If I Loved You Less: A modern twist on a Jane Austen classic, perfect for 2025!

Literature & Fiction

Qureshi, Aamna

Humor & Satire

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The Lady or the Lion (1) (The Marghazar Trials)

Once upon a time, in a very olden time, there lived a semi-barbaric king . . . This is not his story.Perfect for fans of These Violent Delights and The Wrath and the Dawn, this scintillating debut retells "The Lady or the Tiger?" against a Pakistan-inspired world of forbidden love and court intrigues. As crown princess of Marghazar, Durkhanai Miangul will do anything to protect her people and her land. When her grandfather, the Badshah, is blamed for a deadly assault on the summit of neighboring leaders, the tribes call for his head. To assuage cries for war, the Badshah opens Marghazar's gates to foreigners for the first time in centuries, in a sign of good faith. His family has three months to prove their innocence, or they will all have war.As Durkhanai races to solve who really orchestrated the attack, ambassadors from the neighboring tribal districts arrive at court, each with their own intentions for negotiations, each with their own plans for advantage. When a mysterious illness spreads through the villages and the imperialists push hard on her borders, Durkhanai must dig deep to become more than just a beloved princess-she must become a queen. To distract Durkhanai from it all is Asfandyar Afridi, the wry ambassador who tells her outright he is a spy, yet acts as though he is her friend-or maybe even something more.

Teen & Young Adult

Historical Fiction

CamCat Publishing

Review\n“Unreservedly recommended for middle school, high school, and community library YA Fiction collections . . .” ―Midwest Book Review - -\n“He sunk his teeth into her heart and she let him.” 
As crown princess of Marghazar, Durkhanai Miangul will do anything to protect her people and her land. When her grandfather, the Badshah, is blamed for a deadly assault on the summit of neighboring leaders, the tribes call for his head. To assuage cries for war, the Badshah opens Marghazar's gates to foreigners for the first time in centuries, in a sign of good faith. His family has three months to prove their innocence, or they will all have war. 
As Durkhanai races to solve who really orchestrated the attack, ambassadors from the neighboring tribal districts arrive at court, each with their own intentions for negotiations, each with their own plans for advantage. When a mysterious illness spreads through the villages and the imperialists push hard on her borders, Durkhanai must dig deep to become more than just a beloved princess―she must become a queen. 
To distract Durkhanai from it all is Asfandyar Afridi, the wry ambassador who tells her outright he is a spy, yet acts as though he is her friend―or maybe even something more.\nFrom School Library Journal\nGr 9 Up—With Marghazar opening its borders, crown princess Durkhanai is determined to put aside her sheltered life and demonstrate her resourcefulness as next in line for the throne, including finding proof her grandfather, the Badshah, is innocent of a summit attack on neighboring zillas. Despite her ongoing investigation, Durkhanai can't seem to stay away from the mysterious ambassador, Asfandyar, who openly admits he's a spy. As more disasters pile up, Durkhanai must sift through the political warfare in the palace to keep those she cares about alive. Set in the 19th century in a Pakistan-inspired world, this retelling of Frank R. Stockton's 1882 short story "The Lady, or the Tiger?" blossoms with political conspiracies and forbidden romance. Debut author Qureshi nails spinning new life into an old tale with a meticulous world grounded in vivid scenery and beautifully enhance with Urdu, Punjabi, and Islamic words. Durkhanai naturally progresses from sheltered, "pretty princess" to discovering her intellect and power. Her romantic relationship with Asfandyar naturally grows over the course of months yet has readers perfectly questioning what his true intentions are. While small conflicts in the story can be sleuthed out, the overall climax has a gratifying twist, revealing larger truths about whether a villain for some can be a hero for others. Durkhanai is described as having soft brown skin, while Asfandyar is biracial, the son of a Black woman, with ebony curls. VERDICT A clever twist on a classic tale, this is one to purchase for library shelves as readers will be eager to know what happens next.—Emily Walker, Lisle Lib. Dist., IL

Once upon a time, in a very olden time, there lived a semi-barbaric king . . . This is not his story.Perfect for fans of These Violent Delights and The Wrath and the Dawn, this scintillating debut retells "The Lady or the Tiger?" against a Pakistan-inspired world of forbidden love and court intrigues. As crown princess of Marghazar, Durkhanai Miangul will do anything to protect her people and her land. When her grandfather, the Badshah, is blamed for a deadly assault on the summit of neighboring leaders, the tribes call for his head. To assuage cries for war, the Badshah opens Marghazar's gates to foreigners for the first time in centuries, in a sign of good faith. His family has three months to prove their innocence, or they will all have war.As Durkhanai races to solve who really orchestrated the attack, ambassadors from the neighboring tribal districts arrive at court, each with their own intentions for negotiations, each with their own plans for advantage. When a mysterious illness spreads through the villages and the imperialists push hard on her borders, Durkhanai must dig deep to become more than just a beloved princess-she must become a queen. To distract Durkhanai from it all is Asfandyar Afridi, the wry ambassador who tells her outright he is a spy, yet acts as though he is her friend-or maybe even something more."Qureshi sets up a world in which readers can easily lose themselves . . . this is a notable debut with an original point of view and a riveting plot." -Kirkus Reviews"An intricate deep dive into a forbidden love story and all the stages in-between. Aamna Qureshi writes of a world steeped in rich culture and tumultuous politics with an expert hand. The Lady or The Lion is a gorgeous read." -Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

She made her decision. Now she has to live with it. Durkhanai Miangul sealed her lover's fate when she sent him through a door where either a lady or a lion awaited him. But her decision was only the beginning of her troubles. Durkhanai worries that she might not be the queen her people need or deserve when conflict threatens her kingdom. Her presumed-dead father comes back with a vengeance and wishes she join him in his cause. But her family's denial of his revenge forces Durkhanai to take matters into her own hands and she must decide whether to follow the traditions of her forefathers or forge a new path on her own.

The Man or the Monster (The Marghazar Trials)

CamCat Books

She made her decision. Now she has to live with it. 
Durkhanai Miangul sealed her lover’s fate when she sent him through a door where either a lady or a lion awaited him. But her decision was only the beginning of her troubles. Durkhanai worries that she might not be the queen her people need or deserve when conflict threatens her kingdom.\nHer presumed-dead father comes back with a vengeance and wishes she join him in his cause. But her family’s denial of his revenge forces Durkhanai to take matters into her own hands and she must decide whether to follow the traditions of her forefathers or forge a new path on her own.

Science Fiction & Fantasy

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Children's Books

Hodder Children`S Books

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Short Stories & Anthologies

Page Street YA

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