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Katie Marie
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Master of the Desert (Secrets of the Desert Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Katie Marie (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 11 ratings
She’d always felt connected to the desert, she just didn’t realize what that meant…

Kaadira is a survivor. Forced to don a disguise and become an assassin seven years ago, she makes a sustainable living, but each kill stains her hands and heart until she doesn’t feel there’s hope of ever being whole again.

Jakeem is an heir. He hates being under his father’s controlling thumb and leaves to prove himself worthy by bringing back a sacred book stolen from them years ago. He doesn’t anticipate how difficult it’d be though, and is driven by desperation to do something he normally never would’ve—team up with an assassin.

Despising each other from the start, Kaadira and Jakeem must learn to work together to reclaim the book from an evil, cunning man while surviving the many dangers of the Great Desert. They later overhear a shocking discovery that leaves them reeling—the legendary sand-masters thought to be dead are alive. Chasing the discovery for answers and hope for the lawless kingdom, the unlikely duo must overcome their prejudices and face the truth of their hearts. But when a betrayal separates them, all seems lost. Jakeem wanders the desert aimlessly, and Kaadira is thrust into a new and uncertain world that will either undo or remake her.

Will Jakeem find himself and his strength or succumb to the land? Will Kaadira succeed in mastering the desert and her heart, or will the darkness enshrouding her soul consume her forever?

Master of the Desert, book one in the interconnected standalone series, is a Middle-Eastern inspired YA fantasy with magic, action and adventure, clean yet swoon-worthy romance, secrets and betrayals, fights with deadly monsters, and themes of redemption and forgiveness. You can read Secrets of the Desert in whatever order you want, but it’s recommended to read the first two books in order as they’re heavily connected and the second one contains spoilers for the first
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Secrets of the Desert
  2. Print length
    507 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    November 14, 2023
  6. Reading age
    14 - 18 years
  7. File size
    4.0 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C9L1SVGR
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 14, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 507 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ Secrets of the Desert
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 18 years
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

About the author

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Katie Marie

Katie Marie

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Katie Marie is a Young Adult Fantasy author who spends her days exploring stories through books she’s reading or writing. You can usually find her cuddling her five cats, even when they’re disrupting her writing, spending time with family and friends, indulging in her love for cookie dough, or reading her latest adventure. Katie has a passion for the fantastical, though she likes to dabble in other genres as well. She discovered she wanted to be an author at age ten, published her first book at eighteen, and hasn’t stopped pursuing her dream since.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
11 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Abrigail Julian
    5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful Storytelling and Character Development - A Must Read
    Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I already posted this for the ebook, but it bears repeating for the paperback.

    I received this book as a beta reader and went into it expecting that there would still be some edits that needed to be made. However, I was shocked to find that, not only did this story need no edits, but that it completely drew me in and captivated me from start to finish! Don't let the length of the book dissuade you; you'll find it well worth your time.

    The plot was complex and full of twists I didn't see coming. I wasn't disappointed by a single thing.
    The romance between Kaadira and Jakeem was understandable (no Hallmark cliches here!) and deep and beautiful. The suffering was acute at times, yet there were sweet moments where you almost forgot about the danger.
    The friendships developed in this story were sacrificially loving.
    The villain was genuinely intimidating, and I was never sure if the heroes would make it through another encounter with him.
    The monsters and animals added so much to the story.
    The backstory was intriguing and heart-wrenching for both Kaadira and Jakeem.

    In all, I loved it, and I think you will too.

    TW: There is a torture scene in the book that includes flogging and emotional torture.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Rae
    4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful world-building!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Master of the Desert sweeps the reader into a whirl of sand, assassins, and romance as Kaadira faces the worst monsters in the Great Desert...including herself.

    This book will be perfect for readers who enjoy romantasy without the explicit scenes. The first half of the book is extremely fast-paced and packed with action, but the latter half shifts to a more introspective pace that may not be for everyone. In true epic fantasy fashion, the world building is incredible, and I loved uncovering the lore of the desert. I'm curious to see how things come together in the next book!

    Content disclaimers: Romance: No X-rated scenes, however, there are many fairly-detailed kissing scenes. Cursing: Limited to book-specific words, so the characters do curse, just in a language unique to this story-world. Action/Gore: I wouldn't consider the action scenes to ever go above a PG-13 rating and while the topics can be heavy at times, there's very little gore actually shown on page.
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  • SPruitt
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great fantasy desert world!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Genre: Fantasy romance, desert world
    Audience: young adult, new adult
    My summary: Kaadira is an assassin who stays alive in the harsh desert by using her deadly skills. She's determined to keep her identity masked and secrets buried until a sayyid named Jakeem offers a job with a reward Kaadira can't refuse.

    Positives
    The themes of redemption, freedom, and taking off a hardened, indifferent mask stayed strong throughout the book and wove through the story in a believable, deep, and teaching way.
    The action, adventure, and fights were vivid and exciting. I could easily visualize every scene and move. The sand monsters and the villains felt like real threats and created some intense fights.
    The desert land felt vast and real. I love when books have details like a special language, food, creatures, places, and systems. This book had all that and more, and it made the world feel like a real world.
    The magic was really cool, unique, and thought out.
    The romance grew into a major part of the story in parts two and three. It was a steamy romance yet never crossed any lines that would be inappropriate for young adult readers.

    Negative: Some parts of the story felt long. The first part went by fast, the second part was paced well, but the third part did drag at the end. After the epic battle that ended the big problem, the book kept going. It was necessary to wrap up the book, but it felt like it was drawn out more than necessary.

    Overall: A really great book with elements any reader could enjoy
    4 stars
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Tragedy lovers and romance lovers, look alive!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2025
    "If it was a dance, the sand was her partner, following her lead to the steps of a deadly waltz."

    Master of the Desert is a fast-paced, enjoyable read. I’m a sucker for a good bit of banter, and the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers aspect of this book absolutely delivered on that front. I loved to see the characters’ reliance on one another despite their fundamental differences, and their banter was highly entertaining. Jakeem is a fun and interesting character (heir to a noble house, determined to impress his disdainful father), but Kaadira was my personal favorite of the two, because while I’m a sucker for banter, I’m an even bigger sucker for a character tortured by guilt, and good golly is Kaadira ever tortured. The nightmare sequences were equally horrible and wonderful, her guilt and fear were tangible in every scene.

    I’ve also got to hand it to the author for her well-established setting. The world of Master of the Desert is completely different from my own or anywhere I’ve ever been, but I found the culture and scenery very easy to understand and visualize, with very little explanation needed from the author. She is truly the master of her own desert!

    Let the romance-averse reader know that this book has a high saturation of romantic scenes, and while those did not appeal to me and bears mentioning for other readers who don’t care for romance, it’s just a matter of personal preference.

    Overall, the book is written in a lovely old-classics style with rich description and diverse vocabulary, but I did notice that occasionally the writing style would slip into a bit more of a modern style, which to me felt a bit jarring.
    But overall this book was a pretty solid read and lovely to look at, with solid character arcs and a masterful world, prime reading for romance enjoyers and fans of Disney’s Aladdin.
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