Apologies on the delay on this -- when I realized Heir was a continuation (or sorts) of An Ember in the Ashes, I debated whether I wanted to go back and finish that series before moving forward. My review is below.
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A new series from Sabaa Tahir? I'm in! Her stand-alone novel All My Rage was my #4 Book of 2022, and after enjoying that I went back and read An Ember in the Ashes, her first novel (and first of a fantasy quartet) that was also a 5-star read for me. For some reason, I never prioritized the remaining three books in that series despite really enjoying how it began.


I assumed Heir was something entirely new from Tahir, but that's not altogether the case. It takes place in the same fantasy world as An Ember in the Ashes, but does so years after the conclusion of those books. It's essentially a second-generation novel (the first of a two-book duology), which follows the scions of the main characters of the original tetralogy. However, those main characters -- Laia, Elias, Helene -- all make appearances and play a role in this novel. The outcome of their journey in the Ember tetralogy is also revealed and discussed, and so when I realized that I almost stopped reading Heir to preserve the potential of reading those original books fresh. However, I figured if I hadn't read them in the last three years, the chances are I probably wouldn't, and so I plowed ahead.

Heir follows three main characters: Aiz, an orphan from the slums of Kegar; Sirsha, a skilled tracker commissioned to find and capture a mysterious killer who is burning the hearts out of its victims' chests; and Quil, the nephew of the queen and titular heir to the throne. Tahir's world-building, plotting and creativity are once again on display, and so without a lengthy explanation into the core plot of the novel, suffice it to say that the world is embroiled in conflict and the three primary characters' stories shall intersect.

The novel is branded as a fantasy novel for young adults, and while there's no Fourth Wing cock talk, there's enough lightly-described sex that I raised an eyebrow at the designation. The characters are well-developed, and the novel has its share of compelling moments. However, it fell short of the high bar set by Tahir's other work. If I loved An Ember in the Ashes but failed to finish that series, I find it unlikely that I'll complete this one despite there only being one additional forthcoming book. It was entertaining, and better than average, but not by much. If you haven't read it yet, I'd suggest you pick up An Ember in the Ashes instead. And if you have read that series, you might enjoy returning to that world, but temper your expectations.

I absolutely love Sabaa Tahir so I was ecstatic to be chosen to read this book. The continuation of the original Ember story was done SO well and it made me nostalgic for the world that I loved before. The writing is perfect. The story was perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better follow-up to the Ember in Ashes series.

LOVE! SO GOOD! She is back! What an amazing book. I've missed Tahir so much and I loved this book. The characters were so well written.

Sabaa Tahir doesn’t miss! I had previously read her other books and wow! I love all of the cameos I read through! I totally recommend this book to friends! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

Heading back into the world of 𝘈𝘯 𝘌𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴 series was simply magical.

Sabaa Tahir is one of the very best at world building as she doesn’t drone on and on; she merely sets her story in a fantasy world of jinns, spirits, scholars, masks, martials, and Magic, and sets the action rolling immediately.

You’ll meet Aiz, a poor ‘snipe,’ orphaned and imprisoned, trying to save her people and yet enamored with a spiritual entity.

Next up is Sirsha, a tracker who uses magic, abandoned by her clan, good with knives, with a sense of humor and spice.

Last is Quil, nephew to the empress, next in line for the throne, skilled Martial, intelligent and compassionate, close to or related all the three leads from the last series.

Excellent evil entities to fight, heroic battles, fantastical skills, tears and trauma and tragedy - this book has it all! I could not put it down, and can’t wait for the finale!

You don’t have to read Tahir’s first series to understand and love this new book, first in a duology. And while it’s marketed as a YA, I find it’s only because the lead characters are older teenagers. It reads adult, tho keeps the love story at a minimum with closed doors, and focuses on relationships during war.

Thanks to Penguin Teen for the gifted copy!

An amazing followup to the Ember in the Ashes series, Heir is absolutely epic. I love Sabaa's ability to write amazing and engaging stories with strong women. While this was said to be a standalone duology, I do think it's necessary to read EITA first.

I can not even describe how beautiful, gut-wrenching, and adrenaline inducing this book was. To be back in this world, I love so much, but with new to me characters having new adventures? Perfection. This author has gotten exponentially better with each release, and this was no exception.

Talk about a book hangover!!! I am obsessed with these characters and how their lives intertwine. Grab your tissues because you will not believe the twists and emotional turns.

I have been a fan of Sabaa Tahir since the moment I picked up An Ember in the Ashes. Her writing is beautiful, emotional, and captivating, and it was no exception with Heir. And one thing that I admire the most is that she doesn't pull any punches. All her books leave me emotionally scarred, but also evoke hope and love for her story and her characters. I'm excited to continue to read more in the series and more from Sabaa Tahir, overall. 5 big fat stars.

I went into this not realizing that it’s set in the same world as An Ember in the Ashes. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that everyone’s favorite characters were back for this new series, only older and wiser.
This takes place twenty years after the conclusion of An Ember in the Ashes series.
It follows Quil, Helene’s nephew and the crown prince. Aiz, an orphan set on vengeance for her people. And Sirsha, an outcast and one of the renowned magical trackers who hunt people down, for a price.
They couldn’t be more different. Their backgrounds, their way of life, their status, where they live. But wheels are set in motion and these three unlikely allies are sent on an epic quest that will explore love, loss, adventure and magic.
This is a heavy book at times with themes of oppression, facing injustices and fighting with all you have for a better future.
Although this can be read without previously reading the Ember series, I STRONGLY suggest reading Ember first since you’ll be missing vital information about the world and characters. Plus, you’ll get more of an impact seeing the characters and where they are 20 years in the future.
This is a beautiful story that any fantasy reader will love. Tahir is a master of her craft and weaves together a seamless tale of bravery, friendship, grief and love.
Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

Heir was absolutely incredible. The Ember series is one of my all time faves so it was a lot of fun to see the legacy characters all grown up (and my age) while also getting to see more of the world than we did in the quartet. Our three new characters held their own and I really enjoyed witnessing how their paths crossed with the other characters, new and old. Aiz was probably that most infuriating and fascinating character I have read about in a long time. She drew a lot of emotion but also challenged my thinking throughout the story. I was captivated from the very first page to the final word and cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel. Bravo Sabaa! What an epic new entry back in the the world of Ember. Go read it today!

🤧💨✨⚔️💙🥹

Heir was SUCH a special read after a few years away from the Ember in the Ashes series. I love this universe so much! The Heir duology is a spin off of Ember and takes place well after Ember’s conclusion. We follow three main characters as their lives become intertwined and forever altered.

I found the start of this duology immediately captivating and immersive. The pages of this story gripped me and I lost myself in them easily. Sabaa’s flow of smooth, eloquent writing and digestable yet wholly unique world building make it incredibly hard not to. I truly did not want it to end! I was also wildly intrigued by the introduction of new, as well as expansion of familiar, magic system elements from Ember aaaand... recognizable settings and characters...!

You can also expect power struggles, invasion x war, forbidden magic, lovable characters, fierce friendship and banter, high stake missions, and titillating romance. Duplicity and cunning. Valor and honor. Oh, and Sabaa’s signature plot twists that come literally out of nowhere. The best kind!

AND. If you plan to pick this up, please, please, please consider reading the Ember series first. Heir will mean so much to you that way!

Thanks so much to Penguin Teen for the early copy 💙

Sabaa Tahir is legendary. I loved this book so much, and the fact that it took place in the same world as AEITA made me so incredibly happy! Some themes were a little heavy and relevant to today's world, but I still got swept away in this story. Just be sure to mind your content warnings!!!

I started the book without knowing that it´s set in the world of An Ember in the Ashes and I was having a good time until my *wife*, the Empress herself Helene Aquilla. After that, I had a great time. Do I wish Sabaa Tahir was nicer to my favorite characters? Maybe, but it was all overshadowed by the surprise and happiness of getting to see them again. So yes, I might be a bit biased when I say I love this book, but I think everything is explained well enough that anyone can jump right in, even if you haven´t read the original series.

The characters, as usual, are amazing, well-layered, and just overall fun. I have a hard time choosing a favorite, Aiz who wants a better life for herself and her people, Sirsha is on the run and trying to get out of the Empire, and Quil, the Crown Prince struggling with the crown and the secrets that come with it.

The story has a pretty slow start, it took me a bit to get into it, mostly because I was wondering why these characters and what they have in common, but after everything comes togheder and it all makes sense it was a pretty fast-paced book. I think it might just be me, having a hard time getting into a story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the eARC.

This was my first fantasy by Sabaa Tahir and boy was it something. The hype around this book is so real. I really need to slow down with my fantasy books to better understand the world building - but this is no fault of Tahir. Really, really well done

This was my first book by this author and it was so good!! I can see why there is so much hype around this book. I usually don't love YA books but this one is amazing.

Heir is a beautiful tangled web of a story, and I enjoyed how each piece came together, but it took me significantly longer to read than any other 500 page fantasy. The first third is a lot of world building and info dumps - I had a difficult time following all the different people and places, and had to take notes to keep track of who belongs where and what magic they have. But then all the threads started connecting and the last half was impressive to see how the mystery came together.

The story kept me guessing throughout and the twists were exciting. When the reveals started happening around 75% in, it felt like the story was wrapping up, and may have here if it was a trilogy. The last 25% really felt like the story was coming to a close until the final chapters that opened up the storyline for the next book in the duology, and I am looking forward to seeing where it goes - and glad I kept extensive notes so I can pick right up.

- You can expect -
Serial Murder Mystery
Big Twists
Diverse Mythologies
Wide World of Magic
Bond of Convenience
Forced Proximity
Only One Room
Multi, 3rd Person POVs

This was hard to rate as it was difficult for me to get through, but I did really enjoy the story, so wavering somewhere between 4-4.5 stars. This series is from the same universe as An Ember in the Ashes, taking place 20 years later, but is its own story. Helene is a recurring character, and Sabaa said Ember is also in it, but as I have yet to read it I did not notice her. I have been wanting to read Ember for awhile, so will definitely slide it up the TBR before book 2 releases.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing an eARC for my honest opinions.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the e-arc!
This was one of those anticipated reads of the year! I absolutely adore the Ember in the Ashes quartet, and when I saw that there was another book in the same universe coming out, I immediately prepared! This is in the same universe as the original series but following the next generation of characters. We fall the children of some of our favorite characters from the original series as they embark on a new journey through the Martial empire. I would definitely recommend reading the original series before this as it gives much-needed context to the world and the characters.
As usual for Sabaa Tahir's books, the character work and world-building are immaculate. I expected nothing less after how amazing the first buck was but I was really blown away by her ability to take this familiar world and bring so much new life. The three main characters are extremely interesting, and my favorite ended up being Quil, who is Helene's nephew. I'm so excited we get to see some of our favorite characters from the first series and an opportunity to continue with such an amazing world.

I really enjoyed going back to this world. I was such a fan of the Ember in the Ashes series so when I heard about this new duology, I needed to get my hands on it! Since this was just released I won’t give away anything, but I loved meeting all the new characters and getting glimpses of some of the old ones. Well written and interesting premise! Definitely recommend for fans of the first series! Thanks to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Stop it right now. I will never understand how I was approved this. It I will forever be grateful. This book was incredible. All of the stars. Everyone. And now I need book 2