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.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio. This is a gripping Romantasy that draws you in from the very first sentence. Once I started this book I could not stop. The narrator was amazing and I literally did not want to stop listening from the moment I pressed play. I love the world building of this book and the intense and beautiful attention to the blend of cultures and inclusivity. “Thick thighs save lives” being included had me chuckling because indeed! Obsessed. Already purchasing my physical copy of this stunning book!

Full disclosure: I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I need to be fully transparent, this was a DNF for me but not because I didn't enjoy it. The opposite in fact. I could tell that I would very much enjoy this romantasy. The premise seems exciting, it marries action with fantasy/horrific royalty/magical powers/destiny, and had some excellent spicy scenes. So, why was this a DNF for me you ask, I have learned that I cannot consume fantasy stories in an audio format. The narrator had a wonderful voice, I think with so many elements, many characters, and unclear transitions (I.e a scene would wrap between two characters and then the next thing I knew, it was a totally new scene but I couldn't see the break in the text to shift). This is a me problem. I will probably buy the book and read it at some point.

I especially enjoyed the very active, present tense, first person narration.

What I didn't like instalove, it just doesn't work for me. Though it's possible I missed some of the relationship development given my previous disclosure re not being able to consume this particular story in audio format.

All-in-all, I'm sure this will be a well received new series.

Amalie Howard's *The Starlight Heir* presents an intriguing premise and a world brimming with potential, though the execution left a bit to be desired. While the story shines with moments of brilliance and genuinely engaging twists, the overall writing fell short of what I was hoping for.
The characters, while interesting, could use a bit more depth, which made it a challenge to connect with them on a meaningful level. At times, the dialogue felt a touch stilted, and although the prose was ok, it didn’t quite elevate the story or create the immersive experience I longed for. Certain plot points felt rushed while others meandered, leading to some inconsistencies in pacing.
That being said, the creativity behind the story is evident, with world-building showing glimpses of brilliance, and the romantic subplot has its charming moments. Readers who enjoy lighter fantasy sprinkled with a hint of romance might still find joy in this book. However, if you’re seeking a more polished and gripping read, *The Starlight Heir* might not fully meet those expectations.
A big shout-out to Amalie Howard for bravely stepping out of her comfort zone in historical fiction to embrace fantasy! It’s always exciting to see an author exploring new genres, and her bold venture into this realm deserves recognition. While this first attempt may not have been perfect, it definitely shows promise, and I’m curious to see how she continues to grow in this genre.
I am grateful to NetGalley, HarperAudio, and Amalie Howard for the early release so I can share with my patrons what this book has to offer.

This book was quite enjoyable. It is the first in the series which pulls from Indian mythology. The spice in this book took me by surprise because it sure is spicy which was extra fun listening it over audio. Even the touch her and die aspect of this book had me kicking my feet and thinking yesssss. Nothing beats a MMC practically crawling for the FMC.

The only problem I had is since I was listening to this over audiobook I did have a bit of an issue following some of the characters which is just an issue I tend to have with audiobooks. I also wish the world had been described a bit more in depth since I was having trouble picturing most of the settings.

Overall I would recommend this book as either audio or regular book. I will also 100% be reading the next book in the series whenever it comes out.

This was my first time reading a novel by Amalie Howard, and overall, it was an entertaining and fun read. The story was interesting, and I particularly enjoyed the elements inspired by Indian and Middle Eastern mythology and astrology.

That said, I did find myself wishing for more in the main female lead's connections with some of the side characters. Strengthening those bonds would have made the ending far more impactful, especially when it came to a certain side character’s arc. Without that emotional bond, the conclusion didn’t quite hit home for me as much as it could have.

One aspect that didn’t entirely work for me was the contemporary dialogue and language. In a fantasy setting, the modern, casual tone felt out of place, almost like two girls in a mean girls movie talking about sexy times. Which was distracting at times. In terms of spice, it was decent but I wasn’t a fan of some of the word choices used.

Despite my nitpicks, I found this to be an easy and fun story with potential. The palace scenes stood out as a highlight, and I couldn’t get enough of them. However, I would have loved to see more emphasis on the trials, they had so much potential to raise the stakes and expand the story.

All in all, I’d say this was an okay read for me. It wasn’t perfect, but it had its moments that held my interest. I’m curious to see where the story goes in book two and hope to see the mythology and worldbuilding developed more.

Thank you Avon and HarperAudio for providing a ARC and Audiobook.