When I saw this book I instantly needed it and when I got it I was excited, going back into this universe following these character was amazing, once I was in I didn’t want to stop reading.

I think this is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The storyline is so intricately weaved, yet somehow so different. While it’s clear that there will be a part that the three storyline’s meet, it was written so well in that you couldn’t decipher how.

We follow Aiz, Quil and Sirsha as they navigate a path filled with betrayal, death, war, magic, and destruction. Filled with political and religious intrigue, magic, magic users, ‘holy’ spirits, cross-continent travel, forced proximity & fake engagement tropes, Heir will keep you on your toes until the very end. Full of twists and turns you don’t see coming. And that ending? I gasped. I need book 2 immediately & I am just PRAYING there is a happy ending to come.

Heir isn’t like any other fantasy book I have read before. Having just finished it, I have so many mixed emotions, it’s going to be one of those books I think about for a while!
Heir centres around three main characters, Quil, Sirsha and Aiz. Their stories are perfectly intertwined, intersecting in parts of the plot I did not expect. Not only are the main characters tasked with protecting their respective tribes and people, but they are also challenged morally and in the end we are asked, what does it mean to hold power?
This is my first Sabaa Tahir book, and it won’t be my last!
Thank you to the Author, Hachette Australia and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This is my first book for Author Sabaa Tahir and it did not disappoint .

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

I really enjoyed this book even though I haven't read An ember in the ashes series but they have been added to my TBR .
It was a slow start for me and took me sometime to get hooked in but once i was hooked it was go go go and i wish it didn't end .
It follows 3 main Characters , with twists , romance and left me wanting book two .

Thank you Netgalley & Hachette Australia for my ARC

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0

I feel empty. This book was just that good. It was so amazing being back into the ember in the ashes universe, in my opinion you must read the quartet before read Heir. You'll be missing 4 books worth of context, worldbuilding and characters if you don't. I was soooo excited everytime my beloved characters from embers got page time in Heir!!

We follow three different POVs in heir and they way they all merge to tell the story is absolutely brilliant. Sirsha's pov was my fave.

This had everything you want in a fantasy. A beautiful complex world. Intriguing magic. Brutal fight scenes. Crazy high stakes. Beautifully flawed characters. Amazing relationships both platonic and romantic.

And that ending!!! I need the second book immediately.

Zero criticism.

W O W 🤯
This will be one of my top 10 of 2024, for SURE.
I do think the love, and understanding, of this book is heightened if you’ve read the other 4 books in this world, which are set roughly 20 years before this plot starts.
But it’s just a really good book, full stop. The pacing and how it weaves between different points of view, then brings them together in a way I did NOT see coming, is so clever. The content, as with the previous books, is bleak, violent and grim - but the characters are incredibly loveable.
The reluctant heir to a martial empire; an outcast tracker foolish and brave enough to take on a dangerous job; and an orphan so desperate to help rescue her people from unjust rule that she goes to lengths even she doesn’t understand - each of them entwine in unexpected ways.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Hachette Australia and New Zealand for the digital ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Whoever says YA fantasy books are somehow 'lesser' than their adult counterparts needs to be whacked over the head with this book, and then invited to read it.
Heir is a multi-pov fantasy epic. There's a little something of everything in here: political intrigue, mystery, romance, and action aplenty.
The POV shifts every chapter, so it took me a little while to get attached to each of the characters, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Tahir has crafted excellent characters, each with their own goals, secrets and flaws. The shifting POV allows the reader to know each character intimately and adds depth to the interactions between the cast.
Some might find the villain's motivation a bit tired, but given how well it opposes the other character's goals, it worked well to provide narrative tension.
This book gave me the much-missed feeling of staying up too late because I wanted to read 'just one more chapter'. I cannot wait for the conclusion to the duology.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc.

Thank you Hachette and NetGalley for this ARC!

While this was released on October 1, it took me a while to get through ONLY BECAUSE I WAS SICK!

Disclaimer: did I know this was set in the same universe as her other series… nooooo 🫣 but I have been told that it’s not a spoiler and that it doesn’t matter if I haven’t read An Ember in the Ashes (but it would’ve helped).

Sabaa Tahir is out here keeping YA Fantasy afloat with this amazing writing and world omg. Heir has 3 main pov characters (with the occasional extra) all set in different parts of the world with their own struggles. The story brings them together in ways which I did not predict, and when I thought I knew the plot twist at about 48% I was proven wrong 🤷🏻‍♀️

Aiz, a girl from the slums who wants a better life for her people. Sirsha, a ‘tracker’ who uses magic to find her marks after she was banished from her home. And Quil, the crown prince of the Empire who really doesn’t want the throne and has known heartbreak and loss.

The way this book brought out so many emotions was insane. I was getting so angry and then completely understand, then heartbroken and shocked. Heir is an emotional roller coaster and I think I had forgotten to check the harness was on correctly. It was amazing, I’m going to have to read her other books just to stay in this world.

Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in:
- YA Fantasy
- Multi pov (3rd person)
- Magic
- Politics
- Betrayal
- Plot twists
- Forced proximity

Sabaa Tahir is probably the only high fantasy author I can truly enjoy, and she writes it so beautifully. I had no idea this book was set in the same world as her previous series (which I absolutely loved), so that was a wonderful surprise. It took me a little while to fully grasp the world-building and magic system, but once I did, I was hooked. The story is incredibly immersive, and I can’t wait to read the second book in the series and follow these characters further. I’d say this falls into the older young adult category. And while you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the cover is stunning. Amazing work overall!

Este libro transcurre 20 años después de Una llama entre cenizas. Laia, Elias y Helena aparecen y son importantes para la historia.

Está narrado desde tres puntos de vista: Aiz, Sirsha y Quil.

Mi personaje favorito era aquel que resultó no ser una buena persona. Sus acciones me sorprendieron porque parecía que todo lo que hacía era realmente para ayudar, pero al final solo buscaba poder.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.



Spoilers:
¿Sabaa, por qué te gusta hacer sufrir a Laia y Elias? Ya han pasado por tanto y ahora con lo de Ruh, no sé como siguen adelante.

This was my first Sabaa Tahir book and I think I needed to back read their catalogue for context and appreciation, because I felt really lost in this read. I struggled keeping up with the plot, the characters felt distant and I felt like I was unable to get a good grasp of them at the beginning, leaving me confused throughout. Overall I felt a little overwhelmed.
I am certain this is firmly a 'me' problem though. I liked how descriptive the writing was and I am sure that this will be a really enjoyable read for the majority of readers

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette Australia & New Zealand, and Sabaa Tahir for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

You ever read something that reminds you of why you absolutely love the high fantasy genre? Because that's what Sabaa Tahir's latest publication, Heir, is. Set in the same world as her well-loved Ember in the Ashes series, Heir provides us with a fresh story and a new set of characters to become enamoured with. And while many readers have made comparisons to her previous work, as someone who has yet to read it (but definitely will be reading it soon, after becoming enamoured with Sabaa Tahir's writing style), Heir holds up perfectly well on its own.

Yes, folks, this is one of those rare second series set in the same universe that doesn't require you to read the first series! I understood the world, its political system, the magic... all of it was shown to the reader throughout Heir in a nuanced and purposeful way. I never felt confused about the story or its world.

I did, however, feel confused about the timeline this book follows. Because there are two timelines in this book. In my ARC, there was also no indication of when the timeline switched, which became increasingly challenging when one of the main characters' points of view... became two stories split over two different timelines. Ordinarily, when I've read books like this, they've indicated a date change at the beginning of the chapter. I'm not sure if this is in the final published version of Heir, but it wasn't in mine. Once I finally parsed out what was happening timewise, I was well over 50% finished. I hope this helps y'all on your reading journey so you don't have your lightbulb moment as late as mine (god help me).

Anyway, I want book two already. I really enjoyed this one, and it's definitely my second favourite publish of the year. See you next time when Sabaa Tahir successfully rips my heart out. I've heard on the grapevine that she's notoriously allergic to happy endings.

This was such an amazing read!
Heir is the first book in a sequel duology set in the same world as The Ember In The Ashes. It takes place about 20 years after those events and it follows 3 main characters as they embark on this worldwide journey to try and save the Empire.

Whilst it is not necessary to read The Ember In The Ashes first, I think it definitely would enhance your reading experience. TEITA really sets the world up for you and Heir just expands on that. I especially enjoyed the multiple magic systems which we see a lot more of in Heir.

This is a fast paced fantasy filled with great characters, an exhilarating quest, explosive plot twists and some romance. The ending has left me on edge, I can't wait to see how the series continues.

Heir is my first Sabaa Tahir read, and it's the beginning of a duology that spins off from An Ember In the Ashes (which I haven't read, but will add to my TBR as i enjoyed Tahir's writing). It's YA fantasy, and while I was a bit lost at first with all the tribes, cities, and magic systems, I stuck with it—and it ended up being a pretty gripping adventure.

The story's told from three main perspectives: Quil, the crown prince, who's a genuinely nice guy but hiding his own set of secrets; Aiz, an orphan who drew the short straw in terms of starts in life, whose unshakable faith and determination drive her forward; and Sirsha, a mysterious hunter with layers of her own, who is sharp and resilient.

Despite some initial confusion with the world-building, I grew attached to the characters and found myself invested in their journeys. Even without having read An Ember In the Ashes, I didn't feel like I was missing out on too much. Some references likely flew over my head, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it.

Overall, Heir is an exciting read, and I’m looking forward to the next book. I want to see how it all plays out! I’d give it a solid 3.5 out of 5, but I definitely recommend it if you're into rich fantasy worlds and character-driven stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette for this ARC :)

Heir is a rich and immersive fantasy returning readers to the world Sabaa created in her previous series “An Ember in the Ashes” and I couldn’t be happier to be back there.

It is not necessary to read the original series to enjoy this story as these events occur 20 years later with a new cast of characters. However, for those who have read the previous series, you will recognise some familiar names pop up.

The book is narrated by 3 characters Quil- heir to the throne, Sirsha - an outcast who is hired to track a dangerous killer and Aiz - a girl from the slums on a mission to help her people and finding hope in a prophecy.

Unbeknownst to them, their lives are interconnected and Sabaa weaves the story together so beautifully it was hard to say bye to the characters when the book ended.

If you are unfamiliar with the authors writing style be prepared as you are in for a ride! This book will transport you to a whole new world complete with emotional damage.

Highly recommend and one of my fave reads of the year!

Thank you @netgalley, @hachetteaus for the ebook to review.

Set in a world I can only fathom as Grishverse meets Narnia (I'm looking at you beach scene!), Tahir weaves a beautiful web full of youngsters defeating their inner demons, realising who they are to the people around them, and that their choices MAKE a difference.

The world building is a gateway into fantasy, and the writing is so effortless, you may as well be controlling a Sail yourself ⛵

In Heir, we follow three MCs: Sirsha (pronounced Seer-sha), Quill and Aiz. One is an orphan, another an outcast, and the third that brings them all into the same space, is that of a prince. But to get myself carried away here, I LOVED how the side characters felt JUST as fleshed out as the mains - I'm looking at you Sufiyan 😅

These three get up to a LOT in the first 20% or so, which was really quite surprising. But do take note that seperating who's who and what's what during this time becomes a bit more challenging because of this. And then, the ebb and flow of storytelling got to work, and the most beautifully conflicting plot began to emerge. With Mother Div as a guide,I felt in safe hands...until I wasn't.

The whole time, I KNEW something was going to happen with a certain character (as a rule, this thing that kept happening is NEVER a good sign in any genre) and it paid off ten-fold! But the way it was done, and that end scene that makes everything come together (and always brings me back to that one Prince Caspian scene at the beach) made this book such a strong start to this planned duology, that I'll surely be picking up the second!

Heir follows several characters as they unravel intricate plots, fight for an Empire that is under siege, confront old and new foes alike, deal with insurmountable grief, all whilst trying to fight to not only survive, but save the continent. Add in some romance, some banter, and found family that demonstrates the distance that family will go for you, and you have a book worth screaming from the rooftops for.

This. Was. Such. A. Joy. To. Read. I was swept into the storyline, entranced with the characters, fell in love with an unlikely group of allies, and felt heartbroken by some of the character's storylines. I rarely find complex fantasies that don't make me reread paragraphs to understand the magic system and world, but this was thoughtfully woven together and crafted into a story that I was able to grasp, whilst not feeling like it was too simple to be intriguing. There were plot twists that had me putting the book down, there were devastating moments that tugged on my soul, and scenes that dove into the concept of friendship in a way that had me utterly gripped.

This book was fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself in this world - I love the premise, and the pacing felt perfect - fast enough that I wasn't bored, but slow enough that I was able to understand what was happening at any given moment, which made for such a rich reading experience that I will truly treasure.

Will definitely be recommending this book to others!

Heir Review
Thank you to NetGalley, Hatchette Australia & New Zealand and the author, for the opportunity to read this advance copy and provide my unbiased opinion.
Following on after events of the Ember in the Ashes series, we return to a world at war and follow the perspectives of Aiz: an orphan sworn to revenge, Quil: Crown Prince to Empress Helene and Sirsha: a tracker who is trying to build a new life.

I think the best parts of the story were the stellar world building and the uncomplicated, but very unique, magic system, which built on the prior series, although you could read Heir with no backstory and be fine. There were elements of mech-fantasy which I liked, and Sabaa Tahir is brilliant at plot pace and a smooth build of tension. A great adventure fantasy with political intrigue, Roman and middle eastern influences and fantastic battle scenes.

Heir by Sabba Tahir was everything that I had hoped for, and more. Tahir is a master of writing, crafting a masterful narrative with complex characters. The world building is just as phenominal. Tahir has built a complex religious system, government systems and expansive nations that allow the reader to be drawn into the story.

So I found out after I started reading that this Duology is an extension of Sabaa’s previous series An Ember in the Ashes. I haven’t read that series yet so I was really pleased when I was still able to follow the plot and world building easily. This book was phenomenal. The twists and turns were so well done, I was absolutely hooked. Without any spoilers, all I can say is…. that ending, are you kidding me! When do we get book two?!? All 3 main characters while different are all morally complex, broken and harshly conditioned by their upbringings. It makes some captivating character arcs. There are so many unanswered questions that I just can’t wait to dive deeper into these charters in the next one. This was a stunning YA fantasy and I will be quickly reading Sabaa Tahir’s previous work.