As a newer fantasy reader, this world building was easy to follow. I also enjoyed the Indian influence as that is not you typically see. Suraya is a bladesmith who lives in a quiet town with her father and aunt. Unexpectedly, she is invited to the palace to compete for the crown prince's hand in marriage. On this journey, she learns more about herself, her mother, and her new confidant, Roshan, who is the spare to the crown. There is a lot of banter between the two that lightens the mood throughout the book. I listened to the second half of the book as an audiobook and found the narrator enjoyable. Thank you to the author and publisher for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

DNF at 14.5%.
I was looking forward to listening to this one because I have read good reviews about it but sadly it didn’t draw me in or keep me engaged. I will try again at a later date. I may not be in the mood and didn’t want to force it.

A very special thanks to Harper Audio Adult + NetGalley for the ALC.

for fans of:
- Powerless
- the Red Queen

This book includes:
- a tournament to earn the future king's hand in marriage
- a conspiracy
- two powerful princes

This book will certainly be popular on TikTok. It is similar to any bland romantasy and has little to offer in terms of prose or plot. This book is perfect for fans of Powerless. Much in the same way that "Powerless" is an exact replica of "the Red Queen," but worse written. "The Starlight Heir" is an exact replica of "Powerless," but even worse written. I was so excited for this read, so this feels like a big disappointment.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Amalie Howard, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted across my socials under the username @tinynightingales, check out my GoodReads profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863
my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/
and booktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tinynightingales?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

This book has me feening for book 2! How unique this magic system is and only giving us the tip of the iceberg of what's sure to come in the next book. I felt the development of the main characters was perfect. We have our strong FMC who's magic is awoken at being summoned by the King and Queen for possible courtship of the prince. Our fierce MMC who is gorgeous and holds many secrets. The narrator of the book was perfect! She did a wonderful job helping the listener immerse themselves into the story. I could picture everything in my mind. The narrators voice was perfect for the middle eastern vibes I was getting and flowed so well. I enjoyed the world building, story/lore telling, the steamy romance aspect, and the witty banter between our MMC and FMC. I could go on and on but I don't want to spoil the story!

Thank you NetGalley and Amalie Howard for an advanced audiobook copy for my honest review.

Honest Review
Thanks to NetGalley for this gifted audiobook and book.
The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard is a delightful romantasy that sweeps you into a lush, vibrant world inspired by Persian and Indian mythology and culture. The unique setting and magical system make this story stand out, creating a rich backdrop for an exciting and emotional adventure.

Packed with all the best tropes—prince as the MMC, a delicious slow burn romance, forced proximity, and plenty of political intrigue—this book keeps you hooked from start to finish. It’s action-packed yet perfectly balanced with character-driven moments.

The audiobook performance is top-notch and adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the story, making it even easier to get lost in the world. Whether you read it or listen, The Starlight Heir is a quick, easy, and immensely fun read that’s perfect for romantasy fans.

The book is out now—don’t wait to dive in!

MY HEAD IS STILL SPINNING!!!!

Suraya is a blade smith. She has just finished her most stunning creation, and is VERY proud of it when she receives an invite…from the Crown Prince…to come to the Palace in the Kingdom… as he’s looking for a wife!
She LAUGHS! Obviously one of her friends is having some fun with her. This is not real…

Then her bff, Lolly, comes to see her. As they are talking she tells her how some of the girls received this BEAUTIFUL invitation…. Suraya is shocked. Lolly is scared. What is going on? She shows the invite to Lolly and they are both ecstatic!! Talking about seeing everything in the palace. How amazing this will all be! And now, Suraya is very excited…

BUT…when she tells her Dad, he asks her not to go. No reason why really…just don’t go. She wants to hear nothing of this, so off she goes…

So she arrives…and on the way meets this handsome boy, who must be a gardener or something, as he’s dressed plainly. They talk a bit, and she’s taken in, but she moves on…

At the same time, the QUEEN appears…and she is NOT nice at all…
And so it begins…

The girls/women who are gathered are intimidating…to say the least.
And the Prince, well, he’s a real piece of work…

To make matters worse, the first ‘game’ involves a question/riddle…but if you answer it wrong, well, who knows what will happen?? ( We do later find out, when a friend Suraya has made (at the palace) appears the following day after going missing after the first ‘game’…

The second ‘game’ is much more intense…as this one involves…fighting til death! And only a few will make it out alive. 😮😮😮

This is when the story really opens up wide…and the terror begins!

As we find out why the Prince and the Queen REALLY gathered all the women together…

This one is NOT for the feint of heart!
Triggers include: ⚠️. Grueling, agonizing deaths. Deaths of loved ones. Drug abuse. Unfair wars. Wiping out entire towns on a whim… Severe threats. And, a little bit of sexual misconduct… ⚠️

On the lighter side…
There’s: ❤️ Love. Friendship. Family Bonds. Romantasy. World Building. Magicks. Unknown Powers. Magical Realism. Unknown Gods… Hidden Prince’s. And…What I’m going to call a Fairy Godmother…. And, last but not least, the love of a mother (and father) that can shine through the darkest of days!! ❤️

This one had it all, and makes you feel all the feels…from love, to rage, to heartbreak, to hopelessness, to feeling on top of the world!!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

#TheStarlightHeir by #AmalieHoward and narrated beautifully by #AnaisInaraChase and #RamizMonsef.

Of note: This looks to be Book #1 in the series!! (Yay!!) ❤️✨❤️✨

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarperAudioAdult for an ARC of the audiobook! Although I was lucky enough to receive this a few days ago, this one has already been released, so you can look 👀 for it on shelves NOW!!

You can also find my reviews on:
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

I really liked the narrators themselves. I think this book suffered a little from using modern slang and phrases that didn’t fit the vibe. It does have good diversity and cultural references that gave it something more than just being another book about fae or magic. The spice is spicy but also sometimes cringe.

2.5 stars

i don’t think this one was for me! i don’t know if i was confused in the world building or if i just didn’t understand/connect with the chapters but it felt kinda boring and outside of the unique fantasy aspects, i feel like ive read this same plot line in other books.

i also disliked the use of very modern day phrases, i feel like it took away from the fantasy aspect and made it hard for me to understand where the world was at

the audio was well produced and i thought the narrators did a great job i just think the overall plot wasn’t for me

The Starlight Heir was... Okay.... I enjoyed the idea of the story, but I felt like there were to many ideas trying to fit in and it just didn't quite work.... To much jumping around, not enough world building. The character development was great, and then they just kinda bounced around and it didn't make enough sense to me.

This is a captivating read for fans of epic fantasy romance, adventure, and self-discovery, who will be swept away by a tale of forbidden love, ancient magic, and the struggle for power in a world where the lines between truth and deception are blurred.

This was a fun start to what I assume is a series, as the ending was slightly open (solid HFN/HEA, but a few plot points left unanswered). There are a lot of dragons flying around right now, and while they are good books, it was nice to see one that wasn’t about dragons. Suraya discovers accidentally that she has been blessed by the stars with some powers she knows nothing about, or how to control them. And magic is banned. Oops.

We meet a fun cast of characters that I hope might also get stories in the end. The world building was good, and THERE IS A MAP! Half of which we haven’t explored, so I hope we do that in future books as well. (I love maps and thing all fantasy books should have one.)

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was good as well. I haven’t listened to anything read by her before, but she was easy and clear to understand. There were only a few chapters by the male narrator, who was also clear to understand.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, which was performed and produced really well! It was an enjoyable experience.
I ate up the book in less than 24 hours and stayed up way too late listening to it!
Ultimately, I did really enjoy this book, and it seems set up for a sequel, which I will happily read.
Some spoilers ahead.
It is very classic romantasy, with a lot of the same tropes.
That doesn't bother me, l eat it up every single time along with the rest of the bookish community! What I see a lot and DON'T necessarily love, is the FMC thinking she needs to know all secrets and the entire mind of the MMC the second they start "dating". Then getting mad or feeling betrayed when something comes to light. I just don't think it's realistic and makes characters sound very entitled and whiny, especially when the MMC is the leader of a rebellion and spilled secrets affect way more lives than just the trust of the FMC.

Suraya is a bladesmith who is used to living a quiet life with her family. One day she receives an invitation to participate in a tournament to become the bride of the crowned prince. Excited to visit the city, Suraya accepts the invitation. Little does she know the competition is being held in hopes of finding the star keeper. Suraya quickly falls for the wrong brother. He helps her escape and tries to help keep her hidden from the crowned prince. When they are found Suraya will do whatever it takes to save him.

This is a very fast paced book with lots of drama.

Thank you to Amalie Howard and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am on a huge fantasy kick this January, probably due to the big book releasing next week *EEK*. This ride is not letting up with The Starlight Heir! I love a chosen one trope, and Suraya is a stellar chosen one (literally). The teasing and tension between her and Roshan was so realistic and fun, and Clementine was such a good companion during the first part of the book. The Bachelor was literally happening with the crown prince, and it felt like The Selection books and I ATE those up once upon a time.

Things I didn't love:
* Pacing was a little off - beginning was great, but I was spacing off in the middle
* Ending was not my favorite - I think it wrapped up nicely (thank god), but some of the reveals/action scenes felt rushed or predictable

I would have loved to hear more about the history of the power and how it impacted the people of the past firsthand. I also wish we would have had even more of Clementine - she was an underrated character!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ALC of this audiobook.

The narrators were phenomenal. I loved the characters and the world. My only issue with this, which is minor, is that some of the secrets that were revealed at the end had been pretty obvious. I also feel like our FMC could have caught on if she’d just paid a little more attention and asked questions instead of just letting it go every time.

That being said, I really liked this and will definitely read book 2. I will also be checking out any other books by this author

Looking for your next 5 star romantasy? I've got you covered!

"The Starlight Heir" by Amalie Howard has rocketed to the top of my favorites list! From the very first page, I was hooked, and just a few chapters in, I was totally addicted. The world-building is amazing but still easy to understand and visualize which I loved!

l absolutely loved the main characters. Suraya and Roshan! They had instant chemistry, usually I'm more of a fan of slow burn but in this story it was just perfect!

And that epilogue... I can't wait to see what happens next!

If that's not enough to convince you, check out Rebecca Yarro's quote on the top of the book when she says a book is her next obsession you know it's going to be good!

A huge thank you to @avonbooks for this gifted copy and to @amaliehoward for creating one of my new favorites!

Synopsis:

"A bladesmith blessed by the stars, a prince with a dangerous secret, and a god bound in shadows. When Suraya Saab receives a royal invitation, she thinks it's a joke. Skilled in the magical art of jadu, she's no candidate for the crown prince's bride. But the adventure that awaits her in Kaldari is beyond imagination and full of danger. It's not the prince, but his dashing, illegitimate half-brother Roshan, who captures her interest. The invitation is a cover for hunting the Starkeeper-a girl with star magic in her blood. With unrest brewing and rebels attacking, Suraya and Roshan must navigate their simmering attraction and hidden secrets. All while a dark god's interest threatens everything."

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for this ARC!!

3.8 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the lovely audiobook.

In my opinion, Romantasy is such an alluring genre because of its potential for full immersion and becoming a page turner that must be inhaled in one night. Since its rise to popularity, unfortunately that magnetic quality is often lost to unoriginality in plot/world-building, painfully lackluster characters, and cringe-worthy dialogue and sex scenes.

“The Starlight Heir” was one of the first romantasies I have read in awhile that have made me eager to see where the story goes next rather than throwing my hands up in frustration at poor writing. That’s why I rate this book at 3.8 stars rather than lower, despite some of my aforementioned qualms with the genre existing within this novel.

To be fair, the audiobook narrator Anais Inara Chase has a voice that fits the protagonist beautifully and makes the experience all the more intriguing. If I had read the book on its own, I believe that my rating would be much lower. But back to the meat.

Ordinary feisty town girl discovers that she has unimaginable magical power after getting tangled up with the world’s royalty? Blah. Been there, done that. But the intrigue of being invited to the royal palace to compete in something akin to “The Selection” with unforeseen violent stakes and unknown political motivations? Yum. The growing mysteries of the bastard prince serving as the love interest and the key to the action-packed plot? Yes! The rate of revelation, political intrigue, and consistent plot twists/change in setting do well to keep the reader interested.


The “guardian” and the random slap in the face “Night God” sex dreams that pretty much go unresolved throughout the whole book were not great. I understand wanting to use that to set up the “soulmates” and further magical world-building, but it’s not a good experience for the first novel in my opinion.

On another note, I liked our protagonist at first, but she quickly became a dime-a-dozen Romantasy protagonist in terms of personality and actions. To me, she seemed inconsistent and a lot simpler than intended. Luckily, the plot is enough to carry the book, but that lost potential hits hard.

Overall, I think this novel is a success and worth the listen. I hope that the Night God, guardians, and protagonist get the development that they deserve in the next novel, which I will certainly be checking out on its release—whenever that may be.

This was a quick listen as I couldn’t put it down! I really enjoyed this book! Hidden magic and fights to the death I loved it! Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio, and HarperAudio Adult for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Starlight Heir now.

While I was immensely excited for this book based on its premise, cover, and the tropes included, I'm afraid it wasn't for me. The writing style specifically really takes me out of the story and makes it difficult to pay attention to important world-building and descriptions of the magic system. I must give immense credit to the narrators, however, because they did make the dialogue sound slightly more natural and part of the cadence of the rest of the story. But I still could not get past descriptors such as "hot as balls" and "melon-sized breasts" in a fantasy novel that has no connection to the real world.

However, if you're a fan of hot and steamy romantasy books with an enemies to lovers plot line and don't mind modern slang, this might be your book!

💕ARC & ALC REVIEW💕

The Starlight Heir @amaliehoward
Narrator: Anais Inara Chase & Ramiz Monsef
Pub Date: January 7, 2025 (OUT NOW)
Book #: 2/130

Thank you @avonbooks and @harperaudio for a copy of this book & audiobook in exchange for a review.

“Darkness can never thrive where light burns.”

Read if you like:
✨Forbidden Romance
💜Slow Burn
✨Dangerous Trials
💜Hidden Powers
✨Secret Identity
💜Creative world building
✨Chosen One FMC
💜Magic & Magical Creatures
✨Persian & Indian mythology

Wow!! What a fun book! I picked this one up based on the recommendation of an #bookstagram friend @janaandbooks and I’m so glad I did. Not only is the the cover absolutely beautiful, the story was very creative and full of magic.

I absolutely loved the characters in this book! Suraya, our FMC, was such a badass, while still being a good person who loved with all she had. Roshan, our MMC, was also so great. While he was a prince, his disinterest in the the crown and his willingness to help people was admirable, even though the queen and his brother were absolutely horrible to him (and everyone else, hated them). Even the side characters were so much fun.

The witty banter between Suraya and Roshan was so much fun and their chemistry was undeniable. The magic was very unique, the world building was great and I love that the author drew inspiration from Persian & Indian mythology. Highly recommend and can’t wait for the next one !!!

🎧This book had dual narration and it was amazing. We only got a little of the the male narration, but I’m hoping in book 2, there will be more. The audiobook was just perfection.