WOW! AMAZING Romantasy debut for Amalie Howard! She has some serious range being able to write amazing regency romances to then spring board into The Starlight Heir without missing a beat and still manage to keep the same high standard of witty banter and swoony romantic plot lines.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Starlight Heir and fingers crossed we get a sequel announcement soon...because I think there is another interesting character that is going to bust onto the page....and I am here for it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Avon for an ARC of The Starlight Heir! Pub Date: January 7, 2025

Absolutely riveting read with all anyone could want out of a novel. It brought emotions, cliffhangers, and most wonderful- such a rich culture and mythological perspective that was unique to any other book I’ve read.

I DNF’d at 50 percent. I wanted to love this but struggled with the dialogue (modern talk in a fantasy setting), and the twists the story took that felt really out of left field.

So many fantasy stories out next year - it’s stiff competition!

*Left "no rating" on Goodreads

Not going to lie, a major appeal point for this book was the beautiful cover! So all props to the artist who put this together! I was also excited by the general premise of the story, especially a story focusing on a female blacksmith and all of the potentially badass moments that could exist for a character like that. On top of all of that, I was simply excited to see this marketed as an adult fantasy novel, as I’ve struggled more and more to find books that fit within this category, with most fantasy falling in either YA or romantasy subgenres. So, let’s dive into what the book actually had to offer!

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite work for me, all the more frustrating because I think the author had the bones of a good story here. First and foremost, the world-building was interesting, especially everything that drew from Persian culture and history. I particularly enjoyed all portions of the story when we really got a chance to dig into some of these aspects of the world; unfortunately, these bits were few and far between. There were even some glaring missed opportunities to explore this further, particularly with some of the fashion choices at the ball scenes early in the book.

This ball scene also lead into one of my primary points of struggle with the story: it felt like the author couldn’t fully commit to what sort of story she was trying to write. The first thirty percent or so of the book is taken up with this rather silly bride competition (not sure how an author can make that concept NOT silly, especially in an adult book, but I’d be happy to be proven wrong if someone can provide an example!). But then, as the story progresses, we quickly learn that the entire premise of this competition was completely pointless and the story switches gears into a much more action-packed adventure story. The bride competition would likely have always been a bit of struggle point for me, but it was all the worse when it was immediately undercut in this way. Further, the overall pacing of the book felt very strange, with the first bit so fully committing to a much slower “Bridgerton”-esque style plot and then, with whiplash inducing speed, changing pace completely into a high stakes adventure.

As for the characters, I will say that I appreciated that the romantic lead was not of the brooding sort, and instead a much more light-hearted character. I swear, if I read one more romantasy title where the hero is a shadow daddy with black hair and grey eyes, I’m going to swear off the subgenre for many moons. That said, I did feel that this character’s attachment to our heroine walked right up to the line of instalove, coming on very quickly and with very little real foundation to it.

I was much more frustrated with Suraya, however. Part of this comes down to the unfortunate dialogue often given to the character, her speeches chock full of modern lingo that grated on my nerves every time I came across it. At best, this style of dialogue gives me secondhand embarrassment for the author, and at worst, I’m actively cringing. Luckily, by the second half of the book, the story has picked up its pace to the point that the dialogue needed to be devoted to actual plot points, thus reducing these lingo bits. However, throughout it all, I also found myself just wanting…more from Suraya. Her entire concept is one of power and potential, and yet, again and again, she comes across as unable to think for herself or make a decision on her own without reference to those around her. She also spends way too much of her internal musing focused on Roshan’s looks, to the point that it began to be distracting from the rest of the story.

Overall, I didn’t love this book. I feel like the pacing was disjointed and the heroine was let down by poor dialogue. That said, it was also quite readable and I whipped through it fairly quickly. It also reminds me of a lot of other popular romantasy titles that are currently fairly beloved, so I think there are definitely readers out there! I’ll say, it you, too, are tired of brooding heroes, this one might be worth checking out just for the change of pace in the romantic lead!

Rating 7: While there was potential in the world-building and certain plot twists, I struggled with the modern dialogue and the weaker characterization of the heroine.

Link will go live on The Library Ladies on Jan. 3

This sounded right up my alley but it unfortunately fell short for me. Modern slang in fantasy worlds isn't always a deal breaker for me, but in this one I just couldn't move past it. People in a fantasy world saying things like "goals!" and "thick thighs save lives" which just didn't fit well in the world or the rest of the dialogue. The mixture of this modern slang and the fantasy world made it so I couldn't tell the setting/ time period and it frustated me. We are also thrown directly into a scene in the first chapter with no backstory given to anything. It seemed like I had missed the first few chapters with how quickly the whole synopsis started happening. The book ended up being a lot of "we did this and then we did that and then this" and so on, instead of showing the things.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc! 🫶

Things that made this a solid four star read:
- Great pacing and world building: The pace is quick without losing details
- Solid MFC and MMC: The relationship building between the two is fairly obvious but there's a couple plot twists that actually did catch me off guard.

Why not five stars?
- The romance felt rushed. I was surprised to see that there was another book coming after at the rate that the romance was developed. As much as I am not a fan of a slow burn, this felt like an inferno and I'm curious how this will develop in the next book.

Overall, highly recommend this for fans of romantasy with themes of deception, court politics, and really cool magic system.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for this ARC of The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard.

The cover of The Starlight Heir immediately drew me in with its stunning, eye-catching design, and the endorsements from notable authors like Rebecca Yarros and Nissa Tuli further piqued my interest.

Set in a Persian/Indian-inspired fantasy world, The Starlight Heir is a tale of love, deceit, and self-discovery. The book is fast-paced and the characters navigate treacherous realms of magic and politics. One of the standout features of the novel is the diversity in its mythology and worldbuilding and the rich, cultural tapestry woven into the magic systems and societal structures.

The romance didn't quite hit the mark for me. The relationship between the main characters felt too quick and the FMC trusted the MMC far too easily. The pacing of their emotional development felt rushed, and I found myself wanting more substance to their connection.
Despite that, the magic and house systems introduced in the book intrigued me. The concept is still relatively unexplored, and I’m hopeful that it will be developed more in the next book in the series. I’m especially excited to see how the mysterious new character hinted at in the final pages will play a role in the future of the story.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

One element that did detract from my enjoyment was the dialogue. At times, certain phrases and expressions felt jarring and out of place in the fantastical world the author had created. Terms like "jump his bones" and "princesplain" seemed to pull me out of the immersive experience, especially given the setting that is rooted in ancient customs and royalty. The main character’s constant swearing toward the end of the book also felt misaligned with the tone of the story, and it took me out of the narrative in those moments. While modern expressions may work in some settings, they felt jarring here and broke the overall ambiance.

Overall, The Starlight Heir offers a fast-paced fantasy with a world full of promise. The rich mythology and worldbuilding were standout elements. While the romance and dialogue didn’t work for me, if you’re a fan of diverse fantasy and magic systems with a dash of romance, this book might be a good fit for you.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for an earc in exchange for an honest review.
I had met Amalie Howard at a book signing where she spoke about this book before it had been announced, so I have been looking forward to reading this for months. I really enjoyed the magic system she created. It took me a bit to understand the different houses and how they related to eachother but I liked the ideas of the old gods and magic being outlawed. There were a few chapters in between the story with the God of Night which were interesting. I was confused with his relation until the end and now I am super excited to see where this story continues in the next book. I enjoyed the plot. Everything seemed to happen so fast but it was very neat to get to see the Scavs and the Dahaka as we explored the different areas of the kingdom and beyond. I feel like there is so much more to explore and I feel like this next book will lead into that more. One thing I will say that did not enjoy was the internet phrasing that was used by Suraya. I get trying to make phrase seem humorous however, in a fantasy world having the main character say “cop a feel” just did not feel right. It made those scenes feel just a bit cringy. Overall though, I did really enjoy this. I loved her magic and am even more excited for the next book.

I love Amalie Howard's historical romances and she is basically a NetGalley "must request" for me. This was a bit different from her usual fare but her signature character development, well-crafted plotting, and great dialogue are just as present in this romantasy as they are in her other books. This reminded me quite a bit of Nisha J. Tuli's Artefacts of Ouranos series (in a good way, and maybe even more than it would for others, as I just read that series). There are a lot of similar elements, including a very spunky female main character with a legacy she doesn't fully understand and a competition to be queen kind of deal. In my opinion sets this apart from other books with those tropes is really Howard's writing, which is always just so good. Content warning for violence, substance use/abuse, kidnapping, and probably more stuff that I'm forgetting.

I enjoyed this story quite a bit. the pacing was good and the timeline was well done. the building of the world and the characters was also managed well. Something about the tone of the book threw me though. I am not sure why because I love books like this! I would still recommend it to anyone and everyone who likes these kinds of books/stories, but that was my only issue with the story. For some reason the tone threw me. I will probably try and read this again at another time and see if that makes a difference. Sometimes it does! Thank you for allowing me access to such a wonderful story.!

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard - full of fantasy romance and adventure, magic and politics, truth and deception, and I couldn't put it down!!

When Suraya is invited to the Kingdom for a chance to win the Prince's hand in marriage, she goes just to have an adventure and have that connection with her late mother, not because she wants to be chosen. When it turns out the invitation isn't a quest to find a suitable bride but instead to find the Starkeeper, Suraya realizes just how dangerous this adventure is.

The relationship building between Sura and Ro was strong, I did have some suspicions about Roshan that came to light later and Sura's reaction was as expected. With Sura being so strong in such important moments, I wish she hadn't been such a damsel in distress at others - it felt inconsistent to me.
I loved the magic and the gods with the influence of Persian Mythology - and I need to know more about this Shadow that both haunted and helped Suraya. With that last chapter, I hope we get a second book! The world building was great - with the different houses and political histories and the magic touches drew me right in.

This one comes out in January, definitely add this one to your list if fantasy romance is your vibe!! Thanks, Avon and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a review!!

I enjoyed this story and the plot but i think i struggled quite a lot with the writing / tone of the book. I don’t know if this is just a romantasy thing but it almost seemed like a contemporary tone (including dialogues, words, phrases) in a fantasy setting. I feel like that could really work for people who are more into contemporary romance and want to get into more fantasy books, but as someone who reads primarily fantasy the tone threw me out of the fantastical setting at times. Still an enjoyable read and if you’re a primarily a contemporary romance person trying to get into romantasy/fantasy this could be a nice bridge for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4⭐️

Oh my! I really enjoyed this story! The worldbuilding and magic had unique components to it, and this felt like a nice twist on a common trope. I love competition-esque fantasies so this was a great variation of that. Fantasy books seem to often incorporate riddles, and I can confidently tell you I have never guessed a riddle in my life.

Sura and Ro are so cute. I loved that Sura is 25! Finally someone over the age of 18 as a fantasy FMC. I also love a man that is described as smelling of Bergamot and Spice.

This book is really fast moving and was an easy read. The ending surprised me, which was a nice surprise.

I am unsure if this book is a standalone or not? I felt like it was but the epilogue made me suspect otherwise. As a standalone this book holds up. And if there is a sequel, I would be reading that quickly.

Reluctant hero, deadly trials, and angering the gods? SIGN ME UP.

Suraya is so relatable--she just wants her family to live in peace, work in her forge, and make enough money to get by. But she's a protagonist in a fantasy novel so that isn't going to happen. After being summoned to the castle to participate in a Prince's quest for a wife, she's forced to put her minimal training to the test and attempt to stay alive. And let me tell you, she's got much more of a survival instinct than I ever would, because I definitely wouldn't have lasted past the second test. Assuming I was able to pass the first.

This was a pretty fast paced read and a solid romantasy pick. I don't know how much I believed in Suraya's choices/when she picked and chose what to believe--there are a lot of inconsistencies in when she's picking and choosing what to believe and her logic just doesn't really track well with me.

I definitely enjoyed the banter between Suraya and Roshan, and the characterization of the villains was solid, if a little over the top. I think I would have enjoyed it more if we had a little more time with the villains with their masks on before the cruelty came out. I think adding another 50 pages or so to really develop more of the characters would have helped a bit with the issues I had with this one, but overall I'm really looking forward to the next installment.

The way fate is playing a role definitely has me intrigued. I can't wait to see how the gods truly tie-in to the story!

The Starlight Heir is phenomenal! The magic system and world building were amazing. The pacing is great. There is a ton of action but you can follow what is happening. The early part of the story had Hunger Game vibes and the later part was more Fourth Wing or Throne of Glass. with the training storyline. Unlike some multibook fantasy series this actually ends with some resolution. Sure, there are a lot of unanswered questions I look forward to exploring in later books, but the ending here feels meaningful rather than a cliffhanger dangling the next book at you. I really like Sura. She's tough, feels hard, and it's afraid to take action. Roshan read a little flatter but still a likeable character. Book 2 will have some interesting surprises and I can't wait!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this eARC!

Suraya receives an invitation to go court to be a potential bride for the prince, Javid. Javid does not have the best reputation, and she looks forward to a quick return home. Things at the palace are worse than she fears. This isn't a way for Javid to find a bride but to find the starbringer, a girl who has the magic of the stars, through a series of dangerous tests. These tests reveal that Suraya is the starbringer even though she never knew she had any magic. She forms a bond with the Prince's half-brother, Roshan, who tries to help her escape from the plans Prince Javid and his mother have for her.

Thoughts 💭
I love Amalie Howard and jumped at the chance to read her romantasy debut. Suraya was a modern but fun heroine, and I was invested in her journey, which included learning about and controlling her magic. Roshan and Suraya had so much chemistry that it lept from the page even if it was a bit of a slow burn. They didn't seem to face many challenges, but I have a feeling he may have more back story that will come to light in a future book. This book was fast-paced, and I had no trouble finishing it in a day.

With that being said, some of the prophecy, gods, and magic was a little hard to keep straight. I'm not sure I still fully understand it even after reading the book. I'm a newer fantasy reader, but I typically have no issues keeping things straight. There were also times I questioned the decisions of the characters because they just didn't make sense. Why would Suraya's father let her leave and go right to court and danger, especially without any background information? Why didn't Suraya pick up on Roshan's involvement with the rebel group? Things that seemed obvious to me did not even occur to some of the characters and made it a little frustrating. Looking past these things, though, it was a fun read, and I am intrigued enough to find out what comes next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon, Harper Voyager, and Amalie Howard for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review of The Starlight Heir!

I was so excited for this one but it unfortunately did not live up to the synopsis for me. Suraya in the beginning is this sarcastic blacksmith, I was fully expecting her to be a trained warrior that’s independent and wants to be treated like an equal. But the way her story plays out, it comes across as if she needs the MMC to keep her out of trouble because the second he tells her to stay put while he goes somewhere else, trouble finds her. That's not a joke, it happens more than twice.

I liked Roshan’s character and the banter between him and Suraya. These two really did have that connection you love to see in a romantasy. I also enjoyed how the author wrote the Queen and Crown Prince’s characters and the way that their development affected the plot.

I haven’t read much Persian/Indian inspired fantasy, and I was so looking forward to being introduced to mythology. So there were definitely times when I felt myself being sucked into the story and anticipating what was going to happen next. But there were times it felt like the author was so caught up in writing the dialogue that all the other aspects of a first person pov fell to the wayside. I felt like we never got much enough insight into Suraya’s thoughts. And half the time I had no idea what anything looked like because the descriptions were barely there.

All that being said, I loved the concept of this book and lore we were introduced to but the majority of this book felt rushed. I would have liked to see more detail in lieu of pushing as fast as she could to get to the next plot point.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

My review was posted to Goodreads on 11/26/24.
My Instagram review will be posted on 12/5/24.

There was a lot of potential here. The mythology was interesting and the world seems like it could have been great. Unfortunately, it didn't feel like we were able to settle in any one place long enough to get a view of where we were. On top of that, the first 40% of the book had modern slang, such as saying a prince was 'princesplaining' or 'thick thighs save lives' (which I have never heard in genuine one on one conversation) or 'Goals!' which I've only seen online rather than in a face to face conversation. This, personally, took me out of the story and made it even more difficult to get a grip on what this world was. Are we in a more urban setting? Doesn't seem like it. Is this how the people genuinely talk in this world? They dont really for the last 60% of the book, so it still doesn't seem like it. There are definitely books when this style works for me, such as Urban fantasies or portal fantasies in which the MC is transported from our world to theirs, or a breaking the fourth wall comedic effect. However, this doesn't seem like this story was any of that.

I enjoyed this book. The storyline was fantastic. Suraya was great main character. The book was fast paced and intriguing..I liked the twists in the book. Can't wait for the next story.

2.5 stars

I had really high expectations going in because this entire concept of this book seemed like it would be something right up my alley. Going in with these expectations though only led to severe disappointment.

The Starlight Heir begins when Suraya receives an invitation to compete for the Crown Prince’s hand. During this time a magic awakens in her that will either destroy the world or save it. She also meets the MMC who right off the bat didn’t do it for me. I felt an iffy vibe from him almost immediately and I felt that he and Suraya fell from each other wayyyy too fast. I needed more tension, angst and longing personally.

Now, even though this book was not for me, I did enjoy some aspects and I’m sure a lot of people would actually really love this book. For example, Suraya’s star powers were super interesting as well as the mythology. But honestly, it’s a miracle I even finished it because I wanted to dnf it 3 or 4 times…I think this could have been a great book and I’m sad it wasn’t for me.