Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

3 Stars

I’m not going to say much about this, because I think I’m not the correct audience for this book. While reading it I kept thinking, “My sister would love this book, it’s so similar to Fourth Wing.”

I, however, was not the biggest fan.

I might come back to this another time, when I’m more in the mood for it. Looking forward to more from this author.

Overall a good book, I would like to read more in this world. It was nice to see a mythos based on more Middle Eastern/West Asian influences. I do think that portions of the mythos could have been better explained, especially the "choice" in the third act seemed to come a bit out of no where. Also am a bit worried about the cliffhanger of an ending as it may be setting up tropes I am not a particular fan of.

If you like very epic fantasy this is a good book to pick up and I do look forward to seeing the author grow as the world does.

There's nothing particularly wrong with this book but the modern dialogue kept taking me completely out of the narrative.
I would get so distracted by it and I couldn't focus on the actual storyline.

Just not for me overall.

The Starlight Heir was such a fun read! It was a bit “fairytale” but also very NOT “fairytale” (you’ll have to read it to find out exactly what that means)! The main character was relatable and I loved that so many familiar tropes and micro-tropes worked together to create something that felt fresh to me. We had good vs. evil, good vs. *super* evil good vs. opportunistic evil and good vs. not actually evil, a reluctant hero, betrayal, secrets, magic, mythological creatures, a competition, a ball, sacrifice and so much more. I enjoyed the setting and the lore was easy to follow. The writing was also immersive. Despite being part of a series there was not a major cliffhanger at the end. The epilogue definitely gives us things to theorize about and sets up some plot points for book 2 but it was not a “throw your book at the wall” cliffhanger (which I appreciated). The Starlight Heir doesn’t release until January and I already have so many theories about book 2!

"But like all monstrous things, the god of death was patient...The light of the stars could not endure forever, after all."

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Net Galley for this ARC.

This was my first time reading a book from Amalie Howard, and I enjoyed the book.

It starts with Suraya Saab finding a note from King Zarek but Suraya thinks its a prank. After a while she finds out it is not a prank and actually, is invited to the palace along with other women to 'fight' for the hand of the crowned Prince's hand in marriage. Her mother had always told her beautiful stories about it but her father and aunt do not want her to join the competition for reason they wont tell her. Of course she goes though, and the story starts.

What lacked for me is that sometimes the spice and dialogue felt forced. Like it was trying to be accommodating to other popular books. For example, "Thick thighs save lives"? That took me out completely and felt super random. I'm reading a fantasy book not a contemporary. And If you take out the spice It could easily be labeled a YA. And I do not mean that as a negative, I just think if a book is going to be directed more towards an adult audience, it should have more elements besides spice that make it adult. Also, while on the topic of things feeling forced, the inner dialogue of Suraya and her hots for Roshan were repeated numerously and I was getting frustrated. And therefore I felt their 'connection" was not as real and more based on his looks.

What I did enjoy though was the plot. It was written very well and I liked seeing Suraya find herself this book. One of my favorite things in the book were the royal bride trials and I truly wish the were longer because I did enjoy them so much. The lore was incredible and I was in awe of how it was explained and the world building was great too. Overall, it was fast paced plot wise and I enjoyed that, but the romance was a little too fast. The author writes detailed characters with awesome backstories.

An imaginative journey that combines elements of fantasy and mythology. As my first read by this author, I was captivated by the unique premise and the rich tapestry of myth woven throughout the plot. Howard's ability to integrate these ancient stories into a modern narrative is impressive and adds depth to the overall experience.

However, I found myself wishing there had been more focus on the trials at the beginning of the book. They felt rushed and could have benefited from further development, as I believe they could have added significant tension and excitement to the story. The foundation was laid beautifully, but I wanted to see those stakes explored more thoroughly.

Overall, while "The Starlight Heir" had its strengths, it didn’t fully deliver on its promise for me. I enjoyed the blend of fantasy and mythology, and I’m curious to see how Howard’s storytelling evolves in future works. If you’re a fan of myth-inspired tales, this book may still be worth a look!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This had lots of intriguing material but I ultimately couldn't get into it.

*Thank you Netgalley and Avon for an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Okay, so to start I thought this book was really good and well-written. I thought Suraya was a fantastic MC and truly had the depth needed for the plot. I also appreciated the pace of the book and enjoyed that it was not a dense or slow read.

My main critique was that the book felt a little too fluffy and that it was made to fit in on the tiktok table at a bookstore. This usually doesn't bother me, but some of the scenes and quotes felt forced and out of place.

Overall, a very good read and I am excited to see how the story progresses in the next book!

What an amazing story of strength, discovering fate and forging one’s own destiny!

Suraya is an incredible FMC, with the guts of a lion and it is an extraordinary privilege to follow & witness her development as she founds herself in the most unexpected turn of events!

Thank you Amalie, Avon & Harper Collins for the amazing adventure & NetGalley for bringing this piece of fierce art to my hands! LOVED IT!

#TheStarlightHeir #NetGalley #AmalieHoward

Read this in one sitting, it was such a great read! loved the plot and background of the story. Great cover

New romantasy time! Pros: a strong start, easy-to-read prose, a MMC who isn't rude or creepy (yay!!), and an exciting ending.

At first I was disappointed that the royal bride trials ended kind of early on, but then I was fine with it. We get a TON of trial-type plots in this genre as it is, and Trial of the Sun Queen already exists to scratch the specific deadly The Bachelor itch. But... that's also where the book started to lose me.

I love slow burn romances. I don't like instalust or super horny characters. Our FMC Suraya WASN'T that thirsty at first, but once she left the palace and went on her desert adventure... Stare at the MMC Roshan while he's working out. Fantasize about him or her shadow daddy while sleeping. Get turned on when Roshan teaches self-defense or when he visits her at the blacksmith's or when they're running for their lives. She was even perving on him when he was grieving his father! Gross! Read the room girl! It got the point where I wanted to skim scenes with her and Roshan together.

I didn't mind Roshan, but because Suraya was drooling over him constantly, it felt like their romance was mainly rooted in how hot she found him rather than the development of a meaningful relationship. As far as spice goes, there's a sex scene a little over halfway through, some shadow daddy dreams earlier, and another scene maybe 2/3 through.

There were a few uncomfortable romantic relationships IMO involving siblings (not incest!! not sure how else to word it). Suraya's mom's dead, and Suraya wants her mom's twin sister to hook up with her dad. Roshan's dad cheated on his wife with her sister, Roshan's mom. Roshan's evil brother wants to marry Suraya. It seemed like there was a sibling involved in each romantic entanglement. Kinda weird.

I do think there'll be a love triangle with the mysterious shadow daddy character in the sequel. I'm so tired of that MMC trope but on the other hand I'm kind of intrigued by it here? Is he a god? Is he the real villain? I have to read the sequel to find out. Darn you for that hook!

This was a little better than middle of the road for me. I loved the lore and worldbuilding, so immersive and captivating. The plot was fun and exciting. The characters were strong and likeable. It just didn't blow me away or wow me or make me feel obsessed. I think it's over reliance on romantasy tropes is partly to blame for that, which I know some readers will absolutely love. I just wanted something a little more fresh and original, especially considering how unique the world felt to me. 3.5 rounded up. I'd still definitely recommend to romantasy lovers. Also, the cover art is absolutely stunning!

I loved the premise and idea of this book, however I did dnf due to spice.

Thank you for the ARC read.

Absolutely captivating. This was such a great fantasy, the world building was fantastic. The character dynamics blew me away and I really love Suraya. I can’t wait for the next one!

This book was very good! I loved the high stakes and fast action storyline, the magic lore, the good vs bad prince, and our main character. It was full of adventure, quite sexy, and lots of fun. The ONE thing that really kept taking me out of the story was the modern phrases being used. This is a fantasy and they use phrases like “thick thighs save lives” and “resting bitch face”.

This was such a great read. I absolutely loved the main characters, and the spicy scenes were top notch.

Political intrigue, mythological beasts, betrayals, romance… this book really had a little bit of everything. I thought it was an excellent fantasy debut for Howard, who is already well known for her work in historical romance. I do think this shows a bit in her style of writing, which will appeal more to some readers than others. Overall, I thought it was a very fun read. The world was unique, characters well developed and the story had me intrigued from the first page!

This book had all the parts to be epic. The plot was good, the authors writing style is easy to read and follow, the relationship between the main characters is beautiful. It was just missing something for me. I thought the beginning of the book was gold. But then it felt like the flow was off. It skipped around, and the author passed over things that maybe would have slowed down the story and given it more meat. It felt like the “lite” version of an epic fantasy novel. For example she created this magic system that is amazing with runes and only the main character can read them, but she never describes what they look like or explains why they show up on people’s body or their history. I wanted more. This series has potential and I hope this author continues to evolve.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶🫑 / 5

✨ The Chosen One
✨ Royal suitor
✨ Rebels vs. Corrupt Crown
✨ Love triangle

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! As always, Amalie Howard does not disappoint in her writing style, prose, or pacing and kept me on my toes and entertained throughout the book.

Things I liked:
I really loved the strong female relationships in this book, both between Sura and Laleh, Sura and Clem, Sura and Amma, and the memories of her strong relationship with her mom. Roshan also had a very close relationship with his mom and I loved that this was exhibited for the readers, even though his mom has long since passed.

I also enjoyed how confused and overwhelmed Sura was throughout the whole book, but wasn't TSTL. She certainly was not a Mary Sue, but she also didn't make me want to rip my hair out from how dumb she being. Instead, she felt very well-balanced and extremely relatable.

I LOVED the hints of what's to come in the future books. The chapters from the God of Darkness's perspective were just *chef's kiss* those chapters kept me coming back to this book like an addict. At one point I realized I had skimmed an entire chapter just to get to another of his faster and I made myself go back and re-read.

But we all know (view spoiler)

I am absolutely DESPERATE for the sequel!!

What I didn't like:
This *felt* YA and I really don't know how to explain that because it's not an insult. I know a lot of people use that as an insult and I do NOT mean it that way. Some people use it to convey that a book was immature, the writing was bad, or the characters were TSTL.

None of that is true in this case.

So I'm not sure I can quite put my tongue on it, but if you removed the spice I could definitely see it being a YA book. And that's not to say YA is bad, it's just usually not my cup of tea. BUT I'm hopeful that the next book in the series will feel a bit grittier/have higher stakes/be spicier. Either way, I can't wait to read the next book!!

If you liked Red Queen, but wanted it aged up and with spice, I think you'll like the Starlight Heir.

I received an arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Suraya is one of 100 potential brides chosen to compete in a contest to marry the prince. She quickly realizes things aren’t as they seem, maybe shes not who she thinks she is, and everyone around her has secrets. It’s magical, lightly political, a little romantic and sexy.

I love the world building, the characters are super interesting and detailed. I read the entire book in two days. There are some cliffhangers that make me extremely excited for the next book.

This will definitely be on my favorites of the year list.