ziyah reads and writes!

4/5 stars 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

This book had me confused, hot and bothered and also very entertained.

There was so much information and in this very complex world there was just so much going on.

• The mystery of the missing sister June Adane
• The mystery of her whole family and why she was orphaned and had to live with Mama Anoet
• Kidane being a suspect for murdering her own sister and she’s trying to prove her innocence
• The mystery of Uxlay and how it was created and how it survived
• The Vampires/Drainaics all in Uxlay v.s. the Rogues
• The magic system between Drainaics and the 12 Founding Houses
• All the characters and fellow students at Uxlay
• The Mot Zebayas
• The Sages and the 3 Binds and the missing artifacts

This is just to name a few of the many side plots occuring. It was so much I was confused at times and had to go back to see what was happening. Also, the main character Kidane Adane is actually insane and that’s why her decision-making is very fast, and absurd. She follows her gut, wherever it leads without a second thought of any consequences. To be fair, if my little sister was taken from me at 18 years old and I’m being accused of murder, I have to live in the same house as the Vampire who allegedly killed my entire lineage and my whole family was kept a secret from me and all of this information is being dumped on me in one day, I’d probably go crazy too.

The vampires though were sooooooo beautiful and I can see their iridescent skin glowing in the light ugh, its so good to see that in a fantasy book as rich as this one. Drawing from Islamic tenets, Ethiopian and African cultures, and questions of morality, justice, and immortality, this book is nothing but rich in vitality, and depth.

Anywhoooo, read the book.

• Are you a Black girl who loves Vampires”?
  • Read it!
• Do you love crazy female main characters?
  • Read it!
• Do you like dark academia/secret society shit?
  • Read It!
• Do you like magic?
  • Read It!
• Are you human?
  • Read it!
• Can you read?
  • THEN READDDD IT!

So yeah no excuses!

Read it now!

SPOILERS BELOW!

Thoughts and reactions while reading…, skip to the very end to see my fan cast as well ❤

• Ok not our girl committing murder at the beginning 

• Susenyos Segad is the Adane House Drainac aka Vampire 
• Ok Houses can make their own rules
• 3 Binds:
  • 80 families so 80 houses  each house used to be able to set up their own laws but that led to conflict so
  • Only one universal law in y lay that keeps them hidden
  • Bind 1 vampires could no longer drink from all humans, only from the 80 fams
  • Bind 2: their original strength and powers are weakened (no more flying, compelling or invisibility)
  • Bind 3: if u want to turn a human to a vampire it came at the cost of their own life
• Omg I hate this info dumping

• Only founders can set house laws 
• Kidane’s ancestors founded Uxlay University wowww
• If she lives with Susenyos she can graduate and claim the house 
• How do the vampires at Uxlay survive? Do humans give blood drives or what?
  • We find out later that they bond with the Humans and can only drink from their blood
• Dranacti (Drainaic or Vampire + Acti or Human relations) is the Philosophy taught at Uxlay
  • That sounds dope AF
• Dean Faris is human and her companion is Professor Andreyas Vampire, okay got it
• Faris House sigil is black bird with a silver eye, thats cool
• What happens when a human dies? The Vampires just keep attending Uxlay for how long do they stay there since they live forever?
• When you master your own house you can’t go into other claimed houses (unless the house becomes unclaimed)
• Uxlay doesn’t permit children to reside there, makes sense (Take notes Hogwarts)
• All children stay at the boarding school where vampires aren’t allowed 
• If Uxlay is so safe why can’t children stay here?
  • Side eye

• Etete is the house cook
• “Upon closer instruction, they appear to be East African trinkets possibly from archaeological digs… although Kidane was Ethiopian she barely recognized her culture. Another thing long lost.” P. 35
  • OMGGG this hit me hard as a 1st Gen ohhh

• Is this set in the UK, U.S. or Ethiopia, I’m confused?
• How did her parents die?
• What if a vampire and human fall in love? Can they have kids?
• Why is Omar in prison?
  • We find this out later on
• Adane House sigil is two mountains shielding each other… dope
• OHHHH SHIT the guy she met in the courtyard was SUSENYOS SEGADDDD I thought he was a student at Uxlay, lol?

• What if a Drainac turns a house owner into a Vampire, what happens then?
  • We find out they die, so to turn a Vampire you trade your life
  • This magic system is so cool like wow
• “…unthreatened in the way an arrogant man occupied a space” p.9
  • ate I know exactly what she means
• Awww they forgot Amharic bc they were raised outside Uxlay, damn
• Vampires can only drink from Acti families
  • We find out unless the Acti kills someone then they can gulp all they like
• There are only 12 Founding Houses in Uxlay
• OMGGG JUNE’S BRACELET WAS IN SUSENYOS’S ROOM OHHHH HELL NAW HE TOOK HER DIDN’T HE!

• wtf is happening to Susenyos 
• Ohhh a torture room in order to command the House, Got it
• Ramyn is so cute 

• Oh she’s an Ajitaf house
• Oh my Kidane killed Mama Anoet!!!!!
• Ohh she just tortured her
• Ohhh she set the house on fire
• Oh My God, no Kidane like actually killed Mama Anoet!
• Nooooooo holy shit this girl is brutal af

• Awww no Ramyn failed the class!
• How much u wanna bet June is a vampire? 
• Ooooh
• “House Adane will not go into extinction on my watch”
  • Periodttttt

• I love Dean Faris 
• “…one life is nothing” Slen dismissed, “it’s everything” said GK (this reminds me of the Quran if one takes one life it will be as if he took all of humanity and if he saves one life, he saved all of humanity)
• These Mot Zebeyas remind me of the Bene Gesserit from Dune, they some bad bitches fr.

• Ohhh this is fun ch 24 “don’t get near me because I’ll kill you” but u have to get near me ooooo hehehe
• Ohhhh Why is Susenyos a.k.a Yos kinda fine hehehehe

• Last Sage scattered the objects across the world if they discovered them they could break the 3 binds (it’s giving horcrux) (what if that’s her family’s work, since they are the people obsessed with archeology)

• “You don’t put a leash on evil, you kill it” GAHDAMNN FIRE ASS QUOTE

• OH NO RAMYNNNN GAHDAMN I DIDN’T THINK SHE WAS GONNA DIE THIS EARLY 

@zzthology

tweek gets jumpscared easily. #southpark #tweektweak #southparkfanart #spookysjumpscaremansion #fypシ #imflopping #shadowbanned #bored

♬ original sound – $

• Ohhh so the blood-sucking thing is like an orgasm for the Drainaic and the Human because their minds and souls are connected and you can share memories, wow, that’s actually cool

• Aaahhh the Fang humiliation scene at the ceremony ateeeee! Dangle that shit girl hahaha

• Girl nooooo is there any other way to figure this out and not go to the Southern Soast building all the opps are thereee nooooo!
• Don’t drink that shit oh god she drank it

• Ahhh he looks like he cares
• The 4 pillars of of Quadrantism remind me of the 5 pillars of Islam p176
• Awwwww I love GK
• Really you didn’t kill June Susenyos, then where tf is she and why is she gone, you’re a Vampire you should know, and you should help!!!
• Bitch you’re never getting that ring back ahhhh
• What blood did Susenyos live on? I know some people give blood willingly but it’s nothing like drinking from your own House acti?
• If Kidane dies or becomes a Vampire he’ll never get that opportunity again
• What if June was the Vampire that killed Ramyn???
• WHATTT THE HOUSE IS STEALING SUSENYOS’S IMMORTALITY 

• Omg Obu bit her Oh Hell nawww
• Oh shit they got your ass now
• Oh the 13th (secret society) wanted their own laws, protect family first not Uxlay, ok I see you power hungry bitches
• Omg Slen killed Ramyn! Pinned it on her Dad, then she can get the house, get rid of her Dad and still be in the 13th damnnnnn girl

• “She’d forgotten that terrifying creatures were often wronged girls. Wasn’t she proof of that?” P 231 Quote eatsss!
• So she killed Ramyn so the other houses would join the 13th, she joined the 13th to get rid of her dad. Damn Slen u are stone cold
• P232 this argument about morality is so deep
• Why was her blood not poisonous to Iniko
  • We find out why later
• HER BREAST OHHHH MY GODDD

• Oh noooo Yusef WHYYYYYY
• What how who?????
• Rufeal is dead, yay… I guess… I’m so confused 
• Yusef is alive yayyyyyyy
• Ohhhh Yusef killed Rufeal!!!!! He stole the painting!!! Omg
• How did she make a vow????
• Ohhhh Ramyn’s brother Tamol poisoned her
• AAAAAAHHHHHH OMG SEXYYYYY SUSENYOSSSSS YESSSS UGHHH
• Omg she crashed the car 
• Oh ok Tamol isn’t dead 
• What omg not the painting
• Oh noooo now they think she did it? She should’ve burned that painting 
• Omggggggg wtf GK found out
• OMGGG THE NEFRASI ARE SUSENYOS’S COURTTT?????

• Why did he leave them?
• The object is the ring isn’t it?
• Ohhh he doesn’t know where it is, that’s why Susenyos wants access to the rooms
• I knew Taj was a part of the court!
• GK was the one playing them to make them confess
• Omg GK is Dead!!!! What

• Oh they are gonna make him a Vampire broooo what! GK wouldn’t want that 
• Omg they found another of the Nefrasi to kill
• Holy shit now they are attacking great
• Taj no! Iniko no!
• What so they are gonna sneak the NEFRASI in by making them companions
• How are they gonna get out of this one
• Wait so June left willingly recorded a video all these months later saying oh btw you got to Uxlay first boohoo
• BITCH YOU DONT THINK U COULD’VE SENT THIS IDK THE DAY YOU LEFT WTF
• Bro fuck June

• Wow because they killed that’s why their blood is drinkable
• Yayyy they passed the horrible school year
• Susenyos is human in all the rooms omgggg
• She commanded the house!
• Holy shit
• That’s it!!! 
• Nooooo

Overall, this book had me confused, giggling and kicking my feet, shocked, sad, happy, interested and very entertained!

So yeah, as I said before READ IT!

FAN CAST TIME!!!!

I tried to find young Ethiopian and Somalian actors but most of them were old and or models and not actors so I apologize if my casting is not accurate to the book, if you know any Ethiopian or Somalian actors please write their names in the comments so I can check them out.

• Kidane Adane – Yara Shahidi
  • Human/Main Character – slightly crazy
  • I don’t know I feel like she can give crazy, and she has some features that resemble some Ethiopian facial features

• Susenyos Sagad – Damson Idris
  • Vampire/Adane House’s Last Remaining Drainac, a.k.a. Savage Susenyos
  • Alleged murderer of Adane House Dranaics
  • I’m sorry I know I cast him in everything but he just has the look okay, I see it do y’all see it???? Just imagine him with some cornrows ohh my God!

• Iniko Obu – Jodie Turner Smith
  • Vampire/Loyal friend and fierce member of Susenyos’s Court. Ajitaf House Drainac.
  • Imagine her as a vampire Oh my God!!! She’s gorgeous, end of discussion.

• Taj Zuri – Charles Michael Davis
  • Vampire/Our funny comedic relief character who is kind to Kidane and a member of Susenyos’s court and his best friend
  • Remember him? He played a vampire on the Originals, and he’s incredibly handsome hehehe

• Slen Qaros – Joy Sunday
  • Human/First in line to inherit Qaros House (one of the most powerful of the founding Houses)
  • She is cut-throat and determined
  • Joy Sunday has already played a cool, collected cut-throat character on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

• June Adane – Halle Bailey
  • Human/ second in line to inherit Adane House, sister to Kidane Adane
  • She looks like the innocent girl you would want to save. Someone as inquisitive and naive as our girl June, and she looks like she can be the sister of Kidane Adane

• Yusef Umil – Justice Smith
  • Human/A tortured artist who stands to inherit Umil House but is put up against his House Drainac for power – a plot orchestrated by the secret society “The 13th”
  • He has a slow descent into immoral actions and insanity
  • I believe that this actor can make us feel all of that emotion in this character, (I know he’s a little light skin but I think he’s an excellent actor for the role)

• GK a Mot Zebaya – Jacob Anderson
  • Human/GK has a strong sense of self and morality. He was raised away from Uxlay and was trained in a specific type of religious servitude and a deep need to protect all life.
  • He’s so mysterious with his cool finger bones rosary and such, I like it
  • Also, this guy our friend here has played a vampire before hehehe, Jacob also has an air of mystery to him that is similar to GK

• Ramyn Ajitaf – Leah Jeffries
  • Human/one of the many to inherit Ajitaf House, was poisioned at a young age and was in search for a life exchange to become a Drainac
  • Naive, young, innocent and reminded Kidane of her sister June
  • Leah Jeffries can play this well and we’ve seen her in Percy Jackson

• Dean Faris – Martha Fessehatzion
  • Human/Head of Faris House, and Dean of Uxlay University
  • I picked this actress because she’s actually Ethiopian helloooo and she has done other roles similar to this.

• Professor Andreyas – Edi Gathegi
  • Vampire/Professor of Dranacti and Faris House Drainac
  • If you’re a Twilight fan you’ll notice he already played a vampire before hehehe
  • An East African actor, Kenyan to be exact!

• Mama Anoet – Liya Kebede
  • Human/Cold and adoptive mother to the Adane sisters after their parents died, beat them and caused them to lose their mother tongue Amharic
  • This woman looks badass and she’s an Ethiopian model and actress so there you go.

• Etete (Ruth) – Zeudi Araya Cristaldi
  • Human/Adane House cook and like a second mom to Kidane
  • Zeudi is an Eritrean singer, and former actress.

• Samson Sagad – Kofi Siriboe
  • Vampire/Old best friend turned rival to Susenyos Sagad – Leader of the Nefrasi
  • Doesn’t he just look so menacing and not to mention HANDSOME, ohhh he would devour this role

• Omar Umil – Barkhad Abdi
  • Human/The father of Yusef, and in prison for killing a majority of his House Drainacs.
  • He is supposedly mentally unstable as well, and we all know this Somali actor has experience in Hollywood

• Honorable Mentions and Other Ethiopian and East African Actors:
  • Arsema Thomas (half Ethiopian half Nigerian) – Played Lady Danbury in Queen Charlotte- A Bridgerton Story
  • Lidya Jewett – Born in Ethiopia, played a young Katherine Johnson in Hidden Figures

That’s all for the fan cast!

Take a look at this cool fan art tho!

<< art by: Jillian Semmel on Pinterest

Come Back Next Week for a New Review!

Who would you cast? Do you know any Ethiopian Actors that could fit the role better? Please let us know?

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