Sabaa Tahir is legendary. I loved this book so much, and the fact that it took place in the same world as AEITA made me so incredibly happy! Some themes were a little heavy and relevant to today's world, but I still got swept away in this story. Just be sure to mind your content warnings!!!

I started the book without knowing that it´s set in the world of An Ember in the Ashes and I was having a good time until my *wife*, the Empress herself Helene Aquilla. After that, I had a great time. Do I wish Sabaa Tahir was nicer to my favorite characters? Maybe, but it was all overshadowed by the surprise and happiness of getting to see them again. So yes, I might be a bit biased when I say I love this book, but I think everything is explained well enough that anyone can jump right in, even if you haven´t read the original series.

The characters, as usual, are amazing, well-layered, and just overall fun. I have a hard time choosing a favorite, Aiz who wants a better life for herself and her people, Sirsha is on the run and trying to get out of the Empire, and Quil, the Crown Prince struggling with the crown and the secrets that come with it.

The story has a pretty slow start, it took me a bit to get into it, mostly because I was wondering why these characters and what they have in common, but after everything comes togheder and it all makes sense it was a pretty fast-paced book. I think it might just be me, having a hard time getting into a story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the eARC.

This was my first fantasy by Sabaa Tahir and boy was it something. The hype around this book is so real. I really need to slow down with my fantasy books to better understand the world building - but this is no fault of Tahir. Really, really well done

This was my first book by this author and it was so good!! I can see why there is so much hype around this book. I usually don't love YA books but this one is amazing.

Heir is a beautiful tangled web of a story, and I enjoyed how each piece came together, but it took me significantly longer to read than any other 500 page fantasy. The first third is a lot of world building and info dumps - I had a difficult time following all the different people and places, and had to take notes to keep track of who belongs where and what magic they have. But then all the threads started connecting and the last half was impressive to see how the mystery came together.

The story kept me guessing throughout and the twists were exciting. When the reveals started happening around 75% in, it felt like the story was wrapping up, and may have here if it was a trilogy. The last 25% really felt like the story was coming to a close until the final chapters that opened up the storyline for the next book in the duology, and I am looking forward to seeing where it goes - and glad I kept extensive notes so I can pick right up.

- You can expect -
Serial Murder Mystery
Big Twists
Diverse Mythologies
Wide World of Magic
Bond of Convenience
Forced Proximity
Only One Room
Multi, 3rd Person POVs

This was hard to rate as it was difficult for me to get through, but I did really enjoy the story, so wavering somewhere between 4-4.5 stars. This series is from the same universe as An Ember in the Ashes, taking place 20 years later, but is its own story. Helene is a recurring character, and Sabaa said Ember is also in it, but as I have yet to read it I did not notice her. I have been wanting to read Ember for awhile, so will definitely slide it up the TBR before book 2 releases.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing an eARC for my honest opinions.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the e-arc!
This was one of those anticipated reads of the year! I absolutely adore the Ember in the Ashes quartet, and when I saw that there was another book in the same universe coming out, I immediately prepared! This is in the same universe as the original series but following the next generation of characters. We fall the children of some of our favorite characters from the original series as they embark on a new journey through the Martial empire. I would definitely recommend reading the original series before this as it gives much-needed context to the world and the characters.
As usual for Sabaa Tahir's books, the character work and world-building are immaculate. I expected nothing less after how amazing the first buck was but I was really blown away by her ability to take this familiar world and bring so much new life. The three main characters are extremely interesting, and my favorite ended up being Quil, who is Helene's nephew. I'm so excited we get to see some of our favorite characters from the first series and an opportunity to continue with such an amazing world.

I really enjoyed going back to this world. I was such a fan of the Ember in the Ashes series so when I heard about this new duology, I needed to get my hands on it! Since this was just released I won’t give away anything, but I loved meeting all the new characters and getting glimpses of some of the old ones. Well written and interesting premise! Definitely recommend for fans of the first series! Thanks to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Stop it right now. I will never understand how I was approved this. It I will forever be grateful. This book was incredible. All of the stars. Everyone. And now I need book 2

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Ahhhh! A return to the "Ember in the Ashes" series...While "Heir" could be read as a standalone, I highly recommend starting with the previous books. Even with the fact that I had read the last series, part of me wished I had reread them again for full effect of this current story. The flashes of the characters that starred in the first books, and remembering their saga was a brilliant addition to this book.

We have three voices in this book. Aiz: the orphan with rightful revenge filling her heart. Quil: heir of the Martial Empire and nephew to Helene. Sirsha: a tracker hired to locate a killer brutalizing children.

All the characters in this book had so much depth! And the world building continues its genius of the last series. There was so much to love (and hate!) in this book. My only complaint, can we ever end on a happy note? sigh. Now we must wait for the second in this duology! I will definitely be listening to this on audio...

4 stars

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I'm happy to report that it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. In fact, I need the sequel like yesterday. Please Sabaa Tahir. I got so spoiled reading the Ember in the Ashes series after it was all released!

Anyway. This was an excellent continuation of the world of The Ember in the Ashes. Set 20 years after the events of the quartet, a new threat is looming over Serra and its allies. Some of our old favorites from the previous series are here, but we also have a great set of new MCs: Quil, Sirsha and Aiz. Similar to Ember, these characters come from different walks of life, brought together by different circumstances.

The world building was great, building on what Tahir already created for the quartet I loved that we got to explore new parts of the world and meet new types of people. The magic system is excellently done (though I still have some questions; maybe to be solved in Book 2). The parts of the book that didn't work as well for me (including some of the cheesy parts) I chalked up to this being Young Adult and not geared towards me. And that's totally ok. It does not in any way diminish the experience of the book as an adult reader.

I think you *could* technically read this before Ember, but why would you? Plus, there are major spoiler for the quartet, so really I think it's best to read this after. That said, if you haven't read the quartet in awhile, I don't think it's absolutely necessary to re-read before picking up Heir. Unless you really want to!

One of my most anticipated reads this year is 𝙃𝙚𝙞𝙧 by Sabaa Tahir and I can happily confirm that it delivered everything I hoped for! In 𝙃𝙚𝙞𝙧, we return to the world of 𝘼𝙣 𝙀𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 about 20 years after the events of that series. It felt both familiar and new, and I was so happy to revisit!

This is an emotional rollercoaster of a book that nicely blends magic and adventure, but it’s the characters that really shine. I was instantly invested in their stories and their journeys, and it was so nice getting to see some familiar faces! Elias, Laia, Helene, and more. I tried to make the book last, but I ended up devouring the whole thing in just two or three sittings. Sabaa delivers a captivating story filled with likable characters, rich world-building, shocking revelations, and of course it wouldn’t be a Sabaa Tahir book without a little bit of emotional trauma. What can I say? I loved every minute of it.

It's sort of hard to write a review for a book that was so masterfully written and crafted because I feel any words I have will fall short. Heir is a natural extension from the Ember in the Ashes series in that it expands the world while also telling a familiar story of love and loyalty and betrayal. Tahir is a master of nuance and character development where the fantasy elements enhance deep and interesting characters you both love and despise. I think the important thing is that you understand where everyone is coming from even if you disagree or it rips your heart out. Maybe it's because I so recently read Ember because while I do think you could read this book without the original series, it so clearly is an extension of the themes and characters from the first (with a heaping amount of generational trauma) that I think you reading experience will be made so much better with the understanding from the original series.

Tahir really knows to pull at your emotions. I was smiling and crying and nauseous along with the characters in this book. What a storyteller Tahir is. Weaving timelines and pov and intentions throughout a book that was both long but made me screaming for more at the end. It's hard to get through a long series and want your characters and friends to be happy and then read a book where their trauma continues but this time with the youth. There are a lot of deep things that this book is trying to say while also being something filled with passion and love and friendship and I could really go on and on. This book broke my heart maybe even more than the original series but I also think it is clear that Tahir has only grown as a storyteller.

When I tell you, I cannot wait to see what the second book in this duology will offer because...woah.

Thank you So much to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Heir by Sabaa Tahir is an emotional and complex continuation of the beloved An Ember in the Ashes series, set twenty years after the events of the original books. With a fresh cast of characters and the familiar yet expanded world, Tahir delivers a masterpiece that captivates from the very first page.

Tahir’s skill lies not only in her ability to create deeply layered, morally complex characters but also in her brutal honesty. She doesn’t shy away from tearing readers' hearts to shreds, even when they know a devastating event is coming.
The stakes are higher, the world is more dangerous, and the ending will leave you speechless, setting the stage for what promises to be an unforgettable second installment.

Heir is a must-read for anyone who loves Tahir’s signature blend of tragic, multifaceted characters, heart-pounding action, and unforgettable emotional depth. Prepare to be destroyed and immediately crave the next book. Heir is a top-tier fantasy novel that cements Sabaa Tahir as a master of her craft.

Heir by Sabaa Tahir is book one in the Heir Duology and it was amazing!! This book was my introduction to Sabaa Tahir and it did not disappoint, I can’t wait for book two. This book can be read as a standalone, but from what I’ve read there is a series “The Ember in the Ashes” I should’ve read first so I can’t wait to dive into.

Tahir did an amazing job with this storyline and plot, It had me hooked from page one. The world building was so detailed I could picture being there with the characters. The story is told in 3 different POV’s Aiz, Quil, and Sirsha, and characters were written so well. Each character had their own perspectives along with their own challenges. Aiz, an orphan and the only survivor after the orphanage was burned down by Tiral. Quil, is of noble descent, he is struggling to become a leader and take on those responsibilities after his aunt Empress of the Marital Empire, Helene Aquilla has stepped down. Sirsha, is a strong badass Jaduna tracker. She has the power to control the four elements to hunt down any human. That’s all I really want to say because these characters and this story have so much to them you just have to read it for yourself. I just blown away with this story!! Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

An orphan, a Prince, and an outcast walk into a bar— ok, not a bar but you get the point. The 3 storylines are so masterfully interwoven it took me 𝘸𝘢𝘺 too long to see how they all connected. Aiz is an orphan who grew up in the cloister and seeks revenge. Quil is the Prince of the Realm and cannot decide if he wants to rule. And Sirsha is an outcast, banished by her people, and is on the hunt for a violent killer. We also get other side characters and a mystery. I loved the banter, romance, and the way all the moving pieces came together. Also, how can you know something bad is coming (and EXACTLY what it is), but it’s still so sad?

Normally with multiple POVs I have a favorite narrator I can’t wait to get back to. But with Heir, while I had my favorite characters, I enjoyed being in the different characters heads. There is so much action, magic, politics, romance, and murder. I had a great time with this one and I will definitely be picking up the sequel!

Thank you to Penguin Teen for my arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

That’s IT. I have confirmed that Sabaa Tahir can do no wrong and every book she writes is a BANGER. NO NOTES. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

Every moment of this book I was on the edge of my seat. I could think of nothing else. Tahir KNOWS how to write a fantasy story that will tear your heart to shreds and leave you wanting more, literally begging her for craps.

I need more time to sit with this story, but it was just phenomenal. I cannot WAIT for the next book!!!

CW: blood, violence, war, death, murder, child death, injury/injury detail

Aiz - defintely the tragic figure
Quil - royal and human
Sirsha - outcast
A religious legend
So well written - just a joy to read. Intense. Magic. Corruption.
Absolutely looking forward to the next book.

This book was honestly not what I expected. I love it when an author throws us into a fantasy world and creates events and occurrences that wow us and keep us turning pages, but unfortunately, this book did not have that. It just seemed very long, drawn out, and boring. I am writing my review days after reading the book, and unfortunately, I'm finding it difficult to recall what exactly happened and each character's storyline. Overall, I felt it was underwhelming and not quite for me. 2.75 rounding up to 3.
Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Sabaa Tahir for this read.

Whoever approved me of this arc-- I hope you always have the cool side of the pillow, you only have green lights, your beverages are the perfect ratios and temperatures, and anything else wonderful you can think of.
Ember in the Ashes series owns my soul and I was nervous going into this continuation. I don't know why--because Sabaa Tahir does not know how to write a less than stellar book. Now, it IS different in the sense this book had much more romance than the other series (uhm, I melted a handful of times) and I do not know how I feel being attracted to Quil since we were there for his birth in the other series...haha.
But truly, I cannot wait to see where Tahir takes us in book two and how else she will make us want to cry into our pages.

It's tough for a writer to take a finished series, continue it with a new series, and make the new series just as good as the original series. Sabaa Tahir accomplishes that here. I enjoyed Heir just as much (if not more at some points) than the An Ember in the Ashes quartet.

How does Tahir do this? She expands on her world. Some of the story takes place in The Empire, but Tahir expands the map of her world south and we learn a lot about new countries through characters traveling there or being from them. Tahir's strengths with this book also lie with the 3 POVs we're reading from. All 3 of the characters were easy to empathize with and root for.

The last 20 pages had me screechingggg!!! While it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger (as any first book in a duology does), the ending was still so satisfying. While I am psyched to know what happens next, I am also satisfied to wait for Tahir to make the sequel as great as possible.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.