3.5 stars - I knew I was going to enjoy this novel overall; you cannot really go wrong with a fantasy novel from Sabaa Tahir. Everything I expected from the book was there: the well-developed characters, the interesting world-building, the romantic leads - all elements I came in expecting to enjoy which she delivered. While this is a spinoff of the An Ember in the Ashes series, I do think you can read Heir without having read them, but you might just be missing some little key moments to understand easter eggs and backstories of the older characters (which isn't totally a big deal, but I want to mention it because it would definitely bother me if I hadn't). WHile I enjoyed pretty much the entire reading experience, my main problem with this book is its overall "twist", which I found was revealed too early and sort of killed the suspense of the book's main plot. (And without diving into spoilers, I also hated the character this twist surrounds). Overall, I think any fan of Tahir will enjoy this and I will be continuing on in this series despite my one gripe!

It is with a heavy heart that this was a DNF from me at around 40%. I didn't care about any of the storylines or characters enough to warrant continuing the book.

Heir by Sabaa Tahir
Pub Date: 10/1/24
Format: ebook/audio hybrid
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh Sabaa, how I love to let you hurt me! This was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year and it absolutely did not disappoint. I decided to go into this book blind and, while I knew it would be connected to the Ember in the Ashes quartet, I didn’t realize just how connected it would be. It was like coming home & also opened old wounds and I loved every second of it.

Tahir’s writing style is utterly gorgeous. She will both fill you with hope and also rip you apart with equally beautiful sentences. I just love how she writes in this way without being pretentious or overwhelming. She has a way of digging into your soul and making you feel these shared experiences with her characters even though they’re from a mythical and magical world. It’s really what sets her apart to me and why I will read anything she writes.

This book really hurt in parts. It examines grief and greed and love and everything in between. It is an epic adventure and lots of characters like the Ember quartet, but it somehow felt a little softer around the edges which made it stand on its own as well.

I cannot wait for the second book in this duology! Highly recommend picking this one up!

AHHHHHH This is my favorite book I have read this year!! Sabaa has done it again! Incredible characters with even better storytelling. I always feel so compelled by Sabaa Tahir's writing and this was no different. Aiz, Quil and Sirsha were all distinguishable characters that I loved to read about. I was worried some of the characters would be painfully like the ones from Ember, but they truly stood on their own. I am very excited to be tormented by this series for the coming years!

This book was a great continuation from An Ember in the Ashes quartet. I like how it's not set too far in the future from the events that transpired in the first series. The multiple POVs kept me engaged and I enjoyed getting to know each character. There were quite a few plot twists that shocked me. Sabaa Tahir is incredible at making the reader feel an entire range of emotions with her writing. I love her prose, it always flows beautifully. My one big gripe about the book is that it's marketed as though you don't need to read the other series prior to this one and I heavily disagree. This series contains huge spoilers for An Ember in the Ashes quartet and I highly recommend reading that series first if you don't want to have major plot points spoiled for you. Overall though Sabaa Tahir knocked this book out of the park as per usual and I can't wait to read the second book in this series!

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

Our Kehanni, Sabaa has brought us this beautiful bounty in the form of Story! 🤤❤️ So worth the wait.

It's hard to imagine a book could be as wonderful as the Ember In The Ashes quartet was, but this was like coming home... Yet discovering so much as happened since you left!

Heir takes place 20 years after the events in A Sky Beyond The Storm.

We mostly follow four POVs in this book, and all of them are strong, have a distinct voice, and add to the story well.

Quil, Helene's nephew and the reluctant Heir to the Empire.

Sufiyan, Laia and Elias' eldest son, who is deeply impacted by grief and struggling to find his way.

Sirsha, a tracker on the run from her past, who barrels headlong into her future.

Aiz, an orphan who is willing to die to avenge her people.

There's almost no one who writes multiple POV books as well as Sabaa does. The threads weave together so perfectly (and painfully) as we get deeper into the story.

This book broke me, in so many wonderful ways. Right near the beginning I had many sad tears brought on by memories of the last series, and my broken hopes for these characters.

(I know it's marketed that you can read this as a standalone, but so much of the emotional impact wouldn't hit imo)

It isn't all sad tears, there were moments of reminiscent family love between Helene, Elias and Laia that also had me sobbing in a good way! I don't want to scare you lol.

This book, as always with Sabaa's work, blends tragedy on a nationwide scale, with the humanity of personal suffering, while being comforted by the blanket of familial love.

I cannot wait for everyone to get their hands on this book. Every star in the sky for this one, 5 stars doesn't cover it. My expectations were so high, and I was not disappointed.

I LOVED this book! It's probably one of the best books I've read this year. I loved the story, I thought it was so well-thought out and executed with all of the twists. I literally cannot wait for the next book!

And she’s does it again. Another masterpiece for the collection. Heir is a beautifully written spinoff from An Ember in the Ashes. Weaving in so much history and world building and still adding more, it’s extraordinary!

It was so nice to see some of my favorite characters from the original series, as well as meeting a slew of new characters that were just as dynamic and wonderful as the OGs. The multiple point of views painted a full picture while also keeping you on your toes the entire time. It really helped you bond with each character and make you feel as if you were part of the crew. I hope we get to learn more about some of the side characters in the next one.

Overall, this was an awesome read and I highly recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers, and Sabaa Tahir for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this but I am unhappy about coming back for seconds because the ending frustrated me a LOT. It just felt like we spent a good chunk of the book trying to wrest a certain character from the metaphorical rock and hard place they wedged themselves into only to find a different character in the same spot, more or less? More annoying than enticing to me.

I also struggled with enjoying the romance(s) properly as there's a lot of instalove/attraction and because it was Quil with both Aiz and Sirsha (at different times) it made it hard not to compare the two. Though I definitely can see a lot more real connection in the latter relationship, Sirsha is constantly noting Quil's sexy appearance, which does in fact get old after a while.

I liked that this was part of Ember's world, I liked seeing old familiar characters and how the new characters relate to the old ones. There are a lot of layers to so many of the characters, which is interesting to see play out. A number of twists kept the story interesting and engaging. I just didn't love the ending so much, but because it is only more book, I know I'll finish out the series.

Heir by Sabaa Tahir, is hands down one of the best books I’ve read this year! I believe fans of the original Ember Quartet will devour this book. I loved this one even more than the original series. For some reason I just felt more invested in these characters and I did not want to put this book down.

Heir has three main points of view that follow Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil. Aiz is an orphan from the Kegari slums, and you find out right away that she is on a mission of vengeance. Sirsha, an outcast from her people, is an expert tracker that uses magic to do so. Quil is the reluctant crown prince of the Empire, that feels more and more that it’s not the life he wants for himself. These three characters stories become intertwined, and with that it brings unexpected love, treachery and so much loss.

Sirsha was my favorite character because I’m a sucker for a smart ass. Quil was my next favorite character because he just felt so real. I also loved the relationship that bloomed between him and Sirsha. Aiz has the most tragic story of the three main characters, and you can’t help but feel sorry for her.

I cannot recommend this book enough! I believe you could read this book without reading the first series and still be okay. It was nice seeing some of the original characters make appearances in this book as adults. For some reason this book just felt like the stakes were higher and the characters were just more engaging. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

**Spoiler free mini review**
Thank You Sabaa Tahir and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read the ARC.
These are my own opinions on the story.

This is my first read from Sabaa Tahir and I wasnt sure what to expect. Heir had all the components I usually go for a fantasy book. An intriguing story with multiple characters essential to the plot. A small romance in the corners and likeable characters. For the most part, I enjoyed the story. I had fun reading it and getting to know the characters. My biggest complaint about the book was that sometimes, jumping from one pov to another took me out of the story and I had to slowly immerse myself again. I felt as if we had a few chapters back to back of the same pov, it wouldve helped better but that is a me problem.
Other than that, I enjoyed the journey our characters went through.

4.5/5 ———

My my, it felt so good to be back in this world, with these characters old and new. I love how Sabaa continued to expand on this world in a refreshing way. Sometimes when authors decide to revisit one of their worlds, it can be a gamble because you never know how readers are going to receive it. But it was definitely worth the risk here!

I really enjoyed our primary characters: Aiz, Quil, and Sirsha. They each brought their own unique elements to the story that made it rich and worthwhile. I also loved many of the side characters such as Sufyin (I hope we get a full Sufyin POV in book 2), Arelia, Tas, and precious Ruh

The SCREAM that I SCRUMPT when I realized what Sabaa was doing with the story. I was kicking and punching the air. My only gripe about it is that it was fairly early on when this revelation happens, therefore, you have this anticipation for how the rest of the story is inevitably going to pan out. I just wish that that headcanon came a little later.

Sabaa also delivers us a PIPING HOT ROMANCE I nearly burnt myself. Phew…. The only thing with this is that I wish it developed more slowly. It progressed really quickly in my opinion. However, I think that will aid in some weighty longing in book 2.

In a way, this book kind of read as a standalone (to me), but based on the ending, it’s unmistakable that it’s not (I know that this is confirmed as a duology). Like, I felt like the door was open to end the story with a single book if she wanted to, but hey. I’m not complaining. Sabaa Tahir is one of my favorite authors and I will always be begging for more.

Sanaa’s writing continues to be top notch. There were so many great quotes and moments that I tabbed that I ran out of tabs before the book was even 75% done

Lastly, it made my heart so happy seeing Laia and Elias and their family present in this story. My heart also aches for losses they’ve faced post the conclusion of A Sky Beyond the Storm. They are my fave forever.

Im putting a placeholder review here as I did not have time to get to this one and after talking with friends I’m going to read the ember in the ashes series first before I read this one! I am hopeful this book will be incredible!

Thank you Penguin Young Readers for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sabaa Tahir has done it again! AEITA is one of my favorite Young Adult fantasy series of all time. I didn’t think Sabaa could get any better but here we are. Heir is an excellent expansion of the AEITA universe. Sabaa gave us more worldbuilding to devour and new characters to obsess over. Heir’s pacing kept me on the edge of my seat.

You could technically read Heir as a standalone series separate from the original, but your reading experience will be much more rewarding if you’ve already dived into the Ember series. The callbacks and relived moments from the original series are so worth it! I can’t wait for the conclusion of this duology!

I’ve really liked what I’ve read of this book so far but I stopped reading. So many completed reviews say that the reading experience is much better if you’ve already ready Ember in the Ashes! So now I’m on hold at the library for Ember. I can’t wait to immerse myself more into this world.

Unfortunately for me I did not realize that this was set in the same world as her previous series, An Ember in the Ashes. I have not read this other series (however I do plan to). I think I would have enjoyed this book much more if I had previous knowledge of the setting and the other characters. Overall I did enjoy this book and will continue reading this series and the previous series.

This was outSTANDING! I absolutely adore An Ember in the Ashes, and have for years, it is one of my all time favourite series. Getting back into a world that I love so much was an absolute treat, I loved this read so much. The story within was phenomenal, when I figured out some of the twists that were happening my jaw literally dropped. The pacing of this was incredible, and the ending had me on my toes!! I cannot wait for book two!!

These Aquillas sure do have a rough go of it. If you are familiar with Sabaa Trauma™️ then you know what you're going to get. In that way, I found it a bit predictable. But I love the new characters and the AEITA callbacks.

I can’t tell you how happy I was to return to this world! I absolutely love that Sabaa wrote a second generation story that could be read as a standalone. However, having loved the Ember in Ashes series I highly recommend reading that series first before Heir. I think having the knowledge of the world and the characters made the story of Heir all the more powerful.

hadn’t read the other series by this author so unfortunately i do feel like there was some things i’m missing out on but other than that its fine!