Check out Scott Reads It for reviews, giveaways & more! 
 Few books have surprised me like The Tyrant's Daughter did and I think the YA market desperately needs more diversity. It's truly sad how exciting it was for me to see a "person of color" on a cover and I definitely think publishers desperately need to start publishing more books about non-Caucasian folks because the world is a diverse place. There are so many ways in which The Tyrant's Daughter could have went astray given it's highly controversial subject, but TTD gives readers an interesting spin on a story you never see. Whenever we watch the news, we often are provided with the "Anglo-American" perspective on matters and to read from the perspective of a Muslim girl was extremely necessary and refreshing. 
 When you write about the Middle East, it's nearly impossible not to anger at least someone because the area is the source of much controversy. We often think we know what goes on in these Middle-Eastern countries because of the news we're fed on a daily basis. The thing is that The Tyrant's Daughter gives readers an insider look at what's like to be caught up in a political mess and what it's like to be a stranger in an even stranger land. J.C. Carleson handles the subject matter with the utmost respect and she gives readers the other side of the conflict that they never hear. 
 Laila is caught up in a conflict that she never asked to be apart and she is forced to flee her home and is given refugee in America. Laila slowly acclimates to America and begins to feel like she finally belongs somewhere, but Laila's mother has some tricks up her sleeves. Her mother is bent on using her deceptive nature to help regain the throne for Laila's younger brother and to return back home. 
 I think one of the most interesting aspects of The Tyrant's Daughter was viewing America and its customs from a foreigner's point of view. Laila has so many revelations about our American culture that readers may never have noticed, these subtle intricacies that an American would find "normal". These little epiphanies provided readers with a bit of comic relief to mitigate the serious tone that's evident throughout the rest of the novel. 
 J.C. Carlson is definitely a promising writer and I really look forward to reading more of her books in the future. We as readers need more diverse books and I felt like The Tyrant's Daughter was an eye-opening experience, I learned so much from this novel. This is truly an essential book for the average American because we have so many misconceptions about the Middle East and Carleson debunks them effectively. TTD is a heartbreaking, incredible story and it will leave readers engaged until the very end.