4-STAR REVIEW: DAWN OF THE FIREBIRD by Sarah Mughal Rana

Action/Adventure Fantasy Romance Romantasy Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Reviews

The Description

Publication Date: December 2, 2025

*A SheReads Most Anticipated Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of Fall 2025!*
*A Paste Most Anticipated Romantasy Book of Fall 2025!*For fans of The Poppy War, She Who Became the Sun and The Will of the Many, a breathtaking fantasy novel about the daughter of an overthrown emperor from an exciting new voiceKhamilla Zahr-zad’s life has been built on a foundation of violence and vengeance. Every home she’s known has been destroyed by war. As the daughter of an emperor’s clan, she spent her childhood training to maintain his throne. But when her clansmen are assassinated by another rival empire, plans change. With her heavenly magic of nur, Khamilla is a weapon even enemies would wield—especially those in the magical, scholarly city of Za’skar. Hiding her identity, Khamilla joins the enemy’s army school full of jinn, magic and martial arts, risking it all to topple her adversaries, avenge her clan and reclaim their throne.To survive, she studies under cutthroat mystic monks and battles in a series of contests to outmaneuver her fellow soldiers. She must win at all costs, even if it means embracing the darkness lurking inside her. But the more she excels, the more she is faced with history that contradicts her father’s teachings. With a war brewing among the kingdoms and a new twisted magic overtaking the land, Khamilla is torn between two impossible choices: vengeance or salvation.

The Review

A young, unnamed girl watches her beloved tribe destroyed by raids and famine. Through a twist of events, her magical ability provides an opportunity for her to seek retribution.

Dawn of the Firebird introduces a fantasy world pulled from the creative words of author Sarah Mughal Rana. While the names and places are somewhat challenging to pronounce, the young girl faces a familiar task.

As an Eajīz, she must reclaim her future. With the emperor finally giving her the name Khamilla Nūr-e-Sǔltana, she gets caught up in a web of dark magic. Inside the enemy area, she must make sense of what she has been told vs. what she experiences first hand.

Because of the complex storyline, this may not be a starting point for readers new to the genre. However, experienced readers will revel in the battles featuring both magic and martial arts.

Dawn of the Firebird introduces a fierce heroine seeking to avenge the deaths of her loved ones. Buy Links

About The Author SARAH MUGHAL RANA is a Muslim author and student who completed her bachelors with honours at the University of Toronto and is now at Oxford University, pursuing her career at the intersection of human rights and policy. She is a BookTok personality and the co—host of ON THE WRITE TRACK PODCAST where she enjoys spilling tea with her favourite authors about the book world. Her debut YA novel, HOPE ABLAZE, published in February 2024. Outside of school, she falls down history rabbit holes and trains in traditional martial arts.