4.5 Fangs 
 I was blown away with the Rose and the Dagger. Usually, sequels can be the downfall to a great beginning. I was very pleased that this book was the opposite. I liked it much more than the Wrath and the Dawn. The flow and the development of the characters were flawless. 
 Shahrzad and Khalid both behaved in a more mature way. They both make sure their tempers didn't overrule their brains. Their romance was also much more believable. 
 "I want to live. You are where I live." 
 At the beginning of the Rose and the Dagger, the city of Rey has burned. Khalid is dealing with the Shahrzad's departure with Tariq and at the same time, trying to rebuild what has been lost. His only comfort is thinking Shazi is safe. 
 "I've missed the silence of you listening to me." Shahrzad attempted a weak smile. "No one listens to me as you do." 
 His expression turned quizzical. 
 "You don't wait to speak," she clarified. "You truly listen." 
 "Only to you," Khalid replied gently." 
 Shazi has only one purpose in mind: To break the curse and to return to the man she fell in love with. To achieve this objective, she goes in search of help. No one can help her better than Musa Zaragoza. He, in turn, takes her to Artan Temujin to begin her training and to learn the way to break the curse. 
 One thing I was happy to see was Irsa's maturity. She blossomed right in front of my eyes. She wasn't a kid anymore. She spent her time trying to help Shazi and her father too. I love seeing how strong the sister's relationship became. Together, these sisters could rule the world. 
 She also has developed feelings for Rahim. Some of the most beautiful phrases came from them. I love this one: 
 "You're better than beautiful." Rahim took a careful breath. "You're interesting. Never forget that." 
 and 
 "Because when I kiss you, I want yours to be the first . . . and last lips I ever kiss." 
 Renee Ahdieh had a great way of spinning the story to a great end. I don't think she left anything out that needed to be answered. She did break my heart with a certain scene and I wanted to be wrong so bad. 
 I truly hope this is not the end of this series. 
 "Since you can't say it, will you at least tell me how much you love me?" 
 "From the stars, to the stars." 
 Cliffhanger: No 
 4.5/ 5 Fangs 
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