Blog Tour: Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim (Interview!)

Happy Sunday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for SPICE ROAD! I’m so excited because today I have an interview with Maiya Ibrahim to share with you! This book is truly amazing and I’m so excited to for you to find out more about it!

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
Series: Spice Road #1
Published on January 24, 2023 by Delacorte Press
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Pages: 464
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Author Links: Website, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest

In the hidden desert city of Qalia, there is secret spice magic that awakens the affinities of those who drink the misra tea. Sixteen-year-old Imani has the affinity for iron and is able to wield a dagger like no other warrior. She has garnered the reputation as being the next great Shield for battling djinn, ghouls, and other monsters spreading across the sands.
Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother, who tarnished the family name after it was revealed that he was stealing his nation's coveted spice--a telltale sign of magical obsession. Soon after that, he disappeared, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes. Despite her brother's betrayal, there isn't a day that goes by when Imani doesn't grieve him.
But when Imani discovers signs that her brother may be alive and spreading the nation's magic to outsiders, she makes a deal with the Council that she will find him and bring him back to Qalia, where he will face punishment. Accompanied by other Shields, including Taha, a powerful beastseer who can control the minds of falcons, she sets out on her mission.
Imani will soon find that many secrets lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes--and in her own heart--but will she find her brother?

What would you do if you spent the day with Imani? Where would you go to eat, hang out, relax, etc.?

Knowing how busy Imani is with her duties as a Shield, she would probably only have time for an early morning horse-ride beyond the safety of Qalia’s city walls. Secretly, I’d be hoping to encounter a djinni or a ghoul so I could witness her badass dagger magic in person. Afterward, I’d join her for a tour of the barracks where she trains with her squad to fight monsters, and if I’m lucky, dinner would be her Teta’s delicious warak enab (stuffed vine leaves). 

If Imani were to hang out with other fictional characters, who would they be and why?

Zafira from We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal. Zafira could teach Imani how to wield a bow, Imani could show her some dagger tricks. They’re both fierce, brave warriors, and I think they’d get along really well! 

If there was one fictional place you could travel to for a day, where would it be and why?

The land of Skyrim, which is from one of my favourite video games ever. It has magic, dragons, snow (which I’ve never seen before), guilds of assassins and thieves, warm taverns, huge cheese wheels—what’s not to love?

I like to think that I’d go to the College of Winterhold and practice magic, or encounter a Daedric Prince along my travels and be drawn into a tricksy plot, but most likely I’d spend the entire day oohing and aahing at the beautiful landscape and taking photos. 

If you buried a time capsule with three items inside, what three items would you choose and why?

A laptop, a battery for the laptop, and the biggest hard-drive I can find, onto which I’d upload a copy of Wikipedia, because for some reason when my time capsule is opened in this bleak, dark future, the internet doesn’t exist anymore, and neither do encyclopedias, computers, or power points. 

What is your favorite quote, scene, or moment from Spice Road?

The book’s very first line, which is: 

“We will fight, but first we will have tea.” 

I was so happy when I found out that the quote is going to be stamped on the hardcover cases for the US edition!

What do you think about Spice Road? Have you added it to your tbr yet? Let me know in the comments and have a splendiferous day!