This book is, in my opinion, a pretty funny and simple fantasy story. Given the amount of attention given to the inner workings of Erisia's government, both past and present, it is evident that this work is a political dream. This book flows quickly, and I believe several sections could have used more time. While the first part of the book seemed to drag, the second half of the book concluded very quickly. Additionally, I believe that some of the book's lore was added at the last minute or carelessly. While I realize that we are discovering the twists and turns as Teia is, I believe there is a way to incorporate them into the plot in a way that feels more cohesive. Diverse, funny, and immensely fascinating characters comprise the cast.

I really enjoyed the premise of the idea behind the story and Wang's writing was overall quite easy to follow. I was however a bit disappointed especially in the pacing near the end of the book and I was left with an unsatisfied feeling of the climax being glossed over too quickly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the arc! Well, that was disappointing! The characters had no depth, Teia had no true character arc, the world building was barebones at best, and the whole book just read beyond juvenile. I know it’s YA, but children’s picture books are more well-rounded. ~2 stars

I loved this one! If you’ve been missing Six of Crows and want a heist, found family, and a stabby female main character, look no further. This was an incredible debut with adventure and heart, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

“Inferno's Heir” is a ya fantasy standalone written by Tiffany Wang, here at her debut. A quick and gripping book characterized by simple and compelling prose. A tale full of political intrigues, power plays, conspiracies, alliances and betrayals, which is not short of really well-written action scenes. The extensive and articulate world building, full of explanations and carefully delineated, intrigued me a lot. The story absorbed me completely with all the plotting and subterfuges that take place, making it hard for me to tear myself away from the pages. I admit that the ending seemed a bit rushed compared to the rest, but overall I still enjoyed the narrative. Teia, the main character, won me over completely! I love morally gray characters and she definitely falls into the category! Complex, troubled and cunning, she gave me so much satisfaction! I also liked the secondary characters, as well as their interactions with Teia!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tiffany Wang's "Inferno's Heir" is a thrilling adventure that hooks you right from the start and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The story of Teia Carthan, an outcast princess trying to survive in a world of betrayal and rebellion, is packed with action, intrigue, and complex characters that you can't help but root for.

Teia's journey is both intense and relatable. Her unique ability to control two elements makes her a powerful player in the dangerous game she's caught in. Her initial plan to betray the rebels for her own safety sets up a tense and exciting plot, but things get even more interesting as she starts to connect with them on a deeper level (especially with a certain male handler)!

Wang's world-building is top-notch. The kingdom of Erisia, with its lavish palaces and underlying tensions, feels incredibly real and immersive. The political drama and power struggles are fascinating and add a lot of depth to the story. There were a lot of similarities in both plot and setting from this book and the Six of Crows duololy, with the lower-end of the civilization being referred to as the Slats and in the other the Flats, but also the plot including a great heist. Even with the similarities, this story is entirely unique and I only bring up the parallel because of how fondly I loved the Six of Crows series and was thrilled to find a similar (and notably different!) adventure.

But what really makes this book stand out are the characters. Teia is a standout heroine—tough, complex, and genuinely human. Watching her grow from a survivor focused on her own safety to a leader questioning her morals is both gripping and satisfying. The rebels she meets are also a diverse and interesting group, each adding something special to the story.

Inferno's Heir isn't just a great fantasy novel; it's also a thought-provoking look at loyalty, power, and finding your own path. Wang does a fantastic job of weaving in themes of betrayal and trust, making you think about what's right and wrong along the way. Teia's final choice—whether to destroy the monarchy, claim the throne, or find a new way—will keep you thinking long after you've finished reading.

Overall, Tiffany Wang has created an unforgettable story with "Inferno's Heir." It's packed with exciting twists, emotional moments, and a heroine you can't help but cheer for.!If you love fantasy with high stakes and strong characters, this is definitely a book you don't want to miss. Prepare to be captivated and eager for the next installment!

★ ★ ★ • 3

Solid debut novel with complex world-building, a well thought out plot, and a strong female protagonist. Besides Teia, the main character that was the absolute highlight of the entire book, Inferno’s Heir also has several likable supporting characters.

I did enjoy the book, overall I would say that I have a mostly favorable opinion of it… However there were times when the pacing felt a bit off and (without giving any spoiler away) I was a bit unsatisfied with the ending. Still, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of works like The Hunger Games and looking for a good new young-adult fantasy.

Was very excited to have a chance to read this ahead of the release, I’d been hearing about it all over Insta. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have really liked Inferno’s Heir. It was a very fun reading experience, and I found myself skirting my responsibilities to read ‘just one more chapter’ and see how the story moved forward more than one time. Unfortunately, however, the book didn’t fully satisfy me at the end, and I don’t feel comfortable giving it more than 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 stars on the platforms where half stars are not an option).

The plot was very well thought trough. I found the story gripping and the series of crises faced by the main characters at times surprising. The characters’ motivations and back story are very well woven into the main narrative, and so it was quite easy to understand why they were behaving in a certain way. It is definitely one of those books where you find yourself shouting at several characters multiple times that they are about to make a stupid decision, but also thinking ‘actually, in that situation, I understand why this seems like the only way to go’. This was definitely my favourite part of the book, together with the fact that, as the reader, you are thrown in the depth of the crisis. There’s no nice and tranquil beginning with maybe some foreshadowing, no. The book opens with blood and betrayal and continues from there with political intrigue (which is one of my favourite things in fantasy ever) and an increasingly fast pace. Delicious.

However, it is in the pacing and in the setting that I think Inferno’s Heir falls short, creating an experience that doesn’t fully satisfy:
1. The timing. The story is urgent. Things need to happen fast, and there’s a very real, very concrete looming deadline. Which is great, but I kept on reading time marks that contradicted one another. Basically, if you take how many days it takes the characters to plot, scheme, carry out, and suffer the consequences of their plans, then you land a couple of weeks after the stated deadline. At least, this was my experience, and it was a bit confusing.

2. The ending. The last five chapters could be a book in themselves and there are several points where one or more characters imply that a lot happened outside of the page. I would have appreciated seeing these events as well, as they are quite key for the resolution of the plot / the creation of potential new adventures.

3. The space. This is probably a personal shortcoming, but I would have really appreciated it if the book came with maps. I hope that the final, published version will have them, or that there will be a deluxe version with maps as well. Tiffany Wang has created an amazing, intricate world with its own geography, landmarks, desolated areas, and with bustling and intricate cities and buildings. I would have loved to be able to follow the Teia’s, Alana’s, Jura’s, and everyone else’s moves on a map. Personally, I would live to see maps of:
- The world
- The city
- The palace
- Blackgate

4. Finally, this is without any doubts an extremely well written book, with a very evocative language that helped me empathise with several characters and imagine landscape and scenes, except for melee battles and skirmishes. I understand that melees are messy and chaotic by definition, but I had a hard time follow what was happening, where all the characters were, and who was having the upper hand.

All in all, none of these points has hindered my reading experience. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I have already in mind several friends and family members to whom I will recommend picking it up in October. For myself, I am holding out for a version with maps, and I will definitely pick up a sequel if there will be any. I feel like Teia’s (and everyone else’s) story has just begun, and I do want to see more.

Game of Thrones light, its the perfect primer for classic high fantasy.
This book offers a mystical world, political intrigue, magic powers and enough twist and turns to keep young adult and adult entertained.

Inferno's Heir is a unique fantasy novel that takes a spin on the conventional "chosen one-led rebellion against corrupt powers." Presented from the perspective of the half-sister of the corrupt king, Inferno's Heir was a refreshing take on the traditional tropes of high fantasy.

Although I did I enjoy this new perspective, parts of this book fell flat for me. Asides from Teia, the characters didn't feel particularly complex, and the magic system and world building felt brushed aside. This resulted in awkward pacing, and for a majority of this book I considered rating it between 2.5-3 stars. However, Inferno's Heir definitely redeems itself in the last 15% and sets up an exciting hook for the next book (I hope!) Therefore, I give this book 4/5 stars.

This is going to be a bit of a tuff review - because while the bulk of it will be critical, by no means is Inferno's Heir that BAD, its just not got much about it which is that GOOD either. Which already sounds off to a very negative start - hopefully one reads this review in the spirit in which it is intended which is just honest and pointing out some potential flaws while also emphasizing that overall the book is fine.

I guess the first critique will start from the end - Inferno's Heir (IH from now on) is very much a 'first book' in a series, which IMO is hard to pull off without some sort of compromise of leaving threads hanging. In the case of IH I felt like the majority of the action, intrigue and tension was saved for the finale. The plot was by no means slow-paced, however it lacked enough tension to keep my eyes glued to the page like the last few scenes did, which had a backfire effect where I thought "couldn't this have happened halfway through THIS book?"

My second beef, was that there simply wasn't enough character development, or more specifically not enough to make each character stand out. The MCs were largely defined by their respective roles, and were often referred to as such (e.g. 'the thief') but I didn't really get much of a sense of any particular traits - really the just of the obvious of they despised the bad-guys and were badass and suspicious of everyone else.

Finally the story-world was very hard to feel grounded in, I double checked the blurb to make sure I hadn't made mistaken assumptions about genre. I genuinely thought it was a fantasy setting, until about the midpoint when someone pulled a gun - and then were were mentions of a 'hotel' - now I'm not some sort of genre/trope purist I love sci-fantasy type settings, but they need sufficient worldbuilding to get a sense of connection with what the characters are doing and going through.

So in conclusion this book is just fine, perhaps moreso than my critiques above, is really just a problem of not having enough SOMETHING to really make the story pop, to really drag one into the tale and keep you reading through. I fully realize that some will love this story if everything in the book vibes with them and that is cool, it also obvious that Wang is super talented, I just have a sense that perhaps this book was pared back a little to make it fit YA? It certainly feels like it could have benefited from more romance and violence which sounds like a very blunt criticism but it certainly would have put more sparks on the page.

05/28/2024-06/02/2024
Rating: 3.5/5

This has a little bit of everything I want in a story: political intrigue, sibling rivalry, heists, found family, romance, banter, plot twists, and betrayal. The pacing was a bit choppy in the beginning, but the storyline began to gain momentum towards the middle and stayed steady until reaching the climax at the end. Some of the writing was a bit juvenile, but it is YA and not too distracting.

Teia is a refreshing character as she’s morally gray and willing to what it takes to get what she wants. When the story reached its climax, I was actually shocked by her decisions since it seemed like she was changing, but I’m excited to see how the story progress in the next book

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book. I immediately fell in love with the female main character, Teia. This fantasy book was an easy read and once I started, I could not put it down. This book has politics, found family, morally grey compelling character and unlikely alliances. This book has twists and turns that are very unexpected. This book sucks you in and you do not want it to end. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Thank you to Kevin Norman for promoting this book and putting it on my radar.

Inferno's Heir combines elemental magic, heists, political intrigue, and found family into a very fun fantasy adventure. The main character, Teia, possesses the fire magic of her kingdom combined with the water magic of her mother's line. Her sadistic half-brother is set to take the throne after the death of their father and Teia seeks to avoid being forced into a politically motivated marriage. She, with the help of a renowned thief, decides to locate and gain the trust of a notorious rebel and becomes drawn into her opposition movement. Throughout the story we are introduced to a host of characters ranging from a poisoner to an opposing leader with questionable motives. There are hints of a romance but this takes a back seat to magic, blackmail, and daring rescue attempts.

Wang's writing is easy to follow and she does an excellent job of developing her character's personalities. Although this is a YA book, she does not shy away from emphasizing Prince Jura's cruelty but without it feeling gratuitous. My main critique is that the final 10% of the book moved extremely quickly and it felt as though the climax was glossed over. After the wonderful descriptions of previous conflicts and plot twists I would have liked to have seen Wang spend more time with the events leading up to the end of this book and I think this would have helped the reader to better understand where Teia's character is at the end of the story. It seems as though this book is the first of a series so I hope to continue Teia's story in the future!

3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

I am loving this novel so far! I have heard amazing things about it and the cover illustrations are beautiful as well. I can’t wait to give my final review/thoughts 🤩

I went into this book with low expectations since this is the authors debut novel and also a fantasy book, I was surprised in a very good way! This fantasy will sweep you to a castle with a horrific prince and her half sister who just does not wants to be left alone, also a rebel group that wants to bring the monarchy down. Teia wants to infiltrate this group and bring them in front of the prince to have a say in her future, but will she be able to do that when she gets to know these people?

The found family in this group is so adorable!!! The relationship of the fmc and her love interest is so cute and their sarcastic banter is just what I love seeing.
The plans within the rebel group are very much impossible to get through with but they still do, but it’s a fantasy book so who really cares😂
It kills me how fantasy books keep hurting you so much at the end of the books. I’m so curious about the next book!!

This novel was so much fun to read. A four and a half rounded up! The characters were alive and vibrant. The setting was fun and unique and I could see what was happening on each page and it was a fun fantasy story to disappear into. The book has great YA vibes, and I feel like fans of Six of Crows and Faebound would also love this. The writing was easy to follow and get lost in. I found myself turning the page easily and consistently. The characters and setting were a blast to dive into and the magic was fun to learn about. I look forward to learning where the rest of the story goes and where our characters end up. Learning more about the magic system will be much fun as well. I am hoping for another in this world.

This was a hard one for me to review. It's a fast paced fantasy book and I really flew through the pages. I loved the wordbuilding and mostly the pace. I have to confess I skipped some of the political rants/explanations. I didn't like Teia. I did like her when she was bantering with a certain boy. And I love a found family. The prison breaks where very fun too. And that cover! It's why I had to read this one. And I'm really happy that I got the chance to read it!

4.25⭐
ngl it was the cover that got me first. i only skimmed the blurb before starting but the inferno's heir turned out to be a pretty easy and enjoyable fantasy read. it was fast paced but somehow lost my interest in a few parts; my mind would drift to space and come back down after a particularly striking passage or turn of events and so i'd have to read a few past paragraphs again... there was hardly any romance thankfully! the main chars were giving me sapphic vibes but to my slight disappointment, it was all just my own delusion!
anyway! the plot really picked toward the end and I'd happily read teia and the dawnbreakers' next adventures!

thanks netgalley, bindery books, and tiffany wang!

This book was absolutely mesmerizing—I was drawn in from the very first page and couldn't put it down until the end! It's a riveting heist tale where a disillusioned princess allies with a band of rebels to topple her half-brother. What seems like a straightforward plot quickly becomes a labyrinth of twists as hidden truths are gradually uncovered. The characters are wonderfully complex, each with their own murky morals and conflicting motives, making alliances tentative at best. Teia, the protagonist, shines as a compelling anti-hero, with her character evolving in fascinating ways. The magic system, particularly Teia's dual control over fire and water, added an extra layer of intrigue as she deftly wielded her powers to accomplish her aims. All in all, this book was an enthralling adventure from start to finish.