Aicha

“A heady, heart-wrenching, magnetic debut, bursting with both love and fury.” —Holly Race, bestselling author of Six Wild Crowns

TEMPTRESS. MONSTER. WARRIOR.

Aicha is a Moroccan-inspired epic fantasy of female rage and devastating romance, perfect for fans of The Jasad Heir and The Poet Empress.
 

Aicha has lived her whole life under the empire’s heel. After witnessing death and destruction at the hands of the colonizers, what awakens within her is an anger that burns bright and all-consuming. An anger that fuels the strange magic she was born with, that may turn her into her people’s deadliest weapon…or a monster. 
 

Only Aicha’s lover, Rachid, a rebellion leader, knows how to bring Aicha back to herself when she’s in a rage. But as the fight for freedom reaches its violent climax, the creature that simmers beneath Aicha’s skin begs to be unleashed. It hungers for the screams of those who have caused her people pain, and not even the man Aicha loves the most will be able to contain her when she sets herself upon their enemies.
 

​Because all empires must fall, and a warrior must pay for love with blood.
 

★ “Epic in scope, furious, heart-wrenching, and utterly enchanting.” —Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, bestselling author of The Principle of Moments

★ “Aicha is a sharpened blade, swinging between the celebration of love in all its forms and unbridled anger.” —Eliza Chan, bestselling author of Fathomfolk

★ “Masterfully woven, a heart-pounding and immersive read that has it all: intriguing magic, devastating romance, detailed world-building, and fascinating mythology.” —Aamna Qureshi, bestselling author of The Baby Dragon Cafe
 

• "Bouazzaoui’s tale of a furious rebellion and a tragic war is woven together with a stunningly tender romance, and an unbreakable family bond. A debut of epic scope, Aicha instantly establishes this author as one to watch. Furious, heart-wrenching, and utterly enchanting, Aicha tells the story of a heroine unlike any other I’ve read. I devoured this in two sittings, totally enthralled." 
  Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Principle of Moments
• "A heady, heart-wrenching, magnetic debut, bursting with both love and fury." 
  Holly Race, Sunday Times bestselling author of Six Wild Crowns
• "Masterfully woven, Aicha is a heart-pounding and immersive read that has it all: intriguing magic, devastating romance, detailed world-building, and fascinating mythology. Bouazzaoui crafts her powerful debut with gut-wrenching intricacy. This is a must read.”
  Aamna Qureshi, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Baby Dragon Cafe
• "Aicha is a sharpened blade, swinging between the celebration of love in all its forms and unbridled anger. A ferocious debut." 
  Eliza Chan, Sunday Times bestselling author of Fathomfolk
• "Aicha lit a whole bonfire in my belly, stole the air right out of my lungs and then left my heart in tiny little pieces. An incredible debut." 
  Ellis Hunter, author of Blood Bound
• "Readers will be swept up in the lyrical prose, compelling relationships, and timely commentary of Bouazzaoui’s debut rooted in Moroccan mythology. Her take on Aicha as a complicated figure torn between savior and demon is spellbinding."
  Library Journal
• "Bouazzaoui’s vivid fantasy retelling offers a colorful glimpse through the eyes of a committed female freedom fighter ... the worldbuilding and high-octane plot entice. It’s an intense and fascinating tale."
  Publishers Weekly