Rebel Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic.  For humans, it’s an unforgiving place, especially if you’re poor, orphaned, or female.

Amani Al’Hiza is all three.  She’s a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can’t shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she’s destined to wind up wed or dead.

Then she meets Jin, a rakish foreigner, in a shooting contest, and sees him as the perfect escape route. But though she’s spent years dreaming of leaving Dustwalk, she never imagined she’d gallop away on mythical horse—or that it would take a foreign fugitive to show her the heart of the desert she thought she knew.

Rebel of the Sands reveals what happens when a dream deferred explodes—in the fires of rebellion, of romantic passion, and the all-consuming inferno of a girl finally, at long last, embracing her power. @goodreads 

I fell right in love with this freaking book! I don't usually like sand books < -- that's what I call them, lol, but I loved this one so much! It was such a different take on anything I have read. We have Amani who is dead on with a gun and she's wanting to get out of her town and away from her evil uncle and his wives and kids. It's not a very good living situation and she wants to get out before she is married off or married to her uncle. Hell to the no!



Amani enters a gun contest one night when she sneaks out. She's trying to make money to get the hell out of dodge. She ends up meeting a newcomer named, Jin. They eventually team up and hit the road. Although, it takes a bit for them to trust each other and what not.

Amani was lucky enough to capture a Buraqi which is a beautiful sand horse and if the person who touches it turns it into a real horse, it is theirs. Well of course, since women can't own a damn thing, Amani would have to give it to her sorry uncle. Anyhoo, things happen and Amani and Jin head out of town on said, Buraqi.



I totally loved the world, the characters, the quests, pretty much everything. I loved that there were shapeshifters, Djinni, Demdji, Ghouls, and I'm sure I left something out but you get the idea. It was such a fun ride!

Oh and it was pretty awesome to find out that Amani wasn't just a normal girl after all . . . .

GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2049136739