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
Steam: fade to black

This was the first book I read by this author. I really enjoyed the pacing, the world building, the characters, and the emotions that came through. This was fast paced, just how I like it. I enjoyed the perspectives of the different characters. I can’t wait to see where this story continues to go.

4.5/5 ⭐️

Sabaa Tahir writes such rich characters and relationships that keep your eyes glued to the page. This is true in Heir even more than An Ember In The Ashes, the stakes are lower but the world richer and more personal while also somehow being darker. Heir is a wonderful blend of high fantasy and sweeping romance that so few books blend correctly. My biggest complaint about her previous series was the uninspiring villains, the villains of Heir are a lot of things but uninspired isn’t one of them. The villains feel like people and not plot devices in a way that fully enriches the entire experience. I find myself here at the end bereft, longing for the sequel.

"Heir" is set 20 years after An Ember in the Ashes. We follow Aiz, an orphan out for revenge; Quil, a prince weighed down by his messed-up family legacy; and Sirsha, a banished tracker hunting a killer. Their stories all come together in a mix of heartache, politics, and epic world-building (the typical Sabaa heart-wrecking combo). If you’ve read the Ember quartet, you will absolutely love this one as you get to see a lot of familiar characters all grown up. But even if you haven’t, Sabaa does a great job providing backstory when necessary.

The story starts off a little slow due to the focus on world-building, but once it picks up, it’s impossible to put down. The found family vibes, forbidden romance, and all the twists had me glued to the pages. While you don’t have to read the Ember quartet beforehand, it adds a lot more history and context to the book. As always, this was a solid read, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next one!

I read this one using a mix of the audiobook (ALC) and the physical book (ARC). I really enjoyed the audiobook since it’s a multicast, which is always great, and as with most fantasy books, it helped with learning how to pronounce a lot of the uncommon names. For the most part, all the narrators did a wonderful job. However, the sections with Cero and Sufiyan seemed like they were recorded through a tin can, but since this is the ALC, hopefully, those issues will be fixed before release. Thankfully, they only have a few chapters from their POVs, so it only affects about 3% of the audiobook. Overall, I would highly recommend the audiobook or physical book to anyone interested in YA fantasy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

I feel very blessed to have received this arc. The first series by Sabaa Tahir was amazing and after reading this one, it will be just as great! I can’t wait to read the next installment in this duology

4 stars! This story takes place in a rich world, one those who have read an Ember in the Ashes will be familiar with. I was equally intrigued with diverse POV chapters. The story was somewhat predictable. Overall, a great fanatasy story in a rich world.

I loved this book couldn’t put it down I loved the characters so much and how the Author wrote the story and the plot I loved everything about it

"Sometimes the power of a story is greater than anything else on the earth"

Thank you Penguin Teen for one of my most anticipated arcs!

This is going on top favorite reads of the year without a question, we asked and Sabaa the brilliant Kehanni of our time delivered and she delivered it flawlessly, in the words of kids these days- She ate and left no crumbs, Heir is set in the well known beloved world of AITA. However the similarities ended there for me because with fresh set of characters, an intricately expanded world building and a compelling story I was immediately drawn into the world eagerly flipping through the pages because there was not a dull chapter in the entire book. It is a multiple POV narration that is rather fast paced and dynamic, the characters and their development felt so organic that they ended up being a chef's kiss. I was so invested in the story that I kept thinking about it even when I wasn't reading it, it is captivating in that way.

While it is said that you can read this one as duology, I highly recommend reading Ember quartet to enjoy the brilliance of the story even more. Sabaa Tahir has a way with her words that'd make the readers forge such strong bonds with her characters, I LOVED Quil, Aiz and Sirsha's character arcs so very much and they way she connected three different point of views and weaved a story is just flawless. No one can write a convincingly vile, morally grey character that you'd vehemently loathe like this author does , I wanted to simultaneously scream at the book and shake *this* character rather violently at times.

The world of Heir just like in AITA is still brutal, there is a new evil at play thats methodically destroying everything in its path, as the empire's crown prince and sole Heir Quil isn't going to sit around and let it happen, It is definitely not what his aunt Helene Aquila would have done. Quil might think he is not cut to become the ruler of the empire but he is going to save his people regardless with the help of his friends and a Jaduna(witch) in exile. I don't want to give out anymore details because they can be spoiler-ish and I also suggest going in knowing as little as you can. The appearance of some of the older characters was such a blast from the past and the ending made my jaw go unhinged but I expected nothing short of this from Sabaa

I throughly enjoyed every last bit of Heir and I can't wait(which I know would be excruciating) for the sequel. Of course I highly highly recommend it. This book is going to get stuck in your head for a while after you finish reading

3.5 stars. I have no idea why I never finished the last book of the 'An Ember in the Ashes' series, since I gave the first three books in it four stars each. I vaguely remember picking it up once or twice and struggling to get back into the story; my fault for reading the books as they came out, leaving big gaps in my memory by the time the fourth book was released. At any rate, this new book is set in that world, and the main characters from the series are in this book as well, on the periphery, and now I'm feeling like I should go back and try to finish the original series. Tahir is an excellent writer, and my main struggle with this book was that I dreaded one particular character's chapters every time they came around. I loved the other characters and their nuanced portrayals, but I just didn't want to hear from this other one. I know I'm being vague, but I don't want to say any more about why I felt that way because spoilers. For most of the book I thought I probably wouldn't go on to read book two when it comes out, but props to Tahir, because the ending made me want to continue. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for a digital review copy.

I had a great time with this book and can't wait for book 2 already
It started slow but I loved visiting old characters and seeing the new. I hated Aiz on second sight and could predict some of the storylines but it was fast paced and kept moving. The character arcs could use some more work though - Quil and Sirisha were nice characters but their chapters were too much about eo and didn't explore the backstory enough

I actually disagree with the people I’ve heard say you can read this without having read the original series. Sure, you could technically follow the plot, but you’d be missing so many layers of worldbuilding, history, and character development. It wouldn’t even be the same book at that point.

Luckily for me, I read the Ember in the Ashes quartet already and had a great time with Heir. I really enjoyed Sirsha as a character—possibly my favorite in the series, though I really did love Laia a lot as well so that’s hard to measure. I liked the slightly more romance focused style and look forward to seeing how things resolve in book 2!

This intricate, epic tale is a spinoff of another series, which I didn't realize when I started reading. However, I don't think you need any background information from the original series to enjoy this book (the first in a duology).

I was quickly immersed in the breathtaking world-building and exceptional magic system in Heir. The story takes on the perspectives of three characters, and each felt well-developed and unique.

Heir is a strong first installment in what promises to be a captivating duology!

Fantastic world building, interesting characters. unfortunately, I definitely had a favorite POV and felt it was a lag to get through the ones that weren't my favorite. Really debating going back to read Tahir's other series now.

“𝓣𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼, 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 … 𝓦𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶. 𝓣𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔀𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓱. 𝓣𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮. 𝓑𝓾𝓽 𝓭𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓾𝓹. 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓹𝓪𝓲𝓻 𝓲𝓼 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱.”

An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.
And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 4.5 Stars ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

Wow! This was so good - I've had a limited amount of time recently to read at night and so I really took my time with this one. I just loved being able to take my time and savor it - so much fun being back in the world of An Ember in the Ashes.

Heir is set in the same world as An Ember in the Ashes - this story takes place 20 years after AEITA and while it's not required to read AEITA, it will only help understand the world better and there's some spoilers in this one for AEITA if you haven't finished that one yet.

We follow “the second generation” of sorts, including Helene’s nephew and Laia and Elias’ son, this is a twisty and gripping, dual timeline story of fighting for your people and your family, no matter the cost.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Sabaa Tahir truly knows how to play with your emotions and she holds nothing back when it comes to keeping you in the edge of your seat. Heir is a perfect mix between character and plot driven, the story is a little slow at the start but picks up pace fairly quickly , with a power-hungry deity, a misguided outcast, and the best of the best found families.

I loved seeing the world established in AEITA expanded and the lore of the various cultures and beliefs woven into more intricate tapestries. It was like sliding right back into comfort being in this world, of course that is until all hell breaks loose lol. Quil is such a great MMC and honestly rivaling Elias as ultimate book boyfriend in this series - maybe. I mean. And Sirsha is such an amazing bad ass FMC.

╰⪼ ★ ₊ ˚ 𝓐𝓲𝔃 ｡˚ꕤ˚｡ is someone who is completely devoted to a better life for herself and her people, seemingly no matter the cost. She spends a lot of this book trying to find her place and accomplish her goals under the guidance of someone she has utmost faith in before she seems to really step into her own - though not really for the better.

There is an underlying brutality in Aiz that is very interesting to read because she manages to hide it so well - even from the reader a good chunk of the time. She is a very complex character who is occasionally hard to get a read on but I think I rather liked that about her!

╰⪼ ★ ₊ ˚ 𝓢𝓲𝓻𝓼𝓱𝓪 ｡˚ꕤ˚｡ my girl! Loved her from the moment she was on page. Full of sarcasm and wit, she does her best in life and that’s all she can expect herself to do! She’s brutal when she needs to be and can totally kick ass. She's sassy and smart- quick and clever. She comes across as cold but she's got a heart of gold.

╰⪼ ★ ₊ ˚ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓵 ｡˚ꕤ˚｡ is a deadly and dangerous cinnamon roll/golden retriever. I think that is the best way to describe him. Being surrounded by Helene and Elias, he is sure to have a dash of cold cruel killer mask but with Laia in his life and others with a slightly softer temperament, he is a perfect balance of broody/strong/dangerous and sweet/loyal/caring.

He really was a great character to read from because he is incredibly analytical and really takes everything in - really giving the reader an in-depth understanding. His relationships with other characters were also amazing - but one in particular really melted my heart!

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I really don't have any complaints, I devoured this book and loved everything about it. Loved being back in the AEITA world and can't wait to get back to it after that cliffhanger ending!

And again, while the pace of the story initially started up a little slow in order to set the whole scene. The constant rotation of POV's makes the story pick up quickly. The world building was flawless - no info dumping, no lulls. Truly a top favorite of the year.

Overall, a great start to a new series, I think that seeing new and old characters with all of the different dynamics, time jumps and a few different character POVs. I’m super intrigued for what’s to come! Trying to keep the review extremely vague due to spoilers. Highly recommend!

Thank you to my darling lovely Esta for buddy reading with me! Had so much fun! Please check out her thoughts on Heir as well. Esta's Heir Review 💘👯‍♀️

Many thanks to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group and Sabaa Tahir for the complementary digital copy in exchange for my honest review. 💙