Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard.

The book starts off strong with Suraya working as a bladesmith who has the ability to imbue her work with jadu— the last source of magic in the realm.

Unfortunately, the character arcs did not hook me in as deeply as I had hoped they would. I found the pacing of the story to be faster than I had expected and it felt as if you were rushed through the deadly trials and bride selection archetypes.

The FMCs “imagination” adds fun into the story in a unique way.

However, the redemption in this phase/first half of the story is the undeniable chemistry between our FMC Suraya and Roshan.

The prophecy arc and hidden magic are woven throughout the story but they didn't have me on the edge of my seat the way I wanted to be.

If swearing, real or made up, bothers you - I would make a note to be mindful of this story choice. On the other hand, if swearing makes you giggle or makes characters seem less "perfect" - then you're in for a treat.

Overall, the ending is a good fit - I was certainly a fan.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I personally had a hard time getting into the book and that is my reason for the three stars. I think that the author created a really interesting story, with a lot of potential, but I think that it just didn't scratch the itch for me. I have recommended this to a few other people one of which really enjoyed it!
For myself though I was unable to immerse myself in the story which caused me to take a long time to listen to it. I tried to listen to it while doing simple tasks like folding laundry but there wasn't anything that kept me hooked and eager to keep listening.

This book leaves an unsettling feeling to someone who primarily reads Romantasy/Fantasy genre. For all of the drama about other authors copying each other—there are a LOT of similarities in this book. The dialogue was all over the place with a lot of modern terms that did not fit the setting/characters. It sounded like a strong novel from reading the premise and the ideal of mythology was an immediate yes from me. It felt like a modern version of the selection—which always a novel that also had somewhat modern terms but fit the setting more?
Much like the other novel, Suraya lives with her family leading a somewhat quiet life, and is selected to participate for the princes hand. HMMM
An illegitimate brother? HMM. Although we do like Roshan.
Overall just not something I necessarily feel like I will continue.
2.5/5

Story: 4 ⭐
Spice: 1.5 🌶 There is a lot of tension but only one really open-door scene.
Narration: 4 ⭐

I loved listening to Anais Inara, her voice was beautiful and was perfect for Suraya. There was not a lot of POV for the Ramiz to narrate because it's a mysterious POV, but he has a great deep raspy voice! They really made the experience enjoyable.

I would like to note, that I've seen a lot of people mention that this is a romantasy. To me, there was a lot of plot/world building and not very much romance. It was definitely a sub-plot but not the main plot of the story. I think in the next book it will become more of a true romantasy, but this was more fantasy with romance.

If you like deadly bride trials that turn into all hell breaking loose, prophesies, forced proximity, god-blessed magic, hidden identity, but also some laugh out loud moments. Then you will want to read this book.

This is part of a series book does end on a cliffhanger but its just a small ledge.

This book looked promising, but I was a little dissapointed. What about the shadow man???? Like he had a couple chapters/scenes, but it seemed out of touch and of no importance to the book.
I liked the main character at first, especially the whole debacle with her getting introduced to the queen and the BANTER with the prince (which she didn't know it was the prince).
Overall, it was enjoyable, but it was missing something for me. It lacked a little substance. The "betrayal" by the prince didn't sit right.
I understand that this is the first in the series, so it's setting things up for later, but it ended making this first book ... lackluster.
I will not be continuing this series.
The audiobook was good though.

This was such a fun listen! I loved the FMC's vibe throughout the story and her attitude and her forbidden romance (def one of my favorite tropes). I think this was definitely more character driven for me because the plot, while it was good, has been done so many times. It's definitely up there with some of the better variations on deadly trials, but I feel like I've read this so much in romantasy. So I personally might have burnout on it, but regardless, I definitely recommend this to romantasy readers! 3.5/5 rounded up!

This Romantasy has a very engaging storyline and a great magical system that didn’t feel like anything I’d read before. The promise is definitely there. However, along with other reviewers, I have to say I was let down by a few key aspects. Suraya, the FMC, is an adult woman in her mid-twenties, in a fantastical world with great power, but spoke like a modern day teenager, which made it very difficult to stay connected to the story. Roshan, the main love interest, I think was written a little better, but a lot of their chemistry was lost in the rushing around, then all of a sudden they were going at it, which just felt awkward. Then we’d be thrown back into the action of the plot. Again, I do still think that the series has hope, as the plot and world itself could be great. A few tweaks to pacing and some maturity to the main characters and book two could be much better.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of the book, based on Indian-inspired mythology, certainly has the potential to be captivating, especially with an intriguing romance. However, it’s understandable that the use of contemporary slang can disrupt immersion in the story. When characters use phrases that feel out of place, it can pull readers out of the world the author has created, especially if the setting is meant to feel more fantastical or culturally rich.
Additionally, character arcs that seem rushed can impact how invested a reader feels in their journeys. When development feels earned and gradual, it’s often more satisfying. The romance aspect also plays a significant role in engagement, and if the spicy scenes didn't resonate, it can leave the overall experience feeling lacking. It’s clear that these elements influenced your enjoyment of the book, highlighting how important consistency and depth are in storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC!

I’ll start by saying that The Starlight Heir is set in a lush world with a lot of complex political components that are all moving in different directions. The characters are entertaining and Sahara, the FMC, is really cool and I love that she’s a bladesmith!

This follows what is becoming the standard plot pattern for Romantasy with several beloved tropes woven throughout. I liked the magic system. I have mixed feelings about the progression of the main romance.

I will say that the accent of the female audio narrator was confusing. There were times it sounded English, times it sounded American, times it sounded Australian, and times it seemed like something else entirely. This was sometimes a bit distracting.

As this is the first book in a series, it’s natural to still have a lot of unanswered questions but I do feel like there were large components that went unaddressed that were needed before moving into book 2, particularly with the shadow god. I’m not sure if those pieces came across clearer in the written text but they were quite confusing from an audio perspective.

Overall I think I’ll give the sequel a chance.

I really enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook
The characters were well developed and the story was very fast-paced. Can’t wait for more from this author.

After receiving a stunninggggg copy of this from Fairyloot I had such high hopes! But sadly they fell short, I read the book a few weeks ago and honestly the only thing that sticks out to me as memorable was the use of modern slang, which I think can be done well, but this was not it. Not even really because it was fantasy I think? But because it was an adult, but her inner thoughts felt like a horny modern teenager. I'm not entirely sure I would have gotten through it if I had not received the audiobook from NetGalley. The book just wasn't memorable for me outside of the cringe and I will not be picking up the second one.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free audiobook of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Audiobook review. Starlight Heir manifested into a strong start for a new romantasy series. Suraya faced challenge after challenge and discovered more about herself in the process. Roshan was charming and I enjoyed their blossoming relationship.

The plot was layered and featured a rich and complex history. Many of the characters, both primary and secondary, acted on their own motivations and kept the story flowing.

There were some areas that could use some more development. I was left with more questions than answers particularly centered around the God. I expect that I will get a better understanding of the connection in future books but the introduction wasn’t as easy to follow as I had hoped.

The very first scene that contained intimacy was a bit abrupt and caught me off guard but I believe I understand now why the author chose to do it that way. It was hard to sense how much spice there would be because of the push and pull and examples of extremes but I was happy with the outcome. It certainly was spicy but that wasn’t the focus of the plot, which is what I prefer.

The narrators, Anais Inara Chase and Ramiz Monsef, did a great job in bringing the story to life. Their tone, pitch, pace, and fluctuations made for a great listening experience.

I’m definitely interested in seeing where this story goes next.

I really liked this book! I'm not sure where the story is going, but I will continue on with the series as the books are released. I liked the romance, but wasn't quite sold on it. It seemed a bit rushed and even over the top, but again I did like it. The beginning of the book was a mix between The Selection and The Hunger Games. I was actually hoping we would see a love triangle in this book like we did in the series mentioned. The middle of the book lagged a bit for me, but the ending was awesome! I loved the quotes about trust and forgiveness. I recommend if you like romantasy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC of The Starlight Heir

✨Slow Burn
✨Secret Identities
✨Contest/Trial
✨Forbidden Romance

Suraya Saab is a bladesmith with a secret identity… Even to her.

Roshan is the illegitimate son of the king, with secrets of his own.

Together they end up on the run.

Lots of “will they, won’t they?” Moments. A delicious scene in the hot springs. And a mysterious shadow daddy that eludes us.

This was a very well done book. It was stepped in mythology from Persian mythology which, I have not read, and now I have started reading some Persian mythology stories.

The characters and the plot were fantastic that at times I wanted to slow down my listening so the story never ended and at other times speed it up to see what happened ASAP. Very few stories make me wish it slowed down and speed it up so I can both extend and find out the ending at the same time.

I did not know this was going to be a series and I cannot to know more about the rest of the books, where the plot is going as the star keeper, and even more about the soul mates. Amaile wrote a fantastic book.

It has an Aladdin vibe but it is its own unique story. The world and creatures were so interesting! I loved the plot and mystery in it. It kept me guessing and I was hooked from chapter 1. Highly recommend this one!

This audiobook was an enjoyable listen. I thought the author did a nice job with the world building and gave everything a freshness. I thought the storyline was pretty clever as well and always enjoy stories with some basis in myth or ancient religious beliefs.

This book had some clever twists and you really had to pay attention to follow everything that was going on. Since I listened to it, there were a few times that I had to rewind it and listen to something again to be sure I understood it correctly. I really was hooked on this story and couldn't wait to figure out how it would end. Of course, the door is open for a continuing series and I look forward to reading the next book in the future.

It's a fun read with court intrigue, evil figures, monsters and some romance. What more can you want?

The narration in this audiobook really felt spot on and lulled me right into the story. I highly recommend listening to it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy.

Thank you #netgalley for the ALC. I really enjoyed this fun and adventurous story and it gave me forbidden love and Aladdin and Jasmine type vibes. I was really invested in their character and relationship growth, but I felt like the magic development was a little lacking. I wanted more and more, but overall I enjoyed the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This unfortunately fell flat for me. I had high hopes but I just didn’t connect with the story or the characters.

Starlight Heir is a gripping mix of cosmic intrigue and royal drama. The protagonist’s voice is sharp and emotional, making their journey feel real. The world is lush, the stakes are high, and the betrayals keep coming. A slight lull in the middle, but the payoff is worth it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)