The Jasad Heir has single handily wrecked me, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to recover. I cannot wait for the next book. This was a 10 star read for me. The world building is incredible. There is a lot of information, but Sara Hashem does an amazing job providing information without confusing or overwhelming the reader. The slow burn romance between Arin and Sylvia has scratched my enemies to lovers itch, and more so the villain falls for the hero. They both are very morally gray for the most part, but the vibe is still there, which I loved. As Sylvia journeys with Arin to compete the trials, you are taken through so many emotions between her realizing the demise of Jasad may not be exactly how she remembers, and falling for the heir, who is not as cold as she once thought. I highly recommend reading this book. We are left with a cliffhanger so I will be waiting anxiously for the next installment.

Synopsis:

The novel "The Jasad Heir" by Sara Hashem tells the story of Sylvia, the lost heir of the kingdom of Jasad. After her kingdom was destroyed and her family murdered, Sylvia hides in anonymity, avoiding the Nizahl armies that continue to hunt her people. When the Nizahl Heir, Arin, discovers her magic during a chance encounter, Sylvia is forced to make a deal with him to save her life. If she helps Arin capture the Jasadi rebels, she will be granted safety from persecution.

A dangerous game begins as Sylvia tries to keep her identity a secret while working with her enemy. Despite their hatred for each other, their relationship begins to shift into something more. However, Sylvia must choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind as the kingdom of Jasad begins to rise once again, in need of a queen.

Thoughts:

First of all I found it very hard to believe this was Sara's debut novel because from the opening lines, I was immediately drawn into the story, thanks to her captivating writing style. Despite being a new author, Hashem's writing skills were impressive, and her ability to weave a complex and engaging tale was remarkable. I loved the way in which she fashioned the five kingdoms, each with its distinctive customs and traditions, as well as how the ruling systems diverged from one another, yet were interconnected. The author executed this skillfully. Additionally, the plot was expertly woven, with unexpected developments, and the tempo of the story was appropriate. I was especially fond of Sara's witty and sarcastic humor.

The world-building in the novel was great to a point, with vivid descriptions and attention to detail that made the setting come alive. Yes, there were certain ups and downs when it comes to world building but it didn't distract me much from my overall reading experience. As someone who is new to Egyptian mythology and folklore I would have loved a little bit more explanation about certain terminologies used in the book Also I would have loved to know more about their clothing because at some points I couldn't picture them at all. There was a lot going on in the story, so I kind of understand why the author didn't want to go into too much details about trivial things to take away the reader's attention from important things.

Sadly the magic system in The Jasad Heir was kind of a downer to me because nothing was well explained. I didn't understand how Sylvia's magic worked or what exactly she could do with her magic. Same goes for Arin. I can't go into much details without spoiling the story but overall, I was confused with the magic system.

However, I was impressed by the level of Sylvia/Essiya's character development throughout the story. She was unique and multi-dimensional, with her own motivations, flaws, and strengths. I would have loved to know more about Arin because I have a feeling he's going to be very, very, VERY popular among ladies when the book comes out. There were only a few chapters from his perspective and I wanted more because I don't think Sylvia's perspective did him justice and I would have liked him to be more fleshed out and learn more about his past.

Likewise, I wanted to see more of Sefa and Marek too. They appear and disappear very quickly throughout the book and I wanted to feel more connected to their characters in order to understand the gravity of Sylvia's connection to them. Soraya was a great antagonist and Hanim too was a great addition to the story and provided a lot of depth to Sylvia's traumatic past.

I loved the chemistry between Sylvia and Arin and how their relationship slowly progressed throughout the story. Their sarcastic banter had me giggling at times too. It was truly a slow burning romance so hats off to the author for that.

I am really excited about this series and looking forward to reading upcoming installments.

Note:
As per Orbit books rules, I will post my reviews on my personal blog and goodreads within 30 days of publication date.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this!

First off, I would like to say that I have been looking forward to this book ever since the cover was released! It's truly beautiful and coupled with the summary? Absolutely had to request it. I really love the writing style and that the characters are not 15-17-- just seeing they're early in their 20s? incredible.

I also love the relationships Sylvia had with others, and how it's hidden carefully how much she lies to herself, the cover she must keep to survive. Involved in this too, are the friends-she-will-not-consider-friends, Rory who has taken her in, the girl she finds herself close to, and those she remembers from her days of being Essiya and cares for deeply.

Quickly we are able to see why Sylvia hides herself; she's not very good at keeping her secret if pressed, no matter how she lies to herself. As she considers another Jasadi she came across, she thinks of how he was treated, and does not consider how any of that might have also been in place for her. The way of her having been found out was slightly humorous, and the realization of how much she had been trying to forget stung deeply, as intended.

I was not too much a fan of the "romance"-- though I could see it coming, it felt. . . well, I'm not one for captor/captive romances, and that's one reason why I struggled with this one, which steadily grew more and more. However, I would say this is my only criticism about the book, and that's on my personal tastes.

I am looking forward to reading the second book!

“the jasad heir” follows a young queen of a kingdom that has been destroyed. sylvia, as she calls herself, hides in the shadows as a chemist’s apprentice in a small village, when in reality, she is essiya, queen of jasad. the jasadi people have been facing genocide due to their ability to use magic. when her cover is almost blown, everything changes. this is the first novel of a planned series.

the first quarter of this novel was phenomenal. i was heavily interested in the plot as well as the world building. however, when the enemies-to-lovers love interest showed up, i felt the novel became too generic. the first quarter doesn’t have any tropes, is descriptive of the nature and forests surrounding this village, and explains the political unrest very well. when i realized an abusive, royal heir would be the love interest, i felt bored. it fell away to tropes (like fighting others in a ring for freedom) and i felt that the magic system wasn’t explained well enough. overall, it’s a good debut. it’s great to see more arab and muslim representation in fantasy.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I am obsessed! Enemies to lovers, hidden identity, uncontrollable magic, deadly stakes competition and plenty of intrigue!

The Jasad Heir is beautifully written, a captivating story, and the best enemies to lovers plot I have ever read! I can't believe how masterfully Hashem captures the subtle shifts in thoughts and actions that Sylvia and Arin have towards each other. I could not put it down, I had to find out what would happen between the two of them. This book is low spice yet one of the hottest romances I have read. I think that comes from how Hashem carputers every nuance to breath life into her characters and make them real.

The characters are so well developed and have excellent character arcs. Talk about feminine rage, Sylvia is blood thirsty, dark, and on the brink of a psychotic break, and I lover her! Arin is a stoic, tightly wound perfectionist who rarely let's anyone see beneath the veneer, making it all the more satisfyingly to see his layers peeled away through out the story. They are both widely violent and incredibly fun to watch as they interact.

The Egyptian inspired world building is beautiful and immersive. From delicious foods, to detailed attire, wonderous architecture, diverse cultures, and deep mythology Hashem has created an amazing fantasy world that I can't wait to go back to.

I can't wait for book two!

So we have a destroyed kingdom, an heir to the lost kingdom that nobody knows is alive, and this heir ends up intertwined with the son of the man who destroyed her Kingdom. As you can imagine this book is filled with lots of secrets, political intrigue, and tension. How long can Sylvia(the heir) keep her identity under wraps? And then...the best part...she kinda starts to maybe fall in love with her enemy. Boom! There's some more tension for you😳 I loved the cast of characters in this one, Sylvia's guilt and struggle with her past throughout the book had me in tears. Arin is so calm and calculating and I enjoyed seeing some of the warmth beyond his cold exterior. Even the side characters all had depth and stories to tell. I loved the world building although it took me some time to catch up on who is who and some terminologies, which is standard for most fantasies. I loved the political aspect with the 4 Kingdoms and trying to discover what actually led to the demise of Jasad.
Oh! There's magic too.
I was fully immersed in the imagery Hashem created. Stellar job!
The ending is a cliffhanger so be prepared to anxiously await the second book.

Thank you to @netgalley and @orbitbooks_us for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC!

The Jasad Heir is an immersive and highly intriguing book which I have not encountered in a long time. That ending has also left me scarred for eternity.
The book follows Sylvia, the MC, a chemist's apprentice hiding in a village from people who would stop at nothing to destroy the sole remaining Heir of Jasad. The Commander of Nizahl, Arin discovers her accidentally use magic and names her his chosen Champion for the Trials in exchange for luring groups of Jasadis for him and offers her freedom. As soon as I read the synopsis and came to know that it is written by an Arab, I was sold! The anticipation, the dread for what happens next and the anxiety I had throughout this book was highly intoxicating and thrilling. I loved reading about the different kingdoms, the rulers and especially the Trials. And of course I loved Arin! This was the best enemies to lovers I have encountered in a long while and I just cannot wait to read the sequel because the wait is killing me lol. The last few chapters really played with my emotions and I enjoyed it a lot! Highly recommend this book!

Rating: 4.5 stars

I absolutely devoured this book. I truly could not put it down. Somehow, some way, Hashem has pulled me out of a months-long reading slump.

The pacing of this book is impeccable. Not so slow as to leave readers feeling bogged down by chapter upon chapter of mundane world building, and not so fast as to give readers whiplash, barely able to process one event before the next crashes down. The Jasad Heir is filled to the brim with some of my favourite tropes - did someone say slow burn enemies to lovers?! - and gorgeous, rich imagery.

Characters are complex - no villain nor hero is flat, they are all multidimensional and all have purpose. I really enjoy a book that can introduce antagonists that aren’t evil for the sake of being evil, and Hashem does an outstanding job with her antagonists.

The book hasn’t even been published yet and I’m already itching to dive back into this universe.

Rating : 4 out of 5
Blurbs :
At ten years old, the Heir of Jasad flees a massacre that takes her entire family.

At fifteen, she buries her first body.

At twenty, the clock is ticking on Sylvia's third attempt at home. Nizahl's armies have laid waste to Jasad and banned magic across the four remaining kingdoms. Fortunately, Sylvia's magic is as good at playing dead as she is.

When the Nizahl Heir tracks a group of Jasadis to Sylvia's village, the quiet life she's crafted unravels. Calculating and cold, Arin's tactical brilliance is surpassed only by his hatred for magic. When a mistake exposes Sylvia's magic, Arin offers her an compete as Nizahl's Champion in the Alcalah tournament and win immunity from persecution. In exchange, Arin will use her as bait to draw out the Jasadis he's hunting.

To win the deadly Alcalah, Sylvia must work with Arin to free her trapped magic, all while staying a step ahead of his efforts to uncover her identity. But as the two grow closer, Sylvia realizes winning her freedom as Nizahl's Champion means destroying any chance of reuniting Jasad under her banner. The scorched kingdom is rising again, and Sylvia will have to choose between the life she's earned and the one she left behind.

Thoughts :
It's a messy NA fantasy debut book.

This is an NA fantasy debut book. This is full of lore, legends, Gods, a fallen kingdom, political plots, lies, twists, and information dump all in one book. This story is about Sylvia, the heir of a fallen kingdom of Jasad, who is running away and currently hiding from Nizahl's people. Unfortunaly, she met handsome but icy and hard-to-know Nizahl's heir, Arin. He proposed her to be Nizahl's campion in a certain yearly tournament held by kingdoms.

The characters are okay, not everyone's likable but it's still better than the pacing. The pacing is really out of place. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow with all the lore, legends, and information dump along the way. It's a fun reading experience tho! Not bad, not normal, but it's not amazing. It's okay. I highly recommend this book for any enemies-to-lovers readers out there!

Thanks Netgalley for the early copy!

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem is an impressive debut fantasy that takes readers on a journey through a kingdom burned to ashes and the complicated politics that follow. The author's writing style is descriptive and vivid, creating a world that feels both magical and dangerous. The characters are well-developed, with complex motivations and backgrounds that make them feel real.

Sylvia, the lost heir of Jasad, is a compelling protagonist who has to make tough choices to survive in a world that is hostile towards her. Her journey from a fugitive to a leader is captivating, and her relationship with Arin, the Nizahl Heir, is well-written, with a slow-burn romance that adds depth to the story.

The plot is fast-paced, with plenty of twists and turns that keep the reader engaged. The political intrigue is fascinating, with different factions vying for power and survival in a world where magic is outlawed. The ending sets the stage for a sequel that promises to be just as thrilling.

The only drawback is that some of the secondary characters could have been more fleshed out. The rebels, in particular, felt like they could have been given more page-time to make their motivations and actions more understandable.

Overall, The Jasad Heir is an impressive debut that promises an exciting series to come. It's a must-read for fans of fantasy, political intrigue, and slow-burn romance. I give it four stars.