thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a free arc in exchange for an honest review!
i wanted to like this so much, the cover alone is so gorgeous and had me hooked, unfortunately it was just a little too YA for me. the writing wasn't very good and i just couldn't connect to the characters

I love Amalie Howard and I love fantasy books so I really wanted to like this and maybe my expectations were a bit too high. I liked the general premise and it is a solid fantasy book, but maybe it's just me but it felt too YA (which is not a favorite genre of mine) and I couldn't get invested into it. I think this is more a case of for the wrong book for the wrong readers because I think if this had been listed a more New Adult than Romantasy I would have felt more prepared and NA readers are probably a better fit.

Thank you, Netgalley and Avon, for this ARC!

This is definitely not your typical, classic, fantasy story, but I enjoyed it. The modern language woven in was fun - I don't think all fantasy has to be written as if it's a period piece. Suraya is a likable character from the start, but I enjoyed her journey.

I do wish some of the supporting characters, like Clem and Laleh, had more of a presence in the book. They aren't really developed beyond plot devices for Suraya, and they were both intriguing characters!

And I know we are really up to speed with what's going on with the God of Night- it makes me want to read book 2, but I also wanted a little more sbout that backstory in this book. With the miscommunication/deceit in the book, I appreciated it not being dragged out in a way that you know the second book is going to be full of pining. Yay, SurRo!

This book was so hard for me. I wanted to like it and at points I did, but the world building was difficult for me to understand. It was overly complex and presented all at once making it hard for me to digest. I also couldn't get behind the dark god's point of view. I feel like I spent most of the book confused.

Rating: 3/5

Note: thank you netgalley for this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am not quite sure how I feel about this book. Overall, I think it was a good story and I think that
the overall idea and plot of the book was good and I really like the characters and the magic
system. I can’t put an idea as to what exactly I am not fully liking about this book but I think that
it has to do with the second point of view from the dark god. I didn’t really get it and it made me
question if I was missing something or if it was going to be a book 2 sort of deal but I think
because of that I couldn’t really get fully invested in the story.

The Starlight Heir is a cosmic rollercoaster of magic, destiny, and star-powered drama! From the moment the protagonist learns they’re not just a regular teen but the heir to a celestial legacy, I was hooked. The world-building sparkles (literally), the plot twists hit like meteor showers, and the characters? Total stardust icons. If you’re into secret lineages, magical battles, and a dash of romance written in the stars—this one’s for you. 10/10 would pledge allegiance to the stars again.

I so wanted to love this book. It has so much potential. I may reread it to see if I love it the second time around. I really enjoyed the world building in this one!

Suraya, a bladesmith recieves an invitation summoning her to the palace. But it’s the princes brother who grabs her attention.

I enjoyed the twists of this one, but honestly I went in with such high expectations and it just didn’t hit the way I was hoping. I liked the world building, the magical creatures, and the deadly trials.

Read if you love:
* Forced proximity
* Slow burn
* Hidden identities
* Deadly trials

I liked the banter, and the mystery of the god powers, loved the mix of differed mythologies. The twist with the rebellion and who leads them totally threw me. The crowned prince needed a good throat punch lol

I started this book with the best intentions and high interest in the storyline. After reading about 30 pages, I decided that this book was not for me. The writing is very wattpad and that can be a bonus for some, but it is not a reading experience that I enjoy. Thank you for the opportunity to read the arc!

The Starlight Heir is an adventurous romantasy story, with secret princes and secret powers. The overall story was good, with lots of twists and revels throughout. At first I was getting some Red Queen and Selection vibes because I thought this was going to focus on a competition to see who would win the hand of the king. But that part of the story was actually pretty short which was kind of a bummer. The rest of the book was okay and had some good action and spicy scenes. I would probably pick up the next book just to see what happens.

Thanks Avon for the ARC.

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager, for this advanced reading copy. It was indeed a pleasure to read! The imagery and world-building, focusing on Indian/Persian astrology and mythology, was everything!

The book's opening introduces the reader to Saraya and her blacksmith abilities. The author wastes no time when the crown prince invites Suraya and one girl from each province to the royal castle to choose his bride. From there, Suraya begins her journey to the kingdom but is rudely surprised when she has to compete in deadly competitions to win the crown prince's heart. Unexpectedly, a hidden power is unleashed in Suraya that she has never known, catching the crown prince's and his mother's attention. When the rebels attack the kingdom, Suraya and the crown prince's illegitimate brother, Roshan, go on the run, and Suraya is tasked with honing her magic and skills to join the fight. But the reader is in for a surprise when it is revealed that not only the crown prince is hiding secrets but also his illegitimate brother.

I think I am getting into my romantic/fantasy era! I loved the forbidden love interest and the sexual tension between Suraya and Roshan. Besides the whimsical world-building and storytelling, one thing I enjoyed about this book was the hidden agenda unveiled towards the end. We know Javeed and his mother are looking for a bride, but they are looking for so much more in their search! The character development is good as well. Roshan was the most shocking of all! I loved the book's pace and am looking forward to the rest of this series (I'm praying there is another book)!

Suraya Saab is a fiesty heroine - she discovers her star magic or akasha in an encounter with a crone... Each geberation, a starkeeper is born with powerful magic that keeps the god of death, Fero at bay using power from Saru, the god of Light.. Her growth in understanding the magic and the concepts of the gods and star keepers kept me glued to the story. There is spice in the tale, which, for me, detracted from the main tale rather than augment it...
Sura gets invited to the Palace in search for the bride to the new King of Oryndhr - Saved, and falls instead for his roguish brother, Roshan. The politics of the Kingdom with the various houses, the rebels who are unhoused -the Dahaka, and the Scavs, a legion of drug addled mercenaries, serves a major plot line in the story... I felt the houses interplay at court could have been explored more as well..

The book is the first of all series and ends on an almost HEA. The principles of magic stemming from emotions and the discussions of belief and atheism held much promise..

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard is a fast-paced, magical ride that blends rich world-building with a strong, fierce protagonist. Suraya, a badass bladesmith with a secret celestial power, is invited to a deadly competition for the crown prince's hand in marriage—only to find out it's actually a hunt for the Starkeeper, the girl with starlight magic in her blood, and surprise, she’s the one they’re after. The mix of Persian and Indian mythology adds an exciting layer to the world, and the magical elements keep you hooked.
Suraya is the kind of heroine you root for. She’s tough, loyal, and doesn’t back down from anyone, which makes her journey engaging from start to finish. The romance with Roshan, the prince's half-brother, has great chemistry, though it’s more of a slow burn than I expected. It’s sweet but could’ve had a little more punch. While Roshan is likable, there’s a bit of room for more depth in his character. The plot moves quickly, with plenty of action and tension, though the ending felt a little rushed, and I wish there had been more focus on some of the magical creatures and side characters.
Overall, The Starlight Heir delivers a gripping adventure with solid character development, a fascinating magical world, and a romance that keeps you invested. It’s a strong start to a series that leaves you wanting more.

Got both the audio and ebook and loved this. The characters were wonderful and the story interesting. I bought a signed copy of the paperback as soon as Amalie posted about them.

I am always so hesitant to dive into new fantasy worlds because it takes a bit to learn the world and physics rules and such, but this one sucked me in from start to finish. With ACOTAR and The Trial of the Sun Queen vibes, this is a go-to for fantasy readers!!

Wow. I loved this. It is quintessential Romantasy. I had so many theories about where it was going and I was wrong. Some of it is very predictable but not in a bad way. I loved the humor of the FMC and I am SO intrigued for this upcoming triangle for the next book!!!!

i loved this, it’s so fast paced and i got sucked into Suraya’s journey immediately. Suraya is a powerful fmc who doesn’t let anyone push her around and is fiercely loyal to the people she cares about. Roshan is the illegitimate brother to the crown prince and isn’t perfect with secrets of his own, but he’s also a gentleman who just wants to protect Suraya to the best of his ability. I found both her and Roshan easy to like and Roshan especially was so witty and a big flirt, the tension between them was soooo good. the conflict with the royals and the rebellion had me at the edge of my seat, especially when Suraya and Roshan were on the run. i couldn’t stand prince Javed or his dusty mother, i was sincerely praying on their downfall the whole time. i liked the other side characters though: Aran, Clem, Laleh and Amma. I thought the magic was very creative too— that addition of another certain pov had me wanting to know more, i cannot wait for the sequel now.

This book was fine. I didn’t hate it nor did I love it. I had to force myself to finish it at the end and even then I was skimming it. The last chapter was enough to get me engaged and potentially continue the series.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I wanted to like it because I liked the premise, but the delivery just did not work for me.