Sabaa Tahir is incredible as always. I'm left in such anticipation of the sequel that I'm glad I read the Ember in the Ashes Series after all 4 books came out. As always, incredible character and world-building and I cannot wait for what happens next.

I have not read anything by Sabaa before so I didn't know what to expect. I was really skeptical of Heir since I hadn't read the original series too. That probably helped make it a bit slow for me to start but I think there was a really well planned plot building situation happening because I was just swept away. It had me hooked by the end. I'm still reserving judgment as a whole because I really think book two could fall flat. But I can't wait to find out.

Thank you so much to Sabaa Tahir, Penguin and Netgalley for this ARC. I attest that I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

I did decide to read the original Ember in the Ashes series before reading this and I will say, I am very glad I did.
Although this can be read independently, it was so nice to see past characters in this book and see how they interact with the new characters of this book.
Sabaa Tahir is so amazing at story telling. Heir was interesting, exciting, and felt like coming back to an old friend but with a whole new light.
I don't want to say too much because I don't want to ruin anything but the twists were exciting, And I only say part of one twist coming and that was so refreshing.

An excellent read. I feel like I missed quite a bit by not reading the author's original series before diving into this title. Despite that, I still enjoyed it immensely. Heir is very well paced, the characters are fantastic, and the settings are awesome. The author did such a wonderful job of describing everything that I felt like I was with the characters every step of the way throughout the title. I was a little bummed out by the ending of the book, but I do look forward to the next entry in this series.

Despite not reading Tahir's other series, I wanted to read Heir, thinking it'd be a true standalone. While I believe the plot of this book can be understood without having read An Ember in the Ashes, I personally struggled to figure out the world and society. It's definitely not impossible, but this made it hard for me to fully understand and reasonable review the book fairly.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

If Sabaa Tahir writes it, I will read it. But also, the way her mind works. Twist after twist regarding timelines, and what we think we know as a reader, only to find out something else. I cannot wait until I have time to read this book again to see if I can pick up clues, if any were made, about what happened.

Heir
by Sabaa Tahir
Heir Duology #1
YA Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Oct 1, 2024
Penguin Group
Ages: 16+

Aiz grew up in the slums, her people suffering under their rulers, until one day...

Sirsha, banished by her people and forbidden to hunt as her people hunt, has magic that enables her to talk to the elements and uses the gift to hunt non-magical others for a price.

The Empire's crown prince, Quil, sets out to find the enemy who has attacked the Empire, and his path crosses with both Aiz and Sirsha...


Sadly, I don't get what all of the excitement is about this book. It was a good story with a creative world, plot, and characters, but I guessed most of the who, what, and why pretty quickly because of the 'history'.

At first, I was really interested in that part of the story, until the relationship with the rest of the story unfolded, then well, I don't even think I was halfway through the book when I started to guess, and was mostly right.

The ending was too 'easy' and I wasn't surprised because I already knew there was a second book, which as of me writing this, I have no overwhelming need to read because I can already guess where it's going.

If the story hadn't been so predictable I think I would have liked it more. And I guess this is set in the same world as a previous series from this author, which I did not know about when requesting, (Grrr!) but I'm not sure if reading those first would have made a difference in my opinion.

There is violence and borderline adult content so it's not suitable for readers under sixteen.

3 Stars

2024 has not been a strong year for fantasy, but I’m so glad I read Heir.

This is actually my first Sabaa Tahir read, I’ll def go back and read her other series plus All My Rage after reading Heir.

I really like the world building and the character development of the three leads Aiz, Quil and Sircha. Each character has his/her own unique background and story, very strong side characters around them as well.

The magic each character possesses is different too, and I like one of the strongest magic in the book is the magic that lives in a story.

The book ended with a pretty big cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the second book and see how things will end!

4.5 ⭐️ roundup to 5

It took a while to get into the book, and by this I mean months! but it was definitely worth it. The first third of the book was a bit slow, but the rest was very enjoyable (I finished the latter two-thirds in a single day!) I am definitely looking forward to the sequel because the ending was a cliffhanger and I need more!

→ Would recommend - 4.5 stars

5 Stars

THIS BOOK!!!!! I need the second book ASAP because that CLIFFHANGER WAS BRUTAL and the mid story twist WAS BANANAS and seriously I need more more more RIGHT MEOW. A proper fantasy full of magic and world building and epic stakes and murky choices being made for the greater good. I gobbled it up like Mother Div. Anyhooooooooo amazing and I am dying for the next book.

HEIR by Sabaa Tahir was such a good read. Set around twenty years after the end of the An Ember in the Ashes series it delivered in every way. It took me a bit to find my footing in the story, but once I did; I couldn’t stop reading. I was captivated. Every book Sabaa writes is incredible. She just knows how to play with your emotions with her storytelling.

This new spinoff revolves around three new characters: Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil but we do get a glimpse of the lives of our past favourite characters. 

Aiz's ambition and devotion to save as well as provide a better life for herself and her people was intriguing with the length she would go to in order to make this happen. She was completely blinded by it not thinking of the consequences it would cost her and to those around her. 

Sirsha was one of my favorites! She was amazing. So clever, witty and fierce yet there was so much depth and vulnerability to her. I’m excited to see where her journey goes.

Quil was amazing, I loved her relationships with the other characters like Sirsha and her history with Helene, Elias, and Laia. There is a hardness to him but when he’s around those he cares about I loved seeing the softest to him that lies beneath his broody hard exterior. He’s been through so much; I loved learning the in-depths of his actions and behaviors as he tries to understand his place in the world around him. 

The way that these characters are connected is insane.

I loved how Sabaa intertwined the new and old characters together despite having different dynamics and the various time jumps they all fit naturally together; it never felt forced or out of place. Each character development, building tension, world-building, and magical system was written beautifully.

An emotional rollercoaster to the end. And after that ending, I’m excited to see what’s in store for the next book. 

This is a book full of incredible worldbuilding, high stakes, tension, vulnerability, trauma, tethering the line of what is right and wrong, witty characters, romance, and heartbreak.

If you were captivated by the Ember in the Ashes series, Heir will bring you more chaos to this incredible universe Sabaa has built.

I've never read her before, but now that I did, thank goodness. It reminds me a lot of Swati Teerdhala's world building and writing, and I can't wait to see what's next!

Heir by Sabaa Tahir is everything i was hopeful for with its description. I have absolutely been captured by her writing style and need to jump into her back list as soon as possible. This title is now on the employee recommends shelf at my work and i can't wait to see more from its writer.

I really loved this book from start to finish! These characters are so well written, and complex. The world building is so unique and magical! Sabaa is one of my favorite authors because she's just such an amazing storyteller, and I was so excited to return to the world of An Ember in the Ashes! I loved all the different POVs as well! I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel, especially after that ending!

I am forever blown away by Sabaa Tahir. I love the way she can break your heart and put it back together and the intricate storytelling that will leave you reeling. I just adored this book and the tie ins to AEITA. Just, bravo all around.

You can see all my reviews here: <a href="https://booksarethenewblackblog.wordpress.com">Books Are The New Black</a>

Sabaa Tahir is one of my favorite authors! I have difficulty reading YA fantasy books, but never Tahir’s. Heir was just as amazing as her previous series, An Ember in the Ashes.

The characters that Tahir creates are always so full of depth. Many stood out to me in this book, but Aiz is one that I hurt for. Her entire story is just heartbreaking. She’s dead set on revenge, and it’s always a road that makes me nervous. I did understand where she was coming from. There are always so many grey characters in Tahir’s books, which makes them much more powerful. Sirsha was a character that I loved right away! She added some laughter when it was needed. At the same time, her character had so much more under the surface. Not only was she an amazing tracker, but she also had a tragic past. Once she joins Quil and his gang, we see more of her. Quil was a character that I loved the instant I found out who he was. I adored the connections to AEITA! It’s one of my favorite YA series, and it was awesome seeing some of my favorite characters twenty years later.

The plot and world-building were so interesting, and I loved the connections to the past. Tahir’s writing is so fluid and intriguing that you cannot help but devour her words. It was a quick read because I had to know what would happen next. One of the things I know about Tahir is that she will GO THERE. She can be brutal with your emotions and some of your favorite characters. This book was no exception, and there were some crushing moments!
Overall, this book lived up to my expectations! I loved seeing some of our past characters and all the new world-building created. The ending has me wanting the next book as soon as possible!!

Thank you to Penguin Teen/G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for an e-arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow, Heir was such a fantastic read! I’ve had limited time to read lately, so I really savored every moment of it. It felt like a treat to return to the world of An Ember in the Ashes, and Sabaa Tahir did not disappoint. Set twenty years after AEITA, this story introduces a new generation of characters—Helene’s nephew, and Laia and Elias’ son—while continuing the same brutal, high-stakes world. While you don’t need to have read AEITA to enjoy Heir, it definitely enriches the experience, and there are some spoilers, so I’d recommend reading the first book first.

Tahir’s talent for weaving emotional depth with gripping action shines through here. The plot starts slow as it builds the world and introduces new characters, but once it picks up, it’s a wild ride. The story is full of twists, featuring a power-hungry deity, a troubled outcast, and a fierce found family. I loved how Tahir expanded on the lore from the first book, giving readers a deeper understanding of the cultures and beliefs that shape this world. As for the characters, I quickly became attached. Quil is a standout MMC, possibly rivaling Elias as my book boyfriend—he’s a perfect mix of dangerous and sweet. Sirsha is a total badass FMC, full of wit and strength, while Aiz is a complicated, sometimes brutal character who keeps you guessing. I really enjoyed seeing how all these different personalities clashed and meshed in this intense, emotional tale. The multiple POVs kept things fast-paced and dynamic, and that cliffhanger ending has me eagerly anticipating the next book! This was definitely a top read for the year.

While Heir is not a sequel or continuation of the Ember series, it was still nice to be back in that world. I loved seeing how things have changed since the end of Sky, and it was especially cool to see a few familiar faces. Tahir is the queen of heartbreak, though, and I’m not sure I can forgive her for the ending. Anxiously awaiting a sequel (and hoping it doesn’t take 5 years…)

I have not read "Ember in the Ashes" and was concerned that might impact my enjoyment of "Heir" but I can happily say it definitely did not. I really liked this book. Tahir does an excellent job of building her universe, and I enjoyed the multiple POV. About halfway through the book, the timeline becomes clear, and some things that didn't seem to make sense, do. The book does get long at the end - I kept thinking it was ending and then there would be another chapter. But that is not enough to make me not want to read book 2, and maybe check out Tahir's back catalog.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.