4.5/5.0 Stars!

Brief Take: A fresh political fantasy with a heist, truly morally grey main character, plot twists and a hint of romantic tension.

Plot: While this has some classic elements of political fantasies I enjoyed this world and the author's twists and turns. The way it is written surprises the reader and keeps you engaged. There were a few points which felt unrealistic or illogical but my enjoyment allowed me to look past the small nitpicks and enjoy the overall story.

Characters: I liked having a truly morally grey main character, who is self-interested and will do what it takes for her own ends. The supporting characters were great though not super deep but it was enough for me to feel them on the page. The romance didn't feel forced (it was just a hint) and didn't interfere with the plot.

Worldbuilding: It was simple but effective. I am curious to know more about the magic system and the book is open ended enough to where I want a sequel!

Overall I had a good time with this fresh take on political fantasy!

This was a very solid debut from Tiffany Wang. I really liked her writing style and she did an awesome job at world building. I will definitely be recommending this for anyone looking for a YA fantasy book.

Thanks to Bindery Books / Violetear Books for an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

DNF'd at 8! Unfortunately, this was not for me. The writing style was fine, but I couldn't care about the world or the main character. I struggled to pick up my e-reader due to low intrigue. This would be a fine book for readers new to YA fantasy, but I have read too many books like this in both YA and adult fantasy to bother continuing.

This work had some promising elements, as well as some overly familiar ones. The author did a great job with the plotting of the work, and the writing overall was strong. The worldbuilding was just okay, but the author did a good job setting scenes and creating a decent atmosphere.

The characters were somewhat generic. The misfit princess, a band of misfit teens who run a heist, rebellions, etc. The work also starts off quite slowly, taking some time to really become interesting for me. I think this was partially because I just couldn’t connect with the protagonist – she was unlikeable (but not in a compelling way), and felt like there were some conflicting aspects to her that I didn’t like. We’re also told quite often how characters feel but never really felt it, and most of the characters were lacking any real depth.

This is a decent YA fantasy and a start to a series, but I don’t think I’ll continue the series. I do love that book cover, though. My thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Solid 3.5 ⭐️ fantasy YA debut book.

I enjoyed the book overall, at times I found it quite formulaic but I liked the twist (I’m not sure if you can call it that, as it was pretty obvious from the start) and I liked the way Teia developed as a character but didn’t seem to lose herself or what made her her (I hate when this happens).

I liked that romance wasn’t really a strong plot point as sometimes I find with YA fantasy this can sometimes take away from the plot as these books tend to be a bit shorter so we don’t always spend a lot of time understanding the world or the plot - this book didn’t suffer with this which I liked.

The writing was okay. It was easy to read and enjoyable but I’m not sure whether it was anything new which is by no means a bad thing. It did everything well, I just wasn’t kind of wowed by it?

Overall, I’d still recommend this book as it was enjoyable to read but I’m just not sure how invested I was in the story or the characters to pursue the other books (which I presume there will be).

This was a did not finish for me. I couldn't get into the story and hated all the characters. It's a good concept but just not for me

✨🔥 𝓕𝓲𝓻𝓮 𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓘𝓷𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓸'𝓼 𝓗𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓫𝔂 𝓣𝓲𝓯𝓯𝓪𝓷𝔂 𝓦𝓪𝓷𝓰 🔥✨

"You’ll think of me?"
"Every day of my life."

📖 𝘼 𝙧𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜...

An outcast princess. A rebellion that could topple her kingdom. And a throne that might be within her grasp.

Teia Carthan’s journey is one of survival, betrayal, and the battle between loyalty and ambition. Navigating the tensions between her family, the Council, and a rebellion she was sent to destroy, Teia faces an impossible decision: stand with the rebels, betray them, or seize the throne for herself.

What made Inferno’s Heir such a standout for me was how fast-paced and action-packed it felt. The story kept me completely absorbed, and I never felt a dull moment—it was like being caught in the middle of the storm Teia herself is trying to navigate. The slight Six of Crows vibes made it even more thrilling, though this book stands apart with its unique world and gripping dual-elemental magic system.

And let’s talk about Teia. She’s the kind of morally gray character I can’t get enough of—sharp, calculating, and constantly walking a dangerous line between what’s right and what’s necessary. Her internal conflict added so much depth, making her choices feel all the more impactful.

📅 Inferno’s Heir was released on October 15, 2024.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Tiffany Wang, and Bindery Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story of political intrigue, found family and a super awful would be king.
For a YA novel...there are some dark themes here and a lot of torture scenes. All support the story but do watch the trigger warnings if you are sensitive to that type of thing.
I loved a few things in this book....of course, it's the side characters like Tobias, Enna, Alara and even Kyra (a bit wishy-washy) that I was really reading for. I hope we see all of these in the next book coming up.
I liked Teia but she was harder to pin down...sometimes feeling, sometimes cold and hard. Morally grey but also not. Very on the edge of being a villain herself, which makes sense considering her life with Jura as a half brother.
I think a lot was done well here and some wasn't. I am interested enough to want to see what happens in the next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindary Books for the chance to read this ARC. My opinions are my own.

The writing was gripping, it's a very well thought out YA fantasy.

My main issue (which could be a me thing) is that the MC and her motivations were.. unpleasant? She was morally gray in a wrong sense? What I usually love about morally gray characters (like Jude or Cardan from The Cruel Prince) is their core loyalty towards their friends and family. That was unfortunately not the case with the MC of this book.. it was heartbreaking to read the third act. It was an interesting take on a YA book, especially with the amazing writing, but not something I really enjoyed reading.

TWs (that I remember) - cruelty of a ruler and subsequent torture on page multiple times

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Interesting attempt at a princess working with the rebellion and starting to go "but what if I became the one on the throne instead??". The big thing behind this publisher is that they're essentially publishing books chosen by book influencers, and unfortunately this person's taste was more for action sequences and occasional political moo hoo ha ha ing than what I was hoping to see focused on in the narrative. Solid enough, just not for me.

I enjoyed the story and characters overall. I had loads of fun with them. However the pacing was a bit off.

Inferno's Heir completely blew me away! Tiffany Wang has created a story that’s daring, complex, and impossible to put down. I found myself swept into Teia’s world from the very beginning, and every twist kept me on the edge of my seat.

Teia is not your typical hero, and that’s exactly what makes her unforgettable. Her journey is raw and full of morally grey decisions, and I loved how her flaws and determination made her feel so real. Kyra and Enna also stood out as absolute gems—fascinating characters with layers of depth that added even more richness to the story.

The world-building is nothing short of stunning. Wang seamlessly weaves together vivid settings, intricate lore, and a magic system that’s as fascinating as it is dangerous. Every piece felt intentional and immersive, pulling me deeper into this rebellious, high-stakes narrative.

This is a story that doesn’t shy away from tough choices or complicated relationships. It’s gritty, it’s intense, and it’s beautifully written. If you’re looking for a fantasy novel with rich characters, captivating stakes, and a heroine you’ll love to dissect, this is it. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Teia and the world Tiffany Wang has so skillfully created!

I devoured this book in a few days. Teia was such an interesting and layered character and I loved seeing her views change and develop as she met Kyra and the rebels. The foil of her ruthlessness to Kyra's naive optimism was great, and I loved seeing her with the other rebels. The dialogue and characters were great and well developed, and I loved the political intrigue and world we are in that Tiffany Wang has created.
It was unique and captivating and I can't wait for the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC in return for an honest review. I have already bought my own copy.

I received an advanced copy of Inferno's Heir from Netgalley and the publisher and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Hmm. I don't know how I feel about Inferno's Heir. It was a story of vengeance, corruption, backstabbing, schemes, and heists, all things I love. However, stories should balance the plot and characters; while the plot aspect was there, the characters fell flat.

I don't think I would classify Teia as morally grey. By the end, she's still not as bad as Jura, but despite knowing that her decisions are horrible, she continues to make them because they benefit her—and only her. Despite everything she goes through throughout the book, not a single lesson is learned, nor does she change a single thing about herself. There was no character growth for any of the characters, in all honesty. I'm not saying I needed some drastic change, but we only got the tiniest bit of remorse at the end. An "Oh, I feel a little bad. I guess. Okay, moving on." That's it. Perhaps this was the point? Maybe I wasn't supposed to like Teia. I don't know. What I do know is that her motivations were confusing, and half of the time didn't make sense. Why was it only halfway through the book that she finally says, "Well, maybe I should rule instead?" I don't know. I didn't understand why that wasn't her first thought. She was going through a lot of trouble just for a little bit of power for the first half of the book, and it was almost a revelation that she was going for a piece of the pie when she could have the whole thing. Also, Jura is supposed to be the scariest person in her life, but she's constantly pushing his buttons to the point where I don't understand why he didn't try to kill her more often. Perhaps that isn't kind of me, but I could not fathom why she was saying these things to a murderous sociopath and was acting surprised when he sent assassins after her. Girl, you questioned how he does things in front of a lot of people, and he already hates you. Of course, he's going to try and kill you.

I could say more about the subject, but I'm sure you understand. Teia did not make sense to me. As for the other characters, I don't have much to say about them. They left no real impression. The romance fell flat. The bad guy was bad just because he was bad.

On a more positive note, despite my frustrations with Teia and indifference toward the rest of the characters, I liked the story and the plot. It was gripping. After realizing my dislike of Teia, I even considered not finishing the book, but the story kept me coming back. Inferno's Heir was very well written, and the heists were fun. The world-building was interesting, and the history of magic was compelling. The ending sets up a sequel that will hopefully expand on all that and more. Many people will enjoy this book, but overall, it wasn't my favorite.

This was a solid debut. It felt a bit slow, particularly in the first half, and I found myself less interested in picking up the book than doing other things.
I was more interested in the side characters than our main character and really hope the next installment delves more into the broader world/mythology because it felt like there were more compelling stories there.

Sorry for the late review I was dealing with some health issues, but I'm getting caught up now! I really enjoyed this unique tale with such a diverse group of characters! This book was an adventure with a planned heist, magic and morally grey characters.. it kept me on the edge of my seat! I can't wait for the sequel and look forward to reading more from this author!

Loved! The characters were diverse, complex and wonderful to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the world building was superb.

Like most people who reviewed this - I agree that it’s a very solid debut that shows this author definitely has promise. I find that heist stories usually leave me bored or wishing for some more to story, but I didn’t experience that with Inferno’s Heir. I actually really enjoyed the heist - I believe it paired well with the fantasy element. I was slightly disappointed with the lack of development regarding the romance/potential romance. That being said, I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for the next installment!

Thank you to Bindery, NetGalley and the author for sending me an early copy!

you had me at found community.
you had me with it being a magical world.
and then we have incredible characters, world building, and a heist???
I’m forcing everyone I know to read this but in a way that they are excited so they will enjoy it too.

The first thing that caught my eye was the cover, it is STUNNING!

The book blurb sold me.

Overall, I thought this was a solid debut with much potential for the second book to be just as good!

Impatiently waiting for Book 2...