I’m a big Ember in the Ashes fan and have been highly anticipating this release! The book felt epic; the world, magic and politics were all a step up in intensity from her young adult series that this book is set in. Sabaa Tahir is a plot writing genius, the twists and turns that flipped the story on its head and had me questioning everything. The book had a slow strat which took me a little longer to get into, but once the story picked up I was hooked.

I definitely felt this was a more plot heavy than character focused story, which meant at times the character work could have been developed more. That being said, I appreciated the direction that Sabaa took the story and the relationships she developed between characters.

If you loved an Ember in the Ashes and want to dive back into Sabaa’s world and writing, you need to pick this one up. If you haven’t read an Ember in the Ashes run don't walk to the bookstore and do yourself a favour!! I would say that you should absolutely read AEITA before Heir, but it is absolutely worth doing in order to experience this epic story.

Unfortunately I did DNF this, and that was a personal opinion. Absolutely loved the idea but It just wasn’t the book for me, which was really surprising.
Thankyou so much for this ARC!

A massive thank you to Netgalley, Hachette AU & NZ and Sabaa Tahir for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ya girl was thrilled when the approval email rolled in and oh my, does it feel good to be back in this world.

Although Heir can be read as a standalone, it hits differently when you’re familiar with the world and characters from the Ember In The Ashes series, especially as some of these characters make reappearances.

Heir follows our three main characters;

Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire who struggles with the pressures of his title whilst encountering a potential invasion.

Aiz, a scrappy orphan who grew up in the Kegari slums seeking a better life for her people, whilst being guided by the holy voice of Mother Div.

Sirsha, a gifted magic user and skilled tracker, outcasted from her tribe and hired to hunt an unnatural killer.

We get multiple POV’s as the characters storylines interweave whilst being immersed in Tahir’s rich world-building. The world-building itself does require a bit of attention to fully grasp but it’s well worth it.

I’m bursting to read the next book already!

Publication date: 08 Oct 2024

'Heir' by Sabaa Tahir
★★★★★​​​​​​​

'Heir' is a fresh and new addition to the 'Ember Quartet' world while doing justice to the original series. The novel is immediately exciting and expands the world we know from 'An Ember in the Ashes'.

Set twenty years after 'AEITA', we follow three main characters, each with their own ambitions, hopes, and responsibilities. One of which is Helene's nephew, Quil, along with two entirely new characters. Tahir really excels at creating layered complex characters who are complicated but also understandable. There are characters reminiscent of Helene, Laia, and Elias, and yet they are uniquely their own.

The plot was really well constructed—it was tight, exciting, and had lots of political intrigue that I really enjoyed. There is a twist early on that was beautifully constructed and made for more depth. I enjoyed the romance—it wasn't heavy, but it felt very real and believable within the landscape.

If you loved the original characters and world, read 'Heir'. It won't disappoint. I definitely suggest that you read the 'Ember Quartet first', as they are fairly well-connected. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy in October!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Australia / Atom, and Sabaa Tahir for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mixed review inbound.

This was not what I expected. I'm not going to go as far to say that I was let down, but it wasn't anywhere what I hoped.

Still enjoyable. Took several breaks to read other books that caught more of my interest. I got there in the end.

** spoiler alert ** Thanks to netgally, the author and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review. TEHEHEHE IT WAS MY FIRST TIME RECEIVING AN ARC AND IT MADE MY DAYY.

The review contains major spoilers and I cannot organize my thoughts in a coherent sequence 😍

I couldn't give two figs about Aiz, I know the girlie is possessed by a demon or whatever but she didn't even think straight before she was possessed. Using Quil when he had been nothing but kind and trying to kill Tiral when it was clear that he was stirring from his sleep?? While I did feel bad for her at times, I just couldn't bring myself to care and had ro resist the urge to skip her chapters.

Also I love Quil and Sufiyan's friendship and I wish we'd gotten more of them. ALSO I LIVEEE FOR SUFIYAN, HOPEFULLY HE HAS A BIGGER ROLE IN THE NEXT BOOK BECAUSE HE ONLY HAD ONE CHAPTER HERE😭
"Breathe, Suf," Quil said in his quiet way. "We're here. We're all right"

I am an ardent fan of the ember in the ashes series, so seeing characters like Laia, Elias, Helene and Tas was nostalgic.

WHAT'S WITH THE CLIFFHANGER THOUGH, SIRSHA BEING POSESSED BY SWEET DIV AND AIZ IS ACTUALLY STILL ALIVE??Mann I can't wait to see what happens next.

It did get boring at times though, I don't remember what happens in the middle section of the book other than characters traveling from one place to another or doing god-knows what. I don't know why but I felt kind of disconnected from the characters, as if watching them from a distance, if that makes sense. Overall I did binge read the book in three days and will be reading the next oneee.

Loved this book it’s a complex fantasy full of adventure and battles it will have you feeling a roller coaster of emotions with its diverse characters and multiple pov storyline’s

Thank you NetGalley and publisher

I wanted to love this book. My attention waxed and waned. I didn’t quite connect with the characters enough. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

5 stars! Spoiler free review
Sabaa Tahir does it again! Let me Start by saying An Ember In The Ashes is my all time favourite series it's the one I recommened everytime someone asks for book recommendations. So hearing Sabaa was writing a new book based in the same world as AEITA I was giddy!

First, Sabaa provides sufficient world-building and empire history backstory, allowing it to be read independently. However, I strongly recommend reading the An Ember In The Ashes series first to enhance your reading experience.

After 20 years, Heir returns us to the empire and expands to the southern continent, where we are introduced to our three main characters. Paths cross and destinies intertwine.
Aiz, a sole survivor of an orphanage fire, sets her on a path of vengeance.
Sirsha, an exiled tracker banned from using her gifts, enters a deal to hunt a killer that leaves her in danger.
Quil, heir to the martial empire, must fulfill his duty and become the emperor the empire needs..

Sabaa weaves an epic fantasy in this first book with her vivid world-building and fast-paced action. I particularly enjoyed the use of three POVs. Sabaa seamlessly weaves the three narratives, and I found myself completely engrossed in each perspective. I was living for the snippets of characters from AEITA and I was not disappointed. Sabaa really did an amazing job blending the old with the new.

I simply couldn't get enough of this book, it was everything I love in a fantasy I highly recommended picking this one up!

An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.
And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

“Get ready for a dark and breathless journey that will captivate readers and may cost these young people their lives—and their hearts. Literally.”
- Heir synopsis

Firstly, before we get into the review, let me just say two things:
A) What the fuck, Sabaa, and
B) Did I finish this book, or did this book finish me?

Okay now onto the actual review:

“When you sacrifice other people’s children on the altar of your ambition, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll be willing to sacrifice your own.”

“‘For the people’ was a blood-soaked shield brandished by tyrants everywhere.”

This was my most highly anticipated read of 2024, and it did NOT disappoint. Heir is Sabaa Tahir’s latest fantasy novel set in the same world as the Ember quartet, taking us back to the Empire. The story revolves around Quil, the crown prince of the Empire, Sirsha, a tracker with a tortured past and endless secrets, and Aiz, an orphan girl from a faraway land with dreams of liberating her people.

Expect a fast paced, multi-pov Fantasy novel with complex characters, intricate, intertwining storylines, heartbreak, and plot-lines that will invoke every possible emotion known to mankind as you read this book.

I laughed. I was stressed. I nearly threw my iPad across the room a few times. I had to take several walks around my room. I stressed some more. I cried. I rated it 5 stars.

All in all, I’d highly recommended adding this one to your tbr. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏻