1,000 times YES. Sabaa Tahir somehow managed to exceed my expectations, and I am not mad about it!

This story is a close tie-in to the Ember Quartet and follows the next generation on their journey. Do you *have* to read the Ember quartet first? No… but why would you skip a phenomenal 5 star series and miss all the connections? Go read it, then pick up Heir when it releases October 1st!

I laughed, I squealed, I despaired, I cheered, and I cried - all the things I look for in my favorite books and the roller coaster I’ve come to expect from Ms Tahir. Heir was actually a bit more romantic than I was expecting and man, I am HERE FOR IT!!

Please send good vibes as I work through this book hangover. It was so, so worth it.

★★★.75
𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 (𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊) 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

Finally, I finished this after pausing it for 30 days 😭😭😭 just because I wasn’t in the mood lol.

Okay, first of all, I know this book is part of a companion duology to the AEITA series, but you really need to read the whole series first. The world-building is a huge part that might unsettle some people because it explains some of the lands explored in the previous series. Also, some key points in this storyline take some pieces from the first series, which might confuse readers who start with this book.

Now, back to my review of this new generation story from AEITA's family. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it a lot because, honestly, I spent much of the time irritated by specific characters. The plot involving journeys, betrayals, and magic is interesting, and the past POV is surprisingly unique—I didn’t even realize it until I finally got it. However, I found the characters lacking depth. Although I know their backstories, I couldn’t connect with any of them. Despite being 500 pages long, this book felt too short. The romance wasn’t really my favorite. I liked the banter but felt it was missing some chemistry. I hope to see more of it in the next book, though.

So, this book turned out to be not as good as the AEITA series. It provided an acceptable amount of enjoyment but lacked in many areas. I still want to read book 2 since it’s just a duology, and I’m waiting for more arcs and a more amazing journey.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Oh my lord oh my lord. Ms. Sabaa Tahir has done it AGAIN. I was very recently introduced to the Ember in the Ashes universe when Penguin hosted the read-along, and it was perfectttt going from reading those, right into this one. I feel like I had a great understanding of the world already, and that set the scene nicely, but on the same hand, I could have walked into this book without any previous knowledge and been just as invested. The writing style feels identical (if not a bit nostalgic) and the slowburn was burningggg. I'm obsessed and need to desperately get my hands on a physical copy! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

It was a delight to return to the world from An Ember in the Ashes, one of my favorite fantasy series. I loved getting to know Sirsha, Quil and company and to see how beloved characters from Ember have fared after two decades.

As usual, Sabaa Tahir’s writing style draws you into the story and weaves an intricate storyline with lots of twists. It seems they are almost there and then the rug is pulled out from under them.

Can’t wait for the sequel as this does leave the story unresolved.

I was given a copy by the publisher via NetGalley (thank you!) and all opinions are my own.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!!!

⭐️=4.5-4.75? 5? | 😘=3 | 🤬=2 | ⚔️=5 | 15/16+

summary: An Ember in the Ashes (talented brilliant incredible) spinoff! this prince and this thief girl and this orphan and alternating timeline POVs and I can’t explain but it’s really good

thoughts: this is fantastic! it’s really good!! because, like, Sabaa Tahir is a genius et cetera. I read it in, like, two days or something. great pacing. the structure was very interesting, and there were lots of twists, but imo they weren’t created equal?? like some were better/more surprising/more interesting than others but I really really liked the characters and I need the next book but it probably won’t be out for like two years lol. anyway! I recommend this, but I don’t recommend reading it without having read the OG series bc knowing all the lore makes it so much better!!

Sabaa Tahir is an amazing story teller. Heir is brings the story of three unlikely people together. Murder, magic, and sacrifice encompas their adventure.

Quil a reluctant prince who doesn't want to take the throne.

Sirsha an outcast tracker who wants to get away and finds an offer she can't refuse.

Aiz who wants to help her people and take them to their promised land.

The characters and side characters were all well written and you wanted each of them to succeed until their motives changed. I cannot wait for the next book.

This was such a fun read. The story takes you along with the characters as they experience heartbreak, loss, and learn what it means to love your people-the found family, the ones you choose. This book has a villain origin story entwined in the most beautiful way! I can't wait for what happens next in this story. The only thing I didn't love was understanding the chronology of events as they were laid out. The transitions between chapters didn't feel smooth and I always felt like I was scrambling to figure out where I was in the timeline.

If you loved the Ember quartet, you MUST read this book! And if you haven’t read the Ember quartet, you can still read this book! But I highly recommend reading the Ember quartet first for the MOST epic experience.
But reading Heir will be epic, nonetheless.

It has been such a pleasure revisiting the rich world that Sabaa Tahir has created and getting to know these new characters, some of which have descended from our favorite original crew. Each storyline was gripping, and I couldn’t read the pages fast enough. This was my most anticipated read of the year, and it did not let me down, further solidifying Tahir as one of my favorite authors.

If I had to give one small critique, it would be that I wished the timelines had been a little bit more clear from the beginning, but that may have been something I personally missed while reading. However, even with that small complaint (and I mean very small), the book was 5 stars, and I cannot wait for the next one!

Thank you, Netgalley and publisher, for this ARC!

It was really exciting to dive back into this world and follow a different storyline with different characters, but it was also fun to see characters from the last book. (Peeping Elias and Laia 🥰)

At first, I thought I was following the same timeline while I read each characters chapters until they started to meet up with each other later in the book. That was a fun surprise when it finally made sense. The chapters aren't titled with dates or anything, so I wasn't expecting that.


I did like the chemistry between Quil and Sirsha, so I really hope the next book resolves our little issue at the end of this book. (Don't want to spoil anything).

Overall, it was a fun book and I can't wait for the next. I'd recommend to anyone who likes fantasy.

Gosh, this book! It has every single thing I love about fantasy. Romance, politics, emotion and action. I loved this continuation of the Ember series and honestly every time Helene, Elias, and Laia were mentioned I SCREAMED.

And those TWISTS!!!

Book two, I need you now

THE ENDING!!!!!!! SABAA please. I need the second book right now. I loved every minute of Heir. I can't say much without spoiling the story, but it was so much fun to along with the POVs of Sirsha, Quil, and Aiz., and it was so great to see Ember characters pop up again.

Mark your calendars for October 1, 2024 immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group and Sabaa Tahir for the complementary digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam/Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read Heir by Sabaa Tahir in exchange for my honest review.

Heir is a high fantasy set in a familiar world but offers an entirely new story and characters, with a few cameos from Tahir’s Ember in the Ashes (EITA) series. The book's narrative structure, featuring one point of view set in the past and two in the present, can be challenging to follow, sometimes making it difficult to keep track of the timeline and character arcs.

For those unfamiliar with the EITA series, the intricate world-building in Heir might be daunting. The story takes place 20 years after the events of the previous series, and while the world-building, magic system, and character motivations are exceptionally well-done, new readers might struggle to grasp the full depth of Tahir’s creation.

However, Heir stands out in a genre that often feels saturated with generic tales. The novel’s world-building is immersive, the magic system is fascinating, and the characters' motivations are compelling.

If you're a fan of YA fantasy looking for something that breaks the mold, I’d recommend Heir, however I’d probably suggest starting with EITA. Tahir is an expert at exploring the dark side of life.

EXCUSE ME I NEED 5-7 BUSINESS DAYS TO PROCESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED BC HELLO?!?
Sabaa Tahir really knows how to build a world and introduce it to new readers. I have not gotten around to reading Ember in the Ashes series yet but I heard this was a spinoff series (but can still be read as a standalone). I had no issues jumping into the world and getting a grasp of the magic system and political set up. I would say it starts quite slow in the beginning but starts to pick up quickly after and BOYYY DOES IT GET GOOD. The author truly knows how to keep you on your toes with banter, tension, high stakes and crazy twists! I am so so excited for the second book that concludes this duology because I care so much about these characters and i need to know HOW IT ENDS FOR THEM 🥹 otherwise this is a fantastic read for fantasy readers who love romance and adventure!


Tysm Penguin Teen for the early copy for an exchange of my honest thoughts and review ~

The way I screamed when I was approved for this @netgalley eARC was so loud it startled Astor cat 😅

Truly we do not deserve the glorious writing & creative mind of @sabaatahir but I am so so so glad that she graces us with these books. Heir is book one in a new duology that takes place in the same universe as the An Ember in the Ashes series. Per usual with the books in this universe, all the stars. You’ll want to make sure to read those first (& it’s required reading in general by yours truly!) since you’ll be reunited with many familiar characters. I love these upper YA books with all of my heart. If you have various theories (as I did) while reading or need to scream your reactions always feel free to DM me!

You won’t want to miss Heir when it’s published 10.1.2024 💙

Oh man this was a wild ride.

There is so much happening, and the author did a fantastic job of piecing everything together beautifully at the end. There is a real art in designing plots like this one. Every action causes a reaction. It’s beautiful.

The characters are sound, and everyone I read about was interesting enough that I wanted to continue to know more. No one felt bland. I enjoyed reading the side characters with or without the main characters. Everyone had good balance.

I love multiple POVS. They make my heart sing because I’m nosey, I want to be in the know for every little thing happening.

The slow burn this had was just glorious. I rooted for them the entire time I was reading and only wanted to see them thrive. The banter they had was impeccable. The romance is not the main focus of this story, for me, it worked. I was so interested in everything else that was happening as well that not having full blown romance every page was perfect. It had just enough to satisfy. Also, I loved the way the umm “love” scenes were written. I’m a spicy girly but sometimes it’s nice to have stories that leave things to the imagination.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was my first time reading Sabaa Tahirs work and I cannot wait to see more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley, and Sabaa Tahir for early access to this work in exchange for my honest review.

As someone who was not crazy about An Ember in the Ashes, I was really curious to see what Sabaa Tahir’s next work would be. This fantasy novel follows three young people: Aiz, who has powers she cannot control; Sirsha, a tracker, and Quil, the heir to the empire. I unfortunately didn’t find these characters very interesting or original, and the writing struck me as somewhat bland. Tahir also fell into one of the traps set for authors of another bestselling series when they write something new: providing enough exposition for new readers when the book is set in the same universe as the other series. This attempt failed on two levels. I’ve only read the first book in her other series a long time ago, and I certainly did not feel that this book gave me enough information to understand what was happening between all the different groups in the story. Tahir also did a lot of Remember the Characters from that Other Series and Also How Great Those Books Were while providing exposition, which was not enjoyable.

I absolutely loved this book! I had a feeling I would, as I also loved Ember in the Ashes. Sabaa Tahir’s writing draws you and has you invested in no time. You absolutely don’t have to read the Ember in the Ashes series to read this, BUT if you did enjoy them, you are bound to love these, too! At first I was a bit overwhelmed with multiple point of views, but it didn’t take me long to get a handle on it. There were some clever surprises throughout that had me marveling at Sabaa Tahir’s creativity. I cannot wait for the second installment in this duology!

I'm obsessed with this expansion of the world built from the Ember series! This book had me gasping. so loud in the last half of the book with all the twists and turns! truly such a crazy experience! I loved seeing old and familiar characters mixed with the new characters. At first it took a while for me to really understand what was going on, especially with the multi POV. However, once things started to click together, I couldn't put the book down! The new characters and the romance... THE ROMANCE was just absolutely impeccable I just loved it from start to finish and I'm so so terrified of what's to come I just know Sabaa will hurt me once again

This story was so immersive and fast paced. I really enjoyed the aspect of having the different POVs of Quil, Aiz, and Sirsha and overall plot of the story.

Wow what an absolute ride! Such a fantastic read. I haven’t read something this good in months. I could not put it down!