In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon.

But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection...because one wrong move could lead to her death.

4.5 Stars

This may be a 300+ page book, but it flies by so fast. It reads as one huge character because everything flows together so well.
The story follows the main character Amani, she's a wise but brave character. She has a love for poetry and her family. But when she is kidnapped she gets a different adventure then what she wanted. Body double are one of my favorite things to read about because it causes so much drama. My favorite thing about this book was the culture in this world. I want to know more about all the different cultures, and how they play off one another. I found the world building and writing is an overall joy to read.
I like the relationships between the three main characters Amani, Princess Maram, and Idris. The push and pull between them and how they play off each other.
Therefore this is a book worth the read, grab your favorite drink and get lost in these pages!