Okay, so I loved the Ember Quartet, which I just read a few months ago. (So behind the times!) It was an easy 5 stars to give the entire series. It’s a YA fantasy/ romantasy, so it had everything I loved. But *IF* I had to make any… hmm not criticisms exactly, but if I had a wish list and could have asked Sabaa Tahir to maybe include a little more of some aspects, it would have been a *little* more romance, and a *little* more magic. And guess what the author did with this new duology? MORE romance and MORE magic! I was in heaven reading this book. It’s even more of a nail biter than the previous series, too. And the best part is that you get to see a lot of familiar faces (brief as they may be!)

There’s something else about this book that had me absolutely gasping. But I think it’s all the better if you go in blind in that regard. But man! I wish I had done a buddy read or something because I’m dying to talk to someone about it!

While this is a separate duology from the Ember Quartet (An Ember in the Ashes, etc.) , you don’t technically need to read those books. It would probably help you understand some things better. And it will give away a lot of spoilers if you decide you do want to go back and read them after. (And despite them being on the longer side, they’re fast reads because the pacing is so fast in most of them!)

Anyways, this is probably my top read for the year, or definitely in the top 5. Go read it.

Thank you Netgally for this ARC!

The twist and turns are this story were MAGNIFICENT! I read An Ember in the Ashes years ago and don't have the best memory of the series, but Heir stood on its own. I didn't have trouble following along with the story or falling in love with the found family. It was great seeing characters from the original series and being able to peak into their journeys again.

There are a few view points in this story and each one brought so much life to the story. I didn't mind going from one view point to another because all of them were exciting to read! I gasped many times when stories points came together or left on a cliff hanger.


It was an original story and one I can't wait to read more of!!

Sabaa Tahir's Heir is a gripping introduction to a new duology set 20 years after the event of An Ember in the Ashes series, featuring a compelling new cast of characters whose lives intertwine in unexpected and thrilling ways. Aiz, a young woman fueled by vengeance, finds herself imprisoned after a fateful mistake, her inner fire only growing stronger. Sirsha, a banished tracker with the unique ability to communicate with the elements, takes on a dangerous mission to hunt down a killer, but her path crosses with Aiz’s in inconvenient ways. Meanwhile, Quil, the reluctant crown prince of the Empire, must wrestle with the legacy of his infamous father and decide whether he can rise to the responsibility of ruling when a deadly enemy threatens the Empire's survival.

Tahir skillfully weaves together these three perspectives, creating a fast-paced narrative that pulls you in immediately. The characters’ missions are captivating, and their individual arcs kept me hooked throughout. While some characters, like Quil and Sirsha, held my attention more than others, the overall story progression and the way their paths intersect made for an engaging read. The twists and turns in the plot were satisfying, though it was the overall build-up of tension and suspense that really stood out for me.

Tahir's world-building continues to impress, expanding on the universe established in An Ember in the Ashes while standing on its own for new readers. While prior knowledge of Ember does enrich the experience—particularly with references to past events and characters—you can still enjoy Heir without having read the previous series.

The ending conflict resolved a bit quickly for my liking, but the journey to get there was well-paced and the cliffhanger left me eager for the next installment. Fans of Tahir’s writing will find plenty to love here, with her signature mix of emotional depth, complex characters, and high stakes. Heir is a strong start to a dark and thrilling new adventure.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

4.5/5

Thank you @penguinteen #partner for the free copy of this eARC!

What can I say about this one?! Artfully written. Perfectly executed. And a cast I couldn’t get enough of! I adooooooored the characters so much! The only thing I am upset about is I have to wait for book two! There were so many twists that shocked me, the adventure made my heart race and the magic swept me away! I am so very thankful to have found another author to add to my must buy list! I just could not get enough of Sabaa’s writing! If you’re in the mood for a marvelous tale that will sweep you away, you need this book! I adored this one!

Helene Aquilla grew up to be the badass I always knew she’d be. Loyal to the end! I had a great time with this one. There was romance, high stakes, emotional moments, unique magic systems, compelling heroes and villains, and a twist that I definitely saw coming but made me say ‘oh my gos’ anyways. Despite being YA, and I can see it appealing to younger readers, the themes were mature enough to keep me emotionally invested. And oh man, did this one give me a good crying moment.

Technically, this could be a standalone duology. Tahir does a good job recapping. But PLEASE read An Ember in the Ashes quartet first to fully get the worldbuilding, character motivations, and history that this book deserves. Reading this before AEITA will definitely spoil everything. I had no clue this was even connected to the series until I started reading. Getting to see where our favorite characters from the original series were 20 years later was the best part for me. I can’t wait for book 2! Bring the pain!

Look… I was skeptical about this book. The Ember Quartet is such a good series and spinoffs in general tend to throw whole worlds and characters off the deep end. But I forgot that this is Sabaa Tahir and Sabaa does. not. miss!

Twenty years after A Sky Beyond The Storm, Zacharias Marcus Livius Aquilla Farrar, blessedly nicknamed Quil, is set to take the Marital throne from his Aunt Helene— despite the fact that he desperately doesn't want it. Quil grew up in the Tribal Lands with his best friend, Sufiyan, and doesn't want to live the cutthroat Martial life planned for him. But he doesn't realize that his potential rule is already facing a major threat. Sirsha is a powerful tracker banished by her own people, but her life may turn around if she can complete her most dangerous task yet: Finding and capturing the ruthless, seemingly supernatural killer targeting children throughout the Empire. In the faraway nation of Kegari, orphan Aiz finds herself in a world of trouble after failing to assassinate the kingdom's vicious, power-hungry ruler.

Heir gives us three characters on three separate paths and intertwines them into a fast-paced adventure with twists and stakes galore. It's easy to see that Sabaa Tahir meticulously planned out every moment of this return to form and the payoff is spectacular. There were multiple moments of “Wait…. THAT'S what's happening?!” as the story expertly unfolded. Callbacks to the original series are there, but they don't dominate the plot. Instead, you're quickly engaged in the story and happily along for the ride. This book isn't particularly short, but I BREEZED through it.

Much like Tahir's other books, these characters jump off the page. At different points in the story, I loved and hated all of them. Except Sufiyan, who is an angel and can do no wrong in my eyes (though I may come to regret that statement in Book 2, who knows?) All three POVs are strong, with my favorite probably being Sirsha and my least favorite being Aiz, though that has more to do with the tone of their journeys than how they're presented. And if you're in this for some old school Ember flashbacks, don't worry. The gang's all here and they have some brilliant scenes mixed in with all the new character action!

Heir is the first book in a duology and the ending has me absolutely craving the next book already! I'm glad that another friend read the book around the same time, because we were able to debrief together just after I finished and damn, did I need to!

Covering so many important topics, Heir is a groundbreaking novel about vengeance. The character are so relatable and compliment the plot line. And, the visualization of this book is beyond incredible.

Rating: 4.5/5

First, a disclaimer: I have not read An Ember In the Ashes, and had I known this was set in the same world, I probably would not have requested it (or at least would've read AEITA as soon as I was approved). That being said, the advertising and description don't make it super clear that it's a sequel series, and where it is mentioned, it's always stated that reading AEITA is not necessary to understand this book. I would strongly disagree with this--the main characters from the original series are very present here, and the POV characters are closely tied to them. The world is a bit under-developed, presumably because she (reasonably!) didn't want to repeat her world-building entirely when she'd already done the building in AEITA--it's a very complex, well thought out, and broad world, but without the full world-building, it was a bit confusing.

But clearly that wasn't a huge deterrent, because even with the constant confusion I loved it. I'm a bit off of YA these days, but this was definitely older YA, with darker themes, gore, and a handful of not-closed-door-but-not-explicit sex scenes. The main characters are 18-20 and actually read as young adults for the most part. While I struggled to get attached to the characters, they're all well-written and easy to root for (or easy to hate). The first act plot twist got me, and although it does ultimately make the end plot twist predictable, I loved it. Overall, the pacing was pretty strong and consistent, generally pretty fast-paced except for a handful of bits in the middle that dragged. One thing I want to commend this book for, actually, is its use of time--months pass over the course of this book, and it takes them time to travel around, and this time has consequences! It seems like so many fantasy stories have such condensed timelines, which always drives me a bit crazy, so I really appreciated seeing the story more drawn out. Anyways, loved this, can't wait for the second one, and I will be picking up AEITA (at long last!) next month for sure.

I haven't read anything else by this author, and you can definitely tell the first few chapters of the book work hard to catch you up to the world Tahir has built in her previous works. If you're able to get through the first third of the book and settle in, you can really start to appreciate her world/magic building, it just takes a little patience.

I thought Heir was super imaginative and original, while also relying on the fun fantasy archetypes (prince, rogue, etc). I don't read romantasy, I find it a little over the top, but the romance in this was balanced and palatable! I loved the turn this book took, and that even when you could guess some of the plot, you still couldn't see where the rest might go, and that keeps you hooked til the end.

The politics/philosophy treated in this book were especially salient to today's problems. "When you sacrifice other people's children on the altar of your ambition, it's only a matter of time before you'll be willing to sacrifice your own." Should some suffer in order for some to have peace/abundance? There is a line about the wrongness of destroying someone else's home just to find your own. It is especially interesting to see how dehumanizing another population allows an aggressor to justify their violence on them and the corruption that ensues.

"When humanity turns on its children [...] then you know we are lost". Lines like these made this book and what happens especially poignant., I did not expect this book to hold a mirror so close to our reality, especially for the YA category. I will be very excited to read the sequel of this duology, and will be recommending it to any fantasy lover.

Thank you to Putnam and Penguin Random House for the ARC!

HEIR🌬️🏔️
4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you SO MUCH to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was my most anticipated read this year and I am SO happy I got a chance to read it early🤩

When I heard that this was set in the same universe as Ember, I was THRILLED!! Tahir says you do not need to read the Ember series before you read this which is true. However if you haven’t read Ember, things WILL be spoiled (just a warning).

Let’s dive right in. Immediately I was SO HAPPY to see and hear about many beloved characters from Ember. These characters are mostly second generation characters so the main characters are all brand new to us. I loved that we had three main POVs, Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil. 💓 At first I liked all of them but as things moved along, I definitely favored Sirsha and Quil.

The romance was SO GOOD I wanted even more of it!! I hope in the next book we get some more because it was my favorite part of this book. I also loved the magic. This definitely had more magic than Ember and I liked learning about it.

The twist was honestly not that surprising to me which unfortunately is why I took off half a star, and I really disliked one specific character (we won’t name names for the sake of spoilers). I felt as if it was easy to predict but I still liked to see how everything played out in the end.

Overall, this was such a magical, fun, dark, funny, and entertaining book that I think everyone will love!! Sabaa’s writing is unmatched. I love that even though this book is YA, she isn’t afraid to get dark and write emotional/deep scenes. 🖤

This is out October 1st so make sure to preorder if you haven’t already🤩🤩 & GO READ AN EMBER IN THE ASHES FIRST IF YOU DONT WANT THAT SPOILED

Taking place twenty years after the ‘An Ember in the Ashes’ series, the Empire is facing a new threat. There is a darkness that has escaped. Quil must face his duties to his family. Sirsha must come to terms with history and forge a new path. Aiz must free herself from destitute and save the weak that need her. These three are the driving forces that will shape the battle to come and of what they will lose to get there.

First, this novel can be enjoyed without having previously read the ‘Ember’ series. While it might give you a greater appreciation of the world that the novel takes place in, it is not totally necessary. But, keep in mind, this is taking place twenty years after so a lot will be spoiled if you decided to read the series afterward (which you will, because this book will hook you and you’ll want to read more Sabaa Tahir awesomeness).

Second, this novel is amazing. The author does a great job getting you immersed into the world without feeling like you’ve missed something. Each story thread is engaging and the way they start connecting to the others is well written. The characters are interesting with good depth and a little reluctant romance is always a bonus. Can’t wait for book two! 5 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Penguin Teen - G.P. Putnam’s and NetGalley. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

This book had just a little bit of everything. Murder, mystery, magic, romance. You know it, it had it.

I read An Ember in the Ashes so long ago and I never read past book one. I’m sad I didn’t because I really enjoyed this book! And I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it even more if I’d read the original series.

That being said, this definitely stands on its own. It’s not necessary to have read the original series because it does a great job at building the world and characters from the ground up.

I loved the complexity of each character and how they were realistic rather than cookie cutter heretic. But you definitely start to root for the characters as it goes on.

I think this book does have a decent amount of twists, surprisingly. I didn’t see something coming and was pretty shocked.

This is definitely a fantasy story with a hint of murder mystery laced through it.

It was truly so entertaining and I really enjoyed it the longer I read.

I highly recommend for any fantasy lovers!

I am sorry to say that after two tries, I only made it about a quarter of the way through this one. I wanted to love it, but I felt so lost, and, honestly, bored and disconnected. I had no idea that I had to have read Sabaa's other series before reading this one. I wish that had been marketed somewhere. I was under the impression that this was a NEW duology, as stated in the description. With that being said, I felt lost in the world and terminology and spent the majority of the time trying to figure things out instead of enjoying the plot. I also did not connect with the characters or the story, as there was just too much going on and too much to keep up with.

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the opportunity to read Heir in exchange for a honest review! Returning to Ember in the Ashes Universe was EVERYTHING I expected and MORE! You will follow three new characters each with their own POV. My absolute favorite ways to read are when an author has a POV for each character, so I can get in their mind. You're able to read this without reading an Ember in the Ashes first, but there will be some character overlap. Thank you for the opportunity and I CAN NOT WAIT TO READ THE SEQUEL.

Sabaa Tahir's "Heir" is a duology that takes place years after the Ember in the Ashes quartet. The story has three points of view, one of them being Zacharias aka Quil, the heir to the martial empire. This novel is a gritty, riveting story full of interesting characters, histories, cultures, and a dark magic. There is death and sacrifice and love. We get to see a peek into the lives of some of our favorite characters from the original series, but the new characters take center stage in a story with a mysterious monster that keeps you guessing. Our main characters have intense, deep grief and it's heartbreaking to see them so broken but hopeful to see them push forward. This book is not for the faint of heart.

I personally saw many of the plot twists coming, but as a writer who has studied story for years, that may be more of an indication of my savvy with storytelling and less of a critique on the author's skill. I also did not fully buy the romance between two of the main characters, as it seemed too fast and unlikely given their backgrounds.

Overall, I enjoyed the read and would recommend it to fans of the original series and new readers alike, just be warned it's not a light-hearted, cozy read.

Aiz is one of the poorest of Kegari. She has no parents, no true home, and it’s only thanks to the clerics of her country that she is still alive. These clerics tell her that everything will change when their divine prophet returns, but until she does, Aiz wonders how she’ll survive when the powerful in Kegari seem determined to crush everyone under their heels.

Quil is a prince, heir to Serra, even though he doesn’t want to be. Not too long ago, he lost his beloved as well as a boy he loved like a brother to a vicious murderer, a murderer who has continued hunting the young and innocent through Serra. With grief still lingering in his heart, and the fear of becoming an emperor as cruel as his father, Quil just wants to leave it behind and find out just who this murderer is. Little does he know that soon he’ll be forced to leave his home, whether he wants to or not.

Sirsha was cast out of her home, and now, all she wants is to save up enough money to live a quiet life somewhere far away. But to gather enough coin, she has to continue tracking people down for others. That is her gift. The elements speak to her, pointing her in the direction of her quarry, but when a strange man hires her to find a murderer, suddenly, rather than gently guiding her to this person, the elements are desperate for her to succeed.

War is coming to the land, and three people who never should have met suddenly find their fates and stories entwined. The only question is, what kind of ending will their story have?

I received an advanced reading copy of Heir in exchange for an honest review.

Heir is a young adult fantasy by Sabaa Tahir. If you’ve been reading my blog for a bit, you’ll know that I have read quite a few of Tahir’s books so far, including All My Rage (which is still one of the best books I’ve read recently) and An Ember in the Ashes. Heir is actually a companion series to the An Ember in the Ashes series, and while you don’t have to have read the An Ember in the Ashes series to read this one, I would recommend doing it because you’d be getting so much more when you do pick up Heir! And also, you wouldn’t be spoiling the ending of the An Ember in the Ashes series for yourself like I did. Whoops. I’m only two books into the An Ember in the Ashes series, but I couldn’t help myself! I just had to read Heir when I got the ARC!

Heir opens by presenting us with three characters from three completely different backgrounds. Not only are they from different countries, but they’ve each had a unique upbringing, and it’s all of that together that informs who they are and the choices they make. Their choices suddenly have so much more weight, though, as the world begins shifting around them.

Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil all exist before a complex political and historical backdrop, where different countries have been at odds with each other for a while, and war is about to break loose. In fact, war does break loose in the first part of this novel, and now the characters find that there’s so much more at risk.

I just loved how unique everyone was, and all their personalities. I loved how determined they all were to succeed at their goals, and their difficulty in making certain choices. I loved the romances that began to bloom between a few of the characters (not going to say which for fear of spoilers), and how natural they felt.

But, more than anything, I just really enjoyed how exciting the plot was, and the twists it presented to me. I was about halfway through the book when the first one hit, and as soon as I realized what was going on I had to reevaluate so much of what I’d read earlier. And, from then on, even as I turned page after page, my mind raced ahead to try and guess what was going to happen next. I felt so satisfied when I saw the next twist coming, and was just so nervous about how the characters would react, but I couldn’t have guessed at how this book ended! All I know is that I need the sequel to Heir ASAP. I don’t think we even have a release day for it yet, which is really tragic.

Heir was an excellent read. If you loved the An Ember in the Ashes series, this is a must. If you love complex characters in magical setting, this is a must. If you love adventure, difficult choices, and light politics, this is a must. Basically, I would recommend this to any fantasy fans, whether they read young adult or adult books. Tahir knocked it out of the park once more, and I’ll be waiting on the edge of my seat for the next book.

Heir will be released on October 1. You can preorder your copy from G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers here.

Readers will be excited to return to Sabaa Tahir’s Ember in the Ashes universe in her new book, Heir! Following the three main characters - Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil - you can expect an adventure filled with action, magic, and twists and turns. We are introduced to each character through their own POV chapters and follow along as their stories intersect. Fans of Tahir’s will love this first book in her new duology!

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for this ARC!

We are following three main characters: Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil. They are all on the same mission for 3 very different reasons. Did I mention that there is a killer that eats hearts? What!?

This story had me so into my feelings, that I felt that every betrayal, every friend lost, was happening to me as I read. When I finally finished the book I had to sit still for a minute to digest what I had just read. This word is very immersive, thank you Sabaa for being so intentional when building this world and the characters.

I will be double back to Sabaa Tahir's backlog to read more titles from this amazing author!

- High Fantasy
- Romantasy
- YA

Thank you Netgalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and Sabaa Tahir for the ARC of this book. I am giving my honest review voluntarily and without coercion.

Phewwwwww. I am exhausted. That ending was - wow. The ending just gutted me and also shocked me and I AM SO READY FOR THE NEXT ONE NOW PLEASE!! These characters were so good and complicated and the banter was perfection. ST did an amazing job showing how easily desperation and horrible circumstances can turn someone into a person they nor you recognize. Are the characters irredeminable or is there hope?! You are on the edge of your seat trying to find out. <spoiler> It was especially poignant in the current world climate, and historically representative of how someone could follow a "deity" with good intentions that quickly turns into destroying everything and everyone in your path with no remorse and forgetting your humanity. The lime from Quill about the wrongness of destroying someone else's home just to find your own hit especially hard.</spoiler>

I found the pacing to be a bit on the slower side at times so just be prepared, especially if you read the previous series and expect to jump bang into action. There is a lot of great world building; I love seeing and learning more about the different lands and cultures and magic. The writing was just as beautiful as expected and the imagery poignant the entire time.

You CAN read this as a standalone series without reading the Ember series before, BUT I highly recommend you do because you emotional connection to this world and especially the previous trio of characters will be a huge factor in this story (IMHO).

🤍Thank you so much @penguinteen for this most anticipated arc of Heir🤍

An Ember in the Ashes is a standout series, and this latest installment is a flawless addition!

From the very first page, I felt myself whisked back into this enchanting world. Sabaa Tahir has a unique ability to draw readers in, masterfully weaving a fresh narrative 20 years after the end of Ember.

This book delivered everything I had hoped for: lovable characters, a gripping plot that kept me hooked, and a vivid setting that captured me.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
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