I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5/⭐️
3/🌶

SCREAMING because I have to wait for the next book in the series.😩 This book was EVERYTHING.

I'm a huge sucker for good world building and a unique magic system and Howard gives it all. If you're looking for your next fantasy read full of secrets, hidden magic, old gods, court intrigue, and an evil queen, this is for you!

Suraya is a force. She refused to go down without fighting and seeing her growth throughout the book was incredible. I was suspish of Roshan from the beginning, and I'm still a little suspicious, but I'll give him points for loyalty. I also sense a Shadow Daddy in our future. 👀 I don't want to say too much and ruin the twists and secrets.

The whole time I was reading I was mourning the fact that this book had an end, I wanted to stay immersed in Endara forever. Pack me up and ship me off, this is one world I want to stay in. I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book in the series.

A good start to a romatasy series, different than many others that I have read with a complicated world that took me a while to understand. Unique characters that had me questioning my life choices. Our FMC a strong capable woman who is sweet, a bit naive and at times irritates me to no end. You could say that she is written precisely because of what her character/role entails and maybe I’m just jaded. That I couldn’t understand why she was confused or fought certain things. Like for what? This is the best option for you, you don’t have many other choices. Or what did you think was going to happen. Her sense of the world and her way of viewing things, definitely showed her inexperience with the world and others. I enjoyed the magic system, it was entertaining and new. The characters felt a bit predictable in a lot of areas but they were also a bit cozy and cute. I felt a bit misled in the beginning it was pretty funny and goofy with the characters. Things quickly changed to more adventure, tension and mystery. I will definitely keep a look out for the rest of the series I’m curious for what’s to come.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager publishing I received a ARC for an honest review !

**Thank you NetGalley and HarperVoyager/Avon for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Posted to: NetGalley and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 21 December 2024

2.8 (rounded up to 3) out of 5 stars.

This has been one of my lowest rated and earliest dropped books of the year and I’m kind of really disappointed! I came here with a mild understanding of the book, no previous experience with Amalie Howard’s writing via previous books, and no expectations.
Boy, will I learn to do my research better next time…

I’m a hater by nature. I can hash out the meanest review if I wanted to. I won’t though, because I don’t wanna be mean considering I,
1.) didn’t get far into the read at all (10%) to give it a fair and fighting chance at redemption
2.) should have done my research better to see if this was a pick for me or not.
3.) know that I could’ve been way meaner for another read *cough,serpentanddove,cough* and I wasn’t, so I’ll keep that kindness here again too.
So, I’ll start my review with that much. I’m going to be as fair as I can be in my words because I know I didn’t finish, but I have zero desire to continue it.
“Why not?” you may ask if you know me because sometimes I like to spite read books I don’t enjoy or at least push on to the 20% mark before DNF’ing.
“Because,” I say, “there wasn’t enough to keep me hooked.”

Let’s begin.

I am in the lgbt+ community. I myself identify as pansexual/panromantic. I don’t feel like I have the voice to speak out on bisexual struggles against stereotypes that are prominently made in media. I can, however, bring awareness to it and suggest people turn to more vocal pages and people instead (there’s multiple threads on Twitter/X that I used when making my mind up on whether or not I would talk about this in my review or not so that’s a place to start)
We are introduce to Laleh in the first chapter. She is Suraya’s best friend and not explicitly stated as bisexual, but there is a mention of her having previously dated a woman and now she’s lusting over the prince. It can be assumed that she’s bisexual because of this (or I assumed so at least since bisexuality tends to be featured in books more than pansexuality from what I’ve personally seen anyways). “But that’s not too bad!” you might think and yeah, it’s not. It’s good! Love to see the rep! Until that rep is painted to be very sexually minded. Every other sentence, it seems, is some innuendo about sex, or she’s always making sexual hand/mouth motions. She quite literally tells Suraya to ‘clear the cobwebs’ she’s sure to have since she hasn’t had sex in a while. And okay, the argument could be made that Laleh isn’t meant to be seen as more promiscuous than Suraya, but as more sex positive. I personally think that’s a very thin line to toe though, especially considering the romantic inclinations of Laleh. It can be seen either or, and I just personally saw it as fitting too closely into bisexual (or any non-straight for the matter if you wanna get broader) stereotypes that are harmful for the bisexual community.
I encourage open conversations if others think otherwise and totally am open to learn other points of view! This is simply mine and it left a bad taste in my mouth enough to not like the book. There’s even a part in a different chapter where somebody has transitioned somehow, but the person they are speaking to is ‘uncaring about her preferences or appearance’ after the former character has stated they now go by a different name. This moment could also be shrugged off and I might be looking way too deeply into things, but it, again, did not sit well with me.

To shift gears a little, let’s talk about our main character Suraya. She’s pretty much like any romantasy character in that she’s given this opportunity and cannot believe somebody picked her because “well look at me!” (She’s basic, she’s your average looking woman who doesn’t see her beauty compared to others). She’s a pretty interesting enough voice to follow up until (maybe jokingly, maybe not) says that the prince’s type has to be ‘some stunning specimen with melon-sized breasts and a brain the size of a walnut.’
I dunno… didn’t rub me the right way at all.

To not entirely be a hater, I’ll bring up something I did like. The writing style has to be one of my favorites, scene-building wise. The prose was quite nice and enjoyable in style! I could tell that this would have been a lovely world to dive into via the writing alone. There was just a disconnect with the way the characters speak and the setting. That’s totally on me though. When things aren’t set in some modern-day town or city, I automatically assume it’s some historically dated era. You can imagine how jarring it was to go into this book thinking this only to read, “book boyfriends are simply better”, or “thick thighs save lives”. Ya know? Again, that’s totally on me (or that’s on me for always assuming that more dated settings need to use dated language. It’s a fantasy world so change it up however you want babes, just personally it wasn’t the take I was following so I was taken aback at first)

Anyways, all of this to say (my tl;dr summary): the prose was nice. The writing flowed well and I actually liked it for setting bits. The disconnect came from how characters were being portrayed, and assumed things that I made for the book instead of just letting it flow as it is. ‘The Starlight Heir’ isn’t a read for me. It might be for you and kudos for that much, but I have to pass on this one. Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for approving me for this ARC. I just hate to say it wasn’t for me at all. I’ll do a better job at researching what I can about books before requesting them, but nonetheless I am grateful for the opportunity no matter how short-lived it was.

this is a 3.75 for me. This was in a lot of ways a solid book, and it had a lot of elements I like but I just could not connect to the book. While I can't pinpoint exactly what I think the book needed I think it has a little to do with the writing and pacing. At the start there was a good breakdown and description of everything but then as the book went on, we got the bare bones of descriptions of the environments and the rooms. For example, one scene we would find out that they are in a red sandy desert and that's it. There just wasn't a lot for me to feel immersed and picture it in my head. It just all felt very straight forward like here is a red desert and now we are moving on. Which in turn made the pacing feel a smidge fast paced. Not so rushed that I felt like things on fast forward but just that it felt like there were missed opportunities to really delve into things and make the reader really invested in the characters and what was going on. I also found it weird at times that this is a romantasy and not like some modern day one but one that is less developed but at times there would be modern day phrases being used like toxic masculinity or terms I would see on booktok that just felt out of place with what I was reading.
But I think the idea for this book was a really good one, I liked the characters and the plot line and while I think this is overall a solid book that I am sure lots of other readers will enjoy I personally was left wanting more.

This book is about Suraya Saab who is a blacksmith whose family runs an inn. So, you can imagine her surprise when an invitation from court appears requesting her presence at court as a potential bride for the prince. While she has no aspirations to marry the prince and see's little chance, he will pick her as she has no qualifications to be a princess or future queen, she sees this as an opportunity to leave her home and go on an adventure to the capital. So off to the capital she goes and within moments of being there let's just say she doesn't make the best impression to members of the court or the royal family. But surprisingly they don't ship her back to her home and she is allowed to compete in what she finds out is a bridal trial that can have deadly consequences. While she tries not to stand out, she manages to capture the eye of the prince, and she comes to find out that the main objective wasn't to find a bride for the prince but rather the Starkeeper a myth of a girl who has the magic of the stars in her blood... and they think she is that girl and they have special plans in store for her. But before they can carry out these plans a rebel force who is displeased with the royal houses attacks the castle and she is able to escape with the help of none other than the prince's handsome illegitimate half-brother Roshan. And now they are both on the run from the Queen and her son the prince who will stop at nothing to get their hands on her the Starkeeper and the magic that she has no control over. All to summon a forgotten dark god who has his own plans for Suraya's magic and her world.

This book was quite good. The pacing was a bit slow in the middle, but that ending.... I knew there would be more to the dragon and the other pov we see.... So excited to see what's next!

This book was a really easy and fun read. I enjoyed the build up with Roshan, and the influence of different cultures on the mythology and food (the food descriptions made me so hungry!). There were a couple points within the story where I had a harder time connecting the threads, but I think at least some of that is setting us up for the next book. I am definitely interested in continuing with the series!

This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.

Had to DNF at 20% because it’s not for me. So far, nothing is really interesting. But the most glaring thing is the modern phrases like “Goals!” or “for the win!” thrown in the midst of “Well Met” and it just makes me roll my eyes a little. Also, chapter 6 starts with a literal “shadow Daddy” dream…..too far for my taste.

I love this book. I appreciated the high fantasy aspect and the paranormal sense. Amalie Howard always develops her characters so deftly and the tension that builds throughout the book was just incredible.

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard is the story of Suraya, a blacksmith, who is chosen to attend court as a possible bride for the royal prince. Suffice it to say, nothing is as it seems and when things go awry she teams up with Roshan, the prince’s half-brother. She learns she harbors magic of her own and must rely on herself to figure out who, and what, she is. She soon realizes that she doesn’t know who she can trust, least of all herself.

I enjoyed Suraya’s story and stayed engrossed throughout the book, eager to see what happened. The characters and world building are very well written and realistic, making it a very vivid read! There are numerous twists and turns for the reader as well as the characters, making it easy to empathize with them and build a connection. Over all, I recommend this book to those who like a gritty FMC who is more than capable of saving herself, a MMC who would be happy to step in should he need to, and a slow-burn turned spicy entanglement that breaches the heavens and sets the stars ablaze. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Really liked the concepts of this book. The world was unique and unlike many of the other books I have read recently. I think this will be very successful

I want to think netgalley and harpercollins for an e-arc of this beautiful book! The Starlight Heir had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down when I got about 55% in. It has a lot of world buidling in the beginning but you just need to get through that and then I promise you won't want to put this book down. I loved the trials to be a bride to be, the plot twist, the magic system is so amazing, I love the astrology aspect of this book. Sura and Ro have my heart and I can't wait to see their characters grow in the second book. I need to know who the God of Night is like right now. I wish we had more chapters ofe his pov and where he takes place in all of this but I can't wait to read the second book!

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard is a story steeped in deceit, self discovery, and love against all odds. And I devoured every word, this book was spectacular!

Action packed from page one and a fast pace made this book all the more alluring. Suraya, the FMC, is thrust into a new world, very different from her life as a commoner, filled with political intrigue, secrets, and prophesized magical powers. On her path to find the truth she has to dig down deep in her soul and discovery who she really is/wants to be.

The other characters, Prince Roshan, Prince Javed, and Queen Morvarid are all very well fleshed out and add a certain depth to one of the main plot point - good vs. evil - as not everything is as it seems (or is it?)

Overall I highly enjoyed The Starlight Heir and I would recommend it to anyone who loves romantasy, choose one, quests, or banter vibes in their books!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the eARC!

I thought the cover of The Starlight Heir was pretty and eye-catching. I appreciated the author's incorporation of Persian, Indian and Caribbean culture and heritage, which added value to the story. The characters were interesting, but the writing style made them present as much younger than their identified age which was confusing at times. It kept giving me the impression that although this is an adult book that maybe the author's writing comfort zone is teens or maybe young adult. As a reader who loves fantasy books, I enjoyed the magical creatures but I was disappointed with the magic system and the magic of the characters wasn't always believeable. I prefer when magic makes sense and has limitations versus stories where the character seems to have unparalleled abilities where everything seems to work with little to no issue. Overall, there were elements of this book that I enjoyed and times were it clearly missed the mark.

Thank you Harper Voyager for providing me an early review copy via NetGalley! 💗

This book surprised me and I did end up enjoying it more than I expected! I wasn't big on the characters at first but they did grow on me as the story progressed. The plot was fantastic and really kept me engaged. The way this ended, I'm VERY eager to see what's to come in the next installment 👀

2.5 stars

Howard is hit or miss for me and wow was this a miss.

One, this is supposed to be adult, but you cannot convince me that these supposed twenty-somethings didn’t act and talk like teenagers at best. It’s like your little sister wants to prove she’s a grownup by being unnecessarily vulgar. Plus, Suraya’s reasoning and decision-making was that of an undeveloped teen’s brain.

Two, the world building was thin at best, and at worst, bad enough that you could find plot holes big enough for a Mac truck. There was so much inconsistency and things that just plain didn’t make sense.

Three, the plot twists and reveals weren’t actually all that surprising. And I’m starting to get unreasonably angry when characters react in an over-the-top manner to a secret revealed.

Finally, the language. I could almost get over the super modern slang (princesplaining really?). But I was CACKLING at some of the euphemisms used. “Tool of sensual destruction” and “bulge of his masculinity” were 2 favs.

Anyway, many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.
I mean at least the cover is really pretty!

Suraya, 25-year-old metalsmith, receives an invitation (read: demand) to join the Crown Prince’s bride contest. Much to her dismay, she is herded through a portal to the capital, a place she both fears and dreams of. The tasks that follow prove to be more than Suraya bargained for - and she is quickly fighting for her life.

I enjoyed the Persian-inspired setting and parts of the magic system, but they both seemed underdeveloped. The romance is decently written, if a bit rushed.

I love dragons as much as the next fantasy lover, but I appreciated seeing some truly unique creatures in this story. Both the creatures and the setting were imbued with the author’s Caribbean, Indian, and Middle Eastern heritage, which did make this story stand out to me. Unfortunately…

I found many of Suraya’s skills to be unbelievable. If there were any hints before each skill was necessary to the plot, I missed them. Much of the plot was one of convenience with no seeds planted, nothing to make it feel earned. I found myself almost completely emotionally disconnected - and I’m a person that sometimes cries at commercials.

Some of the modern dialogue was immersion breaking, but I try to be forgiving of this (if no one ever tried anything new, life would be awfully boring).

Overall, this read mostly as YA for me, excluding the spice, which was open door with 2-3 scenes.

Thanks NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for letting me read The Starlight Heir. I wanted to like this more than I did, but I felt the writing tone was disjointed with the world-building. Very early on, there’s a character that refers to book boyfriends, which would be find in a contemporary romance, but this a middle-eastern inspired fantasy in an older world type setting, so references like book boyfriends really messed up me ability to immerse myself in the story.

I had the pleasure of reading the arc for The Starlight Heir (which comes out early January 2025) and LOVED IT!

To start before I get into my full review…I am very much a mood reader who leans fantasy in reading preference. If you mix high fantasy style writing/words with today’s language, doesn’t bother me in the slightest, if anything it helps me feel more at home with the book because I’m not having to check the glossary every 5 minutes.

All that to be said, the actual book:

You have our main female character Suraya, who is unexpectedly called to the capital to take part in a bachelor style contest to win the heart of the king. Suraya, who has always dreamed of going to the capital is excited to get out of her city and explore the place her mother spoke to her about growing up…the prince…zero interest. Her plan is to lay low and just enjoy her time there. Very quickly she is noticed, thrown into trials to win the princes heart and the book really starts rolling.

This book is about Suraya’s growth, learning about her potential powers and being on the run from people that want to use her for bad intentions. I thoroughly enjoyed learning the unique magic system, meeting all the side characters and her exploring a world she didn’t know existed. There are plot twists, a slow-ish burn with an unlikely character & the ending leaves you wanting more as you finally figure out everything you just learned wasn’t what it seems. I enjoyed diving into this world & look forward to seeing what Amalie gives us in book 2!

Thanks NetGalley and HarperCollins for the early copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me with an ARC of this novel.


This story started out strong for me, with an interesting cast of characters, unique fantastical world-lore, and courtly tension. However, about halfway through, I found my interest waning and began skimming large sections.

This could have just been me and some seasonal funk affecting my ability to sink into a story, but I just seemed to lose concern over the characters and the larger plot. The Shadow Dream Man plot and Darrius chapters were intriguing but did not give me enough to build true interest in - I felt those pieces needed to be fleshed out more because they clearly will come back in the next book. As they stand, they don't seem to add much to this novel's story/plot/aim.

I wanted to love this because Amalie Howard's historical romances are so fun! But sadly The Starlight Heir wasn't for me. It felt like every other competition-focused fantasy romance, with modern language that really pulled me out of the story. It was hard for me to connect! I did love the Indian mythology influences. Thank you for an ARC!