Author: Sara Hashem
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Scorched Throne # 2
Publication: July 15, 2025, 688 pages
Source: Libby Library
Held deep in a mountain refuge, Sylvia has been captured by the Urabi, who believe she can return their homeland to its former power. But after years of denying her legacy and a forbidden alliance with Jasad's greatest enemy, Sylvia must win the group's trust while struggling to keep control of both her magic and her mind.
In the rival kingdom, Arin is caught between his father's desire to put down the brewing rebellion and the sacred edicts he's sworn to uphold. Arin must find Sylvia before his father's army, but his search will call into question the very core of Arin's beliefs about his family and the destruction of Jasad.
War is inevitable and Sylvia cannot abandon her people again. The Urabi plan to raise the Jasadi fortress, and it will either kill Sylvia or destroy the humanity she's fought so hard to protect. For the first time in her life Sylvia doesn't just want to survive. She wants to win. The fugitive queen is ready to come home.
MY THOUGHTS
I read The Jasad Heir earlier this year and loved it. Naturally, I had a lot of expectations going into the second and final book in the duology. I’m happy to say that The Jasad Crown did NOT disappoint!
I’ve been searching for a duology and a Romantasy that hit all the marks: multifaceted world-building and characters, an interesting and well-thought-out storyline, a true enemies-to-lovers trope, and overall excellent writing and storytelling. This duology accomplishes it all with flying colors. That said, I’m not sure I’d even categorize this series strictly as Romantasy, labeling it that almost feels like a disservice. Yes, there’s romance, but it doesn’t eclipse the entire novel. It’s woven into the story rather than being the main focus, and that balance makes it even stronger.
In my experience with duologies, the second book usually suffers from “second book syndrome". I’ve rarely found a sequel that’s as good as, let alone better than, its predecessor. But that’s not the case here. Hashem’s The Jasad Crown is not only as excellent as the first book, but I might also even say it’s better! The action, the stakes, the character development, and the expansion of the world are all taken up several notches.
This sequel also introduces two additional POVs: Marek and Sefa. Normally, I’m not a fan of dual POVs, let alone multiple POVs but here, it worked beautifully. The new perspectives added layers and depth to the story. After a few chapters, I began to appreciate how much they enriched the narrative.
These days, especially in the Romantasy genre, it seems every book claims to be an “enemies to lovers.” But after reading this series, I can confidently say that many of those claims fall short. The Jasad Heir and The Jasad Crown? Absolutely yes. This is the truest, finest depiction of the trope, from beginning to end. The slow burn, the yearning, the delicious tension, it’s all so well-written and satisfying. This is exactly how you write enemies-to-lovers.
I absolutely loved this book, this series, this world. The Jasad Crown (and The Jasad Heir) are among the best books I’ve read this year, and this is hands-down the best duology I’ve ever read. I’m so grateful I discovered this gem of a series and genuinely surprised it isn’t talked about more. The ending was bittersweet yet wrapped the story up beautifully. I know Hashem has said she doesn’t intend to return to this world, but I hope she does someday. If not, this is a series I’ll be adding to my rotation of comfort rereads. If you haven’t read this duology yet, I highly recommend adding it to your TBR, it’s truly amazing!
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