I love this cover so much and the story was really fun! Instant favorite and I am getting the audio to live it again

I really enjoyed this book. I thought that it was really fast-paced, but not to the detriment of the story or worldbuilding. I was really compelled by Suraya and her story, too. I thought that she was such an interesting character who was strong and fierce but loyal--a great character. Roshan was also a great character, I found both of them to be really interesting and I enjoyed watching their interactions. The world, the magic and the characters, made this story really compelling and fast-paced. I flew through this and I had a great time reading it.

3.5 stars

The world of Amalie Howard‘s The Starlight Heir is whimsical but treacherous—combining the romance of a fairytale with the political intrigues of an epic fantasy. Within that mix, we start out as Cinderella at a deadly ball, we fight as Gladiators in the ring, and we Revolt in a quest for goodness. Each of those adventures incited by the gods of the stars and a love written by fate.

One of the book’s strengths is its exploration of themes like duty versus desire and self-discovery versus predetermined destiny. Howard sets these against a larger cosmic conflict that makes me wish I had a compendium exploring the history of her gods. However, the central romance with Suraya and Roshan plays out more like a crush, with doubtful trust issues contrasted by grand gestures of sacrifice. I just wanted more depth from their love in between.

Still, while the story occasionally relies on its familiar tropes, it also shines in its imagination and thematic framing. The Starlight Heir is a novel that embraces culture, complexity, and the cruelty of greed—delivering a multifaceted tale where women and girls dare to reshape the world based on the shapes of their hearts.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, Harper Voyager, and Amalie Howard for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this title!

Romantasy girlies, it's time to feast. This book has everything - a blacksmith blessed (cursed?) by the stars, a second son with secrets buried behind gold-flecked eyes, a shadow god who appears only in dreams, the machinations of kingdoms (and queendoms) at war, a bride competition, star-blood magic, side characters that pack a punch, fringe societies that have more power than you think, all set in a background inspired by Persian and Indian mythology.

This book grabbed my hand and had me running to catch up the entire time - the fast-paced, high-stakes coming-of-age vibes here were immaculate, and it was hard to put this book down! This book also left on a MASSIVE cliffhanger for things that were lurking in the background while our MCs were fighting for their lives, and if you think this is just another enemies-to-lovers fantasy adventure, you're going to want to lock in, because this series is GOING places.

Congrats to Amalie Howard for a stunning romantasy debut, and I will be impatiently pacing the bars of my enclosure for book 2!!!

The Starlight Heir was a fantasy that had me intrigued from the first page, especially with the unique world building and magic.

Suraya gets an invitation to attend the palace to fight to be the wife of the noble price. Shocked, she agrees to go and learn more about the city that captured her late mother's heart. But, when she arrives at the palace she encounters trials and things that are beyond her wildest dreams, especially when it is revealed that she may be the Starkeeper that everyone is on the hunt for. On the run with the king's half brother, she is on the watch daily and nightly for those who want her powers while also trying to learn what her powers actually are.

I enjoyed reading The Starlight Heir and felt it was a fresh voice in the fantasy world dominated by dragons at the moment. The world building was easy to understand and I could easily picture the different settings vividly in my head. I adored the quick chapters voiced by a male character at points during the book however; it also confused me as I was unsure who was actually talking and what was happening. I did feel that the author wrapped up book one in a satisfying way that kept me curious to discover what will occur in book two, truly as I have questions about the who's in book one and hope those to be answered.

This one was really entertaining, I flew through the story and was just along for the ride to see what would happen next with the characters and world. I liked that this was a more diverse fantasy, and the main character was truly lovely.
I enjoyed this probably more so than other fantasy romances l've read recently, but at the same time I was left wanting more.
Which I'm sure more will come and be explained as the series goes on. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Suraya, our FMC is a blade smith who gets an unexpected invitation to participate in a marriage tournament to win the crown prince’s hand. Imagine the Bachelor but for royals. We quickly meet Roshan, the illegitimate younger half-brother to the crown prince who is both flirtatious and mysterious 👀

Hijinks and slow burns ensue.


I loved the diversity and BIPOC representation of this story along with the Persian landscape. I also appreciated the mythology, banter, and the atmosphere immensely.

Overall, I did enjoy The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard but there a few aspects that brought down my rating.

- Anachronisms galore! Modern language (thick thighs save lives, stoned/high as a kite, for the win) etc. is peppered throughout this story which may not be bothersome to some but really takes me out of the atmosphere of a story.
- The FMC was 25 and at points she was naive like a teen and other times she was fully developed. I love a character arc but this was more whiplash and seemed regressive at times.
- The God of Night chapters were interesting but not fleshed out enough to make it feel like a real plot device. It came across as thrown in and perfunctory. I am happy to see there is more to the series because there is clearly more to explore here. I understand not all questions will be answered in the first book of a series but this felt a little half baked, especially considered this “shadow daddy” aspect is a large part of the marketing.

You should give this a chance if you enjoy:
- mythology/divinity
- slow burns 🔥
- hidden powers ⚡️
- banter
- political unrest
compelling magic system ✨

2 🌶️ a few open door scenes

Thank you to Harper Voyager/ Avon and NetGalley for the early reader copy. Available widely January 7, 2025!

✨ARC Review ✨

"The Starlight Heir" by Amalie Howard! It's such a delightful mix of slow burn, forbidden romance with a classic enemies-to-lovers twist. Plus, it weaves in ancient prophecies, elements of Persian and Indian mythology, lost magic, and a country caught up in rebellion. Honestly, it gave me of the vibes from the movie, "Stardust" and the trials of "The Hunger Games," while also bringing back memories of other stories I've loved. The story had be turning page by page to see how it ended. There may or may not have been DM yelling with @whatisteahreading who I knew had just finished the book.

What really stood out for me was how the author expertly made me feel all sorts of emotions for the characters. The female main character did test my patience at times—let’s just say I felt like pulling my hair out! But I also rooted for her and wanted everything to come together for her. The banter between her and Roshan had me giggling, even when it got a bit cringeworthy; I still enjoyed every moment. And can I just say how much I loved Laleh, the main character’s best friend? Her witty one-liners and cheeky innuendos had me laughing out loud. She reminded me of some of my real-life and online friends!

A huge shoutout to Amalie for crafting such a detestable crown prince and his equally vile mother. I absolutely hated them! Honestly, I found myself wishing they’d get run over by a carriage just to be rid of them. At one point, I even asked Teah if they could just die already, and I’d be perfectly fine without a sequel, haha! I think they’re definitely in the running for my most hated characters of 2025.

There were times, though, when the pacing felt a bit rushed. We’d dive into a new scene, and before I could really soak it all in, we were off to the next one, which made it hard for me to fully immerse myself in the world. Some moments felt a little shallow, like ideas that were just halfway developed. I also noticed some inconsistencies in the tone and language; modern phrases and slang didn't quite match the overall vibe of the story, which sometimes threw me off.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and can't wait to jump into the next installment in the series!

Big thanks to @Netgalley, @Avonbooks & @HarperVoyagerUS for the gifted book!

I am a fan of Amalie Howard's historical romances so was excited to read her first foray into adult romantasy. While I did enjoy "The Starlight Heir," I do think there is a lot of room for improvement as Howard explores this new to her genre. While the spicy scenes are definitely adult, much of the rest of the book reads more YA even though the FMC is 25 (though I do love Howard for having an older FMC, rare in the romantasy world). The pacing of the story is a bit erratic. Howard spends the initial part of the book establishing the universe, followed by a Hunger Games-esque bride selection. But the game ends abruptly and main characters Suraya and Roshan are on the run. From there, the story becomes quick moments of calm followed by moments of mortal danger. With Suraya's lust-filled thoughts never ending, regardless of the situation. The ending then feels a bit rushed.

As I said before, I do think this is an entertaining book. There is some good banter, and a few moments of suspense (though with outcomes that are just a bit too predictable). I admit to being a little confused about how the God of Death plays into the overall story arc, though it does seem like Howard is setting up a potential love triangle situation, which is definitely not one of my favorite tropes. I would have loved to have seen more of Sura's blacksmithing, and for her to not seem so weak in the face of her magic. She has so much BAMF potential but it goes largely unexplored. I don't know if I will continue this series, though I probably will just to see if I am right about something that happened during the ritual gone wrong. I also think Howard has the capability of growing within this genre, and I am certainly open to giving her another chance.

3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard
Fantasy with romance. Romantasy.
Suraya Saab receives an invitation to court in the capital city. The prince is looking for a bride. Suraya doesn’t care about the prince or becoming his bride. She just wants the adventure in the city and then she’ll come home and continue to work in the forge with her bladesmith skills.
Suraya hasn’t had any magic in the past but all that changes at court where she is provoked, forced to fight, and watch innocent people die. All in the name of the prince finding a bride. Her magic sparks when confronted by a creature that has already eaten several of the other females contenders in the ring. Now the Prince, King and Queen have their eye on her. And they won’t stand for her innocent flirting with the gardener anymore. Not that he is really the grounds keeper. Very soon, fight to the death will mean just that. For the entire kingdom.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook to read this. The narration is performed by Anais Inara Chase (the majority) and Ramiz Monsef. Both do a wonderful job of making their presence known with a compelling performance. I like a print version for visualization but an audiobook to make the characters come alive. And this does not disappoint. The terror, and rage, and lust and determination come through clearly as the fantasy progresses from a daughter and commoner going to a party to that of a god of the stars. An impressive text and narration. I’m sure I will listen to this again.
I did increase the speed to a normal conversation level of 1.5.

Breathtaking adult fantasy that simply comes alive.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher HarperAudio Adult.

The Starlight Heir
By Amalie Howard
3.5 stars
Arc review
I received this arc from netgalley for my honest opinion. Thank you netgalley!

This was the first book by Amalie Howard that I've read and I did quite enjoy it ! I couldn't put it down! If you're a romantasy fan and like trials/games and magic you'll like this.
There's a unique world created here as well as a unique magic system. A lot of romantasys end up feeling the same but this is very much it's own thing. There's a diverse group of characters. There's magical animals. Discovered/secret powers. The romance is cute and there's even a little spice which I love! The trials are interesting. I also love the side characters. They have a little depth to them. I absolutely dislike when an author gives side characters no depth. This is not the case here. I ended up really liking the side characters.
The MMC is so cute. BUT it's hinted that there may be a love triangle in the next book and that has me super excited to read the next one! I will be continuing this series. The one critique i have is that the FMC seems a little YA at times. Just a bit of immature dialogue. But the story is so worth it. Once again, thank you netgalley for this arc!

I put off reading this book even though I was gifted an ARC by the publisher and then won a physical ARC from a Goodreads giveaway because I’m obsessed with Amalie Howard’s writing and didn’t want this book to be over, so I put it off till the last minute and honestly that’s one of the highest compliments I can give. When i fear it’s too good, that I won’t touch it for a bit, I want to savor my time with it, I know I’ll love it going in, and I’m never wrong when I decide this either. I know what I like and this book was perfection in my eyes.

I love the fantasy system in this one, the twin gods, the power of the stars, and the prophecy all created together to bring a great fantasy story filled with an amazing romance plot as well. One thing Amalie Howard does spectacular in all genres, settings, and cultures is describe the imagery, clothing, people so well that I can see every outfit, scene and more in my head like a movie in a way that very few authors do as well!

Roshan and Suraya have a great romance, their chemistry is so fun, and their friendship and budding romance is addictive especially as Suraya is dealing with Roshan’s brother, the crown Prince. I don’t want to spoil anymore, but man I hope the second book comes soon!

I thought this story was really engaging, and it was hard to put it down with its action-packed story. The author created such a lush and unique world, but it also didn’t feel bogged down with excessive details. I enjoyed all the nods to Indian and Middle Eastern mythology and diverse cast of characters. I did find some of the big reveals to be predictable, but overall this was a great fantasy romance!

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard reminded me of A Fate Inked in Blood—if you loved that book, this one will be right up your alley. I loved the romance and witty banter between the two main characters though I wish it was more of a slow burn.
The world-building is straightforward, which makes this a quick and accessible read. However, fans of high-fantasy might find this simplicity a bit of a drawback. The story moves at a fast pace, but it slows down around the 40% mark. I would have loved to see the FMC spend more time at the castle, engaging in the games and trials, as there was only one major trial before the plot shifted to a new location.
Overall, this is a fantastic pick for fans of romantic fantasy looking for a lighter read.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
#Netgalley #thestarlightheir

The Starlight Heir is an action packed romantasy that had me hooked from the first page! This is a fast pace story with star magic, prophecies, romance, and meddling old gods. Suraya is the daughter of a tavern owner and a self taught bladesmith. She receives a summons from the King that invites her to be a potential bride to Prince Javed. When she gets to Kadari, she finds that instead of a royal courtship, she is thrown into trials full of danger and meets Prince Javed’s handsome brother Roshan. Suraya finds herself on the run with Roshan after the truth behind the King's invitation is revealed and rebels attack. Old prophecies about the Starkeeper begin to fall into place, and secrets are brought to light as Suraya leaves the palace and starts to discover truths about herself and the world around her.
The Starlight Heir was incredibly exciting to read, and I loved the magic system. I was captivated by the mythology, prophecies, and world building. The book was so full of magic and Amalie Howard beautifully illustrates that world that kept me engrossed in the book. The slow burn between Suraya and Roshan was so good. The banter and tension between them had me on the edge of my seat. I love that Suraya is a strong female from the beginning. She knows how to fight her own battles, and although she doesn't want to believe in the prophecies, she knows that she must do everything to keep her loved ones safe, including embracing who she is. I love that there is so much focus on fleshing out the details of Prince Javed and Queen Morviard. It really makes the story so much better.
Omg, that ending left me wanting more! I have so many questions that I want answered, and I want to know what happens next to Suraya. There is so much more mystery in the world, and I look forward to diving back into it with the next book!
Thank you, Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and Amalie Howard for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I found this journey enjoyable overall, though I believe it was a bit underdeveloped in certain areas. Suraya had significant potential, but she never quite reached the depth I was hoping for. While she’s not unlikable, she felt somewhat flat compared to the other more dynamic elements of the story. I expected a bit more complexity, especially considering the volatile, dangerous situation she’s thrust into. Her character arc had the potential to be much stronger—her inner conflict and the development of her powers could have added more compelling layers, but instead, her growth felt somewhat lackluster at times.

On a separate note, some of the more cringe-worthy moments took me out of the story. The use of terms like “Princesplaining” and “thick thighs save lives” felt jarring. These phrases didn’t fit the tone of the world the author had built and pulled me out of the immersive experience. While I can’t deny that the story was entertaining, moments like these detracted from the otherwise solid writing and intriguing premise.

Additionally, the constant focus on Suraya’s attraction to the prince started to feel a bit forced. I'm not against romance when it serves the plot or deepens character development, but here it felt more like an insta-love scenario that didn't contribute much to the story’s growth. The constant flirtation and sexual undertones often seemed unnecessary, and at times they distracted from the plot, which could have stood on its own without these constant diversions. I think the romance would have been more compelling if it had developed more gradually, allowing for a deeper emotional connection between Suraya and Roshan. Roshan, the prince’s illegitimate half-brother, has a lot of interesting layers, but just when I thought the story might delve deeper into his complexities, it veered off into cliché romantic tension. This again took away from the larger conflict and felt rushed—like when the story hints at him knowing something crucial that Suraya doesn’t, but then, before anything can unfold, she’s back to swooning over him.

The chapters featuring the God of Night also felt out of place. While I understand there's a sequel in the works, it seemed like the story was wrapping up, and the inclusion of this element felt disjointed and unfinished. That said, I’m still intrigued to see where the story goes next and see if some of the plot holes are filled.

The world-building, however, was impressive. The backdrop of magic and the tension between the noble houses and the rebel militia created a strong foundation for the plot, and I was genuinely invested in seeing how these dynamics would evolve. There’s a lot of potential for some exciting twists, and I look forward to seeing how things unfold.

Overall, I’d rate this 4 stars—a solid start with room for improvement. While it wasn’t the fantasy adventure I’d hoped for based on the synopsis, it’s clear that there’s a lot of potential here. I just wish the execution had been a bit more consistent and that some of the modern, cringe-worthy moments had been left out.

The book had a fantastic premise, offering a perfect mix of Romantasy and suspense. It was action-packed and featured a badass main character, Suraya, who’s an incredibly skilled bladesmith. I really enjoyed the lighthearted tone at the start, which gradually evolves into a whirlwind of intense battles and a bloody showdown. Roshan was an engaging love interest, and there were so many twists, lies, and secrets for Suraya to unravel. The ending was gripping, and I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishing, and Amalie Howard for the e-ARC.

this comes out tomorrow and I CANNOT wait for everyone to get their hands on it!! I love seeing powerful and fiercly loyal FMCs in a fantasy book! It’s so fast paced and we get sucked into Suraya’s journey immediately.

This book ended up being very different than I was expecting. I was excited about the “trials” part of this book and was disappointed that it was such a short part of the story. The romance was felt very insta-lust and I didn’t feel like the characters had any real chemistry.

The Starlight Heir

I loved all of Amalie Howard's historical romances and I'm a huge fantasy girlie so obviously put those together and I'M IN!

Summoned to the capital city to be considered as a contestant to be the bride of the future king, Suraya expects excitement and laughs from a few fancy days at court. She doesn't expect the incredibly handsome brother of the future king, nor does she expect to discover she has powers. When the rebels attack the court, her fate is set on an adventure written in the stars, seeking refuge with the rebels and trusting Roshan, the prince's illegitimate half-brother. Adventure, magic, monsters, betrayal, sacrifice and fulfilling your destiny ensue.

The start gave me The Selection vibes with a mix of Trials of the Sun Queen and the Powerless series because there's another prince brother (smirk). Followed by a Reckless kind of adventure. This was a lot of fun, especially if you're a fan of romantasy. Towards the end, I thought it was going to be a standalone fantasy, but the epilogue will have us coming back for more in Book 2 to learn more about the mysterious dark god. And will the shadow lover with inky tendrils be back?! That's what the people need to know!!

Check this out if you're looking for:
- Adult romantasy
- Instalove/lust
- Queen trials turned into a rebellion fight
- A mysterious shadow lover that brings satisfyingly spicy dreams
- Fulfilling your destiny / chosen one

Thank you to Avon for this ARC! The Starlight Heir is on shelves January 7, 2024. My opinions are my own.