theassassindoctor

Hey there! I'm Khadijah; writer, entreprenuer, and ambitious creator, currently in the midst of a Muslim cyberpunk trilogy exploring power, pain, and everything in between.

123 points

0% overlap

My Taste

The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)

The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard, #1)

The A.B.C. Murders (Hercule Poirot, #13)

Reading...

Al-Adab al-Mufrad with Full Commentary: A Perfect Code of Manners and Morality

15%

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot, #1)

theassassindoctor made progress on...

Al-Adab al-Mufrad with Full Commentary: A Perfect Code of Manners and Morality

Adil Salahi

15%

theassassindoctor wrote a review...

A Fox Among Flames (Celestial Destiny Series Book 2)

theassassindoctor

Jul 06, 2026

A Fox Among Flames (Celestial Destiny Series Book 2)

4.0

Enjoyment: 4.5Quality: 4.0Characters: 3.5Plot: 4.0

💔

🥰

⚔️

Review to come

theassassindoctor finished a book

A Fox Among Flames (Celestial Destiny Series Book 2)

Sara Puissegur

The Celestial Destiny Series brings the vibes of The Lord of the Rings with a reluctant heroine reminiscent of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, the court intrigue of Reign, and slow burn, closed door romances that will make you kick your feet! A Fox Among Flames is the second installment in this upper young adult fantasy trilogy.The stars call for bloodshed.But to inherit a stolen throne, someone’s legacy must go up in flames.Serena, Will, and the guardians have made it to the fabled City of Mercy, yet the citadel is not as they anticipated. With tensions rising, Queen Elara struggles to maintain control of her court. Serena is ready to emerge from the shadows and face her destiny, but she must first find a way to gain an advantage in the coming war—and her greatest hope lies with the elves.In the aftermath of their father’s cruelty to Talitha, Anteros and Sabine struggle with the parts they played in her misfortune. As summer comes to an end, they welcome envoys from the neighboring kingdom of Denorfia, and the king’s latest schemes come to light—much to their horror.Torn between complying and choosing their own paths, the young royals must find a way to break free of Antoine Rexton’s grasp before it’s too late.

theassassindoctor TBR'd a book

Language of Dragons

S.F. Williamson

EVERY ACT OF TRANSLATION REQUIRES SACRIFICE Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons. London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivian Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war. With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious ‘job’, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die. At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must What war is she really fighting? An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.

theassassindoctor started reading...

A Fox Among Flames (Celestial Destiny Series Book 2)

Sara Puissegur

theassassindoctor joined a quest

Universe Quest: Realm of the Elderlings 🐉⚔️🌊

🏆 // 2570 joined

Not Joined

If you're a completionist, read in this order. Otherwise you can start with The Liveship Traders Trilogy or The Rain Wild Chronicles, but make sure you save Fitz and the Fool for last.

theassassindoctor TBR'd a book

The Sword of Kaigen

M.L. Wang

A mother struggling to repress her violent past, A son struggling to grasp his violent future, A father blind to the danger that threatens them all. When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores? High on a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire’s enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name ‘The Sword of Kaigen.’ Born into Kusanagi’s legendary Matsuda family, fourteen-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: to master his family’s fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen’s alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies. Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface.

theassassindoctor TBR'd a book

Iron Widow (Iron Widow, #1)

Xiran Jay Zhao

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain. When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead. To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.

theassassindoctor TBR'd a book

The Night Ends with Fire (The Night Ends with Fire, #1)

K.X. Song

Infused with magic and romance, this sweeping fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Mulan follows a young woman determined to choose her own destiny—even if that means going against everyone she loves. The Three Kingdoms are at war, but Meilin’s father refuses to answer the imperial draft. Trapped by his opium addiction, he plans to sell Meilin for her dowry. But when Meilin discovers her husband-to-be is another violent, ill-tempered man, she realizes that nothing will change for her unless she takes matters into her own hands. The very next day, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in her father’s place. In the army, Meilin's relentless hard work brings her recognition, friendship—and a growing closeness with Sky, a prince turned training partner. But has she simply exchanged one prison for another? As her kingdom barrels toward destruction, Meilin begins to have visions of a sea dragon spirit that offers her true power and freedom, but with a deadly price. With the future of the Three Kingdoms hanging in the balance, Meilin will need to decide whom to trust—Sky, who inspires her loyalty and love; the sea dragon spirit, who has his own murky agenda; or an infuriating enemy prince who makes her question everything she once knew—about her kingdom and about her own heart.

theassassindoctor TBR'd a book

A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea, #1)

Judy I. Lin

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it's her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu. When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning's only chance to save her sister's life. But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

theassassindoctor TBR'd a book

Jade City

Fonda Lee

FAMILY IS DUTY. MAGIC IS POWER. HONOR IS EVERYTHING. Jade is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. It has been mined, traded, stolen, and killed for—and for centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family have used it to enhance their magical abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion. Now, the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon’s bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Ancient tradition has little place in this rapidly changing nation. When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone—even foreigners—wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones—from their grandest patriarch to the lowliest motorcycle runner on the streets—and of Kekon itself. Jade City begins an epic tale of family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of jade and blood.

theassassindoctor joined a quest

Fantasy and Sci-Fi with a Side of Romance 🐉💘🚀

🏆 // 7939 joined

Not Joined

Dramatic battles, tense political intrigue, unique world building...and is that maybe some romance I'm sensing? These books are not Romantasy but focus primarily on the SFF elements. Romance is a subplot and may not appear until later in the series, but when it does, you won't be disappointed.

theassassindoctor earned a badge

Iconic Series

Silver: Finished 10 Main Quest books.

theassassindoctor joined a quest

Iconic Series 📚👤💭

🏆 // 11401 joined

Not Joined

A collection of the pilot books for popular series, for those of us who love to follow a character's journey for as long as an author will let us! Some of the below series have heavily debated starting points and book read orders--in those cases the pilot was selected based on what seems to be the most popular approach.

theassassindoctor earned a badge

Iconic Series

Bronze: Finished 5 Main Quest books.

theassassindoctor wrote a review...

theassassindoctor

May 01, 2026

Shift: The Shiftwork Chronicles I

4.5

Enjoyment: 4.0Quality: 4.5Characters: 5.0Plot: 4.5

✨

🫅

🗡️

Rating: 4.5/5 Spice: 0.5/5

If Legend by Marie Lu was crossed over with Six of Crows except Kaz/Day is illiterate and can shapeshift.

This book is all the elements I love in a story and SO MUCH more. Fast-pace? Check. Actually intelligent, not just aesthetically intelligent, FMC? Check. Magic system with actual repercussions? CHECK. Political themes and the government is evil? C.H.E.C.K.

One of the main things I loved overall is the FMC being plain. "But Khadijah, didn't you say that plain FMCs are overdone and cliche in a bad way?" Yes, I did. So why am I giving special treatment here? No, Karen, I'm not being a hypocrite, let me finish. eye roll This book is an exception because Sybil is a shapeshifter, which means her job is to change her appearance. Now think about the most basic "shapeshifting"; make up. It is very hard to turn someone very beautiful less good-looking and vice-versa, which is why (from a purely statistical point of view) the perfect canvas for shapeshifting is someone with "undefined" features that lie to neither side of extreme, but somewhere in the middle, ie, someone plain. Ta-da! Was this intentional? No idea. But is it genius? Yes, yes it is.

Secondly, I love how Sybil's illiteracy is not equated to unintelligence. Not being able to read, she should stick out like a sore thumb in high society but throughout the story we see her skillfully dodging suspicion and bluffing her way through conversations based on pure common sense (a rare commodity among FMCs today).

Finally let me just say, Killian. Killbil HAS to be endgame otherwise I ride at dawn with my three cats. (I quite like Xavier too... BUT STILL).

Signed, Khadijah A.S (Better known as theassassindoctor)

theassassindoctor finished reading and left a rating...

40w