I love you Sabaa, please never stop writing books, but especially never stop writing your brilliant fantasy novels. I am a MASSIVE fan of the original AEITA series and was so excited when I found out that Sabaa was continuing it, though I will admit, I was a little scared. So many times, authors use their famous series as cash grabs and keep publishing books despite no one really wanting it. HEIR was not that at all. You can tell that Tahir only writes when she has something to say and truly feels compelled to. This continuation of the AEITA universe was needed, even if I didn't realize it until I started reading this book. We obviously get peeks into the lives of our favorite characters from the first series, but our main cast of characters in HEIR stand on their own as well and you can't help but love them. In her classic mix of romance, magic, and action, Sabaa Tahir blows my mind with her amazing writing and compelling characters. I desperately need to see how this series ends, though I don't want to have to say goodbye to these characters I've only just met.

I’ve heard nothing but great things about Sabaa Tahir’s books, so I was really excited to dive into Heir. But in my excitement, I didn’t realize this was a spinoff from a previous series I haven’t read yet—oops!

The worldbuilding felt a bit lacking at first, but once I found out this is set 20 years after An Ember in the Ashes, it made more sense. I believe that if I had read those books beforehand, I would have understood the plot better, but I never had any trouble following the characters or their relationships.

One thing I absolutely loved was the multiple POVs and how they helped the plot unfold. Each chapter was a perfect blend of beautiful prose and exciting character development. There was a moment when everything just clicked for me—some might call it a predictable reveal, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. In fact, it made me even more eager to keep reading and see how everything would come together.

I’m already counting down the days until book 2, and in the meantime, I’m definitely going to check out the original series. Heir has officially made me a fan!

Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinteen for an advanced reader copy of Heir by @sabaatahir 😀

I have no words….when I saw the notification that I got this ARC, I screamed!!!! I absolutely loved The Ember Quartet, and Heir is set in the same universe. The book is told through the eyes of Aiz, Quil, and Sirsha twenty years after the events of the Ember quartet. The twists and turns of this book kept me captivated from the first page, and,of course, ended with a cliffhanger 😂. I cannot wait for the next book in the series! Heir has political intrigue, impeccable storytelling and world building, and a dash of romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARV!
I’ve been meaning to read ember in the ashes for awhile but picked up this first. Perhaps I should have waited, as some of this book didn’t quite click for me and I wonder if I’d have been more invested if I was already enthralled by the ember world. I still am intrigued enough by the world that I am now still eager to pick up the original series, and perhaps then a reread of heir will make more sense.

It was fun to get back into this world but in a different way. I'm not going to compare this to Ember in the Ashes, especially because I didn't read it right before this, I wouldn't accurately be able to anyway. I'd say you don't NEED to read the Ember Quartet before this, but you probably should.

I enjoyed the new crew of characters. I liked getting to know them through their own POVs, learning how their personal experiences shaped their decisions and the unexpected path that led to. There were some great reveals that I didn't see coming. The ending was partially disappointing and but still has me excited for book 2.

I can't recall when or how I first came across Sabaa Tahir's first book, Ember in The Ashes, the year it came out.  I recall not being able to put it down and when I finished it, wanting to read it again. I looked forward to, and pre-ordered, every new book in the series. By the end of A Sky Beyond the Storm, I knew the series had become one of my favorite Young Adult Fantasy series. 

When the author said she'd written this book and that it takes place 20 years after A Sky Beyond the Storm, I immediately pre-ordered it. I didn't expect to be approved for an advanced copy and am thankful to NetGalley, Penguin Group and Penguin Teen for providing the eBook in exchange for my review.

Heir more than met my expectations. The author's world-building continues to be well thought-out and the maps are amazing and helpful. I loved that magic continues to be incorporated and is a tangible part of some of these characters' lives. Especially after learning in the previous series how magic has been passed or inherited throughout the generations.

I was immediately invested in the orphan's life. Aiz's anger and impulsiveness didn't make things any easier for her. Especially when others were punished because of her actions. It wasn't hard to understand the reasons why Aiz wanted justice, and vengeance, for her people. When she is imprisoned and escapes, I found myself wanting her to succeed in her goals for helping her people.

The young prince and future emperor, Quil, grew up as a part of Laia's and Elia's family. Knowing how much of an impact their family and Helene have had on his life so far was heartwarming. It's heartbreaking when they are all affected by the killer who is murdering children. When the Empire is attacked and Helene sends Quil away I wondered how they would make it through this new threat to the Empire.

Sirsha, the outcast, quickly became a favorite, not just because of how her magic works -  which is amazing - but because of her resourcefulness and quick-thinking. While tracking the killer, she meets Quil, Sufiyan and Aurelia and the group find themselves having to work together and rely on one another.  When they come across people from Sirsha's past we are given just enough to know why she's an outcast. However, we also learn she's honor bound to catch the killer. When she and Quil become magically bonded, its impact on them grows as they search for the killer.

Having more than one narrator doesn't work for every author.  But this use of alternating characters by chapter is fast-paced and packed with action and/or world-building. From the synopsis I assumed we would only have three main characters stories. I liked when we got to see things from other character's perspectives, like Cero and Sufiyan, because they were impactful.

The killer in this story doesn't have their own chapters. Their magical influence and manipulation leads to the murder of countless people and ravages cities. I thought Keris and The Nightbringer were horrible, this character is just as horrible if not worse.

Due to some scenes that occur in this story, I think the young adult audience for this series might be a bit older than the Ember series. And, the killing of children may be hard for some to read about.

Something I did not expect was the time frame of Aiz's chapters in relation to the other's chapters. It's a bit of a plot twist. Aiz's storyline, to me, is the core of this story. As the timelines gradually meet and we discover what has become of Aiz in her quest for vengeance, it was equal parts anxiety-inducing and traumatizing.

I can't wait to read what happens next for the orphan, the outcast, the prince and the killer.

i probably should have read her previous An Ember in the Ashes series, but it was still so good! if you've read it, i genuinely think you'd love this one. i know it's always amazing to be re-immersed in a familiar world. i plan on going back and reading An Ember in the Ashes to get the full experience. i'll treat it like a prequel after having read this one. i might even update this rating depending on how that goes.

thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. i received this book as an ARC and leave this review voluntarily.

Oh my goodness!!! I anxiously awaited this book and Sanaa DID NOT disappoint!! This was everything I could've wanted and more. 5 stars.

Sabaa Tahir truly gets better and better and being back within this world instantly felt like coming home again.

This book is not for people who are not already obsessed with the Ember in the Ashes Quartet. I hadn't read those books, and I assumed that because this was marketed as a book 1 this would be a good place to start with the world. It wasn't. It is entirely unwelcoming to someone who isn't already familiar with the worldbuilding and characters. It repeatedly left out important worldbuilding info and left me very confused.

I think that most of the people who are going to love this novel are the ones that are already in love with the characters from the previous books (as the glowing reviews here on Goodreads demonstrate). There's many characters from the first series that come back, and you get to see where they are now. For me, I felt like it was boring and annoying to have the flow of the story repeatedly interrupted by these obnoxious cut ins.

The new characters are likewise boring. A big part of this was the balance and pacing between them. We have three narrators, and are constantly switching between them. Just when I am slightly interested in one plotline, we are ripped away from it. By the time we made it back around, I had stopped caring about the character again.

Thanks to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

INFINITE STARS! ⭐️

SABAA!!

Before diving into this new stunning and action packed romantic fantasy, please I BEG YOU to read An Ember in the Ashes series. Although this story follows different characters you get to see many from that series all grown up and navigating a new world.

This story has me gripped from the start. It wonderfully weaves together multiple POVs until their stories intersect. It’s fast paced, action packed, and a masterpiece in storytelling. My jaw UNHINGED itself many times throughout the story at the unexpected twists and connections.

It’s filled with politics, war, family, romance, friendship, magic, the weight of duty, and so much more. You find so much depth and history in each of the characters, both the main ones and the side characters. I could not turn the pages fast enough to finish.

I am waiting with bated breath for the next book and conclusion to this story.

I received an e-arc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love how Sabaa has expanded the world in the sequel series to An Ember in the Ashes. We learn more about the world’s magic and the different ways people have been using it. We learn more about the cultures of countries that are only hinted at in the first series. And of course theres an awesome cast as always. I’m so excited to continue with a new series in a world I already love. Any Ember in the Ashes fan will love this.

I absolutely adored this book! An amazing continuation to her first series An Ember in the Ashes (which I also thoroughly enjoyed). I loved following multiple characters and being able to get glimpses of the core group of people from the first four books. The storyline was great and I cant wait to see where it goes from here.

When I saw Sabaa Tahir was writing another novel in the Ember in The Ashes universe, I thought "Sign me up, I'm ready to be hurt again." I was not disappointed. This story is set in the same world as Ember in the Ashes, but 20 years later and follows new characters (Quil, Sirsha, and Aiz). Though there are a lot of familiar faces as we go through the story. I don't think you have to have read the original trilogy to understand Heir, but it would help.

Quil is going to be the next emperor of the Martials, and he is wondering if he can be the heir his people need. Sirsha has been banished from her people, and she takes a dangerous tracking job to track down a murderer. Aiz is from the slums of her city, but she believes in the prophecy where Mother Div will return and save her people.

I really liked this book, but I did have a few qualms. It wasn't until I was like 30% through the book that I was actually hooked. I also thought the storytelling device of having staggered timelines was actually very confusing. I also felt like the characters from the original trilogy should have grown more since it's been 20 years.

Even though I had a couple of issues, I loved this book. I loved returning to the world and seeing what had changed. The characters were fresh, and even though they were powerful, they weren't depicted as all-knowing and all-powerful. I hate when I'm reading a book and the character is 18 with no faults because they are the chosen all-powerful one. I'm going to be hanging on until the second book is released.

Thanks to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

OH, it feels GOOD to be back in this world.

Some quick housekeeping: while this can technically be read as a standalone, I highly, highly recommend reading the original "An Ember in the Ashes" quartet first. This is a new story, but it is built entirely on the bones of what came before, and I think readers would be missing out on a lot of nuance without that base. Plus, it's a good series, so why not?

Next, eep! If you liked the original series I think you'll like this. It has the same high-stakes vibes, tense romance, morally grey moments, and tight pivots that made the original books shine. This story expands the world and the magic system in a way that I really enjoyed and felt true to its roots while being its own unique tale. It also played with the narrative and construction in a different way. I liked getting to know all of the characters, and didn't mind when the chapters switched to a new point of view (generally). Overall, this was a delight to read and I am so, so grateful that Tahir returned to this world.

Really enjoyed this fantasy. Ive liked her previous series, and this was also fun. Nothing groundbreaking but still a good time with good characters.

A massive thank you to Penguin Teen for an early copy of this book! Reading this early was a dream! 😊 I LOVED this! UGH and I’m never going to get over the ending of this one 😭. An Ember in the Ashes is one of my favorite series and I was so excited to go back to that world. I loved that characters from the past series were involved and the new characters I fell in love with instantly. I loved Quill’s character and the emotional depth all of these characters had. I loved how emotions drove a lot of this book and the characters. Not to mention the love story was one of the cutest things ever! This was such an immersive read and I’m impatiently awaiting the next book 😅🥺

I'm so so so glad Sabaa Tahir let us go back into the Ember world, no matter how much she continues to hurt our favorite characters. Heir is set 20-ish years after A Sky Beyond the Storm, but unfortunately, all is not calm and well. We meet a lot of interesting new characters, and by extension/relation, we also get to catch up with some of our favorites (some more than others). But the emphasis is definitely on the new characters.

As with an Tahir story, it's a dark one. There's war, death, torture, etc. Our favorites are not excluded. Overall, this was really well done book. However, if I'm going to give any criticisms (and why I took off the one star) it's because I didn't love the execution of how the older generation was handled. I think VE Schwab with her Threads of Power (a continuation of the Shades of Magic Series) did a better job of blending new and old characters. If you are hoping to spend a lot of important time with Elias, Laia, Helene or Musa, you won't. This book is primarily focused on the new characters with the old characters popping up and definitely playing second fiddle.

It's not to say I didn't enjoy the new characters. I really did. I think the journey they are going on is really captivating and I'm so excited for the sequel. However, I just hope to see more of the characters we all fell in love in the next book.

I am sitting here baffled by the masterpiece I just read. As a BIG fan of the An Ember in the Ashes quartet, the start of this duology excited me. It seamlessly brought back the rich magical world while introducing new and complex characters. I felt immediately pulled in by the magic and multiple points of views and romance and duplicity. I was in suspense basically the entire time, and the end left me even more excited for the next installment. This book is so worth reading for all the above reasons!

Thank you NetGalley for the digital advanced copy!

Thank you to Penguin for an ARC of one of my highly anticipated reads for this year!!

I've been a huge Ember in the Ashes fan since the book was first released, therefore I've been the biggest Sabaa Tahir fan since her debut novel. I've always had a special place for the EITA series, that hearing about this book made me way too excited. And tbh, this kind of lived up to the hype for me. While I of course love the original cast, I do love the new character's we're introduced to because they are so similar to the characters we love. I thought the plot of this series was already much different to what we got in the first series, I loved seeing the point of view from the 'villain' and the little twist before we realized who Aiz's character really was (but I knew right away teehee.) I love the relationship between Quil and Sirsha, already giving an older version of Laia and Elias. The pacing did seem a bit off and that would be my only critique so far. The beginning and the middle almost felt dragged on, while the end I feel was a bit rushed. I do also think there should be more of a recap of the previous series as there is quite a bit to remember to get into this book.

All in all I really did enjoy this book and I'm already itching for book 2.