HEIR🌬️🏔️
4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you SO MUCH to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was my most anticipated read this year and I am SO happy I got a chance to read it early🤩

When I heard that this was set in the same universe as Ember, I was THRILLED!! Tahir says you do not need to read the Ember series before you read this which is true. However if you haven’t read Ember, things WILL be spoiled (just a warning).

Let’s dive right in. Immediately I was SO HAPPY to see and hear about many beloved characters from Ember. These characters are mostly second generation characters so the main characters are all brand new to us. I loved that we had three main POVs, Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil. 💓 At first I liked all of them but as things moved along, I definitely favored Sirsha and Quil.

The romance was SO GOOD I wanted even more of it!! I hope in the next book we get some more because it was my favorite part of this book. I also loved the magic. This definitely had more magic than Ember and I liked learning about it.

The twist was honestly not that surprising to me which unfortunately is why I took off half a star, and I really disliked one specific character (we won’t name names for the sake of spoilers). I felt as if it was easy to predict but I still liked to see how everything played out in the end.

Overall, this was such a magical, fun, dark, funny, and entertaining book that I think everyone will love!! Sabaa’s writing is unmatched. I love that even though this book is YA, she isn’t afraid to get dark and write emotional/deep scenes. 🖤

This is out October 1st so make sure to preorder if you haven’t already🤩🤩 & GO READ AN EMBER IN THE ASHES FIRST IF YOU DONT WANT THAT SPOILED

Taking place twenty years after the ‘An Ember in the Ashes’ series, the Empire is facing a new threat. There is a darkness that has escaped. Quil must face his duties to his family. Sirsha must come to terms with history and forge a new path. Aiz must free herself from destitute and save the weak that need her. These three are the driving forces that will shape the battle to come and of what they will lose to get there.

First, this novel can be enjoyed without having previously read the ‘Ember’ series. While it might give you a greater appreciation of the world that the novel takes place in, it is not totally necessary. But, keep in mind, this is taking place twenty years after so a lot will be spoiled if you decided to read the series afterward (which you will, because this book will hook you and you’ll want to read more Sabaa Tahir awesomeness).

Second, this novel is amazing. The author does a great job getting you immersed into the world without feeling like you’ve missed something. Each story thread is engaging and the way they start connecting to the others is well written. The characters are interesting with good depth and a little reluctant romance is always a bonus. Can’t wait for book two! 5 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Penguin Teen - G.P. Putnam’s and NetGalley. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

This book had just a little bit of everything. Murder, mystery, magic, romance. You know it, it had it.

I read An Ember in the Ashes so long ago and I never read past book one. I’m sad I didn’t because I really enjoyed this book! And I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it even more if I’d read the original series.

That being said, this definitely stands on its own. It’s not necessary to have read the original series because it does a great job at building the world and characters from the ground up.

I loved the complexity of each character and how they were realistic rather than cookie cutter heretic. But you definitely start to root for the characters as it goes on.

I think this book does have a decent amount of twists, surprisingly. I didn’t see something coming and was pretty shocked.

This is definitely a fantasy story with a hint of murder mystery laced through it.

It was truly so entertaining and I really enjoyed it the longer I read.

I highly recommend for any fantasy lovers!

I am sorry to say that after two tries, I only made it about a quarter of the way through this one. I wanted to love it, but I felt so lost, and, honestly, bored and disconnected. I had no idea that I had to have read Sabaa's other series before reading this one. I wish that had been marketed somewhere. I was under the impression that this was a NEW duology, as stated in the description. With that being said, I felt lost in the world and terminology and spent the majority of the time trying to figure things out instead of enjoying the plot. I also did not connect with the characters or the story, as there was just too much going on and too much to keep up with.

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the opportunity to read Heir in exchange for a honest review! Returning to Ember in the Ashes Universe was EVERYTHING I expected and MORE! You will follow three new characters each with their own POV. My absolute favorite ways to read are when an author has a POV for each character, so I can get in their mind. You're able to read this without reading an Ember in the Ashes first, but there will be some character overlap. Thank you for the opportunity and I CAN NOT WAIT TO READ THE SEQUEL.

Sabaa Tahir's "Heir" is a duology that takes place years after the Ember in the Ashes quartet. The story has three points of view, one of them being Zacharias aka Quil, the heir to the martial empire. This novel is a gritty, riveting story full of interesting characters, histories, cultures, and a dark magic. There is death and sacrifice and love. We get to see a peek into the lives of some of our favorite characters from the original series, but the new characters take center stage in a story with a mysterious monster that keeps you guessing. Our main characters have intense, deep grief and it's heartbreaking to see them so broken but hopeful to see them push forward. This book is not for the faint of heart.

I personally saw many of the plot twists coming, but as a writer who has studied story for years, that may be more of an indication of my savvy with storytelling and less of a critique on the author's skill. I also did not fully buy the romance between two of the main characters, as it seemed too fast and unlikely given their backgrounds.

Overall, I enjoyed the read and would recommend it to fans of the original series and new readers alike, just be warned it's not a light-hearted, cozy read.

Aiz is one of the poorest of Kegari. She has no parents, no true home, and it’s only thanks to the clerics of her country that she is still alive. These clerics tell her that everything will change when their divine prophet returns, but until she does, Aiz wonders how she’ll survive when the powerful in Kegari seem determined to crush everyone under their heels.

Quil is a prince, heir to Serra, even though he doesn’t want to be. Not too long ago, he lost his beloved as well as a boy he loved like a brother to a vicious murderer, a murderer who has continued hunting the young and innocent through Serra. With grief still lingering in his heart, and the fear of becoming an emperor as cruel as his father, Quil just wants to leave it behind and find out just who this murderer is. Little does he know that soon he’ll be forced to leave his home, whether he wants to or not.

Sirsha was cast out of her home, and now, all she wants is to save up enough money to live a quiet life somewhere far away. But to gather enough coin, she has to continue tracking people down for others. That is her gift. The elements speak to her, pointing her in the direction of her quarry, but when a strange man hires her to find a murderer, suddenly, rather than gently guiding her to this person, the elements are desperate for her to succeed.

War is coming to the land, and three people who never should have met suddenly find their fates and stories entwined. The only question is, what kind of ending will their story have?

I received an advanced reading copy of Heir in exchange for an honest review.

Heir is a young adult fantasy by Sabaa Tahir. If you’ve been reading my blog for a bit, you’ll know that I have read quite a few of Tahir’s books so far, including All My Rage (which is still one of the best books I’ve read recently) and An Ember in the Ashes. Heir is actually a companion series to the An Ember in the Ashes series, and while you don’t have to have read the An Ember in the Ashes series to read this one, I would recommend doing it because you’d be getting so much more when you do pick up Heir! And also, you wouldn’t be spoiling the ending of the An Ember in the Ashes series for yourself like I did. Whoops. I’m only two books into the An Ember in the Ashes series, but I couldn’t help myself! I just had to read Heir when I got the ARC!

Heir opens by presenting us with three characters from three completely different backgrounds. Not only are they from different countries, but they’ve each had a unique upbringing, and it’s all of that together that informs who they are and the choices they make. Their choices suddenly have so much more weight, though, as the world begins shifting around them.

Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil all exist before a complex political and historical backdrop, where different countries have been at odds with each other for a while, and war is about to break loose. In fact, war does break loose in the first part of this novel, and now the characters find that there’s so much more at risk.

I just loved how unique everyone was, and all their personalities. I loved how determined they all were to succeed at their goals, and their difficulty in making certain choices. I loved the romances that began to bloom between a few of the characters (not going to say which for fear of spoilers), and how natural they felt.

But, more than anything, I just really enjoyed how exciting the plot was, and the twists it presented to me. I was about halfway through the book when the first one hit, and as soon as I realized what was going on I had to reevaluate so much of what I’d read earlier. And, from then on, even as I turned page after page, my mind raced ahead to try and guess what was going to happen next. I felt so satisfied when I saw the next twist coming, and was just so nervous about how the characters would react, but I couldn’t have guessed at how this book ended! All I know is that I need the sequel to Heir ASAP. I don’t think we even have a release day for it yet, which is really tragic.

Heir was an excellent read. If you loved the An Ember in the Ashes series, this is a must. If you love complex characters in magical setting, this is a must. If you love adventure, difficult choices, and light politics, this is a must. Basically, I would recommend this to any fantasy fans, whether they read young adult or adult books. Tahir knocked it out of the park once more, and I’ll be waiting on the edge of my seat for the next book.

Heir will be released on October 1. You can preorder your copy from G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers here.

Readers will be excited to return to Sabaa Tahir’s Ember in the Ashes universe in her new book, Heir! Following the three main characters - Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil - you can expect an adventure filled with action, magic, and twists and turns. We are introduced to each character through their own POV chapters and follow along as their stories intersect. Fans of Tahir’s will love this first book in her new duology!

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for this ARC!

We are following three main characters: Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil. They are all on the same mission for 3 very different reasons. Did I mention that there is a killer that eats hearts? What!?

This story had me so into my feelings, that I felt that every betrayal, every friend lost, was happening to me as I read. When I finally finished the book I had to sit still for a minute to digest what I had just read. This word is very immersive, thank you Sabaa for being so intentional when building this world and the characters.

I will be double back to Sabaa Tahir's backlog to read more titles from this amazing author!

- High Fantasy
- Romantasy
- YA

Thank you Netgalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and Sabaa Tahir for the ARC of this book. I am giving my honest review voluntarily and without coercion.

Phewwwwww. I am exhausted. That ending was - wow. The ending just gutted me and also shocked me and I AM SO READY FOR THE NEXT ONE NOW PLEASE!! These characters were so good and complicated and the banter was perfection. ST did an amazing job showing how easily desperation and horrible circumstances can turn someone into a person they nor you recognize. Are the characters irredeminable or is there hope?! You are on the edge of your seat trying to find out. <spoiler> It was especially poignant in the current world climate, and historically representative of how someone could follow a "deity" with good intentions that quickly turns into destroying everything and everyone in your path with no remorse and forgetting your humanity. The lime from Quill about the wrongness of destroying someone else's home just to find your own hit especially hard.</spoiler>

I found the pacing to be a bit on the slower side at times so just be prepared, especially if you read the previous series and expect to jump bang into action. There is a lot of great world building; I love seeing and learning more about the different lands and cultures and magic. The writing was just as beautiful as expected and the imagery poignant the entire time.

You CAN read this as a standalone series without reading the Ember series before, BUT I highly recommend you do because you emotional connection to this world and especially the previous trio of characters will be a huge factor in this story (IMHO).

🤍Thank you so much @penguinteen for this most anticipated arc of Heir🤍

An Ember in the Ashes is a standout series, and this latest installment is a flawless addition!

From the very first page, I felt myself whisked back into this enchanting world. Sabaa Tahir has a unique ability to draw readers in, masterfully weaving a fresh narrative 20 years after the end of Ember.

This book delivered everything I had hoped for: lovable characters, a gripping plot that kept me hooked, and a vivid setting that captured me.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: fade to black

This was the first book I read by this author. I really enjoyed the pacing, the world building, the characters, and the emotions that came through. This was fast paced, just how I like it. I enjoyed the perspectives of the different characters. I can’t wait to see where this story continues to go.

4.5/5 ⭐️

Sabaa Tahir writes such rich characters and relationships that keep your eyes glued to the page. This is true in Heir even more than An Ember In The Ashes, the stakes are lower but the world richer and more personal while also somehow being darker. Heir is a wonderful blend of high fantasy and sweeping romance that so few books blend correctly. My biggest complaint about her previous series was the uninspiring villains, the villains of Heir are a lot of things but uninspired isn’t one of them. The villains feel like people and not plot devices in a way that fully enriches the entire experience. I find myself here at the end bereft, longing for the sequel.

"Heir" is set 20 years after An Ember in the Ashes. We follow Aiz, an orphan out for revenge; Quil, a prince weighed down by his messed-up family legacy; and Sirsha, a banished tracker hunting a killer. Their stories all come together in a mix of heartache, politics, and epic world-building (the typical Sabaa heart-wrecking combo). If you’ve read the Ember quartet, you will absolutely love this one as you get to see a lot of familiar characters all grown up. But even if you haven’t, Sabaa does a great job providing backstory when necessary.

The story starts off a little slow due to the focus on world-building, but once it picks up, it’s impossible to put down. The found family vibes, forbidden romance, and all the twists had me glued to the pages. While you don’t have to read the Ember quartet beforehand, it adds a lot more history and context to the book. As always, this was a solid read, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next one!

I read this one using a mix of the audiobook (ALC) and the physical book (ARC). I really enjoyed the audiobook since it’s a multicast, which is always great, and as with most fantasy books, it helped with learning how to pronounce a lot of the uncommon names. For the most part, all the narrators did a wonderful job. However, the sections with Cero and Sufiyan seemed like they were recorded through a tin can, but since this is the ALC, hopefully, those issues will be fixed before release. Thankfully, they only have a few chapters from their POVs, so it only affects about 3% of the audiobook. Overall, I would highly recommend the audiobook or physical book to anyone interested in YA fantasy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

I feel very blessed to have received this arc. The first series by Sabaa Tahir was amazing and after reading this one, it will be just as great! I can’t wait to read the next installment in this duology

4 stars! This story takes place in a rich world, one those who have read an Ember in the Ashes will be familiar with. I was equally intrigued with diverse POV chapters. The story was somewhat predictable. Overall, a great fanatasy story in a rich world.

I loved this book couldn’t put it down I loved the characters so much and how the Author wrote the story and the plot I loved everything about it

"Sometimes the power of a story is greater than anything else on the earth"

Thank you Penguin Teen for one of my most anticipated arcs!

This is going on top favorite reads of the year without a question, we asked and Sabaa the brilliant Kehanni of our time delivered and she delivered it flawlessly, in the words of kids these days- She ate and left no crumbs, Heir is set in the well known beloved world of AITA. However the similarities ended there for me because with fresh set of characters, an intricately expanded world building and a compelling story I was immediately drawn into the world eagerly flipping through the pages because there was not a dull chapter in the entire book. It is a multiple POV narration that is rather fast paced and dynamic, the characters and their development felt so organic that they ended up being a chef's kiss. I was so invested in the story that I kept thinking about it even when I wasn't reading it, it is captivating in that way.

While it is said that you can read this one as duology, I highly recommend reading Ember quartet to enjoy the brilliance of the story even more. Sabaa Tahir has a way with her words that'd make the readers forge such strong bonds with her characters, I LOVED Quil, Aiz and Sirsha's character arcs so very much and they way she connected three different point of views and weaved a story is just flawless. No one can write a convincingly vile, morally grey character that you'd vehemently loathe like this author does , I wanted to simultaneously scream at the book and shake *this* character rather violently at times.

The world of Heir just like in AITA is still brutal, there is a new evil at play thats methodically destroying everything in its path, as the empire's crown prince and sole Heir Quil isn't going to sit around and let it happen, It is definitely not what his aunt Helene Aquila would have done. Quil might think he is not cut to become the ruler of the empire but he is going to save his people regardless with the help of his friends and a Jaduna(witch) in exile. I don't want to give out anymore details because they can be spoiler-ish and I also suggest going in knowing as little as you can. The appearance of some of the older characters was such a blast from the past and the ending made my jaw go unhinged but I expected nothing short of this from Sabaa

I throughly enjoyed every last bit of Heir and I can't wait(which I know would be excruciating) for the sequel. Of course I highly highly recommend it. This book is going to get stuck in your head for a while after you finish reading

3.5 stars. I have no idea why I never finished the last book of the 'An Ember in the Ashes' series, since I gave the first three books in it four stars each. I vaguely remember picking it up once or twice and struggling to get back into the story; my fault for reading the books as they came out, leaving big gaps in my memory by the time the fourth book was released. At any rate, this new book is set in that world, and the main characters from the series are in this book as well, on the periphery, and now I'm feeling like I should go back and try to finish the original series. Tahir is an excellent writer, and my main struggle with this book was that I dreaded one particular character's chapters every time they came around. I loved the other characters and their nuanced portrayals, but I just didn't want to hear from this other one. I know I'm being vague, but I don't want to say any more about why I felt that way because spoilers. For most of the book I thought I probably wouldn't go on to read book two when it comes out, but props to Tahir, because the ending made me want to continue. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for a digital review copy.

I had a great time with this book and can't wait for book 2 already
It started slow but I loved visiting old characters and seeing the new. I hated Aiz on second sight and could predict some of the storylines but it was fast paced and kept moving. The character arcs could use some more work though - Quil and Sirisha were nice characters but their chapters were too much about eo and didn't explore the backstory enough