The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

"In this reimagining of the Arabian Nights, Shahrzad plans to avenge the death of her dearest friend by volunteering to marry the murderous boy-king of Khorasan but discovers not all is as it seems within the palace."

These characters are not likeable. Shahrzad falls in love with Khalid, the king who orders the death of her best friend. It makes you question how dear her friend actually was to her. And even though Khalid has his reasons for ordering the death of all his brides, he still is a killer. However, that doesn't mean these characters aren't great. They are flawed but these flaws make them so intriguing and that they fall in love with one another makes this story so captivating.Yes, at times you curse them and may even throw your book against the wall but then you scramble after it because the pacing is so good you can't stand not finding out what happens next. And the world building--I loved it! The writing made me feel immersed in the world, everything was so lush and vibrant. I raced through this story and I'm so eager for the sequel.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

This book was brutal. This is the kind of book where no character felt safe and at times the violence was a little much for me. But this kind of violence should disturb you. Every chapter these characters were taking risks as Elias fought for his freedom and Laia fought to save her brother. These characters were so intense and each challenge they faced increased the stakes, making this book a fast read. I'm so eager to see where these characters go, how they survive, if they survive, and who they will be if they do. This book has been described as The Hunger Games meets The Winner's Curse and I think that's an excellent description. If you loved either of those books then make sure to read An Ember in the Ashes!