This book will be great for readers who enjoy world building and fantasy heavy reads! There's some romance, but it is not the major focus. Perfect for young adults and older teenagers.

I’m really mad with myself for delaying this for so long, but I think if I had tried to push myself to read it, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as I did. This was my first time reading a book by Sabaa Tahir, and it was such a fantastic experience. I really wish I had read the AEITA series already, but I’ll definitely get to it eventually. Since this story builds on the original series, there are spoilers from the previous books, so I’d recommend starting with the AEITA series first.

At first, it took me a little while to really dive into the story, but once I got into it, I was completely hooked. The narrative revolves around 3 key characters: Sirsha, Quil and Aiz, each with compelling motivations that drive their actions. Sirsha, a skilled tracker, is on a mission to hunt down a killer targeting children across the empire, and she's definitely my favorite along with Quil.

Quil, the crown prince, is struggling to find his place and cope with the weight of his responsibilities, especially with his aunt looming over him. I was really into the romantic tension between him and Sirsha; their connection felt so real, and I loved the dynamic of their relationship. Meanwhile, Aiz is fueled by a quest for revenge due to her people's suffering over the years, and she’s tied to a dark force that is much more formidable than she realizes.

This was a great beginning to the duology, and I’m definitely going to read the sequel for sure!

I love Sabaa Tahir's writing. She has a way with words that really draws you into the world. I loved An Ember in the Ashes series and I was so excited to revisit this world. It did not disappoint! I really enjoyed all the little connections between this book and the original series. Can't wait for book 2.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story!

Sabaa kills me with her stories every time!!! I love her writing so much and I'm so glad we got to go back to one of my favorite worlds!!!

First of all Sabaa, how dare you..

incredible addition to the world of an ember in the ashes and i am convinced that sabaa lives off of the pain of her readers :)

Overall: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plotline: 5/5
World-Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Tropes: MF; Multiple POV; Secret Identity

Themes: 5/5
Romance: 4.5/5
Spice Factor: 1
Enjoyment Factor: 5/5

Review: Sabaa Tahir is one of my favorite authors; this book is a testament to that. This was so immersive and captivating that I could not put the book down. I loved all the small connections to the original Ember in the Ashes series and how we got to see how everything unfolded after that final book. There were so many twists and turns that I audibly gasped at times, and when I finally made certain connections, I was in shock and awe at how seamlessly Sabaa Tahir wove this story. I am so excited for the second book, but equally sad that this is only a duology. I love this world so much and never want to leave.

I'm a big fan of the Ember in the Ashes series, and therefore, Sabaa Tahir in general. I'll be honest and say I didn't even realize Heir was part of the same universe; I wanted to read it simply because it was a new fantasy book from Sabaa Tahir. Realizing I was back in the Ember world was a lovely bonus. Heir introduces some fabulous new characters and scenarios, and I am honestly mad I have to wait for the final book in the duology. While you can definitely read this as a stand-alone book, you are doing yourself a disservice if you haven't read Sabaa Tahir's other works. In a fantasy landscape that is taken up a lot by fae, I'm so glad we have authors like ST exploring other lore.

Heir was, without a doubt, one of my FAVORITE fantasy reads of 2024. While not 100% necessary, I do heavily recommend reading Sabaa's "Ember in the Ashes" quarter before diving into this one as it makes it so magical seeing/reading the beloved characters back on the page.

Aiz wants revenge for her people. She knows there's a life outside of where they are living now and will stop at nothing to get it. Sirsha is a tracker who's magic is based on the wind patterns. She's given a mission to find the killer who's been taking innocent children's lives in the Empire. Do that, and she'll have riches to get her out of the life she's living. Quil is the prince of the Empire, soon to be king, but wants NOTHING to do with the throne. But when a killer puts itself in his path, destroying familiar cities and hoards of people, he takes up the search.

Heir has left me baffled, in the best way, and I am STILL not over the ending. It was delightful reading and discovering the "clues" Sabaa provided for her three main characters storylines and when the reveal happens, your jaw will DROP. This book is the perfect read when you want to dive into a fantasy world and be heartbroken, but then pick up your tears on the next page and continue to root for the hero/heroine. It's THAT book that I will proudly display and then push onto all my fantasy lover friends.

The An Ember in the Ashes series did not need a sequel series but I’m so glad it did. The conflicts this world introduces is similar to the original with nations at war but with a fresh take. It didn’t feel unnecessary, just another issue in this complex world.
I loved the main characters, none felt like they were out of place, all were necessary. I loved seeing the growth with each character and how their stories merged.
The plot in the one tended to drag at times but it was still very good. I can’t wait for the finale!

Once again, Sabaa Tahir crafts a spellbinding tale full of intricately layered characters, and a powerful plot. Heir is a phenomenal start to a new series set in a world fans know and love.

If you haven’t read the Ember in the Ashes quartet, you can still read Heir and follow the story; it follows new characters and takes place 20 years after the events of the original series. That being said, the cameos, hints, and nods to past events and characters will resonate with you more if you’ve read the original series.

Where to start? How does one review a Sabaa Tahir book?

The writing is phenomenal. Trust me, you’ll never want to put the book down. And the characters, oh, they stole my heart—which was no surprise. Sabaa knows how to create lovable characters you root for and feel attached to. The found family between the characters warmed my heart (gosh, I love them).

I could go on and on about how great this book is, but, trust me, you’ll never should pick up the book and find out for yourself. Go on this journey with the characters and I’m sure you’ll feel the same way I do.

📢WARNING If you have not read An Ember of the Ashes quartet, this book has SPOILERS of the series.

Other peoples reviews said that they don't know what the heck is going on because of not reading the first Quartet first. Personally, even reading the series, I still didn't.

I will come straight out and say, I DNF'd this book not long after completing a few chapters. It didn't help that I just completed the An Ember Of the Ashes quartet. So going into this with high expectations was probably my one mistake I made.

This world was...confusing. The first POV's world we got introduced to was rushed and introduced to a world that felt so different than the Quartet. Where it would take weeks to get anywhere in this world and now we have magical flying craft. Where having powers were rare and now almost EVERYONE has some kind of power that wasn't explained.

The POV's.
What I truly appreciate about the Quartet was the slow build up of characters POV's. We didn't immediately have three. But introduced to one, then slowly another, and then another. Each of these characters POV's were introduced in the other POV's. So you felt like you got to know them well before their own chapters. But this....felt like a info dump of these people and I had no clue as to what is going on. On top of that, new worlds that weren't properly explained. It was like you were expected to already know what is going on.

Gaps of Info:
Something I noticed about the Quartet that there would be moments where it seems that the fast forward button was clicked. There would be a paragraph of This and This Happened oh and this very important emotional side character that was used to moved the plot is now dead. So in one paragraph...she pushed someone in the water, she was grabbed, briefly mentioned that she lost her shoes and somehow ended in the dungeon. I had to read that section several times to understand what happened. If you space out at all or decide to skim, you will not know how in the world you ended up where you did.

I might revisit this book in the future because there are many people saying that they love this book. So I am hoping that maybe, I am just not in the right headspace for it. But at the current time, this isn't for me.

This book is a fantastic continuation of the world established in An Ember in the Ashes, but I highly recommend reading the original series first to fully appreciate its emotional depth. Jumping into this without prior context might dilute the impact of its intricacies.

The story is packed with rich political intrigue, mesmerizing magic, and intense battles, all set against the backdrop of a rebuilt empire. The expanded perspectives brought so much life to the narrative! In addition to the familiar core characters, we get glimpses into the minds of others who play pivotal roles. Sirsha quickly became my standout favorite, though Quil’s chapters were equally compelling.

The plot is masterfully constructed, with twists that are both surprising and satisfying. While some moments were foreshadowed, they were executed with such finesse that they remained immensely enjoyable. And that ending—what a way to leave readers hanging!

Now, the long wait for the next installment begins, and it’s going to be agonizing. This series just keeps getting better! Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing an ARC for review!

If you read An Ember in the Ashes series, here is another great series from author Sabaa Tahir.
while Heir introduces you to a new generation of characters we also revisit the richly Martial Empire
Overall, Heir is a story about power, love, and the lengths we go to protect those we care about. With. Non stop action and great plot twist.

*Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

DO NOT START THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU'VE READ THE "AN EMBER IN THE ASHES" SERIES. While you technically *can*, it's not going to hit as hard emotionally.

There was so much political intrigue, magic, and fighting, all set against the rebuilt empire. I loved the varied perspectives - it wasn't just the core 3, we got cameo PoVs from other important characters as well. And moreover, I found the characters' perspectives to be more interesting than those in EitA. Sirsha was hands down my favorite, though I loved Quil's as well. The plot twists were so well done in this book! While I picked up on the foreshadowing for some of them, I truly enjoyed each of them in their own way. And the ending, THE ENDING!!!

Now I finally have to wait to read the next book and it's truly going to be torturous.

Everything Sabaa Tahir touches turns to immaculate gold. Heir is no different! If you loved Tahir’s Ember in the Ashes series, you’ll dive right into Heir, though its not required reading.

3 stars ⭐️✨.

While I tried to get into this book, I felt like it had too many characters to pay attention to. I really enjoyed An Ember in the Ashes, but I overall prefer one or two point of views. However, this is still a pretty good book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an e-book arc.

WHAT

More formally, I want to thank Penguin Teen for making my dreams come true and gifting me with an ARC of this book, but all opinions are my own!

I’m OVERWHELMED by how incredible of a writer and a storyteller Sabaa Tahir is. I don’t ever enter any of her books anymore expecting anything less than absolute perfection because I’m never given anything else.

This story follows Aiz, Quil, Sirsha, Cero, Sufiyan, and others as the Empire is faced with yet another enemy threat. I wasn’t sure where Aiz and Cero’s storyline was going, and I wasn’t prepared for it to hit so hard when it all came together, no less when I was just starting to have a giant heart swell moment. 40% in and good luck putting this down, friends!

“May I present Zacharias Marcus Livius Aquillus Farrar, future Imperator Invictus and Overlord of the Realm, current Lieutenant Commander of the Imperial Army and Sovereign Crown Prince of the Martial Empire.” -otherwise known as Quil, lol. I’m such a sucker for multiple-titled heroes and Quil is no different. I just wanted to memorialize that.

I think the thing I love the most about Sabaa Tahir books is that they are so vulnerably raw and real that you don’t get the option to just “look away.” I think in today’s world it’s so important that books like this exist because it is a reflection of the world in a way we often don’t want to see it. So many trials and heartaches to overcome, and there’s not always a happy ending for everyone involved.

Speaking of the ending, WHAT !!! I wasn’t paying attention to my reading location so when I turned the page to “Acknowledgments” THE SCREAM I SCRUMPT!!

TLDR I loved this, definitely read An Ember in the Ashes quartet FIRST, come back and devour this one, and let’s all praise the incredible story in these pages.

I love everything that Sabaa Tahir has ever written, her pen is like no other and I loved that this allowed us to renter the amazing world that was previously built.

This was my first Sabaa Tahir book ever and I had no clue what to expect but I am glad to inform, I was very pleasantly surprised.
The book follows Aiz, Sirisha and Quil all following different goals of their own. This book I heard is also set in Sabaa’s older series world. But I haven’t read it so I went in treating it as a new book in a new world.
This was an amazing read to say the least. There are very few fantasies that are as good in the plot as they are in character growth. The book gives the found family experience with an epic storytelling.
Without spoiling anything let’s just say you are in for a ride. You will love the characters, the world and the plot. Definitely recommend.

I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to have read an early copy of this book. The Ember in the Ashes series is one of my favourites.
Tahir kept true to her style of world building and character development in this book. I truly enjoyed being re-immersed in the Empire and revisiting old friends. The new characters we follow in this story were complex and developed organically as the story progressed and they were also quite varied from one to the other. There was a good amount of tension, angst, trust, and mistrust between the characters and nations. Like always, Tahir knows how to weave a story that manipulates the emotions of the reader - the reader could laugh, cry and throw the book across the room all in one chapter.
The story takes us into the depths of a people and nation previously unexplored. The trials and tribulations, as well as their hopes for the future and what they will do to get there is clearly depicted and well executed.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next instalment. Given that it ended so openly, I may be in distress until then.
I recommend this book to people that have read and enjoyed An Ember in the Ashes and the rest of the books in this series since it does carry on in the same world and some of the characters from there get a good amount of page time.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Penguin Teen) for a digital advanced copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.