3.5 stars. This is partially my fault, I did not realize this was set in the same world as the Ember in the Ashes series, so I was expecting something totally new, so I wasn't prepared. I would go back and forth between listening and reading. I think this may be a book that is better to read than listen to. It is a little clearer who is speaking in the physical book. In any case, I think I wasn't really invested until toward the end when I was a little more familiar with all the characters.

This was my first book by Sabaa and most definitely won’t be my last!!! This book instantly drew me in and I couldn’t put it down. I will say h wished I had read an Ember in the Ashes before Heir because I didn’t realize that they were connected and would therefore spoil the other series. I still plan on going back though and reading that series because I need more of her writing. This story was just so incredible!! I genuinely have nothing bad to say about it. By far one of my favorite books this year.

Heir is the first book I've read by Tahir, and while it takes place in the same universe as her critically acclaimed series, it's not required that you read it first. However, I wish I had because while this is independent of that series, I feel like there were some details and subtleties I missed out on because I hadn't read it. And that made Heir confusing at times!

The world building? Stunning. Tahir is truly gifted on this front because not only could I perfectly imagine everything, I wanted to be there! The magic was compelling and fun. I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I would have liked, but I somewhat attribute that to my disconnect from the series because some of the characters from the series are present. The pacing and romantic subplot flowed well and didn't feel rushed. Something overall was just missing and keeping this from being a 5 star read. I plan to reread it after finishing the series!

4.25 ⭐️s

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP, Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the e-book copy!

Rating: 3.5 stars

An Ember in the Ashes is one of my favorite series ever. So of course, I was excited when Sabaa Tahir announced she would return to the world with new characters and villains. Heir follows three characters, Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil as they embark on a perilous journey that will test their hearts and may cost them their lives. Right off the bat, I can say this book was alright. I went into this very much trying to divorce my love for the first series so I could enjoy the new characters and story. I just felt the pacing of this novel was off and the characters did not develop well. Since this is a duology, I can understand likely rushing to set things up so that the second book can end conclusively. However, I think what I enjoy most about Tahir's writing is her characterization. I found each character's journeys were not entirely their own nor did they make it their own by the end of this book. The romance was very weak and felt too trivial for the overall plot. The plot was probably one of the best things about this book but I did feel like the twists and turns became predictable halfway through. Despite not enjoying this as much, I am going to read the sequel as I think there is room for improvement. If you are a fan of AEITA, this book will work for you. Although, if you haven't read the original series, I implore you to check it out, especially before reading this.

Well that was totally enthralling! 🗡️🔥💔 My first Tahir book and I immediately knew that I’d found myself another fav fantasy author 🌟 Some authors just nail it, and this is one of those!!! Can’t wait to pick up her other books, and read the next one of these, which we need asap😆 📚 Eeek! I’m a little too excited to read more Tahir! #bookseasonishere #wait #itsalwaysbookseason ♥️♥️♥️📚📚📚

FOR THE LOVE -- HOW DOES SABAA KEEP GETTING BETTER WITH EVERY BOOK?!

HEIR IS NOTHING SHORT OF MAGIC.

The Ember in the Ashes quartet walked so Heir could freaking RUN...and run it does. This story takes us across desert sands, the high seas, to the deepest of jungles and crumbling courts. The three POV's in the book were all equally important, and crafted with the utmost care and finesse.

QUILL: a tortured prince
SIRCHA: an outcast assassin
AIZ: a wayward orphan

If you have read AEITA...you will settle into this story effortlessly. The setting, the magic and the old characters felt like coming home and this is a world that has deeply settled into my bones. The new characters are just as emotionally impactful and exciting but seeing the old ones made me GIDDY.

The pacing never let up and I was left breathless on multiple occasions. The romance built in a natural way and I couldn't get enough of it. With a new evil on the rise, this book always felt fresh and I just love the way Sabaa makes us love characters one moment and hate them the next. The characters have ample depth, and the themes of how far would you go to save your people...no matter the cost are STRONG.

PERFECTION. A book I could have immediately flipped to page one and read again.

PLEASE...read An Ember in the Ashes quartet before this one. For me...there is no other way.

I always love Sabaa Tahir's writing style and story telling and this book is no exception. The plot was captivating from the start. I was a liiittle bit difficult to keep all the POV straight right away, but it was worth the pay off. I think each POV contributed something significant to enrich the story. The world building and twists and turns were very fun and I look forward to more books from Sabaa Tahir. Recommend!

This story is gripping from the very first page. The characters are dynamic and interesting and the story is extremely engaging. The fantasy elements and world building were wonderful- all around, very enjoyable!

I really loved reading another Sabaa Tahir fantasy novel and I look forward to the sequel. It was fun being back in the world of her original series and seeing some of the characters from that one again.

I didn’t bond as quickly to these characters as with the first book and actually had trouble distinguishing between the two female characters for a bit. There is a twist midway through that was a huge surprise, but the way it was revealed was a little clunky and I was really confused at first. But after that was cleared up, I didn’t have any problems knowing where I was and who was narrating after that point.

Heir by Sabaa Tahir is an addictive read that pulls you into a world of power struggles, intense emotions, and unforgettable characters. Tahir’s world-building is vivid and immersive, making you feel like you’re right there with the characters. The protagonist’s journey is captivating, full of tough choices and moral gray areas that keep you on the edge of your seat.

The relationships, from fierce friendships to complex family bonds, bring a lot of heart to the story. Tahir balances action with emotional depth, and her writing flows effortlessly, making it hard to put the book down. Heir is perfect for anyone craving a gripping fantasy with real depth and feels - just be prepared, you'll feel alongside the characters. Highly recommended!

All the stars for you always, Sabaa.
Sabaa writes complex and very human emotions so beautifully and vividly. I just absolutely adore her new characters and had all the feels revisiting old ones. Just a masterpiece.

4 stars

I love that this is set in the same world as An Ember in the Ashes, but you don't have to have read it in order for this to make sense as it follows different people. There are enough little details added that make it really worth reading beforehand as this take place a number of years after. It did take me a moment to really fall in love with the characters. I thought some of the plot at the end was a bit predictable, but I'm really looking forward to seeing where this goes.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy to form opinions off from.

Sabaa Tahir truly never misses, and this book was, of course, no exception.

I consider The Ember Quartet to be the best YA fantasy series I've read, so as you can imagine, I was beyond excited when it was announced that she was releasing another book set in that same world. Even though this book does technically return to the same world we've explored before, everything about it still felt really new and fresh. This book had such an engrossing way of introducing us to new provinces and cultures and backgrounds in a world we already knew and gave us a degree of breadth that wasn't quite as present in the original quartet. This book also leaned into the magic system of the world more than I remembered it doing in the original series, and I really enjoyed the way magic worked more than anything as a tool to help us gain a deeper understanding of the characters.

Speaking of the characters: you know that they are top tier when I never even had a preference for whose POV we were reading in because I loved them all so much. While I think that the characters in this duology felt like they played a bit more into standard YA archetypes than I remember feeling the characters from Ember did, they still all felt unique, dimensional, and were excellent proxies to guide us through this world.

My one main critique with this book was that it gives away information about halfway through that, at least for me, made the final twist at the end immediately obvious, so it got a little bit frustrating to have to sit through another 300 pages of the characters failing to figure out information that I as the reader already knew. While in hindsight I can see the clues that could have still lead the reader to figuring it out before the midpoint twist was revealed, I think that if the book had held its cards closer to its chest longer before fully spelling it out, it could have helped maintain the tension that for me broke a little once I understood where things were going.

However, I still absolutely loved this book and undoubtedly recommend it. These days I have a hard time staying focused on a book unless I can be coreading along to the audiobook, so some of the highest praise I can give this book was that it managed to hold my attention even though the audiobook wasn't released yet for me to listen to at the time.

While I of course love and highly recommend The Ember Quartet and think it will definitely enhance your experience if you've read that series before starting this one, I do think that you can jump straight into this book without too much trouble or without overly spoiling that series for yourself if you just want to get a taste of Sabaa's writing before committing to a 4+2 book series.

Love Sabaa Tahir and she did not disappoint here. I typically do not like altering points of view, but she wove them well, seamlessly developing characters. There was one twist about a third of the way in that I thought was brilliant; it was completely unexpected and added to the excitement of the book. I enjoyed how the characters changed over time and we were able to see both positives and negatives in many. Can't wait of rate next in the series!

I was hooked from the beginning to the end. I loved most of the characters. Quil and Sircha are great dynamic characters to follow I loved Sufiyan and Ariella. I'm keeping my fingers crossed we get more of those two.. . Aiz, well I enjoyed her POV in the beginning. She is angry and vengeful and knows what she wants both for herself and her people. As we get further into the story you can see her doing more and more questionable things and I knew her character was going somewhere that I can't say because of spoilers that had me wanting to reach in and give her a good smack. And once I realized what was happening I wanted to punch her even more.

The story was full of twists and turns, and I didn't want to put it down, especially as we approached the end and the secrets from the past were slowly revealed to the characters. And that ending! OMG, I can't wait to see how this duoogy is going to end!!

Heir is set in the future of the Ember in the Ashes series, which I have long been intrigued by but haven't yet read. And while I'm sure I was spoiled for things that happened in that series I'm going to be reading Ember the Ashes and the rest of the series asap.

Heir by Sabaa Tahir is a beautifully woven dark fantasy that explores the delicate threads connecting its complex characters. Initially, I found it challenging to keep track of the multiple POVs, but once the story revealed how Aiz, Quil, and Sirsha’s paths intertwined, I was completely hooked. Following these characters as they hunt down a creature terrorizing young lives made for a captivating journey, rich with atmosphere and tension.

The character development was one of the highlights, as each protagonist transformed throughout the story, showing raw and vulnerable sides as they faced their inner and outer battles. And that ending—I didn’t see it coming at all! Now, the wait for the sequel feels like an eternity. Luckily, I have The Ember in the Ashes series on deck to dive into while I wait for more. Sabaa Tahir has crafted a world and cast that linger long after the last page.

Look, I KNEW Sabaa was going to destroy me with this. And she DID. And somehow I’m still… a deeper level of moved and devastated that I even imagined I’d be. And that’s saying a lot.

This is an absolute must read if you enjoyed Ember in the Ashes, which is one of my favorite series of all time. Even without, though, this book is really a masterpiece on its own. We have a brand new batch of main characters, all of which feel distinct and lovable and imperfect. They have motivators that change and grow throughout the story, sometimes enough so that they begin to seek unrecognizable. I was lucky enough to meet Sabaa on release day for this, and she talked about it being a story about what happens when you begin with good intentions but lose your way, and good lord did she do this theme justice.

We begin with Quil, the next Heir to the empire; and the empresses nephew. He living with the ghosts of who his family is and was, and has had the benefit of growing up alongside all manner of different cultures and peoples in peace. Regardless, the pain his family has faced still lives in his bones, and it changes him multiple times throughout this story. When his people become the displaced and oppressed, he knows he has to do anything in his power to save them, while also managing to keep from losing himself. We also meet Sirsha, a magical hunter from another land with secrets, a whip-smart humor, a chip on her shoulder and a bottomless well of an heart that she doesn’t anyone to know about. Not to mention, we have a villain that strikes a deeper level of fear in me than I’ve ever really encountered before.

Everything from here is an absolute adventure. It hurts brutally, but it also makes you laugh and scream and swoon. We got to know a whole additional country we knew nothing of before, and the world feels even larger, more fantastical and more exciting.

Sabaa is an absolute master at writing about colonization and oppression, and she’s not afraid to rip your heart and stomp on it (ALWAYS with reason). I come away from every one of her books a changed, better and wiser person, and I couldn’t recommend this book more. It has easily landed in my top 5 of the year, and I think literally EVERYONE should read it.

Thank you so much to Penguin and NetGalley for this eArc!

Sabaa Tahir crafts a spellbinding tale in this captivating fantasy that follows three unforgettable characters: Aiz, a fierce orphan seeking justice; Sirsha, a resilient tracker forced into a deadly pursuit; and Quil, a reluctant prince grappling with his legacy. With vivid world-building and beautifully interwoven fates, Tahir delivers a story brimming with suspense, fierce loyalty, and unexpected connections. I'd only read her contemporary YA, All My Rage, and loved it, but now I need to read her other fantasy books! This thrilling journey of power, sacrifice, and resilience. The book starts slow, building up the world and the characters, but about halfway through, the pace picks up, and you won't be able to put it down.

Take all my money, Sabaa Tahir. Honestly, her story telling skills are just fantastic. The light touch of romance and the constant action plot always keeps my attention. As a reader of the An Ember in the Ashes series I loved how this just picked up where that one let off. It was really neat to see how these former characters were doing. While you do NOT need to read AEITA series to enjoy this book I highly recommend you do. Heir has all new characters, however the plot of AEITA will be spoiled for you.

I was provided an ARC of this book via the publisher and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

If you are a fan of Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes Quartet, you will love this! This is set in the same world and follows the next generation of the beloved (and hated) characters from that series. I would say you don't have read that series first as the author does a good job giving enough backstory for you to follow along if you haven't. I do recommend reading that series first as it was amazing and it will give you some insight into the empire and into some of the older characters that play supporting roles in this book as they were main characters in the previous series. It isn't necessary though as this has a fresh new plot and new characters to keep up with.

This is told from the perspective of 3 characters with 2 brief perspectives from additional characters that I expect to play major roles in the next book. Aiz is on a quest to save her people and seek vengeance for the wrongs done to them, Sirsha has been contracted to find a murderer, and Quil is the crown prince who wants nothing to do with the throne. They are all connected by by magic and murder.

This was amazing! This has everything you could want from a fantasy story. It has action, magic, great world building, great characters, and a little bit of romance. The pacing starts out slow as we get to know the characters and are introduced to the world, but it picks up as Sirsha and Elias get closer to finding the killer they seek. I really enjoyed the plotline, and while some of it may have been predictable, I didn't mind. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.

In full transparency I also listened to the audiobook (borrowed from my library after publication) while I was reading the ARC. It was fantastic. It features a different narrator for each POV, which I always appreciate. It helps me keep track of which character is telling the story. All 5 narrators were excellent, and really brought this story to life for me. If you enjoy a good audiobook, I highly recommend this one!