adventure of epic proportions

Title: Rebel of the Sands
Series: Rebel of the Sands
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Publisher: Faber, UK
My ratings: 5 out of 5 stars
Released: 4th Febuary, 2015
A setting of Wild West crossed with Arabian nights you say? Never in a million years had I thought that would work. While I have read my share of Wild West romances, the new trend of books appearing with a desert setting is new to me. Glowing reviews forced my hand and I had try this. And now I urge you, if you haven’t already, give this book a go.

Amani lives in a small village in the middle of nowhere where legends and myths abound. Wanting to have a better life and escaping her cruel uncle’s home, she will do anything to win her freedom. One thing leads to another and she manages to make an escape with an Outsider called Jin. Soon she is swept in what can only be called an adventure of epic proportions.

I know I’m being vague on purpose as I want readers to experience the plot and the setting for themselves. I loved the main heroine Amani, who felt edgy yet relatable. Her expertise with guns and her single minded determination to leave her life behind made her someone who I could root for. Yet throughout this book, she had to make difficult and sometimes selfish decisions but towards the end of the book, I could see how her experiences were shaping her and changing her.

Jin was so charming and mysterious that I pretty much loved him from the moment he appeared in the scene. He seemed wild and vagabond. For those looking for romance, Jin and Amani’s love story was a slow burn and the chemistry was off the charts. However, the winner in the book was the beautiful, mysterious desert setting, abound with Djinns and creatures of fire and legend.

If you like fantasy but have been disappointed by the recent disappointing releases, give Rebel of The Sands a go. A gun slinging heroine, a foreigner thief and an all sweeping romance and adventure where you can breathe the sand and feel the dry air licking you skin. Highly recommended one of the best books read in 2016 so far.

Review copy provided by Faber & Faber via NetGalley