A direct sequel series to Ember in the Ashes. DO NOT read this series without reading the original quartet, unless you have no interest in reading or do not care about being WHOLLY spoiled for the events of the first series. You have been warned.

This book was everything. I really enjoyed the Ember in the Ashes quartet; I read them faster and faster as they progressed. But while I couldn’t put them down, I had some real critiques about character arcs and plot choices.

I have zero complaints about Heir.

Each of our three new protagonists intrigued me in their own way. I was invested in each of their stories, and while I enjoyed some perspectives more due to setting and motivation, I never had a moment where I didn’t enjoy reading from a POV.

I am absolutely FASCINATED by how this world grew with its newest installment, the boundaries of the Empire blown wide open as we meet many new and varied lands, people, and cultures. And yet it never felt contrived or out of place that these places exist in this world, we just didn’t have an opportunity to meet them the first time around.

The new mythology and conflicts introduced are thematically interesting and wholly relevant to, in my humble opinion, our real world at the moment.

I loved seeing our perspectives eventually merge and overlap and my jaw absolutely DROPPED at one major revelation, a twist that changed everything I thought I knew about the story I was reading. Yes, I did guess other smaller plot shifts here and there, but Sabaa Tahir got me where it mattered.

The groundwork is perfectly laid for the sequel in this series (duology?) and I could not be more confused as to where we go from here. The ending climax of course comes with a horrible cliffhanger we must wait who-knows-how-long to be resolved.

I need my friends to read this book so I can discuss it with them. You should read the actually-quite-excellent quartet so you can jump into this masterpiece. Do it, I dare you. You will not regret it.

Content warning: genocide, child death, familial abuse, colonization, violence, gore, death.

I liked this book, but I felt similarly to how I did about the 2nd through 4th books of its prequel series, that it felt like just more of the first one without a whole lot of difference. Our new main characters also weren’t as complex and different from each other in this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Sabaa Tahir, for the e-arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

I have read every single book Sabaa has put out. They are all amazing, and the world building is just fantastic,

I loved being back in the EITA world, and love hearing the names of some characters from her previous series 🥺

Can’t wait to see where this goes!

When I found out that there was a new series set in the Ember universe I screamed!! I LOVE everything written by Sabaa Tahir!! This book is amazing! Watch my review linked below.

Sabaa never misses. This is a great continuation that does fans of the original quartet a lot of service in a great way while also building out new corners of this world.

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the arc.

Expected nothing less than heartache and that's exactly what I got. This is a great continuation of the Embers universe (which I highly suggest reading before this) and I'm so excited to see where the rest of the story goes. I loved being back in this universe.

"Heir" by Sabaa Tahir is a masterful return to the world introduced in "An Ember in the Ashes," set two decades later. This novel seamlessly intertwines the lives of three protagonists: Aiz, an orphan from Kegar driven by vengeance; Sirsha, a banished tracker with elemental magic on a mission to hunt down a child murderer; and Quil, the reluctant crown prince of the Martial Empire, grappling with his dark lineage as a new threat looms over his realm. Tahir's intricate world-building and nuanced character development create a compelling narrative that explores themes of power, legacy, and the moral complexities of leadership.

While "Heir" stands strong on its own, I found myself wishing I had revisited "An Ember in the Ashes" before diving into this installment. Familiarity with the original series enriches the reading experience, offering deeper insights into the world and its characters. However, newcomers can still appreciate the story, as Tahir provides sufficient context.

The plot is both expansive and intimate, delving deep into each character's personal struggles while maintaining a broader commentary on societal structures. "Heir" stands as a testament to Tahir's storytelling prowess, offering a fresh yet familiar journey that will captivate both new readers and longtime fans of the series.

A fantastic start to a new series. I've always been a fan of Sabaa Tahir's writing and am so excited to read this new series from her!

Heir is the spin-off of Tahir's popular Ember in the Ashes series (you don't necessarily need to have read those first to read this, but as an Ember fan I did appreciate the nods to that series) and the opener to a duology. Heir follows a set of young people in the same universe, and in the tradition of that series, it's a multi-POV exploration of this world, but there is a larger cast of characters here and Tahir utilizes a 3rd-person style.

Even though there are a ton of characters, the story was still relatively easy to follow because Tahir does a great job developing their unique personalities and backstories. We meet Aiz, a vengeful orphan, contract killer Sirsha, and reluctant heir to the throne Quil, as well as various other characters in the periphery. Arguably, this book is more character-driven than the Ember books, with a lot of the focus being on the characters dealing with internal conflicts, and of course they appear so different at first but then their paths cross in an unexpected but also satisfying way. Since this is the opener to a duology, the characters' all dealing with their own stuff sets the stage for a potentially action-packed sequel. There is a little romance as well which was a nice touch but something that also exposed the flaws in some of the major players. Tahir also expands upon this universe a bit, explaining further the social hierarchy and also establishing the religious belief system.

Though a fundamentally different story than that presented in the Ember series, Heir was a great foray back into that world.

4.5 but rounding up to 5! Only knocked it down slightly because the start was a little slow for me, and I felt like some adventures were glossed or explained rather than written out, and I wish we got to see them happen.

Wow, this book revamped my love for this universe. I dropped off a bit at the end of the Ember quartet, the last 2 books weren't my favorite, but being back in this universe with this new generation of characters and seeing how the world has grown was so unexpectedly fun. It was also so cool to see how the characters we know and love have developed, and their lives aren't "perfect" like we'd maybe hope. It felt realistic and grounded.

Quil is my favorite type of male protagonist. He's a great mix of Helene and Elias, brooding but has a sense of humor and carries a sense of duty that weighs him down. I'm a sucker for these characters and he didn't disappoint.

There are some unexpected twists, the ending left me SHOOK, and this series's romance is so fun. I highly recommend it!

Thanks to PenguinTeen for sending me an ARC to read!

I loves the action in this book but the wordiness did have me take pause. I do look forward to seeing where this story goes.

I read this book before I ever finished the Torch in the Night series. I loved this story and I felt deeply invested in the characters, even if I didn't get the ties back to the original series. The world building allows you to feel like you can be immersed in the story.

Thanks to Penguin and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

I really loved Sabaa Tahir's first series, Ember in the Ashes, and I can't describe how happy I was to see that Heir is a sort of next generation duology, focused on the children of the main characters from the first series. The kids are fine, but the Empire isn't and it sends them on wild chases through the different parts of the world, hunting someone who is killing children as the Empire comes under attack. While it's great to see Laia and Elias (and Helene) again, the real focus is on Quil and Sirsha as they learn to trust each other and lead their friends to saving the Empire. I loved the pacing of this novel and how the characters were developed. It was a bit tricky to realize that some chapters were clearly flashbacks, but the world building is fantastic and I can't wait for the second book!

I absolutely loved Heir! Set two decades after An Ember in the Ashes, this book delivers everything I wanted—rich world-building, morally complex characters, and an emotionally gripping story. Quil, Sirsha, and Aiz each bring unique perspectives, making their intertwining fates impossible to put down. The political intrigue, magic, and high stakes had me hooked from start to finish. Tahir once again proves she’s a master of storytelling!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⚔️ Political Intrigue | 🔥 Magic & Destiny | ❤️ Emotional Depth

Heir is a compelling and complex novel that weaves together multiple perspectives to tell its story. The writing is undoubtedly excellent, drawing readers in with rich detail and strong character development. The shifts between different characters' POVs can be difficult to keep track of, but for those who enjoy a multi-layered narrative, this may be a rewarding read. Although I wasn't able to finish it due to the challenges of following the various points of view, I found the storyline to be very interesting and would consider picking it up again in the future.

Amazing! Heir by Sabaa Tahir is the first in a YA fantasy duology that follows multiple perspectives as they hunt a ruthless killer. Aiz is angry, living her life in the Kegari slums, watching as the elite send their children to die in a war no one wants to fight and the rest starve. Quil is the crown prince of the Martial Empire, the nephew of the venerated empress, but the throne is the last thing he wants. He would rather be in the plains with his cousins. Sirsha has magic that she can use to track down anyone. When she’s asked to hunt the killer of a man’s son, she agrees, but it may cost more than she bargained for. These individual threads bind together to create an unputdownable story.

The story opens with Aiz. She is an interesting one to follow. She is an orphan raised by the Sisters who believe the Mother will return one day to take them home. After an encounter with their leader goes sour, Aiz and those she loves are placed under arrest and tortured. It is during their prison stay that Aiz begins to hear the Mother and channel her power. Now believing she is on a divine mission to save her people, Aiz sets out to cross the Martial Empire following the voice. Aiz is naive, brash, stubborn, and her devout belief could get herself or her found family killed. Yet her storyline is fascinating and drew me in quickly.

Quil and Sirsha kind of go hand in hand. Quil is the reluctant heir to the throne. He knows that power corrupts, and since his father was the emperor that was taken down in the war, he’s afraid his fate will be the same. It isn’t until he nearly loses everything that he realizes what it means to be a good leader and that he will make one. Sirsha isn’t supposed to use her power, she’s been forbidden and outcast by her family. Yet it is how she makes a living. Teaming up with Quil and his friends was a happy accident. They are hunting the same thing after all.

The plot is two fold. We follow Aiz’s story as she crosses the desert into the Martial Empire. Her need for revenge drives her, and as her story unfolds, you will see how it connects to Quil and Sirsha. Quil’s story begins with an attack that brings the capital to its knees. Who is behind the attack? What is brutally murdering innocents in the kingdom? Somehow they are connected, Quil is sure of it, but the real question is how.

I loved every word from start to finish. Seriously, I could not read it fast enough. Set in the same world as Tahir’s Ember Quartet, the story is full of references to the war that stabilized their country. Having never read it, I didn’t really put it together until the empress was introduced. That said, I did not struggle to understand what was going on and found myself completely engrossed in the story. If anything, this just made me want to go back and devour Ember 😂 If you are a fan of epic fantasy or enjoyed the origin series, I highly recommend it.

Audiobook Note: While I had an eARC of this book, I was also blessed with an ALC, and I could not have been happier. The narrators are fantastic. There are five, one for each point of view. I had no problem keeping track of who was who. The narrators breathed life and so much emotion into the story. If you are a listener, I’d go this route.

Yes. Absolutely yes. All the stars. No notes. No nothing. No words. What are words? Gosh I loved this one. So much. More please.

Sabaa Tahir my beloved. I could probably write an entire manuscript about how much I love Sabaa's books, but this review should probably focus on Heir, so I'll try to do that.

There are no words to describe how much fun I had with Heir. Strong women!!!! STRONG!!! Women!!! That's exactly what you'll find inside Heir's pages, complete with cameos and situations reminiscent of some of the author's earlier works. It's incredibly refreshing to see such well crafted storytelling that doesn't compromise world building, and I think this is something that the author has always excelled at.

I've raved about this book for months on social media and to my friends, but there are truly no words to describe how excellent this story was.
All my thanks to both Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC!

I will literally read anything Sabaa Tahir writes! This was such a phenomenal, gripping book and I can’t recommend it enough. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the sequel!