The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

The Jasmine Throne begins an epic fantasy trilogy set in a world inspired by the history and epics of India, in which a captive princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic become unlikely allies.
 
One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne. The other is a priestess searching for her family. Together, they will change the fate of an empire.

Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of powerful magic - but is now little more than a decaying ruin. Priya is a maidservant, one of several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to attend Malini's chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, as long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides.

But when Malini accidentally bears witness to Priya's true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled . . .
 
And together, they will set an empire ablaze. 
 
Award-winning author Tasha Suri's provocative and powerful Burning Kingdoms trilogy continues with The Oleander Sword.
 
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A ruthless princess and a powerful priestess come together to rewrite the fate of an empire in this “fiercely and unapologetically feminist tale of endurance and revolution set against a gorgeous, unique magical world.” - S. A. Chakraborty

"An intimate, complex, magical study of empire and the people caught in its bloody teeth. It's about resistance and power, histories both personal and political, and the heroes who must become monsters to survive. I loved it.” —Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

"Suri’s writing always brings me to another world; one full of wonders and terrors, where every detail feels intricately and carefully imagined. The Jasmine Throne is gripping and harrowing from the very start." —R. F. Kuang, author of The Poppy War

"Suri’s incandescent feminist masterpiece hits like a steel fist inside a velvet glove. Blisteringly furious and astonishingly tender by turns, its women take on the patriarchal empire with every weapon at their disposal. Their combined force will leave you as stunned and gasping as those who would deny them. Simply magnificent." —Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun

"Truly, The Jasmine Throne is one of the best fantasies you’ll read this summer – so do yourself a favor and just add to your TBR right now." —Culturess

"A fierce, heart-wrenching exploration of the value and danger of love in a world of politics and power." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)