nodaybutoday05's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kellyjmac's review
4.0
My son and I were both looking forward to this sequel since reading the first book which we loved. I love the dynamic between Amira and Hamza. It feels believable and relatable. I love Hamza’s goofy humour and spunk and I also love Amira’s smarts and bravery. The Design! Your! Destiny! Angle was cute and added a laugh for sure. I enjoyed how this book took us travelling across the world and learning about museums and sights. Gave us some things to look up and learn more about which I always appreciate in a middle grade book. Hoping Amira and Hamza get to have more adventures soon that we get to share with them and travel back to Qaf.
xandra_evelyn's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I enjoyed this book much better than the first one. I liked Hamza's perspective; it cut the Amira parts in half. She wasn't as annoying in this book, so that was also good.
The author would still randomly have her political/historical opinions shoved in randomly. It wasn't quite as jarring as the last book, but still kind of odd. She should incorporate her passions better into the book than simply giving her characters random, provocative statements
The author would still randomly have her political/historical opinions shoved in randomly. It wasn't quite as jarring as the last book, but still kind of odd. She should incorporate her passions better into the book than simply giving her characters random, provocative statements
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Fire/Fire injury
thepageladies's review
3.0
This is the second book in the series and it's full of humor and adventure. Amira and Hamza are fun characters. They have the typical sibling rivalry going on but deep down they truly care for one another. I liked the types of magic and learning about the different magical creatures. It's a fun series so far with plenty of adventure and humor to keep the kids reading! Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours and Samira Ahmed for sharing this book with me!
genhuggins's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
phyrre's review
4.0
You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Overall
I am all about these diverse middle grade adventures that seem to be booming right now. So when I saw one based on Islamic folklore and legend, I was 100% going to jump on that. It’s something I haven’t seen before and something I don’t know as much about, so heck yes! Plus, not gonna lie, I read the first two pages and really enjoyed the slightly snarky narrative style.
The Amira & Hamza series blends science with Islamic legend and folklore in a fast-paced adventure filled with relatable characters, humor, sibling bonds (and rivalry), and lots of exciting creatures and places.
I had a lot of fun with these books! The folklore is intriguing, as are the creatures, and like nothing I’ve ever seen. I absolutely love jinn in books, and this was no exception. This makes for a nice middle-of-the-road middle grade book. The writing and conflict is a bit more simplistic, with large font, even though the page length is a bit longer. Some of the conflicts were resolved kind of easy, but that’s not unexpected. I sure hope there will be more in this series, because I’ve enjoyed adventuring with Amira and Hamza!
My Thoughts
- This sequel is told from two perspectives, both Amira’s and Hamza’s, and it’s about 1,000% funnier than the first because Hamza is a typical 10-year-old and his perspective absolutely cracks me up. I could see how Hamza’s point of view might frustrate some readers, especially older readers, because he’s immature. I mean, he’s 10, so . . . duh. However, he’s still got that weird self-assurance of kids that age, and he’s also easily distract (which I can relate to). So I absolutely loved to addition of his narrative. He’s snarky, but not in a mean-hearted manner. It’s just how he copes with the extremely stressful situation he finds himself in. You know, being kidnapped by a jinn bent on revenge would raise anyone’s blood pressure. Especially since, this time, Hamza doesn’t have his sister there to encourage him.
- As much as the siblings learned to get along better in the first book, they’re still . . . well . . . siblings. They have their squabbles, but at the end of the day, they also have each other’s backs. I absolutely love sibling bonds in books, and this is no exception! When things heat up, of course Amira and Hanza are there for each other and support each other. But the rest of the time? Well, they behave just like siblings, with their small squabbles and disagreements and arguments. It cracked me up and reminded me of how I used to act with my siblings!
- If you thought the moon crashing to Earth wasn’t a big enough threat, how about an even bigger, badder jinn bent on destroying the world? By which I mean, the Big Bad in this book is the father of the Big Bad in the last book. Which makes him the OG Big Bad, Bigger and Badder. He’s not beating around bushes or messing around. In case you don’t remember, he was imprisoned in the moon, and they don’t do that for just anyone. Actually, he’s the only one that received that sentence, so you know he’s not a team player.
While the threat is greater than the last book (arguably, at least), the tension was much lower. I think a lot of this was to do with Hamza’s funny, often flippant, perspective, which sometimes made it hard to take the villain seriously. Which is not a bad thing at all! I’ve noticed a lot of our most popular books at the library doing this, and I think it works well in middle grade.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Overall
I am all about these diverse middle grade adventures that seem to be booming right now. So when I saw one based on Islamic folklore and legend, I was 100% going to jump on that. It’s something I haven’t seen before and something I don’t know as much about, so heck yes! Plus, not gonna lie, I read the first two pages and really enjoyed the slightly snarky narrative style.
The Amira & Hamza series blends science with Islamic legend and folklore in a fast-paced adventure filled with relatable characters, humor, sibling bonds (and rivalry), and lots of exciting creatures and places.
I had a lot of fun with these books! The folklore is intriguing, as are the creatures, and like nothing I’ve ever seen. I absolutely love jinn in books, and this was no exception. This makes for a nice middle-of-the-road middle grade book. The writing and conflict is a bit more simplistic, with large font, even though the page length is a bit longer. Some of the conflicts were resolved kind of easy, but that’s not unexpected. I sure hope there will be more in this series, because I’ve enjoyed adventuring with Amira and Hamza!
My Thoughts
- This sequel is told from two perspectives, both Amira’s and Hamza’s, and it’s about 1,000% funnier than the first because Hamza is a typical 10-year-old and his perspective absolutely cracks me up. I could see how Hamza’s point of view might frustrate some readers, especially older readers, because he’s immature. I mean, he’s 10, so . . . duh. However, he’s still got that weird self-assurance of kids that age, and he’s also easily distract (which I can relate to). So I absolutely loved to addition of his narrative. He’s snarky, but not in a mean-hearted manner. It’s just how he copes with the extremely stressful situation he finds himself in. You know, being kidnapped by a jinn bent on revenge would raise anyone’s blood pressure. Especially since, this time, Hamza doesn’t have his sister there to encourage him.
- As much as the siblings learned to get along better in the first book, they’re still . . . well . . . siblings. They have their squabbles, but at the end of the day, they also have each other’s backs. I absolutely love sibling bonds in books, and this is no exception! When things heat up, of course Amira and Hanza are there for each other and support each other. But the rest of the time? Well, they behave just like siblings, with their small squabbles and disagreements and arguments. It cracked me up and reminded me of how I used to act with my siblings!
- If you thought the moon crashing to Earth wasn’t a big enough threat, how about an even bigger, badder jinn bent on destroying the world? By which I mean, the Big Bad in this book is the father of the Big Bad in the last book. Which makes him the OG Big Bad, Bigger and Badder. He’s not beating around bushes or messing around. In case you don’t remember, he was imprisoned in the moon, and they don’t do that for just anyone. Actually, he’s the only one that received that sentence, so you know he’s not a team player.
While the threat is greater than the last book (arguably, at least), the tension was much lower. I think a lot of this was to do with Hamza’s funny, often flippant, perspective, which sometimes made it hard to take the villain seriously. Which is not a bad thing at all! I’ve noticed a lot of our most popular books at the library doing this, and I think it works well in middle grade.
popthebutterfly's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Amira and Hazma: The Quest for the Ring of Power
Author: Samira Ahmed
Book Series: Amira & Hazma Book 2
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Desi American MC and characters and Desi characters
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, fantasy, mythology, Desi mythology, science fiction, Percy Jackson like, HP replacement
Publication Date: September 20, 2022
Genre: MG Fantasy
Age Relevance: 10+ (violence, kidnapping)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions of violence. There is some shown kidnapping.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 400
Synopsis: All human and jinn kind shall bow down to me. Control the Ring, control the worlds.
Amira and Hamza have returned from Qaf, the magical Jinn world, as triumphant heroes—and life has been pleasantly quiet. Too quiet. Hamza is determined to have one last monumental, epic adventure before summer ends. But when sneaking off to explore an old, abandoned castle goes from life-changing adventure to potentially deadly, Amira and Hamza find themselves in the middle of another dangerous quest to save the worlds. One they didn’t bargain for.
The siblings are brought face to face with the evil dev, Ahriman, angry and out for revenge. And if Amira and Hamza thought Ifrit was bad, his dad Ahriman, the last in an ancient line of fire spirits, is far worse. Ahriman kidnaps Hamza and forces him to help locate the lost Ring of Power, an ancient and mysterious artifact that will allow him to rule the universe. Desperate to save her brother, Amira must outsmart perilous traps and confounding puzzles in a race against time to retrieve the artifact before Ahriman does or say goodbye to Hamza and their world forever.
Review: I loved this sequel so much! The action continues in this book, where sneaking off to a castle might prove to be life-changing for our protagonists. The book had a lot of the same Percy Jackson vibes and I would still recommend this series as a great HP replacement. The book still put science at the forefront, this time with it mostly being focused on astrology and astronomy. The book is still multi-POV and I loved that Hazma has more of a presence in this book.
The only issue I had with the book is the fast pacing in places again, but overall I loved it!
Verdict: I loved it! Highly recommend!
Book: Amira and Hazma: The Quest for the Ring of Power
Author: Samira Ahmed
Book Series: Amira & Hazma Book 2
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Desi American MC and characters and Desi characters
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, fantasy, mythology, Desi mythology, science fiction, Percy Jackson like, HP replacement
Publication Date: September 20, 2022
Genre: MG Fantasy
Age Relevance: 10+ (violence, kidnapping)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions of violence. There is some shown kidnapping.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 400
Synopsis: All human and jinn kind shall bow down to me. Control the Ring, control the worlds.
Amira and Hamza have returned from Qaf, the magical Jinn world, as triumphant heroes—and life has been pleasantly quiet. Too quiet. Hamza is determined to have one last monumental, epic adventure before summer ends. But when sneaking off to explore an old, abandoned castle goes from life-changing adventure to potentially deadly, Amira and Hamza find themselves in the middle of another dangerous quest to save the worlds. One they didn’t bargain for.
The siblings are brought face to face with the evil dev, Ahriman, angry and out for revenge. And if Amira and Hamza thought Ifrit was bad, his dad Ahriman, the last in an ancient line of fire spirits, is far worse. Ahriman kidnaps Hamza and forces him to help locate the lost Ring of Power, an ancient and mysterious artifact that will allow him to rule the universe. Desperate to save her brother, Amira must outsmart perilous traps and confounding puzzles in a race against time to retrieve the artifact before Ahriman does or say goodbye to Hamza and their world forever.
Review: I loved this sequel so much! The action continues in this book, where sneaking off to a castle might prove to be life-changing for our protagonists. The book had a lot of the same Percy Jackson vibes and I would still recommend this series as a great HP replacement. The book still put science at the forefront, this time with it mostly being focused on astrology and astronomy. The book is still multi-POV and I loved that Hazma has more of a presence in this book.
The only issue I had with the book is the fast pacing in places again, but overall I loved it!
Verdict: I loved it! Highly recommend!
cakt1991's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Amira & Hamza: The Quest for the Ring of Power is the second book in Samira Ahmed’s Amira & Hamza series. I have read the first, but didn’t publicly review it at the time. However, I do recommend reading that one first to get a good feel for what to expect going into this one.
It has a somewhat similar feel to the Rick Riordan Presents template, despite not being part of that imprint. There’s a blend of Indian mythology and history with modern pop culture. The titular “Ring of Power” conjured a connection to Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings, and I love how the narrative discusses the possible historical and mythical inspirations for the Ring.
While a lot of similar titles will focus on a single protagonist, sometimes with a supporting group of friends, Amira and Hamza are co-leads and both serve in the “Chosen One” role. I love how each of them contributes something cool to the narrative. Amira is smart and logical, and is good at puzzle-solving. She also is a great sister, who always has her brother’s back. Hamza is often getting into trouble, which can lead to some comically perilous situations, especially as he can foresee some terrifying scenarios playing out before him, however, throughout the book, Amira’s logic begins to rub off as he navigates the obstacles he faces.
This is a charming installment in a fun series centering the power of sibling love. It’s perfect for fans of middle grade fantasy in the vein of Percy Jackson.
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